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steddie-thirst · 2 years

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Knock His Block | Eddie Munson x (Shy) Fem!Reader |

Summary: Eddie can't stop himself when he sees you defenseless. When Jason is seen picking on you, the shy girl, he decides to be a bit chivalrous and offers to be your bodyguard.

(Warnings blood, Jason, fluff, angst, chilvarous!Eddie, fighting, blood, broken noses)

Hello my lovely readers I wanted to take time to let you know that from now on we will refer to Y/N as 'Belle' and I know this may be a bit frustrating for some of my readers, but I simply cannot stand to write (Y/N) in my stories. It is still an X Reader and there are no special physical descriptions of the reader and I will not give a specific body type. Simply imagine it's your name instead of Belle. Thank you! If you chose to stop reading or have questions I understand!

"So, Eddie?" Dustin speaks up eyes darting over to his unusually silent friend.

Eddie is idly tapping his knuckles on the speckled table beneath, clearly deep in thought. Only being brough out of when his name is called. "Hmm?" He hums, eyes flitting over to gaze at the small curly haired boy a small indication to let him know that he was listening.

"Are you listening?" Dustin asked and the metalhead huffs a short laugh leaving him.

"Sorry, no. Jus' been thinking." Eddie replied, palms flattening out against the surface before leaning back to straighten up in his chair. Like a king on a throne. Eddie surely was something to admire.

"Great." Dustin states. "But are you really cancelling Hellfire?" He reiterated his question still reeling from the announcement. The other members, Gareth, Jeff and Kevin looked to their leader for an answer. It was almost unheard for Eddie to cancel any meetings especially at the end of a campaign. He was insane! Or had to be because it would explain a lot.

Eddie sighs shoulders dropping, "Alright, I'll let you in on a little secret." He watches as they all lean forward turning an ear to listen to what their leader had to say. Eddie glances around the cafeteria, before leaning in too. "Boys, I've got a date with destiny."

"The girl from homeroom?" Gareth chimed in and Eddie responded with a groan elbowing him.

The drummer didn't appreciate the sentiment. "Ow." He whined rubbing his side.

"No, with that cutie in O'Donnell's." Eddie corrected, eyeing to his watchful flock. Then they flit over to the doors at then end of the lunch hall. "Speak and she appears." They all turn their eyes to view the mystery girl.

"Belle?" Jeff was shocked. "You have a date with her? Isn't she like super quiet? Barely says anything?" He furrowed his brow in despite of Eddie's admittance to said 'date' although he made it clear.

"Well." He shrugs non-chalant, hands clapping together. "It's not really a date. She's coming over to mine to study, so." Eddie looks back down at his hands fidling with his ring entranced by the shiny metal.

"But you wish it was a date." Jeff comments reaching for his soda and Eddie looks up back to the bassist.

"What?"

"He said you wish it was was date." Gareth intrudes into the conversation, Dustin and Mike interlocked in their own world away from the seniors. "Eddie, you have a thing for soft girls. Belle is one of them. I've seen how you look at her."

Eddie shakes his head in disbelief. "I-I can't just ask her I mean... Hello, she fits into a crowd with Steve Harrington!" The guitarist almost shouted.

"Talk to her." Kevin pipes up catching the metalheads attention, still off-guard by the support from his band mates. The younger members excusing themselves to chase after Lucas, but really just didn't want to be a part of all this girl talk.

"Talk-? Talk to her?" Eddie shakes his head and waves his hands wildly. "No, absolutely not. Have you seen me talking to girls."

"Yes." They all agreed.

Eddie huffs slamming his hands down defeat chest puffing out. He was frustrated and who would blame him. "Fine. I'll talk to her and if she.. she doesn't feel the same I'll be done with it."

The others cheered for their friend, a leader, a kind person, and all around genuinely nice guy. Not that most people would think that but they did and that's what matters. So when the bell rang he swiftly made his exit towards your locker. However, when he got there Eddie stopped. Jason was there face to face with you. His head fell back against the white-washed brick and he let out a sigh.

"Come on," Jason urges, "You can't help me just a little?" You look at him as he steps closer leaning on arm on the lockers trapping you.

With a shake of your head you deny him. "Jason, I.. I'm already booked tonight. Tonight I'm tu-tutoring, Eddie-"

"Munson? That fucking- Shit -" He hissed. Clenching his fists in anger as he thinks it over. You alone with Eddie? No - Not on his watch.

"He needed help. So I-I invited him over and.." You trailed off smiling at the thought of being alone with your very own high-school crush. Eddie was sweet, loving, and enthusiastic about the mystical and mysterious.

Eddie pressed his back to the end of the wall and tried to steady his breathing. You sounded excited and eager to spend time with him.

The jock did not seemed to thrilled on his end however. Jason wasn't being exactly to nice with his words. "You what-?!"

"I-I offered to help Ed-Eddie tonight for the- the final." You stammered helplessly. Eddie felt his heart crack at the soft tember of your voice. You sounded frightened. Terrified even.

"Why?! Eddie is just gonna fail anyway he probably just wants to get into your pants or use you for his fucking cult shit!" Jason snapped. His hand flying past your head and making contact with the locker. You jumped at the near miss of contact. Eddie was peering around the corner watching as Jason got in your face. Nose to nose. He was seeing red in that moment.

You choked on your breath as Jason's fingers cut of your oxygen supply. His jaw was clenched, brows knitted together and lips pulled back into a scowl.

"H-He's not going to fail. Eddie has being trying really hard-Hgh!" You let out a choked breath as Jason's fingers wrapped around your throat, squeezing just enough to cause bruising. He touched you. His hands on were around your neck and Eddie went berserk.

"You better fucking cancel it. Or I swear I'll make you regret it." He spat. Eddie's sneakers squeaked against the tiles as he rushed over to the scene. It was like a flash of black and blue. Eddie tackled the player to the ground and held him down. Hands gripping Jason's forearms and legs on either side of his thigh.

"Get off me freak!" Jason spat.

"E-Eddie?" You were shocked. The guitarist had come out of nowhere tackling Jason to the ground. Hands on him in an instant.

"No, not until you learn to keep your hands off girls, Carver." Eddie spat, pinning the jock to the floor.

Jason smirked. "Aw, you got the hots for her? You think about her at night?" Eddie faltered for a second and Jason saw through it. "To bad she's usually begging me for more." He snapped.

Ring clad knuckles striking down across Jason's nose a sickening crack could be heard there after. The jock had a broken nose, bleeding and dripping down his face. He kneed Eddie off of him tumbling over until he was over the metalhead. Punch after punch was delivered.

"Stop! Stop!" You cried. Another teacher heard the commotion and helped pull the two students off each other. Peeling them apart from each other then directed them towards the principal office.

That same day you ended up giving Eddie a ride home after spending most of it in detention. He had his van in the shop and needed a ride home. "I'm sorry." Eddie breaks the silence of the ride and you turn to glance at him. His eyes were glassy. Eddie was clearly upset for going crazy on Jason in the hall, but you weren't mad at him.

"Don't be sorry, Eddie. Jason was-"

"Out of line? Hurting you?" He offers a few suggestions and you smile. Those soft eyes look over to your relaxed form. Eyes focused on the road. He wanted nothing but to keep you safe. "Belle?"

His voice was soft something that usually wasn't common with Eddie. "Yes?" You briefly glance at the metalhead and the way the occasional street lamp illuminates his face. The radio plays quietly in the background Every Breath You Take by Sting. You smile, it's a nice touch to the atmosphere.

"I-I want to protect you.. Want to make you feel safe." You almost gasped, heart leaping in your chest at his admittance.

"Eddie, you don't have to. I'm fine-"

"No!" He shouts hands slamming down against the dash, "Fuck, Belle you- you mean so much to me. I like you! I want to be with you and it's crazy how you make me feel." Eddie looks back at you. "Shit.." He just poured his heart out to you and now you were absolutely silent.

"Good, cause I like you too. I could use a bodyguard." You admitted with a smile. Eddie couldn't help the smile that appeared on a face and now he felt like a-million bucks.

"Consider me your knight, your majesty." He speaks a smile on her face now.

TAGLIST:

@yaspillz @st-ls @munsonloverblog @off-phelia @strangerthingsstories5255 @fujiihime @shyposttree @damon-loves-pie @fanficfanatic204 @positivevibesnlif3 @beebslebobs @seratoninsickness @k0urti @thatlonelypieceoftoast @marianita195 @bbarnes04 @phantomxoxo @wittlewowa @buchanansbaby @rollergirlworld @allithewriter @555stargirl555 @gothguitargal @eddiemunsons-missingnipple

#eddie munson x reader #stranger things season 4 #eddie munson #eddie munson gif #eddie x reader #eddie x fem!reader #eddie munson x you #stranger things fandom #x reader #eddie my beloved #eddie i love you #eddie munson x fem!reader #gareth emerson #dustin henderson

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knightyoomyoui · 1 year

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NaMo (Nayeon x Momo) - “Now We’re Even”

The book returns after almost 3 months of absence! Sorry for the lack of updates; I've been very busy with stuff in my life, plus I do admit that I'm getting a bit lazy with writing stories these days.

Anyway, I hope you all enjoy reading this one, despite how short it is. This was actually intended to be angst at first, but instead I changed it to fluff. I want to take a break for a while from making sad stories lol.

At the moment, Nayeon and Sana were enjoying their ice cream from the fast food restaurant they went to while sitting on the seats within the airport. Everyone in their immediate vicinity was moving back and forth, contributing to the cacophony of sounds and noises that was already there. Nayeon and Sana still managed to interrupt their talk and spoil their enjoyment of their delectable sweets. After Nayeon reiterates the sole concern she will be considering for the remainder of the day, they both become silent. without Sana standing by her.

That is the reason for it. Sana was informed by Nayeon that she was at a loss for what to do at her dorm on her alone. Sana lamented having to leave her buddy and felt sorry for her. She is the reason they are at the airport. Her flight is the one they are now waiting for. Because her parents have discovered a better possibility for their daughter to succeed in the course she wants to take on her path to her dream profession, Sana is planning to return to her native Osaka, Japan, to attend college there. The agreement was finalized once she provided her consent. It's bittersweet that she has the one Korean she mostly knows, who she has become particularly close to and precious to, at her side on this final day that she has left in South Korea. The last spoonful of ice cream was scooped onto Nayeon's cup, and she ate it. "It's not a problem to me if the landlord starts looking for my new roommate to settle in with me, but..." she said. She scowled, "I'm not used to waiting longer for someone to come, and it takes time for me to build trust with that person. They're just not like you, Sana." Sana grins warmly at her friend's final sentimental comment. "Don't worry, unnie. I assure you, I'm going to do something about it. Don't be like that, okay? I want to make you happier and see you smile before I go."

Nayeon started to glare and furrow her eyebrows at Sana's reply. She moderately plunged her fists on the younger lady's arms which earned a giggle. "Aghhh! Why you gotta do me like this, Sana. I said I'm not going to cry."

"Hehehe sorry." Sana said."As what I'm saying, I do indeed have a plan."

"And that is?"

"To get you a new roommate by myself."

Nayeon's curiousity arises. "That? How would you be able to do it? Do you know someone aside from me here?"

"Yes, I do know more than you Nayeonnie but..." Sana paused as the image of that person she's referring popped up in her mind. "That wasn't from here, it's on Japan."

"Eh? W-wait, so you're saying..."

"Yes, I plan to get you with my friend from Japan. Speaking about right timing, both of us were changing ways for our college life; if I'm going back... she's... going far away." Sana explained.

"And that friend of yours decided to... come here?"

Sana nodded in response. "Yes, she said she wants to visit and try the lifestyle and culture of Korea while she's studying... so I just contacted her a while ago if she would like to accept my invitation of her being my substitute to become your roommate, Nayeon."

Nayeon's eyes expanded and jaw slightly unclenched. "Wait, you got me already a new one?"

"Mhhmm... and don't worry about her. Now that she's recommended from me directly, you don't have to doubt about her a lot. I've known her for many years, she's my childhood bestfriend in Japan." Sana revealed.

The two threw their trash off to the garbage bin before they proceeded to talk.

"What's her name?" Nayeon asked.

"Oh nope, I'm not going to tell you. I want you to meet and know everything about her personally." Sana shook her head and smirked. "But hey, I'm going to give you just one since I have mercy."

Nayeon was excited to know, so she listened attentively to Sana. "What is it?"

"Well you're going to notice that she has this habit of acting very dumb. Like literally, dumb. If not dumb, maybe spaced out?" Sana said with a bit of confused tone in tbe end at the inassurance. "I don't know, but coming from a perspective and experience of being her longtime friend, despite how she's like that; look at her now. She won't be an exchange student if that's frequent of her to be like that.", she shrugged.

"Ahh I remember how I used to call her 'airhead robot' before as one of my ways to tease her." Sana flips upon the recollection of her past memories with her childhood friend. "I miss her and I'm going to miss you too, Nayeon. I may not be seeing neither her or you, but please... I want you both to be good, okay?"

"Okay." Nayeon nodded and pursed her lip. "Thank you Sana, I appreciate how you're still considerate of my situation knowing you have to do the hard thing even if it's not what you want to do in the first place. I'm going to miss you too."

An alarm sound echoes in the airport followed by an announcement coming from the lady secretary.

"Next plane for South Korea to Japan has arrived. Please, fall in line to the departure entrance and follow the instructions given by the security and personnels while escorting you all. Thank you." the voice of the lady disappeared and the alarm beeped three more left before it also went gone.

Both Nayeon and Sana heard that cue. "Oh, there's my flight." Sana stood up first on the seat and starts to grab her bag and hold the handle of her luggage while Nayeon just observes her sadly.

They both stepped near to the entrance. Nayeon and Sana stood for a while and faced theirselves. "I guess this is it."

"Yeah" Nayeon muttered.

Sana didn't waste any more time and embraced Nayeon's body, wrapping her arms around the latter as she began to cry in her presence as she saw the queue beginning to grow with other passengers from the plane.

"I'm going to miss you so much, unnie. This won't be the last of us, but I just want to say thank you so much for helping me live confortably and familiarize everything about South Korea. You have became my partner of creating memories, and I would like to do it more with you someday where the time would allow us again, my friend."

"Goodbye, Sana. I'm going to miss you a lot too. I will be fine. I promise to be okay with someone you got for me, and I have to support the paths you're choosing for your career because I'm your friend and I want to see you again too, Nayeon stated between her sniffs and heavy breathing as she continued to cry on Sana's shoulder.

They let go and smiled at each other. "You have to go there now; you wouldn't want to miss the flight, Nayeon joked.

Sana chuckled at Nayeon's hilarious remark. "They won't. The princess of Osaka, Japan, should be prioritized at all costs." She swayed her hair aside with an aura. Nayeon was impressed at how Sana transitioned from influencing her self-confidence.

"Just go, you squirrel." Nayeon pushed her away gently.

Sana walks near and falls in line across the entrance, where the guards are checking the items of every individual entering.

As she was granted access by the security, Sana turned her body one last time to wave her hand and bid goodbye for now to Nayeon who sent the same gesture. "Be safe on your way home, Satang!" Nayeon shouted, didn't cared about the people around her who were startled at her loud voice.

Sana warned her to be quiet quickly and laughed after at her friend's sillyness before she finally made her way through the inside, where her body is nowhere to be found in Nayeon's sight.

Her friend is now gone, hopefully for temporary measure... but Nayeon who is standing all alone in the middle of the airport, couldn't be helped but to feel lonely and down about it.

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If she wasn't sleeping, her mood would just force her to perform tasks that hardly even pique her interest or provide her with amusement but which she is yet required to perform, such as housework, eating, or finishing her schoolworks. Until the next day, when she heard a knock at her door, Nayeon remained monotonous and lifeless. The owner of the apartment she is renting is there in her doorway as she threw open the door, but she's not alone though. There is another person standing next to her, and as Nayeon fixed her focus on this stranger, it seemed as though everything abruptly ceased to move or function at its varied rhythms and speeds. The other girl next to her attracted her interest, she had long black hair styled in a hime cut with blonde streaks, was dressed in a black dress and a red skirt, and was carrying two bags and a luggage. Given that she truly resembles a foreigner, Nayeon surmised that this is the Japanese female Sana is referring to. The landlord utilized her purpose for being here with them even though it was uncomfortable for her to be next to these two who were lost in thought as they continued to stare at one other.

"Oh yeah... yeah, sorry. Good morning, Mrs. Kim." Nayeon sheepishly smiled and scratched her head.

Mrs. Kim shook her head and formed a little smirk in her lips. "Kids these days..." she muttered to herself.

"Sorry to interrupt your breakfast or calling you up after you just woke up but... as you can see I came here with this girl with me." Mrs. Kim said, shooting a glance at the mysterious girl beside her who is still switching her looks at the two, but stays longer on Nayeon as she gets more curious about the Korean rather.

"And I'm here to tell you that this girl will be your new roommate, Nayeon, Mrs. Kim said, gesturing her hand at the Japanese as if she were presenting her. "I received a call from your previous roommate and my tenant, Sana, that she already paid for this friend of hers to occupy with you in this dorm."

"Oh, she did?" Nayeon fakely commented, hiding her confirmation that this girl indeed is the childhood friend of Sana she's mentioning to her back in the airport.

"Yes. Well, I couldn't stay here longer. I still have to manage my son to prepare for school. I hope you two get along well." Mrs. Song patted the Japanese girl's shoulder before she left.

Nayeon and Sana's friend were the only ones left in the quiet, bright hallway. "O-oh, yeah. Please let me help you with this."

"A-arigato..." the Japanese bowed in gratitude to Nayeon. She figured that she spoke in Japanese, so it seems that unlike Sana, she would be encountering a language barrier with her because she doesn't speak Korean.

Fortunately, Nayeon knew that very familiar Japanese word, so she still understood it. She grabbed the luggage and brought it inside the dorm.

"Come in, make yourself feel at home, Nayeon invited her as she let the Japanese remove her shoes and place them on the shoerack. She steps inside, and Nayeon moves the luggage so that she can close the door.

"A-ah... eeh..." Nayeon pulled out her cellphone and searched for a translator generator on Google to help her communicate with the girl. The latter was sneaky, though; she caught Nayeon's actions and silently laughed at how cute this girl is when she is tensed and how oblivious she is also.

"You don't need to. I can speak Korean." the latter said to Nayeon, who was taken aback, her fingers almost inches away from touching the screen.

"Y-you can?"

"I studied it. Going to Korea was one of my biggest dreams when I was young, so I learned Korean with Sana." she answered

"Oh...." Nayeon reacted in fascination. It was dumb of her not to think about that. She assumed too early and didn't check it further. "Sorry, I just heard you speak Japanese, and I thought that you were not fluent in Korean."

The Japanese girl laughed. "No problem. It's my fault anyway. Well, sorry too. I just want to still speak in Japanese despite knowing other languages because I don't want to end up forgetting completely my own language, she said. "I'm afraid of that happening. My parents would probably disown me too", she joked.

"Makes sense." Nayeon nodded. "Well, that's a great way to start a conversation with you. I'm Nayeon, Sana's friend and former roommate here."

She offered her hand.

"I'm Hirai Momo, Sana's childhood bestie and... your new roommate, I believe." She smiled and accepted Nayeon's hand for a introductory handshake.

"Let's go to the couch, you should take a rest for a while. I suppose you might be tired." Nayeon said as she lets Momo have her way on the living room. "Cmon, don't be shy. This is now your second house too anyway so go ahead."

"Well, who am I to reject a kind offer. Thank you." Momo said and sat at the couch, feeling its softness that made her relax in an instant. "I came a long way from here and the heat outside along with the length of the ride I took feels like my body is already exhausted."

"Like I said, take a rest. You can sleep already if you want."

"I can't. I- I haven't ate proper breakfast yet."

"Oh, is that so?" Nayeon was quite surprised. "Hey, I'll prepare us food. Good thing you said that. I'm getting hungry too."

Nayeon grinned at Momo who had to watch her cook their breakfast meal for this morning.

After minutes of waiting, Nayeon served their food on the dining table and followed it up with drinks. Momo thanked Nayeon for this.

"I hope you like it, I'm not really that good at cooking but atleast I know how to do this so yeah... pardon me." Nayeon shyly pleaded.

"It's okay. It's not like it's burnt." Momo shook her head and examined the bacon she stabbed with fork. Taking a bite, she munched it and analyzed the feeling of it inside her mouth while Nayeon is anticipatingly waiting her her reaction.

"A little bit over cooked, but still good." Momo said, smiling. Nayeon nodded and formed a relieved smile.

"H-how can you tell it easily by the way? Does your parents taught you how to cook perhaps?"

"I just love eating, that's why." Momo smiles cheekily. "And I used that to motivate myself to cook on my own so that you know, people won't just call me as a heavy eater or eating machine for one reason. I still like those terms, it's true anyway. I don't take it much as an insult." she added.

"Ahh... woah impressive of you, Momo. I kinda feel jealous for you, I still haven't improved. Sana would probably be disappointed at me if she knows she's teaching me for nothing." Nayeon stated problematically.

"Oh so Sana is the one who cooks for you both?

"Yes, but ofcourse if she needed help I willingly volunteer."

"She won't be mad at you, I know that. That girl doesn't even get mad instantly, but when she does... nevermind, I don't want to recall that, Momo said as she nearly got terrified of that one rare particular flashback she had with her friend. "It just sends chills all over me." She acted like she was freezing cold.

"From the way you're saying that, I'm being grateful that I never triggered her in the span of 3 years of having her as my roommate." Nayeon chuckled.

"Sure you do, because you'll never like it when she's angry." Momo scoffed under her breath.

The two proceeded to take a couple of bites and a spoonful of their food before they talked to each other again.

"How did you and Sana met, if I may ask?" Nayeon curiously pondered.

"We were 8 years old back in elementary. It was the first day of school and she was my seatmate. Given how bubbly and sociative Sana's personality, she decided to come up and be friends with me which I did the same because she's so nice to me. Then one time we found out that we actually live not that far from our own houses so... that's where it all began." Momo narrated her story with Sana.

"How about you?"

"Well just like how I met you today, that's the first time me and Sana saw each other." Nayeon replied. "She was also standing there with her belongings. I thought she was clueless at what's happening around herI caught a glimpse of her blank expression but when she landed her eyes at me, there's this smile of hers that makes you feel trusted, you know? The way she looked at me, she's sure that me and her will become friends quickly and she will be okay on her stay her in Korea."

"And I'm happy. I'm happy that I somehow fulfilled and reached that expectation she has on me." Nayeon smiled as she roamed her eyes around the house, reminiscing some of those many memories she and Sana did that occured here.

"And now that I have you because Sana entrusted me to you, all I need to do is to pass my responsibility to you... and I for me to be able to do that, would you like to be friends with me, Momo?"

Momo looked at Nayeon who is offering her friendship to her, questioning for confirmation while her free hand is presented to her.

Given all the allegations she revealed with her, Nayeon does appear to be a kind person after all. She's bringing up a valid argument. Without Sana, she wouldn't be here at all, and if her friend didn't know Nayeon well enough to recommend her as her new roommate, she wouldn't have much faith in her. Sana wanted her to meet Nayeon so that she could experience what it's like to have someone like her staying by her side.

Thinking about all of that profoundly, Momo's increasing assurance and her desire to discover is what urged her to choose the right thing.

She accepted Nayeon's hand and shaked it to finalize their agreement of considering one another's creation of friendship.

"I want to be your friend, Nayeon." Momo smiled at stared at her delighted expression.

"Now we're even!" Nayeon exclaimed. "I promise, Momo. Just like everything I've done for Sana, I will treat you without difference. As long as you have me on your side, I will make sure you're going to enjoy my company as your friend and roommate."

Momo went agaped at Nayeon's swear. That was exactly what she's just thinking earlier. She wouldn't take it much as a coincidence because now, as how she can observe Nayeon; she can determine her sincerity of being close to a person and be a part of her life.

They finished their meal and Nayeon volunteered to clean the table and do the dishes as she encouraged Momo to take a look at her room.

"How is it?" Nayeon asked Momo who is standing below the doorframe, tracing the area of her new room.

"The space is just perfect for me. I like it." Momo said as she pulled her luggage with her inside.

"You and Sana were indeed friends." Nayeon blurted and stiffled a laughter as she starts washing the plates on the sink.

Momo started to open her things and remove them one by one as she places it on the bed after she decided where should she put all of these around.

She was busy inserting her folded clothes and other various garments when she heard Nayeon yelling from the kitchen.

"If you need help, don't hesitate to call me, okay?"

"Okay!" Momo shouted back after she heard that.

"Ahh I'm so glad you're here, Momo. I've been so bored and lonely these past few days." Nayeon yelled again behind the walls. Her words were audible for Momo to pick up and understand it forwardly, which it made her smile and touched at Nayeon's welcoming behavior.

Yeah, she will definitely like it here, she said to herself.

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

As time passed, their closeness with each other became thinner. They started to hang out even more, especially after realizing that both of them were studying at the same campus and that they were classmates in some of their subjects.

That allowed both of them to know a lot more about each other. However, that gives Nayeon a different feeling, which she unconsciously develops as she digs deeper to learn everything about Momo.

It brings her satisfaction and delight. and attraction for her new roommate, enumerating all the moments they had in her mind where she had those feelings, keeping her to think about it every single day.

Some of her favorites are when Momo revealed that she is a dog lover just like her; she adopted two new dogs so that she wouldn't be jealous anymore of Nayeon having her own dog; Momo being the home chef as she cooks all their food every day; and they share the most similarities in their interests in other things.

Through that, she starts to see Momo differently from an admirer's perspective, which is pretty impressive for her at how unbelievable it is that Momo turned her into that when Sana couldn't even do it to her.

One month later, Nayeon and Momo celebrated Boo and Dobby's first month after being adopted.

They ate and drank alcohol like there was no tomorrow until Nayeon became drunk faster.

Momo, who is still sober from all of the contents she consumed, helps Nayeon transfer her into her room, where she can finally rest comfortably and sleep the night away.

As she was tucking the blanket around her body, she kept staring at Nayeon's peaceful face. Momo thinks she couldn't even recognize if there were times when she didn't see Nayeon as adorable and... attractive.

She was born with it, she guesses. That's why it's so natural for her to be that way, and... from how it makes her feel about it these days.

Momo's cheeks puffed as she smiled in flutter at the thoughts in her head until it was interrupted when she heard a mumbling coming out from Nayeon, who felt some movements being done to her and slightly woke up.

"M-momoring~~~" Nayeon said with a smile as she patted Momo's arms still connected to the sides of the blanket she's using to cover Nayeon's body.

"Yeah, I'm here Nabongs. Sleep well, okay? You need to rest. Goodnight." Momo said, smiling at her nickname being called in a singsong tone almost near to the usual aegyo treatment she's getting from the older which she secretly adore.

"N-night night Momoring~~~" Nayeon's hands climbs up from Momo's arms and went into her face where she cupped her cheeks. Momo couldn't move at this bunny's sudden action.

"W-what-"

"T-thank you..." Nayeon lets out a hiccup for a sec. She stared at Momo's face with half lidded eyes as she continues to pinch her soft cheeks. "Ah~ you're so r-reliable. I want to stay with you always.

I like it. I like all of you so much, Momoring hehe~"

Momo heard and saw her speak that with shock and surprise, staring at her friend who just unknowingly expressed her likedness on the latter.

Nayeon fell back asleep again, leaving her friend in dazed and confused who is still processing what did just happened.

She gulped hard and looked at Nayeon one more time, now in her sleeping state before she left the room with her senses barely functioning properly, still being disturbed by Nayeon's double meaning compliment on her.

After that day, Nayeon noticed that Momo became distant and awkward with her again. She literally personified what Sana has been describing her, and it doesn't sit well on her.

She couldn't move around the house if both of them were having this some sort of line drawn between each other that prevents them from an attempt to be closer as what friends always does.

It remained like that for almost a week until one day when she received a call from Momo.

"Hello, Momoring?"

"H-hello, is this Im Nayeon? Momo said that you're her friend, am I correct?"

"Yes, this is Nayeon you're talking at. What do you need and why are you using my friend's number?" Her eyebrows furrowed.

"Sorry if I got you unconfortable, miss. I'm Lee Sunmi, her dance instructor. I just want to inform you that Momo unfortunately got injured today during our rehearsal."

Nayeon's eyes widened, covering her mouth in bewilderment. "W-what?! How's she doing right now, Miss Lee?"

"We already given her proper medical aid to treat her injuries. She's here in my office, you can take her home to rest and help her recover. I already considered it as a temporary leave for her. As an instructor, my student's health condition matters the most to me."

"Thank you, Miss Lee." Nayeon said with gratitude present in her voice. She ended the call and placed it hurriedly on the table as she rushed to prepare herself before going outside and drive ahead to the dance studio where Momo is at.

More than half an hour later, Nayeon successfully took Momo and she brought her home where she applied instant care in massive worriedness.

"What happened to you?" Nayeon asked Momo who remains silent on her seat since during the drive.

"My foot went outbalanced while performing our dance break." Momo explained, her voice is plain along with her emotion.

Nayeon clicked her tongue and shook her head. "That's bad. I hope you got to be careful next time, okay?"

Momo just nodded and hugged her pillow tighter.

"Do you want to eat?"

She just shook her head and answered "No."

"O-okay..." Nayeon is starting to feel awkward again and she hates it. "Uhm, do you know how long you'll be out?"

"I don't want to talk about it." Momo repositioned herself, her body now facing away from Nayeon who has now at her lowest limit of resisting as she inhaled deeply before deciding to pour out everything she's enduring.

Momo was still acting different and Nayeon who's had enough, confronted her to know the reason why.

"Why are you being so cold to me?"

Momo didn't make a move.

"I know you're still awake Momo. What's wrong, did I do something bad to you that I don't know?"

Meanwhile, Momo is hiding herself her face in the pillow with tension and fear.

"This won't do. I guess I'll ask her about it later." Nayeon has given up, sighing heavily. She was about to rotate her body when she heard Momo speak behind her.

"You didn't."

Nayeon slowly looked back at Momo who is now staring at the ceiling. "... but you did do something you didn't know."

Nayeon's curiousity activated. "Is that why? Cmon, tell me. What is it?"

"So you really don't remember." Momo chuckled at the confirmation. "You were really out like a light at being drunk on that night anyway."

"W-wait... HAVE WE DONE SOMETHING- UHH... MOMO, D-DID WE?!" Nayeon suddenly hugged her body as her face presents surprise.

"What?! No! That's not what I mean!" Momo exclaimed. "Gosh, that's not what I'm referring at, you pervert."

"P-pervert?!" Nayeon defended. "You're the one here who's giving double meaning, as if I can tell what are you really implying!"

"But that doesn't deny you being like that, grandma." Momo rolled her eyes. Nayeon's agitation fueling up inside of her.

"AAAGHHH JUST GO STRAIGHT TO THE POINT HIRAI!"

"Fine, you wanna know?!"

"Yes!" Nayeon replied. "Do you know how I keep asking myself, What have I done to you that you became so distant and cold to me? It was like, very weird considering how much we had fun when we celebrated Boo and Dobby's first month of adoption."

Momo saw Nayeon lowering her head, probably at the switch of sadness she's starting to feel. Having empathy for her, she had finally decided to do it. It will, after all... would help both sides to know the answer they've been peering for.

"Yeah, we did have so much fun that night, Momo agreed. "That's why you became so drunk you wouldn't even remember that you told me how much you like me, Nayeon."

Nayeon's eyes seem to be almost going to pop out of her sockets. Her heartbeat rose, embarrassment went over the roof, and chills ran throughout her body as she realized what she had done.

It was her fault all along that she was being like this, not just because of Momo's strenuous actions being the cause, but because of her drunken confession being exactly why.

Nayeon has concluded that she won't be drinking alcohol ever again. She hissed at herself.

"What did you say?"

"You said you liked me, Nayeon, Momo repeated. Nayeon became flustered even worse. "I was fixing the blanket for you when you just grabbed me out of nowhere on my arms, then it crawled upward, and you were pinching my cheek," she recalled.

Nayeon couldn't remember but she can surely imagine what Momo is describing and knowing it was her who's doing the shameful act, she is having the heavy guilt for herself on doing that.

"You've been telling me how reliable I am and you were grateful of it... until you just informed me of your likedness that you're having on me."

Momo slowly sat up on the couch, her injured feet remained anchored on the end.

"And I was wondering about it for days, that's why I couldn't have myself going near from you... because, I don't know... I'm troubled? Thinking, what exactly is this likedness that you developed from me?"

Nayeon looked up and saw Momo looking at after asking that.

"So, Nayeon. Since you and I want to be clear about this. I gave mine... and to make it fair, please give yours." Momo said.

"Do you like me as just a friend... or is there something else more than that?"

Nayeon remained staring at Momo for a while as she replayed all the occurrences of hints regarding her attraction to Momo that had progressed that led them to this very moment.

Knowing what she has done accidentally and in mistake on her part, Nayeon has no choice but to take the turn and provide what Momo wants her to give.

She breathed deeply and tightened her lips before she spoke of the revelation behind what happened on that given night.

"I do like you, Momo. You're more than just a friend to me."

Momo didn't show any surprise or shock in her face. She remained stoic, but deep inside her blossomed heart, blood is flowing from the swift run of cursing through her body like butterflies all over her stomach gone wild.

The effects of the enjoyment and satisfiction that she rather felt is taking control of her.

"How did that happened?" Momo asked. Nayeon pleaded mentally that she could just collapse anything in the mix of utter nervousness, emnbarassment and terror disturbing her.

"I- it was when I got to do things with you that we both share the same interests for." Nayeon said. "The more and longer I see you being happy with me as we do all of that, it was like I just want us to stay like this forever. That's probably why my feeling grown upon you. My heart's solution for me to keep you still on my side is to make you mine.

So I fell in love with you. The new replacement as my roommate that I met at that door, I found her so beautiful and it was a lucky opportunity for me to get to know such pretty interesting person like you, Momo.

You were the only one who make me know what is love in my whole life. I can't believe you took it just easily to grab my attention and expand it into further possibility that myself would want more of you just like how I admire all of who you are.

It was like, we're compatible to each other. We're indeed like a pair. And I like that idea, because Momo... I would surely be delighted of having you as my partner through all of my happiness, sadness and in our interests for the rest of our lives."

Nayeon expressed all of that and Momo can admit that she spotted how it came all from the heart.

The sincerity, the dedication, the admiration. It was all there within Nayeon's speech of confessing the love she's protecting in her own will.

Not until Momo saw a teardrop flowed down on Nayeon's face. She was shocked at well, she caught it and looked at it.

"God, what is this? W-what am I crying for?" Nayeon puzzledly asked as she coped it with laughter. "I brought up myself that much, do I?"

"Yeah, you do." Momo nodded. "But it was fine to me. I truly understood and felt how you really liked me, Nayeon."

Nayeon smiled and nodded. "T-thanks."

"I agree with everything what you said. Our lifestyle perfectly suits within each other. We couldn't find anything that will seperate us apart from each other. It was like, wherever I go; you'll follow and we'll be just like that on repeat."

"We can go through circles with it, but you know what... I'll never get tired of it, especially if I was running along with you Nayeon."

Nayeon's smile shrinked as she sensed that Momo might have been leading up to something here.

"I agree on all of that because, Nayeon...

I would be happy to be your partner too and I'm looking forward to share my life with you more, because I like you too."

Nayeon walked towards to Momo and accepted her invitation presented with open arms as she hugged her lovingly.

The two felt each other's heat fumed ny the rapid beats of their heart pumping nothing but love and affection the more they gain contact and attention with each other.

"I'm sorry if I kept you waiting and worried, Nayeon. I was scared too that you'll choose the opposite of what I'm expecting from you. I thought you wouldn't like me back." Momo whispered apolegetically.

"Don't mind it, Momo. Atleast it was all worth it, in the end we still had ourselves discovering that we are still even in anything, including love." Nayeon stroked Momo's hair from behind and squeezed her body a bit tighter.

They separated from each other and leaned away, creating distance in their middle. Both smiled at each other, knowing how their bond has improved and evolved today.

"So... we are dating now then?" Momo smirked while blushing.

"Yes." Nayeon laughed and nodded in answer. "Yes, we are."

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

9 MONTHS LATER

For their 9th anniversary of their relationship as girlfriends, Nayeon and Momo fulfilled their desire to go to Japan to visit and stay there.

With Momo having Japan as her home country, she guided Nayeon in their adventure to explore the wonders and treasures of Japan.

In addition, they didn't come here only for that reason. They also flew to Japan, which allowed them to be reunited with their friend Sana, who currently lives in her hometown of Osaka.

"SANA!"

"NAYEONNIEEEE!!!! AHHH MOMORINGGG!!! I MISSED YOU TWO SO MUCHHH!" Three of them ran ahead and went for a group hug as they got to see their friend again after being gone for quite some time.

"How are you these days, Sana?"

"Doing great! My studies are stable in its high grades, I got to spend time being with my family and this time... with you girls which I'm very happy that I am because I love to be with you two again~~" Sana pouted and cooed which heartwarmed Nayeon and Momo.

"And alsooo, I would like to introduce someone to you girls..." Sana stepped aside and let this unfamiliar Japanese woman to appear and face Nayeon and Momo.

"Hi, I'm Myoui Mina. Nice to you meet you two." She softly smiled and presented her hand for a greeting.

"Nice to meet you too, Mina. I'm Im Nayeon."

"And Hirai Momo, we're Sana's bestfriends." They accepted the shake.

"You girls have finally met my girlfriend." Sana said as she holds Mina's hand who became shy and touched.

"H-HUH?!" Nayeon and Momo reacted simulteanously. "Omooo, you two are in a relationship?!"

"For how long now?"

"We're going strong for more than a year and counting." Sana explained with huge proud smile in her face as she looked at Mina tenderly while swaying their locked hands back and forth.

"How about you two? Are you both interested at someone these days?" Sana asked the two of them.

Nayeon and Momo glanced at each others next and exchanged smirks at one another.

"Actually, Sana..." Momo went first.

Nayeon grabs Momo's waist to pull her closer beside her and holds her hand nefore raising it. "Momo and I are in a relationship too."

"HUH?!" This time it was Sana and Mina who were surprised. "What?! Really?!"

"Yup. It's been 9 months for us now, and we're celebrating it today here in Japan." Nayeon informed and laid her head on Momo's shoulder.

"Well, that makes it even better!" Sana beamed up. "Since both of us are here as couples... why don't we just have a 'double date' instead?!" Sounds good?", Sana initiated, changing the purpose of their meetup.

"Count us in!" Nayeon and Momo approved before all four of them laughed at how great their moods are having so far.

"Lets go eat first!!! I'm really starving already." Sana requested.

"Oh so that's why you didn't wanted to eat breakfast first back at the house, eh? You wanted to save it up until once we arrive here at the mall."

"Hehe sorry Minariii~"

"I will never say no to food so let's go!" Momo cheered which Nayeon found her antics hilarious.

Sana and Mina walked first to lead the way. Behind them were Nayeon and Momo, who shared romantic gazes at one another before holding their hands again as they followed the other duo in front to officially begin their double date together.

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straighttohellbuddy · 1 year

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Okay, I'm always interested in learning more about 'but you're talking in your sleep'. Obviously lvjy song and the mc's/your interest in literature are two important story details. How did you decide to intertwine those? Like, did you read you are jeff and decide to make a fic off of it, or did was it the songs that inspired it? Why did you decide to do both? Idek if this makes sense, tbh. But I'd love to know your though process, in general, regarding that fic.

oh YO this is perfect I love you im gonna ramble for a bit !!

also context; read but you're talking in your sleep (Wilbur/Sister-Innit!Reader)

So initially I was hyperfixated on Pebblebrain when it came out (weren't we all) and my song flavour was Oh Yeah, You Gonna Cry? and the very first idea I had was about the reader and Wilbur being best friends and former FWB after the reader starts dating a fuckboi, which I realised I've already kind of talked about here, but I'm happy to reiterate that the line 'say my name in her sleep/i thought you knew her better than me' and Wilbur just being the cockiest motherfucker without a shred of self awareness that he is very in love with the reader and that's the main reason he hates her boyfriend (who is also just a tool).

the idea to intertwine the lvjy and specifically siken is so unbelievably self indulgent; he's my favourite poet and has been for years, and Litany In Which Certain Things Are Crossed Out has been my favourite poem for a very long time. as for You Are Jeff, i can't remember exactly, but I think I saw the first few lines of the last stanza in like a webweave while I was looking for inspiration and I realised 'you're in a car with a beautiful boy, and he won't tell you he loves you, but he loves you' is the most precious, perfect summary of reader & wilbur's dynamic in the fic. this was also the basis of the part of the reader's characterisation where they always used allusions/implications/other people's words when they were afraid of speaking the truth. a few of these moments that i want to point out;

the first one is of course Do I Wanna Know?

literally all of the lyrics for this song. i tried to pick a few but holy shit all of this song -- the first time the song's mentioned when it's Y/N's karoke choice and then immediately calling Wilbur right after they'd chosen it I think the key lyrics are; 'Have you no idea that you're in deep? / I've dreamt about you nearly every night this week / How many secrets can you keep? / 'Cause there's this tune I found / That makes me think of you somehow an' I play it on repeat / Until I fall asleep, spillin' drinks on my settee

the second time the song is mentioned is when Y/N and Wilbur go out to a pub with his flatmates in brighton and she starts humming it when they head to his bedroom, and it's just the whole second verse; So have you got the guts? / Been wonderin' if your heart's still open / And if so, I wanna know what time it shuts / Simmer down an' pucker up, I'm sorry to interrupt / It's just I'm constantly on the cusp of tryin' to kiss you / I don't know if you feel the same as I do / But we could be together if you wanted to

the one that personally might break my fucking heart that Y/N is very familiar with Jubilee Line, which is already a fucking bleak song especially since she lives in London, and later has some implications about how if she didn't leave London she was going to jump in front of a train, but there's a little moment in the first chapter when she's on the phone with Wilbur right before she decides to come visit him -- “I’m everywhere. My mind’s everywhere. The walls shout back, I didn’t realise they could do that, or start the argum- I’m not making sense. I’m sorry.” -- it's such a blink and you'll miss it allusion but she's making a point to hide the truth she knows about Mark and her relationship by reference Jubilee Line and the lyrics 'shout at the walls because the walls don't fucking love you'.

In the final part, when Wilbur comes to pick up Y/N from the french cafe, and she's quietly moved by how much he cares about her in a way other people in her life seem not to -- before turning and beaming at him, thanking him again for coming all this way, adding that he didn’t need to worry; ‘no cause for concern’ is how you worded it, deliberate. -- Because 1) 'We ain't gonna hurt you' but also, as much as there is a more romantic final chorus to that song, she is also like 'you could knock the wind out of my breath / you could knock the teeth out of my head / and still it's no cause for concern' like she loves this boy who drove to another country for her, he can do whatever he wants forever in her books.

and one other one off the top of my head is the fact that the name she'd hidden Wilbur as in her phone is Pandora as a reference to the text conversation when they'd reconnected, yes, but also because He Gives Her Hope.

and now, on this already long post, im going to talk about the lovejoy lyrics that were "inspired" by Y/N in the fic (when its really the other way around)

Sex Sells gets an in-canon one; But the song he’d written about how Mark doesn’t love you he just loves that you’re his, that you hate him but you keep going back to him for reasons Wilbur still doesn’t fully understand, and now on top of it all you know that Wilbur can’t stop fucking thinking about it, about you, even when he’s trying to sleep? It’s accurate, and everything tastes like ash in his mouth for several bitter moments. How’d it go again? How’s it feel to be so loved, yet so alone? He’s got his answer, can hear it in your sobs as you sit on the steps of your boyfriend’s apartment two hours away.

So lets go through Pebblebrain

Oh Yeah, You Gonna Cry? is obviously a huge one lol, with a lot of what i drew Fucking Mark from;

You got the same eyes as your father / And you carry the same kind of temper too / But what a shame for the people of the community -- which ties directly in with another of the songs i'll get to, and this line from a flashback; “It’s a good school, though, I’m glad I got in, and Mark, he’s- he’s really sweet. It’s brave of him to move, even though I’m on campus and he’s not; none of his family’s lived outside of Nottingham for generations,” the face you’re making is close to a smile, to anyone else they might mistake it as such, but there’s a wrinkle in the bridge of your nose, a tightness at the edge of your smile, “he’s training to go into the same line of work as his dad, he’s just glad he can do it here,” you laugh, but there’s no humour in it.

But I quite like your girlfriend! / How the fuck 'd she end up with you? -- i think this speaks for itself

And she told me that she fuckin' hates you -- regarding the moment; Later, he’ll ask the question that’s been plaguing him, ask if you even like your boyfriend. Later, you’ll be wrapped up in his sheets, stretched out on his bed as your whole face scrunches like you’ve bitten a lemon, and he’ll have no idea what you mean when you tell him that that hasn’t mattered in a very long time.

the whole song is about Mark in this fic. the whole song. i love it so much.

Model Buses could also be arguably about Mark in some respects but I've held myself back from putting that thought into the fic.

I don't think Concrete has any real connections to the fic either, however.......

PERFUME, BAYBEEEEEEE

in the context of the fic, it's written mostly after the reader goes home from brighton after their affair with wilbur where they're clearly in love with each other and he's struggling to deal with that in a healthy way by writing the song. i could add analysis for LITERALLY EVERY LINE but i wont. just know it's all Y/N

It's 3:45 (AM) / And I just bite my tongue / Update me on your life / And now you've found the one / But I don't like his eyes -- hence his building almost resentment whenever they call him when drunk and insisting that mark's not as bad as he seems

And I can still smell her perfume -- because it's on his damn pillows.

You say your ex-boyfriend's a policeman / Well, I say you need better standards -- you remember how i said a line in OYYGC links to another song, well it's this, now, because with Y/N talking about Mark training to go into the same field as his dad, we also get this reveal, despite not drawing attention/connecting it to the earlier mention of Mark's chosen career being the same as his dad's; “Mark’s dad’s been chief of police in our town for as long as I can remember,” Tommy says with a sigh.

Why can't you be a dick? / Why must you be so nice? / It's hard for me to move on / When I don't really hate you / (I don't really hate you) -- this one's a lot of things, it's Wilbur fully acknowledging that he should not be cool with Y/N cheating emotionally and physically on her partner but still making peace with it despite the turmoil the situation has caused him. it's also him kind of frustrated at how despite Y/N rightfully calling him out for writing such a spiteful song as Sex Sells, they didn't take it as badly as they could have, and so he acknowledges that he doesn't actually believe what the song is saying about them. it's ALSO a deliberate echo of this moment; “I wish I could hate you more for this, but I don’t,” you mumble, soft and a little forlorn, heart not in your words as his aches. He should have kept that song to himself, like his gut had told him to.

You'll Understand When You're Older is an interesting one because I appreciate the actual meaning of the song a lot, but i also like adding my own to it, so the context here is it's half inspired by the Y/N situation and half by current events;

It must be nice to be the reason / His work, it ain't so bleak / That must be what motivates you -- there's spite here as he considers how little Mark appreciates Y/N and her love and kindness, with the veiled implication of 'if Wilbur were in Mark's situation these lyrics would be sincere'.

All he needs is to see you smiling / And well, you light up his whole week -- that implication and subtext moves straight up to text here. Wilbur is just talking about himself here.

Imagine thе kind of things he'd do to you / If there wеren't so many cameras -- calling back to their almost moment when Y/N had sat in on Wilbur's stream in brighton, refusing to reveal their identity;

“If you’ve got something to say,” insufferably smug, he watches you puff out your cheeks. Averting your gaze, you flip him off, hand in frame for the camera to see, “sook,” he teases, “just say what’s on your mind.” For a moment, your mouth drops open as if you’re about to say something, to call his bluff, but your gaze flicks to his webcam. What’s on my mind, you mouth pointedly when you look back to him; something about your expression has turned bashful for reasons he can’t quite fathom. You glance quickly at the camera again before shaking your head, you wish, you mouth, but can’t quite look him in the eye. There’s a serious moment where he considers ending the stream, because this feels like it could be a moment, a chance. He’s a hypocrite, he can’t begin to say what’s on his mind, won’t give himself the chance, getting back to his stream after another brief moment and a deep breath.

and of course;

And you're keeping a dark secret / But you're talkin' in your sleep -- Y/N loves Wilbur, not her longterm boyfriend. wilbur knows this because she talks in her sleep. <3

The Fall again isn't relevant.

and finally, in the fic, a lot of the lyrics and vibes were completed not too long after Y/N and Wilbur reconnected, before Are You Alright was even released, but Wilbur will never in his life (in this fic lol) admit that It's All Futile! It's All Pointless! was a heartbreaking hybrid of his own feelings/experiences, and kind of who Y/N had become in the two years since they'd seen each other, also what he had seen a little bit of after she reconnected with Mark when she and Wilbur had first met, while wilbur still tries to act like he's not in love with her. but it is, and he is.

HOLY SHIT OKAY THATS SO MANY WORDS but also a lot of that ive been holding onto for SO LONG and im so glad i got the chance to talk about it. seriously anything else abt the fic you wanna talk about because I love it TO DEATH. every day i fight the urge to explain the entire 46 song fic playlist. i lov u.

#wilbur x reader #wilbur soot x reader #wilbur imagine #wilbur soot imagine #bytiys #shut ur pretty mouth

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neonpaperlanterns · 1 year

Text

I'm not mad

(A/n: So I'm really not into The Boys. I tried watching it and while I think it is good I didn't actually like it. But a friend of mine asked me to write a small thing about Homelander being a pathetic bastard and I was proud of it so this will be the only thing from The Boys I ever post.)

Homelander could count on one hand the amount of times he has been nervous. He could count on one hand the amount of times he felt dread. He could count on one hand the amount of times he felt lower than a human. There were men lesser than him that were still better than him.

He hated it.

Hated himself.

Hated that he ever let himself listen to Stormfront.

He watched as Lydia put her shoes by the door. Watched as she set her bag on the table. She had just gotten back from work. Her gaze found his and she smiled. It was tired but it seemed happy. He wanted to believe she was happy to be here. Happy to be with him. He bit the inside of his cheek as he smiled back.

She’s been home for five minutes.

Seven minutes.

Ten minutes.

Homelander hated himself. He was disgusting. Undeserving.

“Lydia.” He called out, his tone hesitant and small. Things had been going so well. She moved in with him, he was going to be getting his son. Everything was going perfectly and yet he was disgusting. He ruined everything he touched.

“John, are you alright?” She was close to him. Her small hands resting on his shoulders. He let his eyes slip closed as he wrapped his arms around her waist. He buried his face in her stomach. She smelled like books and lavender. His grip tightened and her fingers were running through his hair.

She was so good to him.

He loved her so much.

He thinks she loves him too and maybe she will forgive him.

“I slept with Stormfront.” he spoke into her abdomen. The words were mumbled but from the way her hands stopped he knew she had heard. Her hands gently pushed at his shoulders but he didn’t want to let go. Didn’t want to face what he did.

“You slept with Stormfront?” her voice sounded flat. His shoulders hunched up to his ears and he nodded.

“John.” Her tone was even. “Let go of me.” she didn’t sound mad and that made him feel a bit hopeful. She could still forgive him. Pulling back he looked up at her. Her expression was unreadable. Her heart beat steady as she looked down at him.

“I’m so sorry Lydia.” he spoke softly as she moved away from him. His apology made her flinch but still she looked at him with a face he could not read.

“Are… Are you mad at me?” He watched her lip twitch. A ghost of a sneer played across her face but it disappeared as soon as it came.

“No. I’m not mad at you.” she was walking away but his heart soared. She wasn’t mad at him. He fucked up but she wasn’t mad at him. She had forgiven him. He didn’t deserve Lydia, she was perfect. Above the rest. He loved her so much.

“That makes me happy. I love you.” he followed after, he waited for her to say she loved him back. But she didn’t. She never said it but her actions spoke so much louder than words. “I promise I’ll make it….” he trailed off as he saw her grabbing a bag. Clothes were being neatly folded and placed inside of it.

He didn’t understand.

“Are you going somewhere?” he asked tentatively. She said nothing as she made her way to the bathroom.

“Why are you leaving? Didn’t you say you weren’t mad at me?” he didn’t understand. Why was she packing when she wasn’t mad at him? She had forgiven him. Yes she hasn’t said she did but she wasn’t mad so she must have.

“I’m not mad at you.” Lydia reiterated as she placed her toiletries in the bag. He was still confused and she just sighed. “I’m not mad. I’m just done with you.” Homelander felt his heart stall in his chest.

“What do you mean you’re done with me?” he felt his fists clench at his side, the leather of his gloves creaking.

“I’m breaking up with you.” She tilted her head to the side and looked at him like he was stupid. And he must be because he could not understand what she was saying.

Lydia had forgiven him, right?

Yet clearly that wasn’t true. Panic seared through his veins as she walked past him. Her bag slung over her shoulder as she made for the front door. Running past her he plastered himself over the door. She looked unamused.

“Homelander move.” He was Homelander again? She hadn’t called him that in months. Why was he Homelander again?

“No.” his voice came out weak. “You can’t leave. Please don’t leave.” he begged. She couldn’t leave, if she left then she would be gone forever. Her expression was flickering between anger, annoyance, and apathetic.

“Well I’m not interested in looking at the face that begged me to move in. That begged me to build a family with him and his son. Then had the audacity to cheat on me with a woman he couldn’t stand a month ago.” she was pinching the bridge of her nose. “So move. Or get out. I don’t care. I just don’t want to see that face.” her hand aggressively gestured at his face. If he left and she stayed then at least he would know where she was. If she was here maybe they could work this out. Maybe she could forgive him. Love him.

“I’ll leave.” he said quietly. “I’ll get out.” he was nodding his head. Yes he would leave. Give her time. They could work this out.

“Okay then pack a bag and get out.” he felt like she was going to say more but held her tongue. Her arms crossed in front of chest as she moved towards the couch. She didn’t look at him as he went to get his things. Didn’t look at him as he cracked open the door. She was pointedly staring at the muted tv screen.

“I love you.” she didn’t react. “I’m sorry.” nothing, she did nothing. Feeling his heat clench in his chest he left. He would give her time. They could work this out. She would forgive him. Lydia never said it but he knew she loved him. Deep down she loved him. They could work through this.

He just knew they could.

#The Boys #homelander #homelander x oc #original female characters #cheating #unhealthy relationships #stormfront #she's not mad #attempted leaving #delusional behavior #possibly out of character #i only saw like the first two episodes #this show kinda makes me queasy #this man is unhinged and pathetic and he would probably be real fun to write for but I just can't do it #favor for a friend

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whatdoesshedotothem · 2 years

Text

Wednesday 14 November 1832

6 ¾

11 ¾

F48° at 7am Damp soft morning – looking over accounts - breakfast with my father at 8 ½ - off at 9 ½ to Lidgate there in 24 minutes - from 10 10 in 1 ½ hour walked with Miss W- along the new road to Stump Cross Inn and back not much less than 4 miles, and she really bore it so well, it only shewed what she might do with a little regular exertion - at 12 ¾ Mr and Mrs William Henry Rawson called and sat 1/4 hour - said they had been at Shibden - Miss Parkhill returned from Cliff Hill just in time to dress for dinner at 2 - sat down to table with them and ate a little - afterwards staid till 3 55 and then off home by my walk - sometime in the moss house and came in at 5 - we talked of Mr A- I said she was not fit to be left to herself which she admitted gradually told her she really must make up her mind to let me decide in all the things for her yes she said she would do as I liked I then should see what was best she was to remember I had pledged myself to nothing was at liberty and unpledged to any decision my present idea was not to leave her she must really consider herself no longer at her own option but must really do as I wished to which she fully consented all this reiterated after our walk as we sat on the sofa she said she knew now she had suffered very much some times last summer she could scarcely walk I asked if he had ever touched her yes and it appears repeatedly and had told her that she would have suffered less from the real thing it would have been much easier! what a fellow! after dinner came the post bag I opened it gave her the letter from her late cook and closed the bag as if there was nothing more then pretending to want the post bag as a pattern took it off with me she came with me to the door took her into the dining [room] and told her of the letter from Mr Ainsworth to me - Letter from Mr A- (Manchester) 1 ¾ pages - read it a rigmarole of humiliation and confession to me hoping for my pity and that I would not expose him and begging my permission to send Miss W- a box that his wife would have left her had she lived to add a codicil to her will excusing his first letter to Miss W- as being written under the effects of opium just told Miss W- these heads and what sort of answer I meant to send saying the matter was out of her hands and she must do as I wished she being no longer a free agent she does not seem to dislike hearing of this tie smiled and seemed satisfied and in half hour I left her what does Miss Parkhill think of us? she must see that my influence is paramount – home at 5 – wrote the following dated Lightcliffe Today sir I have just received your letter of yesterday and am sorry that considering all the circumstances of the case I cannot consent to your sending the box you mention I very earnestly hope that you will have the propriety and the necessity of abstaining from any further communication with my friend or myself as the best and only means of preventing that exposure which it is so desirable to avoid to a gentleman and a clergyman I trust it is unnecessary to add more I am sir your obedient servant A Lister – dinner at 6 – just before and afterwards till 9 10 wrote the above of today and had a long nap – then went into the other room read tonights’ courier, and staid talking to my aunt till 10 55 at which hour came upstairs – fine November day – soft and mild and damp but a little sunshine in the morning – F49° at 11pm - wrote and sent off about 7 letter 1 page to the ‘reverend Thomas Ainsworth at Miss Bentley’s 1 Crescent Salford Manchester’ she neither deserves nor understands what I am doing for her

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vcnatorr · 2 years

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Sunday, November 13th ~~ Crackship AU

You’re just too good to be true

Pairing: Cheralynne “Hera” Alexander/William C. Clayton Tags: 5k, unbeta’d, enemies to lovers, college au, 10 things I hate about you reference, what’s the opposite of a slowburn?, Tristan Is A Dick, Clayton is also a dick but he has a redemption arc, idiots in love, drinking/alcohol, also mentions of vomit you have been warned

Authors note: I was gonna wait til the 13th to post this but it has eaten away at my brain all day so here it is. Know that I hate the crackship with a passion that burns so intensely it could perfectly toast a marshmallow. Also I haven’t read this back so any spelling/grammar/continuity errors are between you and this post bc I haven’t look for them :)

"There's absolutely no way."

"I could. I could do it - 100 pounds sterling says I could do it."

Clayton arched his eyebrows, smiling wide. Cocky, as he had a tendency to be. This time, though, he really did think he could do it.

"I heard she bit the last guy who asked her out." Tristan pointed out, looking at Clayton as though his idea was sheer lunacy. "He has a scar! I've seen it!"

"Well, more fool him for putting his arm where her teeth could find it." Clayton shrugged. He would not be so stupid. If anyone could take Hera Alexander to the Summer Ball, it was him, and he was going to do it.

"£100." He reiterated.

"You're on." Tristan nodded. "Gives me a little spending money for summer break."

Clayton chuckled, pushing up from his seat at the edge of the campus café. Hera had been sitting at a table on the opposite side of the courtyard for some time now, typing away at her laptop and periodically chewing on her lip. She was alone, but that was nothing new. She was always alone.

From what Clayton could glean, Hera had no friends, and no desire to make any either. She had been pretty popular in first and second year, to his recollection. She'd had some rugby player boyfriend, and had gone around with the rest of the rugby WAGs, but then she'd come back for third year and everything had changed. She was aloof, and standoffish, and apparently prone to violence.

They were almost at the end of the year now and things had yet to change. But whoever she'd been in first year had to still be in there somewhere, and Clayton was going to get it out of her. Though an extra hundred quid in his pocket would be nice, the satisfaction of being right would be even sweeter.

Sitting down at the seat opposite hers, Clayton smiled. "Hera - sorry, are you working on the British History essay?"

She looked up, holding his gaze for a solid five seconds before she looked down at her laptop again. "I'm not doing yours for you, before you ask."

"Oh, I wasn't gonna ask that - I'm a firm believer in hard work." He lied, giving her a crooked smile. "Actually I was just going to ask for your help - three years in and I still have the essay skills of a toddler--"

"So go and speak to one of the professors." Hera said, without looking up. "It's quite literally their job."

Clayton nodded slowly. This was going to be more difficult than he thought, perhaps. But he wasn't put off - he liked a challenge. "Right, of course - I'll do that." He wouldn't, but for an immediate change of topic-- "Are you going to Simba's house party this weekend?"

Silence; Hera's fingers hovered over the keyboard of her laptop for a beat, two, three, before they resumed again. "Why do you care?"

"When did I ever give you reason to think I didn't care?"

The typing stopped again. Hera gave him a look that might have sent lesser men running for the hills. "Nobody cares whether or not I'm at a party, Clayton." She looked down at her laptop again, shaking her head. "Are you done?"

"I'll leave you too it." He told her, like she hadn't basically told him to leave. "Hope to see you there on saturday."

Hera didn't look up at him again, nor did her typing stop, but Clayton was sure he could feel her eyes on his back as he went back to his table, the weight of her gaze heavy on him as he grabbed his bag.

"That looked like it went well." Tristan commented. Clayton thought about wiping the shit-eating grin right off his face, but he wouldn't. He would let him think whatever he wanted to think for now; it would make his victory at summer ball so much sweeter.

"Just you wait," Clayton told him, beginning to move away from the table to his afternoon class. "And be prepared to pay up."

~*~

Clayton had no idea what kind of sound system Simba had but it was enough to vibrate the walls, the floor, even his ribs as he pushed his way through the house. The house was packed with bodies, people hugging the walls and shouting into each other's ears to be heard over the pulsing music, others making impromptu dancefloors, barely able to move for how many people were there. Now technically Clayton was here on a mission: find Hera, if she was here, and convince her that human companionship wasn't as dreadful as she seemed to think it was. Alternatively, if she wasn't there, find someone who had Hera's number and get it from them, so he could text her telling her how missed she was.

But this was a party. Which meant he didn't want to rush himself. He might as well take the time to enjoy himself first, right? He thought that was only fair. He wasn't going to drink - he wanted to be clear-headed for talking to Hera so he didn't put his foot in it - but he at least allowed himself a few hours of time with his friends, a little careful flirting, a bit of a dance, before he started looking for Hera. He saw a flash of crimson hair pushing bodily through the crowd, before disappearing off into the kitchen.

Clayton gave a mock-salute to his friends and followed the path Hera had taken.

She had her back to him, and he was not even remotely surprised to find that she hadn't made any kind of effort to get dressed up. Non-descript jeans and a plain, long-sleeved purple shirt, which she was presumably sweating in, because with all the bodies inside the house it was practically sub-tropical. Clayton set his cup down on the countertop loud enough to alert her to his presence, but Hera didn't turn around. Instead, he watched her pour herself a drink that might as well have been all spirit and no mixer, before tipping her head back to take a gulp.

"You know, I think if you served that to someone else it would be attempted murder." Clayton commented, wondering if Hera would turn around to look at him.

She did, head jerking to the side, her eyes narrowed. "What are you doing here?"

"It's a party." Clayton shrugged. "Anyone's invited. At least, as far as I'm aware."

"No," Hera shook her head, and Clayton saw the grip on her cup tightening, her fingertips turning white with it. "What are you doing in here?"

Clayton looked at her, the picture of innocence. Or at least, that was what he hoped he looked like. "Like I said - it's a party. I came to get a drink." That seemed to irritate her even more, so Clayton cleared his throat. He could see the red rim around her eyes, the flush in her face that could just be the alcohol but could realistically be anger, or upset. There was definitely something wrong. Had her voice seemed shakey, or was he just imagining it? "And I... saw you come in here. You seemed-- I don't know. I just wanted to make sure you were alright."

"I'm fine." She grit out, taking another drink from the cup in her hand, causing her face to twist. "Why wouldn't I be fine? My ex-boyfriend and my ex-best friend are making out next to Simba's pool. That's fine."

This was a turn up for the books: Hera Alexander had feelings. She had done her best over the last nine months or so to make it seem like the opposite was true, but there she was, a shine in her eyes as she finished her drink and reached for another one. Clayton stood from where he had been leaning against the counter, coming to stand behind her, taking a gentle hold of her wrist to stop her from reaching for the bottle again. This close he could smell her perfume, feel the warmth radiating off her body.

"You're better than the both of them - you know that, don't you?" He asked, his head tilting to the side so that he could see her face.

Her lower lip wobbled. She swayed for a moment on her feet before she yanked her hand away, turning on her feet and storming out of the kitchen. Clayton could've gone after, but he thought he'd better let her go, at least for now. If he pushed too hard he could quite easily push her the wrong way, and he was never going to win the bet that way.

He didn't exactly forget about Hera, but time did get away from him a little bit. It was until an hour later, midnight coming and going, when he heard shouts from a very concerned partygoer-- "Get her outside, oh fuck-- she's gonna barf, one hundred percent, move it!"

Clayton looked over towards the sound of the noise; he didn't recognise the kid with his arm around Hera's waist, but she certainly didn't look good. Her face was flushed, and she stumbled over her feet as she was herded towards the front door. Clayton didn't bother bidding goodbye to his friends; he just hurried towards the front door, stepping out into the cool night air.

"Yup, that's it," The kid was saying, patting Hera's back as she puked into the flowerbeds by Siba's front porch. "Get it all out."

"I've got it from here," Clayton said, smiling at the kid as he rested a hand on Hera's arm, keeping her from falling over into a rose bush. "You go back in, enjoy the party."

The kid didn't need too much persuading - he scurried back into the house, leaving Clayton to try and hold Hera's hair back from her face. He grimaced; it wasn't the nicest job in the world, admittedly. Hera wiped her mouth with her sleeve, looking up at him - she tired to push him away, but Clayton held fast.

"Leave m'alone," Hera grumbled.

Clayton helped her straighten up, putting an arm around her waist. "Why don't we get you home? I brought my car, I can drive."

"I might throw up in it."

"I'll take that risk."

Hera eyed him sceptically, before eventually jerking her chin at him, which he assumed was supposed to be a nod. He led her a little ways down the street, digging around in his jacket pocket for his car keys. He helped Hera in first, reaching across her to buckle her seatbelt in. She pushed at his shoulder as he retreat, and he shot her a charming smile. "Safety first." He reminded her, before moving around to the driver's side.

Hera managed to mumble out an address, so at least Clayton had an idea of where he was going. He turned the radio down until it was a gentle hum in the background, glancing over at Hera every now and again, mostly to make sure she hadn't fallen unconscious.

"You never answered me, you know." He glanced over at her; she had the window cracked open, her head turned towards the cool night air that drifted in. "In the kitchen."

She didn't answer him for long enough that he wondered if she had fallen asleep with her eyes open. Maybe the fresh air was sobering her up a little, because when she did speak her voice was startlingly clear. "Why are you doing this?"

"What?"

"Leaving a party to take me home." She looked at him only briefly; she couldn't take her nose away from the window for very long, apparently. "'s not very you."

So she thought she knew him? Clayton grinned. If Hera thought she knew him it meant she'd thought about him, and that would make this win even easier, in his opinion. "Is that so?"

Hera rolled her eyes; he caught it in the wing mirror, her face still turned out the window. She didn't say anything else, so Clayton continued, "Maybe I just thought..." He took a deep breath, deliberating on which lie to tell. "That it was about time someone looked out for you."

Hera scoffed. Clayton glanced at her again, but she still wasn't looking at him.

"I... have always quite admired you." He said slowly, keeping his gaze ahead. For some reason the words were hard to force out. Easier when his focus was on the road rather than her. "And it seems like you haven't had anyone to do that for you in a while. So why not me?"

Silence. Clayton didn't really know what else to say, and for some reason he still really didn't want to look at Hera, so he just waited. After a good ten seconds, though, he thought she might have said something.

She shifted in her seat. "'m gonna throw up."

"Oh, god."

Clayton pulled over, giving Hera the chance to half-climb out the window to throw up over the side of the car. Clayton held her hair back as best he could from the driver's seat, grimacing the entire time.

Hera got out of the car without any help once they arrived, barely waiting for Clayton to put the handbrake on before she slipped out. He ducked a little to look out of the passenger side window, calling out to her, "Need me to help you in?"

She shot him a withering look over his shoulder before staggering up the garden path to her front door. There was some fumbling with the keys, but she got herself inside; Clayton waited until the door closed again and the light in the front room went on before he left, half debating whether or not to double back to the party.

~*~

"Do you still need help with your essay?"

Clayton almost jumped out of his skin. Hera had appeared out of nowhere at his elbow as he waited in line at the campus café. There was no way in hell he could handle British Politics in the 19th Century without coffee.

From the place in front, Tristan glanced over his shoulder, eyebrows shoot upwards. Clayton smiled, looking away from Tristan and down at Hera; he hadn't seen her since the party on Saturday night, and he hadn't managed to get her number, so he'd gone a whole day without knowing how she was doing. Hungover, presumably.

But she looked fresh as a daisy this morning - in fact, she looked better than she usually did. Almost like she'd made an effort.

"Oh, shoot-- I never did get round to talking to the prof--"

"I can help you." Hera interrupted him before he could finish. "As a thank you, for the other night. But after that we're even. Got it?"

Clayton's smile only inched wider. "Sure. How about tonight, your house--"

"Your house," She said. "And tomorrow, after class. Okay?"

"You're the boss." Clayton smiled, watching her as she walked away. Only once she'd completely disappeared from view did he look over at Tristan, sporting a similar shit-eating grin to Tristan's own just a few days ago. "I hope you're ready to pay out."

Tristan grimaced, saying something that Clayton wasn't listening to. He was thinking about Hera, about the way she seemed a little brighter than she usually did. Tomorrow after class - he could wait until then. Just about.

~*~

Clayton directed Hera up to his bedroom, grateful at least that all of his housemates were out. They were the type to make jokes that Hera presumably wouldn't appreciate, and the last thing he needed right now was for her to be put off. He closed the bedroom door behind them, and gestured to his bed.

"No desk?" Hera asked. She was right - his room didn't have a desk. He wasn't exactly the studious type.

She was looking at him with one eyebrow raised in question. Clayton cleared his throat, rubbing the back of his neck, unsure as to why he felt rather sheepish. "I prefer to work in comfort." He said simply, nodding again to the bed.

Hera pursed her lips for a moment, but she didn't say anything. She pulled a pencil case and a notepad from her bag before plopping it down at the foot of the bed. "Come on, then."

Clayton didn't need to be told twice. He grabbed his own notepad, with his very poorly scribbled essay in it, and sat down next to her.

They were close enough that their shoulders brushed, as Hera took a highlighter and a purple pen to his work. She wasn't silent, though - she pointed things out to him as she went, scrawling comments into the margins and tapping them with the tip of her pen as she explained them aloud. Not that Clayton was focusing, of course; he could smell the scent of her shampoo, cherry and almond, mingling with the florals of her perfume. Her hair fell between them like a curtain, so he reached across, using one finger to tuck it gently behind her ear.

Hera blinked, looking up at him as he pulled his hand away. Her lips parted ever so slightly, as if she was going to say something, but she looked back down at the task at hand before any words formed.

They went through the rest of the essay, Hera writing a few key points underneath in her quick, looping handwriting.

"So it's awful?" He asked, turning his head to look at her.

"No," She said quickly, turning her head, too. There wasn't much space between them; he had drifted closer, her shoulder pressing into his chest as he looked down at the book. He was so close now that he could feel her breath fanning his face as she spoke. "Well. It is right now." She gave him a barely-there smile, just a gentle curve of her lips. "But we can make it better."

He nodded, but he wasn't thinking about the essay anymore. He was looking at her, eyes travelling down to her lips. He reached his hand across the space between them, the same one that had so delicately tucked her hair behind her ear, and used it to cup her face, the barest, feather-light touch of his fingers along her jawline as he leaned in to press his lips to hers.

And for a moment she responded, her lips parting beneath his, the notebook falling to the floor. But just as soon as it had started it was over - Hera shoved him away so hard he almost fell over as she stood, throwing her things haphazardly into her bag.

"I fucking knew it," She ground out, laughing mirthlessly. "I knew it, you only ever want one fucking thing--"

He jumped up, grabbing her hand as she made for the door. "Hera--"

"Just leave me alone." She whirled on him, snatching her hand back. "You've got your essay help, I did the work for you, well done. Now leave me alone, okay?"

He didn't know what else to say. He let her go, hearing her footsteps thud down the stairs, the front door slamming shut so hard that it shook the floor beneath his feet. He ran a hand through his hair - idiot. What had he done? He crossed the room again, picking up his notebook from the floor. His eyes caught a small smiley face, doodled in purple ink next to part of his work.

He was going to have to make this right.

~*~

"You're just too good to be true--"

This was incredibly dumb.

"--can't take my eyes off you--"

It was a gamble. A huge one.

"--you'd be like heaven to touch--"

He had a feeling it was going to pay off, though.

"--I wanna hold you so much. You're just to good to be true--"

Oh, good. She was looking. As well as everyone else on the courtyard, but that was rather the idea.

"--can't take my eyes off you."

The backing track kicked in at that exact moment thanks to someone Clayton had paid at the student radio actually doing their job, and maybe he should've used the school band but how was he supposed to know where they met up and when? He was organising this on a tight schedule, there wasn't time for rehearsals.

Hera was looking at him, watching from the bench she was perched on at the far end of the courtyard as he hit the chorus - he wasn't a bad singer, necessarily, but he wasn't in the glee club or anything either. Still, it had the desired effect: it made him look like an idiot in public, even more so when someone snatched the microphone off of him and asked him to please shut up.

He made his way over to Hera, the backing track cutting off abruptly. Apparently the student radio had gotten the message to shut things down as well.

"Alright, so they didn't like it." He shrugged, grinning at her. "What did you think?"

"You stole that from 10 Things I Hate About You."

"Maybe," Clayton nodded. "But apparently the ladies love Heath Ledger, so I thought I'd give it a shot."

Hera looked at him sceptically. Clayton took a deep breath. "I'm sorry. About last night. I didn't mean to--" He shook his head. "What are you doing now? Can I offer you apology ice cream?"

He held a hand out to her in invitation. Hera pursed her lips, looking at that outstretched hand, and before Clayton could retract it feeling like even more of an idiot than he did before, she took it.

"Okay. But you're driving."

~*~

Whether it was the ice cream or the grand gesture that softened Hera up Clayton didn't really know, but he was glad that she wasn't mad at him anymore. It had made him feel strangely torn up inside, twisted and knotted and just not right. Knowing that she wasn't upset with him evened everything out again, and for once, he let her talk, and he listened.

They didn't particularly have much in common, but he found that he didn't mind. She was easy to listen to; she was funnier than anyone probably imagined, and quite philosophical, once she got going. When they eventually got kicked out of the ice cream place Clayton offered to drive her home - and to pick her up again in the morning, if she liked.

May quickly turned to June, the rush of final exams finding him sat at lunch with Hera, occasionally studying (her more than him, but he at least pretended), mostly just chatting. In the middle of exam season the posters went up: Summer Ball, tickets on sale now.

"I assume you're beating off the men with a stick?" Clayton asked her, looking down at the flyer in his hand. The theme was Summer in Paris, which was pretty lame, but Summer Ball was usually a good time regardless.

Hera snorted, shifting her books to her other arm. Clayton took them from her, swapping them for the flyer. "Yeah, right. I only have one friend and that's you. Make of that what you will."

"I think it must mean you're an incredible person, to land me as a friend." Friend. He felt like he had to force the word out, struggling to get it past his teeth. "Go with me."

Hera snorted again. "Sure."

"I'm serious." He pulled her to a stop, so that they were face to face in the middle of the corridor. Like a stone in a river, the current of people moved around them, barely registering them at all. "Go to Summer Ball with me."

"As a friend?"

"As a date."

Hera considered him for a moment. Clayton had gotten used to these little interludes, where Hera would go quiet, the cogs inside her head turning. Her face broke into a smile, so bright he felt like sunbathing in the light from it, but she quickly fought it, offering him a smaller, almost timid smile instead.

"Alright, then." She nodded, glancing away like a school girl. "It's a date."

"I'll pick you up."

"You always do."

Final exams came and went; Clayton drove to Hera's house in his best suit, waiting outside as he had been isntructed to do. He leaned against the car, only standing up when he heard the front door open.

Hera appeared on the driveway, and when she turned Clayton felt his breath catch in his throat. Her dress was deep violet silk, tight around the bodice and her hips before it splayed outwards, the skirt falling just above her knees. It occurred to him that he'd never seen her in a dress before, nevermind heels; she looked amazing. But, then again, she looked amazing in her regular clothes, too.

"Am I late?" She asked, hurrying down the driveway. "I'm sorry if I--"

"You're fine." Clayton told her, his voice sounding more incredulous than he meant it to. "You look--"

"Ridiculous, I know."

"--incredible."

Hera blushed, pink staining her cheeks. She looked down, a lock of hair falling loose. Clayton reached out to tuck it back into place, doing his best to hide his amusement when her head jerked up.

"Come on," He said, opening the car door for her. "Don't want to miss the party, do we?"

The theme was just as cheesy as he had expected, but everyone seemed to be having a good time. Already a decent sized crowd on the dancefloor, but Clayton led Hera towards the refreshment tablet first, picking up the free champagne flute of off-brand fizz that the university had allowed them - one per person, of course.

"We should get our photos taken," Hera said, looking over towards the booth. "I don't think it's even that expensive--"

"You know, I never thought I'd be proven wrong."

Tristan's voice cut her off, and the two of them turned. He held out a few neatly folded bills, held between two fingers. "Well done, mate. Truly, I thought it was impossible."

Clayton's stomach dropped. The bet - he had forgotten all about it. Time had passed since then, things had changed. He had gotten to know Hera, had gotten to see her, properly see her, know her for how wonderful she was. Smart and fierce and tender, underneath the walls she had put up. He had asked her to Summer Ball because he wanted to be here with her, not because--

"Well?" Tristan laughed. "Aren't you going to take it?"

"I'll take it if you don't." Hera said with a laugh of her own, nudging Clayton gently. "What's it for?"

Tristan smiled, and it looked sickly. "Just a little gentleman's agreement. A bit of a bet."

"Tristan--"

"See, Clayton here bet me £100 that he could take you to the Ball, but I just. Honestly, I thought he'd never do it. More fool me."

Hera had gone still beside him. She was staring at Tristan, her breathing slow and deliberate.

"Will you please fuck off?" Clayton snapped at Tristan, only briefly looking at his way. "Keep your bloody money."

"If that's how you feel." He tucked the money back into his breat pocket, raising his palms in surrender. "I'll leave you lovebirds to it, eh?"

"Hera--" Clayton began.

She lowered her chin, her bottom lip wobbling again. He could see the frown etched so deep into her face, the hurt-- he wished he could wipe it all away, smooth out the lines with his thumb and take the pain with it. Before he could manage anything else she stormed off, pushing through the crowds still trying to get into the hall. Their outraged cries echoed behind him as Clayton pushed through them as well, back outside into the car park.

"Hera, please!" He called after her, breaking into a jog. How she could move that fast in those heels he had no idea. "Let me explain!"

"Explain what?" She yelled, turning on him. "Explain how you used me? How you humiliated me? How you tricked me into feeling-- into--"

"I didn't mean to-- it started out like that." He took a step towards her and she held her ground, but the look in her eyes told him not to try anything else. "It started out like that, yes. At the party, inviting you over, I was-- I was trying to get close to you."

Her chest heaved, but she held her chin high. Clayton took another deep breath.

"But after that, when I kissed you, I felt awful. I didn't want you to think of me like that, I didn't want you to think I was that guy. And I was. Before I met you, properly met you, I was that guy."

He took a slow, careful step forward.

"But since I got to know you better, all I want to be... the only person I want to be is a person deserving of you. I want to be your friend. More than your friend. I want to be whoever you need me to be, and that bet--" His own voice wavered, a lump forming in his throat. He shook his head, running a hand careleslly through the hair he'd spent an hour on earlier. "I had forgotten all about that bloody, stupid bet because you were the only thing I was thinking about. You're the only thing I ever think about, and I'm sorry. I'm sorry for making the bet in the first place, I'm sorry for everything since--"

He blinked away the tears in his eyes, and when his vision cleared Hera had come closer, looking up at him. She placed her hands on the lapels of his jacket, either side of his chest. His heart hammered beneath her palm.

"Do you mean it?"

"I'll spend the rest of my life apologising to you if I have to, Hera." He whispered. Tears tracked down her cheeks; he lifted his hand to wipe them away and she pressed her face into his palm. "I'll apologise as many times as you need me to because I love you. I love you."

Hera's hands curled in the fabric of his jacket, pulling him down until their lips crashed together. It was clumsy, desperate - not the best kiss in the world but the best kiss he had ever had.

When she pulled them apart she didn't go far; Clayton searched her face, his breath stuttering in his chest.

"I'm going to be mad at you for a little while," She said with a sniffle, looking up to meet his gaze. "But I love you too. So much."

He smiled, relief flooding his chest, making him feel light. He pressed his forehead to hers, savouring the touch for just a moment.

"Shall we get out of here?" He asked after a moment, pulling back just a little so he could look at her.

She was nodding. She smiled a little, glancing over his shoulder. "Yeah. The theme's shit anyways."

Clayton laughed, and Hera joined in after a moment or two, allowing him to tuck her into his side as they walked back to the car. Maybe the bet with Tristan had been stupid, but at least it had got him here. Holding the hand of the woman he loved as he pulled out of the parking lot, away from the whole sorry mess, and towards something better.

#swynwrimobee #swynwrimo #swynwrimo2022 #and you may ask yourself #why did i write this?#and there'll be no reply bc #i dont know either #one shot this one shot that #/writes a fanfic

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phoenixyfriend · 3 years

Text

Anakin Assists the Jedi Council While On Medical Leave

AU brainstormed primarily by @atagotiak, @gelpenss, and myself.

Basically, a fix-it based in Anakin getting a peek into the daily life on the Council early, and accidentally Figuring Some Shit Out along the way, mostly because Palps Fucks Up.

So, Anakin gets injured in a way that limits him to Coruscant for a few weeks. He can still walk and talk, but he can't fight. The specific injury doesn't matter, just this:

Anakin runs errands on behalf of the council and sits in on meetings to take minutes as a "you're on medical leave but we need all hands on deck, congrats you get to be the secretary until we can send you on stabbing missions again" thing.

Also, there just aren't a whole lot of people with Anakin's clearance level. They had to send out Stass Allie to handle the mission that was originally next on Anakin's roster, and Anakin's the most convenient person to substitute into her position.

He's not super happy about this but he can more or less understand the point of it. Given that he gets antsy about needing to fight almost immediately, he can acknowledge the worth of having something useful to do, if only as the person who's writing down who says what and making sure everyone has the right file on hand.

(Besides, Obi-Wan jokes in a way that Anakin thinks might be encouraging, this is good practice if Anakin ever wants to be on the High Council himself!)

(This is a very helpful conversation.)

BASICALLY, Anakin is resigned to this but agrees because "Usually we have Master Allie handle this but we need her running that mission that was originally set for the 501st, so you get to fill in for her until you can switch back. Think of it as training for eventual mastery or admin or--listen, we're just really stretched thin."

Here's the key thing, though: Anakin isn't supposed to leave the Temple, for medical reasons, so Palpatine doesn't know Anakin is sitting in on Council meetings. They haven't met up since Anakin's last surgery, and because [muffled hand-wave reason] he didn't find out another way, like Anakin comming him or the Council giving him the heads-up about the change in attendance.

It's fine. He's just taking notes and doing preparatory research, he has the clearance, the Chancellor likes him anyway. Hell, they'd have had someone's Padawan doing this, before the war increased the necessary clearance levels. They'll toss in a quick message in the brief they send to Palps that he never reads anyway, and that's really all they need to do. Skywalker's getting some rounded experience and this way the medics won't be freaking out about him stressing his heart after getting electrocuted by trying to spar too early.

Palpatine doesn't talk directly to the Council, he just sends a recording the first time Anakin is there. It's a bit weird, but nothing goes wrong. Anakin's off-screen from whatever device they use to send a response, since he's not technically a member, just assisting for a bit on the part of Master Allie's duties that he's actually allowed to touch (and not the bits that are getting added to Mace, Plo, and Shaak's stuff).

The first four or so meetings are like that. Anakin starts having a bit of sympathy for the Council as he sees how many things they want to do that are hampered by the need for Senatorial approval, things that he would also want to do and didn't think required this much red tape.

About a week in, still mostly recordings with Anakin just sitting on the side playing paralegal, the wheel of fortune turns a few pegs.

Palpatine hands over a an order on the range of injury that a soldier should be treated for, "to ensure that republic resources aren't being wasted on clones that, while expensive, would actually be cheaper to replace than repair."

Oh, he dresses it up in prettier language than that. Anakin doesn't process it as such first.

The Chancellor manages to couch his phrasing in "prioritizing resources for taxpaying republic citizens and employees of the GAR," which... well.

The natborn commissioned officers pay taxes. The Jedi are employees. The clones are neither, because they're slaves.

Probably he frames it as the employees thing, very much the kinda language that sounds halfway ok unless you’re fluent in political bullshit.

And Anakin is really confused at first about why the council is upset by the order because, okay, he would PREFER to be able to use medical supplies on refugees when possible, but he understands prioritizing the soldiers?

He just looks up, totally lost, when someone groans and goes, "That's the third time this year, is he trying to get us all killed?"

And it vibes as such a genuine, aggrieved, sad reaction that Anakin is completely blindsided because it's not the sarcastic, petty resentment he kind of expected? It's just... desperate depression.

And someone gently has to explain that this is the third time they've had resources restricted to only GAR employees and that it's a polite way of saying "prioritize natborn officers, stop wasting resources on clones, we can replace them easier."

Or maybe he doesn't ask, because he's just there to take notes, not argue, and he can see the masters drawing up a response that amounts to "We would like to remind you that our soldiers do not fall into that classification, and to limit their access to our medical supplies is liable to cause a loss of life that we find unreasonably high. Please see the annotations attached to adjust wording so that the clones may receive the same level of care."

Anakin's internally just like "Yeah, that's phrased nice and addresses the main problem, Palpatine will obviously agree and change it!"

And then he comes in the next day and the response comes in and it's just dripping condescension about considering the clones actual people.

"This is why we can't use the bacta tanks on clones anymore, just the patches. We could use them at first, we had a few of the CCs get through fatal injuries with them, but they cut that off and said we could only use the tanks on Jedi and non-clone officers a few months ago. The Banking Clans keep tightening their belts on the army, and the Chancellor insists we put citizens first, and the clones aren't citizens. We've been arguing back as much as we can, but he keeps going on about the economy and we can't... we just can't, Skywalker. We're trying to save as many of our men as we can, but..."

Something like "Allocation of resources reiterated, the Kaminoans have assured the senate that the Jedi are far from exhausting the resources ordered."

And Anakin's like. He can't blame the council for lying about Palpatine's past or future actions. He just saw Palpatine's actions. Those actions were to order people under his control to throw away lives he saw as replaceable commodities.

These are his friends' lives.

His soldiers are being thrown away by a man in a tower that he trusted.

And then that man has the gall to suggest it's the council's fault.

Palpatine is good at what he does, especially in public, he dresses it up in flowery language and everything, but Anakin's just like "Those are my FRIENDS and also this is??? How slavers talked about their property on Tatooine???? FRIENDPATINE, WHAT THE FUCK."

Anakin can be passive aggressive sometimes as well as outright aggressive. So if he brings up the guidelines and why they make him upset in general terms, and Palpatine says something about how he’s sad the council doesn’t care about the clones...

Anakin, internally, having just watched the council scramble to save as many clones as possible within the guidelines that Palps handed down: Uh-huh.

(Anakin is just the gay horror teeth gif from queer eye.)

Just. “Yeah, funny you say that, Palpatine! Because as I remember, you told the council not to waste more resources than necessary while Mace Windu was arguing to expand the treatment range!”

Palps doesn't even have time to salvage the situation or attack Anakin because Anakin just bulldoze rants for fifteen minutes and then storms out.

Anakin... maybe does a little treason and gets a copy of the orders so he can ask Padme "Hey, can you explain the politics of this?" and doesn't tell her who wrote it so she isn't biased (he tells her that this is why he's not sharing the author's/speaker's name), and just lets Padme pick apart all the 'this is a nice way of saying they don't view the clones as people' details.

Alternately, someone on the Council sees Anakin dithering and manages to get him to admit that he's not great at political language and wants to ask someone to help him understand the full implications. The person--Mace? let's go with Mace--is aware that Anakin is on good terms with Senator Amidala, if not necessarily aware of the depth of said relationship. Mace points out that he's probably going to be seeing her soon just because he usually does and, as a Senator, she can get easy access to these sessions since they're not about specific missions, just allocation of resources, etc. It's not an optimal solution, but she's got a bit more free time than anyone else Anakin knows with the clearance levels, like Order members that are actively involved in the war effort.

Anakin dithers and panics and Mace, trying to be helpful, tells him that plenty of Jedi have made friends among the Senate over the years, didn't you know Qui-Gon Jinn was a personal friend of Former Chancellor Valorum?

At any rate, Anakin goes to Padme and asks her to explain it to him, because she knows how to phrase things so he gets it.

Anakin has to have her pause and he goes outside and destroys some things halfway through.

(Anakin maybe thinks back to the times Padmé or Obi-Wan were really obviously frustrated and when he asked, they said stuff like “I can’t stand Palpatine rn, sorry Anakin I know he’s important to you and you don’t want to talk about politics, let’s just talk about something else.”)

(Obi-Wan: I don’t trust Palpatine Anakin: you just don’t like politicians in general Obi-Wan: yes that is also true)

(Obi-Wan does like Bail and Padme but he does also talk a bit about how politicians generally aren’t to be trusted.)

#Anakin Skywalker #Sheev Palpatine #Jedi High Council #Mace Windu #fix it fic #star wars #star wars prequels #Phoenix Posts #Padme Naberrie

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piecksz · 3 years

Text

three’s a crowd | (m)

pairing: reiner x fem!reader x eren

warnings: nsfw, oral sex (female recieving), cuckolding, male masturbation, penetrative sex, voyeurism, slight degredation, slight angst, light mention of drugs, explicit language

summary: reiner’s attempt at hiding his attraction towards you fails, but lucky for him, eren’s feeling generous.

words: 4.6k

a/n: this was so much longer than i planned for.....well.....shit LMAOOO

a/n x2: I FORGOT TO ADD if you guys wanna listen to the song i looped like 47 fucking times while writing this, bc i feel like it fits reiner in this one shot kinda well, u can listen to recognize by partynextdoor (feat. drake) :p enjoy

Reiner hated Eren.

He hadn’t gone into living with someone he’d never met in person before with innumerable expectations, but he wasn’t banking on his roommate to be his polar opposite. He hated the sound of Eren’s riotous music into the early hours of dawn. He hated the unbearable malodor of his marijuana dependence, and he hated the way he carried himself with an intolerable air of arrogance, but as much as Eren’s living habits irritated him, it was the fact that Eren had you that presided over all of his grievances.

Being a witness to it made Reiner sick, knowing that you were leagues above Eren, and surely you deserved someone respectable, but somehow he’d charmed you into a long-term relationship, and Reiner wondered how he’d managed it. If by some miracle it had been up to him, Reiner speculated that he would be a viable match for you--that was if he had those sentiments for you--and he reassured himself he didn’t hold any promiscuous feelings towards his roommate’s girlfriend.

Yet it was hard for Reiner to rationalize the obscene thoughts that pervaded his mind at 2 AM. His clock displayed the time in bold red numbers, an indication that he should have been fast asleep, but you had decided to spend the night, and he already understood what that entailed.

The walls in their apartment were thin and did an insubstantial job of muting the noise that traveled between rooms. Reiner boasted the privilege of having his room right next to Eren’s, which meant he could hear everything that happened on the other side of the barrier. He heard every whimper, every groan, every time Eren praised you for taking him so well, and every time he admired how irresistible you looked while he fucked you from the back. The sound was so lucid he could count exactly how many rounds you guys had gone, and it was usually two, three if Eren hadn’t seen you in a while which was rare.

You two were hard to ignore, no matter how hard Reiner had tried, meaning he was also up late, listening while you two coupled. Your cries of stimulation, however, he didn’t mind as much. In truth, Reiner was always tempted to slip his hands into his pants and get himself off to the sound of your enticing whimpers, but he would discourage himself, deciding it was against his better judgement. Instead he would opt to cover his ears with his pillow, flipping over onto his side and dedicating his total effort to falling asleep.

Of course, Reiner had long established that he didn’t like you, but he swore he could make you feel better than Eren could.

It was around midday when Reiner returned to their apartment after committing his morning to helping his long-time friend, Pieck, pack up the furniture at her studio in preparation to move. They were halfway finished with stowing away Pieck’s belongings before she realized they didn’t have enough boxes and apologized, asking Reiner if he’d be willing to return the following day to help her load up her remaining things. He obliged, guiltily happy that he was being dismissed early.

Reiner kicked off his shoes and ambled into the kitchen to set down the food he secured on his way home, but he paused momentarily to scrutinize the condition of the living room, discerning Eren’s obvious trace.

The TV was on, but it sat idly, blinking images of some prime time movie Reiner couldn’t recognize, and Eren’s drug paraphernalia was left scattered on the coffee table, his bong alongside his stray lighter and grinder.

“Eren!” Reiner had prompted him on several occasions, reminding Eren that just because he thought electricity was a necessary utility and should be free, didn’t mean it was, they still had to pay for it. He also requested that he put his bong away after he was done smoking since it wasn’t permitted in their building, but Eren seemed heedless to that demand too. “Eren!”

Reiner anticipated a response, but huffed when he received only silence. Leave it to his roommate to blight his good mood in record time. He mumbled inaudibly, swiping the remote off the table to turn the TV off, and then reluctantly bending down to tidy the space of Eren’s things.

“Hi, Sunshine. You’re up and about early.”

Reiner straightened himself out and turned around, unaware that you’d been over. He missed your approaching footsteps. Had you stayed the night? He didn’t hear anything from Eren’s room the previous evening which was unusual to say the least. Maybe you’d stopped by earlier that morning while he’d been out.

“Hey,” he replied meekly. “Sorry, I didn’t know you were here.”

Reiner’s eyes looked you over swiftly, slightly startled at the lack of clothing covering your bottom half. You were only wearing a loose shirt that stopped dangerously at your hips and a pair of lace undergarments, but naturally, you didn’t seem the least bit phased. You’d practically lived with them. When you weren’t in class or at your part-time job, you were at their apartment, leading Reiner to wonder if you forgot you had a place of your own.

“It’s fine,” you smiled. “Sorry Eren left all of his shit out. I don’t know how I know the house rules and he doesn’t.”

Reiner snorted. “He knows them, he just doesn’t care.” His voice was casual although he walked hastily into the kitchen to avoid looking at you. He stored Eren’s bong in the vacant cupboard above the microwave before throwing his other tools into a miscellaneous drawer.

As if on cue, Eren wandered out of his room languidly, carelessly shrugging a jacket onto his unclad upper body. Reiner took that as a sign that his lunch would be best enjoyed in his room. He was already irked, and wasn’t in the headspace to deal with the current atmosphere.

“What’d you get?” you questioned, leaning over the counter with mirth. You paid little attention to the way Eren came up behind you, circling his arms around your waist and resting his chin in the curve of your shoulder. You looked more interested in the alluring smells wafting from the paper bag in Reiner’s hand.

Another thing he hated about Eren was his shameless PDA. It appeared he adored showing you off, letting everyone know that you were his, but God--how could anyone forget when it seemed he was incapable of keeping his hands off of you. Reiner himself recognized that you were a prize, from your lively eyes that were a marriage of subtle hues to the way your lips curled upwards when you grinned. He even noticed the curve of your breasts’ shape through your shirt. If Reiner had you, he’d want you all to himself.

He shook the thought out of his head.

“I just got something small on the way home.” He forced a smile. “If I’d known you were over I would have gotten you something too.”

“Why do you treat Y/N better than you treat me?” Eren asked, sounding only a little bit offended.

Reiner pretended to think before he responded. “Ah, maybe it’s because I don’t like you.”

You laughed at Reiner’s reply, and Eren only smiled, but Reiner detected something else behind his expression. Mischief.

“Do you like Y/N?”

Reiner creased his eyebrows together. “Of course.” He hadn’t read too much into the question. He did like you. You weren’t just easy on the eyes, but you were great company too. That was the only reason he didn’t mind lending their apartment to you as a second home, he enjoyed being around you.

You let out an exaggerated aww after he answered. “I like you too, Reiner.”

Reiner chuckled, shaking his head, but inside he was telling his heart to calm down. You didn’t mean it like that.

Eren hummed absentmindedly, swaying side to side slowly while you rocked along to his movement.

“Do you wanna fuck her?”

Reiner gripped the bag in his hand tightly, and his smile faltered in shock, reeling from the bombshell of Eren’s question. “What?” Did he hear him correctly?

You looked just as surprised, exclaiming your boyfriend’s name and craning your neck to look at him.

“I’m kidding,” he dismissed, but Reiner could tell he wasn’t from the way Eren’s eyes didn’t waver from him.

What Reiner didn’t know was that Eren had caught onto him. He’d known for a while, which was why he was particularly touchy with you around Reiner, showing you off, not caring whether you walked around their apartment scarcely dressed, it was because Eren enjoyed having something that someone else wanted. He saw the way his roommate acted around his girlfriend, reserved and quiet, more than he usually was, and he even noticed the way Reiner’s eyes dipped down to your chest in the moment because Eren was exceptional at paying attention to detail.

You must have detected how uncomfortable Reiner felt because you delivered a brief jab to Eren’s ribs with your elbow.

“Eren, that’s not fucking funny,” you chided. “Do I need to put you in time out?”

“It’s fine,” Reiner interrupted quickly. He didn’t want you defending him because you were oblivious. It only made the situation more embarrassing than it already was since, truthfully, the thought had crossed his mind more than once.

Eren reiterated his question, eyes narrowed at Reiner. “So do you?”

You sighed heavily and looked at Reiner apologetically. He could feel his face growing hot, and he prayed it wasn’t obvious he was as flushed as he felt. He just wanted to get out of there as fast as possible.

Reiner released a humourless chuckle. “Grow up, Eren.” He slipped past the two of you, but he didn’t get far.

“I’m only asking because I’m feeling charitable. You wouldn’t mind, would you baby?”

Reiner could hear Eren pressing a series of ticklish kisses against your skin, causing you to laugh through your answer.

“I mean, I wouldn’t mind if Reiner doesn’t mind.”

Reiner brought his teeth down hard on the tip of his tongue. He was surprised that Eren was so secure in his relationship that he would willingly allow another man to have his way with his girlfriend. He wasn’t sure if his suggestion was insane or ingenious, because Eren had taken control of the one thing that threatened any relationship: infidelity, something so unvirtuous wouldn’t stop him from loving you. You and Eren were so committed to each other that a simple fuck meant nothing.

Reiner hesitated, but figured an opportunity like this was rare. He had both Eren’s permission and yours, yet he still didn’t believe his sincerity until you were in Eren’s room, starting to strip out of your clothes.

His chestnut eyes drifted over to Eren, slouched lazily in the chair he casually pulled out from his desk. “You’re gonna watch?”

Eren lifted a thick eyebrow, resting his thumb under his chin with an index finger against his cheek, looking unimpressed by Reiner’s obvious reservations. “You think I’d let you fuck my girlfriend without me here?”

Reiner slid a tense hand over the back of his neck, rubbing away the uncomfortable heat that creeped up his back and diffused to the tips of his ears. He figured that was reasonable considering the circumstances, after all, he was only fucking you because Eren had allowed it.

There was nothing more intoxicating to Reiner than your bare form, scanty pink lace clinging to your hips the only thing preventing you from being completely naked in front of him. His gaze dipped from your simpering smile down to your collarbones and then down to your breasts, perfectly sculpted to your figure.

Reiner made no efforts to move despite his insatiable urge to grab you in his arms and make certain that you were left satisfied. He feared he’d look too eager to Eren who was observing from the sidelines, but you paid little attention to your audience of one as you sauntered towards Reiner, closer and closer, until your arms slid around his neck and you pressed your chest to his torso.

Reiner’s body was strung so tightly, he was afraid he might snap. It seemed you took notice of the way his muscles tensed once your delicate fingers ghosted over the nape of his neck because your suggestive expression waned, and instead, your eyebrows creased with sincere concern.

“You okay?”

He couldn’t respond, but to be fair, it was because his heart was hammering against his chest and he wasn’t sure how to make it stop. He looked over at Eren again, who, fortunately, didn’t seem to pay much attention to him. Instead, your boyfriend’s stare was fixed on your backside, likely admiring how luscious you looked from his perspective.

“I’m over here.” You laughed and pressed a gentle finger to Reiner’s chin, redirecting his focus back to you. “Just relax.”

He swallowed, chuckling to soothe his unease. “I’m trying.”

Reiner wasn’t sure why he felt so unassertive in your presence. He didn’t hold a record like Eren did, but he also wasn't abstinent by any means. This, though, felt different. He was dealing with several months of pent-up sexual frustration that could only be satisfied by you and no one else. He knew because he’d tried.

Reiner drew in a ragged breath as you leaned into him, breathing heavily through his mouth until you closed the space in between you two, then he continued breathing heavily through his nose. At first, he made no efforts to close his eyes, afraid that the imagery in front of him was a mirage inspired by his own imagination and would disappear if he so much as blinked. His lips were timid, body taut under your touch, but you seduced his mouth, reining him in until he melted into the kiss.

He pushed back against you with fervor and desperation, outlining the shape of your bottom lip with his tongue before nipping at the soft flesh. You released a quiet whimper, intensifying the lust swelling in the pit of his stomach, and Reiner forced his tongue past your teeth, claiming your mouth while his wandering hands settled audaciously against your ass.

Your hands slid over his shoulders and crafted biceps until they tugged hastily against the hem of his shirt, and Reiner immediately understood your cue, withdrawing his mouth from yours to give himself just enough time to slip out of it. He dipped down again to deliver another kiss, but he was deterred by the feeling of your palm against his chest.

“What? Is something wrong?” he questioned quickly, eyes darting back and forth between your hand and your face, worried that he’d done something to overstep your boundaries.

Instead of the troubled expression he expected, you looked rather intrigued. Perhaps impressed was the better word. Your curiosity was held by Reiner’s physique, a living work of art. Eager fingers traveled down the built ripples of his abdomen, chuckling once you felt his muscles flex under your touch.

“Jesus Christ,” you breathed. “Nice, Braun.”

A snicker emitted from the corner. This, miraculously, Eren allowed.

Reiner's mouth quirked upward in a subtle smile before he surrounded you with his arm, pulling you in for another kiss. He walked you backwards until you collapsed onto the mattress, and he fell on top of you, strong forearms holding up his weight. It was then that Reiner realized he allowed his lust to win in the war against himself.

He pulled away to recover his breath, winded pants fanning over your face. His surveying eyes searched yours before they lowered to your swollen lips. God, you were even more mesmerizing up close, heavy-lidded and studying him through a curtain of eyelashes. Maybe for once Reiner would admit he was jealous of Eren. He was fucking envious, bitter, and spiteful that you were his. He’d been a goddamn idiot to let things go this far, agreeing to Eren’s offer, because he knew one fuck wouldn’t be enough to fufill his need for you. He’d barely gotten a taste, and he could already promise that nothing would ever compare to this.

He found your throat and pressed a fleeting kiss to your pulse, moving further down until his lips met your collarbone. He nipped at the delicate skin, taking notice of the way your grip in his hair tightened. His eyebrows arched while he peered up at you, delighting in the way your head rolled back and forth against the duvet. He really wanted to suck at your skin, leaving dark bruises that decorated the path from your earlobe down to your breastbone, but he knew Eren would kill him.

Reiner dipped lower until his lips brushed lightly against your beaded nipple. You made a small sound of protest, but held his head closer, letting him know what you really wanted. His heart beat erratically against his ribcage as he curved a large hand around your right breast and suppressed a groan, but you released a breathy whimper.

He could feel the sound wreaking havoc in his brain. His balls were so damn tight, it would take barely any effort for him to cum, but he wanted to prolong your coupling as long as possible. He didn’t know if he’d ever get another chance like this.

His thumb ran over the erect peaks of your breasts, captivated by the magic of watching your back arch and your body become aroused under his touch. He dipped a finger into his mouth, glazing it with his saliva before using it to flick back and forth at your nipple.

“Fuck, Reiner,” you mewled.

Reiner replaced his hand with his lips, sucking the sensitive bud into his mouth. The tip of his tongue swirled around it, coating it generously with his spit, while you made no attempts to conceal your intense cries of pleasure.

Eren released an entertained sigh, swiveling back and forth in his chair. “She whines like a bitch, doesn’t she?”

Shit. Reiner had almost forgotten he was there, but he still released a hungry grunt in agreement, sending vibrations over your chest. He tugged at your nipple with his teeth, releasing it, and then soothing the sting with the flat side of his tongue.

He trailed down your abdomen, pressing hard wet kisses and stopping to leave a quick lick to your navel. He grinned against your skin when you gripped the sheets and breathed his name again, this time quieter, as if you meant it only for his ears. He liked to think so.

Once he reached the waistband of your panties, he licked along the fabric, immobilizing your rolling hips with strong hands.

“Enough with the theatrics, Reiner. Just do it already,” Eren groaned, sounding irate.

Reiner assumed Eren’s groan was only to stress his impatience, but once he looked over to him, he realized he wasn’t just giving directives from the sidelines. His bottom lip was tucked between his teeth, and his hand was moving steadily against the noticeable tent in his sweatpants.

He was enjoying this just as much as Reiner was, getting off to the sight of his girlfriend under another man, his roommate nonetheless.

Reiner suddenly felt strange. What the hell was he doing providing entertainment for Eren?

“Reiner,” your needy voice pulled him out of his reflection. His attention drifted back to you, watching while you propped yourself up on your elbows and slid your unsteady hands over your chest to tweak your own nipples, as if you were trying to hold yourself over.

He wished you hadn’t looked so tempting, even with your disheveled hair and sweaty skin, your vulnerable eyes fixated on him, and he was powerless.

Reiner hooked his fingers around your underwear, kissing a trail down the inside of your thighs as he pulled your panties down to your ankles before slipping them off and letting them pool on the floor.

“Spread wide baby, let him see that pretty pussy,” Eren stirred, cock now thrust out the top of his grey sweats and his swollen tip glistening with precum. His hand was wrapped firmly around his stiff length, moving slow while his breathing quickened.

For once, Reiner agreed with him, and he pressed his fingers into your thighs to aid you in parting your legs. Your pussy was slick with your own arousal, squelching as you tightened around nothing. You were even prettier than he’d imagined.

“Fuck,” Reiner breathed, extending two fingers to part your folds. Was he still sure he wasn’t dreaming?

He wrapped his built arms around your legs, pulled you closer, and lowered his head. He fixed his lips to your swollen clit, allowing his tongue to lap and circle around the tender bud every few seconds.

“Oh my god,” you cried, writhing against the sheets.

If he hadn’t secured your legs in his grip, he was certain you would have smothered him between your thighs out of reflex. He could detect the way you fought against his hold, but he far overpowered you in strength.

When he plunged his tongue inside you without notice, that was nearly enough to send you over the edge. You pulled on the sheets with a frenzied grip, producing a shrill cry your neighbors had certainly heard. There was no doubt about it.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck,” you murmured, chest expanding and falling with labored breaths.

Reiner wanted to spend a few more generous minutes tasting you, he couldn’t get enough, but he also wasn’t sure how much longer he would last. His cock was hot and hard in his pants, and he needed to feel you around him. Even if Eren wouldn’t let him cum inside of you, he needed to experience at least that much.

He rose to his feet, working quickly against his pants’ zipper while trying not to tease himself by looking at you. He was worried the mere sight of you on the bed, spread and ready for him would be enough to bring him to a climax, but he’d made the mistake of looking at you anyways, hand between your legs, delicate fingers rubbing at your clit while you stared up at him.

Fucking hell. Kill me. Reiner thought. Fuck. He felt the throbbing heat of his cock, and he wished you wouldn’t look at him like that. He really wished you wouldn’t look at him like that.

“Look at her, so desperate to be filled. It’s almost pathetic,” Eren laughed, but it was clear he was feeling your effect too. He lolled his head forward, long brown hair spilling over his shoulders and obscuring his face while his palm worked fast against his cock.

Shut up, Reiner thought. His head was growing hazy, and he couldn’t think. He needed to be inside you, and he couldn’t wait a second longer.

Reiner let himself free while his pants and underwear hung low around his knees. He couldn’t even find time to delight in the way your face melted into bliss once you laid eyes on his thick cock, leaking precum in sinful amounts because all he could think about was his ache. He leaned over you, positioning himself at your entrance.

He’d been waiting for this for so goddamn long.

Reiner exhaled when you said his name again, hips undulating against his cock and wet folds stroking his tip. He watched as he pushed himself into you, filling you to the hilt, and once he was inside he hung his head forward, eyes shut tightly in a painful sort of ecstasy.

“You’re so fucking tight,” Reiner grunted breathlessly.

He groaned, pinning your hips down with his once you attempted to fuck yourself onto his cock.

“Stop moving,” he pleaded. “Jesus christ--please don’t move.” He stayed still for a moment, waiting until his sensitivity subsided before he started rocking his hips against you slowly.

Reiner couldn’t dedicate his focus to anything other than the feeling of your slick walls clenching around his cock every time he pulled out, and the way he stretched you out every time he thrusted back in. He wondered if you could feel the depth of his desire.

“Harder,” you whispered once, and then begged louder. “Reiner please, fuck me harder.”

At first, Reiner was worried. He wanted to be gentle, he wanted to savor you, and he wanted to make sure he didn’t hurt you, but your request had him picking up the pace, ramming into you until the familiar slapping sound of sweaty skin filled the room.

You unraveled and became completely undone, letting out loud moans every time he drove his cock into you. Reiner thought the sound was incredibly euphonic as it fell upon his ears. You were like this because of him.

“How’s this?” His voice was husky and deep beside your ear.

Reiner was pleased by your lack of response. You could only nod, overwhelmed by the dual sensation brought on by him and the feeling of your quick fingers against your clit. You secured an arm around his neck again and wrapped your legs around his torso, clinging to him like he was all you needed. He wished that was how you really felt.

“Close…,” you murmured, and Reiner deduced you were warning him that you were near your orgasm. He could tell by the way your walls began to spasm.

Reiner felt the small of his back tighten, and he knew he was close too. He was torn between his release and holding himself back, not ready for this to end just yet, but his body betrayed him and he felt his cock twitch inside you.

Luckily, you reached your climax first, and Reiner watched in awe as your body seized underneath him, breasts bobbing with every jolt while you worked your clit into overstimulation. It wasn’t long after your orgasm that he made his last rueful thrusts. He quickly pulled out and clasped himself in the curve of his hand. He pumped his length until he released in quick spurts onto your stomach, covering you in his hot seed, and he kept pumping until he made sure he emptied himself of every drop.

His eyes quickly darted over to Eren, not to be odd or anything, but again, he had forgotten he was there. It seemed Eren had already satisfied himself. The creamy, white liquid decorating the bare skin of his abdomen and dribbling down his loose fist was evidence of that. Now that he had appeased his urges, he seemed disinterested as he reached over his desk and plucked a few tissues to clean himself up.

Reiner collapsed beside you, listening to the loud thudding of his heart as it delivered a few ecstatic beats while he caught his breath and began to calm down. He stared at the pivoting fan blades, and then his eyes dropped down to you lying next to him, sweaty and fucked out.

You were laying there with him, and goddammit he wanted to reach his arms out and wrap them around you, pulling you close so he could hold you and feel your heartbeat against his chest. He’d press kisses to your salty forehead, and then tell you how much he loved you. He wanted to stay like this.

Reiner's ideal vision dissolved once Eren stopped at the edge of the bed and extended his hand for you to grab.

“You wanna join me for a shower, baby?” Eren asked.

Of course, you took it, allowing him to support you until you were sitting up.

You released an exhausted laugh. “Yes, please.” You then turned to Reiner and arched your eyebrow in surprise. “By the way, not bad, Braun.”

Reiner gave you a small smile in return, but said nothing as he watched you cover your breasts with your arm and let Eren hoist you off the bed. You two slid past him and headed out of the room, but not without Eren looking back over his shoulder, shooting Reiner a shit-eating grin, as though reminding him who you’d always belong to.

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iwadori · 3 years

Note

hello! I love your works so much! Can I request an angst to comfort scenario for #21 on your prompt list?

“It’s my fault for trusting you”

Feel free to use whichever character(s) you like!!

When the haikyu boys neglect you for another girl PT 3

Part One Part Two Part Three Part four Part Five

Word Count: 2.7K

Genre: angst,fluff

masterlist

Akaashi

You and Akaashi were beautiful people

Probably the most attractive pair of young adults that anyone can find

You were both top tier models in the industry

You always had a little rivalry between you but you always promised each other to never let it affect your ‘relationship’

“Beautiful darling, your beautiful” praised your photographer as you finished your shoot giving you air kisses on your cheeks. You thanked him and the rest of the staff and entered your dressing room sighing.

“Rough day?” Asked a voice, startling you a bit. You looked up to see your boyfriend, Akaashi Keiji sitting in the corner of your dressing room on a love seat.

“Gosh Keiji you scared me” clutching your chest dramatically “But yes, the day has been tiring Fabio has really been overworking me lately” you complained. Akaashi walks towards you and gave you a peck on the cheek “Aww poor baby” he cooed mockingly, “but don’t worry ‘bout it Y/N your sucess will be all be worth it eventually” he says making you smile.

“and besides, you’ve got a shoot with me soon anyways” he winks, making you chuckle. You finished removing your make-up as Akaashi tells you about his shoot today and Bokuto’s (your fellow model friend) antics.

You and Akaashi first laid eyes on eachother when you were both up and coming models, you both are under the same company. At first, both of your agents decided to make you spend time with each other to push the narrative of you being a couple anyways. However, since you and Akaashi had great natural chemistry it made your relationship great and made for a great photo too.

As much as the public loved your relationship and the saucy photos you tend to make together, they also thrived of the slight rivalry you guys had together or the times when you guys bother shot with other people (since it was easy for a fan to make a new ship off of two people literally standing next to each other.)

You spent the next day having what you and Akaashi called a ‘rest day,’ you both specifically clear your schedules for every 2nd and 4th saturday of each month to not do any work-related for the day and just bask in each other’s companies (as you were both busy and barely got enough time to see one another.)

You watched multiple movies, made your own homemade cookies and dinner, had pillow fights, built forts. You both were having so much fun, until you both got a call...Just then, the vibe changed you went from your free-spirited fun selfs back into work mode.

Your agent told you that two brands *Insert big fashion designer brand here* and *Insert another big fashion designer brand here* were having some form of standoff. To be honest, you didn’t really care about the context of the shoot(s) in this case, as your agents call ruined your day. They wanted you and Tsukishima Kei, to do some competing shoots and promotional videos for their brand against the other designer.

After getting all your information from your agent, you go back into the living and see Akaashi sitting down thinking deeply about something. “What was your call about?” you inquire sitting down next to him.

“Oh just some silly designer brand competition thing.” he mindlessly replies, still thinking deeply.

“Yeah same. So what’s got you thinking all deeply then?” you ask

“My fellow model is going to be Kiyoko Shimuzu” he sighed, making you blink repeatedly before immediately saying “You can’t do the shoot”

Kiyoko Shimuzu was japans beauty. Everybody loved her, she’s been a model since she was a child everyone wanting a grasp on her looks. The guys wanted her, the girls wanted to be here. Kiyoko Shimuzu was a force to be reckon with.

The real problem at hand wasn’t her stunning looks, popularity and fame. It was her connection with Akaashi. Before Akaashi went big and met you, he was Kiyoko’s boyfriend (well ex-boyfriend now) and they broke up because of long-distance or something like that.

However, to you, Kiyoko’s feelings for your boyfriend have never went away. Whenever you guys bumped into each other at red carpet events or runway shows, she always seemed to linger a bit too long around your boyfriend, which definitely wasn’t to your liking.

Akaashi lifted up his head from inside his palms and looked at you as if you had grown another head. “What do you mean, ‘I can’t do the shoot’” he asked in disbelief

“I mean, you can’t do the shoot” you reiterated not understanding why he didn’t understand.

Akaashi sighs before putting his face back in his hands to think, “Well I know you got to the shoot aswell Y/N who’s yours with.”

“Tsukki” You said nonchalantly say as if it was nothing, making Akaashi look at you again as if you were fully crazy before he had a chance to speak you cut him off saying “Don’t even start Akaashi.”

You and Tsukishima Kei, have best friends since you were kids. You weren’t romantic in any way shape or form, well at least you weren’t. Akaashi always claimed that that Tsukishima was in love with you, that you and Tsukishima were the perfect example of every ‘childhood friends-lovers trope’ ever, which to you wasn’t true. Everything between you and Tsukishima was and still is completely platonic which you can’t say the same for Akaashi and Kiyoko.

“You’re not doing the shoot” he says firmly as if he was your father.

“Oh so you can do your shoot with your literally EX GIRLFRIEND, but I can’t do mine with my best friend... yeah make sense” you say standing up, astounded.

“Y/N chill, If you’re so adamant about me not doing it with Shi- Kiyoko, then I wont” he says pulling your arm down making you land on him “and you better not do it with ‘Tsukki’” he mocked.

“Okay so none of us are doing the shoots?” you ask looking up at him

“Yup” he says

“Pinky promise,” you joked sticking out your pinky in his face.

“Pinky promise” he agreed hooking his finger around yours.

For the next month it seemed you were booked busy, you barely got to see your boyfriend as his agent had him running around all of Japan and even had him booked in some places in Europe for this month. Of course, you missed him, but you understand how busy it can be doing your line of work. You’ve been quite busy too, doing the usual shoots and runways.

Although he was busy, Akaashi basically went radio silent on you. You still expected him to reply to some of your messages or at least call once or twice when he had the chance, since he must have 10 minutes of break time and that's the bare minimum.

It’s been two weeks since you last saw Akaashi (and that was on your saturday rest day) and you were expecting him to come over today so you could have another. Since of course, Saturday ‘rest days’ were basically a tradition for you and Akaashi before you even started dating.

You had no text from Akaashi explaining his lateness/absense, so you just figured he wasn’t coming putting a damper on your day. You spent the day lounging around and shoving your face with your favourite snacks and food.

You get a text from Tsukishima which read:

Tsukishima: 1 Image Attached

Tsukishima: Looks whose boyfriend stumbled on set...

You didn’t respond as you were shocked at the sight you saw, the image was a picture of Akaashi and Kiyoko on set doing shots for the *insert the other rich designer brand* the shoot that you both agreed you wouldn’t do, which was also a LINGERE brand.

You felt betrayed, you both agreed to not do the shoot and it’s not like you did do yours. You made sure to turn it down the day you made your agreement. And he skipped on your traditional saturday ‘rest day’ without even giving you any word of him not planning on arriving.

You didn’t know what to do, do you confront him about it? Or do you wait for him to approach you? Since he would plan on telling you about this right? You eventually messaged Tsukishima a ‘thanks’ and you decided how you were going to handle the situation. Pop up on Akaashi and Kiyoko at the photoshoot.

You knew where it was at, since you had the address already from when your agent first offered you the idea. You drove to the place in a breakneck speed, strutting in there like a woman on a mission (which you technically were.) You decided to wait in Akaashi’s dressing room, not wanting to cause a scene at the shoot which would be bad for yours, Akaashi’s and Kiyoko’s image and would be a waste of the time of the staff and photographer there.

Akaashi finally finished the shoot and entered his room with a sigh not realising that you were sitting in the corner of his room. “Did you have a rough time?” you ask mockingly making him jump and his eyes widen as you were the last person he expected to be there. “Why so shocked, you weren’t expecting me?” you still keep the same mocking tone in your speech.

“Y/N I-” He started

“Y/N what?” You interrupted “Y/N I’m sorry for basically ghosting you for a month? I'm sorry for doing a shoot with someone who I know is still in love with me? I’m sorry for lying to you? I’m sorry for skipping out on our rest day with no explanation on where I am?” you stare at him as he stares back speechless.

“Oh, am I missing something?” you continue “Oh yes ‘Y/n I’m sorry for doing the shoot that we both agreed that we weren’t doing’” you sit down and wait for him to reply.

Akaashi puts his head down in shame, not really knowing what to say. Because of his silence, you roll your eyes and get up fed up with his lack of explanation. Before you fully leave Akaashi blocks your way with slight tears in his eyes “I had no other choice Y/N, I had to do all those shoots and travel other places with Kiyoko because sh-”

“Wait, that’s where you were?” you shout “Gallivanting around the country with HER!” you extend your arm pointing outside the door before you turn trying to leave again.

“N-No No Y/N you’ve got to listen to me” he said putting your hands on my shoulder “She has something, on me and I-I couldn’t I can’t get out of it. It’s deeper than just a simple shoot.” You were confused but you were so upset you just didn’t want to hear it so instead of listening to your boyfriend you decided to say “you’re so full of shit Akaashi” making him gasp at your coldness and the use of his last name. “ but hey I guess thats my fault for trusting you”

You finally left the room and went to go get a breather for a second with tears sparking in your eyes. You leaned against the wall and whispered “fuck” frustrated with the whole situation. Making you jump, Tsukishima said “you should go talk to him you know.”

“What do you know Tsukki” he cringed at the nickname

“I know more than you Y/N, just go talk to him.” he said making you squint your eyes at him wondering what information he held.

When you walked back to Akaashi’s dressing room practicing an apology in your head. But you paused your arrival hearing Akaashi talking to the one and only, Kiyoko Shimuzu in his room.

“Let’s face it Akaashi, now that I’ve got this sex tape of us, I basically own you.” she said to him making your eyes widen.

You decided the smartest thing to do was to pull out your phone and record as much as the conversation as you possibly could. Because you could already tell Akaashi was in a bind.

“The next thing I want you to do is...” she continued acting as if she was thinking “break it with Y/N!”

“No certainly not Kiyoko, you’re going too far.” he said making you smile internally that he still defended your relationship. “Me and Y/N are definitely NOT breaking up.”

“Akaashi are you forgetting that I have something over you.” she pulls out her phone and she plays a video, which you can only assume is the sex tape. You can hear a bunch of moans and groans which made your stomache ache.

Tired of hearing this, you burst into the room and say “What the fuck are you doing Kiyoko”

“Oh Y/N how lovely for you to join us...” she said with a smile, “I was just discussing with your ‘boyfriend’ plans for our next shoots.”

“I always knew you were a bitch.” you say shocking your head at her.

“What do you mean Y/N?” she says with a fake smile, not knowing that you were listening in on your conversation “Actually Akaashi was telling me something he had to tell you... isn’t that right Akaashi.” you both looked over at him and he was scared and speechless.

“Oh you mean how you’ve been blackmailing him for the past two weeks...” you accuse

“You have no proof of that.” She taunted

“Oh do I..” you rebuttal then pressing play on the recording you just took watching as both Kiyoko and Akaashi look shocked. Kiyoko scurries out the room knowing she’s been caught leaving you with a triumphant smile.

You sit down, gesturing Akaashi to sit next to you. “Akaashi, I’m so sorry for not listening to you earlier I felt so betrayed thinking that you went agaisnt out agreement, but I guess I was just being a self-obsessed bitch” you say with you now looking down in shame.

“Y/N” he says with you still not meeting his eye “Y/N look at me” he lifted your chin up so you met his eye “It’s fine, It’s completely fine you didn’t know of course you didn’t know, how would you know of sex tape I unknowingly did back when I was 16!” he exclaims “Its fine, we’re good” he pulls you into a hug and kisses you on the forehead.

After you both calm down, Akaashi explains how Kiyoko started to blackmail him and how the agency loved the idea of them two being together (not the blackmailing) as it created a jealousy storyline between you and her and how every time they met she kept proposing ridiculous demands.

“Also, how did you know I ended doing the shoot?” he asks

“Oh a little bird told me” you tease

“You mean a 6ft2 bird with blonde hair and a shit personality.” he retorts making you laugh

“Heyy don’t be so mean, if it wasn’t for him I wouldn’t of came to save the day.”

“True, I’d give him that.”

Eventually, you and Akaashi go to your agency and present all your evidence and claims that Kiyoko was blackmailing Akaashi. Although they were upset, that Akaashi did partake in a sex tape they knew that they’d be an even bigger scandal if you presented your news that Japans sweetheart Kiyoko Shimuzu was blackmailing Akaashi Keiji. So the agency thought it was in everyones best interest if they got Kiyoko to sign an NDA saying that she will never bring forth or share the Sex Tape to anyone and she’ll agree to be dropped from the agency.

Your life was great now, with Kiyoko off your back and Akaashi being back to his usual self you couldn’t wish for anything more. You ended up doing the shoot persuading the design brand person (whatever the name for it is) to agree to let you do the shoot together instead of with other people. Both brands let you, because who wouldn’t want Akaashi Keiji and L/N Y/N to do a shoot together?

AUTHORS NOTE: this is the longest work ive written for a single character and i am TIRED lol..I’m so glad you’ve enjoyed my other works so I hope you enjoy this one.. to be honest I think with my works I start off strong and end shitly :// However I wanted to do something different today by making them models instead of students so I hope you like it. Now im off to read some fanfic so you guys have a good day!! <3

#haikyuu x reader comfort #haikyu angst #haikyu x reader #haikyu scenarios #haikyuu fluff #haikyu #akaashi scenarios #akaashi x y/n #akaashi headcanons #akaashi keji x reader #akaashi x reader #akaashi angst #akaashi fluff #signedwithane😌

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gammija · 3 years

Text

The final Web!Martin evidence list

Now that canon is done, and we’ve got word of god confirmation that Web!Martin wasn’t complete nonsense, I decided to go back to my lil chronological evidence list and actually clean it up a bit, delete parts that in hindsight weren't all that indicative, and put everything in a slightly more readable format. (Obligatory disclaimer that i don’t and never did believe or advocate for some kind of evil web!martin, and that I'm not intending to connect a moral judgement to martin (or anyone else for that matter) having some of these traits)

So here: The (hopefully, please) final list with Web!Martin Evidence! Presented in order of importance, according to. me

The final (hopefully) Web!Martin evidence list

(In order from most to least obvious)

Spiders

I mean, it’s called the Web. TMA reiterates quite a few times that Martin liked spiders. Sometimes it IS that easy.

MAG022: Martin: "I like spiders. Big ones, at least. Y’know, y’know the ones you can see some fur on; I actually think they’re sort of cute -"

MAG038: | Sasha: "A spider?" Jon: "Yeah. I tried to kill it…" [...] Sasha: [Chuckles] "Well, I won’t tell Martin." Jon: "Oh, god. I don’t think I could stand another lecture on their importance to the ecosystem."

MAG059: Jon: "I have done my best to prevent Martin reading this statement in too much detail. I have no interest in having another argument about spiders."

MAG079: Jon: "Apparently, biologically, his account of the spiders doesn’t make any sense according to Martin."

MAG197: Martin: “What? Because I like spiders? Well, used to.”

Lies and subterfuge

Martin is able to use lying and subterfuge to achieve his goals, and is called manipulative a few times.

Lies:

MAG022: Martin: "[He] became slightly more co-operative after I lied to him and told him that one of the upstairs residents had buzzed me in."

MAG056: Martin: "I lied on my CV."

MAG158: Peter: “But you said –” Martin: “Honestly, I mostly just said what I thought you wanted to hear.”

MAG164: Jon: "You – I actually believed you!"

MAG189: Martin: “Sorry. Sorry, John. Not sure how much everything up there actually understood what was going on. But, y’know, I didn’t want to take any chances so it made sense to… um…” Jon: “Put on a show?” Martin: “Yeah, basically, more or less.”

MAG191: Martin: "That's not true." Arun: "Liar!"

Subterfuge:

The plan in 118, which revolved around convincing Elias that Martin was only “acting out”, to create a distraction for Melanie. (Also compare the way he evades giving a straight answer here with the way Annabelle talks in 196.)

Working with Peter in s4 under false pretenses, to distract him from Jon and eventually try to learn what Peter wanted.

Manipulation accusations:

These, I know, are somewhat contentious, since it’s mostly villains saying this to him. I’m still including them, since

1): From a media analysis standpoint, being mentioned 3 times is a sign to pay attention, even when it may not be the full truth.

2): I only see it as describing Martin’s behaviour in the previous points, not as a moral judgement; Especially since he almost always ‘manipulates’ people in positions of power over him.

Still, if it bothers anyone, feel free to ignore these.

MAG138: Martin: "That’s it? No, no monologue, no mind games? You love manipulating people!" Elias: "That makes two of us."

MAG186: Martin: “I can be a real manipulative prick, you know that?” Also Martin: “Oh yeah.”

MAG196: Annabelle: “Because you always managed to get what you wanted through smiles and shrugs and stammerings that weren’t nearly as awkward as they seemed.” [SMALL SOUND OF MARTIN’S CONCESSION TO THE POINT] Martin: “Point taken.”

The Lonely/the Web

The Lonely and the Web sometimes affect Martin to similar degrees.

In season 3, when Martin is getting used to reading statements for the first time, most of them leave him emotionally affected: MAG084, MAG088, MAG090,

MAG095: Martin: “S-S-Statement… done.” [HEAVY BREATHING & TREMBLING AS MARTIN STEADIES HIMSELF] “I don’t like recording these. There. I-I said it.”,

MAG098: Martin: [Panting] “End of statement.” [Deep breath] “I, um, I think I might need to sit down. Oh. Yeah, I am. Right. I don’t, uh, I’m not really sure if these are actually getting easier or harder. I mean I don’t feel –”

Only the last two statements he reads are remarkably easier. This might be a hint that Martin is just getting used to reading them, but the quote from MAG098 seems to contradict that. Either way, it’s likely not a coincidence that those last two happen to be the Lonely and the Web:

MAG108: Martin: “Statement ends.” (exhale) “That wasn’t so bad…”

MAG110: Martin: “Statement ends.” [...] “I mean, I think it sounds like a Jurgen Leitner book. About spiders. Hm. Good John didn’t have to read this one, anyway. I know he’s not a fan. Although, this one wasn’t too bad, actually! I – yeah. Anyway.”

In season 5, there are two powers’ Domains that actually affected Martin mentally, as opposed to only physically: the Lonely’s, in 170 (and arguably 186), and, depending on your interpretation, in 172, when Martin went exploring without knowing why he did so.

Proximity

Martin investigates a lot of the Web statements during season 1 to 3 (in other words, when the archive team still researches statements). The only ones he isn’t mentioned in during this period are MAG019 and MAG020, when he’s being harrassed by worms, and MAG081, which Jon records by himself outside of the institute.

Most notably, he’s the one who discovered the statement in MAG114, ‘Cracked Foundations’, which is the one statement in the entire show that sets up the interdimensional properties of HTR.

The Web!Lighter passed through Martin's hands first, before he gave it to Jon.

Similarly, Annabelle mostly spoke to Martin in season 5, despite most other Avatars usually focusing on Jon.

Aesthetics

Apart from the above obviously Web related areas, there are some other aesthetics which are mentioned in connection to both the Web and Martin, throughout canon.

These are describing the Web;

These are describing Martin.

Tapes:

Martin is the only character to treat the tape recorders as friends - any other character is either indifferent, or treats them as enemies.

MAG039: Martin: "I think the tapes have a sort of… low-fi charm."

MAG154 Martin: “Oh. Hi. Hello again.” … (small laugh) “Sorry pal, false alarm this time.”

MAG156 Martin: “Mm? Oh.” [HE LAUGHS, GENTLY.] “Yeah. (rustling paper) I was going to read one. Hate for you to miss it!” [SHORT, FORCED LAUGH, AS HE FLAPS THE STATEMENT AROUND.]

MAG170 Martin: “Oh. Oh, hello. What’s this? Wow, retro! What are you up to, little buddy; just – listening? That’s okay. It’s nice to have someone to talk to.”

MAG190 Jon: "[The tapes] seem to like [Martin]."

Retro:

MAG069: Statement: “I only saw Annabelle Cane once during this period. She wasn’t hard to pick out. She dressed like a vintage clothing store exploded on her, and her short bleach-blonde hair stood out sharply against dark skin.”

MAG160: Jon: “Anyways, don’t tell me the phonebox down there doesn’t appeal to your retro aesthetic.” Martin: “It – might. Maybe.”

MAG163: Annabelle/the Web callying Martin via an old payphone: [ A PHONE RINGS. IT’S NOT THE TINNY, ELECTRONIC SOUND OF A CELLPHONE – NO, THIS IS A TRUE, HEAVY, CLASSIC RING.] Martin: “Uh. John? Uh, J, John – the, uh, payphone that’s – here, for some reason – it’s ringing?”

Hatred of burns:

MAG067: Jack Barnabas’ statement: “I looked up and noticed within the corner of the room, where there had been a spider’s web this morning, there was just a faint wisp of smoke.” “Another held a bag that seemed to be full of candles, while a third had a clear plastic container filled with hundreds of tiny spiders.”

MAG139: Statement by member of Cult of the Lightless Flame: “The Mother of Puppets has always suffered at our hand; all the manipulation and subtle venom in the world means nothing against a pure and unrestrained force of destruction and ruin.” Agnes burned down Hilltop Road.

MAG145: The Web ties Gertrude to Agnes, stopping the Desolation’s ritual (the only Power whose ritual the Web is known to have prevented).

MAG167: Gertrude enlists Agnes’/the Desolation’s help in order to burn her assistant Emma, who was Web aligned.

MAG169: Martin: "Look, I just – don’t want to get burned, all right? It’s, it’s like my least favorite pain ever. [...] I, I legitimately hate burns, alright? They’re, they’re awful, and they scar horribly, and they just – it – it just makes me sick; I, I hate it. Hate it!"

Phrasing:

MAG039: Martin: "I’m trapped here. It’s like I can’t… move on and the more I struggle, the more I’m stuck. [...] It's just that whatever web these statements have caught you in, well, I’m there too. We all are, I think."

MAG079: Martin's poem: "The threads of people walking, living, lovi–"

MAG117: Martin: "This last couple of years, I’ve always been running, always hiding, caught in someone else’s trap, but, but now it’s my trap, and, well, I think it’ll work. I know, I know it’s not exactly intricate, but it felt good leaving my own little web. Oh, oh, Christ, I hope John doesn’t actually listen to these. “Good lord, is Martin becoming some sort of spider person?” No, John, it’s an expression, chill out! Besides, spiders are fine. I mean, yes, people are scared of them, obviously, but actual spiders, they just want to help you out with flies."

MAG167: Jon: “Methinks the Spider dost protest too much.” Martin: “Jon –” Jon: “Joking! Just joking.”

Personality:

How applicable these are depends heavily on how you interpret Martin's own personality, so your mileage may vary.

MAG008: Statement: “Nobody ever said a word against Raymond himself, though, who was by all accounts a kind and gentle soul [...]”

MAG123: Jon: "The Web does seem to have a preference for those who prefer not to assert themselves."

MAG147: Annabelles statement: "I discovered a deep and enduring talent inside myself for lying. [...] My manipulations were not intricate, but they were far beyond what was expected of a child my age, and I have always believed that the key to manipulating people is to ensure that they always under- or overestimate you. Never reveal your true abilities or plans."

Word of God and Annabelle

I kinda wanted to ‘prove’ that Web!Martin had quite a bit of evidence to back it up, hence this header being last. But of course, in this post-canon world, there are a few lines that most obviously confirm the theory:

MAG197: Martin is Web enough to be able to read the 'vibrations', like Annabelle, and see Jon and Basira (the latter being especially notable, as he hadn't known she was there beforehand): [CHITTERING, BUZZING AND HIGH-PITCHED SQUEALS CHANGE CADENCE] Martin: "Wait… Wait, hang on, is that him?" Annabelle: "Yes. I guess you’re better with the Web than we thought." Martin: "And – Wait, ha– No, uh… is that… Basira? He – He’s got Basira with him!" Annabelle: "Yes."

Season 5 Q&A part 2: Jonny: “Essentially, it was fascinating looking at the fandom and, like, the Web!Martin believers, because what they were doing was correctly picking up on hints dropped in the early seasons that were later, like, not exactly abandoned, but it was much more like, ‘Well, no, he does have like aspects of The Web to him, but he is moreover The Lonely.’ And that came about very… very organically, really. Because throughout Season 3 and going into Season 4, we had this conversation and we were like, ‘No, actually he's like-” Alex: “‘It can't be, it cannot be, it must be the other way round’ Yeah.”

(Note that they say “throughout season 3 and going into season 4,” which likely means that season 1, season 2, and at least part of season 3, aka half of the entire show, were written with Web!Martin as an intentional possibility.)

If you read all that, thanks so much! Obviously, Web!Martin never really came to fruition, so it's fine if you still don't like it. This is just a post explaining where it was coming from, at least for me and the other theorists I've spoken to.

#the magnus archives #magnus archives #tma #tma s5 #web!martin #web martin #webmartin #or as jonny called it:#spider!martin #tma theory #tma meta #martin blackwood #martin k blackwood #martin #tma martin #magnuspod #i feel like i say this every time too but #when i say martin lies a lot i dont mean that #in comparison to 'normal people'#i mean that in canon he gets specifically mentioned to lie; at a higher rate than the other protagonists #ditto for everything else. im not speaking about real life people who might have these traits. im doing a media analysis #my own real life bedroom curtains being blue dont mean im depressed but in media sometimes aesthetic themes can be deeper signifiers #and tma especially has some very strong aesthetic themes #ok i think im done talking now. webmartin theories always get me rambling #EDIT: oops i changed a part on mobile and now the formatting is a bit fucked #ill fix it back tomorrow #if anyone cares #EDIT EDIT: ok fixed it

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blu-joons · 3 years

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When He’s Anxious To Date Because Of An Ex ~ BTS Reaction

Jin:

Your head nodded as Jin began to tell you all about his previous partner and their relationship with the fans. “I just don’t want you to feel intimidated by the fans like she did and end up running away from it all.”

“I know what I’m getting myself into,” you assured him.

“That’s what she said,” Jin lightly smiled, “but that didn’t stop her leaving me in the end.”

“I won’t,” you vowed, reaching across the sofa to take a hold of his hand, “I know you’re worried about history repeating itself, but it won’t.”

His eyes flickered down to the ground as he let go of a shaky breath, “you don’t know how crazy my life can be sometimes, are you sure you want to give things a try.”

“Of course,” you chuckled, “I get why you’re anxious about it all, I would be too. But they’re your fans, and I’ll respect them, just as long as they respect me too.”

Jin’s hand turned to hold onto yours, “I’m sure the fans will love you; I can tell that they’ll adore you a lot more than they did her.”

“Then there’s nothing to worry about,” you reminded him, “if you get anxious, tell me, and I’ll be right there to ease your mind.”

“You’re the best, thank you for being so understanding.”

Yoongi:

The moment you suggested taking Yoongi to a work’s dinner, he got his back up and began to worry about the past choosing to get at him once again. “Why exactly are you taking me to this dinner, for a reason?”

“No,” you doubted, “I just thought you’d like to join me.”

“For my name?” Yoongi continued to question, leaving you in a state of confusion. “To make friends?”

“What?” You frowned, staring at him in disbelief, “I wanted introduce you to a bit more of my world, why would I invite you for your name.”

His shoulders dropped as he realised how he sounded in front of you, “I’m sorry, it’s just that’s what happened with my ex. I know I shouldn’t be doubting you.”

“Why didn’t you just ask, I understand that it’s a sore topic for you,” you frowned, shaking your head at him. “Rather than just accusing me of something.”

His head nodded, deserving of your scolding. “My mind just went into a bit of a mess; I know you’d never do that because you’re not like her.”

“Exactly, I’m not her,” you reiterated, “I appreciate you have your doubts but just talk to me about it instead Yoongi, it’s much simpler.”

“I’m sorry, I won’t act such a way again.”

Hoseok:

His eyes had been watching you all night long as he introduced you to his friends, knowing that his previous partner hated the boys, he was determined for you to get on with them. “What do you think?” He asked at the end of your night.

“They’re all amazing,” you smiled, “you’ve got great friends.”

“You don’t find it overwhelming at all, do you?” He questioned, allowing the past to haunt him.

“Not at all,” you mused, climbing into the passenger’s seat of the car, “they’re a lot kinder than I ever expected them to be, I’m surprised.”

His head nodded, letting go of a sigh of relief, “most people I introduce to the boys tend to start distancing themselves once they meet all of my friends.”

“I won’t do that,” you replied, smiling in his direction, “sure, it’s slightly crazy to be meeting your friends, but that doesn’t change any of my feelings for you.”

Slowly, the corners of Hobi’s mouth turned up into a smile, “it’s reassuring to know that; I don’t want to end up being hurt again.”

“If someone left you because of those guys, they’re a fool,” you laughed, “I can’t wait to get to know all of your friends better.”

“I’m so pleased that you get along with them all.”

Namjoon:

The first tour of any relationship for Namjoon usually ended up being the downfall, and as it came around for the two of you, he couldn’t stop worrying. “What’s wrong?” You asked as you noticed him daydreaming once again.

“I’m just thinking about going away,” he whispered to you.

“Again?” You frowned, “I thought we talked about this, we knew that this day would come.”

“It’s not just a day though,” he sighed, glancing across at you, “this day is when my relationships always seem to break down, especially my last one.”

Your head nodded as he opened up to you a little more about what had happened, “I always knew you’d end up going away Joon, I’d never use that as a weapon to end things.”

“I’m going to be gone for a while,” he pointed out, but that was something that you already knew. “I don’t want to come home from tour single.”

A light chuckle came from you as you reached for his hand, “I’ll be right here waiting for you to come home, I promise that you won’t come back single.”

“Do I have permission to hunt you down if you do breakup with me?” He teased, tickling the back of your hand as you nodded back at him.

“I give you permission because it’ll never happen.”

Jimin:

He couldn’t help but feel guilty when he cancelled on date night, despite your cheery tone on the phone, there was still a small part of him that worried. “Are you really sure that you’re alright about me cancelling?”

“Of course, I understand that you’re busy,” you replied.

“But this is all so last minute,” Jimin frowned, “if I were you, I’d be fuming right now.”

“I’m not her,” you then spoke up, recognising instantly what Jimin would be thinking about. “I told you before, I understand your job Jimin.”

A heavy sigh came from him as he realised how he sounded, “I’m sorry, I just still sometimes feel like I’m going to be scolded for having to be at work.”

“I’m never going to scold you,” you assured him, “just get what you needed to get done at work and I’ll be at my place waiting for you when you get home.”

Although you couldn’t see, a soft smile graced his face, “thank you for being so understanding about this all, I don’t know what I’d do without it.”

“I’m sure you’ll make it up to me when you’re finished,” you joked, “but don’t rush, take your time and get things done.”

“I’ll see you soon, promise I won’t be long.”

Taehyung:

Your heart broke as Taehyung told you all about his previous relationship and how poorly he was treated, holding his hand throughout his story as you tried to comfort him. “I’m so sorry,” was all you could say at the end.

“There’s no need for you to apologise,” Taehyung chuckled.

“Nobody should be treated like that,” you pointed out, “I’m just sorry that it happened to you.”

“I hope now you can see why I’m a little anxious to date again,” he whispered, “I don’t want to end up going through all of that again.”

Your head nodded instantly, understanding wholeheartedly where he was coming from. “I can sit here and promise you it won’t happen, but I don’t know whether that will help.”

“It does,” Taehyung mumbled, staring down at the floor, “I know you’d never do it, but there’s still a small part of my head that worries.”

You squeezed his hand a little bit tighter, “I’d be more worried if you didn’t still fret about it, how you’re feeling is completely natural Taehyung.”

“You really think so?” He questioned, as your head nodded back at him, “I’ve always been made to feel as if it’s a bad thing.”

“Not at all, and I’ll proof that to you.”

Jungkook:

The article was damaging to anyone, but as you read through it knowing it had been the cause of a breakup in his previous relationship, you understood why. “The second the media exposed us she went, it’s scary.”

“The article is pretty heart breaking,” you noted.

“I don’t want to show it to you to scare you off,” he mused, “it’s more like an introduction.”

“I get it,” you responded when you noticed Jungkook beginning to get frantic, “at least I know what I’m getting myself into I suppose.”

His head nodded, taking his phone back from you. “I don’t want to hurt someone like that hurt her, and I certainly don’t want to put you into that position either.”

“You’re not putting me in any situation,” you quickly assured him, meeting his eyes, “at least I know what to expect whenever our relationship does get found out.”

You could tell he was still nervous as the words uttered from his lips, “do you think you’ll break my heart like she did whenever we end up having to go public?”

“No,” you smiled, “it’s going to take a lot more than going public to even try and get me to leave you, I promise you there’s no need to worry.”

“That certainly helps me feel better.”

---

Masterlist

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kindestegg · 3 years

Text

Deltarune: On tea, relationships, and why people probably need to stop exaggerating

Alright, so ever since the introduction of the “character flavored” teas in chapter 2, there has been a lot of discussion about them. If you haven’t heard of it yet, in Deltarune Chapter 2, there’s an item that’s a tea that you can buy from an NPC and choose the flavor of, giving you a flavor that is named after a party member. So, Kris tea, Noelle Tea, Susie Tea, and Ralsei Tea.

The fun thing about this item is that it can more or less be used to “track” the relationships between the characters, so to speak. For example, if Noelle has the Susie tea, even if she’s not supposed to drink it due to normally leaving the party, she’ll still have a reaction to it, wondering if they would sell this in gallons and recovering an absurd amount of HP, 400 to be precise.

(this is long as hell, so please continue reading under the cut)

These teas are also actually a reference to a book series Toby is a fan of, Sideways Stories from Wayside School, which does have a chapter about students having ice cream flavored after their classmates. This is most evident when the characters drink their own tea, which tastes like nothing to them and recovers the least amount of HP: 10. In the books, the students also could not perceive the taste of their own flavor of ice cream.

So, the fandom gets ahold of this information and starts testing out the teas and how characters react to them, right? The thing is, I’ve seen people kind of exaggerate the importance of these items and even the meanings of them, and while I think everyone’s entitled to harmless headcanons speculating on the relationship of characters, the problem is people are using these teas as immutable proof and part of their theories.

One of such exaggerations comes mostly in the form of the infamous Ralsei Tea, as to which Kris apparently does not show much reaction, though curiously Ralsei is still happy to see Kris drinking it, and it only recovers 60 HP. For reference, the teas usually cap at a good 120 HP, which is when a character loves the flavor, Noelle being the outlier because she really is just that in love with Susie. For the most part the Fun Gang has pretty positive reactions to each other’s flavor of teas, recovering 120 HP… with the exception of Kris’ reaction towards Ralsei tea.

And the problem starts now: Due to this, people started using this little tidbit in their theories, claiming this was proof that Kris actually dislikes or even hates Ralsei, that we should be ashamed of ourselves for making Kris hug Ralsei, that it is torture for them that we choose nice dialogue options towards Ralsei, some going as far as to claim this is somehow tied to the infamous “Ralsei is secretly evil” theories.

But does this speculation hold any actual weight when analyzed more deeply?

… No. I’m sorry, it just does not, I’m not going to entertain this. In this post, I’m going to deconstruct how the teas really work, and exactly why claiming that this is good enough proof that Kris would dislike Ralsei is an exaggeration at best and downright false at worse.

To truly make a precise conclusion, we must first look at the full picture. We know that 10 HP means “tastes like nothing”, and we know that 120 HP means “tastes amazing”, but are there any other reactions that aren’t either 10 or 120, aside from the 60 HP we already know from Ralsei tea?

Pictured: Noelle reacting to Kris tea.

Pictured: Kris reacting to Noelle tea.

Pictured: Ralsei reacting to Noelle tea.

Pictured: Noelle reacting to Ralsei tea.

I think what people forget here is that you don’t have to really adore someone or outright hate them. Sometimes you’re more neutral on people. And I think that’s what happens here. As you can see here, Ralsei recovers 10 less HP for Noelle than Kris does for him, and still calls her flavor “soft and sweet”. Meanwhile, Noelle claims his tea has “nothing in it”, even though she still recovers 50 hp.

Does this somehow mean Ralsei hates Noelle, or she hates him, for that matter? … No, that wouldn’t make sense, they just met, they know nothing about each other. We do learn here one important thing though, flavor is not tied to HP recovery, as in, the flavor of each character’s tea will taste different to a different person based on what they perceive of them.

As a comparative example, while Kris tea tastes like apple juice to Susie due to her always smelling the apple shampoo they use, Kris tea tastes like blueberries, which is a reference to Kris’ appearance in the Dark World. So while Ralsei tea tastes like nothing to Noelle as she can’t perceive him well enough yet, it still heals 50 HP due to it not being her own tea, and Ralsei heals for the same amount, but he seems to perceive others based on appearance and wants to find something good to say, so he ends up tasting it as something “soft and sweet” because that’s what Noelle appears like.

We can also gain a new “base” HP recovery that is accounted for when characters drink tea that is not their own: 50 HP. And we know 50 HP means “I was literally just made aware of your existence and can’t comment much on you yet”. Now, if you look at Kris and Noelle, they recover 70 HP from each other’s tea. In Noelle’s words, they have been neighbors their entire lives, yet they still find it hard to call each other friends, necessarily. Although you can choose the prompt “we’re friends”, the reasoning still stands: Kris and Noelle just don’t have that much to say about each other. If you remember, when you visit Rudy at the hospital in chapter 1, then Noelle afterwards, they’ll comment on how Kris usually isn’t as involved or interested in their neighbor’s business, suggesting they really don’t hang out as much as you’d think.

So, 50 HP, 70 HP. Where does that leave us for Ralsei’s 60 HP? Does it actually reveal evidence of hatred or at least dislike?

… The answer, if you’ve been paying any attention, is no, of course not. If 50 HP means “literally just learned the other exists” while 70 HP means “not exactly great friends but have known each other for a long time and shared memories”, then that puts Ralsei at a pretty advantageous spot all things considered. Even with him acting somewhat suspicious, even with him being a creature from an entirely new magical world Kris was made aware of literally a day ago, even with Ralsei’s clingy behavior, Kris considers him more than just some random person they just met, and almost a good acquaintance to the level of Noelle.

And sure, you could still bring up comparisons to the higher HP recoveries, like Susie recovering 120 HP from everyone despite also not really being exactly friends with any of these people for too long, and for that I will say…

That girl will eat anything and considering they are all flavors she enjoys she’ll obviously down it in a second, and

Susie is just… a more open person. Once you get her guard down and let her know you truly want to be her friend and think she is cool, she’ll immediately consider you a friend and part of her team. (It’s also kind of sad in a way because it shows she may be desperate for the feeling of belonging but let’s not get into that right now).

Kris, however, is a much more reserved person. Once again I must remind you how everyone in Hometown comments about Kris not usually being very outgoing or talkative. Hell, even when they drink Noelle tea, no one can tell whether they like it or not. Susie may be an exception to this rule, simply because they do have a lot in common, particularly to the fact she was also always an awkward quiet person that their classmates could never place and would often get in trouble. Even if she was mean to them and a downright bully in chapter 1, teens can still have some pretty weird appreciations, and you can tell they must have been wanting to befriend her from the start. It simply just is a better relationship to them. Otherwise, people they haven’t invested in knowing well will probably not cause the same reaction.

Bottom line is… why are we having this debate again? In the end, it feels rather silly. Yes, Kris doesn’t recover 120 HP from Ralsei tea. Big deal? That doesn’t mean they hate or even dislike him, that there’s a deep turmoil and conflict going on between the two already. Ralsei is just a new friend they are still getting used to, that’s it. Can’t blame the kid for having boundaries.

For further proof, if you learn more about the content that is being referenced here, you’ll learn that in the same chapter of the book, there is actually a way for one’s flavor to taste “horrible” due to a person being perceived that way, but at no point in these reactions it’s suggested anyone’s flavor tastes bad, that any of them are disgusted, so I doubt any of these reactions can be seen as dislike.

Dang… this got a little long… but I just felt like I had to make this post because, reiterating, I find myself a little irritated at the fact people will use the tea’s reactions as part of their theories, claiming it as actual proof, when it is far from proving anything.

And before someone brings it up, yes, Kris has been shown to prefer Susie over Ralsei, do I have to point out the flaw in that logic? Preferring someone doesn’t mean you outright dislike the other person.

Moral of the story is: Don’t take conclusions for your theories without good backing in canon, feel free to make your headcanons but don’t state it as proof, byeee.

#deltarune #deltarune spoilers #Commander's orders

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catty-words · 3 years

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on the school dance fallout or, a thorough examination of the boys’ apologies to julie

full disclosure, i used to take serious issue with 1.06 for what it did to julie’s righteous anger in light of the boys letting her down, and my gripes haven’t fully gone away. but i have spent some time thinking on the fallout since my first (several) viewing(s) of the show and i finally noticed some emotionally nuanced storytelling that i needed time to come to appreciate. so, if you’ll indulge me another gif-filled meta post...

everyone knows that a good apology demonstrates an understanding of how you wronged the person you’re apologizing to, otherwise the words i’m sorry end up being fairly empty. and luckily for the boys, julie does a good job of immediately and effectively communicating her hurt feelings:

the first part is directed at luke specifically as her main co-writer, while the rest is about how all three of them let her down. it couldn’t be more clear that the reason she’s so betrayed is that a) they’ve made her feel like julie and the phantoms is less important to them than sunset curve and b) they’ve failed to consider her point of view or empathize with how important the show was to her.

which is why singing sorry a bunch of times, though charming, leaves her unmoved. and it’s why booking another gig actually makes her angrier. a gig the boys have deemed important enough to show up for is not a present or an olive branch to her, it’s a slap in the face. and if the boys had actually been paying attention to what she’d said the night of the dance, they could have anticipated her reaction.

but they clearly haven’t listened, so they haven’t learned how to do better or make things right. which is why this is such an important beat in the scene in the studio:

hounding julie to rejoin the band, even with such nice sentiments as “you’re the best thing that’s happened to us since we became ghosts”, does nothing to address how undervalued julie feels getting stood up because, as she points out above, their ability to do what they love is very limited without her. that makes her a powerful and essential member of the band, but it doesn’t prove that they care about her, julie, the person. and you can see in the reaction shot how the truth of her words lands for all of them.

their remorseful silence gives julie the opportunity to reiterate one of the points she made the night before, and it’s important to note which part of her hurt feelings she chooses to revisit.

the fact that they made the choice to pay more attention to their old music in spite of the music they were creating together is the thing that hurt her feelings the most. and, of course, her open hostility and her imagined reasons for why the boys picked sunset curve over julie and the phantoms (i.e. selfishness) puts luke on the defensive and ends with everyone leaving the scene dissatisfied.

great! okay, so here’s the part that’s bugged in the past (and the present, just. a little less so.) — in their attempt to deescalate the situation, alex and reggie give julie, and the audience, the all-important luke backstory. but like asking julie to rejoin the band with a shinier gig than a school dance flies in the face of actually making amends, so, too, does asking julie to empathize with luke’s emotional journey when the boys failed to take julie’s into account when they hurt her. only this time, it works as an olive branch.

now, i’m not saying that julie’s acting out of character in being sympathetic to luke’s pain, quite the opposite is the case. and i’m also not saying it’s bad that she does find sympathy for his situation — again, i’d argue that the opposite is true. it’s just, at the same time, it’s not a good look to force aside the young woman of color’s hurt in service of the white dude who hurt her feelings in the first place’s tragic backstory. the narrative is asking julie not to be mad at the choices luke made in the past two episodes because he’s really sad, actually.

and sure that’s an ungracious read of the moment, but i stand by the fact that it’s present in the text of the episode all the same, even with a little more nuance than i’m currently giving it credit for.

all that being said, alex and reggie do a bit to win back this highly insensitive maneuver with another stab at an apology.

alex addresses julie’s comment about them knowing “how tough it’s been for her to play” by reiterating that not showing up let her down and they get that that’s a crappy way to feel, while reggie takes a crack at julie’s “our songs were good” by emphasizing that they all love being in a band and making music with her. it’s a slight step up from their sorry in the garage, but not a complete fix because they’re all still sitting with the fact that they need julie to make the most of their music and how that complicates their declarations of loyalty.

the thing that makes this attempt at reconciliation different than those prior, of course, is this line:

the acknowledgement that things haven’t been fixed + the politeness + the implication that they’re willing to put in the time to earn her trust back so long as she lets them makes the apology a good enough one to accept. well, that, and:

one gets the sense that if rose could actually speak to julie in that moment, she’d be reminding her the value of grace. and, of course, we know that this also serves as a reminder to julie that good things are fleeting, loss is around every corner, and holding close what you care about is important. so she does just that by letting go of her (righteous, righteous) anger and reuniting the band.

still, even though alex and reggie have had their chance to make amends, luke doesn’t get the same moment to show he’s actually paid attention to julie’s needs in 1.06. so, naturally, he starts immediately in their first scene together in 1.07.

i mentioned in my exhaustive list for “finally free” that julie picking a sunset curve song for their reunion number is a lovely, understated way for her acknowledge luke’s lost musical legacy, and i have similar feelings about the fact that luke suggests “edge of great” for their follow-up gig. it’s his first step in proving to her that he does care about the music they’ve written together with actions instead of empty apologies and misguided gestures.

by the end of the episode, though, the three of them take a step back (reggie gets points for his being, like, half a step) when they learn that, in addition to letting down julie, one of the consequences of their night chasing revenge is a ticking clock on their existence.

though i understand the urge to protect julie from the alarming news that their power is going out, there’s also a lot of selfishness behind the decision. julie loses them in the end no matter what, but lying to her about it and planning to leave without an explanation shows a disregard for her emotional journey in a similar way standing her up did. in fact, this plan is basically to stand her up for eternity. not cool, guys.

naturally, since it’s luke who’s the one proposing the terrible plan and it’s luke who never officially demonstrated his understanding of how he hurt julie’s feelings by not showing up when it mattered, it’s fitting that he’s suddenly more in tune with his own feelings. and, with that, comes a new awareness of how his and julie’s feelings interact, starting with this moment in 1.08.

you can see his conflict over her declaration. she’s worried without knowing just how much there is to be worried about, and that makes him sad because it’s confirmation of the fact that he’s important to her. that losing him will mean a lot of pain for her. but instead of cluing her in, he makes a conscious choice to continue withholding the information of his imminent departure. and maybe it’s such a weak deflection because he’s already starting to come to terms with how unfair he’s being to her, but even so, he’s not being a good friend when julie is showing up for him in big, unexpected ways he’d never even thought to ask for.

and again, here —

— just after they’ve acknowledged that there’s a something and not a nothing between them, you can see him sober with the thought that she doesn’t know they’re about to lose each other. but it’s still not enough to move him to share. maybe because he prefers that she live with the possibility of that something when he no longer can, maybe because he’s too caught up in his own feelings about how crappy this hand they’ve been dealt by the universe is. but in any case, he keeps tight-lipped.

UNTIL.

it’s seeing her excited about a future their music can’t have that finally pushes him into coming clean. and i love how subtly this demonstrates that he has been paying attention, actually, and he knows that what hurt julie the most was the feeling that their music took a backseat to his past. if he crosses over without telling her the whole, ugly truth about the mistake he made by standing her up, then he crosses over stuck in that mistake. because part of that whole, ugly truth is the beautiful realization that no music is worth making, julie, if we’re not making it with you. and he’s not quite at that particular aspect of his truth yet — he still has to experience the what if of caleb’s club to be able to make the declaration with the conviction he does — but when he finally does tell her that and means it, she’s given the catharsis she’s needed since the dance. because he’s backing up his apology with action (i.e. being willing to literally no longer exist instead of making music with someone else) and providing her with the same consideration she showed him when she rejoined the band because his loss felt more important than her anger. and reaching that level of give and take in their relationship, physically represented in their hug, finally sets them free.

so, yes. even though 1.06 is clunky and a little tasteless at times, i can acknowledge that the story manages to win any missteps back. quite poetically, honestly. all’s forgiven.

#julie and the phantoms #jatpedit #jatp meta #julie molina #luke patterson #reggie peters #alex mercer #gifs by catty #long post #am i disappointed with myself for not being able to include any gifs from 1.09 because i reached the limit already #yes. absolutely.#should i have split this post into two parts to fit it all?#maybe so #will i do anything about it?#obviously not #FATED BANDMATES #melody & words #together my cats can queue anything

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