#anyway yeah i ugly cried - got a headache and everything from it

[analogwriting]

Star-Crossed

Chapter 12: Sartse

Donquixote Rosinante x gn!reader word count: 3.6k a/n: i want y'all to know that for a couple of doffy's lines, i pulled it straight from the manga so i had to read THAT scene again and i ugly cried once more. had to step away from the computer and everything lmfao next

The speed in which you were flying into town could’ve instantly killed anyone who stepped into your path; hell you probably could’ve killed someone if they pulled out in front of you in a wholeass car. You made it into town in record time, a time that shouldn’t even be possible for the distance you had traversed. No cops seemed to be out and about to stop you either, which honestly checked out. They were worthless.

Whatever, it came in handy for you at this moment.

Something that no one except Marco knew, was that you had a secret entrance to the hospital that led right into your office - actually, it led to several different places. As someone of your social standing, you had to have a secret entrance/exit. It was important to be able to have a way out and a way in - specifically for situations like this. You had just hoped that you’d never have to use it.

As you were flying down the road, you looked at the security footage through your phone. Again, no one had this access except you and Marco. Sure, you had a security room with someone always monitoring things, but no one had remote access besides the two of you.

You pulled up the footage, trying to see exactly how much damage was being done. It seemed that the front of the hospital was fine; business as usual. It was the secret wing that was mostly taken over aside from a few of their men being posted in scrubs everywhere else. You knew all your employees by name and face, so of course you’d be able to tell who did and who didn’t belong. It looked like they had already let go of all of your underground staff. At least you didn’t have to worry about them.

You looked through the footage as you also kept an eye on the road, trying to find where everyone was being held. There wasn’t really anywhere in the hospital that you couldn’t see, so you knew you’d find them eventually. 

And you did.

They were currently being held in a conference room in the secret wing; everyone being Corazon, Law, Bepo, Penguin, and Shachi. You nearly crashed as you saw Corazon laying there in his blood soaked shirt, not moving. Were you too late? You felt that creeping numbness starting to crawl into your very being. You set your phone down, leaving it open. 

“How long do you think it’s going to take for them to get here? I’m tired of waiting,” Doflamingo complained, folding his arms and sulking as he perched on the table. Oh, you were glad you had cameras with sound - the extra money was worth it.

“Please, let me tend to Corazon’s wounds,” you heard Law plead. The sheer emotion in his voice made you press on the gas pedal even harder, sending you faster. 

“Absolutely not. This is what he gets for betraying me. His life is in y/n’s hands now since he wanted to be with them so bad.” He huffed, shaking his head. “How can someone of your stature fall for someone so weak.” He scoffed.

You clenched your jaw, pressing a button on the visor of your car as you entered an alleyway. A garage opened up and you flew inside.

“He’ll die at this rate!” 

“Let him then! It’s the consequences of his own actions.” 

Your head was spinning. How could someone be so cold to the very people they were supposed to love and protect? You would’ve never guessed that…Anthony was just like him. That they ended up being cut from the same cloth.

“How could you do that to your own family?” 

“If you keep talking, kid, you’ll end up with a bullet wound next.”

You slammed on your brakes next to a door, throwing your car in park and running up the stairs. You had an elevator, but it was going to take too long for you to use it. The staircase grew more and more narrow as you reached the top, ending in a small hallway that broke off into different parts of the hospital.

You navigated the small tunnel before slowly opening a door. It opened silently, the bookcase in your office in the secret wing opening. You snuck through, sticking low to the ground with a gun in hand. You were silent, listening.

You could hear Crocodile somewhere near the entrance to the secret wing talking with whatever cronies he had with him. He was in the opposite direction as Doflamingo, so you should be just fine. You’d have plenty of time before he’d get to the conference room should any problems arise. You took off down the hallway, your footsteps silent - just as you were trained. 

When you reached the conference room, you dropped down again, below the window. You glanced inside, seeing that things have escalated. Doflamingo was pointing his gun at Corazon once more, the man now sat up. Instant relief washed over you as you saw him sitting there - alive. You had been so scared that you were too late.

Though, if you didn’t act fast - he wouldn’t be much longer.

“Why did you come back just to mess with me, Corazon?” Doflamingo demanded. “Why must I be forced to kill my family not once, but twice?” Forced? What the hell did he mean by that? He absolutely isn’t being forced to do anything. Is that what your father also thought? That he was being forced to do the things he did? A stupid lie to tell yourself to justify such terrible actions.

You heard him cock his gun, standing up immediately and taking aim. You shot through the window, shattering the glass. The bullet hit Doflamingo in the hand, making him curse and drop his gun as he cradled his hand. You kept your gun trained on him. “Don’t even think about moving,” you said as he started for his own gun. He stopped, glaring at you through his sunglasses. 

The others looked at you with surprise, staring at you with wide eyes. You heard a chorus of voices cheer for your name, but you were focused on Doflamingo. “Step away from them.” He scowled at you, but stepped away. A grin spread across his face and you opened your mouth to say something when you heard a click of someone loading their gun behind you. You felt the barrel press against your skull. 

“Drop it.” This time it was you that scowled, letting your gun clatter to the ground. Dammit, you didn’t think he’d get here so quickly. Or so quietly. 

“Let me dress Corazon’s wounds,” you ground out. “Then I’ll sign your stupid papers.” 

“Y/n, don’t worry abou-”

“I appreciate your concern, but I have this under control, okay?” You looked at him through the shattered window, smiling warmly at him. He just stared at you with an expression you couldn’t quite discern but you could also tell he was struggling to stay conscious.

“Sign the papers first.”

“Absolutely not.” You felt him press the gun harder against you and you cursed at him. “Fucking-”

You whipped around so fast that he didn’t have time to react, hitting his elbow from the outside and pushing his hand up. Not enough to break it, but just enough to make him let go. You disassembled his gun and threw it to the ground. The same thing you did to Corazon a little over a month ago. “I’m not asking.” 

You weren’t stupid. You knew you were outnumbered, so you weren’t going to try and take the both of them out now. You weren’t going to start a fight - that’s not what you came here for. Saving the hostages, that’s what you were here for.  You looked back, seeing Doflamingo pointing his gun at you, only it wasn’t with his dominant hand, so you knew he wouldn’t be able to hit you correctly. You could just tell with the way it sat uncomfortably in his hand.

“That’s why you should train shooting with both hands. Cause as soon as you fire that gun in your hand, the kickback is going to be too much and you’re not going to hit me.” The pure rage in Doflamingo’s face was honestly comical.

You walked through the door, heading over to the blond man that was currently bleeding out on the ground. He wasn’t sitting up anymore and he looked like he was barely awake. “Just hang in there,” you said softly, pulling out a first aid kit from under the conference table. You had one in every room.

You felt the gun still being trained on you, hearing Crocodile putting the other one back together and picking yours off the ground before pointing it at you. “I’m not going to try anything stupid, you two. So you can get your panties out of a bunch,” you said.

You fumbled around in your fanny pack, grabbing out your small suture kit. You opened up Corazon’s shirt, assessing the damage. You hissed softly through your teeth. He’d been shot in the abdomen, losing a good amount of blood, but you were sure he’d end up being just fine- you could do this.

He spoke as you started applying disinfectant to a rag. “Do you just…carry this stuff-” He was cut off as you began to sanitize his wounds but you paused for a moment. That’s exactly what he had said the second time you had caught him from falling. He let out a weak laugh and it took everything in you not to start crying. Damn it all.

“Don’t talk, Ros. You need your strength.” 

“I think I’ll be just fine with you here now, doc,” he mused softly. You felt heat creeping up your neck. Really? At a time like this? You finished cleaning his wound, clenching your jaw as you were able to really see the damage. It seemed that Doflamingo was close enough when he shot him that it went through him cleanly, so you didn’t need to try and dig the bullet out of him - you were able to immediately start stitching him up.

You bit the inside of your cheek, trying to keep it together. “How is everyone else?” You looked to the boys, who seemed fine aside from looking absolutely scared out of their wits. Marco wasn’t here, so you imagined that they were watching him while he kept an eye on the front side. You didn’t know why they had to bring the boys into this at all. They absolutely had no ties to any of this. They were just adding to their ‘leverage’ at this point. Not only would they be able to control you, but also Corazon. He did use to be in the business, after all. So, he’d be able to fight his way out of this, throw the boys in and he was just like you - compliant.

“We’re fine,” Law said with a nod. “The only one who was hurt was Corazon.” You could see the genuine concern in his eyes, hear the pain in his voice. This was the man’s father essentially, of course he was worried.

“He’s going to be just fine, Law, I promise.” As you were speaking to him, you were still working.

“Where’s the paperwork?” you asked, looking at the two men who were currently pointing guns at you. They just looked at each other and you sighed. “You wanted me here to sign paperwork so one of you go fucking get it.” You sighed harshly.

“You shouldn’t sign it, y/n.” You looked at Corazon, finishing up his front stitches. 

“Turn around,” you said and he obeyed, slowly turning for you as you started to work on his exit wound. “I know what I’m doing,” your voice was low. “I’m going to get the lot of you out of here safely. I promise.” 

“But you worked so hard-” 

“Rosinante, please,” you said softly, feeling your own voice crack. You paused for a moment, taking a deep breath before continuing your work. You already made the decision and came to terms with the fact that you were going to lose your hospital. You could go somewhere else and work. Though, none of the hospitals around here would probably take you. You had snapped at them at that meeting and now none of them want anything to do with you.

Not that you really blamed them, but dammit, now you were going to have to move. It was also the best option. With you out of the picture, everyone would be able to resume their lives as normal. Your last actions with this will be making sure that Corazon and everyone out are able to get out of here safely. You were going to make sure that they’re able to escape the eyes of the families. Just as you did with everyone else. They will be the last ones you are going to be able to help, but at least they’ll be able to get out of here.

You finished patching up the man before you, sighing. “Finished.” Corazon turned to look at you, but you were already standing. You just…couldn’t stand it - all of this was your fault. 

You looked at Doflamingo, who still had a gun trained on you. “One more thing. They all get out of here safely. Away from you. They are not to be followed or tailed. If I find out that they are, the deal is off. Once they’re safe then-”

“Y/n! You can’t-” You ignored Corazon’s pleas, looking at the man before you. “Once they’re safe, then I will sign over the hospital.”

“That’s a large ask,” the man before you said, a shit eating grin spreading across his face. “You already were able to patch up Corazon here before, now you want their safe passage?”

“I think you forget that this hospital is my life’s work. I think that I’m not asking for much, all things considered. This place is a place that even cops won’t look, I think a handful of people who aren’t even involved in things like this to be let go isn’t asking much, right?” 

He opened his mouth to retort when you heard Crocodile’s voice. “Deal. But you will sit here while they leave, got it?” You nodded. “Deal. Also, make sure Marco is provided safe passage as well.” Crocodile nodded. At least he seemed to be willing to work with you.

“Don’t you think you’re giving them too much, Croc?” Doflamingo grimaced and the other shook his head.

“We’re going to get their entire hospital. It’s like they said, a few people who aren’t even involved in things like this is just fine. I know he’s your brother, Doflamingo, but you did just shoot him.”

“Let’s go then,” Crocodile said, looking at Corazon and co. “We don’t have all day. We’ll untie you when we get to the exit.” Everyone slowly stood up. You crouched in front of Corazon, taking his face in your hands. “Please take care of yourself, okay?”

He sputtered for a moment, his face turning red as you held his face. “Are you sure about all of this? We’ll be-”

“Trust me, okay? You guys will be able to get out of here. You’ll be free.”

“Well, what about you?”

“Don’t worry about me - I’ll be fine.” You pressed a kiss to his forehead, resting your forehead on his. "Please don't do this," he whispered, but you ignored his words as much as they stung your heart. “Take it easy and heal up, okay? Then make sure you take good care of the boys.” You pulled away from him, looking over at Bepo. “Bepo, since you’re the tallest behind Corazon, will you help him?” 

“Yes, doctor!” Bepo nodded, heading over as you helped Corazon stand. You glanced at Crocodile, gesturing at the man’s restraints and he sighed before nodding. You untied Bepo’s hands and he wrapped an arm around the injured man’s waist. 

You looked at Law. “Make sure he takes it easy, okay? I expect you to take care of him while he heals.” The doctor in training nodded, looking like he wanted to say something. It took him a moment, but he found his words. “Please be careful, doctor. Make sure you look after yourself too.” He paused, realizing what he said.

“I don’t want to deal with a moping Cora if anything happens to you.” He was trying to cover his sentiment, but it was clear. You stood there, stunned for a moment. That was probably the nicest thing you’ve heard him say to anyone ever. Sure, it was covered with a joke, but the sentiment was there. Your face softened and you ruffled his hair. “Don’t worry about me, just take care of your dad for me, yeah?”

“You talk like we’re never gonna see you again.” He grumbled and you tensed for a moment. They just stared at you. “Y/n, what are you-”

“Let’s get going, I don’t have all day!” Crocodile’s voice interrupted.

You stepped away from them, smiling. “Take care of each other and be careful.” Shachi and Penguin looked at you with teary eyes. “We’re gonna miss you, doc,” one said. “Make sure you be careful,” the other chimed. You nodded, shuffling them all towards the door.

“Now, move along before they change their minds.” You were able to finally get them out of the conference room, heading out. You watched as they left with Crocodile, other cronies showing up to assist in the transfer.

You saw Corazon look back at you one more time before they turned the corner out of your sight. Your heart lurched as you saw the concern and yearning in his face. You just hoped that they’d take the opportunity to get out of here. You’d be just fine. Destroyed, but fine.

“Alright, now sign the papers.” You glared over at Doflamingo. “Not yet. They’re not out of here just yet.”

He let out an exasperated sigh. “I don’t know what you see in him anyway. He’s weak. Though, I suppose it matches with you. I don’t see why you wouldn’t want to inherit the power your father possesses. He might be my rival, but I know a man with power when I see it.”

“Not everything is about power and the sooner you realize that - the better.”

Doflamingo laughed and you flinched as it bounced off the walls. He was so loud - and for what? “Power is what took over your hospital, doctor. Power gets you whatever you want. Money, fame, you name it.” 

You shook your head. “I don’t expect a shallow man like you to understand,” you said with a small sigh. He was too drunk with power, money hungry, and dense. 

He grimaced, shaking his head. “Well, I’m not the one losing everything I’ve worked so hard for, now am I?” he mused, grinning. You felt your eye twitch, but you weren’t about to let him see that he was getting to you.

You just ignored him, folding your arms as you waited with a gun pointed to your head.

--

Crocodile eventually returned, looking at you. “They’re out. They’re safe. No one is tailing them.”

“You better be telling the fucking truth. So help me if I find out you’re lying-”

“Cool your jets. I never fuck with a deal.”

You just narrowed your eyes at him before pulling a pen out of your pocket, signing the papers. You slid them towards the man, glaring at the two of them. Doflamingo uncocked his gun, tucking it away. He grinned. “Fucking finally.”

“Can I go now? I have shit I need to do.” You folded your hands across your chest.

“You’re not staying?”

“This is no longer my hospital, why would I?”

“Suit yourself.”

Crocodile looked over the paper in his hands and nodded. “It all checks out. I guess, yeah. You can skedaddle.” You made a face at his word choice, but didn’t do much else except leave the room. They had the hospital, everyone was safe. You didn’t have to worry anymore.

Honestly, none of this felt real. You headed out the way you came, careful that no one saw you. Just because you signed over your hospital, doesn’t mean they got to know everything about it. If they found it out on their own, good for them. Maybe one day you’d figure out a way to get everything back.

You headed down the stairs, feeling like you were floating. You weren’t in your body. Everything felt fake - like a bad dream. Only, you wished you would wake up from this nightmare. You just lost everything. Your family, your livelihood, all of it. Everything was gone.

You stopped as you reached your car, seeing Marco perched on the hood. He looked over at you, standing up. The expression on his face was that of sympathy and worry. Everything hit you all at once and tears started to free fall down your face. The stress finally hit you at the same time that your body finally gave out as adrenaline left. Your knees gave out and Marco caught you in the process, holding you as you ugly cried into him. Your body shook as you sobbed, clutching onto Marco as if he would disappear at any moment as well.

[spooderboyandtincan]

You’re Gonna Miss Me

(When I’m Gone)

Read on Ao3

/ST*RKERS DNI/

~~~~~

Tony doesn’t know why he’s so nervous.

That’s a lie. Utter bullshit. He’s lying to himself. Tony knows exactly why his heart is fluttering in his chest like he’d run a marathon, why his chest struggled to rise like there was twenty pound weight rested on it. 

Though to be fair, when he made an anonymous donation of a meager 50,000 dollars to Midtown Science and Technology, he hadn’t expected Peter’s decathlon team to put in a request to the school board to travel abroad, and he definitely hadn’t expected the school to immediately approve it. He thought they’d use it to replace the sudsy water in the bathrooms they called soap with the real stuff or some shit, not whisk his kid away to Vienna for a whole week where Tony couldn’t even hug him, couldn’t protect him. 

Peter is thrilled, though. Ecstatic. When he’d broken the news to Tony and May, he’d been over the moon with excitement, his round cheeks flushed pink and his eyes gleaming. Even two weeks ago, Tony had felt a deep sense of apprehension kindling in his chest, but with the date seemingly so far away, he’d pushed it to the back of his mind. 

He wishes now that he’d done something. He should have told Peter he couldn’t bear to be without him like he was an actor in a cheesy soap opera (it was true, he couldn’t); tell Peter he needed him on a “mission” that would mysteriously be canceled. Though they’d probably end up taking a plane or a suit to Vienna anyways (despite what he liked to say to Rhodey, he was not at all immune to Peter’s puppy eyes); hell, he should have purposely tripped on the stairs and broken his leg so Peter, sweet, kind, empathetic Peter, would immediately decide to stay by his side where Tony could keep him safe.

He missed Peter when he was at his apartment in fucking Queens, thirty minutes from Stark Tower. He didn’t know how he’d handle having him 4,222 miles away. He didn’t know if he could.

“Damn,” he hisses, pushing himself from his bed with a grunt and making a beeline towards Peter’s room. He dashes in. The sight of his sleeping son (read: lump of blankets) is enough to take his breath away.

Tony had missed him. It had been four hours since he’d tucked him in and kissed him goodnight, and Tony had missed him. Peter was fifteen feet away. 

This trip is going to be the death of him. He’s going to drop dead of a goddamn heart attack before Peter even gets on the plane. 

Tony sinks carefully onto the mattress and rests his hand on the boy’s neck, some deep, parental instinct in him immediately soothed by the slow, steady beat of his pulse. Peter is curled under the thick blue blanket, only his chestnut curls visible which are tinged blue from the Iron Man nightlight on the wall, his breath puffing out in those little snuffling snores that Tony absolutely adores. 

He leans down to kiss his temple, inhales the familiar scent of his favorite strawberry shampoo and is overwhelmed by the wave of infinite love that washes over him. He loves this kid so much it sometimes hurts. 

Leaning back, he smooths his thumb over Peter’s cheekbone. He doesn’t want to leave the boy’s side. He doesn’t know if he physically can. Maybe asleep Peter has somehow sensed this, because there’s a small mewl from the bundle of blankets, and two bleary doe eyes flutter open. 

“T’ny?”

“Hey,” Tony whispers, running a hand through his curls. “Hey, jellybean. Sorry I woke you up.” Peter rolls over with heavy limbs and rubs his eyes with a fist in a childlike motion, yawning in a way that resembles all those yawning kitten videos he’s made Tony watch. 

God, he’s adorable, Tony thinks. His heart is melting. He’s so small, so young. Tony feels an instinctual, almost uncontrollable urge to protect this kid, to wrap him in his arms and keep him from harm for the rest of time. 

Peter is oblivious. “‘S… s’okay,” he mumbles. His hand sneaks out of the blankets and tugs on his arm lethargically, which the genius knows is sleepy Peter language for “cuddle with me.” Tony chuckles fondly and slides under the covers.

He props himself up on an elbow and gazes down at his beloved boy, stroking a finger down his cheek. Peter smiles sleepily up at him from his assortment of pillows. “Hi.”

His face splits into a wide grin. “Hi, Pete.” 

Peter frowns at him then, a sudden change from his drowsy, half-asleep state. “You… you ‘kay? Wha’ time’s it?” He tries to sit up, but Tony hushes him gently with a “Everything’s okay, bud, just a typical 2am visit from your friendly neighborhood Iron Man.”

He smiles, so Tony counts the joke as a win. It’s not one of his best, but hey, forgive him if he’s a little anxious about his kid going to another fucking continent. 

(He refuses to acknowledge that it’s not just being away from Peter that’s stressing him out, it’s the fact that anything could happen to him while they’re apart.)

Tony looks back to Peter, opening his mouth to talk, only to find that he’s completely conked out. He balls up the sleeve of his sweatshirt and wipes the line of drool tracing down the boy’s chin away, finding that a soft smile has formed on his face, the one that only makes its appearance around Peter.

Peter snuggles into him the second he lies down, resting his curly head just over his heart. Tony wraps a protective arm around his back and rubs small circles on his soft blanket hoodie. “G’night,” he whispers, bending to kiss the top of his head. “Sweet dreams, baby. I love you.”

He can feel Peter’s heartbeat thumping steadily against his chest- can hear his soft kitten snores. The warm weight of his body is so comforting that for a moment he thinks that maybe, just maybe, this trip isn’t going to be the end of him. That everything’s going to be okay.

~~~~~

Peter’s starting to regret eating all those waffles for breakfast. He feels shaky all over, like he could collapse or throw up any second. He’d told Tony he was going to pop in the bathroom, but he’s been in there for at least ten minutes, settled back on his heels on the cold, grimy floor of an airport bathroom, trying to breathe properly.

Speaking of Tony, he can hear the man just outside the door, typing on his phone and sipping from a cheap cup of coffee. Peter immediately experiences a hot flash of guilt, realizing that he must have grown worried while he was gone. 

Sure enough, the door swings open and there’s a soft knock. “Pete? Everything okay, bud?”

Peter stands up and unlocks the stall. “Tony,” he sniffles, taking an unsteady step forward. Tony rushes forward and gathers him in his arms

“Whoa, hey, hey, you’re okay,” he says gently, rubbing a hand up and down his back. “You’re okay, Pete. Breathe, just breathe, bud. It’s okay.”

“I don’t-” Peter whispers. “I don’t know, Tony, I-I wanna go, but I can’t, I don’t know w-what to do.” 

“Breathe, honey. It’s okay, I’m here, we’ll figure this out, okay? You just gotta take a breath, alright?” 

Peter tries- fails. Tries again, and manages to gasp a breath in. “Sorry,” he croaks, when he can properly breathe again. “Tony, I-I don’t-”

“It’s okay,” Tony murmurs, squeezing him tight. “Nothing to be sorry for, Pete.” After snatching a paper towel and soaking it in the sink, he runs the scratchy cloth over Peter’s face and kisses his forehead when he’s done. “Okay, bubba. You wanna go back out or stay in here?”

“Out,” he replies without hesitation. The flickering white lights above are starting to give him a headache, not to mention the leaky faucet and the freezing tile floors and the faulty air conditioning. Tony leads him out with an arm around his shoulder and guides him to a little nook, where they both plop down on a neon green beanbag. 

“My parents died in a plane crash,” Peter whispers. 

Tony squeezes his shoulder. “I know buddy. I’m sorry.” Unlike a lot of the “sorries” Peter has heard, this one is sincere. Sometimes he forgets that Tony is an orphan too. 

“I- I mean, logically, I know the plane won’t crash,” he continues, “But I guess it’s still hard for me to believe that. Like a- a gut feeling?”

The man nods in understanding. “I know how you feel, kiddo. I was terrified of cars after my parents died- I took the subway everywhere despite the paparazzi bloodhounds.” Tony doesn’t broach the subject of his parent’s deaths often, especially not in a crowded public airport, so Peter makes sure to pay attention. 

“Then, the fear just kinda… vanished.” He wiggles his fingers dramatically. “I started driving without even thinking, didn’t realize I was in a car ‘til I got on the highway. I had to pull over when I did, but since then, I’m perfectly fine with cruisin’ at 80 mph. But,” he says seriously, meeting Peter’s eyes. “I think you should listen to what your gut’s tellin’ you, buddy. It’s important to listen to yourself- what inner you is saying.” He pokes Peter’s belly a couple times for good measure, which makes his face scrunch up adorably. 

Peter nods, and really tries to listen to his gut. The pair both go silent in concentration, and then- his stomach grumbles. They both burst into laughter, born more from nerves than hilarity.

“Inner you wants to eat,” Tony snorts. “I think I saw a place with the biggest blueberry muffins of my life by the escalators, wanna stop there?”

Despite eating a huge stack of waffles just hours earlier, Peter wolfs down two of the gigantic blueberry poppyseed muffins, much to the amusement of Tony.

They made their way to the gate, where Peter’s teacher, Mr. Harrington was lounging, dressed in an ugly red sweater, his long legs stretched in front of him. 

“Peter!” he cried as he spotted them, scrambling to his feet. “Thank god, I was beginning to think I had the wrong date! We’re leaving today, right?”

“Oh, yeah Mr. Harrington, we’re going today!” Peter laughs. He’s used to dealing with his scatter-brained teacher. “I’m actually here early, the plane’s supposed to leave at 1:00.” He gestures vaguely to the big digital clock over his head reading 11:54 AM, EDT. 

Mr. Harrington frowns. “I thought it left at 8 am! You mean I’ve been here for hours in this awful chair when I could have been sipping a piña colada in my jacuzzi?!” He collapses back in his chair and pulls a sleeping mask over his eyes with a sigh.

“Sorry, Mr. Harrington,” Peter chuckles, then pulls Tony to a row of uncomfortable seats in the corner of the waiting area. 

They sit in comfortable silence for a bit, just watching the various travellers rush past. A little girl, around two or three, comes up and shyly asks for Tony’s autograph, but no one else recognizes the genius. (Thanks to his foolproof disguise of a baseball cap and scarf covering up his iconic beard, the genius claims.)

“So, what are we thinking?” Tony asks after about half an hour. “Do you wanna go?” He secretly hopes Peter will say no, hopes that they can go home and binge watch all of the Star Trek episodes and fill their bodies with junk. 

Peter nods hesitantly. “I think so. I-is that okay? I might change my mind, but- yes. Yeah, I think I want to go.”

 Tony squeezes his hand. “Of course it’s okay baby, that’s perfectly fine. If you change your mind, you know what? That’s great too. Whatever you want, that’s what’s important.” He kisses Peter’s forehead and lets his hand linger for a moment where it rests on the boy’s cheek. “If you change your mind at any point, I’ll come pick you up, okay?”

“Thanks, Tony,” Peter breathes, slumping heavily against his side.

“Of course, bud. Anything for my Peter.” 

They stop for lunch at a cozy little coffee shop, which is thankfully devoid of fans and paparazzi. Peter orders (or rather, makes Tony order) a small hot chocolate (with extra marshmallows and whipped cream) even though drinking a lot before a non-stop ten hour flight is probably not the best idea. (He can’t help it. He’s nervous.)

When the pair gets back to their gate, they find Ned and his family. The boy’s greet each other enthusiastically, performing their signature handshake, while Tony simply throws up a peace sign to Ned’s rather stunned parents. 

The friends pull out their phones -probably playing one of those ghastly animated games that Peter is always quoting. Tony pretends to look busy on his phone, but really, he’s just trying to distract himself from the terrifying fact that he’s not going to see Peter for a week.

Too soon, the speaker crackles, a crisp voice announcing, “Attention. We are now boarding flight 367 nonstop to Vienna, Austria. Now boarding flight 367 nonstop to Vienna, Austria.”

Tony’s heart stops. Peter freezes. 

No, they think at the same time. Not yet. 

Peter turns to Tony, panicked. “Hey,” the man says, pushing away every anxiety, every worry away so he can focus on his kid. He sees Ned approach them, but stop when his father places a hand on his shoulder. “Hey, it’s okay. Breathe, baby, it’s okay.” 

“Tony.” Peter wraps his skinny arms around his waist. 

“I know, baby, I know.” Tony kisses the top of his head and hugs him close. “Follow my breathing. You’re okay. We’re good.”

Around them, the members of the decathlon team are rising, but Tony and Peter sit in those unforgettable chairs, clutching each other tightly, not yet ready to let go. 

“I’m gonna miss you,” Peter whimpers. 

“I know kiddo, me too. I’m gonna miss you so much, but I’m always gonna be here, okay? If you need me, just call, or text, use morse code, doesn’t matter. I’m always here for you.”

“I’m here for you too,” Peter says. “I- I’ll call you every day.” Peter’s bottom lip is trembling, just barely, but enough for Tony to hug him a little tighter and kiss his forehead. “I love you, Tony,” he sniffs.

“I love you too, Pete. I love you so much.” Tony’s not crying. He’s not. The restaurant a few stores down is just cooking onions, that’s why his eyes are watering. 

Peter pulls away and grabs his duffel bag, taking a step toward the loading dock. Tony tries not to burst into sobs. Stay, his mind whispers. Please stay. 

Then Peter turns around, eyes full of tears, and slams straight into Tony’s chest, hugging him so tight he can barely breathe. Tony rocks them back and forth, cherishing everything about his sweet boy. When they finally break apart, Peter says, “I’ll be back before you know it,” echoing what Tony has said to him so many times before he leaves for a business trip. 

Then he smiles a watery smile and runs to catch up with his best friend. Just before he disappears into the loading dock, he turns around and waves wildly at Tony.

Tony waves back, grinning. “I love you,” he mouths.

“I love you too!” Peter mouths back, and steps into the dock.

“I love you,” Tony whispers, hastily wiping the dampness from his eyes. “I love you, Peter.”

~~~~~

/ST*RKERS DNI/

Taglist: @aj-that-person @tonystark-deserves-better @nathaly-ab @skeeter-110 @peter-and-tony-vlogs @teammightypen @joyful-soul-collector @loveliestdisappointment @depuella @scwene-qween @honeythepooh @pixiethefirecat7 @spider-man-lover @jami161 @bringitonvoldie @queen-of-sarcasm-25 @roxy3457 @memilon @iron-loyalty @gralaca @bitchingpretty @pillowspace @thatminecraftgal @clockworkteacup @hatakehikari @wtfischeese @keep-a-bucket-full-of-stars @skydiving-without-a-parachute @yansi1923 @slytherin-hamilton-life-12  @dead-inside-pt2 @name-me-regret @zanderljones @spidy8664 @hold-our-destiny @tinystark-blog @bittersweetbeneath

If anyone wants to be added/ removed please let me know! (also, i think i missed a few people, and a few usernames have been changed, pop me a quick message so i can add you again!) 

[nikki152006fanfictions]

Competition

Deviated - Dabi X Reader -Chapter 6- (Chapter links in the end)

"You're late, Dabi." Shigaraki mumbled as Dabi entered the lobby. Dabi looked over at Shigaraki and sighed. "How come the little kid's awake?" he asked.

Shigaraki shrugged and leaned back in his chair. "Couldn't sleep after (Name) called."

"And the rest of you?" Dabi asked the rest of the guys sitting at the table with Shigaraki.

"How dare they sleep when I couldn't?" Shigaraki breathed out as Toga and Twice let out low groans.

"But still, Dabi, you are pretty late." Compress sighed and asked. Dabi let out a low hum and walked over to sit at the table after some stretches. "(Name) let me stay for dinner." he told them.

"Did something fun happen!?" Toga squeaked. Dabi licked his lip casually and sighed. "Alot happened." he said, remembering everything that had happened in your house, especially when you told him snout your family, "But it wasn't exactly fun."

"Oh! Tell us!"

"It's not all that interesting." Dabi breathed out, leaning back into his chair. "Plus it's a long story."

"Relax." Shigaraki hummed, "We've got all night."

_____________________________________________________________

"Please, (Name)." Shouto said, ruffling your hair, "Please don't hide stuff from all of us atleast." You nodded shortly and sighed deeply.

As obvious as it sounded, crying for the whole night had left you with heavy eyebags and a severe headache and when you reached office early in the morning, Endeavor asked you to explain both of them. The presence of Mr. Lie Detector Detective Tsukauchi for some work only made things worse because you couldn't come up with an excuse for the disheveled state you were in.

The only thing you could do was to play it wisely. Lie at first and when the lie was pointed out, tell them half of the truth and finish things there.

That was what you did. You lied to them saying you watched movies late at night and when Tsukauchi pointed that out, you told them that you cried all night since you missed your parents while putting up a forced desperate look.

"Listen dumbass!" Bakugou growled, "I'll break your fucking ugly face if you pull shit like this ever again." You inhaled shallowly and looked away. Even though you had escaped the situation by telling them only half the truth, you had made all of them worry once  again and it hurt.

"Yeah!" Izuku said, "I'll be sure to do that too!" You snorted.

"Is that supposed to be a threat, Izuku?" you asked him, "Because I ain't buying that." Bakugou let out a small smirk but his dense gaze turned back to you seconds later.

"Anyways." you breathed out, "Let's get to work."

You four walked out of the Endeavor agency and out in your assigned areas, you having been assigned to the North-Western part of of the city which was mostly patrolled but Hawks and his sidekicks.

_____________________________________________________________

You had been patrolling for hours now, and had helped people with small things, like helping old people cross the road, helping people do their daily work and stuff like that. Being half-dead already, meant that everything you did was more tiring than usual. Had Shinsou always felt like you were feeling that day? Aizawa and Shinsou always looked more dead than you looked that day, didn't they?

You used your force manipulation to create force to raise you above the ground and went over to rest on the edge of a building. You crackled your neck and looked down at the busy city, everyone was lost in their own world not caring about each other and here you were watching over them, helping them when they needed it. You exhaled out as a small smile made it's way to your face, you loved this feeling, this feeling of being a hero.

“Huh? (Name)?” a tired voice said from behind you and you turned back to see Shinsou and Aizawa crouched on the opposite boundary of the building as if they’d just landed. You hopped off the boundary and walked upto them.

“Morning sensei.” you chirped but Aizawa didn't seem to be as happy as you. He gave you an intense stare and then sighed. “Being your sensei,” he said, “I’m supposed to be the first person you should report to if you’re feeling unwell.” Your lips tightened, and luckily Aizawa wasn’t able to see it through your mask.

“You’re such a dork.” Shinsou said from beside Aizawa, “How about tell me atleast?”

You averted your gaze and held your breath as your eyes under your cool glasses began to get moisty. This was exactly the reason why you never told any of them that you missed your family, because everyone cared too much. You exhaled slowly and stepped forward to hug them both, and they half hugged you back, the tsunderes.

“Go work now.” Aizawa said, “I didn’t teach you to get all emotional while work.” You chuckled and stepped back as both the males smiled softly with soft looks in their eyes. You smiled at them and mumbled a quick, “You both are such tsunderes.”

“Excuse me!?” Aizawa and Shinsou snarled in unison, but it was too late, you had already run away chuckling out loud. You knew Aizawa and Shinsou hated that specific word and you loved to piss them off.

“Going somewhere?” a familiar laid back voice said from your right, as you felt wind from the same direction. You halted and turned to your right, only to meet Hawks’ wide grin. You mentally cursed your fate. It wasn’t that you disliked Hawks; it was just that being around him during work could be tiring, since he was so fast, and you were too tired already to get any more.

“Patrol”, you replied, shrugging. Hawks smirked, “Need help~?” he cooed out. Now that wasn’t a very good sign. Hawks had always loved annoying you and Bakugou and teasing Izuku so this offer of help couldn’t be any good.

“No thanks, I’m good.” you said, waving your hands in front of you and stepping back. Hawks smirked again and within a second, you were being picked up bridal style and taken into the air.

You shrieked as Hawks sped off suddenly and stopped right in the middle of the road.

You looked down to see people watching the both of you with great interest, who wouldn’t, when the No.2 hero who happened to be the most popular among young females and males was carrying around a young female hero and that too, bridal style.

You noticed how hard your hands were gripping on his clothes and a small blush made it’s way to your face.

“Put me down, Hawks,” you mumbled nervously, “Everyone’s watching.”

“And?” he said, with a cocky smirk. You felt a nerve pulse in your head, yeah, Hawks annoyed you more than the others since you were like Endeavor’s favorite. “And your fans will...I don’t know...hate me or something and start bitching about me and I’m too tired for shit right now.”  you said. Hawks made a dramatic “O” shape from his mouth, still hovering above the same road.

“Ahh…Put me down you stupid bird.” you snarled nervously. Hawks gasped dramatically. “Okay, okay!” he said, letting go of you right above the road. You fell down, straight towards the road, moments before Hawks caught your leg and perched on a pole, dangling you upside down from one of your foot.

“C’MON!” you shouted on the top of your voice, wincing hard from annoyance. Normally you always had a comeback ready but again, you were too tired for this. Several people had already started to crowd around under you.

“PUT ME DOWN!” you shouted. Hawks just chuckled and told you to calm down. The fans below had started to click pictures and post live videos on the internet.

“Hawks.” Endeavor’s loud voice drew everyone’s attention, “Stop playing around." Endeavor had always been both feared and respected by the people and the sharp glare he had on his face was too intimidating foe everyone. The crowd of people made a passage for Endeavor, who happened to be patrolling with Bakugou today. Bakugou stared at Hawks for a second before pointing to him and doing the neck slice sign.

Hawks whined, putting you down on the ground gently. You gave him a sharp glare before tagging along behind Endeavor after publicly flipping him off.

“(Name).” Endeavor said, “What’s the progress with work?” You turned your attention to him, drawing away from noticing how Hawks was talking to his crowd of fans with a smug expression.

“There wasn’t anything suspicious today.” you said, “Moreover, in the night patrols, I have a feeling I almost ran into members of the LoV once or twice but never saw them face-to-face.”

This got Endeavor to halt. “You what?” You inhaled deeply. The LoV had told you that you could say stuff like this to keep things original but this wouldn’t have been easy.

“Uh..yeah..” you said, “Like yesterday, before I went back home, I had checked out this random bar where I noticed some people talking about someone in the bar who had impractical weapons and had a wall-sticking like quirk. It could have been Spinner.”

Endeavor glanced back at you, with narrowed eyes, “Always stay on guard.” he said, “And if you ever need help, call the brats or me.”

You nodded at him. Endeavor often referred to Izuku, Bakugou, Hawks and Shouto as the brats. And truthfully, you were never ever gonna call them for help, even if you found the LoV during patrol. Shigaraki had added something new in your little deal, which surprisingly, was for your benefit and security. He said that if you ever found them during patrol and felt that it could be dangerous for your job or image to not treat them as the villains they were, you could openly attack them.

He even said that you were too weak and inexperienced to hurt any of them and even that they wouldn’t hurt you until it was very important but you couldn't decide whether to be insulted by this or feel happy that he had been this thoughtful.

This was confusing, since normally, they would only care about their part of the deal and not give you any options but that wasn’t the case.

“(Name).” Bakugou’s voice drew your attention making you look up at him. Bakugou was staring at his feet with a weird feeling stirring in his eyes. “Meet me tonight, I-I need....help.” You gasped dramatically, “You what?”

Bakugou winced hard and looked away.

“I need help goddammit, why’re you such a fuc-…” his voice trailed off as Endeavor turned to look back at him with a sharp glare, like seriously, could anyone go around cursing around him. Endeavor was pretty harsh himself, even towards you sometimes but he still was a man of morals. He ensured no one cursed around him, just like Aizawa did.

“Such a?” Endeavor asked him with a raised brow. Of course Bakugou was gonna say something like ‘fuckhole’ or ‘fuckwart’ if Endeavor was wasn’t there but he said awkwardly, “Such a….f-female..Hawks.”

You halted and gave him a death glare. Him calling you female Hawks meant he found you as annoying as he found Hawks, which actually was probably the biggest insult he could mean.

Endeavor sighed and turned back to check the surroundings, “(Name),” he said, “Return to patrol.” You nodded, giving one last glare to Bakugou and then using a force blast under your feet to thrust yourself into the air and then used a force field to float away to your assigned area.

_____________________________________________________________

You sighed as you rested on the boundary of the building, it was already getting dark and your whole body was aching like hell. You just hoped that the LoV wouldn’t ask you to meet up for some work again.

You massaged your shoulders as you took out your phone to check of any messages from the LoV and luckily, there were none.

“Oh! You’re here?” Hawks’ voice called out from some distance. You groaned and placed your phone in your hero costume’s pocket. “Not going home yet?” Hawks said, perching beside you.   “Just checking around.” you mumbled lazily, averting your gaze.

“Aww…Are you angry with me?” Hawks taunted. You puffed your cheeks and looked back at him with furrowed eyebrows and an annoyed look.

“You didn’t complain when you were gripping me so tight~” Hawks cooed. A sudden heat rose to your cheeks making you snap your neck away to his your flustered cheeks.

Hawks chuckled and inched closer to you with a teasing smile. “Wanna dangle around more? I gotta say, upside down's a good view.” he asked, placing his arm across your shoulders.

”Fuck off.” you growled. Hawks chuckled some more right before- “Hey! Look Hawks!” someone called out.

You let out a tired a sigh as several people gathered below you both, in front of the building. Unluckily, the building was not a very high one, only a few storeys high and so every noise they created was audible to your tired brain.

“Hawks!” someone shouted extra-loudly, “Are you dating (Hero name).” You jolted and turned to the guy who was shouting and noticed him recording. This was just shit.

“Ah, no. I told ya guys earlier. (Hero name)’s just a friend.” Hawks said waving them off, one of his arms still around your shoulders.

“What the hell is going on?” you hissed at him. Hawk turned to you with his signature smile and raised a brow at you. You rubbed your temples in annoyance. This was totally going out of your control.

“All right guys!” Hawks called out to the people, “(Hero Name) hasn’t been feeling really well today, she’s been sad lately, can we give her a cheer?”

Everyone began cheering out for you, and even though it hurt your head a lot, it kinda felt nice.

“And,” Hawks called out, “The kid’s pissed off with me for annoying her earlier today.”

Hawks knew how to handle public situations really well. If the people did began thinking that you both were dating, all their doubts were visibly cleared out, since everyone was cheering and talking as if all Hawks was trying to do was cheer you up.

“(Hero name)!” someone called out, “I can bet Hawks was trying to make you feel better!”

“Yeah!” someone else said, “Forgive him. He didn’t mean to annoy you.”

“You’re a brat, Hawks.” you breathed out. Hawks flashed you a wide grin. You looked down at the fans still cheering and asking you to forgive him. “You’re forgiven, but only for the public.” you told him, and then called out to the people saying it was fine and thanked all of them.

Hawks retracted his hand finally, to interact with the people a little more. You took the chance and got up to stretch and then leave. You bid a goodbye to the people and left to report your patrol to Endeavor then leave for home.

You opened the door to Endeavor’s office and walked in. The TV was on and the news showed the footage of the fan from earlier asking whether you and Hawks were dating and then some reporters discussing about it. You felt your friends’ and Endeavor’s eyes on you.

“I know.” you groaned, “Life sucks.”

Endeavor sighed and walked over to his seat, and you and the other three boys walked over to the seats opposite to his.

“Deku.” Endeavor said, and Izuku began explaining his patrol and how he fought some villain with a weird wire quirk. “Shoto.” Endeavor said and Shoto began explaining his part. Since Bakugou had been with Endeavor the whole time, Bakugou wasn’t asked and you were next. You explained your patrol and then, were free to go home.

_____________________________________________________________

“Go away, icyhot.” Bakugou snarled at Shouto who was walking beside you, “I need to talk.”

Shouto gave you a glance and after you nodded, left you both alone. You and Bakugou walked towards the basement car parking. “What’s wrong, Bakugou?” you asked him. Bakugou sighed as he leaned on a wall and looked away in the dim light.

“Uh…This is fucking stupid.” Bakugou said, “I probably shouldn’t be telling this to you, you fucking female Hawks,” you pouted. Female Hawks did meant someone who was as bratty as Hawks and you knew for a fact that you weren’t bratty....or maybe you didn’t. Unluckily, Bakugou had discovered this new insulting nickname for you.

“My girlfriend kinda…” Bakugou said, his voice really low, “Dumped me.”

“About time.” You breathed out. Bakugou turned to you with narrowed eyes, a sad look in his eyes. You exhaled deeply, knowing very well that it was one of those rare moments when Bakugou would let his guard down.

“You wanted this to happen?” he asked bitterly. You shook your head in denial. “It was pretty obvious.” you said, “A relationship can only work out with mutual feelings and trust and she clearly didn’t have any of those. I tried to tell you that last month but you didn’t listen to me and began saying things like I was a bitch to be jealous and stuff when she filled up your brain with shit against me, remember?”

Bakugou nodded slowly. “Sorry.” He mumbled.

You gasped dramatically. “Sorry!?” you breathed out in shock.

“Alright, now stop it.” Bakugou said, still staring down at the ground. “Oh God.” You said, dramatically, “I got the honor to have the Katsuki Bakugou apologize to me.” Bakugou growled and playfully punched your shoulder. You chuckled and gave him a small hug. “Don’t mind her.” you said, “You’ll find someone way better.”

“I kinda liked her….alot..” Bakugou mumbled.

“She isn’t worth it.” you said, “It’s fine, you’ve got all your friends here, you’ll be fine and trust me, she’ll regret late-“ Your speech halted as you noticed a shadowy figure in one end of the parking lot. Bakugou noticed your gaze and turned to look at where you were looking.

“Someone’s there.” he said. You nodded. You and Bakugou turned to step forward and check out who it was when you felt a pang at your heart. The guy seemed to notice you both and immediately began running.

"Fuck." Bakugou said, "He's sus." Bakugou broke into a sprint towards the person and you followed closely.

As if someone had pushed the thought into your mind forcefully and you couldn't push it aside, you began wondering if the guy was Dabi. This was shit. How were you supposed to let Bakugou reach him when this asshole would have beat him black and blue? A hundred ideas of how to avoid confronting the man ran through your head. “Hurry up.” Bakugou said, running forward. This was shit, actual shit.

You hurried over to tag along with Bakugou.

‘Shit Shit Shit Shit Shit!’ you thought. This wasn’t good. You ran beside Bakugou, still thinking of the best way to get out of this situation. You looked to your right and saw the reflection of Izuku and Shouto talking while driving in the car in one of the rear view mirrors of the cars parked in the parking lot. This was it!

“Faster!” you shouted at Bakugou, “He’s getting away!”

Bakugou increased his speed but you were way ahead of him, ready to get hit by a moving car just to cause a distraction. And luckily....or unluckily, what you planned happened.

You were hit by the car and were thrown back. You were hurt, but thankfully not as much as you had thought you would be. Izuku and Shouto’s car was coming from such a point that it was only lucky you were able to spot it prior. You could easily get away with this.

Izuku and Shouto halted the moment they realized what had happened and rushed out to help you. Bakugou had caught up to you and had crouched beside you, checking for wounds.

Endeavor was called, making you instantly regret everything.

“This all had to happen today, huh?” Hawks said, examining your cast. “You’ve got a brilliant luck, (L/N).”

‘Yeah, my fucking luck’s got you here too.’ You thought, mentally groaning. Endeavor was staring at you with narrowed eyes and Hawks slowly moved away to lean against the window. You turned to look away, but didn't miss the weird cold gaze Hawks had as he stared out of the window.

“Did you see who that person was?” he asked. You and Bakugou muttered a “no” in unison. “(Name),” Endeavor said, “You didn’t see Shoto and Midoriya’s car?” You shook your head in denial.

“There was this wide pillar in between and the moment I stepped out, the car hit me.” you said shakily. The crack you had in your arm did hurt, but thankfully, it was to heal soon.

Endeavor sighed. “Take a leave tomorrow.” he said.

“I’m fine.” you mumbled, “I’ve had worse.” Endeavor stared at you, but didn’t ask you to change your decision, knowing very well that heroes couldn’t afford to be on leaves every time they got scratched.

“Go back home and rest well.” Endeavor said, “I’ll fire you if you cry tonight. Hawks, drop her off.”

“No!” you cried, drawing everyone’s attention. You cleared your throat and said, “I can go home myself, no worries.”

“What is the worry?” Hawks asked with a smirk, “I’d love to drop you off.” You pouted angrily and looked away. Endeavor gave you a glare and so, you agreed to let Hawks drop you home.

“Ready?” Hawks said. You nodded, and were suddenly picked up bridal style. “I’m not ready!” you cried. “Beware birdman.” Bakugou said from behind you, “She could murder you on the way.”

Hawks chuckled, “I’ll be waiting for that.” He said, suddenly taking off. It was all fine until Hawks suddenly halted midway.

“What is it?” you asked him. Hawks swooped down and placed you on the ground and rushed into a nearby building. You stared at the building for a moment before he came out, holding an old woman and a man with a knife. The police was called and a large crowd gathered around Hawks.

Eventually, it turned out that he had seen something suspicious from some window and when he checked it out, it turned out that the man was trying to murder the old woman. Hawks was clearing out the formalities with the police and you were left alone to watch, with your bored expression visible clearly even though you had your mask on.

"(Hero name)!" a girlish voice cried. You turned to the source of the sound to see a teenage girl smiling widely at you. "Can I get an autograph?" she asked in a hopeful tone.

"Ohh." you said sadly, "I'm sorry, I've got a fracture." You held your fractured arm a little higher. The girl gasped. "Are you okay?" she asked, "How did this happen, did some villain hurt you?" You shook your head in denial and placed a hand on her head. "Nah, it was just a complicated scenario but it's fine."

She nodded and with a disappointed look, placed away the paper. "How about a selfie?" you asked, trying to cheer her up, and were successful. Her face lit up as she squeaked in happiness and took out her phone. You held out a peace sign with your left hand while the girl took the picture.

"Someone's having fun." Hawks said, drawing both of you attentions. "You mustn't get jealous of kids, Hawks." you said, grinning sadistically, like Aizawa usually did. Your headache had lessened after seeing a young fan, and thankfully, you could now snap back at the red chicken.

"You aren't a kid anymore." Hawks said, waving at the girl. She squeaked crazily and asked for a selfie of all three of you and being heroes, you couldn't deny.

She clicked four to five selfies with the three of you making weird poses. This gave enough time for news reporters to walk upto you.

"(Hero name) what happened to you arm!" "(Hero name), how is like working with Endeavor?" "(Hero name), are you currently in any relationships!?" "(Hero name), does Endeavor let you take leaves?" "(Hero name), is Dynamight crushing on you? Why did he give Hawks the neck slice sign?" "(Hero Name), are you and Hawks dating?"

"ALL RIGHT QUIET!" you shouted. Your head had started throbbing again, and that too badly. You weren't very good with reporters and found them very annoying. "YOU THINK I'LL BE ABLE TO SPEAK IF YOU KEEP ON BLABBERING AMONG YOURSELVES?" You froze realizing that you had just shouted on the reporters, and now, you had to do something or else it would form a negative public image, and even if it didn't, the reporters would definitely present it negatively.

"Thank you." you said, clearing your throat and glancing at Hawks for help, but surprisingly enough, Hawks was zoned out. He was staring at his feet with a cold gaze, which was enough to tell that something was wrong.

"Ah..yeah.." you said, awkwardly. "I..haven't been feeling very well today." you told the reporters, "And over that, I got a fracture due to an accident in the parking lot, so, I'm a little pissed off, I'm really sorry, but, please, being reporters, you should be wary to not focus only on the news but also on the condition of the person you're interviewing. You cannot gather around a hurt person since it psychologically makes them feel more vulnerable and hurt. So, just keep that in mind."

"Thats...right." one of the reporters said. "W-We're sorry." Many others agreed.

"And your questions," you said, "First, like I said, my arm got fractured, second, working with Endeavor is pretty good, and yeah, he  does care for his employees and side kicks. Then my relationships aren't a public concern but I am single right now and lastly, DynaMight isn't jealous and me and Hawks are not dating. Hawks just has the habit to piss me and DynaMight off which should explain our actions. I hope I didn't leave behind any doubts."

"Y-Yeah. That'll be fine." someone said, "Thank you and please rest." someone else said. You nodded and turned back to look at Hawks, who was still zoned out.

"HAWKS!" all the reporters pounced on him making him jolt out of his thoughts and making you sweatdrop.

'And reporters can't ever be helped.' you thought, sighing out.

"Endeavor-san will totally burn me if I don't drop (Hero name) home asap! Later then!" Hawk said, grabbing you hurriedly and then soaring high into the air, flying straight to your house, unusually silent the whole way. He even left without saying a word.

'What the hell is wrong?' you thought, opening your front door. 'Damn, let's get some sleep first.'

_____________________________________________________________

Shigaraki scrolled through the news. 'Hmm..' he thought, 'So, (Name)'s had a bad day and a fracture and this guy's just pissing her off more. What a birdbitch, but more importantly, I've gotta tell Dabi. It's Hawks we're talking about after all.'

"Hey Shiggy," Dabi said from the couch opposite to the one Shigaraki was seated on, "What are you lost or something?  Don't think too hard, you'll rot your brain."

Shigaraki looked up at Dabi. "Dabi," he said, "There's a problem and you and (Name)'s gotta fix it." Dabi laid back and moved his hands behind his head, "Yeah, tell me, I'll go take her along later tonight."

"No, she isn't well and has a fracture." Shigaraki said, acting all innocent.

"She's got a what?" Dabi asked.

"Fracture." Shigaraki said with a smirk crawling up his face, "You worried?"

"I could kiss the guy who caused it." Dabi said, "Looks like you've been really into her. What, she called you again or something?" Shigaraki shook his head in denial.

"It's all over the news but that's not the problem."

"News? Wait, then what is the problem?"

"You've got competition." Shigaraki said, shrugging and flashing his screen towards Dabi. Dabi read the headlines about how fans had begun shipping you and Hawks and even though you had cleared everything out, people believed you both could be a good couple.

"Fuck you." Dabi said, snarling. "C'mon!" Shigaraki said, "Why can't you just see it, she's awesome!"

"Fuck off!" Dabi said, getting up and walking towards the stairs.

"You care for her and we know it!" Shigaraki called out from behind Dabi as Dabi groaned and walked ahead. He walked over to his room and locked the door. He read the headlines on his phone, feeling a weird unfamiliar weight in his stomach. Dabi sighed and took out the letter he had hidden in his room -

Hey Dabi

I know you may not wanna talk and stuff, but dude, I'm a hero and I was told to do all that even though I didn't want to. The hero commission forced me. Once, just once come, let's talk.

I'll be waiting on top of XXXX hotel this Sunday. There's a direct staircase up from the backside. Let's just talk once and I can assure you it's no trap.

Hawks

Dabi sighed and laid down on his bed thinking.

'Just what are you playing at, Hawks.'

___________________________________________________

(Chapters 10 and 11 coming up)

Chapter 1 - Chapter 2 - Chapter 3 - Chapter 4 - Chapter 5 - Chapter 6 - Chapter 7 - Chapter 8 - Chapter 9 - Chapter 10 - Chapter 11 - Chapter 12 -

[marmolady]

New Horizons

Main Pairings: Estela x (f)MC, Graleister

Summary: Endless Ending. Liv and Reggie are starting school in San Trobida. Notes at the end!

Word Count: 9695

Chronology: After 'Growing Pains', before 'How the time escapes me...'

Tagging: @saivilo, @edgydepressedchoicesthot, @sceptilemasterr, @greengroove @mauvecatfic​

Thanks for reading!

San Trobida, July 2035

“Hey, Auntie Grace!”

Reggie looked up from his book at the sound of his cousin’s voice, and hastily placed aside his shiny new copy of ‘A Guide to San Trobidan History’ so he could rush out into the hallway.

Grace was already wrapping Liv in a hug. “Hello, sweetheart.” She kissed the side of her niece’s head, before her eyes wandered down to a bloodied knee. “Did you have a mishap on your bike on the way here?”

“Yeah… I clipped the kerb and crashed,” Liv said, offering her aunt a better view of her wound. As she heard Reggie’s footsteps, she looked up to meet his eye and smiled.

“Youch!” Reggie offered sympathetically as he came close enough to peer over Liv’s grazed knee.

Liv shrugged. “I’ve had worse.”

Grace, though, was more concerned. “Are you sure you didn’t hit your head when you fell?”

“No, just scraped my knee. It does actually sting a bit.”

“Hmm. Well, I think we’d better put some anti-septic that knee just to be safe.”

The new house was a mess. Boxes and misplaced furniture filled every room, and the twins-- six years old-- had been making forts with the packing boxes that had been emptied so far. The family had been in the house for just over a day, and some good progress had already been made. There had been a lot that had been left behind. Neither Aleister nor Grace put too much value on material possessions, so most of what had come with them and the children to their new home in San Trobida had been essential furniture, and the mountains of photo albums and memorabilia from a life with the kids.

Grace sat Liv down on a wooden ottoman, and, after a little bit of rummaging, found the first aid kit.

“Okay, this might hurt just a little,” she said gently, and she carefully dabbed Liv’s graze.

Liv yelped, “Fuck!”, causing Reggie to gasp, looking to his mother for a reaction, and Erin and Immy to burst out giggling from inside their box-fort.

Grace raised an eyebrow, but her warm smile didn’t shift. “It stings that much?”

“Yeah…,” Liv said, flushing a little. “Sorry about the language.”

“I’m sure I didn’t hear a thing.”

There was the usual bustling around as Aleister got the girls into their shoes; Immy and Erin had decided that swapping one shoe with one another was the peak of humour, but eventually, their father managed to get them each into a left and a right-- even if they didn’t match. Six-and-a-half-year-old sisters, Reggie had come to realise, made just about everything more of a headache than necessary.

Eventually, though, they were on their way. His mom and dad, walking beside the twins as they pootled along on their bicycles, had the address, but Reggie rode ahead with Liv, taking her lead as she zig-zagged through the streets of Valle Brava. Having only set foot on San Trobidan soil as a new resident some twenty-four hours ago, everything aspect of his environment set his senses alight. This wasn’t like being back in America. Perhaps it was the tropical climate, but he was reminded much more of La Huerta-- of home. Liv certainly seemed right at home here. She and her mothers had settled a few weeks before, and Liv had been coming here pretty much all her life. There were just a few blocks between their respective houses, and the wide cycle paths along the bitumen roads made for an easy journey. This, Reggie had been told, was a newly developed area; much had been re-built since the war he knew his Tia Estela had been involved in. The cycle paths ended as they came nearer to Liv’s place, a little way out of the main township. The foliage on either side of the road became thicker, and there was less street noise, more birdsong.

“Beat you!” Liv announced as she planted her feet into the ground, forcing her bicycle to a stop.

Reggie grumbled, pulling up beside his cousin in front of a humble bungalow-style house with outer walls a vibrant azure blue against yellow accents. The sound of a dog barking-- unmistakably Liv’s Robin, was further confirmation they’d arrived. “You didn’t beat me, Livia. I was following you. I didn’t even know where we were going.”

“Jeez, dude. No one likes a sore loser….”

“I am not a--!”

The door swung open.

“Reggie!” Taylor wasted no time in sweeping her nephew into a hug. “It’s so good to see you! I can’t believe you still have the energy for cycling over here-- didn’t you move house, like, yesterday?”

Reggie laughed. “Hi, Auntie Taylor!” There was something about seeing a familiar face in this new environment that made the pieces seem to click into place. Family made it home. “I’m a little bit tired but mostly just excited. I did sleep in today, so I guess I won’t crash until later.” His sisters on the other hand… there was no way they’d last the evening without overtiredness rearing its ugly head.

“I’m guessing your mom and dad are on their way with the girls?”

“Yeah,” said Liv, “but they’re pretty slow. I don’t have to wait to give Reggie the grand tour, do I?”

“Knock yourself out, kid. Hang on, Liv? Walk your bike through the house, please.”

“I was gonna!”

Reggie could only smirk. Like hell you were….

“Aaaand,” Liv finished off with a flourish, “this is my room!” She opened the door to a good-sized bedroom. It seemed to Reggie that what floor-space wasn’t taken up by the bed was piled up with boxes.

“I mean, I can’t say the mess wasn’t a clue.”

Liv gave her cousin a look as she flopped into her bed. “Hey-- moving house is hard. You’ll see soon enough. You get started all excited, but once you start living your life, you kinda get… stuck. Mama Taylor says we’re going to just blitz it all next weekend, and throw ourselves a pizza party as a reward.”

Reggie got up onto the bed and crossed his legs. “Do you like it here?”

“I love it here! I always liked coming here when I was little, so I guess it doesn’t feel like something completely different. I reckon my tio abuelo is over the moon that we’re here for good; it’s like I’ve got a grandparent now.” Liv’s cheeks flushed pink, and she glanced away.

Understanding, Reggie nodded. Together, they’d grown up in a family that didn’t take the traditional shape. There were some things that simply couldn’t be explained to other friends; like why Reggie’s grandma could help him with his homework, but could never come in for grandparents’ day, and why Liv had a whole side of the family with no grandparents at all-- not even dead ones.

“And,” Liv continued, “people don’t really look at my Mama Estela funny. I noticed that years ago. I guess ‘cause of the war, people don’t look twice at someone who’s maybe a little bit banged-up. I got so sick of it back in America. Every time we met someone new, they’d put on that ‘God, what happened?’ face. Maybe Mom doesn’t want to explain the whole ‘revolutionary in a civil war’ thing to every random person who can’t mind their own business. Some people have scars-- big freaking deal. It’s better here.”

“Yeah, that would be a nice change. The amount of times I’ve seen you and Auntie Taylor look at a nosy idiot like you want to deck ‘em--”

Liv burst out laughing. “True, that.”

The sound of excited barking rang out from the backyard. It seemed pretty likely to Reggie that his parents and sisters had just arrived. When he and Liv arrived in the backyard, Erin had already joined Estela at the barbecue, desperate to be involved, while Immy was passionately talking to Nicolas about goodness-knows-what. Reggie made a mental note to rescue him in a few minutes; that kid could be intense, and the poor old guy had come out here for a relaxing lunch with his niece.

Nicely, but firmly, Reggie nudged the wriggling, writhing form of Robin the dog to the side so he could join his mother and Auntie Taylor at the large alfresco table under the porch. And Robin returned to his favoured position at the feet of the barbecue-- Erin was just a kid, surely, she’d drop something….

“Do you need a hand with the salads?” Reggie asked as he greeted his mother with a hug. He’d been seeking a lot of those. With so much changing, familial comfort meant a lot, and he wasn’t ashamed to admit it.

Perhaps more than anything, though, he was grateful to have Liv by his side. It was the way it had always been; from their toddler days on La Huerta, through elementary school, to their adventures in home-schooling. Some things might change-- some things might change immeasurably-- but he always had his cousin.

___________________________

La Huerta, 2028

Liv yelled out as she splashed down into the shallow surf. “Reggie!”

“I got her, Xiraana!” Reggie cried, and soon he was joined by a young Vaanti girl, who helped restrain their victim.

“No, no!” Liv squealed as she struggled. Vaanti kids, she’d long ago realised, were strong. “You’ll never take me alive!”

“Five-- four--- three….” Xiraana counted down, not letting Liv out of her grasp.

“Two-- one!” Reggie finished triumphantly, and he let his cousin fall unceremoniously back into the water. “The klaawyi ate all the meat off your bones. You’re one of us now!”

Liv pouted, but admitted defeat. It wasn’t the worst thing that could happen; she was pretty good on Team Klaawyi anyway. Or, she would have been… had she not seen the figure of her favourite uncle descending onto the beach from the great tree of Elyys’tel.

“Tio Diegoooooo! Hiiiii!” Liv ran across the sand, almost tripping in her desperation to reach him.

“Hey, Livia!” Reggie cried out, indignant at being suddenly abandoned. “You’re meant to help us catch them!”

But Diego had crouched down to wrap Liv in a hug, and Reggie might as well be talking to a pile of rocks for all that was being absorbed.

“Tio, they got me! Reggie and Xiraana got me, and now I’m a klaawyi!”

“You?” Diego laughed. “You’re no klaawyi-- I’ve never seen a klaawyi that was ticklish!”

“Wha--?” Oh no. Once again, Liv was shrieking with mirth, this time dodging the tickling hands of her tio.

Still standing in the shallows, Reggie stomped his foot, which achieved little but splashing himself in the face. The game went on without them; games of Klaawyi Chase didn’t stop for anyone. The usual fun on the beaches outside Elyys’tel would go on like this every day… whether Reggie and Liv were there to join in or not. And Reggie didn’t want to miss out now.

“Come on, Livia!”

She just shook her head, not letting her adoring gaze up at Diego slip for so much as a heartbeat. “Nah,” she said. “I’m done.”

Torn, knowing that whichever direction he ran in, he’d lose out on precious time with friends, Reggie admitted defeat and rushed back to Liv’s side on the shore. He looked back over his shoulder and waved goodbye-- for what he’d been told would likely be a long, long time. Engrossed in their game, his friends gave just the most fleeting of farewells before continuing to race through the small waves that lapped the beach.

Liv, in contrast, had eyes only for her tio. She clasped his hand tightly; if she held on tight enough, perhaps he’d have no choice but to come with her to wherever her mothers were taking her in the big aeroplane.

Where exactly she was going, Liv didn’t quite understand. It was away from La Huerta, but they weren’t going back to live with Tio Nicolas, they were going… someplace else. Someplace with no Tio Diego and Varyyn, where all the other kids would be boring shades of pink and brown rather than blue and green, and where no one knew about the yeti-bear, or the magic crystal alien that made her mom, or about The Story of the Year the World Stopped.

“I want you to come, Tio Diego…,” Liv softly beseeched.

Diego’s eyes grew misty, her earnest words having tipped him over the edge after what had been a long period of emotional build-up. Goodbyes were never easy, and Liv’s family was his family. He squeezed her little hand gently.

“I’ll visit you, Livi-- I promise. Cross my heart. And your mommies will bring you over to visit us here too; you are going to learn so many new games at school that you can teach Xiraana and the other kids.”

“But I’ll miss you…”

Having rejoined Liv, Reggie peered up at Diego’s teary face with concern. “Diego, you’re making your glasses all foggy.”

“Ha. I know, I know!” Diego wiped his eyes. “You might have a point there, Reggie; I want to spend this last night with you guys actually being able to see you!”

Liv giggled and wrapped her arms around her uncle’s legs, only to be peeled off and hoisted into the air. “We can still have fun until bedtime, can’t we? Will you tell us a story?”

On the ground, Reggie danced around, his arms waving. Diego-time was the best story-time.

In the arms of her tio, her playmate since she was a baby bouncing on his knee, Liv was a mess of emotions; of fear and excitement, of merriment that competed with the looming sorrow. It was more than her little self had a clue what to do with. She was only five.

Sensing his cousin’s turmoil, Reggie reached up a hand and took hold of Liv’s, hanging down by Diego’s side. “Don’t worry, Livia! If you worry, you won’t enjoy story-time.”

Liv stuck out her bottom lip. That little nerd-face could be pretty smart sometimes. Tomorrow night, there would be no goodnight story from Tio Diego, but tomorrow night was not now-- now, everything was as it should be. Her wavering grin returned, and to her delight, it brought matching smiles to the faces of her companions.

“Do you think Varyyn, and my mommies, and Auntie Grace and Uncle Alli, and Auntie Grace’s tummy babies want to listen to the story too?”

“Yeah,” Diego said, letting Liv back down to the ground, where she immediately found another hug in Reggie’s arms, “I think everyone would really like that.”

_____________________________

San Trobida, August 2035

“I don’t get it,” Liv said thoughtfully, as the car rolled right on past the turn for her Auntie Grace and Uncle Al’s place. “It’s right on the way; wouldn’t it have been easier for us to pick up Reggie?”

“Hon,” Taylor replied, “I think Reggie wanted his mom and dad to take him to orientation. They’ll probably be better at helping with his jitters than we would be.”

“I guess.” Liv looked out the window, watching the surrounding vegetation thicken once more as the car followed the road up out of the valley. “Orientation Day shouldn’t be too bad, right? Just, like, meeting our teachers, learning where stuff is, that kinda thing?” And you’ll have to try and make friends. That would be a laugh.

By the time they pulled up at the Las Selvas Secondary School, however, Liv fully understood her cousin’s nerves, and realised that was probably why she’d been so disappointed that he didn’t share a car with her. Through every big change in their young lives, his presence had been a reassuring constant.

“Uggghh,” she groaned. “Can I change my mind? Home-schooling was all right; more of that, please.”

Estela leaned from the front seat and gave Liv’s knee a squeeze. “You know, I don’t think he’d ever say it, but I’m pretty sure Reggie would be really scared if he had to walk into this without you. Besides, you were so excited about starting here; you owe it to yourself to at least giving it a shot.”

Again, Liv groaned, this time even louder. “It’s so annoying when you’re right.”

“Story of my life,” Taylor laughed, while Estela smirked.

When they pulled up at the school, Reggie was already waiting, standing beside the car-park while his parents fussed over him.

“You have your phone?” Grace quizzed, checking for the fourth time since they’d set off.

“I told you, yes!” Reggie replied, and he pulled his phone out of his pocket to wave around for good measure. “I’ll send you a message when I’m ready to be picked up, I promise.”

“In that case, you just have a wonderful time, darling.” She wrapped him in a hug-- already Reggie was easily as tall as her. “Go well, and have fun.”

Liv rushed over, all smiles. Her own nerves were a whole lot less bothersome when she had the distraction of friendly faces.

There were a few more rounds of hugs exchanged-- and then, suddenly, Liv and Reggie were on their own.

“You wanna head over? Looks like people are already crowding around-- it’s probably gonna start soon.”

Reggie’s expression brightened, as if he’d been just waiting for a little push for his confidence to surge back forth. “Well, it will hardly be an auspicious start here if we miss the principal’s address. Get a move on, Livia!”

The morning passed relatively quickly. Liv placed herself next to Reggie at all times-- they’d been put in the same Grade Seven home room as requested, making him one of the eldest in the class, and her one of the youngest. The whole set-up wasn’t entirely different to the school they were accustomed to, other than the bilingual approach. They were given a small pile of boring paperwork, and outlines of what to expect in their new classes; as English was their first language, they’d be taking ‘Spanish as a Second Language’, and Liv was also excited about ‘Nature Studies’, a subject she’d never been offered in America.

As far as Liv was concerned, the most traumatic part of the session was being expected to stand up in front of a room of strangers and give a short spiel about themselves. The perfect opportunity to officially balls-up any chance they might have of making new friends, or at least that was how she saw it. She mumbled down into her chest; something about enjoying hiking and gymnastics, something about liking Batman, and animals, and then she hurriedly sat right back down with flaming cheeks. Reggie, she observed, handled the brief foray into public speaking with rather more poise. Even though he was shy-- perhaps even more than she was-- he seemed able to go into ‘school presentation’ mode, and breeze through. When he sat back down, though, his hands were shaking-- but that was for the eyes of his trusted friend only.

When the lunch break came along, Liv was ravenous; a new and challenging social situation could do that to a person. While Reggie sloped off to the bathrooms, she tested out the school canteen, emerging a little while later with a hot empanada. It wasn’t quite as good as her Mama Estela’s, but it was definitely a step up from what was on offer at her old school. Maybe she could get used to this place….

Liv watched this new world go by all around her as she ate, cross-legged beneath the tree she’d told her cousin to meet her by. Kids moved in their little circles, talking loudly, laughing. Most of them coming into Grade Seven had come from the local primary school, and many knew each-other. Liv and Reggie would be starting out on the outside… and that was daunting. She could not be more grateful that she wasn’t taking this on alone.

Or… at least, she shouldn’t be. The lunchtime queue moved on, the gaggles of kids spread out, and still Reggie hadn’t returned.

Damn, constipated on your first day. Sucks to be you, Reggie.

Tentatively, Liv approached the boys’ bathroom and, having ascertained that no one was watching, slipped in. Her footsteps were unheard, drowned out by the loud, frantic breathing of young Reggie, slumped over the sink. Alarmed, Liv rushed over. Tears were spilling down his cheeks.

“Reggie… it’s okay,” she said gently. A little unsure, she reached out a hand to rub his back, and to her surprise, he didn’t flinch away. Slowly, he seemed to regain control of himself.

“Liv…,” Reggie panted. “You know you’re not meant to be in here; this is the guys’ room.”

“Hey! Like it’s my fault you didn’t take your anxiety attack into the unisex bathroom. That’s on you.” Hmph. Ungrateful, much?

Reggie scowled, and dragged his cousin out of the toilet block by her arm. He slumped down by the wall, and scooched over to encourage her to join him.

“You’re a pain in the arse.” He was still shaking.

“It’s been said, yeah.” Liv huddled a little closer. “You don’t need to worry, okay? You’re not going to have any trouble making friends. Did you see they’ve got a chess club, and a photography club as well? At least that’ll get you talking to people.”

“That’s,” Reggie said quietly, “not exactly what I’m worried about.” When Liv looked at him expectantly, he continued. “When I was in a room with all those kids, my head just went back to being at our old school… and what happened. I know this place is meant to be progressive and all that, but that doesn’t mean that everyone’s okay. What if I think I’ve made friends with someone, and they find out about Erin, and they make it a big thing, and then some arsehole finds out….”

“Man, you’re really spiraling,” Liv observed, not especially helpfully. She wasn’t exactly surprised by what was troubling her cousin; getting into a fight in defense of his young transgender sister had completely unseated Reggie from the comfortable life he’d had at the last school. It had changed everything.

“You would too, if she was your sister!”

“Probably. But I think you should at least give people a go. It sounds like they’re really strict on any kind of bullying against minorities. Swinging back hard in the opposite direction after that fascist dictatorship.”

“Those are some awfully big words for you to be throwing around there, Livia; watch you don’t hurt yourself….”

“Hey! I know my stuff!” Liv demanded. “Do you think my tio abuelo would have it any other way? But anyway, I’m right. All the people who didn’t fit in before have come to this part of the country. Probably a lot of the kids have parents who saw really horrible things in the war; they wouldn’t want to send them somewhere that was bad like before. My Mama ‘Stel gave the principal the grilling of her life, and I bet she hasn’t been the only one. People are gonna want to make sure their kids are being looked after.”

A smile quirked on Reggie’s face as he imagined his aunt on a school tour. “I bet Tia Estela left Principal Sanchez quivering under the desk.”

“Yeah… after what happened in the last school, there’s no way they’d let us go anywhere unless they were sure it was a place that treated people right.”

Reggie knew that much. But his parents, and even his fierce aunt, could not shield himself, his sisters and his cousin, from everything. He contemplated silently, grateful for the patient companionship.

“I guess,” he said at last, “if no one gave anyone else a chance to be anything but the worst, then we’d be pretty lonely.”

“Yup. We should at least give it a shot. And if it all goes in the crapper, I’ll sic my moms on the fools that mess with us. And the freaking yeti.”

Reggie couldn’t help but roll his eyes. That had always been Liv’s answer to everything. “Livia, I hate to break it to you, but if you go around threatening people with yetis, everyone’s gonna think you’ve got a screw loose. Except me; I know you’ve got a screw loose.”

“So damn rude,” Liv growled. “Anyway, you really should eat something. It probably won’t help you feeling crap and light-headed if you’ve got an empty stomach. They’ve got arepas!”

“...I could eat an arepa,” Reggie admitted. There was only so much a young boy of thirteen could control; he couldn’t wave a magic wand and guarantee that his little sister would never be hurt by cruel, ignorant words, but he could look after himself, so that he was the best him he could be-- and the best brother.

_____________________________

USA, 2028

“You did a great job, sweetheart,” Taylor said kindly as Reggie delicately placed his knife and fork atop his small plastic plate, signaling that he’d finished. Immediately afterwards, the little boy’s small hand had dropped to his side to get a reassuring touch of his teddy’s scruffy fur. “It was nice of Big Bear to join us for dinner. Does he like lasagna as much as you do?”

Reggie yawned widely as he nodded to his aunt. He hadn’t known it was possible for a kid to be so full of yawns, but living with newborn twins had shown him just how big a tired feeling could be. “Big Bear likes to watch from the floor.”

“That’s nice of him to let you have the whole plate for yourself. We’re gonna have plenty to bring over to your mommy and daddy for them to eat tomorrow.”

Lasagna had been Reggie’s choice. This whole sleepover was to be all about him; giving him a welcome break from the stresses of being a new big brother to two babies at once. He’d been on many, many sleepovers at Tia Estela and Auntie Taylor’s place before, but this time felt different. Reggie knew that at home, his parents were busy with their other children… and in his sensitive state, it took no time at all for him to miss them.

Twins, Reggie had come to realise, were very hard work. They cried a lot… and his mommy cried a lot, and his daddy cried a lot, and he cried a lot. All crying and no sleeping was not a whole lot of fun. Reggie wanted so badly to get away from the babies, but at the same time he longed to be with his parents. However much fun it was to take a break at his aunts’ place, the worry in him just wouldn’t go away.

Side-by-side, he and Liv changed into their pyjamas. Five-year-old Liv, true to form, nattered away to him the whole time. Babies, of course, were the subject of choice.

“My moms say we’re probably not gonna get another baby. Maybe ‘cos you have two I can borrow one if I get lonely. Do you have one that you like best?”

Reggie shrugged.

“Maybe next time your mom and dad will have three. You could have all these babies like a baby army, and if someone’s ever mean to you, you will have like a hundred poopy diapers you can throw at them. No one likes poop.”

“I don’t want lots more babies,” Reggie said softly. I want no more.

“If you don’t like babies, you can come and live with us forever!” Liv suggested brightly, oblivious the the wobble of her cousin’s bottom lip.

When Estela popped her head around the corner to check on the kids, Reggie was in tears and Liv looked totally bewildered.

“Mommy, Reggie’s crying…,” she pointed out, rather unnecessarily, for her mother had already scooped the little boy into a cuddle.

“It’s okay, mijo,” Estela soothed as she gently rocked her nephew in her arms. “It’s okay to cry. This has been really hard. You know what? You have been such a good boy for Mommy and Daddy.”

Liv, not quite sure what to do, but nothing if not well-meaning, draped herself over Reggie and patted him on the back. “There, there. It’s okay.”

Estela took Reggie into the lounge room for some cheer-up time, and Liv took Big Bear. Taylor quickly joined them, and pulled Reggie into her lap for a cuddle.

“Are you feeling a bit sad, sweetpea?”

Reggie nodded. “Uh-huh. I liked it better how things were before. Everything’s different.”

Taylor gently rubbed the little boy’s arms. “Change can be really tough. It’s like you’ve got to figure out how life works all over again!”

“Yeah, it’s not nice.”

“So, it’s okay to have a good cry. We will give you as many hugs and cuddles as you need.”

“Reggie,” Liv piped up, “do you wanna play a game? That could make you feel happy?”

Reggie sniffed and nodded again. Pleased-- she had this cheering-up business down-- Liv plonked herself in Estela’s lap and leaned forward to her cousin.

“Do you wanna play… ‘Klaawyi Chase’?”

Estela intervened quickly. “Maybe something with a little less running around. It’s nearly bedtime, Livi.”

“Okay. Ummmm…. ‘Duck, Duck, Goose’?”

“Livita.”

Well, you’re no fun. Liv gave a soft huff and pondered. By her best guess, ‘Hide and Seek’ would be a ‘no’ too… especially as last time she’d hid, no one managed to find her for a full hour.

“How about,” Taylor suggested, “we have a game of ‘Fortunately-Unfortunately’?”

“I wanna play that one!” Reggie said enthusiastically. “Can I start? Fortunately, we all had ice cream for dessert.”

Liv bounced in her mother’s lap. “Unfortunately, the ice cream was smelly-feet flavour!”

“Livi!” Taylor exclaimed, rolling her eyes. Why was everything smelly-feet with that kid? “Okay, then-- fortunately, Robin Dog likes smelly-feet, so he ate all the ice cream for us.”

“Oh!” Liv cried. “I’ve got a really good one!” Hehe, Robin with smelly-feet farts….

“Unfortunately,” said Estela. “It was Mama Estela’s turn, and Miss Livita just had to wait.”

Liv turned and poked her tongue out at her mom, making Reggie giggle. He snuggled in against his Auntie Taylor’s chest, his mind far away from worries about his new role as big brother to a pair of very needy twins.

“Fortunately,” he said, smiling, “Furball was visiting, and he made us some new ice cream with no yucky flavours in it.”

“Unfortunately….”

_________________________

San Trobida, September 2035

It was the last weekend before school started, and a lazy warm day at the Montoya house. Estela was up a tree, hammering boards into what would soon be a playhouse for the kids. She’d already finished up a two-storey-high climbing wall on the other side of the yard, which, at Liv’s request, would eventually be connected to the new tree-house by a zipline. Then, there’d be a slide, and monkey bars, and a tyre swing, and a fire pole. Basically, Estela had made it her mission to put together the best backyard playground on the Costa Libertad. Taylor, meanwhile, had been busying herself with a vegetable garden, with the help of a fascinated Erin and her parents, who turned out to be quite clever when it came to soil chemistry.

Liv had been up and down her new climbing wall like a yo-yo, leaving her dog, Robin, running rings around the base and all but tripping Reggie up as he tentatively took his first steps towards ascending.

“Are you coming?”

“I’m trying! Your dog’s getting in the way.”

Eventually, Reggie managed to clamber his way up, with a little help from Liv who hauled him over the top.

“See; piece of cake.”

Reggie couldn’t quite agree, and now that he was up twenty feet, he was already dreading his descent back to solid ground. Keen to distract himself from the dizzying height, he passed Liv the rope that he’d carried slung across his shoulders.

“What do you want me to do with it?” she demanded. “You’re meant to drop one end back down….”

“I’m not going near the edge!”

“Fine. Immy! You down there still?”

On the ground, and trying to wrestle a squeaky toy giraffe from Robin’s mouth, Immy craned her neck up.

“Yeah-- but you’re lucky I am, Reggie was so slow.”

“Careful. I was careful. You should bloody well try it sometime.”

Immy rolled her eyes dramatically, but nonetheless took the rope end that Liv had lowered to her, and ran it over to Estela so the distance could be measured.

“There we go,” Liv said, after having marked the rope at the edge of the platform. “Done. Reggie, if you’re just going to look down, you might as well be on the ground. Come on-- check out the view!”

Begrudgingly, Reggie sat up properly and looked around.

“Woah.” Maybe he could see the appeal of being up so high, even if he was immensely grateful for the safety rails around the platform. “You really can see everything up here.”

“Isn’t it cool?” Liv beamed as she pointed her cousin towards the paddock behind the yard. “You wanted to see our horse? Right in there at the side of the sheltery-shed thing….”

“Oh, wow! Okay, fine, I believe you now. I guess she was just hiding earlier.”

“That’s Miel. She’s like, older than dirt; Mama Estela used to ride her when she was a teenager.”

“And she’s still alive?”

“Just about. I think she’s uh… nearly thirty? Pretty ancient. Mom found out she was all on her own after her friend died, and she bought her so she could retire here with us. She’s kind of a bitey asshole. Uh, the horse-- not Mom.” Liv quickly amended, glancing to the in-progress tree-house. “So, we’re keeping her, and if she wants to make friends with the new horses we’re getting, she can, otherwise at least she can, like, neigh rude horse words at them from over the fence.”

Reggie snorted. Weirdo.

“I’m super excited. I know Mama ‘Stel was kind of nervous about us moving over here because of how things were when she was a kid-- but it actually… feels nice. I love our new house. I love cranky Miel. I love that we’re gonna get chickens, and maybe a new friend for Robin. Even the school seems pretty good.”

Swallowing his fear, Reggie joined Liv at the railing, dangling his legs over the side of the platform.

“Yeah, I think I like it here, too. Mom and Dad seem really happy; Dad says he can make more of a good difference in the world here than in America. So, I guess that’s got to be good. Did I tell you we’re going to put a pool in?”

“You might have mentioned it. When you’ve been whining about the heat, for the hundredth time.”

“It’s so humid!”

Liv giggled. It was like being back in the tropics of La Huerta, and to her, that felt right. Granted, it might have been nicer if they could just pop on over into a neighbouring alpine region that was inexplicably right next to the hot, sticky jungle, but she really loved it.

“Well,” Reggie said, “it’s going to be great. And it should be done by the time Quinn and Michelle come to visit.”

“Do we even know whose house they’re staying at yet?”

“It should be my place.” Reggie puffed out his chest, as if to emphasise the rightness of his point. “You’re definitely getting Jake and Sean and Mikey. You can’t take all the visitors. And besides… we’ll have a pool.”

That was hard to argue with. “It’s up to the adults anyway,” Liv conceded. In the end, it didn’t matter; she was going to make the most of having her La Huerta family around even if it meant camping out in Reggie’s back yard. “But, I will be a much better San Trobida tour guide than you. I’m still showing you around.”

Reggie hmphed, and Liv laughed.

“Come on, Reggie,” she said, dropping gracefully down the side of the wall and taking up hand-holds. “I’m getting hungry.”

It was at that point that Reggie made the sobering discovery that going down, was rather more intimidating than going up a sheer vertical surface.

“Um, Liv…,” he said quietly. “I, uh, don’t think I can do that.”

“Oh!” Liv responded. “Sorry, I forgot you’re new to this. Maybe you should’ve started smaller. But don’t worry, I’ll get you down….”

“Okay…,” he murmured, clearly not remotely convinced.

“Mom!” Liv hollered, all but making her poor cousin topple over the edge in surprise. “Reggie’s stuck!”

Reggie felt heat rise in his cheeks as his sisters, hanging out on the grass below the wall at the worst possible time, burst out laughing. Like they could even get up this high to begin with.

Up in the tree-house, Estela looked up and wiped off the paint from her hands. Rescuing kids from scrapes had pretty much become her specialty at this point; twelve years with Liv had seen to that. “I’m coming,” she called back.

“I’m not exactly stuck,” Reggie muttered defensively, as his Tia Estela easily scaled the climbing wall to join him and Liv, who’d already rejoined him to offer moral support. “If I really wanted to, I could climb down; I just feel I should practice climbing up a few more times before I try that.”

“You’ll get there,” Estela said kindly. As far as she was concerned, the fact that her nephew had a realistic view of his own capabilities was only a good thing. “I’ll have that zipline going in no time anyway, so you’ll have no hurry to work it out.”

With his aunt’s back offered to him, Reggie took the cue and wrapped his long arms around her neck, and his legs around her middle. Getting rescued by one of the team of protective grown-ups? Basically, the story of both his and Liv’s lives.

“Hang on, Regito,” Estela laughed.

____________________________

La Huerta, 2034

The frigid wind howled against the cabin door, and it took all of Liv and Reggie’s combined might to wrestle it closed. Both kids were panting heavily-- and shaking like leaves-- as they nervously stepped away.

“Thank god this little hut was here, really,” Liv heaved. “I dunno about you, but I’d rather be stranded in a snowstorm with walls around me.”

Reggie said nothing, and just shivered, wrapping his arms around his own torso. He’d wrapped up-- as if his parents would let him go wandering into the colder pockets of the island without a heap of layers-- but the snow had wet his gloves through, and a chill was now spreading through his body.

“Hey,” Liv said, “we should… we should get a fire going. You look like you’re halfway turned into a popsicle right now.”

As his cousin busied herself at the fireplace-- thank goodness there was some firewood left-- Reggie fiddled with his emergency phone. His heart sank. No signal. His mom and dad were going to be so worried when he and Liv never came home….

“Uh, Liv… I think the storm’s screwed up the reception here. It won’t let me phone Mom and Dad.”

Liv looked up, and for the first time, she looked truly fearful, her usual intrepid spirit extinguished in a flash. “They’re really gonna panic,” she said softly. She shuddered. If their parents came out looking for them, it meant walking out into a blizzard, and all the danger that came with it. If she could just tell her mothers that she was safe, that she and Reggie had shelter… they could wait out the storm. Anything could happen, anything….

“Are you okay, Livia?” Reggie asked, and he handed her a heavy blanket as he sat down cross-legged in front of her feebly burning fire. “You look kind of spaced-out.”

“Hng?”

“They’ll find us; it’ll be okay.”

“I don’t want them to come and find us,” Liv snapped. “I want them to stay where it’s safe. They could get hurt or, or worse because we were stupid enough not to turn around when the weather changed.” She placed a stick too roughly, and her firewood tower collapsed, extinguishing the flame. “For fuck’s sake!”

Reggie, wisely, stayed quiet, letting his cousin fix up the mess and get a new fire started without interference. He watched her with concern as her eyes welled. “Livia…?”

She huddled close to him, but for a long while, didn’t speak.

“Reggie,” she murmured at last, “something really horrible happened a couple of weeks ago. I didn’t want to talk about it with you, ‘cause… ‘cause I didn’t even want to think about it…. It just made me feel too bad. But, uh.... I was… I was playing in the sea with Mama Estela. Just like we always do. We were just goofing off. Then, um, I got all tangled up in those freaking weeds. They grabbed me and held me under.”

“That must have been so scary….”

“Of course, Mom got me out of there. B-but there was a sea-snake in there. It bit her. It happened so fast… I hardly even saw what happened, but she suddenly just... could hardly even get out of the water. I somehow managed to haul her up out the water, but she was all limp and… and I gave her the anti-venom, and she just started having some kind of fit.. Like her body was jerking around, and her mouth was all frothy.” She gasped through a sob. “Then she… she stopped breathing, completely.” Liv shuddered as the memory filled her mind, vivid as if it were yesterday. She could feel Reggie’s wide, horrified eyes upon her. “I screamed. I screamed for help. Mama Taylor was up the beach, she couldn’t hear me. S-so I did CPR. My hands were shaking so-- so bad. And all I could think was ‘I’m gonna screw this up. I’m gonna screw this up and my mom’s gonna die’.” Her voice cracked and she sputtered through hot tears that she wiped away with her arm. Before she knew it, Reggie had his arms around her and was holding her tight. “I don’t know how long it was,” she said. “It felt like forever, but it was probably only a few minutes. Then she started breathing and I just… I cried, and cried, and cried.”

Reggie gently rubbed Liv’s back, and it soothed her.

“I, uh, I guess I always thought Mama Estela was invincible. To me, she always was. There was nothing I couldn't do either, because she would always be there to protect me. It was so close, Reggie… it looked like she was gone.”

“I… didn’t know it was as bad as that. My dad told me she’d been bitten but…,” Reggie mumbled. “You must have been so scared. Have you… have you talked to your moms about it much?”

Liv sniffed, and wiped her face again. “Yeah. You know what my Mama Taylor is like; we’ve talked it through lots, I’ve told them how I’m feeling. But I haven’t… like… had a big cry since it happened.” Until now. Now, she just couldn’t seem to stop the tears from coming. Reggie didn’t seem to mind; he just sat with her, and rubbed her back, and told her it was okay.

After what seemed like an age, her tears slowed.

“It is going to be okay, you know?” Reggie said gently. “Obviously, they’re going to come out looking for us, but they’re smart. They’ll be prepared; just like your Mama Estela was with the anti-venom.”

“Yeah…,” Liv said, her voice small. You could be as prepared as you wanted, but sometimes the world managed to stay one step ahead. The storm outside was wild and furious, battering on the roof and walls… and it was frightening. Liv could only snuggle under her cousin’s arm, and trust that whatever search and rescue party was out there would come through.

The two kids huddled together beneath their blanket, speaking little, but making their mutual support known without words. Just the squeeze of a hand through the most blood-curdling howls of the wind, and the simple offer of presence.

Somehow, the creak of the door shoved open cut through the dull roar.

“Oh, thank goodness!”

“Dad!” Reggie leapt forward and flung his arms around his father, his face lighting up further when Grace followed in behind. “Mom!”

Grace put her shaking hands to her son’s face, gently sweeping hair from his eyes. “Darling, are you all right?” Then she pulled Liv into a fierce hug, and in a moment Aleister had his arms around all three of them. “We were so worried!”

Liv whimpered against Grace’s shoulder. “Are my moms out in the storm?” She knew the answer already.

“Yes, honey. They’re out searching for you. Don’t you stress, okay? We’ve got a flare to set off so they’ll know we found you here-- and Varyyn and Diego too.”

“Woah,” Liv murmured, “you got a whole search party out.”

There was a buzzing, and the flickering of blue light, then Iris materialised.

Reggie beamed. “Hey, Grandma! So, a ‘whole search party’ is pretty much correct.”

“I will say, being able to scan for nearby lifeforms is quite handy in situations like these.”

So, find my moms and Tio Diego. Liv hugged tighter to her Auntie Grace, with no words pleading for help.

“Oh, sweetheart,” Grace said gently, stroking Liv’s face, while Aleister saw to setting off the flare. “It’s going to be just fine. We’re not far from Elyys’tel; we all fanned out from there, so no one is going to be too deep into the mountains.”

That… actually made sense. It was enough, just enough to keep Liv a step above panic-mode. She headed back to the fireplace, but as her backside hit the floor, a guttural roar rocked the cabin, and she leapt back to her feet.

“What the--?”

“You two stay back!” Aleister ordered, his voice shaking. Why, oh why, did the children want to go gallivanting out in the frozen wilderness when there was a perfectly serviceable tropical paradise right outside their front door? He was going to be old before his time at this rate….

Grace, though, was already hauling open the door, to reveal the hulking figure of the Mountain Guardian.

A growl rumbling in her throat, Arktos loomed in the doorway, looking down at Grace with a questioning gaze.

“Hello…?” she said cautiously. The gigantic bear-like creature was generally reasonably friendly…. “Did we… did we disturb you with the flare?”

Arktos grumbled, her furry ears flicking with curiosity.

“Our friends are out there in the storm,” Grace continued, certain that the yeti would understand; her past experiences had only supported the fact that this creature was incredibly intelligent-- and benevolent. “The flare was to bring them to this cabin.”

With a soft huff, Arktos shuffled backwards, and all of a sudden, it seemed as though she was surrounded by a force-field… a bubble that the wind and blinding snow couldn’t penetrate.

Understanding, Grace turned to Iris. “I think we’re going hiking again-- with a little extra help this time. Al, you’ll stay and watch the kids?”

“I--I--” Aleister stuttered. “Well, of course. Stay close to the… the bear thing.” Scrambling a little, he pulled off his outer layer and offered it to her. “I won’t have you catching hypothermia.”

And Grace stepped into the snow, Iris hovering behind her, and found shelter in the yeti’s protective shield. She looked up at the beast, now rearing up onto colossal hind legs to scout for signs of nearby human activity. “Thank you, Arktos. I guess… I guess, you choose the direction, and we’ll start the search.”

The unusual trio headed out into the storm, and within moments, they were invisible for the wind thick with snow. Aleister, a look of dumbfoundment upon his face, closed the door, and again, the cabin was quiet.

“Damn. Auntie Grace is a fricking badass,” Liv breathed, face alight in awe.

Aleister, recovering from his wife’s shock exit quickly-- he’d seen her steely courage in action enough times to just about take it in his stride, nodded. “Indeed.” He brushed the last flakes of snow from his coat, and looked around the room. “Well, I don’t suppose the wait will pass any faster with us standing around here. Reggie, did we leave any board-games here last time?”

“Uh, looks like we’ve got ‘Scrabble’?”

Well, Liv thought, I don’t have a hope in hell against these people. Should’ve left ‘Twister’ here….

Reggie sat himself down in front of the crackling fire and started unpacking the box. “Hey, Livia-- team up with me?”

He was clearly still a little worried about her. If there was an opportunity to thrash her at something, Mr Pedantic-Always-Right would take it without fail. Or so Liv had believed.

She plonked down cross-legged beside him. “Yeah? Yeah, all right.”

The two kids exchanged a high five, and Liv couldn’t help but grin. You are going down, Uncle Al.

___________________________

San Trobida, September 2035

As the car pulled up the neatly paved pathway to Aleister and Grace’s house, Liv excitedly rolled down the window.

“Reginaaaaald!!!” she hollered.

“How,” Aleister wondered aloud, “can such a small person-- and the offspring of Estela and Diego of all people-- sound so eerily like a bloody foghorn?”

A beaming Reggie followed his father out the front door. He exchanged hugs with both his parents-- and his two little sisters-- and then rushed to join his cousin on the back seat.

“Are you ready to go, mijo?” Estela checked in, suppressing a laugh as Taylor all but did a contortion act to give her nephew a hug from the front seat.

He had Liv, didn’t he? So, basically, he was ready for anything.

The short drive to the school saw the return of those pesky jitters, and Reggie knew from the way his cousin jiggled her leg the whole way there that he was definitely not alone in that. The school ground, filled only with kids their own age when they’d been there for orientation, was swarming with adolescents of all sizes-- and just about all of them were bigger than Reggie and Liv.

With an awkward hug and a kiss to her mothers in the front of the car, Liv bit the bullet and, bulging backpack in hand, stepped out into a brave new world. There was only one thing for it; Reggie would just have to take the plunge. He swung his backpack over his shoulder, and followed after his cousin.

“Welp,” said Liv, “here goes nothing!”

Reggie gave a nervous laugh and playfully bashed Liv with his backpack, putting a reassuringly silly grin on her face.

We’ve got this.

_______________________

NOTES

Little Xiraana is @mauvecatfic's baby. Check out her stories; you won't regret it!

If you read 'A Ride to Remember', you might remember Miel. She's the very same horse.

Aaaaand, the incident Liv is recounting during the snowstorm is the one you can read from Estela's perspective in 'Teething Problems: Part Two'.

[kingreywrites]

Even If It Hurts - Chapter 2 - The one they found

Fandom: Tangled

Word Count: 2366

Summary: There are days when the tears can't help but fall, no matter how much Rapunzel and Eugene don't want them to.

There are days when these tears are shed for family; for the one they lost, the one they found, and the one they created.

Chapter Summary: Despite trying, the words will not come. His breath is cut off by the tears he won't shed, taking too much place in his chest until he feels nothing but them. He doesn't want to cry, but he's not sure if it's stopping talking or keeping at it that will tip him over the edge. Maybe there's no escaping this.

Note: Eugene’s turn >:)

Read on ao3

1. The one they lost ; 2. The one they found

Eugene... Eugene doesn't cry often. It doesn't suit him. People think it's another example of him being conceited when he says he has an ugly crying face, because after all, everyone is ugly when they cry, but it's- it's more complicated than that.

Eugene is an ugly crier. He's a loud crier too, because he can't stand sitting around in deafening silence while his world feels like it's crumbling around him. He needs to move, to talk, to do anything so he can ignore his tears as much as possible and that made him an absolute nightmare to deal with as a child, or so he was told.

He doesn't remember crying often enough to be an annoyance. He does remember, somewhat, the feeling of being scolded by people who were as tall as giants, yelling for him to shut up. He's an adult now, and he's not sure if this is a memory or a dream, but he feels like there's definitely a part of truth in this. He probably deserved the yelling, to be honest, because he must have been impossible to deal with back then. Crying kids were annoying, and the matrons would often let them cry all night instead of doing anything (Eugene knew, because he was the one who got up and read them stories so they could calm down); he had always been extra annoying, making potential families flee with his general attitude. A mix of the two was definitely headache worthy, so they did their best for him to stop crying.

They mostly succeeded.

Eugene can count the number of times he cried in the last five years on the fingers of his hand - and it's exactly once, when he was about to die and leave Rapunzel behind. He had been terrified, for her and for himself, and the tears had come naturally. He had been too tired to fight them. After that, though, he had begun his no crying streak anew, and it was only a deaged Lance that nearly broke it.

Eugene has a soft spot for crying kids, it's not his fault.

But Lance didn't make him cry. Getting hurt during their adventures didn't make him cry, practically betraying the woman he loved most didn't make him cry, meeting his long lost father didn't make him cry-

Except.

Except they go back to Corona, Eugene with one father more and one friend less. They go back, and Rapunzel is a mess, so he tries to be there for her when she needs it, tries to be the support she has trouble asking for. And then, his father- Edmund comes back, with dreams of reconnecting with his long lost son, and Rapunzel is excited at the prospect, and Eugene wants Rapunzel to be happy and... He gets roped into a weird adventure, and despite the still present hurt, Edmund and him make amends.

He still doesn't cry. He has no reason to anymore, after all.

So when the tears come anyway, the overwhelming mix of anger and shame nearly chokes him with how suddenly it takes over him. He flees his conversation with Edmund with the flimsiest excuse, and practically runs to his bedroom in a desperate dash for privacy.

He won't cry. "I won't cry," he repeats out loud, unsure of who he's trying to convince - but his voice wobbles on the last word.

He closes his fists, takes a deep breath, and holds it in for as long as he can in fear of a sob breaking out of his chest. His eyes are burning and nothing is working and he's going to cry but- but-- He grabs the first object he can get his hands on and throws it down harshly, cringing at the sound of broken glass that follows. Through the blurring of his eyes, he understands that it was a glass of water, and that makes him feel like even more of an idiot because- because-

He can't breathe. He stumbles and sits down heavily on his bed, putting his palms over his eyes in the vain hope of stopping the process - but he can already feel the ugly twisting of his face as he tries to keep it all in, and soon-

"Eugene?"

He startles badly, and turns towards the voice, blinking his eyes rapidly. Of course she's here now. "Sunshine," he laughs, or coughs, he isn't sure, and he can see more clearly for now - clear enough to notice the frown clearly forming on her face, or the concern in her eyes. "What- uh, what are you doing here?"

His voice is still wobbling. Kindly, Rapunzel doesn't comment on it.

"A handmaiden heard a crash in your room," she smiles gently, looking at the broken glass on the ground. "She was worried, so she told me."

"Ah. Yeah, that, be- be careful about the glass, I don't want you to cut your feet because of me. Because, you know," he babbles as she quietly makes her way over him, "going barefoot everywhere can be dangerous. Well, you obviously know that, and I'm not trying to tell you what to do but- uh... that's... something to consider?" he finishes lamely.

Rapunzel doesn't answer him, simply sitting down next to him. Her shoulder is warm against his. She smells like strawberry, today, and he wonders if she was in the middle of one of her baking endeavours. He hopes he hasn't interrupted her, all because he grew too angry and threw a freaking glass to the ground like an idiot, probably scaring some poor handmaiden in the process.

"Eugene," Rapunzel repeats, in that way she has of saying his name full of love and affection, and free of any judgement. "Are you okay?"

Once again, Eugene tears up like a baby. He starts looking stubbornly at the wall, in the vain hope that she doesn't see it.

"Oh you know," he laughs, the sound bitter and angry, "just trying to strike a discussion with my dear old father- that wasn't even a father to me until like two months ago!" His voice gets loud again, but the remarks about being an annoying crier are forgotten for a second, as he tries to explain. "And here I come, simply trying to understand hi- to understand my life better, and he- he- he refuses!" Eugene stutters painfully, feeling his breaths getting caught in his chest.

His cheeks are hurting from the way they're scrunching up unnaturally. His hands are balled around the sheets of his bed, and he feels like he's falling apart at the seams, trying to hold himself together through sheer willpower. It's not working. And so he keeps talking, hoping that his mouth will move faster than his mind, and that it'll be enough.

"He's really- He really thinks because he's my father he has a right to decide what's good for me but he- he lost that right," he exclaims, voice breaking on the "lost", heart breaking at the memories. "Each time I think I'm forgiving him, each time... Each time I think we can be family, I remember just how much he fucked up, and how that fucked me up, and I- I-"

He can't take a breath after that, but Rapunzel softly takes his hand, and his lungs somewhat remember what they're supposed to do.

"It's okay to be angry, Eugene," she whispers, her voice so quiet next to his and yet echoing louder in his mind. "No one expects you to be okay immediately."

"Really?" he laughs, a short burst that doesn't convince anyone, "because Edmund expects me to be fine with him. A lot of people think it's so great that I'm actually a Prince, and can't even imagine- can't- he abandoned me!" Eugene explodes. "He abandoned me, as a child, and he knew how much I was suffering, he had all the wanted posters! He knew I was thieving to survive and... And that means he knew about the nights sleeping outside, being so hungry I felt like my stomach was eating itself. He knew about the living out there in the cold, he knew about me nearly getting killed on a daily basis, he maybe even knew about that time I thought Lance was going to die and I was going to be all alone and-"

He can't finish that sentence. He still hasn't looked at Rapunzel, but he feels her thumb slowly stroking his hand, gently trying to calm him down.

"He knew," he breathes out quietly, heart thumping in his chest. "And I know he had his reasons but- but I didn't deserve that. I know I didn't." Rapunzel hums quietly. His head hurts. His throat feels raw, and he remembers that he's an ugly, loud crier, will you shut up Eugene-

But he won't shut up. He wants to, really - he wishes he was strong enough to compose himself but... He hasn't had a proper breakdown in a decade, and it's all crashing down on him, bringing everything he built down with it.

"I asked him about my mom," Eugene admits quietly, "and he didn't want to talk about it. Said it was- a touchy subject for him. As if- as if it isn't for me," he chuckles, feeling really cold. "Two months ago, I didn't know I had a mother, and now I'm grieving a nameless woman I only saw in a painting, all because he- he- because he-"

Despite trying, the words will not come. His breath is cut off by the tears he won't shed, taking too much place in his chest until he feels nothing but them. He doesn't want to cry, but he's not sure if it's stopping talking or keeping at it that will tip him over the edge. Maybe there's no escaping this.

"It's so stupid," Eugene rages, against Edmund and against himself, his voice way weaker than he wants it to be. "I- I should be happy right? But- He's so- he- this is stupid! And- And who even names their kids Horace?!"

Of course that's the exact moment Eugene can't hold back his tears anymore. For fucking Horace, when it was supposed to be a joke so he could get a grip on himself. But maybe it's not just the name. Maybe it's about meeting someone who did so much harm to you, and having to fight them over the simple thing of being called your chosen name, like you had to fight so many people before him; maybe it's about spending years hating everything that made you who you are, before finally coming to terms with your identity, finally seeing something worth loving in yourself, only to discover that it was all a lie anyway.

In the end, it doesn't matter. Eugene starts crying, and tries to hide his face in his hands, but Rapunzel doesn't let go of the one she's holding. His head is swimming. She tugs him towards her, and suddenly he's sobbing on her shoulder, feeling like a pathetic idiot for it. And of course he doesn't stop babbling, about how stupid this all is, and how he shouldn't even be crying anyway, because there was way worse in life and he was fine.

Rapunzel doesn't say much. She tells him to breathe, mostly, and gently congratulates him when he does. She tells him that he's okay. She tells him that she loves him.

She doesn't say much, but she says exactly what he needs.

"I'm sorry," he chuckles wetly, shivering a little when he feels her fingers on the nap of his neck. "This isn’t… You already have a lot on your shoulders, and I'm putting more weight on them. Quite literally."

He hopes for a laugh at the joke, hopes he can pretend again that everything's fine and that he has absolutely no issues with discovering where he's from more than twenty years late.

"Eugene," Rapunzel says instead, her voice tainted by an unmistakable seriousness, "I don't care about what's going on for me, I- I always want you to be able to confide in me." She sounds sad. He remembers these times, when he was worried it was his fault that she preferred to cry alone; if he had done anything that made her feel like she couldn't trust him with her sorrows.

He wonders if he made her feel the same. He wonders if she also feels the same as he does on the subject - not that there's a lack of trust, but a deep desire to protect the other from everything that could needlessly hurt them, even if it's their own emotions. Eugene doesn't rely on others easily; neither does Rapunzel.

After all this time, he's still sometimes surprised to see how similar they can be.

"I'm sorry," Rapunzel breathes out this time, and she keeps him from straightening up as she continues. "I'm sorry I've been so busy and preoccupied, I… I hate that you've been hurting, and that I wasn't here for you."

Eugene's automatic answer is to deny this, but he still has his head on her shoulder, after basically breaking down for who knows how many minutes, so he doesn't think she'll believe him. He is hurting, even if it's hard to admit. He hasn't been quite the same since the Dark Kingdom - since meeting his father, since losing Cassandra, since seeing the love of his life so broken over the betrayal. He hasn't been the same, but he also hasn't allowed himself to be different, because it was never the time for him to simply… allow himself to be sad.

"We're both hurting," he finally answers, tightening his grip around her slightly. "I- I think we're just trying our best, you and me. I think… I think that's okay, for now."

He's still sniffling. His face is uncomfortably hot from the crying, and he really doesn't want anyone to see the mess he is right now. But in her arms, Eugene forgets to care. He forgets about the scoldings he once received, forgets about his fears of being judged, and just hugs Rapunzel for as long as he can.

They stay like this for a long time.

[personasintro]

My Tiny Secret | 10; Weirdness

𝑴𝒚 𝑻𝒊𝒏𝒚 𝑺𝒆𝒄𝒓𝒆𝒕 𝒅𝒓𝒂𝒃𝒃𝒍𝒆 | 10; Weirdness

⏤𝒔𝒚𝒏𝒐𝒑𝒔𝒊𝒔; Pretty face doesn’t make it up for an ugly personality. And Kim Seokjin is the perfect proof of that.

⏤𝒑𝒂𝒊𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈: seokjin x reader

⏤𝒈𝒆𝒏𝒓𝒆: angst, smut

⏤𝒘𝒂𝒓𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔: toxic relationship, mistress au, strong language

⏤> 𝒇𝒊𝒄 𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒙

It's six in the evening, sharp, as Seokjin calls it a night. The black suit that's thrown over his chair ever since this morning is another reminder that he's been stuck in his office for the whole day. He can't even feel hunger from how his stomach shrank from the lack of food.

He shuts down his laptop with a loud click before he slides his long arms into the holes of his fancy suit. There's a soft knock on the door and without waiting for his response, it's already pushed open.

“Hey, you already going?”

The sound of his friend's, but most recently a new partner, resounds in the empty office and it's like a bomb to Seokjin's ears. He's been accompanied with silence for the whole day, going over some papers that his assistant has pilled on his desk. It's his fault that he wants to be included in everything. He's the CEO after all.

Except occasional calls, he barely talked to anyone today. His head was buried in stack of papers and the bright screen of his laptop so much, that his eyes sting with occasional headache coming and leaving every few minutes. Maybe that's why he feels so irritated by everything.

It's supposed to sound as a joke, Namjoon teasing his friend once he sees it's only six in the evening. Seokjin usually leaves around nine or ten. But Seokjin doesn't crack a smile, not that his friend ever expected him to.

“Yeah,” he blinks, feeling how dry his eyes has become. “I need to run some errands.” he says, mentally cringing how it sounded coming from his mouth and ignores Namjoon's taken back gaze.

“What are you doing here anyway?” Seokjin asks with a mutter in his voice, not even paying a proper attention to him while he grabs his phone from the desk.

He doesn't know what comes over him, but he checks for any notification from you. You surely didn't forget, did you?

“I was having a meeting.” Namjoon answers, watching his friend grabbing his belongings in an awful rush.

“What?” Seokjin scoffs with chuckle, giving his friend a doubting look. “Your meeting ended three hours ago.”

Of course, he knows. It's no surprise for Namjoon that Seokjin knows about it, despite of him being hidden in the office since this morning.

“We were discussing important things about our contract with your assistant.”

For a second, Seokjin feels as if he made a mistake for sending his assistant to have a meeting with his friend.

“Please, refrain from flirting with my assistant while you're in the company.” Seokjin tells him, sending a glare at his friend's flushed face at the oblivious. Well, it's not like he tried to hide it that much.

“What's with the rush?”

Seokjin stops in his tracks, a cold sweat dripping down his neck for some reason.

“Is your wife waiting for you?”

Namjoon wiggles his brows in teasing manner, completely ignored by Seokjin who scratches his chin.

“Yeah, now get out of here. Go home.” he tells his friend, who is completely used to his attitude and only grins at him in response.

He got her phone number, he's pleased and ready to go home.

And so is Seokjin, but the difference is that he's only ready to go however, he's not going home.

The hallway and the same set of doors in it is very familiar to him, despite of him not being here for a week. He chose this apartment building and the apartment itself by himself. The key to it is well hidden in the pocket of his slacks, and it almost burn against his skin as he thinks about it. It's not right and he contemplated what to do, until he knocks on the front door and all his thoughts disappear.

He almost thinks you're not going to answer, and he pathetically stands in front of the door growing embarrassed that someone might see him. Even his fingers twitch alongside his body and he complements of using that key, invading your privacy. But then you open the door with slightly widened eyes, your hair slightly disheveled as you hug the material of your robe closer to yourself.

“Seokjin?” you ask quietly, suddenly awake of the sight of a tall man standing in front of you. “I thought you wouldn't come.” you tell him as you open the door wider for him, turning around with flushed cheeks.

He barely pays you any attention as he takes off his shoes, putting it nicely to your almost empty cupboard.

It's weird not seeing the huge amount of Hoseok's sneakers there. But rather than dwell on that thought, you nervously hug yourself even more considering your appearance right now.

“I texted you.” he points out and you vaguely remember his text he sent you this morning.

It was something along the lines “I want to visit Yoojin tonight”, no please as usual.

“I know, I just thought you wouldn't come.” you mutter quietly under your breath, walking to the living room with Seokjin trailing behind you.

“You look like shit.” he comments out loud and you can't even muster a glare at him from the tiredness that makes your muscles ache.

You sit onto the soft spot on your couch, closing your eyes for a brief moment. “Yeah, thanks,” you say ironically, rolling your eyes. “I haven't slept the whole night. Yoojin was being cranky, I think his tummy hurt.”

Seokjin spares you a glance, seeing you rub your eyes and yawn right after. He notices how swollen your whole face is and even catches a look at the bags under your eyes.

“Where is he?” he asks looking around.

You don't seem to be offended by his ignorance towards you, you've learnt not to expect some empathy from him long time ago.

“He's sleeping.” you swallow that small 'finally' that threatened to escape.

You'd feel as a bad mother if you even said it out loud, but it's true. He's never been this cranky ever before, you barely slept and managed to take a nap just an half an hour ago. If it wasn't for Seokjin's knocks, you'd still be sound asleep.

“Has he never cried before?” he asks dumbfounded, confusion crossing over his features.

It annoys you, because he'll never understand the struggles you had to overcome as a mother. From your birth to sleepless nights while your body was, still is, recovering from Yoojin's birth. You'd never admit it out loud, especially to Hoseok, but it's way harder to live alone with a baby.

“He did,” you breathe out. “But we always took turns with Hobi.”

The nickname freely leaves your mouth, and you don't give it that much thought because you sure miss him too much. Despite of him calling and face-timing you every night, it still gets lonely without him by your side. You always knew how much he has helped you, way before Yoojin was born, but this only reminds you of it even more.

“I can watch over him,” he speaks out, jaw locked in place as you look at him with stunned look. “You should take some rest.”

It sure is a hell of a surprise, hearing that suggestion to even come out of his mouth. He never even was all alone with Yoojin, you were always there to make sure he holds him right and it's not like Seokjin wanted it otherwise. He always asked if he's holding him right. On the other hand, are you really confident about leaving him alone? You can't help yourself but doubt him and it looks like he can see right through you, speaking out.

“I'm not going to kidnap him, if that's what you're worried about.” he raises his brow at you, letting you know that yes, he knows what you were thinking about.

“T-that's not- what- I wasn't--” you stutter over your words, covering your face with your face as you exhale with a tired sigh.

“It's okay,” he cuts you off, waving his hand as he takes off his suit off revealing the dress shirt underneath it.

It's almost weird seeing him wearing his usual attire. Seeing him with hoodie and jeans seemed much cleaner these days.

“Go take some rest.” he tells you, feeling annoyed that you still have doubts clearly written all over your face.

“Okay,” you whisper. “He's in his prim since I couldn't make him to fall sleep, that was the only thing that helped. I'll take him to a guest room and leave the room open, so you can hear him if he starts to cry.” you tell him and he nods along, fishing his phone out as he stares at the screen.

That's your cue to go to your bedroom, taking the pram and glancing at Yoojin who peacefully sleeps. As you walk out of the bedroom, Seokjin is standing in the living room and once he hears you coming, he walks to you. You stop, trying to hide the surprise on your face. Something feels weird.

“I just want to see him.” he whispers under his breath, glancing at Yoojin whose soft breaths can be heard.

He lightly coughs, walking back to the couch and you slowly place the prim into the guest room. When you come back, Seokjin turned on tv, volume so low that you can barely hear it and you wonder if he did it on purpose. Overthinking is a huge part of you whenever you stress over something, and that something is the father of your child right now. He seems almost comfortable, too comfortable, on the couch as he looks at the screen. He glances at you, or more like glares at you when he sees you standing there silently watching him.

The weirdness in the room is more than unfamiliar, and you don't know whether you welcome it or not. It's obviously something new and you wonder when it ever stops. Every time he comes to visit, there are new feelings around the both of you.

“I made some fried rice, there's not much in the fridge, didn't have enough time to buy something but uh, there are some leftovers. So feel free to eat, if you're hungry, of course.”

He silently watches you as you ramble, fiddling with the hem of your thin robe that feels so small underneath his dark eyes he stares at you with.

“Thanks.”

Did he just say thanks?

Turning around, you silently shut the door and quickly scurry to the comfort of your bed. It only takes a few relaxed breaths and you're out, finally getting some rest. Behind the doors, there is Seokjin standing up and aiming straight to the kitchen finding the leftovers on the stove. There is a lot of it and he doesn't bother to take out plate, eating it right of the pan and he moans at the home cooked meal on his tongue.

It's been a long fucking time since he tasted home cooked meal.

taglist: @kpopyandere​ @btsxarii​ @nostalgicstudyblr​ @rkivemagic​ @0minabean0​ @ughtear​ @queensavage1245​ @choppe96​ @mtgforall​ @jalexa83​ @euphoriugh​ @baekimseokjin​ @quirkyanya​ @ladyartemesia​ @seoulazzyy​ @sinstae​ (comment on the most recent chapter to be added)

[anythingandeverything1d]

Cheating

You walked in the front door, tripping over shoes and silently cursing. Harry always left his shoes right in the door for you to trip on. You reached down to pick them up but were surprised when you noticed they were a pair of heels, and not your pair of heels. You set the bag of food down on the counter before walking into the bedroom, shoes in hand. “Harry who’s shoes are-” your voice stopped. Harry looked up, panicked, and guilty. The girl in your bed rolled off the side, pulling her pants up and throwing her shirt on. You dropped the shoes and stared. She grabbed them and ran out the front door while Harry got up, walking towards you with his arms in the air.

“(y/n) wait, just please..I can explain.” You didn't say anything, you looked at the red hickey plastered on his neck and turned around walking out. “Baby wait.” He grabbed your wrist and you smacked him across the cheek, tears falling from your eyes.

“Get out. GET OUT HARRY!” you screamed. He stood in front of you shocked. You pushed your hands into his chest. “Harry get out.” You pushed him towards the door.

“Baby-”

“Dont do that. Don't you dare call me baby.”

“(y/n)...” You looked at him, tears falling down your cheeks. 

“You need to leave Harry.” You grabbed his keys off the counter and threw them at him. “I don't care where you go but it needs to be somewhere far away from here.” You turned away from him, walking into the bedroom and locking the door. You collapsed against the door, holding back your sobs in until you heard the front door close. You got up and reached for the bed, freezing when you saw her bra laying in the sheets. You knew you couldn't stay here, you knew thinking about what just happened in YOUR bed would actually make you sick. You also knew that driving was not an option seeing as the tears were clouding your vision and you could barely breathe between the sobs escaping your mouth. You grabbed your phone. There was only one person who lived close enough and wouldn't judge the situation. “Gemma..” you cried into the phone.

“Oh god. What did the idiot do now?”

“Can you come get me? I just don't think I can stay here...”

“Say no more sister, I’ll be there soon.” You quickly threw some clothes into a bag, grabbed your toothbrush, phone charger, and hairbrush. Gemma pulled up, walked in and hugged you. She grabbed your bag and carried it to the car as you locked the door behind you. Thankfully Gemma didn't ask too many questions, she made you a cup of tea and wrapped a blanket around your shoulders. You quietly thanked her and sipped the tea, trying not to think about what had happened. She sat across from you and waited for your breathing to return to normal before talking. “So what do I need to kill Harry for?”

You took a shaky breath, tears returning to your eyes. “He- he” you were crying again and Gemma scooted closer placing her hand on yours. “There was another girl-”

“You don't have to talk about it (y/n)...” Gemma softly smiled at you. “Not until you're ready.. and I won't mention to Harry that youre here or that I know what happened. Stay as long as you need. I really mean it when I say that, you are my sister whether youre with Harry or not.” That made you cry more. You hugged her tightly and smiled.

“I love you so much.”

“I love you too girl. Forget my brother, he's an asshole anyway.” You laughed and she smiled. “You can have the guest room, its the door on the left. Make yourself at home, seriously.”

You told her you would as she walked away answering her phone that had been ringing. You grabbed your bag off the floor and dropped it on the bed in the room. You were exhausted at this point, your eyes were so puffy from crying they felt as if they weren't able to stay open. Your throat hurt, your nose was so stuffy you couldn't breathe, and you had a killer headache. You sat on the edge of the bed, tossing your phone on the floor. Harry and texted and called more times than you could count. The door cracked open and you looked up confused, but Olivia ran in jumping on the bed and laying on your lap. Olivia was Gemma’s cat. You and Harry had watched her a few weeks ago when Gemma went out of town, and clearly she remembered you. You scratched her ears before getting up, changing into pjs, and climbing under the covers. Olivia rejoined you, purring slightly as she snuggled with you. You were grateful for the distraction, the soft purr, and the feeling of something snuggled next to you. You didn’t do well sleeping apart from Harry, in fact when he wasnt with you, you barely slept at all. Having Olivia was helping a little though, you were able to fall into a distracted and restless sleep. 

When you woke up the next morning, you felt worse than you had the night before. You felt hungover even though you hadn't had a sip of alcohol. You stumbled into the kitchen where you found Gemma eating a bowl of cereal and scrolling through her phone. “Morning.” you mumbled grabbing a bowl for yourself.

“You look like shit dude.” she said looking up from her phone.

“Well I’m glad because that pretty much how I feel.”

She frowned and held up her phone. “This might cheer you up..” You looked at the article of Harry. He was in his boxers standing on the street, tears streaking down his face, and getting into a car. You just shrugged and sat down. “Come on (y/n) perk up we are doing something fun today.”

“We are?”

“Yes. We are not letting you sulk around the house questioning my brothers dumb life decisions. We are going shopping.”

“In public?”

“Well that's where shops are so yes.”

“I don't think I’m ready.”

“Oh I know you aren't ready. Thats why we are going. Youre not about to feel sorry for yourself all day. Nope. You are going to get Harry off your mind, which is why we will no longer be talking about him, reading about, or thinking about him okay?”

You ate another bite of cereal and nodded. “Fine.” you grudgingly said. She grinned. 

“Good, go get dressed then and wear something cute. You can borrow clothes if you need too.” You finished off your bowl and jumped into the shower. You took a nice long shower, soaking in the hot water and letting your mind relax. You quickly got dressed, applied some makeup and fixed your hair. Gemma was waiting for you in the living room and she smiled when you walked in. “Now that is what I’m talking about. You look like a person!” You laughed and rolled your eyes.

“Whatever.”

“No whatevers. Now, hand me your phone.”

“What? Why?”

“Because Harry has been calling and texting you all morning and all night. Today is a no Harry day. Your phone can stay here.”

“But-”

“(y/n) youre never going to focus on shopping with him calling and texting. Take a break from the media, the rumors, the-”

“The rumors? There are rumors about this now?”

“Technically they are the truth but obviously no one has confirmed it which is why they are rumors still. But anyways everyone is on your side of the argument.” She shook her head “no no, this is a no Harry kind of day. We are not talking about this right now. Now leave the phone.” You followed her instructions, a girls only day is what you needed and you were definitely not ready to think about or talk about Harry. You tossed the phone into the couch and followed her out the door.

You and Gemma spent all day shopping and were finishing the day off with dinner. You had a really great day. Your mind hadn't wandered to Harry once and you hadn't even had the urge to cry once either. It was a winning day. Gemma had ordered you a bottle of wine and the two of you were going to town, laughing and singing at the table. It really was the perfect end to a perfect day. Until in walked Harry’s hoe. You wouldve recognized her anywhere, the fake eyelashes, the dead dying hair, the slutty composure. You stopped laughing and frowned. Gemma followed your gaze and shook her head. “Is that her?”

“Yeah.”

“What a prick. She's not even cute.”

“Im cute, she's ugly, and yet she still slept with Harry.”

“Harry’s a real disappointment. We should talk to her.”

“What? No.”

“Come on (y/n). Go tell her off.”

You stood up. “Youre right. She ruined everything.”

“There ya go.” You took a step forward, your breath catching in your throat. Tears falling down your cheeks. You turned and sat back down. “Im proud of you.”

“Its not her fault. Its Harry’s.”

“Damn right it is.”

“Im not ready to talk to him Gem”

“You don't have to..you need to heal a little before you talk to him. Otherwise youre just going to cry when you see him.”

“Ugh...give me the bottle.” you said reaching your hand out. It was safe to say that you and Gemma were wine drunk by the end of the night. You had finished almost 3 bottles of wine by the time dessert came out and you were having a great time. Gemma had called an uber and the two of you could barely control your laughter at the fact you were wine wasted. When you got home, the two of you were stumbling up the stairs together, leaning on each other and laughing at each others laugh. You opened the front door stepped in and smiled at Olivia. “Olivia!” you shouted through a laugh, Gemma following suit.

“(y/n)..” Harry’s voice whispered. You and Gemma stopped laughing. Harry stepped out from the kitchen, he looked terrible at least from what you could tell. He looked a little blurry, but his face was very red. Gemma stepped forward.

“Harry..you need to go.”

“No what I need is to talk to my girlfriend.”

You started laughing again, earning a confused look from Gemma and Harry. “Girlfriend? Is that what you think we are?”

“Baby..”

“I’m not that dumb. I wouldn't date someone who cheated on me.”

Gemma seemed to have sobered up real quick. She grabbed Harry’s arm and pulled him towards the door. “Harry you need to leave.”

“Yeah.” you said stumbling forward. “Leave.”

“Are you drunk?” Harry asked leaning in closer to you.

“I’m wine wasted.” you laughed looking at Gemma who smiled.

“You like rarely even drink though.”

“Clearly not, she had almost 2 bottles at dinner.”

“2 bottles?” Harry look concerned.

“You've driven the girl to drink.”

“(y/n)” Harry’s tone had changed. He seemed to be very concerned.

Youre expression changed. You looked at him closer, you remembered the previous night. Tears formed in your eyes, sobs starting to echo through your chest. Gemma pushed Harry towards the door again, coming to your side. “Harry go. Cant you see you being here is upsetting her.”

“I just want to talk.”

“You can't talk your way out of this one little brother. She needs time.” You dropped to your knees, looking up at him. You were crying again, you couldn't tell if it was because you were drunk or because it had clicked again that Harry had cheated on you, and that he wasnt even yours anymore. Harry watched with a pained expression on his face. “Harry youre upsetting her, just please leave. We were having a great time until you showed up.”

“A great time?” Harry asked turning to her. “You got my girlfriend wasted Gemma.”

“She’s not your girlfriend Harry. You ruined this one. Im trying to fix it, to fix her. But you had to go and screw it up like always.” That made you cry harder. You didn't want them to fight just because of you.

Harry turned and stormed out not saying anything and Gemma kneeled at your side. “Its okay...shhh (y/n) breathe.” You tried breathing but were struggling. Gemma pulled you to your feet and escorted you to your room. She set pjs out and told you change while she was getting some tea. A few minutes later she returned, placing a cup of tea on the bedside table. You had changed and were sitting with your knees to your chest in bed, tears still falling. She sat on the edge of the bed and sighed. “I’m sorry (y/n)...I really didn't think he would shoe up.”

“Its not your fault. He probably tracked my phone and anyways it was bound to happen eventually.”

“It shouldn't have happened tonight. You said you weren't ready.”

“I don't know I ever will be.” Gemma looked at you surprised. “I love him Gemma. I love him more than I love anything else. But he broke the one promise he swore on. He broke my trust. He killed everything we had. I don't know how to forgive that..”

“You just have to give it time. Time will make it hurt less.” You nodded and yawned. Gemma yawned in response, standing up and saying goodnight. For the first time ever, you picked up your phone scrolling through his texts, listening to his voicemails, reading tweets and catching up. Turns out Harry had made a statement. He had admitted the whole truth to his millions of followers on twitter. Management probably loved that, you thought. He had tagged you in apology tweets, photos, and then of course fan accounts had stepped in. There was a hashtag associated with everything too. Of course, the thing that got you was his last voicemail. He was barely speaking clearly, tears clouding his voice. You could hear the snot in his voice. 

“(y/n)..I’m so sorry. I can't- I can't even apologize enough but baby I love you so much. That was a mistake, a drunken mistake. I broke your trust, I hurt you, but (y/n)...I can't live without you. I don't think I can go on without you. I-I don't know what I need to do to help you forgive me...I don't know if you ever will but baby I won't live in this world without you. I know what I did was screwed up. I know I’m a terrible person. I deserve to put in hell for what I did but just tell me-just tell me theres hope. That theres hope one day I’ll have you back..that one day you could love me again.”

You couldn't breathe. The pain in his voice killed you. You missed him, you wanted to comfort him, and yet you also wanted to kill him for what he did. Your phone buzzed again and you looked down reading the text from Harry. *Just know that I will NEVER stop loving you baby, you will always be my person. Sleep tight, don't let the monsters bite.* You dropped the phone and groaned. Of course he had to tuck you in..he had to be cute. You wiped the tears from your eyes, washed your face, brushed your teeth, of course you spilled water all down the front of your shirt so you also searched for pjs. You couldn't find any. You rummaged through the dresser and came across a large white tshirt. When you unfold it the familiar font caught your eye. It was Harry’s tshirt. It had the heart with his name inside, the album cover on the edge and an arrow going through the heart. You put the shirt to your nose, breathing in his smell. You quickly threw the shirt on, climbing in bed, and falling into a peaceful sleep, Harry on your mind.

---

Let me know what you think :)

Cheated (part 2)

Message me requests! And as always thanks for being awesome with all the support and love! You guys are the best! xoxo

[staruplatinum]

Stay With Me

I co-wrote this with @risottostitties a while back, and I just got around to posting it now. She’s a god at writing Abbacchio btw, and this was written for my oc/Leone but I edited it so everyone can enjoy 🎉

summary: reader comforting drunk Abbacchio after he confesses his past.

It’s angsty but has a cute ending. (abbacchio says I love you for the first time!) enjoy!

3.2K words

Abbacchio was on the floor, surrounded by bottles of alcohol. Was he crying? “Jesus Christ.” You panicked, dropping your things on the floor and rushing to his side. What the hell happened? He must have been doing this for a while now because you could see how bloodshot his eyes were, even though they were only opened a little bit.

“Fuck! Leone ! What -“ you were so confused, and scared. You worried he might have gotten alcohol poisoning, but that was just your “worry-wart” mind and you knew you were just overreacting. You took deep breaths and calmed yourself down, taking a deep breath before laying down on the floor across from Abbacchio.

You understood it now, he obviously had some sort of unresolved trauma. If there was one thing you knew about trauma survivors.. it was to never touch them in a state like this because they may not want it. You had to respect that since you didn’t know what you were dealing with here. It broke your heart to see him cry, but he needed someone right now and you needed to approach this cautiously.

“I don’t know what happened, but when you want to talk, I’ll be right here. “ You said, smiling softly at him. You needed him to know that you were serious about.. helping him through whatever this was. You wanted to be there for him, to be the girlfriend he needed.

“I’ll lay here all night, if I have to.” Frankly, while this was something you didn’t expect, you were just happy to see him alive. You were so worried that he might have been dead. Your mind started going to the more logical side of things. He needed food and water or else he’d be puking soon if he hadn’t already. That, and he’d have an awful headache in the morning. You weren’t going to leave his side though. Instead, you reached your hand out across the cold floor, hoping he’d hold yours and ground himself, in a sense. You didn’t think he was sober enough for that, though.

It took Abbacchio a second to even register the fact that someone had come into his apartment. When did you get here? He must have made you worried... he could add that to the ever growing list of why Leone Abbacchio was a disgusting waste of oxygen.

"You shouldn't stay. I'm a filthy ex cop and a pathetic excuse of a man. I'll only drag you down and make you hate me if you stay. You deserve someone better, not someone who got a good man killed because he took a fucking bribe and ruined his life." Abbacchio choked out, the alcohol causing some slurring of his words and also removing his filter.

It took a minute before he realized exactly what he said to you. Fuck, he told you about it. He told you about his partner and now you were going to fucking hate him. Would it have been better to keep lying? Probably. He could have at least prolonged your relationship, instead of sabotaging it less than a month in. He really was a pathetic piece of work, wasn't he?

"You deserve better, you deserve so much better. Fuck I'm... I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I don't deserve you, I don't deserve to be here while a good fucking man is dead. He had a wife and a kid! Fuck, its my fault that kid is growing up without his dad. I should have been the one shot, not him. Fuck!"

Abbacchio was starting to talk in circles, tears leaking from his eyes as he sobbed and curled in on himself. He didn't deserve your kindness. He didn't deserve you right now, laying on the floor with him and being so heart breakingly kind.

"I'm going to fail you too in the end. You'll get hurt if you stay, I know you will. I fuck up every good thing that's ever happened to me and I know that you'll hate me eventually. So just... please, don't let me do that to you. You deserve so much better-" Abbacchio's words were cut off by a heaving sob.

He wanted to beg you to stay though, beg you not to leave him and not to hate him but he couldn't do that. He didn't deserve to be happy and he knew that, and he didn't want to guilt you into staying with him by being an emotional pussy. You deserved better than someone who needed alcohol to work through anything like this. You deserved a good man who could give you a house and children like you wanted.

Anything Abbacchio gave you would be tainted by him. A house, a marriage, children, he'd somehow find a way to ruin all of that. Someone as kind and beautiful as you didn't deserve that. All he ever wanted to do was help people. Even joining the mafia he wanted to help people. But he managed to fuck everything up no matter what he did. He was a loser who couldn't even keep his one dream in life after he achieved it and you didn't deserve that.

"Fuck, I-... Fuck!" Abbacchio didn't know what else to say, having already made a fool of himself. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry I fucking... dragged you into this. You shouldn't be here right now you should be having fun. Not fucking... laying on the floor with some alcoholic loser..."

Ah. So that’s what it was. You listened to him, and sat up, pulling his head into your lap as he cried.

“Shh. Shh. It’s okay. I have you.” You said, trying to help him control his sobs. You knew it was falling on deaf ears though, as he continued to go on about everything. You remained silent though, letting him vent it out. “Leone.” you said, your tone more serious than any other time you had spoken to him. “Leone listen to me. You aren’t a bad person and you aren’t a corrupt cop. What you did was not something that every other police man didn’t do in the past.” You began to say. While you didn’t know the context of what the bribe was for, you could tell that deep down Leone was reluctant about it. “Your friend getting shot was not your mistake. If he chose to take a bullet for you, then that’s on him. When you are in that line of work you should expect death at every corner - the same as you do now with being in the mafia.”

It honestly wasn’t your place to say any of this but the more he went on about it the more you realized that he didn’t need to feel as guilty. He wasn’t blowing it out of proportion and losing someone was never easy, but you didn’t want him to have to cry like this constantly when his partner chose to save him.

“I don’t know what exactly happened that day, and I’ll never know exactly how you feel either. I have my own traumas to deal with. But what I do know is that your friend wouldn’t have wanted you to be like this. He saved you for a reason. If that reason is for you to join the mafia and protect Bruno? Then so be it. But you have a purpose here, Leone. As much as you don’t think you deserve anything ‘good’ in your life - you do.”

You ran your fingers through his hair as you heard his sobs start to die down a little. That was a good sign, at least. It was quite honestly making you tear up a little, seeing him cry like this. You had loved him for a while now and you wanted to be... so much more doting. But what could you do? They had only dated a month, at that.

“And you can try your hardest but I promise you I am one stubborn girl. You make me happy, even at your worst so it’s gonna be hard to scare me off or make me leave.” It was true. You could be stubborn at the best of times. Maybe a lesser woman would have ran away after seeing Abbacchio like this. But not you. This only proved your love for him.

Frankly, if anyone left him in this state then they’d be the lowest scum of the earth. He needed someone right now, and you wanted to be here.

“I want to help you, Leone. I want to be your girlfriend. I don’t care what the future holds for us I just want us both to be happy. I’m not going to let anything get in the way of that. You deserve happiness. You aren’t dragging me down in the slightest ”

There was more you wanted to say, but what? What could you say? You loved him, - that she knew -but he probably didn’t want to hear that right now - and that was fair. You knew your words were coming out choppy anyways, but now that he was somewhat calm, your concerns were on something else.

Leaning down, you placed a kiss on the top of his head before brushing the hair out of his face. His sobs died down completely, only various sniffles echoing in the room.

Abbacchio reacted to you putting his head on your lap by turning over and immediately trying to hide his face by pressing it into your stomach as he clung to you. He didn't want you to see how pathetic he looked as he shook and sobbed. Your words were too kind, he knew he didn't deserve them. Couldn't you see how much of a fuck up he was? Or maybe you did, but then why were you being so heartbreakingly kind? You couldn't seriously be accepting of all this, could you? The thought made him choke out another sob, clinging tighter.

Did he want you to hate him? To leave him? Or to stay? He didn't know any more, but for right now all he wanted was just to be here with you. He felt your hands start to card tenderly through his hair and despite himself the tension began to fade from his body. Your soothing voice and gentle affection starting to coax the sadness from him, causing his sobbing to eventually wane into the occasional hiccup and sniffle. His tears dried too, but he knew his face would be red and puffy and ugly to look at so he still tried to hide as best he could. " 'M sorry..." He mumbled again, half muffled by your clothes. He didn't want to move, he didn't want to go anywhere. This felt too nice, too safe, to even consider getting up.

“I’m going to get up and get you some water, yeah? I don’t want you having an awful hangover tomorrow.” You said, gently moving his head up and standing from the floor. You tried your very hardest to lift him up. He was sluggish from all the booze he drank but he could still move around. That was a good sign, at least.

He could feel you carefully freeing yourself from his grip and standing up. "Wait! Where..?" Were you really going to get up and leave him like this? He still had no idea what he wanted but if you left he'd definitely break again. His breathing started to pick up again until you explained that you were just taking him to their room. Their room. He liked the sound of that. Their room, their apartment, it was all really nice. He allowed himself to be helped up, leaning on you heavily as you guided him to their room. It was difficult to walk right now, swimming in alcohol as he was, but he tried not to let himself become too much of a burden on you like this. You were so small compared to him.

“Come on, baby.” He was heavy, but you let him rest his weight on your shoulders as you heaved him over to the bedroom. Once he was on the bed, you laid him back, taking his pants off. You knew he didn’t really sleep in Pyjamas because he got hot easily. Hell - sometimes he didn’t even wear a shirt. It was little things like this that you remembered, and you wanted to make him as comfortable as possible. You covered him in the duvet, before heading to the kitchen for some water. You knew he should probably eat something too.. but what? You knew Abbacchio would crash soon, so you opted to make him something light and easy on the stomach - some toast. That was easy enough anyways.

He knew he should be the one helping and protecting YOU, not the other way around. But he didn't complain as you helped him out of his clothes and helped him get comfortable in the bed. It was cold without you there, but it was comfortable. He supposed he could handle this for a bit. He watched you get up again, opening his mouth to protest when you explained again that you were just getting him some water and something to eat. Right water. He hadn't had anything to drink except alcohol all day, and barely ate anything too. He needed to have something otherwise he'd be sick tomorrow. He knew this, and so did you. So he waited.

When the toast was ready you put some butter on it and tossed the knife in the sink, you’d clean it up afterwards. Walking to the bedroom you placed the toast on the nightstand, helping him sit up.

Abbacchio tried his very hardest not to sleep until you came back so he could make sure you stayed, and when you returned with toast and a glass of water he sat up. Abbacchio felt his head spinning at the sudden movement, but he tried his best not to get sick, leaning heavily on you for support while he nibbled on the toast and sipped at the water. He didn't have an appetite at all but he knew he needed to try and finish this otherwise you would be disappointed.

“You have to drink this okay?” you said. You felt a bit better when he drank some of the water. Good. “I un- I Made you toast. I don’t know what you like to eat on it but I just put some butter. You need something in your system or you’ll be puking everywhere - which I don’t mind, I’ll clean it all for you. I just.. want to make this easier on you, if I can.” you hummed, placing a stray strand of hair behind your ear.

You looked at him as you sat on the edge of the bed. Your heart hurt, genuinely. You loved this man and it bothered you that he was so hurt by this. You just wished there was more you could do.

"-re too good for me." He slurred, resting his head on your shoulder for a minute while he took a break from trying to eat.

"I love you so much. You're so... perfect. You're too nice. You deserve the world and I... I want to give it to you. I'm trying. I promise I'm trying I really-" Abbacchio felt himself choking up again as he took a drink from the water, coughing slightly before righting himself. He was trying. It might not look like it now but he really was trying. He'd been trying for a long time and he needed you to know that.

"I promise I'm... trying. To be better. So please don't leave." He repeated, vision growing hazy as he looked down at the half eaten toast. He felt... so tired after everything. Exhausted really. He just wanted to lay down and sleep it all off.

You tried to be as calm as you could, helping abbacchio drink the water and eat. He didn’t have to eat the whole thing, considering his stomach probably would hurt or it could cause him to puke, but you were still happy with what he ate. You almost dropped the plate when you heard Abbacchio utter the words I love you.

Fuck. You didn’t know what to think. Your heart was telling you to drop everything and kiss him passionately!! Tell him how you’ve loved him since you first laid eyes on him and how you want to marry him! But you stopped yourself.

Instead, you smiled and rubbed his arm gently before standing up.

“You’re drunk baby.” you said softly, pressing a kiss to his sweaty forehead. You tried not to “believe” what he said anyways. People say a lot of things when they’re drunk. Doesn’t mean they’re always true. Still, you wanted to believe.

“Hey hey.. it’s okay it’s okay. I know you’re trying Leone - that’s what matters.” you said, hugging him gently. “I’m not going to leave you, ever. Alright? I promise.” your hand brushed some stray hairs out of his face, and you smiled at him. He looked.. so sad.

It hurt you , to see him like this.

“I’m just going to put this dish away and turn the lights off, then I’ll come to bed. Okay?”

You needed to make sure that he understood you weren’t leaving ; but you couldn’t just drop here

When he nodded, You quickly disposed of the remaining toast and put the dish in the sink. There was a small pile up of dishes, and while that was a pet peeve of yours- you’d do it tomorrow. Right now abbacchio needed you. The dishes could wait.

You returned to the bed, quickly slipping on a t-shirt and taking your pants off before cuddling Abbacchio. You were the big spoon this time and that was fine, you really didn’t mind at all. As tired as he was, he still seemed somewhat agitated. Which was fair considering everything he went through. You paused for a moment - unsure of what else you could do, but then you had an idea. Leaning up on your elbow, you used your hand to gently caress his head while humming a soft lullaby to him.

When you were sure he was “almost” out, you pulled away and kissed his head once more.

“I love you too, Leone...” you whispered.

[askthewitchlady]

A little Light of...

It was a cool calm morning…

Well as much as any morning could be cool or calm in hell. Had he waited all night? Watching the light beginning to drift in through the stained glass of the door Alastor realized that, yes, he had in fact sat there watching the door all night… waiting.

Waiting for what?

What else, or rather who. Because in fact it was a who. The same vexing who that dominated his thoughts with his laughter, his dreams with his lithe body, his blood with a raw carnal hunger and need to posses.

He damned the spider demon even as he wanted him. Alastor was not a man of strong attachments. In life the only two people he had loved had been stolen away to early, his sweet gentle mother, and Mimzy his first and only real friend when he had moved to New Orleans.

Coming to hell, manifesting power beyond his wildest imaginings? It gave him all the more reason to not create connections… then there was Niffty, then there was Husker, and as time passed he saw on a picture show, the cheerful princess who would soon be yet another dear friend. None of it had been expected, but Angel Dust? Well he had been actively avoided! How could he have be so stupid?

Developing a fondness for that demon was silly, and all the worse a whore and a porn star…

Alastor rubbed his temple trying to stave off a building headache. One ear flicked the puff of hair and fur turning towards the door, he could hear the tell tale click of heels on cobble stones.  He was already standing,  He would reprimand Angel for being out all night and then- He never got to finish the thought as the door open and Angel Dust fell forward into the hotel.  Alastor moved quickly catching the slim figure almost staggering, not because the other was heavy but the awkward and sudden dead weight of him. "What in the nine…" he muttered shifting his hold on the spider demon one arm around his top most shoulders the other under his knees he lifted angel dust, shadows crept up enveloping them both, then just as quickly fell away leaving them in his personal rooms. Alastor carried Angel Dust to the thick couch, setting him down carefully.  Alastors smile almost faltered staring at the blood smeared on his hands,  it was hardly the first time and wouldn't be the last but this blood bothered him… he didn't like it. Angel Dust groaned drawling Alastors attention as he shifted on the couch on hand going to his head, the other tugging away the black ribbon he always had around his neck, the bruising beneath Sent a cold anger through the deer. "Angel Dust?" he asked simply, the spider moved eyes opening slowly as he looked up to Alastor blushing faintly

"A-al? Fuck…" his voice was a strained wheeze of pain as he touched his throat brows knitting,  it hurt him to talk, that much was obvious but what had happened.  Letting out a sigh Alastor snapped his fingers a chair manifesting beside the couch. He settled and reached out before angel could speak again covering his mouth "Don't, it'll just hurt you and I need to focus." He said firmly His eyes locking on the spider who after a brief moment of fear nodded slightly and closed his eyes relaxing as much as he could. Satisfied Alastor removed his hand from the spiders mouth and began his work.  

He had studied all aspect of his chosen magic's but healing wasn't really one he had used often, not for himself and certainly not for others.  So he worked quietly his focus entirely on healing the wounded demon.  The damage was far worse than he had initially seen and it required a lot of delicate work, from sealing internal wounds caused by magic, or setting the snapped elbow on his fourth arm,  Alastor worked meticulously repairing all the damage.

He had no sense of time as he worked  focusing on the detailed healing Angel Dust needed until finally the last of the cuts across the white skin sealed and he sagged back against the chair head back eyes closed his smile faint simply due to exhaustion.

He could hear angel shifting on the couch, probably sitting up, probably getting ready to leave, "Al?" the voice was soft and careful "Can you not be quiet for one moment and let me rest?" the radio demon asked with a half chuckle as he peeked and eye open to glance at Angel Dust who was sitting up and watching him with… worry?  Well that was new.  He sat forward and studied the spider silently a moment before gesturing

"Well, are you going to tell me what happened?" he asked calmly as Angel Dust squirmed under his gaze before finally sighing "Y-yeah…  Look I… You know I've been tryna go clean right? Followin Charlie's rules, I stopped the drugs, hell even made it through the shitty withdrawals, My heads clearer then it's been in years!" he exclaimed Alastor nodded more than a little surprised "I knew you had been cutting back, I hadn't realized you'd quit completely." He said quietly impressed with Angel Dusts resolve. "Heh yeah I know right, whoda thought it… but, well Charlie, and Vaggie, heck even Niffty they all think… they think I'm worth more than just bein a hooker for some cheap blow you know?  They… they make me wanna be me again." He admitted scratching the back of his head nervously Alastor nodded "That’s fair but what does any of this have to do with your condition?" he asked calmly Angel Dust blushed "I-I'm getting there… a-anyway havin a clear head means I was really thinkin… ya know about… my life and… well death and this…  Everything Charlie keeps saying and, things Molls had told me all my life." He murmured running a hand down his face before mumbling something Alastor didn't hear. "Angel I'm adept at many things but I can't read your mind." He pointed out with a chuckle.

"I quit my job… I… I'm not gonna… do anymore porn… o-or take any 'clients'." Angel Dust said looking away it took a moment for Alastor to process that, Angel had quit… angel had…. Quit.  As in he had approached Valentino, the dirty little louse and told him 'no'  Well his injuries certainly made sense now.

"I take it it didn't go well?" he said calmly though inside he was boiling, no more raging a hot volcano of rage that demanded blood!  Angel Dust managed a laugh

"Not, really,  I thought it did at first he seemed surprisingly amenable,  he was going on about how the last two shoots hadn't been my best work and how Porn just wasn't good if the players weren't into it." He said rubbing his arm "He suggested we have a last drink at least even made coffee he said I probably didn't feel comfortable getting drunk with him, and I didn't… But… Fuck… I should have known better I really should have… but a… I wanted… Maybe one last good time?  Not sex, not money just a quiet moment like we used to have." He said  Alastor tilted his head curiously and nodded quietly urging Angel Dust to continue. "Look it's not secret I'm not the strongest demon out there,  I've got my skills and I had what I learned in life but when you first die, you wake up here you see what you are, well a cotton candy Pussy like me was done from the get go.  Valentino found me, took me in, he taught me about hell Al, and for a while it was great, It was almost like bein alive again, He said he was cool with an open relationship if I wanted it, hey it's hell Baby who gives a shit… but I was his I'd always come home to him." He explained frowning as he rubbed his arm a bit more Alastor was surprised to find himself reaching out, he stopped half way and drew back sharply, angel dust wasn't looking at him and didn't see the motion thankfully.

"So with those stupid ideas I had coffee with him…. Bastard drugged me,  I don't know when I watched him the whole fucking time I swear I did!, next think I knew everything was going fuzzy and he's saying shit like Charlie and everyone here's just using me as an experiment, to see if the hotel idea would even work.  How I was an easy mark.  Well known enough that if I turned everyone would know, but dumb enough not to know they were just using me… shit like that,  I'm trying to tell him he's wrong as he just pushin my clothes off and tellin me he cares, Lying through his stupid ugly teeth." He said shuddering harder he hugged himself head bowed and this time Alastor didn't stop himself from reaching out, Clawed hand gently resting on Angels head stroking through his soft white hair, any other time he might have marveled at just How soft it was.

"Angel Dust,  Did he-" he was cut off as the spiders hands came up and held his hand in place he was shaking, pale body quivering under his touch. "I don't want to hear it… I know… you're probably thinking what he did.  I'm a whore what's the difference it's all just sex, b-but… but I have the… I… I deserve…"  the demon choked. He was crying and Alastor almost floundered he didn't do well with tears, the vulnerability they showed!  He hadn't cried once since his death and in fact had not cried much in life. "I don't… I don't think that." He said finally thinking of something to say.  Angel tensed under his hand before slowly looking up eye red rimmed as he stared at Alastors face looking for… something, The radio demon wasn't sure what. "I don't think that at all Angel Dust… I may not be fond of the act myself, but I understand it is a very personal thing.  Even for you, just because you do it more frequently doesn't make it less so, your still allowing someone inside you…" Was he blushing?  He felt like he might be… shit… "T-the point is,  it's… you… There are rules… even here in hell." He coughed out finally glancing away, fuck.  He was not an awkward man but discussing the emotional intimacy and vulnerability of Sex was hardly easy even for him… maybe especially for him. "You may be a … or where a prostitute but that doesn't mean you don't get to say 'no'." he said finally looking back at Angel who was giving him a small smile.  Alastor quickly pulled his hand back and stood striding across the room and opened a cabinet pulling out a decanter and a heavy crystal glass. "I trust abstaining from drugs doesn't mean you adverse to a brandy to steel your nerves." He said quickly as he fought to regain his mental balance turning, glass in hand he walked over and passed it to angel who took it with a murmured thank you before tossing it back like a champ…  Alastor tried not to be annoyed by the waste of a good brandy, such things really should be savored but, he'd stay close lipped about it for now.

"Thanks Al, For everything, I'm sorry I took up so much of your time I know you got… whoa." Angel Dust wavered when he tried to stand instantly flopping right back down onto the couch.  Alastor sighed pushing the demon back to a laying position

"Just rest for now, you lost a lot of blood,  I have work to do but I don't mind you staying here.  Would you be more comfortable on the bed?" he asked simply Angel Dust blushed at that shaking his head quickly and instantly regretting it,

"N-nah this is fine… a-are you sure?" he asked making the other demon chuckle

"Now now do I ever come across as someone who makes an offer he's not sure about?" he asked calmly the other demon inclined his head, Alastor had a good point.  The radio demon moved back and in a smooth motion whipped a blanket from his bed and draped it over angel dust and moved to carefully slip off his boots. "Y-ya don't have to do that!" Angel dust squawked embarrassed, Alastor only chuckled. "What are you saying I don't want muddy boots on my furniture." He said simply setting them beside the end of the couch and waving a hand the light dimming as long legged strides carried him to the door he opened it before pausing glancing back over his shoulder and grinning for a moment angel Dust would swear his eyes where glowing. "Now as I said, you rest, I have work to attend to.  I'll have Niffty come check on you in a couple hours.  If you're not still on that couch I'll be cross." He said simply before shutting the door.  Leaning against it he rubbed his temple with two fingers, he had no doubt angel would listen to his order, he was just tired from the healing,  He needed to eat… And wasn't it so wonderful of Valentino to offer himself up as a much needed meal…  Humming lightly to himself Alastor walked along the hall imagining what different lovely dishes he could make.

[wintersweetbou]

Glaiveweek 2020- Day 2. This Never Happened

Day 2 of Glaiveweek 2020! @glaiveweek

Prompt: Fun and Games- Prank Wars, Tickle Fights, Hide and Seek Warp Tag

Summary: A glitter bomb in Titus Drautos’s personal office starts a series of shenanigans never before seen in the Citadel. Eyebrows, laundry, and dignity are lost. For a moment, all hell breaks loose. Then the King walks in to check on his glaives. What he sees will never be forgotten.

Titus Drautos stretched, watching heavy raindrops spatter his window. Monday meant training with the glaives, supply forms, meeting with the king, and preparing his budget proposal for the council to approve... He rubbed his eyes tiredly. Getting the money needed to keep the glaive running was like pulling teeth out of those stingy bastards. 

A boom startled the Captain into glancing down below. Lightning flashed as a bunch of newer glaives ran from the safety of the parking garage into their headquarters. The greenhorns whooped at the cold, splashing each other as they ran. The more experienced glaives warped the distance, laughing. Titus smiled, and gathered himself together. Time to address the troops. 

Midmorning combat drills in the arena began with Titus circulating with critique. Nyx was quick, but needed endurance. Libertus had him panting after the first few rounds. Good team- balanced eachother out... Tredd lost his patience and was subsequently thrown by Luche into a wall. Crowe had to be repeatedly reminded that fire did not solve everything, and Pelna lost an eyebrow in her resulting demonstration that fire did indeed solve everything. The only senior members not giving Titus a headache were Axis and Sonitus- just smoothly sparring like everyone was supposed to be. 

The Captain massaged his temples as a resounding boom, flash, and cut off screech filled the arena. Crowe had not only broken through Pelna’s shield, but also managed to dash him against the ground hard enough to knock him unconscious. She was at his side, checking him over apologetically. Nothing broken, aside from some pride, and a probable concussion. 

“I’ll take him to the hospital. Crowe, no more magic in combat sparring! Tredd, if you don’t like the taste of dirt, change your approach! Luche, you are in charge while I’m gone. After drills, run through the warp course- focus on precision. And when we get back, meet in the briefing hall. Crownsguard wants to run security simulations in the castle- joint exercise might be good for us all.” Titus called out, after hefting the noodly Pelna in his arms.

Various murmurs of assent rose behind them as they left. Pelna came to a few minutes later, groggily settling into a seat in a crown fleet vehicle. The trip to and from the hospital was uneventful- Pelna would be fine if he took it easy, it was a mild concussion. The glaive was more embarrassed to have been carried off by his boss after passing out. The paperwork was minimal, and they were out of the hospital in no time. The glaive seemed more steady as time went on, but there was a slight wobble to his movements as they got back in the vehicle.

“I’m sorry for being a bother, thank you for the ride.” Pelna stated, eyes down as he buckled in.

 “I take care of my glaives. Be thankful it is only a mild concussion” Titus stated fondly.

By lunch they were back, and Titus explained the proposed joint field exercises with the crownsguard. The glaives seemed open to the idea. The captain delegated requisition forms work to Pelna for the afternoon, and asked that Crowe check in on him every so often. With peace seemingly achieved, Titus left them to afternoon resistance training and cardio. 

Crowe descended on Pelna the second the captain was out the door. 

“I was out of line, I am so sorry- are you ok?” 

“Mild concussion, just a bit tired. I’m ok, just don’t hit so hard, ok?”

“Yeah...I’ll check on you, no napping while concussed.” Crowe hugged him softly, smoothing his hair where it stuck up and running a finger where his left eyebrow no longer was. Pelna smiled softly, and hugged back. 

“Take it easy, Khara. I’ll be up after the first rotation.” She smiled, lightly tickling him under his arms. He flinched, squeaking, and fled when her smile turned predatory. She chuckled at his swift retreat, and turned to the weight room, where the other glaives had started. 

One rotation later, Crowe trotted up the stairs with a mug of tea to and down the hall to the offices, to find Pelna semi-asleep over a stack of forms and files. She smiled and slid the mug over the desk. 

“Pels? Peeellls? Wake uppp…” A murmur in response.  

“I brought tea, just the way you like ittt.” A grunt. 

“Please? I know it's hard, and my fault, so here is my support. Wake up!” A grumbled five more minutes mom had Crowe tickling his neck. He squirmed and hiked his shoulders up, slapping lightly at her hands. She slipped a hand under his arm and dug into his pit. Pelna squealed and burst into giggles. Crowe grinned as his arms crashed down, trapping her hand there. She kept it up for just a squidge more and then stopped enough for her to get her hand back. “Awake now?” She grinned at his tired nod. 

“Sorry. The lights kind of hurt my eyes, so I closed them for just a sec…” He rubbed the heels of his palms over his eyes, groaning. 

“Drink the tea, and there are some energy bars left in the snack drawer. I suggest breaks. It helped me when Libertus knocked me into that rock formation a few months back...I still haven’t repaid him for that…” 

“No more injuries today, Miss Altuis. Please?”

“Very well, Mister Khara. Drink, and eat. I promise no blood will be spilled by me today. But you gave me a lovely idea.” Pelna nodded tiredly and lightly sipped at the tea, letting the caffeinated warmth soak into his bones. Crowe skipped lightly back down the hall. Second rotation was about to begin, she had to hurry. Down the stairs she saw the door ajar and heard voices on the other side. Impatiently she yanked the door open and squawked as ice water drenched her, bucket settling over her head with a solid clunk. Laughter echoed throughout the weight room but stopped when they saw just who they had drenched.

Time stopped as she lifted the bucket, fire coursing through her veins. She scanned the room, looking for the guilty party. There. Libertus and Nyx, trying to look innocent for the amount of time it took for her to cross the room and lob the bucket at them. 

“We weren’t trying to drench you! Tredd was being a dick, and ran to get something...We were supposed to get Tredd!” Libertus said as Tredd burst back in the room, pausing at the puddle in the doorway, and then at the sight of Crowe sopping wet, holding a giggling Nyx by the throat. 

“So unprofessional. Such children. Much wow.”  Tredd grinned and turned back to the machines, continuing his reps. 

Crowe snarled, shaking Nyx, and released her grip on his shirt only to grab at his waist. Nyx yelped and curled in on himself laughing, just as she knew he would. She clawed into the meat under his floating ribs, earning a squeal, and followed as he sank to his knees. Crowe smirked- Nyx never could take side tickles, especially if you got your nails in there just right. Nyx squished himself forward into a tight ball, howling. She plopped down onto his back, searching for just the right angle. He thrashed weakly under her, and cried out to Libertus for help.  

“C’mon, we still need him. Release.” Libertus grunted as he attempted to slip an arm around her, only to be bitten on said arm in response. Libertus jerked back hissing. Crowe found the spot she was looking for, and Nyx broke into what the internet would call ugly laughter. He screeched and pleaded for mercy between desperate guffaws.

All in the weight room were now watching the kerfuffle as Libertus struggled to pry Crowe off Nyx. Libertus was easily the strongest glaive save the captain, but she was fighting dirty- biting, kicking. Calls of encouragement to Crowe, snickers, and fond sighs echoed around the room, training forgotten. Nyx was screeching in tears when Libertus finally hauled Crowe up, only for her to twist in his grip and jab into his ribs. He cursed and folded inward for just a sec, long enough for Crowe to clamber on his back and begin blowing vicious raspberries on the back of his neck where the braids left him exposed.  

“Release! Release!” Libertus roared, violently twisting to shake her off, getting desperate. Crowe never waivered, and continued as his strength waned. 

“How long do you think he will last?” Tredd snickered to Luche from his perch on the rowing machine. Luche leaned against the wall, smiling as Libertus started to snort between his growls at Crowe. 

“Dunno. He’s held on pretty good for a while now. Compared to some, anyway.” Luche gestured to Nyx, still panting in a ball on the floor mats. 

Tredd nodded, chuckling as Libertus broke, still thrashing, into a giggling fit punctuated by snorts of random intensity. Luche stretched, glancing out the one window- the storm still raging, even stronger now, since the rain appeared to be going sideways. Tredd snorted at the scuffle, drawing Luche’s attention back to the present. Libertus tapped out and Crowe relented with a smirk, sliding off his back and landing with a laugh. 

“Cardio in ten, then cooldown and then home.” Luche murmured. Tredd nodded absently, collecting his things, writing down their current weight and reps. The other glaives did the same, slowly collecting themselves and ambling toward the arena for laps and sprints. 

Pelna groaned, stretching his shoulders. So much damn paperwork for such stupid things. Every little thing from weapons to office supplies to toilet paper had to be requisitioned, signed, and returned for financial approval. This fucking sucked. He rubbed his eyes, and glowered at the stack of forms, slightly smaller, but still there. The captain stomped in then, looking worse for wear. 

“How was the meeting?” Pelna tried to appear chipper. 

“Slow. The council wants to challenge every little bit of our budget, and the king had little to offer…” The captain said, the anger in his eyes cooling into exhaustion.

“We're in this together, we appreciate you taking care of us.” Pelna glanced up, re shuffling the stack of papers. Drautos nodded, and walked back to his private office in the back of the cubicles, lightly shutting the door. Pelna shook his head. That. That was worse than doing boring forms all day. He couldn't imagine having to argue for toilet paper and keep a straight face. He turned back to his work, but startled when a loud pop and a shout exploded from Drautos’s office. Pelna shot up in concern, hearing vicious cursing, a second pop, and what sounded like furniture being tossed around. He was halfway across the office floor when the door to the captains office flung open, revealing Drautos, disheveled, wild eyed...and covered in fine, bright pink glitter. 

 “Are you ok Sir?” Pelna’s jaw dropped, then closed as he took in the fury building in the captain’s eyes and frame. The captain wordlessly held up the empty glitterbomb, and pointed to his office. Pelna slowly leaned around to peer into the sparkle blasted space. From the spray, it was rigged to blow when someone opened the main desk drawer, pointed right where one would sit at a desk, chest height. The second charge coated everything else. It was everywhere.The walls, part of the ceiling,the desk, cabinets, couch...the entirety of the floor...it would never come out of the cheap industrial carpet entirely…

The captain shook himself like a dog, shedding a fair amount of pink sparkles, but as with any fine glitter, it stuck to his skin and clothes. Pelna watched in silence as the captain strode over to glare into the mirror by the small kitchenette in the corner. He snarled, and rounded on the backpedaling glaive. 

“You're not the type for this kind of stupidity, Khara. Did anyone come to visit my office?” Pelna shook his head, glancing worriedly at the door. Drautos was not one for outbursts- his control was normally too strong, but the ridiculousness of the situation had worn that away.

“I don’t know who did this, but when I find out who..” Drautos grinned, all teeth. 

Pelna nodded, slowly backing towards the door. It might have been the light. It might have been Pelna’s concussion messing with his sight, but with a boom of thunder the power flickered out and Drautos’s eyes glowed blood red in the dark. Pelna’s heart skipped a beat as the captain laughed, talking to himself about what he was going to do to the prankster. It was too much, the glaive backed slowly out of the offices, turning to warn the others.

The group prepared in the arena, lightly warming up. The usual three laps around the arena for a main workout, and then one lap interval sprints for max overload. Lightning flashed overhead, the carbon dome of the arena showing the storm’s fury on full display. The glaives looked up into the gale. Some sleepy, some calm, some excited, and some indifferent. But they all looked. And the power flicked out. Murmurs of surprise flicked around the group, then of concern when Pelna warped into the arena. He staggered with the landing- stupid to warp while concussed- but he looked like a man on a mission. 

“Drautos is coming! Whoever in the mother of fuck did it needs to run for their lives- stat!”

“Who did what?” Luche steadied the teetering glaive, putting an arm around him for stability. 

“Who did what indeed, my glaives…” Drautos rumbled from the hallway entrance. There was a collective intake of breath at the sight of the captain of the kingsglaive plastered in pink glitter prowling along the edge of the arena. The newer glaives choked back grins, and the more experienced glaives barely held back dropped jaws. Pranking each other was one thing- a common occurrence even!- but glittering the captain? Unthinkable. Until now.  

“Since nothing is sacred, the afternoon cardio session will be different from the usual. I want the prankster. Until I get a name, we are going to play a little game.” The glaives dared not to move as their captain circled, grinning with no mirth. No one said a word as Drautos spun, shedding sparkles like a murderous Tinkerbell, typing in a long string of numbers into a security keypad. The building shuddered slightly, and red emergency lights flicked on every so often. Enough to see by, but not enough to see well. Lockdown. 

“Sir?...” Libertus began in concern, but was cut off by a laugh. 

“Lockdown, as you know, means that the doors to the outside are shuttered and barred, as are the windows, and passageways to the rest of the citadel. We are locked in. There is just the domed arena, and the facilities in the corners- the offices to the north, barracks in the east, armory in the south, and holding cells in the west... I want a name.” 

The glaives glanced at each other nervously. Pelna looked at the most rambunctious glaives- Nyx, Tredd, Libertus, Crowe, Luche...all had the wild eyes of kids being blamed for something they didn't do. The others peered into the darkness, innocence on their sleeves. Pelna’s brow furrowed. Who the fuck did it? 

“Until I get a name, we will be playing unfair hide and seek. For the next two hours, I will seek- and drag those I catch into the holding cells. Those who are caught will run laps and polish the armory for the next week.” A communal gulp spread through the soldiers. 

“Those of you who manage to remain free will have no punishment. If I get a name, all get off free and we forget this happened.” The group inhaled and steeled themselves. Nobody had a name to give, or had the balls to speak up. 

“Very well...you have two hours.” Drautos slid his phone out, set an alarm, slid it back in, and growled at his glaives. 

“One, two, three…” He slapped a palm over his eyes and snarled.

 Reality shimmered in the arena as all glaives present warped away at once, in a wave of effervescent fire, with an incredulous captain angrily counting to one hundred in the epicenter. The fleeing soldiers fanned out once out of hearing range. Pairs or trios of friends slipped into the gloom together, hoping to hide out, or have the option to sell eachother out. Nervous energy crackled in the dark between the red emergency lights. Where to hide? Who would get caught first? Excitement tinged the anxiety, and grins flashed in the maroon glow.

Pelna staggered down the southeast hallway- warping while concussed was awful, but doable. He glanced left- a pair of glaives scampering into the armory- Nyx and Libertus. The armory had crates of gear, weapon racks, a cargo bay, supplies....stacks of things to hide in or behind...not a bad idea. Three glaives slipped him on his right, headed towards the barracks. The barracks was the obvious choice for any seeker to start- rows of lockers, cots spread in small groups, little clusters of couches and tables. Not many glaives used the barracks often, it was just a spot to crash and heal between deployments, or for new recruits who hadn't any outside lodging arranged yet. Rent was fucking cheap, and so was the food brought in from the keep’s kitchens. Pelna stayed a month once, when he first started. It worked. 

An arm wrapped around his waist, and Pelna jolted back to reality, barely managing to restrain the punch to Crowe’s now grinning mouth. She pulled him into the shadows as a panicked shape skittered past. She held a finger against her lips, and pointed upwards. Pipes and vents ran the length of the hallway ceiling, supplying heat, air and water to the facilities. He raised his surviving eyebrow. There wasn't enough room for her to squeeze up there, let alone him, or that the air vents probably would not take their weight. She tugged him along, to the doorway to the armory, and pointed up again. He grinned- the main vent widened and dropped lower as it snaked into the armory. There was enough room for someone to curl up there in the darkness against the ceiling, definitely Crowe, probably Pelna. But both? Not without some severe cuddling. She dropped her stance, hooking her fingers together, gesturing to boost him up. His eyes widened, and he started to shake his head, but approaching footsteps quashed his thoughts. He stepped up, and jumped, boosted by Crowe. Pelna hauled himself up quickly, and slid into the shallow, low space. He spun, listening intently. He heard a grunt, and then grunted himself as Crowe popped up and tucked herself into his chest cavity. He held back a noise of surprise as she pressed her face into his neck, making herself comfortable. Or as comfortable as anyone was going to get wedged between a vent and drywall. The skittish steps passed as a lone glaive darted into the armory. They relaxed. 

“How did you know about this spot?” Pelna whispered.

“Growing up with Nyx and Libs taught me to find little nooks to hide in. Perfect spot to snipe paintballs from.” Crowe breathed, and Pelna felt her feral grin against his throat. 

“Still. How did you know we would both fit?”

“Promise not to tell?” He promised.

“Perfect napping spot. If you go to the office doorway, the hot air return is above the door. I've got a bit of canvas so my skin doesn’t stick to the metal, and some blankets up there. It's heaven.” She smiled. 

“That sounds like heaven. Can I steal a nap or two up there?” Pelna breathed. 

“Sure, as long as you leave snacks as tribute, and keep the secret..” He nodded.

The door below them to the armory crashed open. His arms slipped around her in shock, holding her close, both holding their breath, listening hard. They couldn’t see, but they could imagine.

“Here I am, glaives! Come out, come out, wherever you are…” Drautos called out into the dark armory. Silence greeted the captain, but he knew better. He grinned, settling into the game. He wanted to play with his glaives, a little mind game could give him a name faster as their nerves failed. He growled into the gloom, stalking around the edges, looking for disturbed gear and boxes. Nyx watched from his perch laying flat on the roof of a transport van. The captain was sticking to the upper armory, tapping on storage crates, Nyx was safe for the moment. As long as the captain didn’t come and check the spare vehicles by the loading dock…

The captain's snarl forced his attention back to the present, and Nyx trembled minutely. Drautos was almost to Lib’s crate- he had stuffed himself in an empty weapons crate, the only kind big enough for him to squeeze into. The captain continued along the row, tapping some, opening others….Nyx gripped the van’s roof rails tight. He was almost there. Two crates away. One crate. Libs! 

A choked sneeze echoed through the armory as Drauto’s hand descended towards the crate. The new recruit that slipped in at the last minute. He had dove behind a stack of crates by the door just as Nyx clambered up the van. Drautos grinned madly, teeth shining in the red light. The internal screaming was palpable from all parties but the captain, who personally favored evil glee. Nyx winced at the short scuffle. The captain had the new recruit in cuffs and out the door in under a minute. 

Hearing the two sets of steps pass, one steady, the other not so, Nyx peeped over the van roof. He hopped down, and ran as quietly as he could to Libertus. He tapped the lid, just like they used to do in their treefort back in Galahad before it all burned. Libertus cracked the lid slowly, then opened it fully at the sight of Nyx grinning like a madman. 

“He almost had you! He was right here! If that newbie hadn’t sneezed!” Nyx whisper-gushed. 

“What if he comes back? Get back up there!” Came the whisper-shouted reply. 

“It’s fine! It’ll take at least five minutes to lock up the newb and get back here. We have to stretch when we can. How comfy is that box anyway?” Nyx looked at Libertus, all crammed down in that cube crate. 

“My neck is killing me, but I’m good. Now hide! If we get caught cuz of you…!” 

Twin shadows darted into the armory, and Nyx jumped into the crate with Libertus without a second thought. It didn't quite work though- Nyx was now straddling a kneeling Libertus, their legs stuck solid against the sides of the crate, arms steadying each other. Nyx felt Libertus vibrate in silent fury, and he struggled not to laugh at the entire situation. 

The shadows paused, and stepped closer to the struggling pair. As they passed an e-light, their identity was revealed.  

Tredd snapped a pic with his phone, and did his best not to make any noise while laughing his ass off. Luche wheezed into a fist, trying desperately not to collapse at the sight. They gestured wildly at each other- Nyx waving happily, Tredd curling his hands into a heart in response, Luche pointing at the space under a nearby weapons rack, Nyx giving a thumbs up, and Libertus flipping everyone off. Luche slid under the rack and Tredd hid under a coat rack packed with old cloaks behind the doorway- after helping get the lid over the now officially stuck pair of galahdians in a box. 

Crowe and Pelna could partially see and hear all of the shitshow that happened next. The fact that their screams and laughing fits escaped notice was a miracle. It was fast, maybe two minutes, but the Citadel would never forget the moment when all dignity was lost. Time slowed, yet sped up at the same time. Like a demonic Rube-Goldberg machine on crack with yakety- sax playing in the background. 

Drautos returned to the armory with a sense that others were still hiding there. He threw the door open and bounded in. The door flew wide open and hit a pile of cloaks- something supposedly soft- with a painful clonk and a groan. Something on the far side choked on a giggle, and something close by it thumped in place. Drautos grinned, and advanced into the room uncaring of the poor glaive behind the door. He listened hard, and a large crate in the middle thumped again. The captain braced himself and popped the lid. Then all hell broke loose. 

Libertus shrieked and flailed, tipping the crate over on its side with Nyx cackling wildly plastered up against him. Drautos roared in surprise, then roared in laughter as he realized two of his finest were hopelessly stuck. Tredd launched out of his hiding spot with all the grace and glory of a boosted turkey, sprinting out the door and taking the coat rack with him. Luche gave up on life and howled with laughter, clutching his ribs. And Drautos? He showed why he was captain. 

In a mad dash that would be immortalized in glaive mythos forever, Drautos hauled his crate of glaives over one shoulder, snatched Luche and slung him over the other, sprinting after the sentient panicking coat rack. The captain dropped Luche, gathered every ounce of his strength and yeeted Libertus and Nyx, screaming, at the running pile of cloth. Tredd made it to the edge of the arena before he was blasted with the box-shaped force of several hundred pounds worth of galahdian hysteria. The cloth and soft training floor absorbed the worst of the blow, the glaives landing in a tangled mess of limbs and cloaks. 

Drautos, dragging Luche by the leg, jogged over to admire his work, Luche now sobbing with helpless laughter. The captain gently plopped Luche down with the others and planted a boot on the crate, looking down at his soldiers. Nyx was in much the same state as Luche. Libertus hissed and spat like a cat, frantically trying to claw his way out of the crate. Tredd laid there like a slug, seemingly done with the world- probably examining the life choices that brought him here. Drautos stretched and loosed a puff of glitter on the pile of squirming glaives. 

“Anything to say for yourselves?” The captain growled playfully. 

They opened their mouths to reply, but were cut off by the lights flickering back on and the lockdown features sliding back into normal position. The main door clanged open- the king, flanked by his shield and the marshal strode in. Regis froze at the sight, seemingly unable to believe what his eyes were seeing. Clarus’s mouth worked silently, at the same processing error of his liege. Nobody moved until Cor Leonis coughed pointedly into his fist. Sonitus and Axis strode out uncertainly from behind a column. Pelna and Crowe staggered out from the hall, leaning on each other and still giggling wildly. 

“I take it you found my gift?” The Marshall called. The glaives inhaled deeply before breaking into a cacophony of rage, amusement, and confusion. 

“I have a name…” Drautos pulled himself up to his full height and fixed his eyes on the marshal. He tossed his cell keys to Axis. 

“Release the prisoners. No punishments. This never happened.”

[flyswhumpcenter]

Bad Things Happen Bingo! The event where you send me requests according to this marvelous card! (Red cross is the completed prompt, character headshots are prompts I’ve already filled. Green deltas are for requested prompts, which is none rn, as my inbox is empty.)

Sleep deprivation, written by someone who doesn't like being sleep-deprived.

This was a request I didn't expect to get, considering it's been literal months since I've gotten one (and longer since I've actually delivered on one... Sorry again, Hubert anon). Thanks for it, Nonnie! I hope you like what I'm delivering haha. We're in the last 5th of the card, which is insane considering it took me a year to complete my first. I've recently gone back to it because wowie kazoowie it's fandom frenzy season again and SwSh has hit full-force with "I want to see more whump of these characters and I'm sure as hell gonna provide it". Nonie's alternatives made me wanna write stuff about Milo now, ah.

As to the story itself, I decided to make it kinda angsty because what's the point of writing Bede if it ain't to write angst about this guy being abandoned twice and a half? It's a slight canon divergence on what actually happened, but y'know, fanfiction has this cool thing that is "ignoring canon if it starts being inconvenient to me". Also there's Opal because I love this fairy grandma with an obsession for pink and not wanting to be told she's 88-year-old. Hell yeah.

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Journey Without a Destination

Summary: Keep going, keep going, for there is nothing to see when you are on a journey with no end. Without a point to his life and without a place to stay, Bede journeys day and night, finding some sort of refuge from himself in a forced spell of insomnia.

Fandom: Pokémon Sword & Shield (spoilers for up to the 6th Gym, slight canon divergence)

Wordcount: 1.6K words

Event hosted by @badthingshappenbingo​

AO3 version available here.

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Keep going, keep going, for there’s nothing to see here.

 Pointlessly wandering around the Wild Area, he has nowhere to go and nothing better to do than train and train until something happens or the sweet release of death arrives. There’s nobody for him to get back to, nothing for him to do, and no objective left for him to fulfil. Simply put, he’s stranded, alone with himself, with no Wishing Stars to collect and no Gym Challenge to complete now that he’s been stripped down from his endorsement and thrown away like mere garbage.

Nothing tastes the same, now. There is no pleasure in training when he knows he won’t be able to enter a stadium ever again, no spice to finding new creatures and see if they possibly match his team’s theme. There’s absolutely nothing but bitterness on his mind and salt to be spilled over the wounds he can’t be bothered to patch up, since there’s also no point in railing himself back up again.

And he supposes that’s his fault, in the end.

 It’d be easier to blame Gloria and all of her little friends; but as much as he’d like to believe that, it’s not the case and he knows it. She happened to be there, her and that redhaired pigtail woman that’s apparently making research on… whatever she’s making a research on. Thing is, Gloria wasn’t the one who went to get the Chairman, wasn’t the one who called on him: she was merely standing there, contemplating whatever ugly doodle some kid had left on that crumbling wall. That somehow upsets him even more.

There’s also very much no point to mentally ramble about that now. What’s done is done: he’s been disowned, left to rot, with nowhere to go and nothing to accomplish. He’s, by all means, useless and nothing more than a waste of oxygen and resources; and yet he can’t bring himself to just vanish. It’s like he wants to suffer just because disappearing now would make the people who betrayed him right and his only wish, right now, is to either get back at them or regain their trust. He’s not sure whether or not he’d even get affection back (or if he even got “affection” in the first place back there. Not like he’s had much of a model to base himself off).

 So, he’s been walking around, avoiding human interaction, with his sole source of social anything being his party. At least, as long as they’re his Pokemon, they won’t abandon him, right? Yeah. They’re always going to be together, between a rock and a hard place. Too bad they don’t seem to be able to tell him about their opinion on the matters at hand, because their telepathic abilities haven’t developed enough yet for that as far as he knows. Man, he wishes he’d be able to talk to them and get an answer instead of just throwing move names at them when he has to fight against the wild population and the couple Trainers dumb enough to fight him.

He still wrecks through their teams, but it has none of the flavour it used to have, and it ultimately only buys him some more money to spend on whatever he needs to continue fighting. Fighting for what other than futureless survival, he doesn’t know, and he doesn’t want to know.

 As such he’s been walking for days and days, seeing the same stones and weeds all the time, unaware of how long has actually gone buy. He has no ingredients to make curry for his team or himself, resorting to eating whatever he can manage to get his hands on, never settling camps because staying immobile means possibly dying out without having been able to avenge himself. If he stops, he may never resume his journey without a destination; so he never stops, always tries to keep himself busy, even if it means having as sole distractions his own breathing, the faraway cries from the creatures inhabiting the land and whatever the weather decides to throw at him while his team rests. Can’t fight for your life if you have nobody to fight alongside with.

(Pokemon are the only living beings that haven’t left him anyway).

 He’s tired. His feet hurt as soon as he takes a step forward or backward, tired of being pushed around when they have nowhere to go and nowhere to rest at. His hands hurt from the cold and almost-frostbite he develops when he crosses across the snowy areas, when he has to gather the balls of his fainted partners whenever he gets assaulted by something bigger than any of them are, tired of having to move and hold things when none of them have meaning or weight to bring to the table. His head hurts from the lack of rest and the tears he can’t always keep to himself, upsetting the Pokemon who haven’t fainted just yet.

Yet, even if he piles on fatigue like he’d put on clothes during the harsh winters, he refuses to sleep. It’d be letting his guard down from dangers coming from both the outside and the inside. It’d be being vulnerable during the downtimes in his tent to vandals and thieves, and during his sleep to nightmares about what’s to come and what could have been, what should have been. He doesn’t want to cry himself back to sleep when he could just ignore it all and simply walk.

 Life is simpler when you just walk, walk, walk all day and all night long so he tells himself the same song over and over again.

Keep going, keep going, for there is nothing to see when you are on a journey with no end.

 But, like everything, even he ends up abandoning himself and his feeble principles: before he realizes it, he’s heading to Hammerlocke yet again, feet heavy and eyelids heavier. His eyes have stung for the past day and night with sand, snow and exhaustion, his legs barely move anymore, his balance has been destroyed and buried. The voices in his head most likely don’t exist outside of it, plaguing his thoughts with things he didn’t need to hear.

His thoughts are too cloudy for him to even function properly anymore. He can’t remember how he got there, or why, even less what’s the point of it all. He doesn’t know which day of the week it is, or even which month. Climbing the stairs is painful and drains too much out of his energy, but he then remembers his party is almost fainted and he’s out of items to nurse them back to health, so he has to get up there and do something about it…

 He wants to fall asleep right here and there, on the steps, but he can’t.

Keep going, keep going, for there is nothing to see in the depths of a desperate soul in search for something it cannot find again.

He has to continue. For what, for who, how and why, all of that doesn’t matter anymore; he just needs to keep going. To keep going and never stop to think ever again.

 He supposes the lack of sleep starts getting to him when he can’t focus his eyes on anything in front of him, vision swimming and eyes bleary from the endeavour they’ve gone through until now. There may not be any torrential rain, sandstorms nor snowfalls in Hammerlocke, but there is the blinding sun that gives him a lethal headache and blinds him enough for him not to be able to tell where he’s setting foot anymore.

It’s no wonder he doesn’t manage to rise back up when he eventually tumbles, loses what’s left of his sense of balance and falls to the ground, scrapping his palms and knees, hitting his chin on the pavement, before everything turns fuzzy and dark. Maybe his destination-less journey has finally hit a stop, a halt, or perhaps its actual end. Maybe he doesn’t have to keep walking, keep moving, with no energy and no determination aside from basic survival and vague plans of revenge he doesn’t quite know who to target at.

Maybe that, now that he’s tired enough, he won’t see how much of a failure he’s been in his sleep.

 Keep going, keep going, for there is nothing left else to do for a soul whose purpose has been robbed from it…

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 Opal immediately gets surprised when, while in Hammerlocke for absolutely unrelated reasons, she finds an unconscious boy lying not far away from the stairs to the Wild Area. Aside from his pinks and purples, and his unlikely enchanted-looking hair, he looks less than stellar, weakened by the weather and the exhaustion that must be eating away at his bones, judging from the deep rings under his eyes and the feverish hue plastered over the bridge of his nose. She’s seen him somewhere before, she’s certain of it; but all she can remember from that is a sense of betrayal and a feeling of cold-hearted abandonment, so she walks up to him.

“Oh, such a fairy-like young man…”

How is an old lady like her supposed to let such a poor boy, moreover one who could become her successor, in such a dire situation? He seems to have gotten himself in quite a lot of troubles, even more than those she has heard about from the other Leaders and information broadcast in her theatre. It’d be too cruel to let him in the open like that. She has to at least get to know him, to discover if he is her true successor.

For now, thinking of the near future has little to no point, she’s better off calling for help before the boy suffers from hypothermia in the harsh winter sunny winds of Galar. Perhaps she can give him what he doesn’t seem to have anymore…

 Keep going, keep going; for there is a purpose to everyone in this world, a purpose you have yet to find for yourself, waiting for you at the end of the seemingly endless journey.

[preface2adreamplay]

Under Your Spell (Part 21) - Let Me Twist It A Little Deeper

Summary: A Jared Padalecki/OFC /Oscar Isaac fiction.

Stef is not having the best weekend at the con.

Chapter warnings: Flirting, swearing, infidelity. masturbation, angst. 

Chapter WC: 3,554

Everything was packed and ready to go. Stef lay in bed, unable to switch off the noise of the day.

‘Come on, Stef, go asleep,’ she told herself. Pushing off the covers and pulling them back on again. Tossing and turning didn’t cover how much she had moved around. 

Finally, she gave up. Grabbing her phone from her bedside table. 4am. 

Claire was staying with Richard. Jared was with his family and who knows where Oscar was. 

She scrolled through insta for a while, seeing all the photos fans had shared from the previous day. A headache was forming behind her eyes, it was gonna be one of the bad ones, she knew. 

‘Fucking sleep!’ Stef cursed. Only one thing left to try. Reaching down under the sheets, Stef rolled her fingers around her clit, the first thought that came to her mind was Jared on stage, smiling and joking. The next thought was him shirtless, the last time he was in her bedroom, jeans hanging low on his hips, arm muscles bulging while he fished around on the floor for his clothes. 

Breathing out a soft groan, Stef continued, fingers finding her opening hot and wet. She slid inside, one finger. Jared breathing on her neck, sucking soft kisses against her jaw, his voice in her ear, ‘c’mon Stef, give it to me.’ 

It was a phrase he liked to use when he was in a playful mood, she would relinquish control of her pleasure to him. When he took control of her, his hands, his mouth, his voice would be everywhere, all over her. His mouth humming against her in the most delicious way. And she would ride waves of pleasure. 

Stef felt her walls contracting around her finger, her body trembling and finally stilled as she drifted into a disturbed and dream filled sleep.

Oscar had taken her by the hand, dragging her through the crowds, ‘look at them!’ he kept yelling over his shoulder. ‘Let go of me, I can’t go with you.’ Stef tried to twist her arm from his grip. They stopped at the stage where the Q&A had been. Jared sat with his wife in his lap, giggling with her between kisses. Instant fiery hot jealousy raged through her. ‘Look at them!’ Oscar said again. His dark eyes on the couple that were wrapped up in each other. Stef drew her gaze away, unable to look at them any longer. Oscar didn’t flinch when Stef waved her hand in front of his face, he was in a daze, his mouth open in a soft smile. ‘Help me get away.’ Stef shouted. Jared started, seeing Stef below him. ‘No wait, come back.’ He begged. 

Stef was running, the carpet beneath her bare feet was turning into steps too high for her to climb, she couldn’t run hard enough to get away. An arm caught her as she tumbled. 

Stef couldn’t hold back her tears, burying her face in the chest of the man holding her up. 

Stef woke suddenly, throwing the blankets away. Running her hands down her face, she glanced at herself in the mirror across the room. She was perspiring, hair was clinging to her neck. ‘What the actual fuck?’ 

Stef didn’t dream much, but that one made her feel sick to her stomach.

Wiping the bathroom mirror clean after a hotter than hell shower, Stef looked at her face, wanting the woman looking back at her to settle her nerves, tell her she wasn’t being an idiot, it went with the territory. 

Why are you really fucking surprised, was all she said. 

Stef sat on the side of the bath tub and cried. 

Claire had done her best to make up for not being around. When she finally got around to coming back to the hotel room they were sharing, Stef was dressed and fresh faced.

‘Did you sleep?’ Claire rummaged through her bag looking for clean clothes.

‘Not much. I bet it’s pointless to ask if you got sleep last night.’ Stef winked seeing Claire trying to hide a coy smile.

‘I have to shower but then we are definitely having breakfast. There is a thing on later that I wanna check out but I’ll be back before lunch and then we can head back to the airport, k?’ 

Claire was being overly nice, her voice raising a little higher with every sentence.

‘Richard wouldn’t happen to be doing the thing you’re interested in, is he?’ Stef finished applying a second layer of mascara. 

‘Maybe,’ Claire elongated the word, disappearing into the bathroom.

Stef’s phone beeped. Picking it up she saw a message from Jared.

Jared: Good morning sweet thang. x

Stef put the phone back down and checked herself in the mirror. Heaving a sigh, she gathered herself, put on a smile and bent to put on her Nike’s. There would be more walking today, it called for comfortable footwear. Her jeans were loose around her waist, she hadn’t realised she had lost some weight. Not too much to be noticeable she thought. 

Claire was singing in the shower. Stef chuckled, hearing it was one of her older songs, Claire loved the band Stef was taking a break from.

Shit, she thought, remembering one of the members had called her a couple of days previous to ask when she was available to meet up.

Every year or so they would meet, see what was going on with each other and decide if they would do new music or not. 

Hitting the call button, her old friend answered straight away.

‘Hey, Stef! How are you?’

‘Sorry I kinda forgot to call you back, Nik, I’m in Toronto right now.’

‘Yeah, I was talking to Oscar yesterday he told me he ran into you over there. Having fun?’

‘The most fun,’ she lied. 

‘We are meeting Friday night at that bar you hate.’ Nik blew smoke down the phone. Stef knew the sounds of him inhaling and exhaling like his life depended on that one cigarette.

‘I’ll be there.’

‘Great!’ He did sound excited. Stef smiled, excited to catch up with them.

‘Gotta go, I’ll get the details from you during the week.’

‘For sure. Later, Stef.’

‘Was that Jared?’ Claire peeked out from behind the bathroom door, steam billowing behind her. Strands of dark red hair plastered against her face.

‘Nah. Nik. Band meeting.’

‘Oh,’ Claire seemed a little disappointed. ‘Will you see Jared before we leave?’ Her voice kept on the side of casual/hopeful instead of the misery Stef felt creeping into her bones.  

‘I’d like to think so, but, with his family showing up I don’t know if he can get away.’

Stef didn’t have to hear Claire tutting from the bathroom to know how she felt about it. 

Stef looked at her phone as it pinged again. 

Jared had sent a very close up selfie. Laughing, she replied.

Stef: Good morning, Jared. How are you today?

Jared: Tired. Glad this con is almost over. Photo ops at 12, you gonna be around?

Stef: Yep, can swing by before we leave. 

Jared replied with a few celebratory emojis. 

‘Claire, come on, I’m hungry.’

‘Go down without me, I’ll be right behind you.’ Claire was brushing her teeth furiously.

Ok, Stef shrugged.

Filling her plate with as much food as possible, Stef was trying to figure out how to use the coffee machine when someone brushed past her, nudging her elbow, sending a piece of toast sliding off into the mug she had managed to fill with a watery mix of milk and coffee.

‘Sorry,’ a soft voice came. Stef turned to say it was cool when she met the woman’s eyes. 

‘It-it’s fine,’ Stef stammered, her eyes glued to the beautiful brown eyes staring up at her. It was Jared’s wife.

Fuck, Stef thought. 

‘You’re uhm, you’re…’ Gen tried to find a way to say her name without owning that this was the woman her husband was fucking. 

‘Yeah,’ was all Stef managed to say. 

‘Well, you’ve made him a happier man. When he comes home to us.’ Gen said graciously, putting a hand on the shoulder of a boy standing next to her, gaping up at Stef.

He had Jered’s eyes and my god, he had Jared’s hair. Stef swallowed hard, what could she say to that?

’Nice to meet you, anyway.’ 

Gen gave Stef a smile and taking her son by the hand, led him away. Stef closed her eyes, her mouth dry like a fucking desert. Suddenly, the coffee didn’t seem so important. But, there was a queue building up behind her.

‘Go ahead, I can’t seem to work it,’ Stef moved away from the person waiting patiently next to her. Rubbing her nose with her hand, she cleared her throat, not sure where to look or what to do. Fearful of moving her eyes across the room in case she were to see Jared’s family again or worse, Jared himself. She couldn’t face him now. 

Claire arrived, hair swinging, bosom bouncing, a huge grin on her face. ‘Hey did you get me coffee?’ 

Her smile turned to a horrified look, ‘you ok?’ Rubbing Stef’s shoulder. ‘You gonna puke?’

‘Maybe,’ Stef replied, ‘Can we grab a seat?’

Finding a small table hidden behind a huge, ugly plant, Stef told Claire what had just happened.

‘So she thanked you for sleeping with her husband? She’s a better woman than I would be.’

‘Claire!’ Stef pinched the bridge of her nose, the toast on her plate now finding its way to Claire’s mouth.

‘What?’ the redhead replied, ‘She could have ignored you, or punched you, or made a scene, but she didn’t. Sounds like she was just as shocked to bump into you.’

Stef nodded, her brow furrowed. ‘My life is not normal. This is getting awkward.’

‘This is probably the only time you will ever meet her or even see her, just chill.’

Stef blew out a breath, rubbing her sweaty hands against her jeans. 

‘I’m gonna get you a coffee and a chocolate croissant, then we can go see Richard. He will make you laugh and forget your troubles.’

Stef groaned.

‘Now that was my attitude when I first came to the con, you changed my mind. C’mon.’

‘Is it bad that I want a Margarita for breakfast?’

‘Yes, it is, this situation is not that bad.’

***

Claire hadn’t let Stef hide away in the room, which was a good thing. The convention was so big, the chances of her running into Gen again were slim, but Stef kept looking over her shoulder anyway. She regretted agreeing to see Jared at the photo op’s, but bit the bullet - well, asking Richard to scope out the room first and waiting for him to come back and confirm it was mostly Padalecki-free. 

Stef had never seen this section of a convention before, people lining up to take silly/well thought out pictures with Jared and Jensen. 

Jensen smiled and nodded when he saw Stef waiting off to the side. He leaned in to say something to Jared, who turned his head so quickly in her direction, his hair flipped into Jensen’s face, hitting his friend in the eye. The people close enough to see roared with laughter. Jared was falling over himself apologising to Jensen, clapping him on the back with his huge hand, winking over at Stef. 

‘I see why you like him,’ the familiar voice next to her made her smile. ’Tall, handsome, funny. I’d hit it.’

‘Oscar,’ Stef scolded softly. He was alone, standing with his hands in his pockets.

‘Where’s your date?’

Oscar made a dismissive sound, ’She bounced, I’m really good at making people feel unwanted, apparently. It’s a talent, it would seem.’

‘She left?’ Stef shook her head, laughing. 

‘Yes, she did. She said I wasn’t emotionally available.’ Leaning in so that only Stef would hear. ‘I’m kinda glad, she was jealous about everything.’

‘You’re not into chicks that are fawning over you?’ Stef bit her lower lip.

‘Nah, maybe I just didn’t like her.’

‘You heading home today?’ 

‘Yeah, you?’

‘You don’t sound excited.’ Stef was watching a couple set up their photo, within seconds their experience was over. A fleeting moment that would stay with them forever. 

Jared made eye contact with her and pulled one side of his mouth into a grin, looking over Oscar quickly and greeting the next in line. 

‘Want me to get out of your hair?’ Oscar murmured. 

‘No,’ Stef hooked her arm into his, changing the direction so she was walking away from Jared’s line of sight.

‘We haven’t had time to hang much at all.’

‘You want to hang with me?’ 

‘Yeah.’ Stef squeezed his arm. Oscar’s chest puffed out a little. 

‘What’ll we do then.’

‘I saw a stall with some stuff that had your Star Wars guy, Darius specifically requested something with your face on it.’

Pushing his tongue between his teeth, Oscar threw his head back to laugh. 

‘Why the fuck not, let’s buy my own merchandise.’

***

Jared: Where did you go? Photo ops just done.

Stef: Just grabbing a drink, you want one?

Jared: I’ll meet you in the bar, I’ll be about 5 minutes.

‘Is that him?’ Oscar eyed her over his drink, taking a long gulp and sighing. 

‘Yes, he’ll be down here in a few minutes.’ Stef put a hand on his arm. He had rolled up his shirt sleeves. One fist resting on his hip and he cocked an eyebrow, glancing around the room, he looked too hot. Stef had to check herself.

‘Why are you looking at me like that?’ He said, not looking at her, his eyes resting on a pair of blondes sitting at the opposite end of the bar.

‘Like what? I don’t want you to go if that’s what you mean.’ Stef pouted.

‘No, you’re looking at me like I’m lunch.’

Stef opened her mouth to laugh, involuntarily spitting her drink across his lap.

‘Oh shit, I’m so sorry.’

Oscar brushed the droplets away, laughing too much to form a coherent sentence. ‘I didn’t think it would have that effect.’

Wiping her chin with a napkin, she eyed him curiously.’ What kind of reaction did you think you would get?’

‘I dunno, I thought it might make you argue with me.’

‘You want an argument?’ 

’Nah, I just wanted to wind you up a little before your dude gets here.’

‘My dude, as you say, is already here.’ Stef raised her eyebrows in greeting as Jared made his way toward them. Oscar turned his head, not bothering to adjust how he was sitting, legs splayed open, knees on the outside of Stef’s, keeping her sitting in place at the bar. 

‘Hey,’ Jared said softly, tucking hair behind his ear. 

‘Hi,’ Stef grinned up at him. He was nervous, shifty. 

‘I guess I should formally introduce you both.’

They did that thing that men do when they don’t think women notice, they were eyeing each other, sizing each other up. Shaking hands and making pleasantries. Neither spoke, waiting for Stef to break the ice.

‘We will be leaving after lunch.’

‘Isn’t lunch, like, right now.’ Jared checked his watch.

‘Shit it is. Where the hell is Claire??’ Stef reached into her bag and checked her phone. No messages. Typical.

‘I cannot trust that woman around Richard, my god!’ Stef huffed, pressing the call button and listening to the tone on the other end, knowing Claire wouldn’t be picking up.

‘She could be back in the room.’

Oscar was half grinning, a knowing look on his face. ‘Better go check, you don’t wanna miss your flight again.’

‘Again?’ Jared was looking incredibly awkward now. 

‘Oh, Claire has made Effie miss a couple of flights over the years. She almost missed a video shoot her band was doing in Italy.’ 

‘Oh don’t remind me, that woman causes me stress I could do without.’ Giving up on the idea of Claire picking up her damn phone.

‘I gotta head back up to the room anyway, we will be leaving soon too.’ 

Jared put a hand gently on Stef’s elbow, hoping to get her up off her seat and away from Oscar. 

‘Yeah I’ll walk with you,’ turning to Oscar, placing a beer mat on top of her glass. ‘Mind my spot for a few minutes?’ 

Oscar nodded, turning his attention back to the blondes at the bar.

‘Nice to meet you, man.’ Jared offered Oscar his hand, the shorter man taking it, ‘You too, finally.’ Oscar winked at Stef as she walked away.

Stepping into the elevator, they were finally alone. Jared grabbed her waist, drawing her to him. ‘Damn, I’ve wanted to kiss you all fucking day.’ His teeth were nipping at her lips, teasing. Stef stood on her tip toes, trying to reach his mouth. ‘Kiss me then.’

Jared groaned when their lips met. It wasn’t long enough. The doors were opening on her floor. He took her hand in his, leading her down the hall. Stef was looking down at her small hand wrapped in his. ‘That ok?’ He squeezed her fingers.

‘Yeah, just surprising.’ 

Jared shrugged, stepping behind her as she slid the key card into the hotel room door. They were greeted with two naked bodies writhing on the bed. 

‘Oh god!’ Stef covered her face, unable to tear her eyes away from Richard’s naked ass bouncing as he pummelled into Claire.

Pulling the door closed with a bang, she covered her face, eyes wide. ‘How can I un see that?’ She gasped, laughing so much she thought she would puke.

Jared was on his knees, unable to speak. 

It took a few minutes for them to calm down, Richard’s frantic cries of ‘are you guys still out there?’ made the situation worse. Neither Stef nor Jared could answer him.

Jared had managed to drop his gum onto the carpet, causing him to laugh even more.

‘Don’t put that back in your mouth.’ 

‘That’s what she said.’

‘Oh Jared, please stop, I’m in pain from laughing.’

A large hand was on her back, her face was suddenly crushed into his chest. He was gasping for air like he had run a race. 

‘Well that’s put a good ending to a rough weekend.’ Jared was wiping tears from his eyes.

Stef remembered running into Gen earlier in the day, her stomach twisting with guilt. Or maybe it was jealousy. Or a sickening mixture of both.

Swallowing, she looked up at Jared.

‘What’s up, babe?’ 

‘Nothing.’ She lied, kissing him gently on the mouth.

‘You sure?’

‘Yeah, I’ll just miss you is all.’

‘You have good company downstairs, Oscar is keeping your seat for you at the bar.’

‘Jared…’ Stef wanted to explain what had happened earlier, but he cut her off with another kiss.

‘I’ll call you tomorrow, I’ll be back home. After the kids go to bed. Sound good?’

’Sounds good.’ Stef agreed, unable to hide the disappointment in her eyes at how this weekend had panned out. 

Richard opened the door, having dressed himself in a hurry. ‘Come on, man.’ he said to Jared, pushing past them, his cheeks flushed, hair tossed from Claire’s fingers. 

‘Gotta go.’ Jared kissed her quick and left, following Richard down the hall. 

Stef stuck her head in the door, ‘you decent?’

‘Doesn’t matter, you saw everything just now.’ Claire wasn’t half as bashful as Richard. 

‘Oscar is waiting for me at the bar. Meet us down there?’

‘Let me just fix my sex hair and I’ll be down.’

When Stef made it back down to the bar, she saw Oscar talking to a woman. She was hitting his arm and laughing. It was fake. Everything about her was. You can spot when someone wants someone because of their fame, and this was one of those vacuous women.

Stef put her arm between them to get her drink. ‘Oh hey, you’re back.’ Oscar looked happy at her reappearance. 

She was one of the blondes he had been ogling. His face said ‘please help.’ And while Stef would usually have left him to it, she decided on this occasion to do a good deed. 

’I’m Stef,’ she said, sticking her hand out for the stranger, who took it, gingerly.

‘Sorry, are you with him?’ She asked, pointing a talon at Oscar’s chest.

‘Yeah,’ Stef said simply.

The blonde looked her up and down, taking in the old Nike’s, loose jeans and band t-shirt. 

‘Call me,’ she mouthed to Oscar, swaying back toward her friend. 

‘Do not call her.’ Stef warned, sliding back onto the barstool, her legs fitting snuggly between Oscar’s again.

‘Just filling the time til you came back,’ Oscar sighed, leaning his torso toward her.

‘You look flushed, what’s up.’

‘I just caught Claire and Richard fucking.’ Stef looked at him, wide eyed and excited. 

Oscar put a hand over his mouth, his nose scrunched up as he laughed. ‘No fucking way.’

Stef finished off her beer in one gulp. ‘Buy me another one and I’ll describe Richard’s ass to you.’

‘Oh fuck, please don’t. But, I’ll definitely buy you another drink.’ Oscar winked, turning to grab the barman’s attention.

Butterflies. He had given her butterflies with that look.

Fuck, she thought

[suggable]

Im going to write down my second experience seeing Day6 live mostly for me, but feel free to read it after the break if you want (please do not reblog it tho) ✨ a little warning i’ll probably get very emotional and personal and this is going to be Very long and probably will get incoherent at some point!!!!!

I saw Day6 yesterday in Madrid for the second time, and not to be dramatic but it was probably one of the best experiences of my life 😭💕 I already had lots of fun last year but this year’s concert was not only fun but very meaningful for me.

As some of you may know I finally finally finished this week my architecture studies after 6 and a half very long and tough years. The last two have been especially hard, aproximately the same ammount of time I’ve been following Day6 closely. When I first discovered their music I immediately fell in love with it, and I fell in love again when i got to know them. I can positively say they’re the closest artists to my heart, my soulmate band. I do love and appreciate a lot of other artists but the way I love day6 it’s.... unparalled. I’m gonna stop being cheesy now hfjjsjka but knowing that I was going to see them again and meet them after all the constant exhaustion that my master’s has been has given me so much strenght during those all nighters and endless days working on my project kjfdkjjks 

I’m privileged enough to have been able to get vvips tickets this time but tbh that’s not important, the whole experience of the concert it’s what makes it worth it. Me and my friends decided not to go queueing very early bc we wanted to be well rested and we knew we were going to have a good spot in any case. We were so lucky yesterday’s weather was sort of warm, considering our awful awful experience from last year jkdjkskj. I’m so happy we were so prepared this time, we brought lots of snacks and blankets for the queue. We also prepared some fanart freebies to share and trade and it was the nicest experience, everyone there was so so lovely!!! I had such a great time only waiting in line and chatting with myday ^^ After we got out numbered wristbands we picked up our signed entropy copies. I got the “Sweet” version which is my fave!!! I traded around the pcs so i ended up with all Sungjin and Dowoon jhjfhjsdj (and the loveliest Dopil pc 😭❤) I was so happy we didnt have any trouble with queueing or numbering this time!!!!! Then we went for lunch and almost didn’t make it back on time bc it took us ages to get out meals n we wanted to leave all the heavy stuff and coats at the car jdfjkdkjskk but!!! we made it thanks to the lovely people next to us in the queue!!!

We finally got into the venue (which is so big!!! and we filled it!! im so PROUD) and my friends were headed to the left side where Jae is but I noticed the middle section was also kind of empty so we ran there kjkjfd and ended up in 2nd-3rd row!!! so we were in the middle and had a great view of everyone ^^ i felt kind of bad bc the people around us had been queueing from 3am and we’d arrived at 8:30 :P also next to us there was this korean girl who runs a Dowoon fansite and she was very nice and polite and she must kind of hate now me a bit bc I didn’t stop moving and jumping  i hope her pics came out nicely anyway!!! we only had to wait for an hour inside n we had lots of sweets to keep our energy up so it was quite alright :)

when they boys came out i noticed i had the clearest Sungjin visual so I ended up looking at him most of the time kjfjdkkkdksd i just couldn’t help it like the pics don’t do him justice he’s just so cute and expressive and makes the funniest faces when playing!!! and sort of bounces when playing which is the Cutest thing!!!!  there was some sort of problem with his guitars at first n seemed a bit annoyed but it turned out alright!! I also paid lots of attention to Jae bc he has Such Energy performing, the truest hype man!!! when he plays you can see he’s genuinely enjoying himself and loves myday so so much :(((( he interacted a lot with us!! 

Dowoon was also in front of me but he was covered most of the time by his drumset :(( I could see him making all these baby bird pouty faces or mouthing the lyrics and it was.... so CUTE :((((( he’s so cute i 🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺 also i was in awe at his drumming technique like he’s so so so talented and you can clearly see how much he loves it!!! He’s the best boy!!!

I had to move my head a bit to see YoungK and Wonpil and I tried my best looking at everyone when they were singing, but my eyes would automatically go back to Sungjin jfdjskjkaskj I can tell you Young K is very VERY Atractive when performing, he has a sort of magnetism!! He also seemed soooo happy and would jump around non stop and smile at the fans and just Bless us in general!!! Wonpil was sort of serious when playing but you could tell he was concentrated !!! Also his piano and dj skills im!!!!!! like when he plays the Time of Our Life intro so easily!!! i play piano and let me tell you it is difficult as Fuck!!! he truly is so talented!! plus when he was talking with us he was so playful and cute :(((((

Some concert Highlights for me: hearing Best Part live, also So Cool, TOOL, Headache, wanna go back!!! how to love!!! SWEET CHAOS!!!! also hearing WARNING again which may easily be my fave song of them now (well no...we all know it’s impossible to pick just one but yeah jkdfjskkç) also Colors!! when the first chords started playing i started tearing up n then the chorus came n i just broke down crying jsdsk I also cried during I Need Somebody and that bit when we sang back to them and we sang I Smile :((( also the fucking SOLOS hello most talented band in the universe????!!! but like for real they all sound so good live!!! i love that you can clearly hear the drums and keys and all the instruments, plus their vocals are just!! so!! good!!!!!! Jae and Young K went Mad with the adlibs I was living my best life!!!!! 

at some point i locked eyes with Sungjin n my potato brain decided the best thing i could do was to send a flying kiss his way so i did n he got so SHY!!!! and made a 😳😳😳😳 face jkdfjkjkjks i felt v awkward afterwards like i didnt know he was going to react that way jfdkjksa 

Also hearing them speaking spanish...fucking surreal...but when they did their ments in English!!! wow!!! they’ve gotten so good!!!! they kept saying they were so happy and this was the best way to end the tour and they’d grown so much, and reminding us to always be happy i :((((( Wonpil’s ment was the sweetest thing and he sent such an important message and I started crying again (and i made eye contact with Jae while ugly crying so i had to hid behind my banner jkdskjjkjdskks) and couldn’t stop through the whole length of their ments :(( i barely remember anything from young k’s bc i was trying to compose myself a bit jkfkjkjd Dowoon’s was so cute!!! He’d wait for the translator and make such funny faces i :((( Sungjin’s English and like Everything about him im so gone kjfkjjkds and then JAE’S...........

that was truly the Highlight of the night, what truly truly made everything special and what i hope will make them cherish and remember this night forever. So a bit of context: we had prepared a project where during For Me we would take out some prints of some of Jae’s encouraging and inspirational tweets and held them up. So at first Jae was surprised but I guess he didn’t have the time to read which specific tweets we were holing. Then during like the second half of the song he realised n got like v serious like he was trying not to cry...I remember Sungjin also realised bc he was looking at Jae just Knowing.... When we took the concert pics Jae asked us to take an extra one with the tweets bc he wanted it for himself....and then his MENT he thanked us for listening to him and letting him know we hear his words and basically acknowledge and validate him when he passes those life lessons to us and that it meant more than we could imagine....and he was getting more n more emotional n trying not to cry but im p sure he did...and then Sungjin and Wonpil came to his side n started doing this weird dance around him hdjfjjkskjsdkjskkkladsslk n cheered Jae up THEY’RE SO PRECIOUS :((((  but like moments prior u could see Sungjin just Waiting for it n smirking jkjkfdsjkjkkjs also the fact he immediately tweeted about it after the concert 🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺

the whole hi touch thing was such a fiasco but tbh i didnt have much hope to begin with jkfdjkdkjs they made us wear face masks as a prevention for the coronavirus break.........but it didnt really matter bc there was an insane number of vips so we were a LOT of pple for the hi touch...we were rushed n pushed n screamed at by both security n mmt staff....i was laughing at the whole absurdity of the situation n wonpil saw me hjdfkjksjks...we barely had time to say something and high five them but i did manage to say thank u to each of them n look them in the eyes at least!!! (they’re so beautiful from upclose!! and GIANTS! and sungjins eyes.........otherwordly) i felt so bad for the fans that were looking forward to it and for them as well bc you could see their apologetic faces....but anyways everything else went so well im not going to dwell on that!! so yeah i’ve met day6 but i barely remember anything kjjkdsjkd it feels like a fever dream :((((

but tbh considering everything it was the nicest experience!!! im so happy i had the chance to see them again n i hope they come back again!!! also i really wish they’d tour more cities, like there are so many mydays that deserve to see them too :((( 

ok im done with this whole essay like i could keep rambling and rambling but this is the most essential of it!!! if you also read this thank you!!!! please be happy and trust and listen to day6!!!❤💖💕✨🌟

[jawnjendes]

it came back for more | shawn mendes

university au, shawn x goth gf

AN: let me know if i should give the goth gf a name bc like,,,,,,,,,,, idk just let me know,, also does anyone actually like this series lmao

masterlist | series playlist

"You're leaving me?" Shawn asked in mock disbelief.

I knew he was joking, but the fact that he said it as we were walking through campus, in the view of many passing students was a little embarrassing. There was just no getting used to that, like he couldn’t get used to my emotional distance sometimes. I just kept my eyes on the ground and continued walking next to him. No hand holding today. Doesn’t mean I don’t adore him any less.

"I made plans with Stella weeks ago," I told him. "We already bought tickets."

Shawn smiled, letting go of his pretend hurt. "It's cool. I understand, and I hope you have fun."

"Shit, me too. I feel like this movie is going to destroy me."

Yes, this is about the most anticipated movie of the year. Yes, I was more hyped than I have been in months. No, there will not be any spoilers.

"You're welcome to tag along," I added. "I mean, if there's still seats available at the theatre."

He shrugged off the invite, which I knew he would do. Shawn wasn't into this particular franchise, claiming he was tired of this type of movie. Can't say I blame him, plenty of people felt the same way. It was just hard to ramble at him about it because he didn't know jack shit. That was why I was going to the movie with Stella.

"I'll just stay home and watch Grey's without you." He smirked.

"First of all, that's mean and I would never do that to you. Secondly, Grey's comes back next week!"

"Oh yeah."

“Besides,” I added, “I’m gonna spend the night at your place anyway. Just like every Thursday.”

“Yeah, but instead of twenty four uninterrupted hours, we’ll get…” Shawn counted on his fingers. “...Less than that?”

We made it back to my dorm to find Stella lying facedown on the couch. Shawn and I shared a look as we entered the vicinity. Not that this wasn’t unusual, it was just hard to pinpoint her reasoning for this. I mean, I shouldn’t talk. Sometimes I lie on the floor without explanation wherever I please. Stella was used to that, but Shawn would ask if I “wanted to talk” or something.

"Did you get spoiled?" I asked her.

"No," she replied, her voice muffled by the cushions. "I'm trying to kill time. There's five hours left before the movie!"

I sighed and went to sit on her legs. "I know. I made Shawn take my phone because I don't wanna go online and see something I don't wanna see."

Stella picked her head up. "That's a good idea." She reached for her phone on the table, extending her arm towards my boyfriend. "Can you take mine too?"

Shawn chuckled, back and forth between the two of us. But he took Stella's phone. "You're both crazy."

"And what about it?" I said back. Then I reached for his hand. "Anyway, I need you to keep me busy for at least three hours." I smiled and batted my lashes in an exaggerated manner.

"Only three hours?" he replied with a cheeky grin as he took my hand and got me to my feet again.

"Ugh!" Stella interjected as she rolled off the couch. "I'm going to the library! And I'm leaving my phone so I don't go online! If I'm not back before we have to leave, just assume I killed myself because I got spoiled!"

"That's valid," I told her, "but I like you better alive."

~

Two of the three hours went by before Shawn practically tired himself out. He tapped out and rolled onto his back, leaving me alone with my thoughts. I couldn’t blame him for pulling out (in every aspect) because it was close to finals season. Tensions were rising, he was finally feeling the consequences of missing assignments and poor exam grades. I knew that because I was going through the same thing. The semester was going to be over in a month, then I would be going back to California.

And Shawn was coming with me… for a week.

It got awfully cramped on my single size bed by the time Shawn was out like a light, so I got up and decided to get ready. I got dressed in the appropriate attire for this movie, a black t-shirt with the franchise logo and black leggings. Then I grabbed my makeup bag and sat down on the floor in front of my mirror. Halfway through my routine, Shawn awoke with a start.

"I'm up! Let's go again!" he said, sitting up.

I looked at him through the mirror, still blending concealer under my eyes with a sponge. "You're like, twenty minutes too late, my dear. I'm already getting ready."

He rubbed his eyes and yawned, nodding in response. "Okay…"

As he lied down again, I couldn't help but smile. Shawn was really fucking cute, and he had no right to be. I don't want to sound like that girl, because I’m rarely that girl, but how was I expected to spend three whole hours away from him tonight? Thursdays were usually our night, since neither of us worked or had class after four o'clock. I mean, nothing was going to stop me from going to this movie, let alone a cute guy with curly hair and a charming smile. That doesn’t mean I wouldn’t miss him.

"You're still welcome to join us," I told him from where I was sitting.

"You really want me to go, eh?" he replied, shifting to his side so he was looking at me.

"I'm just saying, it's probably the only time you'll see me cry."

Shawn picked his head up, eyes wide. "Seriously?"

Between the two of us, he was the crier. Are we surprised at this point? I had my exceptions, like watching a new movie I was very passionate about, or when my chronic GI issues would flare up and give me a panic attack. However, I haven't gotten sick in a while, so technically only one thing was going to make me weep.

"Well," Shawn spoke after a while, "guess I'm going."

~

I knew I was expecting tear jerkers, but I still sported my inner and outer wings to the movie. Half of it smudged onto my eyelids and half was under my eyes. On top of that, I got a dehydration headache, because I refused to drink water during a three hour long movie. I did eat popcorn, even though it was well after the time I cut off food for the day. That sounds concerning, but it's a thing I go through. If I eat after 8PM I will spend the night barfing.

Shawn, Stella, and I left the theatre practically buzzing. The mood of the film and the other moviegoers kept our spirits high, despite the fact that Stella and I had visible mascara tracks on our faces. I cried at things you wouldn’t normally cry at in a movie, like when your favorite character breathes, or makes a dramatic entrance.

"Okay," Shawn said, "that was actually a really good movie."

"Good enough to convert into a stan?" I asked, holding his hand.

"Mm, probably not."

I quickly let go of his hand. "Fine."

Walking towards the parking lot was when I started to feel something. My abdomen felt a little sore, and it made me slow down my steps a little bit. I placed my hand on my stomach; It wasn’t excruciating, but it was noticeable.

"You okay, honey?" Shawn asked, looking at me.

I nodded quickly and got back into step with him. However, the soreness was persisting by the time we got back to my car. I unlocked the doors to let Stella and Shawn in, but I stood where I was and focused on this pain. Maybe I cried too hard at the movie. Maybe the popcorn I had was giving me a warning.

Either way, there go my late night plans.

"So, I don't think I should stay at your place tonight," I told Shawn when I got in the car.

"Aw, why?" he asked.

"My stomach is, uh, acting up a little. Not feeling too good."

"You're gonna let your stomach stop you?" Stella piped up from the backseat. She wasn't one to normally say things like that. She knew how serious I got when I got sick.

I looked at her through the rear view mirror. "You got plans tonight?"

She picked at her nails and stayed quiet for a minute. "I have a friend visiting."

"Just stay at mine anyway," Shawn said to me. "I have the tea you like, and medicine, and a shit ton of blankets to keep you cozy. I'll be there to take care of you."

"I don't know, I wouldn’t wanna put that on you."

"I really don't mind."

We’ve been together five and a half months. In those months, I have gotten flare ups a handful of times, and all of those times had to do with trying new foods that ended up disagreeing with me. Each time I was with Shawn, and I had to tell him to leave me to deal with my illness. He did so, reluctantly. He really wanted to nurse me back to health, though.

Sickness is just so ugly. I didn't want to burden him with my physically unstable ass sleeping on the bathroom floor. I didn't want him to hear me puking in his bathroom. We just got to a place where things were Love sick, not Sick sick. Everything was so soft and sweet between us. For once nothing was grey, it was soft blend of black and pink. I didn’t want to taint it with my stupid gastrointestinal crap.

On the other hand, Stella is my roommate. She offers to look after me when I get sick, to which I always say no. I know how to handle it. Still, she goes to the extent of cancelling plans and breaking dates just in case I needed help. She was my safe person when went out. She was the extrovert who wanted and deserved to have a good time.

I had to stop by campus to drop Stella off, anyway. She got out of the car, reminding me once again that she'll have somebody over very soon.

Shawn turned to me once we were alone. "Please stay with me tonight."

"I don't need you to deal with my sickness," I said firmly. "It's nothing personal-"

"Okay, stop for a second," he told me. Then he placed his hand on the shoulder of my seat. "I know you know how to handle yourself when you get sick. It's like, a plan you've had to make and adjust over time, and you know it like the back of your hand. I get that, you know how to take care of yourself. I just don't want you to do this plan alone."

"I won't be alone, I have Stella." By that I mean, she's on standby only if things go really wrong... which is never. I’m not that sick.

This time, though… I’ve only felt actual pain one time before this.

Shawn gave me a look. "She's gonna be busy tonight. She wants to be busy tonight."

We stared at each other for a while. My stomach was flipping for reasons unrelated to illness. My boyfriend had stupidly kind, gentle intentions, and stupidly pretty eyes. He also had a very comfy bed.

I sighed. "Fine."

~

After some tea and rest, I felt a little better. I felt good enough to hop into bed with my boyfriend for about twenty minutes. It was fine until he was on top of me...

"Fuck, I'm sorry," Shawn frantically said, moving off of me. "Oh god, I'm so sorry."

My face was scrunched with pain, and I tried to control my breathing. The soreness from earlier turned into a sharp pain in my abdomen that made me push Shawn away from me. It was kind of a mood killer to say the least, since it made him panic.

"Are you okay?" he asked, voice trembling. "How bad is it? What do you need?"

"Shh!" It wasn't intended to sound mean, but I was trying to focus on what my body was doing.

I struggled to sit up, so Shawn held my lower back to support me. He kept asking questions, but I was rapidly tuning him out. The pain didn't get any better or worse, but I was feeling something in my guts. I got up and dashed into the bathroom.

We're going to get just a little TMI. I wanted use the bathroom, but my bowels weren't having it. Then, I wanted to puke but my stomach wasn't having it. I didn't know what to do, so I just stayed on the floor in front of the toilet and let my body try to figure things out for itself.

I shouldn't have had popcorn at the movies. Sure, popcorn is light on the stomach, but Stella wanted extra butter, and I hadn’t eaten for hours. I knew what I was getting myself into, and now I was paying for it. Add popcorn to the list of foods that were now forever tainted with a bad memory.

Shawn came knocking on the door, his voice full of concern. "Honey, are you okay? Can I come in?"

I didn’t say anything but he let himself in anyway. He sat next to me on the floor, next to where I was leaning over the toilet. Delicately, he moved my hair from my face and held it back.

"I don't think I'm gonna puke," I told him, resting my forehead on the seat. My mouth was watering inexplicably, and I felt a tingle in my feet.

"Okay, then let's get you back to bed," he said gently, placing his hands on my waist to help me up.

Then, I actually puked. Yup, no more popcorn for me.

~

It goes without saying that I was up for most of the night. I only threw up that one time, but I felt nauseous until the sun peeked through the window. Not only that, I always got a bout of anxiety whenever things with my stomach got bad, and it intensified knowing that I wasn’t home at my dorm. I wasn’t in the comfort of my squeaky single size bed. I didn’t have my phone charging next to me here because the only other outlet was on the other side of the room. I felt so out of place and I wanted to run, but I knew I couldn’t because traveling would only upset my stomach more.

Shawn fell asleep when I reassured him that I wouldn’t spend anymore time in the bathroom. He was on his side facing me practically the whole night. When I felt okay enough to lay down, I put one of the extra pillows between us and faced away from him. He started stirring by the time I was finally sleepy.

When I woke up in the late afternoon, I was just grateful I didn’t have class on Fridays. I couldn’t get up even if I wanted to.

I rolled onto my back, only to find that I was alone. I rubbed my eyes, then quickly remembered that I fell asleep with smudged eyeliner, and I just made it worse. I sighed and looked out the window from where I lied. It had gotten cloudy throughout the day. Thank god, today was not a sunshine kinda day for me.

If only I had the energy to get off my ass and go back home where I wanted to be.

My eyes blankly stared at the ceiling. Whatever spirit I had left in me was slowly floating away. My incorporeal being was rising out of my physical being, until voices outside the bedroom caused me to come back to earth.

“Oh, let me just see her! Maybe I can help!”

A woman. I slowly moved onto my side, curling up under the blanket and trying to focus on the window. Then, I heard Shawn’s voice.

“No! Ah - I mean…” He was suddenly outside the door. “Let me see if she’s awake.”

Shit.

The door opened, but I didn’t move from my position. Shawn came up in my peripherals, and then he sat down on the empty side of the bed. His eyes met mine, and he smiled.

“Hey, you. How ya feeling?”

I blinked. “Tired… Not sick. Just tired.”

“As long as you’re not sick.” He brought a hand up to my head and stroked my hair. “Listen, my mom is here.”

“Why?” Seemingly innocent question, but it did make me feel some kinda way, and it certainly sounded like it.

“She comes every so often,” Shawn explained. “She’ll clean and do my laundry.”

Must be nice.

“I told her you were here,” he continued. “I told her you were sick, and she just wants to check on you.”

We had talked about me meeting his family. I joked about wearing a high ponytail with a pink scrunchie the way Meredith did in Grey’s Anatomy. Shawn replied by saying I’d be wearing a black scrunchie, duh. Clearly, it wasn’t supposed to be like this, the day after a particularly nasty flare up. I was severely unprepared and it was a couple of months too early. But how the hell am I supposed to turn his mother away when she was already here?

“I’ll go out there,” I told him. “Let me just wash my face first.”

Shawn looked pleasantly surprised. “Okay, great. We’ll be in the living room.” He kissed my forehead and got to his feet.

As I pushed myself out of bed, I noticed the persisting pain in my abdomen yet again. Not as bad as last night, but it was still there. I already knew how to handle this.

[missblissy]

As a request could you please do one where the reader and Arthur are in a relationship and the reader ends up having a miscarriage. This then leads the reader into a depression and does self harm. Arthur does what ever he can do to help the reader. I understand if you don’t want to do this request just thought I’d put it out there. Thank you

((Aaaa thank you for the request friend!! I love writing angsty stories no matter how much they hurt!! Thank you for giving me the option to write this! I’m sorry this took so long to get too!! Have a good read!! dfkjhgldkfjghldfk I’m so sorry this is weeks late ;; ))

WARNING: CONTAINS AND MENTIONS SELF HARM! READ AT YOUR OWN RISK!

It pulsed within. It squirmed and moved and curled deep in the darkness, lapping at the edges of numbness while clawing hopelessly out of an endless trap. The way it’s ebony shadows consumed everything insight reflected how the world was cruel and unloving. Nothing warm could ever spark alive again, nothing good could ever grow.

The flame danced as if this was the happiest moment of its life, lighting your shallow face in the dark forest. Despite the blurry vision, you could still watch the beautiful party within the flickers of the flames. You sat hunched over with your arms wrapped around your knees. You blinked slowly, ignoring the sting of smoke that swamped you with the change of the wind.

No matter how close you sat to the fire though, you still felt cold. No matter how much liquor you drank. You still felt cold. Breathing slow and shallow you reached for the branch sitting beside you. Shakey and boney fingers twitched around the broken bark before jabbing the stick into the heart of the fire in front of you.

Tinders and sparks floated into the air like burning stars. They swirled in the wind and died before they reached the treeline. There was an ache in your body returning as the booze wore off. A soft throbbing encased each of your legs and arms that worked its way into the core of your body. You needed another drink. By the glow of the fire, you crawled to your feet and used the low light to find your horse softly grazing a few yards away.

Each step made your legs wobble and buck, you’d wince and take each step carefully. The pain was growing and reaching out trying to cripple you. If you hadn’t cried enough already, you’d be brought to tears by the sharp shooting pain that came with moving. Your horse raised its head when you got close, letting out a little chirp then returning to his grazing. The rum was tucked away in your saddle bag and you even found a little bottle of gin too. You’d need it.

The journey back to the ugly sleeping bag you hurt more than the first one. As you sat down, you caught a glance of the paper box hidden in the darkness that was an arm’s length away. There was no stopping the flashbacks of memories, only hours old, from violating your mind.

You cracked open the rum and gulped down the brown liquor as you remembered how this day started. It had been a normal day at first. You were on your way back from Valentine when an unknown pain rooted itself in your stomach. You didn’t think anything of it until it got worse, so much to the point that you had to slide off your horse and fumble to the ground, watching a blotch of blood soak into your jeans. You knew it wasn’t your period because you had gotten pregnant.

That was a long time ago now. It was well past three in the morning now. Part of you heard a voice screaming out in your head. You asked for this, didn’t you? In a way you did. You didn’t want to be a mother and you prayed to whatever God was listening to take this away. And for once someone was listening. You weren’t sure if this was a cruel joke or not. The only luck you had going for you was that no one knew you were pregnant, and no one knew you had a miscarriage.

Bitterness swirled around inside you and you let out a cold single laugh as the bottle of rum brushed your lips, “And I just started showing too… Thank God and kill me…” You drank the rum and thought about how this was probably the best thing to happen to you despite how awful it made you felt.

It wasn’t like you could be a mother anyways. You were in a gang. The gang. The Son’s of Dutch. The Van der Linde Gang. You were a murderer, a killer and a wanted criminal. That wasn’t the recipe to make a mother. That was a disaster just waiting to happen. It wasn’t like the father was any better. He’d be your on again off again boy toy. He wasn’t much of anything, but you’d been dancing around each other for years now. Sometimes you’d be madly in love, sometimes you’d see other people, other times you’d mess around just for the sake of messing around. But you’d always come back to him, and he’d always be your friend. You didn’t know what it was but there was just something alluring about Arthur Morgan. It didn’t hurt that he was handsome too. But he wasn’t a husband or a father and you didn’t ask that of him because you knew it simply just wasn’t something he couldn’t do. You couldn’t either so there was no judgment.

However, your game of cooties finally caught up to you, and you and Arthur were currently “on” again relationship wise. As far as anyone else was concerned you two were dating. Right now you just couldn’t think about them, or even Arthur really. Something was attacking you from the inside out and you knew you wouldn’t be able to fight it for long. You’d cry, but you didn’t have any tears left in you.

You had reached the bottle of rum sooner than you wanted and you knew the little bottle of gin wouldn’t get you to your destination. When you found out you were having a miscarriage, you fled into the woods not too far from camp. You knew no one would be looking for you because half the camp was gone. Dutch took several boys, including Arthur, and went to go poke fun with some locals and making some money. You choose not to go because ever since you found out you were pregnant, about two or three months ago, you’d been slowly withdrawing from gang activity.  

Depression was easy to hide at first, and you got incredibly depressed when you first discovered you were pregnant. You simply just put on a smile and didn’t let anyone know what was going. The days of pretending slowly turned into weeks and somehow it became a lifestyle to feel hollow while laughing like you were living.

You felt a tinge in your heart and you pressed a finger into your upper thigh, there was a sting that came with the touch. You traced your finger down and felt bump after bump. You couldn’t help it, nor did you try to stop your awful habit of cutting yourself in times of great depression and stress. It was like a nervous tick that got worse with time. You had not cut yourself in many years, however, this was the first time in nearly a decade and you hated yourself for it.

The fire pop and cracked as you stirred the embers around. You tried not to think about your life, your feelings, yourself or the things that had happened. No one would be back at camp yet, the left this morning. You had a good feeling they’d be gone for a day or two. You told yourself you’d head back to camp in the morning anyway. You fled to the forest and bled out in the dirt while drinking your weight in alcohol.

Slowly you dragged your hollow eyes over to the box again. Your lips scrunched up and you made this sour face before grabbing it and tossing the box into the flames. Something told you not to do it, but you did. You didn’t want any memory of this and you didn’t want to leave anything behind. You were so torn between the voices in your head. They told you that you were a monster and selfish, they told you that you asked for this, they told you to be thankful because the next time this happens it will be worse.

You laid down on your side and put your back to the flames. Silence was welcomed but you couldn’t find any in the sea of your heart and mind, clashing together to make the story of a lifetime. You held onto the leaking bottle of gin, to intoxicated and tried to stop it from spilling into the dirt. ____________________________________________

The camp was quite like it always was at the crack of dawn. No one was awake, and anyone that was didn’t see you slip in from the treeline. You had new clothes on, thanks to the spare outfit you kept in your saddle bag, you burned your old stained clothes when got up this morning with a pounding headache and pain coming from every corner of your body. You just wanted to get back to your tent and sleep for the rest of the day.

You had nearly made it there too, but someone stopped you with a chipper happy tone that did not match your sluggish gray mood. It was Hosea, a smile on his face and two cups in his hands. He must have seen you come in. The sweet old man was always the first to rise, he loved watching the sunrise every morning with a cup of coffee and a book.

“Welcome back, (Y/n),” Hosea greeted you a few feet outside your tent, he held out the warm tin cup for you to take.

You pressed your lips thin into a forced and tired smile, “Hey, Hosea, how are you?” The coffee’s heat radiated into your frozen fingers. You brought the cup up to your nose and for a second you felt alive as the bitter drink wafted into your lungs, waking you up only by a small bit.

“As fine as one can be in these times,” He sounded a little bothered but you knew he was just talking about the whole Blackwater situation. You’d only made it to Horseshoe Overlook a couple weeks ago. Hosea took a brief of his coffee then asked, “What about yourself? You didn’t come back last night, Arthur was looking for ya when he got back.”

“Was he?” You did a damn good job of not acting surprised. But you were, and you were a little disappointed, you were hoping to have your tent all to yourself.

“Yeah, he got all-” Hosea paused and waved his free hand in the air, gesturing to something only known between you two, “Ya know?” You nodded your head, understanding exactly what he meant. He meant Arthur had gotten his panties tied in a knot last night because you weren’t there to greet him when he got back with Dutch. Hosea then asked, “So what happened? You look like shit, girl.”

That made a small single chuckle blurt from your mouth before your face dropped again, “Ha!” You shook your head after that, “I got robbed on my way back from town,” You lied, “Had to chase the fucker across the heartlands. I camped out last night and rod back,” You were a good liar and he believed every word you said. Hosea had taught you well and you used your power against him.

“That’s a shame,” He said, “Did you get to skin him at least?” He seemed genuinely curious.

“Who do you take me for, Hosea?” You faked another smile, it had gotten so easy to be fake after months of practice, “Of course I did!”

He laughed at that and gave you a pat on the shoulder, “Thank god!” He smiled to you and then gave your shoulder a squeeze, “Be good, girl, I’ll see you later.”

As he left you by yourself again, you brought the coffee cup up to your lips one last time and took a small sip before dumping it to the ground, not really interested in drinking it anymore. You headed inside your tent. You peeled back the curtain door that opened up into your humble little tent. It was dark in there and you could barely see, the morning sun hadn’t even risen above the horizon yet. You found a little lantern on a table and brought a low light to life.

Arthur was there, sound asleep and curled under the blankets of your bed. Something about him made your skin crawl. You wanted to get in bed and sleep, but strangely the thought of touching him made your stomach uneasy and your head spin. You had nowhere else to go, however, and you were very tired and still in a lot of pain. But you just couldn’t do it. You didn’t even want to see him. There was something dead inside you and it was rotting away, infecting you, and making you sick.

After several seconds of thought, you went over to the far end of your tent and slowly opened a chest you had, it was filled with your belonging among other things. You had some cash stuffed in the deepest part, a little secret stash you had been saving up for a rainy day. That day was today, you told yourself, you had finally decided that you were going to just have back into town. Get a bath, get a room, sleep in a big bed all day by yourself and maybe, hopefully, you wouldn’t wake up.

As you closed the chest, clicked it shut, you heard Arthur rolling over in the bed before letting out a yawn. You froze in your spot and prayed that he didn’t wake up. Praying only works once it seems, as you turned around slowly, carefully, you saw Arthur looking back at you. Shit. He looked… happy.

You were anything but that. He smiled and said, “Good morning,” His voice was rough and broken from snoring through the night.

It was hard to smile back. Why was it so hard to pretend and lie when it came with Arthur? Was it because you possibly loved him more than the world? Was it because it was hard to lie to someone you cared about? No. You easily lied to Hosea, you lied to Dutch all the time. You’ve been lying to everyone for the last few months. It just felt wrong with Arthur because this lie was apart of him just as much as it was apart of you. The only difference was that Arthur was clueless and you carried the burden alone.

“Hey,” You tried your best to put on your nicest face for him. When he reached a hand out and hung it off the side of the bed, you knew he wanted you to come closer. You hesitated but took the few steps between you. Lightly and loosely held onto his hand. It felt cold and it made your skin feel like it wanted to be ripped off. 

With a smile, Arthur brought the back of your hand to his lips and gave it a kiss. The little whiskers on his face had grown out of control and his five o’clock shadow was slowly turning into a prickly beard, “What are you doing today?” He asked.

That was the last question you wanted to answer. You just wanted to be alone. To sleep. To get some peace. You sucked in a small breath and then sighed, “Oh, stuff. I gotta run to town.”

“You were just there yesterday,” He peered up at you then gave a light tug on your hand, “It can wait, can’t it?” Clearly, he wanted you to get in bed with him. But you just couldn’t do that.

With a small shake of your head, as your hair swayed in and out of your face, you pressed a small smile onto your lips and softly said, “I’d rather not,” You even withdrew your hand from his, going on to say, “I have stuff I gotta do,” You had nothing to do.

Arthur made a face and not a pleasant one. His brows knitted together and he swung his legs over the bed, sitting up and asking, “You mad at me?”

“No!” You quickly replied, feeling guilty and upset with yourself for making him feel that way, “No, not at all! No!” You didn’t try to comfort him though. You just couldn’t bring yourself to touch him. It felt wrong and invasive. It felt like he’d find out sooner or later just by staring at you, “I… I just… I have to do something. Important. In town.”

He didn’t seem to like that answer very much, “You gonna tell me what?” Arthur even seemed angry, “Or when ya gonna be back?”

When you avoided his gaze he knew something was up, not that he already didn’t have a clue. You stared down at the ground and shook your head while backing away from him, “No… and… I don’t know.”

Little did you know, but Arthur had been watching you for some time now. You had been acting incredibly strange the past week or so. As much as you thought you were a good liar and actress, you couldn’t fool Arthur. Maybe you could trick the rest of camp, but not him. Not the man that knew every inch of your body and every secret inside your head, and who’s been in your life for the last 20 years.

“Is… is it Dutch?” Arthur asked, pressing on still, “Does he got some… secret mission or…?” He had to know what was up. Why couldn’t you just tell him what you were doing? When did this turn into a guessing game?

“Arthur, please,” Your voice was so small, you didn’t want to fight, “Just… stop asking. Please…”

Something about this wall that you put up didn’t feel right. Your behavior recently had been growing more and more odd by the day. You had stopped eating and sleeping, he noticed. You’d become foggy and out of it, as if you were in the clouds. You had a hard time remembering anything anyone said to you, and you had found a new interest in hiding in your tent all day while avoiding everyone like the plague. 

If you didn’t want to talk to him, well then, “Fine,” He said and glared up at you with a hurt look in his eyes. As he stood up he walked past you, brushing into your shoulder and you felt a spark of pain come from him. He went on to ignore you and got dressed. He figured if he did that you’d retort back like you normally did and fight his attitude with one of your own. But he didn’t hear anything. Not even a ‘fuck you’ was said, which was your best comeback for things like this. As he shoved his arms into each sleeve, he turned around and you were gone. You left…

There was something wrong and Arthur could smell the bullshit from a mile away. You didn’t even say goodbye. His anger and irritation was replaced with worry and fear. This wasn’t like you at all. He had to find out what was going on, or at the very least what you were doing. And the only way to do that was to follow you.__________________________________________

You had slid off your horse with a look of pain on your face. Arthur watched you wince and hiss out from down the street as you hitched your stallion outside the hotel in Valentine. You pressed a hand into your lower stomach, standing there for a second to catch your breath. 

Were you hurt? Was that it? Arthur kept himself snug against the sherif’s office as he watched you from down the main drag of town. As he watched you wobble up the stairs of the hotel and head inside, he wondered what on earth you could have been up too.

Once you open the door and disappeared within, Arthur ran faster than he’d ever run before. Why were you going to the hotel? Arthur’s wild imagination started playing a guessing game as he made it up to the front steps of the building. Fear gripped him but died quickly when he peered into the windows and caught your tail end as you headed for the baths. He let go of a breath he didn’t realize he was holding and leaned back along the hotel’s walls.

As he pulled out a cigarette and sparked it to life, Arthur eyed everyone that even dared to get close to the building. A large part of his nagging mind told him that you may have come here to seek attention from another man. In other words, Arthur thought you came here to cheat on him despite the fact that your relationship was as murky as the swamp waters in Lemoyne County. You were not his wife, even though he would like to change that, you were your own person and if you wanted to mess around with other men… Well. Arthur could get as jealous and possessive as he wanted but he wasn’t the boss of you, nor did he own you, nor did you have to listen to him. 

Regardless, Arthur would be extremely upset if his greatest fear was coming true. Between drags of his cigarette, he’d look back into the window of the hotel. Nearly half an hour had passed before he saw you again. As Arthur peeked into the window he watched you walk by and head upstairs. Anxiety and paranoia flickered alive within him again. He threw the cigarette down and embers flew into the air. He stopped the tip his boot down and killed it before rushing inside.

The man at the front desk smiled, ready to greet another customer, “Hello there,” He said, “How can I help you?”

Arthur took in a quick breath and swiped his hand under his nose. He could smell the lavender soap left over in the air from your bath, “Howdy,” His voice was low. Arthur stopped at the counter and leaned forward, “Do you think you can tell me anything about that woman who was just here?”

The hotel clerk’s face dropped down into a mild frown, “I try to respect my customer’s privacy, sir.” Arthur rolled his eyes and then pulled out a few dollar bills then slapped them on the counter. The clerk took the money without a sound then cleared his throat, “Don’t know much,” He spoke quietly, “Bought a bath and a room for the next four nights. Strange one. Don’t normally get requests like that,” The man paused and ran a hand over his mouth before pulling at his mustache, “Especially from women,” He paused then leaned a little closer to Arthur, his voice barely a whisper now, “Between you and me, she might be going up there to kill herself. She had this look in her eye, dark… nasty. She looked sadder than a weeping desert flower drying up in the sun. I’ve seen it before, ladies will come in here and buy a whole damn week’s worth of nights, and kill themselves up there. I hope she isn’t gonna be the next one, I’ve had 3 suicides in the last 6 months. Damn crazy woman are bringing my ratings down.” 

When the man pulled away, Arthur’s old fear of losing you to another man was replaced with losing you entirely, “What room?” He asked as he felt a dark feeling cripple him. 

“Three, first door on the right.”

Arthur quickly pushed himself away from the counter and hurried upstairs. When he found your room he crept quietly towards the door. He pressed an ear against the dark wood and closed his eyes while he listened for any sounds you’d make.

Through the door, he could barely make out muffled sobs. He could hear you swear a few times. Words came in and out. You must have been crying into a pillow or something because it was extremely hard to hear anything you said. But the one thing he could make out was his name. So you were mad at him? What did he do? Arthur made up his mind and he made himself comfortable against the door until he didn’t hear anything at all. 

The silence screamed in his ear and shattered his nerves until he told himself to calm down, and that you had probably fallen asleep. After several minutes of nothing, Arthur decided he’d break in. Picking the lock was easy, opening the door was the hard part. It slowly let out a creek as he pushed the door open. He winced when the door let out a loud squeak, at least he noticed you were sound asleep in bed.

He closed the door and looked over his shoulder towards your figure buried under blankets. It was tempting to climb in bed with you, but Arthur knew better than that. He knew damn well when you woke up that you’d be furious that he had literally stalked you and broke into your room. Clearly, Arthur had little sense of honor or privacy at the time.

There was a chair sitting snug in the corner of the room that Arthur had made himself comfortable in. The cushioned seat was a million times better than those logs around the fire pits he’d gotten so used too. He pulled his journal out from his satchel and stared at you while you slept. He’d get his answer soon enough, but did he go about it in the wrong way? Sure. But at least for the time being, you’d make the perfect model for his sketches. ________________________________________

Dreams faded away from your mind and the dull light of the final hours of the day soaked onto your face. You could feel the warm orange rays of sunlight on your cheeks leaking in from the window. The warmth of the bed was a little too much so you kicked away the heavy blanket and remained under the thing sheet. 

A yawn escaped your chest but it caused you pain. You let out a little wince alongside a sharp inhale of air. Everything hurt and suddenly you remember where and who you were, and what you’ve done. Deep dread pooled and oozed out of you and onto everything you touched. You took a bath earlier but you felt dirty and disgusted in your own skin. You pressed a hand against your right thigh, feeling dried up scabs that had formed over the cuts you sliced into your skin only hours before. A sinking feeling overtook your body and you rolled around in bed a few times before you heard a familiar sound.

Somebody… Was in the room. And that somebody cleared his throat loud enough to make his presence known. You sat up quick enough to give yourself a headrush. But even with blurry and blacked out vision, you could still make out Arthur’s figure sitting across the room. 

You frowned instantly and let out a gasp as you threw the sheets off you, “What the hell are you doing here!?” You yelled at him.

Arthur didn’t even flinch. He closed his journal with a quick snap and stuffed it away, “I could ask you the same thing.” He retorted.

He watched you as you walked around the bed and towards him. You wore just an oversized shirt and some socks. As you glared at him you watched Arthur’s eyes stop at a peculiar place on your body. It was your leg. Your right upper thigh.

“What.... Are those?” Arthur pointed a finger at the several little gashes that scattered odd places on your leg. 

It took him a second, but Arthur could faintly remember a time in your mouth when you use to do this to your arms. You had just joined the gang back then and you had a very deep-rooted lust for death. He got up out of the chair and he watched you wince away. You took a step back and Arthur frowned.

“(Y/n)- what is going on?”

You stared hard at the ground. You were as pale as a ghost. You felt naked and ashamed of yourself. 

Arthur spoke again and he took a small step towards you. His voice surprised you, it was low yet calm, “You’ve got me worried, (Y/n). Whatever is going on you can tell me. You know I’ve always been there for you no matter what it was,” He paused and you took a quick glance up at him. His face was soft and as he spoke a little smile twitched on his face, “You remember that time back in New Mexico? I had your back all the way out of the mess.” The memory of escaping bandits and pretending to be a man for three weeks was probably still the worst time of your life. You looked up at Arthur as he said, “And I helped you all those times you had to fight off your drunk of a father.” 

Even then Arthur was the pillar of support you could always lean on. It so different now, maybe he’d understand if you told him what was going on but fear still held tight to your tongue. The pressure of it all caused tears to well in your eyes. As one rolled down your cheek Arthur reached out to wipe it away, to your surprise you didn’t even flinch. The touch of his thumb along your cheek was rough but familiar. It made you cry even more. 

You didn’t stop yourself from sobbing anymore and you didn’t move away when Arthur embraced you into his arms where you buried your face into his chest. This was so difficult and you were so miserable and sad. You wanted to tell him everything but you cried so hard that your throat was getting sore and your eyes grew puffy.

Arthur held tightly onto you until you found enough courage to speak. Your voice was small and broken and barrel a whisper, “I have to tell you something,” When he remained silent you took in a breath, and in an even smaller voice you said, “I...” You passed and slowly shook your head back and forth, your nose dragging across his chest, “I had a mi-..miscarriage.” 

Time seemed to stop for what felt like years. But suddenly you noticed the grip on you loosened, and loosened, and all that was left where Arthur’s hands gripping your shoulders tightly as he kept you at an arm's length.

“What did you just say?” He stared at you as you started to open your mouth but he cut you off with a stern voice, “You were pregnant?” You had nothing to say, “For how long?”

This time he wanted an answer. Somehow you managed to say, “A... A few months...Four?” You weren’t entirely sure, it was somewhere around there probably. 

“Why didn’t you tell me?” He had so many questions. This was exactly what you didn’t want to happen. You didn’t want to do this.

You brought your hands up to your face, trying to hide as you felt tears fall again, “Because,” You gushed out, then sniffled the snot the filled your nose, “I could never be a mother,” Your voice was weak but still firm. You sucked in a breath then let out a little groan, “I was scared, I... I didn’t know what to do! But it doesn’t matter anymore!” The guilt you tried so hard to forget and bury swelled alive inside you and fueled more tear to run down your face, “I’m so damn lucky!” You bitterly cried out, “That’s what everyone will say. She’s so lucky! She’s a wanted criminal! An outlaw! And most importantly unmarried at the age of 29! How on earth could she ever be a mother! Well, I can’t!” Finally, everything was spilling out. It was like the wall had broken down and all your feeling spilled out. 

You looked Arthur in the eye, you stood apart, neither of your touching each other. But you took everything you had and looked him in the eye and said, ”And it never wanted to involve you. You’ve made this mistake before. Probably many more times knowing you.”

Hurt spread across Arthur’s face and he gave you an odd look, “Do you think you’re just my whore?” The question started you, “Do you think I don’t care about you?” He put you on the spot and you started to get nervous. 

“I-... You... You might care about me but I know how you feel about Mary! How you will always feel about her,” You started at the ground and shook your head quickly, “I’m nothing compared to her in your eyes.”

It was his turn to be on the spot. You were correct in a way. Mary would always be something different and special, however, there was something you gave him that Mary would never give him. He could be himself around you, he could always count on your to have his back. You gave him a type of comfort and security that made him feel at home. 

That why it wasn’t as hard as he thought to say these words, “(Y/n), I know I don’t say it, I know I probably don’t show it. But I do love you.” He sounded shy almost. You looked up and met his gaze, “I’m sorry this happened to you. I wish you told me. I care about you. I’d... If we weren’t in this gang....” Arthur reached his hands out and grabbed yours. You took a step closer and stared down at your hands held in his, “If we weren’t in this gang, I’d love to marry you and run away,” Somehow you believed him, “I know... I know how you feel. I get it. I’m sorry. But trust me I still and will always love you.”

Shyly you said in a small voice, “You should say it more,”

“I love you,” Arthur said again, more firmly, “And I’ll do whatever you need me to do. Just don’t leave me. Stop hurting yourself and let me help you.”

You took a deep breath in and as you exhaled, a weight seemed to lift off your shoulders, “Okay,” You still had a toll on your mind, your body was still tired and sore, and you still felt a twinge of guilt bubble in your belly. But you had Arthur to lean on. He pulled you back into his arms and pressed a kiss to your forehead, “Stay here with me... please. Until tomorrow,” 

“Of course,” He said it so quickly, you could tell he wanted to do anything to please you. He just wanted to see you safe and happy. 

You pressed your cheek against his chest and closed your eyes, “Say it one more time,” You asked quietly.

“I love you,” You felt the words rumble from deep within his chest, you felt his breath roll down the side of your neck as he nuzzled his face into the crook of your shoulder.

Those words ringed in your ears and you let out a breath. Finally, you were able to say the words you never thought you’d hear, “I love you too.” The world felt a little bit better. You felt a little bit better. You rested into Arthur’s arms and told yourself you’d be okay.

[singlebecauseofthechocobros]

Expecting (Gladio x Reader)

This was a request a friend of mine made in my ask but since its kind of long I decided to post it here instead. Here’s the prompt:

I got a good one for then. How about a play on his stubbornness and hardheadedness. You always see him willing to give everything to his S/O but what about the rest of his personality? Something to get in the way of what his love wants. She's always wanted children with him, he's completely against it because of his job and the danger that comes with it. Huge fight ensues, she shuts down and drops her wish. Until he sees her with a friend's baby and realizes he yearns for the same w/her. Enjoy!

by- @petitexreine 

Anyway enjoy! It it not completely like the prompt but I still hope you enjoy!  

Word Count: 3,054

A Tuesday

 Sitting in the dining room, you drummed your fingers along the table top as your leg bounced up and down. Fidgeting was helping in no way to calm your nerves and yet you couldn’t stop yourself from moving.

“How much longer,” you asked your friend Cindy, who was sitting across from you.

“It’s only been a minute-“

“Well then how long does it take?”

“At least two, hun.”

Cindy could tell you were nervous. Anyone could see that. Reaching across the table she placed her hand over yours and gave you a soft smile. It didn’t calm you any less but it was comforting to know she was there.

Time seemed to move slower than ever and the only sound you could hear was your thumping heart beating in your chest. You wondered if Cindy could hear your panic as she sat across with a concentrative look viewing the small white applicator sitting on the plate in front of her. You had asked her to announce the outcome of the test since you did not know if you could handle the results.

“Okay,” she said slowly, squinting her eyes at the applicator, “I see one line so far.”

“Don’t say ‘so far’,” you begged, “I need that to be the only line.”

Picking up the stick she held it up to the light, “You may get your wish I don’t see…”

“Don’t see what,” you asked, your voice barely making it out of your throat.

“Two lines…” she spoke slowly turning the applicator towards you. Sure enough another line was beginning to darken next to its fellow line.

You looked away and stood up, running your hands over your head, “It has to be a mistake, there is just no way.”

“Sweetie this was the third one you took,” Cindy spoke, pushing herself away from the table and walking over to you.

“Fourth times the charm right,” you asked quietly as your eyes began to well up with tears, “Maybe if we use a different brand...”

“Y/N,” Cindy cooed, placing her hands on your shoulders and looking you in the eyes, “You’re pregnant hun. All the tests will be the same and tell ya the same thing. You’re having a baby.”

“But I-I can’t have a baby. We’re living in darkness and resources are limited, how am I supposed to raise a child?”

“You say it like you’re alone in this.”

“He doesn’t even know I could be pregnant. I have no clue if he even wants kids and what if he isn’t happy about this w-what am I going to do…”

“Stop panicking,” Cindy cut in firmly, “Everything is going to work out. You need to breath and calm down.  Let’s focus on that and then talk about how to tell Gladdy.”

You nodded your head as Cindy pulled you into a tight hug. You leaned your head on her shoulder as tears rolled down your face.

How were you going to tell him? The discussion of starting a family had never been one that the two of you had had. It never seemed to matter to the both of you considered you did not plan on anything like this. But now in the situation you felt panic in your heart thinking about the life growing within you. How could you do this? How could the two of you be careless and bring another person into this dark world? Sure it had been four years since Noct’s disappearance but you had no clue when he would come back. Could be tomorrow or could be another couple years; you had no idea how long this evil in the world would reign. But you knew one thing: you had about seven months to prepare and figure everything out.

A Few Weeks Later

While there were plenty of bounties posted near Dave’s weapons truck, joining a group and leaving Leastallum was another problem all together. With Cindy being the only one who knew of your condition she watched you like a hawk, worried you would get reckless and wound yourself.

“You have to start watching out for that other life now Y/N. It isn’t just you who could get hurt anymore,” she would say whenever you were around. Her words played on repeat in your head. She was right you would have to be more cautious. On top of that you would have to eat healthier and keep yourself out of danger, which meant putting serious hunting gigs on the back burner for a while. Small hunts would be fine but taking down Behemoths was out of the question.  

So for the past couple weeks you helped Cid and Cindy with weapon improvements. They upgraded and you polished the finished pieces. They agreed to pay you what little they could given your circumstances but you were just grateful to keep your mind and hands preoccupied.

At the end of your days you arrived home just in time to make it to the bathroom. Your nausea came in waves but when it hit you were at its mercy. Thankfully Gladio had not seen your symptoms yet. If he had he would probably be able to put things together: loss of appetite, sickness, mood swings and even headaches. You managed to hide most them all pretty well but knew he needed to know; sooner rather than later.

Sooner came quicker than you anticipated when you were sitting on the couch curled up with him watching a movie you both had seen for the umpteenth time. He sat with his legs stretched out on the coffee table and his arm draped over your shoulders. You leaned into him with your head resting on his chest and your legs curled up underneath the blanked the two of your shared.

The scene in the movie was of a mother and daughter being reunited with a man who had been declared dead after a war. It was a tender moment full of cries of joy and happy smiles; a seemingly perfect family on display. Without thinking you placed a hand on your stomach, not even realizing your actions.

“Hey,” you whispered looking to Gladio.

Turing his head he gave you a small smile, “Hm?”

“Do you think you would want that,” you asked, pointing to the screen.

“What to come back from war and see my family in a cloud of tears and ugly crying faces?”

“Don’t be a smart ass,” you laugh, “I mean a family.”

He smiled and kissed the top of your head, “I already have my family.”

“Of course you have me,” you whispered, “but what about kids?”

The expression on his face contorted into a look of complete seriousness as the next word he muttered was a firm “No”.

“No?”

“No,” he repeated looking at you.

“Why not,” you asked, sitting up and turning to him.

“Why would I? Kids cry and shit themselves. I don’t want to have to give a kid all my time and I definitely don’t want to raise one in this world. You’d have to be stupid to want something like that. You would be even more irresponsible to have one.” You sat silently as he continued, “Besides I have no clue when Noctis gets back but when he does he is my first priority. I swore an oath and I can’t have a kid getting in the middle of that.”

“Oh so you can take an oath but a vow doesn’t mean anything to you,” you shot back, crossing your arms over your chest.

“Hey you knew when you said ‘I do’ that I made a promise to the crown. I can’t just ignore that tradition.” His expression was a little darker now as he looked at you. Irritation was radiating off of him.

“I never expected you to ‘ignore’ it but I figured you would still feel a little remorse having to leave me behind.”

“Well yeah of course I would,” he said, bits of frustration in his tone, “But why put that on a child. What happens if I don’t come back, how are you supposed to tell a kid that? Look I don’t want to argue, you asked and I am telling you I just don’t want kids.”

“And what if I want them? Does that not matter to you?” You were yelling a bit now, your voice higher than you meant it to go.

Standing up he shook his head and headed for the kitchen.

“Are you seriously walking away,” you asked, rising up to follow him.

“I’m done with this conversation,” he retorted angrily, still not turning to look at you.

“Well I’m not,” you shouted, grabbing a pillow and throwing it at his back.

At the contact he tensed up and slowly turned to you. His amber eyes were darker now and he was a fearsome sight to behold. You felt your heart beating furiously as you felt a rage over come you that you had never felt before. How could he look at you like this and treat you like a second choice?

“I already told you-,” he began slowly before you interrupted him.

“I heard what you said,” you yelled, “But what about me? “

“You-,” he started but was cut off again.

“What about what I want? What about my future? What about-,” you tried to finish but he had closed the space between you and was in your face now.

“Then you obviously picked the wrong guy,” he bellowed making you jump. The sudden outburst left you stunned and silent. You looked away from him as he maneuvered his way around you and across the living space, “I’m going for a walk. Don’t wait up.” With that he opened the front door and slammed it shut, making you jump and the pictured on the walls to rattle.

You took in a deep breath and released a sob. Grabbing onto a nearby chair you sat yourself down and cried into your hands. That had gone much worse than you had expected.

A Few Days Later

It had been days since you and Gladio had spoken to each other. You couldn’t bring yourself to look at him since each time you did you were reminded of the unwanted bit in your stomach. You weren’t even sure what to do anymore. Should you get rid of it? Keep it and leave? There was no good outcome.

You stood at Iris’s shop and helped her fold clothes she had for sale. The two of you chit-chatted about trivial things as you tried to occupy your mind with other thoughts. As you were in the middle of conversing, a local hunter by the name of Gutsco approached the two of you.

“Hey Y/N I’m sorry to interrupt,” he began, “But I wanted to ask if you were interested in going on this hunt later this afternoon. It’s for an infected Karlabos nearby and we need one more person to make a team. You know they won’t let you leave the city without a certain amount of people.”

You nodded at him and glanced past him and towards Cid’s weapons station. Cindy did not appear to be around and you turned you attention back to Gutsco, “When do we leave?”

Afternoon

The hike from the camp was a little longer than you anticipated. You felt weaker than normal, most likely due to the life growing within you and stealing your energy for itself. Your head was beginning to pound as you sighed wishing for these side effects to go away. You grabbed onto your stomach and silently pleaded for the baby to let you feel alright and stop making you nauseous. “How can something the size of an olive make me feel so bad,” you muttered to yourself glancing down at your belly.

You did not tell Gladio you were going on a trip. You figured some time apart may do you both some good. It was only one night, what could happen?

Lost in your thought you nearly ran into the back of one of your other comrades, who had stopped moving. Looking past her you could see the large creature about fifty yards away. It was unaware of the groups presence, which was good.

Giving a signal, Gustco motioned for everyone to take their positions. Back at camp it had been decided that when in range, the hunters would encompass the creature and move in slowly, ultimately catching it off guard and disposed of quickly.

In theory this plan would have worked perfectly.

In actuality it failed miserably on account of the imps that were hiding in the bushes nearby and alerting the beast.

Everyone soon found themselves slightly outnumbered as they swung their swords mercilessly. You killed imp after imp and soon began to feel as though you were getting somewhere. Looking over to the Karlabos you glanced over your shoulder to Gutsco who just finished killing the last of his personal imp hoard. Giving him a solid nod, he raced over to you and sprinted past towards the creature. Unlike Gutsco who was given glaive powers, you were not so special. You carried a katana and fought hand to hand combat without any sort of warping or magical abilities. It was not a hindering sort of thing but it called for much more precaution than normal.

Swinging at the creatures legs you tried to wound them into submission. To your dismay, the armor covering the beast’s legs were solid. The creature turned quickly and lunged its pinchers at you, to which you rolled out of the way.

Going to stand you felt a pain in your stomach as you clutched your abdomen. Looking up you saw the creature coming at you again to which you avoided. Trying to stand you felt your legs give out as you kneeled to the ground. Your head began to pound as you felt a sickening feeling rush over your body. The creature turned to you and halted a moment before racing towards you and using its body to slam into you. You flew back a few feet and fell limp unto the ground, your subconscious fading into darkness just as the world had.

The Next Day

You awoke in a bed that wasn’t yours. The room smelled of sanitizer and you wearily glanced down to see a needle poking out from your arm. No one was around except for a person sitting in a chair near the entrance reading a book. He looked as he normally did; dress in black and his wild hair combed back. Stubble rested upon his face and dark circles had taken refuge under his eyes. He was drained.

“You look rough,” you mumbled, looking over to him. At the sound of your voice his head shot up and he was out of his chair and rushing to your side.

“Hey,” he whispered sitting on the bed next to you, his hand cupping your face. You placed your hand over his and leaned into him. It had only been a couple days of silence but you had missed him.

“How are you feeling,” he asked concerned.

“Sore,” you replied, closing your eyes and leaning your head back.

“I bet,” he chuckled, “That Karlabos sent you flying from what I hear.”

“Yeah I guess it did,” you replied. You suddenly remembered the pain prior to your flight and you look down to your belly. Was the baby okay? Did anything happen to it?

Seeing the panic in your expression Gladio took your hand in his, “It’s fine.”

“What,” you ask trying to hide your nerves.

“Y/N,” he spoke, “I know.”

“About?”

“About the baby.”

At his words you instantly felt your throat tighten up and your eyes begin to fill with tears. Bringing your hand up to your mouth you tried to stifle a sob that was attempting to escape. Shaking your head you swallowed your cry and looked to him, “I-I’m so sorry. I should’ve told you but you said you didn’t want a kid and I didn’t know what to do after that. I don’t want to leave you, I don’t ever want to leave you but I don’t want to lose the baby either. I don’t know what to do but I don’t want you to go.”

At the sight of your cries, Gladio pulls you to him, careful of your IV. He engulfs you in an embrace as he lets you cry.

“I will never leave you Y/N,” he begins, “I said those things because I’m scared. I don’t know the first thing about being a dad. And I would never have wanted to decisively bring a kid into this world; one full of daemons and monsters.  I would have never chosen that on purpose. How am I supposed to protect them? I couldn’t even protect Noctis. Every time I leave you I worry I may not come home or worse; I come home and you’re gone. Killed in combat or maybe you realize how unworthy I am of you. I’m scared as hell that I’ll lose someone else I love and I can’t handle that.” You looked up to him, seeing that his own eyes began to fill with tears, “I love you so much it scares me but there is not one other person on Eos I would rather start a family with. We messed up but were going to make this work. Boy or girl I already love that thing inside you. I love you Y/N and I won’t ever leave you or our kid.”

Placing your hand on his cheek you wiped away the droplets that fell. Leaning up you placed a soft kiss on his lips, leaned your forehead against his and whispered, “I love you,” so quietly only he would be the one to hear them, “We can do this.”

“I know,” he replied, placing a hand on your stomach, “We’re having a kid.” 

“Yeah,” you laughed as you watched him smile and stare at your stomach. The affection and amazement in his gaze filled you with absolute adoration for the man. In that moment everything felt right. Felt as though you both were going to be alright and that was a feeling you had been waiting for, for quite some time.

  DA CREW: @glaive-eve​ @lucianhuntress​ @bleucommelhiver​ @promptoastandjam​ @owldearest​ @sherniwrites​

(Y’all let me know what you think okay lol)