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whimsicallyreading · 3 years

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Dark Roast No Sugar

Chapter Three

Aelin would never admit it out loud, but a day off was just what she needed. She spent the morning napping, snacking, and reading. Her stomach settled, and when she took off her shoes, her feet didn't look like they belonged to a bloated cadaver.

Spending that time with Aedion was also refreshing. He kept the conversations light. Telling her about the antics between hostesses at The Pits, a run-in between Ren and the police. A story about the drug dealer they'd roughed up and how he'd pissed his pant when he saw Aedion and the stray puppy Kyllian had snuck into The Den.

When they got hungry, Aedion offered to make them a late lunch. Her mouth watered at the prospect of his famous grilled cheese with two kinds of cheeses and ketchup.

Lysandra came up to join them for lunch and her nose wrinkled at the sight of them dragging the cheesy goodness through globs of red sauce. "By the dark god, you two. That's disgusting."

Aedion grins, a dot of ketchup on his chin, "You haven't even tried it yet. This meal is a riot with the guys and saved my ass with foster siblings." He wiped his face on his sleeve and leaned back in his chair. "You don't shit on the kid who can actually make edible food."

Aelin laughs and dusts her hands off like a lady. "Actually, you don't shit on the kid who looks like he started doping at eleven. But yeah, I'm sure it was your budget lunches that saved you."

"Shut up, you love it when I cook," Aedion collected their plates.

Lysandra pulls up the chair next to Aelin's at their tiny, rickety table. She set down her container of salad, looking classier with her more mature pallet. Aelin swiped a cucumber from the top and chewed into the seasoned veggie. "Your food is nostalgic. What can I say?"

Aedion's playful demeanor seemed to deflate suddenly, a furrow creasing his brow. "I suppose why I have you two together, we should talk some business."

"Uh oh, that doesn't sound good." Lysandra tensed up, shooting a worried look at Aelin.

"Is it the bidding for this month? I told you I could get at least an extra hundred dollars to you by the end of the month. If you need more, I could-"

Aedion cut off Aelin's rambling with a raised hand. "It's not the bidding. Elias pulled enough to cover our bets for the month." Relief flooded through her, and she breathed out a sigh of relief.

The underground fighting game in Orynth was wildly exclusive. To get a spot during prime hours when tickets were hot and the betting pool was hotter, the local gangs had to participate in an auction. It was pricey, but the cuts you got from winning a fight made up for it big time.

Unfortunately, the Bane was not a wealthy group of men. A lot of them had families or relatives they were supporting. They usually scavenged up enough money to get two or three guys into the fights, and those funds were just enough to pull them through to the next month.

Like Aelin, those families did what they could to fund money towards the bidding. Initially, she was going to volunteer as a fighter, but she found out about the baby, and they all agreed it was too risky for her to get in the ring. As soon as she was cleared, she still intended to participate in the fights to Aedion's chagrin.

Between the extra patrols of her street and snuffing the rumors of her existence in the city, it took a chunk of the Bane's recourses and time. Aedion assured her that the guys understood her circumstances, but she contributed as much as she could monetarily until she could contribute physically as well. "What's going on then?"

"Rolf took a beating in the ring last night. He's going to be out of commission for a while, but we didn't lose any money. He managed to bust the guy's head at the last moment and pulled through." He paused.

Aelin was confused, though. It wasn't uncommon for one of the guys to get roughed up a bit, so long as they didn't lose, there wasn't an issue. "That's too bad about Rolf, but I don't see the problem?" she pushed him to continue.

"He swears the guy was tripping on Synth," Aedion breathes out, pained.

Oh.

"Shit," Lysandra swears and stands up. "Is he sure it was Synth?"

"It's kinda hard to rutting mistake, Lysandra," Aedion snapped. He was right, though. The Pits had rules against cheating, but they were followed loosely. If they couldn't see a knife being pulled, the fight wouldn't be called. Some of the Bane even doped before a match just so they wouldn't get caught at a disadvantage.

Synth had a lot of physical effects. Adrenalin coursed through the user at such high rates it was practically superhuman. It gave them crazy speed, strength, and heightened focus. On the flip side, it also caused fever, bulged veins, twitching, bloodshot eyes, and uncontrollable rage as you came down. It would be hard to mistake it for any other street drug. Aelin had taken Synth once before, and it wasn't an easily forgettable experience.

The detail they were glossing over was that only one person was currently capable of leaking a drug like Synth on the streets.

Arobynn Hammel

"So," Aelin finally said, breaking up the heated glares they were sharing. "He's making his presence in Orynth known."

Quiet.

"We can't know it for sure," Aedion looked at her with a sickening amount of pity. Aelin didn't want sympathy or comforting falsities. She wanted the truth.

"Bullshit," Aelin declared, making Aedion wince at the sudden sharpness. "We've had sightings of Tern and Mulligan already. We knew he was sending eyes out. They must have seen us."

Lysandra sunk back into her chair and rested her head in her hands. "I thought we made it?" her voice sounded extraordinarily young, feeble. Not at all like the vivacious woman they were used to seeing.

"Lys," it was Aelin's turn to rest a comforting hand on her friend's shoulder.

Her eyes were glassy and hollow when she looked up. "I really had myself believing we made it."

Aelin's heart broke for her.

Arobynn was a sick son of a bitch. She, Lysandra, and Sam had all come into his care at different times and served various functions within the Manor. One thing was the same though, they were all children.

They were all coerced into doing grotesque things for Arobynn's sake. Things that they should, in all honesty, spend years in therapy to recover from. Yet, some horrors were too big for even Aelin to pretend to understand.

Horrors that Lysandra was forced to live with every day.

Arobynn's unofficial mistress.

Aedion's fist slamming against the table startled them both and snapped Aelin from her thoughts. Lysandra flinched and leaned closer to Aelin. "It doesn't matter."

He pointed his finger at them and then stabbed it into the table. "It. Does. Not. Matter. Where that piece of shit is. Rifthold? Wendelyn? He can be an hour away or watering the rutting flowers next door, but he will never have either of you ever again." The golden core in Aedion's eyes was molten.

The excitement was too much for Lysandra, and the dam behind her eyes broke. Deep, heavy sobs ripped from her chest, and her body wilted forward like a wind-whipped flower.

They moved at the same time, but Aedion was faster. He pulled Lysandra from her seat and gathered her against his chest, shushing her and whispering sweet nothings into her hair.

The bells rang downstairs.

Aedion looked up helplessly, but Aelin raised a hand and mouthed, "It's fine."

None of them wanted Lysandra to be alone right now.

Aelin slipped her shoes back on and hopped down the stairs quickly. Hopefully, they wouldn't be too pissed no one was behind the counter when they walked in, she mused to herself. It only took her half-a-minute to get downstairs, but it was amazing the things people got outraged over.

Mala forgive that the coffee gets in their hand a second later than usual.

"Do my eyes deceive me, or was Aelin Galathynius taking a break?" Dorian Havilliard's greeted her with a bright smile and upraised hands. No trace of agitation at all.

Chaol Westfall stood behind him and meekly tilted his chin. "Hello, Aelin."

"Hello, Chaol." She greets him with a smile and walks into Dorian's outstretched arms. Aelin wasn't a hugger, but Dorian's hugs had a magic to them.

"Where did you go?" Dorian asked without breaking his grasp. "I never thought I'd see the day you weren't slaving away behind the counter grinding beans."

"We weren't super busy today, and I wasn't feeling the best," Aelin admitted.

Dorian pulled away slightly to look down at her in concern. His dark, thick-framed blue light glasses slipping down his nose.

"It's just the baby," she assures him. "Not the flu or anything. You don't have the right parts to catch what I've got."

Chaol snickered, but Dorian's concern only worsened. "In all seriousness, you aren't working yourself too hard?"

Aelin rolled her eyes. If one more person asked her that-

"I'm fine, Dor. It was just some morning sickness and a stressful customer that came through. No big deal."

His shoulders relax, and he releases her from his arms. "I believe you. Just-" he fumbles for the words to say, "If you have troublesome people coming in here and bothering you, let me know? Chaol can come over and hang out for the day. He has a friend, Nesryn. If it gets bad, I am more than willing to hire her-"

Aelin smiled at him and waved at him. "No need for bodyguards. People are rude. It happens. Now, what can I get for the both of you?"

Dorian was the son of the esteemed son of Dorian Sr. The owner of Adarlan Vaults, the most extensive banking chain across Erilea. It was a total accident that they stumbled into each other when Aelin went in looking for a loan to start The Stag with.

At first, he was a bit of a flirt with her. When Aelin made it clear that she wasn't interested in his advances, Dorian backed off right away and fell into the role of the supportive friend. He and Chaol had been the first patrons of the shop when the doors opened.

Chaol was technically his hired protection, but he and Dorain were life long friends bound by something more powerful than money. She never saw the two of them apart. While he appeared to be a quiet sort, he had a sharp mind and fierce loyalty that Aelin admired.

"Two iced girl scout americano's," Dorian pulled out his wallet and handed her a twenty. "Large, please."

Aelin accepted the cash and started filling cups as the two took their standard seats. She just got the espresso machine heated when a set of hands pushed her's aside and began flipping the switches for her.

"Aedion," she groaned as his hip bumped her to the side, and he took over her tasks. "Seriously?"

"You are supposed to be taking the day off," he looks at her pointedly. "Go sit with your friends. I've got this."

"Do you have this?" Aelin set a hand on her hip. "You haven't used these machines before."

Aedion scoffed, "It cannot be that complicated. Now go. Before Lysandra comes back down and wipes the floor with both of our asses." He pulls out two large mugs and grabs out a bottle of coconut flavoring. "Baby A is shielding you for now, but that woman has the memory of a rutting elephant. Don't think you can hide behind my niece or nephew forever." He's more talking to himself by the end as he starts over pouring syrups into cups. Did he even know what he was making? Aelin winced.

She might have to return the twenty to Dorian.

Aelin walks away reluctantly, "Mind if I sit here for a minute, boys?"

Chaol stands up and pulls a chair out for her, "Not at all."

He holds out a hand to help her sit, but she waves it away. She wasn't that pregnant yet.

Dorian has a hardbound book sitting in front of him, the face of his expensive watch catching the light as he turns the page. "I haven't seen you by the bank this week," he says without looking up from the page.

"We've been enjoying the peace," Chaol sits back in his own seat and flashes her a grin. "That's a joke, of course. It's been horribly boring."

"It's been a busy week. I haven't had a chance to drop my deposit off yet." Aelin typically made an excuse to visit the bank at least once a week. Dorian would kindly excuse whatever teller was working to take a break and promptly close the register so they could sit in the break room and talk over cookies and drip coffee.

She was planning on going yesterday, but her feathers were too ruffled after the incident.

"I suppose I can live without that excuse since I've taken it upon myself to visit you at work." He pulls a plastic bag filled with assorted chocolates and places it on the table between them. "If you need to drop off a deposit, I can take it back with me?"

Aelin's hand darts to the bag of sweets and pulls out a dark, salty square. "Have I mentioned you are the most attractive man I've ever met?"

They hear a loud scoff from the kitchen.

"You've mentioned it a few times." He glances up from his book long enough to wink at her. "What about that deposit?"

"I don't think I will have a big enough deposit to warrant the trip this week," the excuse isn't well-formed, and she hears it when the lie falls from her lips.

"You said you had a busy week?" Dorian frowns.

I did, but I'm putting aside extra money to fund my cousin's gang because my former foster father has a hit out on me.

"The tips have been bad" not a total lie. "Maybe it will pick up again over the weekend," Aelin shrugs nonchalantly.

Aedion walks over with two cups of coffee and a mug of tea. He lets Dorian's drink slosh over the side as he sets it down. Dorian lifts his book away from the mess and glares.

She wasn't sure what went down between Dorian and Aedion that made them hate each other. Chaol and Aedion had no qualms. They were even drinking buddies on the weekend, but Aedion had a bone to pick with Dorian long before she'd arrived back in Orynth.

Aelin half-heartedly scolded Aedion as she accepted her drink. Taking a deep drink from the mug, she was surprised to find that it was made exactly as she liked.

Chaol sipped his coffee, and Aelin watched as he barely held back a grimace. Dorian reached for his own cup, but Chaol discretely pulled it away before he could drink. Aelin caught the motion, but thankfully Aedion was already back in the kitchen and hadn't noticed.

"I will remake those for you before you leave," Aelin assured them.

"It's alright. As much as I love coffee, I really came by to spill tea," Dorian took his glasses off and leaned back in his chair.

"Gossip," Chaol translated. "He means gossip."

Dorian rolls his eyes, "That's what tea means, Chaol." Leaning forward with his elbows on the table, "A company called Wendlyn Ops. bought out The Pits."

"What?" Aelin shouts a little too loudly. Dorian shushes her, and Aedion peers out from the kitchen with worried eyes. She waves him away and whispers in a quieter tone. "What do you mean The Pits have been bought out? What for?"

"I didn't realize you would care this much about the seediest bar in town," Dorian laughed. "It's not like you can drink."

"You aren't drinking, right?" Chaol scowls.

Aelin reins back her emotions. She was definitely losing her tack being off the job for several months, but the secret basement underneath The Pits was where the fights were usually held. Iona Jayne would never sell the property when it brought in so much money.

He either owed someone a rutting ton of money, he was being blackmailed, or the most likely option.

Iona Jayne was dead.

Aelin flipped Chaol off, "Of course I'm not drinking. No promises on that in about five months... Just, who would want The Pits? Are they repurposing it?" She can already feel a headache forming behind her eyes.

"That's the interesting part," Chaol murmured. "The title for The Pits was transferred to a new owner just a few days before it was sold for triple its market value."

Dorian's grin became mischievous, "Shady deals are going on, and I'm determined to find out what."

Shit. Shit. Shit.

Aelin forced a matching smile on her, "Well, this sounds like the making of an adventure."

Aedion was deeply involved with all the goings-on at The Pits. If Dorian managed to learn too much and expose them, he would go down hard. She wasn't directly implicated in anything beyond a little racketeering, but one prolonged look at her record would raise some eyebrows. Which could tie her back to Rifthold and numerous murders. A lot of murder. Thievery. Hired assassinations.

They would be screwed, essentially.

Damn it all to hellas, she needed to talk to Aedion. Aelin understood why Dorian was interested in this. His father was involved with so many corrupt dealings they followed him like a shadow. She knew he was socially isolated beyond herself and Chaol. No one dared to associate with the son of Dorian Sr.

Unveiling a corrupt business dealing and aiding the community could help separate his image from his father's. Rectify some of the wrongs his family has committed. Give him a chance at making a future for himself out from Dorian Sr.'s thumb.

Aelin just wished he knew the depth of the task he was taking. How deep, dark, and dangerous this viper's den was. Sweet, sheltered Dorian Jr. would be eaten alive. A blue-eyed pup, trapped in the jaws of an adder.

Little did he know that Aelin was a wolf herself, and she would not stand for that breaking.

Aelin directed the conversation to safer grounds following the bomb he dropped. They discussed the book he was reading, the litter of pups his dog was expecting, his disgusting little brother. Chaol seemed to sour at the mention of Holland.

Soon they were provided with fresh drinks, and Aelin ushered them out under the pretense of needing a nap. Definitely not a lie. Her stomach was rolling again, and that blooming headache was now a whole damn rosebush in her brain.

Rubbing the knot between her eyes, she made the difficult decision of closing for the day. Business was slow. Lysandra hadn't come back downstairs. Aelin wasn't feeling well, and there was no chance she was letting Aedion use her precious machines again.

Aelin looked outside the window. It was grey and dreary outside. Perfect conditions for the three of them to order pizza, rent a movie and just put this day behind them.

"Aedion, I'm closing up." She didn't hear a reply. Aelin shrugged it off. He'd probably gone back up to sit with Lysandra.

She opened a can of coffee grounds and inhaled wistfully. What she wouldn't give for a cup of straight caffeine. With one last longing sniff, Aelin refilled canisters for tomorrow and got to cleaning up the machines.

All that was left was to close up the registers.

She'd just unlocked the drawer when the ring of the shop bells went off.

"Sorry, we're closed," Aelin said without looking away from the task at hand. She would have to remember to lock the doors first next time.

Heavy boots thudded against her wooden floors as whoever it was approached the counter. Her irritation peeked. What was with the influx of entitled assholes lately?

"We are close-" Aelin's stopped and her eyes narrowed at the gun barrel aimed at the center of her forehead.

I’m figuring out how the tagging list thing works- ☺️

If you would like me to add or take your name off the list for future updates let me know~

@thisismylibrary

@highladywhitethrone

@bee55

@royalsqueeze

@rowaelin-cressworth

@sjmships

#aelinandrowan #poorlysandra #sexyapronaedion #aelinneedsadamnnap #coffeeshopau #fanfic #suspenseintensifies

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leftonraed · 3 years

Text

The Night We Met - Episode 6

pairing : Taehyung x OC genre : bodyguard!au, singleparent!au, idol!au word count : 4.1k summary — It doesn’t look good for Taehyung and his niece when his brother’s in-laws come visit them. Prologue | ep.1 | ep.2 | ep.3 | ep.4 | ep.5 | ep.6 | ep.7

“I told you you didn’t have to stay home today,” you hear Taehyung tell you when he comes out of the bathroom. “I don’t want to ruin your week when I don’t have to go anywhere.”

He pauses in the entrance corridor where you’re standing almost at attention. You look up at him and can feel some uneasiness on his behalf when you don’t move an inch.

You speak calmly. “You’re not ruining anything.”

He frowns,powerless and opens his mouth without really knowing what to say back. He slowly walks away in the kitchen.

“Want me to make you something?”

You shake your head. Seeing him confused and trying to find some meaning behind your attitude is somewhat amusing.

He pauses again.

“Come sit with me… I’m barely awake but you’re stressing me out.” You indulge him. He frowns to himself, “don’t make me order you.”

You sit at the end of the couch. “Thought you’d like it...”

“Huh?”

“Nothing.”

You both hear Hina toddling out of her room. Her usual toothy grin is absent this morning and it immediately thought-provokes you both.

She doesn’t look up at you but stops a short moment to hug your knees as a compensation. You watch her shuffle her way between Taehyung’s legs with a pouty face.

“Morning sweetheart. You okay?” He cranes his neck down to get a look at her face pulled back downward. “What’s wrong? Feeling sick?”

Your eyes show little worry.

“You tummy hurt?” He asks again when she rubs her stomach. She nods a little, turns around and lifts her arms to have him hug her. He traps his slice of bread in his mouth, rubs his hand and picks her up on his lap. “Want this banana? It’ll make you feel better.”

She accepts to be fed with little zeal but eats anyway.

******

Taehyung has noticed your unusual quiet behavior which has now endured the whole past week but he doesn’t comment on it. He senses you alert but isn’t sure about the reason behind it. His attention is fully directed to his niece, taking special care of her as she thankfully seems to get better quickly.

You’ve been left alone in the living-room for a while. You look at the door when the doorbell rings and stride towards it confidently.

You swing the door open with too much force, taking by surprise Hwiin who’s standing on the other side. You frown a little at her when she smiles at you eerily. You shift to let her in.

You walk past her and sit down again while she remains standing, looking around to localize anyone else.

Luckily, you both don’t have to keep up with an awkward silence when Taehyung shows himself a couple of minutes later. You don’t pay attention to them as they start conversing about whatever brought her here.

You find yourself looking at her two or three times before you eventually decide to walk away and check on Hina.

“This seems like a lot, to be honest,” Taehyung admits looking at the screen right in front of him. “I’m barely keeping up with Hina and her school schedule.”

Hwiin’s smile doesn’t falter. She leans in and gently puts her hand on his arm. “Trust me, those interviews and shows overseas are much needed after your successful comeback.”

“I thought they’d be enough, you know, given my previous absence.”

He meets her fairly subtle gaze, sensing its pleading. It used to work much more easily before. He runs his finger in his hair, breaking touch with her but gets her all the more captivated with his casual demeanor and bare face.

“You cannot just rely on local activities, it’s an opportunity not to miss. And I’m sure your foreign fans will be so grateful. It’s been so long.”

He leans back in the chair, grazing his bottom lip with his teeth. He can’t say he doesn’t miss them just as much.

“We’ll take care of…” She looks down, frowning as she looks for her words, “adjustments later. Please give your green light.” They lock eyes. She grins an innocent smile, “trust me.”

The dilemma is very clear but his hesitation also emphasizes his excitement about touring abroad again.

He lets out a deep sigh, covering his face with both hands, “I can’t believe I’m saying this but… okay. I’m down.”

He hears the excited squeal that escapes her.

“You won’t regret it.” She says delighted as she nimbly taps an answer to an email on her tablet computer and puts some order in the several open documents. “Okay,” she brings the device back in front of him and quickly resumes as her way not to lose momentum. “I also needed you to take a look at the new merchandise…”

Sitting with your back against the wall with Hina’s head on your lap, you’re gently combing your fingers through her silky dark hair. You’re starting the reading of the second book when the bell rings again.

Taehyung frowns at the door.

“Are you expecting someone?” His manager inquires as he carefully stands up.

“No…” He trails unsure. She watches him take a look at the intercom to identify the visitors. His frowning deepens. “Yes?”

“Hello, mister Kim?” A female voice says.

“Yes?”

“I am Seohyung Choi from the Seoul Council.” She continues, “our agency received a call from someone concerned about- I believe if I understood correctly your niece, Kim Hina. I would like to discuss it with you.”

Hwiin doesn’t say anything and can feel alarm overwhelming Taehyung.

“Uhm-...” His pulse picks up in speed and his mouth feels dry. “I don’t understand, I-”

“There is nothing to be worried about,” Seohyung reassures him. “I simply would like to ask you a couple of questions about you and your niece, if that is possible.”

“But I- we don’t have any issue here. I me-”

“Let her in.”

Taehyung looks over his shoulder when he suddenly hears your voice.

“I’m not-” He stutters, wondering if you knew about this. “I don’t know-”

He’s panicked and your heart squeezes at the sight but you don’t dither.

“Let her in. Go change quickly. Don’t worry.”

He takes a deep breath and looks back at the intercom. “Uh.. Come in.”

“Thank you.”

He dashes to his bedroom and starts looking for clean clothes with shaking hands. He barely gives himself the time to look at his reflection to ruffle his hair. He thinks of checking on Hina who’s quietly looking at the pictures in the book you were about to read and decides not to bother her.

You watch Taehyung giving quick looks around the penthouse to make sure it is not too messy before he joins you back in the corridor leading to the entrance.

“It’s going to be okay,” you say softly only for him to hear.

His eyes are glued to the door. “I don’t know why… I didn’t do anything wrong.”

“I know. You’ll just be answering some questions. Don’t worry.”

He doesn't know how you’re doing it but the calmness in your voice manages to sooth his nerves a little and he remembers to breathe somewhat normally.

“Should I come later?” Hwiin interjects standing up, making you and him turn your heads in her direction.

“Y-you can stay. It’s fine.” Taehyung trails while staring back again at the door. He mutters to himself, “everything’s fine.”

You step back behind and wait.

He pauses right before opening the door. A woman around her mid-thirties walks in with a warm smile and you let out a relieved sigh at her seemingly likeable air, thinking it’ll help him feel less stressed.

She takes off her shoes, smiling at you and Hwiin when she sees you two.

“Please, come in. This is ______, our bodyguard and here, Hwiin my manager.”

“It’s nice to meet you,” she grins and you both return the gesture. “You’re home is so lovely inside.”

“Ha, thank you.” He smiles shyly. “Uhm- w-would you like something to drink?”

“Oh don’t bother yourself. I’m good, thank you.”

A very brief instant passes by with everyone being quiet. You look at Taehyung.

“Maybe we should sit down.” Seohyung suggests, smiling to herself while Taehyung leads the way to the dining table with an embarrassed look, shaking his head as a way to get a grip.

“Is Hina here?”

“She’s playing in her room. Should I bring her?”

“Oh don’t. It’s good this way since I’d like to discuss with you first.”

You let him on his own not to cause any kind of extra stress and decide to keep Hina company. Taehyung notices and feels relieved you’re taking a weight off his mind. Hwiin has moved her belongings to the couch where she feigns focusing on her work.

********

“Where are you going?” you ask Hina.

“With daddy…” She pouts at you because of your sudden serious tone.

You stand up from her bed to peek outside her bedroom. Taehyung and Seohyung have left their seats and he is now showing her around.

“Okay, you can go.”

Hina walks away on her tippy toes. You see her hesitating on her tracks at the sound of an unfamiliar voice. She freezes when Seohyung crosses her path.

“Hello, you.” She crouches at her height, slightly shaking her hands. “Your name Hina’s right? Can you show me room?” She lets out a chuckle when the little girl forces her way between Taehyung’s legs to hide herself behind.

“It’s down the corridor.” He informs her when she stands up.

You walk out to let her in and lock eyes with him. He seems a lot more comfortable but gives you an interrogative look. You settle for a small supportive smile and leave them alone.

Hwiin naturally looks up at you when she feels your presence. Her mood seems to have changed.

Seohyung smiles your way when they come back. She and Taehyung sit down with Hina perched on his lap. She finishes writing down notes on her report.

“Alright, I didn’t see anything worth being raised about your household. Beside that one outlet and the window in the bathroom like I pointed it out earlier.”

Hina whines when she drops her soft toy, signaling Taehyung to get it back.

“Otherwise, it seems very secure for little Hina.” She smiles at her while Hina baby talks to her plushy. Taehyung keeps all his attention on the woman. “I’ll send you an email with all the documents needed so I can complete your dossier.”

“Alright.”

“Do you have any specific questions? Something I can shed light on?”

“I don’t think so, no.”

“Very good. Here, my contact information if something comes back to you.”

“Thank you.”

She bids her goodbye to everyone before Taehyung shows her out. You take one last glance at Hwiin whose face has turned expressionless.

*******************

You’re waiting outside the dressing room with Hina half-asleep in your arms.

Taehyung just finished performing for a show and is now discussing alone with Hwiin as she’s requested. The chair you’re sitting on has been positioned not too far from the door so you can hear it immediately when their conversation becomes heated although you can’t decipher their exact words.

The door opens a short while later. When you look up, Taehyung seems to try his best to keep himself calm. You don’t see Hwiin follow closely.

“Give her to me,” he says quietly with his arms stretched towards you. You stand up and let him hold Hina. He’s wearing the clothes he first came with so you grasp he’s ready to leave the building.

The ride back home is quiet.

He puts Hina to bed and goes shower after telling you to order dinner from his phone. You take it where he left it on the counter on his way in, unlocking it without difficulty since he didn’t set a password.

When Taehyung walks out, dressed in a simple black shirt and grey sweatpants, freshly cleaned but visibly exhausted, you are unpacking the few last dishes.

You start eating, letting the TV fill in the silence between you. You don’t mind being quiet, it just feels off when Taehyung seems elsewhere and it indirectly has you looking for ways to bring him back.

“Hey, you’re not eating that?”

He blinks and automatically hands the chicken wings left in his box.

“I’m not eating if you want it,” you smile faintly.

“I’m full you can have it.” He trails with a small pout and you take his box.

“Don’t look so dejected or I’ll lose my appetite too.”

He lifts his chin to look pensively at the small frown on your face as you bite on the food. “Sorry.”

“You want to talk about it?” You cock your head towards him, attacking a second wing.

He remains quiet a moment and you think you should’ve as well when you see his face gets darker.

“I feel abandoned.” He begins quietly. “It’s like everyone wants me to give up on the idea I could be good for Hina and it’s putting me off.”

Your lips part but you’re not sure if you mean to talk. You wipe the grease off your hands with one of the wipes given by the restaurant.

“I keep asking myself why no one’s seeing the efforts I’m making for this to work. It’s not fair... Just because I’m not practising the kind of job they think is more suited for a family life? It’s not fair...”

It really isn’t, you think. You never thought you out of all the people in his life would be among the few supporting him. You wish you had a say but you’re only left with encouraging words to repeat yet again.

You naturally reach for his knee, squeezing it a little. “I think they know you’re doing a great job. For some reason, they refuse to accept it.”

“They think Hina’s maternal grandparents would provide a more stable environment. I don’t want her to be taken away, ______.” He groans with a weak voice.

You feel a pang of sorrow when he blinks his teary eyes at you. You detest when you can’t find anything to do that could help. You reach for the second wipe, tear it open and unfold it.

“Even if they do,” you inch yourself closer to clean the stains of the dipping sauce off his mouth and explain with a soft voice. “You won’t give up on her. Because you know, it’s the right thing to do. And if you don’t, you’d prove them right.”

Taehyung quietly fixes his gaze on you with tired eyes, replaying your words in his mind. You remain silent as well, squeezing the dirty wipe in your fist, and find yourself glancing down at his lips irregularly.

Before you can feel drawn to each other even closer, you back up until reaching an appropriate distance from him and begin cleaning the table, looking away. “You should go to sleep.”

************************

Taehyung tried his best not to look too dispirited the following weeks until the day he received a mail stipulating Hina’s maternal grandparents showing themselves as the better option for her at this moment in the eyes of the court.

You couldn’t help but think it had to do with the sudden change in social workers.

You close your hands around the cup of hot tea you just made herself, eyes riveted on the grey winter sky.

You get snapped out of your reverie when you hear one of the stools being dragged as Hina tries to climb on it. Your eyes soften at her when she gives you a victorious smile and settles on her seat to eat her snack prepared by you. It’s almost dinner time but Taehyung doesn’t care.

He dressed her in a beautiful dress, you wouldn’t dare to guess the price of it.

Taehyung joins a little after with a matching hair band in his hand. You don’t look at each other. He carefully combs her hair and places the accessory. He sits down between you and watches her eat in silence.

He props his hand on the table to rest his head on. You don’t mind him hiding from you.

“We going to the zoo again? Let’s go to the zoo.” She blinks her big eyes at him.

He combs her bangs away from her eyes and wipes his nose with the back of his hand. “Wanna go see the animals?”

She hums positively and nods at the same time bringing her eyes back on her brownie. “They don’t bite, daddy. They nice.”

Hina stretches her tiny hand to feed him some of her snacks and lingers her gaze on him for a second, thoughtful.

“We going with ______ too.”

You look away from her and lower your head.

He cleans her mouth with his thumb and jumps a little when the doorbell rings.

“I going! I going,” she chirps, jumping down from her seat with his help.

A shaky sigh that escapes him. You gently grab his forearm, addressing him with a supportive look before you both walk towards the door.

You stay behind. Hina’s now able to graze the doorknob when she stretches on her tiptoes. You wonder if this is how she looked right before you first saw her. Your face darkens.

When he opens the door, you recognize the new social worker joined by her grandparents. Everyone’s eyes on the little girl who seeks comfort behind Taehyung as she peeks up curiously.

“Hina,” calls softly her grandmother with her open arms. “Come say hi.”

She doesn’t move, tightening her grip on his pants. He pats her head while her grandmother keeps beckoning her.

“Go say hi to grandma.”

After a couple of seconds, Hina walks slowly towards the elderly couple to let them kiss her as they exchange a couple of words. Taehyung walks away to get a bag with all of Hina’s belongings.

You don’t know where to look. You try not to stare as he crouches down at the doorstep. Her grandmother tries not to look too affected when Hina hops back in his arms.

“Hina you’ll go to grandma and grandpa’s house, today.” He trails softly while putting her coat and small beanie on for her. “You’ll go with them for some time and then I’ll come see you, all right. Here, don’t forget your gloves… It’s snowing outside.”

“You coming with Hina?” She asks after fetching his black knit cap from the sideboard for him.

He takes it from her, ignoring the tightness in his chest. “No, baby. You go with them. I will come after.”

Her frown deepens as she shakes her head unsatisfied. “No, no. I stay with daddy…”

“Hina,” her grandpa’s voice earns their attention. “There are a lot of toys back home. Don’t you want to go play with them? There’s a big princess castle built an-”

She turns away to hug Taehyung’s neck, shaking her head again.

“Hina, we should go now. Come.”

He can’t help but tense at the authoritative tone the old woman uses. She goes to grab one of Hina’s arm and forces her back up on her feet.

She starts whimpering and her eyes get teary.

“Let’s try not to linger.” The social worker interjects suddenly, backing away to prompt their quick departure and get settled with it rapidly.

You look their way. Hina brings a clothed hand to her face and rubs it when a tear slides down, naturally recalling what Taehyung always told her when she’d fuss. He stands up with his head hanging and she cranes up hers to pout at him and her grandmother, baring her grief.

“Let’s go,” her grandfather prompts after taking the bag from Taehyung.

Hina drags her feet, looking back as she’s taken further and further away from him. You join Taehyung rooted in the corridor. He sniffles at the gut-wrenching sight.

“Don’t break down in front of her.” You say quietly, seeing her one last time before they turn around the corner.

He looks down at the black beanie and closes his hand tightly around it. Her crying is weaker now and Taehyung can't hold it back anymore.

You walk him back in and barely have the time to close the door before he slowly grabs onto your body, hugging you to him, seeking comfort.

You freeze in surprise a quick second and slowly lower your hands on his back, listening to him sobbing in your neck.

“Please, hold me.”

You squeeze him hard, clenching away the tears blurring your vision.

***********************

You indulge him when he asks you to spend the night in his bed, allowing him to curl in your embrace as he cries himself to sleep.

The following day, he hopes to see you still by his side but finds the other side of the bed, cold and empty.

He didn’t rest that night and the note you left on his bedside table had only awakened a headache he would’ve done without. What he reads doesn’t surprise him, Hina had been taken away from him and so did your professional duties with you.

Hwiin cannot hold back the delight of having him to herself again, steering him towards whatever she thought advantageous for him and mostly for her.

She didn’t take in account the other side of the coin. As pliable as she got him to be, his demeanor was left out of her reach.

Taehyung does the bare minimum expected from him on tv shows and interviews, he still gives his all during performances but they’re lacking and soon, Hwiin is brought to deal with unhappy and worried fans who do their utmost to discover the reason behind his dull self.

Taehyung becomes withdrawn not only around strangers but also when he’s with his parents, friends and even when he’s left alone with her and she doesn’t stand it. She hates to witness him become the ghost of himself and this would only lead them to their downfall. Her feelings for him make it all uncomfortable.

****************

As for Hina, she isn’t doing any better.

Her grandparents have a hard time getting along with her. She’s not lacking anything but they fail filling in his absence. She struggles to get familiar with her new surroundings and their strictness does nothing but nurture her fear of them.

Her change of mood doesn’t go unnoticed by her school teacher but even her doesn’t manage to make her talk.

“This can’t go on,” her grandfather grunts sitting down on their bed, facing the window. His wife remains quiet on her side. “This isn’t benefiting any of us.”

“If she goes back with him, we’ll never be part of her life.” She places the comb back on the bedside table. “She’s everything we’ve got left of our precious Yuri.”

“Let’s not put a wall between us and him.” He reaches back when he feels her slipping beneath the sheets. “We’ve got to admit he did a good job raising her all this time despite his lack of experience… We’re not this patient anymore... It pains me to see Hina like this. We should think about it.”

She doesn’t answer and he turns back to look up at the night sky.

I hope you forgive us, Yuri.

***********************

It takes a month to Hwiin before she decides to visit mr and mrs Hiroshi. The wind is harsh on her skin as she climbs up the slope leading to their house. She tries to block the cold as much as possible, tilting her head down in the collar of her coat and ends up bumping into someone coming in the opposite direction.

“Sorry,” she apologizes instantly but the person doesn’t acknowledge her, hidden under a large hood. She stops a second wondering if they come from their house since the path doesn’t lead anywhere else but hurriedly picks up her walk again.

She pushes the intercom button but notices from afar mister Hiroshi outside sweeping the pathway from the outside door to their house.

“Hwiin, isn’t that right?” He recalls after walking up to her and greeting her. “What brings you here in this awful weather? You’re going to catch a cold.”

“Don’t worry about it,” she trails embarrassingly as she tries to think of ways to formulate her next words. “I’m sorry to bother you but I’ve come to talk to you because of Taehyung a-”

“You here to convince my wife to have Hina go back to him, aren’t you?”

“Uhm- y-yes, yes.” She blinks a little taken aback. “I- I”

“Well, you’re running a little bit late.”

She stares back, confused.

“A young woman around your age- very charming and polite by the way- just came by with the same motive. You probably saw her, she left a couple of minutes ago.”

Hwiin looks behind her, pensive. “Did she?”

/////////////////!\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

Feedback is much appreciated Reblog if you wish to read more

#bts scenarios #taehyung scenarios #bts angst #taehyung angst #taehyung smut #bts smut #taehyung fluff #bts fluff #taehyung x reader #taehyung x oc #bts imagines

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arshipweek · 3 years

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AR Ship Week - Fanwork Recs

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This is the fourth and last weekly post in the lead up to Alex Rider Ship Week. Only 1 week to go!

This week we’ve got a selection of shippy fanwork recs submitted by members of the AR fandom. Enjoy and hope to see you next week!

**Please note that I haven’t listed all the details for the fics so take care to read the tags on AO3 before diving in!

Yassen/Alex

Our Endless Numbered Days by Galimau Just your run of the mill heartwarming look at the quiet beats of Alex and Yassen's relationship...after the apocalypse. Soft and sweet this fic focuses on the very still and quiet moments of two men at the end times trying to hold onto the things that bring them joy. It's an intimate view of what Alex and Yassen's life could be like of all their cares were quite literally wiped away - excellent world building and writing make this a must read.

Yalex art by Ireliss Alex and Yassen in a lake! Everything about this picture is perfect - the light, the colours, the feeling of stillness... Probably the most beautiful picture of Alex and Yassen I've ever seen.

Sun Poisoning by fElBiTeR Angsty, beautiful, slowburn soulmate fic with a twist on the usual tropes and gorgeous imagery

Twisting, Turning, Tumbling by ShiruyTheSecond A glacially slow burn, road trip au, and sick fic all mashed into one fic, in non-chronological order based on 100 themes. I'd say this was one of the gateway fics into Yalex for me; there's nothing like reading a longfic you thought was gen and wishing it were slash, only for the realization to hit you in the face like a brick 50 something chapters later. Alex is on the run for a variety of reasons after a mission for MI6 goes spectacularly wrong, so he surprisingly finds himself leaning on Yassen for help, experincing whumpage along the way. Absolutely delicious.

Specific Performance by BurntWhisper Alex is a good spy, good enough that SCORPIA has tasked Yassen with killing him. Yassen can't do that but he can give Alex a very...enthusiastic going away present even Alex hasn't been a very good boy. It's a fun look at Alex and Yassen's first fling with callbacks to the original gen fic. That hits every perfect note and hits a few other things too.

Interlude by Suzie_Shooter Incredibly soft and fluffly Yalex that ends with an unexpected top!Alex and bath sex. Will absolutely warm your heart the way it does mine every time I read this fic.

Medicine by Suzie_Shooter The other fic in response to the prompt of "Alex is given a serum that makes him feel good when he tells the truth" except this one is praise kink while the other is humiliation kink! Specifically focused on a smoking hot blowjob and Alex's reluctance turned enthusiam, plus, there's a second chapter, just in case one dose of the antidote isn't enough.

One Year by BurntWhisper The slowest of slow burns featuring Alex and Yassen on the run from MI6, SCORPIA and their own feelings. Covering 3 months of their life on the run this fic features action as well as the slow, quiet moments where the budding relationship can truly shine through and behind it all the intelligence world continues to grind on threatening to take their happiness with it. It's a beautiful fic with strong, detailed writing and the emotional weight that it deserves.

Midnight Smoke by Hijja If you're in the mood for darker fics with plenty of Yassen hurting Alex complete with violence and heavy dubcon, Hijja has you covered. This particular fic features a mission-type premise with Alex being sent to investigate a spate of teen abductions only to be captured. Yassen is there, and he has his own goals...

Hello Alex by anonymous Fanart: a reunion hug between Yassen and Alex.

Face The Truth by capeofstorm Alex is given a serum that makes him feel good when he tells the truth. Yassen is absolutely a man to take advantage. Recced by Suzie_Shooter

Lights Out by Suzie_Shooter Yassen and Alex left tradecraft behind for a new life in the Greek islands. Ten years on, their relationship is still going strong and they've become island locals, the proprietors of a sailing club and a windsurfing business. Their idyllic life is disrupted by a new threat that wants them dead. I just love the premise of Yalex riding off into the sunset and not looking back. This fic not only has suspense, action, hot sex, and the intimacy borne of ten years...but once you're done, there are two excellent sequels and a prequel to lap up!

Villa in the Sun by BoldAsBrass A multi-chapter story within a story as Yassen and Alex keep in touch over the phone through a tale of a Russian bodyguard's encounters with a young English man. This is so cleverly done and beautifully written; I could re-read it and re-read it (in fact, that's exactly what I've done).

Sting in the Tail by Suzie_Shooter With the world hanging in the balance, MI6 presses an imprisoned Yassen into service. They use Alex to convince him, but also a nasty "sting in the tail" incentive to guarantee results. A thrilling Yalex mission!fic where Yassen and Alex forge their trust in each other by facing mortal danger and saving the world together. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time, eating up the slow burn and wondering how on earth they were going to succeed with all the obstacles Scorpia and MI6 threw in their way.

Rarely Pure And Never Simple by fElBiTeR Non-con > dub-con > fuck-yes-con speedrun. Recced by Suzie_Shooter

Just Say I Do by Nanimok I'm possibly biased because this was written for me, but 'woke up married' is a great trope and this is both snarky and adorable. Recced by Suzie_Shooter

Open Invitation by Suzie_Shooter After Ian's death in TV 'verse, fifteen-year-old Alex is living alone in a depressive, self-destructive spiral. He realizes someone is watching him at home...and decides to give them something more compelling to watch. I am squicked out by creepers, but the characterizations tackle the thorny elements head-on: Yassen's mixed feelings and understated pursuit tactics are 100% believable, as is Alex's volatility; he's alternately confused, provocative, and defiant. Exhibit A:“Does that make you a victim, or a slut?” The question came casually, but it had the unexpected sting of a slap. Alex blinked. “What, I can’t be both?” he countered after a second. Plot ensues, because how can a relationship possibly form from such a premise? Mind the tags (you might trip into your next kink because the sex is mind-blowingly hot).

Flirting with Danger by BoldAsBrass Basically THE gateway fic into Yalex for me - short and sweet, snappy narration and dialogue, a sleekly dangerous Yassen and Alex who might be a skilled, pragmatic adult but quickly realises he's in over his head. Sprinkle in a bit of dubcon and scorching hot writing and you get this perfect fic.

Burning a Dead Man's Fingertips by GreenQueenofClubs Multichapter slow burn, MI6!Yassen AU - an excellent premise done extremely well and feels fresh and new, balancing mission-style fic with character development! The dynamic between Yassen and Alex is somewhat different here compared to most Yalex fics as they don't meet until Alex is an adult; a really intriguing glimpse into what could have been...

A Little Pat Down by Nanimok Airport security can be frustrating at the best of times but couple it with being edged like none other by an assassin turned security guard and it can really be a pain in the ass. A filthy but extremely well written premise. Crack taken seriously is this author's strong suit so not a single one of their works will steer you wrong.

Yalex Ballet AU by anonymous Yalex ballet AU with absolutely gorgeous imagery and slow burn. Fluid prose and in the background, the shadows of past histories and things unsaid.

Gentleman's Agreement by Valaks Yassen and Alex have a "gentleman's agreement" for handling their business in the field. No one ever said anything about parent-teacher conferences. Claims to be gen, but deserves a place on this list for subtle genius alone, because with lines like "Like a fine wine, Alex Rider was improving with age" and "How interesting that Alex Rider would be that interested in his hands", what are we supposed to think....? UST in all caps is the best description.

Salty the Sweat on my Fingertips by Galimau A fun little romp of Alex visiting Tom and having to call his overly protective boyfriend? because he's pregnant and everything hurts. Beautifully written, this fic explores the ending of Oceanbreeze7's Moonfish and follows the extremely creative monster biology to its logical conclusion of Alex getting knocked up.

Slipping Through My Fingers by Nanimok This kink meme fill hits in all the right places as we watch through the eyes of a very jealous Julius as Yassen gives Alex all the attention he needs. The writing is, as always, on point and the characterization of Julius gets absolutely nailed (almost as much as Alex). Julius/Alex, Yassen/Alex

Other

Miss Julia by DantesThird Very creepy and traumatic noncon but really believable with Julia Rothman's obsession with John Rider. Alex/Julia Rothman

gone loose inside the shell by cyanides Fantastic messed-up fic where Julius keeps fantasising about killing Alex, but then the fantasies take a different turn. The possessive 'If I can't have you no-one can' dynamic really encapsulates the ship for me, and the fic stuck in my mind afterwards. Alex/Julius

smoke haze by Ireliss Dubcon, gun kink. A really intriguing and quite dark exploration of a young Yassen's situation with Scorpia and his very complex relationship with Hunter. John/Yassen

Our Settling Bones by Galimau A multi-chapter slow burn focused on a former assassin who has lost everything...and Yassen Gregorovich. The tension is off the charts and the characerization is on point. Everything you could want from the rarest of pairs. John Wick/Yassen

Lemniscate by Ireliss A look at what awaits Yassen when he arrives back at Scorpia after killing Vladimir Sharkovsky. This is deliciously dark as well as being entirely plausible. The sensory descriptions are fantastic. Yassen/Julia Rothman

#alex rider #ARshipweek #yalex #....#.....#mod posts #recs

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bookdragonlibrary · 4 years

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Miraculous Ladybug New York

The voices sound normal in French but seem so wrong in English and I don’t know what gives me this impression :/

There are a lot of things I loved in this episode/film:

First I’m glad the comic seems to not be canon anymore since it is Ladybug and Chat noir’s first trip to New York and they never met the US heroes before.

Cosmo Bug and Astrochat! I hope we will have a closer look and a longer utilisation in season 4 because this transformation looks so cool but was too short!

Miss Bustier being pregnant! So was she calling Miss because she is young and not because she is not married yet?

Marinette being to short to unlock the automatic door.

Marinette in denial with Adrien is just a friend, meaning Adrien was also in denial of his feelings for Marinette this whole time :D

A Black woman for the President of USA, the creators literally saying fuck the current timeline.

A black and a Native american girls as main US heroes (I mean they have most of the screen time of US heroes + about our heroes age) and a multiracial homoparental family. When Majestia says “it’s time to be our true selves” she isn’t only talking about Knight owl being a woman, but also about the both of them being a couple right? Maybe the Americans know Knight Owl and Majestia are going out but since they don’t know Knight Owl is a woman…

Adrien, aware or not, trying to be close to Marinette and knowing she did everything for him: making him come to NY, making the banderole when he left, etc. What if he changed target from Ladybug to Marinette?

Ladybug smiling fondly at Chat noir’s explanations at the beginning and accepting the flower.

Aeon stepping in front of Ladybug to save her from the Cataclysm. Imagine how Chat noir would have been devasted if he killed his lady D:

The Miraculous of the Eagle is the Miraculous of Freedom. Its power is to unlock whatever is holding back someone to reach their true potential, like fear, morality, etc. It’s like a big power up of what you would look like at 100%. Imagine Marinette if she is touched by this! :o no more clumsiness, only her confidence all the time!

I’m glad the Americans Miraculi are based on American Native culture. Meaning the Miraculous spread across the world are the sources of the local myths, legends and symboles. Ladybug’s box is from Asia. So maybe we will have a European guardian, a Greek one with Miraculous based on the Zodiac signs, as they are based on Greek mythology and constellations’ names. But also boxes based on Celtic and Viking myths! We will have a Shanghai special soon, so maybe the third World Special will be with the European box. I mean with Miraculous World could be film length special about other boxes just like New York and Shanghai are. Maybe they will make more like those, maybe one per continent (the crew talked about Brazil so a South America episode, so we would have an episode in Africa and Oceania! :D)

Adrien transforms in Chat noir just to protect Marinette. He makes his presence known in NY, with the possibility of Ladybug knowing of this, to protect Marinette.

Sabrina finding a life outside Chloé and maybe having a crush in USA :) Plus, it’s an interracial couple :)

Barbara x Olympia, the Supermoms of the ML universe :) So Jesse and Eon are sisters? Since they both called Barbara and Olympia moms? And that they seem together?

The little kitty to make Ladybug know if there’s a problem in Paris. I hope Marinette will make a ladybug version just so Chat noir can know if something is wrong in Paris so he could transform. You know, since they can communicate only if they are both transformed…

Did you notice the irony of Marinette makes Adrien coming in NY and then being mad at Chat noir for being in NY >< The reveal when they’ll realise all the quiproquos from the start xD

Other things I think wasn’t understood by most of the fandom and my opinion:

Mayura making an sentimonster looking like Robustus in Paris to make it seems Hawkmoth was still in Paris. But I don’t understand Hawkmoth’s plan to give a Miraculous to the villain. He never made a stupid move like than, excepting when he made a Miraculous the akumatised object for Queen Wasp.

Yellow roses symbolising friendship is a new symbole, but they do symbolise jealousy in the past. On the Internet, it explains it was to sell more of these roses they changed to meaning. So Ladybug and Chat noir were both right about it. Chat noir is trying to show platonic affection and support to Ladybug

Marinette going back to her antics like in season 1. Well, it’s not easy to move on from someone and Marinette never had closure to help her doing it. By that I mean a clear no from Adrien because she never succeeded to tell him what she felt so of course, she still have a little hope. About her antics, she tried so much to flirt with Adrien or to confess to him since 3 seasons/a year, she doesn’t know how to act as a friend with him, so she panics and here we go. Marinette has anxiety easily. So she has to plan every scenario/the worst scenario to reassure her. But being friend with Adrien is new territory. So Marinette becomes error 404 ^^ I mean, before she would have be thrilled to spend time with Adrien, especially sitting next to him on the plane like she was where they were on the train. But now that’s too overwhelmed for her.

Adrien wanted to tell Ladybug he’s going away too right away, but Plagg told him not to, because he wants his friend to have free and good time too because Adrien deserves it. Maybe they would have find a solution like the Horse Miraculous or going back to Paris thanks to the astrosuit.

I think Ladybug say she can’t trust Chat noir anymore out of anger and doesn’t really mean it. We know she cares about Chat noir

About Chat quitting. It’s not because he came to NY without telling Ladybug, I think the main reason he wanted to quit because he could have actually kill someone. We’re talking about Adrien the cinnamon roll. Do you think about how traumatic it would be to kill someone? By accident, yes, but the consequence is still here and the person would have been an innocent. He would have kill Ladybug if Aeon didn’t intervene and if she wasn’t a gynoid, she would have die for real. Maybe she knew she’ll be fine thanks to the Miracle cure or she just wanted to save a human life. So it’s the combo of nearly kill someone + Ladybug won’t trust him anymore that makes him think he’s not worthy of being a hero anymore.

I read people complained about Ladybug being perfect and awesome. Just wanna remind it’s from Adrien’s point of view, just like Adrien is perfect from Marinette’s one. Not that they’re perfect as people, but the other see them at such for them. When you’re in love you don’t see the person as perfect as a person, but as your partner because they are what you’re looking for in a partner. Adrien likes strong girls, with confidence, who want to fight for others and help them. Marinette likes boys who are gentle, sweet, generous, romantic, calm and relax to counterbalance her ball of energy. That’s why they see Ladybug and Adrien are perfect according to their standards.

I’m not sure where Adrigami and Lukanette are… The second one seems to be in standby, Luka giving Marinette time to move on from Adrien and I stand that. Maybe the first one is processing thing, Kagami also giving time to Adrien to clear his heart. We didn’t hear Adrien’s clear answer since the finale. Or are they secretly dating because of their strict parents? The kiss seems to be on the cheek (pretty close from the lips from our point of view, but still not on the lips) so I don’t think they are dating yet, so the Adrinette was cheating? I don’t even think Nino and Alya know about them or Adrien knows he’s in love with Marinette or that his behavior makes it appears like such. He wants to spend time with her, to be with her, he’s thankful of her, wants to protect her, but still processing his feelings. Kagami and Adrien never had friends before, least of all a girl/boyfriend. I’m not sure they know what dating supposes to look like. Maybe Kagami confused feeling closed to Adrien because they live the same situation and being in love with him? I love Kagami and Luka but I know Adrigami and Lukanette won’t be endgame anyway so I try to not bring myself to much in those ships… But I hope they will end up with each other!

Adrien isn’t a cheater. First, we don’t know yet if Adrigami is dating or not. Plus we see Adrinette interactions are romantic because we know they’re endgame and we know Marinette is in love with Adrien. (I’m not even sure Adrien is conscious that his behaviour could be interpreted as romantic.) So it’s just our perception that makes those moments romantic. Otherwise, Adrien did nothing wrong! What did he do? He was happy to be sitted next to a friend so he won’t spend a 12 hours flight alone (not like he can talk to his bodyguard or Mendeleiev...), thanked Marinette for made him come to NY, hugged her, helped her with automatic doors, hided with her because they were sneaking out, share a hot dog and they have been locked in a room. Yes, they danced but it was Alya who asked Jess to turn it into a slow. And dancing with someone else isn’t cheating anyway.

About Alya and Nino… Alya knows Marinette is in denial of her feelings and she might be frustrated because to her point of view, Marinette is giving up without a clear answer from Adrien. She didn’t know Adrien told her he’s in love with a girl (Ladybug, in Pupeteer 2) and from Marinette’s POV it’s Kagami who is also in love of Adrien. That’s why she stepped back in the S3 finale without knowing Adrien might have giving up on Ladybug (because she told him a clear no) and is trying to be closer to her. Alya doesn’t understand why Marinette is giving up on her feelings and from her and Nino’s POV Adrien is also crushing on her but isn’t aware of it and/or doesn’t know it’s reciprocal. From their POV, it’s like Marinette’s one on Adrien and Kagami: they both think Marinette and Adrien are in love wih each other but not aware of it. Alya isn’t giving up on Marinette because she think she is so close to hapiness and reciprocal feelings to give up just now.

New York being romantic… Well maybe it’s Hollywood’s fault and since a lot of French never went to USA, their only views of this country are films and series so their opinion might be biased? (Just like people think Paris is romantic when… it’s maybe not true anymore… It’s not the City of lights from before…) Same for USA being the country of freedom. It’s just become US save the world in every of their movies, against terrorists or aliens or whatever.

About Nino calling Adrien a baby chick, a little cultural explanation is needed here :) Chicks have not the same meaning in French than in English. While in English it refers to girls in a sexual/flirting way, in French it’s a cute pet name you call your child or a cheesy one for your boy/girlfriend. So Nino refers to Adrien as being innocent, like in a naive and oblivious way.

Too many heroes in NY. It seems Hot Dog Dan and the firelights heroes are recurent NY heroes. But the other ones could live elsewhere and just come to NY because there were a big threat wih Techno Pirate. Since United Heroez are based on Justice League and the Avengers (or other groups of heroes, but I would say mostly the JL), they could have way to communicate and to travel fast across the USA right?

Questions:

Where are the power of the US superheroes come from? From the bracelets?

Why Jesse and Eon have to supervise the Miraclass? Does Olympia and Barbara know Marinette and Adrien are Ladybug and Chat noir? Nope, they were surprised they are in NY. So why? To be sure they’ll be safe since they are a lot of supervillains in USA? (Since you know, they’re not a one-time villain because of an akuma here)

Was it Aeon’s fault if the door didn’t open for Marinette and Adrien? Or it’s really because Marinette has the size of a child? xD By the way, do the US door retract when they meet an “obstacle” or it was just for the comedy?

Am I the only one who think Aeon look like an Egyptian goddess in her hero form?

Tsurugi-san (forgot Kagami’s mom’s name) should know Gabriel is Hawkmoth, or at least he’s in NY because he is driving in a autopilot car from Tsurugi’s label. There is something going on between her, Gabriel and Audrey (see the end of the episode Feast).

We see Adrien protecting Marinette a lot during attacks. Is this a building or a foreshadowing of him realising he’s in love with Marinette (I mean being conscious of his feelings) because he will see her hurt during a attack? (Marinette could be fine, transforming in Ladybug just before being really hurt or killed by something but Adrien won’t know Ladybug next to him is also Marinette so… angst and tear?) could be Adrinette or Marichat but this scenario could also be a reverse with Ladynoir. Marinette seems to be more and more fond of Chat noir with time passed.

With the special, I think the love square would be changed in S4. Chat noir still cares about Ladybug but he’s not pursuing her anymore. So still banter but not flirting for ladynoir? But Ladybug makes heart eyes when Chat noir gabble about flowers and their symbolism :3 I don’t know if Ladybug will see Chat noir romantically but they may have an even stronger bond after all they have been through! So reverse Adrinette like in the special? So maybe... more Marichat? :D

Well that’s all I thought at the moment. Maybe I’ll add new things when I rewatch it for the x times. If you have language or cultural questions, don’t hesitate! I will add the answer to this post! ;D

#miraculous ladybug #miraculous united heroez #miraculous ladybug ny #ml review

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the-mandalorian-clone-lover · 4 years

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Aces in Spaces Chapter 11

Monday again!

Erica has come over to Roman’s to get ready for dinner, he’s fawning over her, dinner is a little ridiculous, Butcher is a hero, and Roman gets to be a sap again (but more because it’s just been their 7th month anniversary and man can’t help himself)

Tags: @sunshinepascal @rentskenobi @princessxkenobi @agent-450 @maybege @obaby-wan

Reference photo’s are below again (apologies for terrible quality Obi-Wan (my laptop) was being stinky today), enjoy guys :)

Masterlist

(this is literally the only picture I could find of Ewan in purple so Just imagine he has a black button down instead of the striped shirt)

Roman pulled Erica close before lifting her slightly to sit on the counter, her floor length long sleeve wrap dress is a deep velvet purple, the neckline shy of plunging and the wrap of the skirt giving her a knee-high slit. He is dressed to match her, purple suit accented by the black button up that hides behind his blazer, black sunglasses accompanying the grey pocket scarf that ties in with the sandals he’s carrying for her. Flat footed she stood about an inch taller than he, but he always relished the height difference (as was evidenced by the four-inch heels he was now buckling onto her feet). As he fastened them Erica smiled softly and began brushing her fingers through his auburn hair, he was always tender with her and she couldn’t begin to thank him enough. As if he knew her thoughts, he spoke softly into the room.

“I was thinking we could finish painting the purple and grey in the studio this week. Like your flag.” It was his six-month anniversary present to her, he knows she loves training with her weapons of choice still (even if she has her own guard team now) and he wanted her to have her own space. If that keeps her out of the community training area, that’s just an extra bonus.

The soft smile on her face grows fond, “does the great Roman Stanton have time to watch paint dry?” it’s said almost teasingly.

“With the love of his life?” His eyes meet hers as the endearment passes his lips “there’s nothing I’d rather do.” It is said so matter-of-factly that a full smile breaks across her face.

“People might talk, finding out this isn’t for sex”

“You know,” he begins and his face is full of an exasperation that shows just how many times he’s had the conversation, as his hands find her waist and he stands between her legs, “You can love someone, without having sex.”

She laughs a little at this, albeit softly, and cradles his face in her hands. “My Roman” she brings their foreheads together and for a moment they breathe one another in, basking in the stillness. It’s soft, undeniably so, only interrupted by the furrowing of Roman’s brow.

“Did someone say something?” He pulls back before continuing, hands finding her shoulders as hers slip to his chest. “It’s been a moment since I told the last batch you were asexual; do you want me to mention it?” Despite the calmness his tone brings her, Erica knows ‘mentioning it’ will involve more than just talking (and it certainly won’t be done in passing, her mind briefly pulls up the memory of the time Roman made a 47 page slideshow for Butch about what being Ace meant, how dragons were the mascot, and how that pertained to him. As the main bodyguard for them both Butch had appreciated the education, contrary to what his immense size and intimidating presence suggested he was truly kind). Her smile broadens again, “No, I’m just teasing you, I’d love to finish the studio”.

Romans face splits with a grin that Erica is convinced rivals sunshine with its warmth and brings his hand up to suspend itself by the side of her face. She’s always loved this about him; he never falters at asking before he touches her, some days she doesn’t need him to ask, but knowing he always will, heals her on the days when she does. She leans into him then, closing her eyes and relishing the contact.

“May I please kiss you?”

Its spoken so softly Erica isn’t even sure she heard it, but she opens her eyes to find his and the pleading of his own gives him away. “softly” she conditions in a whisper. He gives her the briefest of nods before leaning in, giving her the time to change her mind if she desires and then she closes the space, pressing her lips to his lightly and gripping at the lapels of his suit jacket. She doesn’t deepen it, and he follows her lead, but she still puts love into the kiss, gently tugging him closer. He pulls away first, thumb stroking her cheekbone from its place on her face. “Well my Evenstar, shall we go?” She buries her face in his coat at the reference to her favorite fantasy world, “Yes Mr. Stanton,” she drags her eyes up to him with another soft smile “we shall”. His hand is extended to help her down (though it isn’t far at all with the addition of the heels) and the smile he directs up at her resembles the cat who got the canary, as he tucks the same hand around his arm. “The world awaits”.

*Dinner that evening*

The dinner goes well, Erica and Roman separating (he’d sent Butch with her for his own peace of mind) as the night went on, it turned out the man he’d been meeting with had several companions and Erica was willing to make a few friends if the situation lent itself to such a thing. She’d come back after a while, (maybe a little less care-free than before Roman thought but he hadn’t been able to ask at the time) saying that Butch had had something to take care of and would be re-joining them both soon.

It isn’t until Butcher is walking with them to the car, Erica on his right arm and Roman on hers, that anyone mentions the situation, Butcher commenting softly

“She kept asking me who I’d like to,” he pauses and Erica trains her gaze on his face “do, things, with” he finishes lamely; gaze resolutely focused ahead of him, only breaking to scan for threats. Erica tilts her head in silent question. “Adult things.” He tacks on and confusion flits across her face before he adds “not taxes, the other stuff”. Her posture straightens before she breathes a noncommittal “ah”.

Roman tilts his head and looks to her in question.

“One of the girls was, very thrilled, with Butch, she couldn’t have held a candle to Hannah. I didn’t much care for any of them so I rejoined you.” She says by way of explanation.

Butcher scoffs, “No one could hold a candle to my Hannah. All due respect Ms. Erica” He says it with a smile sent her way and his hand coming to rest over hers where it rests on his arm.

Butcher plunges ahead as they exit the venue, “She took a real shine to you though, I kept trying to explain you wouldn’t be into it, but she wasn’t really getting the hint. I told her you were ace, she said that meant you hadn’t been with the right people. That she could fix it for you”. For a brief moment Erica almost wants to turn back to ensure Butcher hasn’t left the poor thing tied up somewhere as she is absolutely certain Romans slideshow did cover this response (if she didn’t remember after his insistence that she proofread it for him the tension she can feel from him is indication enough). But once again Butcher carries on without thought and finishes with a flourish as he opens the car door.

“She got a real nice cab home, courtesy of the local police department.”

Erica stops halfway in the car in shock, still holding roman’s forearm in preparation to slide in “Butcher, you had her arrested?”

He shrugs, “Well, I couldn’t take her into the men’s room for a talk myself could I?” he says it as if it’s the most natural thing in the world, as if arguing in her defense during dinner hadn’t been kind enough, as if leaving the woman any chance to say such things to her face would have been absurd. She hugs him then, throws both arms around his neck and pulls him down despite her own impressive height.

“Thank you.”

It’s quiet, barely a whisper, and yet she hopes he knows it means the world to her. As she pulls away, she tells him so, and slides into the car before the emotion can make itself known. Out of the corner of her eye she sees Roman shake Butcher’s hand and she hopes to God it’s over a raise (it’s not as if she wants to buy respect but she’s certain whatever they pay him isn’t enough with the defense he just gave for her). Roman slides in after and Butcher closes the door before moving to sit with the driver, she almost moves to ask Roman to have Butcher keep them company but pauses when she meets his eyes, instantly seeing somethings on his mind. Her eyes soften, “Don’t be upset for me, he handled it better than I could have ever dreamed.”

Roman sighs, “You know me so well love.”

“I do.” It’s punctuated by her bringing their foreheads together, placing a quick peck on his lips before leaning back again. He chuckles, rubbing his thumb along the side of her face gently, reaching toward the dangling earrings she’s wearing before brushing his fingers along the length of her earlobe, down to the cartilage to cradle her bling.

“These are lovely.” His eyes find hers with a knowing smile, they had been her 7th month anniversary present and the reason she’d gotten ready at the pent-house, he’s pretty sure he’d be a failure if he didn’t mention them. “They pale in comparison to the woman wearing them, but they are beautiful.”

She blushes then, looking down before tracing her fingers up the line of his lapel, up his throat lightly before tapping the end of his nose with her finger. Eyes following the trail her fingers blaze, they finally meet his.

“The man who bought them had great taste.” She declares and Roman smiles wider,

“It would seem his taste in lovers is even better.”

Now she’s looking down and laughing, crinkling her nose because she’s trying to stifle the sound, its his favorite expression out of all the ones he’s seen her make so far. She doesn’t do it as often as she laughs, only when she’s found something exceptionally funny, or when she’s being tickled, it only happens when she’s become so full of joy that she forgets to school her expression into something conventionally ‘pretty’

As she looks up she says, still giggling, “You’ve already won me Roman, you don’t have to woo me too.”

He makes a conscious effort to look scandalized.

“My dear, I would simply waste away were I forced to forgo my endeavor to love you better than Shakespeare could write or Da Vinci could paint. I must be nothing less than a master at my craft lest I fall into the pit of despair that is the thought of you needing another. I must never lax, disregarding the passing of time. For as long as you’ll have me, I’ll love you.” The culmination of his declaration consists of him bringing her hand to his lips, holding eye contact as he presses his lips to the back of it softly. He had begun in grandiose, but he’d barely spoken a few words before becoming fully aware of his own sincerity and embracing it wholeheartedly. She’s smiling now, eyes turned soft and accepting of his affection.

“Then I’ll consent to be loved.”

***************************

#asexual #ewan mcgregor #aces in spaces #ace character #original characters #original fic #original story #new chapter #i love this one so much #like theyre all just so soft for each other #and Roman is such a sap #and Butch is always ready to throw hands for Erica #I just love it

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keelywolfe · 4 years

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FIC: Showtime (SpicyHoneyMustard, stand alone, lemon)

Summary: Edge and Red are bodyguards for the Queen's Judge, Rus, and they more than happy to watch over him.

In every way possible.

Notes: Forgive me for my sins!!😭😭😭I got this idea into my head and it refused to be banished.

Naughty, naughty boys, read the tags before you dive in!

Tags: SpicyHoneyMustard, Fontcest, Fellcest, Sibling Incest, Threesome, Established Relationship, Possessive Behavior. LEMONY GOODNESS!!

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Read it on AO3

Read it here!

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Edge had always hated meetings and while they’d never said as much, he was certain that the others did as well.

Endless, trite negotiations where Humans and Monsters both spent hours dancing around the subjects they truly wished to discuss, speaking through clenched teeth as they struggled to find a common ground to agree upon.

Coming from a world where agreements came either briskly or at the expense of spilled dust, for Edge it was something of an adjustment.

Edge stood stiffly by the door, hands clasped in front of him as he watched the Human Leaders who were meeting with the Queen and her Judge. The Humans had politely requested a private meeting of only them and as the head of Security, Edge just as politely told them in so many words that he’d sooner gift-wrap his own soul for them to dust at their leisure. No Humans were ever going to be alone with the Queen on his watch and as for Rus…

Humans were often tetchy about Rus once they learned his purpose; their Judge, the one who could weigh the souls of Monsters and Humans alike. If mere magic discomfited them, then knowing someone could see the heaviness of their ugliest sins could send them into a blustering rage. Even some Monsters found it unsettling at times and it was Edge’s duty to keep Rus safe, an ofttimes thankless task that he’d taken on before they’d even met.

These days, Rus’s safety was no duty, but a necessity for Edge’s peace of mind. Nothing was going to hurt him, not Humans, not Monster, no one. It was a promise he swore to himself daily.

The conference room for this particular meeting was at the Embassy and as a concession to meeting on less than neutral soil, Edge readily agreed to be the only security in the room. It did not mean he was the only one watching and there was no reason for these Humans to know that Red could be here between one blink and the next. Besides, there were only ten of the Humans, all sweating and nervous in their uncomfortably fitting suits, trying to decide if the offered coffee and pastries were safe to consume. Hardly cause for concern.

Edge wondered with dry amusement if they’d be more willing to choose a muffin if they knew all of it was fresh that morning from the local Tim Horton's.

The stiff conversation held little interest to him and instead, Edge measured their body language, reading their intent. Humans worried so fearfully about being Judged and yet had no idea how much they revealed with a single tapping pencil or the stuttering bounce of a leg beneath the table. They were nervous, unsettled, but not truly afraid and it was enough for Edge to relax, as much as he was able this close to unfamiliar Humans. Nerves were to be expected and much easier to predict than fear.

After a few wary glances, the Humans no longer paid him any mind and that was fine by Edge. He didn’t miss the slight flicker of pale lights in his direction, just as quickly flicking away, nor the slight smile that curved Rus’s mouth. His expression was one of dutiful interest, paying close attention to the rather unpleasant Human who was asking for concessions that they weren’t about to make. The glance that flicked Edge’s way again for the briefest of seconds and then away said that the negotiations weren’t holding his attention as they should.

Edge shifted the weight of his gaze entirely to Rus, calmly watching him so that the next glance he snuck was met with a stare his own. Rus’s sockets widening then quickly returning to the Humans and none of them would have any idea what the faint, flustered orange rising in his cheek bones meant.

Edge knew, very well, indeed.

‘easy, boss,’ drawled through the earpiece in his auditory canal, ‘don’t wanna make a bad impression on all these humies, do ya.’

There was no way to reply to his brother without being overheard and Edge only stood, his gloved hands clasped in front of him, his expression one of bland neutrality.

‘can’t blame ya for drooling, though, he cleans up too fucking nice.’

He did. Rus rarely wore the formal robes of his office, only at the Queen’s request and still reluctantly. Silken, creamy ivory with the delta symbol delicately embroidered on his chest, discreetly hugging the lithe line of his body as they covered his slim, lovely bones from the high collar to where the hem brushed the floor, showing only peeks of the tips of his shoes. It made him look coolly resplendent, untouchable and yet—

‘‘course, that only makes ya want to dirty ‘im up, don’t it.’

Stop, Edge did not, could not say. He shifted his stance, widening it as discreetly as he could. Not at all enough for any bastards watching through the room cameras, who only chuckled, darkly pleased.

‘yeah, ya like that idea, dontcha. think he’d look real good on that table. pull those robes up and show off those pretty bones. bet he don’t have much on under it and ya always look good between his legs, ya know. draggin’ all those sweet sounds outta him, making him cry and moan while your fuckin’ that tight little cunt until he’s begging to cum.’

Control, that was all, he’d spent years working on his control. But his brother’s husky voice was cruelly relentless, worming its way from his hearing and settling into his warming thoughts.

‘course, our sweet thing always has a lot to say when ya give ‘im head, don’t he. don’t always make sense but it do make for a hellava show.’ Edge could hear a soft clacking sound, a fingertip tapping consideringly against teeth. ‘can’t decide what i’d rather see right now. you eating him out or you ramming him until he screams. both’re worth the price of admission.’

A ticklish trickle of sweat fell from Edge’s brow bone and he plucked out a handkerchief, wiping it away discreetly. The Queen noticed, glancing at him with faint concern. He only shook his head ever so slightly and she returned her attention to the Humans, her tight smile a fair indication of how well their negotiations were not going.

‘guess i’ll hafta to let ya choose, don’t think i can. whatcha think, bro, how ya gonna wreck that pussy today?’ Through the earpiece, Edge could hear a chair creaking, a familiar scuffing sound of Red propping his boots up on the desktop despite frequent admonishments to keep his filthy feet on the floor. ‘oh, i got a plan now. ya fuck him good, fuck him up, wear him out for me. think after you’re done i’ll give our boy a good tongue-lashing. see if we can get him to pass out again, yeah?’ There was the faint, obscene sound of his brother licking his teeth. ‘he always tastes better with a little sauce on the side.’

The queen abruptly standing startled Edge so much he actually twitched, only barely catching himself from flinching. She towered over the Humans, who gaped at her as she said coolly. “Gentleman, I believe we’re finished for the day.”

None of them seemed ready to question her commanding authority, all of them standing, blustering and scrambling for briefcases and paperwork. When they were ready, Edge stepped silently aside, opening the door and gesturing curtly to the rest of the security team. They would lead the Humans out of the Embassy and if they found Edge’s appearance to be unsettling, a pack of fierce Dogs didn’t seem to instill any additional confidence.

He closed the door and the moment it shut, the Queen sagged, pulling off her crown to toss it uncaringly to the tabletop and her head falling into her hands. “Why must they be so aggravating!” she burst out, all the frustration that she refused to show the Humans overflowing, spilling out into the air between them.

“hey, it’ll be okay, tori,” Rus soothed, even as Edge struggled not to show his distaste at the familiarity in that nickname. He moved to stand behind her, rubbing her stiff shoulders until she began to relax, some of her tension flowing away. “we’ll work through it. look, why don’t you head out for the day? go on home, get a glass of wine, spend some time with that kid of yours and we’ll give it another shot tomorrow, yeah?”

A heavy sigh and the Queen nodded, twisting her head to smile up at him, “You’re right, of course. You always know what to say.”

“of course i do,” Rus said loftily, “i’m your advisor, so listen to my sound advice. hit the bricks, head home.”

She laughed, tiredly amused, "I should have chosen the corn muffin with my coffee, then I could have been all ears."

Edge chose that moment to interrupt, offering quietly, “The Humans have left the building.”

“Thank you, Edge,” the Queen nodded and stood. “I believe I will go home.”

“Your car will be brought around in ten minutes,” Edge told her. She nodded again, her smile less personal than the one she offered Rus but no less sincere.

The second she was gone, Rus slumped back in his own chair. Gone was the posed, coolly competent Judge, regal and distant, and left behind was only Rus, his knees sprawled as far apart as his robes allowed, long arms dangling on either side of the chair almost to the floor.

“well, that was a waste of an afternoon,” Rus sighed out. Staring up glumly at the ceiling, he didn’t noticed Edge discreetly twisting the lock on the door. “why do they have to make everything so diffi—hey!”

Rus flailed in his arms as Edge scooped him easily up, carrying his light weight over to sit him on the table. For once, the position made Rus slightly shorter than him and there was nothing in those pale eye lights but startled confusion. It seemed his formal decorum was not completely abandoned yet.

“what are you do-oooing!” It rose into a high-pitched yelp as Edge pushed him to lay back before roughly yanked those robes up to his femurs without a care for the delicacy of the material. Red was correct, there was nothing beneath them but bones, glossy and slim, begging for a rough hand to slide over them until the delicate joints glowed brightly with desire.

“I’m giving you a way to be productive,” Edge murmured. He bit the fingertip of one of his gloves, pulling it off and spitting it to the floor, already forgotten as he ran his bared hand up Rus’s silken femur to thumb at the place where the joint met his pelvis. Rus arched into the touch, husking out a moan as Edge kept up the journey, fondling his pubic symphysis with deliberate intent.

A flood of bright magic filled Rus’s pelvic cradle, his pussy snapping into place. Even as he squirmed and moaned, Rus’s hands fluttered shyly down as if to cover it from Edge’s avid gaze, his cheek bones flushing brilliantly. “do i even want to ask what’s gotten into you?”

“should be more worried about what’s gettin’ into you.” Came from behind them. Edge did not look; he could picture his brother’s lasciviously eager grin as easily as a photograph. Rus’s blush only deepened, honey-golden and lovely. “c’mon, bro, hurry it up. i’ve been waiting all day for a show and i’m gonna play judge and jury for once and say he’s ready to give one.”

It was easy to simply ignore that careless command. Trailing a single fingertip along the soft, tempting folds found Rus already slippery, easily taking that finger inside. Another finger joined the first and if Red was hoping for a show, the way Rus arched, crying out as his femurs slid even further apart in generous offering already made for a lovely performance. Already he was debauched, his teeth parting to allow those lovely cries to escape, sweat beading prettily on his skull and his robes crumpled and bunched up around his waist.

“Beautiful,” Edge murmured, and despite the heat bulging at his own crotch, he would have been content to simply watch this. The slippery slide of his pale cracked phalanges into the golden petal softness of Rus’s pussy was delicious enough, no matter what his brother thought of it. A demonstration that fingers were quite nice things on their own.

“please!” Rus suddenly burst out, panting as he scrambled to grab at Edge’s wrist, stilling his thrusting fingers. He gulped loudly, his pleading look darting from Edge to someplace behind him where surely Red was watching them with scarlet-bright intensity. “oh, please, want you, need you, please!”

That decided him and Edge ignored the tremor in his hand as he pulled his fingers free with a wet, obscene sound and went for his belt. His fingers were still too slick and he cursed as he fumbled at his zipper, the tiny tab stubbornly refusing to be lowered.

Smaller hands settled over his own, the fingers as cracked and damaged as his own, and arms wrapping around him from behind. “hang on, i got you, bro.”

Edge sighed in relief as Red nimbly opened his pants, reaching inside to take hold of his cock, drawing him out. He gave the shaft a brisk, unnecessary stroke. Edge was already achingly hard, crimson wetness beading at the tip and spread by Red’s careless touch. A light push at the small of his back urged him to step forward and Edge did, bracing his hands on the table as he settled in between Rus’s spread femurs.

They both groaned at the first touch of his cockhead against Rus’s slit as Red lined Edge up, pressing him firmly to Rus’s entrance.

“there ya go,” Red crooned, even as he stepped back, eye lights glittering as he took in the scene before him, the two of them hovering at the cusp of being joined, “c’mon now, give him what he wants.”

It was a command Edge was more than willing to obey. This time.

Rus threw his head back at the first slow thrust, hands scrabbling desperately at Edge’s shoulders as broken cries welled from his throat, thoroughly lost to the sensation of being penetrated, and that was where Edge’s patience broke.

With a low growl, he thrust deep inside, hips snapping forward, and he could only be dimly grateful for the room’s soundproofing as Rus choked on a scream. The gloriously tight heat of his cunt rippled and clenched around him as if trying to suck him in even deeper. Edge groaned deeply, rolling his hips in a desperate rhythm, slamming their bodies together even as Rus clawed at his scapulas, blunted fingertips scratching chalkily as bone met bone.

Red clambered up on the table, sneakers squeaking against mahogany as he knelt at Rus’s head. He managed to lift Rus’s thrashing skull into his lap, then took hold of his wrists, forcing his hands down to the tabletop. Freeing Edge from his hold only let him thrust deeper, both hands gripping Rus’s iliac crests as he drove into him with aching force, glorying in the hot clench of the pseudoflesh around him.

“that’s it, baby,” Red crooned out, barely audible over the clatter of bones against each other. “fuck yes, you’re beautiful. take it, take him, you gorgeous bastard.”

“oh, oh, i…i need…” Rus stammered out, “oh, oh, please, ohhh!” He strained against Red’s hold, unable to break his unyielding grip even as he shuddered and whined, caught between them, struggling uselessly against Edge’s weight as he tried to arch up even as orgasm struck him with the force of a velvet-wrapped blow. His eye lights blew wide, flooding with deep orange before his sockets scrunched closed and he came with a warbling cry, writhing and whimpering in a gorgeous display of desperate pleasure.

Edge leaned down to cover his pleading mouth with his own, managing a degree of tenderness even now with Rus’s sweet cunt pulsing and spasming around him, still thrusting erratically as he groaned through his teeth, gloriously engulfed by the orgasm rippling up his spine.

It took a while for Edge to return to his senses, gulping in deep gasps of air that were thick with the rich tang of their sex. The clammy feel of his own sweat beneath his clothing was uncomfortably acute, but there was no attention to spare for that now. Not with Rus clinging to him, his own breathing closer to sobs as he buried his face into the front of Edge’s once pristine shirt, smearing it with sweat and tears, all the fluids sex brought with it staining it.

Edge couldn’t have possibly cared less. He rested the bulk of his weight on one trembling arm, wrapping the other around Rus and pulling him close to murmur gentle reassurance against the side of his skull.

His need for closeness after sex was endlessly endearing and Edge always indulged it, wishing for Rus to always be so, greedily unashamed to cuddle in close and steal kisses and soft touches even as he shivered with pleasurable little aftershocks.

A cleared throat had them both looking up at Red, who waggled his fingers in a mocking wave. “thanks, you two, good to be remembered.”

Edge scowled even as Rus made a sound of distress, reaching out for Red who took that feebly groping hand in his own, twining their fingers together. As always, their Rus acting as a conduit between them, tying them together past the bond of brotherhood. Their Rus.

Theirs.

“love you,” Rus slurred out. “love you both.” Red pressed a gentle kiss to his knuckles with the uncommon tenderness that belonged to Rus alone. Then he let go, crawling over to the side of the table.

“love you, too, honey, but ya ain’t done yet.” Red gave Edge’s shoulder a rough shove and he went without protest, grimacing as he withdrew and even as he tried to be gentle, Rus let out a little noise of discomfort, knees drawing up slightly as he winced. Edge staggered back, nearly falling into one of the chairs, legs akimbo and his trousers sagging as he took in the view.

Rus, his once immaculate robes stained and rumpled where they were rucked up around his pelvis, cloth and bone contrasting against the dark wood of the table. He lay bared and trembling, his bent legs dangling, femurs still spread to show his lovely cunt painted with thick crimson fluid, marked by Edge’s release. A gorgeous, glorious ruin, beautifully tempting and Edge's magic gave a hopeful throb at his crotch, gamely willing.

Edge pushed it sternly down. After all, he’d had his turn.

His brother hopped back down to the floor and the height of the table nearly put Rus’s pelvis at a level with his mouth. His hands settling on Rus’s knees made him lift his skull, watching blearily as Red ran his thumbs up the insides of Rus’s femurs, smearing those heavy spatters of crimson.

Red gave Rus a wink as he ran his tongue lightly over his jagged teeth, the shade a deeper scarlet and no less eager.

“had my show, now it’s time for dinner,” Red leered.

“wha—ahh!!” Confusion jolted into disbelief as Rus’s skull fell back on the table with a painful sounding thunk. He convulsed, choking out a wail as Red buried his face between his femurs, wet, sloppy sounds spilling into the air to tangle with Rus’s newly desperate cries.

Edge only propped his chin on a hand to watch avidly. It was his turn for a show, and he planned to enjoy it.

-finis-

Read the next chapter

#fontcest #keelywolfe #underfell papyrus #underfell sans #underswap papyrus #underswap #underfell #lemony goodness #papcest #spicyhoney #honeymustard #spicyhoneymustard #Bodyguard AU #judge au

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ryqoshay · 4 years

Text

Tri-Arame: RPG Night

Primary Pairing Trio: YuuAyuSetsu Secondary Pairings: AiRina, Shizu??? Words: ~2.8k Rating: T’ish for some fantastical violence and a mildly suggestive ending Time Frame: First year of college? Maybe second? Dunno yet Story Arc: Stand Alone (for now... I may indulge more in this later)

Author’s Note: This may be my most self-indulgent chapter yet; doing a crossover of sorts with my own unpublished work and even bringing in my screennamesake. And trying a new formatting style to boot. But after Setsu’s Bond episode revealed she liked TTRPGs, I couldn’t stop thinking about this. Well, except to get sidetracked by writing two other scenes...

Anyway for those who are unfamiliar with my D&D story - read: at least 95% of my readers, probably more but that's the cap for a d20 - names may get a bit messy and confusing. Most of my OCs have a given name, family name and a call sign. And several have nicknames. I’ll give a list of who is playing who here at the start, but for a bit more information on the in-game characters, please refer to the notes in my Followup Post.

Player - Character Call Sign - Character Name Setsuna - Dungeon Master Yuu - Ryqoshay - Rebecca Bouteillevoix Ayumu - Yozakura - Hakumei Yaiba Rina - Nullsilver Luna Ai - Recipere (Rx) - Rachel Ira Xaviera Shizuku - Lady Sanguine - Vivian Sexton / Sanguine

Ryqoshay couldn’t help a smirk as she took careful aim. It didn’t matter that her bodyguard, Yozakura, was engaging her intended target in close quarters, in fact that was a boon. The girl knew her best friend’s fighting style better than anyone, so it was merely a task of picking the right moment. The bandit wouldn’t know what hit him.

Dodge. Feint. Parry. Strike. Now. She released her arrow.

“Nice! A Nat 20! Roll to confirm your crit. Perfect. Now for damage and don’t forget your bonus.”

“Yatta!” Ryqo cheered as the bandit collapsed, clutching his throat where the arrow had struck. The man was dead before he hit the ground and the raven-haired archer scampered toward the blonde ninja. “Yoza-chan! Thanks for keeping him distracted for me!” she threw herself into a tackling hug.

“Y-Yuu-chan?” Yoza stammered. “What are you doing?”

“Yuu-chan?” Ryqo cocked her head to side. “Who’s that? I’m Ryqo, remember?”

“Are you guys talking in character or OOC?”

“O-Oh… uhm, sorry Setsuna-chan… I meant Ryqo-chan.”

“Ne, Ayumu, would a super serious girl like Yozakura really use -chan?”

“Aren’t they childhood friends?”

“Well, yeah, kinda like you and me, but…”

“Honestly, are you two in or out of character?”

“Sorry, Shizuku-chan, we’re still learning our characters.”

“It’s alright. Maybe we can talk more about things after this battle is done?”

The DM cleared her throat. “Anyway, Sanguine, you’re up.”

A manic bout of laughter from nearby caught their attention.

“That’s the last of ‘em!” Lady Sanguine practically shouted as she stood over the bodies of several bandits, her two longswords coated in almost as much blood as she was herself. “Too easy! You guys are a hundred years too early to think you could defeat me. And look, your blood has barely sated my blades. Pitiful! More! I demand more bloodshed!”

“Were we not to leave at least one alive for interrogation?” Recipere made her way over to the redheaded barbarian, healing magicks already gathering around her hands.

“Woops…” Ryqo chuckled, rubbing the back of her neck with one hand, while refusing the remove the other arm from around Yoza. “I was just caught up in watching Viv-ne-chan take down all those bad guys that I didn’t want to be left out of the fun.”

“Woah, I got you, I got you, Vivian.” The blonde cleric said as the barbarian collapsed into her arms.

Vivian mumbled something unintelligible as her rage subsided and her personified bloodlust retreated into her mind.

”What’s up, Setsuna-chan?”

“Nothing, nothing. Don’t worry about it.” The DM’s giggles betrayed her words as she read something from her phone. “I’m awarding Inspiration to Vivian Sexton.”

“Thanks.” Shizuku responded with a smile. “This Vivian/Sanguine persona switching thing is turning out to be quite interesting.”

“Ne, Luna-chan!” Ryqo called over to the team’s artificer. “Was that really all of them?”

Nullsiver Luna held a finger to her lips as she stared at some device in her hand. Silence reigned in the roadside clearing for almost a full minute, the local fauna having long since been scared off by the sounds of the battle that had finally ended. Suddenly, the orange-haired girl pointed and a moment later, an anguished cry sounded from a stand of shrubs a short way into the woods. From the sky, something dived into a nearby tree while something else scampered across the road into the brush.

“Race you there, Yoza-chan.” Ryqo let go of her bodyguard and made for the bushes.

“Y… Ryqo, wait! It’s dangerous, let me go first!”

“Nope!” The archer cried happily over her shoulder. “If you wanna get there first, you gotta be faster than me!”

Yozakura couldn’t help releasing a frustrated grumble before she followed her charge. With her training, however, she easily caught up to and passed the other girl, but remained annoyed as the two approached the scene.

“What in Karla’s name are these things?!” A young man, not much older than the two girls cried, his eyes shifting rapidly among several gathered devices.

“They are my familiars.” A blue-haired artificer stepped into view.

“Wait, Rinari, wasn’t Luna’s hair orange earlier?”

“Yes.”

“Huh…”

“Itov Altiui, to me.” Nullsiver held out her arm, upon which the bird-like contraption landed and stood like a well-trained hawk. “Moxt Tonash, Weyog Kornari, maintain your positions.” She instructed the cat-like and spider-like automatons.

“Where did you come up with names like those, Rinari? I love them! You have to tell me what they mean!”

“I’m interested as well, Rina-san. I was intrigued when I read them in your character bio and would love to work something into a future campaign.”

“… I can send it to you two…”

“Thanks, Rinari!”

“Yes, thank you. Anyway, where were we?”

“Those don’t look like any familiars I’ve seen.” The bandit continued.

“I made them.” Luna responded simply.

“Well, now that we have your attention,” Rx suddenly appeared from the direction of the road, a fully healed Vivian in tow “we have a few questions for you.”

“I’m not telling you anything!” The young man practically shouted.

“Oh ho?” The redheaded barbarian grinned, slowly drawing her swords.

The bandit flinched, but otherwise remained defiant.

“We just want to know where your boss and the rest of your gang is hiding.” Ryqo spoke up.

The bandit spat towards the girl’s feet.

“Take me to your leader!” The archer demanded.

“Yuu-chan…”

“What’s the matter, Ayu-pyon? That was hilarious!”

“As amusing as that was,” the DM interjected “I’m afraid neither of your Intimidation checks were successful. Would someone else like to try their hand?”

“Like I said, I ain’t telling you guys nothing!” The bandit insisted. “The boss will kill me if I gave away our hideout’s location.”

“You realize, of course, that we’ll kill you if you don’t.” Rx stated, matter-of-factly.

The young man glanced among Vivian and Yozakura’s blades, Ryqo’s bow and the three automatons. “You guys ain’t got nothing on the boss.”

“Tell me.” The artificer began. “When you cried out earlier, was it because Weyog Kornari bit you?”

“You mean this thing?” He kicked at the spider, which dodged with ease.

“Yes.”

“What of it? It didn’t hurt much.”

Luna raised an eyebrow but did not attempt to dispute the claim. “I believe I should inform you that you have been poisoned.”

“Yeah, so?”

“You may not feel much now, but you will. Soon. Everyone reacts a little different, so you may notice some blurred vision, shortness of breath, chills, perhaps some perspiration despite the chills…” She spoke in an almost unnerving monotone as she continued to list potential symptoms of the toxin.

The bandit held a hand up and stared at its visible shaking.

“Ah. I see. That would be your nerves being attacked at the chemical level.”

The bandit suddenly convulsed.

“It will hurt. A lot.” Luna continued to explain solemnly. “Until it reaches your heart. Then it will hurt more.” She knelt beside him and held out a tiny vial for him to see. “This is the antidote. Only this can save you as I have ensured my poisons cannot be cured by magical means.”

The young man tried to reach for the vial but ended up clutching at his chest before convulsing again and curling into a fetal position.

“Tell us the location of your base of operations.”

“Alr…” The bandit began before choking off. Despite his entire body shaking now, he managed to make what appeared to be a nodding motion.

“Recipere, Lady Sanguine, please hold him.” Luna requested of her guildmates.

“Right.” Rx replied, moving forward, alongside Vivian.

Once the spasming man was secure, Luna pulled the cork from the vial and upturned it into his mouth. Within moments, his shakes began to fade until he lay still completely.

“Is he dead?” Ryqo asked, poking at his arm with the end of her bow.

Vivian delivered a quick backhand across the bandit’s face. His eyes snapped open and he gasped.

“Ready to talk now?” Ryqo leaned over the bandit with an all too cheerful grin. “If you’re really that worried about what your boss might do to you for spilling the beans, let me assure you we’ll be taking care of him as soon as you tell us where he is. Then you’ll be free to run along and join some other bad guys and we’ll meet again when some other town hires us to get rid of you. Sound like a plan? I think it sounds fun.”

The young man stared up in confusion at the archer. His gaze drifted over to Luna, then to the spider automaton and back to the artificer. With a sigh he began to reveal the location of the hideout.

“Alright, that seems like a good place to call things for the night.” Setsuna said, glancing up over the top of her DM screen. “But before I forget, Rina-chan, Nullsilver was the one to get the bandit to talk and your performance was quite chilling so I’m awarding her Inspiration.”

“Mm.” Rina confirmed with a nod.

“Rinari, that was amazing!” Ai marveled, leaning over to throw an arm around her girlfriend and pull her close. “It honestly sent shivers down my spine.” She giggled as she nuzzled the younger girl’s cheek. “Who would’ve thought you could be so evil.”

“Not evil. Just not good.”

“Rina-chan’s right.” Setsuna nodded. “You’re from a guild of mercenaries, technically none of you are good; you’re all Neutral on that scale. Sure, you’re currently contracted with a town that’s more good leaning, but you could just have easily been hired by the bandits instead.”

“Oh dear, is that the time?” Shizuku sighed as she checked her phone. She looked across the table at Ai and Rina. “We’ve missed the last trains of the night.”

“You guys can stay here if you want.” Yuu offered.

“That’s not the problem.” Shizuku lamented. “She’s not going to be happy…” She started typing something on her phone.

Ai laughed. “Just tell her to join us next time.”

“Next session would actually be the perfect time for a new player to join.” Setsuna pointed out. “We can work it into the story that you guys sent for another merc from your guild to assist in the raid of the bandit camp. And I can adjust the threat levels of the encounter as needed.”

Shizuku nodded. “I’ll be sure to ask her again…” Her phone chimed and she frowned upon checking the message. “I know I’m about to get an earful, but I’m going to call her.” She stood up.

“You can use my room.” Yuu said. “If you’re good with a couch, you can use that, otherwise Ayumu will have to help me find our guest futon.”

“Thank you, the couch will be fine.” The younger girl nodded and excused herself.

“Yuyu, you still don’t have an actual bed?” Ai asked.

“I like it.” Yuu shrugged. “Though I suppose there is one bed I prefer these days.” She pointed a thumb over her shoulder to indicate Ayumu’s bed behind her.

“Of course.” Ai turned to Setsuna. “So, does that mean we’re to take your room, Setsu?”

“Yes.” Setsuna nodded. “Everything is clean because, well…”

“Because you sleep here.” Ai chuckled.

“Y-yes…”

“Honestly, I’m surprised you all fit.”

“It’s actually quite comfortable.” Ayumu spoke up, somehow managing to sound less embarrassed than the dusting of red on her cheeks would have otherwise indicated.

“Well we’ll leave you to it, then. C’mon, Rinari.” Ai stood and took the pink-haired girl’s hand.

“Mm.” Rina affirmed, allowing herself to be led out of the room.

“Setsuna-chan!” Yuu threw herself at the raven-haired girl as soon as the door closed.

“Yuu-san? Wha…?” Though the behavior was by no means out of the ordinary, it still surprised Setsuna.

“I’m sorry!”

“Huh?”

“I spent the entire night flirting with Ayumu.”

“You mean your character flirted with hers.”

“Yeah.”

“But, that was perfectly in character? I figured you two would act that way based on the bios you gave me for them.”

“Well, yeah, but I don’t want you to feel left out.”

Upon realizing what Yuu meant, Setsuna laughed lightly. However, she stopped when she felt herself being embraced from the other side as well. “Ayumu-san?”

“Yuu-chan is right,” the redhead said softly “we don’t want you to feel left out.”

“You guys, I…”

“Hey, I know!” Yuu interrupted. “There’s a bunch of other mercs in the guild, right? Why not write up a character of your own to join in the campaign?”

“That’s a good idea.” Ayumu agreed. “I’d like to see what kind of character Setsuna-chan might play.”

“And then I could have my character flirt with Setsuna-chan’s in-game as well!” Yuu concluded.

Setsuna’s mind spun through several possibilities. But as she glanced back and forth between the faces of her two girlfriends, still snuggled in close, something snapped. “Impossible! I can’t!” She cried before a wave embarrassment washed over her from the outburst. “I mean… I…” she fumbled to explain “I have enough to do as DM running the game. It would be too distracting to try to play a character on top of that. Especially if…” She trailed off.

“Especially if…?” Yuu pressed.

“… Especially if you two were flirting with me…” Setsuna admitted sheepishly.

Yuu laughed. “Don’t worry, Setsuna-chan, it would probably be just me doing the flirting, I don’t think Ayumu knows how.”

“I do too know how to flirt.” Ayumu stated, reaching across Setsuna to punch Yuu lightly in the arm.

“Pouting isn’t flirting, it’s just cute.” Yuu pointed out in an amused tone.

“Mmph...” Ayumu puffed her cheeks.

“Case in point.”

“Ayumu-san was indeed very cute tonight with her reactions to Yuu-san.” Setsuna recalled, thankful for a moment’s respite as Yuu focused on Ayumu. “You played your characters well and were in perfect sync in battle. I’m really looking forward to our next session.”

“We did good?” Yuu blinked.

“Very much so.” Setsuna nodded. “With the exceptions of the occasional name slip and confusion about in or out of character talk, but those kinds of things happen in many games. So, honestly, if I didn’t know better, I wouldn’t have guessed this was the group’s first session together.”

“Oh…”

“Huh?”

“Well, it’s just I thought I wasn’t doing as good as the others because I never earned any Inspiration awards.” Yuu explained. “Ayumu didn’t either.”

Setsuna replayed the night’s game in her head, scouring it for memories of each award. She had recorded them in a document on her laptop, but with her girlfriends hanging off her arms, she was unable to confirm with certainty.

“I know!” Yuu suddenly spoke up, excitement in her voice. “Maybe if we get you some of your favorite snacks for next time, that will earn us a few points?”

Setsuna shook her head. “Sorry, no. Actions taken outside the game like that shouldn’t have an effect in game.”

“Maybe I can give you a massage?”

“That’s even worse.”

“Even though you love me?” Yuu cooed.

“Yuu-san, it is because I love you that I need to take extra precautions. I refuse to participate in the impropriety of playing favorites, or even giving the impression that I am. It would be unfair to the other players and jeopardize the enjoyment of everyone.”

“But is it fair to ignore her completely?” Ayumu interjected.

Had she really not awarded any Inspiration to either Yuu or Ayumu? Setsuna tried to recall again.

“Shizuku-chan was awarded Inspiration for making you laugh with inner dialogue acting.” Ayumu continued. “But Yuu-chan also made you laugh multiple times with her antics, yet…”

“Hrm…”

“Rina also earned some for her great acting and giving us all the chills. And while I don’t think Yuu-chan’s character could do the same, she certainly entertains in other ways.”

Setsuna sighed. “Perhaps I was being too cautious.” She conceded. “I’m sorry.”

“Apology accepted.” Yuu said with a smile before craning her neck so she could press a kiss against Setsuna’s cheek.

That was quick. Then again, it was Yuu. Still… “I can’t fairly grant awards via retcon, but I promise I will try to be more fair going forward. I really do want everyone to have fun with this game.”

“We are having fun.” Ayumu assured.

“It was even obvious that Rina-chan was having the time of her life.” Yuu pointed out. “And maybe Shizuku-chan can convince a sixth to join. And if Ayumu and I weren’t having fun we wouldn’t be so excited about the next session.”

Setsuna smiled. “Thank you. So long as my players are interested in continuing, I’ll do my best to DM a good game for them.”

“We know.” Yuu’s tone changed a bit. “And all that hard work deserves a reward, right Ayumu?”

Setsuna gasped as a hand slipped under her sleepshirt to push fingertips past the hem of her shorts and graze across the skin near her bellybutton.

Yuu giggled. “I think Ayumu’s getting a little impatient to issue your reward.”

Whatever Setsuna was about to say in response was cut off as Ayumu covered her mouth with her own.

Author’s Note Continued in Followup Post

#YuuAyuSetsu #Takasaki Yuu #Yuki Setsuna #Uehara Ayumu #Tri-Arame #Love Live Nijigasaki #fanfic

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tbr-agency · 4 years

Text

her thoughts.

“Ji-ah, what’s wrong?”

⤷ Youngjae finds out about Yeonji’s troubles.

timeline ⟶ September 2020

characters : Kim Yeonji, Jung Ahrin, Lee Haejin (The Bloody Roses), Choi Youngjae (Got7)

warnings ⟶ mention of a serial killer.

“You look dead,”

“Thanks for the compliment. I know, I look freaking beautiful,” said Yeonji sarcastically as she looked up from her laptop to see Haejin leaning against her board desk.

“And that’s why Youngjae loves you,” winked Haejin and Yeonji let out a sigh before returning her attention back to her laptop.

“Take an early dismissal, Yeonji. It’s going to be your birthday in about 3 hours,”

“I have to finish my report or else Eunhee will chase after me,”

“She always chases after us - I mean, Ahrin used to chase after us but since Eunhee is one of the executives of our team.. She’s the 2nd Ahrin.. I missed the old times..” mumbled Haejin, making Yeonji look up towards the older one as she was staring into a corner with a small smile.

“Do you miss how we would always hang out together after work?” Yeonji questioned and Haejin looked towards her with a small smile.

“Of course, but.. We all have our own personal lives now..” answered Haejin with a softer voice while tilting her head slightly.

“Speaking of personal lives, do you.. see your future together with Youngjae?” continued Haejin and that’s when Yeonji’s fingers stop working - her fingers resting on her keypads while slowly turning towards Haejin.

“I do. I mean it’s too early but yeah, I do see my future together with Youngjae.” answered Yeonji as she fully turned her chair towards Haejin.

“I never said this to anyone but meeting him is like a gift to me. He changed me to become a better and brighter person - I mean I still enjoy dark humor but not ask dark as how I was back then,” added Yeonji with a slight shrug and small smile.

Haejin looked at the younger one with a smirk.

“I hope I can see you on your wedding day then,”

“Okay.. That is too far.”

Haejin chuckled as she took out something from her jean pocket.

Yeonji finally realized that it was a necklace.

“Here, your birthday present.” handed Haejin as she held it towards the younger one. Yeonji was too fascinated to look at the design which has a rose and an otter somehow being mixed together.

“An otter and a… fox?”

“Yeah, that’s you and Youngjae. I already know that Youngjae gave you a promise ring so I decided to give you a necklace,” said Haejin with a smile and Yeonji took the necklace from the older one’s hand.

“Thank you, Haejin. I’ll wear it now then,”

Yeonji yawns as she looks at the clock that shows it was past 11.

She was the only one in the office apart from Haejin who was probably busy discussing with Ahrin regarding work.

“Take an early dismissal, Yeonji. It’s going to be your birthday in about 3 hours,”

Haejin’s words were stuck on her mind since Yeonji felt guilty for herself. It’s her birthday and she should be spending her time at home with Vanilla in her arms, or probably hanging out with Youngjae.

Yeonji’s eyes glanced towards her phone as she pressed the side button of her phone to see a few notifications from Youngjae.

Yeonji decided to send a quick reply to Youngjae.

Grabbing her belongings and her bag, Yeonji went towards the next door as she knocked on the door before twisting the doorknob - to see Ahrin on her usual office chair.

“Oh, Yeonji. You haven’t gone home?” questioned Ahrin as she looked up towards the younger one whose head was peeking into the office room.

“I’m about to go home.. I was actually looking for Haejin, I thought she might be here with you.” answered Yeonji with a small smile and Ahrin frowned slightly.

“She didn’t tell you?”

“Tell what?” Yeonji was obviously confused, seeing the leader looking at her as if she must have known what the older one was talking about.

“That girl.. Haejin decided to help Chaeun to find the serial killer,”

“WHAT?!” Yeonji slightly yelled and Ahrin walked towards Yeonji, slightly opening the door as she stood in front of the younger one.

“She didn’t tell me anything, even Nara and Hyunji didn’t tell me regarding the case.” said Yeonji in a frustrating manner.

This was the first time that the girls’ are doing separate works without letting the others know.

“It was last minute. One of the local police stations called us and Chaeun immediately decided to take the case. It seems Chaeun asked Haejin for help and they decided to just go for it,”explained Ahrin calmly and Yeonji had a frown on her face. She was rather disappointed that they didn’t tell her.

“Chaeun and Haejin have their own reasons. C’mon, I’ll walk you out,” offered Ahrin and a sigh was heard from Yeonji.

“I’m worried for them. We’re dealing with a serial killer, Ahrin. You know how many times half of us would be hospitalized.” argued Yeonji as she faced the older one.

“Yeonji, we are always hospitalized when we have cases. It’s not just this,” answered Ahrin with a small smile.

“But—

“You have to trust them, Yeonji-ah. Don’t worry and it’s gonna be your birthday soon so..” Ahrin trailed off as she pressed the button and the elevator door opened.

“Happy early birthday and enjoy your night. Don’t think too much, alright?” wished Ahrin as she watched the younger one entering the elevator.

“Thanks,” muttered Yeonji as she watched Ahrin waving to her while the elevator door closed.

Yeonji was already having negative thoughts - mainly worry.

As soon as she stepped out of the elevator and with a heavy heart, Yeonji stepped out of the lobby as she walked past the receptionist then to notice a familiar back, sitting at the waiting area.

Yeonji didn't have to double confirm as he would sometimes come and visit The Bloody Roses’.

“Youngjae?” called Yeonji softly as soon as she approached him.

Turning towards her, Youngjae immediately stood up as he gave her a quick hug since they were in public.

“What are you doing here?” questioned Yeonji with a smile - her eyes travelling towards a bag that Youngjae was holding.

“I’m waiting for you to end work. I want to be with you when the clock strikes 12.” answered Youngjae shyly and Yeonji could only chuckle to hear how cute he sounded.

“Thank you, my sunshine.” muttered Yeonji with a tired smile and being her boyfriend, Youngjae noticed the tired tone of her voice - which was rare for him.

Youngjae would sometimes meet up with Yeonji after her work and no matter how tired or whatever situation she had during work, Yeonji would never let out her ‘exhausted’ self to Youngjae.

She was always that cheerful and naughty Yeonji to Youngjae.

“Ji-ah, what’s wrong?” peered Youngjae slightly towards her face and Yeonji immediately looked towards him with a smile to hide her true emotions.

“It’s nothing.. Just.. work..” muttered Yeonji as her eyes went back towards Youngjae’s.

“Okay…. Well, Ahrin noona said you are given 2 day off so I’m taking you somewhere!” said Youngjae cheerfully as he was already holding onto Yeonji’s hands.

“Wait, what? Where?”

“Can’t tell you!”

“Thank you, Jae. You know me very well,” thanked Yeonji sincerely as both of them walked out of the bulgogi shop.

Yeonji had told Youngjae that she just wanted food during special occasions, she didn’t need luxuries or anything fancy - Yeonji is just a simple girl.

“I wanted to buy you a necklace though but I didn’t know if you would really like it,” confessed Youngjae as he holds onto her hand - intertwining his fingers with hers.

Why does it feel like deja vu?

Yeonji looked towards Youngjae as his eyes went forward - walking towards the direction to where Youngjae’s apartment.

“I would like it with whatever you buy for me, Jae. Well.. Haejin already bought me a necklace.” confessed Yeonji as she showed her necklace towards Youngjae - his eyes were glittering in awe.

“That’s so pretty.. Is that an otter… and a fox?”

“Yeah! The other girls have their own symbols of animals and I’m a fox,” explained Yeonji with a smile and Youngjae raised an eyebrow towards her.

“I know why you’re a fox! Is it because you are always causing trouble without the other noonas finding out at first?” Youngjae let out a smirk and Yeonji slightly glared towards him.

“I’ll take it as a compliment,”

“It is a compliment, baby!”

Yeonji rolls her eyes then hearing Youngjae’s usual laughter as he puts his arms around her shoulder - bringing her close towards him as they walk side by side.

“Anyway, really - thank you for all of this, Youngjae. I really appreciate it, I really do. Thank you,” said Yeonji softly as she turned towards Youngjae as he just stared at her.

“Hey, I’m not dumb you know. Did something happen during work?”

“Who said you’re dumb?”

“Well- Yah! Don’t change the topic!”

Yeonji finally sighed as she tightened the grip onto Youngjae’s hand.

“Ahrin told me that Chaeun and Haejin are out to find a serial killer,” Yeonji confessed and Youngjae stopped at his tracks - turning towards Yeonji.

“A serial killer? Are you in-charge of the case too?”

“No. Not this time. You see, I’m really worried,” said Yeonji in an obvious worrying tone.

“You told me that Chaeun noona and Haejin noona are one of those few people that are very skilled in finding criminals - don’t you think we should support them and to think positive instead of the negative?” questioned Youngjae softly, his sight never leaving Yeonji’s eyes.

Yeonji blinked before turning towards Youngjae with a small smile.

“I guess I was just over-thinking,” muttered Yeonji and Youngjae took the chance to kiss her on the cheeks.

“C’mon, let’s go to my apartment and watch some movies,” offered Youngjae as he pulled Yeonji slightly.

masterlist : Got7 Bodyguard Au

#got7 bodyguard au #got7 youngjae #choi youngjae #jung ahrin #lee haejin #kim yeonji #got7 youngjae imagines #got7 youngjae scenarios #got7 scenarios #got7 imagines

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nomnomsik · 5 years

Text

My Terms, | Chapter Two

Summary: Relatively close in age and similar hidden personalities, an idol and bodyguard discuss secret terms unbeknownst to the company. What will come about them and what exactly did they discuss?

Word Count: 2.2k

A/N: Please let me know your initial thoughts and feelings as it motivates me to continue this series! I’m not sure the direction I’m going in!

Trigger warnings: Yandere-themes, eventual sexual content, extreme possessiveness, mentions of violence, mentions of drugging, alcohol mention, clubbing mention, unhealthy relationships. Please read with caution!!

»»————- ✼ ————-««

“I understand.” You whispered softly, papers fluttering in your hands as your manager strictly went over your schedule, every single event planned perfectly in a tight timeline. Your only response was a yawn, stretching both arms up above your head and easing back to a normal standing position.

“That will be all.” Your manager concluded, drawing the assistants back in and ready to head out of the suite room of the booked floor, courtesy of your company. You too, packed the few things you brought, reaching for the door handle and pulling it open. The shuffling of shoes and bags behind you were recognized as Jungkook, feeling his presence without even having to look back. The walk down the hall was short, sliding your room card through the lock and opening your spacious room.

It was another suite, one queen-sized bed in the living room and another in a medium-sized bedroom. As you dumped your bag onto the floor near the kitchen and bar, you turned to see Jungkook enviously eye the bed in the living room, his hands tightening his grip on the carry-on bag. You only smiled to yourself, turning around and fixing yourself a glass of champagne in the late evening, the sun setting in the horizon, glittering off the large window panes from your room, which conveniently overlooked the city.

“You can stay if you want.” You proposed, waltzing over to look out at the city lights, buildings slowly flickering them on. A scoff, or what seemed to sound like a scoff, escaped Jungkook’s lips as he laid the heavy bag out on the floor.

“Noona, you know better than that.” He chuckled to himself afterward, setting out the various skincare products out on the living room table. “I could get fired for that y’know.”

“Oh, I know.” You simply replied, taking another gulp from your glass. “You don’t have to do that for me, Jungkook.” You turned, a smirk on his lips as he seemed to move faster than you expected, already laying out most of the things from your toiletry bag.

“Oh.” You muttered, eyes darting away from him and mumbling a ‘thanks’ under your breath. Instead, you plopped down on one of the soft sofas, unlocking your phone and beginning the scroll that was Twitter. Jungkook made his way to your side, leaning over to catch a glimpse of your feed as you scrolled and scrolled down.

You paused, stopping to watch a video that was recorded the day in the airport back in Korea. Your eyes couldn’t help but squint as you watched a bystander record your entourage, the moment where Jungkook grabbed and shoved the man onto the ground. From the video, you were able to take in Jungkook’s slanted eyes and dark gaze, only to quickly return to your side. A scoff left your lips as you tried to suppress your growing smile, aware of the attentive boy who was staring straight at you, looking for any reaction.

“Noona?” He questioned, eyes sparkling with curiosity. What was that face? Were you proud of him? Did you want him to always act like that? There was an ache in his hands that caused his fingers to twitch, impatience building up in his already restless body.

“Don’t you think you were a bit too rough?” You joked dryly, replaying the clip one more time for good measure. The overeager “fan” toppled and hit the ground, hard. You were no orthopedist, but you were sure that his muscles would sting for a couple of days.

“I thought you liked it when-”

Jungkook stopped his own train of thought as you stood up from your seat, walking over to the kitchen of your room. He followed you like a puppy dog, again at your side while you laid your glass into the sink. Your fingers trailed to the faucet, letting the warm water pour and fill the glass as you cleaned it out.

“Look nice tonight, Jungkook.”

He paused, cocking his head in slight confusion until it clicked in his mind.

“Noona…” He sighed, huffing as his footsteps echoed into the kitchen. “You can’t be serious. Today? Tonight? We just landed. You need to rest.”

“No.”

Today was not a day you would be rejected, especially with the convenience of being in another country, a place where the likeliness of foreigners and locals noticing you were slim. Even just taking a glance at your schedule made you feel tired, the list going on and on for what seemed like an eternity. By then, you wouldn’t have enough energy to have fun.

“Listen Jungkook, I’m going to be busy tomorrow and the day after that. Today’s the only day that works. You agreed to my terms, so you better stick to it.” You slammed the knob to the faucet off, eyeing the younger with no intention of backing down.

Jungkook’s eyes seemed to flicker with hesitation, throat gulping and body squirming under your gaze. He closed his eyes, ruffling his dark locks only to reluctantly agree.

“Fine.”

»»————- ✼ ————-««

A knock, then two, then three. You slipped out of your covers from your bed, rushing toward the door as you slowly clicked it open. Jungkook slid in through the slim opening, arms coming to engulf you in a tight hug.

“Well?” You inquired, slipping your bare feet into two-inch heels, the entrance light illuminating above you.

“They’re asleep. The guards on the floor are finished monitoring for the night. We can slip out through the staircase since the elevator is too loud.”

You nodded, taking hold of Jungkook’s hand as you both slipped into the hallway, the door softly closing and locking behind you. Jungkook stood slightly taller than you, guiding you through the bright hallways and pushing the door to the stairwell open.

“Well done.” You complimented, watching each step you took, having to walk a few floors down. Jungkook patiently waited for you until you finally met him by the door to floor 10, the two of you walking over to the elevator and descending down to the main lobby.

“We should have two to three hours.” He whispered close to your ear, his fingers still interlocked with yours. It didn’t phase you that his hand was intertwined with yours, but from the glances you seemed to steal, it seemed Jungkook had the opposite reaction. He kept staring at how you were finally joined with him, how soft your hands seemed to be, and much smaller than he anticipated.

You flipped your hood up, huffing as you stepped outside in the cold night weather, city lights glittering each street.

“I hate wearing this. It’s so ugly.” You sighed, baggy hoodie drenching your body as you took quick steps down the sidewalk.

“It’s better than getting spotted.” Jungkook laughed, admiring the liveliness of the city with you by his side.

“Who cares at this point?”

“What do you mean?” Jungkook asked, turning to you as you walked ahead of him. His face was stricken with a complicated emotion, one that you had trouble discerning for yourself.

“I mean- I wish I didn’t have to sneak out. Why should people care if I want some drinks at a famous club?”

Jungkook only stayed silent, hesitant but nodding nonetheless. He didn’t feel that way at all, he enjoyed being here with you. In fact, he loved it. He loved how you needed him to sneak out, how you were only with him.

Yes, you were with him this late at night. Nobody else. Just him. Now that he thought about it, how was this any different from a date? Your hands were interlocked with each other like every couple that passed by, and yet…

“Jungkook.” You called, opening the door that led downstairs into a darker room, LED lights illuminating onto the walls. He followed after you, the intensity of the music only growing further when he walked in. You immediately beelined for the bar counter, taking a seat on one of the red stools. Jungkook watched in admiration as you gave your order in English, swiftly to turn to him and giving him a confident smile.

You were enjoying a few drinks by the bar with Jungkook, clinking glasses together and giving him such a bright and flirtatious smile that made his heart pound harder and harder in his chest. Your face was a rosy pink, half-lidded eyes smiling down as you swirled your drink.

“I didn’t know you were that strong of a drinker, Jungkook.” You shouted, bubbly laugh reaching his ears despite the loud music.

He gave a bright smile back, taking another shot with you that burned his throat. As you called for another few glasses, a few voices came from behind you. Jungkook couldn’t even register just how fast, three men surrounded you, one on each side. They all had vibrant blonde hair, one with a warmer brown mixed in, but Jungkook looked at them with distaste.

They were young. Maybe 19 or 20. Of course, they got in. America seemed to impress him every day.

Jungkook tried to lean in closer, but with the loud music and his lack of English, he couldn’t barely make out the conversation. While you preoccupied with one of the young boys, Jungkook kept a good eye on the one far behind you, your back facing him. The bastard struck fast, almost enough for Jungkook to miss it from a single blink.

White powder. It quickly dissolved into the clear glass infused with your drink, while you were conversing with now the other two boys.

“How about you leave me be? Besides, I don’t like my men as young boys.”

The boys laughed as if it was the funniest joke on earth. You rolled your eyes, returning to meet Jungkook’s gaze while your hand reached for one of the glasses on the counter.

“Noona?!” Jungkook yelled in panic, his hand reaching for your drink as you quickly batted him away, eyes wide as he stared in horror. The music and heavy bass echoed off the wall, drowning his voice as he watched you toy with the drink in your hands. You were literally playing with fire, and Jungkook couldn’t even tell if you truly knew or not.

The male in front of you, probably the most confident one of his group, raised an eyebrow at you, also taking a glass from the counter and gulping it down. You joined him much to Jungkook’s horror, gulping down the shot with one fluid motion.

“Thanks for the drink.” The young one called, snickering as he turned away and went to the back of the dance floor with his friends.

“Dumbass.” You scoffed, stepping off from your seat, straightening out your hoodie and shorts. “Wrong glass.”

“Jungkook.” You again called, extending your hand, only for him to quickly take it. Jungkook still had a worry stricken look on his face. Would he ever stop worrying about you? “I’m fine, Jungkook.”

“Noona? Y-you just-”

“Jungkook, I said I’m fine. Why else would three boys come up to me? Do you really think they want to have a friendly conversation with me?”

Jungkook opened his mouth, but he realized how foolish he was. Of course, it was obvious from the start that you knew exactly what you were doing.

“Now, let’s have some fun. If I have to sneak out every night just to enjoy my life, then so be it. I’m not going to let being an idol stop it.”

He followed you as you led him onto the dance floor, other bodies fervently moving about. Even though the air was filled with sweat and other disgusting smells, the two of you were enraptured with each other, his grip strong on your hips as yours met his shoulders.

“You really suck at dancing.” You laughed, a smile gracing both his and your lips.

“I know.” He giggled back, feeling the alcohol coarse through his veins.

Your foreheads touched, intoxicating breaths fanning each other with the heavy bass in your ears. He lips met yours, eyes fluttering closed as you held onto him. It felt just like it did a few months ago, blood pooling onto both of your intertwined legs. Even without his chapped lips, finally having time to heal, he tasted exactly the same.

“You can do better than that.” You whispered once your lips separated, encouraging him further. He gladly accepted your challenge, pressing harder on the dance floor even when all he could taste was alcohol.

When had you said that? He wondered, his mind drifting off as his lips still remained on yours. The sentence seemed oddly familiar, flashes of red and black painting his mind.

N-Noona, I love you. I want to tell you how much I love you. I want to protect you forever. I need your guidance. I want to be the most loyal...

Jungkook hoped the blaring music would deafen out his voice, mash it up with all the other sounds in the room. It was something he had always needed to get off his chest, three words that rendered the contract void.

“Noona…” He whispered. “I lov-”

A finger came up to his lips as you hushed him.

“Don’t…”

#yandere bts #yandere jungkook #jungkook x reader #yandere jungkook x reader #bts jungkook #bts series #bts au #jungkook x you #yandere bts x reader #my terms #bts fanfiction #bts scenario

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wildflowerirwin · 4 years

Text

Love is War - m.c. - Ch 1

Summary: When yeeyee meets a punk rock wannabe

Rating: PG-13

Words: 3k (yikers man)

Warnings: swearing

Kaela walked stepped out of the black town car and mentally cursed herself for agreeing to wear 6-inch heels on the red carpet. She thanked Andre, her bodyguard, as be helped her steady herself. “You’ve been wearing heels since you were a child, yet you still can’t get your footing.” Andre commented, earning a glare from Kaela.

“Thanks, but I’m aware.” She quipped, smoothing her silky, olive green dress. Andre followed closely as Kaela began her trek down the red carpet. She stood in front of the backdrop laced with ‘American Music Awards’ branding.

“Kaela Gold, over here!” Kaela recognized the voice belonging to her least favorite host, Ryan Seacrest. She plastered on a smile and walked toward him. She gave him a short hug, being sure to let him know she wasn’t in the mood for him.

“Hello, Ryan. You’re looking dashing this evening.” She spoke, almost impressed with her own bullshit compliment.

“Is this the same dress you wore to the Country Music Awards?” Ryan asked her, all but shoving his microphone down her throat.

“It happens to be, yes.” Kaela nodded. “It’s sentimental to me for several reasons, and it has pockets.”

“Oh, my God. It has pockets?” Ryan asked mockingly.

“Sorry to cut this short,” Andre lied. “She’s got other places to be.” He said, ushering her along. Kaela sighed softly as Ryan found his next victims.

“How can one human be so fucking annoying?” Kaela asked, pausing to adjust the strap on her shoe.

“He’s a straight white man, what do you expect?” Andre scoffed and held out his arm for her to balance herself.

“You’re right. I don’t know why I thought he’d be decent.” Kaela shook her head and continued walking. A genuine smile found her face for the first time all evening as she locked eyes with her long time best friend and mentor, Kacey Musgraves.

“I’m surprised they let you in here looking so good.” Kacey commented as she gave Kaela a bone crushing hug.

“Could say the same to you.” Kaela giggled and wrapped her arms around her friend. “Now, tell me, who should I be looking for tonight? You’re the one that knows all the gossip.”

“Well, Kane Brown is up for Male Country Artist and he happens to look like an actual angel 24/7.” Kacey said, looking down the carpet. “That guy you hooked up with at Jingle Ball is up for pop duo, but he’s got little chance of winning.”

“Not the only little thing he has.” Kaela giggled and linked her arm with Kacey’s as they walked. “Who else?”

“Well, that Australian band is up for International Rock Group and I’m hoping they get it. They’re fun guys.” Kacey shrugged.

“You know, I have a thing for foreign guys.” Kaela smirked and glanced over at the four tall Australians, currently posing like sorority sisters on bid day.

“You’re in luck, they’re all currently single.” Kavey smiled and nudged Kaela’s hip with her own.

“How do you know?” Kaela asked, looking up at her.

“I talk to the dark haired one sometimes. We’re good friends.” She shrugged and walked into the music hall with Kaela.

“Save me a seat, will ya? I’ve gotta get changed for my performance.” Kaela said, releasing Kacey’s arm.

“You’re gonna kill it out there.” Kacey giggled and gave her a quick hug before finding her seat. Kaela giggled to herself and walked backstage to the dressing room with her name on it. She stripped out of her gown and pulled on her fishnets, doing a couple squats to get them just right. She pulled on her PVC shorts and checked out her own ass in the mirror.

“Damn girl.” Kaela giggled to herself. She pulled the matching bandeau up over her breasts and chewed on her lip as she studied her appearance. Her auburn hair fell in ringlets across her shoulders and her highlight sparkled in the light. She was pulled from her thoughts as Andre rapped on her door gently.

“Hey, you’re on in 3 minutes. You need to get out here.” Andre said and Kaela picked up her heels.

“Okay, I’m coming.” She exited the room, pulling her heels on as she walked to her mark.

*** Michael wasn’t expecting to enjoy the yeeyee performance of Kaela Gold, but the lyrics of her song intrigued him.

You won't make yourself a name if you follow the rules

History gets made when you're acting a fool

“Who is this?” Michael asked, leaning toward Calum but keeping his eyes on the stage.

“Uh, I think her name’s Kyla or something.” Calum shrugged.

“It’s Kaela.” Ashton said, not looking up from his phone. “If I had known I’d have to sit through this yeehaw shit, I’d have charged my phone before we came.”

“I actually kinda dig this song.” Michael shrugged. “It’s not as yeeyee as some of the shit Luke listens to.”

“Stop calling George Strait ‘yeeyee.’” Luke rolled his eyes. “He’s a lyrical genius and I’m sorry you can’t hear that.”

“Country music has definitely gotten better in recent years, but that’s all thanks to my future wife, Kacey Musgraves.” Calum said, the other boys rolling their eyes.

“You do realize she’s already married, right?” Ashton asked, to which Calum simply shrugged.

“Marriages end.” Calum said, applauding with the rest of the crowd as Kaela exited the stage. Michael pulled out his phone as the hosts came back out. He typed the lyrics into Google and searched. He chewed on his lower lip as he clicked on her Wikipedia page, scrolling through.

Kaela Renee Gold, born February 19th, 1996 in Belmont, Louisiana got her start when she won the talent show at her local county fair. Gold has won two Grammy awards for Best Female Country Artist in 2016 and 2017.

Michael was pulled from his reading when Luke nudged him with his elbow. “It’s our category.” Luke said, bracing himself in his seat. Mike shoved his phone in his pocket and sat up in his seat as the hosts pulled open the envelope.

“The winner of Best International Duo/Group goes to..” Ellen DeGeneres pulled the card from the envelope and Michael’s hand found Luke’s. “5 Seconds of Summer!” Luke pulled Michael from his seat and hugged him tight, Calum and Ashton joining in on the hug. The four of them made their way onto the stage, Calum immediately reaching for the award as Michael was given the microphone.

“This is a huge honor for us. This is our first time receiving an award from the American Music Awards. Being four boys from Australia who are trying to make a name for themselves in this business, being able to receive this award is a dream come true. Thank you.” Michael smiled as the crowd applauded them off the stage.

“I can’t believe we actually won.” Ashton grinned, pulling the award from Calum’s hands.

“I can’t believe the American Music Awards have an international category.” Luke chuckled, posing with his bandmates as the crew took photos of them with their new award. They went back to their seats as Ellen announced the next category: Best Female Country Artist, which Kaela was nominated for.

“I hope my wife, Kacey Musgraves, wins this category.” Calum said.

“I’m rooting for that Kaela Gold girl. She was good.” Michael said, watching the screen as the camera found all the nominees. Kaela held Kacey’s hand as Ellen opened the envelope and announced her as the winner. “I’m good luck.” Michael chuckled.

“My yeehaw wife deserved to win.” Calum huffed.

“I didn’t even know you liked Kacey Musgraves that much.” Ashton said, looking at Calum.

“She’s hot as fuck, of course I like her.” Calum shrugged.

*** Michael tucked his phone into the pocket of his jeans as he walked into the club, the boys trailing behind him. The after party was already in full swing, but they didn’t mind. They were just happy to be invited. “Hey, congrats on the win.” Kacey smiled sweetly at Calum, who let out a childish giggle.

“Thanks.” Calum’s cheeks heated up as he looked at the floor. “I love you.” Kacey laughed, covering her mouth with her fingers.

“You guys are cute.” She smiled softly. “Can I buy y’all a round?”

“We’d love that.” Ashton grinned. “Sorry about my friend, he’s a little star struck.”

“Not a problem.” Kacey giggled and walked toward the bar.

“I’m in love with her.” Calum sighed heavily, leaning against Ashton.

“You’re insane.” Michael shook his head at his friend.

“Calum’s ‘wife’ is coming back with your new crush, and she looks very drunk.” Luke chuckled and sat at the hightop table as Kacey set the tray of shots down on the table.

“Boys, this is my friend Kaela.” Kacey smiled.

“We’re buddies.” Kaela said, downing a tequila shot from the tray. The four Aussies stared at her, their jaws dropping.

“I- how? Why?” Michael stammered, his eyes laced with confusion.

“You never seen someone take a shot of tequila without making a face before?” Kaela asked, raising an eyebrow at him.

“No, I actually haven’t.” Michael said, glancing down at the tequila shot in front of him.

“It helps when you’ve 8 shots of vodka and 4 of fireball.” Kacey laughed and took a seat next to Calum. “My buddy likes to drink.”

“I don’t get to do it often, so I take advantage of nights like this. I want to get absolutely hammered tonight.” Kaela shrugged, downing another tequila shot.

“Who knew the yeeyee’s knew how to party?” Ashton chuckled, picking up the small glass of tequila. He poured it into his mouth, forcing it down his throat. His face screwed up in disgust, the alcohol overtaking his senses. “That tastes like straight ass.”

“It tastes like nail polish remover, but don’t ask me how I know what that tastes like.” Kaela said, waving down one of the waiters. “Can I get a vodka and sprite, please?”

“Coming right up, Miss Gold.” The waiter smiled before walking away.

“So, who are you guys?” Kaela asked as she turned back to the table.

“You don’t know us? Luke asked, surprised yet not surprised at the same time.

“You look a little familiar, but I am pretty drunk.” Kaela said, accepting the vodka and sprite from the waiter.

“They’re 5 Seconds of Summer. The Australian band.” Kacey said, taking her shot of tequila.

“American Apparel underwear.” Ashton said and Kaela gasped.

“I know you guys!” She smiled. “You were performing at the Teen Choice Awards when security escorted me out for trying to sneak into Dierks Bentley’s dressing room.”

“The yeeyee’s are wild.” Ashton laughed. “I’m telling you, we need to party with the yeeyee’s more.”

“What the fuck is a ‘yeeyee?’” Kaela asked, her eyes not leaving Ashton’s.

“I don’t know how to explain it. A yeeyee is a yeeyee.” Ashton said, looking at the boys. “Someone else explain it.”

“A yeeyee is someone who’s says ‘yeehaw’ unironically.” Michael said, still avoiding his tequila shot.

“What else am I supposed to say when I’m wrangling a wild bull?” Kaela asked, furrowing her eyebrows.

“My God, that’s the most yeeyee thing I’ve ever heard anyone say ever.” Michael laughed and passed her his shot. “I think you could use this.”

“Nuh uh, that’s for you.” Kaela giggled and slid the shot back to Michael. “Do the shot and I’ll let you pick a song for me and Kacey to do for karaoke.”

“Oh, you’re gonna regret that.” Michael laughed as he picked up the glass, drinking the disgusting liquid. He made a face as it went down. “Fuck, that’s disgusting.”

“Alright, what song are we doing?” Kacey laughed softly.

“Make them do the Sesame Street theme song.” Luke laughed. “That’d be hilarious.”

“Great idea.” Mike grinned and looked at the two girls. “You’ll be doing a yeeyee rendition of the Sesame Street theme song.” Kaela and Kacey went up to the stage, pulling up the song. The two of them sang the song as Michael recorded it for his Instagram story.

*** The night went on and many drinks were had. Michael knew he was drunk because the smile on his face could hardly falter. He leaned against the bar as Kaela talked. Neither of them knew how the conversation started or how it took a turn to where it was at now. Kaela was telling Michael the story of how she broke her first bone. “The bone fully came out of my skin. That’s what this scar right here is.” Kaela said, showing Michael the scar on her hand.

“Your bone actually came out? Like, out of your skin?” Michael’s face contorted in disgust.

“Yeah, it did.” Kaela said, pulling her hand from Michael’s.

“That’s absolutely disgusting, yet fascinating.” Michael said, his eyes finding Kaela’s. “Do you wanna get out of here? I’m starving.”

“Please.” Kaela giggled softly. “I could use a hotdog.”

“A hotdog?” Michael asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Preferably a gas station hotdog. A jumbo dog with ketchup and mustard.”

“That sounds incredible.” Michael laughed, linking his arm with hers. The two of them left the club, stepping out into the bustling street.

“This way.” Kaela said, bringing her hand down to Michael’s. She led him down the street to the corner gas station. “Well, don’t we stick out like a walnut in a pecan pie.” Kaela said, Michael’s head whipping to look at her.

“The fuck did you just say?” He asked, his features laced with confusion.

“Sorry, I forget not everyone is from the boondocks.” Kaela giggled softly as she grabbed a hotdog from the rollers.

“Where exactly are you from?” Michael asked as he grabbed himself a hotdog.

“A tiny town called Longfellow in southern Louisiana.” Kaela said, drenching her hotdog in ketchup and mustard.

“Typical small town? Nothing but corn fields, everyone knows everyone’s business, and everyone falls in love with the stranger their daddy hires to work on the farm?” Michael asked, taking a bite of his hotdog.

“No, some of us couldn’t afford farmhands to fall in love with. We fall in love with the cute, older cowboy down the road. But, as most cowboys do, they try to steal your land and then they run away to Texas with your best friend.” Kaela shrugged and took a bite of her own hotdog, some ketchup dripping down on her dress.

“That was oddly specific.” Michael chuckled, gently wiping the ketchup from her dress. “How’d you get started in music, anyways? I thought it was impossible for the tiny town musicians to actually make it.”

“It certainly isn’t easy.” Kaela said, handing the cashier a $5 bill as she walked out with Michael. The two of them sat on the curb as they ate their hotdogs, neither one of them caring about the flashing lights of the paparazzi. “I used to sing at the bar in town. I started singing there when I was about 13. When I was 17, I was singing at the bar and a producer was there. He had some car trouble and ended up in my town. He heard me sing, asked for my demo, and signed me to his label. He produced my first album, which flopped. They dropped me and then I was fortunate enough to be signed to Columbia.”

“So, it was a one in a million chance?”

“Absolutely. I’ve got two albums out now, I won an incredible award tonight.” Kaela smiled. “I’m just lucky, I guess.”

“You and me both.” Michael smiled and finished his hotdog.

“So, Michael Clifford, tell me a secret. Something fans don’t know.” Kaela said as she finished her hotdog.

“A secret? Well, I photoshopped my Spotify wrapped because it exposed me as a yeeyee.” Michael said, nudging her shoulder with his own. Kaela giggled and rolled her eyes playfully.

“I mean a real secret, Mikey.” Kaela smiled, resting her head on his shoulder.

“You tell me one.” He chuckled, wrapping an arm around her waist and resting his hand on her thigh.

“Alright..” Kaela moved closer to him as she kept her head on his shoulder. “I’m afraid of both my parents dying. It hasn’t happened yet, but I know it will someday and it terrifies me.. I don’t know what I’ll do when I don’t have either one of them to count on.”

“Are they still together?” Michael asked, his thumb rubbing against the exposed skin of her thigh.

“No..” Kaela sighed. “They split up in ‘94 just a couple months after I was born. My parents were high school sweethearts, but the immature love they had in high school didn’t last through graduation and an unplanned pregnancy.”

“I’m sorry..” Michael sighed, hugging her into his side. “Are you still close with them?”

“Yeah, absolutely. As a kid, I only saw my dad every other weekend. When I started singing, he came to the bar every time to support me. He bought me my first guitar and taught me how to play. He’s always been my best friend.” Kaela smiled softly to herself as tears filled her eyes. “My mom moved back in with my grandparents after the breakup. She raised me with them and I couldn’t have asked for a stronger mother.”

“She did an amazing job.” Michael smiled to himself. Kaela sniffed quietly and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand.

“Your turn, tell me your secret.” She said, lifting her head to look at him.

“Since we’re getting personal.. I’m scared of being the forgotten member of 5 Seconds of Summer. I know the band isn’t going to last forever, and I know everyone’s gonna remember the band.. But I’m scared of becoming ‘that other guy.’” Michael sighed. “It’s always going to be Luke Hemmings, Calum Hood, Ashton Irwin, and that one dude that did stuff sometimes.”

“Oh, bugaboo..” Kaela sighed, cupping his cheek gently. “You’re not gonna be forgotten. You’ll always be remembered to me.” She whispered, her eyes not leaving his. For some reason, it was enough for him. Michael’s lips found hers and slipped tenderly against them. For a brief moment, being with her was enough for him to feel at ease with the world.

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tsunnychan · 4 years

Text

a change of pace: christmas miracles

ya girl feelin really hypomanic on 5 hours of sleep but typing for 12 hours straight...

but the race to get these all done before june hits and i hibernate for medical school again is r e a l (i can’t tell if i’m winning)

ao3 | part 1 | part 2

summary: two of the worst communicators, who prefer to keep their troubles hidden, finally talk it out....or fight it out.

Ingrid almost feels like laughing, sitting in the darkness of her room, curtains drawn, back against the door.

At first, anger boiled through her as she left the kitchen, purposely shoving past Sylvain as she raced back to her room. It is only until the door was finally shut behind her did the anger leave her.

Now, she’s completely drained, all the fight gone, replaced by a gaping cavity in her chest that she doesn’t even know how to begin to fill.

Is she really that worthless?

She hears a pair of footsteps stop outside her door and maybe she does still have a little bit of anger left. She spits out, “I have nothing to say to you, leave me alone.”

A weight settles against the other side of the door and pushes back against her. “It’s me.”

Felix’s voice surprises her, but it does nothing to resolve the tightness in her throat, when she remembers the way he looked at her across the table. Sighing, she lets her head fall to her knees, her arms pulling them in even closer. “What do you want, Felix?”

She can almost imagine the shrug as she hears him shift on the floor. “You know I’m not one for talking.”

Ingrid snorts quietly. “I do know. So why are you here?”

Felix doesn’t reply and Ingrid doesn’t press him further. They sit there against the door, the distant sounds coming from the kitchen falling between them. Then, she hears Felix grunt as he stands up, the weight at her back now gone. The loss deepens the ache in her chest, and she waits for his footsteps to inevitably walk away from her too.

Instead, she hears him say, “You’re right to be upset with him. I would be too, and I am.” He pauses and Ingrid holds her breath. Felix’s voice turns softer than she’s ever heard it when he continues. “Just give him the chance to explain.”

Then, she hears his footsteps leave with a disgruntled mutter, “whenever he stops being an idiot, that is.”

She huffs out a laugh and closes her eyes, feeling just a little bit lighter than she did before. She’s not sure how long her eyes have been closed, but she opens them again at another soft knock. “Ingrid? It’s Dimitri.”

She’s not sure she has the energy to respond. He continues anyway. “I… I know you might not want to talk, and that’s fine. We respect your need for space…” He trails off and Ingrid almost smiles at how awkward her dear friend is.

“I don’t mean to sound insensitive with my next question, but Dedue insisted that we clarify…”

Ingrid furrows her brow in confusion. What? “We wanted to bake you some extra cookies, for you to take home with you, since we cannot… celebrate like we usually do.”

Her heart simultaneously swells and deflates at the thought. Slowly getting to her feet, Ingrid cracks open the door, just enough to catch sight of her friend’s worried blue eyes. She smiles weakly. “The cinnamon sugar ones are fine.”

He nods dutifully but hesitates to leave. “Ingrid—”

“I’ll be okay, Dimitri. It’s not your fault. Just… give me a little bit more time.”

Dimitri nods again, more slowly this time. He turns to leave, but not without shooting her one last look of concern, until he hurries off to the kitchen to relay her message. Ingrid shuts the door behind her and slumps down once again, her thoughts wandering toward her family.

Her father’s condition had declined sharply with the winter season, and her brothers had messaged her that all current funds were going toward the hospital bills. They didn’t mention anything further, so Ingrid had brought it upon herself to bring it up. We don’t need to celebrate my birthday this year, she’d drafted, it’ll save a plane ticket money and then some for the medications and hospital stay.

Her brothers had hurriedly texted back, how she shouldn’t be alone on her birthday, but Ingrid knew what was best. Burying the ache, she sealed her decision. It’s okay, I’ll be with my friends for the weeks beforehand. I’ll be okay.

Moments later, her oldest brother sent her a separate message and her hands shook. It’s okay to not be okay, Ingrid. We’re here for you, don’t shut us out again, all right?

She grimaces and gets to her feet. She throws back her blankets and huffs as she slides into bed again, hoping if she falls asleep, maybe she wouldn’t feel so much.

Sylvain is exhausted, and yet somehow, restless. His leg bounces relentlessly on the barstool in the kitchen as he and Dedue wait for Dimitri to return. Felix hadn’t come back after his outburst, and honestly, Sylvain doesn’t blame him

He wouldn’t come back either, knowing what he did.

He’d tossed and turn for a week straight before he left, debating if he should tell Ingrid or not. He texted Felix immediately when he got the news, that he was getting shipped out with his father, a trial for ambassador work, he’d said, so someone would know where he went. If he didn’t come back if things went south.

He’d even texted Dimitri and Dedue, for tips on how to conduct himself, because he sure didn’t pay any attention to that in high school or college, as they so graciously reminded him every day.

His fingers had hovered over his phone, over Ingrid’s name, frozen. Unable to type out the message he knew he should’ve sent. Even if it was short. A formality.

But he still didn’t do it. The thought of her locked in her room, refusing to come out, because she lost someone she loved… He couldn’t do that to her. Maybe it would be better for her to not know he was leaving at all, then she wouldn’t even know he was gone in the first place. Wouldn’t even know to miss him.

And with that thought in his head, he was on the plane, sitting stiffly next to his father, as they crossed the border into Sreng.

He tried to keep in touch, but he knew it wasn’t enough. He didn’t have as much time, in between all of his reading and catching up with foreign relations and policies. When he finally did have free time, he knew the time difference was awful.

So, he kept his messages short.

Then, it was over. His father had successfully placed a deal with the leaders of Sreng and he would be flying back tomorrow. He barely registered the flashing cameras in his face as he walked, back tall, behind his father. He caught the rerun on TV at dinner, snapped a quick picture, and sent it to their entire group chat, relieved it was finally over. That night, he went out into the marketplace with some of his father’s bodyguards, searching for gifts, because he certainly didn’t have the time when he landed.

His eyes caught on to some cooking spices for Dedue, some history books for Ashe and Annette, embroidery for Mercedes, locally sourced cheese for Dimitri, and ornamental sheath for Felix—

A glint of green catches his eye in the stall next to where he bought Felix’s gift, and he suddenly misses home terribly. He buys it for Ingrid before he second-guesses himself and trudges back to the hotel to sleep.

Then he wakes to a pile of texts in the morning. He doesn’t remember the exact messages, but he does remember his heart dropping into his stomach when one of Ingrid’s popped in. ‘That’s where you were? I missed you.’

The food in his mouth suddenly felt like sand and he realized exactly how stupid he was. The gift for Ingrid weighed heavily in his pocket on his way home. Then after that long, stifling flight, he took a direct transfer to Fhirdiad and as soon as he stepped foot on the Blaiddyd estate, he saw her sitting in his car.

Seven months away from her, away from all of his friends… he couldn’t hold back his excitement.

And he was surprised. Surprised she let him sweep her into a bear hug and spin her around like they were kids and he would hoist her up onto his shoulders so she could pick the best apples for all of them. Surprised that she’d let him do all of that when he didn’t tell her he was leaving.

But he swallowed his guilt and resolved to come clean to her. After all the celebrations were over and there was time to breathe.

Turns out, his best friend always knows when he screws up.

So, he’s not surprised, when Dimitri returns alone, shaking his head. His leg stops bouncing. “She said cinnamon sugar, right?”

Dimitri gives him this pitying look and he barely keeps the frown from forming on his face. “Yes, she did.”

Silence falls over them as Dedue moves to the pantry to gather the ingredients. Dimitri clears his throat. “Sylvain, you should—”

He couldn’t mask the bitterness in his voice in time when he snaps back, “I know. I’ll talk to her. Let her cool down first though, I prefer not to walk into another warzone after just getting back from one.”

He deflates immediately. Feeling guilty, he sighs and covers his face with his hands, elbows resting on the table. “Sorry. I’m just… exhausted.”

Dimitri sits down next to him, hand on his shoulder, but saying nothing else. Sylvain thinks back to Ingrid’s car and he grimaces. He hopes he’s wrong about it… but just in case. “Hey, Dedue, after the cookies… you got any recipes for birthday cake with fresh berries?”

Ingrid wakes with her joints stiff, stomach growling, and definitely not feeling any better than when she fell asleep. She never finished breakfast. She debates if it’s worth venturing into the kitchen if it meant potentially seeing Sylvain when she’s still angry, and then her stomach growls again, deciding for her. Grimacing, she climbs out of bed and makes her way to the door, stopping short when she notices a weight leaning against it from the other side.

Her chest tightens and fire burns in her again. She swings her door open and Sylvain tumbles onto his back at her feet. No smile on his face this time.

Instead, it’s blank, his mask, and Ingrid feels the fire burn hotter.

He makes no move to get up and she’s in no mood to entertain him. She turns on her heel and opts to stare out the window instead, biting out, “close the door behind you.”

Surprisingly, the door clicks shortly after and she whips around, eyes narrowing. “I didn’t mean come in.”

To his credit, Sylvain doesn’t flinch, and his face doesn’t change. It makes her angrier that she’s the only one reacting. “Why are you here?”

He stares right at her, posture betraying nothing. “You know why.”

She raises an eyebrow when he doesn’t continue. He inhales deeply and sighs, gesturing for her to sit.

She doesn’t.

Indifferent, Sylvain leans against her door and crosses his arms. “I meant to tell you.”

She scoffs, “yet, here we are.”

He snorts and agrees tiredly as his eyes slide shut. “Yet, here we are.”

Ingrid hates how calm he is. “Some apology this is. Have I cleaned up too many of your messes for you to not know how to do it properly anymore?”

His eyes snap open and she gets a glare back. Good. “Look, Ingrid. I’m sorry. I should’ve told you, and I didn’t. That was wrong of me.”

She frowns. “You’re still not going to tell me why?”

“I was going to once we were done with all of…” he waves his hand around dismissively. “All of this. Then you found out early.”

Anger strikes her to her core, settling deep into her stomach. She snaps, “I found out early? Tell me, Sylvain, how is finding out seven months, after the fact, finding out early?”

His brow furrows and his mouth flattens into a thin line. “You know that’s not what I meant—”

She doesn’t let him finish. “And why is it, that now that I’ve found out, that I’m worth telling? But not before you left? You could’ve died out there if things went wrong!”

That, apparently, touches the nerve she didn’t know she was looking for.

Sylvain pushes of the wall, his arms flying outward, voice rising. “Ingrid, I’m sorry! I didn’t want to tell you I was leaving and then on the off-chance, not come back. Knowing me and my reputation? Those chances were pretty high. So, I wasn’t going to put you through that again—”

“There you go again, making light of getting hurt! Glenn did that too and now he’s gone! I never got to say goodbye to him, Sylvain!”

He’s stunned into silence at her outburst and she feels tears leak out of the corners of her eyes. Her breathing is ragged, but she can hardly bring herself to care when all of those feelings she associated with Glenn, the ones she thought she buried, come back to haunt her. Her energy drains out of her and her knees buckle as she falls backward onto her bed. She throws an arm over her eyes and repeats herself, voice barely a whisper. “I never got to say goodbye.”

She hears Sylvain’s clothes rustle as he moves to sit on the floor, his head falling back against the door with a soft thump. More words spill from her mouth. “The day before Glenn left… the day before he died… he told me had something to tell me, but it could wait until he came back.”

Sylvain remains silent and Ingrid removes the arm over her face to look at him. His eyes are trained on the ceiling, his fingers white from clenching each other. And Ingrid gets this sudden, twisted, urge, to hurt him. To make him understand.

Her throat burns painfully as she forces more words out. “He said it could wait until he came back, and all he said was, ‘talk to you soon’, and I only replied, ’okay’. He never came back, and I never got to hear what he was going to say—”

“He was going to say, ‘I love you’.”

Ingrid whips her head to Sylvain and he’s finally looking at her, his eyes tired. Apologetic. Hurt. That dark little part of her quiets down and she whispers, “how do you know?”

His eyes don’t stray away, despite the tightening of his jaw. “He told me.”

At that, Ingrid stares at him in disbelief and he continues, “it wasn’t exactly something he was going to tell his kid brother or the other kid who’s basically like his little brother. He wanted to get it off his chest, so he told me, the other kid he basically adopted to be a brother but wouldn’t flake at the mention of girls.”

Suddenly, she feels like laughing again. And maybe she is, with the sudden look of concern that crosses Sylvain’s face. He told him. Her eyes turn sharp when they glare at him, a dry smile finding its way onto her face. “He told you.”

Sylvain is back to being mute and Ingrid can’t help the empty laugh that comes out of her as she looks away from him, more tears skewing her vision as more memories flood her mind. “Don’t you see how painful it is, Sylvain? To hear the words you want to hear, but not from the person you want to hear them from?”

He remains resolutely quiet, and she turns her head toward him once again. His shoulders are stiff and he’s staring holes into the carpet. Ingrid’s not even sure that he’s breathing. Then, softly, “I’m sorry, Ingrid.”

The tight coil in her stomach loosens, just a bit, as she tries to find her voice again. “Promise me, Sylvain.”

His eyes shift up to hers, dull and glassy, and the ache in her chest worsens, knowing she caused it. Wanted to cause it. She gulps and holds his gaze. “Promise me that you’ll take your safety seriously and that you’ll talk to me. Tell me where you’re going, especially if you don’t think you’re coming back. I want… I need to be able to say what I need to say. Including goodbyes.”

He sighs, shoulders dropping as his head knocks back against the wall again. “You have so much on your plate already, Ingrid… who am I to add more troubles?”

She sits up. “You’re my best friend, Sylvain. I want to hear these troubles from you.”

His eyes find hers, exhausted. “How do you even bear it, Ing? That weight on your shoulders.”

Ingrid slips out of bed and finds herself walking toward him, sliding down on the floor next to him. “I bear it because I have to, Sylvain.”

“You don’t have to bear it for me.”

Her fingers twist together in her lap. “I can bear it… because it means they trust me enough to share it with me. If I’m not even worth the trust…” she trails off before looking at him. “Then what am I worth?”

His face breaks in front of her. “Ingrid, that’s not what I—”

“I know, I know it’s not what you meant. It’s a bit naïve of me to think like this, but I can’t help but feel that way whenever you don’t tell me something important. Like you don’t need me anymore.”

His hand covers hers. “I’m always going to need you, Ingrid.” She looks at how much smaller her hand is in his. Had it always been like that? “But you also have to promise me something too.”

She looks up. His eyes serious. “You have to share your troubles with me too. I know you’ve been keeping a lot of these things to yourself, because you can bear it, but Ingrid… you don’t have to bear it alone, okay? I’ve got your back. Always. Don’t shut me out.”

Tears prick her eyes again, as she feels Sylvain’s hand leave her. Then, his one of his arms settles around her shoulders, pulling her in until she’s tucked under his chin. Her breath shakes unevenly as he presses his cheek to her hair, voice low. “How’s your father?”

And Ingrid lets her tears go.

Ingrid wakes to a darkened room with a sore neck and aching back. She’s still tucked against Sylvain as he dozes lightly, head resting on top of hers, arm still slung over her shoulders. If she listens carefully, she can hear Annette, Mercedes, and Ashe in the kitchen, humming along to Christmas tunes.

She thinks she can even hear Felix teasing Annette, and Annette firing retorts right back.

“Are you awake?”

Sylvain shifts above her and she finds him blearily rubbing the sleep from his eyes, yawning wide. Ingrid leans away from him as he spreads his arms out to stretch, rolling his neck. She nods in the darkness and stretches out her own limbs. “We should probably head out, see what else needs to be done for tomorrow.”

Her stomach growls again, having missed half of breakfast and lunch. She thinks she sees Sylvain smirk at her. “And see what we can salvage for dinner.”

She pushes at his shoulder, smiling herself. “Shut up. Crying burns a lot of calories.”

Ingrid moves to stand, but Sylvain catches her hand, keeping her there. She raises an eyebrow before realizing he probably couldn’t see it. “What?”

He tugs her back down and puts his hands on her shoulders, bringing his face close to hers. “You’d tell me if something was bothering you, right? Like we promised?”

A lump forms in her throat. “Yeah. Of course.”

His eyes search hers. She’s not sure what he finds, but his hands slide off her shoulder and into his pocket, pulling out a small white box. He hands it to her. Uncertainly, she takes it. “Sylvain? What is this?”

His hands withdraw from her completely, and instead, fly up to the back of his neck. “Your Christmas gift. It’s almost midnight anyway, so I figure I’d give it to you now. It’s a little too small to put underneath a tree.”

She opens the box and a small, jade tear-drop pendant winks back at her. Her throat feels oddly tight. “Sylvain—”

“I know you don’t usually wear jewelry or anything, but I was out shopping for gifts and I just… I saw it and I don’t know—the color reminded me of home. Reminded me of you.”

Her lips quirk up as her heart pounds in her chest. “Reminded you of me, but didn’t remind you to tell me where you were—?”

“I said I was sorry! I promise to tell you next time. I won’t make that mistake again.”

Ingrid laughs and leans against his shoulder. “Thank you, Sylvain. I love it.”

“Wow, our own Christmas miracle. First, you tell me you look nice, now that you love my present, and us, two of the worst communicators making up—”

Ingrid pushes him away, laughing. She pulls him up from the floor and they make their way to the kitchens where they rest of their friends are. They all shower them with hugs and greetings, while her heart still beats a little funny with Sylvain’s gift in her pocket.

#sylvgrid #sylgrid #sylvain jose gautier #ingrid brandl galatea #fe3h byleth #i can't wait for the day i can rest and these two leave me alone....#:')))))#its ok i'm having a grand ol time #my writing

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msephy · 4 years

Text

Upbringing chap 12/13

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

Cross-posted to AO3

Earth 53 - Jason Todd

The climb to Nanda Parbat was even harder than the one to Ra’s al Ghul’s stronghold and Jason could only feel relief at them being so close. Was it a coincidence or had Ra’s been looking for the place? Coincidences were rare, where he was concerned.

Only a small group accompanied them: five bodyguards and, of course, Bruce. Jason counted on Talia to insure Damian would get back to Gotham or, at least away from the League. The brat himself might be able to elude her if she tried to bring him anywhere else.

Besides, he was wearing his gear from the Cave. Knowing Bruce, several pieces had to be bugged. They’d find him alright – if they managed to get away from Ra’s.

It wouldn’t be long, now.

They reached the top of the crater where the temple laid. It was an ancient construction, looking both immovable and strangely out of place in this landscape of even older mountains. A single monk in orange robes was walking in the green gardens which surrounded the temple and made it even more unseemly in the blinding whiteness.

“The temple of Rama Kushna,” Ra’s breathed out. “I’ve looked for it for so long.”

So even he could still be impressed from time to time. Though Jason guessed he was more interested in his objective than in the place itself. Yet it had its own power, and so did the order within.

Jason let himself drop to the edge of the monkey bridge which connected the temple to the outside world. Good defense, Jason though. Even for him it would be hard to reach it from the other way, the climb being much harder from that side.

He started on the bridge before Ra’s could, unwilling to let him be the first to contact the monks. Jason might be disrespectful most of the time, but he didn’t think himself to be above those people. Ra’s thought himself above everyone.

The others followed, making the bridge swing gently from one side to the other. By the time Jason had reached the end, several monks had gathered, anxious and surprised.

“Welcome to the temple of Rama Kushna, traveler,” one of the said.

Jason bowed politely. “My apologies for interrupting your peace. The man who follows me asked for a guide to the fountain of life and so I brought him here.”

“I’m Ra’s al Ghul,” Ra’s said in an authoritarian tone. The jerk. “Where is the fountain?”

“It’s not hidden,” the monk answered in a moderate tone. “It’s right beyond the temple, in the garden. But you should know… Only the pure of heart can enjoy its blessing. It brings death to those whose spirit is not pure.”

Jason tensed, worried about Ra’s reaction. He’d known, of course, but thought mentioning it to him would be a bad idea.

To his surprise, Ra’s scoffed, sounding rather amused. “Not being straight with me, Shadow of the shadow? Do not worry, I don’t fear the fountain’s judgment. Do you know, I’ve always believed it must be the prototype of the Lazarus pits I myself use.”

“Yeah well, sorry but that’s not exactly good news,” Jason commented.

Ra’s ignored him to follow the monks’ instructions. Bruce joined Jason, looking at him intensely through his white lenses.

“If you expect Ra’s to die…”

“I expect Ra’s to be Ra’s,” Jason interrupted. “Either he’ll die, or he won’t. Either way it will be his choice. You can’t force right decisions out of people, Bruce. You know that.”

But didn’t he still wish to. Yet Bruce didn’t protest further, following Ra’s with a frown. Jason rolled his eyes. Worst-case scenario? Ra’s was hurt without dying and demanded Jason’s body. As far as he was concerned, Ra’s dying was the best scenario.

Still, he shadowed them, as did the leaguers.

The fountain was of the purest water, far from the toxin green of the Lazarus pits. Jason swallowed. He’d seen it before, once, yet it was still breathtaking. Not that it looked like much: just a naturally formed rock sprouting water, which was gathered in a round basin dug into the stony ground.

Ra’s removed his tunic while one of his guards unlaced his shoes, leaving him only in his pants. His state was even more visible now: his ribs showing under a fragile, gray skin.

Yet Bruce stepped forward. “Ra’s. You can’t possibly think to go inside. If what the monk said is true…”

The Demon’s Head raised a hand.

“Detective. Do not presume.”

Jason snorted, which removed some of their impact from Ra’s words. Yet, it sufficed. Bruce stepped aside, fists clenched. There would be a backslash if Ra’s did die, Jason suddenly knew. Bruce would blame himself. Didn’t he always?

Well, fuck him. People did have the right to make bad choices. You couldn’t control everybody, or else, you’d be – Brainiac, or something.

Ra’s stepped inside the fountain, sitting down under the gentle stream. He didn’t scream, didn’t start burning or melting. Was he really pure? Jason hadn’t dared to test the fountain, the one time he’d come.

He had come for it specifically, of course, like most people who reached the place. He’d found its coordinate in the Batcomputer and had thought – why not? Maybe if would clean him from the Lazarus pit’s stain, or maybe it would kill him, putting things back how they should have been.

But in the end, he had not dared. Yet here Ra’s was, sitting fearlessly in the inoffensive water.

Inoffensive, but healing. Already Ra’s skin was looking better, his flesh and muscle filling in, youth coming back to his face. He smiled, noticing their surprise.

“Do not confuse purity and morality, Detective,” he told Bruce without heat. “The values you think so highly of are very new to this world. As positive as you might think them, such a stream wouldn’t judge them more worthy than any other.”

“You kill people,” Bruce answered, tense. “Nothing can find that pure. You seek unbalance, in others, by killing them, and in yourself, by staying alive for so long.”

“Maybe it is so, from your point of view. Yet my intention is indeed to cleanse this world.”

Ra’s closed his eyes, breathing in as the fountain kept healing him, a clear dismissal. Jason moved to Bruce’s side, taking his arm to thug him away. “We should leave.”

“The monks…”

“Can defend themselves. They’re blessed by Rama Kushna, you know.”

Jason wasn’t even kidding, and it must have been apparent in his tone because Bruce didn’t resist further. They politely saluted the monks, who escorted them back to the entrance. Maybe Jason would go back, in his world. Not right away but – later. When he would have found his center at last.

They’d left the League’s stronghold at dawn and, even though the return trip was long, they managed to reach the Batplane right before dawn. To their relief, Damian and Talia were waiting for them there.

“Father!” Damian stopped just short from Bruce, clearly unwilling to behave like a child. To Jason’s surprise, Bruce ended the movement by hugging the kid. Damian squealed his protests without pushing him away.

Talia inclined her head at Jason. “My father?”

“Healed and well. We left before him but I don’t expect him to meet any surprises on his way back.”

She nodded, looking relieved, then she smiled. “Thank you, Shadow of my shadow.”

“Isn’t it Bruce who’s Damian’s dad?” Jason asked, just because, fuck, what was it with her coming into him?

As soon as he said the words, Talia’s face emptied of any expression and, from the corner of his eyes, Jason could see Bruce straightening up guiltily. Riiiight.

“Anyway, we have to go,” Jason decided. “Thank you for your help, Talia.”

“It should be I thanking you, Jason from another world. I trust the one from this one will soon return?”

“Yeah, yeah. We’re looking into it.”

Bruce nodded at Talia awkwardly, then nudged Damian into the Batplane. The kid didn’t protest: the day had been a long one. They left without further discussion then put on the autopilot so they could take turns sleeping.

Even with a few hours of eyes-closing, Jason still felt wasted when they finally landed back in Gotham. He would be relieved to slip into his bed and have a real, good rest, knowing the local Batfamily was safely home.

He opened the Batplane’s door, hoping to head upstairs to do just that – and stopped dead as Jason Wayne looked up to him. He swallowed, looking around, not knowing if he wanted him to be alone or if he hoped he was.

But no: here he was, looking up at him from afar. Bruce. His Bruce.

###

Earth 53 – Jason Wayne

The first thing Jason felt when the Batplan’s door opened was relief: Bruce was there, mostly unarmed despite a few cuts he’d definitely want to check, and so was Damian, who jumped down without wasting time.

Then Jason took the time to properly look at his double and… yeah. Doppelganger might be the right word. He was wearing his own gear, the same type he’d found in the flat he’d woken up in the other Earth: reinforced pants, combat boots, leather jacket which likely was reinforced too, and way too many weapons for someone who moved like he was one.

He looked as bad as Jason had feared. Yet, from what Kal and Dick had told him, he hadn’t hesitated to follow Bruce when they’d found out Damian’s life was in danger so maybe he should take appearances for what they were.

Besides, it’s not like he didn’t understand where he came from.

It was also hard not to notice how this other Jason had tensed all over when he’d seen the Bruce

“Nice to meet you,” Jason said, going forward, hand raised, to cut the tension. “I’m the local Jason. Thank you for bringing back my brother and nephew in one piece.”

The other Jason – this was going to become tedious soon, thinking about him that way, he should think about him as Todd instead – looked taken aback, but recovered quickly and shook his hand almost without trying to crush it.

“My pleasure,” Todd said, his tone clearly ironic, yet… it was probably true.

Jesus. This really was like talking to a younger self. How weird.

Jason smiled his most Luthorian smile, and was rewarded by a frown. Bruce – his Bruce – damnit – rolled his eyes.

“I know, I know,” Jason said. “No need to antagonize our host. I can’t help myself.”

Forgetting his doppelganger for a moment, he went and hugged Damian, then pulled Bruce into the hug with them, because he could. Feeling their presence physically was a relief. They were there. They were fine.

Then Bruce winced. “Alright,” Jason said. “Damian, to the shower. Make sure you aren’t hurt anywhere and if you aren’t careful enough, I’ll check you myself. Bruce, to the med bay.”

Damian obeyed without protesting too much, which was unusual, but then, considering the circumstances, Jason was not surprised. Todd raised his eyebrows at Bruce, who grimaced back, removing his cowl.

“I wouldn’t have to behave like you mother if you behaved more responsibly by yourself,” Jason commented.

“Please, don’t,” Bruce grumbled.

The other Bruce – yeah, he wasn’t going to call him Wayne, that would be just too weird – almost smiled.

“If it makes you feel better, he did the same with me, and I’m ten years older than him.”

Jason’s brother didn’t seem to know what to do about that comment. “I’m not sure if I should be reassured, or worried that he’s going to do that my whole life.”

“That’s what older brothers are for,” Jason sing-songed, nudging Bruce into removing the top part of his armor.

Cuts everywhere. That’s what he’d though. He started cleaning them.

“Todd, can I ask you to go tell Dick you’re all back and fine? He’s hard to wake up and might just mumble something but he’ll remember in the morning.”

“Sure.”

The tone didn’t match the answer. Was he hurt, too? The other Bruce was checking on him from afar but Todd’s movements only broadcasted discomfort, which could be largely attributed to his adoptive father’s presence. Or was it because of Jason himself?

Nevertheless, Todd removed his guns and knives then the most obvious parts of his armor before heading back upstairs. The other Bruce raised his eyebrows, but didn’t comment. Todd didn’t look in his direction, which wasn’t quite the same as ignoring him successfully.

“Bruce, a hand?” Jason called, mostly to distract him.

This brother grunted at having two people stitching him back up at the same time, uncomfortable himself with this unknown person being so close, but that’s what he got for getting himself cut like that.

“Ra’s?” Jason asked while working.

“Alive and well.”

“Mh. Talia?”

“Helped us,” Bruce confirmed, to Jason’s relief. “She says hi.”

“She doesn’t.” She never did.

“She doesn’t need to.” No, indeed.

Jason finished working alongside the other Bruce. When he was satisfied, he nodded and let his brother take his own shower, his wounds taped with waterproof bands. Damian had finished in the meantime and headed upstairs to his bed, not without Jason hugging him one last time. Damian didn’t even protest.

Jason sighed when he found himself alone with the other Bruce. “What a family we both have.”

“You take good care of them all.”

“Thank you,” Jason answered. “I’m mostly sad about how Damian has been treated by Ra’s, though. Even Talia… I like her, but even though she protected him this time, I’m never sure she will next time. Oh I don’t think she’d kill him, even to save Ra’s life, but manipulating him into doing what she wants?”

He shrugged. That’s how she’d been raised. She didn’t see the wrongness in it.

The other Bruce sighed. “I know what you mean.”

“Yeah, I guess you would. Sorry but I can’t believe two of you were stupid enough to sleep with her. I mean. It was obvious she tried to seduce because Ra’s wanted her to.”

“She did?”

“Well, she did like us, I think,” Jason amended. “It wouldn’t have been quite that effective if she didn’t. But still.”

“Don’t underestimate her,” Bruce tempered. “I slept with her after having had a vasectomy and she still managed to have Damian.”

“Huh,” Jason said, very intelligently. Maybe he should have enjoyed the sex, then. He sure had wanted to, back then. Though the idea of her showing up with his son… It has been hard enough to have her show up with his nephew.

“Yeah well,” Jason sighed. “I’m still glad to leave that particular worry to Bruce. Besides, I get to enjoy Damian’s charming personality nonetheless.” He grinned.

The old Bruce smiled, likely understanding that he was only joking. They sat there in companionable silence for a couple of minutes, then Jason’s brother finished his showered and joined them, wearing the dark grey fatigues they kept in the Cave for such occasions.

“I’ll head upstairs, have some sleep before starting the day. How’s Dick?”

“Asleep, I think,” Jason said. “I just sent Todd tell him you were all fine, so you can head directly to your bed.”

“Hmpf.”

“If you try to hack into the computer from your room to fill the files today, I will see it.”

“Maybe I should prevent you from going to the office when you didn’t sleep either tonight.”

Jason yawned at the thought. “I might actually stay at home, today. I mean, I’ve been off for a few days, I assume you pretended I was sick?”

“I did. Take your Friday off, too. I’ll give you a hand to catch up on Monday.”

“Noted. See you, then.”

“See you, Jay.”

Jason smiled as he watched his brother go back upstairs. The other Bruce titled his head.

“You don’t have to stay.”

“You sure? Todd might go to bed right away too but if he comes back downstairs…”

“Then I’ll handle him.”

Jason looked at this older Bruce, who wore so many traces of the hard live he’d lived, and who didn’t seem remotely tired despite the lack of sleep.

“You’ll hold the fort?”

“I will. Go to sleep.”

Jason stretched, getting up. He knew he could rely on his little brother, of course, they’d both risk their lives for each other – and they did, numerous times. But he felt responsibility toward him, like he didn’t toward this other, older Bruce.

It was nice.

“Alright. Don’t kill each other, if Todd comes back down.”

“No corpses where Alfred can find them. Got it.”

Jason grinned, then, after a short hesitation, went to this other Bruce and hugged him like he’d hugged his brother. He felt him startle but then Bruce recovered and closed his arms around his adoptive son’s doppelganger. He was a very good hugger.

“G’night,” Jason said, letting him go.

“Good night, Jason.”

###

Note: comments are very welcome :)

#byme #my fics #upbringing #jason wayne #jason todd #bruce wayne #batfamily

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antman-56 · 5 years

Text

The Long Night Pt. 9

Qrow and Raven had finally arrived at the Troy district. To cover more ground they decided to split up. If they found Butch then they would message the other and then attack.

Raven was by herself and didn't like the way some of the locals were looking at her. She had her guard up, just waited. If the tribe taught her anything, it was to never let your guard down in unknown land.

"Hey sweet thing why not come over here. I'm lonely."

She turned around to see three guys. All of them having matching leather jackets with a King Taijitu on the back. (//addressed as KT 1 and so)

Raven just turned around and walked away.

KT 1 : Hey i'm talking to you!

He and his two cronies ran toward her. They swarmed her, one behind her and one on each of her sides.

KT 2 : Yeah don't you know how to talk.

KT 3 : Maybe she’s a mute.

KT 1 : Well that makes things eas ...

He felt something around his neck. The last thing he saw before the darkness took him was Raven holding Omen. His head fell from his shoulders and his body fell with a thump. The two goons still around her jumped back at the sight of her with a bloody blade and their leaders head on the floor.

Raven (serious) : Where is Butch Falcone?

KT 2 pulled out a switch blade and ran at Raven.

KT 2 : You BITCH!!

Raven effortlessly cut his arm and was about to kill him. KT 2 fell to the floor holding the stump that once held his right hand. Raven raised her blade aboove him when KT 3 spoke.

KT 3 : He's at Silicone ave!! Three blocks down then a right. Big building, lights, girls, everything!!

Raven put her sword away and walked to her new destination. All the while KT 3 was picked up KT 2 and his hand and ran away.

***Elsewhere***

Qrow was not having any luck finding Butch.

He has passed by pimps, hookers, dealers and all kinds of matter of people who come out of the gutter when the sun goes down.

Hooker 1 : Hey baby, you wanna keep a lady company?

Qrow : No.

Hooker 1 : Your lose.

He continued walking when he noticed he was being followed.

Qrow purposely walked into a dead alley and when he turned around he couldn't believe who he saw.

It was the same guys who’s asses he kicked when he first met Willow.

Charles : Well, well, well, Looky what we have here, Blaine.

Blaine (thug 2 i.e. from Pt. 1) : It looks like a rematch huh, Davey.

Davey (thug 1) : Yeah, and this time we know who we’re fighting. Right Boys?

When Davey said that 10 more guys showed up right the original trio behind them.

Qrow (drawing out his weapon) : Do you really want to do this?

They didn't answer they just rushed him.

Apparently they didn't learn their lesson. Qrow got in a stance and waited with Harbinger in hand. As soon as one of them was close he brought the behemoth of a blade down on him. It split him across his chest, leaving him into two pieces.

Qrow was swinging his blade left, right, up, down, front and back. He was a red blur to them and he was not stopping.

Five minutes later Charles was the only one alive crawling away from the massacre. He saw Davey's head get split open and Blaine lose his entire arm before he died.

He only survived this long because Qrow kicked him to a trash bin, while he dealt with the other guys.

Qrow noticed him grunting and walked towards him. He grabbed his collar and dragged him back into the alley.

Charles was trying to grab the floor hoping to stop the inevitable. When he realized that was not happening he just closed his eyes waiting for his demise.

Qrow : Where can I find Butch Falcone?

Charles opened his eyes at the question to see a bloody Qrow Branwen. He could see how cold his eyes were and the glistening of Harbinger. If this was a chance for him to live, then he would take it.

Charles (grasping at straws for life) : Silicone ave. down five blocks! Big lights. "Excalibur" is the name. Ask for a girl named Candi and the password is "Blue balls" for VIP.

Qrow looked him in the eyes and saw the life drain from them when he brought Harbinger above his chest. Charles took his last breath, thinking about what could have been.

Qrow didn't necessarily liked killing, it always left a bad taste in his mouth, but found it to be a necessity. The tribe showed no mercy to it’s enemies and recruited anyone that wanted to follow them. He always tried to give his enemy an out, even when they were dangerous. To a bandit, that’s leaving problems for the future, but to him it meant something. That he was still human, that he ... could be free.

He was about to leave the scene, when he noticed the amount of blood he and Harbinger was covered in.

Qrow knew he needed to change clothes and fast otherwise his cover would be blown. He looked around and saw that some of the guys he killed still had clothes without blood stains or slash marks.

After 10 minutes of browsing what survived, he walked away with a black shirt with a red A on it, a red and black hoodie with a checker themed, and navy blue jeans.

He threw his clothes away in the nearest sewer drain and walked to his new destination, “Excalibur”.

***30 minutes later***

When Qrow was near the place he noticed Raven waiting in line.

Raven in question has been in line for a good 10 minutes and was about to get ballistic.

She had seen 4 girls skip to the front of the line just because they were wearing clothes that barley covered them. And when she was in front of the line she was sent back because the bouncer told her she was "too scary".

The line was moving slowly and sometimes if would stop for no reason.

She was trying to control her anger not really paying attention to who was around her that she didn’t notice the footsteps behind her.

Qrow : Hey what happened to sending information?

Raven jumped and was about to punch the source of the voice when it caught her fist.

Raven : God damnit! Don't do th...

She saw what Qrow was wearing something entirely different.

Raven (confused) : What happened?

Qrow : Ran into trouble and it looks like we need to blend in.

He saw how the locals dressed to enter Excalibur and he knew he was in the clear, but Raven was not.

Qrow : You need to change or your not gonna get in.

Raven groaned, but for the sake of the tribe she would swallow her ego.

Raven in general hated skimpy outfits, She believed that a woman should be judged for her intellect, not for her body. so, when anyone tried to make a move on her she outright declined them or ignore them. The only man she has ever met that saw her for her mind was the one that kept on persisting for a date. and now she was in a happy relationship with him.

Raven : Fine, but follow me.

She led Qrow to abandoned alley. She knew it was there when a she saw a couple go there and there hair was a mess. She knew she had to dress like aslut to get in, but she wanted to have some class while doing so. She started by taking off her armor and clothes and made sure Qrow was watching the only way in. She then took out Omen and started to cut into the black fabric.

She made her new dress to into a sleeveless two strap dress. She made sure cleavage was their, enough to tease but not enough to show everything. By the time she put the finishing touches the “dress” was able to complemented her figure.

She put the "dress" back on and put her armor next to the nearest trashcan. She then gave Qrow Omen because they were not gonna let them in if she had it.

When they were walking back Raven made sure to be step up to her dress. She made her walk, her posture, her face look like she owned the place.

Bouncer (excited) : Damn babe! You in!

Raven walked inside smiling that she got in.Qrow was about to enter the Bouncer put out his arm to stop him.

Bouncer : Not you.

Qrow just slowly turned to the man and glared. He slowly put his hand on Omen, getting ready to force his way in until Raven stepped in.

She walked up to the bouncer and hugged his arm, making he had a good view of her ‘assets’.

Raven (cute voice) : What seems to be the problem?

Bouncer (stuttering) : Uh ... no.. nothing miss.

Raven : Why can’t my bodyguard come in?

Bouncer : He can’t bri-

Raven (leans her face closer to his) : But I need a strong man to go inside with me.

The bounce didn’t know what to do. Raven was a few inches away from his face and her could feel her warmth of her bosom.

Raven (cute voice) : Daddy says i'm not allowed to go in alone and I needed a bodyguard. If he doesn't get in i’ll have to call daddy. (Serious cute voice) and if daddy's mad he does things that gets him unmad.

The bouncer was now sweating. He knew some of the people who went here and their was no need for him to die.

Bouncer (nervous) : Sure go on in! Hey you won't tell her dad will you?

Qrow just gave him the cold shoulder.

When the bouncer closed the door. The twins turned to look at each other and smiled.

This was the fun part.

#qrow branwen #raven branwen #long night part 9 #rwby au #rwby

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swimperialentanglements · 5 years

Text

CHAPTER 4 – Going to the Concert Hall in Chibias

Mara Jade

In less than an hour walk, they reached the borders of the big city, a place too crowded and too noisy for her taste "Stay close, it'll be a few blocks into the center of the city, we should see the concert hall pretty soon" she told Harris, walking a little faster. Her senses in the Force were sharp, but still she had learned her lesson and tried to keep her focus on her physical surroundings.

Soon enough, they reached the center of the city, full of people of all kinds and of course, full of transports. They could barely transit without crashing or block each other. "Big city, big mess" she sighed, checking on Harris who was right beside her. A little to their right they could see the giant and elegant construction of the concert hall, with its pillars, its crystal dome and its golden details.

"There it is" she said, then turned around and walked back into the street and deeper into the alley. "Please, keep guard for me, I'll get ready" she asked Harris. "Asked", she tought, for some reason, giving an order to this stormtrooper didn't feel right. What in the galaxy was going on with her?

Trooper Harris

Harris followed Mara until she ‘asked’ him to wait. He was certain she would accomplish her mission without his assistance. He leaned casually against a pole, activated his blaster under the loose trousers and nodded. He expected her to have her clothes changed, but as she told to wait, he would do that. From where they were, it was possible to have a relatively clear view of the concert hall. He started associating the parts and picture with the diagrams he had received - he figured out how to arrive at the rooftop: the cable way passed just 6 metres to the east side of roof. He would swing the trolley and jump. Risky but doable for a mere human like him. Piece of cake for Mara though. By she didn’t need to be there, she had the tickets. He checked the chronometer and Started to worry as Mara was taking longer than 15 minutes to come back. He had not heard anything - she was somewhere inside, perhaps finishing their makeup.

The doors of the concert hall opened 2 hours before the spectacle, exactly at 1 pm local time. It would be odd to be there alone, so he agreed that a small delay was not harmful to the plans. Then, he spotted an armored flying car arrived, surrounded by 6 speed bikes, each of them with 2 bodyguards. Legolas left the car followed by other 4 men. One bodyguard dismounted each of the speed bikes and the four began to inspect the surroundings, as if looking for anything suspicious. Harris knew they’d be coming to his direction and sneaked into the alley where Mara had entered and crouched behind the large dustbin. ‘That was close’, he thought to himself. Mara was facing Legolas Castor and 8 men in total in the concert hall, while six others were in the speed bikes. Not so dangerous, he thought. But where was the redhead? They had to adjust they com frequencies. Was she going to be that reckless? He held his breath in the hope Mara would reach him.

Mara Jade

She had never been a typical female. She had never been a typical human being either. But knowing how to look exactly right for every occasion was part of her job. A dune lady in Tatooine, a smuggler's female trophy or an underground dancer for some Hutt gangster, she didn't care. She finished her light makeup and fixed her elegant green dress in place. She was ready. She sensed Harris's tension as she walked back to him. Then she saw the armored vehicle and the bodyguards securing Castor's perimeter. "Seems someone's very afraid of something" she whispered into Harris's ear. "I should get in and merge with the locals" she said, not even trying to hide the annoyance in her voice.

Trooper Harris

Harris gasped surprised as she appeared out of nowhere. How has she sneaked in behind him out of nowhere? He decided not to ask - she was the Hand after all. “I got it. I think this is quite standard for these thugs. They’ll shoot at everyone they dislike or look suspicious. As I said, I will be in the rooftop. My radio frequency is YX682,76. If you have any com, use it - send it and I’ll wait for your Imperial code. If you need, I can throw a rope and pull you upwards - keep in mind this scape route, I don’t think you’ll need it anyway”, he stretched his hand to hold hers firmly. “I know you don’t need it, but.. good luck”, he said still paying attention to the speed bikes.

That was the firm time he tried physical contact with Mara. How would she react? He didn’t know. It was just instinct, hugging a fellow before the battle they could not return from.

Mara Jade

She squeezed Harris's hand tighter than she should, but she had accepted the fact that she cared for him, after all he was trustworthy and extremely valuable for the Empire. "You'll be able to hear everything" she told him, taking her golden round earring between her thumb and index, it was both communicator and microphone.

"If things get tough, we should have a key word, no imperial codes for safety" she warned, looking at Harris for the key word.

Trooper Harris

Harris felt her hand. Impressively, it was soft and warm. He wanted to stare at her face, to see how she was acting, but he didn’t find it professional. Neither would she. Besides that, the speed bikes were flying time and time again. He needed to find the precise time to sneak out of the alley without being seen.

“A key word?”, he asked surprised but it made sense, taking into account what had happened earlier. “Why not Luke for me and Arron for you?”, he smiled without facing her. He liked the irony of using the name of a rebel traitor. No one would suspect.

Mara Jade

"Works for me" she smiled. "Be careful Harris" she said, taking a last glimpse of her companion and heading for the concert hall entrance.

Mara walked slowly and careless, like any lady in high society would, looking around casually with the intention to detect anything abnormal. But everything was normal for the occasion. She watched Legolas Castor from a few feet away, he indeed looked like a man who had gained the favors of a criminal organization and the local government at the same time, probably cheating on both. She watched him closely, the way he moved, the way he talked, even the way he would constantly look around like a scared creature. That was the price he had to pay for his fortune and his fame. A couple of women walked up to him and begun chatting. Castor was being polite, if anything. Maybe, his attention wouldn't be as easy to catch as they had expected, but she had her tricks. The Force was quiet, not even the sensory overload inside the hall would make a presence, and that was a big sign on itself. There had to be Ysalamir around somewhere.

‘Damn it’, the Hand thought to herself, whomever who was responsible for the ambush at their arrival was now right there... or wasn't? What if Castor was so afraid of getting caught he would go the distance to prevent force users to have any advantage? This mission was getting more confusing by the minute, but one thing was clear: the only way to know was to get in the head of Legolas Castor, and that was her goal. She followed the crowd taking their seats slowly, and soon she was sitting next to Castor himself.

In less than five minutes, Harris was in the cable car swinging to jump to the rooftop of the concert hall. Dressed in a dark suit, which facilitated the camouflage and blurred the view depending on the circumstances, he reached the rooftop with ease. Just as the plans of the building indicated, there was a small hatch close to the east entry. It was locked but Harris used a small vibroblade to get it open. In the next instant, he was inside the building. The ceiling was empty - there was nothing unusual. He was walking down the corridor, towards the middle of the ceiling, where there was another opening. Then, Harris realized there was something should not be there: a 1-square metre cage with reptile-like creatures. That was odd. He promptly recalled that those were the same creatures that appeared in the ambush in the space port. ‘Damn it, it is a trap”, he thought to himself as he began to associate the incidents with the animals. He didn’t know why. His survival instincts, unrelated to the weak force he had, just hinted that. He recalled that Mara was vulnerable and nearly died there. Harris didn’t think twice: he opened the cage and slaughtered the three creatures. He had no idea what it could mean. Hopefully, he had done it right.

#swrp #maraandharris #chibias #Legolas Castor #vibroblade #MaraJade #ysalamir #ChibiasConcertHall

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