#glad I got that off of my chest. Time to lose some followers I guess even though I didn't say anything HORRENDOUSLY bad :D

[youunravelme]

jealousy jealousy

author’s note: hi...remember that time i wrote 2 fics and then disappeared? yeah me neither. i promise i’m still here, just trying to figure out life and force myself to write rather than just consume. this is already way too personal for strangers on the internet...anyway, here’s wonderwall (aka the jack x figure skater fic that no one asked for, this takes place in the figure skater universe that i have not written yet).

(oh and if you’re wondering, andrew is your figure skating partner)

jack hughes x figure skater!reader

warnings: nhl violence, cursing

him

it’s not that he hated andrew, it was just he wished he was the only one leaving bruises on your thighs. or the only one who got to kiss your cheek. jack watched from the stands as you two glided across the ice. he’d come to appreciate figure skating in the months you’d been dating ever since you’d forced him to try some of the basics of your sport and he’d fallen on his ass more times than he could count.

so it didn’t bother him, going to your performances, and watching you skate. he just hated how in love you looked when you gazed at andrew. or the way your legs would wrap around his head when just the night before--

he was getting ahead of himself.

at the end of the performance, when your smile was wider than the equator, an older woman to his left said, quite loudly if you asked him, to her friend. “i’m so glad they kept skating together after the break up, it would’ve been a shame to lose such chemistry.”

i’m sorry. 

what?

to say he was pissed when he saw you was an understatement. andrew’s arm around your waist just added fuel to the fire simmering in his chest. it made him want to throw away the bouquet of tulips he got you.

“what’d ya think?” you asked him with the biggest smile on your face, the silver medal dangling from your neck.

“you did great,” he stated, handing the flowers off to you. “can i talk to you?” he glanced at andrew and then the hand that still had not removed itself from your waist. “alone?”

you furrowed your brows but nodded anyway. you squeezed andrew’s arm and mumbled a thank you with a bright smile before following jack into a secluded part of the rink.

“what’s up, baby?”

“were you ever planning on telling me you dated andrew? or were you gonna just keep me in the dark about that?” your face dropped. guess he got his answer. “right. i’ll see you later.” jack moved around you, but your hand grabbed his arm gently.

“jack please, listen i didn’t think it was a big deal--”

“you didn’t think it was important for me to know that the person you spend the most time with, aside from me, is your ex?”

“you didn’t disclose all your exes either!”

“i’m not shoving my crotch in my ex’s face every day, nor am i making goo goo eyes at them for the entire world to see!” you didn’t say anything to that, so he took it as his cue to leave. “you did great tonight,” he said. “but i got to get home. i have a game tomorrow to prepare for.”

he walked away from you, and didn’t bother turning back, not even when andrew passed him and presumably went to your comfort. he didn’t get to see you reject andrew’s hug in favor of pressing the tulips closer to your chest.

when he got home, jack immediately called quinn. “do you have time to talk?”

“would you care if i said no?”

jack paused. “no. look this is an emergency.”

“shoot.”

“so you know the figure skater i’ve been dating?”

quinn hummed. “nice girl.”

“and you know how she has a male partner that she performs with, right?” quinn hummed again. “well apparently they used to date for like two years.”

“she told you that?”

“no, i found out through some random lady’s comment at her performance today. and then i got on the internet and well, i found out they dated for two years.”

“oh.”

“yeah, ‘oh’ is right. i mean why would she keep something like this from me? i’ve been honest, i’ve been working on myself because i thought i was crazy for thinking they had feelings for each other but they used to and hey, maybe they still do--”

“jack, you’re getting ahead of yourself. she’s with you, she likes you.”

“but what if he likes her? they spend all their time together, how am i gonna compete with that?”

quinn sighed into the receiver. “look, i’m by no means saying she should’ve kept this from you, because that’s a shitty thing to do. but as far as i can see? there’s no competition. you’ve already won. you got the girl, okay? he didn’t.”

jack wanted to agree, that at the end of the day, they chose each other. but he still couldn’t get over the thought of andrew’s hands and where they’ve been.

you

okay so you fucked up.

big time.

to be honest, you completely forgot about your past with andrew, seeing as most of it was overshadowed by over a decade of close friendship. but seeing the betrayal on jack’s face made everything ten times worse.

which is why you hesitated on going to his game that night only because you couldn’t decide if not showing up would make things worse or better. you came with andrew, which in hindsight was not the best decision you could’ve ever made, but when the new jersey devils asked you and your partner do to the ceremonial puck drop, your agent made it clear saying no would be a bad idea.

so you texted jack to give him a heads up that the both of you would be there and dropping the puck on orders of your agent but that you would still be watching the game afterward if he wanted you there.

he didn’t reply.

a knock on your door alerted you to andrew’s presence. so you scooped up your purse and put your platform high tops on before grabbing your keys and heading out.

“still nothing?” andrew asked. you shook your head. “do you think he’s being a little dramatic? i mean, he never shared all his exploits with his exes--”

“but he didn’t date a teammate, andrew.” you cut him off. “look, i get you’re trying to be supportive, but i’m in the wrong here.” andrew followed you down the stairs and out to his car.

“would it help if i told him i’m gay?”

“you mean would lying help? absolutely not.” andrew unlocked his car and you both hopped in. “do you need directions?”

andrew laughed. “i think i know where prudential is.”

you held up your hands and looked out the window as you tried to think of ways to somehow make the situation better.

or rather, keep from making it worse.

by the time you arrived at the arena, you were a basket case of nerves, suddenly second guessing every decision you made up to this point. “should i have just worn a t-shirt like you instead of his jersey? i’m wondering if i’m overstepping here.”

“look, there are few things that men love more than seeing their significant others in their clothes.”

“but does that rule apply to when you’re arguing?”

“it could!” andrew stopped you in your tracks, right before entering the arena, with his hands on your shoulders. “look, it’ll be okay. after tonight, if you only wanna hang out when we have practice until it all settles down, that’s fine by me.”

you looked at andrew and then back at the arena.

“okay.”

him

“hughesy, is there a reason your girlfriend asked me who is doing the puck drop?” nico asked him once jack walked into the locker room.

“she texted me earlier, i just haven’t replied. she’s doing it along with andrew,” he grumbled.

“trouble in paradise?”

“it’s a long story. and i don’t really want to talk about it,” he said as he pulled his gear on.

“you sure? might help to clear your head. if you’d like, you can do the puck drop if you want to see her--”

“--nope, i’m fine.” he sat down to put his skates on and stayed silent.

it wasn’t until they got onto the ice that jack started to calm down a little. the rink was his home, a place he could let go. he wasn’t worried about the problems in your relationship at the moment, not when he was playing one of the devils’ biggest rivals: the philadelphia flyers.

the team took a break from the warm ups to have the carpets rolled out for you and andrew. he couldn’t even look at you as you walked out, the announcer sharing all the accomplishments you share with andrew.

he stood to the side, ignoring the jabs from his teammates at the sight of you smiling and laughing. the thought alone had him consider forgiving you, until he glanced up right as andrew nudged you and the jealousy came back with a fiery vengeance. 

it only got worse when he saw nico give you a bear hug and in return you gave him an award winning smile.

honestly.

were you not even torn up about the situation you were in?

you

god, even looking at him hurt.

he didn’t even do you the courtesy of making eye contact, you would know, your eyes had only left his figure to smile at cameras or greet nico or the flyers’ alternate captain. maybe, if jack decided he actually wanted to be with you still, you could ask him who the hell that guy was.

when you and andrew turned around, he held the puck out for you. “you want it?” he asked.

you shook your head. “i’d rather have one that jack gave me, than remember the night he ignored me the entire time.”

him

was that his jersey you were wearing?

honestly he spent so much time trying not to look at you that the 86 on your sleeve didn’t pop out at him until you turned around and his teammates started catcalling at the sight of his last name on your back.

“that your girl, hughes? or just a fan?” mercer teased.

“shut up,” jack grumbled, but the heat in his cheeks was telling enough. he watched as you made your way back to the stands before he had to focus on getting his mind ready for the game, and much of that included forgetting what happened the day prior.

which he would love nothing more than to do.

you

“is this your first game wearing his jersey?” andrew asked as you took your seats.

you nodded, nervously wringing your hands as you watched him sit on the bench cheering on his teammates. there was no reason for you to be that nervous, but you couldn’t help but feel antsy anyway.

“hey,” andrew started. “what’s wrong?”

“i don’t know, maybe i’m still upset at myself? or scared he’ll break things off with me?”

your partner laughed. “that boy is too in love with you to break up after one incident. besides, you didn’t cheat you just--”

“forgot to tell him a key piece of information.”

“look, it’s not like you kept it from him maliciously. and given time, he’ll understand that.”

“i guess you’re--” you cut yourself off when jack got on the ice, your nerves shooting up tenfold. you watched him like a hawk, even if he didn’t have the puck.

hell, you weren’t even sure if andrew was talking to you because of how dialed in you were.

you didn’t move, you weren’t even sure you were breathing, until he scored, not even two minutes into being on the ice. you jumped from your seat and screamed, probably looking like a maniac or a fangirl.

you would consider yourself both at that point.

you watched as his teammates came up to hug him and slap his helmet. he spared a glance in your direction, giving you enough time to smile and give him a little wave. you fully expected him to ignore you like he’d done all night, but when his hand lifted up and waved back, you were on cloud nine.

the game started back up again and so did your excitement. 

until jack was slammed against the boards across the rink from you. if it weren’t for andrew’s hand holding your forearm in your seat, you would’ve jumped and yelled at the refs to do something.

“that’s not fair!” you shouted.

“it’s hockey,” andrew said like that was explanation enough.

“and? he just body checked him! jack is like 115 pounds soaking wet and that man--”

“--farabee--”

“--has like fifty pounds on him!”

“he actually doesn’t.” you whipped your head at andrew, ready to yell at him. “look, jack is fine. that’s why they wear pads. it’d be concerning if he was wearing a leotard like you and getting bodychecked, okay? this is the nature of the game.”

you crossed your arms. “i think it’s bullshit.”

him

he really hated farabee. and maybe hate was a strong word, but it felt like every two seconds he was getting checked into the boards which would’ve been fine if you weren’t there to see it happen.

“c’mon hughes, this is getting embarrassing.” was farabee’s latest quip of the night. and while he was no stranger to trash talk, something about the glint in farabee’s eyes was getting under jack’s skin. “that your girl right there?” he pointed to you while your brows were furrowed and head tilted. it would’ve been cute had farabee’s sudden interest in you not sent a cold chill down jack’s spine.

“shut up,” he grumbled before shoving his way past farabee in pursuit of the puck. but joel kept after him.

“she’s a looker, don’t ya think? how’d you manage to hit that?” jack’s fists clenched. “be honest, did you have to bribe her to go out with you? how much it cost? she looks like she’d be a good time--”

jack shoved him up against the boards. “shut the fuck up,” he all but growled before skating off.

keep your cool, jack. he’s just an asshole, you’ve dealt with assholes before.

he had the puck and was about to shoot before he was checked again, this time the wind being knocked from his lungs as joel stood over him. “go sit on the bench, hughes, while i go show your puck bunny a good time.”

that was it.

jack stood as quickly as he could and shucked his gloves off. 

you

horror was the only word you could use to describe the feeling that came over you as jack threw the first punch. you’d seen many of his games, often going back and watching clips on youtube, and never once have you seen him fight.

until today.

you were on your feet, clutching andrew’s arm, your fingernails digging into his arm. “oh my god,” you breathed.

you weren’t sure your jaw could drop any more than it already was. jack’s helmet came off first, but the other guy, “farabee” according to andrew, hit the ground first. jack was yanked down a second later.

if you were strong enough to break the glass, you would’ve just to get to him. because the punches didn’t stop, there was red on the ice, and you weren’t sure who was bleeding.

you hoped it was the other guy.

the refs split them up pretty quickly after farabee hit the ground. jack got up with blood trickling from his nose and lip, but looked otherwise unharmed. you didn’t care enough to look at the other guy.

“and keep her name out your mouth,” jack yelled across the ice as a ref ushered him to the penalty box.

your brow furrowed. surely he wouldn’t be dumb enough to...

you glanced at andrew who looked just as flabbergasted. “was that over...?” you trailed off.

“you or his mom,” andrew shrugged. a beat passed. “told you that toothpick loves you.”

him

his head felt ready to explode. though he wasn’t sure if it was because of the blood pumping from his nose or the rage he felt just a few seconds ago. but as the metaphorical dust settled, he searched the crowd for you only to find your eyes already on him.

you okay? you mouthed.

he nodded and drew his attention back to the game. he couldn’t look at you too long before getting angry again, this time, not at you but at the reminder of what farabee had said about you.

you might scold him for it later, in fact, if he was a betting man, he would’ve put money on the fact that you would, but it didn’t matter to him. normal trash talk was fine but involving you? poking an already open wound?

but he didn’t have time to worry about it, he’d figure it out after the game when he could touch your skin and assure himself that you wouldn’t leave him for someone else.

the second he was released back into the game, he came back with a vengeance. the fight wasn’t enough, he was going to score as many points as he could to beat their asses into the ground.

he was going to do it.

you

there was no way jack was human. or at least, not a superhero of some kind. there had to be some higher power that possessed your boyfriend’s body because he was a very good hockey player?

but that night? he was next level.

by the end of the game, he’d scored 4 points alone, and assisted nico in the one other point made by someone who wasn’t him. when the final buzzer blew, the score was 5-2, with new jersey taking the win.

“your boyfriend is insane!” andrew yelled over the cheers.

you smiled. “i know.”

the both of you walked towards the locker rooms, flashing your lanyard at security to let you through. 

“do you want me to wait for you?” andrew asked.

you shook your head. “i’ll get jack to take me home.”

“and if he doesn’t?”

“he will. especially when he finds out you left me.” andrew hugged you goodbye and departed towards the parking lot while you waited for jack to walk by. nico was first, smiling and hugging you quickly before heading back to the locker rooms. jack’s other teammates file out and wave, some stopping to give you a fist bump. 

unsurprisingly because fate was funny like that, jack was one of the last to head your direction. part of you seized up with fear, wondering if he was still mad about andrew, but the smile he gave you relaxed your shoulders.

jack dropped his helmet and stick in favor of holding you close. he held you tighter than normal, an arm around your waist, a hand in your hair, his face in your neck. 

“you okay?” you asked, trying to pull back to get a look at his face, but he only squeezed you tighter.

“i’m fine. just glad you’re here,” he mumbled into your neck. a beat passed before he pulled away and just stared at you. “did you drive here?”

you hesitated on telling him the truth, not wanting to ruin the moment but ultimately deciding lying would ruin things further. “i rode with andrew. he went home.” jack’s gaze darkened just a hair. “but i was hoping i could ride home with you.”

he nodded before leaning in to kiss you, pouting when you pulled out of reach. “baby--”

“your lip is split, hughes.”

“so?”

“i don’t wanna hurt you.”

“you’re hurting me now by not kissing me.” you sighed and gave in, your lips meeting his gently. 

“there, you happy?”

“nope,” he said, leaning back in.

“easy there, cowboy,” you laughed into his lips and placed a hand on his chest. “you need to shower.” you wrinkled your nose as the smell hit you finally.

“you mean you don’t love me as i am?” he teased.

you froze. you had yet to say those words but he didn’t seem to notice before someone was calling him away. “go,” you pushed him lightly towards the locker room. “i’ll be here.”

he kissed you one last time before running down the hall with his things.

you patiently waited for the thirty or so minutes it took for jack to get ready and speak with his teammates. he came out freshly showered and smiling despite the split lip.

“you ready?” he asked.

“i was waiting on you,” you replied.

jack rolled his eyes but tossed his arm over your shoulder and pressed a kiss to the side of your head anyway. the both of you stayed silent until you got in the car.

“do you wanna tell me what the fight was about?”

jack’s hand paused over the keys in the ignition before he turned the car on and shifted gears into reverse. “it’s nothing.”

you rolled your eyes. “you mean to tell me you got a split lip over nothing? i thought you valued honesty.”

jack sighed and put the car into drive. “he was making comments about you and i couldn’t stand to listen to them anymore.”

“what did he say?”

jack’s jaw clenched, as did his hands on the steering wheel. “it doesn’t matter. it’s over with.”

“if it bothered you, it matters, jack.”

“i’m not comfortable repeating it,” he said. “it’s over now, let’s just go home.”

you paused. “your home or mine?”

he reached over the center console and held your hand. “mine, if that’s alright.”

you nodded, words failing you for a moment. the air still felt tense, though you weren’t sure if it was from the argument you had or the game itself.

but it was the lack of communication that got you here in the first place, so you spoke up. “are you still mad at me? because i don’t blame you if you are, i just thought i’d ask.”

jack was quiet for a moment, letting your words permeate the air. “not really, but i’m still confused as to why you didn’t tell me you’d dated andrew before.”

some deep-seated part of you wanted to shrug it off, but you knew you might view it as casual, he might take it as being flippant. “it was so long ago,” you started. “and when i look at him, i don’t see my ex, i just see my friend who’s grown up with me.”

he nodded, hand still clutching yours. “what do you see when you look at me?”

you swallowed down the fear building in your chest. you hadn’t said those three words yet, but maybe now was the time? andrew’s words kept repeating in your head. told you that toothpick is in love with you.

you breathed.

“i see the love of my life.”

[britcision]

I am back! And with the beginnings of some answers to the mysteries, though sadly not the full John Constantine lowdown! But I will make it up to you all with some Harley shenanigans!

There just wasn’t enough space to get them both in and of course Harley comes first, I stan a queen (Quinn)

We’re gonna take a much closer look in Brucie’s head this time too as he gets a bunch of new information and maybe some new trauma, so this chapter and the next will be a lil Bruce heavy

(Jason is thrilled, believe me)

First Chapter:

Previous Chapter:

———————

Yeah This Might As Well Happen

Jason really wished he could just focus on having a good time with his family. The food was, as always, exquisite, and Sam and Tucker were moaning happily along with the others.

It smelled great. It looked great. It tasted great, but something in the back of Jason’s head just wouldn’t switch off.

Not until Danny came back.

Even the thought that Danny might be in danger while he just ate dinner sat like a lead weight in his stomach.

The expanded aura… well. It kind of helped? Being practically choked by Danny’s presence, aware in every pore of his skin that Danny was there, was fine, wasn’t hurting, did help.

It just. Made it impossible to really think about anything else.

He was barely following the conversation, just reading the intricacies of Danny’s mood changes and losing track of sentences as people said them.

Finally, finally, Danny’s aura shifted again.

Done-got him-no big deal-coming back.

Jason almost sagged in his seat, shoulders unknotting marginally (they probably wouldn’t finish until he could see Danny and prove he was fine).

Sent impatient-relieved-happy-hurry back as well as he could, and nearly dropped his fork at the warm swell of affection he received in return.

Well.

Affection-amused-teasing.

Clearing his throat, Jason did his best to will away the heat along the back of his neck. Nope, he wasn’t gonna blush when Danny wasn’t even here to look at him while smothering him in those feelings.

And it was definitely just the pit curling up into a little buzzing ball of happiness in his chest. Definitely not actually Jason melting like snow under a blow torch.

Whatever.

Danny was fine, he’d be back soon and Alfred had saved them both plates. And sure, maybe something in Jason wouldn’t unclench until he could see Danny in person, but letting Alfred’s cooking go cold was a sin.

He dug into his still steaming plate, forcing his shoulders to relax a little. Tucker and Tim were still talking about tech, currently disparaging what the GIW thought were elite security measures.

Harley had lured Sam, Duke, and Cass into a discussion of her new place in Coney Island at the other end of the table, and yeah, Jason could get interested in that.

Someone might have already asked, but hey. He waited for a convenient pause and leaned in.

“Didn’t Croc move down there with you? He and Riddler attacked the gala last night,” he explained when Harley made a curious noise, head cocking to one side.

Her brow furrowed, so apparently the others hadn’t gotten this far yet. Not sure if he was glad or gonna tease them mercilessly later.

“He what? Yeah, he moved in, but he came back this way ta keep me company as I came up here. Someone’s tryin’ ta give me a hard time cuzza my criminal record, an’ they’re gettin’ intel from one of your local problems,” she added with a shrug, waving her hand.

Cuz yeah, that was also on the list; she’d been up with Ivy, neither of them noticeably causing trouble before apparently Ida Manson got them out of town.

Cass made a small noise of concern and Harley patted her hand, grinning.

“Oh, don’t you worry about me doll, it’s all under control. Thought it might be Pengy havin’ another go at my spot but he burst into tears when I walked in so it’s prob’ly not him,” she said with a very self satisfied smile.

Jason chuckled softly because… yeah, he could picture that. It tracked.

“Smart man,” Duke agreed with a snicker and Harley gave him a fist bump.

“Yeah, I’ll run ‘em down. But why was Waylon at the gala? He jus’ said he was gonna look inta some shit while I was gone,” Harley asked, looking around the table for an answer.

Jason shrugged.

“All their demands were for Harvey Dent. Apparently he was planning to make a run and they beat him to the punch,” he explained, in as much as he understood.

If no one else had a hand on Dent by tonight, he miiiight stretch one of his Red Hood patrols out of Crime Alley to go for a look see.

The man missed his party. The least Jason could do was pay a personal visit.

“Croc mentioned Jason,” Cass noted with a small frown, looking up at him with concern.

And, yeah, that was the other reason he was thinking of getting involved. He couldn’t imagine what the fuck he’d done as a civvie to annoy Dent.

Harley huffed, blowing blonde bangs off her face and lacing her fingers, pointing at Jason.

“Okay, so we gotta go talk to Waylon tomorrow and find out what’s goin’ on. He’s comin’ with me back to Coney when the time comes so he ain’t got time for Arkham,” she said firmly, and something settled in Jason’s gut.

Waylon had so badly wanted the Red Hood not to turn out like he had; another criminal permanently trapped in the system. Yeah, he’d like to return the favour.

Of course, not everyone in the room was up on all the secrets. Sam leaned forward, breaking her quiet streak that as far as Jason knew was her longest ever.

“Wait, you’re going to break that guy out of jail? He wanted to strap a bomb vest to Jason,” she said harshly, finally snapping Tim and Tucker out of their little happy world.

Jason raised both hands.

“He didn’t succeed.” Much as Danny had freaked out about it, Jason wasn’t gonna complain about things that hadn’t happened.

Too much like it actually happened every day, he’d never be done.

Oh. Maybe that was kinda why Danny had freaked out. That probably wasn’t good.

His personal revelation was dampened by Harley waving a hand easily.

“Nah nah nah, we’re not gonna break ‘im out tomorra. He’s gonna tell us what the fuck he was thinkin’, I’m gonna break Dent’s kneecaps, and Batsy’s gonna give a character statement an’ get ‘im released ta me for community service.”

And if any of that didn’t work, they could still just break Croc out the next day. Jason knew the unspoken corollary.

Tucker’s eyebrows raised and he said the very stupidest thing that Jason had ever heard from a genius, and he’d seen Tim on 72 hours of no sleep.

“You know Batman?” He asked incredulously.

Harley stared at him for a long moment. Then snickered.

“Yeah, we know each other from work,” she said dryly, waving her fork, “we go way back.”

The assorted bats snickered to themselves and Tucker sunk back in his chair a little, grinning sheepishly around the table.

“Yeah… sorry.”

Sam rolled her eyes, arms folded as she frowned down the table. She clearly had a bigger question, which was probably fair for anyone who didn’t know the combined Harley-and-bats history.

“And you think Batman will do you a favour? He’s not exactly known to listen to reason,” she pointed out half sarcastically. Not that anyone in the room would argue.

There was a reason Jason loved her.

Harley weighed her up for a moment, then grinned, leaning forward.

“Y’know, kid, I don’t think we were introduced. There’s somethin’ real familiar about you,” she mused, folding her arms on the table and leaning over them, plate slowly nudged aside.

Sam smirked and shrugged. They were meeting a lot of new people these past couple days, but if she’d been doing the gala circuit her whole life?

Yeah, this probably wasn’t the worst. Harley was better than Jason had ever met at a party.

“Sam Manson. Friend of Jason’s through Danny,” she added with a nod to the empty seat still between her and Jason.

Harley beamed, hiking forward onto the table a little more.

“Oh, you’d be Ida’s granddaughter then?” She asked brightly, clearly pleased to have been right. “Your granny’s a real doll, sent me and Ivy on a real sweet vacation this week.”

Sam chuckled softly and nodded, giving Harley a half apologetic half cocky smile.

“Yeah, that’d be my fault. I’m not allowed to come to Gotham if there’s a chance Poison Ivy is in town,” she explained, fingers on her left hand tapping against her right arm.

Both of Harley’s brows went up.

“Oh? Are they scared somethin’ might happen to ya?” She asked, tone already very firmly suggesting she knew the answer.

So did most of the rest of the table, though Duke hadn’t actually heard the explanation last night. Not like he needed to, having met Sam for more than five minutes.

Sam didn’t disappoint. She gave another elegant half shrug, her smile turning fully dark.

“Oh, more the opposite. They think I’ll run off and join her if I see her,” she said innocently. Across the table, Tucker snorted most of a laugh.

A moment later Harley joined him, tossing her head back and laughing.

“Yeah, that sounds like Ida’s girl,” she agreed, wiping a dainty tear from her eye, “she was a real spitfire in her younger days, the stories she told Ivy when they were protestin’ together were wild.”

Sam was practically glowing with pride, and Jason had to admit that he would kinda like to meet her grandmother. He’d met her parents, and… well, maybe awesome skipped a generation.

Harley suddenly stopped, head cocking as she noticed something, a sly smile creeping across her face.

“So if they think you’ll run away with Ivy… whadda they think’ll happen if ya run into me?” She asked with a delicately studied innocence, examining her nails.

“Only good things,” Cass offered, grinning past Jason at Sam. Sam grinned back, giving Harley a shrug and a similarly innocent smile.

“Y’know, they’ve just never mentioned it. Clearly there’s no concerns there,” she agreed, and Jason snickered, raising his glass in a toast.

“None here,” he noted and Sam laughed, clinking her glass against his. Dick raised a hand, fighting a laugh.

“One concern for the integrity of Bruce’s skull?” He offered innocently, and laughed when Jason threw a napkin at him.

“If Bruce’s skull was gonna break it’d have done it years ago,” Steph opined as the voice of experience. Jason raised his glass to her too, but she was a little far to clink.

She grabbed hers up and raised it back anyway, and Sam filled the gap, clinking hers to Jason’s and then to Steph’s to pass it on.

“It’s good for him ta get his eggs scrambled,” Harley agreed from the other end of the table, raising her glass too, “and I’m gonna guess you did some percussive maintenance too that I’ll ask about later.”

“Bruce might still have a concussion,” Duke offered, not completely certain where he sat with this kind of joking, but the kid was new.

You had to watch Bruce try and kill himself going out on patrol with more bones broken than whole a couple times before you gave in to his indestructibility.

Shit, maybe he should ask Danny if Bruce was liminal. For all the guy was technically a default human, Jason knew literal aliens with a better grasp on humanity.

And ghosts, now.

Harley gave him a nod anyway and patted his hand.

“I’ll aim low then sugar, don’t you fret. But to answer yer other question, Sam, Batman’s gonna get Waylon out for me cuz he doesn’t want ‘im in Arkham any more ‘n we do. Bats wants us all ta get better, and Waylon does best left alone,” she explained with a shrug.

“Until you leave him unsupervised and he teams up with Riddler?” Tim asked with a slight smile.

Jason shook his head, leaning forward on his arms too.

“He wouldn’t do it for no reason. He asked what I’d done to upset Two Face, but I can’t think of anything.” They didn’t even cross paths often.

Dent had taken Red Hood’s claim on Crime Alley as a given, learned quickly that Jason didn’t give a shit about playing nice, and minded his business.

“You sound like you know him pretty well,” Tucker said with a slight frown, and Jason shrugged.

Yeah, Tucker wasn’t in on the Robin thing yet. Luckily there was an easy answer.

“I grew up in Gotham. You guys keep coming back and you’ll get a feel for most of ‘em too.”

Tucker hesitated for a moment, probably thinking back to Amity and their own ghostly rogues. Then he nodded, settling back to poke at his mostly finished plate.

Tim still didn’t look convinced, but he didn’t know Waylon the way Jason did. They’d never had the chance to talk beyond the usual Robin-and-Rogue.

Jason could prove his point tomorrow. Maybe bring Danny along.

And like the thought summoned him, Jason’s phone buzzed to a text from Danny.

‘DannyP: who tf is Constantine??👀👀🤣’

**

Bruce sucked in a deep breath, eye closing, and forced himself to exhale.

He fucking hated magic.

So. Analysis.

From what he understood of Constantine’s general capabilities, him being difficult to find by malicious forces was not unexpected. That seemed credible.

Did Bruce count as a malicious force?

A stern self inventory, past the part that insisted he’d never wish harm on a teammate on principle, and… yes.

He would never have followed the impulse, would have stomped it down the moment he found the man, but he couldn’t deny the urge to lay hands was there.

He’d even been devising new layers of paperwork to insist the man fill out. With, yes, malice in his heart. Just a little bit of spite.

If that counted into making the man impossible to contact… well, he’d bear it in mind. And talk with Zatanna and Dr Fate and see it they could fine tune those wards a little more.

No matter how angry he was about Amity Park, he didn’t want anything actually harmful to happen to a colleague. Even this colleague. Although if he had to pick one…

No. That wasn’t a helpful train of thought.

Taking another steadying breath, this one slower and more evenly, he glanced down at the car. Danny wouldn’t hear anything while inside, but that wouldn’t stop him opening a door to ask what the hold up was.

Forcing Brucie’s casual tones on was harder than normal, but that was expected.

“I can’t really talk about that right now. Can you come by to visit tonight?” Bruce paused, checking his watch. Coming up on seven. “In an hour or so?”

*

The smile dropped off Constantine’s face as quickly as it had formed. Of fucking course the bat wanted everyone to run around to his fuckin’ schedule.

Raising hell for John all fuckin’ night and all fuckin’ day but when John actually got back to him it was all “oh now’s not a good time”.

His more spiteful side wanted to insist on right now, he was a busy man and he had shit to do that Batman wouldn’t even wanna fuckin’ think about.

Shit, John didn’t like thinking about it.

But it was only an hour, and he could use the damn zeta tubes, and it wasn’t like he’d been planning on fuckin’ sleeping. Why would he do that?

And if it unfucked his communicators, he could use that hour to ask the Superboys what the fuck they were playing at in Alaska.

And then he could sleep, Bat off his ass and conscience clean. Fuck it.

“Yeah, whatever. Wanna tell me what’s got your damn panties in a twist in case there’s shit I need to get ready?”

So of course Bat-tastic said the two worst words Constantine had heard in his life.

“Amity Park.”

Fuck.

**

Bruce didn’t enjoy the sharp little intake of breath, followed by no sass whatsoever. It wasn’t easy to make John Constantine speechless.

No, this was definitely just satisfaction that the man knew the gravity of what he’d done. That whatever reasons he’d had, he knew Bruce would be waiting for a damn good explanation.

That there might be one.

Bruce didn’t like even considering that an ally would have done something so serious just because he didn’t want to deal with it. Even Constantine.

When the man hadn’t spoken almost a minute later, Bruce took pity on him.

“I’ll see you in an hour.”

Constantine managed a weak agreement and he nodded, satisfied at least that the man would still be there. And if he wasn’t, Bruce could work out a way to reach him again.

Someone had obviously found him to tell him Bruce was looking for him. And apparently there were consequences for Constantine too if he tried to avoid him.

He hesitated for a moment before getting back into the car. He’d been planning to ask Danny gently about Amity Park, to try and work out what had happened.

Something light that might make him lower his guard. Then turn the subject to Jason. How precisely Danny was helping him. What he knew of the pits.

They wouldn’t have time for a full interrogation, not even in the tail end of rush hour traffic, but it would be a start.

But did he want to tip his hand now? Before Constantine gave him the truth about Amity Park, when all it would take was a matter of hours?

Danny likely knew that Brucie was a mask, but it might be useful to keep it on just a little longer.

Light subjects only then. From what Dick and Tim had reported, Danny was equally likely to just drop some huge revelation to see what Bruce would do.

Yes.

Perhaps he could bait that tendency by being innocuous.

Bruce slid back into the driver’s seat, giving Danny his best, emptiest smile.

“So sorry about that. Just a business contact I’ve been having trouble tracking down, so I didn’t want to let him slip away again.” Honesty, in case he could tell.

They would need to get a better idea of Danny’s power-set. If Duke couldn’t do it alone, perhaps Tim’s observation skills could help.

Danny barely glanced up from his phone, shooting Bruce a quick grin before returning his attention to the screen.

“Yeah? Didn’t know anything got done over the new year, I’d have thought everyone was too hung over.” It sounded like a joke, a cheerful prod.

Bruce swore internally anyway, because he was right. Clearly he knew more than an average student.

He didn’t let it show, chuckling along good naturedly.

“Oh I’d have much preferred getting this done with before the new year, but some people are a little hard to get hold of,” he explained jovially, starting the car and backing out.

Danny hummed an agreement, not looking up from his phone. A sharp glance (he could always say he was checking the boy was strapped in) did not show him the screen.

When had Danny strapped in? Bruce would swear he hadn’t when he’d sat, but it was there now.

Clearly his apparent absorption was a trick. Intended to remind Bruce of a typical young adult, make him lower his guard.

Danny stifled a laugh just as they were leaving the garage, and Bruce barely resisted another effort to look over. The screen would still be tilted away.

His opponent was a cunning one.

Or he was overreacting. It could be a real innocence, not a calculated one. A young man paying more attention to his phone?

He wouldn’t have thought it sinister if it were Tim, Dick, Duke, any of their friends.

No.

He couldn’t take that chance. Not with Jason. He couldn’t afford to relax his guard.

It was unfair to Danny, unfair to both of them.

He’d lost Jason once by not paying close enough attention, and Bruce would be the very first to admit that he’d never gotten his boy back.

Jason had returned in body, mind, and soul, just like he’d wished and prayed for for so long. But there was a distance now that Bruce had no idea how to bridge.

He’d thought he was on the right path last night, but a constant nagging in his gut told him he was wrong.

Every time he closed his eyes he saw Jason’s shocked, white face when he’d apologised. It was a blessing he’d had enough to keep him from his bed.

He’d been so sure it was the right move. The next step to closing the distance between them. Offering Jason the public apology, the acknowledgement that Bruce had failed him.

But that was why Bruce would face gods and walk backwards into Hell before he let anything else try and take his baby boy from him again.

“Y’know, you could just tell Jason you love him.”

Bruce nearly crashed the car.

Luckily they were at a red light, so his reflexive slamming hit the brake, not the gas, and the car barely lurched.

When he was sure his heart was still beating, he chanced a glance over at Danny.

The boy was half smirking down at his phone, clearly aware of the consternation he’d caused, and looked up when he felt Bruce’s eyes on him.

And shrugged, like it was nothing.

“Dude, you’re brooding so hard there’s basically a black cloud over your head.”

Add mind reading to the list of suspected powers.

Bruce felt his eyes narrowing before rigid control snapped back into place, keeping his expression Brucie-open.

“What do you mean?” He asked, in a tone he knew gave nothing away.

Danny snorted like he’d told a joke.

“Man, I’m just saying. Jason barely thinks you fuckin’ like him, it’d save you both a lot of trouble if you’d just sit him down and tell him how you feel.”

Bruce hesitated for a long moment, staring into deep blue eyes that suddenly seemed as deep and unreadable as the deepest ocean. As old as time.

Then he forced his eyes back to the road as the light turned and cars started moving again.

That. Couldn’t be true. It was an attempt at manipulation.

A predator expertly analysing what he thought was Bruce’s greatest weakness, striking to do as much damage as he could.

Of course Jason knew that Bruce loved him. He must have. He had to.

There was no way this stranger who by all accounts Jason had known for barely a week could know more about Jason’s life than his own father.

**

Danny hummed softly to himself, most of his attention on his phone as he texted back and forth with Jason.

‘DannyP: ur dad is giving me the biggest cop energy rn 😳🚔🚔’

Mostly ignoring just the solid waves of angst emanating from Bruce like miasma. Poor guy was only wrapping himself tighter in his own head for Danny’s interjection.

‘JTodd: Yeah Dickie comes by it honestly.’

That was probably a sign Danny shouldn’t do it again.

‘DannyP: 👀👀 think he’s mad at me’

Danny wasn’t great at following signs. Or sitting quietly, in all honesty.

‘JTodd: No one told you not to fly back.’

‘DannyP: Imma make it worse 😈😈’

Tucking his feet up to the edge of his seat, he slumped down as low as he could, glancing up at Bruce through his bangs.

“Sooooooo, how was lunch with Vlad? You seem to have survived, so I’m gonna guess football didn’t come up much?” He prodded, still half suspecting Masters had been up to something.

Bruce wasn’t overshadowed, didn’t have any of Vladdie’s taint that said it had happened in the past, but Danny wasn’t gonna rule out something new.

And all the clenching the big guy was doing on the wheel and on his jaw looked kinda painful.

‘JTodd: I’ll give a touching speech at your funeral.’

Bruce did finally force himself to relax though, sucking in a breath like he’d forgotten he had to.

Mood. Danny forgot about breathing a fair chunk too. Didn’t always remember to do it at all.

His posture changed too, shifting forcefully back to the more lax, open lines of his public persona, but there wasn’t much point. Danny could still feel his aura locked shut like a steel trap.

Being Batman kinda seemed like it sucked so far, and Bruce hadn’t even been a high school hero. Guess being an adult didn’t really make everything easier after all.

The smile he shot Danny didn’t show any of the inner turmoil though, so kudos there.

“It was great, actually. Your godfather is a very charming man,” he added, and Danny stuck his tongue out.

“Oh we’re so not calling him that. He’s just Vladdie, nothing to do with me at all,” he corrected vehemently, making a face.

Checked his phone.

‘DannyP: ABORT ABORT ABORT MISSION HE LIKES VLAD 😡🤮😱’

Bruce made a curious noise beside him, and Danny huffed. There were some things that would have been simpler if Vlad had just been brain washing him.

“Oh? He speaks very highly of you, Danny. I’m a little surprised you don’t get along.” The big guy was clearly fishing, and Danny would give him something to catch alright.

“Yeah? Cuz all he’s ever said to me was that I’m weak, lazy, unmotivated, and will never amount to anything without him. Oh, and that he wants to kill my dad and marry my mom,” he added as an afterthought.

And watched Bruce from the corner of his eye. He looked honestly surprised, but Danny had already learned not to judge from his face.

He felt surprised too though. Surprised and suspicious.

‘JTodd: He’s a great judge of character.’

Fuck it was hard not to laugh at his just flawless acting when Danny had the cheat sheet into his heart.

They drove in silence for a block, Bruce apparently not sure what to say, and Danny gave him a pat on the elbow.

“Don’t feel bad. I dunno what he’s playing at either, but he’s really, really good at telling people what they want to hear.”

And didn’t that do some interesting things to the guy’s aura. Danny had to bite the inside of his lip to keep from laughing.

No matter what he fucking said, it seemed to be convincing Bruce that he was sketchier and sketchier.

‘DannyP: okay but literally every word i say’s making him more and more suspicious and he didn’t even get whammied this is bs 😔😒💔’

He did kinda regret that one pretty much immediately, a sudden wave of protective anger pulsing through his aura.

Making a face again, he focused on wrapping Jason up in his own, soothing him with gentle reminders safe-safe-i’m fine-not hurting me.

Yeah, there were some fucking Issues with a capital I that Danny deadass just wasn’t gonna touch until Jazz got a look in.

No matter what though, he didn’t fucking like what it told him about Bruce. About Jason’s relationship with Bruce.

Maybe he shoulda brought the Fenton thermos. He usually had one on him, but his suit hadn’t come with pockets you could hide a thermos in.

For all Sam bitched about her dress, she coulda carried a rocket launcher and no one would have known.

He was so busy focusing on Jason he didn’t actually notice that Bruce was talking to him again until the man had repeated his name a couple of times, now sounding worried.

Feeling suspicious. Sounding worried.

“Danny?”

Danny shook his head, hair flopping around his face and half his attention still on Jason’s cranky ass.

“Sorry, didn’t catch that,” he said still half distracted, and felt the suspicion ramp up another notch.

For all that he couldn’t laugh aloud, wrapping the desire and the need to laugh around Jason seemed to be helping. He settled enough to text back anyway.

‘JTodd: Sorry. Probably my fault.’

Well that was bullshit.

“I said I’m sorry, Danny. He mentioned you had a difficult past, but I had no idea…”

And yeah, that probably was too. Easy to prioritise though.

‘DannyP: ur gonna be Jazz’s final psych project if u keep that up and i will not save u 😤🫡👻’

‘DannyP: 🖕💋he’s a grown ass adult and so am i and i can be a sketchy bitch just fine on my own sir’

And since Bruce was going to take whatever he did as suspicious anyway, Danny might as well get him warmed up for Harley.

“Yeah, well, don’t go throwing a public party to all of high society about it. Trust me, I do not need a second creepy billionaire trying to make me a show pony.”

Another block of silence, but Danny was satisfied that this one was at least less certain. Felt like a big decision was afoot.

Finally Bruce sighed and deflated, and for once his aura matched the gesture.

“It was a mistake, wasn’t it?” It almost wasn’t a question. Danny figured that progress deserved a reward anyway. Kinda.

“Well again, Harley Quinn came back from the Amazon to kick your ass about it, so yes. I think we can both agree that was a bad life choice.”

Bruce’s grip tensed on the steering wheel a little and Danny relented. Fuck him for being a softie.

Even when he was also still kinda pissed, it was hard to ignore the sudden doubt, fear, guilt suddenly stinking up the car.

The anger, much more familiar. Danny knew exactly what to do about angry people, but Bruce’s anger felt a little too familiar. A little too internal-only.

“He said you’d never told him you were sorry before, man. Not even once until you shoved him right into the spotlight. What does it say that you can say it to me but not him?” He asked softly.

Bruce was quiet for most of the rest of the drive, but since he actually seemed to be thinking about what Danny had said, Danny left him to it.

It was as they were finally pulling up to the gates of Wayne Manor that he spoke again.

“I may not have been much of a father to Jason, but I won’t see him hurt again. Not if I can help it.” There wasn’t actually any menace in the tone.

Just a stone cold certainty that was way, way scarier.

Well. Probably for anyone who wasn’t the actual ghost king. Or just uncontrollably sarcastic.

Danny grinned.

“Well if this is gonna be your shovel talk, you should be aware that I’ve already been six feet under. It takes a lot to scare me,” he teased, resting his bare feet on the console in front of him.

Outside, the gate swung slowly open. Bruce took advantage of the pause to stare directly at him again, those blue eyes suddenly piercing and not even trying to hide the intelligence within.

“Noted.”

And okay. Maybe Danny needed to invest in some more one liners, cuz that was way fucking cooler than any complicated threat or pun.

Kinda hated how cool it was, actually.

He let just a little of the eldritch creep into the smile he gave back.

“Oh, and Bruce? Samesies. Seems like Jason has a lot more people who have his back than he thinks he does, but now? He’s also got me. And Harley’s probably the nice one.”

If the guy was going to think the fucking worst of Danny no matter what, might as well use that to try and make him be a less shitty dad.

Shovel talking the Ghost King? That took some balls.

Bruce didn’t seem to be noticeably intimidated though. Just stared at Danny for a long moment, eyes narrowed, before he nodded again.

“You don’t know Harley well,” he remarked dryly, heading on up the ridiculously long driveway to the house.

Danny didn’t actually manage to pull all the way back into human tones before he laughed, the shadows stretching and creaking around the sound.

“Yeah, fair point.” He sure as shit wouldn’t argue it where she could hear him after all.

**

It took Steph to finally bring the conversation back around to the thermos.

They’d moved on to telling Harley the actual details of what had happened at the gala, from Bruce’s crimes to Sam and Danny’s.

Harley was absolutely delighted by the whole story, and it was Steph who gave Sam a gentle nudge, grinning at her.

“Y’know, I never got around to asking why you even had that giant thermos. I was with you most of the night and I never saw you drinking from it?” She asked.

Sam chuckled softly, reaching into the deep pocket of Cass’s pants and pulling out the thermos in question. She always had one on her.

Tucker was supposed to as well, but if he knew she was gonna be there? Yeah, he tended to forget. Or save the space for something more interesting.

“Oh, this? Yeah this really isn’t a drinking thermos,” she explained, setting it on the table and sharing an amused glance with Tucker.

Maybe side eying Jason. It was gonna be a drinking thermos for him, poor bastard.

Steph’s eyebrows rose and she reached out, taking the thermos when Sam nodded her assent. Turning it over in her hands.

“Wait, so it’s strictly a combat thermos?” She asked like it was a joke, grinning at Sam as she unscrewed the lid.

Tucker stifled a laugh from across the table and Sam grinned back, leaning back in her chair. The table had been cleared of dinner by now, but dessert they’d wait on Bruce and Danny for.

Speaking of Danny…

“Actually, yeah. The Fenton Thermos is pretty much our best tool for the rogue attacks we get in Amity Park,” she explained with a modest shrug.

Steph looked even more surprised, hefting the unexpected weight of what looked like an empty thermos.

“It made a pretty good throwing weapon,” Dick offered from the end of the table. Tucker snickered and shook his head, holding out a hand to Steph.

“It’s not actually meant to be for throwing, but that definitely worked,” he agreed, gesturing for the thermos.

Turning it to show the table, Tucker pointed to the big green button on the side. The big, obvious green button that you could pretty easily press by accident.

“You can capture ghosts with it once they’ve been weakened, and then Danny lets them out back in the Ghost Zone. It doesn’t actually hurt them, but apparently it’s not comfortable.”

“How do you know, if it only catches ghosts?” Duke asked, a slight frown on his face and he leaned forward to see around Tim.

Tucker shot him a smug grin, twirling the thermos and passing it back to Sam. Clearly enjoying his time in the spotlight, and Sam wouldn’t begrudge him that.

Not when she could bully him about showing off for his new boyfriend later. It was kinda cute watching that hero worship turning into an actual proper crush.

Cuter that Tim was being just an average guy, and Tucker was still losing his shit over it. Sweet revenge for all those times the boys teased her about her crush on Val.

“Well, for one thing pretty much all of our ghosts have stopped trying to attack these days, and some of them are actually pretty chill? Buuuut you can also use it to catch half ghosts,” Tucker explained with a smug grin.

Sam chuckled, taking the cap back from Steph and screwing it back on.

“Danny says it’s like being squished into a really tight sleeping bag. Worse if someone else is in there with him, but they can’t really move or fight in there.”

“If someone’s been a real pain in the ass sometimes Danny keeps them in Soup Time for a week or so as punishment,” Tucker added, leaning back in his chair and folding his arms behind his head.

“Isn’t that unethical?” Dick asked, down beside Damian, and Sam raised an eyebrow at him.

“Oh, do the people you arrest only get locked up for a day or so?” She asked dryly and Dick grinned, raising both hands.

“They don’t get locked in really tight sleeping bags. But what happens after they’re let out? They just go back in the Ghost Zone?” He prodded, not quelled by her stare this time.

Good. More fun when people fought back. And, for a cop, Dick wasn’t really all that bad.

He’d probably get fired for that pretty soon.

Sam shrugged, taking over the explanation for now and tucking the thermos back into her pocket.

“Pretty much. Most of the ghosts pretty much just showed up to fight Phantom and the trouble they caused around town was part of that.”

“Phantom being Danny’s superhero name?” Tim asked, looking extremely covetously at where the thermos had disappeared under the table.

Sam stuck her hand in the top of the pocket, keeping it on the lid of the thermos. They didn’t exactly have enough to spare.

Of course Tucker swept in when his boytoy had a question.

“Yeah, that’s him. The town used to call him Inviso-Bill until he actually told someone to call him Phantom instead,” he added, snickering.

Sam couldn’t resist chuckling along; honestly, if she ever learned who’d started that nickname she’d send them flowers. It was fucking priceless.

“Yeah. There were some rowdier ghosts, usually when their Obsessions got triggered, but honestly? Once they were beaten most of them settled down. It was just the ones that wanted to brawl with Danny that kept coming back.”

“We didn’t really have anything else to do with them either,” Tucker pointed out with a snicker, shaking his head, “it was Soup Time, back home, or the Fenton family dissection table.”

Their hosts looked suitably disturbed at that, Harley leaning in from her end of the table to be the voice of the room.

“The Fenton family what the fuck? Didn’t ya say the kid was a Fenton?” She asked sharply.

Sam ran a quick mental check of the list Danny had cleared them to talk about. Yeah, the Fenton parents were on it.

Just not the Ghost King stuff, anything about Jason, and anything specific about Ellie. No worries there.

She shrugged again, fingers tapping on the table. From her guess and Jason’s texting, Danny should be back soon.

“The Fenton parents were the ones who made a portal to the Ghost Zone in the first place. They were really interested in dissecting and studying any ghosts they could catch for a long time,” she explained dryly, not bothering to hide her feelings on the matter.

Duke looked a little sick. Maybe she should tone it down some, for the young and innocent among them.

“But that’d include Danny,” Dick pointed out, suspicion rising towards horror.

Sam fixed her gaze on him, not letting him look away.

“Yeah. It did. Which is why the three of us spent our high school years fighting ghosts and protecting the town in secret, cuz if we told anyone we thought Danny would go on the table.”

“They totally took it way better than we thought though,” Tucker tacked on quickly, searching something up on his PDA, probably for pictures of the GAV. “They’re Phantom’s biggest fans now.”

He tilted the screen to show Tim, whose jaw dropped.

Yeah, to be fair, words didn’t do the GAV’s new paint job justice. Tucker passed the tablet on to Tim to show Duke and Harley, and it made its way around the table.

They were probably running out of time.

Sam leaned in, catching the attention of the rest of the table and making eye contact with most of them.

“Some basic etiquette though, before Danny gets back? You never, ever ask a ghost how they died. They might bring it up, but you don’t ask. Okay?”

“Wait, why not?” Tim asked, his brows furrowing as he turned back to her. “Isn’t that the first thing they do in all those ghost hunting shows?”

Which. Well. Sam had a whole special rant about ghost hunting shows and their bullshit, but before she got started Jason cut her off.

“Cuz dying fucking sucks, Timmy. Do you wanna bug Steph or Dick about the times they died?” He asked pointedly, and Tim flushed.

Yeah, that kinda explained the death taint Sam could just about taste from half the table. She wasn’t going to mention it, because she had some damn manners.

Tim seemed to have gotten the point though, stammering a quick apology and sinking back into his seat. Tucker gave him a conciliatory pat on the shoulder.

“Pretty much the first thing you gotta learn about real ghosts is that ghost hunters have no idea what they’re doing. They don’t even ecto infuse their tech,” he added with a derisive snort.

Sam rolled her eyes, stifling a grin. Alfred had disappeared, which probably meant Danny was imminent.

“Harder to do without a ghost or half ghost on your team, Tuck. But more to the point, do you guys wanna see the Fenton Thermos in action?” She asked innocently, pulling it back out of her pocket to wiggle.

Once again, Harley spoke for the table.

“Hell yeah. Are ya gonna throw it at Brucie again too?” She asked brightly, and Sam paused, considering.

Finally sighed and shook her head.

“Probably not. I’ll let you handle him,” she decided, smirking as Harley reached back down for her trusty bedazzled bat.

“That’s what the ol’ Therapy Bat’s for,” Harley agreed brightly, getting to her feet. She’d clearly clocked Alfred’s exit too. And the approaching sets of footsteps.

Sam grinned and readied the thermos.

**

Bruce had almost forgotten that Harley would be waiting until Danny reminded him. An unusual lapse for him, but he had a lot on his mind.

The only thing he wanted to do was get down to the cave and talk to Constantine; to finally get some answers, both on what had gone wrong in Amity Park and precisely what was keeping them out now.

He had the very tiniest bit of hope that one question might also hold the answer to the other; that it was perhaps something Constantine had done, or could undo.

He did not like having to rely on biased secondary sources for data. It was frustrating to run into so many dead ends.

Luckily for him though, Danny had reminded him, which meant he could take Harley aside, find out what she wanted, and get it dealt with instead of going straight to the cave and being surprised.

As little as he liked John Constantine, he wouldn’t subject the man to Harley if he could help it. Harley was something of a kryptonite to many of the magicians; she broke their rules in ways they couldn’t reconcile.

Bruce absolutely did not doubt Zatanna that Harley had temporarily sold herself to a demon prince and within 24 hours annoyed him so much that he gave her back, deal intact.

She was a force to be reckoned with. And privately… Bruce would hang up the cowl if Constantine decided he wanted to give her methods a try on top of his own.

No. Best keep them as far away from each other as possible.

So he was accompanying Danny and Alfred to the family dining room, where he’d collect Harley and take her to his office.

Half an hour to get through whatever she wanted, and then he could go down and talk to Constantine. The perfect plan.

Part of him hoped that Danny had been right, and she was here to explain what he’d done wrong with Jason.

Bruce would be the first to admit that he just… couldn’t seem to do right when it came to his second son.

He loved Jason dearly, but his death was something Bruce had never gotten over. He’d seen Jason so many times, as he died and as Bruce imagined he’d have grown over those years.

It had been hard for him to believe Jason really was himself, even if he looked nothing like Bruce had always expected. He’d always been so small.

No. He’d refused to believe it. Refused to believe the kind, loving boy he’d known could have become this large and angry killer.

It had coloured their relationship ever since. The things Jason had done, the things Bruce had done to stop him.

The fury with which Jason had forced his real identity down Bruce’s throat until he couldn’t deny it anymore. The one person he thought he could never let down again.

Jason was calmer now. Had a lid on the rage, and just plain walked away when he was on the edge of his control. Bruce admired that, as much as he could.

The only thing Bruce knew how to do with his emotions was push them aside and try to keep soldiering on, and it had cost his family so many times.

He’d thought he was getting better, but when it came to Jason… Bruce knew he still wasn’t thinking clearly. He’d upset Jason at the gala, he knew he had.

He’d seen it in his face, even if Jason had covered it before reaching the stage. He just wasn’t sure how.

Bruce prided himself on his ability to read faces. He was certainly no Cass, but it was his most used skill. Jason’s had never been a mystery to him before.

But somehow all Bruce could see in the older Jason’s face was the shadows of the bruises, the beating that face had worn the last time Bruce held him in his arms.

Cold. Lifeless. A death mask that only ever seemed to clear under Lazarus green rage.

He didn’t know when his baby boy had become so unreadable to him. What part of the horrors which Jason had lived through had made him put on a mask so thick Bruce couldn’t see through it.

And he was afraid to ask. Afraid of what he might see under that mask, and afraid to hear everything Jason had been put through because of Bruce’s failure.

He could have asked Danny in the car. At least where he’d gone wrong last night. They’d been alone, without anyone to overhear. And yet…

Bruce couldn’t bring himself to trust Danny. Oddly he found himself liking the boy more since Danny had threatened him, but his doubts remained.

Vlad had been personable, charming, and open during their meal together, and Bruce knew all too well how vile men could put on a front like that.

Normally he would have trusted Danny’s impression of Vlad over his own implicitly; it was part of the reason he brought his children to galas.

Brucie Wayne was too well known, too powerful, too influential. No one wanted to show him anything but their best, the sides they thought he would like to see.

The truest measure of a person came in the way they treated those they saw as beneath them, and for most adults that would automatically always include children.

Danny’s words tracked with the odd moments of quiet regret in Masters’ face when he talked about his godson. Far more egregious than the “misunderstandings” he’d hinted at, but a testament nonetheless.

There had been no trace of a lie in Danny’s voice or face. And yet.

There was no fear either. Not a trace of concern at being alone in the room together before Bruce returned.

None of the wariness one would naturally expect when a young man faced a much older adult who had at the very least made serious threats towards his family and possibly psychologically abused him.

It didn’t make sense. There was no right or wrong way to respond to an abuser, but Danny’s open antagonism of Vlad pointed at something else. A piece Bruce was still missing of what passed between them.

There were too many unanswered questions about Danny Fenton, and the situation with Jason was too delicate to rely on a single unknown factor.

No.

Danny may take advantage of any perceived weakness to steer him wrong, push him to another mistake, widen the rift between Bruce and his son.

It wasn’t safe. Wasn’t the plan.

For all that she’d been a rogue, Bruce trusted Harley implicitly… at least in matters of the heart. On the off chance she was there for anything else, he could still ask her before she left.

Maybe after he was done with Constantine.

Of course no one was around to give him answers when he had plenty of spare time on his hands. No, they had to come all at once.

Fine.

He may have to leave Jason with Danny for now, but they would hardly be unsupervised. The others would keep a watch for him while he got answers.

Bruce was actually beginning to feel pretty good about the evening by the time they reached the dining room.

And then the door opened, Danny walked through, and vanish in a blur of bright blue light.

Bruce threw up a hand to shield his eyes as light flashed across him, and it went dark a moment later.

Sam Manson was holding the thermos again (his head throbbed a warning), screwing the lid back on with a satisfied smirk.

Danny Fenton was gone. Just gone. Like he’d never been there, until.

“I fucking hate you so much.”

That was Danny’s voice, no doubt about it, coming from… the thermos.

What.

As Steph would say.

The fuck.

**

Harley was the first to recover her voice, throwing both hands into the air and whooping.

“Now THAT is what I call a party trick! You kids ever wanna come out Coney Island way ya can stay with me an’ take a turn at th’ Freakshow if ya want!”

The room froze, temperature actually plummeting as the Amity Parkers both flinched.

(Danny mighta also flinched but he was in a soup thermos, it was harder to tell.)

Tucker spoke up, making a face and exchanging a look with Sam.

“Uh… pass, thanks. Had some pretty bad experiences with clowns and circuses,” he explained, and Harley nodded understandingly.

No matter how much he liked to pretend he was, Joker was hardly the first asshole to wear the face paint.

It was why she didn’t wear hers if she was gonna be anywhere around Jason.

Not like she’d liked the full face stuff Joker did anyway. She could have a lot more fun with eyeshadow and a little lipstick, but some people needed to be terrified.

Harley Quinn’s war paint was satisfyingly terrifying enough that she’d pull it out for special occasions.

“Yeah, that’s fair,” she agreed easily, noted the air began to warm.

So it was one of them doing it. And from the way the two she could see relaxed just after, she’d put her money on Danny. Made sense with the ghost thing.

Anyway, she’d come here for a reason. Strolling casually over towards Brucie, she ruffled a hand through Jason’s and then Sam’s hair.

“Yer all still welcome to come visit though, just call ahead an’ I’ll tell the crew to put the theatrics on hold. I got a whole floor full of puppies and kittens that need some love,” she told them cheerfully.

And paused at a sudden horrible ripping sound, like part of the universe had been velcro and just pulled itself apart.

A glowing green hole opened just behind Sam’s chair and Danny’s head poked through, just a little below Harley’s height.

“You have a fucking what?”

She ruffled his hair too, grinning.

“Yeah, building I inherited had a free floor my aunt used ta rent, I didn’t want anyone upsettin’ my crew and all these lil cuties were just wasting away at the pound so Ivy did me up an indoor park. There’s about thirty of ‘em,” she explained brightly.

Sam snickered, settling comfortably in her turned chair.

“Bet cleaning up after that many is a treat,” she commented dryly and Harley tipped her a wink.

“It’s no trouble! I do the scoopin’ and once a week we load the big bags up on th’ roof catapult and shoot ‘em into the city. At the mayor’s house if he’s bein’ trouble.”

“Harley, I have a theory about who might want you gone,” Duke put in from the other end of the table, all dry sarcasm.

Harley laughed and blew him a kiss, giving her bat a lazy twirl.

“Hey, if he wants me ta stop all he’s gotta do is stop bein’ a pain in my ass an’ I’ll shoot ‘em at the dump,” she told him cheerfully, then turned back to Danny.

Back in the black hair. Didn’t seem like it mattered if he was actively a ghost or not gettin’ sucked inta the thermos. Interesting.

“You need a tow out?” She asked, other hand dropping back to his hair to give a gentle tug.

Danny gave her a slightly suspicious look.

“Do you promise no mind control or creepy clown shit?” He asked warily, and Harley loosed her grip to pat him on the cheek.

“Pinky promise, suga. I’m about to go give Brucie ‘is own private dose of scary clown shit that I’m sure he’ll completely understand that he wants to be in private,” she added more pointedly, giving Bruce a sharp look over her shoulder.

Behind her, Danny shrugged and pulled the rest of his body through the green rip, giving Sam a smack upside the head as his feet touched the floor and snatching the thermos from her.

“Confiscated til you’ll only use it’s power responsibly,” he told her, sticking his tongue out and dropping down into his seat, thermos held preventatively back and over his head.

Which made it all too easy for Jason to reach up and grab it from him, tucking it into the front of his hoodie pocket when Danny whipped around indignantly.

“You’re not responsible either,” Jason pointed out smugly and Danny sputtered but didn’t quite find words to argue.

They were fucking adorable.

If she didn’t have ta go try and beat the sense back inta Brucie’s head she’d have the time of her life just pinching their cheeks and winding them up about what to her studied eye was a pair of oblivious fresh forming crushes.

Young love was just the cutest when it was in that awkward blushy denial phase.

Yeah, Brucie was getting an extra whap for tearing her away from that.

Turning back to the big man, she prodded her bat into the center of his chest.

“So! Whaddaya think, big guy? Wanna give a nice big public apology for ya fuck up or shall we go talk somewhere in private?” She asked firmly, emphasizing those last words into a threat.

Bruce’s attention snapped away from glaring at Danny and Jason to fix on her, clearly analyzing her words. Of all the hopeless little shits…

She was gonna find someone to get him his proper diagnosis. Had to at this point.

Couldn’t be her, she was technically a conflict of interest, but holy fuck the man screamed emotional disregulation with a hefty side of autism spectrum.

At least he’d know what direction he needed help in, as if he wouldn’t promptly ignore any advice that included “talk about ya damn feelings”. Too bad for him.

She gave him another firm poke with the bat and he nodded sharply, gaze snapping from her around to the door.

His shoulders settled just a little, posture relaxing in what she knew was relief as he motioned for her to follow. Still looked tense as hell, but she’d probably only get a dime back for bouncing a nickel off him now.

That was real relaxed for Brucie.

Maybe he was finally self aware enough to accept that he needed some help with all the emotional stuff.

Good. Maybe she’d only do one kneecap.

**

As Harley followed Bruce out of the room, Sam’s phone began buzzing dramatically in her pocket. Abandoning her quest for the thermos, she pulled it out and glanced down.

Grinned wickedly. She’d been expecting this for a while now actually.

“Aw, look, my parents saw our selfies on Twitter,” she cooed sarcastically, Manson Party Voice making a brief return.

Danny scooted just a little away from the still buzzing phone.

“So are you gonna get that?” He asked as Alfred brought him a perfectly reheated plate. “What? Oh, thanks.”

Sam shrugged, hit speakerphone, and set it on the table. They’d posted those pictures pretty much solely for the incoming reaction.

“Hey mom, what’s up?” She said sweetly, still in her public facing voice.

Her mother did not sound nearly as composed.

“SAMANTHA. Where ARE you?! What are you wearing?! Where are your clothes and WHY, in the name of all that’s good, are you anywhere near HARLEY QUINN?! Have you been kidnapped?!”

Sam rolled her eyes hard enough that Tucker faked a fatal injury across the table. She flipped him off as Tim and Duke stifled laughs.

“Yes, mother, I have been kidnapped and just answered my phone completely normally. I’m at the Waynes’,” she added quickly, before her mother could jump to conclusions.

And gave her some new conclusions to jump to instead, but who cared. Still, something seemed to be sticking in her mom’s mind.

“With Harley Quinn?” She asked suspiciously after a moment’s silence.

Which, to be fair, was kind of a good point.

“Apparently she’s a family friend? Like Grandma and Ivy,” Sam added delicately, a vicious satisfaction rising through her.

She’d gotten to say her piece at the gala yesterday and had thought she was done, but. Well. Years of restriction and so on.

She was definitely still having fun winding her parents up.

Her mom’s sharp intake of breath was clearly audible even over the phone, and then the shouting started again.

“Samantha MANSON do not even THINK about going anywhere with that woman! You have responsibilities! School! Your work! We’re coming to pick you up RIGHT NOW, and… where are your CLOTHES?!”

Alfred cleared his throat from behind them, where he’d stayed from delivering Danny’s dinner. Sam half turned and he raised a brow, inclining his head slightly.

She scooted her chair out of the way to let him get closer to the phone, waving a hand in open invitation.

“If I may interject,” Alfred said calmly, not a trace that anything was even slightly amiss, “the young lady’s clothes are in the dryer at present. They will be finished shortly.”

Another long silence. Her mom probably realizing that Sam had her on speaker. And that she would still be on speaker the next time she spoke.

Finally she choked out a terse, “thank you. I do hope she has been behaving herself. We will be there to pick you up in half an hour, Sammy, and we will Have Words.”

Which Sam kinda doubted, given where the hotel was and how long it had taken Danny and Bruce to get back, but time would tell.

At least they weren’t hiring a helicopter.

It sucked to have to leave, but she’d have needed to head out soon anyway. Her flight back to university would be leaving this evening, and at least this way she could hang out with the others until her parents arrived.

No reason not to needle them more though.

“Aw but mom, I’m having such a good time hanging out with Cass,” she sighed, switching from Party to Heartfelt Woe expertly.

Down beyond Jason, Cass stifled a giggle. It clearly sent Sam’s mom into another spiral of conflicting emotions; delight, hope, ecstasy, and ongoing horror at the presence of Harley.

Who, technically, was no longer present in the room, but telling her mom that would only make her feel better, so Sam wasn’t gonna bother.

Honestly, if she wanted to run away and be an ecoterrorist with Pamela Isley, she could just ask Grandma to text her. She didn’t need kidnapping.

Still, apparently the risk of a close contact with Poison Ivy outweighed her mom’s desire to see her cozy up with the Waynes.

It’d have been real sweet if it had been a worry for Sam’s health instead of a worry about what Sam would do to other peoples’ health. The lack of trust stung, truly.

“We’ll be there in half an hour, Sammy. Get your clothes back on and say thank you for having you,” her mom warned, tone sharp and clipped.

And then hung up the phone before anyone could argue, because while she never used to listen to Sam before, she did somehow still know her. Ah well.

Sam sighed, stuffing the phone back into her borrowed pocket.

“Guess my parole has ended. I’ve gotta get back for my next semester anyway, but you have my number?” She asked Steph, looking from her back to Cass.

Both women nodded enthusiastically, Steph sighing and slumping forward into the table.

“Do you really have to go? Harley probably won’t be done with Brucie by then, you’ll miss the best part!”

But in all honesty, Sam wasn’t too upset about that. She’d made her feelings perfectly clear via thermos, and if Jason wasn’t satisfied with Bruce’s real apology she could always come back.

So she shrugged, grinning.

“Guess it’s my turn to get the video recap once it’s all over. You guys’ll film it for me, right?” She asked, looking from Danny to Tucker.

Both of whom gave her a thumbs up.

“We should make a new group chat,” Tucker mused eagerly, already pulling his phone up, “one for all of us.”

“Then we’d know which galas you were coming to!” Steph agreed at once, her own phone magically appearing in hand.

Dick snickered, leaning back in his seat.

“Said like Steph’s ever let Bruce drag her to one against her will,” he teased and Steph flipped him off.

“Hey, if you’d had the good sense not to let him adopt you you wouldn’t have to do them either,” Steph told him primly. Dick rolled his eyes.

“I’m his ward, not adopted,” he argued mostly futilely, and Sam snickered.

“And still have to go apparently. Doesn’t the ward thing end once you’re a legal adult?” She asked innocently.

Dick gave her a deadpan stare.

“Ma’am, if you want to try and wrest an orphan from the hands of Bruce Wayne you be my fucking guest, I gave up years ago.”

Which, fair. Their rifts had been legendary enough to make the circuit. She toasted him with her phone and settled back.

“Point taken. If being a cop didn’t make him give you up nothing will,” she added slyly, and Dick mimed grievous injury, slumping forward onto the table as the others laughed.

Grinning her triumph, Sam turned back to Alfred.

“So if you just show me where the laundry room is I can grab my clothes?” She offered, trying yet again to be helpful.

Being from a rich family didn’t mean having no damn manners, no matter how often it looked like it.

The old man gave her another of his extremely arch expressions, an eyebrow rising as if to question her impertinence. He had to be fucking with her.

“I shall bring your clothes to the downstairs bathroom on this hall when they are done so that you may change, Miss Manson,” he said coolly.

She’d never heard anything like it.

It didn’t sound like he was upset or offended the way people usually did when their voices iced over that sharply. Just… not an ounce of wiggle room.

Not a sliver of a hint that anything he was saying would not happen exactly as he’d decreed it. He sounded more imperious than a king, and she’d seen those.

Sam kinda imagined that’d be what Clockwork would sound like if she ever met the guy.

Duke misinterpreted her decidedly impressed stare with a wry chuckle, apparently misinterpreting her expression.

Fair, since he couldn’t know she was comparing him to the living manifestation of Time.

Well. Ghostly manifestation. Same difference.

“Miss Manson’s probably the best you’ll get out of him,” Duke said almost apologetically, grinning. “It’s gonna be that or Miss Samantha.”

Which admittedly was enough to make her turn to face him, curiosity peaked.

“What do you mean?” She asked, glancing back up at Alfred.

She couldn’t read anything but serenity in his face, but mild amusement practically radiated off him. She’d have to ask Danny what he saw in his aura.

Dick took this one too, sitting back in his seat and grinning at her.

“Alfie’s serious about the whole “proper titles and full names” thing. I’ve been trying for almost twenty years to make him call me “Dick”, and I think he’d be slower to give that up than Bruce’d be to unadopt me,” he explained cheerfully, arm tossed over the back of his chair.

Alfred treated him to a slowly raised eyebrow too.

“As you say, Master Richard,” he agreed placidly and Sam pressed her lips together on a smile.

She didn’t have to turn around to know exactly what face Danny would be making. The last thing he needed was another scary old man full naming him.

And right on cue…

“Uh… can I specifically request Mister Fenton then?” Danny asked and sure enough when she turned, yup, he even had his hand in the air like a child.

Alfred treated him to that calm stare as well.

“May I ask why, Mister Daniel?” He asked, clearly prodding despite every line of both face and posture oozing nothing but polite respect.

Danny fully flinched, which was interesting. He barely reacted whenever Vlad said his name.

Sam adjusted her opinion of Alfred along a couple “scarier than Vlad” levels.

“I have name-related trauma from another billionaire who refuses to call me anything but that,” Danny admitted sheepishly, rubbing at the back of his neck. “It’s a really not-fun association.”

“Vlad again?” Tim asked from across the table, sounding sympathetic.

Danny pulled a face at him, sort of grimacing more than a smile.

“Oh yeah. And let’s just say he also does it in super bad situations, so I’d be happier to just never hear it again.”

Sam peaked back over her shoulder at Alfred, wondering what he’d do with this news.

If Danny was gonna be a fixture in Jason’s life (and let’s be honest, he’d be a fixture in Jason’s bedroom by the end of the month), and Jason was a fixture in Alfred’s… they’d see more of each other.

Everyone knew Bruce had been basically raised by Alfred. If he was half as emotionally constipated…

But there was an actual human expression on the old man’s face now, and it looked a damn sight like shame. He cleared his throat, drawing their attention back to him.

“My apologies, Mister Fenton. Would you perhaps prefer Mister Danny?” He asked, which would have seemed completely innocuous on its own.

Dick slammed both fists into the table, making half the table burst into giggles.

“Fucking SERIOUSLY?! Is it just me! This is bullshit Alfie!” He declared dramatically.

Tim looked equally gobsmacked, jaw on the proverbial floor as he stared at Alfred, and even Steph looked put out and impressed.

Danny, deeply confused but relieved, stuck his tongue out at Dick.

“Hey, if you want another overly possessive and creepy billionaire determined to control your life you’re welcome to take him off my hands,” he declared smugly, and Sam snorted a laugh.

There was a decided devilry in young Damian’s face too, which vanished almost immediately after it appeared as the youngest spoke up.

“Honestly, Richard, you must admit that Danny’s situation is decidedly more grave than your own,” he said simply, a strong undercurrent of smugness under the words.

Tim threw both hands into the air so hard he almost tipped his chair over.

“Him too?! Come the fuck ON!” He proclaimed to the world at large as Duke snorted half a glass of water out of his nose in a choked laugh.

Tim gave him a hearty slap on the back that was probably supposed to help, the younger boy still wheezing and gasping for air, but otherwise didn’t acknowledge him.

There was clearly something of an inside joke going on, and it wasn’t exactly a complicated one.

Danny had already settled back in his seat, perfectly happy with the consternation he’d caused, and Sam joined him.

Watching the dramatics of the extended Wayne clan was even better at home than it had been at the gala. For a show this good, she’d have bought tickets.

**

As she closed the office door behind her, Harley took a moment to give Bruce another, slower once over.

It had been a while since she saw him last, and between what Selina had told her and what the kids told her, she wanted a read on his headspace.

He looked… well, like he had a stick up his ass a mile high, but that was pretty much default for him when he wasn’t being Brucie. Never learned how to take a breath, that guy.

But from the way he moved straight to his desk, not even pausing to see if she shut the door before dropping into his seat, she’d put money on “tired”.

Not just regular nightlife tired either, if he showed it this easily. Freshly shaved, dressed immaculately, face done up with minimal but flattering makeup.

He’d put himself together pretty today, but something was cracking underneath.

Once she was satisfied she’d gotten the big picture, she sauntered after him and hopped up to sit on his desk, foot pressed firmly to the middle of his chest to go for the details.

“So, Brucie, do ya know why I’m here?” She asked expectantly. It’d tell her a lot about where they were starting from; it was hard to fool the big bat, and none of ‘em had been trying.

Bruce raised an eyebrow at her foot, but wisely didn’t move to touch it. Clever boy. He might win a physical fight if they got serious, but he also knew she was damn good at what she did.

If they threw down, she wouldn’t be helping him untwist that mess in his head. And he wouldn’t be walking away unscathed either.

No good with some fresh heroes who weren’t in on the Secret around. She could assume he’d made the calculations, but none of them showed. And wouldn’t it be nice if he hadn’t needed to?

Instead he sighed, leaning further back in his chair and rubbing both hands down his face.

Harley adjusted her estimate from “tired” to “fucking exhausted”. Not a good sign.

“I hope it has something to do with Selina texting you last night about the gala,” was all he said though, cryptic fuck.

Harley pushed with her toes just enough to make the chair roll back.

“Specifically, Brucie. If you can tell me what ya did wrong I’ll make it easier on you,” she teased, waving her bat playfully.

Like they didn’t both know the real damage would be with her words. Bruce preferred the bat though. In all ways, which, ha! She could still rock a killer joke.

He gave her one of his grouchy bat glares too, then slumped. Practically pre-broken. Something had to be up.

“I gave a speech. I… apologized to Jason for not being there when he…” he trailed off and Harley nodded, willing to accept that. Hard topics, and not one they’d discuss today.

Not that she wasn’t waiting with baited breath for Bruce to FINALLY decide he wanted to unload some o’ that trauma. But hey, baby steps.

He looked back up a second later, the mask gone as he met her eyes. He looked agonized.

For Bruce, anyway. Perfectly normal to anyone who didn’t really know how he ticked. But those lines around his eyes, the tension in his jaw?

Harley knew. From watching him when he’d thought he’d failed long ago, and from comforting him when one of the kids got hurt more recently.

“He looked like he’d seen a ghost, Harley. I’ve never seen him so shaken.”

Which Harley did have to bite back an entirely inappropriate laugh at. Jason looked preeeeetty happy to be canoodling with an actual ghost in the dining room right now.

She kept it on lock though. Totally professional.

Honestly, she was a little impressed Bruce had noticed. Jason was infamously his blind spot.

Humming softly she nodded slowly, fingers drumming along the shaft of the bat as she regarded him.

“And why do you think he did that, Bruce?” She prodded gently.

She was gonna have a check in with Jason later, not least for all the deets on his adorable new “friend”. Somewhere private, where the others couldn’t see.

But from what she’d seen tonight… Jason looked good. More relaxed, at ease with himself in a way that really tugged at her heart.

She hadn’t seen a lot of Jason since his return; she hadn’t stayed in Gotham long after breaking free of the Joker. But she’d come back when Selina called, and heard Waylon’s stories.

Of course he hadn’t come back as the happy, cheeky kid full of sunshine and magic. Even if he’d survived the warehouse he’d have changed.

The kid who’d cried at the thought of letting Bruce down so hard she’d foiled Joker’s plans herself so it wouldn’t happen… had been let down even more.

Even from a distance she’d read it in every inch of him; festering rage, pain, moving more like the big Bat than ever. Like his body was just a weapon he was barely connected to.

Like nothing else mattered but his mission, and he’d run on broken legs without even noticing. Like he didn’t think there was anything about him worth protecting.

(It may have factored into one of her own visits back to Arkham, even if Mister J had left her alone.)

The poor guy had been so full of anger ever since he came back, and for all that she’d been Joker’s when he died he’d never blamed her.

If anyone else on Earth knew what it was like to have your life torn to the ground by that bastard, to have nothing left even after you crawled away, it was Jason.

Harley wouldn’t have blamed him for hating her just as much as the clown himself, but he hadn’t. Not even full dark side. Not even that first time, Tim’s blood still on his suit.

He’d tensed to fight, admitted he’d heard about the big split, and believed her when she swore it was true. Even accepted her number, though he hadn’t called for almost a year.

They weren’t close, not like she was with the baby bats these days, but Harley worried about him.

There was something broken in Jason that still hadn’t healed, that he kept gashing himself on its sharp edges. Something that might finally be scabbing over.

So yeah, this was 1000% not the fucking time for Bruce to be all up in his bullshit.

At least he seemed to know that too, shaking his head and slumping forward against her foot so he could rest his head in his hands.

“I… I don’t know. I thought I could show him how sincere I was. Have witnesses who’d hold me to it. Not force him to be alone with me when it’s clearly not what he wants,” he admitted bitterly, shoulders slumping.

Harley let out another low hum, tracking every inch of his posture with alert eyes.

Yeah, that was true. Fucking stupid, especially from a guy as sharp as Brucie, but true. And fully consistent with his character.

Then she sighed, pushing him back upright, foot rising up almost to his collar to make him look at her.

“Did ya think about asking Jason what he wanted?” She asked dryly, fully aware of what the answer would be.

Watched Bruce’s face pinch in annoyance. Probably at himself, which would be good. Sometimes the answer literally was that easy.

He still shook his head, even if he didn’t quite meet her eyes.

“I thought…” he sighed again, running a hand through his hair, but didn’t try and hunch. “I didn’t think. I assumed he would see it the way I did.”

Which he’d clearly already noticed Jason hadn’t. Honestly, Harley was almost proud of the man. He wasn’t usually this emotionally aware.

No wonder he was exhausted. Lotta introspection, using all those brain muscles he abjectly refused to hone.

Harley nodded and crossed one leg over the other, switching out which foot kept Bruce pinned to his chair.

“It’s one helluva lot ta throw at someone in front of an audience, Brucie,” she agreed plainly, and watched with interest as that moment if irritation sharpened.

Almost pulled him back to bat face.

“You sound like Danny,” he grumbled, not actually arguing. Might have tried to cross his arms if her foot wasn’t in the way.

Harley wasn’t having any of it. She knew she’d liked the kid.

“Good, he’s got two braincells ta rub together. What’s more important: that people see you say you’re sorry, or how Jason feels?” She asked sharply, her patient tone evaporating.

To his credit, Bruce didn’t hesitate.

“Jason.” This, there was no question of. Good.

“And who knows best how Jason feels?” She pushed on, eyes narrowing when he hesitated.

“Don’t make me use the bat, Brucie,” she warned him, and Bruce sighed again, shaking his head.

“I know what you want me to say, Harley. But Jason… his emotions are unpredictable. Out of control. I doubt even he knows what they are half the time.”

Which, frankly, they weren’t going to get into at the moment, if ever. Jason’s emotional state was Jason’s business.

Harley fixed Bruce with an unimpressed stare, raising an eyebrow.

“Good thing I didn’t ask anyone to control it, huh? But who. Knows. How Jason feels.” It was barely a question anymore, the tapping of her bat against the desk more an empty threat.

She wasn’t against percussive maintenance, especially where Brucie was concerned; he responded better to violence than words half the time.

Kinda like he needed the stubbornness actually knocked out of him before he could listen. It was why she wouldn’t recommend him to any ol’ civilian friends still in the biz.

Not that they’d have appreciated her recommendation.

He stared her down for a moment, defiant even with the bat to hand. Harley let the other brow rise slowly and crossed her arms, leaning forward to lean on her knee.

Bruce could outstare a cat, but he couldn’t impress or intimidate her and he knew it.

He said nothing, still staring her down, and she could see where his brain had turned off and the stubbornness kicked in.

Fine. She’d played this game before, and she knew what he expected to come next.

Sometimes she even let him have it, a little rough and tumble so he could wrestle himself out of his head by wrestling her. But today, there were way more interesting things for her to do with her time.

Nothing short circuited a pattern of habit like the wrong response. Or a response that pulled up an older pattern.

Still staring him dead in the eye, she stuck her finger in her mouth, licked it wet, then leaned forward to shove it in his ear.

Bruce jerked back, hands almost rising defensively even as he made a disgusted face.

“Harley! Stop!” He protested, already losing a little of that stoic wall, and Harley grinned. It’d worked since they were Jason’s age in college and probably always would.

In his bat-suit, Bruce could take any torture, any indignity and never break. Without that cowl though, he was the same dweeb who’d joined the cheerleading squad with her because Harvey pouted.

It was really a very good thing she’d been on her way out of the rogue business before she cracked his identity, but since he’d always known hers he probably had plans against her.

He didn’t use them though, and she appreciated that, even as she licked her other finger fast and stuck it in his other ear.

“Say it, Brucie, or I’ll lick every pen in this office,” she threatened, watched a smile almost crack. And watched him sag, one of her wrists in each hand, his expression sobering.

Not closing off again though. Now his exhaustion was plain to see, along with the lingering sorrow and regret.

Looked like that little tussle would be enough for today. Probably.

“Jason knows what he’s feeling best. I am sorry, Harley. I never meant to hurt him,” he confessed almost in a whisper, and Harley let her own dramatics subside too.

It wasn’t what he needed anymore.

Hooking her foot in under the arm of the chair, she pulled him back in towards her.

“I know, kid. An’ lucky for you, Jason’s got a lotta people in his corner, and he’s a resilient boy. He’s gonna be alright.” His relationship with Bruce could only get so much worse, honestly.

No matter how the two disasters kept rubbing each other wrong, there was still love there. That was what had hurt Jason so much in the first place.

If he hadn’t loved Bruce, he wouldn’t care what the man thought of him. If he hadn’t thought Bruce loved him once, he wouldn’t care that the Joker lived.

Maybe one day she’d knock their heads together and make them talk it out.

Today, Bruce gave her a helpless look.

“I don’t even know how I hurt him, Harley. I should have asked, I know I put him on the spot, but I never thought… how can I stop if I don’t know what I’m doing wrong?”

Harley sighed softly, straightening back up and tugging her hands back easily, propping them on the desk behind her.

It was a tough one, not because the answer was hard, but because it’d be hard for Bruce. But he might finally be ready to hear it, if he’d done this much of the work without her.

“You know what I’m gonna tell you,” she prodded gently and didn’t push back when he pulled the chair in enough to brace his elbows on the desk on either side of her hips and bury his face in his hands.

Muffled the hell outta his voice, but she could still make out the words.

“Talk to him.” Which, yeah, she had a chuckle at the irony, petting mussed black hair.

“Yeah, yeah, the Bat’s one weakness, clear communication. But you don’t know Jason as well as ya think ya do, Brucie. He’s not the kid you brought home.”

He pushed up at that, frown on his face and mouth open to argue, and she placed a finger across it to shush him.

“I know ya think you know that. But he’s really, really not. And thinking ya still know him the same way is how you keep hurting each other.” She gentled her voice, kept it soft, but he still slumped like she’d punched him.

She went back to petting his hair. He preferred punching.

“Stop trying to surprise him. Ask what he wants. And if you can’t tell him how you feel…” she paused for a moment, let Bruce huff out the beginnings of a grumble, and chuckled softly.

No surprise there.

“Then try writing it down. Write him a letter, and keep it to yourself until you know what you want to say. As many as it takes, and toss ‘em right in the fire. And if ya still can’t say it aloud, hide one in yer underwear drawer or somewhere personal.”

That prompted him to look up again and Harley cocked a brow, grinning.

“What better way ta make one of your nosey lot read it?” She asked, grin settling to a smirk when Bruce’s lower lip slid out in a pout.

Not that fake pretty boy play one he did for cameras, the real Bruce Wayne Does Not Like You’re Right.

Catching it between forefinger and thumb she gave it a gentle tug.

“Seriously though. Try it. It’s easier than tryin’ ta improvise. And always, especially double important if yer gonna be in public, talk ta Jason first. No more surprises, or how’s ‘e gonna trust you?”

He knocked her hand away, but his eyes did that far off thing they always did when he was calculating, so she assumed he was taking it on board.

Finally he nodded, glanced at the clock, and frowned. Rigid mask falling back into place, her old classmate disappearing again.

“I’m afraid I have a meeting, Harley. Cape business. Was that all?” He did actually sound kinda sorry, so Harley forgave him for switching himself off before they finished.

“Fine. But I’m stickin’ around fer a bit, so we’ll talk about the apology thing later,” she warned, giving his chest another sharp poke and then trying to neaten the mess she’d made of his hair with her fingers.

Gave it up as a bad job.

“An’ put the cowl on, ya look like a drowned bat.”

He raised a pointed eyebrow at her, the gesture saying more clearly than words whose fault that was, and let her push him back far enough to stand.

“Thanks, Harley. I probably won’t be back tonight,” he told her, voice already lowering into that bat growl Selina went crazy for.

Hopping off the desk, Harley waved him away and bent to scoop her bat off the floor.

“Yeah, yeah. I gotta check on Waylon tomorrow anyway, but I’ll drop by when I have a minute.” She paused at the door and grinned over her shoulder at him. “The little one didn’t even try an’ stab me today.”

Bruce gave her a tight smile back, already at the clock. Ready for his Grand Descent. Dramatic bitch.

“High praise, from Damian,” he acknowledged, and Harley laughed, heading back out into the manor.

Maybe she’d join the kids for dessert.

**

Bruce had to admit he felt lighter as the door closed behind Harley.

She hadn’t told him anything he didn’t know, not really, but just. Knowing she was here. That she knew why Jason was upset, and would help him fix it.

He was always grateful that she’d been one of the rogues who turned… well, not exactly straight, he kept up with her exploits in Coney Island, but good.

She cared about people, and protected what she considered hers fiercely. Luckily for him, that included his brood.

And. Maybe. Just maybe.

Danny might have had a point.

Perhaps Harley could help him work out why it was easier to tell Jason he was sorry to a room full of people than it was at his son’s hospital bed after a bad patrol.

He changed in the elevator on the way to the cave, the spare suit from his office easy and familiar to put on.

A good thing too, since just as he arrived and settled in front of the Batcomputer to pull up anything he thought he might need (and telling himself it definitely wasn’t evidence against a colleague), the zeta tube activated.

::B069 - John Constantine::

Tonight was finally going to be his night.

**

A hundred feet up in the dining room, Danny Fenton stiffened abruptly mid conversation, senses prickling as someone new crossed his aura.

Well. Someone different. There was no mistaking that potent, crackling cloud of mixed wards and magic. It had been a while since they’d been to Amity Park, but it certainly wasn’t someone new.

A slow, thoughtful smile spread across his lips and he settled back in his chair, ignoring the surprised looks from his companions as he considered this development.

It certainly answered his earlier question.

A hand rose slowly to cup his chin, fingers drumming along his jawline as a slow chuckle slipped free.

Tonight might just be more interesting than the gala after all.

“So that’s John Constantine… huh.”

———————

Next:

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[i-just-like-goats]

Chuuya x Reader no pronouns specified

Summary: Request - reader doesn't like wine nor smoking at all due to their mother and brother being addicts. i was wondering how would chuuya react and maybe an interaction with dazai

Warnings: alcohol, smoking, discussions of self destructive behaviour, mentions of death

WC: 1.5k

Main Masterlist Part 2

"You're not going to drink Y/N?"

"Oh, no. I'm driving,"

“Come on, not even a little shot?”

Your co-worker held a shot towards you. You shifted uncomfortably in your seat. It felt like everyone’s eyes were fixed on you, expecting, waiting for you to take the shot. Dazai scoffed.

“Don’t be such a bore,”

You held your head down, refusing to look up at anyone. An arm reached over your bowed head and returned to its original position. Tentatively, you raised your head to see Chuuya taking the shot for you. He gulped the alcohol down wordlessly.

Once it was down, Chuuya glared at the other person. Too drunk to feel intimidated by Chuuya's hard stare, your co-worker cheered for Chuuya.

You mumbled a thank you to Chuuya. Whether he noticed it or chose not to acknowledge it, you didn't know. There was no change in his glare. A friend was what he was, not a close one, or one you talked to much, but you were glad that he was at least a good enough friend to help you out.

"Y/N got a lighter?"

"Osamu, you know I stay away from that kind of stuff,"

He shrugged.

"Thought you'd have matured by now,"

That hurt.

"If by being mature, you mean engaging in acts that are destructive, then I guess you're right. I'm just so immature to you,"

The rest of the party went by. Osamu kept his distance, opting to hang around the balcony where he smoked and drank to his heart's content.

You noticed how Chuuya was always in the same room as you and was either still glaring at the guy who tried pressuring you or he was intently keeping his eye on you.

With a few farewells to your co-workers, you exited the home, ready to leave for your own.

"Would it be alright for you to drive me home?"

"Oh, Chuuya,"

"Stupid question, sorry. You said you were driving, so you obviously can't drive me,"

"I lied,"

"Oh you did? Well that's great then, here are my car keys, please stop me from driving," He joked.

You smiled tightly and followed Chuuya to his car. Chuuya talked your ear off for most of the walk to his car, but stopped once you started the car.

"Thank you for drinking the alcohol for me. I'm sorry for that,"

"He shouldn't have tried forcing you. You looked uncomfortable so I did what I could to help,"

"You're not going to ask why I looked uncomfortable?"

"No, because that's your business and if you want to tell me you can, but if not, that's completely fine. Besides, I wouldn't want you to lose your focus on the road because you thought of something that you're clearly sensitive about,"

You left it at that, but took a few glances at Chuuya from time to time. Was he always this pretty? Perhaps it was your judgement being affected by his good deed despite his occupation, but you couldn't help but admire his facial features, his clothes, his hair, his-

"Full focus on the road,"

"Right,"

Once you reached Chuuya's house, you parked his car and got ready to get out, but paused when Chuuya unbuckled his seat belt and stayed in his seat.

"You're not going to get out of the car?"

"No. I just want to sit for a while. You should join me,"

"Ok,"

A few minutes passed in silence.

"Osamu is my brother,"

"That jerk's your brother?"

"Yeah, and I'm mad at him,"

"Who isn't mad at him? I noticed how he was acting towards you at the party. Want me to teach him a lesson?"

"No, as much as he deserves some sense knocked into him, I'm more concerned for him,"

"Want to get it off your chest? You've been looking tense since you brought it up,"

You slumped in your seat. Chuuya stared intently at you once again.

"Our mother, as well as smoking frequently ever since we were young, was an alcoholic. Hence my distaste for either of those things,"

You closed your eyes and sighed.

"I avoid them, but I don't judge people who like to drink or smoke. It's fine occasionally, but I saw how it gradually destroyed my mother mentally and physically and I feel like I'm seeing it again with my brother,"

A few tears spilled from your eyes. You wiped at them furiously while Chuuya offered you a tissue. You took it gratefully.

"I'm just tired of it all. He saw how destructive those behaviours were but he's indulging in them just like her and look at her now, she's gone and left us behind. I just can't bear it if I were to lose him too,"

You scrunched your face in an attempt to stop the tears in vain.

"He's been a jerk, but he's still my brother who's cared and provided for me since she passed away when we were teens. I know he's in a terrible place right now. He's in the mafia for Pete's sake! And Oda just died. I just wish he'd care more for himself,"

"I bet he's passed out at the party right now. We could go back and pick him up and we talk to him. You and me, together. You no longer have to hold this weight on your shoulder,"

"Thank you," You whispered, "He probably only drank so much to fill that empty void he's been desperately trying to fill,"

"So why don't you and I find a way to fill it?"

"Let's go,"

"No,"

Chuuya, despite what you told him in the car, chuckled at your predicament. How could he not? There was Dazai, always so stoic, pouting and whining when you tried getting him to leave.

"Osamu,"

"Uh oh Dazai, Y/N pulled out the stern mother voice. Better get yourself up and follow us quietly,"

"Fine,"

You exhaled, relieved when Osamu got up off the floor and slumped into your arms. Chuuya took him from you and carried him back to the car. You took the driver's seat once again and drove to your home.

You parked the car once again and turned to Chuuya.

"Thank you. Again,"

"Like I said, you no longer have to shoulder this on your own,"

"I know, and I'm really grateful for you,"

Chuuya cupped your cheek gently and rubbed away your tear with his thumb. He placed a soft kiss on your forehead as you slowly closed your eyes and savoured his touch.

Osamu gagged from the backseat.

"How much of that did you witness?" You nervously asked.

"Unfortunately all of it,"

"Well why didn't you say something!" Chuuya exclaimed with reddened cheeks.

"Didn't feel like it,"

With a sigh, you got out of the car, the other two following suit. Dazai strode past you, grabbing your arm and leading you inside your house.

"When did you get my ke-"

"Doesn't matter,"

"Well let me drive Chuuya home,"

"He ran out of gas,"

"What? No he didn't,"

He shook his head and poked his head out the door. Some mumbling was heard and Osamu swung the door open for Chuuya to come in. Osamu took you aside as Chuuya stood awkwardly by the door.

"I know what you two are trying to do. Think of this as my apology for my behaviour today. I was a jerk and there's no excuse. I'm sorry. But you should stay by Chuuya's side. He's strong," Dazi exhaled, "And I trust him,"

"What's this about?"

"Just stick to him alright?"

"Ok,"

"I'm going to sleep. I'll talk to you guys in the morning," Osamu announced.

You took a seat at the table. Chuuya took the seat across from you.

"What did my brother say to you?"

"He said that you needed me,"

"Well, his intuition is correct, I need your presence. That moment in the car." You sighed.

"I do care about you, and that moment in the car was me trying to sort out my feelings. And I can say with certainty that i care about you,"

You hadn't meant to, but you had fallen asleep before he was finished. Chuuya sighed, but he couldn't blame you. You had looked exhausted after all.

He carefully carried you to your bed and tucked you in. With another small kiss on your head, Chuuya left and made himself comfortable on the sofa.

He awoke the next morning to see you crying at the table. With no other thought, Chuuya bolted to be by your side. He rubbed circles into your shoulders and simply stood by you until you were ready to talk.

"He's gone. Osamu left,"

You cried even harder. 

In between gasps for air, you managed to say, "He texted me at three saying 'We'll meet again one day, but for now stay with Chuuya'. That was all he said,"

Chuuya wrapped his arms around your shaking form.

"I've called and texted his number countless times, but his number no longer exists. I've done everything. I called everyone he knew, but he's just gone. He said. He said he'd talk to us in the morning,"

You moved slightly to look earnestly into Chuuya's eyes.

"Please don't leave me too,"

"I'll always be here for you, even if everyone else leaves, I'll stay right by your side,"

"Thank you,"

"Always,"

[eddiemunsonw]

Paint me red.

PART 3

part 1 - part 2 - part 3 - part 4

Steve Harrington x Fem!Reader

Summary: You're one of Vickie's best friends. Her girlfriend, Robin, is in need of a distraction for her best friend, Steve Harrington, who you vaguely remember from school. Which is where you come in.

CW / Disclaimer: A bunch of cute stuff, just a nice feel good fic about our dear boy Steve.

Author’s note: It was time to write about Steve Harrington, so here it is. Four parts, can find them both on here and on my ao3: eddiemunsons. Enjoy!

Words: (of current chapter) 2783 / (complete fic) 13059

Work ran later than expected and instead of having dinner and taking a ride with Vickie, you decided to walk there instead, grabbing a quick bite on the way so she didn’t have to wait for you. The four of you had agreed to meet around eight, so when you arrived fifteen minutes later you did profusely apologize even though no one seemed bothered in the slightest. The queue at the takeout place had just been longer than you had anticipated.

Steve’s face lit up the moment he spotted you and he was the first one to do so. With a quick nudge, the others were alerted as well and you made your way over with a smile.

“So sorry I’m late!” you apologized, immediately receiving shakes of heads from the others.

“Glad you made it,” Steve told you, smiling genuinely. Vickie gave you a hug and after a greeting from Robin as well, you headed to the paintball arena to change into overalls.

“Gosh I feel so unlike myself right now,” Vickie murmured as she looked down the dark green overalls.

“Don’t worry Vic, once we got paint on you you’ll be your colorful self again,” you teased, earning a soft giggle from Steve. A glance his way caused your eyes to meet and you shared a smile.

“Oh yeah? You’re going down! Both of you!” Vickie said with sudden motivation. “Rob and I may not have any aim, but we have determination and are great at other things.”

“Like hiding,” Robin offered with a smile.

“Like hiding!” Vickie repeated a little too proudly.

“Just make sure you don’t give yourselves away by whisper-shouting,” Steve said with a nod towards Robin.

“I do not whisper shout,” Robin objected in what seemed to be very much whisper-shouting. 

Steve handed everyone a helmet and a paintball gun was provided by one of his and Robin’s colleagues. Vickie and Robin had yellow paint, Steve and you red. To start, you all dispersed throughout the arena. You and Steve decided to stick closely together and he took the time to explain some military hand gestures to you while the counter went down.

“This means advance, this one means go back… this, when I want your attention, or the other way around of course. And uh this one’s take cover. I guess we’ll forget about it all once it starts but I thought why not, right?” he mused. You smiled and gave him a nod.

“Why not indeed. Okay so… advance, go back, attention, take cover? Like that?”

“Perfect,” Steve grinned as he watched you repeat all the gestures correctly. You were crouched behind a fake bush together when the timer went off and he quickly peered over the edge.

“No sight of them just yet,” he whispered, his hand momentarily coming to rest on your shoulder for balance. “Let’s—” he cut himself off in favor of using the gestures and you smiled to yourself, following as he motioned to ‘advance’.

The first one being hit was Robin who, when spotting Steve, gasped “Oh!” out loud and was too late to duck out of sight. Steve hit the back of her helmet with a bright red glob of paint and that was the start of Vickie going absolutely wild. She ran forward, screaming, which even startled Steve who quickly took cover which gave you the opportunity to hit Vickie right in the chest. She groaned and you felt compelled to apologize as being hit straight in the boob must have hurt despite the foam shield you were all wearing. You had a maximum of five lives and you had managed to only lose two when Vickie was out. Her determination to get revenge for Robin made her a surprisingly easy target, while Robin hid more efficiently ever since the first hit. Steve had only been hit once on the shoulder, which he could have avoided had he not been focusing on moving you away from being hit instead.

“I say we corner her, both get one side each and we attack at once,” Steve suggested softly.

“Alright. I’ll take left.”

Steve nodded and got up from his crouched position and slowly moved towards the right. You followed his lead on the other side until he gestured for you to stop and pointed at one of the low walls. Slowly, you approached Robin from both sides, guns at the ready. However, just as you were about to hit her with the paint, she burst upwards and ran quickly away. In a reflex, Steve hit you instead and you gasped as it hit you straight in the chest like you had done to Vickie before.

“Shit, sorry I—”

SPLAT!

Steve looked down at his chest and back up at you, cocking his head.

“Really? It was an accident!”

“I was just as ready to shoot her and I didn’t shoot you! Are you trying to sabotage me, huh? Wanna be sure you come out on top?” you taunted teasingly.

“No! My reflexes were just quicker than yours and slower than hers,” he admitted reluctantly. You narrowed your eyes at him and shot him again, this time it landed on his stomach. He cocked his head to the other side this time and put his hands on his hips as far as his hands allowed while also holding the paintball gun in one.

“Y/N.”

“Now we’re even,” you shrugged, grinning behind your helmet.

“We were even the first time,” Steve argued, which was essentially true. You weren’t there to play fair however, at least not when your teammate hit you.

“Right, well, you deserved the other.”

Steve rolled his eyes and approached you, putting his hand on your arm as he spoke, sounding way more sincere than was necessary for this silly game.

“I’m sorry I hit you, okay? But we’re in this together now, we have to hit her two more times to win, and I don’t know about you but I want to win.” You were about to tell him he was being really silly when—

SPLAT! SPLAT!

“That was waaay too easy,” Robin sighed, giving you both a look as you sprang apart from shock when you both felt the paint hit you right on the head. However, Robin stood there being smug for a little too long, giving you and Steve enough time to lift up your guns and hit her right back before she could run away to hide.

“Team Red wins!” Frank, the colleague, announced. You felt Steve’s arm wrap around your shoulders and he butted your heads together a little too harshly, which caused you both to groan.

“Steve, christ!” you moaned as you lifted your hand to feel your head, only to be met by a glob of paint. Steve snickered but it was over soon when you brushed your hand off on his chest, mixing the yellow with the red you hit him with earlier. He grabbed your wrist and tapped your fingertips with his own.

“You like finger painting or something?”

“When I was younger? Sure,” you replied too seriously for the way he asked the question. “You?”

Steve shrugged.

“I guess I did it once or twice in kindergarten? Don’t really recall if I liked it or not,” he responded a little lost in thought.

You hummed and swiped your fingers across his stomach. Just as he was about to ask what you were doing you grabbed his hand and coated it with the paint you scooped up from his overalls. “Try it, then.”

While he looked down at his hand, you took off your helmet as it was starting to feel heavy on your neck and smiled up at him. Steve watched you with a curious expression and before you knew it, he lifted his hand towards your face and rested his palm flat against your cheek as if cupping your face. He seemed to be ready to move it around when you interrupted him, brow creasing in confusion.

“Steve what—”

“I thought you meant—”

“Not on my face?!”

Steve spluttered an apology, raising laughter out of you and you gestured at his helmet.

“Off with it, payback time.”

“Come on, you have to admit it seemed like you wanted me to paint your face, taking off your helmet right at that moment?”

“I was just hot,” you argued, huffing as you flicked his helmet. It hurt your finger only a little. “Off.”

Steve sighed and took the helmet off, did a boyish shake with his head to loosen up his hair and looked down at you.

“Go on then, make me beautiful,” he smirked, surrendering himself to you.

“Ah, but you already are,” you said casually as you lifted your hand to draw an orange flower with a yellow dot in the middle on his cheek. It was better than the vague hand print you had received from him. While you busied yourself with the details of the petals you realized Steve hadn’t said a word. One glance at his other cheek confirmed that he was blushing.

“Is this like a two-for-one kinda deal? Paintball and face painting?” Robin asked with an amused smile, watching you with her arms crossed from the ‘Game Over’ box Vickie had been sent to.

“It was payback,” you defended yourself while Steve just mumbled something no one could really understand. You made your way over to the changing rooms where you took off the overalls and washed the paint off your hands. You looked in the mirror to admire the pretty artsy hand print on your face and gave Steve a glance.

“I think I’m keeping it, I like it. Besides, I think I’ll ruin my shirt if I try to wash this off now,” you shrugged. Steve came to stand next to you and check out your creation as well.

“Oh, a flower, huh? That’s kinda cute.”

“Kinda,” you repeated. “He really called my priceless piece of artwork, a one of a kind, kinda cute.” Shaking your head you looked over at Vickie and Robin for support, but neither of them seemed too impressed by your little speech. They were, however, looking at you both with smug expressions, though Steve completely missed it as he was tracing his finger along the petals in his cheek while following the movement with his eyes through the mirror.

“Anyway,” Steve said suddenly and it was unsure whether he had followed the rest of the conversation, or speech, or whatever, “I’m thirsty. Anyone else want a drink?”

The four of you sat down at the front center of the hall where drinks were served at a bar that was decorated with neon colors just like the rest. Vickie had already decided she wanted to do this again and Robin agreed, though they opted for a larger group of people, as long as you and Steve would be on the enemy team to get their revenge. The both of you were down for the idea as well and wondered if you could possibly get Argyle and Jonathan to join in. Eddie was another option to ask and Nancy, well, none of you were sure whether you wanted to hand either team that much power, but you’d toss a coin for her.

After the drinks Vickie announced that she was staying over at Robin’s place but still offered to give you a ride, which you politely declined. Robin lived on the other side of town and it was just too inconvenient. Steve glanced at you as the girls both told you good night, leaving you alone at the front of the DGMG.

“So… how are you gonna get home?” Steve asked as he stuffed his hands into his pockets, making no move to leave just yet.

“Oh I’m just gonna walk, it’s not that far.”

“How far is not far?” he wanted to know and you bit your lip.

“Uh… half an hour, something like that?”

“Absolutely not. I’ll drive you.”

Steve had removed his hands from his pockets and had put them right on his hips again like he had before. He looked funny like that. Very much screaming “you will be home not a minute later than your curfew”, somehow.

“Oh, do I not get a say in this, is that what I’m hearing?” you asked, cocking an eyebrow at him. Steve’s eyes widened a fraction and he lifted his hands in defense.

“You— No that’s not what I—”

“I know, I’m teasing you,” you tell him with a soft smile. “It’s not exactly on route for you though.”

“You know where I live?” Steve asked, a little surprised.

“Who doesn’t know the Harrington mansion, huh? Known for its famous parties… the wild stories…”

His smile is awkward despite him doing his best to prevent that.

“Yeah, well. Not all that great, honestly. Just a big house with no parental figures around.”

“Every teenager’s dream,” you chuckled. It had happened more than once that classmates had expressed their jealousy towards Steve, who could do whatever he wanted in his home all the time.

“Is it, though?” Steve countered, then quickly cleared his throat and gestured towards the parking lot. “Anyway, uhm, I really don’t mind and I’d actually prefer it if you would let me drive you home. You know, to ease my mind.”

He avoided your gaze and focused on his shoes instead, nudging a small stone with his right foot. You wondered if you had possibly said the wrong thing just there. Instead of asking for it however, you figured the easiest way to get rid of the silence that threatened to expand between the two of you was to agree to his offer.

“Okay, yeah. Why not, right? Thank you, Steve.”

“Of course, no big deal.”

Once you were both settled in your seats, everything seemed normal again. Steve turned up the radio, hummed along to it while he asked what your plans for the rest of the week were in between and you asked him similar questions in return. Before you knew it, he already stopped in front of your house, which he had needed little guidance for once you had mentioned the street. Apparently one of the kids lived near your place. You lingered in the seat, listening to him telling a funny story about him and Robin and neither of you really seemed to want the conversation to end. Once the silence between you dared to linger a little longer though, you decided it was time.

“Well, uh— I won’t keep you any longer. Thank you for the ride,” you told him with a soft smile. “Don’t forget to clean off the flower.”

“What if I want to keep it? Might as well wear it to work tomorrow.” He shrugged, a grin playing on his lips.

“You do you but… chances are it will be smudged on your pillow when you wake up instead.” He gave you a little pout and you smiled in return.

“No worries, I can always draw a flower on your face again if you’d like.” With little hesitation you put your hand on his arm, giving it a comforting rub with your thumb to emphasize your words. Steve glanced briefly at your hand on his arm and glanced up at you, his smile seemingly permanent on his face now.

“I’ll keep it in mind, might take you up on your offer sometime.”

“Please do. Looks lovely on you, so I’m sure it would heighten the experience of customers seeing you match the interior.” You removed your hand and slowly made a move to exit the car when Steve’s voice stopped you.

“Uh— Y/N?”

You turn around to look at him, one leg already draped outside of the car.

“Yeah?”

Steve pressed down on his lips as if he was preparing himself to speak, even seemed a little nervous doing it.

“I uh… just wanted to say— Good night. And uhm, I had fun, being on your team.”

“I had fun being on your team too,” you tell him with a soft smile. You step out of the car and turn around to meet his gaze.

“Good night Steve. Drive safe.”

“Good night. You walk safe.”

“I’ll make sure to walk these… 20 feet very safely,” 

“Alright. Good. Perfect.”

A gentle giggle is shared and you finally close the passenger door and walk to your house. As soon as you reach the front door you turn around to give him a little wave, knowing he hadn’t driven off yet. You go inside after he returns the gesture and only when the door is closed securely behind you, you hear him drive away.

Next part

[hinatastinygiant]

6 | Beyond the Page

Pairing: Sanzu x Fem!Reader

The Book of Salvation

The next weekend, your phone begins to ring just after midnight. You reach for it and answer with a tired voice.

"Y/N?" Sanzu's voice replies through the phone. "Did I wake you up?"

"No," you shake your head. "I've been up, working on the plot for my next book."

There's a brief pause after that before Sanzu adds, "Would you mind some company?" He continues to explain that he's just left the drummer's house and needs to vent.

A smile grows on your lips as you agree. "Of course. I'll send you my address."

"Thanks, Y/N. I'll see you in a bit," he replies before hanging up.

A short while later, a knock at the door pulls you from your work. You open it to find Sanzu standing there, his expression drained. Without a word, he pulls you into a tight hug, catching you off guard. You return the embrace, concern in your eyes as you ask if he's okay.

"I'm just happy to see you," he sighs.

As you let him inside, he begins to explain his frustration with his bandmates. He tells you that he had brought up the idea of returning to Osaka for a concert and they immediately shot him down. Apparently, they don't want to go there because they think they'll lose money from the small venue.

Sanzu scoffs at the thought, anger lacing his voice as he adds, "But what the fuck does it matter when we've got all the money in the damn world?"

"Sanzu..." you mutter, watching his jaw tense and relax. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, yeah," he brushes it off, a heavy sigh leaving his lips. "I just... I just don't get why they don't appreciate where they came from, you know?"

You nod in understanding. "Yeah, I know what you mean."

"Sorry to bother you with this, Y/N," he shakes his head, a weak smile on his lips. "It's just that I didn't know who else to talk to about this and I figured that since we went there together... Well, I just wanted someone to understand, I guess."

"It's okay," you reassure him. "I'm glad you decided to talk to me."

"Thanks," he smiles. "Can we just watch a movie or something?"

"Sure," you agree. "I've got some snacks, too."

"Fuck yes," Sanzu grins, following you into the living room.

You pick a random comedy to watch and Sanzu flops down onto the couch beside you. As the movie begins, Sanzu stretches his arms above his head, letting one of them fall behind you.

As the movie plays, you can feel the stress of the week melt away, the warmth of the man beside you making you sleepy. After a while, your head leans against his shoulder, your eyes drifting closed.

When the movie ends, Sanzu looks down at you, a soft smile forming on his lips. Carefully, he shifts so he can scoop you up into his arms. You stir, but don't wake up, instead leaning your head into his chest. He carries you to your bedroom, gently laying you onto the bed.

As Sanzu tucks you in, your hand reaches out to him. He blinks, looking at your drowsy expression.

"Stay," you murmur.

With a quiet sigh, Sanzu sits on the edge of the bed, watching your eyes slowly drift closed again. His own eyes close for a moment as he breathes out, his shoulders relaxing. Then, he pulls his shirt off and crawls under the covers, wrapping an arm around you. He presses a gentle kiss to the top of your head, murmuring, "Good night, Y/N."

You smile and cuddle closer to him, sleep coming easily as you enjoy his warmth.

The next morning, you wake to find Sanzu's arm still draped over you. You shift, turning over to face him. "Morning, Y/N," he says with a grin. "Sleep well?"

"Yeah," you nod. "Did you?"

"Yeah," Sanzu nods, his arm moving to stroke your cheek.

"What time is it?" you yawn.

"Nearly ten," he replies.

"Damn, I slept a lot," you mumble, rubbing the sleep from your eyes.

"Well, I think we both needed the rest," Sanzu shrugs.

"True," you sigh, shifting a little closer to him. "But it was worth it."

"Definitely," Sanzu nods, his nose brushing yours. You chuckle, enjoying the closeness of the moment.

"Do you have anything to do today?" Sanzu asks.

"Not really," you shrug. "Why?"

"I was wondering if you wanted to hang out," Sanzu admits. "If not, that's cool."

"No, I'd love to hang out with you," you nod, sitting up. "Any ideas?"

"Let's just see where the day takes us," Sanzu shrugs, following suit.

"Alright," you smile. "First, I need coffee."

"Agreed," Sanzu chuckles, rising to his feet.

─────⋅ᓚᘏᗢ⋅─────

"And then what?" Nairobi asks after she and Amaya finish listening to your story.

"Well, ten minutes later he got a phone call, said it was really important, and left," you shrug.

"Aw, I'm sorry, Y/N," Amaya sighs. "That really sucks."

"It's okay," you shake your head. "At least it wasn't like we just hooked up and he left. It probably was really important."

"I can't believe his bandmates are being such dicks about going to Osaka, either. What the hell is their problem anyway?" Nairobi grumbles.

"It's not like it would be a huge loss," Amaya adds.

"God, how much is their net worth anyway?" you chime in.

"Ooo," Amaya gasps. "Let me look!"

Amaya, always resourceful, quickly pulls out her phone and starts searching. After a moment, she gasps in disbelief. "Guys, you won't believe this. Sanzu's net worth is 35 billion yen."

Nairobi's jaw drops at the staggering number. "Holy shit," she exclaims. "How much money could they possibly lose from Osaka?"

You shake your head. "Probably nothing significant."

Amaya's eyes light up with an idea. "Maybe they just need something to convince them to go."

Curiosity piqued, you ask, "Like what?"

Amaya grins mischievously. "We could create exclusive merch to be sold only at the Osaka concert."

Nairobi's face lights up with excitement. "That's an amazing idea! And we could all promote it on social media too."

"Yeah!" Amaya nods enthusiastically.

"Oh, but I don't have a website," you shake your head.

"I can help with that," Amaya waves it off.

"Okay, so I'm gonna guess that's a yes for the merch," Nairobi concludes, her tone amused.

"Hell yeah," Amaya replies. "What are we thinking? A t-shirt?"

"T-shirts and hoodies would be a good start," Nairobi agrees.

"Do you think you could draw something like that?" you ask Amaya.

"Definitely! You just run it by Sanzu the next time you see him and we'll get started on the designs!"

The Book of Salvation

Taglist: @bontensbabygirl

[cutmytitsintopieces]

Most of my coworkers now know that I'll get top surgery.

It was just a matter of time before word got around that I will be missing from work for about 6 weeks, and some of them were clever enough to draw their own conclusions.

Others asked bluntly about it, which I don't mind at all, but one guy tried to kinda gaslight me into telling him myself?! Bro, if you want to know which surgery it is, just ASK, but don't "Uhm, I don't wanna pressure you into telling me, but I'm so curious, oh it's so mysterious! But I won't ask, I bet it's something distressing, oh I'm so worried :(" me until I tell you out of annoyance.

When he finally got it, his face was just like °_° for a whole minute. This straight man got his brain fried by the thought that someone wants to make their chest smaller, I could literally see his last brain cell processing it: "But big boobs=good, why remove big boobs?"

So his first follow-up question was, if I have a tumor. No, I don't. And then he couldn't stop himself from making jokes about my breasts for the rest of the night (yes, also transphobic ones).

It was just a bit sad, in the end. Writing this, I only now realize how fucking inappropriate it was actually, wow. But this was my only bad experience with this topic at work.

The rest of my colleagues were supportive from the first second (probably because they're all women), they told me how happy they were for me and how brave I was for doing it (I don't feel brave, lol, I just want to get rid of my back pain). Of course, there were comments like "I wish you could give my the stuff that gets cut off!", but the tone and intention were harmless, and they dropped the topic before it was getting too far.

I was really scared that they would find out, but I'm glad they know now. Imagine if I just disappeared and then showed up completely different, like I actually planned on doing. The questions would still have been the same, I believe, so I didn't lose anything by telling them.

I actually saved myself the stress of the "reveal", so yay.

I will still have to tell my boss explicitly, so he doesn't fire me. But he's a much more respectful person, I have no worries about that.

What I want to say to anyone who might be in a similar situation:

If you want to disclose this kind of personal, medical information to your coworkers/acquaintances/boss/neighbors/whatever, do it.

If you want to keep quiet and pull through without saying a word or answering questions, DO IT.

There is no handbook for those kinds of situations, and this special topic will always carry a weird aftertaste with it, but for me, it felt good to don't carry this secret around and having it explode back into my face.

This said, NEVER let yourself be pressured into disclosing personal information of any kind, especially towards people you know will handle it carelessly. In my case: childish straight men, I guess.

[charlottecbordeaux]

Recently my grandma died and I was need of something to heal myself with since having two family members gone within a month was too much.

I’m doing fine now but everything is still bitter and I’m not doing well when looking at other ship art than my otp. Not to mention that losing followers on my main twitter has got into me.

But I kinda wanted to post this up somewhere since I thought it looked nice enough to share.

Warning tho. Canon/OC (Almond/Marigold)

(PlzgivemeOTPfluffimdeadinside-(

[First cuddles]

A: -not looking up from his newspaper- Marigold.

M: -Was dusting off the shelves- Y-Yes Mr.Almond Cookie?

A: I was wondering… Ya wanna sleep together tonight?

M: …!?

A: We’ve been officially dating and being together for a few months now. I was wondering if… Ya know. Maybe we could… Um… -blushes and scratches his head- … Cuddle in bed?

M: -starts to blush as red as a tomato- Wha- UM. -fidgets with fingers-

Almond: …

M: B-But when I s-sleep flowers grow and, and, I get get n-nightmares, I might snore, I-I um, Uhhh-

A: You don’t snore Marigold, and if ya did I wouldn’t mind anyway. Same goes with the flowers.

-Almond stands up and walks towards Marigold. He embraces her from behind and wraps his arms around her-

A: As for the nightmares… If ya get any I’ll be right beside you when you wake up from them. -pecks a kiss on Marigold’s cheek- So what’d ya say?

M: -looks down still blushing- O-okay…

[Night]

M: -sits on the bed holding onto her nightgown tightly as her face glows red-

A: -comes in the room- Sorry, Walnut got out for a glass of water- -looks at Marigold- Ya know you don’t need to be that nervous.

M: I-I’m sorry…! I-I-I just, t-this is my first time doing something l-like this.

A: (Actually this is our 2nd time-) Relax. It’s not like I’m going to do an interrogation on you or anything… -slides into bed behind Marigold- I just want to be with you, that’s all.

M: -blushes more red-

A: -beckons Marigold to come in bed next to him-

M: -starts to walk over to the opposite side and slides into bed next to him-

A: -gently pulls Marigold closer to him and hugs her close-

M: -Blushes more red as she finds herself in his chest-

A: Mmm… There we go.

-Almond nuzzles his face to Marigold’s gold frosting hair, taking in the faint sent of marigold flowers in him. Then he looks down to Marigold softy kisses her forehead.-

M: -holds onto Almond as she takes Almond’s affection in-

A: -chuckles at the blushing cookie at his chest- … Cute.

M: !////

A: -laughs out-

M: -hides her face into his chest and hugs him back a bit-

A: I guess it’ll take a bit of more time till you get used to this huh Mari?

M: -nods but freezes- M-Mari…?

A: Ah- Um, I hope ya don’t mind me putting a pet name on you.

M: Pet….??

A: It’s something someone uses on someone they love. Since your Marigold I was thinking if I could call you Mari when it’s only us… To make it special.

M: Ah…

A: If you don’t like it I can stop-

M: No no! I- I’m okay… I, um… -blushes again and hides her face- I never had anyone call me like that before… I think it’s nice Mr. Almond Cookie…

A: -smiles and kisses Mari’s head- Glad you like it love.

M: (L-love…) -blushes more-

A: … Mari.

M: Yes?

A: I want you to call me by my name for now on.

M: But I call you by your name?

A: What I mean is I want you to call me “Almond”. Just “Almond”.

M: -starts to blush more- A-Almond only…?

A: Yeah.

M: ….

-Marigold blushes and looks away for a bit. After taking a deep breath she opened her mouth a bit to say her lovers name-

M: A… Almond… Cookie.

A: -smiles- Can ya say it one more time? Without “Cookie”

M: A-Almond…

A: Again. -starts to slide his hands over her back-

M: Almond

A: -smiles- Yeah, just like that.

M: -smiles back sheepishly-

A: Mari…

-Almond holds Marigold’s face and strokes it with his thumb before leaning into her for a loving kiss to her lips. Marigold kisses him back, as she does some flowers start to sprout from the bed.-

M: S-sorry Mr. Almond-

A: -Ahem-

M: Ah-

A: Mari?

M: Almond… -blushes-

A: -smiles and gives her another kiss- There we go…

-The two smile and hug each other close-

(If your wondering when was the first time they slept together it was the time Marigold attempted suicide. Almond managed to stop her from crumbling herself up in the sea while also confessing his feelings to her. After a while they went back to his house by car. Marigold fell asleep in the car so Almond carried her up her room. When he set her down on the bed and started to leave he noticed that Marigold was holding onto him so he decided to sleep next to her.)

[skylarmoon71]

Nick Jakoby - Oneshot (Bright)- Extra

“Get down!”

You’re about to reload your gun, but your assailant is faster. He rushes at you, pushing you over the ledge. You gasp, dropping the gun as your body goes over.

“(Y/N)!!”

Nick’s voice rings in your head. You’re griping at the edge of the building. Grunting, you can feel your hold begin to slip. Ward curses.

“Go after him, I’ve got her!!” Ward nods, chasing the man as Nick runs to the balcony.

“N-Nick I can’t I’m losing my-”

You scream when your hand slides off. Nick pivots his body off, and you’re astonished when he grabs your hand with one hand, and the balcony with the other. His legs hit the brick harshly, and you just stare.

He’s managing your weight, as well as his own. He easily hoists you back up, and you grab the surface the second you're within distance. You pull yourself over, and once you feel you have a good hold, you reach for him. He doesn’t need it. He pulls himself up as if he weighs nothing. When you’re both back on solid ground, your chest is heaving. You just gape at him.

“Nick you’re..you’re strong.”

He nods, but he doesn't look phased by your words.

“Yeah, we should go and help Ward.” He’s heading off towards Ward’s direction, and you follow, taking in his frame from the back. It's not like you’ve never noticed his build before, but today you sort of can’t stop staring.

Apprehending the guy was easy. Ward looked pretty relieved when he saw you and Nick were in one piece. When all the work is done, Ward is about to call it a day.

“Glad you rookies are okay.” He says as he’s about to leave.

“Me too.”

You laugh. Ward gives you a few pats, heading out. Nick has just finished packing up his stuff.

“Nick.” He stops, sending you a nervous smile.

“Are you okay?” It looks like he’s surveying for injuries. You stand.

“Yeah, thanks to you.” He shook his head.

“Don’t mention it. It’s nothing. “

“No, it’s not.” You know that he’s not used to being complimented, but you need to get your point across.

“Nick, you literally saved my life. I definitely would have been a goner falling from that building. “ You moved closer, leaning in, you placed a kiss on his cheek. When you pull back, his golden hues are almost shining. He looks so adorably stunned.

“Thank you Officer Jakoby.” He just gives a few awkward nods.

“Y-Yeah no problem.”

Once again, you’re walking away with that cute little smile. Nick feels like maybe that look you give him is becoming a bit dangerous for him.

Time alone would tell.

~

“Wait what?”

“We’re having a friendly game of paintball. Captain says it’s to build character and partnership or some shit.” Ward’s explanation seems just about right. Those retreat activities never worked.

“I think I’ll pass.” You hum.

Your skills in shooting didn’t need any sharpening.

“Nick is going to be there, you know.”

You perk up a little at that. Straightening in your desk. Nick is the last person you think will attend something like that with the officers in this precinct. Half of them were morons. Then again, if he really was going, maybe it wouldn’t be that bad.

“Guess I can show those rookies how a champ does it.” Ward smiles, one that you can’t truly read.

“Sure.”

He doesn't sound that convinced by your reasoning, and Nick comes walking in.

“Good morning.” He is a bit cheerful. He always looks so happy to be working, despite the crap he goes through on a daily basis. His energy sort of brightens up your day.

“Good morning Nick. I heard you got suckered into paintball.”

“Yes, I think it’ll be good practice for tactical strategies in the field.”

He’s such a rookie, and so dedicated to the job. It’s cute to watch. He turns to set up some things on his desk, and when he bends, you find yourself admiring him from the back. Your eyes linger on his ass, nibbling on your lip.

Ward lets out a loud obnoxious cough from the other side, and you turn. So does Nick in question. Ward taps his chest.

“Sorry allergies.” He says.

“You should try some honey and lemon. " Nick suggested.

Ward sends you a look, and you blush.

“Damn, he saw me!”

You’re a bit embarrassed that he caught you red handed ogling at his partner. You try to be less obvious for the remainder of the day, but it was difficult. Somehow your eyes catch every adorable thing Nick does.

From humming tunes in the car when Ward was getting lunch, to helping older pedestrians cross the street when you all made stops for breaks. Then there was the way his ears would twitch when he got excited, or even alarmed.

How the hell did people not like this guy? He was a literal gem. It got to the point that you started searching for flaws, because he was just too precious. You gave up at the end of the day.

The only weakness Nick appeared to have was his self esteem. You knew the things that were said to him got to him sometimes, that’s why he was constantly careful, especially around you. So you decide from that point, you’d look out for him. Nick just wanted to be a respected officer, and you would do what you could to help him achieve that dream.

The session for your little paintball activity rolls around on a Saturday. Pollard had been appointed the gear duty, and Ward did the meals. They’d chosen a nice open space, private property courtesy the LAPD. There were trees for miles. It was perfect for this kind of thing. The weather was great too.

Now all geared up, you were being dispersed into teams.

“Since Falcon here is our best shooter, she gets to be a captain. Then me of course.” You roll your eyes at Pollard. It’s no surprise he wanted you on an opposing team. Maybe he thought taking you down would boost his ego.

“Alright, select your players!” Ward says playfully. You grin. Nick is standing at a short distance, you know he expects to be chosen last. Yet he was the first person you wanted.

“I pick Nick. “ He looks up, pointing at himself.

“A-Are you sure, my shooting skills aren’t as good as yours. “

You walk closer, nodding.

“I want you.”

It is whispered just for him, and you turn back to get your other players. Breaking out into teams of seven, you get to work. Ward is on your squad, and you give pointers on where best to hide to wait for targets. You all fall out, and you wait patiently. Your first hit is easy. The guy had been trudging in plain sight. When the color smacks his back he jumps, and you laugh.

“Gotcha!!” He groans, dropping his gun.

“This ain't fair, you’re a prodigy.” You move past him.

“Maybe next time you’ll lighten your steps.” You call.

Running back into the forest, you look for others to take down. You manage two more, smiling at the way they seemed a bit stunned. The third one was a bit tricky, he’d drawn the same time you did, but as he figured out, you were faster. The ones who were out were making their way back to the vehicles. Forty minutes in, you’re a little surprised you haven’t run into Nick yet. You do bounce up Ward. He laughs when he sees you’re untouched.

“How many you get?”

“Three." You say with a snicker.”

“I got two.” He laughs.

“Good job. Two more to go. ” You high five, and you’re both headed for the last targets. The heavy laughter you hear after a few minutes of walking has you looking back at Ward.

“Really, it’s like they aren’t even trying.” He’s about to make a suggestion to take them down, but you catch a statement from Pollard.

“That’s right, guess you’re no good at shooting either huh piggy.” The laughs increase, and when they are in view, you see a few on your team. They're all shooting at Nick who’s already discarded his gun.

“You got me already.” He says flinching at every hit that connects. Your face turns sour.

“You assholes!!” They turn, and you raise your gun. You shoot efficiently, taking down each of them, even the ones on your team. Pollard looks a bit annoyed, and before he can retaliate, you shoot right for his mask. He staggers back, and you just continue. You hit every area that is within view walking with each shot. He finally stumbles at the frantic hits, falling on his back. When he’s down, you move to them.

“What the hell, this was supposed to be a friendly game.” One of the officers says.

“Yeah, so why the hell did you start shooting your own teammate? Is that how we work!”

They look a lot less sure now. Nick just shook his head.

“It’s fine. “

Pollard finally picks himself up, throwing his mask off.

“We were just having fun, calm down you stuck up bitch.” He gets in your face, and you don’t back down. Ward steps between to stop it before anything can escalate.

“Alright, calm down.” Ward pulls you back, and Pollard takes a step back. You turned, still pissed, and Nick follows to try and assure you that he really is fine.

“That’s right, walk away piglet.”

That’s the last straw, you spin around rushing at him, swinging. You clock him square in the nose, and everyone hears the sickening crack. His body hits the floor harshly, and he grunts. He’s clutching his nose.

“M-My nose!!”

“Serves you right!!”

You snarl. Ward runs to you when he sees the rage Pollard shows as he tries to tackle you to the floor. You duck his swing, hitting him in his stomach, then another devastating blow right between his legs. Ward winces, all the men present do when Pollard’s knees buckle in pain. Now he’s clutching his crotch.

“Pussy.” you huff.

You turn, and they all look a bit scared.

“Remind me never to piss her off.” Ward comments. Nick was making a mental note himself.

~

Suspended.

You weren’t exactly surprised. Both you and Pollard were given a two week suspension. Or in Pollard's case, a sabbatical to heal his wounded nose, and dignity. One of the guys recorded your little match, and now it was trending online. You snicker reading through a few comments before logging off your phone. The knock on your door is a bit unexpected. You head over, smiling once you see who’s behind the door.

“H-Hi.”

“Hey Nick. “ You let him in, and he walks inside a bit nervous.

Just as you close the door to offer him something to drink, he apologizes.

“I’m sorry. This was my fault. You shouldn’t have gotten suspended.”

“Nick, come on, it's not your fault. Pollard was being a dick. I know it’s harder for you. You’re not afforded the same luxuries that we are. You can’t fight back. But I can. Besides, there is no way they’ll fire me. I’m the best shooter they have.” You grin, but Nick still looks a bit discouraged.

“I wish you’d stop.”

He sounds upset, for the first time Nick looks irritated, and it’s directed at you.

“You don’t have to put yourself out there for me. I can handle myself.”

“Yeah, and how great has that been going. Nick, they basically shit on you day after day. I’m just trying to help.”

“I don’t need your help.”

It hurts a little to hear him say that. You try to school your features not to give much away. You should have known better. At the end of the day you guess he was a guy. All that testosterone running through his head convinced him that apparently letting someone stand up for him was a weakness. You look over, a bit puzzled at the hurt Nick now shows. His eyes are planted on the floor, and your brows crease. Now it all makes sense.

“Why don’t you want my help?”

Nick looks up, and those topaz orbs reveal so much. You’re starting to understand the reason behind his anger. You take one step, and he backs up. Nick staggers, almost running into your table. He turns haphazardly, looking back at you when he steady’s your vase.

“(Y-Y/N)!”

He sounds alarmed.

You nibble at your lips, titling your head. Nick holds his hands out to halt your advance, and jolts when his back hits a wall.

“I didn’t just stand up for you because Pollard’s a jackass. You should know that for a while now, I’ve been sort of crushing on you Nick.”

He swallows, and his ears start to flutter lightly. You smile, because he lifts his hands to control them.

“T-That’s not possible. We're too different. We have nothing in common.” He reasons.

“Don’t we?” You have him cornered, and with his strength he could easily push you away, but you know that he won’t.

“We’re both cops, dedicated to the job, focused. A bit of kindred spirits really.” Your hand flattens on the wall, and Nick’s Adam's apple bobs.

“We both have feelings for each other too.” You breathe.

His eyes grow wide, and you know you’ve gotten him right where you want. You take another step, and as you lean in slow, you can see the way he fidgets.

“(Y/N) s-stop don’t..”

Your breaths mingle, and right before they fully touch, he grasps your shoulders, spinning around and pressing you to the wall. You’re a bit shaken by the sudden switch, and when your eyes flicker open, he’s staring down at you with something you haven’t truly seen from him. After a brief heated look, he moves back rattled.

“I shouldn’t have- (Y/N) I’m sorry I-”

“Do you think I’m unattractive?” He looks up in disbelief.

“Of course not!” He says it like it’s the most ridiculous thing he’s ever heard.

“So you do find me attractive?”

Nick is threading on a thin line. To him you’re magnificent. Not just physically. He wasn’t sure if it was because you’d shared your story with him, but since that day he hasn’t been able to stop thinking about you. But he knows deep down, nothing can happen. It wasn’t hard for him to convince himself that this attraction was one sided.

“I find you very attractive, Nick Jakoby.”

“Aw crap.”

This was definitely in the danger zone.

“You’re awkward. Caring, honest, humble.” With every flattering word, he feels like he’s being reeled in. You reach for him, taking his hand. He’s way too dazed to fully register the soft touch. Your eyes have him captive.

“Not to mention you’re built like a lumberjack which is unbelievably sexy. “

His words are lost. He thinks you’re going to say more, but you take his collar, pulling him down for a kiss. When your lips touch, his body has caught up with what’s happening. A part of him thinks he’s imagining this entire thing. It becomes very real when his hand moves to your hips.

“Soft.”

Your skin feels so warm under his palm. A part of him finally decided to indulge it, even if it’s purely fantasy. So he responds, and you moan when he presses your body into the wall as he kisses you. Your fist ball into his uniform, gripping, tugging, begging for more. The kiss is no longer delicate. You’re both pushing and grabbing at each other, trying to feel all you can. Your hands gravitate to his belt, and you unclip it. His gun hits the floor, and now that the pesky gadget is gone, you practically pounce on him. Nick’s hands are secured under your thighs as he lifts you off the ground.

“Gosh you’re so freaking strong..so hot..”

You mutter between your sloppy kisses.

It’s a bit strange, you never really had a thing for muscled guys. Yet his strength does weird things to you. Your fingers run over the back of his head, and he lets out a deep growl.

“Shit.”

Damn this man was a beast.

His free hand moves to the wall as he keeps you up against it, lips still joining and parting desperately.

The loud knock that resonates from the front makes him pull back. He’s breathing a bit heavy, and you whine.

“N-Nick..”

You’re begging him.

“The door..” He huffs out.

“What?”

Another knock followed by a voice.

“Hey rookie, I bought you some Chinese. "

You frown at Ward’s voice on the other side of the door. Nick puts you down, and you look like you’re about to shoot someone as you rush to the door.

You open it pissed.

“Woah, what’s got your knickers in a twist?”

“Ward, could you come back another time, I’m busy.”

It’s then he truly takes in your disheveled appearance. He’s about to make a statement, but he hears shuffling, and you look back. Nick is struggling to put back on his belt. Ward catches sight of him, smirking.

“You dog,” You frown, slamming the door in his face.

“Have fun!!”

He calls with a laugh. You turn back to Nick who still hasn’t managed to latch his belt. He looks up when he hears you coming.

“I-I was just about to leave (Y/N) I-” you grab the belt, throwing it over your shoulder.

“You’re not going anywhere.”

Before he can object, you claim his lips. He gives a brief sound of surprise, right before he appears to be sucked back into the haze. He pauses for a second to look at you.

“Are you sure..about this?”

“Positive.”

You don’t give much more than that, because you’re already ripping off your clothes.

Neither of you would get much sleep tonight.

[glowstick-cafe]

Abandoned||SBI x hybrid!reader

SBIx hybrid!reader

Genre: Angst

Warning: Violence, Swearing, implied injury??

I use the Doomsday war to my advantage, that just feels right.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dark

Why is everything dark?

I-Why can't I see?!

Why can't I move my wings?!

Dad! Help me, I'm scared!

-

6

"Dad! Help me, I'm scared!" Tears rolled down my face as I clung to the tree branch, "Y/n, it's ok! Keep your eyes on me and jump." Philza yelled. You were playing hide and seek with your brothers and managed to get stuck in a tree, which is why you're in this situation. "W-What if I fall?!" I yelled back, my tears blurred my vision, the only thing recognizable to me was Phil's white and green bucket hat. "I'll catch catch you. I promise." He said, his calming voice relaxing me. You took his word of it and jumped from the branch, you expecting to hit the ground or Phil's arm at least but with a small peak you saw that you were flying. "D-Dad....I'm flying!" You yelled excitedly while Philza was clutching his chest as if his heart was about to collapse on itself. If you were to ask him about it today, he would say that it was the most stressful day of his life.

-

14

"Tech, c'mon!" You whined, as your brother payed not mind to the fact that you were bothering or well at least trying to bother him. "Y/n, for chirst sake stop annoying your brother." Philza said, he just wanted some peace and quiet in the house for once and you were the only thing keeping it from that. "Y/n, I've already told you that you can't go outside with me a night, you're going to get hurt." The pink haired piglin murmured, "I can protect myself, you know this." "No, is no." He said in a stern tone making you huff in annoyance.

"Go with him, I won't tell a soul." Wilbur's voice cheered, his red beanie rested lazily on his head as he leaned on the couch. "Thank you, I'll do your chores for 3 days." "Make it a week." "Fine." After that little exchange you ran out the door to find Techno.

Deep into the forest you silently trail behind your brother while hiding behind trees and bushes, upon hearing a sudden noise that surprised you, you turned around to see your brother nowhere in sight. Your breath quicken as you looked around the forest in panick, where the hell is he?, while walking through the forest you bumped into someone, "Techno! I'm so glad to see yo-AAAA!" You cut yourself off to find out that instead stood a zombie, you backed yourself into a tree which left you nowhere to go, as much as you wanted to use your wings it was useless since the zombie could just grab you. "I can't believe I'm going to die to a zombie-" You managed to say, your terror was short lived because Techno stabbed the zombie through the heart. "Techno, I'm so sorry for following you. I almost got killed and-" Your rambling was cut short due to the sudden hug from the piglin, "I'm just glad your ok, I don't know what I'd do with myself if you got hurt." He whispered, all you could do was cry into his never as he carried you home.

-

17

"Dad, I'm not six anymore, I take care of myself. Techno gets to move out, what about me?!" You yelled, it was anthor fight between you and Phil, it's been getting more worse everytime. "The difference between you and Techno is that he proved that he can take care of himself." Phil argued back making you more annoyed. "When did it become about proving something? All I'm asking you to do is trust me, when did the become so hard to do?!" You screamed, you were at your limit, you ran out of the house and flew up to sit on the roof.

You were left to your thought until you heard a familiar voice, "It's rough in there haha..." Wilbur said, he was trying to make you feel better but he mentally cursed himself for even saying that. "You know he's trying his best right?" He sighed, Wilbur took a seat next to you and stared at the sky. Phil, Tommy, Wilbur, Techno and you used to sit on the roof and talk about the weirdest of things while watching the sunset, but not that Techno left to love on his on it doesn't feel the same. "Yeah, but I wish he'd do the bare minimum and treat me like I'm seventeen." I mumbled letting out a deep sigh, "Well, just know that I have your back no matter what, ok?" Wilbur reassured, he put out his pinky finger and you did the same, "Ok..." You gave the brunette a small smile then turning your attention back to the sunset.

-

19

"Now you've done it ya lil shit!" You jokingly yelled, you chase Tommy around the living room while Phil was making dinner and Wilbur was writing a song in his book. "Dad help! Y/n is brutally murdering me!" Tommy yelled while Phil hummed, not paying any attention to the blonde. "Imbeciles! Everyone of you in this house, imbeciles!" The blonde chanted while everyone laughed at you piled your entire weight on the boy.

Later in the night you heard a knock on your door, you utter a gentle come in to see Tommy. "What's up bud?" You ask, you sat up to look at him, "You know how Phil is finally letting you go live on your own?" You hummed and watced the boy try to find his word. "I...I don't want you to go-" He said, his voice sounding shakes which alarmed you.

"Is that was this is about? C'mon, sit." You sighed and patted a spot on you bed signaling for him to sit. "I know that you're going to miss me but just know that you'll have to get used to not having me around, I'm sure Wilbur feels the same. I believe in you, big man." I said while ruffling his hair, his expression seemed like he still wasn't read to let go. "But what about when you wake me up when I don't want to get up? What about you kicking me under the table during dinner, what about when I need you to tell me that everything is find? What about-" He paused to collect his thoughts. "Y/n, what am I without you?" His words made me halt, "Yourself..."

-

Doomsday

"You chose your side Y/n, Techno and I chose ours." Phil spoke, his tone cold and devoid of care."But, I thought- I thought we were a family." I say, Philza only wince at my words. I look up at him, Techno, and Dream as they set off the TNT dropper, with little time I tried to fly away I kept missing the TNT only by a kiss and a prayer until, "Y/n look out!" Tommy yelled, I quickly look behind me see TNT about to explode, out of instinct I use my wing to shield me.

Dark

Why is everything dark?

I-Why can't I see?!

Why can't I move my wings?!

Dad! Help me, I'm scared!

Why is no one there?

Dad-No, Phil, Techno, Wilbur, Tommy.....where are you?

My body felt like it was about the give out, I was losing a lot of blood. "I guess this is how I die...Techno can't save me this time." I chuckled to myself, "I wonder how one of Wilbur's songs go... Jubilee Line, was it?" I paused.

"Wasting your time

You're wasting mine

I hate to see you leaving

A fate worse than dying

Your city gave me asthma

So that's why I'm fucking leaving."

While I was singing a voice called out to me, it seems like I was buried under a pile of rocks...cool I guess. A hand reached and pulled me out of the dark creavis, surprising me completely.

I didn't realize how relieved I was to not die until I stole a hug from the person that saved me, he smelled of blueberries and heaven he was wear a colorful hoodie and a sea foam green swirl on the front. "It's ok, everything will be ok." Even his soft voice resembled an angel, I cried into his hoodie an. The man hugging me whispered small reassurances as my tears stain his hoodie, in that moment I've never been this scared to let someone go.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I hoped you liked this because I sure did, I shall go pass out now. It's 3:06am rn.

[nightowlfandom]

Billy Loomis And Stu Macher x Reader- Our Favorite Girl (Slight gore warning)

CHECK OUT MY MASTERLIST HERE!

Leggo!

...(Trigger warning, stabby stab)

“Hey newbie!” 

You looked up from your textbook to find Stu Macher prancing up to you. With a polite smile, you greeted him.

“Hi Stuart.” you said. “How are you?”

“Hey! I said you didn’t have to be so ‘oooh hi Stuart I’m so prim and proper.’ “ he laughed out loud. “We’re friends aren’t we?” 

“I guess so.” you laughed nervously. “ Um...what’s up?”

“I’m havin’ a party and you’re coming!”

“Parties?” You frowned. “I-uh...” you wanted to reject the idea. You hated parties and your parents would probably blow a fuse if they knew what was going on around town. ‘Stuart, I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“Why not, kitten?” he winked. “Afraid to be seen with little ol’ me?” there was a darkness behind his words that you couldn’t ignore. “Don’t like being out after dark?”

“I’m not the partying type is all.” you shrugged. “If you hadn’t noticed, I’m not the most popular person around here.” you stared down at your shoes. “I just don’t wanna ruin your party. I’m the last person you wanna be seen with.”

“It’d make me real happy, kitten.” he stepped forward and slipped his fingertips under your chin and made you look up. “Please? Just for a few minutes.”

Call it weakness, but you couldn’t say no to him.

“Okay.” you smiled lightly. “I’ll go”

“Great! Don’t worry, it’ll be super memorable.” he winked as he skipped off. 

Later on, you were walking to your locker only to bump into Adam. Typical bully. “Hey Y/N. Heard you were going to Macher’s party tonight...you gonna wear a dress for me?”

“No.” you answered curtly. “It’s amazing how you don’t seem to have anything better to do other than shove your nose into my business.” you hugged your books to your chest. “Can I go now?.”

“Hey...is there a problem?” you turned around to find Billy Loomis stalking up to you. You had seem him a handful of times but never actually talked to him before. “You...where do I know you from?”

“I sit behind you in English. We had a project together once.” you replied sheepishly. “Stuart forces me to sit between him and his girlfriend at lunch when they’re fighting. You talk to me from time to time...”

“Stuart...” he raised an eyebrow. “You mean Stu?”

“mhm! You probably don’t remember me because I never reply...” you nodded. 

“You goin’ to his party or somethin’?”

“He asked me to go.” you trailed off. “You’re going too, right?”

“ Why? Excited to meet me there?”“ he smirked, totally ignoring Adam at this point. 

“I mean...” you stared down at your books. “I was hoping someone I’d know would be there.”

Billy raised an eyebrow at you. You gave off a shy aura and for some reason he was into that. He and Stu had been planning a massacre, and they were gonna blame that damned Sydney Prescott. It was the perfect crime. 

“Hm...I’ll see you there.” he winked at you, then sent a death-bringing glare at Adam. “Problem, handsome?” he sneered as he passed the athlete.

... at the party

“Not even three hours in and I have to hide...” you cursed yourself out. “Damn asshole...!” 

Adam was informed that you had arrived and was looking for you, shit!

You ran into the kitchen, losing your breath. “Billy?” 

The suspect in question whipped around. Billy was holding what you assumed was the house phone and instantly hung it up. “Hey...”

“Am I glad to see you.” you sighed.

“Somethin wrong?” 

Billy was in the middle of executing his plan, but for some reason he couldn’t help but want to talk to you. 

“Adam is looking for me.” you sighed. “Could I...stay here with you? Please?”

Billy smiled, darting out his tongue to run across his bottom lip. You were absolutely adorable. “I have a better idea.” he smirked, walking up to you. “Why don’t we send him a little message?”

“You have a girlfriend.” you put a hand on Billy’s chest. “I c-can’t.”

“Not anymore...she dumped me for Randy.” he tusked. ”Figures right?”

“Well...that’s her fault...you’re pretty cool.” you bit your lip.

“So...” Billy tilted your head up towards you. “Let me-”...he gently kissed your lips. While it felt wrong, you melted into him. He held the side of your face in his hand. Sidney wasn’t your friend, not by a longshot, but you still respected her. The fact that Billy was so willing to kiss you, like this.

“For once...stop worrying about other people.” he mumbled against your lips. “Just live in the moment...shit I know what I want...you know what you want...so act on it damnit.”

“Are we still talking about getting Adam off me back or-”

“Shush...don’t think.”

“Kinda hard to when your girlfriend is in the other room”

“Shut up.” he shushed you, tightening his arms around you. You kissed him back with just as much urgency. How would the others react, seeing this...seeing you. Billy backed you up against the counter. Before it could get any farther, you both heard screaming, girlish screaming. 

“What the hell was that?” you asked, feeling your heart race.

“Stay here.” Billy ran in the direction of the noise, leaving you to stand there in terror.

You could hear screams and cries for help, followed by what sounded like gleeful laughter. You were left frozen in place as a man with a mask on his face kicked open the kitchen door. 

You immediately braced yourself with a kitchen knife.

“Stay back!” you warned. “I will cut you!”

“Easy kitten, I’m not gonna kill ya.”

Call it ignorance. Call it instinct, but there was something familiar about the way this stranger spoke to you.

“What did you just say?” you dared ask this man. “Did you just call me kitten?”

“You’re naive, childish...and adorable...like a little kitty cat.” the way he laughed under the mask led you to believe he was laughing with his tongue stuck out.

There was only one person that you knew who spoke like that. You slowly lowered the knife and walked up to him cautiously. The figure didn’t move in the slightest. You were standing toe to toe with him. 

You cautiously raised the mask only revealing the bottom half of the strangers face...only they weren’t a stranger.

“Stu.” you concluded.

“....You said my name.” he flirted.

“Care to explain?”

“In a bit...got something to take care of.” he straightened his mask again before disappearing again.

It was only less than a minute before Stu came quite literally crawling back into the kitchen.

Stu doubled over, holding his stomach as you rushed over to his side. “Stu?” you put a hand on his forehead. “Stu, please don’t be dead!” you winced. “It’s okay, you’re okay.” That damn Sidney...she must have had something to do with this.

“Y/N...it hurts.” Stu moaned in pain. “Hold me?” 

You wasted no time in gathering him to the best of your abilities. He rested his head in your knee. You hummed thoughtfully, shushing him while you used his sweater to apply pressure to his stab wound.

“Y/N, are you sure you aren’t an angel?” He shamelessly flirted, smiling through his pain.

“No, I’m not.” you giggled. ”Save your energy.”

“I’d have more if you just gave me those lips of yours...” he winked. Just to shut him up, you kissed his forehead. 

“Not what I meant, but works for me.”

 As you chided the poor boy, Sydney ran into the kitchen, screaming at the top of her lungs while Billy also wounded stumbled behind. 

“Billy??” you gasped in horror. Seeing you must have caused him to loose his footing, because he slowed his movements. You laid Stu on his back and urged him keep his sweater over his wound. 

You scrambled to your feet, eyeing Sidney with a glare no one had ever seen you wear.

“Y/N! You’ve got to believe me! They’ve been the ones doing this.”

“I find that really hard to believe that when you were just standing over Stu with a bloody knife.” you seethed. “Your own boyfriend? Really?” you dared step closer.

“Y/N! They’re manipulating you!” she began crying. “You have to see it!” She was obviously hysterical.

“Then give me the knife.” you faked calm, cautiously stepping towards her. “Give me the knife...and we can-” you stopped yourself. You looked over at Billy, praying he wouldn’t be mad. “We’ll call the cops.” you you held your hand out.

“WHAT?” Billy seethed. You avoided his gaze. Hopefully he wouldn’t sense your fear. 

“Trust me...” you said, just barely above a whisper. You were mostly talking to Billy, but had to make it look like it was directed at her. “We can get out of this...”

Sidney (very stupidly) outstretched her hand, the one that was holding the knife. Once it was within your reach, you grabbed her wrist, and grabbed the blade with your free hand, throwing it to the side. You tackled to to the floor and held her down.

“Crazy bitch.” you mumbled. She began thrashing, and screaming bloody murder. You were eventually able to get the best of her. “Whoever is the least dead...COPS...NOW!” You struggled as Sidney screamed. “This bitch is out of her mind!.”

“I have a better idea.” A seemingly fine, and now very much not dead Stu rose to his feet, a sick smile plastered on his face. The knife had slid over to him and you hadn’t even realized. You were too focused on keeping Sidney on the floor.

Suddenly you were yanked back into Billy’s arms as a sharp object came down from above, plunging through Sidney’s chest. 

“Oh my god!” you buried your head into Billy’s shirt, trying to block out the terrible sounds you heard the terrible sounds of skin ripping. 

“Shhh it’s over babe.” He shushed you. “It’s okay.” he stroked your hair with his bloody hand. Stu laughed manically as he wiped the sweat off his face. 

“Some party huh.” Stu cackled. He wasted no time in sandwiching you between himself and Billy.

“You had us thinking you’d betray us, Kitten.” Stu dug his head into your shoulder.

“Y/N would never do that to us...she’s our good girl.”

“You guys are-”

“Absolutely.”

“And this party was-”

“Smart girl.”

“And now that you know our little secret, we’re never letting you go, kitten!” Stu laughed. 

“And if you tell anyone, we’ll have no choice but to take you down with us...but you won’t do that to us, will you?” Billy asked, nuzzling his head into your neck.

[pennylanefics]

drive - jacob black

a/n: this is completely inspired by ‘fictional soundscapes’ on youtube, and their video “jacob driving” IT GIVES ME SO MANY FEELS AND IT’S SUCH A PEACEFUL AUDIO AND BROUGHT THIS ON AND YOU SHOULD DEFINITELY GO LISTEN. okay. :)

*gif is not mine, credit goes to the owner*

•••

you and jacob had gotten in a fight while taking a walk on the beach. you hated how much time he was spending with bella instead of you, seeing as he is your boyfriend and not hers.

what you thought would be a peaceful walk turned into jacob bringing up a story about his and bella’s recent hang out, on a day that he promised to spend with you instead, and you lost it.

you didn’t mind his friendship with her, after he told you that she had fallen into a depression when edward left, you were glad she had someone to turn to. what you didn’t like was him ditching you to spend countless hours with her and leaving you in the dust.

“jake, you know i don’t care about you hanging out with her, but once in a while, i’d like to spend time with you as well! we were supposed to go to the zoo the other day and you just so happened to forget that and went off with her instead. i don’t think you understand that you’re my boyfriend, yet you don’t act like one!”

this changes something in jacob. he hears the pain in your voice and he can sense your anger and heartbreak. he doesn’t say a word, instead gazing at the ground, disappointed in himself, knowing everything you said is true.

“just take me home,” you mumble, walking off the beach and to jacob’s truck. he stands there for a moment, watching you walk away, giving you some space before following your footsteps.

by the time he reaches his car, you are already inside, wanting to be out of the cold air that was taking over. but seeing as the heating in jacob’s car wasn’t working, you knew it was going to be a long drive back.

jacob starts the car up and pulls away from the side of the road into the lane. you stare out the window, trying to wrap your jacket around you tighter, but it was no use. jacob sees your shivering figure, but decides against saying anything just yet, knowing he really hurt you.

after a while of driving, jacob turns the radio on, hating the deafening silence. satellite heart by anya marina starts playing. your eyes widen and you want to look over at jacob, but you don’t. he wants to look at you as well, but doesn’t, keeping his eyes on the road.

it’s the song that you and jacob slow-danced to at his cousin’s wedding. when he admitted his feelings for you. when you shared your first kiss.

it was the moment you fell in love with him. the things he said, the things he described, the way he looked in the dim light, his long hair framing his face perfectly. it’s a moment you’ll never forget. ever since then it’s been your song.

by now, it was growing dark as you entered forks, only a couple minutes away from your house. there still wasn’t a single word spoken, and when jacob puts the truck in park in front of your house, neither of you move.

the song was still playing and as soon as it ended, jacob turned the radio off, figuring now would be a good time to talk.

“i’m sorry for not acting like your boyfriend,” he begins, staring straight forward. “i never wanted you to feel neglected or left behind.”

“then why have you ditched me so much to see bella?”

“because i…” he doesn’t really know the true reason. he loves you so much, he hates that he’s abandoned you like this.

“jake, i don’t want to fight, and i definitely don’t want another girl coming between us. so please. just tell me now if you don’t want to be with me anymore and you c-can go run off with b-”

“no, no no!” he stops you from finishing your sentence, finally reaching over and bringing you into his arms. hearing your voice waver and a sniffle broke him. “i don’t want to leave you for her.”

“then what’s going on? because it certainly feels like you do.”

“i guess i just got caught up in having a childhood friend back again. and i also promised charlie i would offer some sort of friendship and distraction for her because her boyfriend recently left her. i promise i have no feelings for her whatsoever.”

“you don’t?” jacob shakes his head in response, a serious and stern look on his face.

“no. i meant it when i said you’re the only one for me, and like our song says, i’ll be true to you. i’m yours forever, baby.”

“but what if you find an imprint?” he can’t help but chuckle, completely forgetting to tell you.

“i imprinted on you already. earlier today, at the beach, right before we got into the fight. and that’s probably what brought it on. you could feel the connection and your jealousy got fired up because you were feeling somewhat protective over me as well.”

“isn’t that you who’s supposed to feel protective?”

“well yeah. but you will feel some sense of it as well. not as strong as i will, but it’s there. bella being too close to me triggered it.”

“oh.”

“hey, look at me,” he whispers, tilting your chin up to look at him. “i love you and only you. i truly am sorry for not being a good boyfriend. i think the imprint is going to change this. i definitely won’t be spending as much time with her, because i want to spend time with you. i need to spend time with you to make up for what i’ve done.” his voice is filled with love and care for you. you can feel how much he means it.

“i love you too, jake.” he leans in, wanting nothing more than to kiss you to prove his love for you.

you don’t pull away, allowing him to press his lips to yours in a sweet yet soft kiss.

“can we go on a little drive?” you ask, pulling away. “i’m not ready to leave you yet and we didn’t exactly get to enjoy our song.”

“of course, hun. stay cuddled up with me because i can still feel you shivering.” you giggle and allow him to move back to the driver’s seat. once he starts the car again, you snuggle up to his side, circling your arms around his right one, which rests on your legs.

he clicks the radio off and instead hooks his phone up, playing the same song that sits in a playlist filled with other songs you two enjoy.

jacob drives around your neighborhood, seeing as it was getting late and he didn’t want to keep you for too long. when the song ends for the second time, he heads back to your house, but still, you don’t want to leave him.

“why don’t you stay over for the night?” you offer. “my mom’s gone with her boyfriend for the weekend, and she won’t be home until monday.”

“okay,” he agrees immediately, getting out of the car and following you inside.

soon, you two are cuddled up under your covers, jacob shirtless of course, and you in an old t-shirt of his and a pair of shorts.

“i’m sorry for starting a fight today. i just don’t want to lose you to someone else,” you whisper, avoiding eye contact by drawing random shapes on his chest. it rumbles beneath your touch.

“i already checked in with sam and he says it’s normal. no need to apologize, babe.”

silence falls between the two of you as you enjoy his presence for the first time in days.

“you’re my girl, and you always will be, okay?” he whispers against your forehead. you nod and snuggle closer to him. “no matter what.”

[imagineyourworld]

How the clones would ask you out (Genderneutral)

Includes Rex, Fives, Echo, Jesse, Kix, Cody and Wolffe 

Warnings: None

Rex

Poor Rex would be so, so nervous 

It took pep talks vom Anakin, Ahsoka and several of his brothers to get up the courage to actually ask you out (though not all of them were all that helpful) 

Rex wouldn’t ask you out in public or at work, he’d go to your flat instead

His strong knock doesn’t betray his nerves, but the second you open the door he cannot remember what he was going to say for the life of him 

Luckily he was trained as a soldier his entire life and it only takes him a few second to forget about his nerves and continue with his plan 

“I was wondering if you’d like to go on a picnic with me tomorrow?” 

A picnic, Ahsoka had convinced him, would be the perfect first date. The two of them had even decided on a nice place in one of Coruscant’s few parks together 

(Plus Rex likes to bake and cook, it’s his way of dealing with the stress of war (and his brothers’ shenanigans)) 

“I’d love to.” 

You have never seen such a big smile on Rex’s face 

“Great. That’s great.” 

You chatted for a few more minutes before Rex had to excuse himself. Just as you were closing the door you stuck your head out again.  “Rex?”  “Yes.”  “Is this a date?”  The small blush on his face was adorable.  “I’d like it to be, if that’s fine with you.”  You smiled.  “It’s more than fine.” 

Fives

If anyone has an actual pickup line it’s Fives, not in a creepy way though, he’s cute about it 

The two of you have been flirting back and forth for a while now and Fives, after finally no longer denying his feelings, decides to ask you out 

He walks up to you with every bit of confidence he can muster 

“Hey handsome, what brings you here?”, you ask. Your usual greeting, but Fives doesn’t reply in the way he usually does (”Hey mesh’la, just coming to admire the view.”)  “Since you make my heart sing I was wondering if you’d like to accompany to a concert tomorrow.” 

You could tell that he wasn’t joking this time, but still decided to have your fun with him. 

“So sorry, I already promised another handsome young man with a number as his name to spend the day with him.”  As soon as the words left your mouth the smile fell from Fives’ face and instantly made you regret your words.  “Oh, baby, no. I was only joking. I’d love to go out with you.”  The smirk was back and brighter than ever.  “It’s a date!”, he said a bit louder than he had to. 

He’d kiss you on the cheek before saying goodbye. 

(And maybe he even whispers suggestions for what you could do after the concert in your ear.) 

Echo

Much like Rex, Echo is quite nervous

At first he was glad to have Fives on his side to give him advice, but he soon learned that not everything his brother suggested would go down well 

He’d wait for you at work and offer to walk you home, because someone once told him that travelling in the same direction eases conversation 

When you exit the building your eyes immediately fall on Echo, who is standing nearby with flowers in his hand.  “What are you doing here?”, you ask with a smile on your face.  “I... well... I saw these flowers in the market downton and they made me think of you.” He hands you the flowers, suddenly even more nervous now that he doesn’t have anything in his hands.  “That’s so sweet”, you say as you lift the flowers to your nose. “I was just on my way home, would you like to join me and come in for a cup of caf?”

The two spend the rest of the day together. Walking home, drinking caf, cooking dinner. After a while Echo’s nervousness fades and only returns when he realises it’s time for him to return to the barracks. 

“Actually I had another reason to come to see you today. I was wondering if you’d like to go out with me sometime. Like on a date. If you would like to go on a date with me.”  You laugh and the sound Echo usually cherishes breaks his heart, which you soon realise. “Oh, Echo, honey, no! I mean yes, but I just thought that today was kinda like... a date... I’m sorry, I was just assuming, I should have actually asked you.”  A smile mirroring yours appeared on his face.  “So... How about a second date?” 

Jesse 

Jesse only realises that he needs to ask you out as soon as possible after a particularly tough mission. A lot of his brothers died, even more got hurt, and he spent a few days in the medbay as well. 

The second he’s back on Coruscant he comms you asking where you are and no matter where you are or what you’re doing, he’s on his way to you as soon as you answer. 

“Stars, Jesse, what’s gotten into you?”, you ask when you open the door to his rapid knocking.  “I like you, I really like you and I don’t want to die without ever asking you out. So, (Y/N), will you go out with me?”  At first you don’t know what to say.  “Of course I’ll go out with you. But maybe you should sit down for a minute, you don’t seem like yourself.” 

After just a few minutes and a cup of herbal tea the two of you were talking and joking like always. That is until you remember an appointment you had to hurry to make.  “I’d hate to throw you out, but I really need to go.”  “That’s fine”, Jesse says with a smile. “How about I pick you up tomorrow at seven for our date?”  You nod your head smiling. 

Kix 

Kix asks you out more or less on accident. It’s been a long day, he’s tired, and all he wants is a relaxing evening with you. 

“Hey, Kix, you wanna come to 79s with us?”, Fives, who just popped into the medbay, asks.  Kix shook his head. “I really don’t. If it were up to me I’d spend the evening with some takeout and (Y/N).”  “(Y/N)?”, Jesse follows up.  “They help me relax like no one else and that’s what I need after stitching you idiots up all day”, Kix says, glancing at Fives and Hardcase at his last words.  “Then how about we grab something to eat and spend the evening on my couch?”, you offer.  Everyone turns to you, who had just entered the room. Echo bursts in a second later. “Sorry, I tried to stop her from coming in.” 

Kix blushes like crazy, you weren’t supposed to hear that. He tells you as much. 

You walk over to where he’s sitting, miraculously the others have disappeared, and place a hand on his shoulder. If it weren’t for the armour covering him you would have loved nothing more than giving him a soothing massage. 

“You know what? I’m here because I wanted to ask you out, but I guess you just did that for me.”  He chuckled. “Guess so. Let’s go, I cannot wait for our date.” 

Cody 

Cody would be so smooth when asking you out, mainly because he got advice from Obi-Wan, who flirts with everyone and could teach him a few good moves. 

His tactic is pretending you already agreed, which is why he spent the afternoon transforming his room into a small movie theatre for the two of you, complete with snacks and drinks and a holoprojector. 

He then makes his way over to your apartment to actually ask you out. And though he hadn’t been nervous all day, the second you open the door he’s at a loss for words. 

“(Y/N), cyare, I was wondering... No, that’s not it... I’m here to ask you... No, wait... Would you like to...” Though you can’t help but find his out of character rambling cute, you want nothing more than to put poor Cody out of his misery.  “Would you care for a glass of water?”, you ask, opening the door further to invite him in. 

For some reason the cool water helps him sort out his thoughts and he can finally ask the question he’d prepared earlier.  “Would you like to watch a movie with me tonight?”, he asks, his voice smooth and steady.  For a fraction of a second there was something that might have been disappointment in your eyes, but then you nodded.  “Sure. Why don’t we invite Waxer and Boil as well?”  Cody had been quite sure that you’d agree, but the second part caught him off guard. Maybe he should have been more obvious with his intention.  “Actually, I was hoping it’d be just the two of us.”  You raised an eyebrow.  “Wait a minute, Cody, did you just ask me on a date?”  A shy smile made it’s way on his face, though to his credit he didn’t blush.  “I did.”  He had no idea how it was possible, but the smile on your face was even brighter than his own.  “In that case, yes! I’d love to watch a movie with you.” 

Wolffe 

The main reason Wolffe was reluctant to ask you out was not nerves, but rather not wanting to admit his feelings, not wanting to admit a weakness. It was actually Plo Koon who, through ambiguous comments, convinced him to just do it.  

He didn’t want it to be a big ceremony, he wasn’t the type for big gestures, but that night, as you were sitting at 79s with the Wolfpack and your eyes were glittering in the multicoloured lights and your perfume made its way to Wolffe’s nose, he just had to ask you out before it was too late, before anything happened to either of you or someone else asked you before he did. 

And so, when most of the others were scattered across the bar, he asked you if you’d like to get some air with him. He may not be one for big gestures, but he’d be damned if he asked you out in a stuffy bar surrounded by his drunk brothers. 

Outside, he realized was not the perfect environment either. There were still drunk clones around and instead of stuffy it was cold, cold enough to make you shiver in your thin clothes and Wolffe wished he had a jacket he could give you.  “I’ll make this quick so you can go back inside. I-”, he stopped himself.  You were suddenly a lot closer than just a few moments ago, he could feel your warm breath on his face and it made him lose all focus.  “Yes, Wolffe?”, you questioned.  He cleared his throat and continued. “I was hoping that you’d like to go on a date with me sometime.” 

The atmosphere may not have been perfect, neither were his words, but your smile was and it made up for everything else.  “I don’t know, Commander, what’s in it for me?”, you asked with a raised eyebrow. “I don’t know. Dinner, maybe flowers or chocolate”, he replied, trying his best to hide the sudden insecurity.  You crossed your arms over your chest and sighed. Wolffe knew what was coming next, he knew you’d let him down and it would be awkward. He never should have asked you out.  “You know, I had been hoping you’d say The pleasure of my company or something like that, but I suppose chocolate will do.”  A smirk had made it’s way to your lips and a low chuckled escaped Wolffe’s.  “Is that a yes, mesh’la?”  “It is.” 

[sunflowershouto]

if they thought you liked the other twin (osamu, atsumu)

𝐚/𝐧: i was suddenly struck by inspo for the miya twins so here's this -leo

𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞: pining fluff, friends to lovers, light angst with a happy ending

my haikyuu masterlist

𝐀𝐓𝐒𝐔𝐌𝐔

✰ Atsumu is so whipped for you.

✰ He enjoys the attention he gets for being a star player, and even the fangirls help to feed his ego sometimes, but he didn't care about any of them. Not like he cares about you.

✰ They don't really know him, so what's the point?

✰ You're different to him, though. You didn't care about the fans or the TV interviews, or any of the usual things that people noticed about him.

✰ You got to know him, and it made him want to get to know you back, and somewhere along the way, Atsumu fell in love.

✰ The only problem was Osamu.

✰ Well, maybe that wasn't the best way to put it. It wasn't like Osamu was doing anything wrong, but it was hard for Tsumu not to notice how much time you'd been spending with his brother.

✰ You'd come up to Osamu after practices and whisper something to him, and he'd nod, and Atsumu would have to watch as the two of you disappeared off somewhere that he wasn't invited.

✰ It killed him inside a little, since he'd always thought that he was closer to you than Samu was; if you had feelings for Osamu, then why hadn't you told him?

✰ He tried not to be a dick about it; he would whine a little whenever you and Osamu would disappear after practices, but what he was showing was only the tip of the iceberg when it came to how deeply he was hurting at the thought of you falling in love with his brother.

✰ It was after another practice, and there you were on the sidelines with that stupid freakin' beautiful smile that he loved so much. He was standing by Osamu as they packed their duffel bags back up, and he tried to ignore the pang in his chest as you jogged up, surely going to drag Samu away again.

"Atsumu!" you called. "Could we- Uh... Could we talk?"

That was a surprise.

He glanced to Osamu, who gave him a small nod before shouldering his bag and walking off the court without another glance. He couldn't even be nervous about whatever it was you wanted to talk about; he was just glad that he was finally the one that you were speaking to. "Sure thing, darlin'," he replied, picking up his bag and following you to a more private area.

"Okay, uh- Here goes: There's something I've been needing to tell you for a while, and-"

"Ah see..." Atsumu sighed, all of that hurt hitting him again like a ton of bricks. This was where you finally did it right? This was where you'd tell him that you and Osamu were together, this was where you'd finally rip his heart out.

"You... do?"

"Yeah." He tried not to sound bitter, but he found it seeping through anyway, a harshness weighing down on his inflection. "You and 'Samu are goin' out, right? Figured that out for m'self a while ago, darlin'. Ya don't gotta tell me."

"Wha-" You stared at him in bewilderment as the pieces click into place, and you realized what he'd been thinking all this time. You couldn't help it, and burst out into laughter, bringing a hand up to cover your mouth.

"What's so funny?" he asked, puffing his chest out slightly and crossing his arms. He'd spent so much effort trying his best not to lose his shit over the idea of you in love with Osamu, the least you could do was not laugh in his face.

"Atsumu, I am not dating your brother. In any way. I've never even thought about it. I asked you to talk because, well..."

"Oh. Oh m' God." And finally he got it.

"I really like you, y'know? And I was wondering if you'd want to go out sometime? Like, on a date? Osamu actually helped me make all the plans." You were far less nervous now, in part because of Atsumu's misunderstanding, but mostly because of the huge, goofy smile that spread across his face.

"So... I'm guessing you're on board?"

"Oh, sweetheart, you've got no idea," he chuckles, pulling you into a tight hug and kissing the top of your head. "Ya scared the hell outta me, y'know."

𝐎𝐒𝐀𝐌𝐔

✰ Osamu's feelings for you snuck up on him.

✰ He'd always been drawn to you, but he didn't think it was any different than anyone else. You were a cool person, and he liked that you saw him for him, and not as part of a matched set.

✰ He loves his brother, but can he be blamed for wanting some things to himself?

✰ He's not annoyed per-se when you start getting close with Atsumu—what he feels isn't harsh. It's more like a balloon deflating through a tiny outlet as he feels his importance to you slowly being overtaken by your friendship with Atsumu.

✰ He can't figure out why it bothers him so damn much when he sees you joking around with his twin, or even just cheering for him at matches.

✰ He doesn't place the feeling as jealousy until he's stuck at home, flicking through channels on TV until he lands on some crappy romance movie. He watches the two main characters play off of each other, and he can't help but realize that one of the leads reminds him of you.

✰ And then he pictures Atsumu across from you, and that awful feeling comes back to him, burning a hole in his chest.

✰ Strangely, it's not so bad once he knows what it is that he's feeling, because at least he can start to deal with it.

✰ Nonetheless, he's a little worried about you. Osamu can read his brother pretty well—well enough to know whether or not he has feelings for someone. Honestly, he'd never thought that Tsumu seemed interested in you.

✰ Valentine's day was tomorrow and Samu had been unfortunate enough to overhear a conversation between you and a friend.

"You're going to bring him chocolates?" Yua whispered to you, her eyes shining.

"Mhm! I think he'll really like them too! I'm gonna go home tonight and work on decorations for the box." You had no idea Osamu was listening, and if you did, you would have probably died on the spot.

"I think he'll say yes," she replied thoughtfully. "Some of the girls have been upset lately; they say that Miya-san really likes you."

Osamu wished in that moment that the earth beneath his feet would open up and swallow him whole. Had he been wrong? Did Atsumu feel the same way that you did? And worse, had a selfish part of him been hoping that you'd be rejected?

His jaw tightened and he turned away, careful not to draw your attention as he slipped off in the other direction.

He considered faking a cold the next day, but that was childish, wasn't it? He dragged himself out of bed and got to school, dreading lunch period, when he knew everything would finally come crashing down around him.

The bell rang for lunch, and he packed his things quickly, not wanting to be there to watch you confess to his brother.

Imagine his surprise when he felt a tug on his sleeve just as he reached the doorway, and turned to see you standing there in front of him.

"'Samu? Could we go somewhere a little more private?" you asked, tensing up slightly the way that you always did when you were nervous.

"Er... Yeah."

What? This wasn't at all what he'd thought would happen, and his head was swimming as he followed you to the library, staring at the brown paper bag that you clutched to your chest.

You ended up behind one of the taller shelves in the back, and Osamu's hands were twitching in his pockets as he stared down at you.

Time was moving agonizingly slowly as you opened the paper bag and withdrew a brightly colored, heart-shaped box.

OSAMU was written across the front in careful lettering, and the world stopped around him.

"Samu, I-"

"I'm in love with you," he breathed out, hands moving from his pockets as he stepped forward to place his hands on the sides of your face, closing the distance between the two of you in one fell swoop.

Before you could answer, his lips were on yours, and your heart was bursting.

He was grinning when he pulled away, eyes gleaming with adoration as he took in your smile.

"I love you too, you big dork. I... was not expecting this to go so smoothly," you admitted, reaching up a hand to brush back a lock of his hair.

He's beaming when he says, "Honey, you've got no clue just how long Ah've been wantin' to do that."

[blueberry-sunshines]

Late Night Rendezvous - Keith x Reader One Shot

Summary:

You are a fellow pilot at the Garrison and Keith's only friend, he sneaks you out to show you something during the night...

Word Count: 3.2K

Slight Angst | Sweet, Vulnerable Keith

{This can also be found on my wattpad: @/blueberry_sunshines}

{POV: Yours}

You were sitting criss-cross on top of your small bed in your dorm at the Garrison. The dim yellow glow of the school commissioned lamp lightly lit up the pages of your biology textbook. You were staying up late trying to study. Your roommate offered to stay up with you to help but you told her just to go to sleep. You didn't want her to be all sleep deprived.

Keith Kogane wasn't in all of your classes, but he was in a few. You were both fighter class pilots so your curriculum was quite similar. Everyone always says they're so surprised he's nice to you, and your roommate loves to tease you about it. She says that Keith has a 'soft spot' for you, but Keith just says that you're the only person he can stand.

Besides, you've known each other since you were kids. You both transferred to the Garrison at the same time and were partnered together. At first Keith was really cold towards you, but you always just thought he was shy and it didn't bother you that much. He seemed bored with the simulator and you always found his showing off to be rather funny. After what happened with James, Keith finally opened up to you and after that, you two were rather close. By the end of the year you two definitely started to become real friends...

You guys are 16 years old now and Keith is probably your best friend. There's always been a thin barrier between you two, but you've been ignoring it because you don't want him to push himself further away. You kind of always wished he would open up more. You thought about asking him to help you study tonight, but boys and girls aren't allowed in each other's dorms and you've been trying to make sure he stays out of trouble because you've been worried about him recently. He's been kind of distant lately and much more aggravated. A lot of people had been antsy lately because the Kerberos mission was a few months away. You knew that Keith sees the pilot, Shiro, as an older brother figure. He took Keith under his wing, so maybe that's what he was thinking about all the time when he was out of it. You had talked Shiro many times about Kerberos and he seemed very confident about it, so you never thought to worry about it. You shook your head, trying to refocus on your biology book. You turned around to look at your alarm clock and saw it flash "1:13 AM" in its big, red numbers. Damn, you really needed to wrap this up and get to bed soon...

-Knock Knock-

You had just about jumped from the surprise of someone knocking on your door. You looked over to your roommate's bed to see her definitely asleep. You sprung off your bed knowing exactly who it would be. Shaking your head in half disappointment, you put your hand on the button on the wall and let your door slide open to see none other than Keith Kogane. You felt the accidental smile form on your face the moment your eyes met his. He looked uncharacteristically nervous as he stood there in the hallway all dressed up in his red jacket and boots. You loved seeing him in his outfit because the Garrison uniforms were rather bland. Although, you thought, Keith could probably pull of anything.

"Are you gonna let me in?" Keith whispered to you with a furrow on his face. Your face began to heat up in embarrassment from spacing out.

"Sorry, just tired..." you whispered back, peeking outside the door to see if there was anyone there before grabbing Keith's sleeve and pulling him into your dorm room.

"I didn't think you'd be awake..." he admitted quietly as he walked towards your bed.

     "What's up?" You asked curiously. Normally he tells you he's coming before he does, so you weren't sure what he was doing here.

"Get changed, we're going out." He was sitting on your bed now and had his arm crossed. You looked down at yourself and realized you were still in your old T-shirt, sleep shorts combo. Eh, well this isn't the first time Keith's seen me in my pajamas.

"Keith," you sat back down on your bed, pulling him down with you. "I don't know if we should." You cautioned, "You're always getting in trouble and you can't afford losing your scholarship. You are the best pilot here, you were born for this."

     He frowned at you before speaking, "(Y/N), we're not gonna get caught. Besides, if I get kicked out, they have you left." He bumped into you jokingly.  "Where are we going?" You asked quietly to make sure your roommate doesn't wake up. Keith started standing up then and shook his head, "You'll find out soon." He said shortly, not leaving any room for you to guess what he's planning.

     "Come on," he stood up quickly and held his gloved hands out to you. You placed your hands into his and felt the warmth of his palms. It made your heart jump for a second. He pulled you up off your bed and slightly spun you over towards your big, gray wardrobe.

    "Now get dressed and come with me~" he whispered into your ear and pulled back with a smirk. He let go of your hands then and slipped out towards the door, "And hurry before we get caught!" He whisper-yelled to you as the door slid shut.

     Your heart was beating so fast. Something about Keith always made your adrenaline start pumping. Maybe it's because we're always doing things that could get us in trouble. You thought to yourself.

     Okay maybe more like convinced yourself. You then started changing out of your pajamas and into your regular outside of school outfit to distract yourself from your thoughts. You didn't want to like Keith. You guys are best friends and there's no reason to ruin that just for a silly crush. Once you were changed you made a dash to the door and snuck out next to Keith as quietly as you could. You smiled up at him and he looked down at you kindly before heading down the corridor with you stealthy following after him. You were glad to see him like this, this is the first time he's really seemed happy in the past couple weeks.

     You slipped around past some adults and teachers before making it out of one of the dock's open doors. You and Keith had snuck out of the Garrison many times before but you normally don't go with him every time he goes out. He likes being alone and so do you, so you understand.

Keith was leading you around the side of the building to stay out of cameras' and lookouts' lines of vision you eventually managed to creep around to a corner and ran until you were in the spot where you are completely hidden, there you two found Keith's land speeder. Keith plunked a helmet onto your head and started to get on before you protested.

     "Hey I wanna drive!" You whisper shouted to him hoping he'd let you be in charge of the speeder. Shiro had taught Keith to ride them ever since you've known Keith, you tried to convince him to let you join them when you were younger but he always refused. It wasn't until you were older you realized your boundaries much better. Over the past year, though, you had asked Keith to teach you and he's been trying. You weren't the greatest yet but you were definitely learning.

Keith let out a soft chuckle, "No way, sweetheart." He snipped at you in a playful tone while using a sarcastic nickname that always caused your chest to ache. "Besides, you don't even know where we're going." He fully sat down on the seat now and patted the seat behind him, other hand on the handlebar. You reluctantly obliged and slid on behind him. He turned his head around to look at you and gave you a smirk, "Hold on tight, we're going fast."

     You grinned and nodded then wrapped your arms around his torso and hung on as he revved the speeder and you two went rushing across the desert. Your heart began to race as you pulled yourself closer to Keith, feeling the wind on you as you flew through the air. You began thinking to yourself where Keith may be taking you as you looked around at your surroundings blurring past you. You eventually leaned your cheek against his back as the ride wasn't super short.

"We're almost there!" He yelled back to you, not turning his head back this time. You could hear the smile on his face and it made you smile too. You picked your head back up to start looking around again to see if you knew where you were. As you slowed to a stop, you peeked your head around his shoulder to look in front of you.

"Hey!" You began laughing, "You liar! I so know my way here!" Keith had driven you guys to his old house he used to live in with his dad. You guys have come here many times in the past. Keith comes here all the time and even skips classes to be here. It's a cute little home but it's not very cleaned up inside. Perhaps Keith likes it the way it was left and you can see why. Keith joined in on your laughter.

      "This isn't the place, we're just stopping to pick something up." Your laughter subsided as Keith got off the speeder. "Stay here," he smiled down at you, "I'll be right back." He then pushed down the visor on your helmet just to tease you before he walked off towards the house. You flicked back up the visor and rested your hand on your palm tiredly. You were starting to feel tired again after that adrenaline rush. You yawned as you thought about what on earth Keith could be grabbing. By the time he came back you started to feel more awake when you began having conversation again. Keith had a long case in his arms and he strapped it safely to the back of the speeder. Keith got back on and began driving you two up a long hill a small while away from the old Kogane house.

Once you made it to the peak, you two both got off the speeder and you got to see the beautiful sky line over the dessert mountains. You let out an amazed sigh at the sight. You were pulled out of your awed state when you heard the sounds of Keith doing something behind you. Turning around, you saw Keith setting up a telescope. You looked at him in confusion because you didn't think Keith liked telescopes, especially not after that full semester on telescopes and astral charts two years ago. He looked up at you through his long hair that was sagging in this face from his bent over stance. He didn't really look so amused either which just pushed your confusion even further.

"Come here." He beckoned after he was done setting it up. "Come here and see what you can see, right in the middle of the scope."

You looked at him skeptically before getting down to look into it. In the middle of your view was a small faint blip in the sky. "Dude," you snorted, "what star is this?" You still had no idea what he was having you look at.

"It's a moon. Jupiter's Europa." He said shortly. You stood up from the telescope and saw Keith sitting nonchalantly on the ground now. You walked back and sat down next to him, letting your hands fall behind you to hold yourself up.

"Europa is about 365 million miles away. That's nothing compared to Kerberos." He said, his voice starting to sound a lot more unhappy. "It's over 3.2 billion miles from here. And Shiros actually going!" He shouted with a growl in his voice. There it is, you thought, this is about Kerberos.

You kept quiet. You knew during times like this, it was better to just let Keith talk and you were perfectly fine with that. Looking over at him, you could see him still looking up at the night sky. His eyes were sad, his gaze was lost, yet angry. "I heard him fighting with Adam when I was outside his door a couple hours ago. Adam told Shiro that if he goes to Kerberos, that he won't be here for him when he gets back." His eyes wavered down at the ground between you two now. "And it got me thinking, everyone's been saying this is just a routine mission but, why would Adam be so worried about it?" He looked over to you now, helplessly, you didn't have an answer, and he didn't expect you to have one.

       "I think you should confront Shiro tomorrow and ask him to tell you the truth about it." You offered finally after a small moment of silence. Keith nodded slowly, thinking about your response.

      "Thanks, Y/N." He gave you a small grateful smile before laying down on the ground now, face up to the sky. You followed suit and laid down, suddenly even closer to him than you were before.

      "Anytime, Mullet." You grinned turning your head to face him. You saw him looking at you with a disappointed scowl on his face, causing you to let out a small laugh. Keith let out a sigh as you stopped giggling. You never knew what he was thinking, and the look on his face, you could tell he was thinking deeply about something. "What are you thinking about?" You decided to ask him, thinking there'd be no better time to have real conversations with him than tonight.

Keith looked back at the sky now opening his mouth to speak and then closing it again. Most likely thinking over his words.

"I've been thinking about something else too. I don't know what I would do in Shiro's shoes. I'm impulsive and stupid as hell, and when I want to do something I don't let anything stand in my way, but if someone I really loved tried to stop me from doing it, I don't know if I could, even with the thought of them leaving me for me. And it scares me, Y/N, so many people have left me and I don't know what I'd do if it were my fault you left."

You felt a lump form in your throat from hearing Keith talk about this. This is one of the times in a very long time he has let you in on how he feels about anything. Hearing him openly express your emotions was touching and you felt so honored to be the one he tells them to.

"Y/N?" Your name escaped his lips again, this time asking as if he was longing for you. You turned your head again to look at him. You held your breath when you noticed that your faces were close enough that your noses could be touching if either of you moved any further.

"Yeah?" You asked him suddenly much more quiet now, you cursed yourself for sounding so nervous but you couldn't control your pounding heart at the proximity. You were searching his eyes to see if you could guess what he was thinking, he's never been very touchy and you were oh so close to touching, you started to sit up a bit to give him space, but you were stopped in your tracks when you felt Keith's hand grip onto yours as he sat up too, pulling your hand towards him.

The warm touch so foreign and yet so familiar. An hour ago in your dorm, a month ago while guiding you in the simulator, a year ago when he tried to help you fix your bad hair day, all the way back to age 13 when he handed you back your glitter gel pen in class and you felt the flaming rush in your chest.

"I want you to know," he whispered, holding onto your hand a little tighter now, "no matter what happens, I will never do anything on purpose to make you leave me."

You didn't know what to say, so instead you flung your arms around him and pulled him into a loving hug. You let out a shaky sigh as you felt Keith's body relax into yours. "I know you wouldn't." You were in this weird state of shock having never seen Keith this vulnerable before.

"God I'm so fucking stupid..." you hear his muffled voice growl from your shoulder. He pulled away from the hug then, angry at himself for just simply showing you his emotions. You shook your head quickly and put his hand back into your own.

"No you're not, Keith." You reassured him, "Thank you for telling me this." You said then, hoping to make him feel more secure again.

"Yeah..." he sighed then, "Let's get you back in your dorm, they should be switching look outs soon." He quickly changed the subject. You frowned at him, both for putting back up his wall and for making this night coming to an end. You agreed nonetheless, you were glad Keith was beginning to let you in and you were willing to accept that the boundary was back up. Keith means the world to you, and you'd never let that go.

Keith drove you guys back to his speeders hiding place before helping you sneak back in and back through the halls to your dorm. There wasn't any talking on the way back but it was a comfortable silence. Once you were back at your door, you thanked Keith for the wonderful night and told him to get some sleep before the sun starts to come up. You turned them to your door and were about to open it when,

"Hey, uh, (Y/N)?" He whispered for your attention once again. "You're really important to me." He said shortly but still full of so much love. You pulled him into another hug. "You too, Mullet." You whispered into his ear, "Never forget it... please?"

You felt Keith nod and he gave you a quick squeeze before letting go of the embrace, slowly, his hand sliding down your arm as he began to walk away, once it reached your hand and gave it another quick squeeze before he finally let go and slipped around the corner into the darkness. You let out a large breath you didn't know you were holding once you saw him disappear. God were you in love with him. Even if he's never usually like that during the day, you love every Keith and maybe one day you'll tell him....

__________

Hey!!! Let me know what you thought of this one shot :))) I know Keith was pretty ooc, but I like thinking of him being very sensitive around the ones he loves!

Also this didn't proof read yet because I rlly wanted to get this chapter out to you guys !!!!!

This is my first like official Voltron work so bare with me!

PLEASE PLEASE REQUEST SOMETHING LOL

[incendiobrock]

Stuck in the in Between

Summary: Colby’s and (any gender) reader’s relationship was confusing. It was as if they were a couple, but nothing was official. Kat had finally convinced Y/n to talk to Colby about it at a party, but the conversation didn’t go the way any of them had expected. 

Warnings: angst, cussing, alcohol consumption

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

Colby: Are you coming over for the party??

Your phone made a faint ding noise from inside your shorts pocket, to which you immediately pulled it out to check who had messaged you. You gleamed reading over the name of the messenger. The most beautiful, blue eyed boy, with nice brown hair, someone who you were lucky to have gotten close to within the past year of meeting him.

Y/n: I wouldn’t miss it ;)

You quickly sent back. Shoving the phone deep into the pocket you had just pulled it out from. Colby had been asking you for days about whether or not he should expect to see you at the party him and Sam were hosting. You had already told him for what felt like 100 times that you would be there in a heart beat.

Colby had a special hold over your heart. He was always so gentle, and caring towards you. He made sure that you knew he would be there for you, in any and every situation you could possible find yourself in. Colby had you practically wrapped around his finger, you couldn’t think of a moment that went by where you weren’t thinking about him.

Your friendship had flourished over time into something that most of your other friends had started to pick up on as well. Kat and Tara were constantly teasing you about how much time you and Colby seemed to spend together.

It was true. Colby Brock consumed about every second of your life. And you wouldn’t want it any other way. You loved the bond that you both had created together. There was a trust in your relationship that you often found difficult to share with others. It was ideal. It was comfortable. And it was something that you were terrified of losing.

“Are you ready y/n?” Tara’s voice filled the car, pulling you out of your deep thoughts. Your eyes shot over to meet hers, nodding happily in response. You quickly step out of the car, shutting the passenger side door behind you, and following closely behind Tara entering the foyer of the house. You both had shown up early to help the boys with the final touches, and because Jake had practically begged you so he could see Tara sooner.

“Hey gorgeous.” Colby’s voice sounded through the empty foyer. Your heart fluttered at his words as his arms tightly wrapped you in a hug. You buried your face into his chest, reveling in the familiarity of his body against your own.

“Hi Colbs.” You chuckled, calling him the nickname you had given him a couple weeks into knowing him. You pulled away from each other, Colby smiling widely. His tattoo covered arm quickly made its way around your waist, pulling your side against his. “Let’s go get something to drink before everyone else shows up” He said, dragging you both towards the kitchen.

He opened up the fridge to reveal all the drinks they had purchased to host the party. He took hold of his favorite white claw and popped open the tab, taking a long sip. You reached in and grabbed your favorite drink as well, anticipating the arrival of other guests.

As the party picked up you and Colby went around the whole house saying hi to people and catching up with them about their lives. You had quite a few drinks at this point, feeling super good. You jumped slightly as Kat took hold of your arm, dragging you out of the crowd.

“Colby can’t keep his eyes off of you!” She said loudly, a smile etched onto her face. You glanced over towards Colby, making eye contact straight away. He was in fact looking at you, glancing up and down your body from a far.

“Yeah he’s probably just curious where I went, I’ve been with him all night.” You responded back, not thinking much about the whole incident.

“No, he has been like that all night. I saw him watching you, standing super close, he totally likes you. But we knew that.” Kat said. “Tara thinks so too.” She added on after a short pause.

“We are just friends Kat. Besides, there are so many others that Colby could be with. There’s no reason he would like me.” Although the thought of Colby liking you made your heart do somersaults, you knew that you were both just super good friends.

“Do you want to be more than friends?” She asked, hoping to get the inside scoop. Your cheeks burned at the question. Of course you wanted to be more, have an actual romantic relationship with the one guy who has treated you the way you deserve. “I mean, I wouldn’t say no, but it probably will never happen.” You responded back, doubt rushing over your body. Kat urged you to talk to Colby, tell him how you really felt. “There’s no way he won’t feel the same way, trust me. With the way he looks at you and the way he has always got a hand on you, I know he wants it too.” You finally agreed and told Kat that you would do it, mainly to keep her from asking more questions about how you felt towards him, but also because you were curious to know if he truly did like you the way Kat made it seem.

“Hey, where’d you run off to?” Colby asked as you rejoined the group. His hand immediately finding itself wrapped around your waist. “I was with Kat, do you mind if we head up to your room?” To which Colby nodded. You both excused yourself from the group and headed up the grand staircase.

You sat on the couch right after entering Colby’s bedroom. He sat down next to you, but further away from you than normal. Maybe he could tell there was something on your mind.

“So I was thinking.. well actually Kat and I were talking about it and she made me realize some things about us and so now I was just curious if it was true.” You stated. Noticing as his eyebrow furrowed together slightly.

“Yeah okay. I’m your best friend, you can ask me anything.” He said, a soft expression held delicately on his face. You felt yourself shudder at the fact that he said “best friend”.

“Well you see… About that. We are super, super close and flirty and always seems to be all over each other in some way or another. And I want to be more… Than just friends, I mean-“ you rushed the last part, anxious of his response.

The room was strangely silent for a moment, and you were becoming increasingly aware of the alcohol flowing through your body. Colby’s weight shifted on the sofa, his mouth parting slightly, as if he was about to begin speaking, but nothing ever came out of his mouth.

You felt your eyes become watery as you looked down at your hands that were fidgeting on your lap. “N-never mind, just forget I said that. I’m sorry, I’ve had to much to drink I guess.” You felt ashamed, embarrassed. Kat had hyped this up so much that you felt certain Colby would instantly agree with you.

“Look, y/n… I love you so much, and I’m so glad that we are able to be this close, but I don’t like you like that… You’re amazing, don’t get me wrong, but you’re my best friend.” He seemed to feel guilty about this whole interaction, about ever having to break your heart the way he knew that he was. He could read you from a mile away, you knew that from experience.

“Why do you treat me like I’m more then?” You spit back, feeling anger take over the sadness. “If you don’t want me to be with you, then why do you treat me like you’re already my boyfriend?”

“I-I don’t know, I never saw it like that, we have always been close I thought that’s just how our friendship was.” You could tell the guilt was really getting to him, but it didn’t change the fact that your heart was shattering.

“Okay, well I will give you some choices. It’s either we are friends who act like normal friends, we start dating and keep acting like a couple, or I’m leaving and we are neither. I’m not going to be stuck in this in between bullshit with you.” And with that being said you got up from his couch and left the room. You made sure to call an Uber because you would never get behind the wheel and drive, considering what you had to drink.

There is no way in hell you’re going to waste your life being stuck in that sort of relationship. Giving up the possibility of a real relationship all for someone who doesn’t want you in the same way that you want them.

“Y/n!” His voice called out, but it was too late. You were already getting into the Uber. You glanced out the window and saw his eyes following the car as he lost you, along with the relationship you had both built over the years.

[crystalcow]

𝑆𝑎𝑝𝑛𝑎𝑝𝑠 𝐶ℎ𝑖𝑙𝑑//𝑆𝑎𝑝𝑛𝑎𝑝 𝑝𝑡 3

Masterlist // part one // part two

Sapnap x reader !p !child reader

Pronouns used: none specified!

Warnings: swearing, death, betrayal

•⊱✿•✿⊰•⊱✿•✿⊰•⊱✿•✿⊰•⊱✿•✿⊰•⊱✿•✿⊰

╔.▪️.═════════╗

Being sapnaps child will include..

╚═════════.▪️.╝

𝐏𝗼𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐰𝐚𝐥

Apparently the castle got attacked

George was killed by the one and only technoblade

You haven’t personally met the man but you respected him

After all he is a legend

But he killed George

So you were dragged with sapnap when he got pinged on his coms

Dream and George were arguing on the prime path

The sight somewhat terrified you

They were supposed to be best friends?

Dream is the strongest person on the server

George was supposed to be the most unproblematic and protected person

For some reason Quackity was also there

Hiding in the corner of Tommy’s house

“You don’t give a shit about us”

Those words brought some hurt to you as they left sapnaps mouth

“Of course I care about you! I just want to keep him safe.”

The three most important men in your life

The dream team, and ultimate trio the friendship that could never crack! The ones who raised you to be who you are

They were falling apart

“George is no longer king!”

Quackity was just eating all of the drama

Damn duck

“I’ve done so much for you, I hope you don’t forget.”

“Like what?” “I helped you raise a child Sap, a damn child.”

That pissed the both of you off

As if you didn’t just recently spend a whole day with him

None the less your whole life

Being drawn into wars, multiple actually

Practically being drawn to death

“Don’t you bring them into this Dream.”

“Eret is now king again, he can actually rule this place.”

“I was the best king this server ever had!”

So there it happened

The crown was snatched off of George’s head and you were dragged along with it

“Don’t worry, we can start our own place!”

“El rapids it is”

𝐄𝐥 𝐑𝐚𝐩𝐢𝐝𝐬

You were 100% skeptical about all of this

You didn’t trust that this would be good

I mean how could you

Everything that someone starts on the server

Dies, explodes, nukes, or straight up fails

So instead you went down to Lmanburg for the day!

You went to Nikkis bakery to get something to eat

She was glad to give you a couple snacks for the road

So while you were walking around the new area you spotted dream

“Where you heading off to?”

“What the fuck are you doing here?”

You both eyed each other weirdly

“Aren’t you supposed to hate me?”

You just laughed

Ofcourse you were upset

But you were also bored

“And?” “Come on let’s go see tommy”

So you agreed and carelessly followed the green man

You missed Tommy, after not having seen him for a bit

Fucking hell you needed friends

But when you got there

“Why the fuck is everything gone!”

You ran around the now blown up area

The tents were destroyed and signs were thrown around

Then you noticed the large pillar

You instantly ran to dream, begging him to give you a pearl

He was upset himself he lost his leech

So you threw the pearl up thankfully landing on the pillar

Looking around to see if there was any way he could’ve survived

But you accidentally tripped

And lost your first life

𝐘/𝐧 𝐡𝐢𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐫𝗼𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝗼𝗼 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐝 ♡︎♥︎♥︎

𝐏𝐫𝗼𝐩𝗼𝐬𝐚𝐥𝐬

You woke up screaming in your bed

The three lines on your wrist now faded into two

Sapnap came rushing in holding you lose to him

You tried not to but you cried a little

This was your first time loosing a life..

And you didn’t even mean too!

“Your never fucking leaving me again.”

Karl came in with Quackity following after

Karl just like snatched you away from sapnap and just held you

That man was ready to go back in time and reverse that from ever happening

Trust me he will if you ever loose another life

So after that everyone kept a close eye on you

That was until one day you were with your dad

You both were at your old house just chilling around

Before he handed you two velvet boxes

You were in awe of the two rings that sat in them

Who the fuck paid for these??

“I’m going to purpose.”

You almost dropped the boxes

“What?”

Sapnap just kept smiling

“You really like em huh” “Yeah flame, I love them.”

So you just hugged him

Internally freaking the fuck out

What would this mean???

Three dads? What if they wanted another child! Oh hell no

So you all stood in el rapids

Candles were spread around the top of the grassy hill

There were flowers blooming from every direction and lanterns set afloat

It looked mystical

You watched as sapnap got down on one knee

Karl was in shock, tears streaming down his eyes

Quackity looked love struck, looking into sapnaps eyes with total adoration

So when they said yes your dad called you and the other two just hugged you

“I’m guessing they said yes” you laughed

“Yeah they did!”

You couldn’t help but be happy

Your dad finally found some happiness

Even tho life was going to shit

If you won’t be there

He’ll have them

𝐋𝗺𝐚𝐧𝐛𝐮𝐫𝐠𝐬 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐡𝐞𝗺

Oh wait shit did someone spot tommy?

There was supposed to be a festival today

So you went to go check it out

Maybe throw a ball at the furry

“Go fetch!” You shouted at fundy

Yeah he was not happy and just threw you the finger

“Hey N/n is Dream coming?”

You were excited that Tubbo was actually talking to you again

“Huh? Oh yeah I think” “Great thanks”

And back to the disappointment

So you walked over to get a pretzel or some shit

And then heard everyone making a commotion

There he was, Dream walking in (angry) with full netherite armor

Damn dude respect some tradition

“Tommy blew up the fucking community house”

Did someone say tommy?

Oh you were ready to kill that bastard

Hell if Dream didn’t you most definitely will

So you followed everyone to the community house

Yeah you were ready to fucking cry

One of your homes, the place you’d always confide in since you were little

Where dream and George both helped raise you

Now blown to shreds

“What the fuck”

They were talking about Tubbo giving up the discs

Oh we are not going through that shit all over again

And this time the odds are most definitely not in your favor

Then tommy appeared half invisible

“YOU FUCKING DICKHEAD I THOUGHT YOU DIED YOU FUCKING PIECE OF SHIT”

You litterly stabbed him, having to be held back by Quackity

“Alright hot shot, lets let them have their argument”

Tommy sent you an apologetic look already on the verge of tears

“Tubbo your not seriously considering this”

Then it hit everyone

“The discs were worth more then you ever were!”

Oh yeah we’re you already pissed off at tommy?

Yeah

And he just made it worse

“WHAT THE HELL DID YOU SAY TO TUBBO YOU SHIT HEAD”

Yeah you didn’t take pretending to be dead very lightly

Oh shit why was techno there

never mind, Lmanburg will be gone by tomorrow

No point killing tommy yet

Whos side were you on?

Neither. You litterly went into that battle feild and killed some shit

That was until multiple pieces of tnt landed ontop of your head

And that’s where you lost your second life

Shit

𝐘/𝐧 𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐰 𝐮𝐩 ♡︎♡︎♥︎ ⚠︎︎ᴏɴᴇ ʟɪғᴇ ʀᴇᴍᴀɪɴɪɴɢ

𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐬𝗼𝐧

This time when you won’t up it didn’t feel as bad

But you still screamed

A rush of a heartburn and scars employed on your body

The second line now faded into one

Shit

You were only 16-17 and on one life??

Die young the better

You waited out in your bed until the end of the fight

Death alerts and messages drowning out your communicator

But you had no energy what so ever

Until it all went quiet

You tried your damn best to get out of bed and walked to the damaged Lmanburg

There were people crying

Others were severely hurt

Then there were those who were perfectly fine

The whole place was a crater

Lmanburg.. the place of agony and depths of your pain

Now it’s finally gone

What the hell are you gonna do now?

Quackity spotted you calling out for Sapnap

You felt like you were gonna be crushed under their hold

“I’m gonna fucking kill dream.” You heard Quackity mutter

Sapnap felt like a bad father

Who lets their kids die twice?

(Cough cough Wilbur and dream)

Then suddenly things switched around

You were walking around with a bloodied nose and black eyed Tommy

Yeah you did a number on him

But it’s okay since he was your best friend

And there was a sign inside his house

“Wednesday you and Tubbo. Bring no one or anything, lets settle this once and for all”

The final disc war

“Tommy you can’t go” “I’m going N/n, he has my discs.”

So you like cried a little bit lined up on the prime path

Giving the two probably the last hugs they’ll ever get

Prime you really didn’t want to loose them

So you ran straight to church prime

Litterly begging Master Oolong that they won’t die

“Please please please spare them. Pogchamp.”

(Please this is all jokes and old references don’t cancel me)

You got a blast message from punz on your comms with cords

“Come here. bring your best armor”

So you did so running to the nearest ender chest

If walking means saving tommy and Tubbo, it’s somewhat worth it

Sapnap made sure you didn’t leave his side as you traveled around the nether

even tho you could literally swim in the lava

So just to piss him off

You jumped in

The sigh of relief this man

Yeah he’s gotten a little more paranoid for you

But it’s okay since it’s in love

You looked around the weird black stone room

There were two giant photos of the discs

And everything was made out of the same material

No design what so ever

Tommy and Tubbo ran to you like you were gonna protect them

“Dream why” you asked as he was incased in the blocks

Down on his last life

Just like you

‘I’m sorry’ he mouthed to you

Why was he apologizing to you?

Hasn’t he hurt everyone here

You looked around the different items

Tracing the outline of the item frames

Gasping in shock as you a cage with your name on it next to badboyhalo

“Tell em what you told me! How you blew up the community house!”

Your neck spun around faster then an owl doing that 360 thing

You picked up your ace seriously read to slash his head off

“Wait wait! Lets put him in the prison.”

So they took him off

And it pained you to see it

You trusted that man for a very long time

Nothing stays the same on the Dream Smp

•⊱✿•✿⊰•⊱✿•✿⊰•⊱✿•✿⊰•⊱✿•✿⊰•⊱✿•✿⊰

TUMBLR WOULDNT LET ME WRITE MORE KMS. So yes I’m sorry but there will have to be a part FOUR. I just wanted to finish this-

As always! Ask or request anything and ask if you want to be on a tag list :))