#he teams up with two of his friends to go on a journey to clear his name

[fitzfunnymoments]

I all of a sudden got the urge to revamp this wolf story I made back when I was like 8. I might work on some designs between attacks 👉👈

[ravenrothstr]

Once Again Part I🤍

summary. jaehyun and his classmates go through the darkness of adulthood fill with bitterness, where both of them ended finding each other sparks in within

genre. high school! au, second chance love, fluff

words count. 9.0k

disclaimer. the story is fully fictional. other names mentioned are just for the story and pure imagination, with no bad intentions

--｡⋆✮ 🎧 ✮ ⋆｡--

Jaehyun sprang into action, swiftly manoeuvring to catch the basketball tossed by his teammates. Just as he prepared to take a shot, the coach's whistle pierced through the air, signalling the end of today's training session.

"Aish," he muttered to himself, releasing a disappointed sigh before dropping the ball to the ground.

Fist-bumps were exchanged, mutual words of encouragement were shared, and the team dispersed towards the changing room. Jaehyun situated himself between Mingyu and Eunwoo, the sound of lockers being opened filling the air.

"Let's grab dinner at that restaurant we hit up yesterday. You know, the one that always hooks us up with extra side dishes. I'm starving," Mingyu suggested, casting a glance at Jaehyun.

"Yeah, sure. Eunwoo, you in?" Jaehyun inquired, turning to his teammate.

Eunwoo merely turned his head, offering Jaehyun a cold stare before wordlessly heading to the showers, brushing past Mingyu and Jaehyun without a word. The two boys exchanged resigned sighs, accustomed to Eunwoo's distant demeanor.

"Guess he's content living life solo. Seems to be his M.O.," Jaehyun remarked sarcastically, throwing an arm around one of his teammates as they made their way to the showers together.

Despite being the team captain, Eunwoo rarely joined his teammates for post-training meals. While he was undeniably popular and academically successful, Eunwoo's reserved nature and occasional self-centeredness set him apart from the rest, particularly Jaehyun.

As the boys finished showering and left the basketball court, Eunwoo diverged from the group, his footsteps leading him in the opposite direction. With a heavy sigh, he checked his phone, reading a message from his friend.

"Eunwoo, I just finished studying for tonight. How's your day?" you texted.

Replying as he walked, Eunwoo continued his solitary journey.

--

The bustling atmosphere of the restaurant was a stark contrast to the quiet camaraderie of the basketball court. Laughter and chatter filled the air as the team settled into their seats, the restaurant staff familiar with their boisterous antics.

"Hey, Captain, what's your game plan post-graduation? We're hitting 18, right?" Mingyu queried, glancing around at his teammates.

"Why are you never thinking about the future?" he prodded, leaning in towards Jaehyun.

"Stop with the 'Captain' nonsense. Eunwoo's the real deal," Jaehyun retorted with a smirk.

"I know that. We're just curious. Cha Eunwoo seems to have his future all mapped out. So, what's your play?" Mingyu persisted.

While Jaehyun wasn't averse to discussing his future, he couldn't provide a definitive answer. Unlike Eunwoo, who had clear goals, Jaehyun was still uncertain about his path forward. Focused more on sports than academics, Jaehyun's family's financial struggles added an additional layer of complexity to his situation.

"The future?" Jaehyun mused, pouring water into his friend's empty glass before resting his arms on the table, his gaze fixed on the surface.

"That's a strong word," he continued, meeting his friend's gaze with a serious expression.

"Eunwoo has powerful backers," Jaehyun remarked. "His destiny's practically written for him. He knows exactly where he's headed."

His friend nodded in agreement, acknowledging the truth in Jaehyun's words.

"Anyway, let's call it a night. They're closing up shop," Jaehyun suggested, signalling for the bill.

The memory of that fateful night lingered in Jaehyun's mind as he walked home from practice. Stopping by a nearby convenience store, he purchased a pack of instant noodles before stepping outside. There, he encountered a man in his late forties seated on a bench—an encounter that would change everything.

"Evening, Mr. Jung," the man greeted, extending a hand for a shake, though Jaehyun's hands were full.

"Sorry, my hands are occupied," Jaehyun replied curtly, his guard up.

"My apologies. Let me introduce myself. I'm Mr. Lee, from the national basketball team," the man said, offering Jaehyun his business card.

Taking the card reluctantly, Jaehyun listened as Mr. Lee outlined an enticing offer—an offer that came with a condition: Jaehyun must become the team captain by the end of the semester's final game.

With a sense of foreboding settling in his gut, Jaehyun watched as Mr. Lee bid him farewell, leaving him to contemplate the weight of his decision.

--

The following day dawned with crystalline clarity, the school gradually filling with students as the morning sunlight streamed into Classroom 3-5, where Jaehyun found his seat. Despite sharing a class with Eunwoo, Jaehyun didn't pay much mind to him.

Entering the classroom with his bag slung over one shoulder, Jaehyun observed the usual morning bustle: some students gossiping, others hastily applying makeup in a bid to look their best. Meanwhile, Jaehyun quietly settled at his desk near the window, resting his head upon it in a familiar ritual, his hands cradling his head as he sought solace in a few moments of reprieve.

Uninterested in classroom chatter, Jaehyun often used these moments to steal a brief respite from his classmates. However, just as he teetered on the brink of sleep, the sliding of the classroom door disrupted his tranquility.

"Hey y/n, you're later than Jaehyun today," one of the girls remarked.

Y/N, another classmate, was an outsider known for your intellect and rumoured connection to Eunwoo. Speculation swirled that you might be engaged to Eunwoo in the future, inheriting both of your families' companies together. Nexus Architecture and Evergreen Designs & Associates. However, the gossip surrounding you led to disdainful treatment from your peers.

"Oh, really? We must have taken the same bus again," you replied with a smile, unaware of the snickers and whispered comments circulating around you.

Exasperated, Jaehyun heard the thinly veiled mockery directed at you, prompting a silent shake of his head before he sank further into his thoughts.

--

The shrill ringing of the lunch bell marked the midday break, prompting a rush of students streaming towards the dining hall. Among them stood you, patiently waiting in line for her meal.

"Oh, y/n, joining the lunch queue today?" a group of girls approached her, their tone laced with derision.

"Yeah, I forgot my lunchbox today," offering a friendly smile despite the thinly veiled contempt in their gaze.

The girls exchanged glances, stifling laughter before one of them jeered, "Aren't lunchboxes for eight-year-olds?"

Feeling the sting of embarrassment, you averted her gaze, your cheeks flushing with shame as tears threatened to well up.

Jaehyun observed the scene unfold with a mix of empathy and frustration. While he sympathized with your plight, he couldn't help but feel exasperated by the petty antics of their classmates. It was a reminder of the shallow nature of high school society, where appearances and rumours held more weight than genuine kindness.

Eunwoo's departure from the lunch table didn't go unnoticed, his actions stirring a silent curiosity among his friends, including Jaehyun. As Eunwoo made his way to the vending machine, Jaehyun's gaze trailed after him, silently observing the unfolding scenario.

"Hey, where are you going?" Mingyu's voice cut through the ambient chatter, but Eunwoo remained unresponsive, his focus fixed on his destination.

Undeterred by Eunwoo's lack of response, Mingyu exchanged a puzzled glance with the others at the table, his curiosity piqued by his friend's sudden departure.

Meanwhile, Eunwoo deftly navigated the vending machine, his movements smooth and purposeful. Yet, his concentration was interrupted by the unexpected arrival of a girl, her presence laced with a hint of mischief.

As she leaned against the vending machine, a smirk playing on her lips, Eunwoo's demeanor shifted slightly, his eyes widening in mild surprise at her boldness.

"Taking care of your girl again, huh?" she taunted, her words laden with implication.

Eunwoo's response was measured, his expression unreadable as he absorbed her words. Though inwardly unsettled by her assumption, he chose to remain silent, his thoughts swirling with unspoken complexities.

"What do you mean 'my girl?"

"Isn't she yours? For you to take care of her that much?"

She moved towards facing the machine and continued to make her purchase. Eunwoo moved aside slightly, he just stayed quiet at her question. Are you his? He just never thought of sorting those feelings out.

"Choi Ye Won, next to meet you" the girl continued and held her hand out to Eunwoo.

He hesitated momentarily, his gaze flickering between her outstretched hand and her expectant expression.

"Not for now," he replied cryptically, his tone tinged with uncertainty as he sidestepped her invitation.

Returning to the dining hall, Eunwoo's attention was drawn to you, his presence a comforting sight amidst the chaos of the lunchtime crowd. With a small gesture of kindness, he offered you the bread he had purchased, a simple yet meaningful gesture that spoke volumes.

"Hey I heard you forgot your lunch box today so I bought this for you. Though you might get hungry waiting in line"

Meanwhile, Mingyu's teasing remarks drew a knowing smirk from Eunwoo, his response veiled in playful ambiguity. Though his feelings for you remained a mystery even to himself, Eunwoo's actions spoke volumes about the depth of his care for you.

As the conversation flowed around him, Jaehyun stayed quiet, watching everything unfold. Little did he know, these events would soon draw him into a tangle of feelings and drama, making him question his place in their high school social circle.

--

"Jung Jaehyun, Mrs. Jeon is waiting for you in her office," a classmate's urgent voice broke through the classroom's murmurs, startling Jaehyun from the brink of sleep. He blinked, his eyes slowly focusing on the speaker.

"Now? Why?" Jaehyun's voice was groggy with confusion.

"Yeah, she's been asking for you. You better go," the classmate insisted.

As Jaehyun made his way to the teacher's office, the atmosphere felt charged with tension. Mrs. Jeon's voice reverberated through the corridor, sharp and unforgiving, as she berated a student for not meeting her expectations. Mr. Kim attempted to intervene, but Mrs. Jeon's frustration only seemed to intensify, her words lashing out like whips.

"How can I be expected to calm down when I'm surrounded by students who don't take their studies seriously?" Mrs. Jeon's voice echoed with exasperation as she gestured emphatically at the papers strewn across her desk.

"But Mrs Jeon, Jaehyun here has been making an effort. He's submitted his homework on time," Mr Kim interjected, trying to diffuse the situation.

Mrs. Jeon's eyes narrowed in Jaehyun's direction, her gaze piercing through him like daggers.

"Is that true, Jaehyun? Or are you just another slacker like the rest of them?"

Jaehyun felt the weight of her scrutiny bearing down on him, but before he could respond, there was a soft knock on the door.

"Excuse me, Mrs. Jeon," came the timid voice of yours, Jaehyun's classmate, peeking into the room.

It had been several days since Jaehyun last encountered you in the dining hall. As you now stood beside him, you respectfully bowed to both of your teachers. Mrs Jeon let out an audible sigh. Though the purpose of your presence was to meet Mrs. Jeon, it was Mr. Kim who took the initiative to greet her first, his warm smile providing a momentary reprieve from the tension in the room.

"Y/n, you're here early in the morning," Mr. Kim remarked, a hint of amusement evident in his voice as he continued, "Again."

Mrs. Jeon turned her attention towards you, preparing to deliver yet another admonishment.

"Y/n, you can't come in here every morning to ask about your exam marks. You need to socialize more with your friends," Mrs. Jeon began, her tone tinged with frustration.

"But school is for studying," you voice firm and unwavering.

The others fell into a stunned silence, captivated by your bold response. Mrs. Jeon, feeling the weight of her students' challenges, massaged her temples in an attempt to alleviate the emerging headache. Jaehyun, observing the unfolding scene couldn't help but murmur softly to himself.

"Interesting," Jaehyun whispered, his gaze fixed intently on you.

A few moments later, the school bell chimed, signaling the start of classes. Mrs. Jeon fixed them with a stern gaze before dismissing them with a curt nod.

"You, focus more," Mrs. Jeon's stern voice pierced the air, her finger pointed squarely at Jaehyun.

"And you," she turned her gaze to you, "go socialize more," her tone softened slightly.

As you both made your way through the bustling corridors filled with students rushing to their classrooms, you swung the door open, stepping out of the office with Jaehyun in tow. Just as you were about to dart off, Jaehyun quickened his pace and leaned in to whisper in your ear.

"If you want to socialize more, come eat lunch with me," he teased, a mischievous smirk playing on his lips, catching you off guard.

With a stunned expression, you froze in your tracks as Jaehyun chuckled at your reaction before darting off to their classroom, leaving you standing there, bemused by his playful antics.

--

The day passed in its usual blur of lectures and scribbled notes until the lunch bell brought a welcome reprieve. Jaehyun, struggling to keep his heavy eyelids from closing, finally stirred from his desk as his classmates filtered out of the room and towards the cafeteria.

As he made his way towards the door, a sudden blockade halted his progress. It was you, your innocent smile belying your obliviousness to the social norms.

"Jaehyun, let's have lunch," you said, holding your lunchbox.

Jaehyun stood there stunned, unsure how to respond. His mind went blank. He wasn't expecting you to be this ignorant but he wasn't that mean either.

"You just need to finish your lunch right? Let's eat somewhere else," said Jaehyun worriedly.

Gently redirecting you, Jaehyun guided you out of the classroom and away from prying eyes to a secluded spot beneath a sprawling tree in the schoolyard.

They decided to eat their lunch on the bench beneath a large tree in the school field, where you began to eat. It was a secluded spot, rarely frequented during lunchtime, ensuring they wouldn't be spotted. Jaehyun sat beside you, his hands crossed and feet tapping nervously on the ground. He hoped you would finish your lunch quickly, along with your lunchbox, to avoid drawing attention to their presence together.

"Are you okay?" you inquired, noticing Jaehyun's restless feet.

"Yeah, I'm fine, hurry up and finish your lunch," he replied, quickly grabbing your hand and pushing your chopsticks back into the lunchbox. You, being as innocent as ever, nodded and resumed eating your lunch.

"But—" you began, setting down your chopsticks. Jaehyun's concern grew as he turned to face you, waiting for you to continue.

"Why aren't you eating?" you asked, your gaze fixed on Jaehyun, realizing he hadn't brought anything with him.

"Did you forget your lunchbox?" you asked with a smile.

He simply nodded in agreement. Knowing that nobody brings a lunchbox anymore, he didn't want to waste any more time. You happily finished your lunch, grateful to have Jaehyun's company since you didn't have any friends to eat with at school. Having Jaehyun there made your day.

As you reached for the last gimbap from your lunchbox, Jaehyun breathed a sigh of relief. It was finally over; you had finished your lunch.

"Okay, finished. I'll get going," Jaehyun said, quickly standing up and walking away from you as fast as possible.

"Wait!"

Jaehyun forced himself to look back, a frown forming on his face. "What now?" he asked, glancing at you.

"Do you want to go to the basketball court together after class?"

"No," Jaehyun said sternly as he left.

--

Another school day dawned for Jaehyun. Stretching his legs off the bed and onto the floor, he raised his arms high, grazing the ceiling as he yawned. Glancing at the time, he realized it was still early, so he decided to walk to school that day.

Plugging in his earphones and selecting a song from his playlist, he enjoyed the peaceful walk. Lost in thought about his plans for the day, he reminded himself of his role as the basketball team captain—a responsibility he took seriously as a means to support his family and secure a better future.

Arriving at the school gates, he muttered to himself, "Basketball captain, no more problems."

Suddenly, he heard a commotion behind him and turned to see you on the ground, surrounded by scattered books. A girl who had walked past you was rolling her eyes and walking away.

"Hey, you pushed me!" you shouted after her, but the girl ignored your accusation and continued on her way.

Seeing you struggling, Jaehyun hesitated for a moment, torn between helping you and avoiding involvement with an outsider. He then ignores his inner conflict, he decided to lend a hand. Quickly gathering your books, he approached you and handed them over.

"Oh, Jaehyun!" you exclaimed in amazement. "Thank you for helping."

"Whatever," Jaehyun replied tersely, handing over the books before swiftly walking away. Though he wanted to advise you to be more careful, he found it awkward and opted for a brief response. Helping you was enough for one day.

You walked silently behind Jaehyun, heading to the same classroom as usual. Surprisingly, he didn't walk away or leave you alone. Given the possibility of being pushed or bullied on your way to class, you stick close to him. Jaehyun noticed you following him but didn't mind, although he hadn't realized he wasn't walking away until he reached the stairs. Your eyes met briefly, both quickly looking away.

Jaehyun cleared his throat nervously before speaking up, offering a warning. "You should be more careful," he said.

"I should, I'm sorry. I'll be more careful to not slip on my feet again."

"Not your feet, them," he corrected you. "You should be careful of people around you."

Jaehyun noticed you freeze on the landing step, just standing there. Wondering if he had said too much or if you simply didn't understand, he debated whether to approach you. Before he could decide, a group of boys approached, prompting Jaehyun to continue up the stairs, leaving you behind.

--

During class, Jaehyun found himself lost in thought, gazing out the window toward the school entrance. He was barely paying attention until the lunch bell rang, snapping him back to reality.

As students started leaving the classroom for lunch, Jaehyun noticed his teammates, including Mingyu, heading toward his classroom. A smile formed on his lips at the sight of friends who remembered him. Just then, you approached his desk, and he knew he was in for an awkward encounter.

"Jaehyun, let's have lunch," you said, holding her lunchbox.

Internally, Jaehyun sighed, wishing to avoid this situation. Before he could respond, Mingyu's face appeared at the door, witnessing them together. Sensing the awkwardness, Mingyu quickly shut the door again. Jaehyun seized the opportunity, grabbing your wrist and leading her to the field.

"Eat it now, hurry," he urged.

"Are you not comfortable with me?" she asked, sensing his discomfort.

The question caught Jaehyun off guard, while he was crossing his arms, tapping his feet nervously.

"What?"

"Are you not comfortable with me, Jaehyun?" you repeated.

Jaehyun blinked, realizing his behaviour. He glanced at you, who seemed saddened.

"If you're not comfortable, you don't have to eat lunch with me," you offered.

Sighing, Jaehyun realised he was treating you out of pity. He forced himself to buy some snacks from a vending machine and returned to the bench.

"Satisfied? I'm having lunch too," he said, opening his soda.

"Okay," you replied, beginning to eat.

They ate in silence, and when lunch hour ended, Jaehyun made you promise to let him go to class first. As they parted ways, Jaehyun couldn't shake off the feeling of discomfort and guilt.

A week passed, and Jaehyun found himself still having lunch with you at the field bench. His training and mood hadn't improved, and the basketball match loomed ahead. During the game, he drank the usual soda and ate a chocolate bar, feeling stuck in a rut. As the match concluded, Eunwoo's skill earned him praise and adoration from the crowd.

He threw your bag onto the floor as soon as he entered the house, frustration weighing heavily on him. Memories of the game replayed in his mind, each missed opportunity and fumbled play haunting him. Despite the team's victory, he felt like he had let everyone down, especially with Mr. Lee there to evaluate his skills. Exhausted, Jaehyun collapsed onto the bed, trying to accept the day's events before drifting off into a troubled sleep.

--

You sat alone at your desk, observing the bustling activity of your classmates as they rushed out for lunch. It caught your eye at Jaehyun's motionless figure, his head resting on the table. Probably lost in his thoughts. You could hear concerned whispers from his teammates filling the air.

"Let's give him some space," Eunwoo intervened, urging the others to leave him alone.

You approached Jaehyun's desk, hoping to share lunch with him and lighten him up a bit. But Jaehyun's response was cold and dismissive, hurting you.

"Y/n, can't you tell I don't want to have lunch with you?" he snapped.

His words cutting deep to you, as the feeling of shame and rejection washed over as you struggled to hold back tears as Jaehyun continued, criticizing you for being weird and clingy. With a heavy heart, you watched him leave you alone in the classroom.

As the door closed behind him, your emotions overflowed with tears streaming down your cheeks. You gathered your belongings and made your way to the field bench, seeking comfort in the familiar routine of her lunch break.

You walked to the field bench and made yourself comfortable. You could feel your small fingers trembling over the situation that had happened but forced them by opening the lid of your lunchbox without hesitating for a second. Everything stayed the same for you, except when the tears rolled down your cheeks.

The world has been harsh on you.

--

"And that is all for today," said the teacher, closing the book in front of him to indicate the end of the last period. You left the class with your other classmates, joining the students in the corridor. After spending your lunch crying, you feel drained.

"Y/N!", someone calls you from behind.

You recognised the voice immediately, as you turned towards Eunwoo running toward you.

"Going to art class again?"

"Yes, how about you?"

"Y/N, are you okay?" Eunwoo sensed something was wrong with your response. He gently pulled your arm.

"I'm okay, Eunwoo. Thanks for asking,"

"Do you want me to walk you there? I can tell the coach I'll be running a bit late for today's training."

How you wished you could nod. After everything that had happened today, the idea of someone accompanying you to the art centre would comfort you. But Jaehyun's words had shaken your trust in people's kindness.

"No, Eunwoo, thank you, but I'll walk myself today. You should go to practice," you declined.

"Okay then," Eunwoo hesitated before continuing. "I'll text you later."

You gave him a light smile and walked away from him. Glancing around at the surroundings on the route to the art centre, you were torn between going to art class or taking a day off. Your head and heart were at odds with each other, and with each step, your legs felt heavier.

Unable to bear it any longer, you found yourself walking back home, seeking emotional refuge with Haein, the caretaker. As you entered the house and found Haein arranging cushions in the living room, you felt a sense of relief wash over you, knowing you had someone to turn to in time of need.

A few weeks had passed, and neither Jaehyun nor you had been to the teacher's office since their last encounter. You took Jaehyun's warning about lunch seriously, perhaps too seriously. You found yourself overthinking your interactions with others and making efforts to connect with peers. Amidst all your progress, there was one thing you hadn't changed: her lunchbox. Meanwhile, Jaehyun had resumed having lunch with his teammates as usual.

"Eat up, captain!" Mingyu exclaimed with laughter.

Jaehyun smiled widely as he placed his tray on the desk and joined the rest of the team. It felt good to be back with them. Just as he was settling into his seat, he noticed Eunwoo with Choi Yewon. Jaehyun nudged Mingyu's arm and leaned in to whisper.

"What's going on with Ye Won and Eunwoo?"

"Her? You know, his new target," Mingyu shook his head.

"What? Behind y/n?"

"We all know about his schemes with y/n," Mingyu interjected. "He's just brazen enough to do it openly at school."

They glanced over at Eunwoo and Ye Won, who were clearly intertwined as they conversed. Jaehyun felt uncomfortable, he didn't the thought of you being betrayed like this. They decided to leave them alone and continue their lunch. Jaehyun then began eating ravenously.

"Hey, are you that hungry?" one of his teammates asked, but Jaehyun ignored them completely.

As soon as he finished his lunch, Jaehyun slammed his chopsticks down on the table and hastily announced, before rushing out of the dining hall, leaving his bewildered team behind.

"I'll get going, see you later"

Mingyu surveyed his teammates with frustration. The team was in disarray, with neither the captain nor the potential captain able to focus before their match. Mingyu clenched his chopsticks tightly, feeling the need to intervene.

"Someone needs to stop this," Mingyu declared fiercely.

--

"The weather is too great to have a bad day," you remarked to yourself as you sat down for lunch.

You had grown accustomed to eating alone in this spot, finding comfort in the gentle breeze and open space. It was a solace space for you only. Suddenly, you were interrupted by a familiar voice.

"What are you doing?" Jaehyun's voice came from beside the bench.

You looked up in surprise. "Jaehyun, why are you here?"

"Just... for nothing," he replied, taking a seat next to you with his hands in his jacket pockets.

"It's okay if you don't want to have lunch—"

Jaehyun turned to her, smirking. "Just eat your lunch," he said, cutting you off.

You returned his smirk and began eating, while Jaehyun couldn't help but smile softly at the action. He could sense that you had become more attentive and considerate toward others, and it felt reassuring.

After a few moments of silence, you glanced at Jaehyun, who seemed lost in thought. He looked distracted and anxious, you offered him your favourite juice.

"If you're going to space out for that long, you might as well enjoy a juice," she suggested.

Jaehyun sighed and accepted the juice. As both of you sat together, Jaehyun couldn't help but notice the tranquillity of their surroundings.

"Is this why you always have lunch here?" he asked, curious.

"Yeah, I find it hard to socialize at school, even during recess. So I come here to gather myself before continuing with the day."

"Jaehyun, are you okay?" you asked suddenly, breaking the silence.

He was taken aback by the question, feeling a surge of emotions. He was so close to telling you the truth of Ye Won and Eunwoo. How he wanted to save you from the betrayal.

"No, actually, I have something to tell you,"

Before he could continue, a few people approached the bench. It was Jaehyun's teammates. He quickly stood up, intending to explain the situation, while you were confused, not understanding what was happening as you looked on innocently at them.

"It's not what it looks like-" Jaehyun explained to them.

"So it was you all along," Mingyu pointed at you, ignoring Jaehyun before he continued.

"You were the one messing up with him"

"I'm sorry, who are-",

"You think you can hang out with one of us just because Eunwoo is your friend, right?!"

"This is not what it seems-"

"You getting bolder now. You think people like you now. Can you see people using you just especially Eunwoo? You no special, y/n"

They hurled insults at you, and Jaehyun's attempts to defend her fell on deaf ears. You could sense your eyes got teary, it wasn't even you who approached them in the first place. But Jaehyun was quick to realise your expression, he knew where this was heading. He immediately dragged his teammates away from you and brought them back to the class. They all left you alone on the bench.

Jaehyun was fierce, he walked in front of them in the dash.

"Jaehyun, I did a great job, didn't I? Don't worry, she's not gonna disturb you anymore", his teammate said as he smiled thinking he saved Jaehyun.

Jaehyun turned around to face him, looking at him in the eyes.

"I told you. It's not what it looks like!"

They were all startled at his action, he was really mad this time. People around them were starting to talk and gather around them. It seems like they were getting into a fight any moment now. Jaehyun looked around and gave out a sigh, putting his head down.

"Let's just go to class," he said as he entered his classroom door and closed it shut.

--

Your steps echoed through the empty corridor as you hastened towards the sanctuary of the girls' bathroom. Your heart heavy turns into tears threatening to spill, hiding within the confines of one of the stalls, where you allow yourself to finally release the torrent of emotions that had been building up inside.

As your sobs filled the quiet space, the sound was soon accompanied by the soft murmur of voices outside your stall. Startled, your tears momentarily paused as you strained to listen. Four concerned voices floated through the air, their words a mix of worry and compassion.

"Hey, what's going on in there? Are you okay?", one of the girls asked gently, her voice tinged with genuine concern.

"Maybe she needs a tissue," another voice suggested, practical and helpful.

A third voice chimed in, "I think she might need a pad instead. It sounds like she's crying because of that."

The girls deliberated amongst themselves, each offering suggestions on how best to help you in your time of need. Their voices blended into a comforting chorus of support, reaching your ears and offering a glimmer of hope amidst your despair.

Finally, summoning your courage, you slowly opened the door of the stall, revealing your tear-streaked face to the concerned girls outside. Without hesitation, you begin telling them what had happened over lunch. They enveloped you in a warm embrace, offering comfort and understanding without judgment.

Meanwhile, in the classroom, Jaehyun's anxiety mounted with each passing minute as he anxiously watched the clock. His worry for you gnawed at him, the weight of guilt and regret heavy on his shoulders.

Five minutes have passed.

Ten minutes have passed.

Fifteen minutes have passed.

His eyes peek around the class again as it stops at your desk. You're still not there. Jaehyun begins tapping his feet, his mind too begins to imagine every possibility that could happen to you.

'Is it possible you went back home already?', thought to himself. 

Suddenly the front door of the classroom slides open. The whole classroom sways their heads facing away from the blackboard, even the teacher paused his lesson for a moment.

'Shit'

When you finally entered the classroom, your eyes red-rimmed and downcast, Jaehyun's heart sank. He could feel the weight of the whispers and stares directed at you, a tangible manifestation of the repercussions of your actions.

"I'm sorry, teacher. The toilet was really full, and I had to go number two," you explained as you bowed and made your way back to your seat.

--

Throughout the day, the atmosphere crackled with tension, rumors spreading like wildfire and casting a shadow over the basketball team's reputation. Jaehyun's stomach churned with guilt as he grappled with the knowledge that their actions had contributed to your pain.

Later, Coach Lee's voice boomed with disappointment and anger as he addressed the team. Eunwoo, in particular, felt the weight of the coach's words bearing down on him, the burden of leadership heavier than ever before.

As they endured their punishment of running laps under the scorching sun, Eunwoo's eyes caught sight of something on the bench where you usually sat. It was your forgotten lunchbox.

"It's okay Eunwoo, it's not your fault. We respect you as a captain", said his teammates.

Eunwoo looked at them, turning his head towards the back of him. 

"He's right. I'm sorry, Eunwoo, everyone", Mingyu apologise.

'If only you held your anger on y/n, things would have been better", replied Ten, another member of the team.

"But I really can't hold it in-"

The teammates started bickering while they carried on with their laps. Eunwoo just shook his head at them, he took a glance again at Jaehyun. He was at the back of all of them. His eyes started to wander around, it stopped at something that caught his eye and made him a bit. It was the bench you sat at during lunch. There was a silver box on top of the sits. Apparently, you had left her lunchbox on the bench. Eunwoo notices it as he quickly looks back at Jaehyun to see if he notices it too. He quickly snaps out to distract him.

"Focus. Run faster! 30 laps to go!", Eunwoo shouted.

--

The next morning, you decide to arrive early at school. You realize you forgot your lunchbox in the classroom the day before and want to retrieve it before the school fills up. After all, the thought of leftover food sitting in your lunchbox is less than appealing.

As you push open the wooden door of the classroom, you notice Jaehyun, Eunwoo, and a few others who have already arrived. Ignoring their presence, you swiftly place your pastel brown bag on a nearby chair and hurry towards the bench on the field, seeming to cope peacefully with the aftermath of the previous day's incident.

"Is it gone already?" you exclaim, noticing the empty bench.

Kneeling down, you begin to search beneath the bench when suddenly, Eunwoo appears.

"Here's your lunchbox. I've already washed it," he says, gesturing towards the lunchbox in front of him.

"Thanks, Eunwoo," you reply gratefully, reaching out to take it.

"How did you know I left it here?"

Eunwoo hesitates, running a hand through his hair before responding, "We happened to train at the field yesterday."

"Well, that makes sense. Thank you, Eunwoo," you say with a smile, returning his gesture.

"I knew you were going to look for it. Let's go back to class," Eunwoo suggests, and you nod in agreement.

--

"Are you feeling better? Yesterday was rough for you," Eunwoo asks as you climb up the stairs together.

You don't react much as he expected, just humming at his question, signaling to him that you're okay now. Eunwoo begins to worry when he sees your response, his expression immediately changing as he steps on another riser above you.

"Y/n, don't take it to heart about what they said yesterday. Some people never think before they speak, they were just not in the right mind when they confronted you."

"It's alright Eunwoo. After all, what they say about me was right anyway. I saw that coming already."

As you reassure him with a soft smile, you demonstrate your adeptness at handling the situation. Growing up with both of your parents working as architects, you have become accustomed to direct and straightforward criticism, albeit often delivered in a gentler manner. You have learned to detach your emotions from such feedback and simply accept it for what it is. Even if some of the statements hold partial truth, you see little point in trying to argue or convince otherwise.

"That's not what I mean. You know I'm here for you because I really want to be, I'm not using you," Eunwoo says, offering a white lie.

"I know, that's why I said it's about me. It's true I depend on you a lot because I have no friends here, and it's harder now that you can't always be there to solve all of my problems," you pause before continuing.

"So just let me think it through for now."

Eunwoo doesn't say anything as he stands still in his position, knowing it's best for you to have some time. Deep down inside, Eunwoo understands that it's not about you needing him to solve everything, but rather his own fear of losing you. You have been there for him, even when he resorted to dirty tricks, and now that you are starting to grow apart from him, he fears being left with nothing.

Just as you are both lost in your thoughts, Jaehyun steps in, approaching the staircase. He immediately makes eye contact with you, filled with regret and the desire to apologize, but his actions speak otherwise.

-- This morning, Jaehyun's feet moved in a dash as he exited the bus, the cold breeze hitting him as he sped up. It was early, Jaehyun had already arrived at school. Without bothering to set down his backpack, he made his way to the school field. Jaehyun knew he had to retrieve the lunchbox before anyone else did. It was the only reason he could use to meet up with you again and apologize. However, to his dismay, the lunchbox was nowhere to be found.

His eyes widened in a fluster as he realised the lunchbox was missing. Without hesitation, he began searching for it. Pulling down the sleeves of his sweater, he warmed his hand with a breath before Eunwoo appeared, holding the lunchbox.

"Once again, you're second, Jaehyun," Eunwoo remarked, lifting the lunchbox with one hand while the other remained in his pocket.

"I never come in second. You're the one always taking what's not yours," Jaehyun retorted.

"Like what? The scholarship?" Eunwoo's words struck a nerve with Jaehyun.

"What do you mean?" Jaehyun asked, caught off guard.

"I know about it, Jaehyun. I'm just surprised you're doing this behind the team," Eunwoo continued, receiving a glare from Jaehyun.

The mention of the scholarship ignited anger within Jaehyun, but he restrained himself before it escalated into a physical confrontation.

"Keep it," Jaehyun said sharply, pushing the lunchbox back towards Eunwoo, causing him to sway his hand.

"I don't need those things to come in first," Jaehyun declared firmly.

He watched Eunwoo laugh at his words as he walked away, leaving him alone on the bench. At that moment, Jaehyun made a decision. He wasn't solely aiming for the scholarship anymore; he was determined to prove that he could surpass Eunwoo in every aspect.

--

During that lunch break, Jaehyun headed off to the library after finishing his meal. If he ever hoped to surpass Eunwoo, he knew it had to start with his mind. As he solemnly made his way to the library, everything felt unfamiliar to him. Awkwardly navigating between the shelves, he eventually found himself in the architecture section. Knowing that Eunwoo's family owned a renowned architecture firm in Seoul, with Eunwoo destined to inherit it, Jaehyun couldn't help but feel the weight of the challenge ahead.

Jaehyun let his gaze wander as he roamed the shelves, unsure of what to do next. Eventually, he selected a book that caught his eye:

"The Architecture of Happiness".

Finding a secluded spot hidden between the shelves, Jaehyun settled down on the floor with eager anticipation, immersing himself in the book.

As he delved deeper into the world of architecture, Jaehyun's passion and understanding grew. He began devouring more architecture books and design compilations, expanding his knowledge. Simultaneously, his dedication to basketball training intensified, with Jaehyun pushing himself harder late into the evening.

One night, after wrapping up the extra training alone, Jaehyun was startled to see you entering the court, still in your school uniform, your fingers fidgeting nervously as you glanced around.

"Y/n?" Jaehyun called out, bending his head slightly to confirm your identity.

"Why are you here?" he inquired as you approached.

"I- is- is Eunwoo still here?"

"Eunwoo left an hour ago. You should leave too," Jaehyun advised.

"I see. I'll head out then," you replied, making your way towards the nearest bus stop. Jaehyun didn't stop you, accompanying you silently to the bus stop. As you both boarded the bus, Jaehyun took a seat behind you.

"You could have just texted him instead of coming here yourself," Jaehyun remarked, leaning forward slightly. You flinched at his words, turning your head to look at him.

"He hasn't been returning my calls or messages lately," you admitted.

Jaehyun stared at you, his expression unreadable. It was clear to him that Eunwoo was spending more time with Ye Won, neglecting you in the process.

"You already knew, didn't you?" Jaehyun asked, subtly referring to Eunwoo's relationship with Ye Won.

You simply nodded in response.

The rest of the bus ride passed in silence. You immediately put on your earphones after your conversation, and Jaehyun followed suit, leaning back in his seat. Glancing at your reflection in the window, Jaehyun tried to gauge your emotions, but your stoic expression gave nothing away.

As the night grew darker outside, you stared blankly into the distance, your mind wrestling with conflicting emotions. Despite the calmness of the night, you found no comfort. Just as you rested your head against the window, Jaehyun pressed the stop button behind you with determination.

"Ahjussi, this is our stop!" he called out.

Your confusion only deepened as Jaehyun guided you off the bus before your intended stop. You followed him, your brow furrowing as both of you walked down a street adorned with cherry blossom flowers and trees.

"Why are you bringing me here?" you asked, turning your head to look at him.

"No reason," he lied casually. "You might like it here."

Jaehyun spotted a bench nearby, and you surveyed your surroundings. The windy night had transformed the streets into a scene straight out of a dream, with nearly pure white cherry blossoms tinged with the palest pink fluttering gently in the breeze. They seemed like confetti in the air, descending around both of you. You stood still, lifting a hand in front of you as if to catch the falling blossoms. Jaehyun watched you intently from his seat on the bench. Just then, a cherry blossom flower drifted down and landed delicately in your open palm.

"Jaehyun! Did you see that?" you exclaimed excitedly, your eyes sparkling with childlike wonder as you skipped over to him, the flower cradled in your hand.

A warm, tender smile spread across Jaehyun's face, his dimples forming as he watched you.

"Hurry, make a wish," he urged gently.

You immediately placed your other palm next to the first, closing your eyes tightly and bowing your head toward the flower. You made a silent wish in your heart before opening your eyes with a happy sigh, taking a seat next to Jaehyun. He couldn't help but smile softly at your infectious happiness.

"What did you wish for?" he inquired.

"That your life will be as happy as I was when the flower landed in my palm," you replied earnestly.

"You should wish for Eunwoo to reply to you. Why wish for someone else?" Jaehyun teased gently.

"Because the best kind of wish is the one made for others," you grinned back at him before continuing.

"It was tough when things weren't going well at my father's firm. But when Eunwoo's family firm and ours did a project together, we wished for their success, and it happened. It felt like a miracle, Jaehyun," you added, meeting his gaze.

He listened intently, feeling a connection to you as you shared your story. Your vulnerability opened up a new understanding between you both.

"Here," you said, passing the flower to Jaehyun. "Maybe one day, you can make a wish for me."

With that, you stood up from the bench and began to walk away after adjusting your skirt. Jaehyun watched you go, then turned his gaze back to the cherry blossom. The beautiful night filled with cherry blossoms remained warm in your memories as you both returned home, leaving behind a quiet night filled with delightful memories.

--

"Oppa, the school festival is coming up. Are you going to perform again?" a junior asked Jaehyun nervously in the corridor of the school.

"What?" he replied, staring at her blankly, trying to understand what she was talking about.

"Well, you always perform during the school festival. I was wondering if you're going to perform again this year."

"Oh," Jaehyun hesitated. With his father no longer around to practice with, he wasn't considering performing this year.

"I'm sorry, but I don't think I am," he finally answered.

Jaehyun's performances during the school festival always attracted a lot of attention from girls, which made him feel a bit awkward. However, he only paid attention to his friends and basketball team, and now to Eunwoo, whom he aimed to beat.

He entered the classroom after stopping by the library as usual. Closing the door behind him, Jaehyun made his way back to his desk.

"What? You said you went where?" you asked as your classmate who sat in front of her repeated her story.

Jaehyun smirked slightly. He was sure you didn't know about the mall the other girl mentioned.

Jaehyun went through the architecture section in the library like always, wandering his eyes around the shelves. As his eyes went from one book to another, none of the books caught his attention this afternoon.

He let out a groan as he made his way to a seat. He took out a small drawing pen he held in his pocket, letting his fingers sketch on a sketchbook he had bought. Just then, he heard your and Eunwoo's voices conversing on the shelf next to his table. Making his attention on you both, he turned his head before deciding to ignore you as he went back to sketching.

"Y/n," Jaehyun could hear a voice calling it across the library as it broke the silence.

He lifted his head from the sketchbook, just as he saw you approached by a student council at a shelf next to his table. Immediately hiding his face with his hand by laying his head on his stretched arms across the table, facing the opposite of you both. Making sure he did not get caught but he continued to eavesdrop.

"Hi Jihyo," you said to the student council.

"Oh, hi Eunwoo. Didn't see you there," she said to Eunwoo.

"Do you think you can perform during the school festival? We need someone to start the dance during the evening dance event," she continued.

"I'm sorry-? What dance?"

"The principal is finally allowing us to do a dance event as the closing of the school festival," she explained before she continued.

"We would like to have you and Eunwoo perform as the opening for the dance event. Both of you can perform a slow dance, you guys used to go to the same art elementary school," she convinced you.

Jaehyun on the other side wasn't liking what he heard, he was hoping you to turn down the offer as there was a long pause after the conversation. He gathered his strength to his legs, feeling restless over the eavesdrop. He was ready to leave the library before you could answer. Eunwoo noticed Jaehyun at the table as he stood when he decided to leave the room but your voice stops his actions.

"Okay, I'll do it if Eunwoo is okay with it," you said.

Eunwoo immediately made eye contact with Jaehyun across the shelf.

"Sure, I'll do it," Eunwoo answered, still eyeing Jaehyun.

"For you," turned back his head to face you who has on his shoulder level, looking up at him.

Your lips curved upwards at Eunwoo's actions. You're glad Eunwoo is trying to amend your relationship but your guts are telling you otherwise. You were already drifting apart from each other with Eunwoo sneaking around behind your back with Ye Won. As much as you're hesitating, your actions never did anything to avoid him yet you feel it's hard to push him away.

"Jaehyun," said you as soon you lifted your head, making eye contact with him.

By your tone and your face that brightens up when you see Jaehyun, he can tell you're more interest in him eavesdropping on the conversation than being selected for the dance. But your happiness drops in a split of seconds when Jaehyun just passes by you, ignoring you both and making his way out of the library.

Your heart sank.

It wasn't the first time you received cold shoulders from him so you faced the floor, brushing away the feelings.

"So you wanna start to practise tonight?" Eunwoo asked immediately after he noticed you, you must have felt small.

"Yeah, that sounds great."

"I'll meet you at the court then after training, the court should be big enough for us."

You nodded as you gave a soft smile at him before both of you made your way to the classroom.

--

Jaehyun takes a quick look over at the audience on the benches. Usually, there are a few of their teammates' girlfriends, but today you are sitting casually as you sketch in your sketchbook. He shakes off his wandering thoughts and brings them back to the training. Not long after that, the training ended and the team headed to the changing room. Jaehyun stayed at the court for some personal practicing.

At first, he was just minding his own business when suddenly Eunwoo came to court again. He could see from the corner of his eyes that Eunwoo went to you as you too walked yourself down the court from the bench.

"Are you done yet?" you asked.

"Yeah, let's start practicing."

You nodded.

Jaehyun went back to his training after hearing that and you too started your practice. From time to time, Jaehyun took a glimpse of you both. He was confused by his actions. His eyes couldn't help but lay on you and Eunwoo dancing.

"Just making sure everything okay," he clarifies himself.

He looked at how gracefully you were dancing. Surely it proves a lot that both of you were from a performing arts school. He left a smile as he romanticized the view of you both dancing.

Looking at both of you dancing reminisces back his memories with his grandmother. He used to learn some dances with his grandmother, as she was a dancer. He adores graceful movements when she dances, it softens a part of him. It could make the world around him shut for a moment, the only thing that was bright and warm was the dances.

--

"Mr. Jeong, please have a seat," said a man opening the door for Jaehyun, the sight of Mr. Lee and his couch filled his eyes in the room.

He's been here every now and then, just the sight of Mr. Lee and a few men in suits seems new to him. His guts are telling him something was off but for now, all he could do is casually takes a seat next to the empty beside Mr. Lee at the desk.

"Jaehyun," his couch speaks as Jaehyun sits down and continues his words that leaving a shock on Jaehyun's face, he lifts his face to the couch. It was hard to believe what he heard.

"How about giving the scholarship spot to your teammate Eunwoo?"

[nayziiz]

Team Dynamics | LN4

Summary: To celebrate the launch of their 2024 car for the upcoming F1 season, McLaren hosts a masquerade gala event that sees two souls connect and lead to a whirlwind romance. Unfortunately, the pair realise soon after that they are to work together quite closely after they agreed it would only be a one-night thing.

Warnings: Smut, alcohol, one night stand, unprotected sex

Pairing: Gemma (I don't like writing with Y/N or reader) x Lando Norris

Series Masterlist

PART 8

The forest echoes with the sounds of rustling leaves and the distant calls of unseen birds as Lando and Gemma continue their journey deeper into the woods. The once well-defined trail had now become a patchwork of twigs and scattered leaves beneath their feet. A sense of uncertainty hung in the air, but Lando’s lighthearted banter helps diffuse the situation. He picks up a stick and pokes her calves with it as she walks.

“Cut it out. It’s your fault we lost the group.” Gemma grunts breathlessly. “Why of all places did we decide hiking in the middle of nowhere would be a good idea.”

As they walk through the dense foliage, Lando couldn't help but notice the worry etched across Gemma’s face. Her cautious demeanour clashes with his adventurous spirit, creating a dynamic that was as intriguing as the winding trails they traversed.

Gemma pauses and scans their surroundings, her brow furrowed with concern. She tries to listen if she can hear their friends’ voices, but all she hears is Lando digging in his bag behind her.

“We’re lost.” Gemma concludes as she too pulls off her backpack and clears an area to sit down.

“We’re not lost. We’re just taking the scenic route.” Lando counters as he sits down beside her. “It's like a choose-your-own-adventure hike. Adventure being the key word.”

Gemma struggles to suppress a faint smile despite her growing anxiety.

“I prefer knowing where I'm going. And right now, I have no idea.” Gemma argues, but Lando is simply undeterred.

“We're just temporarily misplaced. Besides, I've seen every survival show on TV. We just need to find a river and follow it downstream.” Lando explains to her.

“Lando. There is no river here, like at all.” Gemma counters, her scepticism lingering.

“Then we'll just have to rely on my impeccable sense of direction. North is... that way.” Lando states as he points in the opposite direction.

“Impeccable, huh? How can you be so sure?” Gemma asks, raising an eyebrow at him.

“Because the moss on the trees is growing... uh, in the direction of... adventure?” Lando responds confidently.

Gemma couldn't help but smile at his attempt to lighten the mood. Suddenly, a distant rustling noise interrupts their banter, causing her to tense up.

“Did you hear that?” She asks as she looks around the woods.

“Just the forest critters cheering us on. They're our woodland audience.” Lando teases, attempting to ease her mind, but her uneasiness remains. “Hey, it's okay. We'll figure this out together.”

“Maybe we should just retrace our steps back to where we last saw a marker.” Gemma suggests.

Lando nods and stands up before pulling her up to her feet. The duo retrace their steps, attempting to backtrack in hopes of stumbling upon the familiar markers of the trail. The forest, however, seems to play tricks on their sense of direction, making every tree and rock look strangely similar. As they venture deeper, Gemma's initial unease escalates into discomfort. She begins to feel a nagging queasiness in her stomach, an unsettling twist that she couldn't shake off.

“Lan.” She mumbles as she pauses for a moment and rests against a tree making him turn around to face her. “I don’t feel so good.”

“Maybe it's just nerves. We'll find the trail soon, and everything will be back to normal.” He assures her.

“Do you reckon we’re heading in the right direction? It feels like we’re getting even more lost.” Gemma wonders.

“Lost is just a state of mind. We're on a detour, that's all. The scenic route, remember?” Lando counters. “Come on, let’s get out of here.”

Gemma nods, but the queasiness persists as they continue to walk. The dense forest begins to thin, revealing a small clearing. Suddenly, a wave of relief washes over them as they stumble upon their friends, who were gathered around a makeshift picnic site. Laughter and the scent of food filled the air.

“There you two are!” Alex exclaims, causing everyone to turn their attention to the pair making their way towards them.

“We had to take the scenic route.” Lando jokes as he joins the group and takes a big sip of water.

As Gemma joins the group, her discomfort becomes more apparent. She declines the offered snacks, her stomach now churning with a different kind of urgency.

“Hey, hey, are you OK?” Lando asks, concerned when he notices her discomfort and wraps his arm around her for support before letting her sit down.

“I don't know, I just feel off. Maybe it's something I ate.” Gemma speculates as Lando joins her on the ground.

Lando’s head swivels to the sandwiches being passed around between the group and realises that the earlier impromptu picnic might be the source of Gemma's discomfort.

“Did you eat anything from here?” Lando asks her.

“Yeah, I had some of the sandwiches and...oh no.” Gemma groans as she leans against him.

“We need to get you back to civilization. This might be more serious than just getting lost.” Lando admits.

Their friends gather around, concern evident on their faces. With quick thinking, Lando gathers everyone, explaining the situation. The group rallies together, packing up the remnants of their picnic and setting off on a determined mission to find the trail and lead Gmma to safety.

As they navigate the forest once more, the urgency of the situation added a new layer of tension. Gemma, weak but supported by Lando, clings to the hope of reaching help soon. The forest, once a place of adventure, has now become a challenging obstacle that tested their resilience and camaraderie - quite the contrast to the battles they faced during races.

The group pushes through the thick foliage, their pace quickened by a sense of urgency. Gemma's discomfort escalates, and the forest, once enchanting, becomes a labyrinth of shadows and uncertainty. The rhythmic crunch of leaves beneath their boots was now punctuated by occasional rustlings in the underbrush, amplifying the tension.

“I really don’t feel good, Lan.” Gemma mumbles against Lando’s shoulder as she leans against him as they walk.

“I’ve got you, Gems. I’ll get you out of here.” He promises.

As they continue, they stumble upon a faint trail. A collective sigh of relief echoes through the group, and they follow it, hoping it would lead to the safety of civilization. As they emerge from the forest, the trail widens, revealing a clearing where sunlight filters through the trees. A distant sound of rushing water catches their attention, and they discover a small stream.

Gemma's condition doesn't improve. She grows weaker with every step, and the worry on Lando’s face deepens. The group maintains a brisk pace, but the forest seems to stretch endlessly.

As they continue to walk, Gemma stumbles, unable to keep up. Lando, with genuine concern, supports her, determined to keep her moving as he pulls her closer to him.

“Hang in there, Gems, we’re almost there.” He continues to assure her. “I won’t let anything happen to you.”

Suddenly, the distant sound of voices reaches their ears. The group quickens their pace, and around a bend in the trail, they find a ranger station. Relief washes over them when a Ranger approaches them and spots Gemma.

“What happened?” The Ranger asks, beckoning for them to follow him into the station.

“We think she may have food poisoning.” Lando explains and he takes Gemma to the station and places her on a bed.

The ranger radios for assistance, and soon a medical team arrives. They provide Gemma with the necessary care, ensuring she would be okay.

The atmosphere in the hospital room is tense as Gemma lies in bed, her mind occupied by the events that led her there. Lando, sitting beside her, diligently types a message to their group of friends to provide updates. His focused expression conveys both concern and a sense of responsibility.

After locking his phone, Lando turns back to face Gemma, the worry evident in his eyes. The silence between them is palpable, filled with unspoken thoughts and emotions. Lando, breaking the quiet tension, takes a deep breath before speaking.

"I’ve let everyone know you're okay." He assures her, his voice gentle.

Gemma, appreciating his presence and the effort he's making to keep everyone informed, manages a small smile. The unspoken dynamics between them take on a new significance in the face of adversity, as they navigate the uncertainties of the situation together. In the quiet hospital room, the vulnerability of the moment brings forth a genuine exchange between Gemma and Lando.

“I don’t know what I would have done without you.” Gemma tells him, appreciating his support and presence in the moment.

“We’re a team, Gems. Lost or found, I’ll always be by your side.” He assures her.

“Even when you’re poking me with random sticks.” Gemma teases.

“Of course.” Lando chuckles as he takes her hand in his and kisses the back of it.

“You’re my favourite person.” Gemma informs him.

“Move over.” Lando instructs.

Lando lays down beside her, wrapping his arms around Gemma, ensuring to be careful around her IV port. Gemma rests her head against his chest, listening to the reassuring rhythm of his heart. The unspoken dynamics between them evolve into a shared closeness, providing comfort and connection in the midst of uncertainty.

“And, you’re mine.” Lando informs her as he kisses her temple.

[sylvies-chen]

let’s also talk about how good it is that nate now has a support system that he doesn’t need to “share” exactly. like I think where what went wrong in nate’s journey to confidence in the first two seasons was that it was in an environment where ted was the coach basically doing emotional triage. he worked on the people who needed it the most first, and tried to build something with an entire team from the ground up based on that, meaning nate had to share ted in a sense. there was no room for one on one attention so when nate developed his sense of self worth on a guy who couldn’t (and shouldn’t have to?) focus on him all the time, it became doomed to self-implode, especially since he didn’t feel as though he had a supportive family.

but now he’s growing! we got to see moments where his mother and sister were supporting him, he’s slowly realizing the kind of person he actually wants to be, he’s trying to let go of his self-destructive patterns. and, importantly, he’s got jade! who is so so so good for him in so many ways, but mainly because she’s a support system where he doesn’t have to feel like he’s in competition with others for his affection. she shows clear interest in him, wants to be his girlfriend, and they have a surprisingly stable and healthy relationship which is especially highlighted in the scene of this episode where he goes to her place and just hugs her (SO cute btw). like yes she has a life and family and friends and a job I’m not saying he’ll be able to have her 24/7 I just mean it’s not a dynamic where he’ll feel like she’s slipping through his fingers all the time. it’s just exactly the kind of support system he needs in order to break free from rupert and become truly confident in himself.

[dracowars]

Could you do a din djarin x former inquisitor reader? Maybe he finds out when they are saving Grogu from Moff Gideon in season two. I think Din, Bo-Katan, etc reactions would be so interesting!

forgive me | din djarin

pairing: din x formerinquisitor!reader

word count: 2,6k

summary: where din finds out about y/n's past

a/n: this was incredibly fun to write, i love the inquisitor lore so much!! thank you so much for requesting, i hope you enjoy <3 please don't forget to give feedback and reblog, it means the world to me ♡♡♡

warnings: angst, cursing, violence, mentions of torture, mentions of death

universe: star wars

"I asked you a question", Din says through gritted teeth, clearly not impressed by the warloard as he points his blaster directy at the man laying on the ground in front of him. After you have successfully taken over Moff Gideon's light cruiser with your newly found team, you were finally met with that inkling of hope that was lost for so long. You were sure that, this time, you won. Except you didn't.

"Call back your darktroopers or I won't hesitate to pull the trigger!", you shout at Gideon, almost pitying his slumped figure on the cold surface. The once great Moff Gideon, holder of the darksaber, military leader in charge of the remnents of the Galactic Empire, huddled on the floor, right to your feet. You would almost believe he is scared, almost, if it were not for the slight twitch pulling at the corner of his mouth. Because despite of him being defenseless, vulnerable and alone, he somehow still managed to pull one last ace up his sleeve and take you by surprise. The surprise that is currently waiting to charge through the blast doors, the last layer of protection that saves you from your fate.

"Everyone in this room will be dead but me. And the child", Gideon says with a sparkle in his eyes, trying to find a comfortable position with his hands cuffed.

"I will ask you. One. Last. Time. What do you need Grogu for?", Din interjects, ignoring his threat as he keeps his blaster pointed at him. Even though you can't see his face through his helmet, it is clear that this time he expects an honest answer or he will definitely not hold back. He has grown too fond of Grogu to not get to know why Gideon wants to capture him so badly or what he did to the small child.

And while Din waits for him to think of an answer that won't have him blast his head off, Gideon's eyes lock with yours and it is in that moment that you feel a shift, seeing a change in his face that you can't quite interpret. The answer he gives is not what you expected at all.

"Maybe you should ask your friend here, not me."

Immediately, you take a wavering step back, lowering your blaster while Din slowly turns to look in your direction, his whole posture screaming at you to explain what tiny piece of information Moff Gideon just dropped your way. "What?"

Bo-Katan, Koska and Fennec, all aiming their own blasters at the door, shift their attention to you now as well, ignoring the loud noises created by the darktroopers trying to come through. You can only stare at Gideon, however, and if he wasn't your only way to get out of here alive, you would have put an end to this already. The knowing grin on his face frightens you because it tells you he knows everything. About what you did, about your past, and, above all, about the darkness hovering over it.

"What does he mean by that, Y/N?", Din wants to know, a twist audible in his voice as well now. He does not trust you right now and if you were in his spot, you wouldn't trust yourself either. You have been on this journey together for a long time already, your only interest being the safety of the child, and yet you managed to keep your biggest secret hidden from him. There are things he doesn't need to and simply shouldn't know about you.

"Y/N is very well acquainted with what I did. I would even go as far as to say that we were once considered allies", Gideon answers for you as you can't come up with any rational explanation, too occupied by what is going on in your mind.

"That's not true! Don't- Don't listen to him. I was never on your side, Gideon", you immediately interrupt as you comprehend his accusation, turning to Din who does not know what or whom to believe anymore. His partner, who lied to him since day one, or his enemy, who just revealed the secret that has been haunting you since forever.

"Tell them the truth then, Twelfth Sister."

As soon as the words leave Gideon's mouth, Bo-Katan suddenly points one of her blasters directly at you, no hesitation in her movement at all. However, you can't even concentrate on the deadly weapon aimed at you as you feel like the ground beneath your feet opens up, causing you to fall into the deep depths full of sorrow, darkness and pain that you ran away from for so long. And the fact that Grogu, sitting at one of the consoles next to you, coos at all of this, does not make it any better.

Silence fills the room as everyone slowly but surely comprehends the meaning behind Moff Gideon's words. What he called you, Twelfth Sister, is a title you have not been addressed by in a long, long time and you desperately wish it stayed that way.

"Shut up! Shut up, shut up, shut up!", you scream at Gideon, your heart beating so fast it hurts. With trembling hands and legs you take a step closer to him, wanting him to not say another word ever again but as soon as you move from your spot, you are faced with another blaster barrel.

However this time it is Din who points his weapon right at you, stopping you dead in your tracks as you feel like you can't get enough air to breathe. The realization has hit him after all.

"N-No! Please, you need to listen to me! I-"

"You are an Inquisitor?", Din asks, not a single hint in his voice as to how he feels, how disappointed he has to be in you. On the one hand, you want him to scream at you, shout at you for keeping this from him, but on the other hand you want him to be able to forgive you, even though you know that what you did is inexcusable.

Since you have no clue how to put everything you want to say in words at once, you only manage to nod, lowering your head as you feel ashamed of yourself. You are waiting for the shot to hit you and when it doesn't, you look up at Din who has not moved.

"Why?", is all he says, staring at you through his helmet. You swear you feel your heart breaking at how he pronounces this one seemingly harmless word.

"I- I don't know. I didn't want all of this to happen. The one second I fight alongside an army of clones, the next I kill all of them and mourn over my dead master", you explain, the memories tormenting you. "They took me. They took me and tortured me until there was nothing left of who I was or what I fought for. They broke me."

You spit out the last part, feeling the anger spark inside of you. Closing your eyes, you feel the panic chase off the anger as you can physically feel the pain they sent you through once more. You sink to your knees, supporting yourself with your hands on the ground, tears in your eyes. They will always have control over you.

"Inquisitors chased down and killed all of the remaining Jedi. You abducted force-sensitive children!", Bo-Katan reminds you of your all-too-real deeds and you can't help but feel bile rise up your throat, making you cough.

"I did.. bad things and each time, it killed me a little more. But when they wanted me to kidnap a child, I didn't. It was then that I noticed it wasn't my way", you say quietly, trying to stand up for yourself about the only thing you did right and that you can be proud of. Because you disobeyed. Because you turned your back on them. Because you left.

"I can't believe you", Din mutters, his voice sounding coarse.

"I promise you it's not who I am anymore!", you try to convince him, all of them actually, but you know it is to no use. Which does not mean you won't try to change their view because, at last, you were a victim too. "Why do you think I am here? Because I made it my task, my purpose, to protect these children! I don't want anyone to experience what I had to. I even killed one of my so-called sisters! I turned against them."

Breathing heavily, you need a few seconds to cope with your emotional outburst, letting your words sink into their heads while you are trying to hold back the tears that threaten to spill. But you don't let them because you have shown weakness too many times before. After all, the dark side was only able to overpower you back then because it caught you at your weakest moment, using it to its advantage, turning your despair into pure hatred.

"Please, you have to believe me", you breathe out, your voice breaking in the end as you stare at Din and Din only. You don't care what the others think, you don't care if they will ever forgive you as long as Din does. You get lost in the darkness of his visor as you keep staring at him intently, waiting for any kind of reaction but he just won't budge.

Because you can only see him in this moment what you do notice, however, is how Moff Gideon pulls a blaster out of nowhere, points it at Din and fires a shot without hesitation. Suddenly, you feel transported back to that one fateful day when you lost everything. When your clones, your friends, turned against you. When you lost the only person you ever really cared for.

All intent on not letting fate repeat itself, you reach for the Force and feel the familiar tingle in your fingertips. Within seconds, you stop the deadly projectile mid-air. And even though it takes all your effort and concentration, you still somehow manage to use the Force to push Din out of the line of fire, causing him to slitter his feet across the floor.

It feels like time is slowing down as you slowly walk towards Gideon and, as soon as he fires another shot at you, you parry it with the Darksaber in your hand. Shock and terror are written all over his face before you finally reach him, kick the blaster out of his hands and put the deadly blade to his throat.

"I will not let you hurt the people I love", you spit out, looking directly into his panic-filled eyes. Apparently he did not expect you to still be this powerful after all these years of not using the Force at all and, although you have to admit that you could have blocked thousands of those shots back then when it took all of your strength to defend one now, you felt good. The Force, the light side, came back to you as if it was never gone. Considering that you were still a child yourself when Order 66 happened, never completing your Jedi training, your powers have grown exponentially.

"You don't deserve to be kept alive-"

"Y/N-", Din wants to interrupt, but you continue anyway.

"But I have changed. I am no Inquisitor, I am a Jedi", you say, feeling relief as the final truth leaves your mouth, making it finally seem real. "You will face trial and you will be locked away for life so you will never be able to hurt anyone again."

"You forget that you are still on my ship, with my troopers waiting to kill all-"

"And you will kindly call them back and shut them down right now or..", you threaten, looking at the Darksaber that is terribly close to his throat. You don't show that it actually lays extremely heavy in your hands, not only because it is a unique weapon, but also because it is not yours. Your own lightsaber is buried on Felucia, where no one will ever find it.

Gideon huffs in annoyance but considering that you are only millimeters away from slicing the Darksaber through his throat, he finally gives in and follows your command. The sound of the dangerous killing machines switching off outside the blast doors echoes throughout the bridge and as soon as you are certain that all of them are down, you knock Gideon out with the butt of the lightsaber hilt, sending him to the floor unconsciously.

As soon as he hits the ground, your legs give in underneath you and you slump in, letting the blade dissolve before tossing the weapon as far away from you as you possibly can. Tears stream down your face as all the burden you carried around all those years finally falls off you, allowing you to breathe once more. You know they are all watching you as you feel all their eyes on you but no one dares to say a single word.

That is, until Grogu peeps out from where he was hiding, slowly waddling towards you while cooing. You can't help but smile at him and you feel incredibly grateful that at least one of them has not lost faith in you.

"Grogu", Din calls out strictly as he wants to come even closer to you.

"It's fine. I would never hurt him", you promise and don't even dare to look in his direction, concentrating to look at Grogu's big doe eyes only. That is why you don't see how Din silently gives the others commands and they start shuffling behind you, opening the doors to the disabled droids in order to destroy them one by one.

Din's shadow hovers over you as you wrap your arms around your own waist, not looking at him, too scared of what he might say. One of Grogu's small hands touches your knee as he keeps cooing at you and you can sense that he feels sorry for you. He knows the pain of being seperated from the family you once considered your home.

Hearing a rustling, you hold your breath as Din squats down in front of you, taking Grogu in his arms as if to protect him. If this is the last time you see him, you tell yourself, you at least want to look at him one more time and so you do.

And you feel like you can't breathe when you see him holding out his hand to you, wanting to save you.

"I'm sorry", he whispers through his helmet and you can hear the sorrow in his voice now, strong and clear.

"No, I have to be the one apologizing. I betrayed you and I don't know how you could ever trust me again", you disregard his words and shake your head, feeling so incredibly ashamed of yourself for what you did. Lowering your head and hiding your face in your hands, you can't stop the tears from falling as all those memories come back to you, laughing directly in your face.

But when you suddenly get pulled forward and feel warm hands around you, you open your eyes only to find yourself in Din's - and also Grogu's - arms. He presses you against him, his hand on the back of your head as if we will never let you go.

"It's not your fault, none of it", Din speaks to you, sounding so sure about what he says that it makes your heart beat faster. "You saved us, Y/N."

"I don't deserve your kindness. How can you forgive me? After everything I have done?", you ask, pushing yourself an arm's length away from him so your face is only inches away from his.

"I already forgave you", he concludes, resting his forehead against yours. "But I think it's time that you finally forgive yourself."

[sequinsmile-x]

Fire & Ice

The case was over, the danger was gone and they could go home and finally celebrate Christmas.

The case was over, so she'd let her defences down, not knowing that the worst was to come.

-x-

Hi friends,

I actually have no idea where this idea came from. It was meant to only be one part, but me being me I got carried away and it is now two parts. Second part will be up in the next couple of days!

As always, let me know what you think <3

-x-

Words: 2.9k

Warnings: Canon Typical Injury, Aaron Hotchner Whump

Read over on Ao3, or below the cut

She had felt nothing short of an exhibit in a zoo for days. 

Every interaction she had with Aaron, no matter how small, was observed carefully by their friends. The two of them watched by everyone in the team with a critical eye, the news of their relationship still fresh to the people they considered their family.

It had ultimately been her decision to tell them. Keeping it a secret had been practical at first, it helped them navigate the journey from friends to more, but then they realised they liked it. Both she and Aaron had enjoyed the peace that had come with the secrecy of the first 6 months of their relationship, the lack of involvement from anyone other than Jack and Jessica something they had both treasured. 

She knew Aaron had wanted to tell their friends sooner than she had, his desire to share his love for her with the world clear in his eyes whenever he looked at her, but she’d been hesitant. It had taken a long time to feel like she was on even footing again after Paris, something she’s sure she would have never found if it wasn’t for Aaron, for his gentle but strong love as she came back to herself, and she didn’t want to shake the foundations again, to change the dynamic of the team once more. 

In the end, it was the idea of not being able to spend Christmas with him and Jack without it raising suspicion that had pushed her towards telling their friends. She’d always loved the holidays, a fact that had surprised Aaron when she’d talked him into decorating his apartment much earlier than he usually would, her knowledge of him and the fact he could never say no to her, especially when she was naked, something she had used in her favour. 

They told the team a few days ago, using the annual party that Dave threw as the perfect opportunity. It had gone exactly how she thought it would. 

Dave had insisted he’d known for months, JJ had smiled knowingly, Penelope had asked intrusive questions and Spencer had avoided eye contact with both of them. It was Derek whom Emily had been most worried about, his dislike of any major change and desire for the truth were two things that made her nervous.

He’d been standoffish, a tension in his frame that she’d expected but had still hurt. He’d barely spoken to her since and it made her ache. 

Ultimately, it had been for nothing anyway. They’d got a call for an urgent case on December 23rd, pulling them all out of their homes and the holiday atmosphere they’d fallen into, and they found themselves hundreds of miles away, helping a team of local detectives hunt down a serial killer who was haunting a town. The unsub was devolving at speed, which meant they knew it couldn’t wait until after the holidays. 

She was furious about it, wanting nothing more than to wake up on Christmas morning with Aaron, snuggled up against his side as Jack burst into the room, his excitement forcing him out of bed earlier than normal. Instead, they’d spent the day in a cold police station in the mid-west, sneaking away to speak to Jack on the phone instead, once again promising him they’d have Christmas when they got home. 

As annoyed as Emily was about the disruption to her plans, she knew Aaron was more upset. He always worried he was letting down his son, that Jack would look back at moments like this and feel like he’d come second to everything else. So she’d pushed her own feelings down, let them roll in her stomach, and tried to help him instead, making a point of making him smile whenever she could, of encouraging him back to their hotel room with the lumpy bed every night so they could have some time together. One advantage of everyone knowing they were together now was that they could share a room officially. He no longer had to sneak back to his room at dawn, and she could take advantage of every possible moment in his arms. 

She groans as the alarm goes off, and she screws her eyes shut, desperate to steal a few more moments of sleep. Aaron chuckles from behind her and presses a kiss to the back of her head as he leans over her to turn off the alarm.

“Morning, sweetheart,” he says, his voice thick and raspy with sleep. She loved how he sounded first thing in the morning, it was a part of him that was just for her, a part of her Aaron that she could have before he slipped on his Hotch mask for the day. 

“Let’s just stay in bed,” she replies, turning in his arms and pressing her face into his chest, hiding her smile when she feels his laugh more than she hears it, the rumble of it passing from his chest into hers, “No more work.” 

“I wish we could, Em,” he says, kissing her head before he encourages her back to look at him, his fingers tangled in her hair, “But the sooner we finish this case, the sooner we can go home and have our Christmas.” 

She hums and smiles sleepily as she looks up at him, “True,” she says, placing her hand on his cheek and tugging him in for a kiss. She sighs as she pulls back, her forehead against his as she thinks about leaving this room, the strange sanctuary they’d found between over-starched sheets and faded art on the walls. The second they were with the team again they’d be under the microscope, every little thing they did or said around each other scrutinised, “Think you can yell at the others for staring at us?” 

He laughs and kisses her nose, his smile only getting wider as she scrunches it up at him, “I think that might be an abuse of my power,” he says, stamping a kiss against her lips.

She rolls her eyes playfully, “What is the point of sleeping with the boss if he won’t yell at your colleagues for you?” She says, the end of her sentence lost to a yelp as he rolls them on the bed, his body over hers as he presses her into the mattress. 

He kisses her fiercely, his hands sneaking under her, slipping under her t-shirt that used to belong to him, his hands on her as he pulls her closer, his palms warm against her lower back, his touch something she now couldn’t live without. She kisses him back, her fingers tangling in his hair as she wraps a leg around his waist, her heel against his ass as he pulls back. She hums thoughtfully, her teeth sinking into her lower lip. 

“I guess you have your uses,” she says playfully, pushing his hair out of his face, and he shakes his head at her. 

“They aren’t that bad, Em,” he replies, his smile crooked as he looks down at her, and she raises an eyebrow. 

“That’s easy for you to say, you aren’t the one Pen sends a daily sex update request to.” 

His eyes go comically wide, “She does what?” 

She chuckles and stamps a kiss against his lips as he pulls away, sitting up next to her as she sits up too, yawning as she rolls her neck. 

“I wish I could say I’m joking,” she says as she stands up, stretching her arms over her head, smiling to herself as he watches her walk to the bathroom, his eyes fixed on her thighs, on the soft skin he’d sucked a bruise into the night before. She turns to look at him and winks as she switches on the bathroom light, “If it helps, I’m always incredibly complimentary.” 

She closes the door before he can reply, his words muffled slightly when he responds. 

“I think you know that does not help.” 

___

She’s sure she’s never seen the team quite so relieved to catch an unsub. There’s a collective sigh of relief when they get a confession, all of the work of the last few days, the time they’d all lost with their families, had at least led to something. 

She sighs as she starts to take pictures down from the board, carefully piling them in a file so they can be handed over to the prosecutor. She smiles as JJ walks over and joins her, the tension that had been in her friend's shoulders since they’d arrived nowhere to be seen. 

“What did Will say when you called?” Emily asks, her smile getting wider as JJ’s does. 

“Henry was already in bed,” JJ says, looking at her friend, “But Will said he was going to make cookies so we could ‘have a proper Christmas’ the moment I get home,” she chuckles and tilts her head at Emily, curiosity shining in her eyes, “How about Jack? Has Hotch called him?”

Emily nods, “He’s speaking to him now,” she smiles as she thinks of the little boy, her love for him nothing short of overwhelming, “I have a feeling I’ll also be talked into making cookies,” she rolls her eyes when JJ raises an eyebrow, “Fine, I’ll watch them make cookies and be the test taster.” 

JJ laughs and looks past Emily, nodding when a uniformed officer they’d been working with beckons her over. She pauses briefly next to her friend and places her hand on Emily’s shoulder. 

“You both seem really happy, Em,” she says, squeezing her shoulder, “If there’s any two people who deserve that it’s the pair of you.” 

Emily presses her lips together, a failed attempt to hide her smile, and she places her hand over JJ’s, briefly squeezing it, “Thanks JJ, that means a lot.” 

She was happy. Happier than she had ever been in her life. There were moments when it didn’t feel real, when the simplicity of the life she’d found herself felt like it was too much, like it would be snatched from her the moment the universe realised she didn’t deserve it. Sometimes, when she couldn’t sleep, she’d watch Aaron sleep, her eyes fixed on the peaceful expression on his face, another part of him just for her, and she’d feel nothing short of unworthy. 

She’d told him that once, her insecurities catching up to her and forcing her to start an argument with him that she’d regretted immediately, her instincts to ruin something before it could be ruined for her still going strong. When she’d admitted that to him, tears she’d refused to shed shining in her eyes as she told him she felt like she didn’t deserve him, all the fight had drained out of him. He’d pulled her into a hug before he cupped her cheeks and held her in place as he told her in no uncertain terms how wrong she was, how much he and his son loved her, how she had been the missing puzzle piece they’d been looking for. 

She was still learning to trust being this happy, to allow herself to feel it, but day by day it was getting easier. She saw everything with him. A house. Marriage. More kids. 

She wanted it all. 

She continues packing away all of the casework and she looks up from the board when she hears footsteps, her smile turning tight when Derek joins her, the tension immediately palpable. 

“Hi,” she says, clearing her throat as she looks back down at the papers in her hands. 

“Hi,” he replies, barely looking at her as he helps her break everything down. She sighs and shakes her head, her patience with her friend, one of her best friends, fraying after days of him barely speaking to her over nothing more than the fact she’d fallen in love. 

“Look, Derek-”

“Morgan, Prentiss,” Aaron says as he walks over, his hands on his hips as he blows out a breath, “I’ve got to go with them to book the unsub at the county jail.” 

Emily frowns as she crosses her arms over her chest, “But that’s an hour away,” she says, sighing as she steps closer to him, unable to stop herself even though they were working, “Why can’t Detective Rooney do it himself?” 

Aaron’s jaw tightens at the mention of the lead detective they’d been working with since they arrived. He was a good man, but in over his head, the serial killer that had torn through his hometown at Christmas the biggest case he’d ever handled. 

“He’s asked for my support,” he says, a wry smile flashing across his face. She sighs, the thought of being here, of delaying going home for any reason, enough to make her chest feel tight again. Aaron notices, because he always noticed everything about her, determined never to let anything slip by him again, her fake death something that still weighed heavily on his shoulders, and he steps forward. He doesn’t touch her, won’t cross that line here, but he does get close enough that she can smell him, his presence enough to ease some of the tension that had started to build back up. He smiles at her, a soft thing reserved for her and Jack, “It’s only another couple of hours,” he says, “Then we’ll be on our way home, I promise.” 

She nods, biting the inside of her cheek as she fights a smile, “Yeah,” she replies, tightening her hold on her triceps so she doesn’t reach out and touch him, “We’ll be home soon,” she says, smiling at him before she steps back, “Be careful, the roads will be icy.” 

“I’m always careful,” he replies, winking at her before he turns away and she shakes her head at him. 

She only looks away when he’s out of her sight and she freezes when she sees Derek staring at them, a stern expression painted across his face. She shakes her head and clenches her teeth as she steps towards him, avoiding eye contact as she goes back to her task. 

“I get it was a shock,” she says, not looking at him as she finishes up packing the first of the boxes, “And I’ve put up with you being standoff-ish for days,” she looks at him, her eyes fierce “But I’d like it if you could get your head out of your ass soon, and just be pleased that your friends have finally found happiness after everything,” she lifts the box off of the table between them, “This isn’t some fling, I love him. He loves me, so get over yourself.”

She walks away, and she makes a point of not looking back.

___

Aaron sighs as he checks his watch, any hope of getting home before the sun rises fading with each passing second. They were on their way back from the county jail, the unsub successfully handed over, and the drive home was dragging out longer than the drive out there had. 

“Keen to get home?” 

He smiles tightly as he turns to look at Detective Rooney and then nods as he looks back at the road, his hands tight on the steering wheel, the bad weather making it harder to drive than usual.

“Yeah,” Aaron replies, a smile flicking onto his face as he thinks of his son, “My son, Jack, said he’d wait to open all his presents until we got home, he’ll be so excited he’ll be bouncing off the walls.” 

“We?” Detective Rooney asks, his eyebrow raised, and Aaron fumbles for a second, realising he’d slipped up, before the other man laughs, “We all knew you were with Agent Prentiss the moment you scowled at one of my men for flirting with her.” 

Aaron clears his throat, trying to push his embarrassment back down, “Well, I appreciate you not saying anything when we were working the case, we try our best to be professional,” he says, his smile tight as he tries to change the subject, “Do you have a family?” 

Detective Rooney smiles widely, “A wife and three girls,” he says, patting his pockets to try and pull out his wallet, “I have photos somewhere, our youngest is only just a year old so this was her first Christmas,” he looks in the back seat and sees where he’d thrown his wallet when they got back in the car, “There it is,” he says, unhooking his seatbelt as he leans back to get it, “My wife was furious I was working, but I told her this is the kind of case that makes or breaks a career-”

His words are cut off by the screech of the tires, the car moving of its own accord as they hit a patch of ice. 

It takes a matter of seconds, but it feels like an eternity, everything slowing down around them as Aaron does his best to gain control of the car again. It feels like it’s floating, any grip the tires may have had long gone as the car spins out of control. 

The car leaves the road and goes down a hill, time only speeding back up as it hits a tree, the bonnet crumbling around wood as if it was made of paper. 

Aaron hits his head hard on the steering wheel, his world narrowing down to the pain in his forehead, the way he feels immediately dazed.  His last conscious thought is of Emily and Jack, and of the promises he might not be able to keep. 

-x-

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FORBIDDEN

Part 7 | Part 8

Part 9

AT THE CRACK of dawn, Pietro and Y/n journeyed on horseback towards Steve's camp, with fresh supplies in tow they disguised as merchandise if ever the encounter with a Deviant couldn't be avoided. The two had also disguised themselves as traders, with Y/n pretending to be a man.

News had somehow reached Y/n's ears that Deviants were looking for someone with Y/h/c hair and Y/e/c eyes; they were looking for her. She knew he was looking for her.

As a precaution, Yelena and another Avenger scouted the pathways last night to assure the roads were clear from any surprised attacks.

The entire camp was devastated when they found out what Deviants were doing to witches they had captured. The team was hesitant to reveal the information at first, but Y/n knew they deserved to know the truth, so they'd know the urgency of rendering more rescue missions even when winter was still at its peak.

Wanda took the lead on gathering more volunteers from her kind, teaching them what she knew and telling them that some humans could be trusted too.

This didn't go well with Vision when he found out about the unjust slaughter. He immediately complained, even raising anger along his peers, that all humans should be punished for what they have done. If Wanda weren't there to oppose his actions, he could create a mutiny within them.

This was what led Y/n to ask Pietro about Vision. Not because he was Wanda's soon-to-be-husband, no, Y/n reminded herself. But it wouldn't hurt to ask. Wanda deserved to be with someone good regardless.

"Tell me something about Vision," Y/n said.

"Mm?"

The snow wasn't too deep along the main road; the sound of their feet, the horses' and the wheels from their small cart scrunching against the soft ground filled the air. Y/n hesitated, hoping to let the sudden question go away. But she knew she wouldn't have the chance to ask Pietro alone later since he was always with Wanda or his friends.

"Is h-he . . . Is he a good person?"

Pietro sighed, immediately thinking about the reason why Y/n was asking. He thought she was worried about the camp's safety.

"You don't have to worry about him, Y/n," he answered, giving her a pursed smile. "He may be arrogant and self-absorbed, but he can be trusted. I even think he's softening around the others, too, if you ask me." He chuckles.

Y/n forced a laugh; jealousy rumbling in her stomach. She didn't bring it up anymore, settling on the fact that Vision and Wanda are together and she wouldn't let herself come in between. She's not that kind of person.

Upon reaching Steve's camp, which was a small terrain as compared to the main headquarters, Yelena was already there chatting with someone by the entrance. Four women were standing and giggling beside her.

When Yelena saw Y/n and Pietro approached, she waved to the others. Yelena holding one of the woman's hand made Y/n realize her bestfriend was urging the woman to come along with her.

"Hey, Y/n. Hey, Piet," Yelena greeted them. She instructed them to park the horses and the small cart in the courtyard outside the great hall, the camp's own pavilion. Smaller tents and wooden sheds were set up next to it. "Steve's just finishing up some work in his shop." She pointed at one tiny shed beside the hall, with a furnace on top bellowing smoke to the air.

The place had lesser campers, mostly rescued witches who would be transferred later to the Avengers' main camp. Y/n had only been in their camp twice, thrice counting now. It almost looked identical to the headquarters, with Steve and Bucky, his brother, wanting to make it look like home. It almost felt like Y/n never left.

Yelena jumped giddily as she placed her arms around Pietro and Y/n's shoulders, pulling them to meet the women standing before them — the witches Steve had told them about.

"Hey, lovely ladies. Let me introduce you to my friends. This strapping handsome man here is Pietro," Pietro smiles shyly as he waved his hand, "and this is my bestfriend Y/n, the one I told you about."

Y/n's face flushed red as she stood there awkwardly and smiled, avoiding the eyes of the women swaying in front of them. Steve was right. They did have that aura of allure Y/n couldn't place. It was as if anyone who'd stare longer at them, they would be ensnared with desire.

Well, except Y/n, of course. She was already enchanted by a certain witch who answers to the name of Wanda. Her entire being was already ruined by the witch's presence in her life. How Y/n could still exist knowing that the person she wanted most in this world already belonged to somebody else was a wonder to her.

"Piet, Y/n, these are Monica, sisters Nebula and Gamora," Yelena winks at the last one, "and Kate."

When one of the witches attempted to walk forward heading towards Y/n, Y/n stepped back.

"I thought you were a man at first," the witch named Nebula said, brushing a strand of her own hair over her ear. "I've never had a woman before. I heard they're great lovers, insatiable under the sheets."

"Now, come on, sis," Gamora appeared right beside her, invading the normie's personal space. "Don't be selfish. We can share." She brushes the collar of the tunic Y/n wore. "And two is better than one, if you know what I mean."

Y/n forced a nervous laugh as she ducked and quickly stepped away from their grasp to escape. "Excuse me, ladies," she said in a hurry as she pulled Yelena to the side, leaving a confused and glaring Kate behind.

"What are you doing?" Y/n hissed in a whisper. "We're just going to provide the supplies to Steve. And then we're done."

"Steve says it's fine. Plus, you need loosening up. And the witches like it, Y/n. They love pleasuring people as much as they get pleasure from it. It's not like a brothel—"

"I don't need loosening up."

"C'mon, Y/n," Yelena massaged Y/n's tense shoulders, "have a little bit of fun, we still have a spare time before Steve finishes the concoction he's making. And the sisters seemed nice."

Y/n and Yelena looked back behind them and the witches were already staring at them, smiling seductively.

"No," Y/n said firmly, shaking her head. She pulled Yelena with her as she led them to the shed where Steve was.

"You used to do these with me, Y/n."

"What? Galloping around brothels to brothels. We don't—"

"Okay, when you say it that way, it sounds worse."

Y/n only grew silent. Like a bulb lighting up inside Yelena's head, a smirk slowly spread on her face. "Wait, is this because of a certain witch waiting for us back home?"

Y/n's breath hitched. "What? No, it's not because of Wanda. She's just a friend."

Yelena only laughed, clapping her bestfriend's back. "See? I didn't even mention her name, yet you concluded it was her I was talking about."

Y/n's eyes suddenly widened, realizing her mistake. She couldn't think about how to protest against her accusations.

Thankfully, Steve came out of the shed, with a small burner and two vials containing a murky liquid in his hands. "Oh great, you're all here."

Yelena only groaned in annoyance, followed by Pietro, who was already wrapped around by Monica.

All of the excitement vanished the moment Steve led them inside the camp's own infirmary, where a few patients, witches and humans alike, were lying on bed, injured and immobile.

"What's wrong with them?" Yelena asked, pointing to a few barely moving, with bodies wrapped around in bloody bandages.

"The last mission they went to was horrendous. They barely made it out alive. Deviants had been brutal, their weapons laced with venom." He raised the vials he brought with him. "I have been making a serum to cure them, even just to lessen the pain they feel."

"Y/n got stabbed before," Yelena said. "But Pepper was able to heal her."

"Jane had tried all means." Jane was the healer in Steve's camp. They saw her busily tending to one patient at the corner, an old woman, who was groaning in pain. "That one over there, we rescued her from a carriage. She's an elder witch, a rare find in the eyes of a Deviant."

"Elder witch still exists?"

"In hiding." Steve nodded. "A few of them though. But I think she's dying along with other normies."

"Maybe, Pepper can help," Y/n suggested. "Maybe, she knows more spells."

WHEN THEY returned to the main camp later that day, Y/n immediately headed to Pepper's hut to ask her. It wasn't hard to convince the witch to help, but Y/n could see a moment of hesitation in Pepper's eyes. But she could just be imagining it.

Later that night during dinner, Pietro immediately shared some details about their visit — the famed enchantresses — to his friends. Eventually, it reached his sister's ears. Even Vision seemed interested, giving vague hints suggesting himself to volunteer for the next mission.

Wanda glanced at Y/n, who had her head down the entire conversation. She wondered if the blush on the human's face was of a seductress' doing. But she didn't stay long enough to find out.

Y/N ACCOMPANIED Pepper back to Steve's the very next day even when the sun had barely made it out of the horizon. They were disguised as men so as not to attract any passerby's attention, even when they knew no one was up at that time.

The disguise didn't work on Wanda, her eyes following Y/n's movements as the human arranged her hair in a tied bun underneath her cloak, keeping her hair inside. Y/n still looked like a beautiful woman in Wanda's eyes underneath all the clothing she wore. Wanda was blessed with a quick display of the human's sculpted stomach before she inserted her tunic into her trousers and fastened a belt around her waist. There was a moment when not a single thought crossed Wanda's mind but of Y/n's lean figure underneath her garments. A forced cough from Pepper brought her out of trance, making her cheeks red when she realized she was actually ogling over Y/n.

Wanda shrugged her silly thoughts aside, then stiffened when she suddenly remembered about the witches Pietro had shared to the group yesterday.

"Wait, I'm coming with you," she said, volunteering herself. Y/n could only furrow her brow in confusion but before she could complain, Pepper was already throwing Wanda another pair of men's clothings her way.

The moment was tense and silent when Wanda and Y/n rode on the back of the horse together, the witch sitting behind the human. The horse's stability made Wanda glad she wouldn't have to rely on holding unto Y/n. But when they encountered a tricky pathway, the sudden gallop made Wanda grip tight around the human's waist. She could hear Y/n laughing in front of her and when Y/n turned to look, asking if she was okay, there was a swift moment where Wanda savored the look of happiness on Y/n's face before she playfully slapped the back of her shoulder.

It took Y/n a second to calm herself down when Wanda slowly wrapped her arms around her stomach and stayed in that position for the remainder of the journey, her forehead or cheek sometimes pressed against the human's back. Y/n prayed the sound of the horses and surrounding noises from the early hours of the morning could hide the loud thudding of her own heart.

Wanda savored every second of it, grateful Pepper was riding ahead of them. She terribly missed the human. She missed the wonderful nights she had spent with Y/n and longed for them to happen again. Sometimes, she'd find herself leaning unto Y/n's back, breathing her in, treasuring her warmth, prolonging the feeling. Her mind filled with thoughts, pretending for just this moment that this was real, that Y/n has reciprocated her feelings.

No matter how amazing the ride was heading to the destination, Wanda still couldn't help but feel jealous when one camper immediately approached Y/n the moment they arrived in Steve's camp.

Pepper immediately went ahead, before someone blocked Y/n and Wanda, stopping their tracks.

"Hey, you came back," a female witch said, slowly approaching the two. Y/n waved and smiled at her. "Maybe we can continue where we left off yesterday. Luckily, my sister's still asleep, so I'll have you all to myself. Ohh, and you've brought a friend. How nice."

Consumed with inexplicable emotion close to rage, Wanda pulled Y/n away from the witch's grasp. "We're here on a mission, Y/n. We have no time for you to make sheep's eyes at."

Y/n eagerly followed Wanda, or let herself be dragged by her. "I'm not here for any of that."

"Yeah, lie all you want. But I can see it in your face."

"What? There's nothing on my face."

Wanda gave her a quick glare. "You're as red as a tomato."

Y/n scoffed. "I am not."

"Yeah, keep it in your trousers for the rest of the mission, maybe."

"What? You're being mental."

Wanda stopped walking, which made Y/n bumped into her back. She turned to face the human. She was about to open her mouth to retort but the close proximity between them suddenly rendered her speechless, her own heartbeat starting to race. Her line of vision drifted towards Y/n's lips, craving to have her thumb brush over the lower lip just to gain access, hoping she'd have the courage to taste Y/n and claim her.

Y/n wasn't faring much better; she could literally smell the wonderful alluring scent that she knew only the witch possessed. The closer they were, the more certain Y/n was in wishing she could just take Wanda, kiss her and make her her own.

When Pepper called out for them to follow her to the infirmary, they jumped apart in an instant.

"What took you so long?" Pepper asked the moment the two entered the tent.

Wanda let out an annoyed sigh. "This one right here is a philanderer."

"It's not true," Y/n immediately said. "I barely even talked to Nebula."

"Oh, Nebula, the girl has a name. And for your awareness, you were this close to bedding with her." She demonstrated the length of the distance by her thumb and forefinger, showing only more or less an inch.

"This is outrageous. We're not even standing that close. And I didn't even acknowledge her advances."

"You smiled at her."

"I was being courteous."

"What a load of rubbish! Courteous or aroused?"

"Stop arguing like a married couple," Pepper said, breaking them apart. "Some of the patients are still resting."

Wanda immediately stepped away from Y/n as she calmed herself down, her arms crossed over her chest. Pepper was partly right. She was acting like a jealous wife, when she had no right to any of Y/n's business. Y/n could literally have any of the witches outside and Wanda shouldn't care. Fuming, she walked towards the end of the tent.

When Wanda passed by one of the bed, the occupant, an old frail woman, suddenly bolted upright and pulled her wrist, surprising her.

"You."

Wanda looked behind her before turning back as she stared at the woman in confusion. "Me?"

"You're the offspring of Iryna Maximoff. The Scarlet Witch."

Wanda glanced at Y/n, Pepper and some witch she could assume was the healer of the camp, who were still discussing about the spells, not noticing their interaction. She turned back to the injured woman and nodded.

The woman's pupils were suddenly gone; her grasp on Wanda's wrist becoming tighter each second that passed.

"Be wary;

Not everyone is what they portray to be;

To end the great war between flying foxes and soaring eagles,

A red spider lily will come after the devil's kin."

Then the woman collapsed on her bed, her body shaking violently. The healer and Pepper immediately ran to the patient's aid while Y/n towards Wanda.

Y/n held Wanda's hand. "Are you okay? What happened?"

Wanda couldn't reply, her eyes widening at the scene before her.

The woman eventually stopped moving. The healer Jane checked her pulse. After a moment, she let out a sigh.

"She's dead," Jane announced.

Author's note:

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[jadedvibes]

Always (III)

Summary: You made the big move, but with each passing day you realize how much you need your best friend.

Pairing: best friend!Bucky x reader

Warnings: lots of feels and yearning, fluff, more angst (but the happy ending is finally starting), pet names.

Word Count: 1.8k

Series masterlist

Like, comment, and/or reblog to put a giant smile on my face ♡

Bucky: That was some kiss, huh?

Bucky typed out before shaking his head and cursing under his breath. You texted him when you landed, and he was giving you time to settle in. Although, more than half a day to settle felt excessive and he needed to check in with you. Just to see how you were, how the new place was, whether you thought about that perfect heart-stopping kiss. 

He thought you must have – how could you not? 

He couldn’t stop thinking about it if he tried, and that almost made him regret asking to kiss you goodbye. Almost. More than anything, it made him regret letting you go. 

Bucky mainly felt upset with himself for not making a move in all the years that he’d known you. You were always right there, and he hated himself for letting you slip through his fingers. 

Bucky: I miss you.

He finally hit send.

┈┈┈┈┈・・

Your phone buzzed on your night stand just as you woke up from your nap. You were grateful that your parents let in the delivery service before you arrived. The small apartment was partially furnished already, only missing your personal belongings still being driven over. 

Looking at the text with bleary eyes, you smiled at the screen. You missed him too. Thoughts of him consumed you on your journey, and you doubted whether you made the right choice the entire trip over. You kept going over the way he kissed you, the way his hands felt on your body, and the way he tasted. It was more than perfect and you wanted to experience it all again. 

The last few weeks were a whirlwind of you and Bucky spending as much time together as possible in between studying for finals. The two of you got around to watching all the movies you’d wanted to see together and getting as many milkshakes and dessert runs in too. Now even half a day without him felt like too much. 

Y/N: Shouldn’t you be working instead of missing me? :)

You figured deflecting would help uncomplicate things. Although, you weren’t sure if things were as complicated on his end as they were in your mind. It was just a kiss, nothing to overthink, you reminded yourself. 

Bucky: I’m a great multitasker, you know this. 

Y/N: I do, and I miss you too. I hope your day is going well, all is fine on my end. 

Bucky: Glad to hear it. Can I call you after work?

Y/N: Yeah of course. Talk to you then. 

It was mid-afternoon when your phone rang, and with the time difference you knew that Bucky had just gotten off work. 

“Hey bossman,” you answered happily. 

For the first time that day, he felt relief. Your voice grounded him, you calmed him. 

“Hi gorgeous,” he breathed out.

Your heart stuttered a beat; that was a different term of endearment. Coupled with the kiss that still lingered in the back of your mind, you couldn’t suppress the smile that graced your lips. 

“Ah, hi, how was work?” 

“It was good, but I want to hear about your day, honey,” he replied. 

So you told him all the trivial details about your day, mentioning the nap and the light unpacking you’d done. Nothing too interesting, but Bucky always found the little things you had to say the most fascinating. He told you about the fun he had meeting his new team and the two of you talked about nothing and everything until Bucky got home. 

By the time he got in, it was clear that he didn’t want to get off the phone. But he knew he had to so he asked if it was okay to call you the following evening. You couldn’t agree fast enough. 

And that’s how it carried on, every single day. Neither of you brought up the kiss, or whatever other feelings you had. Mainly because you didn’t know how to. 

After you settled into your job, the phone calls had to start coming in later to accommodate for the time difference, so Bucky would call you right before he started to wind down for bed. Every evening, you’d talk to him about your day, the silly memories that you shared, and whatever random thoughts popped into your heads. 

Some nights you’d talk until he fell asleep, and you loved those the most because he always tried his best to stay awake and that resulted in him mumbling his words in the most adorable sleepy voice. 

Even from afar, there was never a dull moment, just like it was when you were together. 

Bucky also sent you sweet good morning messages to wake up to, sometimes in text or memes, and always with a touch of playful humor. 

Although he was a part of your daily life, you couldn’t help but miss being with him more and more every day. While your family was close by, you weren’t meshing well with the people that you worked with. Along with that, you had yet to make any new friends and the loneliness was getting to you. There was no one to get pizza with at the drop of a hat, no one to run errands with, and no one to simply hang out and relax with. 

You hoped things would sort themselves out, and you knew hardly any time had passed; but not having the ability to be with Bucky made your heart ache. It took distance to realize how much you relied on his company. And you were starting to think time wouldn’t make things easier. 

That’s why you started looking into jobs back in the city, close to him. Your company had a few new openings that looked increasingly more desirable with each passing day. While you weren’t certain that you’d get it, it didn’t stop you from heavily considering applying for them. 

You were scared to tell your mother about your potential plans of moving away from her and the family so soon. But after coming clean and telling her about your feelings for Bucky, you were incredibly surprised by how supportive she was. She’d met Bucky a few times over the years and she always liked the way he looked out for you. She suggested you stick it out a little while longer since you’d made the big move, but if things didn’t change soon, then you ought to follow your heart. 

She promised to support you with whatever decision you made because she understood – true love was a rare thing that you needed to hold on to.  

So quietly, you followed her advice. Going with the flow and seeing if things improved at your new job, all while speaking to your best friend every day. 

It was after a month of back and forth with Bucky when he finally brought up the kiss. 

The two of you had decided to Facetime as you watched one of your weekly shows when he subtly inquired. 

“Did you ever want to talk about that kiss?” he bit his lip as he gazed into the camera. 

Your eyebrows shot up in surprise. “The one on TV a few minutes ago, or…”

“You know the one.”

“Oh, that one… Well I guess we could. Care to share your thoughts?” you smiled, trying to ignore the way your heart rate accelerated.

“I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it.”

“That bad, huh?” you joked. 

“Definitely, it hasn’t been on my mind because of how perfect and right it felt… I haven’t thought about flying out to see you every day since,” he said wistfully, because the opposite was true.  

“B–” 

“Do you regret it?”

“No, of course not. I… I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want it. I’ve thought about it a lot, and honestly, I can’t believe we didn’t realize there was something between us sooner,” you confessed. 

He nodded his head before looking away. “I wish I said something at the bonfire. I knew it then, and I didn’t do anything.” 

“Bucky,” you coaxed him to look at you. “I knew it then too, but it wouldn’t have changed our plans. I was always supposed to come back to my family, just as you were always meant to stay with yours.” You knew the truth was a hard pill to swallow, but it’s one that needed to be addressed. He was beating himself up over something you both had planned for years, and you couldn’t allow that. 

“I still wish I told you,” he shrugged with downcast eyes. “We would’ve had nearly a month to explore what we really felt with each other.” 

Exhaling a deep breath, “You know that would’ve only made it harder to leave in the end.” 

Bucky thought back to how difficult it was to see you off, and he knew you were right. But he didn’t care. He wished for a different reality; one in which he could’ve called you his, at least for a little while. 

“Do you think it’s too late for us?” 

You didn’t want it to be, more than anything you wished that it wasn’t. But you were still trying to acclimate to your new environment – you couldn’t give him a definitive answer because you didn’t know if going back was an option given how short of a time you’d worked for the company. You’d applied for a transfer just that day on the very off chance that they’d accept it, but there were still so many hoops to jump through before you could answer that question. 

“I dunno, B.” Unable to think of a better response at the moment, you left it open-ended. 

He nodded his head with a tight smile, averting his gaze. “Um, I’m tired, and I know you’ve had a busy day, so I’ll talk to you tomorrow, okay?” 

“Oh, alright, sweet dreams,” you offered a smile, his tone worrying you a touch.  

“Sleep tight, honey,” he ended the call. 

That night you tossed and turned restlessly in bed. The memory of his sad eyes haunting you. Did you say the wrong thing? Perhaps you could’ve offered a kinder answer, or divulged your hopeful plans about going back to him. You hadn’t shut him down completely because you knew that life could take you to a lot of places. There could potentially be a path for the two of you to be together someday, maybe even soon, and you realized that you should’ve said that. 

You vowed to call and tell him first thing in the morning because you did know. You knew you were supposed to be with him – the rest was just details to sort out later.  

┈┈┈┈┈・・

Your doorbell rang at 8 a.m. sharp, and you figured it was likely your mother showing up unannounced as she had gotten so comfortable doing these days. Tugging on a sweater, you bounded down the stairs only to be met with familiar blue eyes awaiting you on the other side of your door. 

Your eyes widened and mouth fell agape. “B? What are you doing here?!” 

“I dunno,” he rushed towards you, gripping the sides of your face and pulling your lips to his. 

Part IV

[natlacentral]

‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’ Renewed For Two Seasons At Netflix; Live-Action Series Will Conclude With Season 3

Avatar: The Last Airbender, the anime-inspired live-action series, will be able to tell the story of the four nations: Water. Earth. Fire. Air after Netflix renewed it for a further two seasons.

The streamer has handed the show a two-season renewal order to conclude the story of Aang’s journey to become the Avatar. 

It comes after the show premiered on Netflix on February 22 and recorded 41.1M views in its first 11 days, topping its TV list for the last two weeks and being on track to enter its top ten most-watched list over its first three months.

The plan is to film these two seasons – seasons two and three – in close succession in order to mitigate the fact that child actors tend to grow up quickly.

The series comes from Rideback, whose boss Dan Lin, an exec producer on the series, was recently named Netflix’s new film chief, replacing Scott Stuber. Albert Kim is showrunner, having replaced original creators Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko in 2020.

Its three season run will mirror the structure of the animated series, which featured three books across three seasons to Aang’s story that premiered on Nickelodeon in 2005, and became a hit on Netflix during the early stages of the pandemic.

It’s not clear how many episodes will be produced for season two and three. Season one features eight episodes.

Avatar: The Last Airbender takes place in a world that is divided into four nations: the Water Tribes, the Earth Kingdom, the Fire Nation, and the Air Nomads. “Benders” are people that have the ability to telekinetically manipulate and control the element corresponding to their nation, using gestures based on Chinese martial arts. The “Avatar” is the only individual with the ability to bend all four elements.

The four nations once lived in harmony, with the Avatar, master of all four elements, keeping peace between them. But everything changed when the Fire Nation attacked and wiped out the Air Nomads, the first step taken by the firebenders towards conquering the world. With the current incarnation of the Avatar yet to emerge, the world has lost hope. But like a light in the darkness, hope springs forth when Aang (Gordon Cormier), a young Air Nomad — and the last of his kind — reawakens to take his rightful place as the next Avatar.

Alongside his newfound friends Sokka (Ian Ousley) and Katara (Kiawentiio), siblings and members of the Southern Water Tribe, Aang embarks on a quest to save the world and fight back against the onslaught of Fire Lord Ozai (Daniel Dae Kim). But with a driven Crown Prince Zuko (Dallas Liu) determined to capture them, it won’t be an easy task. They’ll need the help of the many allies and colorful characters they meet along the way. Ken Leung and Paul Sun-Hyung Lee also star.

Kim and Lin exec produce produce alongside Jabbar Raisani, Lindsey Liberatore and Michael Goi. Goi and Raisani directed episodes in season one alongside Roseanne Liang and Jet Wilkinson.

It is Netflix’s second anime-inspired live-action hit after One Piece, following a rocky start in the genre with Cowboy Bepop. The streamer highlighted it as one of its latest successful adaptations, coming on the back of other IP-driven series such as The Sandman, Wednesday, Arcane and Sweet Tooth.

The creative team behind the series is keen to expand the story. Avatar executive producer and director Jabbar Raisani told Deadline that there’s stuff that they filmed that didn’t make it into season one.

“If we get another season, then we will certainly have those things, because I know what we missed now and I know how to do better the second time around,” he said. “The animated series is a really good guide…for where the show can go.”

[j0kers-light]

Hello i know you get this alot but i want to say i love his lighthouse it's amazing lol i hope your requests are open cause i was curious if you can do something spicy between joker and y/n where y/n has been playing games more often and joker seems jealous cause she isn't giving him attention so he would have to get her attention by.....you know👉👈😅 (IT'S EMBARRASSING TO SAY IT)

His Lighthouse: Not Jealous (LedgerJoker x f!reader)

Not Jealous - Oneshot

KEEP IN MIND THIS IS NOT A STORY UPDATE!

Hey hi, @ambergluskin 🖤✨totally used your request as a mental break while I struggle finish up the chapter update to His Lighthouse. Who loves a good jealous Joker? I do!! He gets all... needy.. #GamerJ is back although he isn't playing the game you think he is lol. I wonder if anyone will guess what video game Y/n is playing. Or the names of her teammates 🤭

ANYHOO!! 1 oneshot request down, two more to go!! Enjoy loves!

taglist:

@blackreaderatrisk @twinkledinkle @clemdango04 @l3ejm @tears-of-amber @what-an-angel @darthjokerisyourfather @thatsnoteii @dollster @cheetahspy @kaidennnnn @urdariingdoll @motivation-idontknowher

Wanna be included in the His Lighthouse journey? Join the taglist!

"Left! Left! Left! Dang it Tim! I meant your left!"

Joker was rather curious when he first heard the loud shouts and adorable giggles late at night.

Recently you've been spending more time in the living room than with him in the bedroom. When you weren't on your computer typing away, you were on the couch controlling your player through various levels and campaigns.

Joker understood your line of work was stressful even if you only 'sat around all day.'

It was taxing on the brain to create an entire story from nothing. You needed a mental outlet.

Joker let it slide when you chose your love of gaming to relax. He wasn't worried when you finished your work, ate a quick bite, and hopped online. It was nice to see you smiling and full of life again. J did not like a stressed bunny.

No, Joker got offended when you started ignoring him.

He would try to get you to call it a night or encourage you to eat something heavier than a sandwich but got your sass in return.

It was cute. At first. But then Joker noticed that you were actually irritated whenever he interrupted your game or hounded you to take a break.

Of course he was acting all clingy! You spent more time with your online friends than with him! Joker wanted your attention too..

But make no mistake; Joker was not jealous hearing you compliment and praise these strangers during gameplay.

However he did consider tracking them down and ending their pathetic lives for stealing your attention away from him.

Joker would sit on the couch hoping you'd notice him brooding while the loading screen lit up the dark living room. You would turn his way for a nanosecond until the conversation in your headset took priority over him.

"Omg facts! They dropped a new patch update so I want everyone on their A game. Yeah, I'm talking to you, Tim. Be a good boy and stay on my six. If you get snipped in the first thirty seconds again, bruh oh my god. We'll watch your death in the recap and dog you out!"

You laughed as the map loaded and the camera panned out showing off the area.

It was futuristic and boring looking to Joker but you immediately took interest and guided your team to high advantage points in order to pick off the other team.

"Up high near the tower, Cass. Yeah, yeah ghost em' sis." You were at ease with a controller in hand as your e/c eyes darted across the tv.

Your curls swallowed your headset and only the arm for the speaker was seen poking out from your thick tresses. You looked like a professional gamer. Joker thought it was hot.

"YO! They hoed me!! Avenge me, stop laughing! I thought it was clear!"

Joker rolled his eyes when you leaned back on the couch as you waited for your character to respawn back into the game. It was taking longer than usual and so he got an idea.

It started with scooting closer to you. As if you noticed.

You were back in the game, leaning forward and talking smack through the comms, too focused to catch wind of Joker's schemes. Good. It would make this soooo much easier.

If you wouldn't give him any attention, he would take it by force.

Joker rested his hand on your thigh and kept his focus on the tv. Your eyes flickered over to him for a second before you shot an enemy down with a headshot. Now.. that was definitely hot.

"Yeah! Put some respecK on my name! That was all me son! No scope. Foh is you talking bout?" You paused, listening to your teammate's rowdy response. "We up! Let's keep it that way."

Joker couldn't hear them but knew any sounds you made would be heard instantly.

Which is why he let his fingers walk up your thigh to the band of your lounge shorts. He tugged the drawstrings loose as your player ducked behind a generator.

You cast him a look. "Uhh what're you doing?"

FINALLY! You gave Joker some attention! Too bad you swatted his hands away and returned to your match.

You shook your head and focused back on your team. "Not you JT. Sorry I was distracted. It's nothing."

Joker narrowed his green eyes. He was nothing?? Just what would it take to have your undivided attention? He moved onto phase two of his plan.

Joker leaned forward and licked your collarbone and left a teasing bite to the skin at the base of your neck. You smacked his head like a pesky fly. He noticed you blink rapidly and shift in place.

Progress, but not enough.

Joker chuckled and continued biting and kissing your neck, slowly making you lose focus on your game until..

"Cut it out, I'm mid game." You breathed out.

Joker knew what got you going. His bunny was a sucker for neck kisses and your voice ratted you out. You were enjoying this.

But to play along, Joker raised his hands as a sign of surrender and backed off. You relaxed now that he was gone but it was short lived.

One of your teammates added a kill to win the game and you erupted in joy! "Let's GO!"

The scoreboard and top kill recaps started to play as everyone congratulated one another on another win when it happened.

Joker suddenly pushed you down on the couch and yanked your shorts off. You landed with a huff and he used your shock to rid you of your panties as well.

He brought them up to his nose and took a deep inhale. He smiled at your horrified gaze and shoved them into his pocket for later.

"J what has gotten into? AGH! I uhhh I-I was talking to... um. M-My cat!" You quickly mumbled into your mic.

Were you really still using that lame excuse?

Joker held up a finger to his lips as he helped you spread your legs for him. You looked down at Joker in front of you, free of makeup, eyeing his next meal in delight.

He couldn't hear Cass asking if you were up for another round yet he knew you were debating it. The controller was still in your hand with your thumb over the A button.

"I-I can play a-another game but..." Your eyes flickered down to Joker's.

The mysterious green all but dared you to.

You smirked. You liked playing with fire. "I'm down. I'll meet y'all in the lobby."

So you wanted to keep ignoring him? Joker mirrored your devilish grin and licked his lips. Let's see how long you would last once he commanded all of your attention.

You waited for the new game to load, only this time Joker's calloused thumbs were rubbing circles on your inner thighs as his hot breath fanned over your pussy in soft even pants.

He wasn't doing anything but you were tight as a drum. Joker was content with resting his head on your thigh, humming softly to himself.

You noticed it was the theme of the game you were playing. What a dork. A timer went off on screen. Finally, it was time to start.

"Ughh I hate this map. JT... come thru for ya girl." You whined but winced when J's nails dug into your thigh.

You didn't think much of it. It was the only warning you got to watch your mouth.

The game began and you took off searching for cover but had to act fast to avoid a melee by an opposing player. "AH! They got shooters n' hunters in these streets!"

Everything was going well. You let the others score kills while you played defense for a change. You almost forgot about Joker nestled between your legs until you slipped up and said something stupid.

"I forgot about the power ups on this map! They got the uhh.. is that a bazooka? Please omg someone help me!"

You laugh cried into your mic and ran. JT was the closest to your location so you called out to him. "Daddy please help me! I'm gone die!"

This time Joker was close enough to hear this JT guy's response when he shouted back.

"Hang on baby, daddy's coming." His amused voice irked Joker instantly. Did you just call him... and did he...

Who the f__k....?

So that's how it was gonna be? Aight. See... Now you were asking for it. Joker hadn't killed anyone in a while but today might be the day to break his streak.

Joker didn't care if you were mid game or that your friends could hear you. He let his intrusive thoughts get the better of him and simply acted.

He latched onto your clit and began sucking like his life depended on it. Of course— you screamed.

It was no surprise that your player was killed; you could care less with the way Joker held onto your hips and flickered his tongue over your bud. No warning. No warmup. Just straight to business.

Could he blame you for the noises you made? Absolutely not, in fact, he wanted to hear more.

Your teammates panicked and asked if you were okay.

Joker hummed, letting the vibration drive you nuts, before he leaned down and lapped at the juices escaping your pussy. That only made you squeak even louder.

'Y/n! Are you alright? Your player didn't respawn?!"

"She died and glitched into the wall, that's so OP!"

"D__n girl, you couldn't wait till I got there? Poor baby."

They all talked your head off but you were too busy clawing at Joker's hair to hear. He wasn't budging no matter how hard you tried pushing him away. It only made him pick up his intensity after hearing that guy flirt with you more.

Who did he think he was? Is he the reason why you spent so much time playing video games recently?

Were you cheating on him? Did you like this other guy more? Joker couldn't think straight! The only thing he could do was take out his frustration on your pussy.

He shifted his weight to free up a hand. Then suddenly two fingers were plunged into your wet hole.

You slapped a hand over your mouth to muffle your scream.

On the tv, your team was down a player but still managed to secure a win. Your player was still glitched out in the map's wall. The real Y/n wasn't too far behind.

You've been so busy recently that you and J had yet to have sex this week. It would not take much to send you over the edge and it seemed like Joker knew that.

He curled his fingers just right to hit your g spot and you saw stars. You couldn't muffle your broken sob fast enough.

"Girl. Is you crying?"

"Y/n chill, it's just a game! If you want, we can report that glitch tho. That was not bueno."

Joker chuckled when your legs started to shake beside his ears. He could hear your climax rushing up to the surface, he was scissoring you so fast.

"You close baby?"

Your entire body froze. Surely you heard that wrong. You glanced down at Joker but he looked absolutely furious. Yeah you heard that right and so did Joker.

One minute you were reaching an orgasm, the next Joker ripped your headset off (tossing it who knows where) and had you flat on your back.

"What did he say, Bunny? Hmm? You close baby? How does he know what ya sound like? Don'T tell me you've been a bad bunny this week and uhhh... played with others?" Joker growled as he pumped his fingers even faster into your pussy. His hand was completely soaked with your juices.

Now that the mic wasn't picking up your voice, you moaned loudly. "No! I.. J, please! I-I don't know what he's on a-about!!"

Joker added a third finger and used his other hand to grab your throat. You drew a deep breath right as he squeezed.

"Ya thinK I'm dumb Y/n? Calling him daddy in frontT of me? Bad move cuz I heard him.You like that? Being called a baby? Let's show em' just.. how.. close ya are baby doll. Cum Y/n. I won'T tell ya twice."

His palm connected with your clit with each slam of his fingers, sending bolts of lightning throughout your body. You were unraveling at the seams.

"Hmm, your legs are trembling Princess. Good. Girl."

A week's worth of stress was being unleashed from your body and it didn't know what to do with itself. You finally let J have all of your attention.

You grabbed onto Joker's forearms and bared down with a loud wail. He loosened his grip on your neck so you could scream and he laughed at the sopping mess you made of his fingers when you came.

"That'sss it my Light. Get loud.. it's all for meee."

Joker's jealousy was rearing its ugly head but there wasn't much you could do when your own was on the verge of shutting down. It felt so good it hurt, yet you couldn't stop cumming.

Joker must've noticed since he prolonged your orgasm and unknowingly guided you into another. Your body felt on fire and J's fingers squelching in and out of your pussy was making things worse.

You came again but this time you pushed Joker's hand away so you could curl up into a ball on the couch.

That just wouldn't do.

"Oh nooo no no! Is my Bunny tryna.. run away? Did I.. say you could?" Joker growled. He pushed your wireless controller off the couch and it landed on the floor while simultaneously powering the system off.

The entire room was plunged into darkness with Joker's eerie green eyes hovering over you as the only light source. It was both creepy yet hot at the same time.

"J please.."

He didn't care much for your pleas and sucked his teeth.

He bent down to flip you over. You quickly caught your weight on your hands and knees right as Joker pushed your head down further into the cushions. "Joker, wait!"

"Shut. Up. I wanted your uhhh, attention all week but you were sooo busy.. with that stupid game of yours. With.. him. Mmm, now I gotcha righT.. where I want ya." Joker smacked your rear and the loud crack it made echoed throughout the silent room.

He wished there was some light to see your skin ripple from the impact. Your body was so amazing to watch.

Your soft whimpers were music to his ears and with two delicious orgasms squeezed out of you, Joker literally slipped right in.

That didn't mean you didn't feel the stretch from his entry. Your back bowed like a cat feeling Joker slide into your pussy with one thrust. Your moan got caught in your throat, you were so overwhelmed.

"Shh shhh I know. I know, you take me sooo well bunny." Joker's words were pure sugar but his actions were the exact opposite.

He bit the skin at your shoulder as his hips rammed into yours. He gave you no time to adjust before he found a good brutal pace to pour out all of his pent up frustration to.

Was he jealous? Yes.

Would he have gotten over it? Ehh perhaps, but once he heard another man call you baby, Joker couldn't think straight.

"I want his username. I-I'll hunt him down and mmm, f__k! Work with me here, Y/n. Relax and ha, let me in. Ahh, I'll kill him for talkin to ya like that. Only I get to call you p-pretty names.. ya got thaT, bunny?" J arched an eyebrow when you didn't respond.

He grabbed a handful of your hair and pulled hard. Your neck almost snapped with the motion. "I said... do you got that Bunny?"

What was Joker talking about?

Your head was foggy and you honestly didn't hear a word he said but if you thought his dick was splitting you in half now, if you didn't respond, J would blow your back out as punishment and he would enjoy doing it.

You gathered all the brain cells you had left to respond.

It was more moans than words but it would have to do. "Yessss! Yes sir!"

Well that was new. Joker kinda liked the sound of sir escaping your lips. Maybe a little too much. It made him throb inside of you like a heartbeat.

He groaned and drilled his dick deeper into your pussy to chase after that feeling. The grip he had on your hips would bruise but that was nothing new.

Joker tipped his head back and laughed once he felt himself inevitably getting closer to his release. You just had that effect on him.

You were probably brain dead right about now, (you had a tendency to get cock drunk fairly easily) not like Joker minded, but your pleasure was always his top priority. He couldn't finish unless you were satisfied.

"Bunny? Are ya still with me?"Joker bent down to kiss up your spine until he made it to your ear.

You turned your head and locked eyes with glowing emeralds. You couldn't look away.

"Need ya to cum.. again. Can you do thaT? For mee?" J kissed your cheek and rocked his hips deeper within you, groaning loudly for once.

He covered your hands with his own on the arm of the couch and picked up the pace. The intimate gesture had you right there near the edge, ready to jump over. You nodded your head frantically.

Your body was ready to crash any second but just because J asked you nicely, you'd muster up the energy to cum again.

Joker had never been more proud of his Light. The second he felt your walls begin to flutter around his cock, he hugged your body closer to him and bucked his hips uncontrollably.

You were so tight and incredibly wet, it was insane. You were his. His bunny, his baby doll, his Sugar, his Princess, his Light. The list went on and on. He was probably missing a few pet names. The point is.. you were his, no one else's.

Was Joker jealous? Without a doubt. Yes.

Joker moaned your name right in your ear as his cock painted your walls white. He left kisses on any available patch of your brown skin and maneuvered you back to lie on the couch. He became the big spoon as he softened inside of you.

Joker was used to a brief moment of silence after sex with you. While you floated back down, Joker let his own afterglow wash over him.

"J?"

He hummed in response and played with a curl of your hair. You loved how affectionate he was right after sex. J was so soft and unlike himself; you could ask him almost anything.

"I.. I'm sorry for neglecting you this week. I didn't mean to make you jealous either." You heard him sigh on your back.

Would he talk about it? You were unsure if this was still soft J or if your patient, but easily irritated Joker had returned.

"Wasn't jealous bunny. It's just.. you don't call me uhhh, daddy so when I hearD it and then he... I just.." J sighed again, this time though more out of frustration.

It was rare that Joker was flustered. This was really bothering him then. You let him gather his thoughts without interrupting.

"You're mine. You're my Light, I don't. Share. I'm gonna kill him."

"Joker, please don't kill my friend. JT's been through enough in his life. It's just harmless banter, I promise. He's older than me so.. I call him that to mock his age. D-Did you want me to call you that? L-Like when we're intimate?" You asked.

You rolled over onto Joker's chest. He let you rest there as he continued to run his fingers through your curly hair, thinking to himself.

Great, another friend he wasn't allowed to kill. At this point, he had a growing list but he had to accept your connections with others.

It was hard for you to make friends so whenever you did make one, they were close. It just took Joker some time to adjust since he was so possessive and if they were male it was more difficult.

Joker caught your hesitant smile and scoffed. "If ya can't say it now, how will you say it in the errr heat of the moment? Besides.... uhh I like sir better."

You paled two shades lighter. "S-Sir? W-When did I say that?"

Joker chuckled and tugged some of your hair in his grasp. You moaned softly and your eyes glazed over.

"Hmmm, my Light is such a slut. Moaning when I pull hair. You like thaT?" He did it again but harder.

"Y-Yes si—" Your eyes widened in realization. Your inner walls tightened around him.

"Ohhh I like that... a loT." Joker thrusted up into you, making you also realize that he never pulled out.

Perhaps you should make Joker jealous more often.

[mrpigion]

CHAPTER 2

2.9k Words

A/N: Bold letters are spoken in Na'vi by the characters. 

Normal letters are spoken in English by the characters.

It all happened in a blink of an eye, faced a corner you looked at the tree diamondoid creatures standing right in front of you. You hissed at them showing your fangs as they held their guns up to your face. If they wanted to they would have already ended your life in a second but load and hold, thanks for your quick hands, you've got one of them underneath your knife, close to their neck.

You never let your guard down, and if they tried to do something funny, you wouldn't hesitate to slit his throat. Gaging and growling he begged his friends to shoot the native, "F-Fuck sake!" He yelled feeling the blade touch his skin. "Shoot her already!"

Your eyes darted over to the female soldier who slowly pressed her necklace around the neck, something Jake would use to communicate with his own family and you when you guys were out on a mission.

The female then opened her mouth and whispered something you didn't catch on to but heard a familiar voice in between the lines with alerted your ears to spike upwards. Your tongue ran through your teeth as the name of the man you were looking for escaped her lips.

A shot of adrenaline spread across your body as you brought the guy underneath you closer to you, hardening the grip around the knife. The enemy looked at you confused the moment you began to speak in their language, trying to negotiate.

"I'll say this once," You began, "I'll let your friend go if you bring me Miles Quaritch,"

A silence fell down on you as the blue-halfbreeds looked at one another trying to see if they heard right. Not receiving a direct response you pressed the blade on the guy's neck and left a small cut, not big enough to kill him but enough so that blood would run down, "I will not repeat myself!" You shouted sending a sign that you were not playing around.

"Alright there, hold on sweetheart," The woman spoke and again reached her hand around the necklace speaking into it. It didn't really take that long after as she order the other two who stood beside her to lower their weapons. Having her hands out and the weapon away from her she asked you politely to cooperate.

Still skeptical and alert you waited until the coast felt clear, you brought the blade away from the guy and pushed him forward with your leg. The team didn't hesitate on taking their guns back onto their hands as they began escorting you.

"Ach!" You hissed the one wearing some type of black glasses over his eyes as he tied your hands tightly behind your back.

"Where leaving!" The woman said and began to walk and the following behind her. Your ears flicked to the side as your Ikran screamed from afar, a clearly obvious call for you.

Your eyes darted up to the sky knowing well that you won't come back to him, at least not now. Before everything that just went down you had left him resting on a cliff not so far from here, he'd deserved it for the long journey you two had for the past two days searching for Spider. Now all he had to do was to rest and regain his strength back before you reunite with him again, this time carrying double the weight.

The guy you cut looked back at you with such disgust, his ears folded back almost hitting the ground. You snarled your nose and kept your head up, eyeing him. "Crazy, bitch..." He murmured turning his face back to the center.

Minuted passed before a loud noise came from above bringing a wave of wind down to where you stood. It was a helicopter, a very common transport the sky-people would use to navigate through the forest, their banshee of some sort.

The halfbreed with the glasses wrapped his arm around you and brought you closer to him as a rope came falling down from the flying machine. You wanted to hit him for even daring to touch you when suddenly you felt your weight being pushed upwards. Helping you up to the helicopter the man gently placed you down and told you to hold still or else you'd fall down.

You were annoyed as you weren't really used to being told what to do, but being the first time in one of these things you had no other choice but to listen. For support, the man held his long foot in front of you as he sat close to the door, you held yourself tight in your seat as the helicopter began to move.

Closing your eyes together you prayed for the great mother for protection, both on you and Spider.

There wasn't that much time for you left, sooner or later you'll finally have him in your arms, but in the means time, you had to stay strong as the step before that would be a challenge. It was time to meet Miles Quaritch, the leader of the sky-people, you'll see him eye to eye.

The trip didn't really last that long as you guys finally arrived at the destination, peaking over at the guy with the glasses you noticed that there was no forest anymore but stone-like buildings, all in the same color, metal, and all sorts of things that were just so depressing to the eye.

After the great war, you'd for sure thought that it would have been the last time the sky-people would have set a foot on your home, but no, they had the audacity to come back, which made you furious. It was as if all of those who fought in that war fought for nothing, the lives that were cut short, everything in vain.

Clenching your jaw tightly and taking a deep breath was a way to calm down the boiling anger within you as the helicopter landed on the ground. Observing the enemy base you noticed a couple of small sky-people looking over towards your direction with bewildered looks on their faces, which in a way amused you, perhaps this was the first time they actually settled eye on a real Na'vi. 

Bringing you inside the stone-like building the squad leads you to a hallway with rooms to the left, stoping in front of one of them, the woman on the team went up and pressed her hand on a box which opened the transparent door.

Your eyes wandered around observing the surroundings, a small room tall enough for your big frame, the door was just a tiny bit smaller as you needed to crouch down to enter the room. The one guy with the glasses brought something out for you.

Looking down at what seemed to be a mask of some sort he explained calmly how to use it, before placing it down on the table next to you. 

Clearly noticing your hands behind your back the guy turned around and freed them, for a moment there you thought those ugly cuffs would finally let your wrist breathe to only be disappointed as he cuffed them back again, this time with your hands in front of you.

You gave the guy a 'wtf' look on your face as he proceeded to explain how to use the breathing maks again. Having focused on the tiny thing you hadn't noticed that the doors had shut close, locking you inside. You turned your head around and saw how everyone except the guy with the glasses started to leave. 

Normally you'd run up to the door and start banging, demanding them to let you out but this was a choice you had made for yourself. Of course, it was a bit alarming to you but not in a threatening way. Either way, you had made it inside the enemy territory and were now closer to Spider.

He had to be in here somewhere, you just knew that his smell wasn't really that far away from you, he was close. In the means of that time, an escape plan must be made for the two of you to get out of here safely, without any disturbance of some sort. 

You just have to take down the leader of this place, and with him down everything else with go with ease. At any moment now, the demon Miles Quaritch will walk right in, you just had to stay calm and collected till then. A smile crossed your face as the thought of feeding him to your Ikran wasn't such a bad idea, after all, he deserved a good meal. 

Walking around the room waiting patiently at the Colonel you hadn't noticed that he was far closer than you thought, in fact, he was watching you from a big screen since you got here. And if he had to be honest with himself he was disappointed when he first settled his eyes on you.

Hearing from what Z-Dog (the female avatar) was reporting earlier today, that they had a 'bluebird' on the line, he 100% thought that she was talking about Mrs.Sully, Jake's chick. And when he heard that she was asking for him only doubled that number. A native, sneaking around near the base was not something you saw every day, normally they would stay away, of course, it had to be her. 

As far as Quaritch knew she was the only female Na'vi he knew. Whatever triggered her to come to them must have been linked to Spider, he was with the Sully kids after all. But he had to drop all of that when the native, his squad had taken in appeared to be somebody else. He had no idea who this female was, a complete mystery as she didn't appear in any part of his memories. 

Annoyed, Quaritch reached over the table and took his oversized cup of coffee, and took a sip, leaving a very bitter taste behind. What could she possibly want from them?

General Admore had been patient enough to let her stay for interrogation, it wasn't that easy to convince her but mentioning that it could help them find the Sullys the general acceptance, and with that kept Quaritch alerted. In the end, it was a win for him, as she could be a secret key to find ingJake Sully and taking him down. 

So not wasting another minute Quaritch placed the cup down and headed over to the cell, Lyle followed him close behind as they approached Mansk who was guarding the cell. Noticing the Colonel's presence, Manks turned around and opened the door for them, Quaritch and Lyle walked in. 

You snapped your head around and noticed two tall figures walkin' in, a distinguish smell roaming from them, you stepped back a bit. One of them stood close to the door with his weapon close to his body, ready to shoot if you made a move. Your eyes then settled on the figure who stood in front of you, looking at him from head to toe. 

"My eyes are up here sweetheart," He beamed a smile seeing as you were checking him out, "it appears you've requested my presence," he drawls placing both hands on his hips. 

Your ears subconsciously peak upwards and your tail stopped swinging, realization hitting you slowly. With lips pressed together, he raises his eyebrows and tilted his head closer to you, "and, to whom may I have the honor?"

You arched your back straight and pushed your chest out, looking at him eye to eye with your tale flicking behind you, "I am not here to waste time," you began, "you have something I want." 

"And what could that be?" He asked ears perking upwards. 

"Dispose me free and tell your men to leave, I want you right now, alone," You declared.

The man who stood behind him snorted out a laugh after hearing what you'd just said. Not breaking contact with the Colonel you awaited his response to you, his yellow orbs looking at you up and down.

He wasn't sure if you were standing there joking but by the means of your emotionless face, he took it as if you were serious. But if he had to puzzle up your words maybe you weren't exactly meaning that, you didn't come all the way over here to request such a thing...or did you?

Quaritch held his hand up and ordered his men to leave them alone. The man shoot a wink toward the Colonel as he made his way out of the room, the door closed behind him. Quaritch reached down to his belt and pulled out his breathing mask, inhaling before talking to you.  "Alright," He began, "you've got me here so you better speak up or else I might get bored." 

Walking around the table you slowly made your way up to him, stopping where there was a respectful space between you. His eyes darted down to your eyes as you looked at him, trying your best to look intimidating. "You listen to me carefully, Miles Quaritch" You spoke, trying your best to pronounce his weird last name. "In this instance, you give me back what belongs to me, okay?" 

"Sweetheart I am no mind reader," He replied with a smug look on his face, "you have to be clearer with your words here," 

"You think I'm stupid, ey? His smell is all over you, I can sent it." 

Quaritch's smirk lowered down as his face changed expression, his mind going directly to Spider. "The kid?" He asked and noticed your ears flicker, revealing to him that it was exactly what you were thinking, "Interesting..."

You growled at him dangerously as the patient was starting to leave your body. Quaritch raised his hand up, "Whoa, hold on there hot stuff," He halted trying to sound civil "no need to go all na'vi in here, alright." 

"I don't think I have to repeat myself Miles Quaritch!" You hissed, tail curled back to your spine.

"I understand. Not everybody likes to work overtime, " He lowered his hand and stood tall, "Did Jake Sully send you?"

You didn't say anything and let your eyes speak for your behalf as they narrowed down. "You came alone," Quartich folded his arms together, "that's brave."

You rolled your eyes and inhaled from the breathing mask. Quartich stood there and thought for a second as an idea popped into his head. Now he didn't have the full picture of how you made it to Hell's gate but your reasons were all that he needed as an opportunity for a negotiation settled. To even speak to you in a civil way he had to influence General Admore.

"Let me suggest a proposition," Quaritch began, "I give you the kid in exchange for your knowledge." 

Your eyes turned back to him, 'knowledge? What does he mean?' you thought to yourself as you let him continue.

"As you can see, the situation is tough and my team and I need somebody to teach us the Na'vi way, to navigate and understand the mighty being called Eyw-aa. No one here really knows the ins and outs of the forest, trust me the kid has offered a tiny bit of information, but it's not gonna be enough," he said looking at you with big eyes, "and who not to teach us best than a true na'vi. "Do you understand?" 

Your temple wrinkled hearing the bad pronunciation as he spoke your language, cringing at how bad it sounded, you proceeded to correct him which happened unintentionally.

A peal of laughter escaped the colonel's lips, as you corrected him, "I believe that we've come to an agreement, so, do we have a deal?" Quaritch reached his hand out to you, wanting to shake hands.

You couldn't believe that you'd even accept such a request, originally you were a teacher teaching young hunters to the path of adulthood, that was your job (teaching Quaritch and his team wouldn't be any different, tho...).

Taking that deal won't be such a bad idea, after all, having a moment to think it through was actually a good idea. You'll both have Spider and an easy exit out from here, it was perfect!

A scoff left your lips as you glared up at the Colonel, "The forest will eat you up before you know. None of you would last a day."

Quaritch smiled, his tail swinging behind him, "Then it's a deal." 

To be continued. 

Start l Chapter 1 l Chapter 3

Tags: @belos-simp69

[au-wannabe-the-very-best]

Sounds like Alxi is gearing up for a journey to find himself and figure out what he wants to do, if he wants to stay. Not like he has much of a choice unless he gets tossed back home.

Would he eventually get his own place, once he gets his documents settled, or would the brothers all decide to move to a new place with 3 bedrooms? It would be nice if they all decide they are still family, even if they aren't blood related. He could even still work at a train station if he wanted, since he still has the experience.

Alexi is going through a huge existential crisis, for the second time, and is a little too scared to really. Talk about it with anyone. Instead choosing to try and deal with it himself.

Meanwhile, Emmet is terrified to even talk to Alexi, because he was a major player in Alexi's first existential crisis and somehow convinced the poor guy that he was his missing twin brother.

Alexi is kind of convinced for a while that he'll have to figure out new living arrangements and just. Move out of Emmet's life. Which is something Emmet doesn't want either, because as complicated as things are, Alexi for all intents and purposes was his brother for the past five years, even if he wasn't Ingo. Like, Alexi made him soup when he was sick, scolded him when he overworked himself, play wrestled him, all the works. Emmet can't stop Alexi from wanting to move away, after all, Emmet... Contributed to this guy's brainwashing. But he doesn't want Alexi gone either.

Ingo is actually the one to convince Alexi to stick around. Ingo, for very obvious reasons, has no preconceived notions about who Alexi is and what he should be like. Ingo personally has done nothing to wrong Alexi directly. It's so much easier to interact with Ingo than everybody else, who act so stilted around Alexi. (You know. Because of the guilt and horror.)

Ingo just. Talks with Alexi. About everything and anything. Alexi ends up giving Ingo his "memory journal" where he's kept a record of things from the past five years, because the journal includes stories that Ingo's family told Alexi in hopes of "jogging his memory." Although Ingo remembers Emmet and his home now, he's still got a bad case of amnesia, so Alexi thought this would be helpful for him in the way it wasn't helpful to Alexi.

Ingo finds himself very touched by the entries of Alexi's journal. It's meticulously kept, and Alexi is very clear about what he's feeling in the moments he records. Alexi very obviously loves Emmet. Loves the friends and family Ingo had trouble remembering. Alexi writes about their mannerisms and their ticks, taking special care in these notes because "you should be able to recognize who they are by these traits, even if you were to lose your memories once more."

Alexi thought he had lost his memories and kept a record in the case he ever lost them again, and this proves to be incredibly useful for Ingo. Alexi is more than happy in aiding Ingo's efforts in regaining his memories. The two become close as a result, and Ingo finds himself treating Alexi as a brother.

Ingo is rather honest about wanting Alexi in his life. It immediately makes Alexi reconsider leaving.

They still need to move, of course. Ingo came back with an entire team from Hisui. They kind of need a bigger place to house all these new Pokémon. (And Alexi's Ferroseed. Can't forget the newest addition.)

And as for Alexi's job. He actually needs to get his certification in his own name to continue working at the station. And Ingo's been gone for five years so HE needs to get reexamined as well. They become study buddies for a while.

[julianalvarez9]

miscommunication, pt. 2 / christian pulisic

summary: the silent treatment continues. two certain players try to bring you back to your senses, but you’re still not convinced. maybe you need to talk to certain american to clear it all to you.

author's note: pleasantly surprised at the positive reaction part 1 had! one last part left, this one is kinda enzo x reader centered but we'll get the talk next!!

warnings: the translation is not word-for word accurate, i tried to make it make sense in both languages so sorry if it confuses you kajskaj

word count: 1.1k

“what happened here?” was all you could mutter up. enzo hadn’t quite catched upon what you had perceived, so once you elbowed and reprimanded him for continuing to giggle at whatever media was still ongoing on his phone, he questioned the guys too. “you should ask your boyfriend here” said mason, staring down at christian. without saying another word, not even waiting to hear what his american friend had to say, he picked his stuff, ready to go home after the training journey had ended.

safe to say that things between christian and you got quite… difficult, after that afternoon. 

in fact, they were worse than they had ever been. he was, without a doubt in mind, evading you every chance he got, making it difficult to fulfill your job, which was taking photographs of everybody on the team, and certainly, the one player everyone wanted to see: the one that wore the number 10 on the field.

you had tried to talk to mason about what he meant when he referred to christian as 'your boyfriend', thinking that maybe he was mad with you for not denying it, but he just laughed it off. above all, mason was a good guy, so he gave you an apology for making you feel uncomfortable with the joke. the truth was, that the quip hadn’t pissed you off, quite the opposite indeed. instead, it was the american's reaction that made you angry. or maybe, his lack of.

two months had passed and you still didn't know for sure what you had done to make christian resent you that much, since he didn’t dare to speak to you. the most difficult part about losing a best friend so suddenly and without a warning was that you missed your jokes, your coffee talks, him hiding in your office when he wanted to avoid the coach on a special hard day at training. you started doubting every move or thing you said before the fallout. had he noticed how you looked at him? it’s certainly different from how you saw his teammates. had he noticed it too? had mason joked about it because he knew?

“¿cómo están saliendo las fotos?” (how are the pics turning out?) asked enzo, in a clear attempt at putting a smile on your face. today was being particularly hard, and due to this, you were zoning out too much, not concentrating enough on the task at hand: film little snippets of training to make a little video for the team’s socials. you only nodded, not changing the seriousness in your face, and it wasn’t appreciated by the argentinian that his powers of making you laugh clearly weren’t doing the job today.

"¿qué pasa entre ustedes dos?" (what’s going on between you two?) he insisted, having to jog a bit to catch you since you had continued your path while he stayed behind. you didn’t understand who he meant, or tried not to assume, so he tilted his head signaling at the american player that was just coming into the training pitch after changing on the lockers. you tried to dissipate his question, shooting another one at him. "nada, por qué?" (nothing, why?)

he just laughed, like you had said the funniest joke, and you furrowed your brows in confusion at his reaction. he explained, shrugging his shoulders while doing so. "no parece ‘nada’. cada vez que me acerco a vos, siento que quiere arrancarme la cabeza" (doesn’t seem like ‘nothing’. every time i get close to you, i feel like he wants to take my head off).

you nervously laughed, shaking off his assumption. "estás viendo cosas. no me quiere de esa forma" (you’re seeing things. he doesn’t like me like that). enzo raised his brows in question, like he knew something you didn’t. "yo le preguntaría" (i’d ask him). you were now walking off the pitch, having enough content to edit for the video. kepa, one of the first players that had reached up to you when you arrived at chelsea all those years ago, was listening to the exchange and wanted to contribute his two cents to the cause. pointing to enzo, he said "tiene un punto" (he’s got a point), and you huffed at his remark. "vos también?" (you too?).

smiling, the goalkeeper raised his hands, trying to hide the mischief that was dancing on his features away from your interrogative eyes. "yo le preguntaría si fuera tú" (i'd ask him if i was you). enzo kept pushing you too, knowing that you just needed a bit of courage before confronting the american player. "tenés que hablar con él, aclarar las cosas. no pueden seguir así" (you have to talk to him, clear shit out. you two can’t keep going like this). feeling like the two chelsea players were blaming you for the fallout didn't quite feel right to you, knowing that you weren't at fault for whatever shit that was going on in christian's head. angrily, you spoke. "no le debo nada. no fuimos nada nunca. aparte, por qué yo? por qué no puede hablar él?" (i don't owe him nothing. we never were a thing. also, why me? why can't he speak?).

kepa, who thought that at least one of the two was coming to his senses, rubbed his hands on his face, trying to shake the frustration away. "you better than anyone should know he never talks about his feelings". enzo looked at him like the goalscorer had said something horrifying. pointing at him, he asked you, "¿qué dijo?" (what did he say?). you only giggled, knowing that you had been in charge of teaching enzo the basics of english, and that's why you two had gotten so close since he had arrived to the club: he was better now, the language barrier not as strong as before, but clearly still present. "deberías entender esa frase, otherwise i'm doing a shit job" (you should understand that sentence).

christian clenched his fists while seeing the interaction, even if he was far away and couldn't tell what you two were saying: seeing you smile like you did when you were with enzo, brighter and louder than you ever did with him, made him furious. he was aware of kepa’s presence in the conversation, but the difference in your behavior with the two guys was enough proof for him that there was something different between you and the argentinian player.

mason had told him that this couldn’t go on any longer, and even if he never wanted to agree with his fellow teammate, he knew he needed to do it. and if he wanted to understand why he felt the way he did, christian needed to talk to you about it.

still doubtful, he made his way across the pitch to the three of you, where you still were all joking around, clearly blocking the way back to the lockers. since christian hadn’t even looked your way lately, you thought that you were in his way, and hurried the boys to get out of his path. “that’s not what i’m here for” he said, awkwardly moving his weight from one foot to the other, clearly nervous. “can we talk? please?” he tried again, in a low tone, trying to avoid the other two players from hearing, even if they had given you two a bit of space since his arrival. enzo was looking attentively at the exchange, wanting to make sure you were alright with the interaction. you nodded, part to answer to what christian had asked you, and part to assure the argentinian that you were okay with this.

[training4theapocalypse-backup]

On Her Majesty’s Supersonic Service (Adrian Chase x Reader) Ch. 2

Chapter 2: Bird after Reading

Rating: Explicit

Word Count: 7K

Warnings: SMUT, Fluff, Romance, Praise, Descriptions of murder, Descriptions of violence, Phone sex, Send noodz, FaceTime sex.

Summary: On a rare night off after the Glan Tai massacre, Vigilante gets your phone number from the 11th Steet Kids group chat and talks you through some things.

A/N: He is being really, really sweet to Birdie and she can’t help but be charmed by him. My heart :(

Masterlist

Chapter Text

Last night did not go to plan.

Still, the sound of pleasant chit-chat hums through the air as everyone loads up the van to make the two-hour journey back to Evergreen. The team is in good spirits on this bright summer morning after a successful mission. Everyone except you. You just want to curl into a ball and die.

After clearing up last night’s misunderstanding you practically ran back to your tent to hide in shame. Adrian called after you “Wait! So we’re not even gonna cuddle?” but you couldn’t even bring yourself to turn around and acknowledge his wounded voice with a glance. 

It was only when you were nestled back into your own sleeping bag that you noticed your lip was cut and bleeding from when you hastily removed the duct tape to use your sonic scream.

This morning, however, you’re kind of surprised to find that Vigilante has a spring in his step already. “Good morning!” he beams cheerily, leaning against the van as you and Chris are the last to haul your duffel bags and packed tents over to the vehicle. 

“Woah, what happened to your lip?” asks Economos. You give a small dismissive shake of your head and glance at Vigilante. 

“Hey- let me get those for you.” says Vigilante. Chin in the air, you stride past him and load the bags yourself. You can’t accept special treatment from him after last night.

Not any more special treatment anyway. 

“Thanks, Vij,” says Chris, tossing his bag into Vigilante’s outstretched arms. 

“Aw, man!” He pouts after you.

You brace yourself for confrontation as your steel-toed boots continue to stomp over to where Harcourt and Adebayo are discussing next steps. You wait for them to finish, back straight, eyes ahead, hands folded behind you. 

They look up from the iPad. The mischievous glint in Adebayo’s eyes and the smirk on Harcourt’s face tells you that Adebayo has been briefed on the mistaken attempt to rescue you last night. 

"At ease, soldier. Or should I say 'damsel in distress'?" teases Harcourt.

“What was Vigilante going to do, Blackbird? Tie you to the railway like an old-time cartoon villain?” Adebayo adds with a laugh.

The brutal intelligence officer training you’ve endured enables you to remain composed and you stand tall preparing to explain yourself, despite the dread stirring in the pit of your stomach. As neither of them knows sign language you pull out your phone, quickly type a message on your notes app and hold up the screen

‘I apologise for acting unprofessionally last night.’

Harcourt pulls a face, deciding how to proceed. She really should reprimand you for indiscreetly fraternising with a colleague. But you’ve noticed the way her gaze lingers on Chris Smith lately and you wonder if that’s why she’s choosing not to jump down your throat.

Adebayo beats her to the punch “Listen Blackbird, we’re only giving you shit because we’re your friends.”

“Yeah but if Smith or any of those fuckers,” Harcourt points at the rest of the team beside the van “If they have anything to say about last night, we’ll tell them to go fuck themselves.” 

Well. That was very unexpected. And, despite yourself, your shoulders loosen slightly as you feel a rush of gratitude for the pair sweep through you. You have respect for both of your colleagues but you didn’t think that they’d consider you to be friends. Let alone friends who would back you up if the rest of the team gave you a hard time. You type on your phone again.

‘It won't happen again’

They read your screen and then share perplexed glances.

“I get it, I mean, even if I was straight I definitely wouldn’t have sex with either of the roided-up himbo lunatics on this team… would you?” Adebayo asks Harcourt. 

Harcourt hesitates.

“I don’t know. Peacemaker is mostly a piece of shit. But I guess he’s kind of handsome?”

They laugh and you allow yourself a small smile. Harcourt hates that she’s interested in Chris even more than you hate that you might feel a tiny bit of attraction to Vigilante. Your turn to look at the rest of the group and catch Vigilante staring over at you, clearly interested by the giggling. 

“All I’m saying is- it couldn’t be me. Remember, Vigilante is kind of fucked up. I heard he murdered people for doing graffiti for crying out loud!” 

You consider this. Adebayo is right but then again, you’re no beacon of morality. Peacemaker isn’t the only one on this team who’s done unspeakable things on behalf of a government agency. A government agency that now hates you and sent you on this mission as a punishment for your misdeeds. So what if Vigilante kills people on his own accord? 

“Don’t dwell on last night. It’ll only distract you from the mission,” says Harcourt “It’s not even the most embarrassing thing that’s happened so far. Remember when Adebayo showed everyone that picture of her vulva?”

“Hey!” Adebayo hits her arm with the iPad. “It’s a risk you gotta be willing to take for amazing phone sex.”

“Listen, all of us can see that you and Vigilante work well together in the field. Maybe it’d be the same outside of work? You could teach him about sarcasm… he could teach you to be less serious.”

This is rich coming from her, who insisted you all referred to her only as Agent Harcourt until literally yesterday. 

Adebayo echoes your thoughts “Coming from you?!”

“Serious like in a sad, solemn kind of way,” she explains with a pitying look “If anyone needs cheering up it’s Blackbird. No offence.” She adds.

None taken. Losing your voice has made you simply recede into yourself with despondency. You look over at Vigilante who gives you an enthusiastic wave. You feel guilty for ignoring his offer of helping you with your bags. Maybe spending more time with that maniac will do you some good.

“Just be careful.” Adebayo shifts uncomfortably as she watches Peacemaker and Vigilante roaring with laughter at Economos gesturing like he’s wielding a chainsaw, regaling the story of yesterday's mission. 

After finding out that Murn wants a briefing of yesterday's events, the three of you walk back to the van. Vigilante extends a gloved hand to help you up into the back. You hesitate for a beat too long but he keeps his hand out all the same. You grab it, allowing him to pull you in. 

You perch on the seat next to him and when the doors close and Economos starts driving, he removes his mask. 

Ugh, he’s even more handsome in the daylight. 

“Y’know Blackbird, you’re the only one who hasn’t removed your mask yet,” says Chris, removing his helmet. “You saw Vij last night, which means we all know each other’s faces now.”

Oh. Your domino mask - issued together with your suit- covers from your eyebrows to your cheekbones. You’re supposed to wear it on missions to conceal your face from both CCTV and civilians. You shrug and remove the mask, unpeeling it from your face- your life is in London so it’s not as if you have a secret identity here to worry about. 

“Wow,” remarks Adebayo “You look exactly the same.” 

The van erupts in laughter and you smile reluctantly. 

“Nuh-uh, we know she has eyebrows now!” says Adrian. “I’m glad you have eyebrows by the way,” he adds quietly to you. 

The good spirits continue as you speed along the highway- ugh, motorway, you take a mental note to eradicate the Americanisms you’ve picked up on this trip from your vocabulary. The team plays music and bonds over their shared love of Glam Metal. It’s not really your thing but you enjoy just being amongst the camaraderie.

This time yesterday you had all been at each other's throats. But apparently almost being beaten to death by a giant gorilla controlled by a butterfly was just one of those things that you can’t go through without becoming friends afterwards.

Adrian’s gaze lingers on you for longer than usual. Your eyes meet his but he doesn’t look away, embarrassed, as most people would if caught staring. He studies you blatantly and then leans in to whisper in your ear. The sudden intimate closeness takes you by surprise. You’re acutely aware of his knee pressing against your own and you catch another whiff of his bergamot and bonfire smoke scent.

“You’re even prettier without the mask.” Adrian whispers into your ear and the warm vibrations of his breath make the hairs on your neck stand up pleasantly.

You see Harcourt and Chris watching you interestedly from across the van so you give a pronounced roll of your eyes at his remark. “And I can see you rolling your eyes at me even better now!” he adds earnestly.

The van hurtles its way towards Evergreen and Harcourt takes out her phone to snap a picture of you all. You listen to them reminisce about concerts while Adrian tries and fails to include you in the conversation. Chris suggests he asks you ‘Yes or No’ questions and he fails miserably. 

“What’s your favourite band?” You raise an eyebrow as Chris berates him.

“She’s British so I know she prefers The Spice Girls to Motley Crue!” exclaims Adrian “Right?” You nod and he beams.

A while later you pull up to the video shop. You listen as the team debriefs Murn on what happened in the factory. “This is good work,” he says, nodding at the equipment on the desk. “We're gonna need to sort through this but that can wait until tomorrow. You all have earned a rest.”

Adebayo raises a fist in celebration and you all file out towards the car park, laughing and joking. You and Adrian fall behind the rest of the group. “You know I really wish Economos had passed me the chainsaw. I’ve always wanted to kill someone with one.”

You give a small nod but your agreement is actually sincere - it would have been kind of hot if you had gotten the chance to see Adrian wielding the chainsaw. But after last night, you’re definitely biased. His face lights up at your silent encouragement. 

“See!” he yells to Chris up ahead “Blackbird agrees!”

“That’s only because she’s fucking you!” retorts Chris without turning around. You glance at each other and both put your masks back before exiting the building.

Vigilante’s pace drops and you match it- you can tell he’s prolonging your goodbye “I’ve got to get to work but do you need a ride home first? I’ve got the Vigalante-mobile.” he gestures to a beat-up old Chrysler Sebring. You shake your head and jerk your thumb over to Economos who’s waiting at his own car- you’re staying at the same motel. 

“I guess I’ll see you tomorrow?” he asks. His eyes are obscured but you think he’s looking at your lips. Is he going to kiss you? You’re annoyed at how hopeful your inner monologue sounds. 

Your heart drops into the pit of your stomach as he places a gloved hand on your chin and tilts your head up towards his masked face. 

“Sorry about your lip. I didn’t realise duct tape was so dangerous.” You shake your head to say it’s not your fault. His thumb brushes the corner of your mouth and you resist closing your eyes and leaning into his touch. Economos clears his throat and Vigilante withdraws his hand quickly as if burned. You give an awkward nod goodbye and walk over to Economos’ car.

For fuck’s sake John.

You glare at him and decide to make him stop by a liquor store on the way home.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Back in your motel room you pour yourself a large whisky and run a shower. As the water is warming up you get a ping on your phone.

‘Emilia Harcourt added you to group ‘11th Street Kids’’

Harcourt shares a group photo of you all in the van. A smile creeps over your face as you examine it. You’re sitting next to Adrian and you just now realise his arm is resting on the back of your seat. Was he working up the courage to put his arm around you? He’s less sure of himself in the daytime than when he’s lurking in the dark as Vigilante. 

Notification light up your phone screen - it’s the 11th Street Kids groupchat. 

Peacemaker: [Hands up emoji]

Economos: So fucking cool.

Vigilante: [Merman emoji]

You wonder what Adrian’s emoji means. You type:

Blackbird: Nice one! x

You tap on the name “Vigilante” and your thumb hovers over his contact details, thinking about texting him. Or at least adding his contact details into your phone. Just in case of emergency. Another notification pops up.

‘Vigilante has added you as a contact’

Vigilante: Hey what’s up B- bird? [Penguin emoji] 

You’re relieved he immediately had the same thought. You still haven’t acknowledged what happened last night directly with him. This morning, in the cold light of day you felt ashamed of your one-night stand - not least how it ended. But now as the steam rises in the bathroom and the whisky burns your throat, you’re a little bit giddy that he messaged you. You contemplate for a moment.

Blackbird: Lmao that’s not even close to a blackbird! x 

Vigilante: What’s the X for? Is it a British spy code? 

Oh. Technically ‘x’ at the end of a text is shorthand for ‘kiss’. Back home almost everyone signs off like that to friends or family. It’s second nature to you when you write a message- words, space, x, send. Clearly, this cultural norm doesn’t translate well. You carefully craft a message to explain it to Adrian, trying to sound nonchalant.

Blackbird: Sounds weird but it means ‘kiss’. It’s just how we end text messages in the UK lol :) x

Well, that was lame. 

Vigilante: So you’ve given me 2 kisses since we started this conversation?

Blackbird: Not exactly- It’s just a habit when I send messages to friends x

Vigilante: Oh

Maybe he just isn’t used to being friends with his hookups afterwards? And according to Peacemaker he has plenty- of hookups, not friends - sometimes they even have one-night stands together, with the same woman.

A small stab of jealousy twists in your side at that thought.

Not Peacemaker and Vigilante sharing a woman, God no, but that you’re probably just the latest in a string of casual encounters. After all, he didn’t kiss you this morning when you thought he might, outside the video shop. 

Blackbird: I can stop sending them if they’re bothering you? 

Vigilante: What would you send to someone who was more than a friend?

A lot of people back home would use ‘xx’ at the end of a text to a boyfriend- but you haven’t had any reason to do that for a while.

Throwing caution to the wind, you type a flirtatious message, delete it, reconsider, take another drink of whisky, type the exact same thing again then hit send. You hold your breath.

Blackbird: Probably nudes :) x Blackbird: Just kidding. Probably more x’s. ‘xx’ rather than ‘x’ 

It’s been a long time since you flirted with anyone. It makes you want to launch your phone across the room but instead, you stare at the screen in anticipation.

Vigilante: Damn, this is REALLY bad timing but my break is over. I gotta get back to work. Later Birdie.

You catch your reflection in the bathroom mirror- your face falls. Is he blowing me off? Like I did to him at the van this morning? You feel betrayed by your own disappointment but you probably deserve it.

Stepping into the shower, you sigh as the hot steam fills your lungs. Your hair still smells of bonfire smoke and you’re almost sad to wash it away because it reminds you of Adrian’s smoky and citrusy scent. Shampooing your hair, you think about how Adrian curled his hand through it last night when you kissed him.

Ugh - stop it. You simply cannot catch feelings right now.

You press your head to the cool tile on the wall as the water from the tarnished chrome showerhead flows down your back. You need to scrub yourself of any feelings you have for Adrian. Even if he did feel the same way, what would be the point of starting a romantic relationship nearly 5000 miles from home? Or when you work in a job that has you in a different country every month?

The water pressure is surprisingly strong and you’re grateful for it as it soothes your sore back muscles. Yesterday’s mission and the night that followed have left your body exhausted. There’s still a pleasantly dull ache between your legs from last night. 

You felt a connection with him like you’d never felt before. Like he was reading your mind. Every thought, every want, every need. 

The only thing that has ever come close to it is how well you fight together. It almost seems silly that you haven’t been able to admit that to him today but the sensible voice in your head reminds you that you have a job to do. 

Your hand slips down the nape of your neck to your chest and you think about his skin. Pale and covered with scars, though you couldn’t see them all in the darkness of the tent last night. You wanted to look at each one, you wanted to kiss every single scar, cursing whoever had caused the damage to his lean, sculpted body. 

You find your favourite lavender soap and as you wash your body from your toes to your head, you take note of your own scars. Several cover both of your legs from the jet crash, one deep one in the meat of your thigh where you were stabbed that one time, another on your forearm from when you were stabbed a different time, and one on your shoulder blade where you were stabbed… again. Perks of the job. But you really need to get better at not being stabbed. 

You wonder what he’s doing after this shift and hate that you hope he’s staying safe. He likes to prowl the streets at night looking for criminals and regularly ends up in life-threatening situations but you want him to go straight home - you all have enough to be getting on with, with the butterflies and everything. And if you ever want to get back home and in MI6’s good graces, this mission needs to be a success. 

You finish up in the shower and decide you’d better remind him.

Blackbird: Rest up tonight Adrian. We’ve got a big day tomorrow and need you to be awake x

A few hours later at 11pm your phone pings in reply. Having spent the night drinking whisky and watching terrible TV, your stomach twists with excitement at the interruption. 

Vigilante: Great! Just need to figure out what we could use instead of duct tape…

A pleasant tingle goes down your spine. He must have finished his shift at Fennel Fields.

Blackbird: Not that kind of big day. We’ve got a lot of video equipment to check x

Vigilante: I only need to patrol the neighbourhood for a few hours. Do you wanna join? 

Blackbird: Sure- I can see the headlines now, ‘MI6 linked to string of vigilante murders in Washington.’ x

Vigilante: Awesome! Will I come and pick you up? 

Blackbird: No! That was sarcasm Adrian x

Vigilante: Okay - your loss! A team-up would have been SUPER cool FYI. TTYL

Blackbird: Wait! What can I say to convince you not to go out tonight? x

Vigilante: Awwww, are you worried about lil ol’ me, Birdie?

Blackbird: I need you on top of your game tomorrow. Finding the butterflies’ food source is more important than ANYTHING else we’ve got going on right now x

Vigilante: Stopped reading after “I need you”. Admit you need me Birdie and I might stay home tonight [Penguin emoji]  

You get up and pace around the room. He’s so resilient even after you ignored him last night and outside the van this morning. You’re relieved he’s flirting again. And you can tell from his messages that all he needs is some reassurance that you’re still interested in him after your stand-offishness this morning.

You pause in front of the mirror at the vanity table, catching a glimpse of your exposed neck and the top of your chest flushed red again. And a familiar warm sensation pools in your lower abdomen as your mind wanders back into Adrian’s tent. 

Blackbird: I need you… Blackbird: to see something :) x

Vigilante: Ooookay?

Blackbird: But you need to be somewhere private. Such as your home. Alone. In your bedroom. With the door locked x

Vigilante: I have no idea what’s going on right now 

Blackbird: I will message you a special surprise if you promise me you’re home x

Vigilante: WAIT- are you talking about the nudes you mentioned earlier???

Blackbird: Only one way to find out. Prove you’re home, tucked up in bed with a cup of tea and NOT prowling the streets looking for crime x

Vigilante: On my way home RIGHT FUCKING NOW Vigilante: PS what kind of tea should I get?

Blackbird: I’m just joking about the tea x

In the bathroom, you take in your appearance in the giant, circular mirror. You’re wearing a plain white T-shirt and another pair of unexciting black cotton underwear. Looking over your shoulder into the bedroom at your suitcase, you curse yourself for not bringing at least one set of skimpy lingerie. But then again- why would you? 

After spending all day in a Kevlar and leather suit, all you want to do is to sink into something soft and comfortable. And, after more than a year of abstinence, you never thought you’d find love in Evergreen, Washington. 

A hookup, you correct yourself, you never thought you’d find a hookup in Evergreen.

You squeeze your eyes shut and shake your head at your Freudian slip. You put your hands on either side of the sink and stare at yourself sternly. 

You are not so touch-starved and devoid of self-respect that you’d actually fall for Vigitlane.

Sure, he’s good looking and yes, you have an undeniable connection that you’ve never felt with anyone before but you remind yourself he’s a psychopath. A very enthusiastic and sweet one, certainly, but a literal vigilante murderer nonetheless.

Even so, you sort of want to look cute for the man who, you remind yourself again, is wanted on multiple counts of murder. Christ, what does that say about you?

He called you pretty this morning.

And you just rolled your eyes at him, concerned about what your colleagues would think. When what you really wanted to do was call him pretty too. Grab his stupid, pretty face, straddle his lap and kiss him, bite his lower lip, grind on him, leave love bites all over his neck. Right there in the van. The thought of it makes you feel feverishly hot.

You tie a knot at the back of your white T-shirt, pulling it taught against your body so that your nipples poke through the fabric and your curves are accentuated. You adjust the hips on your underwear so they show off more of your leg. You take a couple of mirror selfies - one with your whisky glass resting subtly on your chest - finger brushing your nipple and one of you sitting on the sink - back to the mirror and looking over your shoulder. Looking over them carefully, you decide you’re pleased- artfully sexy but nothing too wild. You want to give him a tiny little taste to reassure him you like him but no more. You both have work tomorrow morning, after all.

Your phone pings.

Vigilante: I’m home. I wish I’d seen your message before I went to the Starbucks drive-thru.

Blackbird: Lol :) But I’ll need evidence to verify your location x

Another notification. Adrian sends you a photo of himself holding a Starbucks cup- a mirror selfie. He’s got his Vigilante suit on but you can see the mask thrown on the large bed with comfortable-looking burgundy sheets behind him. Ugh, he looks so dreamy with his cute hipster glasses and wavy black hair. His room is very clean but bare- the only decoration seems to be his weapons, at least a dozen guns and several blades displayed on the wall. 

Blackbird: Do you sleep in an armoury!? x

Vigilante: What?? I sleep in a bed in my apartment!

You really do need to teach him about sarcasm.

Blackbird: I’m just joking - you DO have a lot of guns in your room x

Vigilante: Oh, the ones in here are just for display- you should totally come over and see the rest!!!! Vigilante: Anything cool in your motel room? 

Blackbird: IDK… this mirror is pretty nice x

You wander over to your bed as you flick through the selfies you took. Hesitating, you decide to send him the one of you sitting on the sink. 

Vigilante: Did you realise your reflection is visible?

You blink at your screen. Your ass is literally the main focus of the picture. 

Blackbird: That was sort of the point Adrian… x

Vigilante: NOICE!!!! In that case, I am SO glad I came home. I would literally never leave home again if you wanted me to. 

Fondness for him cascades through you and it makes your cheeks grow hot. He is so whole-heartedly earnest about his thoughts and feelings, it makes you wish you told him how good he looked when he sent you his picture. 

Does he know he’s good at getting you flustered over text? Your brows knit together as you remember Chris telling the group about their strings of one-night stands together and horror strikes you.

Blackbird: Adrian, I need you to know that if you show that to anyone I will not hesitate to murder you in cold blood. I’m not one of your women to be shared with Peacemaker. 

There's a pause and you watch the three dots moving as Adrian writes his reply. 

Vigilante: Okay first of all showing your pics to Peacemaker without consent would be classed as REVENGE PORN which - by the way - is ILLEGAL. I’ve killed people for less!!! Vigilante: Second of all there is no way I would ever break your trust Birdie. You are my second BFF.

Oh no, a pang of guilt. Of course, he wouldn’t do that. Another message pings. 

Vigilante: Thirdly you could never murder me because I am a much better marksman AND better in combat AND I know how to disarm you. 

You scoff silently. You could definitely beat Vigilante in a fight. 

Vigilante: And last of all, you are mine and I would never share you [Merman emoji]

You are mine. Your eyes rake over the black pixels on your screen. Mine. Fuck, why is your heart rate increasing? Warmth creeps in deep in your tummy. You smile and shake your head at his audacity. 

Blackbird: Ahem, yours?? x

Vigilante: Yup. At least your pussy is 

Blackbird: Hmmmm is that so? x

Vigilante: I’m the only one who can make you cum (and that’s including you btw) I can show you how if you’re nice to me for like 5 seconds.

Blackbird: I’m not sure I know how to be nice x

Vigilante: It was pretty nice of you to send me a pic of your ass… Vigilante: BTW I will delete that pic if you’re worried. Just give me 3-5 minutes with it. I know the drill - burn after jerking. 

You laugh silently but his consideration for your situation makes you melt. It makes you want to get on your knees for him to show your appreciation.

But he’s not here so instead you finish the rest of your drink in one quick gulp, lift the bottom of your shirt up, exposing your tits, snap another mirror selfie and hit send. 

Blackbird: Don’t delete this one x

Vigilante: Fuck, Birdie you have the most perfect tits I have ever seen. I mean it.  Vigilante: Even if I do delete it, this pic is now uploaded permanently into my spank bank. 

Blackbird: Is this all you needed to keep you off the streets? Just a little peek of me? x

Vigilante: YUP. And I am so fucking turned on right now. I wish you were here.

Blackbird: Show me x

Ping. Another picture. This time you need to sit down on the edge of the bathtub to steady yourself.

It’s just his body - he’s still wearing his Vigilante suit but a familiarly shaped hard bulge protrudes against the fabric. Your breath hitches and you can feel the steady beat of your heart pounding in your chest. You’re a bundle of nerves and you want to see more. Swallowing thickly you type:

Blackbird: You look v sexy in your suit <3 x

Vigilante: Birdie? Is that an actual compliment?! I think it’s the first nice thing you’ve ever said to me.

You’re no good at expressing your feelings but he needs to know how ridiculously hot he looks in his suit. A vivid image flashes through your mind of a masked vigilante breaking into your motel room, holding you down and covering your mouth while he fucks you. Fuck, the imaginary scene nearly burns a hole through you as you wander back to the bed.

Blackbird: Have you ever had sex in your mask? x

Vigilante: I basically only have sex in my mask. Secret identity is kind of a bummer. 

Except for last night. Though you did burst into his tent and catch him off guard. But how does he…

Blackbird: How do you kiss? Or…do anything else? x

Vigilante: Kissing, cuddling, eating pussy - three things I can’t do as Vigilante. You were the best thing I’ve tasted in a LONG time. 

You sit down on the edge of the bed and cross your legs, trying to stop yourself from squirming. The more turned on he makes you, the more reckless you become. In just a few texts you go from a tough superhero intelligence officer with a reputation to protect to a simpering mess with no regard for professionalism.

Blackbird: You are so fucking good at eating me out Adrian. I wish you were here x

Vigilante: You’re gonna make me jizz in my pants if you keep saying stuff like that. 

Blackbird: Hey not yet- I have more to show you x

Vigilante: Fuck. Seeing you talk like this makes me wish I could hear you in person.

Blackbird: You wouldn’t like me if I could talk again. People said I was very unkind - to put it mildly x

Vigilante: HAHA as if I can’t tell what all those eye rolls mean. You’re such a meanie but you LIKE me. 

Everything just bounces off of Adrian. Every cutting glance from you or dismissive comment from Harcourt. Even the time Peacemaker just let Goff torture him. The world is literally ending and Adrian is just riding the wave and enjoying being included in this mission. You wish you could take a leaf out his book and be less serious in the face of an alien invasion.

You hold your phone to your chest and lie back on the crisp white linen bed sheets. Staring at the ceiling you wonder what it would be like to be here with Adrian, in an actual bed rather than in a sleeping bag. Both uninjured and free to take your time, not worrying about other people catching you.

You take your T-shirt off completely this time. You snap a selfie with you laid back on the bed and send it to him.

The phone starts ringing immediately. 

‘Vigilante is requesting video chat’

Here goes nothing. You accept.

“Fuuuuuuuuck.” He drags a hand from over his eyes down his face. You hold the phone still above you. “I just had to check if you were real, Birdie. For a second I thought ‘What if last night was an insanely realistic wet dream and now I’m speaking to a snarky but sexy AI bot’. But you are real.” 

From what you can see on the screen, he’s shirtless too. As he stretches out getting comfortable on his bed, one hand behind his head, you can appreciate his broad shoulders and chest. A flicker of animalistic urge to bite the exposed underside of his arm leaps through you. 

You bring up the keyboard. 

Blackbird: I’m glad last night wasn’t just a dream either x

You watch his face as he reads your words pop up on his screen, blue light reflecting on his glasses. He lights up with a wide smile and it makes your heart leap. You tilt the camera down and gently run your fingers up and down your exposed stomach and tits, your fingertips gently tickling your skin. You hear his breath catch in his throat. You move the phone camera back up to your face and slowly, deliberately suck your fingers and move them inside your underwear to start gently circling your clit. 

Your phone remains pointed at your face so he can watch you sink back into the soft pillows and close your eyes as your movements pick up the pace.

“L- let me see. Please.” he chokes. You shake your head, the corners of your mouth turning upwards in a smirk. You open your eyes and nod towards him. You first.

He removes his hand from behind his head and flips to the back-facing camera so it’s almost like you’re watching from his point of view. He unzips his black kevlar-weave trousers and tugs down his boxers. His cock is hard already. You swallow thickly- you forgot how big he was. Taking it in his hand, he slowly jerks himself up and down. 

How did all of that fit in you? You need to inhale and exhale deeply, steadying yourself. You remember the stretching feeling as he slowly entered you, pressing his forehead against yours and checking you were okay. Oh fuck, the memory makes you speed your fingers up. You move the camera down your body so Adrian can see your fingers working in your underwear. 

“Hold on a sec.”

He pauses what he’s doing and urgently takes off the bottom half of his Vigilante suit. He recentres the camera and lets you see him now fully naked. You can see the strong outline of the muscles on his thighs and decide you’d quite like to bite them too.

“Fuck, I wish you were here. You felt so fucking good last night, the way you took all of my dick in that tent like such a good girl for me.”

You writhe back into the pillows as pleasure begins to wash over you.

“Please… show me how you do it baby. Let me see that perfect pussy again.”

It’s too much, his words make you let out a small moan and - CRACK. The sound of glass breaking. You jump in fright. Fuck! The alarm clock on the motel bedside table is shattered in pieces.

“Woah, are you okay?” Adrian returns to the front-facing camera and adjusts his glasses.

You nod and show him the broken alarm clock. You check for any pieces that might have landed on the bed and he waits patiently.

“Hey at least it wasn’t your phone!” he says enthusiastically. You frown. You should have realised something like this would happen. It’s too dangerous to do this - especially on your own. “C’mon Birdie, it’s okay… I personally think it’s really hot that you could kill both of us by cumming. As far as powers go, you’ve gotta admit that’s pretty OP.”

You give him an embarrassed smile. “Is there somewhere you can balance your phone so you have both hands free?”

You carefully place your phone against the lamp on the bedside table and kneel on the bed in front of it. His eyes look you over from your head to where your knees connect with the mattress.

“Fuck, you look so beautiful,” You blush hot red again and he smiles reassuringly “I can’t believe I get to see you like this.” He is being so sweet and it’s killing you. Last night he was teasing you so much that you’re actually beginning to wonder if he was just getting back at you for being so rude to him the past few weeks. 

You feel exposed, almost the full length of your body is on display on your video tile. The thought of him seeing all of you out so brazenly makes the hairs on your arms stand up. You’re brave in the field but being so openly vulnerable takes a different kind of boldness you don’t get to exercise often.

Heart pounding in your chest, you slip your underwear off and throw them aside. That’s it, nowhere and nothing to hide now. He groans and angles his phone down his body so you can see him stroking his cock, a clear bead of precum leaks from the tip from it. 

You move your hands over your body and watch his eyes follow them. You pinch your nipples and move one hand down to your clit again. “Wait, Birdie, do exactly as I say,” he interrupts “We don’t want you sending a sonic boom through to Harcourt’s room this time.” You bite your lip and nod slowly, it would be embarrassing to say the least, having to explain why the wall between your rooms was rubble if something did go wrong.

“Get on your hands and knees for me,” It’s forward, direct but he says it with such confidence that you don’t even think twice about doing so, obediently. It reminds you of the way he effortlessly relays instructions at you in combat. “Now grab that pillow… lay your head on it and put your other hand down between your knees.” You feel your insides buzzing as you lie, literally face-down ass-up, waiting for him to tell you what to do next.

“Now use that hand to touch your clit for me.” This is obscene, you think but you do it anyway, your head on one side so you can look at Adrian on your phone. He drags his hand up and down the length of himself more slowly than before, taking his time and enjoying the scene in front of him. 

“When you start to get close you can turn your head into your pillow and let it out,” he says, watching your figure, side-on as your walls start to clench, begging to be filled. You allow yourself to test it out quietly, biting down on the linen and polyester and letting a small cry out. It vibrates but nothing else happens. You hear him let out a small whimper at the sight of you biting into your pillow. “Fuck, Birdie, have you ever thought about OnlyFans? I’d subscribe.”

The jape unlocks something in your brain. Shyness quickly disappearing, you turn your body another 90 degrees so that he’s looking at you directly from behind. You open up your knees wider and adjust the pillow so you can lie your head back down. All he’ll be able to see is your spread legs, ass and soaking wet cunt. Your fingers reach down to stroke your wet folds.

“Hooooooly fuck- that view. Keep doing that. No, wait- just your clit. I want to see your pussy leaking for me.”

Your muffled whine is impatient. It’s almost embarrassing how wet you are for him but you can tell from the way his breathing is getting quicker that he’s getting close, just from looking at you like this.

“Hey, look at me Birdie.”

You turn your head and look past the side of your body, and see him on the carefully balanced phone screen. 

“You know what you are, right?”

You bite your lip. I’m a slut, I’m a fucking slut touching myself on camera for you, Adrian.

“You’re mine. And that beautiful pussy belongs to me.”

Oh. It’s too. Fucking. Much. Even if you wanted to, you couldn’t stop your fingers as they bury deep inside you curling up and tapping a frantic rhythm while the heel of your hand puts delicious pressure on your clit. 

You can’t see him anymore but he makes sure to narrate it for you. “That’s it. Think about me fucking you as you’re doing it, B.” You hear the wet slick of his own hand speeding up too.

You close your eyes and as you curl your fingers inside yourself, you imagine Adrian’s huge cock filling you up. The way he’d grab your hips, smack your ass and bite your shoulder as he thrusted deep inside you. 

“I love this angle. Keep doing that for me. Fuck, you look amazing like this.”

Letting out another sigh into your pillow, you feel the swell coming, feeling immense satisfaction that Adrian is watching you on his phone and furiously pleasuring himself, he too imagining that he was pounding into you deep from behind.

“You’re doing s-so good, baby. Such - such a good girl.” he stutters and inhales sharply.

In response you bounce your hips a little, in sync with your fingers, wishing you were backing up and gyrating into his hips. You take another peek at your screen to see his head leaning back and his Adam's apple moving as he swallows and clenches his jaw. He looks back at the screen and catches your eye “So… f-fucking… hot.” he pants. You feel another jolt of searing heat between your legs. Your pussy desperately clenches around your fingers, wishing it was his cock.

“Say my name when you cum for me. Come on, you can do it. Into the pillow.”

The pillow envelopes your face just in time for you to moan his name.

The whole bed shakes violently this time. You tumble straight into your release as you continue to whimper. It’s hot and wet and desperate, heat radiates from your centre, making your knees tremble weakly as the orgasm rips through you.

“I’m gonna- I’m - fuuuuck.” Adrian groans and you move your head again to watch him finish. His eyes squeeze shut and he shudders, thick ropes of cum shooting out onto his chest and stomach. 

You lie still for a few more moments, your leaking entrance still twitching and exposed to the camera while you eventually catch your breath. You crawl around to grab your phone and roll onto your back, holding the screen above you.

You both stare at each other, flushed and glowing with sweat. Adrian adjusts his glasses, wipes himself off with a towel and lies on his side, one arm propping his head up. You think it would be very comfy to nuzzle into the crook of his neck right now. Maybe you’d trace your fingers over his scars and listen to him talk about how he got each one.

“That was the hottest thing I’ve ever seen. And trust me, I’ve watched a lot of stuff.”

You smile in a self-satisfied sort of way and pull up the keyboard.

Blackbird: I like seeing you too. And hearing you talk to me x

“Okay, so we need to do this again in person next time.”

Blackbird: I’d like that x

“And can you admit you like me yet?”

You give him an indifferent jerk of the head but he reads through you and grins triumphantly.

Blackbird: Okay I DO like you Adrian. But I’m just not sure if we should be doing this at all x

“I get it if you’re embarrassed to be with me - we don’t have to tell the rest of the team.”

You shake your head fervently. Relief washes over his face. 

Blackbird: It’s not that… I can’t let myself fall for someone when I need to leave the country right after this mission x

You also don’t trust Amanda Waller or MI6 right now and don’t want to give them any personal leverage. But you can’t put that anywhere in writing. Even in an encrypted message to Adrian. It’d be too dangerous for both of you. 

“Wait - are you saying you’re falling for me?”

You freeze- your mouth opens stupidly as you reread your last message. Shit.

“Because Birdie I fell for you the first time I saw your burst someone’s head open with your sonic scream. You’re the hottest, most badass person I’ve ever met. And if you feel even sort of the same way, it would be stupid to ignore it- right?”

Blackbird: I think it’s stupid to even discuss it. We shouldn’t get attached when I live on another continent x

“Yeah but you’ll only live there if you actually survive!” he says with newfound enthusiasm “There’s like a really high chance we’ll both die pretty soon.”

Blackbird: And if we’re both fortunate enough to live? x

“Eh,” he shrugs “Sounds like a problem for future us to worry about. No point dwelling on hypotheticals.”

You wrinkle your nose but butterflies dance in your tummy with excitement. Okay, we’re doing this…. and if we both live long enough for me to go home, we can call it a summer fling and move on.

Blackbird: Fuck it. If we’re gonna die we might as well hook up a few more times… :) x

Adrian rolls onto his back and punches the air “Go out with a bang. Literally.” he pauses “Are you going to start putting two x’s at the end of your texts to me now?” 

You pull up your keyboard. 

Blackbird: Yes xxxxx

Chapter 3: The Spy Who Came Out in the Cold

[wakeupthemembersofbylernation]

It’s really funny when you think of season 4 basically being a tragicomedy where two fruity disasters are engaged in a dance of who can miscommunicate the most. They both are actually on the same page with a desire to go crazy together and be a team but they assume the other boy is reading an entirely different book. Mike goes to Cali frazzled with a million chaotic thoughts, his confusion and flustered heart barely concealed by his Big Bird core outfit.

I have a girlfriend and I’m supposed to love her. Of course I love her, she’s my girlfriend! She’s El! She has superpowers! She’s changed my life! Yes, stick to the script! I can’t wait to meet her friends she’s been telling me about and also to meet Will 😍. Wait, why did I just get flustered? It’s just Will. My friend. Will Byers. WHO HAS APPARENTLY BEEN MAKING A PAINTING FOR A MYSTERIOUS GIRL?!? I wonder what that’s about. Actually I don’t wanna know. It’s fine. Oh my God, he got hot. Why did he get hot? Wait, don’t think that. That’s weird. He’s a boy. He’s Will. Act calm. Be normal. Uhhh. hi 😍 😍😍 Wait, why isn’t he showing me that? Does he hate me? Of course he does. Why wouldn’t he?

Meanwhile Will, with no idea about Mike’s internal monologue, is extremely eager and happy to see his best friend again and is utterly confused why he is being so weird and not hugging him and why his outfit is so questionable. I guess he doesn’t care about anything I have to say anymore. I’m so stupid. Why did I make this painting and bring it to this airport like a loser? He doesn’t want to see it. Which is literally the opposite of the truth. And then things start happening too fast to process anything, and everyone’s talking fast, and El is flagrantly lying to Mike and it’s quite disturbing. Why would she do that? Friends don’t lie. This can’t end well.

And then at the roller rink Will is in tragic yearning mode while also keenly aware that a fire is brewing and wanting to put out the fire before it hurts both his sister and his best friend, both of whom he loves dearly. But Mike is oblivious to all of this while in his feelings about Will, paying absurdly close attention to Will “moping and rolling his eyes,” interpreting things in the wrong way. And then he shoots up like a gopher on adderall when Will tells him they need to talk about El because something is terribly wrong- which would be crystal clear if Mike wasn’t hyperfocused on Will’s every mood swing- and he refuses to believe it until it becomes undeniable, choosing instead to address what is clearly on his mind significantly more than his actual girlfriend on a theoretical date. And they have a high school musical coded fight in the middle of the building, entirely misunderstanding where the other boy is coming from, and it just leaves them more flustered, frustrated, and confused. But because they are incapable of personal space, it doesn’t make them drift apart physically. They stand side by side as El absolutely decks Angela to Will’s shellshocked sinking feeling of “This is my fault. I should have prevented this from happening,” and Mike’s feeling of horror and shock and, “Where did any of this come from? I just got here.”

And then later on El and Mike have their fight about him not being able to say I love you, which is confusing and full of gaslighting and contradictions and is super messy no matter how the cake is sliced, but Will is not there for any of this, so he has no reason to believe El and Mike are on the rocks. Because why would they be? He heard Mike say I love you to a room full of their friends a year ago. And Mike is clearly dealing with so many internal thoughts and conflicted feelings that he won’t share with the class- with the class being both Will and the audience- so post el’s arrest and post her “superhero” journey we have to watch Byler have these incredibly coded conversations that get increasingly more chaotic. Mike’s basically like, “Yeah bestie I’m not sure about this whole macaroni and cheese thing and I don’t know if me and El are really right for each other, you know? It was prolly like dumb luck or something, but you’re the greatest thing that’s ever happened to me, Will, and I think we should work together as a team, as best friends, as lovers- wait, who said that? Anyway, what do you think, my totally platonic bestie?”

All this as [tender, emotional music] plays. And Will, even though it destroys him inside, is extraordinarily selfless, and is basically like, “I’m sure you and El will work things out and talk through whatever’s happening. You love each other. You are perfect for each other. And I will always be here to reassure you.” And Mike’s like, “That’s not how I envisioned this convo going. Are you sure?” And while holding back tears, Will’s like, “Of course I’m sure! Why wouldn’t I be sure? Look at this painting I made you.” And Mike’s like “Wow 😍😍😍 did you make that for me?” And Will’s like, “Sure did! Actually El basically did. She commissioned it.” And Mike is like, “Oh. Okay. It’s still really beautiful tho. Which of course it is. Because you made it. But I… I’m confused. But I don’t fully understand why I’m confused. I’m glad El needs me! I think?”

Meanwhile, Byler literally wants the same things, they both deeply desire and love each other, but they don’t know how the other feels. And if they both paused for one second, were fully honest with each other, and stopped speaking in code, things would fall into place. And they could walk hand in hand, crazy together, into the apocalypse.

[kujo1597]

Before I even got halfway through Sea of Stars I promised people a post about Garl when I finished the game. Well, it's been a week since I got everything I could in a single playthrough and I finally have time to write that post. (Original Post Link)

I'll start off with non-spoilery talk, and then put the part where I reach spoilers under a Read More, as is the norm in this fandom.

I absolutely positively love Garl. That never changed. He is such a good character. When I played the demo for Sea of Stars I pretty much just came from Live A Live. The remake specifically. And in it was a pretty typical fat character, he loves food, and his motivation is eating. When I saw Garl I remembered this LAL character and so many other fat characters and honestly sighed. Because I expected him to be the same way. Then I bought Sea of Stars the day it came out and even in the first cutscene we see Garl in it's clear that there's so much more to his love of food than it just being a love of eating. And I am really happy about that.

Garl loves food. And his love of food goes so far beyond him just liking to eat. He loves food because good food makes people happy. And this wonderful man just wants people to be happy and enjoy life. He wants his friends to be happy so he makes them their favourite foods, when he was a kid he made jam using the sap from a sacred tree and his two best friends absolutely loved that jam. So what did he do? He used some of that jam in a batch of cookies he baked for them. He couldn't see his friends until they were done their training so he left the jar of cookies behind.

Garl has a huge heart. The fat guy being the heart of the team is another trope, less common than him loving eating and refuses to even share a roll, but still, a trope. Garl was thrilled to be going on an adventure with his childhood friends. All his life he was told that he couldn't go on this journey. That only the two Solstice Warriors could. But Garl made that happen, he met up with them and reasoned with them by saying, "Yeah, I'll get out of the way when you do these big dangerous fights only you can do. But there's no reason we can't still travel together." So Valere and Zale let him come along, this was obviously a case of Garl twisting their rubber arms, but still. And when it came time to help the Molekin Garl was thrilled to have helped do some good for a whole town. And he even took the time to hear out little Malkomud and had a great talk to him about how everybody should have been treating him better, and how his powers are special. It was very sweet. And this sweetness and warmth from Garl continued through the game. It was really well done in my opinion.

But Garl also has a backbone and can be a leader.

Spoiler Talk Starts Here

Brisk got destroyed and a lot of citizens very understandably wanted to move and get a fresh start. Garl made sure everybody building the new town was well taken care of. He fed them, kept up their strength, and eventually stepped into a leadership role. He organized town meetings and kept them going. He made sure everybody's voices were heard. And the citizens repaid Garl by having him name the time. It was a very cute scene where Garl keeps pulling his name out of the hat for town name suggestions. He goes, "Haha guys, very funny. Garl's a bad name for the town." And once Garl was clued into why his name was in the hat he gave the town a perfect name. Mirth.

The acolytes pissed Garl off, it was one of the few times we saw him get angry. And The Fleshmancer was also the target of his rarely seen anger. Garl is not a pushover. And unfortunately this did cost him his life. Living off of borrowed time Garl helped his friends make it to the Sea of Stars. He came up with a bargaining chip, he'd wake up The Sleeper and soothe his savage soul. How? Freshly baked bread of course. Because as Garl said, nobody can be angry when they wake up to the smell of freshly baked bread.

This goes back to what I said earlier about Garl loving food because good food makes people happy. This was his logic, it's only natural that a delicious breakfast would make The Sleeper not want to destroy the world. And he's so right.

After Garl's death there is a hole in the party, I missed him, and his input. I'm glad the game had that funeral and gave the characters and the player time to start to miss Garl.

Now for the true ending. We get Garl back! :D He was brought back to life through time shenanigans. Garl was given one wish because of how good of a person he is. What was this wish?

To share a meal with all his friends at the Golden Pelican and celebrate his coming back to life. Garl could have had anything in the world, and he chose to share his wish with the people who meant the most to him.

And I think that does a fantastic job of showing what kind of a guy Garl is. A man with a huge heart who loves his friends.

In short: I loved Garl from the start of the game, and I still love Garl at the end of the game.