#he’ll stop as soon as he gets bumped up to a nicer room

[anonymous-dentist]

so like when does roier find out he's been using corpses to get comfy

As soon as he kills the first Blanket Demon. He simply does Not care. Like obviously he feels a little bad about it, but he’s in a desperate situation. After all, he’s only human.

[sevendeadlymorons]

Good noon! (Or morning/night) Hope you're doing well! I'd like to ask if you could do the one that was similar with "Brothers don't like MC?" But with the Dateables? 🙏👀 If not though! Then that's perfectly fine! Thank you reading my fair human person<3 pls take care!

Ok this was apparently really popular so here’s another with the lovely Dateables~

Writing Diavolo and Simeon was so hard, and I couldn’t even figure out how to write Luke so uhh I gave up heh sorry...

Brothers + Dateables Just Can’t Seem to Like MC

WARNING: Angst // Possible Emotional Abuse

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Lucifer

You could never understand the way he looks at you, or rather, how he ignores you after looking at you

His eyes are filled with hatred and you couldn’t understand why, you did nothing wrong yet he looked at you like you were a nuisance and a pain to be around

The way he said your name was cold and harsh and it reminded you of the way you were treated back in the human world, with so little respect, as if you were smaller and more insignificant than him

But little did you know, he hated you for everything you did. Your humour, your manners, the way you followed him around, expecting him to babysit you when he’s already pissed off with his brothers to begin with

He hates the way you loiter around him, waiting for a moment to talk to him only to be rejected and painfully ignored. He always enjoys watching your smile turn into a frown and your eyes slowly begin to water as you without hesitation turn to flee away from him

It tears you up inside, leaves your heart aching and you find yourself breaking down, tears flooding down your face as his cruel words repeat in your head

You’ve always wished that someone in any of these worlds would ever care about a human like you, but perhaps that wish may never come true

Mammon

You knew being around him annoyed him, why wouldn’t it? He was assigned to look after you; stripped of his freedom and privacy to be your new babysitter

You saw the way he looked at you in disgust, tears forming in your eyes as he throws insult after insult at you, not stopping when tears were flooding down your face after being called useless for the hundredth time

You wished he’d treat you nicer but you knew he only saw you as a weak human who’ll eventually be eaten by some lower demon which would rid him of you and his babysitting duties

Why must you always make life difficult for him, why should he deal with your fuck-ups? He wishes you disappeared, honestly

He can’t find a moment of peace with you around, constantly being called to save you from demons or to help you after getting lost, it’s such a hassle

It’s so hard to be there by his side all the time, constantly taking all the abuse he throws at you and being called sensitive when you break down in front of him

Your only wish is to make friends here. You thought maybe they’d care about you here, but perhaps life isn’t always that easy

Leviathan

He would never hold back when it came to you, worse than Mammon when it came to insulting you as you bite your lip to stop it from quivering

You were so insignificant to him and he let you know that, just a stupid normie who enjoyed getting in his way and pissing him off with your humour and your constantly loud personality

He ignores you, pushing you away and rejecting all conversations, and when he wasn’t doing that, he was insulting you until you felt it deep in your heart, your stomach sinking as you realise the Devildom will be no different from the human world

You knew your sadness irritated him as his brow furrowed and his lips crease into a grimace at how pathetic you looked stood in front of a powerful demon like him

It took all of him to not get physical with you as he’s not stupid enough to make Lucifer punish him for it, but in his head, he wants you gone

You never knew what you did wrong with Levi; you shared multiple interests with him yet he would continue to scoff and tease you and brush you off, locking himself back in his room

You sit alone at night in floods of tears, no one to talk to as you realise just how alone you are here and just how desperate you were for someone, anyone to like you

Satan

Nothing you said got his attention, well, not in a positive way anyway

You were a nuisance, he said it himself as he grabs your face, threatening you for the god knows how many times this week

He hates the way you were always around him, following him like some kind of dog and asking him meaningless questions that he had no interest in answering. You would him up, made him so angry sometimes that he wish you would just disappear. He didn’t care where to, as long as you weren’t in his sight

He loves to see you cry after telling you exactly how he feels about you and how every single one of his brothers and friends feel about you. You were nothing to him and you never will be

You’re brainless and clumsy and he doubts you’ll survive down here, not with how naive you were

You wanted so badly to befriend him, or at least for him to see you as a worthy person. You had enough shit thrown at you in the human world and all you wanted was a friend, someone to talk to and laugh with

You’ll forever have to remember that he does not care about you and you’ll forever be stuck alone

Asmodeus

Straight away, Asmo took a disliking to you, grimacing and inching away from you whenever you were near him, like a disease

Every time you tried talking to him, he wouldn’t even let you finish a sentence as he walks away, laughing at your pathetic excuse of a conversation along the way

He made your life Hell as he threw backhanded insults at you, making you feel worse than you already did and causing you to feel disgusting and unwanted

The avatar of Lust didn’t even want you, so you always wondered who ever would

In truth, he hated you for no particular reason. He just saw you as weaker than him and took advantage of that, making you feel worse and worse every day until you eventually decided to leave him alone, as he truly couldn’t stand your face nor your plain personality

You always end up alone in your room after a day of torment, tears flooding down your face as you stare at an empty screen, feeling so alone and unwanted

You wish he had a reason to hate you, you’d change yourself so he’d actually like you then. You just wanted someone to talk to and someone to love you, but perhaps you were just meant to be alone

Beelzebub

He hated how you were so curious, and so small compared to him. Just another human that he could easily devour in seconds

His eyes were always so dull when he looked at you. So emotionless and unbothered by your presence. And it hurt because they immediately lit up when his brothers walked in. Why couldn’t he look at you like that...?

He’d steal your food, snarling at you when you protest and terrifying you if you even went close to his food in the fridge. You knew he had it in for you and you just wish he didn’t

He saw you as lower than him, enjoying the tears that formed in your eyes when he would insult you and call you names, pushing you to limits that would soon break your heart

Some days he would ignore you and those normally hurt the most as you were forced to walk behind him and Belphie whilst they were laughing and having fun, leaving you behind like you weren’t even there

Nothing you could say could ever make him like you and you slowly began to accept that as you distanced yourself, allowing him to take your food and be his punching bag in a hope that maybe he’ll start to like you...

He was always so nice to everybody but you, just like everybody in the human world and you were so sick of it, so sick of the pain and the tears. You just wanted a friend in this dark, scary place

Belphegor

Seeing you just made him hate humans harder as he realised just how pathetic and annoying they all were

He never smiled nor made proper eye contact when you were around, all you got was a snarl, the cold shoulder and an occasional threat when he’s in a particularly bad mood

He reminds you how easily he could kill you; wrap his hands round your neck and suffocate you again like before. He likes to see the terrified look on your face as you back away from him

You were so scared of him, but you just wanted to befriend him because you felt alone and you wanted someone to reassure you that you’d be safe by their side, but he never let you feel that way, not even for a second

You couldn’t go near him whilst he slept without almost being injured and you also couldn’t be near him whilst he was awake because he’d insult you and make you feel sick to your stomach, feeling tears well up quickly

You break down, cradling your knees to your chest as you sob alone in a dark unfamiliar room with no one to turn to

Sometimes you wonder if you’d be better off actually dying by his hands as it’s all the same, wherever you go, everybody around you torments you and makes you feel awful

Diavolo

He loves everyone around him but when it came to you, he wishes he’d never even thought of the exchange program to begin with

You were obnoxious and so different to what he expected any normal human to be like

He kept his composure and mannerisms as royalty but he made it his job to ignore you and avoid you as often as he could

He knew it looked unprofessional on his side but he didn’t care as he continued to dodge you and skip past your questions in group meetings, giving you the cold shoulder when he saw you at RAD or in the castle when you visited

When he had to talk to you, the first thing you noticed was his dull, unentertained eyes and his lack of a cheery smile that he normally showed around Lucifer and his brothers. It made you feel so upset and like you were being treated differently

You thought maybe he would like you, but as the days passed and he kept on avoiding you and scowling at you when you occasionally bump into him, you knew it wouldn’t happen

He was the one who forced you to come here and you couldn’t even leave because who was there to go home to...

Barbatos

The Butler was the first person you saw, and he was also the first person to scowl at you in the Devildom

He normally had a serious look on his face, but when he sees you, it’s like his whole personality changes and he’s suddenly rude and harsh

You did nothing to him, not said one word, but it’s like he held something against you and it broke you. He didn’t even give you a chance and you could do nothing about it

You tried to befriend him because you wanted to so badly. Walking with him when he had free time and asking him questions to start conversation but nothing seemed to work, he just kept ignoring you

He wouldn’t insult you though, he wouldn’t even speak and that made it hurt even more as he stared you down with those dull eyes of his, forever judging you for absolutely nothing

You thought maybe assisting him around the castle would make him like you: cleaning up, helping cook. Just basic things that could make his life easier. But nothing worked, and he just left you to stand alone, heartbroken

You felt overwhelmingly lonely with no one to tell you how to survive this place or how everything worked. You realised you had a place nowhere in this world and that stung you hard as you felt tears finally drip down your cheeks

Simeon

You thought maybe an angel would be your friend, but as you watched him take one look at you and leave, your hope crumbled and your heart sank to your stomach

He walked past you every day, saying nothing as you waved at him to say hello, moving away from you so you didn’t touch him

He knew when he saw a human not worthy of his time. But he wasn’t going to insult you, he’ll spare you that heartache at least. He didn’t have any reason to dislike you, he just didn’t want to involve himself with someone like you. Someone so visibly lonely

Some days he’ll give you a pitied smile and a wave and watch your face light up. He honestly felt sorry for you, so lost in this new world, but he didn’t have the time to babysit a human like you

You’d follow him around, desperate to get his attention but you’d never actually get it. You’d get an excuse to not be there. All the time

You can’t help but cry, breaking down at the thought of being stuck here alone. Even an angel doesn’t like you, so nobody ever will

It’s always been this way though. People would avoid you and make excuses to not hang around you, everybody was the same; you felt foolish to believe anybody would ever see something in you

Solomon

When he heard another human would be here, he never expected someone like you

His first interaction with you was so clearly half arsed as he introduced himself, giving you that little bit of hope that maybe finally you’d found a possible friend only for him to never speak to you again after that

It broke your heart how nobody gave you a chance and just saw you as a weak human who needs demons to fend for them in this terrifying world

He may’ve pitied you though, seeing such a lost human like yourself made him remember how he used to be when he first entered the Devildom. But unlike you, he wasn’t useless

You tried to talk to him but you always got ignored or given a back handed insulted that would give you memories to when you were little in the human world

You thought being a human he’d understand how you may feel and you two may get along, but his eyes were always unbothered and he never smiled at you like he did around the brothers or the angels

Never in your life have you felt more ignored by your own kind and you lie alone in bed, thinking about all the shit he says to you over and over again and how little your importance is in all 3 worlds

Part 1 is here

[raindancer2004]

Rejected by a human?

Word Count: 6,561 Demetri x Swan reader Oneshot - Warnings: Angst, Fluff

Edward starts to step outside without his shirt on when Bella runs into his arms, asking to him to open his eyes and to go back inside. Bella says she can let him go now and Edward tells her that he loves her and that he can’t live in a world where she is not in it. They share a kiss as Demetri and Felix enter the hallway. Edward tells them “I won’t be needing your services after all gentlemen” “Still we should take this conversation to a more appropriate venue” Demetri replies. Edward nods and tells Bella to go and enjoy the festival. “The girl comes with us” says Felix. “Go to hell” Edward replies.

The doors burst open “Come on gentlemen, you don’t want to cause a scene” states Alice. “You wouldn’t” replies Felix. Demetri ignores the conversation between his friend and the female vampire as his eyes focus on the girl standing behind Alice. She has long brown hair and chocolate brown eyes. He feels a burning in the back of his throat but ignores it as takes her warm hand in his cold one as they all make their way to the throne room to meet with Aro, Caius and Marcus.

Once in the throne room Demetri keeps Y/N beside him, an arm wrapped around her holding her. Edward offers his hand to Aro. Aro tells the room that Bella is Edward’s La tua cantante and that Edward cannot read her mind. Aro then discovers that Bella is immune to his gift and Jane’s.

Edward and Felix then fight as Edward tries to stop Felix from killing Bella. Felix has Edward kneeling on the throne steps with his head in his hands ready to remove it, when Bella cries out “Kill me, kill me, not him, not him” Aro stops Felix and looks to Bella “You would give up your life for someone like us, a soulless monster” “You don’t know a thing about his soul” replies Bella. Before Aro can kill Bella Alice shows her vision of Bella becoming one of them, “Your gifts will make for an intriguing immortal Isabella. Go make your preparations” Aro says bringing his hands together.

Aro notices Demetri is holding a human in his arms. “What are we going to do with you my dear?” Aro says walking towards Demetri and Y/N; she hears a low growl escape Demetri as he pushes her behind him feeling the need to protect her.

Marcus recognises the mate bond and calls out “Brother” getting Aro’s attention, before getting up from his throne and offering his hand to Aro. Aro sees Marcus’ thoughts and sees that Y/N is Demetri’s mate. “Ahh it would seem another happy ending is to be had thanks to your visit” Aro says loudly. “What?” Y/N asks “It would seem that you are the mate of our dear Demetri.  You are True Bond Mates to be exact. This is rarer than Blood Singer Mate pairings like your sister and Edward” Marcus explains “The only other True Bond Mate pairing I have seen in my time was between my late wife and I” He continues. “What is a True Bond Mate pairing?” Y/N asks curious. “The True Bond Mate pairing is very sacred and should be treasured” Marcus answered smiling. “Wh-what happens now?” She asked “I’m sure Demetri would like the chance to get to know you and for you to get to know him in return” Aro replies. “So he’ll be coming back with us…?” “No my dear you will stay here with him” Aro continues “No. She can’t stay here” Bella cries out “Not with him!” “Now, now Bella, you know what you and Edward have been through the last six months, after all it is what led you here. Do you really want your sister and Demetri to go through that? It would be worse for them” Caius responds, Bella went to object when Edward shook his head at her.

“Thanks for the heads-up Alice” Y/N says sarcastically “What? Why are you blaming her?” Bella questioned. “Well Little Miss Crystal Ball over there” Y/N starts pointing to Alice, the Volturi guards chuckled “Would have seen this coming as soon as we decided to come here and save your precious Edward and yet she said nothing. Now I’m stuck here with someone I don’t know; someone who could kill me in an instant. I mean if she had told me this would happen, I could have at least a) packed some clothes and stuff or b) not come at all” Y/N finishes and Demetri feels sad hearing this, for he would never harm her for it would hurt him to do so. “I’m sorry Y/N, but I knew if I told you, you wouldn’t have come and that would cause problems for us in the future” Before anyone could respond to Alice, Edward said “We’ll be going now Aro” bowing his head “Thank you for your visit. Heidi will be here any moment” Marcus responds and with that Edward, Bella and Alice leave the throne room escorted by Demetri who took Y/N’s hand in his “Come cara mia, say goodbye to Bella” He says softly. Y/N watched as Edward, Alice and Bella left the castle “I can’t believe they’re leaving me here” She mumbled to herself, although Demetri heard and frowned slightly.

Demetri left Y/N at reception with Gianna. “I’ll come back and collect you shortly” Y/N nods and takes a seat and picks up a magazine to read. About 30 minutes later Demetri returns to reception and Y/N notices his eyes are a brighter shade of red than before. “Hello cara mia. Who do I have the pleasure of being mated to?” “My name is Y/N. You’re Demetri?” “Yes, yes I am. Come I’ll show you to my…our room that is unless you want me to stay away, then it will be your room until you decide otherwise” “Do I not get my own room?” She asked “Do you want your own room?” He enquired. “I-I don’t know what I want, I mean I only found out about vampires on the flight over” Demetri looked at her shocked “What do you know about vampires, about us?” “Only what Alice told me and to be honest that wasn’t a lot” He nodded “Can I ask you a question, although I don’t think I’m going to like the answer” “Go ahead cara mia. You can ask me anything” He replied “Y-your eyes, they’ve changed colour since I first met you a few hours ago. They’re brighter than before. Why is that?” “My eyes are brighter, redder than before because I have recently fed. My eyes get darker the thirstier I get” He replied “Oh ok. You drink human blood, right?” She looked a little worried “Yes Y/N I do, but you are safe with me. I promise you” She nodded although she wasn’t totally convinced.

They arrived at Demetri’s room “Sorry about all the stairs; the higher the rank of the guard, the higher the room in the castle” “That’s ok, just don’t expect me to find way back here if I leave the room” She let out a slight chuckle. Y/N noticed there was a marble fireplace on the right-hand side of the room with bookcases on either side; there was a blood red coloured rug in front of the fireplace. There was a sofa facing the fireplace with a matching chair to the right. On the wall opposite the door was a set of French doors leading to a balcony; a desk was placed to the right of the doors with a world map on the wall above the desk. On the wall opposite the French doors were 2 doors; one leading into a walk-in closet and the other leading into a large bathroom. Y/N noticed the bathtub on the left-hand side was big enough for two; a large walk-in shower was situated opposite the door. On the right-hand side of the room was a toilet and a double vanity unit with two sinks. “Wow. This is nicer than most hotels” Demetri heard her comment and smiled to himself. She then noticed the king size bed on the wall opposite the fireplace. “I thought vampires do not sleep” “It’s not for sleeping or at least it wasn’t before your arrival. A bed can be used for many things cara” He says softly in her ear whilst running his fingers up and down her arms; Y/N blushes and steps forward away from him. “Did you want to stay here on your own?” “No, I…” Demetri smiled “I don’t want to throw you out of your own room. Is there a guest room I could stay in?” Demetri’s smile faded upset that his mate didn’t want to stay with him or even stay in his room. “I’m sure I can arrange something, stay here”

He left the room and bumped into Heidi “Are you ok Dem?” “No. I finally meet my mate and she wants nothing to do with me” He replies sounding sad, Heidi looks confused. “She doesn’t wish to stay in my room with me or without me; she has asked to have her own room” He finishes. “Oh Dem don’t take it personally. This is all new to her. I mean the Cullens and her sister did just leave her here” She says sympathetically. “There’s an empty room opposite yours; Chelsea and I can turn it into her room” “Thank you at least she’ll be near me, all the other guest rooms are on the other side of the castle” “I know that’s why I offered. She can stay in my room in the meantime if that’s ok with you?” “Yes that should be ok. Come on we’ll go tell her”

“Y/N this is Heidi. You can stay in her room until yours is ready if you’d like?” “Hello Heidi, thank you for the offer, but I do not wish to throw you out of your room either” “No need to worry about that I’ll be too busy turning the empty room opposite Demetri’s into your room” “If you’re sure, that would be lovely thank you” Y/N smiled at her. “Do you have any bags with you?” Heidi asks looking around the room “No. It was only supposed to be a quick trip to bring Edward home so I didn’t pack anything” “I’ll take you shopping tomorrow and we’ll get you some stuff. In the meantime you can borrow something of mine” Heidi says smiling holding out her hand to Y/N “Come on I’ll show you to my room. Bye Demetri” “Take this” He says to Heidi too low for Y/N to hear and hands her his bank card. “Thank you Heidi. See you soon Y/N” “Bye Demetri” Y/N replies leaving the room. Demetri sighs and sits on the sofa his head in his hands ‘She is my mate and she wants nothing to do with me’ Demetri thinks to himself sadly.

Sometime later he stands and makes his way to the throne room “What a pleasant surprise my boy” Aro greets him “I would have thought you would be with your lovely mate” “Master” Demetri replies holding out his hand for Aro to read his thoughts. “Come with me” Aro says leading Demetri to his private study. “Be patient with her. She has just found out about vampires, about us few hours ago and on top of that she has a new home to get used to. She has also found out she is mated to a vampire” “I know but I want to be with her, help her settle in, get to know her and she won’t even stay in my room whether I’m there or not. Maybe I should have let her go” He looks down at the floor “Do not say that or think it. If anything happened to either of you, the other would end up like poor Marcus” Aro says placing a hand on Demetri’s shoulder. “Take care of her, treasure her my dear boy. She will come to love you in time.” “Thank you master. I hope so”

The following morning Heidi takes Y/N shopping for new clothes and stuff for her room. First stop was Boux Avenue for underwear; followed by a boutique shop “They do lovely dresses in here” Heidi says pulling Y/N into the shop. They bought a black knee length sleeveless dress, a black dress with spaghetti straps and a cow neck, an emerald green dress that came to her mid-thigh, a black waist length jacket and a black pair of stilettos. The next shop they went into they picked out jeans, t-shirts, pyjamas – both long trouser sets and short sets and a pair of flat black shoes. They also picked up toiletries and make-up. “I can’t pay you back for this stuff, I don’t have much money with me” Y/N said to Heidi “Don’t worry about the cost. Demetri has given me his card and told me to get you anything you need/want” Heidi said smiling “I can’t pay him back either” “Like I said Y/N do not worry about the cost, he won’t accept any money from you anyways. He is your mate and he’ll look after you”

Heidi then took Y/N into a department store “Let’s pick out some stuff for your room” Y/N chose some blue and grey bed sets “Blue is my favourite colour” She told Heidi. Heidi bought a big silver-grey rug to go in front of the fireplace and some grey cushions with blue flowers on; these were to go on the new black sofa Heidi ordered for the room. Y/N picked a large cream blanket, black and grey bath sheets, hand towels and wash cloths; whilst Heidi selected a coffee table, two beside tables and two lamps. “Demetri might change his mind about paying for all this when his statement comes in” Y/N chuckled softly “I can assure you he won’t and anyways the stuff for your room comes out of the castle decorating account”

While Y/N and Heidi were shopping Chelsea tidied Y/N’s room removing the boxes and storing them in a cupboard down the hall. Demetri lit the fire in Heidi’s room to ensure the room was warm ready for when they returned as Y/N’s room wasn’t ready for her yet.

“Good afternoon Heidi, Y/N, cara mia. I trust you had a good time shopping” Demetri said taking the bags from Y/N “We did thank you Demetri” Y/N replied walking beside him.

Later that evening Demetri went to Heidi’s room to give Y/N her dinner “Gianna made chicken pasta with garlic bread and salad for you both. I hope it’s ok” “Thank you Demetri for bringing it to me. It looks delicious. Please thank her for me” He nodded and sat beside her on the sofa “Why did you come with Bella to save Edward?” He asked “Bella is my sister and asked me if I’d come with her, so I agreed…” She trails off “You wish you hadn’t come now?” He asked “Honestly, yes a little” He frowned “I don’t mean to upset you but this is going to take time to get used to; being the True Bond Mate of a vampire, especially as I always thought vampires were just characters in books and films” She answered him “I know cara mia. This is new for me too but we’ll work it out together” He smiled at her and she nodded unsure if she wanted to work it out with him.

The following morning Heidi came back to her room “Good morning Y/N, your room is ready whenever you are” “Thank you Heidi” They made their way to Y/N’s room that was opposite Demetri’s and Y/N noted it had a fireplace on the right-hand side of the room and a double bed on the wall opposite the fireplace, which Heidi had put a blue duvet set on. On the wall opposite the door were two doors; one leading into a small walk-in closet and other into a bathroom, which was smaller than Demetri’s. It had a normal size bathtub on the left-hand side and walk-in shower on the wall opposite the door, on the right hand side was a toilet and single vanity unit with a sink. The walls were cream and complimented the black and grey bath sheets, hand towels and wash cloths she had picked out. “Sorry there’s no balcony with your room” Heidi says to Y/N as she tries out the new sofa “I’m sure Demetri wouldn’t mind if you used his balcony if you wanted to sit outside anytime” “That’s ok, no worries, at least there’s plenty of light considering the lack of windows” Y/N replied “That’s true and we kept the walls a neutral colour for that reason also” “Thank you so much for doing this for me, I appreciate it. It just felt weird to stay with someone I didn’t know” Y/N explains, Heidi nods “I’m sure he understands”

Demetri comes to see Y/N that evening and brings her a few books from his room “Evening cara mia. I have bought you some of my books for you to borrow as there aren’t any in here” “Oh um…thank you. Y-you didn’t need to do that” She stuttered “I didn’t want you to get bored in here. I wasn’t sure what you liked so I bought a few different options” He replies as he places the books on the coffee table. “The room looks nice; I like the colour scheme” “Thank you. Blue is my favourite colour and it goes well with grey/silver” She replies and he nods “May I?” He asks pointing to the sofa; Y/N nods and Demetri sits on the other end of the sofa, leaving the middle cushion empty between them. They sat in silence for a while before Y/N broke it with a question “What do you do here?” “I am one of the four elite guards. I along with Felix train the lower and transitory guards” He answers and Y/N nods “Do you have a gift like Edward and Alice?” “Yes I do. I am a tracker. I pick up on the essence of someone’s mind and can follow it like a scent over any distance. To be able to do this I have to either have met that person physically or anyone who has met the person in the past” He explained “That’s interesting. Can you track me?” She asked “Yes I can although I cannot track your sister” “If I ever get lost all I have to do is call you and you can find me, like a GPS in reverse” She says chuckling, he chuckles too “Exactly. Although hopefully I won’t lose you” He replies. “Thank you for my new clothes. Heidi said you gave her your card to pay for them” “You’re very welcome. If you need/want anything else just let me know” He replies, she nods and gives him a small smile; feeling oddly safe with him although she wouldn’t tell him that anytime soon. “Am I allowed to leave the castle, to look around Volterra and stuff?” She asked “You can but I’d rather you didn’t go out alone, just in case something happens. Which reminds me please do not wander the halls of the castle alone as the lower guards do not have the best self-control around humans” He answered her “I understand and thank you for advising me about the lower guards. I’ll be careful” She replies. ‘Great so I need a chaperone when I go out now’ she thinks to herself.

The following morning Y/N got up and ready and made her way to Heidi’s room “Morning Heidi, any chance you’re free to come and look around Volterra with me?” “I’m free for a couple of hours” Heidi replies. Demetri was making his way to Y/N’s room after grabbing her breakfast from the kitchen when he heard this exchange and felt a little hurt that Y/N didn’t ask or want him to accompany her, as it would have given them a chance to get to know one another more. He had been given some days off by the kings so he could spend time with his new mate and had planned to spend the day with her but decided against it after hearing her conversation with Heidi, so he returned her breakfast to the kitchen and spent the day reading in his room.

A few hours later there was a knock on his door “Hey D, how you doing?” “Hi Fe, I’m fine” Felix entered the room and sat on the chair “You don’t seem fine. How come you’re not with your mate?” “Because she’d rather spend time with Heidi than me. In fact she’d rather spend time with anyone that isn’t me. She’d even probably prefer the twins over me” He closed his book and put it on the coffee table “I’m sure that’s not the case” Felix says “No it is, I went to see her last night and we talked for a bit but I got the impression she was relieved when I left her room so she could sleep” Demetri added “I’m sorry D” Felix said sympathetically “Don’t be. I should have guessed that after all this time, meeting my mate wouldn’t work out the way I thought or wanted it to” He eyes began to fill with tears that would never fall. “What are you going to do?” Felix asked “Not sure, I’m worried if I keep trying to get to know her when she wants nothing to do with me, I’ll push her away; but if I don’t do anything she may think I don’t care” Demetri replied “Yea that’s a tough one D. All you can do is try” Felix advised, feeling sorry for his friend.  

Heidi and Y/N return to the castle and Y/N decided to go for a nap, hoping she’d be left alone. Demetri knew they had returned but decided to stay in his room, figuring if Y/N wanted to see him, she’d come to him but she stayed in her room for the entire night.

Demetri knocked on her door the following morning “Come in” Came a sleepy response “Morning Y/N, I wondered if you’d like to go out for breakfast with me?” He asked sounding hopeful “No thank you Demetri, I’m not that hungry” She replied “Ok I understand” Demetri closed her bedroom door and sped to the training room “Fe I need to hit something or someone hard” He growled loudly “Come on then D” Felix replied and Demetri didn’t hesitate; he thumped his best friend hard and Felix stumbled back from the force “Thank you Fe” “No worries. Better me than a wall. I’m going to assume this is Y/N related” He replied rubbing his jaw “I’m going to ask Aro if I can resume my duties, no point having time off to get to know her if she doesn’t want to get to know me” He sounded defeated, Felix nodded feeling sorry for his friend.

Aro wouldn’t let Demetri resume his duties stating “You need to give her time but you also need to make sure she feels cared for. Don’t give up my boy” “I understand master” Demetri sighed and made his way back to his room, grabbing a book and sat on the balcony reading.

“I think I’ll visit Y/N and have a chat with her about mates” Marcus said looking to Aro and Caius.

Marcus paid Y/N a visit that evening “Good evening my dear, I was hoping we could talk?” “Evening Marcus, of course come in” She replied. Marcus sat on the sofa next to Y/N “How have you been?” He asked “I’ve been ok thank you. Heidi decorated my room for me and we went shopping for clothes and things for the room” She replied “Yes, I see you’re not staying with Demetri. May I ask why?” He questioned “I didn’t feel comfortable staying with someone I don’t know nor did I think it fair for him to leave his room for me. I asked if I could stay in a guest room or something and Heidi offered to do fix up this room. I suppose she chose this room as it’s opposite his” She answered him. “What do you know about mates Y/N?” There was silence for a few moments before she answered Marcus’ question “Only what you told me when I arrived here. Why?” “Well Y/N, there are some things you need to know. First if a vampire is away from their mate for too long, they start to miss them; the longer they are apart they start to become sad; this can lead to feeling depressed. Second if a vampire loses their mate then they become lonely and heartbroken, like me after I lost my mate centuries ago. Third there is only one mate per vampire; if we lose them or are rejected by them then we remain alone for forever” He spoke softly “Why are you telling me this?” She asked “I’m telling you this because your actions affect Demetri as well as yourself. He is one of our more reasonable guards; he’s not very talkative but he’s polite, formal even. He has also been described as elegant and charming by others that have met him” “You speak very highly of him Marcus” “That’s because I think highly of him; I have known him for many centuries and he is my own personal guard” Marcus smiled. Y/N nodded. “You know I only came here because my sister asked for my company and my whole life changed. I find out vampires really do exist and to top it off I’m mated to one” She explained “You should know a vampire’s mate is someone to be treasured, protected and above all else loved for eternity. Demetri would be an amazing mate to you if you let him. You should know that he had given up on the idea of finding his mate” Marcus said shifting slightly “What? Why?” She asked curious “He has been around for over 1000 years and had never met his mate; so he assumed that she must died before he had the chance to meet her or that maybe he just wasn’t meant to have one. Therefore, he stopped looking a few centuries ago and then you walk into the castle and into his life and…he feels so lucky to have finally found you; but the way you are acting towards him…is hurting him, even if he won’t admit it.” He said sadly “I’m not trying to hurt him; it’s just a lot to take in and to get used to” She defended “He just wants a chance to get to know you Y/N” “But I don’t know if I want this though, to be with a vampire, to become immortal. I always thought I’d grow up get married, have children and now I find out that none of that is going to happen. I mean I don’t even get to pick who I spend eternity with” Y/N said tears starting to fill her eyes “I understand that my dear but please remember what I said.”

Demetri heard this last part and felt his undead heart break, ‘She doesn’t want me, doesn’t want to spend eternity with me’. He knocked on her door once and left the tray of food outside her room and returned to his room grabbing a jacket and left the castle to go hunting.

Thirty minutes later he was standing on the roof of a building opposite a dive bar watching the humans below; happy couples coming and going. ‘I just wanted a chance. I would have done anything to make her happy…if she’d just given me a chance’ He thought. He drained and disposed of two humans that night before returning to the castle ensuring to be back by sunrise.

Meanwhile Marcus made his way to his room leaving Y/N to think about their conversation. Y/N left her room and crossed the hall to Demetri’s room “Demetri?” She called out as she opened his door; she got no response so she stepped into the room to see if he was on the balcony or in the bathroom. He wasn’t in his room so she decided to wait for him, figuring he wouldn’t be long. She grabbed his cloak from the bed and wrapped it around her shoulders as it was a little cold and sat on the sofa, picking up a book to read from his coffee table. She fell asleep curled up with the book waiting for him to return.

Demetri was shocked when he returned to his room before sunrise to find Y/N there; curled up on his sofa asleep with his cloak wrapped around her. He smiled at the sight in front of him but approached her with caution not wanting to scare her and shook her arm gently “Hi Y/N” He said softly “Mmm” Came the sleepy response, he smiled again and left her where she was and lit the fire to warm the room for her.

A few hours later Y/N woke up to find herself still Demetri’s room; wearing his cloak, and him sitting the in the chair reading “Good morning Y/N” “Good morning Demetri. Sorry for falling asleep in your room” “No need to apologise cara, you’re welcome anytime. I’m sorry I wasn’t here when you came by, I was out hunting” He replied “That’s ok, I just wanted to talk to you” She said fiddling with his cloak “What did you want to talk about?” He asked “I-it doesn’t matter now” She replied getting up and making her way to the door. “Did you want to spend some time together today?” He asked “Er, no I-I can’t. I’ve got plans” She said walking out the door. “It was worth a try I guess” He mumbled to himself, unknown to him Y/N had heard him and despite feeling a little guilty she returned to her room.

A few days later Demetri left for a mission with Felix and the twins “Have you said goodbye to Y/N?” Felix asked “No. It’s not like she’d care anyway” Demetri responded sounding indifferent, Alec went to say something but Jane put her hand on his shoulder and shook her head “Don’t” She mouthed to her twin. “Are you boys ready?” She asked and they nodded in response and made their way to the castle doors.

Y/N found Heidi, Corin and Chelsea in the kitchen “Have any of you seen Demetri? He’s not in his room” She asked the female vampires “He went on a mission for the masters. Did he not tell you?” Heidi responded “No, no he didn’t. It must have been a last-minute thing” Y/N replied, feeling a little hurt that he left without saying goodbye. Y/N left to make her way back to her room ‘I really have hurt him, just as Marcus said’ she thought to herself.

“I know Y/N hasn’t shown any interest in getting to know him but he at least could have said bye to her. She is his mate after all” Heidi said “I don’t blame him for not telling her. It’s not like she’s given him a reason to think of her or her feelings is it?” Chelsea responded defending his actions “But Chels” “No Heidi. Do you know how many times he has asked her out? Asked to spend time with her? And every time she turns him down. I think he’s accepted that she doesn’t want him. I’m sorry but he deserves better, better than her” Chelsea replied sounding a little angry “I agree with Chelsea. He has waited so long to find his mate, only then to be rejected by her. I feel sorry for him; he doesn’t deserve to be treated that way and especially not by a human” Corin said also sounding a little angry too “What have you got against human mates?” Heidi asked “Nothing, usually, but this situation has annoyed me. Does she think she’s too good for him or something? I’ll tell you this if I were her, I’d think myself lucky my mate was Demetri and not Alec or Felix” Corin added. “I agree with Corin, if I had a choice of Dem or Alec or Felix, I know who I’d choose. True Bond Mates is a rare and sacred pairing and she’s just thrown it away” Chelsea said.

Y/N had heard this conversation as she had stopped when she heard Heidi say her name, curiosity getting the better of her, although she wished she hadn’t now, after hearing Chelsea say that Demetri deserved better than her. That night she cried herself to sleep thinking of how badly she’d treated Demetri these past weeks, how much he must hate her now and that she’ll be alone in the castle forever.

Demetri, Felix and the twins had been gone four days now and Y/N was bored so she decided to take a look around the castle, wondering the many corridors. Without realising it she had walked to the other side of the castle and that is when she felt it; a rush of air and suddenly she was pinned against a cold, hard wall, in a poorly lit corridor. “Lucky me, I’ve found a snack” The male vampire whispered in her ear, his cold hand against her throat “I-I’m not a s-snack. I-I’m Demetri’s mate” She stuttered “Yes, I’ve heard of you. Although you are not his mate…not any longer” He licked her cheek “I heard you rejected him” He licked her neck, his hold tightening “I’m doing him a favour really by getting rid of you, he’ll get over you much quicker if you’re not around” Tears slipped down her cheek as she felt his teeth graze over her neck “SShh, don’t cry human. This won’t hurt for long” She closed her eyes and waited for him to bite her.

Just then she felt another rush of air pass her then she heard what sounded like china breaking and growling “Dem go to her” Felix said, Demetri rushed to her side and removed the vampire’s severed hand from her neck and scooped her into his arms, sitting on the nearby bench. “You’re ok cara mia. I’ve got you” He said low; one arm around her waist, the other cradling her head to his chest whilst stroking her hair. She was crying, her breathing was uneven “Deep breaths Y/N. In and out. Copy me” He breathed in and out, although he didn’t need to, trying to calm her down. Her breathing started to slow trying to match his. “Mine” He growled low in her ear, stroking her hair and she felt a warm spark go through her. Meanwhile as Felix continued dismembering the lower guard; Demetri held Y/N closer to him; breathing in her scent ‘Cherries and Honey’ “You’re safe now. I promise” He purred in her ear, feeling her relax slightly in his hold.

“Take her back to her room D. I will inform the masters” Felix said as he passed them. “Thank you Fe” He responded.

Demetri stood and carried Y/N in his arms bridal style straight to his room; laying her on his bed, after kicking off his shoes and removing his cloak he climbed on beside her and took her into his arms. She was crying into his chest “I-I’m sorry” She whimpered and moved out of his arms sitting up. Demetri sat up beside her and took her warm hand in his cold one and looked into her eyes. “I love you Y/N. Your happiness is very important to me. Please…give me a chance to show you how much you mean to me. Give me a chance to make you happy” He was pleading with her now; he couldn’t lose her, not now he had finally found her. “You-you still want me, even after I-I pushed you away?” She asked surprised “Yes, I still want you, I always have. You are my mate…mine forever if you’d have me?” He asked hopeful, she nodded “Yes. I’ll give you a chance, give us a chance” She gave him a small smile; he kissed her forehead and wrapped his arms around her. “I-I missed you while you were gone” She said quietly; he felt his heart warm at this “I missed you too and I’m sorry I didn’t say goodbye” He replied “I understand why you didn’t. I just hope you can forgive me and hopefully I’ll deserve you one day” She sniffled “What are you talking about?” He asked sounding confused “It’s nothing” She whispered “Y/N…tell me, please…why do you think you don’t deserve me?” He pulled back slightly so he could see her “Chelsea said that you-you deserve better…better than me; because of how I’ve treated you these past weeks, you know pushing you away whenever you ask to spend time with me” He took her face in his hands, thumbs wiping away the falling tears “Do not worry about what others think mi amore. You are my mate and although you had pushed me away, I still took care of you” He replied softly. “Can I ask you a question?” He nodded “How come you didn’t tell me you were going on a mission?” She asked, tears still falling “Honestly?” He asked and she nodded “I didn’t think you’d care that I was leaving the castle” He answered “I’m sorry I made you feel that way” She told him sounding upset “When I found out you had left the castle and you hadn’t said bye it hurt” She continued “I’m sorry too Y/N, I should have said goodbye regardless of what was going on between us” He laid back down taking her with him in his arms. “We’ll figure this mate thing out together I promise, since it’s new to both of us” “You said that once before Demi” She pointed out “I meant it then and I mean it now” He replied kissing her hair and holding her close. “Demi, you said that you’re a tracker, right?” “Yes, that’s correct” He smiled that she had remembered that about him. “I was wondering if you will show me how your gift works one day?” She asked curious “Of course, I will. We can play hide and seek if you’d like? Although I must confess, I usually win” He replies smiling.

They stayed cuddled in each other’s arms for the rest of the day getting to know one another. “Stay with me tonight Y/N. Let me hold you while you sleep” He said low in her ear “I’d like that Demi, especially after everything that has happened today” She replied feeling safe in his arms “I promised I would keep you safe and I always will.” He vowed “I need you to know that I feel safe with you; I have done since I arrived, I just didn’t want to admit it before” He smiled and tightened his hold slightly “I’m glad to hear it mi amore” He stroked her hair and felt her relax as she fell asleep ‘I may just get my forever with her after all’ Demetri thought to himself as Y/N slept in his arms.

[chaoticpuff17]

When the Chips are Down

part 10

masterlist

Warnings: arguing, smut, pregnant smut, lactation kink (if you squint) 

hello my darlings, so I did a thing, a thing I did not know that I was going to be doing, but enjoy!--- chaotic puff 

She’d had some time with the other ladies after her appointment was over before Miss In ushered everyone out claiming that Y/N needed rest. Rest was well and good, but she would have preferred having company. She detested bed rest, but it was made better by the presence of a certain orange bundle of hate that had driven her regular fluffy white companion away. 

Hoseok had come to get Iyla, and he’d brought with him Chester. He shoved the cat into her arms muttering something about taking her demon cat back, but she couldn’t bring herself to care as she held the grumbly little cat. She couldn’t blame Hoseok for wanting him gone. Chester liked very few people. He liked her best and then Iyla. Jackson had been tolerated, but Chester was her little grump, a little grump who had set up shop half sprawled across her belly and refused to move, meowing unhappily anytime someone got to close. This was how Namjoon found her later that night. 

She was content as she could be given the situation, curled up a bundle of yarn and a crochet hook when Namjoon walked in.

“I’m sorry I was away so long.” he sent her a tired smile, crossing the room to kiss her forehead only to jump back as her little orange protector hissed at him. “What is that doing back here?” he asked, taking another step back to put a little more distance between himself and Chester. The cat might not have been in the estate for long, but everyone knew that he was a bad tempered little demon. 

“Hoseok brought him over when he came to get Iyla.” she hummed, gently scratching under Chester’s chin earning herself a contented purr from the cat. 

Namjoon sighed tiredly, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Can’t Hoseok take it back?” 

“No.” she huffed, sending him a dark look. 

“You have Moni.” 

“I also have Chester.” 

“Chester is a living horror.” Namjoon huffed, staring at the cat with distaste. “I  can get you a new cat, a better cat.” 

“I like Chester. Picked him up from the streets. He was a skinny little thing then.” she mused fondly, pausing the repetitive motion of her fingers so she could give the cat a little scratch around the ears. 

“No. No street cats. He could have diseases.” 

She scoffed, picking up the crochet hook again. “I’ve had Chester for years. He doesn’t have any diseases.” 

“I’ll get you a puppy.” he offered, practically begging her to send the nightmare of a cat back to Hoseok. 

“I already have a dog.” 

“A dog who is terrified of that thing.” Carefully, Namjoon approached the bed again, wary of the cat. “It’s a street cat. I can find you something better, something nicer.” 

Her hands stilled, her shoulders suddenly pulled back in a rigid posture that matched the incredulous look in her eye and the flash of ire in their depths. “So that means I’m free to go.” 

“What? Of course not...”

“I lived on the streets, so did Iyla. Who knows what kind of diseases we could be carrying? You can find something better.” 

He was silent, letting her words sink in, very quickly realizing the error of his words. “That’s not… I’m sorry, jagi. That’s not what I meant.”  She huffed, refusing to answer him as she kept her jaw set in irritation, picking up her project again, aggressively working through the next couple of stitches. “Jagi…”  He took a step closer, sitting down on the edge of the bed reaching for her only to draw his hand back as the cat took a swipe at him with an angry yowl. 

“Careful. He’ll get you.” she scoffed. “And you never know what sort of diseases we could be carrying.” 

“Jagi, I never meant…” 

“Then what did you mean?” she looked up, quirking a brow. “I think you were quite clear on your feelings about it.” 

“I would never… I didn’t mean.” he sighed trying to collect himself. “I could never find anyone better than you.” 

“Go to the bad part of town and you’ll find a dozen girls just like me, just like I was all those years ago.” 

“But they’re not you.” he urged sitting on the bed despite Chester taking another swipe at him. Joon had other ideas though. Quickly and carefully as he could, he removed the cat from her belly, earning himself some scratches in the process as the cat tried to take a bite out of him. 

“What are you doing?” she cried setting down her project again. 

“I’d like to talk to my wife without your little orange demon keeping me at arm’s length.” he huffed practically tossing the cat off the bed. As soon as the cat was out of the way, he took her hands in his, urging her to look at him. “I never meant to insult you or your past. I know how hard it was for you, for Iyla. If I could have taken you away from that, I would have. Marcus never would have laid a hand on you.” he reached up a hand to cup her cheek even though she turned away from  his touch. 

“You can’t change the past, and who even says I would have wanted you?” 

“I love you, jagi.” he promised, turning her face back to his. “If you would just let me…” 

“You’d what?” she asked, voice harsh and brows scrunched together. “You’d give up your business? You’d let Iyla leave? You’d let me have my freedom? What would you do?” 

“I would give you the world.” 

She huffed, rolling her eyes. “I don’t want the world. I never did. I just wanted my family to be safe.” 

“I can keep you safe. I will protect you and our family.” he urged. “Nothing will ever hurt you while I’m here.” 

“Except for you?” 

He tensed but forced himself to relax. “I don’t want to hurt you, jagi. I want you safe and happy, you and the baby.” 

“We were happy in Italy.” 

“Happy with me.” he amended, slightly annoyed by her mention of Italy. He was still silently fuming about having to release Mark, and he didn’t want any reminders of her time away from him,  not when they were so close to having their perfect little family. “I could make you so happy, jagi.” 

She rolled her eyes again, turning her attention back to the project at hand, taking her other hand away from Namjoon so she could get back to work.

“What are you working on?” 

“If all goes well? It should be a teddy bear.” 

“For the baby?” she hummed her assent. “How did the appointment go?” he asked, settling himself on the bed beside her. 

“Baby’s fine. I’m fine.” 

He wrapped his arm around her shoulder, pulling her into his side as she continued with her stitches. “I’m sorry I couldn’t be there. I have to get things in order for the birth, so I can be here with you and the baby. Did you get a picture?” he asked hopefully. 

“It’s over on the table.” she nodded. “Healthy baby. The doctor said that she should be here in about five weeks.” 

“Five?” He asked, turning his attention away from the ultrasound photo. “I thought you were due in six.” His eyes darted between her face and the belly, before he froze his eyes, wide as saucers, slowly settling on her face. “She?” he asked, voice barely above an awed whisper. “It’s a girl?” 

A bright smile spread across her features as she nodded. She couldn’t be mad when she was talking about her baby, her little girl, and she couldn’t deny his awe was endearing. 

“A girl.” he whispered, eyes drifting down to her belly in awe, hands settling on it as he bent down so that he was eye level with her bump. “Hi, princess. Your mom and I are so excited to meet you, but you need to stay safe in there for a few more weeks okay? You have to stop giving your mom and I such scares. You’re giving me gray hair.” he murmured, pressing a kiss to her belly. “You can do that for me. Okay, princess?” 

Y/N suppressed a laugh, and Namjoon looked up at her with a big grin. He was different now than when she left. He was less soft, more chiseled. His features had become sharper, and she could definitely see the muscles straining under his suit jacket. She had to admit, he looked good, a little tired, but good. Their time apart had changed both of them apparently. 

 “We’re having a girl.” 

“We are.” she nodded with a grin of her own, only to be caught off guard as Namjoon darted up and caught her in a deep kiss,  entangling his hands in her short hair. 

“We’re having a girl.” he murmured again once he pulled away before diving in for another kiss. “I love you, jagi.” he went in for another kiss, only to be shocked by the moan that Y/N released. He pulled away slightly looking down at her, the cogs in his head turning. 

Slowly, he slid a hand down to rest against her breast giving it a tentative squeeze and was rewarded by a gasp from his wife. “So sensitive.” he praised, feeling the weight of her breast in his hands. They were definitely bigger now.

“Namjoon…” she warbled, bringing a shaky hand up to his shoulder in a weak attempt to push him away. She would have been lying if she said she wasn’t horny. All the hormones rushing through her body had left her a little more than frustrated for a lot of her pregnancy, but Mark had taken care of some of that. Mark wasn’t here now though. Namjoon was. 

“Shh, jagi.” he purred, trailing kisses down her neck, nipping at her pulse. “Let me make you feel good.” 

“Namjoon… the baby!” she gasped, fingers clutching the material of his suit as he bit down on her collarbone

“The baby’s fine. The doctor tells me things too.” he pulled away to look up at her with a mischievous grin. “You’re leaking, jagi.” he chuckled, rolling her nipple through the thin material of her nightgown. 

“Namjoon!” she scolded, pushing against his shoulder again. 

“It’s good.” he grinned. “You’re getting ready for our baby.”  

“It’s embarrassing.” she hissed. 

“It’s natural.” he pulled down her nightgown to expose her breasts. 

“They’re sore.” she warned, trying to steer him away from her chest. 

“I can help with that.” he grinned, leaning down to take one of her nipples into his mouth, rolling the bud around with his tongue. 

“Namjoon!” she cried, her hands flying up to his hair. 

“You taste divine, jagi.”  he purred looking up from her breast. 

“Stop.” she gasped as he leaned down to pay attention to her other breast. “We should stop.” 

He paused, looking up at her with that same mischievous look on his face. “Why?” he asked. “You’re my wife, and I want to make love to my beautiful,” a kiss was placed on her neck. “Pregnant,”  Another kiss. “Wife.” by this point he had worked his way up to her face again, placing the final kiss on her lips. “Will you let me do that?” he whispered, forehead pressed against hers. 

“Okay.” she whispered.

She could regret it in the morning, blame it on the hormones or the rush of endorphins or just the general horniness she’d been feeling for months, but for now she was going to let a very attractive man make love to her and pretend like this was normal. She was going to pretend that she was happy and in love and celebrating her baby girl with the love of her life even if she wasn’t. She could regret it in the morning. 

Namjoon didn’t hesitate once he had her permission, getting to work relieving them both of their clothes, cursing himself for the three piece suit he’d chosen that morning. It had too many layers, too many buttons. This was the first time in months he was going to be able to touch her, to make love to her, and he was the idiot wearing a three piece suit. 

He’d noticed during their bath the changes to her body, but it was fascinating to see them up close, to be able to worship them as he should have been able to do from the beginning. There were stretch marks on her hips, extending up her belly, and he made sure to press a kiss to each one. Her hips were fuller, and her belly, god her belly, it was glorious, round and soft and all because of him. That was his child, his daughter, in there, the perfect little angel that he and Y/N had made. He still couldn’t believe it. A daughter, he was going to have a daughter. He could practically see her now. She’d have her mother’s eyes and his dimples, and she’d be quick as a wip. She was going to be beautiful, just like her mother. 

“I love you.” He murmured against her belly as he practically ripped her underwear from her. 

It had been a long eight months without her. Yes, there had been other women, but they couldn’t compare to her. No one could ever compare to her.

“Namjoon.” she mewled a tone of neediness in her voice that he had never heard before, and he swore under his breath catching sight of what waited for him between her legs. 

“You’re dripping for me, jagi.” he growled, rubbing two fingers over her slit. “Soaked just for me.” she whimpered, her hips bucking up a little in search of something more than the light touches he was giving her, and Namjoon was more than happy to give that to her. 

She was wet enough that he had no problem plunging two fingers directly into her heat eliciting the most enticing moan from her. He wanted nothing more than to bury himself in her right there and then, but he knew she needed to be prepped before he could do that. He didn’t want to hurt her, not again. The last time they’d been together had been traumatizing for her, and he didn’t want anything to hurt her during their first time together again. 

His thumb rubbed circles around her clit as he continued to pump his fingers in and out of her watching closely as she came closer and closer to coming undone. Just before she was about to fall over the edge, he pulled away, and Y/N cried out in protest.

“I want you to come around my cock, jagi.” He growled, flipping her over gently, helping her onto her hands and knees so that there would be no strain on her belly.  “Can you do that for me?” 

“Please, Namjoon.” she begged, resting on her forearms forehead pressed down onto the pillow as she stuck her ass out. 

“Anything for you.” he promised, pressing a kiss to the small of her back before lining himself up with her entrance. 

They both groaned as he sunk into her. “Shit, jagi. You’re still so tight.” he groaned, forcing himself to keep still as she adjusted to his size. “So tight for me.” 

He was careful as he began to move. He went slow, each thrust deliberate, enjoying the feel of her around him, enjoying the sounds she made. Slowly he began to pick up speed, one hand kept still on her hip while the other reached between them to play with her clit building her back up to the orgasm that he’d denied her before. He was reaching his own high embarrassingly quickly, but it had been so long since he’d had the privilege of being with her like this. 

He could feel her shaking, her walls spasming around him as she trembled on the edge of her high. “Cum for me.” He growled, his thrusts picking up speed. “Cum with me, jagi.” 

It wasn’t long before they were both crying out in pleasure as their orgasms ripped through them. Namjoon kept thrusting lazily into her, dragging out her pleasure as she shook like a leaf beneath him. 

Once they had both caught their breath, Namjoon eased out of her, carefully helping her back onto her side, wedging a pillow under her belly to help ease the weight of it. 

“I’ll be right back, jagi.” he promised as she whined reaching back towards him. “I need to get you cleaned up.” 

He was quick, washing himself up as swiftly as possible, and returning to her with fresh pajamas for both of them, and a wet washcloth to clean up the mess he’d left between her legs. 

“Joon.” she whined, flinching as he cleaned her up, and he whispered apologies knowing she had to be sensitive. 

Once they were both cleaned up and dressed, Namjoon settled them both down under the covers, pressing her back to his chest so that he could wrap his arms around her, so that he could keep both her and their daughter close. 

“I love you so much, jagi.” he whispered into her neck as she hummed sleepily. “So, so much.” 

part 11

[blu-joons]

DAD MONSTA X A⇴Z HEADCANON ⇴ Chae Hyungwon

A ⇴ AFFECTION

It doesn’t matter where or when, Hyungwon will always be ready to be affectionate with you. He loves to attack you from behind and wrap his frame around yours whilst holding onto tightly to your bump to keep it secure.

B ⇴ BUMP

Whilst he can never understand how hard your bump is for you, Hyungwon tries his hardest to be as much as help as possible to you. He’s always reading up on techniques and tricks that he can try in order to ease some of your pain, he’s willing to give anything a go, no matter how big or small of an impact it has on you.

C ⇴ CRAVINGS

Your cravings often leave Hyungwon fascinated, unable to make sense of why you enjoy certain combinations. He never wanted to make you feel bad for craving certain foods, but Hyungwon couldn’t understand sometimes the urge inside of you that thought combining two of you least favourite foods together would make you like them.

D ⇴ DUE DATE

After your due date had passed, you particularly began to worry what was going on. Hyungwon, as ever, was calm, and trying to keep you calm too as you fretted. He ended up looking up things that you could do to help induce labour, having been saved by research multiple times before. You ended up losing count of how many walks the two of you went on around your street for the next few days until eventually your waters broke.

E ⇴ EMOTIONS

For the most part throughout your pregnancy, Hyungwon was the much more relaxed of the two of you, taking things day by day. Around others, especially the other members, Hyungwon let go of his nerves a lot more, confiding in them as he didn’t want to worry you. He was very protective of you, and most of all he was determined to keep you relaxed and not give you something else to worry about in him.

F ⇴ FAMILY

Your families had always gotten along incredibly well with one another, and your pregnancy was the final piece to really bring the two sides of your families together as one. They loved hosting huge family events to celebrate that the two of you were about to become a three, spending the time getting to know each other, with your mother’s often giving you both plenty of pieces of advice from their own experiences too.

G ⇴ GENDER

Hyungwon left the ball in your court when it came to deciding whether you were going to find out what you were having. He didn’t mind too much either way, but when you were the one who was carrying the baby, he thought it would be nice to let you decide and see if you wanted to know what you were carrying or not.

H ⇴ HEARTBEAT

The sound of your baby’s heartbeat always managed to leave Hyungwon stunned. It was like a switch sometimes, you’d watch his eyes disappear as he got lost in the sound of the beats as if they were the only thing he could listen to in the room, eventually having to be brought back into the room by you shaking him.

I ⇴ “I LOVE YOU”

Whenever he came home from work, Hyungwon would always tell you that he loved you, usually then surprising you with some of your favourite snacks from the store too. You hated being alone whilst you were pregnant, and so he’d always make sure to make it up to you with a few of your favourite things.

J ⇴ JEALOUSY

If he can tell that something doesn’t feel right in a situation, Hyungwon will always slide his arm around your bump. He’s not always jealous in doing so, but he is incredibly wary, quick to put a stop to something before he can tell that it’s going to make him feel jealous. He hates people being too close to you and your bump, especially so when he can tell that the last thing that you want is too many people surrounding you.

K ⇴ KICKS

Hyungwon loved to go in search of a spot where he could find a kick almost as soon as he wrapped his arms around you. You loved how his hands would roam, refusing to help him find a spot until eventually his hand would brush over the smallest of kicks, settling there for some time until your baby had had enough.

L ⇴ LABOUR

He hated seeing you in labour, the feeling of your eyes looking across at him when a contraction hit you was a sight that he knew he wasn’t going to be able to forget about for some time. As much as you both knew that labour was a part of pregnancy that would give you your little one, it didn’t make it any nicer for you to go through, or for Hyungwon to watch, wishing that he could make things easier for you.

M ⇴ MORNING SICKNESS

There were just a few seconds most mornings between Hyungwon waking and Hyungwon appearing in the bathroom. As soon as he’d see an empty side of the bed, he’d know where you were, running straight into the bathroom and wrapping his arms around you, helping you to get it all up without a single complaint.

N ⇴ NURSERY

Even though you try and get involved with the nursery, Hyungwon always sits you back down, refusing to let you get too involved as he doesn’t want to run the risk of you hurting yourself by not being careful.

O ⇴ OBSESSION

Hyungwon is obsessed with your nose, as he stretches over your bump often to kiss you, it’s the perfect spot for him to land his kisses on, especially so whenever he notices your cheeks going bright red as a result too.

P ⇴ POST BIRTH

You’re barely allowed to do a thing aside from take care of your baby for a little while after you gave birth, despite trying to assure Hyungwon that you were alright. He could never be too careful at the best of times, but when your little one needed you the most, he was more than happy to pick up responsibility for everything else.

Q ⇴ QUESTIONS

Hyungwon likes to think he knows you pretty well, so when he can see that you’re struggling, he’ll ask if you want help. He knows it’s only a matter of time before you stop being stubborn and accept his offer as well.

R ⇴ RANDOM FACTS

Whenever he’s away on schedule, even if it just for a few hours in the day Hyungwon will carry an item that the two of you have purchased for your baby as a reminder of why he’s spending the time away from you now as well as reminding him of the reason he’s working so hard, to give his baby the best possible life he can give.

S ⇴ SCANS

It usually ends up being your scans that accompany Hyungwon around as they’re the most practical. Several fans often point out that they can see the photos on the Idol Radio desk during broadcasts, obsessing over how excited Hyungwon is to become a dad with several comments being left to let him know he’s adorable.

T ⇴ TEST

You’d felt unlike yourself for some time, and despite putting it off for as long as you could, eventually you decided to take the test that you kept in your bathroom as a just in case with Hyungwon when he got home.

U ⇴ ULTRASOUND

He would make sure he had the whole day to spend with you whenever you had an appointment, making sure that you weren’t rushed at all.

V ⇴ VISITS

Whilst you were happy to welcome guests almost as soon as you got home, Hyungwon was a little more reluctant, keen to get into a bit of a routine before you allowed yourselves, and your baby, to start being disturbed.

W ⇴ WAITING

Most of the time, Hyungwon is patient and calm, but around some of the others, he’s a little more impatient when it comes to waiting for your arrival.

X ⇴ XXXX

Hyungwon knows how much you love his lips, and so when you’re feeling down or not quite yourself in pregnancy, he’ll make sure that he kisses you and teases you as he knows it’s the best way to get you smiling once again.

Y ⇴ YOU

You were his everything, Hyungwon promised to do whatever he could do to protect you.

Z ⇴ ZZZ

More than anything else you were jealous of how easily Hyungwon managed to sleep at night, whilst you’d lay awake for hours, he’d be tucked up beside you, blissfully unaware of how much more of a challenge you’re having with sleep.

---

Masterlist

[dcforts]

[something more]

ao3.

Dean never wants to go to hunter gatherings.

First, because they don't exactly have the best track record when it comes to meeting other hunters, and second, because whenever they go there's always people looking at them like they’re freaks. He knows they tell all sorts of stories about them and some are hard, ugly truths that Dean would rather stop thinking about for the rest of his life.

But he's got a text from Carol while he was about to get in the car after wrapping up a case, and Sam asked who it was, so it had become a Thing to discuss.

And Dean’s main argument was “Why would we go?”, but Sam’s was “Why not?”, which was objectively stronger. And it got worse because from the backseat Jack kept interjecting with, “Go where?” and, “Who are these people?” until Sam paid attention to him and explained that hunters meet up sometimes to “get a drink, exchange stories”, and that had made him light up like a Christmas tree because Jack loved stories and the idea of expanding his pool of knowledge on hunting and creatures appealed to him greatly.

So the fact that Dean had tried to point out that, “This is stupid. We are hunters, not a book club,” had sorted no effect whatsoever. No, instead, Jack had said, “That sounds nice. We should go,” and when Dean had met Cas’ eyes in the rear view mirror, all he had offered was a shrug.

Typical.

It’s not that Dean wants to be a hermit or something, but he always feels like he needs to be wary of who’s gonna be at these sorts of things because some may treat them like Hollywood stars, but some may want to shoot them on sight. Anyone could come up to them and call them out for starting the end of the world, letting monsters out of Hell and Purgatory, cosmic beings out of their cages, getting their family killed, destroying their lives.

And there’s also this: are they really ready for Jack’s debut in society? Sam thinks they are. He thinks it’s a great opportunity to show that the community doesn’t have anything to worry about. He’s with them now and he’s not going anywhere so they should get used to that. Cas says he’ll be there to intervene in case things go south and Dean’s mind flashes with Carol’s house burning to the ground after Cas’ has gone all mama swan on the hunters. He meets Sam’s eyes briefly and it looks like he had the exact same images playing in front of his eyes, “I’m sure it won’t be necessary," he adds quickly.

So Sam wanted to go and Jack wanted to go and Cas didn’t seem to be able to say no to the kid even if he tried, so Dean had to bite his cheek and wake up early the next morning to drive across the state.

At least it’s a nice day, at least it stopped raining and the sun is breaking in from the clouds; the chilly air that comes in from the window that Cas is in the habit of keeping rolled all the way down brings in the pleasant smell of wet leaves.

Dean feels his knees bumping on the back of his seat from time to time and looks at him in the rear view mirror and Cas sometimes catches his eyes and sometimes he doesn’t.

At least they are spending time together. It’s rare for Cas to stay around after a hunt these days. He doesn’t need the down time they require, or so he says. He gets bored in the bunker, starts climbing the walls the second the door closes behind them. He gets restless, and then there’s Heaven and always bigger things to deal with, and Dean imagines that that beats staying behind to play foosball with him and Jack.

Going on hunts with Cas is always fun, but it’s also a run against time and there’s death and guns and fear involved, even when it’s an easy-peasy salt-and-burn. And it’s the four of them crammed in a motel room, so they don’t get much time to be alone. And Dean likes when they are all together, but likes it more when Sam and Jack disappear in the maze of the bunker and he gets to have his best friend all for himself.

That is why Dean had been pleased when Cas had expressed his intention of staying with them for a couple more days. In that moment Dean had been busy keeping his lunch in his stomach - he’d just found the shredded skin of a shapeshifter in a freaking kitchen drawer - but he’d heard him loud and clear all the same.

They were moving about in the victim’s house looking for clues and talking about other stuff, when Cas had said something along the lines of, “I could work on it once we go back to the bunker,” and Dean had asked, half distracted, “So you’re going back with us?” and Cas had his back turned and Dean had opened the drawer in that moment, but he'd heard him when he’d said:

“I guess.”

It was barely a whisper but it meant yes, that’s all that mattered. And it also meant, from Dean’s perspective, a really nice weekend, that included, not in order of importance: his hot dog pants, driving around with the music up, Dean’s cave and Cas.

So, yeah, if Dean was completely honest with himself – something that he generally tried to avoid – it’s not like he wanted to waste a whole day of that to go spend it with a bunch of strangers.

But it doesn’t matter now, because they’ve piled up in the Impala and driven to Carol’s.

Dean likes her. She spent half her life working at a bank, but after crossing path with a djinn she hanged her suit, moved out of the city and created a safe place for hunters, soon becoming a beacon in the community in Kansas. Her door is always open, as she said that one time they met her on a case. Dean likes her for no-nonsense ways, her honest looks and, not less importantly, her amazing sandwiches.

Carol fusses over him and Sam in the hall, scolds them for taking so long to visit when they live in the same state, then Sam makes the introductions, and it’s only his shifting a little from side to side that betrays his nervousness.

Her eyes focus on Cas and her expression speaks of wonder and surprise.

“The angel Castiel,” she calls him and he nods, “a long way from Heaven.”

“The weather here is nicer,” he says, and Dean snorts softly next to him.

Jack wins her over immediately with his wide smile and polite hand shake, “I look forward to exchanging stories,” he says and she huffs a laugh and says:

“Sure, Jack. We heard a lot about you. I bet everyone will be eager to talk to you.”

On the other side of Cas, Sam gets more fidgety; he says, “If you think uh – we don’t want any trouble.”

But she shakes her head and gestures dismissively. “Nonsense. No one will start trouble if they don't wanna see the end of my rifle. A friend of yours is a friend of mine,” she reassures him. “Plus, Eileen vouched for him.”

“Sh-she is here already?” Sam almost chokes up and all of the sudden he seems to have grown a few inches taller.

Dean understands now. He pieces together his insistence in coming to this thing, his bouncing knee throughout their journey, the way he checked his phone more or less forty-five times. He feels slightly less bad about having caved in. There are a lot of things that Dean would give up for Sam, and things that he would conjure out of thin air just for him to have, if he could. But there’s so much he can’t give him and he wants Sam to just get out and take, have and enjoy. So if he wanted to come here just to meet Eileen again, Dean’s happy to be complicit.

Sam is the first to disappear in the packed living room, with Jack following right behind, but Dean grabs Castiel’s elbow before he can take another step. He circles him to block him from the entrance and says, “Hey, stick with me, alright? Last time I was at one of these things this guy Norman talked about his knife collection for three hours.”

“But, Jack…”

“He’s with Sam, he’s gonna be fine,” says Dean, dismissing. He grins, “Come on, I’ll introduce you to some people; don’t you wanna make friends?”

Cas makes a face but doesn't say anything else. Apparently Jack is not the only one who he seems unable to refuse something to and that makes Dean feel good. He trails after him around the room as Dean stops to say hello from familiar face to familiar face.

There’s Max and Alicia, sprawled on a couch, nursing the worst hangover Dean’s seen in a long time. They say they're happy to see him, but then they eye Cas up and down and Max says something along the lines of, “Oh, I see now why you keep him hidden from us," and that prompts Dean to quickly move along.

Then they bump into this old man who claims to have been one of the patrons of the Roadhouse. Dean has no idea who he is, but he swears he remembers him from when he was a boy - of course he remembers, and hey, if he needs anything, did he know that he was retired but still kept an eye out for monster sightings, and did he hear of that one time he and Bill Harvelle -

Dean tries to nod and smile appropriately for the whole time and when they finally manage to escape him, Cas leads him to an empty corner where they can take refuge.

"I didn't think there would be this many people," Cas says, surveying the room clearly looking for Jack.

Dean elbows him and points at where the kid is talking animatedly to two young hunters he's never seen, "What is he even talking about?"

"Our last case."

"Wh-? Oh, right, I always forget you have the superhearing," then he has a thought and adds, "Hey, you gonna tell me if you hear someone talking shit about me, right?"

Cas' eyebrows raise in thinly veiled amusement and that's all the answer Dean needs, "What? Who?" he asks, outraged.

But Cas doesn't have time to answer before they get interrupted and soon surrounded by hunters Dean's seen on the road, worked with, heard about. Some share their epic tales of escapes from impossible dangers, some are curious and some are brave and blunt and they ask Cas questions and address him without fear and Cas is polite and just a tiny bit awkward.

It gets a little chilly when this guy with too many beers in starts bragging about how he knows all about angels' weaks spots. Cas' face stays as stony as it gets for the whole time but then he says “I suggest you check your sources,” with a deep voice that runs a shiver down Dean’s spine, and he’s not even the one who’s directing his intense gaze at.

There are so many different people that Cas doesn't stick out like a sore thumb, and Dean finds himself thinking that if they were just two regular hunters in a crowd and nothing more, perhaps some things would be easier.

He almost sighs of relief when he eyes Eileen on the other side of the room and steers Cas towards her.

"I can't believe I still haven't had a single beer," he mutters as they elbow their way through the crowd. Sam hovers around her with a timid smile plastered on his face that doesn’t seem to take any breaks.

Dean hugs her and tries not to follow Cas’ movement with the corner of his eyes when he senses him stepping away from his side.

Eileen calls his attention back. She makes fun of him saying, “Sam told me you didn’t want to come. Getting too old to leave the house?”

“Very funny,” Dean says.

“Next time we can organize something at the bunker. There’s so much space," she says, smirking.

Dean thinks 'Yeah, no way' and says, “Yeah, no way,” and she laughs.

“But you,” Dean adds, “you can come stay with us. Anytime. For as long as you want. We would love to have you. Me, Sam,” he says wiggling his eyebrows in a way that has his brother close his eyes in embarrassment, “you’re always welcome.”

“Thank you,” she signs, blushing a little, “I’ll try to come by.”

Dean is glad to know that. She has opened a door in Sam’s life that he probably thought closed forever and Dean will always be grateful to her for that. Also, she is a badass and totally out of his brother’s dorky league.

Cas comes standing by his side again and Dean feels a gentle touch on the small of his back. It's intimate and unexpected so he steps away immediatly almost on instict and Cas' drops his hand. He meets his gaze and they frown at each other for a second. Cas seems about to say something, but then goes back to sporting his usual face, “I think I saw Claire. I’m going to find her.”

So Dean, with that spot on his lower back still tingling, follows him out of the room and into another where there’s only a few scattered hunters and Jack, happily squeezed on a couch with his new friends, his mouth hanging open as he hears a story from this guy named Ronnie that Dean knows for a fact only talks shit. The kid seems to be having fun though, he waves at them as move along.

They find Claire in the empty white kitchen, and catch her right when she’s about to open herself a beer. Her eyes widen in panic but she doesn’t manage to hide the bottle behind her back fast enough.

“Hey guys,” she says with a nervous laugh, “didn’t know you were going to be here.”

Dean stretches out a hand without a word and she drops the act, sighs and hands it over. Before she can say anything else, Cas steps between them, "Claire, it's nice to see you," he says and she lets him squeeze her into a hug.

Pressed against his shoulder, Dean sees her face change expression, her body slightly relax in his arms. She pats him on the back and says: “Good to see you too, Cas.”

“What are you doing here?”

“Just passing through,” she replies, putting on airs, “Finished up a job a few miles north. I thought I’d drop by Carol’s before moving on.”

She flips a strand of blonde hair over her shoulder and Dean scoffs.

“So you are in Kansas, and you don’t call, and you drop by Carol’s? Were you even planning on stopping by the bunker?”

She rolls her eyes at him, “I go where the job takes me, Dean. I don’t make plans.”

Dean rolls his eyes in the exact same way, “Right. Well, you know it wouldn’t kill you to stay with us for a while. We could get you a bit of training.”

She groans as if she's heard that same speech about a thousand times, but Cas cuts off whatever she was going to retort with and says, “We weren’t planning on coming either. Sam and Jack are here too.”

“Jack’s here?” she lights up. She says she's heard all sorts of things about him and she can’t wait to meet the kid and of course she’s gonna go easy on him, it’s not like she’s gonna eat him, Jesus, Dean, protective much?

Dean frowns at her but she’s already halfway out of the room. “I can be his big sister. I mean, he should have someone he can talk to. Living with you three must be – a lot.”

“Hey,” protests Dean, but she just laughs and disappears down the hallway.

Dean shakes his head and leans against one of the kitchen counters. Cas does the same against the opposite island. At the end of the narrow passage between the furniture there’s a glass door that gives into the patio and a small garden beyond it.

The door is ajar and fresh air comes in; Cas gets engrossed in watching the pattern the raindrops formed on the glass and Dean gets engrossed in watching Cas. He seems lost in thought and Dean would like to say something but doesn’t want to be annoying. Not today, not when tomorrow he could be gone.

He’ll take this quiet moment instead.

“She’ll be a bad influence on Jack,” he breaks the silence, and that gets him an amused quirk of lips, “But it really would be nice to have her around more often.”

Curiously that has Cas' take his eyes away from the glass and lay his gaze on him. He has his lips pressed in a small smile.

“What?”

“You want people you love around you.”

Dean frowns, “What about it?” he asks, and it comes out sharp and defensive.

Cas shakes his head a little, but there’s a shadow on his face that confuses him: “Nothing, I only meant -" but he doesn’t get to finish his sentence, because a group of hunters enters the kitchen talking loudly and soon Dean has his vision blocked by half a dozen bodies and he has to press himself against the cabinets to let them through, towards the garden door.

One guy in a baseball cap stops in his track as he sees Dean.

He asks with his eyes wide and stunned expression if he is Dean Winchester, the Dean Winchester and Dean is glad that the rest of the group is already out of earshot because he wasn’t in the mood for a meet and greet session. But the guy starts talking about some hunter named Troy, who he has supposedly hunted with a couple of years back. And Dean’s not in a habit of calling people liars but he's pretty sure he'd remember if he had wiped out a nest of fangs with this guy and allegedly taken down five all on his own and went and get steaks and beer afterwards.

He tries to shoot him down gently and say, “Maybe your friend had me confused with someone else,” but the guy’s face falls and tells him Troy has recently passed on the job and this was his favourite story to tell, and he would always tell it, all proud and all.

Dean pats him on a shoulder then.

“You know what, we shouldn’t ruin it for him now, should we? Troy, you say? Of course I remember him,” he says and throws in a wink. The guy beams at him and thanks him and gets a little chocked up because Troy might have been a liar but he swears he was one of the good ones.

The guy invites him to join his friends for a drink but Dean raises his half-empty bottle and says “I’m fine, thanks.”

When the guy walks away, Cas moves to lean on the counter by his side. Dean feels the familiar weight of his arm against his and he wonders if they could pick up the conversation where they left it. But Cas says:

“That was nice of you.”

Dean shrugs looking down at their shoes lined up and for some reason he thinks it’s a funny sight. If they were just two shoe wearing creatures standing side by side and nothing more, perhaps some things would be easier.

“Doesn't really change my life. And it's a good story,” he huffs a laugh, it comes out bitter, “Better than some of the true ones anyway.”

“I understand what you mean,” says Cas with a sigh and Dean extends his arm to offer him his beer, and even though Cas usually refuses, this time he takes it.

Dean does his best not to follow his hand bringing the bottle to his lips. And he does his best, later, not to wonder if the wetness touching his lips when he drinks is just beer or something else.

If they were just two drinking creatures, sharing a bottle of beer and nothing more, perhaps everything would be easier.

Soon the bottle is empty and Cas says, “I’ll get you another one,” but Dean refuses.

It’s nice there - someone's turned the music on in the other room, but here it's muffled by the walls, and the light is just right to make Cas’ eyes look like sapphires. They don’t need to move.

But then the group of hunters out in the patio erupts in laughter and Cas’ gaze shifts on them and then lingers on the glass door.

Dean feels him slipping from him once again. He sighs, “You wanna go out, check the garden?”

Cas nods and heads out and Dean can’t do anything but follow, past the hunters and the patio. They walk the perimeter of the small square of grass, wet and glistening with old rain. The sun and the clouds draw patches of light on the ground and they move from dark to light to dark again in an irregular rhythm, chasing the warmth of the sunlight and the relief of the shade. Dean feels uncomfortable in both, but there’s no middle line he can walk on.

“Sorry we dragged you here,” he finds himself saying, “You never stick around, and for once that you do, that’s what you get.”

Cas frowns slightly at him, “I stick around,” he protests.

Dean laughs, “You don’t,” he says and although he tries to reign it in with the bitterness, it stills seeps out. Cas’ gaze prompts him to explain himself, “Come on, the minute we’re done with a case you are out of here. I don’t blame you,” he quickly adds cutting off whatever Cas was opening his mouth to say. “I know you don’t like sitting around. Believe me, no one understands that more than I do.”

A long beat passes and then Cas says, “I’m sorry, I never meant to make you feel like I don’t want to spend time with you.”

Dean stops in his tracks and Cas stops with him to face him.

Dean shakes his head, “Cas, you don’t have to apologize to me. This is not about me. And I said, I get it,” he shrugs.

Cas doesn’t look at all convinced and Dean doesn’t feel at all convinced either. He knows this is not about his feelings. It’s more like a general way of how things are. It’s a truth, a fact. Sam would say the same.

Sam would. Standing here in the garden with him, Sam would tell him the very same things and wish for the very same things. He’s sure he would. He's not accusing Cas of anything. On the contrary, he’s showing him understanding.

“It’s all the same for me, I swear. I don't care,” he adds, but saying that hurts a little, for some reason he can’t quite determine, and he finds his own frown mirrored on Cas’ face.

“Alright,” he says, sounding profoundly sad and again the same shadow passes on his face.

This is all wrong. What did he do?

“Look, I don’t get what you want me to say. If you wanted to - ” he exhales, angrily, “Just - forget it, let’s go back inside,” he says but as he tries to walk away Cas stops him by his elbow.

“You could ask me.”

He looks unsure, troubled, as if he is not quite certain this is a good idea. Dean breathes out a confused, “What?” that he himself can barely hear.

Cas squares his shoulders, “To stay. You could ask me,” he sounds accusing, and he takes a step forward. His eyes are firm in Dean’s and with his elbow still in his grip, he feels like a hummingbird flapping his wings in the paw of a dragon, “You ask everybody else.”

Dean’s heart starts pounding. He tries to swallow but his mouth is too dry.

“I don’t wanna ask you, Cas,” he says, cutting, yanking his arm free of his hold, and it sounds bad, bad, bad to his ears and he can read hurt all over Cas’ face. He needs to explain himself. He takes a breath, says a lame, “I mean, if you don't -”

And then, Dean suddenly understands.

Cas thinks he doesn’t -

He thinks he doesn’t care if he’s around and doesn’t ask because he doesn’t need him.

Dean feels like his heart is about to leap out of his chest. He’s not ready for this. He’s not ready for this. He fights the need to look down. He doesn’t know why this is so hard for him. It’s just Cas. But that’s the point, isn’t it? It’s Cas. It would hurt ten times more if he were to say no. It’s nothing like with Claire, he asked her for her; it’s nothing like with Eileen, he asked her for Sam. But if he asked Cas, he would be asking for himself, wouldn’t he?

Seeing him walk away anyway would be too much then.

But maybe he wouldn’t.

Cas senses his struggle, “If you want, you can ask me,” he says, coming closer, in his eyes his timeless patience, that gaze that tells him that he is seen, he is known. Cas says: “I will say yes,” and it’s barely more than a whisper but Dean’s brain is a step away from short-circuiting anyway.

He looks away and he doesn’t recognize his own voice when he blurts out a hurried, muttered, nervous, almost angry: “Well, stay, then.”

But then a sunbeam decides to cut through the clouds in that exact moment and has Dean looking up again. The lazy sunlight of an early afternoon shines on Cas’ face. He’s not bothered by the sudden change of light, unlike Dean, who has to squint and bring a hand to his forehead.

Cas’ eyes sparkle like shimmering water when he says, “Okay.”

Dean barely remembers what happens after that. That image gets imprinted behind his eyelids and he can’t stop thinking about it.

He floats through a darts game and a dozen of Carol’s sandwiches. Then there's Jack telling an embarrassing story about him that has people folding in two with laughter, and Claire agreeing on following them back to the bunker only with the promise of destroying him at foosball.

There's Sam introducing him to this lady to work a job together on alledged arachnes activity in Winsconsin and a girl who wants him to debunk some stuff she's heard about them but she doesn't believe (he disappoints her cause they are mostly true) but most importantly, there's Cas' thigh pressed against his when he's sitting and Cas’ shoulder just an inch away when he's standing, and somehow it's different than it was before.

Most of all, he feels lighter than he's felt in ages.

*

Later, as he gets to his car with Sam, he says, “Hey, you know, you were right. It was a little fun,” and his brother looks at him in disbelief.

“Are you kidding me? We came here to meet new people and you spent all your time with Cas.”

Dean shrugs, embarrassed to be called out. “So what? You spent all your time with Eileen,” he says and he regrets it immediately, especially as Sam purses his lips like he’s holding back a laugh.

He nods, “I see your point,” he says diplomatically, stressing the t, before he slips into the passenger seat.

Dean doesn’t look forward in continuing the conversation, crammed in a small space with his ears burning and Sam’s gigantic enquiring eyes on him, thank you very much, so he stays out of the car, his arms crossed on the roof, frowning at himself.

He watches as Cas comes down the little pathway with Jack and Claire. In the orange light of the sunset, Jack turns to ask him something and Cas nods. Typical. At the end of the path they split and only Cas makes his way across the street.

"Jack is riding with Claire," he says as soon as he's within earshot. He sounds like he doesn't think it's a good idea and it's a little funny.

"Relax, we're gonna be right behind them."

Cas seems reassured by that, but it only lasts the time it takes for him to make his way around the car, because even before he can grab the car handle, Claire speeds past them shouting, "See you, dorks." Now he looks truly alarmed.

Dean says, "You up for a ride after we drop Sam off?” and all his worry melts away from his face. He says a soft, “Alright,” and disappears into the backseat.

So when they get to the bunker, Dean doesn't follow Claire’s car to the garage and stops up front, the engine running. Sam looks at him confused, “We’ll be here in an hour,” Dean just says, grateful for the shadows around his face.

Sam is stunned for just a second, then snorts, “Fine guys, I’ll babysit tonight, but next time you gotta ask.”

He gets out and the next moment Cas has taken his seat. He doesn't waste time to pop one of Dean's tapes in the deck as he takes the road again.

Dean rolls his window down and in the night air that ruffles his hair he can smell another storm coming. He turns the music up and meets Cas’ eyes. There’s a smile in there somewhere that mirrors his own.

And - they may not be just two individuals in a car going nowhere and nothing more, and things may not be easy, probably never will, but maybe, Dean thinks, it doesn’t really matter in the end.

[chaos-writes-fanfiction]

I need you

Pairings: Yamaguchi × gen!reader (gender neutral)

Warnings: angst to fluff, mentions of rejection and one sided feelings, I promise it does have a fluff ending

Being childhood friends with Tadashi Yamaguchi was great until you move away when you were 10, and being 15 now moving back to your childhood home you start to wonder if he was still living a house down from yours still or if he even remembered you anymore.

In the morning you woke up and started getting ready for the day, by showering and getting your school uniform on.

“Sweetie I don’t want to rush you but if you don’t want to be late you need to leave soon” your mom called

“Coming!” You said

And after running down the stairs and grabbing your bento for lunch putting it in your bag and grabbing a couple breakfast onigiri your mom had made so you can eat while you walk to school. After finishing your breakfast you notice you were close to the school.

“I wonder if I’ll see him” you mumble to yourself when you accidentally bump into someone very tall

“Watch where you’re going” the person snapped

“I’m sorry it was clearly an accident no need to be such a jerk” you snap back

You look up at him and your eyes widen.

“Tsuki?” You asked

“Dont call me that we aren’t friends” he said “and I don’t even know you”

“No I guess were not anymore” you said

After that you walk away from Tsuki and find your way to your homeroom class full of unfamiliar names and faces. The day soon came to an end. As you were getting ready to leave you walked past the volleyball gym when a ball flew out almost hitting you.

“Go get the ball!” You heard someone yell

“I’ve got it” someone else said

You picked up the ball

“Oh hey I can take that” the boy said

“Oh sorry” you said turning and seeing them “Tadashi?”

“Yeah? Do I know you?” He asked

“We used to be friends when we were kids but I moved away” you said

“Wait, Bubbles?” He asked saying your childhood nicknames

“You remembered” you said smiling

“I can’t believe it, you’re here” he said in awe

“Moved back same house” you said smiling

“I was wondering who moved in” he said

“So you’re still a house down?” You asked

“Yeah, have you seen Tsuki?” He asked

“This morning he didn’t remember me” you said a little sadly

“I’m sure he’ll remember you, come watch practice I’ll walk you home after” he said

“Okay sounds good” you said

He leads you into the gym.

“Who’s the girl?” Tanaka asked

“Oh she was one of mine and Tsuki’s friends as kids she moved away but now she’s back” Tadashi said “is it okay if she watches practice?”

“Sure that should be fine” Daichi said

You end up watching practice. Afterwards you end up walking home with both Tsuki and Tadashi.

“Geeze Tsuki when did you get so mean?” You asked

“What do you mean?” He asked

“You used to be a lot nicer than you are now” you said “and you were such a jerk to me this morning”

“I was annoyed because you bumped into me because you weren’t paying attention” he said

“I said I was sorry, and you didn’t even recognize me” you said

“Give me a break it’s been what 4 years maybe 5?” He asked “and how did you recognize me in the first place?”

“I took a guess, how many blonde boys with brown eyes and glasses would there be around?” You asked “I happened to be right”

“You recognized me too” Tadishi said

“Well yeah, your freckles and shy smile are still the same the were when we were kids” you said “you both got a lot taller”

“Later pipsqueak” Tsuki said as he turned down the corner to get to his house

“Bye Tsuki” you and Tadashi said at the same time

You couldn’t help but giggle a little bit at that. You smiled at Tadashi as you both continued to walk down the block to your houses.

“You should come over sometime if you want” you said

“Yeah?” He asked “you’d want to hang out?”

“Of course, you were one of my best friends Tadashi, dont you want to be friends again?” You asked

“Well, we never stopped being friends” he said

“Okay well do you want to to see if we can still be friends even though we spent years apart?” You asked

“Yeah sounds like a plan” he said

After that you started spending as much time with Tadashi as you could, finding it very easy to be close friends again. The slight crush that had begun to develop before you had moved away was back full force. So one day without thinking anything of it just to get your feelings out, you wrote them down in one of your notebooks.

Right now you were sitting at Tsukis house studying for your upcoming exams. When your phone rang.

“Hello?” You answered “oh okay yeah I’ll be right there, okay love you too bye”

“Everything okay?” Tadashi asked

“Yeah I hope so, my mom just said she needs me at home” you said

“Oh, okay” he said

You pack up your books and leave. Once home you start unpacking your bag and you realize you left one of your notebooks. It wasn’t just any notebook it was the one with your confession written in it. Panic ran through you as you ran out going back to Tsukis house. And knocking on the door a little frantic. Your heart sank as the door opened and it revealed Tadashi holding the notebook in question.

“Bubs” he said avoiding eye contact

“You read it…” you trailed off

“I thought it was the Japanese notes from class” he said “I’m truly flattered by what you wrote”

“…you dont feel the same” you said softly trying to blink back the tears that were tempting to fall

“No I dont” he said “I’m sorry”

“You dont have to feel the same Tadashi” you said “its okay”

“Let me walk you back home” he offered

“Its fine, it’s a block and a half away I’ll be okay” you said quickly

“Bubs I want us to still be friends, I just got you back in my life I dont want to lose you again” he said

You look at him with tear filled eyes. And before you could say anything else you grabbed the notebook from his hands then turning and running home as tears fell down your cheeks. Not daring to glance behind you to see him.

A few weeks have passed and you were avoiding Tsuki and Tadashi as much as possible. With them having practice it was a little easy but that didn’t stop Tadashi from going to your house to try to talk to you. Then one day while walking to the library you were grabbed and pulled into an empty class room.

“The hell?” You said alarmed

“Do you plan on avoiding him for the rest of your life?” Tsuki asked

“What are you talking about?” You asked

“Tadashi, do you really plan to continue avoiding him?” He asked

“Oh I’m sorry for avoiding one of my best friends because I caught feelings and was rejected by him” you said frowning

“Ever thought there’s a reason he wants to talk to you?” He asked

“He wants to stay friends” you said simply

“No you idiot” he said rolling his eyes “he’s been wanting to talk to you, and I’m sick of listening to him talk about you, that’s all he says anymore, so please just hear him out pipsqueak”

“Why are you doing this Tsuki?” You asked

“Because the both of you are my friends and I dont like seeing either of you hurting” he said and he hugged you tightly

“I’m sorry Tsuki” you mumbled “I’ll talk to him”

“Thanks pip” he said ruffling your hair as he pulled away.

Tsuki walked out of the classroom while you fixed your hair. After school you made your way to the gym where the boys where having their practice. You peaked your head in and saw the whole team.

“Did you need something?” Sugawara asked

“I just need to borrow Yamaguchi for a little bit” you said

They gray haired third year nodded and called him over. He saw you and you noticed the look on his face dropped when he saw you and realizing you had called him by his last name.

“Can we talk?” You asked a little hopeful

He nodded and you led him out away from the gym not wanting the team to hear your conversation.

“I’m sorry I’ve been avoiding you, Tsuki cornered me and told me I needed to talk to you” you said

He nodded a little bit “bubs, I meant what I said when I don’t want to lose you again” he said

“But you haven’t really lost me Yamaguchi, I’m just trying to get over the fact that you don’t feel the same way I do then things can go back to normal” you said

“Dont call me by my last name, you’ve always called me Tadashi” he said “and I did lose you again, you’ve been avoiding me for weeks your parents wouldn’t even let me try to talk to you.”

“Tadashi, I was trying to get over you” you said

“Bubs over the last few weeks without having you in my life again I realized I need you in my life” he said “m-”

“Just friends right?” You interjected

He got annoyed at your interruption and cupping your cheeks he leaned down and kissed your lips. After melting into the kiss and kissing him back you grabbed his shirt holding onto him. After slowly pulling away he rested his forehead against yours.

“Now if you wont interrupt me again, will you be my significant other?” He asked

[hiswhiteknight]

Unbelievably Outlandish– Part 7

Summary:  Before starting down a new crossroads, the Reader goes onto an adventure of literary traveling. Suddenly tossed into an unbelievable story that has swept the world, The Outlander Series itself. How will a twenty first century woman survive?

Note: I own no characters, except reader, clearly this is based off the lovely book series Outlander by Diana Gabaldon and tv show. This follows more the tv show, but it’s far from accurate. I’m going to try to get better with using less proper English, but who knows maybe I’ll get into Scottish slang.

Message me if you’d like to be added to a taglist!

Pairing: Jamie Fraser x Female Reader

Words: 1500

Warning: Angst, playfulness, cursing, slow start, obviously fighting and such

The following day I was nursing a hangover when Dougal came down to see me, “Thought you’d like to go to town and meet with Geillis Dunkin to stock up on herbs and such for the gathering.”

“Dougal, I’m not a healer, not like that,” you said to him, feeling flustered and irritated.

“You helped Collum, you healed the boy from getting too sick with some water and vomiting. You’re plenty a healer that we need,” he directed back to you.

You shake your head, “That’s just a bit of luck and experience. There will be a ton of things I’ll know nothing about,” you tried to change his mind. “I can help with teaching defense and battle skills, not healing.”

His laugh shot through your body like boiling water through your veins, “A woman, we won’t be needing your help there. You’ll do as your told.” Before you could respond with another comment, “I’ll be back to pick you up soon, you can learn from Mistress Duncan about the herbs.”

When you trotted away, you stomped your foot harshly to the ground. This wasn’t going to your plan; you were not ready for this type of responsibility. You had only been talking to the boys during a lesson of sword play. They were discussing eating something strange, like a fungus. You got lucky with caution, they could have just eaten a regular mushroom and been just fine. You instructed them to vomit and flush with fluid. And the fact that women have no word or rights here was starting to grill you.

Collum took you to Geillis, she was quite the intriguing character. You didn’t trust her and her motives, which made you not particularly like her. She had a ton of helpful information and a good resource for future healing, “You’re a strange woman, Mistress O’Mulligian.”

“Y/N,” you corrected her, “Please.” You moseyed around the room, “I could say the same about you, dear. A woman of your beauty and charm, I expect you to be a lady of some fortune or what not.”

“You humble me, Y/N,” Geillis said to you, “A mystery you are, indeed.”

A commotion outside took my attention, “What’s this,” Geillis walked over to you to look at the window. She explained how the boy had most likely stolen something and will be punished with the loss of his hand, “Barbaric, he is a child.”

“Do you not have punishment where you are from,” she questioned you with a smirk. You remained quiet as she watched you. Before she could grill you more, her husband came up, looking for more remedies to his constipation you guessed. He was farting up a storm while sharing of the incident.

You cannot control the roll of your eyes, “He is a child, probably starving, maybe younger family members starving. He clearly is poor,” you said still looking out the window at the child.

“Get out,” he huffed, essentially ignoring my words to him.

Geillis smirked at you, before turning her charm onto her man. You watched as she manipulated her husband by using her sex appeal and doe like nature. And just like that, the boys lost hand was nothing but a forethought. Geillis smirked at you, watching you like she was trying to uncover all your mystery. After an hour of chatting and teaching you a bit more about medicine, Jamie popped in. You shot up, trying to fix your hair, and looking shy at this unexpected guest.

Jamie greeted you both, “Collum got called off and asked for me to take you home.”

“I could have managed on my own,” you answered.

Geillis caught on, “A woman travelling alone these parts, a colonist woman,” she laughed, “Unlikely, you are a mystery girl. What do you think Mister McTavish, don’t you think she is a bit strange?”

Jamie looked down, laughing a little, “Different, but not strange. You ready to go Mistress O’Mulligain.”

“I am,” you turned to Geillis, “Thank you for everything, I really cherish your help.”

“Of course, dear, I hope to see you soon. I’ve love to pick apart some of this mystery,” she smiled back. Something about that smile sent shivers down your spine.

Jamie followed you out, carrying your bags for you. You saw the boy, “When is he to be released?”

Jamie caught sight of what grabbed your attention, “Whenever he feels like it, he just has to release himself.”

You spin around, have him bump into your chest. He gripped your arm with his free hand to steady you more, “He has to pull off his ear.”

“Could be his hand,” he shot back at you, “He’ll do it when he is ready.” You didn’t move, giving him a special stare, “You want me to do something, I know that look.”

“He is just a boy,” Jamie looked at you with a soften look, knowing he had already loss his battle. “I have pretty strong fingers, you cause a distraction, like a little fire or something.”

He looked from the boy to you again, “A fire, Deoiridh, why don’t you fake a fright and fall, and I’ll release the boy.”

You lightly slap Jamie’s cheeks repeatedly with a grin, trying to tease him, “You are a smart man Mister McTavish. Smarter than I gave you before.”

He rolled his eyes, “Nay, I’m a foolish man,” he started for the boy. And it all played by smoothly, my fainting and him rescuing the boy unnoticed. By the time, I began to stand Jamie was taking hold of me and guiding me to the horse, “Let’s keep to these things as little as possible. I don’t need the attention and neither do you, Deoiridh.”

Jamie helped you onto your horse, feeling his grip on your hips, you tried to push past the fluster. On the peaceful journey back you turned to Jamie, “Deoiridh,” he looked at you, giving you a curious glance, “I imagine it’s Gaelic and you shared it’s a nickname that befits me, but what does it mean?”

“It loses something in translation,” he said to you.

“Go on with it Jamie,” you urge him to continue, “I’m not easily offended.”

He huffed out, “It means something of a pilgrim woman, a traveler with big bright eyes that could see into, well can just see things people cannot. Fearless little woman,” he said to you. “Just something about you, feels right for a nickname,” he finished looking down the path instead of you.

“It’s sweet, thank you,” you glance at him before clearing your throat and continuing onto the castle. Jamie was sweet enough to show you around the area, showing you bits of his childhood. He made you laugh and taught you things you never knew about. It was nice and if you had ever actually had a crush before, you would imagine it would feel like this.

He helped you down from your horse and started to help you carry some of your bags to your new workspace. You caught eye with Laoghaire, she was looking at you and Jamie. This shot you into reality, Jamie was just a thought, an unrealistic dream. “So Y/N, I was thinking before the gathering, I was hoping to take you-.”

You hollered for Murtagh, shocking Jamie from mid-speech, “What do you want woman?”

“Can you help me get this stuff to my healing room,” you hesitated not knowing what to call it.

Murtagh looked from you to Jamie, “Seems young Jamie’s got it figured out.”

“Jamie hands are full with something else,” Jamie looked at your confused, “I think Laoghaire would like to talk to you.”

“Y/N, I’m-,” Jamie tried to interrupt you.

“Nope,” you shook your head, passing your bags to Murtagh, who looked annoyed and unamused, “I don’t want you to waste any more time with me, go,” you gestured towards the girl not so subtly looking in our direction.

He looked like he was about to argue, but you stop him again, “I need to get to know Murtagh anyway, you told me I should start being nicer to him.”

“This is nicer,” Murtagh questioned.

“Alright,” Jamie tossed up his hands, “Good luck with the Lass.”

You and Murtagh started to move to your workspace, “What do you think you’re doing,” he whispered harshly to you.

“Getting ready for the gathering,” you answered with charm, “I took you for a more intelligent man Murtagh.”

“Don’t play dumb, girl,” he moved in front of you, “I mean with Jamie, your playing your games. You’re going to get him in trouble with all your messing around.”

Not letting yourself think too much about it, you walked around him ignoring what he was saying, “I’m not doing anything, I’m introducing him to a girl that likes him.”

“Miss, he doesn’t need a girl like Laohaire,” he sulked after you.

“What’s wrong with her, she is clearly interested in Jamie, she’s beautiful, and I imagine he’ll want to marry one day,” you continued, trying to avoid the feeling of jealousy.

Murtagh tossed down your bags, “You’re right about that, but Laohaire is a lassie and she’ll always be a lassie. Jamie needs a woman to be taking care of him and he her,” he said, “Stop with your meddling before you get him killed.” You stared after him, what was that supposed to mean when he said Jamie needs a woman.

PART 8

Taglist:  @doctorwhatwhenandwhere @damnedandbroken @blushingpogue @blancastans @slytherinambitious

[mydisasteracademia]

Random Shigaraki Headcanons

This boi. This grubby boi. I love him so much but at the same time he would probably literally dust me so... (oof this one kinda dragged on and on... lol)

Literally has no idea about real-life relationship dynamics outside of what he’s observed in his own parents, in Sensei, and in Kurogiri. All he thinks in the beginning is that people who claim to love you will stand by and let you be hurt, that villains took care of him better than any damn hero, and that he can only truly rely on himself. (And Sensei.)

It takes a loooooooong time of interacting with other people to break himself out of this mindset, and even then, sometimes it comes creeping back if bad things happen.

Getting into canon territory with this one, but really, really, reeeeeeeeally hates heroes because they didn’t even bother to help him when he was going through a whole mental breakdown. Literally one of the only reasons he hates them so much. I know this is pretty much canon, but I doubt he would ever grasp Stain’s ideology of ‘maybe some are good’ because in his eyes, not even the underground pro heroes even bothered to see if he was okay. Remember the scene from the manga with the old lady when he was a child? Yeah. There were bound to be heroes he bumped into, even off-duty ones, and nobody even gave him another glance.

Has extremely bad abandonment issues. If he likes you, he’s gonna want to keep you because he didn’t really have anything nice to call his own while growing up, and Sensei kept him fairly isolated so he literally tolerates nobody else other than him and Kurogiri at first. Reacts horribly when his friends want to break off the friendship. Goes through a whole depressive episode for a while, his old insecurities pop back up, and he really thinks he’s worse than trash and not worth anyone’s time or attention for a while. Prime time for Sensei to further twist his mind.

On that same note, if you’re dating, for the love of everything still good in this world do not break his heart. He will never forgive you. Literally will go to the grave before he forgives you for doing what you did (whether it be cheating on him or completely dropping him like a hot potato). Although this might also extend to little issues that make him feel like you don’t love him enough, he’ll forgive you if you show him plenty of attention and apologize for whatever he was upset over. If you cannot remain patient through his toxic mindsets, it’s best not to get into a relationship in the first place with him if you want to still remain friends afterward, because breaking it off means instant heartbreak.

Anyway! Back to happier, funnier hcs!!

The whole embodiment of the “Wears black in summer because I look good and am willing to suffer” vine. Will not give up his comfy black shirt and sweats for anything because yes, he does look good in black, and yes, he is willing to suffer. He’ll switch to a v-neck tee though. Even he’s not that masochistic.

Really prone to dry skin. I know that’s canon, but just... this poor man can’t keep moisturized to save his own life. Constantly has to apply a special moisturizer that’s specifically made for ultra-sensitive skin and has no scents whatsoever.

Will gripe about having to spend so much money on ointment and moisturizer for both him and Dabi. It’s one of the very few things they bond over, other than having a shitty father and pushover family... and their hatred of All Might.

Shigaraki 100% would be Dabi’s alibi if he actually managed to kill Endeavor. When it comes to the shitty dad club, he’s a fuckin’ ride-or-die.

Kinda sensitive over the fact that both he and Midoriya have the same sort of red shoes, but he loves his pair too much to throw them out. Purposefully aims for Midoriya’s shoes every single time they meet each other on the off chance that they get ruined enough for him to get different shoes, unknowing that he literally can’t just... get differently-colored shoes due to him being originally Quirkless (yes, The Shoes™ theory strikes again)

Literally never forgets a single thing about people he cares about. He’s the type of person who will remember every single thing you tell him about yourself, and especially birthdays. While he doesn’t exactly show his affection very loudly, he would be the type of person who tell you “happy birthday” on the day of as soon as he first sees you, and would treat you a little nicer all day that day.

This boy just has the biggest, scarred heart for his ‘good crowd’. I cannot stress enough just how much like Midoriya he could’ve turned out if he hadn’t been abandoned by society. This mf would give the green bean a run for his motherfuckin money.

“I really just hate the world and everything in it... except for you, maybe I could make an exception for you because you’re nice to me and I appreciate your company too much”

Even though I hc quite a few League members to be like cats when it comes to affection, Shigaraki’s spirit animal is a cat. Likes to lounge about in off-moments, slow to affection and very quick to remember exactly how people treat him, yet if he likes you he shows affection quietly enough that it’s not obvious at first. Like “oh, you’re in the same room as me. It’s not like I missed you or anything, me sitting right next to you at the bar when it’s totally empty means nothing. The fact that I’m looking right at you when you’re talking doesn’t mean I like you.”

LOVES HUGS. If you hug him and he likes you, you’ve probably made his whole day. Depending on how things are going, probably his whole fucking week. Just please hug him, he needs positive affection so bad

Major tsun-tsun. The most tsun-tsun. Grumpy until you get to know him, and if he likes you he’ll show you in little ways: listening to your ideas more, letting you stay closer for longer, maybe getting you something like food.

AFRAID OF TOUCH. I REPEAT, AFRAID OF TOUCH. Not from anyone he likes, of course; this baby is so touch-starved that he deserves a thousand hugs. But if he likes you, he will not initiate physical affection because he’s so afraid of accidentally dusting you. The memories of his family dying (except for his father, because #FuckKotaro2k21) haunt him almost every time he dreams (and if that doesn’t, then other traumatizing events certainly do), and he absolutely would not forgive himself if he dusted his favorite League member/civilian.

Definitely likens the rest of the League to his MVPs after a while of knowing them. Knowing how he operates, it’s adorable.

Would begrudgingly let Toga play around with his hair. I can just see him sitting blank-faced, staring at the mirror as she talks about whatever while brushing and braiding it into a cute plait. He would be hesitant to undo her hard work afterward, no matter how much he grouches that it “ruins his boss vibe”.

The kind of person to go to McDonalds at 3 AM just because he was craving chicken nuggets and ranch. Yes, ranch. He’s an old-school mf who don’t got no time for no barbecue.

Gets really irritated over Toga mooning over Uraraka and Midoriya, but doesn’t stop her from talking about how much she wants to ‘be’ them. (Encourages homicide. Advises homicide. Spinner has to stop her from actually getting ready to commit homicide.)

Disgruntled™

G L O A T S about the time he took away Overhaul’s chance to use his Quirk. “Yeah, we would’ve been satisfied with Compress taking his left arm away to be petty, but then Overhaul had to be a sentient piece of dick cheese, and well, y’know I couldn’t let him get away with that”

It’s becoming a problem. The others have learnt to tune him out once he gets going. Compress just smiles under the mask when he remembers it. Nobody knows what he’s really thinking.

His damn crowning moment. His apex point. There’s no going further beyond that (until he finally defeats Midoriya and takes over Japan as the world’s most feared villain of all time).

“Shigaraki, I’mma let you finish, but AFO still holds the record for being the most infamous villain of all time! Of all time!” <-- let the boy dream okay, he’s been waiting for this moment his whole damn life

Can you tell that I’m still horribly salty over Overhaul being an ass? Because I’m still horribly salty over Overhaul being an ass

Chronic emo phase. Hears the G note and just sighs heavily

Has probably seen hentai. Doesn’t really get the appeal of high-pitched feminine screams. Probably more of a tiddy man than an ass man. Just... boobie

His first fictional crush was Aeris/Aerith. Legitimately lost his shit when she died.

Man Crush Monday is Sephiroth all the way. Especially his one-winged angel form. Wanted to cosplay him for Halloween but didn’t because the cosplay was too costly.

Will make “That’s what she said” jokes in the most deadpan voice. At least Mustard kinda snickers at them.

Probably would’ve been pretty patient with Eri. Her traumatic past certainly would’ve pitted her as a kindred spirit with him, and he would think her Quirk would be a powerful asset if used right. Probably would’ve practiced it by destroying something and then telling her to rewind it so that he can break it again.

Shigaraki, holding Eri by her armpits: “I’ve only had her for ten minutes but if anything happened to her I’d dust everyone in the room to make her feel better”

The rest of the League: “???????? Okay?????”

Legitimately holds a powerful grudge against parents who abuse or neglect their children, especially against abusive fathers. Almost as powerful as his hatred for All Might. Will actively go after someone he sees is abusive to their children and will not let them live.

Would probably adopt an orphan after killing their abusive parents. “Oh, that was your dad/mom/parent? Well guess you’re mine now. Let’s go get chicken nuggets, kid”

Might somehow rope Dabi into going abusive-parent-hunting with him during a raid. Takes great pleasure in seeing the guilty party’s horrified, pained look on their face as they slowly dissolve into a pile of ash.

[broadstbroskis]

five times you shared a bed with your best friend plus one time you didn’t | matthew tkachuk

lol so @slimskjei-dy requested the prompt 16. We’ve been sharing a bed since we were little so why is this weird now? from a list i put out a couple days ago to write blurbs for and this spiraled out of control, so here’s nearly 4k.

one

The Tkachuk’s move into the house next door to your family the summer before you start preschool and at the ripe age of three, you are too young to have any idea what going with your mom to drop off “welcome to the neighborhood” brownies is going to mean for your future.

Really, it likely has more to do with the fact that “welcome to the neighborhood” brownies turned into a glass of “welcome to the neighborhood” wine between your mom and Chantal Tkachuk, which turned into a bottle of wine while you and Matthew played in the backyard with Brady’s chubby little baby legs trying his hardest to keep up. 

By the time Keith arrived home from a midday skate session, with your dad awkwardly following behind, babbling about how your mom had just planned on dropping something off quickly but was still missing, their friendship was basically cemented. Chantal and your mom did everything together. And your dads’ friendship didn’t take long to form after that. 

Which meant you and Matty were right there with them.

But neither of you cared. You’d settled quickly into a friendship, just like your parents had, where you’d play hockey with him and he’d begrudgingly play soccer with you, and you both pretended you had no idea what Brady was talking about when he ran to tattle that you were ganging up on him and not letting him play.

There’s countless pictures of the two of you growing up, getting into all kinds of trouble, but then also, of the quieter moments too. Sitting too close to the TV watching movies, eagerly waiting by the door for Keith to come home from a road trip with souvenirs, the naps curled up around each other in one of your beds. 

“The quietest twenty minutes of the day.” Keith continues to joke, anytime one of those pictures resurfaces.

two

You wince at the sound of glass crashing behind you and decide the best course of action is to keep moving forward with your mission to find Matthew. Whichever hockey bro of Matthew’s house this is can take care of that; it’s not your job.

Besides, the room is spinning from the cheap beer and booze you’d been drinking all night since the two of you arrived at this party, and you’re pretty sure it’s a bad idea to go near glass.

You find Matthew in the kitchen, with a few of his St. Louis hockey bros, a couple of them guys that you’re still friends with even after he’d left to go join the NTDP, as well as a few faces you don’t recognize. You slip up into their circle, sliding under Matty’s arm when it lifts to wrap around your shoulders, grateful for the solid body to lean against.

The room is really starting to spin.

“You okay?” He asks, ignoring whoever’s speaking.

“I don’t think I can go home tonight.” You admit.

He laughs. “Text your mom and tell her you’re staying with me. Big Walt and Chantal are at a tourney with Brady and Taryn; nobody’s home.”

“You don’t think she knows your parents aren’t home?” You scoff, but you’re already pulling out your phone and carefully drafting the text, making sure to avoid any spelling errors that might give your drunkenness away.

“Yeah, but she can’t prove what she hasn’t seen.” Matty winks at you and you roll your eyes.

“Is that what you told your mom after you left her a three minute voicemail at 3am last month?” You chirp at him, smiling at the instant laughter from the friends around you and accepting a fist bump from Luke Kunin.

That line of chirping continues for a few minutes, until Matty manages to turn it around on one of the boys, and then it dissolves into a free for all before they’re all just laughing at each other.

By the time the giggling ends, you’re about three seconds away from falling asleep on Matt’s shoulder, and it’s his nudge that wakes you. “You ready?” You nod, joining him in making goodbyes to your friends, and then following him out the door to begin the walk back toward your houses.

The fresh air does some good to sober you up and you feel marginally less dizzy by the time you and Matt make it to his room. He throws you a t-shirt to change into and you fall into bed after changing, waiting for him to join you, eyes shutting the second you feel the bed settle beside you.

three

The night before Matty’s due to leave for Buffalo for the draft, your phone buzzes with a text from him. You’re expecting more of the same that you’ve been exchanging all day with him-in various group chats with your friends, at a barbeque with both your families, when the two of you were chatting with Brady while you hid in the far corner with the beers you snuck while Taryn and your sister were off doing their thing.

It’s not. Let me in the text says, so you shove the blankets down and make your way downstairs to open the door for him.

“Shh.” You tell him. “They’re all asleep.”

“It’s 3am, of course they are!” He whispers back.

“Well so was I until you woke me up!” You start walking back toward your room, knowing he’ll follow.

Matthew doesn’t speak again until the two of you are in your room, the door is closed, and he’s lying on his side to face you in your bed. “I couldn’t sleep.”

“You can’t possibly be nervous.” You whisper back, knowing he’s talking about the draft. He shrugs and you reach your hand out to shove his shoulder down, allowing it to rest there. “Matty.” He blinks at you a few times as you think of what to say next. “You’re gonna go somewhere and you’re going to be great. One of these teams is going to love you enough to draft you and everyone after them is going to be mad they didn’t have the chance to and almost everyone before them is going to be mad they didn’t end up picking you and you’re going to go off to whatever city does and forget all about me back here.”

Matthew wraps his arm around your waist and pulls you closer to him so you move your hand from the top of his shoulder around to rub at the blade gently. “First of all, that’ll never happen. You’re stuck with me forever.”

You nod seriously. “Somebody’s got to put up with you.”

He pokes you in the side for that one and you have to bite your lip to keep in the squeal of laughter. “Second of all, almost? Almost everyone is going to me mad they didn’t pick me?”

“Leafs got first pick to get Auston! I just don’t think they’re going to regret that!” He pokes you again and you don’t manage to hide the squeal this time. “Matty! Everyone’s sleeping!”

“You should be nicer to me.” He tells you, once you settle down.

“I should be nicer to you? You wake me up at 3am to talk you off the ledge and I should be nicer to you?”

He nods, pulling you even closer to bury his face in your hair. “Always.”

You laugh, the sound muffled into his chest now. “Are we all good now?”

“Hmm?” He says, sounding sleepy already.

“Never mind.” You tell him, rubbing his back again. “Good night, Matty.”

“G’night.”

four

Calgary is a thousand times more incredible than you’d ever imagined. You’d been teasing Matty about being stuck in a frozen wasteland, sending him snaps from sunny gamedays at Mizzou and laughing anytime you get one in return with snow in the picture.

There’s snow on the ground when you arrive in December, fresh out of finals, and still feeling both the mental exhaustion from your exams and the hangover from a day of binge drinking with your friends immediately after they’d ended. You’ll never fly hungover again; the next time you do this, you’ll leave yourself a day of rest between exams and flying up to visit your best friend, since you know you won’t stop drinking earlier.

College is making you smarter already!

Matthew actually laughs when he meets you in the pick up lane, like puts his head on the steering wheel and has to hold off on driving. He gets honked at by the car behind him. “Your laugh is making my headache worse.” You whine.

“So I take it you don’t want the bottle of wine I bought for us to split tonight?”

You look over at him suspiciously. “What kind of wine?”

He laughs again, but softer this time. “Atta girl.”

It’s a red blend, a favorite of the two of you, but a much nicer one than you’ve ever bought before. You let out a low whistle as Matthew places the order for dinner. “Suddenly you’ve got some cash flow and Barefoot’s too good?”

“Hell yeah! Wait until you see what kind of vodka I got for us for Saturday.”

You perk up. “What’s on Saturday?”

“Party with the team before my parents come in.”

You laugh, accepting the glass of wine he pours for you. “You don’t think Big Walt would want to come to the party?”

Matty gives you a look. “I know that’s exactly what would happen and that’s why I told them to come Sunday.”

“Smart thinking.” You admit.

“See, who needs college?” He teases, which settles the two of you into your familiar teasing and banter while you wait for the food to arrive. 

It isn’t too long after dinner and Netflix that you and Matthew are heading to bed, pressing yourself as close as you can to suck up as much warmth that he’s radiating. “Fuck, your feet are cold.” Matty mutters as you giggle and press your toes into his calf.

“Haven’t you missed me?” You sling your leg over his for maximal toe digging, laughing when he jumps.

“I guess.” He says, but his tone says Absolutely.

five

“So what are your plans for after graduation?”Ashley, Sean Monahan’s girlfriend (and soon-to-be fiancee if Matty was to be believed) looks at you during a stoppage of play late in the third.

“God, don’t remind me.” You groan. You’d wrapped the fall semester of your senior year a couple days ago and then taken off to Calgary in what had become your annual post-finals trip. It’d be the last one you ever took, with your final semester of college looming over your head. 

Ashley grins. She’d become a close friend of yours over all your trips to visit Matthew, even flying down to St. Louis last season when the Flames were in town and spending a weekend with some of the other girls visiting you at school afterwards. “Just come hang out up here forever.”

You burst into laughter. “And live where?”

She gives you a look, like it’s the most obvious thing ever. “With Matt?”

“Oh my god, you’re serious.” It takes a full minute for you to recover. Play has resumed, there’s a minor scrum on the ice in front of the two of you but you barely even notice, too shocked by Ashley’s words.

“Why wouldn’t I be?”

“Because why would I ever?”

“Because you already do.” She says, with more patience than you’ve possessed in your entire life combined, and then laughs at the look on your face. “YN, what you two have is so special! To fall in love with your best friend at age three and still feel that way is amazing! If Sean and I can look at each the way you and Matt do after twenty years, we could only be so lucky.”

“We’re not in love.” You deny. “Matty and I-we’re just-we’re not.”

Ashley bites her lip, but doesn’t push it any further. “Alright.” She agrees, and thankfully, the game ends there, so you’re able to just gather your things with her and make your way down toward the family room to meet the boys.

But you can’t get her words out of your head as you and Matthew arrive back to his place and start getting ready to go to bed. You move around each other with a practiced ease, handing him the toothpaste before he even asks for it and accepting the oversized sweatshirt he passes to you, somehow knowing that you’re extra chilly tonight. 

Lying next to him in bed, the same way you have for nearly twenty years, suddenly feels suffocating. You roll onto your side, hoping for some room to breath, but now it just feels awkward; this isn’t how you sleep.

You sit up, ditching the sweatshirt. Maybe you’re just too warm. Lying back and pulling the covers back up does nothing to solve that problem, and actually, you’re shivering, so you sit back up and yank the sweatshirt back on.

“Could you settle down?” Matty mumbles, pulling you into his side the second that you’re flat again. His arm rests on your waist, thumb in the dip of your hip, a position it’s been in many times, but suddenly you think you’re having trouble breathing. You open your mouth to tell him this, but he presses a kiss to your temple and says, “Relax, just sleep.”

You don’t sleep a wink the entire night.

plus one

“What do you mean you’re not coming?” Dylan, a good friend of both yours and Matthew’s, is usually one of the most upbeat people you know, so the sound of disappointment coming throughout your phone actually makes you wince. “YN?”

“I just-” You hesitate. You’d have to leave right now in order to get to St. Louis in time to make the Skills Competitions, and even then you might be pushing it, and things were still weird for you with Matty, as evidenced by how things were between the two of you when he came home for his short Christmas break. And things were weird. Everyone noticed- your families, your friends, Matthew. The two of you had spoken only once since, in the group chat where Matthew had texted an invite to your group chat to come home for the weekend for the All Star Weekend and you’d noncommittally responded wow that’d be awesome. “I’m super busy.” You finish lamely.

Dylan sighs. “Look, YN, I don’t know what the fuck is going on between you and Matt and I don’t really care. It’s not my business. But I know he’d really want you there no matter what’s going on and I know you’ll regret not going if you don’t.”

You close your eyes for a second, taking a deep breath. He’s right. “I’ll see you in a few hours, Dyl.”

“Hell yeah,” Dylan cheers.

By the time you make it to St. Louis, you have to race to meet your friends in your seats and the cheer they send up is poorly timed, but it does make you smile. “Shitty seats.” You accept the bottle of Bud Light someone passes you.

Dylan laughs and points up to the giant platform next to you guys. “He’s going to be shooting from there in a while.”

“Alright.” You nod. “I guess this is acceptable then.”

It’s a good while before Matty and the rest of the guys participating in the Shooting Stars event start making their way up, but it’s nice to catch up with your other friends while you wait. If you got a big cheer when you rolled in, the one that goes up when Matthew walks by is deafening (and boostered by the friends of Brady’s that are sitting right behind you guys). The two of them look over at you guys, grinning already, and you see it in Matthew’s face when he spots you, the smirk softening a little and his eyes locking on you.

You’d read about moments where time stands still but it’d never actually happened to you until now. It’s like the crowd doesn’t exist around you, like you don’t actually need to breathe. The only thing that matters is the moment in time when your eyes meet Matty’s. 

And that moment’s broken by Brady shoving him forward. 

As you watch Matthew throughout the entirety of the last event, you know you’re screwed. You’ll get through this weekend, go back to school, and get over these thoughts by the time summer comes. Everything will be back to normal by the time you see Matty again.

In the meantime, you do your best to avoid him once the Skills Competition ends and you join everyone at the after party on the rooftop bar of the hotel. It’s easier than you think it would be to do. When Matty’s talking with some of your local friends, you find yourself catching up with both sets of your parents. When he starts making his way toward your parents, you excuse yourself to the bathroom. You see him make a beeline towards the bar, so you dart off in the opposite direction, where Brady is talking with a couple of his Atlantic Division teammates and push yourself in between the height of him and Auston Matthews, which seems like a safe spot to hide.

“YN!” Auston grins, throwing his hands up in the air, in a drunken greeting that you’d love to be more lowkey.

You reach up and grab them, yanking them down. “Listen, I know it’s been a while since we’ve last hung out and all, and I know from the way you talk and dress and everything about you that this is a hard thing for you to comprehend, but I’m really going to need some subtlety from you.” Next to him, Mitch and Freddie burst into laughter. “Down low, boo. Down low.”

Auston is laughing as well and you remember that while the times you’ve spent with him have been few and far between, unable to visit Matthew as frequently during his time with the NTDP as you have been in Calgary, they’ve certainly been memorable...so moments like this are unshocking to him, to say the least.

They don’t even faze Brady, who’d grown up with both you and Matthew, and is merely looking at you with an entirely too familiar smirk and a raised brow. “What’s the subtlety for, YN?”

“Fuck off, Brady.” You flip your middle finger up at him quickly but it’s just enough time for the entire group of hockey players around you to pounce. You really should have known better.

“I knew something was up!” Auston grins.

“Nothing’s up.” You deny, very poorly.

“Really?” Brady grins. “‘Cause Matt’s like right there.” He points. “On his way here. So I guess if nothing’s wrong, you can-” He starts immediately laughing when you shove your way out of them.

You think you manage to lose your best friend by pushing through a large group of players and family from the Metro and Central divisions and throwing yourself out the door to the outdoor patio, which is mostly empty, despite the unseasonably warm winter St. Louis has been experiencing. You can see Brady, Auston, and Quinn laughing together through the glass door, but Matty’s nowhere to be found, and you sit down on the closest bench, taking a minute to just breathe.

“You gotta tell me what I did.” The voice scares you, but it shouldn’t, because you really should have known better than to think that Matty wouldn’t be able to find you.

When you look over at Matty on the bench beside you, you can’t think of another time he’s looked this devastated. Maybe that semi-final loss in World Juniors? Maybe? It’s all over his face and you can’t just leave him like this any longer. “It’s not you.” You tell him, holding back tears. “You didn’t do anything wrong.”

“Then tell me what’s wrong so I can fix it!” Matthew says, frustratedly.

“You can’t fix it!” You sniffle, trying to scoot away from him, to give yourself some distance, and feeling the tears start to fall when he closes that space again. “You can’t go back and stop Ashley from making me realize that I’m in love with you, okay? So you can’t fix this and I just-I need some time, Matty! Okay? I need some time!”

“Don’t be fucking stupid.” He breathes, like he’s only just recovered the ability to talk, which, he might have, and you tilt your head to meet his eyes, which puts you in a perfect position considering he’s already leaning toward you.

Matthew fumbles for a second, his hand reaching for your cheek and catching your ear instead with you turning, but he recovers quickly, stroking gently down the side of your face. You gasp, the kiss entirely unexpected, and Matty takes the opportunity to tug on your lip gently before pulling away and you let out a whimper at the loss of contact.

He smirks.

“Don’t be smug.” You shove at his shoulder.

“Don’t be stupid.” He repeats, pulling you closer. “How could you ever think I wouldn’t be in love with you?”

“I didn’t want to ruin us.” You tell him softly. “But I am willing to concede I was wrong.”

Matty grins. “Sure were. Can do this anytime I want now.” He kisses you again, leaving you just as breathless as before.

You suppose, at some point, that’ll start to wear off, but as the two of you trade lazy kisses on the rooftop, you can’t imagine that point ever coming. This is perfection, this is the piece of your relationship you didn’t even know was missing coming together, this is-

-Brady knocking on the window?

What?

You blink again, realizing where you’re at. Still on the rooftop bench, with your arm wrapped around Matty’s neck, your legs draped over his lap, and your face tucked into his shoulder. Matthew’s arms are wrapped around your waist, holding you close, and his head rests on top of yours. Somehow still asleep through all the banging Brady’s been doing. 

“Matty.” You poke him awake.

“What?” He groans, sitting up.

“Brady.” Matthew looks over at the window, where Brady is still gesturing that it’s time to leave, with a very smug grin on his face.  Matthew lifts one hand off your waist to flip his brother off, allowing you to climb off. 

“You couldn’t have answered any of the texts we sent you?” Brady asks, once you step inside, but he doesn’t sound annoyed at all, still looking between the two of you with the biggest grin on his face.

Matthew shrugs. “Must have fallen asleep.”

“Bullshit.”

“You just saw us!”

Brady rolls his eyes, knowingly. “Just kiss her already.”

Matty grins. “Gladly.” And then he’s pressing a heated kiss against your lips, looping his arm around your waist, and it’s all you can do to grip his arm with one hand to keep yourself standing and flip off the crowd around you with your other as whoever’s left at this after party burst into applause and wolf-whistles.

[zoyalais-moved]

You Forget to be Clever

World: modern setting, assassins au

Ship: Zoyalai

Word Count: 1281

asassins au as requested by @storm-dog-pirate <3

want one?

AO3

Zoya was never one to complain about a job, but this was low on her list of favorites. It wasn't on the list at all, really.

She never did like masquerade balls.

But at least this time she wasn't expected to dance- no, this time her mission was simple, and this time, she was alone.

The hall was shrouded in dim, golden light that fell from the many hanging chandeliers, and red and gold silk was draped across the walls in a style she couldn't name the origin of but found rather appealing. Her mark was dancing, she'd been told he liked to dance. How exactly she would get him off the dance floor and alone for this mission, she wasn't certain.

Zoya watched his form as he led his partner through the steps, half his face hidden by a mask in the shape of a red fox, ears perked up in calm alert. She cocked her head at him, curious. She hadn't been told much about her mark, just that he'd interfered with their agency's plans one too many times and had since become a nuisance. 

Morozova hadn't said it outright, but she suspected there was more to the story. 

How much can I learn before the posion stops his heart?

Not much.

She glanced at the large clock hanging on the wall behind her,a great, ever-expanding thing that must've needed two or three men just to bring into the hall. Nearly twelve. 

I'm running out of time .

Which was not an option. Zoya wasn't just the best assassin- she had killed the best. She had reached her standing through nothing less than raw determination, and a hardened heart. And this man would not be the one to bring her down.

"May I have this dance?" 

The voice was calm, the barest hint of teasing beneath the polite request, and it made Zoya frown as she turned to face it's owner, a refusal already on her tongue.

She froze when her eyes met a pair of bright hazel eyes, peeking out behind a red snout. 

So eager for death, little prince, the voice in her head mocked. Zoya let a smile spread across her red painted lips, adjusting her purple dragon mask and letting him take her gloved hand in his.

"It would be my pleasure."

She watched the crowd as Lantsov watched her, the way all men did, no doubt. It was a good thing her dress dipped low and the slit in the silver fabric gave a good view of her legs as she walked. 

She would need to get him alone soon.

"Are you enjoying the party?" He asked, hand settling at her waist as he pulled her close. Zoya frowned when she realized he hadn't actually been studying her form, his eyes caught instead on the cuff at her wrist, the one that concealed her weapon- Genya's greatest invention yet.

"A bit disappointed, really," she said, draping her hand over his shoulder, pulling him closer.

"Not in the company, I hope?" He asked good-naturedly, but a smile threatened to pull at his lips as his eyes moved on from the cuff and latched onto her own eyes, as though he found this whole charade very amusing.

"More in the place," she admitted, letting her lashes flutter- averted eyes, touch of a flirtatious grin, leaning closer- playing with men was her favorite pastime. "Though I suppose that could change."

His brows were hidden by the red mask, but she could tell a single brow had been raised.

"If, say, I were to show you some of the nicer parts of the house?" He offered, grinning slyly. There we go, Zoya thought. She didn't have time to waste, and it seemed she wasn't the only one in a rush. 

"Perhaps," she allowed.

"And then," she didn't notice the gleam in his eyes until he had spun them around and dipped her, causing her fingers to tighten on his shirt, holding onto him. His lips brushed against her ear, his next words a deliberate whisper. "you could complete Morozova's mission?"

It was a good thing he was holding onto her because Zoya froze completely.

He chuckled lightly, straightening and bringing her along with him, resuming the dance as though nothing had changed. As though her heart wasn't beating wildly in her chest, fear gripping her body.

"I'm not sure I understand," she tried, but the words must've sounded hollow, and when his eyes met hers again, she had a new description in mind for them. Clever . Clever as the mask of the animal he wore.

Saints, she should have asked Morozova for more details. More time.

"Well you aren't the first to try and kill me," he said, almost thoughtfully, "just the prettiest." 

He punctuated his words with a wink, grinning.

Zoya wanted to scream.

The only reason he would be so calm… was if he had anticipated the attack.

Which meant she was the one in danger now. She glanced around the room as subtly as she could- there, two guards, one short and the other large and threatening, both of them watching her.

"He doesn't trust you," Lantsov added, sensing her shock.

That made Zoya look back at him. She eyed him warily, still refusing to give herself away. 

"Morozova, that is. If he did, he wouldn't have set this place to blow up in-" he glanced behind her at the clock before adding, "six minutes."

"What?" Zoya stopped completely, her heart dropping to her feet. A couple bumped into them from behind and Lantsov smoothly turned them back around. He was gently leading them through the steps, Zoya hardly aware of her own movements.

"The clock," he explained, eyes softening ever so slightly, "it's connected to three bombs that had been ready to blow at the strike of twelve."

Her gaze dropped to the smooth tile they were dancing on before snapping back up to his, eyes narrowing.

"He'll be dead by midnight, I'll make sure of it."

"Of that, Nazyalensky, I have no doubt."

"Liar." She said simply.

Lantsov sighed, sounding almost disappointed. 

"Why would you invite this many people if you knew the floors would go up in- what, six minutes? You wouldn't endanger them. You wouldn't endanger yourself."

"Five," he corrected, "and obviously not, I plan to die fat and happy and bald, and not dressed in such finery. Preferably many decades in the future."

"That isn't a choice for you to make," she snarled.

"Yet you were so ready to make it for me," he mused, an edge to his words. 

Zoya swallowed, her gaze running from the clock, to the ground, to Lantsov. Back to the clock. 

It had been five minutes to midnight when they started dancing. The numbers hadn't changed.

"You disabled it," she said quietly.

"I did it myself, actually." 

"Then why am I still alive?"

Lantsov watched her for a moment, and she realized the music had stopped- not stopped, ended. The dance floor was clearing up, but she couldn't move, and he made no effort to abandon it either.

After a moment he stepped back, taking her hand, her cuff gleaming as he raised it to his lips, pressing a kiss to the back of her knuckles.

"Because now, when I ask you to meet me in three days at the wearhouse down the street, I know you'll agree."

"Why would I do that?" She asked, her voice not holding the venom she'd intended.

"Curiosity," he offered, stepping away, eyes gleaming, a clever man concealed by a clever fox, disappearing into the crowd as he walked backwards. "And the shared desire to take down Morozova."

[keijikunn]

The things we do for love

── A @babythotshq​ collab “Winter Wonderland”

BUILD A SNOWMAN

Pairing: Kunimi Akira x fem!reader  Tags: time skip, fluff Summary: Kunimi Akira learned to love the snow through the years. All because of you.  Word count: ~2.5k

Author’s note: This is my piece of Winter Wonderland, and my Secret Santa is Mimi from @mimi-cee-hq​! It’s the first time I’ve ever written for Kunimi, so I hope I didn’t mess up too much. We don’t talk that much, but you are very dear to me, Mimi! Hope you had a great holiday and an even better New Year!!

Kunimi Akira hated snow. It bothers him how it wets his clothes, how moving around gets complicated because of the iced streets and, obviously, the cold weather. The boy couldn't see the appeal of the traditional white cover of the winter. He has to wear layers of coats to protect himself, not to mention the constant need to remove the snow from the sidewalk. 

Leaving bed in the morning was hard, going to practice wasn’t pleasant - not that the other days were, in Kunimi’s opinion. Whenever the forecast announced the first snow of the season would fall soon the raven haired boy's mood instantly dropped. As a child, no one could talk to him as soon as he woke up - his young version needed his sweet time to get warm and cozy inside his school uniform. 

The adult life didn’t make it any easier, only adding to his dislike. After moving out of his parents’ house at the beginning of his second year in college, Kunimi faced all the problems of snow by himself. He had to clean up the muddy trail his boots left at the entrance, shoveling all of it every morning before classes and the worst of all, in his opinion, the constant black outs because of heavy snowfall. 

Kunimi absolutely hated snow. 

Contrasting his opinion, there were yours. You loved the iced water that falls during winter, painting Miyagi in white. This season of the year has some magic in it, you couldn’t really explain; but ever since you can remember, early december mornings meant bundling yourself in your thickest coat to play with the first snow. 

His first impression of you wasn’t the greatest, since you were the reason why he got a cold. 

Kunimi wasn’t in his best humor. 

He adjusted his scarf around his neck, pulling the strings of his hoodie together, trying to prevent the cold wind from hitting his ears. He underestimated mother nature, not believing it could snow as much as it did during the morning while he was in class. Kunimi’s clothes, though they seemed to be warm enough to the cold day of winter, didn’t suit the wetness of melting ice on the street. 

“I hate this.” The boy muttered under his breath, taking another step into a thick layer of snow. His socks, drenched in a ridiculous freezing water, could be enough to stop his blood circulation on his feet. “And people wonder why I despise snow.”

The familiar beige wall of his house appeared on his eyesight, ripping a sigh from his chest. Kunimi was so ready to reach his home, take a long and hot shower and confine himself under his fluffy comforts to sleep. All he needed to do was take a few more steps, then he’ll be- 

A sudden touch on his back made him fall over, his arms barely reacting on time in order to prevent major injuries on himself. The weight of a second body on top of him knocked the air out of his lungs, said sensation intensified by the cold snow wetting the front of his hoodie. His feet were already cold, the tip of his nose was red and now this? Kunimi was fuming to say the least.

“Oh my gosh, Kunimi-kun, I’m so sorry!” He recognized that high pitched tone, it was his neighbour’s daughter, Risa, and an unknown girl trailing behind her. The older one sported an apologetic smile on her face, but her gloves covered in snow gave away she wasn’t that sorry. “I didn’t mean to bump into you. I was building a snowman with my cousin, Y/n, but then she decided to throw snow at me!” 

“Sorry!” She was pretty, Kunimi had to admit it, even though she was wearing a white beanie matching with a scarf hiding almost her entire face. A pang of jealousy struck him at the sight of such a comfortable and warm outfit she’s wearing. 

“Whatever.” Kunimi exhaled deeply, evidencing all his annoyance, not sparing a second glance at both girls. Risa exchanged a few words with her cousin that he couldn’t make out- and he didn’t care at all.

Now he had another reason to arrive quickly at his house. He definitely needed a warm bath. 

No words could describe how pissed off Akira was the next morning, when he woke up with a sore throat and high fever. He didn’t know if he was more angry at nature for having snow as part of it, the pretty cousin of his neighbour or himself for not checking the forecast. Either way, he still was sick and cranky regardless of the blame he desperately wanted to attribute to somebody else besides himself. 

His parents were off to work, leaving him by himself in the house. At least I got to stay in bed the whole day, Kunimi reasoned with himself, letting a content sigh escape his lips. He snuggled into his soft covers, turning to his side to reach out his phone to kill some time. The first thing that caught his eyes was the little icon on his forecast app, indicating it wouldn’t snow that day. Kunimi rolled his eyes at the coincidence, exactly the day when he hadn't to leave his house he checked the weather. 

“I should sleep, it’s not like I have many free days to do whatever I want.” He muttered under his breath, voice raspy and a few octaves lower than usual.

The boy didn’t know how long he slept, but he was harshly pulled off from subconsciousness by a loud knock on his front door. He groaned in annoyance, turning to face the wall, covering his head with the black covers over him. Kunimi thought that pretending no one was at home would make the unexpected visitor leave after a few tries. 

“Kunimi-kun, I know you’re in there. Your parents dropped by Risa’s house asking me to check on you. Heard you’re sick.” A feminine voice shouted, making him wonder how old his parents thought he was. Ask for the neighbours check on me? Am I 7 years old, mom?

Having no choice but to open the door for the strange girl, Kunimi put on the nearest hoodie he found and a disposable mask his dad left on his desk. He didn’t realise the sickness made him weak and gave him body ache- after all, he spent the whole morning lying down. Preparing mentally to have that social interaction, the black haired boy unlocked knob, opening the entrance. 

The familiar beanie, now with a dark blue scarf, hiding almost her entire face - besides her eyes - came into Akira’s sight. Behind the girl, he could see the little path that led the gates to the door was cleared from snow and he wondered when his dad had time to do it between his tight schedule. Focusing once again on the person in front of him, Kunimi noticed a thermal bag in her hands. 

“Hi, Kunimi-kun, I’m Y/n- Risa’s cousin. We met yesterday.” She bowed quickly, minding the object she had in hands. 

“How could I not remember?” Kunimi shot back under his breath, but he knew Y/n heard what he grumpily said, offering him half smile. 

“Your parents stopped by Risa’s house in hopes to talk to her parents, but they’re off on a business trip and I’m babysitting that little rascal,” Y/n started to explain. “They told me you were sick, and I imagined that me and my cousin had some blame on it. So we cleaned the doorstep and I made okayu* and a bottle of shogayu** as apology gifts.”

“You didn’t have to Y/n-san.” He faked a smile, you actually had to, it’s your fault I’m sick. “Thank you for these, though. I appreciate it.”

“Don’t mention it!” She answered passing him the item and slowly stepping away from him. “Get better soon. And next time, wear thicker clothes!”

“Thanks, I will.” Kunimi scoffed, finally closing the door from the outside’s cold weather. 

His first impression of Y/n was terrible. She liked snow, she made him sick and teased him about his questionable choices. Kunimi hoped he’d never see her again. 

Oh, how wrong he was.

Kunimi’s first encounter with you pulled him out of his slumber, a faint smile on his face as he remembered the very first time he saw you. Almost three years after that, he found himself lying on the bed you share with him. 

Life is funny, huh?

He was quick to notice you weren't there beside him, your side of the mattress still a bit warm - indicating you just left your position. Rubbing the sleep away from his eyes, the black haired man got up and headed to the bathroom outside his room. The water was unnecessarily cold, though justified by the season: it was winter after all. The exact period of time Akira grew to tolerate by your side. Much to his surprise, since the very first winter you two spent as a couple he watched his words about your favourite weather. 

You were at the living room, staring through the glass door that led to the backyard. The man quickly noticed the reason that captured your attention: the snowflakes danced in the air, slowly falling down. The first snow always captivated you, and Kunimi didn’t understand why, just like he didn’t wrap his head around the fact the iced water could be actually nice. 

“I’m surprised you’re not out there desperately trying to get a cold.” Kunimi teased, voice still husky from the long period of inactivity of his vocal chords. You turned to look at him, a smile plastered on your face. “Good morning, weirdo.”

“Morning, grumpy.” You extended your hand, signalizing the boy to scoot over - which he complied. The sensation of your arms wrapped around his waist was comforting, emanating enough warm to face whatever winter storm that has yet to come. “Will you build a snowman with me?”

“Is this a nicer way to say you want to knock me down on snow just like you did when we first met up?” He asked sarcastically, causing you to let out a loud laugh as you recalled said memory. “I got sick for days that time, it wasn’t good.”

“But I did clean your doorstep and made you food, Akira.” His facade broke at your beautiful smile. Of course you would pull this card, you always did when you two would playfully banter about how Kunimi always manages to get sick after spending some time outside during winter. “And I always take care of you whenever you get sick.”

“Touché, hm?” The pad of his index finger ran softly across your cheek, then Kunimi’s large hand cupped your face lovingly. The man recalled the past three years you spent as a couple, traditionally going out to please you; followed by a couple of days of Akira’s bed rest and tons of missoshiro*** to ease his aching throat from the cold he always manages to get. “Let’s go change clothes, yeah? I know later the snow will be stronger, and I definitely don’t want to be out there when it comes.”

The sparks in your eyes never fails to swell Kunimi’s heart, resulting in a soft look he casts at your back as you retreat to your shared bedroom to change from your fluffy pajamas. As the time passed in your relationship, Kunimi learned how to… tolerate little things he usually doesn’t - all because of you. You definitely changed his sour winter spirit. 

“C’mon, Akira!” You screamed from the other room, too excited to wait any longer for your lazy boyfriend.

“Don’t rush me, woman, the snow won’t melt in five minutes!” 

Kunimi’s hands were stupidly cold. Even the leather gloves he has on weren’t enough to keep the warmth inside, all because he had to help you build a snowman. It wasn’t working, the snow was too soft to form any shape you wanted, but he hadn’t had the heart to tell you this - not when you were so happy to be in your backyard with him. 

So, instead of complaining, Kunimi kneeled down to scoop more snow, trying to create a well sized ball to be the base of your personal Olaf (he called you dumb for this). After a couple of attempts, and slightly giving up on making in perfectly, the black haired man managed to finish his task. It was falling on the edges, the top slowly crumbling due to its softness and Kunimi held back a scowl at the sight of it. 

“Oh, Akira! You did it,” you beamed happily, bringing a pile of snow that he assumed to be its head, and placed it on the top. The two of you completely ignored the proportion, as the body was way larger than the head, but that didn’t seem to upset you. Instead, you clapped your hands, quickly assembling the branches you found to make its arms and a few stones from your flower pots to make its eyes and mouth. “It would look better if Olaf had his carrot nose, though.”

“No, we’re not using our food in this.” Kunimi quickly denied, earning a huff as response from you. He stood next to you, carefully eyeing the poorly-done snowman, cringing at the fact he actually did it. 

“It looks terrible!” Your sudden comment was followed by you bursting into a fit of laughter.

“Yes, because you can’t wait a few days to play in the snow like a 10-year-old kid.” He said back, bumping his elbow lightly on your side. As you protested at such action, Kunimi decided to unwrap his scarf around his neck, gently putting on the snowman in front of you. “Still looks like shit, but I guess it’s a bit better. Now, let’s go inside before I freeze to death.”

“You wanted to take off your scarf, dumbass!”

“I did it because you’d pout if I didn’t!”

The bickering continued even after the two of you took a nice and hot shower, slipping once again in your pajamas. While you were freshening yourself, Kunimi busied himself in the kitchen, preparing breakfast. It probably was a psychological effect, but he could swear his throat already itched a bit, even though any cold barely had the time to affect his system. 

The things we do for love. 

His train of thoughts were quickly interrupted by a tight embrace on his waist and a light pressure on his back. Your perfume overpowered any aroma the food in front of him emanated, filling his senses with the smell he associated as home. His left hand dropped from the pan on the stove, resting it on the top of yours on his abdomen. 

“Thank you for this morning, Akira.” It was such a trivial thing to thank another person, but it wasn’t for you and him. Because you knew he despises snow. 

“You better take care of me when I get sick from this, huh?” He playfully demanded, but he meant well- and you knew it. 

The things I do for love.

*okayu: Japanese rice porrigde **shogayu: ginger tea ***missoshiro: miso soup 

WINTER WONDERLAND MASTERLIST

DO YOU WANT TO BE TAGGED IN THE FUTURE RELEASMENT? FILL THIS FORM AND BECOME A BOOKWORM!

[kookiebunnii]

pairing: mark(got7) x reader

genre: fluff for the birthday boy 🥳

word count: 4.3k

warnings: mature language

When Mark had been dating your roommate, you barely spared him a second glance.

Being a college undergraduate meant that you had plenty of exams and coursework to worry about without having to keep track of who Ingrid was “dating” this month. The two of you got along as well as two individuals who kept to themselves could get along. She was rarely home, and when she was, she’d spare you the awkward introduction to her new fling by quickly ushering him into her room. You always told yourself that your living situation could’ve been way worse, so you let Ingrid’s business proceed without much of a complaint.

You couldn’t even remember how long the two lasted, given the amount of fuckboys that had walked through her door. It was a wonder that you could even recall his name, to be frank. Perhaps he left some semblance of an impression because of the way he never walked around like he owned the place like most of Ingrid’s conquests. There were times you’d find an unknown shirt hanging haphazardly across the couch or one of your pudding cups gone missing from the fridge. Despite these occurrences, you disliked confrontation, so you chose to endure rather than address your grievances. While Ingrid had been with Mark, you remember being considerably more comfortable in your own residence.

If someone had told you that you’d be head over heels in love with Mark Tuan only a month after your roommate ended things with him, you’d probably have a good laugh. You were more invested in the comebacks of the boy groups you loved than some boy your roommate, of all people, had once been with. Besides, you were a commitment-seeking gal, and anyone that pursued your roommate was definitely not expecting anything long-term.

The suggestion that you would grow attracted to such a guy would have seemed ludicrous. Yet maybe this is why the saying “not everything is as it seems” exists.

The whole ordeal began relatively innocuously. You were waiting on your hazelnut latte at the university’s central coffee shop, preparing to head to the library for some much-needed studying. Midterms were around the corner, and you had spent one too many days dozing off in lectures to feel prepared. It seemed that most of the student population had the same idea as you, since the café was bustling for a Wednesday afternoon. You tried your best to stay out of everyone’s way, focusing instead on checking the time on your cell phone and planning out your schedule for the rest of the day.

When you finally have your order in your hands, you take a small sip before heading for the exit. Right when that happens, a form in your periphery suddenly rushes in and knocks the hot coffee out of your grasp. Thankfully, or as much thanks as you could offer in such a tragedy, most of the drink cascades on the tiled floor. Only a little of your latte scalds your hand and paints your white sweater with brown polka dots. The disappointment you feel about losing your drink is quickly overshadowed by embarrassment when people start staring and the painful burning blossoms across the back of your hand.

“Shit, I’m so sorry.”

Your offender rushes to grab some napkins, immediately going to work on wiping the floor. As his head is lowered, you try to think of a smart response. Just as you were about to give the rude kid a piece of your mind, he looks up and the words dry up on your tongue.

“Y/N?”

“Mark?” you finally manage, surprised he even remembered who you were.

He quickly hands you a napkin, looking even more apologetic before responding, “Here, for your hand and sweater…I’m so sorry I wasn’t looking where I was going.”

“It’s fine,” you quickly reassure, doing your best to clean yourself up. The coffee will likely stain your sweater at this rate, so you decide to simply study at your apartment instead so you can change into new clothes.

This certainly puts a wrench into your plans, doesn’t it?

“Let me buy you another coffee. A new sweater too, it looks like,” he gives you a timidly awkward smile, as if he wasn’t sure if he was allowed to do so.

You offer him a quick rise of the corners of your lips, but not much else. It still felt a little shocking and disappointing to be in such a predicament, and you sure as hell didn’t want Ingrid’s ex to be owing you any favors.

“As I said, it’s fine. Really. This was an old sweater anyways,” you grab the hem as you speak, before trying to dodge around him to leave.

When he quickly blocks your attempt to escape, you realize the guy’s reflexes are quite remarkable. However, you wanted to be rid of this awkward situation as soon as possible, so his actions made you purse your lips together in discontent.

“I’m really sorry, Y/N. This really wasn’t the way I’d imagine bumping into you again. Literally I guess,” he shyly runs his hand through his hair, which is now surprisingly dyed blonde. You knew something about him was different, but now you pinpoint it as his hair. He used to wear his natural dark brown locks when he was with Ingrid, so the change catches you off guard. It suits him well though, the way it easily brightens his whole demeanor.

“Don’t worry about it, it happens,” you tuck your hand into your pocket and continue, “Look I’ve really gotta go, I have midterms to study for.”

He promises you that he’ll pay you back as you rush out the door.  

It seems that Mark is a man of his word, because the next day, you find a mysterious package addressed to you waiting outside the door. With no shipping label and your name scrawled on the top of the box, your survival instincts tell you that opening it on the living room floor was probably the last thing you should’ve done. However, that happened to be exactly what you did.

The first thing you notice was a small note laying atop a variety of items that were wrapped up with layers of navy-colored tissue paper. Reading through the note causes a bright flush to dash across your cheekbones, as you realize that the suspicious package was from Mark.

Ingrid’s Mark.

You began to slowly examine the rest of the contents with less zeal, hoping that your roommate wouldn’t pop out of a corner and accuse you of having something with her old flame. The neatly-folded white sweater you discovered inside was very similar to what you previously wore before the coffee incident. However, the material was definitely a lot nicer and you spent a good two minutes just stroking the material with your fingers. His attention to detail regarding what you had worn was crazy good, leaving you more than a little impressed.

Moving forward, you found a package of instant coffee—hazelnut-flavored to be exact. You grinned, realizing that Mark’s attention to detail really was impeccable. Perhaps anyone could’ve identified the hazelnut syrup in your drink if they spent five minutes wiping it off the floor, but he had gone out of his way to identify the same flavor for you.

It was kinda cute, actually.

As soon as the thought appears, you quickly shake it out of your head. Mark couldn’t be cute. He couldn’t be anything more than somebody you knew, someone who was paying you back for an inconvenience. He was doing these things because he owed you—even if he wasn’t exactly obligated to go through such lengths.

Before you could try to evaluate your feelings about the matter, you decide to boil some hot water for the coffee you’ve just received. It seems as if the universe is conspiring against you however, as Ingrid emerges from her room right on cue. She gives the box on the floor a quick glance before asking, “Did you order something?”

You tuck the thin pack of instant coffee in your pocket next to Mark’s note. Your fingers tighten across the slip of paper, crushing it into a condensed ball as you spoke.

“Yeah. Just some random stuff.”

“Sweater’s cute,” she remarks, grabbing your gift and running her hands through the material in the same way you had previously. You felt something twist in your heart at her ministrations, as if her touch were contaminating and wearing away what that article of clothing had meant to you.

When she finally leaves after dropping the sweater back in the box, you take the entire box to your room and dump it in a corner of your closet with a slam so you wouldn’t have to see it anymore.

It just so happens that that package from a boy with golden locks would signal the start of a series of frequent disruptions within your day-to-day lifestyle.

Fate probably thought it would be funny to let Mark Tuan slip into your life little by little, for a few seconds each day, just to tease you. You were starting to wonder if the boy was stalking you, given how often you would see him at unpredictable intervals. If you went to the library to study, he’d be there borrowing a textbook from the front desk. If you wanted to buy a coffee and a pastry for breakfast, he’d already be at the cashier paying for his own. If you were rushing to class, slightly late because you’d overslept, you’d almost crash into him in front of your building.

He’d always give you that cute smile with a little wave of his hand to accompany it.

Your life was a grade A joke at this point.

Midterms had long been over by the time you finally took him up on his offer to hang out one-on-one. You had spent a lot of time and effort into putting him off, making excuses for why not a single day of the week would work for you. When November rolled around, all Mark had to do was raise his lower lip slightly in a pout for you to forget why you were trying so hard to avoid him in the first place. You’d never seen the boy purposefully act in such a cute way to get something, but it definitely made your heart leap in your chest.

Even when he took you to a nice minimalistic café to pay for a drink and slice of strawberry cake, he couldn’t stop apologizing for bumping into you during midterms season. You had honestly forgotten about it, but the way he talked about how foolish he felt after the whole ordeal made you smile unconsciously. The consideration he had put into making it up to you stressed him out greatly. He couldn’t stop wondering whether or not you even liked the sweater. Did it fit you alright? Did you actually like hazelnut lattes, or were you just trying something new out that day?

At this point you couldn’t help but laugh. It was such a minute detail, something he really didn’t have to worry this much over, but he had worried nonetheless. It was really silly of him, but also showed that maybe he was more than just trying to play with your feelings. You’re about to tell him how you appreciate the thought he put into his apology gift when you realize he’s staring at you.

“W-What is it? Is there something on my face?”

He shakes out of his reverie and reassures, “No you’re fine. It’s just, I don’t think I’ve ever seen you laugh like that.”

You blink in confusion before playing with your napkin in embarrassment, “Oh uh…I’m not laughing at you. I promise. I just think it’s amusing that you cared so much since I never held anything against you in the first place.”

Looking back into his soft brown eyes is a mistake, because as soon as you do, your heart starts racing again. He gives you a grin of his own in response, brushing his honey-colored hair back to briefly reveal his forehead. It’s stupid how much that simple gesture makes you want to jump his bones.

“I’d say it was a worth it, considering we’re basically friends now,” he says, happily taking a sip of his iced americano.

The assertion makes you hesitate briefly as you ask yourself whether or not the two of you were “friends”. You didn’t know him all that well yet, but a part of you looked forward to doing so. If anything, the only thing holding you back was that he was Ingrid’s ex. She’d probably laugh at you if she found out about your interest in him, and it also meant that you couldn’t be sure who Mark really was. Ingrid was notorious for having her pick among fuckboys, and maybe Mark was just one of them who was really good at hiding it.

It seems that he notices your lack of agreement in his earlier sentiment, so he says, “What will it take for me to be your friend Y/N?”

Using your fork to play with the cream left from your cake slice earlier, you reply, “I don’t know.”

He doesn’t push you further, sensing that your answer probably meant something deeper than what you were able to convey. You feel thankful that he lets the matter go and goes back to giving you an excited puppy-dog look.

“Come on, there’s something I wanna show you.”

Turns out “something” means the ice cream parlor down the street. As he walks you back to your apartment, you can’t help but notice the way he goes to town on that poor cookies n’ cream ice cream cone.

“Are you trying to fatten me up with sweets today?” you muse, enjoying your second pastry of the day courtesy to Mark.

“As if. You look perfect Y/N—nothing a cheat day could do to you.”

It’s like the guy’s a professional sweet talker too, since he barely bats an eye at the compliment. Not something you’re used to, you try your best to not blush obviously at his statement.

God, everything about Mark Tuan was too much for you. He was the epitome of a honey boy.

The walk is fairly interesting, as Mark turned out to be simultaneously a good listener and a good conversation carrier. He’d ask you some questions that you were comfortable answering, listening intently as you shared some details about your studies, your childhood, the things you liked and the things you didn’t. You knew he was paying attention because he’d always laugh along with you, as you recollected some embarrassing things that had happened to you in the week prior.

By the time you reach your apartment door, you’ve forgotten exactly who Mark was supposed to be to you. In his large, tan hoodie with his hands in his pockets, he felt like a nervous boy walking you to your door at the end of a first date.

But could you really expect life to do you any favors just when things started to look up?

The door swings open just as you fumble for your keys, and out steps the last person you wanted to see. Ingrid takes one look at Mark and another at you before a smirk blooms across her bright red lips. Her makeup told you that she was heading to another one of her parties where she’d definitely bring a boy or two home.

“Long time no see,” she addresses Mark first, giving him one of those smiles that probably instigated all those hook-ups she partakes in.

You can’t help but feel overshadowed and uncomfortable. It would hurt you beyond measure to see the two flirt with each other right in front of your eyes. You had half the mind to just push past Ingrid and call it a day, but Mark’s words stop you in your thoughts.

“Sure.”

It’s curt and simple, lacking the flirtatious tone that Ingrid had injected into her words earlier. If you didn’t know any better, it honestly sounded downright bored—as if the speaker couldn’t wait to get rid of her.

Not giving her much to work with, Ingrid turns towards you instead. “Didn’t know you’d go for my sloppy seconds Y/N.”

Your throat feels dry and you refuse to let yourself expect anything different than the reaction your roommate just gave you. Of course, you expected her to make fun of you. It made sense that she would think of you and Mark being outside the apartment as you picking up a boy she left behind.

But why did it fill you with shame anyways?

“As if anyone would. I wouldn’t get involved with one of your boy toys,” the words leave you mouth with disgust, a tone you couldn’t help given the way you were trying so desperately to hide your true feelings. Liking Mark was dangerous and it would mean that Ingrid was right. You weren’t involved with him. You couldn’t be.

As soon as your statement pierces the air, you sense Mark’s form stiffen next to you. Immediately, you’re filled with regret. Did you need to word things that harshly? Even if you could never get to know him beyond being an acquaintance, he had shown you nothing but kindness. He never tried to get in your pants or act like a certified sleazeball like you were insinuating.

When Mark turns around and leaves the two of you standing in the hallway, it’s almost like you’re stuck in a wall of honey. The figurative sticky syrup prevents your limbs from making a move after the blonde-haired boy, as you’re stuck watching him go—watching him hurt over your words. Your throat tightens painfully with the way you try not to cry, fearing that you really ended up harming a boy that didn’t deserve the way you just portrayed him.

For the next 11 days according to your count, you don’t see Mark again. You were used to finding him leaning around the corner, listening to music on his airpods as he waited for a friend’s class to end so they could go play basketball. You had just started to adjust to his daily presence by entertaining the idea that you could start spending time with him. Props to your big mouth and careless words for shattering the prospect to pieces. The sense of guilt you carried was far heavier that the notebooks you lugged to class, and you were hoping—no, praying that you would see that bright smile of his to unexpectedly bump into you again.

Maybe meeting him again was the most luck you were fated to have.

As you doodle in the margins of your notebook, wearing the sweater he bought you all those weeks ago, you formulate an apology plan. If you showed him you were sorry, actually really sorry, maybe he’d forgive you. It wasn’t like you deserved it but seeing him again would sure beat the dreary days you were currently victim to.

Wracking your thoughts for comments Mark had made to you regarding things he liked, you realized he hadn’t talked much about himself beyond seemingly having an affinity of cookies n’ cream ice cream. He did mention wanting to have a puppy if his apartment landlord would allow it though. If it were possible for you to be more depressed, you realized belatedly that he had spent a good amount of time learning more about you than you did about him.

After your classes, you head out to find something for him. It wasn’t like you could afford getting him a puppy, especially since he literally told you he wasn’t allowed to have one, so you searched for the next best thing. It took you a few hours of searching to find something that satisfied your expectations, and you set out to spend the rest of the day preparing it for when you would confront Mark yourself.

Standing outside of his apartment at 9 PM on a Friday night was probably one of the dumbest decisions you ever made, and you made a lot of those. He probably didn’t even know that you knew he lived here. Ingrid had made you pick her up once from a party one of his roommates hosted when she was still with him, and your trusty sense of direction never really allowed you to forget how to get from one place to another. Even if you wanted to turn around and run home straight away in fear, you forced yourself to knock on the door with three quick thumps.

Praying that it was Mark and not one of his rambunctious roommates who opened the door, your wish actually comes true and you’re greeted with the sleepy frame of the honey boy you missed so much over the last two weeks. He’s wearing a thin white tee with grey sweats, as he rubs his eyes as if he can’t believe he’s actually seeing you at his door.

“Y/N? What are you doing here?” he quickly runs a hand through his hair, as if trying to hide the fact that you probably just woke him up.

Did Mark always look this good? It’s actually unfair how pretty he is.

Clearing your throat, you gather up as much courage as you could muster before saying, “Yep it’s me. I’m here to beg for forgiveness.”

“What for?” he tilts his head slightly in question before mumbling, “Come inside, it’s cold.”

He gently rests his hand on your shoulder before urging you inside, and the way he touches you sends a shiver down your spine. Trying not to let any surprised noises escape you, you hurry on into the warmth of the apartment. You look around as you take your shoes off, noticing how surprisingly clean it is despite five boys living here. Perhaps your preconceptions need to be changed.

You shyly trail behind his large figure as he leads you into what appears to be his room. Taking note of the light-up rainbow keyboard and gamer chair with scarlet red highlights, you realize that Mark is one of those boys. You almost laughed aloud imagining him as one of those kids that whined “Mom I’m busy!” while playing Call of Duty.

He collapses on his bed unceremoniously with a groan, looking like he was ready to pass out again. Wondering who in their right mind took naps at 9 in the evening, you awkwardly stood in front of him while playing with the ribbon of the gift in your hands.

Opening one eye to look at you, he sits up and pats the corner of the bed closest to him. Wide eyed, you point to yourself before pointing to the same bed corner. He chuckles, and the deep sound sends another shudder through your body.

“Yes, I’m talking to you silly,” he grins, as if he had already forgiven you.

Hurriedly, you plop your butt down on the bedsheets and push your apology gift into his hands. He seems confused at first, messing with the sides of the wrapping paper as he examines what you just gave him.

“I got this for you because…I’m sorry for the things I said,” you relax, shrinking down in sadness before continuing, “You’re my friend.”

He looks at you through your entire confession, hanging onto each word that slips out of your lips. When you stop and slowly look back at him to gauge his response, he gives you a small smile. But it’s only when he grabs your nervous hand in his own do you finally let the small sigh hiding inside your chest escape you.

“I’m more than just someone Ingrid messed with. You know that, don’t you?”

Nodding quickly, he laughs as if admiring the great bobblehead impression you were giving. Your hand in his grasp starts to become unbearably warm, as you bite your lip to keep your dangerous thoughts at bay.

“I thought I knew everything that happened. But I don’t, and I shouldn’t hold that against you,” you admit, slightly losing your train of thought when he begins to gently rub circles into the back of your hand with his thumb.

“Don’t hold that against yourself either.”

You allow yourself to meet his gaze again, and the amount of warmth and comfort you find there almost breaks you down instantly. Perhaps he knew more than he let on regarding the inner turmoil you struggled with by only thinking of Mark as someone Ingrid once had. But from the first time he ruined your study plans to the moment he bought you various sweets until you verbally forgave him, he was slowly disproving those preconceptions. The amount of understanding he offered you made you feel even worse for referring to him the way you did all those days ago.

All along you thought that Mark was bad for you. Perhaps it was you that truly didn’t deserve him.

Momentarily pulling away from your fingers, he begins unwrapping the package you brought along with you. Suddenly nervous, you fiddle with the hem of your petticoat as he slowly pulls out the adorable puppy hat you purchased for him from the mall yesterday. Mark stares down at the hat in his hands, and it’s only when he bursts out in laughter do you finally let your cheeks warm in embarrassment.

“What are you laughing at? I-It’s cute!” You stutter, furiously crossing your arms.

When he finally stops his fit of laughter, he sets the hat on his head in triumph as if he were wearing a crown of honor. Seeing it on him makes you giggle too, knowing that it was somehow possible for the boy you liked to get even cuter than he already was.

“Here, press the paws and the ears move,” you hand him the paws that dangled from the side of the hat and experimentally press one of them to demonstrate.

Mark spends the next few minutes pressing the ears at varying intervals and laughing at his reflection in the mirror.

“You know, maybe I should get upset more often. You’re great with gifts.”

Rolling your eyes, you retort, “Sure thing, honey.”

  -----

[adarlingwrites]

Dormouse

Summary:

After playing a game with two of The Beach's most dangerous members, the dormouse gets her tail caught by a tiger's paw.

He’ll make a wildcat out of her.

Author’s Notes:

CW: sexist language, blood, parental abuse. This is a heavy chapter, please proceed with caution.

XII

the earth will see our eyes go blank tonight / the earth will rot away go blank tonight / I, I really wish these snakes were your arms

Soft snores float from the back of the truck, and Hinata does her best not turn around and stare.

Yamaneko had fallen asleep, her body curled up next to Last Boss’. The taller militant is resting his chin on top of her head, a protective arm around her waist. Their backs are turned from the other two occupying the front seats.

The taller militant glances at them with near-murderous intent when Tatta hits a bump on the road and wakes Yamaneko up. She rubs the sleep from her eyes, glances at Last Boss, then feels an overwhelming urge to puke her breakfast out.

Pale, the militant hangs her head over the edge of the four by four, and hurls.

“Stop the car,” Last Boss tells Tatta, who hits the brakes and looks at the female militant with concern. Hinata couldn’t help but look as well, watching as the terrifying militant rubbed his girlfriend’s back.

Coughing, Yamaneko turns to the driver. “Could you drive more carefully? Shit…”

“Sorry, I’ll drive more carefully,” Tatta blurts, bowing his head low in apology. He can still feel Last Boss’ death glare burning the back of his head as he restarts the engine.

Somewhat concerned for the nicer militant’s wellbeing, Hinata tosses them a water bottle, which Last Boss catches with one hand. Drinking from the water bottle slowly, Yamaneko gives the other girl a thumbs up.

Slumping against the backseat, HInata is still coming to terms with the fact that these armed and dangerous maniacs are still people who can have attachments.

She then starts to wonder if the militants at the back were anything like who they are now. The Borderlands does seem to bring either the best or the worst out of people, after all. Was Last Boss always an eccentric guy prone to violence, and was Yamaneko always a blunt gal with no regard for social norms?

The street artist takes a sharp inhale in contemplation, and regrets doing so as soon as the damp, earthy scent hits her. Rolling down a window, Hinata pokes her head out of the car, unable to stand the smell of sex and sweat from the militants at the back, and chuckles to herself.

“What’s so funny?” Tatta asks, a hand on the steering wheel and eyes still on the road.

“The car smells like sex and now I’m wondering if I should take her advice.”

“A-ah. Well, it’s your choice,” Tatta replies, his free hand scratching the back of his head.

“What about you, Tatta? Ever thought of sleeping around in the Beach?”

A small laugh escapes his lips. “Not really my thing, sorry. I prefer spending my time fixing cars and goofing around with my friends.”

“Mm, that does sound better. I enjoyed painting that mural with you, by the way. We should-”

A voice who belongs to neither of them cuts their conversation short. “Keep it down.”

Both of them nearly jumped upon hearing Last Boss’ voice. The militant is staring at them with mild hostility, his lover’s head still resting on his shoulder. “You’re going to wake her up again.”

“Right, sorry!” Tatta blurts, then he turns away from him, cold sweat on his forehead. Hinata tries her best to stifle a giggle. There’s something she finds humorous about seeing the enigmatic and frightening Last Boss cuddling with a sleeping girl and shushing people for her sake.

The two in the front remained quiet for the rest of the drive back, their knees bumping together.

The car came to a halt as they arrived. Gently, Last Boss shakes his lover awake, who drowsily mumbles something incoherent as she stretches. The group was unloading their haul when Aguni approached them, a grim expression on his face. Niragi and another militant followed closely behind.

Hinata flinches upon seeing the man with the pierced face, who closes in on her, trapping her against the side of the four by four. Tatta glares at him with wide eyes, feet plastered to the ground and too afraid to move. Niragi whispers something inaudible to the rest of the people present, which makes Hinata shrink further into the warm metal of the car.

To the street artist’s relief, Yamaneko gets in between them and pushes Niragi off nonchalantly as she walks towards the chief. She didn’t hear the quick “thank you” that bubbled from HInata’s throat, who slinked off to the back of the vehicle to hide.

“The hell is your problem?”

“You’re rolling your tongue out like a cartoon wolf again. You look like shit,” Yamaneko replies, smirking and flipping her side fringe as she turns away from Niragi.

“You smell like shit. You smell like a damn brothel,” Niragi yells after her, and she raises a single middle finger in response.

Niragi sneered, his fun for the day ruined, and he stood next to Last Boss.

“Shit, Last Boss, you too,” Niragi remarks as he caught a whiff of Last Boss’ scent, fanning the air with his hand. “Wait, is that dried sweat I’m smelling from your face or- you fucking dog,” Niragi adds, giving him a devious grin.

The tattooed militant rolls his eyes and doesn’t dignify Niragi’s teasing with a reply. He couldn’t hide the smug look on his face, though. Aguni frowns at their juvenile exchange, and pushes past Niragi.

“Enough. Where the hell were you two?” Aguni asks, voice low and full of disappointment. The chief looks at Last Boss and Yamaneko, and one can compare him to a father scolding children who snuck away past their curfew.

“Easy, chief. We just went on a double date with those newbies,” Yamaneko replies, smiling as she motioned to Hinata and Tatta. Her smile turns to a wicked grin upon seeing Niragi’s jealous expression.

That was Tatta and Hinata’s cue to run away as far as they can from the scene.

Before Niragi can confront the two of them, Aguni gives him a glare to remind him of why they’re here, and he begrudgingly stays in place. Then, he turns back to the pair. “We thought the two of you dropped dead somewhere.”

“Dropped dead? I- chief, what happened while we were gone?”

“This isn’t something we should be talking about in the open. You two, come with us,” Aguni responds. Gulping, Yamaneko gives Last Boss a worried gaze, who stands a little closer to the shorter militant.

Dread settling in her gut, Yamaneko found herself in the makeshift morgue again, where several bodies lay on separate gurneys. Aside from the Beach executives, there were several other people in the room, including a few familiar faces. Kuina and Chishiya are present, as well as Sunohara, who acknowledges her with a nod. Ann looks at the militants with a grim frown, and takes off her shades.

“We have limited equipment here in the Beach, but thanks to Sunohara’s help, we were able to determine that the victims’ hearts, brains, and kidneys are damaged. This might be a poisoning case,” Ann announces as she walks towards them.

“Do you think this is the same killer from before?” Aguni asks, stepping towards one of the corpses. He lift’s the dead man’s arm, and sees his number tag. Seventeen; just one rank away from Yamaneko.

“It’s possible. The suspect might’ve caught up with our attempts to investigate and switched methods. Plus, I think we have a motive now.”

Yamaneko turns to the taller woman, brows furrowed.

“Is there any reason why I should be here?” she asks, heart racing.

“That’s where the motive comes in. The player numbers of the people who were killed were in the top thirty. Twenty nine, twenty three, nineteen, seventeen, and twelve. One of the victims was even a member of Aguni’s martial sect. Whoever did this is eliminating higher ranked players. If you hadn't left this afternoon, you might have been a target. From the clues we have so far, someone who’s very desperate to leave the Beach must be behind this.”

“Then we need to put an end to this, fast,” Mira finally speaks up. “It’s only a matter of time before this person targets someone on the executive board.”

“I think I know who this person is…” Niragi scoffs. “It’s definitely Yamaneko’s asshole dad.”

Head whipping towards Niragi, Yamaneko folds her arms in skepticism, about to say something, but ultimately choosing to close her mouth. Hatter uses the silence as an opportunity to impart his observations.

“Come to think of it… whenever he turns in his cards from a game, he’s often the sole survivor.”

“Are you saying that he killed the other players to receive sole credit for the card?” Kuina speaks up from her corner. Beside her, Chishiya gives the executives a knowing smirk. “It’s a possibility.”

Aguni turns to the daughter of the suspect, who’s sweating bullets. “You said it yourself that you think that the man is capable of being violent with anyone. What do you think?” he asks.

“Hm. Your father is CEO of a company that provided services to this hotel before we all ended up here, am I correct?” Ann asks, circling Yamaneko now. “What kind of goods did they manufacture?” she adds.

“Yamacorp is an industrial manufacturer with a focus on chemical manufacturing.” Yamaneko replies.

“Was your father knowledgeable about the goods his company creates, or does he only manage the business side of things?” Ann asks, the conversation effectively turning into an impromptu interrogation.

“Father oversees the factory from time to time since he has a background in chemistry.”

Ann frowns. “Then there’s a high possibility that he is involved. One of the household poisons that can cause such damage is antifreeze.”

Lips trembling and thoughts racing her head a mile a minute, Yamaneko grimaces. “Are there any other suspects?”

“The only people with access to potentially hazardous chemicals in the Beach are the supply runners, medics, or the militants.”

Niragi rolls his eyes and points his rifle at his fellow executive member. “Are you accusing us of killing one of our own, Ann?”

“No. I’m just saying that it’s a possibility. We need to test the victims’ urine for calcium oxalate crystals, gather fingerprints, gather more witness accounts-”

Niragi interrupts with sarcastic clapping. “That plan’s just perfect, but you’re not in a damn forensic lab anymore, Ann.”

“Let’s just kill him,” Last Boss pipes up. At his suggestion, Yamaneko turns to glare at him.

In the corner, Chishiya chuckles and folds his arms. “Idiots,” he mutters under his breath, earning him a sour look from Niragi. Kuina observes the two of them, then turns her attention to the Hatter, who takes a few steps across the room.

“Niragi has a point. Ann’s methods would take too much time. The Beach is well equipped, but we don’t have everything,” the number one quips.

“We need to extract information any way we can,” Aguni adds.

“Then let’s beat it out of him,” Last Boss suggests.

Yamaneko begins to stammer, unable to come up with words in response to her fellow militants’ suggestions. “I- he-”

“What’s the matter, Yamaneko? Don’t tell me you feel sorry for that piece of shit. You’re sounding like that mousy little girl we picked up again,” Niragi asks, looking cross.

“I just think that beating someone into submission would only make them admit something they didn’t do,” the shorter militant says.

“She’s right,” Ann adds, placing a hand on her hip. “We need to lure the truth out of him.”

“How troublesome,” Last Boss mutters. “Beating him up is more straightforward.”

This time, Yamaneko frowns. “That’s what he did to me, and it always ended with me confessing to things I didn’t do just for the pain to stop.” His lover’s admission made the tattooed militant pause for a moment, throat dry, and Adam’s apple bobbing as he swallowed his own spit.

“Then do it to get back at him. Don’t you want to?”

At that point, Yamaneko’s hands are sweating, her voice inaudible to anyone but her lover. “I want to, but…”

“We’re not going to get anywhere with this,” Chishiya speaks up, leaving his corner and stepping under the harsh lights of the room. “The suspect isn’t even in this room for interrogation, and we’re not even sure if anyone is competent enough to manipulate the truth out of him. I know I can’t be bothered with it.”

“Then the next best thing would be for a Heart specialist to manipulate him into admitting his involvement, yes?” Mira suggests, grinning as she paces to the shortest militant in the room. Yamaneko’s throat is a dry river on a hot day, and her heart hammers against her ribcage.

“I’d do it myself, but being approached by an executive member would betray our intentions to him. We need someone who can rouse strong emotions out of him… provoke him and make him irrational. Make him blurt out a confession.”

Mira gasps excitedly, making eye contact with Yamaneko. “Ah! Why don’t you try it, Miss Yamane? You know him better than anyone else in the Beach.”

“It’s Yamaneko. I’m not a heart player.”

“You give yourself too little credit,” Mira croons.

“This has gone on for too long. We’ll bring in Mr. Yamane for interrogation later.” Ann crosses her arms. “Hatter, should we adjourn?”

Unsettling feelings pool in Yamaneko’s gut, staring blankly ahead as the meeting ends. She brings her hands to her face, groaning as a wave of tension wrapped itself around her head, and feeling vaguely nauseous. Aguni approaches his underling, his frown deeper than usual, betraying the sliver of concern he feels for the girl.

“How do you plan to deal with this?”

Yamaneko shakes her head, and hangs it low. “I honestly don’t know. My relationship with father is strained, but I still can’t wrap my head around the possibility of him being a serial killer of some sort.”

“You’ve experienced his cruelty first hand, am I right? Trust your own experiences with him.”

The chief’s words make her look him in the eye, a wordless understanding forming between the two.

“I’ll seek you out when I decide what to do, chief.”

Aguni nods and leaves without another word. Lover close by, the younger militant retreats to the rooftop, where no one can bother the two of them. In silence, Takatora observes her. Across the horizon, the sun is slowly setting, and the sky is painted with hues of pinks and oranges.

“I’m going to go on a game with my father,” Yamaneko finally says, eyes fixed on the setting sun.

“I’ll come with you,” her lover replies, bumping shoulders with her. The shorter militant sighs, scratching her head. “You can’t, Tora.”

“He’ll hurt you.”

His sight doesn’t leave her as she stands up to pace around. “Father’s afraid of you, I can tell. He wouldn’t dare to interact with me if you’re around. I have to do this alone.”

“Just settle for the other solution. My method.”

“I want to hear it from his mouth. I want to see him shoot his own damn foot. I need that satisfaction, Takatora.” She sits back down, and holds his hand, fingers entwined with his spindly ones. “If my method fails, let’s use yours.”

Cold fingers touching her face, Takatora turns her head and kisses her. It was short, and uncharacteristically tender. “You’re worried,” Yamaneko breathes, the warmth of the kiss still lingering on her lips. “I’m your wildcat, tiger. A frumpy old man doesn’t stand a chance against me.”

This time, Takatora kisses her with more hunger, his hand leaving hers to cradle her neck. “I’ll come to your game venue as soon as I’m finished with mine.”

His lover breaks the kiss to whisper something in his ear, chin resting on his shoulder. “I love you.”

“I love you too.”

The heavens are a deep blue now, the sun gone.

“I’ll go tell the chief about the plan so he can inform the other executives,” Yamaneko mumbles, watching the clouds roll by.

Another night of games are about to begin.

As Yamaneko enters the elevator to descend to the lobby, a tan hand holds the doors open. HInata steps in, keeping a safe distance between herself and the woman armed with tactical daggers.

“Hey.” Hinata tosses something to her, and the militant catches it. “You left those in the back earlier.” Yamaneko’s body went rigid as she looked at the item; her packet of birth control.

She missed several days.

“I- thanks.”

Yamaneko couldn’t pay any attention to what the other girl is saying as paranoia gets the best of her.

“Surely, I’ve been feeling tired for the past few days because of the chief knocking me on my ass during training and not because Tora knocked me up, right? I’m nauseous during the car ride because Tatta wasn’t driving carefully, right? I’ve been feeling emotional because of the stress from the Beach serial killer case and the big possibility of father being that nutcase, right?”

“Right?”

“Hey, um, are you there?”

Hinata’s voice snaps her out of her thoughts, and she clears her throat. “What did you say again?”

“I said thanks for getting Niragi off my back.” Hinata scratches her head. “Look, um, I know you’re one of them, but you’re alright. Say, what if we work out a deal of some sort?”

“What kind of deal, newbie?”

“You keep Niragi off my ass, I’ll get you whatever the hell you want. Promise. I’ll be your personal procurement gal.”

Yamaneko chuckles. “Hm. Why the hell not? Hell, come with me in a game tonight. I’m sure I can ask the chief a favor to group you with me. I’ll show you the ropes.” In return, Hinata gives her a genuine smile. “Sure.”

As they walked together to the lobby, Hinata couldn’t help but stare at Yamaneko. She’s short, probably the shortest member of the militia, and her hair’s a mess of uneven cuts at the back. The red highlights on her bangs and fringe are somewhat faded, and her dark makeup looks pristine at the moment, unlike when she found her getting bent over a desk by her boyfriend a few hours earlier.

“If you don’t mind talking about it, how did you end up in the militia?”

“I encountered Last Boss and Niragi in a game and they took an interest in me. I dropped my wallet, they found my address, and they whisked me away.” Yamaneko pauses, looking at HInata with slight concern. “Are you sure you’re ready to hear what I’m about to say about Niragi, though?”

‘You’ve pretty much told me earlier that he’s a sleazeball now. I can take it.”

“Well, I was one of the girls he screwed upon arrival. I just… learned to tolerate it to survive. He stopped touching me after I stopped reacting to him. Or maybe because Last Boss told him that he wanted me to himself. I’m not sure anymore.”

“A-are you really suggesting I just give in and just let him have his way with me?!”

“What the- Of course not. But it’s an option if you want your life on the Beach to get easier. Or maybe you can ask that friend of yours to pretend to be your boyfriend, but I doubt he’s the type of guy Niragi will respect.”

Face contorted in anger and indignation, Hinata stammers. “I don’t know what’s more fucked, that he won’t leave a woman alone unless she’s the girlfriend of someone more dangerous than him, or that you don’t give a shit that Niragi’s-”

When Yamaneko grabs her by the shoulders and slams her against the wall, the other girl is reminded that she’s still an armed and dangerous member of the militia.

“Let’s get a few things straight here: First, I don’t fucking appreciate you putting words in my mouth. Second, I’m just telling you how I survived Niragi. The fact that I accepted your deal is me extending my help. So, don’t push your luck with me, newbie. I can still change my mind about this and throw you to the wolves.”

“I-I’m sorry.”

With that, Yamaneko lets go.

“C’mon, we have a game to play.”

As the slips of paper were being handed out, Last Boss and Yamaneko looked for each other’s eyes across the sea of people, and they gave each other one last look of longing as they went on with their respective groups for the night.

Yamaneko and Hinata receive their assignment, and the former’s face lights up when she sees Sunohara approaching. Silently, she thanks Aguni for heeding her favor of letting her choose her teammates tonight. The chief knows she has a plan. Not long after, Mr. Yamane approaches, glances at his daughter, and turns away, entering the back of the car.

Intentionally, Yamaneko sits in the back as well, while Sunohara rides shotgun, the wind tousling her chestnut bob, with Hinata on the wheel. The car ride is tense and quiet, wind howling as the car speeds through the empty streets of Tokyo.

Nervous, with beads of sweat on her forehead, Yamaneko felt nauseous again, rolling down the window to hurl.

“You alright?” the doctor asks, looking at her through the rear view mirror. Yamaneko nods and leans back on the car seat, keeping her head tilted upwards. From the corner of his eye, Mr. Yamane watches his estranged daughter, expression inscrutable.

The car screeches to a halt as they arrive at their destination: Tokyo Zoo.

Yamaneko regards the place, solemn expression on her face.

Her childhood days weren't always filled with hurtful words and beatings. On some days, on the off chance that Mr. Yamane took a day off, he’d bring her with her mother and sister here. But that all halted when he took his father’s place as CEO. Still, Yamaneko thinks the glimpses of familial happiness doesn’t outweigh the horrible things he did to little Minami, Mai, and his deceased wife.

“Of course this just had to be the fucking venue,” she thinks, slamming the car door shut.

One by one, the Beach members picked up the smartphones from the table, facial recognition registering them as participants, and followed the arrows to the game arena.

The synthetic voice most people dreaded breaks the silence. “Registration closed. There are currently four players. Difficulty: Six of Hearts.”

“Another Heart? Just my luck,” Sunohara sighs, rubbing her arms with her palms. Yamaneko inhales deeply, eyeing the new girl, then her father. “Ever played a Heart before, Hinata?” the militant asks her.

“No.”

“Then you’re in for a lesson.”

The doctor takes out a cigarette from her coat and lights it up, visibly anxious. “Heart games play with your heart and mess with your head. They’re the nastiest games out there.”

Judging the Beach veterans’ reactions, Hinata knew she was in deep shit. Mr. Yamane looks visibly distressed too, sweat beading on his balding head and soaking his dress shirt.

On a circular table are four snake tanks, the glass covered by an opaque fabric so the inside isn’t visible to the viewer, with a hole large enough for a hand to fit in on top. In the middle of the table is a syringe, a vial of unknown substance, and a scalpel.

“Game: Antidote. Rules: Two out of four boxes contain a live Gloydius blomhoffii, better known as the mamushi, one of the most venomous snakes in Japan. Each player must simultaneously stick a hand in a box and keep it in for five seconds. Players who haven’t been bitten by the snake must decide who deserves the antidote. Time limit: None.”

A hiss coming from the direction of the boxes is enough to confirm that they do indeed contain live snakes. The echo of the arena makes it hard to determine from which boxes it came from.

“Fuck. Fuck this,” Hinata mutters, legs shaking.

“Don’t tell me you’re running away,” Yamaneko quips. “You have a better chance of surviving if you stick your hand in as opposed to getting struck down by a laser.”

“Let’s get this over with,” Mr. Yamane interrupts, choosing a box of his own. “Stop stalling and get your hands in.”

Rolling her eyes, Yamaneko drags Hinata to the box beside her, and she takes her spot as well. Sunohara gets ready as hell, psyching herself up as she rolled up her coat’s sleeves.

“On three,” the doctor says. “One, two, three!”

All participants stick their respective hands in. Yamaneko chose her left arm, given how it’s in poor shape in comparison to her right one, and she tries to make her movement as slow as possible. Maybe the snake wouldn’t bite her if she doesn’t disturb it.

Unfortunately for her, Mr. Yamane exclaims as he feels fangs pierce his skin, and the snake in Yamaneko’s box gets startled as well, its teeth sinking into the flesh of her forefinger.

Heart hammering in her chest, Yamaneko pulls her hand out from the box and curses as she sees a droplet of blood on her finger. “Shit! Why the hell did you have to scream like that?!”

The ex-CEO hisses. “Shut up! You never learn your lesson, do you? Still talking to your father like that, have some respect!”

At the revelation that the two are related, Hinata’s eyes widened. “He’s your father?”

“Yes. We’re not exactly on good terms, as you can see,” Yamaneko sighs, trying to squeeze the venom from her finger. Sunohara strides to the table, retrieving the medical supplies. Then, the doctor touches the militia woman’s hand to stop her. “Don’t. Squeezing it would only make it spread. It needs to be excised, and then we need to inject you with anti-venom.”

A coarse hand grabs the doctor’s arm, causing her to gasp in pain. Mr. Yamane is giving the tall woman a furious glare. “Wait a damn minute! You sound like you’ve already decided to give her the antidote. What about me?! Huh? You’re a doctor of some sort, right? Who gives you the right to decide-”

HInata separates him from the doctor, her stance defensive. “Are you seriously going to let your own kid die so you can live? What kind of father are you?!” the tan-skinned girl exclaims in disbelief.

“Probably the type who kills people to advance his Beach tag,” Yamaneko quips, putting her own game into motion.

“Says the woman who brandishes daggers and gives her pussy away to murderers,” Mr. Yamane barked back. “You’ll be wasting the antidote if you give it to someone like her. I have a decent daughter and an infant son to come back to in the real world! Give the antidote to me!”

“Oh my God, you know you’re not helping your case at all by calling her those awful things, right?” Hinata quips, both hands on her hips.

A bitter laugh bubbles from Yamaneko’s throat, underscored with light pain as her hand starts to swell from the snake venom. “But the daughter in front of you doesn’t deserve to live? Tell me father, who else didn’t deserve to live?” Voice cracking, Yamaneko is screaming at that point. “We know it’s you. You killed those people in the Beach. You’re so desperate to go back to your cushy life as CEO, huh?!”

“You know what? Fine, it was me! You know I’d do anything to survive, Minami. That’s what I taught you as well!”

As the venom spreads through their system, the estranged father daughter pair escalates their quarrel, with the daughter striding towards the father to grab him by the collar.

“And yet you judged me for doing what I can to survive when you kicked me out. You judged me for getting caught giving men your age handjobs and blowjobs under the table. You judged me for stealing when I had nothing else.” Head spinning and tears pooling in the corner of her eyes, Yamaneko’s voice completely breaks as she utters a cry.

“You turned Mai against me. You poisoned your children against each other. You don’t deserve to be called a father.”

A slim, gentle hand pulls her away from the old man. Sunohara is giving her a sympathetic look. “We don’t have much time. Hinata and I decided you should get the antidote. You won’t be out of the woods yet after we administer the antivenom, too, so let’s move.”

The ex-heiress lets go of the Yamacorp CEO, cathartic, laughing and crying at the same time.

When she looked down as she tried to walk, however, the smile disappeared from her face. Blood stains her thighs, and the crotch of her bikini feels warm and wet. “This is embarrassing,” she croaks, and Sunohara merely chuckles at her predicament as she sits her down. Hinata stays right beside her new friend, if she can call Yamaneko that, offering her a shoulder to lean on.

Antivenom fills the syringe as Sunohara extracted it from the bottle. “Let’s administer the antidote, and I’ll get you some pads for your period when we get back on the Beach, huh? Maybe we can get help for your fa-”

Whatever Sunohara was about to say was replaced by a scream as she watched Mr. Yamane charged towards them with a dagger.

Deranged, delirious, Mr. Yamane stabbed his own daughter with her own weapon, the blade sinking in her gut. Squelching sounds and Yamaneko’s scream of agony echoed in the open space, accompanied by Hinata and Sunohara’s own shrieks of terror. Withdrawing the knife, Mr. Yamane threw it aside, and reached for the antidote.

Before the needle can plunge into his skin, a laser fires from the sky, cutting his life short in an instant.

Wide and wet with tears, Yamaneko’s eyes didn’t leave her father’s as she watched his final moments. Beside her, Hinata is shaking and covered with the militant's blood, while Sunohara is breathing heavily, still in shock.

The gravity of the situation sinks in when Sunohara hears Yamaneko whimper beside her.

“Help me.”

[lucas-koh]

Stitches - Bryce Lahela x MC

Hi everyone! This is my first Choices fic, and I’m pretty happy with it! I’ve posted it over on Ao3, the link is on my blog, user is margotmuses, but apparently links don’t show up in tags :( if you like this it would be super cool if you could go give it some Kudos or a Comment💜💙 feedback means the world to me!

Doesn’t follow canon, but elements of canon. FWB.

Song: I Wanna Be Adored - The Stone Roses

Rating: M

Word Count: 3600

Chapter One: The First Time...?

It was no good having nerves on day one. Day one of thousands. But she couldn’t help it. This was the real test, the real tell of whether or not she would make a good doctor, and it was all she’d ever wanted. It didn’t help that she was running late, either. On day fucking one.

She walked with a sort of half run as she neared the doors to Edenbrook, trying to quell her nerves by counting her steps. It was modern and intimidating, glass windows piling on top of each-other, intercepted by the occasional wooden plank. She had aced college and med school, but actually practising medicine was a little different. She swept through the doors and up to the front desk, where a kind looking woman was waiting with a clipboard.

“Ah! An intern?” She asked. “I’m Dr Ines Delarosa. I’m your resident for the year.” Ines was instantly calming, and suddenly all worries about the upcoming year and about being late were dispelled from the intern’s head.

“What’s your name?”

“Suki. Suki Moore,” she smiled confidently and pulled out a hand to shake Ines’. Ines shook her hand with a warm smile and made a few notes on her clipboard before rounding the desk to enter into the computer. Seconds later she brandished a freshly laminated name tag.

Dr. Suki Moore, it read. Dr. Suki Moore.

Her confidence came rushing back as she clipped the badge to her clothes, even though she’d have to transfer it to her scrubs shortly anyway. Ines then directed her to the staff changing rooms and Suki rushed over with a new spring in her step. Time to ace this internship.

She cradled her cornflour blue scrubs in her arms as she entered the staff changing rooms. They appeared to be empty at first, before Suki rounded the corner and crashed right into a chiseled, honeyed chest.

“Oof!”

“Well hello there,” the voice audibly smirked.

She could smell body lotion and cologne, it was lovely. She unburied her face from the chest and stepped back to look at the man. He was tall, and very, very attractive. His smooth golden skin highlighted the tight abs on his stomach, and muscular chest; his shoulders and arms were broad and strong looking. His hands crossed over his chest as he leaned against the locker next to him. This man definitely took care of himself. Suki scoped her eyes up to his face. And oh. My. God. She wasn’t sure if she’d ever seen a prettier man in her life, and that was no exaggeration. His jaw was defined below an absolutely encapsulating smile, even if it was slightly mocking, white teeth shining against plump peach-golden lips. His deep brown hooded eyes were warm and inviting, humour sparkling in them, and his eyebrows were thick and defined. His hair was brown with natural looking blonde highlights, swooped back and to the side floppily. And he had a strong, straight nose. But there was a rugged edge to his good looks. Something familiar about the wolfish grin he bore struck something in Suki. Probably because he’ll be just like every other asshole who came here from an Ivy League.

She quickly averted her gaze, she may have been looking a little too long. There was an absolutely furious blush on her cheeks.

“You know, you’re going to have to get used to seeing naked people if you’re going to be a doctor.”

She tried to conjure up a good comeback, without having to look at him, but she could only stutter out a scoff. Suki was confident, but easily flustered. Finally, she came out with something.

“I’ve seen plenty of naked people, thank you. That doesn’t mean I want to bowl face first into your…chest.” She had to stop herself from focusing on how his chest had felt, the smooth warmth and the enveloping scent. Now is not the time for you to be thirsty, she told herself.

He chuckled, seeming pleased that he’d rattled her. Yeah. Typical Ivy League medical intern jerk.

“I think you’re an odd one out,” he smirked, clearly used to the attention.

Suki tried to avert her gaze from him as she began to change out of her own clothes into her scrubs. It was clear the guy was struggling to not look too, as he slipped his scrub top over his chiseled chest. She’d just have to get on with it. Now was not the time to be shy. She was late already, and she would be changing in front of these people for years to come anyway. With a clearing of her throat, Suki quickly pulled up her Henley and replaced it with her scrub top. Just as the guy was looking like he was about to leave, face trained on anything but Suki, the door fluttered open. A pretty but serious looking woman stood at the threshold.

“Scalpel jockey, you’re late!” She called into the changing room. “Hi,” she gave a quick smile to Suki before trying to usher them out of the room.

“Coming, Jackie,” the guy shot Suki a wink as he left the room.

“Come on!” Jackie encouraged Suki, with motherly strictness, as the guy strode past her and out of the room. Suki rushed her joggers off and her scrub trousers on, clipped her name tag to the pocket and hurried after Jackie out the door.

“We’re lucky,” Jackie muttered as they neared the lump of interns standing in the main foyer of the hospital. She obviously wasn’t copping for introductions just yet, so Suki kept her mouth shut as they joined the group on the right side. Next to them, was the guy from the changing room. He smiled at Suki once more, confident and flirty. She nodded in return.

Ines was stood at the head of the group, and started her speech to welcome everyone to Edenbrook.

After a few lines from Ines, a glamorous, attractive woman strode up to the spot in front of everyone. Ines nodded to her.

“Everyone, this is Chief Harper Emery.”

The group quivered with quiet mutters and some awkward shuffling. She must be a big deal. Chief Harper Emery went through a gruelling speech about the upcoming year as an intern, challenges they’d need to face, instincts they’d need to follow, and standards they would have to meet.

After the long (and kind of terrifying) talk from Chief Emery, she left for Ines to partner off interns to work on their first case together. There was a little reprieve where Ines shuffled through the papers, a harsh looking man glancing over her shoulder.

Suki turned her attention to the interns around her. God. She’d known how many there would be, but seeing them all in a group like this was so intimidating. She wondered if she’d even get the chance to befriend anyone. Maybe Jackie would be a good friend when there wasn’t a time limit. She looked to her right at Jackie, who was chatting to a guy in a wheelchair in front of her. She wasn’t the type to butt in halfway through a conversation.

Reluctantly, Suki turned to look to her left. Her delicate features scrunched up in uncertainty as her eyes raked over the sculpted man. There was definitely something about him that was giving her déjà vu. She tried to get a glimpse at his name tag, but it was just at the angle where sun was reflecting off it, and moving her head too much might be cause for suspicion.

“Do I know you from somewhere?” She breached the air around them.

“You mean, aside from like five minutes ago?” He turned to her and gave a megawatt smile, one she was sure charmed all the ladies and gents and everyone else he came across. “I don’t know, do you?” He shot her another wink, before Ines was calling for everyone to quiet down so she could assign partnerships. Sigh.

The surgical residents were beckoned over to one side, and the familiar man left her side with a farewell grin.

“Don’t go bumping into too many chests, I might get jealous,” he muttered in a deep voice before leaving. She wished she could have come up with a witty response, but alas, he was gone.

Ines started to read down her list, before;

“Moore and Emery.”

Emery?? As in, Chief Harper Emery??

“Uhh,” Jackie hesitated beside Suki, looking a little worried for her. There were mutters throughout the group of interns as Suki gave Jackie what she thought was a reassuring smile, and made her way to Ines. Then, a stunning, organised woman stepped up. She looked a little angry.

“Aurora Emery,” she introduced herself. Suki breathed a sigh of relief.

“Hi!” She smiled, and introduced herself to Aurora.

—-

The day went by, Suki and Aurora talking to patients and treating them. Aurora turned out to be Harper’s niece, but she seemed like she didn’t like to talk about it. She was pretty focused and serious, but Suki could tell that was her mask of professionalism, and that underneath she was just a normal girl, frustratingly overshadowed by her successful aunt. Her work ethic was fantastic, and she was smart, and Suki tried extremely hard not to feel intimidated. Luckily, they were able to work together well to come to conclusions and treat their patients. At one point Aurora was called to her Aunt’s office for a little while, but it wasn’t too long and soon enough she was back to working smoothly with Suki.

Then, Suki caught Jackie in the corridor at one point.

“Hey, Suki Moore,” Jackie grinned down at her name tag.

“Hi, sorry I didn’t introduce myself earlier but…timing and all.” She laughed comfortably. Jackie smiled.

“I got it. Hey, some of us are heading down to a bar called Donahue’s after our shifts, celebrate day one kind of thing, want in?”

“Yes! I’ll definitely need a drink.”

“Tell me about it. Meet us in the lobby and we can all head down together.”

—-

The end of Suki’s shift came soon enough and she was heading to the changing room to slip out of her scrubs. She’d packed a nicer outfit in her bag in case of something like this, so she changed into the skirt and bodysuit. They might be interns now, but they were still med students at heart, after all. The changing room was empty, and Suki thought back to her awkward encounter that morning. She was going to spend the next however many years seeing bare chests, so why had this one flustered her so? She supposed she had bowled right into it, which was, quite embarrassing. Especially when she’d never met the man before. She sighed and left for the lobby.

There was a group of tired looking interns gathered around the seats in the lobby. Jackie was there, along with the boy in the wheelchair she’d been chatting to that morning, Aurora, a sweet girl with a plait, and a thin, blonde boy. She was grateful at the absence of chest-boy, but she remembered he’d gone with the surgical interns, so he probably wasn’t known to this group. Aside from Jackie somehow, that was. Still, she was grateful not to be further embarrassed.

“Hey! Everyone, this is Suki,” Jackie smiled as Suki walked towards the group. They all greeted her and introduced themselves, the boy in the wheelchair was Elijah, the sweet girl Sienna, and the blonde boy Landry. They all chatted as they made their way to the bar, which wasn’t far at all. They talked about their first days, and bonded over patients. Sienna had been partnered with Elijah, and Jackie with Landry, which she hadn’t seemed to happy about. He was probably too weaselly for her.

Once they’d reached Donahue’s, Landry grabbed them all a table, a booth in the centre, and Jackie went to get rounds.

“Tequila!” Jackie sang as she came back to the table.

“Oh, no…” Sienna said.

“Give me that.” Suki grabbed a shot. She clinked it with Jackie’s and they downed their shots. Suki’s face scrunched up at the strong taste, meanwhile Jackie was deadpan. They continued chatting for a while, each of them taking turns to get each round, some opting for safer options than others, such as beers. Only a short amount of time in, Suki already felt comfortable, like she knew these guys were going to be her closest friends through her time at Edenbrook, and even after that. She also basked in the warm glow of the alcohol coursing through her, forgetting all her worries.

She felt her throat jump as she saw him waltz in. Oh god, time to be further embarrassed. The boy didn’t even have to acknowledge her at all for her to feel utterly mortified, but something told her he would anyway. He walked in confidently, laughing attractively with a group of friends. Other surgical interns, probably. He looked good in more casual clothes, wearing a patterned button-up and black jeans. Not as good as he’d looked un-clothed, though. She watched for as long as she could, before he was too close and she had to avert her gaze for fear of being caught.

Much to Suki’s chagrin, about five minutes later he was swaggering up to their table.

“Ah! It’s the odd one out!” He grinned as he placed down the tray of shots. “Thought you guys might need these.”

“Thanks,” Suki stuttered and threw a shot back immediately.

“Woah, girl. Take it easy,” Elijah chuckled. The boy eyed her up with an impressed look on his face.

“You two know each other?” Sienna asked.

Suki could feel her face growing red, and she was praying the nameless boy would explain, even if he did say something embarrassing.

“Yeah, she was admiring my bare chest this morning,” he winked.

“What!?” Landry spat out his drink, the insinuation a little much for him.

“Not like that!” Suki scrambled. “It was just in the changing room… I didn’t see him…”

“Ahaha!” Jackie cackled, “That’s what was going on when I saw you two this morning! I thought you looked a little flustered.”

Suki looked at the boy, taking in his features once more. Who are you? She couldn’t outright ask his name, that was far too clunky, but she had to find out somehow. She highly doubted ‘Scalpel Jockey’ was his actual name. Thankfully, Jackie jumped to her rescue.

“This is Elijah, Aurora, Sienna, and Landry. And you’ve already met Suki,” she snorted, turning to the group at the table, “Me and Bryce met this morning on our walk into Edenbrook.”

Bryce. Bryce. Hmm. Not an uncommon name, but it wasn’t Chris or Alex or anything. She’d definitely known some Bryce’s in her time. Bryce smiled at the mention of Suki’s name.

“Yes, I know Suki,” he smirked. But the way he said it seemed to hold more than just their meeting that morning. Did he know? Had they met before, and he wasn’t telling her? Her name flowed off his tongue like it was familiar. Ugh. Suki had spent so much of the last ten or so years studying hard and meeting so, so many people, that placing his face was just, difficult.

“Well, anyway, I should get back to the other surgical interns, you guys enjoy your shots. And your night.”

“Yeah, see you man!” Elijah grinned, as Bryce stepped back to his former group.

“So uh, what’s the deal with him?” Suki asked Jackie in her best attempt at sly.

“Bryce? No clue, like I said, I only met him this morning. He’s quite full of himself, nothing unexpected from a surgical intern.”

“Hm, okay.”

—-

After a couple of hours filled with drinks and shots, Suki was laughing and dancing with all her new friends without a care in the world.

“I’m gonna pick a song on the jukebox!” Suki grinned to her friends, before making her way over to the old jukebox in the corner of the bar.

She scanned down the list of songs, coins at the ready.

“Pick something good,” the voice came from behind her neck, hot and making the hairs stand on end. Suki turned to look at the culprit, already knowing who it was.

“‘Good’ is very subjective.” There was an odd twinge to her voice which only came out when she was drunk. He laughed, his own honey skin showing a sheen of sweat over his forehead.

“This,” he pointed at a Beatles song, “overrated. But this,” his finger slipped down to a Stone Roses song, “much better.”

“Noted.” She bit her lip as she weighed up her options. He watched fondly at her focus. Eventually she picked the same song Bryce had pointed out.

“Do you?” He asked as she turned to him.

“Do I what?”

“‘Wanna Be Adored’?”

“Doesn’t everyone?”

He flashed that wolfish grin again. “You don’t need to want it if you’ve already got it.”

He was cocky as shit, sure, but it was utterly captivating. He was ever so slightly blurred by her alcohol intake, but his deep eyes bore into hers as they had briefly that morning. Something about starting her internship reminded Suki of being a freshman at college, inhibitions low and desire high.

If he’d been a standard guy, him but without all the mystery and mortification, in all his beauty and flirtatiousness, she would have no doubt taken him home. They would’ve been out of there faster than ever; but there was hesitancy, stemming from the niggling at the back of her mind over who this guy was.

“I think you’re confusing adoration with something else.”

“Admiration?”

She chuckled. “You certainly have the whole cocky jockey thing, huh?”

“It’s Scalpel Jockey, actually.”

“Duh, so you’re a surgeon?”

“I’m going to be the best surgeon Edenbrook has even seen.”

“I’ll believe it when I see it. Bryce, right?”

“That’s me. And you’re Suki.”

She squinted at him and bit her lip again. “Do you have siblings or something? Or, have you ever been to Santa Fe?”

“That where you’re from?” He asked, raising his eyebrows and very definitely avoiding her questions. She let it slide: after all, if he was going to play that way, so was she. She was too buzzed anyway to push.

“Yeah, lived there for a bit before college. Where are you from?” Okay, maybe not to push a little.

“Your dreams,” he winked. Damn this boy was full on. She found it amusing, though, and she wasn’t exactly avoiding his flirtations. “You wanna dance?”

“Alright, then.”

She noticed as they walked the short distance to the space where people were dancing, (it wasn’t exactly a dance floor) her friends were watching her and Bryce and whispering amongst themselves. Sienna shot her a wink.

Bryce grabbed Suki’s hand from behind and spun her round to face him, his face more serious but still with a playful air. She tried to suppress the gasp which unconsciously came at the sudden movement, but Bryce noticed the surprise in her eyes anyway.

Her stomach fluttered as he pulled her body to press flush against his, in much of an echo of their position that morning. This time, however, his hand held hers down to the side while his other warmed the small of her back, and she leaned up to rest her free arm against his shoulder. Intimacy with a practical stranger wasn’t unknown to her, but it still sent jolts of scandal through her, especially with the way he was looking at her in that moment. And something about it being him in particular.

“You getting déjà vu right now or is it just me?” He joked.

Man, I’ve been getting déjà vu all day.

“Yeah, thanks for reminding me.” Her cheeks were hot from the memory of her embarrassing morning.

“You made my morning, the look on your face…” he trailed off into a laugh.

“I wasn’t exactly expecting the first intern I met to be a shirtless guy walking into me.”

“Hey! You walked into me,” he laughed, and rubbed his thumb up and down a little on her back. The movement sent electricity up Suki’s spine, so subtle, yet so intimate. They bobbed side to side in time with the song, very close to grinding on one another. Since it wasn’t exactly a slow song, but it wasn’t hugely upbeat either, their dance was chilled, with occasional comic moves.

Bryce’s hand was warm, and large, and the palm slightly rough. Suki thought about how he was going to be using this very hand in surgery, its precision and stillness aiding his art. Hell, it was art. She moved her own hand so that her fingers slowly threaded in-between his, watching as he gently reciprocated. The sensation crackled like an open wire exposed to a puddle, pulsating all the way through her arm. Sneaking a look at his face, Suki watched as Bryce’s smile widened, and his eyes sparkled.

Dancing with Bryce felt right, and freeing, and exciting. But all too soon it was over. The bar was closing, and Suki’s first day as an intern at Edenbrook was reaching its end.

“That’s our cue,” she cleared her throat as she reluctantly stepped away from Bryce.

“I guess it is. You uh, alright getting home?”

Suki looked behind her, where her friends were collecting their belongings from the table.

“Yeah, thanks. I’ll see you ‘round.”

His eyes scrunched up in the corners as he smiled.

“Yeah, see you Santa Fe.”

[kpop---scenarios]

Torn Between Two

Part One! 

Demon! Kris Wu x Demon! Kim Jongin x Reader 

Warning: Smut

Word Count: 3.4k 

A/N: Hope you enjoy! @uwu-yifan​

Do you ever get the feeling there are eyes on you, but no one is around? You hear whispers in the wind but tell yourself you’re hearing things? Do you ever dream about two handsome strangers that you’ve never seen before? You didn’t always, but in the last few months, you’ve dreamt of the same two insanely attractive men. The two men with black eyes, one with white hair and one with grey hair. Everyday that you woke up, you felt the urge to know them more and more. You wanted to meet them, touch them and know they’re real and not just something you conjured up in dreamland. Most of the time by noon, you’d already forgotten about the men in your dreams and focused on your day and the man you had been seeing, Chanyeol. Chanyeol was nice, tall, funny, polite and not to mention the muscles. He was a little nicer than you usually went for but you decided to give him a chance after he begged you to give him one and you had to admit you were glad you did. You were having a lot of fun with him but you weren’t planning on having anything really serious with him. And because you weren’t serious with him, you didn’t tell him about your dreams, or your lust for two men you didn’t know, or the fact that you fantasized about both of them while Chanyeol was fucking you. Did you feel bad? Of course. Were you going to stop? Absolutely not. The way they touched you in your dreams, the way they made you moan, the way they could make you cum, woke you up, panting and agonizing for more. That’s part of the reason you said yes to Chanyeol as well.. when you woke up in the middle of the night, horny as all hell, you were able to call him to come help you out, which was better than doing it yourself. After you and Chanyeol were finished, he usually left because you had to get up for work, even though he tried to stay over a few times but you refused. You didn’t want him getting the wrong idea, even though you’d told him before that you didn’t want anything serious, he was adamant on changing your mind which wasn’t going to work. ** On Friday Chanyeol had called you to ask you if you wanted to go to a concert with him that night, you didn’t have anything else to do so you agreed. After work, you went home to shower and get ready for your outing with Chanyeol. He was taking you to see Jay Park, who was one of your favorite rappers. You had decided to wear tight black ripped jeans, along with a white crop top, your hair down and your make up dark and smokey. Chanyeol picked you up at 8pm, on the dot. He was never late to pick you up, being punctual was something he was very proud of. ** Arriving at the venue, the two of you managed to get a spot near the centre of the stage. After Chanyeol had made sure that you were okay, he left to get you two  few drinks. He returned just seconds before the show started, with three drinks for you and one for him, since he wasn’t much of a partier anyways, but he knew you liked to have fun. A few hours into the concert you yell to Chanyeol that you’re going to attempt to find a bathroom, he nodded as you turned around. Your eyes scanned over the crowd, but landed on two very familiar faces. Your eyes went wide as you see the two men you had been dreaming about for months. You thought your heart was going to burst out of your chest. You see one whispering in the others ear before they both turn to look at you, their faces straight. You close your eyes and shake your head before opening your eyes again in hopes that it was all your imagination, but it wasn’t. The two men still stood there, now smirking at you. The taller one with grey hair licked his lips as he looked your body up and down. The one with white hair gave you a sly wink along with his smirk. Both of them soaking your panties immediately. Chanyeol turns his head seeing you still standing there and asks you what you’re doing. You look at him quickly to answer but you turn your head back to look at the men who had now vanished. You stood there for a moment, wondering if what you had seen was all in your head or if they had actually been there? “Are you going to the bathroom?” Chanyeol asks. “Oh, uh yeah. I’ll be right back" you say, shaking your head before moving through the tight crowd of people. After you finish, you stand in front of the mirror, thinking about the two men you saw. You were sure that they had been there, but if they really were, how did they vanish so quickly. You drop your head down, giving it another small shake before you sigh. “What the fuck is wrong with me" you groan. “I think you’re absolutely perfect” you hear a man's voice purr. Your head shoots up, looking into the corner of the bathroom, there stands one of the men, the one with white hair. “just breathtaking” he smirks, walking towards you. “You" you whisper. “Me" he chuckles. “Kai" he says, introducing himself. “and you’re Y/N. The absolutely ravishing woman that has caught mine and my brothers attention" he says, standing before you, brushing a strand of hair out of your face. You can’t say anything, it’s as if your entire body is frozen in his presence. “Kai" you hear another man growl. “You weren’t supposed to approach her alone" he says, his voice deep and dark, like Kai's. “Ah my dear brother Kris seems to be a bit jealous" Kai chuckles, turning away from you to face his brother. As soon as Kai stepped away from you, you felt like you could move and breathe again, until his brother stepped in front of you. You were frozen again, your eyes looking into his black eyes that were void of emotion. “Such a pretty little thing you are" Kris whispers, stroking your face much like Kai. “She really is" Kai agrees. “Quite naughty too, as we’ve seen" Kris slyly whispers, the comment going unnoticed to you. “Y/N? Are you okay in there?” you hear Chanyeol banging on the door. Kris steps away from you, allowing you to breathe and speak again. “Uh, yeah I’m okay. I’ll be out in a second.” You shout. “Ahh, your little boyfriend.” Kris sighs. “We’ll be seeing you soon, baby girl" he winks. “Tonight in your dreams" Kai smiles, and like nothing happened, they’re both gone. With shaky hands you open the door to see a worried Chanyeol on the other side. “What happened?” he asks. “I ran into an old friend and lost track of time. I’m sorry" you say. “Can you take me home please?” you ask. Chanyeol nods his head and guides you from the venue to his car. On the way he asks you again, if he could stay over tonight. You couldn’t really come up with a reason to say no, since you didn’t work tomorrow, and you couldn’t really say ‘there are two sexy men coming to visit me in my dreams' so you reluctantly agreed. You wondered though, how were they able to come to you in your dreams? It actually terrified you a little bit, made you think the worst of what they could be. Ghosts? That’s a possibility. You couldn’t imagine vampires or werewolves could he real.. or could they? Maybe they were warlocks? Your mind was spinning with the amount of possibilities of what they could be. So much so, you hadn’t heard a word that Chanyeol had said to you on the entire ride home. When you finally came too, you heard the last part of what he was talking about before starting to talk about something else you’ve explicitly told him wasn’t happening. “.. say that when you meet my mom.” He laughs. “Then when you quit your job, you’re able to stay home in the new house we get together” he says. Before you can say anything, he pulls into the parking garage of your apartment complex, you dreaded agreeing to allow him to stay over, but you didn’t have the heart to tell him to go home, so you just went with it. The moment you unlocked your front door, you took your shoes off and made your way to the kitchen. Taking a bottle of water from the fridge you gulped it down almost as quickly as you opened it, and Chanyeol stood there shocked, yet impressed. “Wow" he laughed. “Impressive.” “Ha, yeah. I’m not really feeling the greatest” you tell him, hoping he’ll offer to leave. Unfortunately you’re not that lucky. “It’s okay, let’s go to bed and you can get some sleep.” He smiled. You forced a natural smile back at him before dragging your feet to your bedroom. You wanted to go to sleep, you had so many questions for Kai and Kris, but you didn’t want to be sleeping next to Chanyeol when they came. Clearly you didn’t have a choice, since you looked back at Chanyeol who was undressing, leaving himself in his boxers before climbing into your bed with a smile. He patted the side of the bed next to him, wanting you to come over and get in with him. You went in your closet to put on your ugliest pair of pajamas before hopping into your bed, with your back turned to Chanyeol. He snickered as he scooted himself closer to you, wrapping his arm around your waist and burying his face into your hair. You automatically rolled your eyes without even trying. Chanyeol fell asleep rather quickly, while you laid awake, unable to sleep with the heat radiating from his large body and the dead weight of his arm practically crushing your ribs. You decided to attempt to wiggle your way from his grasp, trying to not wake him up. You managed to squirm your way out of his death grip and slide your body off the bed like a worm. You sat on the floor for a second to catch the breath you were holding. Finally you stand up, creeping your way to the kitchen, needing some water to still quench your thirst from earlier. Glancing at the clock, it reads 2:48am and you sigh. You were tired, but you couldn’t sleep. The anticipation of seeing them again made your body flutter with excitement, but also with fear. As you turn to leave the kitchen, you bump into a hard chest of a man. Your first thought was that it was Chanyeol, but then you remembered he was shirtless and you could still hear his snoring from the other room. “Mhm, your boyfriend is here?” he growls. Looking up you see the black eyes and unimpressed face of Kris. “He’s never stayed here before" he says, his eyes staring straight across the kitchen to your bedroom. “He wouldn’t stop pestering me to stay over. And he’s not my boyfriend." you whisper. “You should have told him to fuck off" You hear from behind you. Turning your head you see Kai standing almost against your back with Kris standing in front of you. You feel so small between the two of them. “You’re not serious about him, are you now baby?” Kris asks, his black eyes now on you. “N-no. I told him I don’t want anything serious with him but he keeps pushing" you whisper. “Pushing how?” Kris asks, cocking his head to the side. “Just doing things a boyfriend would do that I don’t want from him.” You say. “He keeps trying to bring up meeting families, moving in together, trying to get me to quit my job. It’s making me start to feel uncomfortable.” You admit, the truth flowing from your mouth like word vomit. “Would you like us to take care of him?” Kai breathes. “Yes" you huff, before you were even able to process what he asked. “Wait? Get rid of him or like kill him?” you ask. “He hasn’t technically done anything for us to murder him. We could get in trouble for that since it isn’t his time." Kai says. “..although we’d like too" Kris murmurs under his breath. “Unless you’d like us to murder him..?” Kai asks. “No, no murdering please.” You say. Kai pouts for a second before he and Kris develop evil grins on their faces, as if they know what each other is thinking. “I like it. Good idea.” Kai tells Kris with a sinister look on his face. “What idea? Neither of you said anything? I’m so confused.” you huff. “No worries baby, we’re just going to take care of the love sick puppy in there. It’s going to be slow, but in about a week you won’t have an issue with him anymore" Kris tells you. “What are you?” you ask, stepping out from in between the two. “Do you want to know?” Kai asks. Did you want to know? Would you regret it? “Yes" you admit. “We’re demons.” Kai says. “Demons? Like from hell?” you asks, not really sure how to feel   “Correct.” Kris answers. “So what do you want from me?” you ask. “Why do you even know me? Why is any of this happening to me?” “Do you want to take this one? Or should I?” Kai asks Kris. “I’ll do it" Kris chuckles. “You remember that party you were at a few months ago, at your friend Jisoo's house?” “Yeah..” you say, thinking back to the party that was almost six months ago. “You said, and I quote ‘I’d sell my soul for some bomb ass dick'" Kris tells you. Instantly the memory hits you like a ton of bricks. You did say that. “Okay?” You say. “That's us. We’re the bomb ass dick you’ve been seeking, we just need your soul" Kai smiles. “I don’t want to give my soul up" you whisper, feeling more scared now then you have been. “We don’t want it now.” Kris says, glaring at Kai. “Originally we did, but the more we watched you and kept tabs on you, the more we just wanted to find out more about you.” “You’re quite captivating, you know?” Kai smirks. “What do you want from me?” you ask. “There’s nothing we want from you. We just want you.” Kris tells you. “Want me? Like want to take me? Want to hurt me? What?” you ask. Kai chuckles. “No love. We want to be with you” “Both?” Kris nods his head. “At like the same time?” “No. We figure the best way is to each date you and then in the end it will ultimately be your decision who you want to be with.” Kris says. “What if I choose neither of you?” “Then you don’t choose us.” Kai shrugs. “Obviously we hope you will choose one of us but we can’t force you, as much as we’d like too" Was this real? Or were you dreaming? Did you actually have two extremely sexy men wanting you? Wanting to prove to you that they would be the best fit for you? You had to pinch yourself to believe it. “Ow" you hiss, knowing full well that you’re definitely awake. “Just had to make sure I was awake" you say to the two man staring at you, concerned. “Y/N?” you hear a groggy voice from the bedroom. “Ugh”. You roll your eyes. “Don’t worry baby, we’ll take care of him. See you soon" Kris winks before they both disappear. A groggy Chanyeol comes shuffling into the kitchen, rubbing his eyes. “What are you doing?” he yawns. “Its like 4am" “Yeah I can’t sleep" you say, turning to go towards your bedroom. “I can help with that" he chuckles. “I’m okay. Stomach still hurts" you say crawling into your bed. Chanyeol crawls next to you, snuggling against you. This time, you fall asleep, having pleasant dreams about Kris and Kai. Whereas Chanyeol, began to have nightmares. He tossed and turned in his sleep as what he could only describe as demons, chased him relentlessly through the crowded streets. Chanyeol continuously turned his head, seeing if they were still following him and no matter where he turned, there they were. “Hey buddy" one of them yelled, eyes glued to Chanyeol. “Stop" Chanyeol halted, feeling as if his feet were glued to the pavement. “W-what do you want?” Chanyeol stutters. “Stay the fuck away from Y/N" Kai snaps. “You don’t want to see what will happen to you if you don’t listen.” Kris growls, his eyes turning black. Chanyeol bolts up in bed, his body soaked in sweat. He looks over at your peaceful sleeping body before getting out of bed quietly and getting dressed. Chanyeol takes one last glance at you before quickly but quietly bolting for the door. A few hours later, Kris sneakily pops himself into your room, his cock hard, needing to get off. He laid on your bed in between your legs in your dream, his tongue licking a long strip up your pussy. "Mhm, tasting as good as I imagined." He smirks. Kris wraps his lips around your clit, harshly sucking. Your hands grip the bed sheets as your back arches. He places a hand on your stomach, pressing you back down into the mattress without any effort. Before you have a chance to cum, Kris removes his head from in between your legs, licking his lips as he looks at you. "It's going to be quick baby, I gotta get back." He smiles, unbuckling his belt. You watch intensely as he pulls his pants down just enough to let his cock spring free. It's bigger than you imagined, thicker too. You can see his precum leaking from his tip. You lick your lips, wanting to taste him but you know you'll have to save it for another day. Kris lines himself up with your entrance, slowly pushing himself inside you, stretching you out completely. "Fuck" you hiss, your eyes already rolling into the back of your head. "That's right baby, take my cock" he growls, pulling out of you before slamming himself back inside. You can't help but moan loudly, practically screaming as Kris continues to fuck you. "You take it so well." He growls, placing his finger in between your lips to rub your clit. "Cum quick baby." You clench yourself around him, his cock and fingers working like magic as your orgasm builds extremely quick. "Fuck" you cry out as pleasure shoots through your body, your orgasm completely taking over. "That's right baby." Kris grunts, yearning for his own release. "Shit.." He cries, cumming inside of you, his warm liquid coating your walls. Kris pulls out of you, as you chest heaves, attempting to catch your breath. He walks to the bathroom, getting a warm cloth to clean you up. When he finishes, you fall asleep almost immediately to the sound of him humming to you. ** Waking up in the morning, you're relieved to feel the spot next to you is empty, and your apartment is quiet, meaning Chanyeol must have taken off extremely early. You smile as you stretch out in your bed, only to feel the side next to you now weighed down. Turning your head you carefully peel one eye open, to be met with the face of a smiling Kai laying beside you. "Morning" he says in a low voice. "Busy night?" He asks. "I can smell Kris' scent on you baby, and you know what that means, I need to replace his smell with my own." He smirks.