#he's tired but happy here and i wish i could say the same for myself | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

ramen-writes · 29 days

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Prompt: The villian comes around the corner, sneaking into the hero's house while they're supposed to be celebrating with friends. Only to see the hero slumped against the wall, drunk.

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The villian came around the corner. Only to see the hero all alone in her room slumped against the wall with bottles surrounding her.

"Wh- what are you doing?" The villain asks.

"Huh?" The hero raises her head to look at him. "Oh... It's you" she says sadly.

"Yeah it's me so get up and fight me" he says urging her to get up.

"Nahh let's just end it here, I am tired, you win I lose, happy?"

Confusion fills up the villain's face "N-no, not happy. See? I am not happy. What do you mean, what's going on? You always fight for this place and the people of it"

The hero hums "yeah I guess but it's not like I owe it to them" a hunt of resentment seeps through her calm voice.

"Wha- but you grew up here with these people shouldn't you want to protect them?"

"I can say the same about you too. You weren't the only one they treated like an outcast because of what you could do. I was treated the same way but when you decided to show up all powerful and mighty I had them choice to either join you and prove them correct or fight you and prove them wrong. I did what I thought was the right thing..."

The villain gapes and the hero continues "everyone looovves the hero until they get all up and close with them and realize it's not all fun", she goes to grab another bottle but before she can the villain quickly snatches it

"Hey!! I need THAT. How else am I supposed to act like everything is fine if I can't let it out in the solitude of my own home and drink my problems away" the villain sets the bottle aside, not listening.

" This isn't about the town's people is it. Someone close to you? Who? Viviana? Cobey? Never liked them, always thought they were kinda a weird duo to take up as a guard" the villain said clearing some of the tissues and bottles so he could sit.

"No it wasn't them" the hero mumbled out.

"Then who? I really don't think you are close to that many people" the hero hummed softly in agreement.

"W-wait I didn't mean it as an insult I just meant that there aren't many people who you trust... wait that doesn't make it better does it?" The villian winced.

"Well if it isn't them then who-" The villain's eyes widen as the realization sets in. "No..." He whispers and the hero just nods.

"Liam? How? He is the last person I would've guessed to be the reason for all this" he gestured to the bottles and pillows.

"He doesn't know that I am like this. I acted all calm and composed in front of him." She slumps "well I hope I did because otherwise I just seem like a sad lonely idiot"

"B-but that doesn't make any sense... Yo-you guys were in love. He was the only person I couldn't even think of trying to blackmail because he was so loyal to you".

The hero let out a chuckle. "It's not his fault really... Mostly mine for putting the kingdom and the people of it before everything else".

"Of course it's not your fault I just don't understand what happened". The villain says.

"He wanted to settle down, and I couldn't do that, he wanted a family and I couldn't give it to him, he wanted me to not put the city before everything else and I once again couldn't do it." she let out a sob. "I let something that took everything from me destroy the one thing I had left"

"Oh..." Is all the villain could let out. He didn't know how to comfort anyone or if he even should comfort her.

"The worse part is that he was so nice about it too" her voice cracks.

"He said that he couldn't do it, that he couldn't live like this when I put everything else before him. But he also said that it didn't mean that he wasn't going to be there for me. He said he would still be my friend and will always fight beside me" she let out another sob. "H-he wished me luck and said that he hoped that I could learn to put myself before the city... H-he said he would be there for me but that he can't wait forever and this is something I have to learn myself" by now she was full on sobbing.

The villain didn't know what to say or do. "You know...I had a similar experience too" he says. Where did that come from? Stupid.

But now the hero was looking at him with curious eyes. Those eyes wide, and for a moment almost forgetting the tears they had just shed. He sighed, it's not like she was going to remember this anyways and it's better than listening to her sob.

"She was the most talented and beautiful woman I had very seen. She still is..."

He glanced at her only to find her staring up at him urging him to continue. He sighed.

"She was the only on who understood me, she knew what I was going through without me even telling her. She didn't have her life any better than mine but she still went around with a smile on her face that made my day. She was the light at the end of the tunnel, the reason I decided to wake up every morning...and then I ruined it. I became this. Even after everything she did for me I knew I couldn't live like that forever and I didn't want her to have to either... But she didn't agree. She believed there was a better way. But I knew that was just hope and hope is dangerous. So as much I wanted to I couldn't let myself become the hopeful boy I used to be waiting for a day where everything would be fine. So I left..."

He finished and looked at her.

"that's not a good ending" she pouted.

"He let out a sad chuckle "No...it's not, is it? But I guess we can't always have a happily ever after" He glanced at her again.

Her bright eyes, the one that shined so bright everytime she smiled.

"Do you miss her? Do you regret it? does the pain ever stop?" Her voice cracked at the last sentence.

" Yes... I miss her every day" and he did but not because he didn't get to see her but because every time he did she acted as if she didn't know him, as if everything they went through didn't matter like becoming...this, erased everything else.

"And I do question if she was right. That if I hadn't become the villain everything would have been fine but I also know that that's just wishful thinking..." He sighed.

"The pain doesn't go away...well at least for me it didn't but it gets better over time. Surround yourself with the people who love you most and soon you'll understand that that's just how somethings happen. Unlike me you didn't lose someone, maybe as a lover sure but from what you told me it seems as if you aren't losing him as a friends or someone you care about and who cares about you." He says.

"What about you? Did you lose her?" She asked, her voice slightly more sober now.

"I like to think not forever" he said as a sad smile made its way onto his face.

That was one thing he let himself hope for, the only time he let himself be a little boy again and believe that one-day everything would be okay.

The villain let out a breath getting up.

"Let's get you cleaned up first alright?" The hero nodded as the villain helped them stand up.

The moment she was on her feet she stumbles forward. The villain caught her before she could fall. "Sorry... It's hard to walk after you just drowned yourself in..."

She squinted her eyes and looked towards the bottles "whatever that is. What is that anyways?" She asked.

The villain confused looked at the bottles and his eyes widened. "What the- you were drinking straight up hard liquor, no wonder you're like this. Come on I'll carry you"

#villian #tumblr writers #tumblr writing community #writers #writing #writing inspiration #writing prompts #writers on tumblr #writing prompt #writeblr #ao3 writer #villian x hero #hero x villain #hero x supervillain #hero #superhero x villain

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ragingbookdragon · 1 year

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She drummed her fingers against the teacup, watching as her brother disappeared into his bedroom, the door shutting behind him. Her heart sank for her dearest brother, and she drew her gaze to the disappointed stares of the dwarves at the table and she looked at Thorin. “I’m so sorry for Bilbo’s answer, Thorin. I was sure he would take a leap of faith at such a chance.”

Thorin merely sighed deeply. “It matters not, we will do without.” With a glance to the others, he said, “We will leave before dawn’s first light.” Turning back to her, he asked, “Might we settle in for the evening?”

“Oh, yes, of course!” she answered, hurrying to rise and show everyone to couches and chairs. She led Thorin to the guest room and showed him in. “The bed is here, extra blankets in the cupboard. Is there anything you need before I go to bed?”

“Nothing, thank you,” he replied curtly and turned his back on her, starting to unfasten his armor. Her cheeks flushed and she quickly averted her gaze, but stayed, feet shifting nervously in the carpet; Thorin looked over his shoulder with an expression of irritation. “Is there something you need, Miss Baggins? I would very much like to rest before starting my journey.”

“Yes, I—I know.” She swallowed thickly and bowed her head slightly. “I know I’m not the one that Gandalf wanted for the company…but if it’s all the same, I’d be honored to accompany you to take back Erebor.”

Thorin blinked and turned to face her. “You?”

She had half a mind to be offended by his doubt. “Yes? Is that a problem?”

“Can you even fight?”

She cocked a hand on her hip and retorted, “I’m fairly handy with a frying pan, if I do say so myself,” she nodded firmly. “You should’ve seen me when the badgers began digging through the side of the home last summer.” Thorin chuckled lowly in his throat, and she smiled. “Thorin, I know you’ve no reason to trust nor even believe that I would be of any worth, but if there is a chance that I can be, I ask that you give me it and let me prove myself to you.”

He gazed at her. “Is this truly what you wish? To travel with a bunch of men? You know you’d be the only woman with us.”

“All the same, I wish to partake in this adventure.” She stuck out her hand. “Thorin Oakenshield, I formally request to join your company.”

He grasped her hand in a gentle but firm grip and shook it. “Miss Baggins, I accept your request. Welcome to the company.”

Her face erupted in excitement, and she hurriedly pulled back with, “I’m going to pack right now!” as she rushed for the door, she turned back around ran back and hugged him tightly adding, “Thank you so much, Thorin. I won’t let you down, I swear it!”

***

“I’m so sorry to bother you with having to ride with me, Thorin,” she said bashfully. “I don’t think the pony liked me very much.”

He had to hide the smirk at remembering how she’d practically wailed bloody murder when the pony became skittish and took off with her. “It’s fine,” he gruffly stated.

She looked down and cleared her throat, trying to ignore the warmth from his back bleeding into her. “Might we play a round of questions to ease the silence? I can’t imagine it would be very fun to ride in total silence.”

“If we must,” he replied as if annoyed, and perhaps on some level he was, but she did have a point that complete silence was sometimes tiring.

“Perfect! Since you are the esteemed company, you go first!”

He thought a moment. “What is a skill you’ve always wished to master?”

“Oh…I would say sewing. My mother could sew like no one I’ve ever seen.” She smiled fondly. “I can sew well but nothing compared to the clothes she could mend and make. My turn! When was a time in your life that you felt truly happy?”

“I was ten years of age. I had just received my first real sword. My grandfather had made it for me. Silver blade, sapphires in the hilt.” He frowned. “What qualities do you believe makes a person good?”

She paused. “Well, that is a tough one, especially if you believe that people have inherent evil.”

“Do you?”

“Of course not! I personally think that everyone is capable of good, no matter how bad a life they have lived.”

“A bit naïve don’t you think, Miss Baggins?”

“Perhaps. But if you go around distrusting everything that breathes, you’ll never be able to trust anything when it comes to truly needing it.” She inhaled. “Honor, loyalty, kindness, selflessness, love. Those make a person good. Someone who would put the needs of others above themself and go above and beyond for those they loved. Even if it meant they would be left behind.”

“Now that is truly naïve.”

“I know,” she said with a smile and before she could even open her mouth again, they heard,

“WAIT!”

Thorin pulled the reins, and everyone turned to see Bilbo running over.

“WAIT!” Bilbo called again and her face lit up.

“Brother!” she greeted as he came to a stop.

Bilbo panted heavily. “I signed it!” he handed it off to Balin who looked it over and smiled.

“Everything appears to be in order. Welcome Master Baggins, to the company of Thorin Oakenshield.”

Thorin rolled his eyes and started to turn his own steed around. “Give him a pony.”

“Oh no-no-no!” Bilbo immediately said. “That won’t be necessary, thank you. I’m sure I can keep up on foot. I-I’ve done my fair share of walking holidays, y’know? Even got as far Frogmorton once—WUGH!”

She giggled when Fili and Kili hefted him up by his pack and buried her face in Thorin’s back to muffle her laughter; when she felt Thorin’s back rumble with his own chuckle, she couldn’t help snort even harder.

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st4rgzer · 6 months

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STICK SEASON matt sturniolo

genre: angst and just a bit of fluff at the end

summary: you have some unfinished business with someone you’ve missed more than you’d like to admit

cw!: self deprecation i think?

a/n: feeling very Noah Kahan ish

I went to Vermont to my parents house in a desperate attempt to find some comfort in anything, my childhood house came close to what I needed, even if the sad pink wallpaper pasted on my wall was peeling off, the bed, rusty, and the springs tired of supporting groups of chatting girls, or the mirror dusty from not having anyone stare into it to do their makeup for a while now, it still brought me a little bit of relief to have proof that I was once in a better place.

But now it was time to go “home” or at least what used to be home, now home has a different meaning. I’ve always struggled with selfishness, always having angry tendencies so I directly remove myself from the situation in order to avoid any nuisance I might provoke. Matt helped me. He saw the good in me as I saw the good in him, showing me that yelling isn’t the only way one can be heard, gentle words, whispers and sighs, worked effortlessly with him, everything envolving him meant being engulfed endlessly in light and sweetness. Now I’m stuck between the anger and the blame I can’t face, I tried to just remove myself from the situation.

“We can fix this please, I can fix this, I can change”

“I know you can, but I can’t be here, I don’t want to watch you destroy yourself, I’m tired of this”

That’s when he just drove off and left our future to the right. Rightfully so, I tend to play the victim, I’m trying to change, for him.

The phone dials again and the familiar voicemail appears, he used to call me forever now he can’t even call me back. I’m in Boston and I don’t think they’re home, but I’m terrified of knocking on their door.

Until I wasn’t. My body suddenly became 10 times heavier as I tried to drag myself to their doorstep, tempted to just run off and catch the next plane to nowhere. But I had to do this, for him, for me.

knock, knock, knock

One, two, three

The door opened and I was greeted with a very surprised Matt, he looked different from when I had seen him last, not in a bad way.

“what are you doing here” He blatantly said, quickly, he realized how brute he’d been and rectified his wording

“-i’m sorry, Hey y/n, what brings you…here?” He furrowed his eyebrows slightly as I began talking, it seemed my voice startled him, after all, it had been some time.

“I wanted to talk to you” I said, trying not to seem too stern. I had a habit of making situations more complicated then they had to be. He sighed and opened the door for me to walk through, the smell of bath and body works candle Nick bought for one of their videos (i’m sorry icba to use the pink sands reference) brought me back to the long movie sessions we’d have on their family couch, Mary Lou would bring us christmas cookies grannies would buy, I bought those last week, they didn’t taste the same.

“so um- long time…” He said walking behind the couch, creating some distance between us. He put his hands in his pockets and pursed his lips, I don’t think he was very happy to see me.

“yeah” I bit my inner cheek. Id come here to talk but I couldn’t seem to find any words right now, I wish it could be like it used to be, I wouldn’t have to say anything, he’d know what was wrong, he’d find the words for me.

“Matt I-” I took a deep breath and tried not to make a joke out of myself. “I know I have no right to show up at your doorstep unannounced, well I did call you but- that’s not the point. I’m sorry, yes that’s what I wanted to say, I’m sorry, and I’m sorry for fucking everything up and showing up in your life again and that’s not fair but I needed you to know I’m not a bad person, I’ve made mistakes and I can’t even say how sorry i am for hurting you in any way possible but I think about you everyday. I mean I see you everywhere, I see you when It rains, I see you when I discover a new song then I remember you recommended it to me, and I mean, I think what we had, what at least I thought we had, was something, you know? Now i see you mother and she doesn’t even remember me.” I inhaled sharply, my words spewing faster than I could breathe. I couldn’t figure out what Matt was thinking, if it was good or bad, well, I think in this situation it couldn’t be very good, one can hope.

A minute of silence passed by, the only sound that filled it was our steady-ish breaths, we looked at each other as if we were having a telepathic argument, however that would work, I thought telling a joke would ease the tension, I missed his laugh, maybe I’d get to hear it once again, but I don’t think i’m funny anymore.

“y/n…” My eyes were wide as I clawed into the couch in anticipation, not knowing if the next hour I would spend crying or whatever the other option was.

"I missed you too" his words were doubtful, he questioned himself, uncertain in wether he meant them or not.

“yes, I missed you. Maybe that’s bad, maybe I’m just a masochist, that, or you’re just engraved in my brain” He chuckled, his laughed remained the same, at least some things are how I remembered.

“so…you don’t hate me?” I said cautiously, analyzing his words in my mind to see if he really said what he said.

“I don’t think so, I’ve never hated you I don’t think. I couldn’t hate you, y/n, even if I tried, and trust me, I tried” His words almost seemed fake as I tried to fathom them, a puzzled look on my face that seemed to amuse Matt.

I nodded, not quite knowing what to respond just yet, or how to continue with the conversation. Figuring out any hidden meaning behind his slight smile, maybe everything was just really in my head, well, at least some part of it.

“I told Mary Lou you were going to be in town, I listened to you voicemails” He paused, looking away, almost embarrassed.

“I was nervous for you to come, I didn’t know how to feel exactly…But I definitely haven’t forgotten about you, the other day Chris accidentally bought two hats online, one was yellow, your favorite colour, is it still you favorite? Well, Nick reminded us”

I smiled. It was weird to hear that my name was thrown around in foreign conversations, I thought it may be a taboo here.

“It is. I’m glad, was Chris able to return the hat?” I said, thinking I sounded stupid to get that from the conversation instead of the important part, I tried to spark conversation.

“I kept it.” He said quietly, I smiled, a feeling of pity lingered in my stomach.

“I know this might be a long shot but, do you maybe want to get lunch, or coffee, or something with me? I’m in town till next week, if you want of course” I said, trying not to fumble my words, hoping to make things work, or just at least leave them a little better.

“sure”

A sudden childish excitement filled me, a feeling I had missed so dearly, a feeling I had when I was with Matt, as I could see.

“ok, text me?” I tilted my head, hopeful, relieved when he nodded. Saying things like this so casually still unsettled me slightly but I’ll try to ignore the feeling.

I guess lunch it is.

taglist: @gaytoadwithapopsicle @dwntwn-strnlo @oneirophobic @20nugs @iha8you @lovelysturniolo @stvrni0lo @ssturniolo @ifilwtmfc @gabbylovesreading @lvrsparadise @strniolo

#sturniolo triplets #sturniolo #matt sturniolo x reader #matt sturniolo fanfiction #matt sturniolo

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skxllz · 7 months

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𝒫𝓲𝓷𝓴 𝓣𝓸 𝓜𝔂 𝓡𝓮𝓭

ken x male! reader

{ song; hey lover, the daughters of eve }

summary; ken discovers y/n's soft side after an argument.

warnings; sad ken, mentions of a panic attack. upset/angered reader, says things he doesn't mean. some angst but fluff at the end!! I think that's all? :'')

side note; I'm still new to writing for ken so I apologize if I haven't fully grasped his personality yet. leave feedback in the comments/reblogs! not proofread.

date started; 11.11.23

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“ y/n! please, talk to me! ” ken insisted for the umpteenth time throughout a span of fifteen minutes.

see, he's been pining after you like a puppy dog since you've woken up. the blonde resides in your house - and even though you've made it clear you're not interested in him that's a lie, he continues to bother you as if the pair of you are dating. from what you've heard, he used to be obsessed with barbie - and yes, you're aware of his situation of being a doll and coming from barbieland and all that complicated shit.

but, what you don't understand, is how he managed to find an interest in you. not only were the two of you complete opposites, but aren't dolls supposed to stick to their counterparts? barbie is his counterpart, isn't she? plus... do dolls even know about different sexualities, or is this one of those situations where labels aren't a thing?

well, no matter what the hell is happening, you just weren't bothered for it. ken was annoying you, actually making you regret taking the blonde in. again, a lie.

you just wished you could think. with him around, it was impossible to. work has been stressing you out, family troubles had arisen- you just didn't want the responsibility of a doll who was now in the real world as a fully grown man. did he even fucking age? probably not.

“ ken! ” you whirled around finally, stopping the male in his tracks from yapping your ear off again and again with the same choice of words. please talk to me, y/n! you were tired of it. “ please, for fucks sake, stop! ”

ken's worried expression turned down. his lips fell into a puppy-fied frown; his usual happy, sparkling blue eyes now reflecting... a broken sense of hope. “ what? ” he spoke quietly, voice cracking.

no, did he mess up..? was this... was this barbie, all over again?

surely not! y/n wasn't like that. he was always quiet; and even when he seemed moody, he was nice to ken! y/n didn't mind his presence, nor his quirky attitude, nor the fact that he could only ask questions and tell him how he was so good at beach!

... right?

“ ken, ” you took a deep inhale through your nose, closing your eyes to try and calm your growing irritation. once the irritating arose, so did the anger. and when you got angry- “ please. just... quit. I need some time to myself. ” your eyes opened back up, to show irises that held nothing but seriousness. “ do you understand? ”

“ but... y/n. ” ken breathed, quickly grabbing the hand that had lifted to make a knowing gesture - only to bring it to his chest with a big smile now lighting up his face! “ I'm here for you! I love you! please, let me he- ”

“ fucking- no! ” you snatched your hand away, only to probe a finger to his broad chest, which was displayed since the man never buttoned his shirts. “ I told you, again and again, that I need space right now. ”

he looked devastated, backing away - but you only moved closing, poking his chest with a rough touch and startling him. “ y/n- ” ken's voice came out in a whimper, but you cut him off again.

“ you're pissing me off. ” you growled, Corning him into the wall. the anger in your blaming eyes shone through, scaring the blonde that was already trembling. he had never experienced such... an emotion. sure, he's gotten mad at ken in the past, but ken's never seen it get this bad! the way y/n was staring him down, brows furrowed to the center between his eyes, teeth gritted- it made men's body react in a way that he didn't want if to.

why was he shaking?

you surely didn't notice, too caught up in the fuel of your raging emotions. “ you've been annoying the fuck out of me, ” you smacked his chest. he jumped. “ constantly down my throat! with, ‘ oh, y/n, what's wrong? please talk to me’ - well guess what?! I don't want to talk! ”

your breathing had become harsher, leaving your nostrils to flare. ken didn't know how to respond; his mouth was dropped ajar, shock and hurt evident in his face. “ I'm tired, ken. ” you rasped, your voice strained. “ of the constant whining, and your questions, and the god damn fact that I can't have any time to myself. you're always around! ”

ken's mouth closed, and he thickly swallowed. what were these things he was feeling? he's felt some... hurt with barbie before, but never this strong. it's like there is a dull throb in his chest, and it hurt more and more with each harsh word y/n said. ken didn't like it, mot one bit.

and now.. water was sliding down his cheeks? these are what barbie referred to as tears, right?

why were tears coming out of his eyes?

that's when he noticed he wasn't listening any longer, either. your shouting filtered out, blending in with the background noise of the whirring fan and television lowly playing. why couldn't he hear?

why was his... breathing picking up?

and- his stomach. It hurt. like knots, or something, was in his abdomen. it made him grab at his torso, forearms pressing tightly.

that's when you slowly calmed down, your breathing becoming regulated. you had turned away from him in the time you were yelling - not because you couldn't stan's to look at his pretty face, but because... that expression he wore.. it made you feel bad.

why'd he look like such a kicked animal? you hated it - the fact that he had you wrapped around his stupid finger. the fact that you knew, deep down, you had fallen for ken just as he had you.

that's exactly why you didn't want to be near him. It hurt, to know you were gaining feelings for another person. after your ex, you didn't want another relationship - not so soon, or... at all. the pain just wasn't worth it.

but, ken? he was an absolute babydoll. his blue eyes lighting up everytime he spoke about the beach, and the other ken's he got along with, and everything he's learned in the real world - including things about horses! he loves horses...

your brows curved down and you swallowed the ball that was arising in your throat. you couldn't... you had to apologize to him. you didn't mean anything you said.

and, as you slowly turn around, you realized that the sound of a sob caught your attention. your ears perked and you straightened, facing the bolonde.

ken had slid down against the wall, now on the floor, face in his hands as he cried. he kept furiously wiping at his eyes, trying to stop the tears - but as you could see, they wouldn't.

a frown immediately overtook your face, as did the look of regret and guilt.

“ ken... ” you mumbled, feeling horrible. what had you done?

you glanced away, sighing to yourself. then, cursing under your breath, you decided to finally out away your pride - you needed to help him. comfort him. and so, you closed the small distance between you two and kneeled.

“ ken- ” your voice, for the first time since ken had met you, was as soft as melted butter. in any other situation he'd be quick to look at you- because y/n, sounding as silky smooth as that? It couldn't be. but alas, he did not raise his head.

the sobs continued. his shoulders shook, his body trembled. you had really hurt the man, and it was setting in just how dire the situation was. ken has never experienced such a pain...

“ ken, sweetheart. ” you called once again, this time reaching forward to take ahold of his finger tips. he tried to jerk away, a reasonable reaction, but you wouldn't let him; sliding your fingers forcefully around the front of his own to pull them back from his face.

“ don't look at me! ” he cried out, squeezing his eyes shut and whipping his head away. his eyes were raw, red around the outside... his cheeks were tear-stained and his smile lines were biting through, making his frown that much more noticeable.

it was breaking your heart to see him like this.

ever so gently, you moved one hand away from his own to lift it to his face. your fingertips met the corner of his jawline, only to slide under; cascading to cradle the underside of his jaw and lift his head. “ ken. ” your voice was still soft, but held a sternness to it. “ ken, can you look at me? please? ”

ken had stopped sobbing by now, but the tears were still rolling. he was sniffling, hiccuping; trying to stop himself from looking so pathetic. It definitely wasn't manly to cry - and he didn't like that. why couldn't he stop crying?

the ache in his chest, it just hurt so much.

“ baby, ” that caught his attention, as he sniffled again, “ look at me. ”

for a moment, he didn't listen, and you thought perhaps he was being stubborn - which was valid -, but slowly he began to lift his eyes to meet your own.

his bright, baby blues were glossed over; sadness in them. tears kissed his lashes, making them stick together. he looked... pretty. but you still didn't want yo see him cry.

ken deserved to smile, and laugh - and you enjoyed seeing the corners of his eyes crinkle up when he grinned. his orbs always sparkled, radiating the best glow-y energy... but as of right now, they didn't. heartbreak just settled within them.

your frown deepened, thinking over what exactly you had said... It was some pretty fucked up shit. If it were you, you definitely wouldn't have wanted to hear it. the only difference is that you can take such words with a hard stare, not easily letting things like that effect you - but ken? his heart was as sift as a teddy bear. It's no surprise he ended up in a pile on the floor.

“ ken- ” your thumb stroked the side of his jaw. since he was calming down, he took notice - and he happened to like it. “ I'm sorry, for what I said.. ” your voice was no more than a whisper. you didn't want to startle him even more.

and, somehow, he took notice of that. ken was not the brightest, you knew that and so did everyone around him- he was the natural stereotype of a blonde. but, by the way he glanced down at your thumb while you moved it in slow circles, you knew that he knew you were trying.

“ I... ” you sighed, shoulders slumping “ I didn't mean any of it. I'm just frustrated, and overwhelmed. ”

ken was quiet, so you kept speaking. at least... the tears stopped. “ I know it isn't an excuse to yell at you, ” your eyes momentarily flickered down to his pouting lips. he didn't notice, so you quickly looked back to his eyes before he could. “ but I did. and I'm apologizing, because you didn't deserve that. any of it. you're a sweetheart - the sweetest guy I know. ”

“ I am? ” ken's voice finally rang out, coming out raspy and raw from crying. you winced from that, a pang of guilt taking over your chest... nonetheless, you nodded.

“ yes, ” he was looking up at you, eyes big and doe eyed as you spoke. you could feel a big, melty feeling in your chest. It was warm. “ you are. the sweetest, honey. ”

now that he was more focused, ken actually acknowledged the pet names you were using. his lips parted slightly and his brows raised curiously. did he hear you right?

you were no dummy, instantly taking notice. It made you grin, just the tiniest bit. “ I don't actually find you annoying. ” your fingers moved, gently scratching on the other side of his jaw.

ken's face was slowly lighting back up. the attention he was receiving was the kind he's always wanted. his heart, now moving faster like it always did when you were near, felt as if it was doing flips and turns and downright juggling.

shouldn't he be mad, though? you had hurt him.

but... you said you were sorry. you're giving him attention, and calling him sweet names, and even specifying the apology. that should be more than enough, shouldn't it?

but dear god, he wanted more.

you had been speaking the whole time, but of course the poor man zoned out; too busy focusing on your lips, and pretty hair, and gorgeous eyes, and tge way your mouth moved, looking oh so kissable-

“ y/n? ” ken spoke out before he could even comprehend it himself. you paused, looking at him expectantly- and a smile melted onto your lips.

“ yes, dear ken? ” you hummed, rubbing the pad of your thumb over the lining of his jaw. his eyes fluttered at that, nearly making you laugh.

“ can you.. ” he was breathless. “ can I... kiss you? ”

the movement of your thumb paused. your eyes zeroed in on his lips, then flickered back to his baby blues. he noticed, yet said nothing; choosing to let out a hopeful breath.

“ ... hm. ” you hummed, pretending to ponder. teasing was in your element, and often you'd do it to people yoy fancy- never to ken before, but.. he was an exception now, wasn't he? “ you want to kiss me? ”

“ yes. ” the blonde whimpered, eyes dancing across your face in impatience. “ please. ”

“ why should I let you? ” a twitch of a grin raised your lips, the corners if your mouth threatening to break out a full blown smile.

ken frowned at that. immediately, he thought this was more rejection- of course it would be. why would you suddenly want hi-

but you didn't let him think negatively. not anymore.

leaning forward, you pressed a soft, meaningful kiss to ken's lips.

ken was left... speechless. his eyes widened, and his cheeks turned rosey. why did he feel hot? warm? warm and hot? his body was tingly and on fire.

chuckling, you parted your lips from his, amusement shining in your orbs. “ you okay there, cowboy? ”

“ perfect. ” he breathed, staring ahead with sparkles in his eyes. literal sparkles.

you would've thought broke him if it weren't for his eyes flickering back into you, seconds later. his chest fell quickly in a large exhale of excitement. “ can you do that again? ”

you grinned.

“ of course... come here, blondie. ”

#barbie imagine #barbie movie #ken imagines #ken x you #ken x male reader #ken x y/n #ken x reader #rg! ken #ryan gosling x reader #ryan gosling ken #rg! ken x reader

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hanafubukki · 2 years

Text

Protection From Afar

Summary: You knew Rollo Flamm was up to something, but at least you had help looking out for everyone if the cheeky grin in the crowd gave any indication.

Pairing & Characters: Lilia Vanrouge x Reader (Gender Neutral), Malleus

Notes: I wrote this a week or so ago and just had the time now to edit it. Was hoping to release this before the episode 3 update for twst glorious Halloween but was too tired lol

· You watched as Rollo barely kept his contempt from showing.

· You wondered if he knew that his actions belied his words, especially when he tended to cover his mouth with his handkerchief.

· You knew you would have to watch out for him and whatever he would try against your friends.

· Honestly, you felt terrible for Tsunotaro, who seemed to be enjoying himself, but at least he had Sebek and Silver at his side.

· And…

· As you looked over to the roof of the Noble Bell College, a bat hung upside down without anyone noticing, and you knew a certain dark fae was also keeping watch.

· Rollo was something else.

· He was apparent in his ways.

· He had admitted to knowing everything about the NRC students.

· So, you wonder why he made it so evident that he was trying to get close to you to get close to the others, especially with Malleus.

· Rollo being friendly to you was…unsettling, to say the least.

· He gave vibes that told you never to trust him.

· And you wouldn’t.

· You just wished he would stop trying to get on your good side.

· Running after Grim was a daily occurrence almost, but this was ridiculous.

· At least you knew the layout of NRC, but this city was new to you.

· And running after Grim was an extra hassle when you were trying to keep an eye out for the safety of everyone.

· I am going to take his cans of tuna away when we get back home. This is getting ridiculous.

· You would have continued looking for your companion if it wasn’t for the hand that grabbed you and pulled you into the alleyway.

· You would have screamed if the familiar chuckle didn’t have your body already relaxing.

· “I thought you were supposed to be back home?”

· “How could I, of all people, be left behind? I always wanted to wear a suit.”

· You laughed but agreed with his statement.

· You turned around and took in the fae.

· You smiled fondly, shaking your head.

· “I see you went all out trying to fit the theme.”

· Lilia chuckled as he brought your hand up to his lips.

· “Of course, love, I have to fit in after all.”

· You reached up and pulled on one of his long locks, “You really think Malleus hasn’t noticed?”

· Lilia smirked, “I have my ways to conceal myself even from him. Years of being a general do come in handy.”

· You laughed before leaning into him.

· “I’m happy you are here.”

· His arms wrapped around you.

· “Worried?”

· “You have no idea. Rollo seems to have…a distaste for nonhumans especially the faes.”

· Lilia rubbed your back and sighed, “While it might seem long ago, the war between our races still affects us today.”

· You knew how much Lilia and the others wished for everyone to get along.

· You knew the history Lilia himself lived through.

· “I just hope that Rollo is someone that can be changed with time.”

· You have seen the overblots.

· You have seen how each and every one of them strived to change after, and you hoped that it was the same for Rollo.

· Preferably without the overblot.

· When you rejoined the others, everyone seemed to be having a wonderful time.

· You went to Malleus, who seemed to be drinking a cup of coffee.

· “Enjoying yourself?”

· “YN, come, join us for drinks.”

· Us being Sebek, Riddle, and Jamil.

· The latter two teased Sebek as he…rather forcefully drank his drink.

· A glance at Malleus’ cup gave you the answer you needed.

· Oh Sebek, what are we going to do with you?.

· You reminded yourself to order an extra drink for you both.

· “Enjoying yourself, Tsunotaro?”

· Malleus proceeded to explain about his encounter with a…goat?

· You could tell how happy and touched Malleus was with his encounter.

· Oh Tsunotaro.

· You really hoped this event went without any trouble for any of them.

· But at least, you were not alone in looking out for them.

· If the one with the cheeky grin in the crowd gave any indication.

Thank you for reading 🌻🌺

Tag List (open): @justeclem44 @coraldelusiondazen @h0n3ysgh0st @thatdazaikin

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linkspooky · 11 months

Note

Spooky, I'm so tired of seeing people say that "Megumi has no development/is badly written/sucks", especially on reddit, and now I almost started to cry because you started your last answer-meta about Megumi with "Megumi's actually the most complicated and well-written character in the manga", and let me tell you that's a lot coming from someone who writes such great metas!

Then I continue reading and you describe him in the same way that I perceive him but it's also like I'm seeing Megumi for the first time? it's difficult to express this but it always happens to me ... Megumi is so complicated that every time I read an analysis/meta about him this happens and I love it.

Sorry, I'm terrible at expressing myself and everything I wrote might be confusing but I needed to tell you, and also, Thank you for writing and sharing your metas! 🖤

Thank you for sending the ask, anon! I'm just happy you're a fan of Megumi and enjoy his character as much as I do. My friend @theanimepsychologist did a much better post than I did, explaining why exactly the complexity of Megumi's character is hard to miss. I wish I could just copy paste that whole post here and steal it, but I have some brief thoughts on why Megumi is oftentimes overlooked and it has to do with the fact that his development throughout the entire manga is hidden in the shadows.

I say Megumi's development is hidden in shadows, because in typical shonen manga tradition his character development goes hand in hand with him learning to use the Ten Shadows ability. It's outlined for him twice by both Gojo and Sukuna that Megumi should really be a lot more powerful than he is right now.

Megumi is your typical genius kid who everything comes so naturally to him he never learns to study, and therefore when moving up from high school to college begins to fall apart because he didn't learn the skills that would lead to his further development.

If you look at Megumi's situation, he should really be more powerful than he is. Megumi has the ten shadows, which is the strongest technique in the Zen'in, and apparently even capable of defeating a limitless user with the six eyes. Not only that, but he was handpicked and tutored by Gojo Satoru since he was a child, and he's clearly the student that Gojo takes the most interest in teaching.

Gojo and Yuta who have similiar natural talent are already at the level of special class at Megumi's age, and Yuta himself has only been a sorcerer for a year, but Megumi lingers at grade two. Gojo and Megumi himself are frustrated by his own lack of progression and neither of them can understand why.

In typical Gojo fashion, Gojo who only understands the world through the lens of sorcery, just suggests that Megumi get stronger at developing his ten shadows technique and everything else will work out. However, the reason Megumi can't advance isn't because he's not strong enough or not working hard enough, but because he's emotionally weak.

He falls apart mentally rather than physically, and we learn the reason why in his flashbacks to Tsumiki.

Megumi has no emotional reason to want to be a sorcerer, he doesn't even feel an obligation to save people does the way Yuji does, he was just groomed into it by Gojo. However, the loss of Tsumiki at middle school age makes Megumi falter, because the one reason he had for going forward is that he could possibly make Tsumiki safe because doing his job as a sorcerer gave them money to live... but then Tsumiki is out of the picture and Megumi is trapped in a life he doesn't want for no reason.

The difference between Megumi and Gojo that Gojo fails to notice, is that Gojo has an incredibly strong sense of self, and Megumi has no sense of self (which further inhabits his development). He's never once doing things for himself, despite calling himself selfish and espousing a much more selfish philosophy that Yuji does, his goals all focus around providing some kind of service or protection to others.

This is where Megumi's development starts becoming difficult to keep track of, because Megumi is a character who both changes a lot throughout the manga, and doesn't actually change at all. Which is a statement that makes no sense but let me explain: Megumi develops his ten shadows technique and on the outside is developing into a stronger sorcerer, but he never does the internal work and self reflection required to become emotionally strong.

Once again, Gojo in his great genius can only offer this advice to Megumi: Become strong, become a better sorcerer. This is because Gojo misses out that emotional issues are what is holding Megumi back. Megumi's first two major fights in the manga are losses, he's not strong enough to kill the curse on his own in the first chapter so Yuji eats the finger to help, he's not strong enough to stop Sukuna's rampage in Yuji's body, so Yuji dies in front of him.

It's two situations where Megumi reflects, "If I was strong enough, I would have been able to do X, Y, and Z, therefore it's my fault that this bad thing happened."

So we see Megumi throughout the arcs, continually developing his ten shadows technique to be stronger, while at the same time avoiding personal development. The biggest moment of this is origin of obedience, where he unlocks his partial domain expansion and then a few chapters later just avoids an emotionally difficult conversation with Yuji because he's scared to talk with him.

Megumi's desire is to feel free and grow into a better version of himself, but he stops at every opportunity to develop emotionally because that's harder. Gojo suggests that Megumi just pursue strength, so Megumi just starts finding himself in violence. Which is why the progression we do see in his character is him getting stronger and better at using his technique, coupled with him being more openly violent and more like his father the shadow of violence who is always chasing after him. This is what turns Megumi into Mr. "I'll totally kill people in the Culling Games if I need to."

Would Megumi at the beginning of the manga been okay with slaughtering normal people to get points in a game, maybe yes maybe no but he does advocate for just leaving a prisoner to die to curses because they committed a crime once. If anything his development post shibuya is just exaggerating a side to him that was already there. Megumi in times of crisis falls back on violence for survival because that's what Gojo taught him.

Megumi grows more confident with his abilities, he uses them in more creative ways, he even starts demonstrating himself as a leader among the group basically coming up with the strategy for the culling games. He's also more emotionally open with Yuji than he was in the past. There's definite emotional progression.

Beginning of the manga Megumi is lacking in confidence -> Yuji dies in front of him, he realizes his need to get stronger and starts applying himself -> In the Kyoto battle arc despite training with the second years he still falls short in the battle against Hanami -> Gojo reveals to megumi part of the reason he has a mental block against getting stronger is because he's downplaying himself for the sake of others, and afterwards Megumi starts imagining a better version of himself for the first time -> Megumi shows his strength at cooperating in Shibuya, fighting with Yuji, and then later Maki and the rest against Dagon -> Megumi is the one who convinces Yuji to keep fighting showing his emotional development and comes up with the strength for the culling games -> Megumi uses his domain expansion again but much more confidently than he did in origin of obedience.

There's clear progression here on Megumi's part that I can even give a general summary and map out, but at the same time the fundamental problem has not been solved, that Megumi doesn't have a thoroughly developed sense of self and self destructs. Gojo even says as much that part of the reason he's so limited in using his abilities is because he thinks he has Mahoraga to fall back on.

He tries to use Mahoraga in the fight against Sukuna, tries to use it against Todo of all people, tries to use it against the special grade spirit in origin of obedience and this time stops himself (making progress) only to once again default to using Mahoraga in Shibuya when he's cornered. Megumi doesn't try to personally develop himself because he considers his own life worthless and that behavior never stops. It keeps persisting until we get all the way to Sukuna taking over his body, which happened because Megumi ignored every warning from Yuji that Sukuna was planning for something. Because in that case he just assumed Sukuna would kill him and Megumi doesn't care about that because he doesn't value his own life.

Which is where we get the great paradox that is Megumi, he's the most developed character in the manga with a great deal of the manga focused on both his slow progression as a character, but also revealing more parts of his personality that the audience would not notice at first. People who saw Megumi advocate for leaving prisoners behind to die in the first arc of the manga, probably wouldn't assume he'd go so far as killing people in the culling games to get point, because it's quicker that way and he can justify killing bad people, but that's the natural extreme of that behavior to begin with.

We see more and more of Megumi's repressed anger, and his abandonment issues with his sister and his parents, so his character is moving, but we also don't see a lot of progression on those issues because Megumi's not focusing on trying to be a better person just being a better sorcerer.

In typical shonen manga fashion, the focus is put on Megumi getting stronger and learning to develop his technique ore. In atypical shonen manga fashion, Megumi is actually punished by the narrative for only caring about getting stronger. Sukuna's possession of him, and his loss of Tsumiki are both things caused by Megumi being ignorant until the last moment and keeping himself hidden in the shadows too, if he'd valued himself more he'd have steered clear of Sukuna and Yuji because of the danger, if he'd paid more attention to his sister he'd notice Yorozu in his body.

Which is what makes Megumi so unique, but also a little hard to understand because he is in so many ways a typical shonen jump character, and in other ways he's nothing like them because he's just Megumi.

#jjk meta #megumi fushiguro #metasks

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taradactyls · 7 months

Note

You absolutely don’t have to do this, but I would love to know what the carriage ride was like on the way home after that dance <3

Oh I can write a little bit of fluff and pining!

Here's what happens after the dance scene in chapter sixteen...

~~~~~

It was a struggle for Mr Darcy to bother with civilities to anyone else for the rest of the evening. He kept finding excuses to touch Elizabeth, attempting to recover that spark when their hands pressed together as they twirled on the dance floor. Elizabeth had begun to show her tiredness, yet when he leant in to whisper in her ear “Should I summon the carriage?” She protested that she could wait a little longer.

He attended to whatever conversation his wife engaged in, loathe to leave her side. Elizabeth had always stunned him with her ease in socialising. There was no awkwardness in her manner, or struggle to know what to say. Even the most tedious of topics and… boisterous… of people gave her joy in their ridiculousness. Normally, he would retreat from such conversations entirely, for his tolerance was not as high as hers. But tonight, Mr Darcy was held in place by Elizabeth’s arch smile and quick dart of her eyes towards him whenever she needed to share her amusement at the folly of others.

His wife laughed so freely, how had he once not done justice to her beauty? She was the most radiant woman he had ever met. He was transfixed by the curve of her neck, and the way she arched her brow as she whispered some witty thing to her sister which earnt a smile from Miss Bennet. Then she returned her gaze to him and took his arm. “My mother begins to again complain of Charlotte becoming mistress of Longbourn one day; which seems as good a sign as any we should retire for the night.”

Moving her hand to the crook of his arm and covering it with his own, he said “I should think that the first sign was your yawning. And the second your proclamation of tiredness.”

She laughed again. “You are right, of course,” she smiled. “But have we not enjoyed ourselves tonight, Mr Darcy?”

The gentleman had never enjoyed a dance more, and he could not stop himself returning Elizabeth’s smile. She was so full of happiness. How he loved her. How he wished she had married him for affection and not necessity.

They gave their leave and departed Lucas Lodge. Mr Darcy handed his wife up into the curricle before joining her and taking the reins and urging the horses forward.

“I think it is safe to say we cannot continue any lessons in carriage direction, tonight,” Elizabeth said, surveying the moonless sky. “The landscape is far too obscured by darkness for me to attempt it. I shall leave it to the expert among us.”

“The roads are good, so there is no need to fear danger. I shall keep the horses at a moderate pace. Regardless,” Mr Darcy said, glancing at her, “At present, even were the moon full, I should judge you too tired to function at the best of your abilities.”

“That is true,” Elizabeth said, punctuated by a yawn. “I may have overexerted myself – but did we not enjoy ourselves tonight, Mr Darcy?” Her gentle smile up at him made colour rise to his cheeks, but the night protected him from it being noticed.

“We did,” he whispered, thinking of how they had drawn together and spun apart during the dance.

It appeared she was doing the same. “I shall have to force you to the floor more often.” Before he could reply that force was unnecessary, Elizabeth laughed. “I think Sir William will support my endeavours, he seemed to enjoy it just as much” That gentleman had naturally felt the urge to compliment them, after the music ended, and Elizabeth now launched into an imitation of him. “Capital dancing!” She said in a deep voice which had Mr Darcy smiling. “Some of the finest dancing I have ever seen! By my reckoning it would not put even St James’s to shame.”

“The highest compliment Sir William knows to give,” Mr Darcy replied. Despite enjoying absolute privacy in the dark countryside, he still leant in close to whisper “Do you think he mentioned the Court often enough?”

Elizabeth laughed, turning to him fully, their faces very close. “Oh, not at all,” she said in a conspiratorial whisper. “Why, by only mentioning St James’s thrice we are in great danger of misunderstanding which place he speaks of!”

Her smile and sparkling eyes were ample reward for his boldness in drawing so close to her unnecessarily. She seemed in no hurry to distance herself, either. As another yawn overtook Elizabeth she dropped her head to Mr Darcy’s shoulder, content to rest it there.

He felt it could not be comfortable – with the bouncing of the carriage – but if Elizabeth was not complaining than he would not move. The overwhelming emotion in his breast declared that he would be happy to never move again, if that was what it took for her to remain there forever. His agitation was his alone; when he slowed the carriage before Netherfield Elizabeth did not stir, and he gently roused her into wakefulness.

She blinked at him, slightly frowning, and he waited until she gained her bearings before helping her from the carriage. Mr Darcy maintained hold of her hand, looping it through his arm as the ascended the steps of Netherfield. They spoke little before he bid her goodnight before her bedroom – which he had promised never to enter – and left her with the waiting maid.

It took Mr Darcy an uncharacteristically long time to fall asleep as his thoughts dwelt on Elizabeth’s allure and joy as they danced, and the pleasant weight of her head upon his shoulder. He missed the warmth of her resting against him.

#fanfiction #fanfic #ao3 #archive of our own #jane austen #pride and prejudice #elizabeth bennet #fitzwilliam darcy #elizabeth x darcy #darcy x elizabeth #mr darcy #trying to tread water #fic:t3w

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jinxedmuse · 9 months

Text

let me back in — joshua hong, 홍지수

🎵 i keep thinking, maybe if you let me back in (did i fall out of line when i called you?) we can make it better, breaking every habit. pull myself together, you could watch it happen (when i told you, "i’m fine," you were lied to) let it happen, let it happen.

in which: reader and joshua are in a confusing relationship. a constant tug of war over who can get each other more in love, and more heart broken.

authors note: hii! tysm for the new support ! wish i could hug u all :( it means sm & truly motivates me to keep writing! plz enjoy this angsty one shot i whipped up a few nights ago while missing shua & having this song on loop!! ><

tags/warnings: afab reader x non idol joshua, unhealthy relationship, fwb except they’re barely friends, extremely angsty, mutual pining but they’re both too hurt to realize. mentions of the word sex but no actual smut, just suggestive moments. discussion that may come across as ‘arguing’ but they’re just genuinely learning how to properly communicate for the first time since they met…

˚　　　　✦　　　.　　. 　 ˚　.　　　　　 . ✦　　　　˚　　　　 . ★⋆.

joshua’s phone rang at exactly 12:00 am on his birthday.

just as a stream of constant messages poured in, wishing him a happy 27th birthday. another added year signifying he was truly growing up, catching up to time.

the number calling was one he hated himself for recognizing. for engraving so deep within his mind that he could practically say it backwards.

he mentally cursed himself more for what he did next; picking up.

“joshuuuuu” the voice sang out, your voice. on the other end, almost fully overtaken by the sound of what seemed like a club in the background along with laughter from your friends.

“this.. this is way out of line.” he begrudged out. it was wrong, so wrong for you to be calling. even worse for him to be entertaining it.

yet, here he was and he felt oh so genuinely content that you remembered his birthday after almost a year with no contact. now listen, in his honorable defense, shua was many things; dumb? wasn’t one of them.

however, when it came to you? his acquaintance, old friend, ex, situationship, fling, lover, whatever the hell you wanted to call it. he was, no, the first step is accountability. he is, way too smitten for you to have anything such as common sense.

“i know. trust me, i know. it’s just old habits die hard, you know?” you slightly slurred with a melancholic tone. as if reminiscing the countless times in your knowing of each other that this almost exact conversation has happened.

“yeah, i know. so.. what is it tonight?” joshua asked. slightly hopeful that you had more in mind then a simple birthday phone call.

“i have something for you, let me come over.”

his heart practically raced out of his chest. he could already imagine a string of thoughts; possible scenarios that could occur. but he had to put on a front, at least try to resist.

even if it was just a bit.

“at what point are we going to have enough of each other? isn’t this tiring?” he asked, feigning an exasperated sigh.

more than anything in this world he wanted this constant cycle to end, but more than anything in the world he wanted you, craved you, just as much.

the question rang in your ears. i mean genuinely, just what were you two still doing? both in your mid to late twenties playing a constant game of back in forth, banter through the pain that left you both feeling lonely for what? the nostalgia of it all?

at what point would this tug of war finally be bearable?

maybe when it ended.

regardless, you ignored his question. refusing to let the buzz of tonight’s choice of alcohol wither away into the depths of such a question.

“is it still the same address birthday boy?”

there was silence. followed by what seemed to be him getting up.

“yes.” he timidly replied. too embarrassed to acknowledge the fact that your grip on him seemed to be getting stronger each year.

“good!” you exclaimed. getting your purse and slinging it onto your shoulder, grabbing a full bottle of sikhye before gesturing to your friends that you were leaving and would call them later.

“why’s that good?” he asked, retreating to lay back down on his couch.

“it’s only like a 20 minute walk from the club i’m at.” you said nonchalantly while double checking your map app.

“no need, i’ll order you a uber. wait out front.” he replies. he then puts you on speaker and starts ordering the ride, wanting the quickest and most comfortable one that would bring you to him.

“why? i’m a fan of walking actually. i picked it up a few months ago. needed something to do to distract myself from you joshu.”

there was a pang in his heart that felt all too real. he hated when you guys weren’t on speaking terms and the fact that you could bring it up all so casually while he had difficulty even whispering your name to recount to his friends what happened this time.

“that’s great, i’m happy for you. but there’s no need to tonight.” and with that, the ride was purchased. uber black, all for you.

“why? a gentleman doesn’t let a lady walk alone? that’s certainly not coming from you i hope.” you mocked bitterly. trying to push away one of the many painful memories you’ve had since your entanglement with joshua.

“you never let me explain my point of view of that night.” he complained. the flash backs still all too real, as if they had happened just yesterday. a feeling of frustration and guilt making home in his heart.

the uber black suv pulled up to the side. a man coming out to open the back seat door for you as you tumbled forward, thanking him quickly. once you’re in, he closes the door and you focus of not getting car sickness as he departs.

there’s a twinge in your stomach that has you patting it gently. you lower your window and stick your head out slightly. the cool air of the night slowly waking you out of your drunken state.

there’s a few minutes of silence before joshua speaks up again.

“hello? y/n? you still there?” he asked, tone laced with worry.

the question made you laugh.

despite all that you two had went through. the unrequited high school love that soon turned to a torturous one. years of pining, unbelievable out burst of arguments, and some passion yet “casual sex” but you both knew all too well there was no such thing as ‘casual’ for you.

regardless, you were still here. on the way to his place at almost 1 am on his birthday.

“yeah. i’m still there.” you replied.

you both always joked that you were probably thriving soul mates in another universe. you guys read each others mind dangerously fast but it still took you by surprise when he immediately picked up on the heavy meaning behind your words.

“it’s okay. i’m still here too.” he answered. as if to let you know that you weren’t alone in this cruel yet daunting situation. because after all, it takes two to tango.

soon enough, the driver stopped in front of the towering condos. you get out, once again thanking him as you grab your stuff and try to pull yourself together.

what takes you by surprise is the fact that joshua is waiting for you outside. wearing all black, hair slicked back and phone still to his ear. a small smile appeared onto his face, he looked as handsome as ever.

it still made your heart race just as it did when you first realized you liked him all those years ago in high school.

you walked towards him, trying to remain in a straight line. the nerves of the alcohol no longer giving you the confidence which had led you here in the first place.

it isn’t until you’re a few feet closer to him that he starts walking forward to meet you.

you’d make a joke about his action and the symbolism it had in regard to your relationship (or truly lack-there-of) but it still hurt too fresh. was still too early.

“here. happy birthday” you said slightly shoving the sikhye into this arms. he hangs up the phone and takes it, holding it carefully.

“so, how’ve you been-“ he starts but you’re already walking way past him, making your way to his place which he left unlocked.

joshua’s not dumb. he knows you did it on purpose. small talk never having been your fortitude but it still hurt him.

you enter the condo, him following closely behind snd locking the door.

as you take off your shoes and set down your purse, you looked around. everything the same as the last time you were in here on your birthday, almost a year ago.

“i’ve missed you.” he says while setting down the sikhye on his marble counter top. the small lights on top illuminating him. he almost looked angelic.

he always knew just what to say to have you weak in the knees. it was infuriating.

“i’ve missed your nice ass place, do you always have the ac blasting like this?” you say as you flopped down onto his ridiculously soft beige couch. using one of the pillows to prop yourself up.

“the floors are heated so i like the cool air, even during winter” he comes up and sits beside you on the couch, observing you closely.

“well my bad mr.money man” it took everything in you to not physically roll your eyes. you weren’t actually annoyed and you knew shua wasn’t saying it to brag but it was frustrating how seemingly put together his life is.

aside from this rather “chaotic” ensemble, your life was actually pretty nice. yet you were always right behind him, a step behind like some loyal puppy.

and tonight, you had the urge to prove once and for all you weren’t just a puppy, you were an equal.

what you didn’t know was that he already saw you as one.

“come here” he says while patting his back, looking at you with eager yet cautious eyes.

you don’t verbally respond, just physically get up and do as instructed. straddling his lap.

his hands dig into your waist, holding you in place.

“explain yourself.”

you both said it at the same time. it was eerie but earned a unanimous laugh.

“you first” you string out. one hand playing with the ends of his hair and the other just below his neck, playing with the hem of his shirt.

“look, y/n.. this isn’t just a one way street and we clearly remember things differently” he says blatantly. the grip he had on your waist loosening the more he spoke.

“just admit it.” you start, piercing into his soft brown eyes.

this would be much easier if he wasn’t so handsome.

“admit what?” he ask. hands trailing up and down your back, just how he used to back in uni.

“that i’ve had it worse, it hurt me harder. admit that you, hurt me way worse.” you demand, trying to ignore the ache in your throat.

joshua tilts his head back and let’s out a frustrated sigh.he looks back at you with something else in his eyes, lust.

he pulls you closer to him while pushing you down onto him. you look at him confused but he doesn’t speak yet, instead he starts pressing light, gentle kisses up your arm.

“did i complain when you started going out with that pathteic exuse of a man might i add, in uni just a less than a month after you confessed to me?” he ask peering up at you.

there was a slight pang in your heart. you remember it so clearly. after years of a seemingly unrequited love in high school, you confessed to him in uni.

hoping, praying, that it would help you get over joshua.

when he didn’t give an answer before mid terms, you tried moving on in another ways. getting with a guy that liked you way more than you liked him.

thinking back, it was definitely cruel but staying alone and seemingly rejected seemed worse.

he continues, both kissing your body and speaking. as if letting out years of pent up hurt in the air.

“did i ignore you after you rejected my confession at the end of the last semester? a week or so before my birthday? you ignored me sweetheart; even though i was the one rejected.”

this one struck a nerve.

a memory far too painful to be brought up. he goes up to kiss your collarbone but you back up, ultimately getting off him and sitting on the table in front of him.

“seriously joshua? are you really still acting confused as to why i rejected you then?” you ask fully bewildered. one eye brow slightly raised as you observe the man in front of you.

he leans forward and mocks your expression. daring you to state your reasoning after all these years.

you let out a dry laugh before crossing your arms.

alright then, your turn to straighten some things out tonight.

“joshua hong do not act oblivious to the fact that i have been pathetically in love with you since high school. i don’t know if it’s when you started sitting by me in class, or opening my drinks, or that time you shaded me from the sun while i was napping in p.e but i have been. plain and simple, okay?”

he starts to talk but you cut him off, determined to get your point through.

“foolish teen me thought i was special. until, i realized you probably sat next to me because your two friends sat in front of me, you open anyone’s drinks, and excetra excetra but either way, i made the dumb mistake of confessing my feelings for you in uni.”

you’re angry now, not at him but at how pathetic you must’ve seemed all these years.

he stays quiet, letting you take a breather before continuing.

“so yes. to get over you i started dating, having fun, doing anything to fix a mended heart of what i assumed was unrequited love because you gave me some ambiguous ass answer and what i needed in my life was not ambiguity, especially from you.”

you get up while taking, now pacing around his table trying to stop any tears that warned they would fall out if you looked at him any longer.

“then, a year into my relationship, on my relationship anniversary, you confess to me and crumbled down genuinely almost every ounce of self respect and happiness and i barley managed to scrape together to make my relationship work. i had to break up with him because how could it be fair to try and love someone else when a single confession, no, even just a mere look from you spiraled me back into you palm.”

joshua looks pained as he looks at you, getting up to come over to you but you stand firm on the other side of the table. moving sides any time he tries to approach you.

not afraid of him, never afraid of him.

afraid of the affect he has on you.

in a momentary lapse of weakness, a tear comes out and you immediately wipe it away.

“i love you. a lot more than you do me which is fine, i accepted that a long time ago but i will not be the girl who has these arguments with you once a year and then slips out in the morning after we’ve had sex. not again, i can’t.”

you didn’t even realize when but joshua was suddenly at your side, holding you gently and leasing you to sit back down on the couch next to him.

“y/n i’ve loved you a lot longer than you think, i swear it. and i’ve never once told you to leave in the mornings, trust me. i never sleep well because i wake up practically scorn when i see the spot you’re supposed to be in is empty. i get hurt a lot more easier than you think, it’s written all over my face when i miss you.”

his words practically ate you alive. if he had said all these years ago, even months, no even just last week you probably would’ve gone right back head over heels, full in.

you let out a coarse laugh. the ache in your throat from holding back your tears evident as ever and he realizes this, gently brushing back some hair behind your ears.

“you never told me to leave but never asked me to stay.” you murmur almost incoherent while staring down at your hands.

“mhm?” he hums, confused at the string of words you purposely rushed out.

“i said, you never told me to leave but you never asked me to stay.” you repeat, now looking at him directly. trying to read his eyes.

this, he couldn’t refute. and he knew it deep down as well.

after all those years of pining and watching from afar it still felt too real for him when you were suddenly in his bed for the first time.

you could’ve thought he was a teen who hadn’t had his first kiss yet. hands shaky, eyes nervous to meet yours, mind racing with thoughts at 100 miles per hour because that is how much of an affect you had on him.

he never admitted it though, failed the chance to and soon enough you mistakenly took his silence as a “hint” and slipped out every morning before the sun even rose.

it was his turn to tears to start falling but his hands felt too limp to even dry his eyes. so when you raise yours and wipe them away ever so gently, all he can do is cry into your hands.

“i’m sorry” he starts choking out.

“i really am so sorry. if i could do it all over again, if you just let me back in, i would. i would make it right. make a move faster, acknowledge my feelings earlier, not let you slip away so easily. i would tell you to stay. i want you, no, i need you to stay.” he rushes out, practically pleading at this point because God forbid he lets you out his life again.

but you both know it can’t happen. you’ve hurt each other far too much, have fallen dependent on each other for far too long.

it was unhealthy and you both knew knew it.

you firmly interlock your pink with his and stand up. he looks at your pinkies for a few more seconds before standing up after you.

you walk ahead, grabbing your purse and slipping on your shoes. your pinkies still loosely intertwined.

joshua wants to say something, he tries to on multiple accounts but every time he opens his mouth, tears brim his eyes again.

you unlock the door and slightly go outside, your pinkies barely still holding onto each other.

you stare at each other longingly, as if you both knew in your hearts that it would be for the last time.

you smile fondly, even after just crying he was still so handsome.

“same time next year?” he jokes

you let out a genuine laugh and he swore in another life he’d do anything to keep hearing it.

“i’m joking. you are never, ever, allowed in my “nice ass house” again.” he dead pans, while not so obviously trying to hide a small smile.

you knew it had to end here, at his door step, pinkies intertwined. it would’ve never worked, no matter how much you guys both wanted it.

“i’ll miss you, so much.” you say sincerely.

he knows this. “miss” was a massive understatement in his books. he leans forward, placing a gentle kiss in your lips which you kissed back but for once you don’t chase after his lips once he pulls away.

he places another light kiss on your temple, as he does so he pulls away his pinky and this action is the one that almost breaks you all over again.

a beat passes, you stare at each other with simultaneously far too much love and hurt to ever truly be strangers.

“i’ll miss you too. just as much.” he echoes. meaning every word.

and with that, for the first time since meeting him, you pulled yourself together and turn your back to him first.

you walk away first.

and he watches it happen before closing his door, for good.

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aalissy · 2 months

Text

Made for Each Other

So sorry I missed yesterday's chapter! I was tired after work haha. I hope you enjoy the two chapters I have for today tho! Lemme know what you think <3.

AO3

“Here you go, minou,” Marinette murmured, sliding a bag of warm croissants over to him before their lecture began. “A little something to help you get through the day.”

As Adrien beamed up at her from the small gift she had given, Marinette couldn’t help but wonder how long it had taken her to realize he was Chat Noir. Now that she knew it just seemed so obvious. The goofy little puns, the same adorable smiles, his boyish charm. It was all just so... so him.

At the time, though, when Marinette had seen Chat detransform into Adrien it felt like her entire world had shattered. How was it possible that she had been rejecting the person she loved because of well... the person she loved? It was just ridiculous.

And, to make matters worse, it took her even less time to realize that her love for Adrien had only grown since their reveal. She loved both sides of him. The goofy partner she got to see at patrol and the bestest friend she had ever had.

But, even more unfortunately, she didn’t think Adrien felt entirely the same way about their reveal. Marinette could only assume that his little crush on Ladybug had disappeared when he realized that it was her. His just a friend.

And, while that hurt more than anything, she didn’t blame him. She’d rather have him as her friend than have him not in her life at all.

When Adrien tugged her down into his arms, though, Marinette couldn’t help squeaking with surprise and pure joy. A shiver ran up her spine as he embraced her, his lips brushing against her cheek.

Oh, how she wished that kiss had brushed just a little closer to her lips. She buried that desire, though, choosing to be content with the warm tingling left on her cheek where his lips had been.

“Thank you, Marinette. Have I ever told you that you’re the best?” His beam grew even wider as his bright green eyes gleamed up at her.

“Mmm, maybe once or twice,” she hummed, feeling her face flush with happiness. “But it never hurts to hear again.”

Adrien threw his head back in a beautiful laugh. Her gaze was drawn to his long neck and she was struck with a strong urge to kiss him just along his jaw. He leaned back up and not for the first time, Marinette was extremely grateful that he couldn’t read her mind.

“Well, then you’re the best.” He winked, obviously having no idea the effect that this had on her heart which was suddenly beating wildly in her chest.

Luckily, Marinette was saved from what was sure to be a steady stammering of nonsense as a book clapped down on the desk above them. She looked up at Alya gratefully, thankful that her best friend had saved her from a whirl of embarrassment before she saw the look in her eyes.

Oh no.

That was not the look of her savior. That was the look of someone who was dooming her to eternal damnation.

“You two are so sweet,” Alya chuckled, pointing her finger between the two of them. “Seriously, has anyone told you that you’re made for each other?”

Marinette choked, her mouth gaping open at her friend’s words. Seriously, was she trying to kill her?

Floundering for something to say that wouldn’t completely reveal her awkward crush on the boy she had been in love with for years, she was interrupted by Adrien saying something that her head swiveling to stare at him in utter shock.

“Mmm, I may have said something like that myself once or twice.” He chuckled, grinning up at Alya like he hadn’t just completely shattered her worldview.

“Oh, you have... have you?” Alya raised a brow pointedly at Marinette, obviously asking a silent question like why she hadn’t acted on this.

“W-well y-yeah b-but that was such a long time ago.” She laughed loudly and awkwardly, wincing at the pitch of her tone. “W-we’re just friends!”

Alya’s brow rose even higher as she glanced over at Adrien. Marinette briefly peeked over at him as well, surprised to see that he looked almost... disappointed.

Disappointed? But why? What did he have to be disappointed about? He was the one who had given up on her. He was the one who had completely ceased all flirting! If anyone was going to be disappointed it should be her!

And yet, as fast as the look had crossed his face, it disappeared, leaving her wondering if it had ever even been there in the first place.

“Yep! We’re best buds!” Adrien chirped, bringing his head closer to hers.

Alya grinned knowingly, clearly seeing through Marinette's attempt to downplay her feelings. "Sure, sure, best buds who blush like tomatoes around each other."

At that, the two of them both turned bright red. Slowly, Marinette got up, trying to hide her face with her hair as she slid into her seat.

“That’s unkind, Alya.” Adrien pointed out with a frown, shaking his head. She was unable to hide her wince. “Marinette doesn’t see me that way and that’s alright.”

Instantly Alya barked out a laugh as Marinette whipped her head up to stare at him in surprise.

“W-what are you talking about?” she choked out.

“Don’t worry, Marinette.” He gave her a gentle smile that had her mind whirling with confusion. “I understand. Your friendship means everything to me.”

“No, but...,” she started before shaking her head. “This isn’t about my feelings. You gave up on me.”

Adrien stared up at her like she had lost her mind. “No, I didn’t. You never felt the same way.”

Marinette scoffed, crossing her arms against her chest. “Yes, I did! I always loved you. Didn’t you see the way I blushed and stammered around you?! It was obvious.”

His eyes had softened considerably as he stared up at her. He slowly shook his head. “Not to me.”

Her face flushed as she realized what she had inevitably blurted out. Clearing her throat to try and wash away some of the embarrassment, she hurriedly tucked a stray strand of hair back behind her hair. “Yes, well... um anyway.”

There was a long pause before Adrien whispered so softly it had Marinette’s heart squeezing painfully. “Do you... do you still feel this way?”

Marinette's heart skipped a beat at Adrien's question. She felt a rush of emotions flood through her—hope, fear, longing—all tangled together in a chaotic mess.

"I... I don't know," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "I've tried to move on, to see you as just a friend, but... it's not that easy."

Adrien's gaze was intense, searching her eyes as if trying to decipher her every thought and feeling. "Marinette, I've never stopped caring about you. Maybe I didn't understand your feelings before, but now... now I think I do."

Alya watched the exchange with a knowing smile, sensing that something significant was happening between her two friends.

Marinette took a deep breath, gathering her courage. "Adrien, I do still have feelings for you. I've tried to hide them, even from myself, but they've always been there."

"Then maybe we should stop pretending and see where this takes us," Adrien murmured.

Marinette looked into his eyes, seeing a sincerity and vulnerability that mirrored her own. "Yes... yes please," she whispered back.

Alya let out a delighted squeal, earning a playful glare from Marinette. But underneath the teasing, she couldn't contain the happiness bubbling up inside her. Alya had been right. They really were made for each other.

#adrinetteapril2024 #adrienetteapril2024 #adrinette #adrienette #miraculous #miraculous ladybug #ml #ml fic #fic #fanfic #mlb #love square #post reveal #pre relationship #post reveal pre relationship #identity reveal #reveal #adrinetteapril #adrienetteapril

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oscurascout · 16 days

Text

Y/N As A Doorman

From "That's Not My Neighbor" game

Note - Sorry for not posting for a while. I've been busy with schoolwork and tests, and I've also had writer's block. But I'm back, and I hope you enjoy this part.

A little side note - This is my first time writing a fight scene, I hope it turned out well.

Warning ⚠️ - This part includes fighting, hitting, broken bones, mentions of blood (sort of), injuries, and fainting.

Part 8 (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 9, Part 10)

~•~Y/N's POV~•~

After dinner, we all gather in the living room where Hoon had made a mess of all the stuff that my grandparents had. Hoon was currently happily showing everyone photos of me from when I was a little kid.

I was happy to finally have some peace and calm after everything that had recently happened. “How I wish that it'll always be this peaceful,” I thought as Hoon grabbed my grandmother's favorite album.

“Be careful with that one; Grandma loved those photos,” I said and saw how Hoon carefully handled the book.

We stayed like that for an hour or two, then we all went to sleep. Francis had to stay with us for the night. “I hope tomorrow is a peaceful day too,” I thought as I lay down, but I just couldn't sleep. So, I decided to go to the kitchen to get a glass of water.

As I got to the kitchen, I saw that someone else was there. It was Francis. “Hey, you also can't sleep?” I said as I entered the kitchen.

Francis - “Yeah, it's usually like this for me.”

“You should see a doctor,” I said as I drank water.

Francis - *chuckles* “I don't have time; a lot of work to do.”

We both stayed quiet for a while, just feeling comfort in the peaceful atmosphere.

Francis - “Are you okay?”

“… No, you see, I'm worried. I just can't deal with all of this. A few months ago, I was just doing odd jobs and had nothing to worry about. But now I have to worry about everything. I have to protect the whole apartment while also trying to protect myself. It's just too much, and I don't think I'm doing a good job,” I said as I felt all the pressure of the world on my shoulders.

I felt Francis giving me a side hug and patting my back.

Francis - “Don't worry; you are doing an excellent job. Even after many months, no doppelgängers have entered the apartment, and that's thanks to you. So, don't give up.”

I felt more relaxed by his words. After a bit, we both went back to our rooms, and I thought about what he said. I felt happy. “Yeah, I'm the one who has been keeping everyone safe. I should probably go to sleep now; tomorrow is a workday,” I thought as I closed my eyes and went to sleep.

The next day was the same routine, though this time we had Francis, so it was a bit more fun. He looked like a walking zombie while his counterpart was happily moving around, helping both of us get ready.

I drove Francis to his work van, and after that, I went back to the apartment. After getting in and starting my shift, I saw the twins coming in. “Agh, it's too early to deal with them,” I thought as I saw Elenois coming to the window, with a baggage. She passed me her papers without saying anything, though she did have a tired look. “I guess their trip was very tiring,” I thought as I checked her papers very carefully.

Selenne - “Can you hurry up!” *annoyed*

“Shut up!” I said as I looked through the ID. I could hear her complaining under her breath. I confirmed that everything was fine, and was about to let Elenois in.

Selenne - *scared* “Ahhhh!”

I was about to shut her up but stopped when I saw why she screamed; it was two doppelgängers, but worse, one of them was the one that had been attacking everyone, the one who had attacked Mr. Cappuccin. The most aggressive one was the one who looked like Elenois, but instead of a normal face, it had very big and sharp teeth, while the other one was the version of Izaack but melting, he wasn't too aggressive, but now it appear he was.

“Selenne, get your butt over here!” I yelled and opened the door. Elenois quickly went and grabbed her sister's hand and started running towards the door, leaving their baggages behind. The doppelgängers quickly went after those two. The moment Elenois got to the door and opened it, I switched to lock the door, grabbed the taser, and ran outside.

Elenois got inside, but before Selenne could, the doppelgänger grabbed her by her hair and pulled her back. Elenois was about to go out, but I stopped her. “Elenois! Go to the office and take control. I'll deal with these doppelgängers. After your sister gets inside, call the D.D.D!” I said firmly, and Elenois, still panicking, nodded and ran to the office.

I opened the door and saw the sharp-teeth doppelgänger dragging Selenne. I turned the taser on. “Hey! Leave her alone!” I yelled and ran towards them. I plunged the taser into the sharp-teeth doppelgänger's neck. She released Selenne, and the other doppelgänger was about to grab her again, but Selenne hit him straight in the face with her bag, knocking down the melting doppelgänger. Sharp-teeth was also knocked back by the taser.

“Selenne, run and put the alarm!” I yelled, and she quickly dropped her bag and ran towards the door, which opened the moment she got there. After a few seconds, the whole building went into lockdown. I grabbed Selenne's bag, which was pretty heavy, and got ready to fight.

The flickering red lights gave the situation a very eerie atmosphere, the only sound being the alarm indicating the current problem. I wiped the sweat from my forehead, feeling a little scared, but I quickly threw that feeling away, knowing that I needed to survive.

Melting face was the first to recover, but he didn't lunge at me. I turned just in time to see sharp-teeth rush at me with claws in her hands. I quickly ducked, barely missing the sharp claws. In one swift motion, I drove my elbow into the doppelgänger’s ribs, feeling them break.

I suddenly felt pain on my side as the other doppelgänger’s claws scratched my arm. I gasped, feeling so much pain but forced myself to stay upright. I spun, turning on the taser and lunging it into the attacker’s side. The doppelgänger fell to the ground.

The room spun as I struggled to keep up, all of my muscles screaming to stop, but I knew I couldn't, not until the D.D.D. arrived. I blocked a claw swing with my forearm, wincing at the pain, and retaliated with a swing to their stomach with the bag. The doppelgänger gasped, stumbling back, and I seized the moment to catch my breath.

"I can do it," I told myself, eyes darting between the two doppelgängers. I felt myself starting to get dizzy and very tired. The next attack came fast and hard – a coordinated assault from both sides. I dodged left, narrowly avoiding a claw swing, and countered with a low kick to the knee, making the melting one fall.

The sharp-teeth doppelgänger grabbed my arm, twisting it painfully. I bit back a scream, using my free hand to deliver a crushing blow to their throat. Their grip loosened, and I yank myself free, adrenaline fueling my every move.

Breathing heavily, I stood as the doppelgängers quickly recovered, every inch of my being aching. The fight wasn't over yet – not until the D.D.D arrived. It was hard; they were stronger than me, and my taser was almost out of power. As I gasped for air, the melting one grabbed my arms and held them painfully. Then I heard the other one behind me. I moved my head and saw the sharp claws coming near my face.

I quickly moved my head, dodging the blow to my face but not to my body. The claws went down my back, breaking skin. I screamed and with all my strength, I pulled away from the melting face, turned the taser on, and plunged it into the sharp teeth. My vision was starting to blur.

I heard footsteps. I looked behind the doppelgängers and saw the yellow suits; the D.D.D had finally arrived. The doppelgängers turned their attention to them and started to attack, but unlike me, the agents were professionals and far stronger, so they easily won. I smiled, and suddenly, my world went dark.

#that's not my neighbor #thats not my neighbor #y/n as a doorman #hoon man #francis mosses #d.d.d agent #selenne sverchzt #elenois sverchzt #Melting Man Izaack #Big Sharp Mouth Elenois

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writtenjewels · 1 year

Text

Different End

They all stood in the ruined hut, catching their breaths and sharing exhausted but relieved smiles. They did it: they survived six minutes of night. Eventually Salim let out a sigh and rose to his feet.

“I need to see my boy,” he announced to the group. He picked up the iron bar he'd been using all night as a weapon. “A souvenir,” he explained. He took one last look around at the Americans before heading toward the door. He dragged his feet, both because he was so tired and because he was hoping...

“Salim, wait!” Jason called out to him. Salim's lips moved into a little smile as he turned back. Jason stepped out of the hut and for a moment the two stared at each other in silence. So much had passed between them in such a short time. What started as a reluctant alliance grew into something more and deeper.

Salim didn't know what he could say to Jason. He found himself waiting for the other to speak first.

“Good luck, brother. You wish Zain a happy birthday from me.” He held out his hand and Salim's heart sank a little, his smile dropping. He clasped Jason's hand in his and shook.

“Thank you, Jason. Goodbye, my friend.” He felt the other man's fingers twitch around his, squeezing just a little harder. Salim's eyes flicked over Jason's face and saw that his lips had pressed into a firm line, his eyebrows knitting together. “What is it?” Salim asked him.

“This... Does this feel familiar to you?”

“Familiar?” Salim repeated.

“Yeah. You walkin' out of the hut, me comin' after you. I got this weird feelin' we've done this before.”

Salim thought about it. He was hoping Jason would come after him, but had a part of him known the marine would? He didn't feel surprised when Jason called for him to wait. Yet the handshake had disappointed him. Salim wanted something different to happen.

“What happens next?” he asked.

“You walk away,” Jason answered. “I watch until you're outta sight.”

“Why?”

“I'm the shield,” Jason reasoned. “I wanted to make sure you were safe.”

“No, I meant... why does it end like that?” Salim adjusted his grip, taking a step backward and tugging Jason with him. “I wanted you to come after me,” he confessed, taking another step. “I hoped you would. And you're telling me that it ends with a handshake, and you standing there in the shadows watching me walk away?”

“Every time,” Jason confirmed.

“How many times?” Jason shook his head; he didn't know the answer. “Why?” Salim persisted. Step after step he was drawing Jason out of the hut. They were almost to the doorway.

“Salim, this whole damn time all you've been talkin' about is goin' home to Zain,” Jason reminded him. “Air support ain't comin' for five hours; you can get outta here before CENTCOM shows up.”

“You still don't understand what I'm asking.” Salim let out a frustrated huff. He wished he could find the right words to express what he was thinking and feeling.

“I do,” Jason argued, and this time he was the one to take a step forward. “I asked myself the same thing. I don't know the answer; I don't know why I do nothing.”

“That,” Salim sighed, “sounds like a lie.”

“Guess it is,” Jason acknowledged. “Maybe that's the reason: I lie to myself.”

“About what?” Salim's heart started racing again as hope swelled in his chest. The handshake, the goodbye, him walking off into the sunset might have happened hundreds of times before. But this moment was new and it was clear from Jason's expression that he was as nervous about it as Salim.

“I can't,” Jason choked out. “Fuck.” His head dropped and he heaved a shaky breath. “Fuck, I'm scared.”

“We're almost there,” Salim soothed him. He took the final step into the sunlight. “End it differently, Jason.”

Jason lifted his head back up. He swallowed, squeezed Salim's hand, and followed him into the light.

#house of ashes #jason kolchek #salim othman #jason/salim #jalim #jason x salim #jason kolchek x salim othman

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sabo-has-my-heart · 11 months

Note

*rolling on my bed* Awww Robin Hood Ace is so cute aksbsusikwbwms. I really can't wait for part 2!! (Though if you are joking about part 2, may I request for it?)

Thank you so much for writing my requests!! I am so hyped for the next part. I do have a couple more requests, if you don't mind, but I'll send those in once at a time and only after you finish my previous request so don't worry. (I promise myself that so that my thrist for Ace won't make me spam your inbox)

Anyways, I love your writing! Thank you so much and have a great day!!

No, I wasn't kidding, I originally had this queued, but I thought I'd put it here. I don't mind you sending them in at all, in fact, spam my inbox! Spam my inbox with Ace, spam my inbox with Sabo or Law. Spam my inbox with Crocodile, Corazon, and Luffy! Whatever your heart desires, I will do my best. I love writing for the people who love my writing.

Okay, Part 2 to Fan of Mine

Warnings: breaking and entering

Word Count: 1680

Standing off to the side, Ace very nearly vibrated.

“Can you believe it, Sabo? She’s a fan of mine! She actually likes me! Or, well, Spade, but same thing, basically! Do you know what this means?!” Ace whisper yelled, his eyes lit up like a christmas tree.

“That she still hates the actual you?” Sabo asked, taking a sip of his champagne, bringing his brother’s mood crashing to the ground. He didn’t want to ruin Ace’s high, but he had to make sure Ace didn’t go doing something stupid. The dark haired brother stood there for a moment, thinking about what Sabo had said. You hated the real him. Looking back out at the dance floor, he saw you dancing with another noble boy. While you didn’t look real happy about dancing with him, you didn’t look at him with the same annoyance that you looked at Ace with. Feeling his heart sink, Ace nodded.

“I… yeah, you… you’re right.” Ace said softly, stuffing his hands in his pockets. Sighing, Sabo looked back at Ace. Now that he was down from his high, Sabo could encourage him without getting his hopes up.

“Maybe someone should pay her a visit later tonight after the party. I’m sure she’d like it if her favorite person in the kingdom wished her a happy coming-of-age.” Sabo said, making Ace perk up.

“Y-you think so?” Ace asked, a glimmer of hope back in his eyes as Sabo nodded.

“Absolutely. You can tell her you decided to see why all the lights were on when you spotted the girl who didn’t look like a walking clothing-makeup store.” Sabo said, gesturing to the other ladies. Ace nodded, feeling his mood return. He wasn’t quite as high as he had been 5 minutes ago, but this way he was hopeful while still being realistic.

Brushing through your hair, you sighed. It had been a long night, dancing with so many guys your feet hurt, now all you wanted was to finish getting ready and go to bed. Feeling your brush slowly pulled from your grasp, you spun around in terror, expecting to scream. Standing before your eyes, holding your brush, was the infamous Spade.

“Let me help with that. You must be tired after such a party.” he said past his scarf, gently turning you back around and starting to run the brush through your hair.

“W-what are you doing here?” you asked tentatively, hands nervously clenched in your lap. You were face-to-face with the Spade!

“Heard I wasn’t invited to the biggest coming-of-age ball of the year. Decided to see what I was missing. Gotta say, kind of sad that I missed a dance.” he said with a chuckle, continuing to brush your hair, his touch surprisingly gentle.

“I… I can give you a personal dance if you’d like. We don’t have music and I’m not wearing my dress, but I wouldn’t want you to leave without at least one dance.” you offered, your cheeks now bright red.

“I’d like that. Just one though. I… can’t stay.” He said, taking your hand and helping you up. You didn’t even care that his bare chest was on full display or that you couldn’t see his face, you were getting to dance with the guy you had a crush on, “You’re quite the girl, Y/n. Care to tell me why you didn’t scream?” Spade asked once your dance had ended. As Ace, he knew how you felt about Spade, but ‘Spade’ didn’t have that knowledge.

“I… I suppose you could say I’m a fan of yours. What you do, it’s really noble and kind. I… I kind of wish I could be like you. I try to help but I’m not a good thief, I can’t even steal an extra cookie in the middle of the night.” you said with a small smile.

“You’re still trying, that’s all that matters… Close your eyes for me.” he whispered softly, brushing some hair out of your face. Your heart pounded as you did what he said, feeling his lips against yours a second later. You were pretty sure you’d died as you melted into his kiss. The man pulled away a second later, taking your hands in his, pressing something into your palm, and closing your fingers around it, “Alright, you can look again.” he said, your eyes fluttering open. He was standing by your balcony now, out of your reach.

“I’ll catch you later, beautiful.” he said before jumping from the balcony and onto the grassy lawn below. Opening your hand, you almost squealed in excitement. There in your hands, was his calling card, a small, black, wooden spade.

Night after night he visited you, only skipping a night when he’d hit up another noble house to rob, but it was fine, you enjoyed meeting with him. Each time, he’d leave you with a kiss, your heart pounding in your chest. Most nights the two of you just talked, letting him sit on the balcony railing while you quietly chatted away, more than happy to have his company. With each meeting, you learned more and more about him. You knew that he was from somewhere in one of the upper districts, he’d gotten his start after seeing others suffering, he hated how nobles flaunted their wealth when there were people in need, he really liked spicy food, he enjoyed causing trouble, and, of course, he had a thing for you.

“Hey Y/n?” Spade asked, glancing over at you. He seemed a little melancholy tonight.

“What’s up?” you asked, standing on your balcony next to him, leaning against the railing.

“What if I told you… What if I already knew you even before your party?” he asked, his hand clenching into a fist. He couldn’t keep going on like this, he needed to tell you. Tilting your head to the side, you looked at him in confusion.

“I’d ask who in the world you are, because I don’t think I know anyone quite like you.” you said, wondering what he was getting at. Spade chuckled lightly and looked out into your courtyard.

“I’m different when I’m out in public. When I’m out like this, I can be more… me than usual. No expectations, no rules, no people breathing down my neck. Just free to be me.” he said, closing his eyes as he enjoyed the cool night air. You nodded in understanding. It was the same with being a noble, always putting on a certain face for people to see, never just being you.

“Then… Can I know who you really are? I know you, but I don’t know you.” you asked, gently taking one end of his scarf in your hand.

“Just… let me have one more kiss. If you hate me after showing you who I am, I want to leave with just one last kiss.” he said, his hand covering your eyes. Both of your hearts pounded in your chests as his lips met yours once again, Spade slowly, reluctantly, pulling away. Opening your eyes, you couldn’t help but gasp in shock, your hands covering your mouth. With his scarf lowered, you could see the signature freckles and familiar smile.

“A-Ace? You’re… you’re Spade?” you asked tentatively, watching as he took a deep breath and nodded.

“I know you’re not exactly fond of me, but I’ve cared about you for quite a while. Figured, since you liked Spade, maybe, I don’t know, maybe you could get to know me through him.” Ace said, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. Your mind took a moment to process what he’d just said, stepping closer a moment later and caressing his cheek.

“So you mean to tell me the stupid show off that’s always trying to get my attention is the same generous thief that’s been visiting me?” you asked, making Ace chuckle and nod. You were responding surprisingly well so far, though you could easily turn that caress into a slap. All you could do was press your lips against his once more. The two of you had gotten to know each other, the real versions of each other and not the faces you put on for the public. Ace couldn’t help but melt as he wrapped his arms around you, deepening the kiss. How long had he dreamed of this? Of holding you and kissing you and for you to return his feelings but without the disguise.

“You really think I’m a stupid show off?” Ace asked once you pulled away, making you smile.

“Yes, but you’re my stupid show off.” you said with a smile. Ace smirked as he picked you up in his arms.

“Well why don’t I show you what this stupid show off is capable of?” Ace said, laying you on the bed, making you blush. Was he… was he going to do what you thought he was going to do? He could already see the gears turning in your head, see what you expected of him. Hesitating for a moment, he stared at you. He could, you weren’t turning him away. Still, he gently pulled the blankets over you, covering you and kissing your forehead.

“I’ll show you tomorrow. Meet me at the fountain?” he requested, tucking you in. You couldn’t help but nod, feeling rather tired. Ace turned to leave, pausing when he felt some resistance on his sleeve. Looking back, he noticed you holding his sleeve, a sleepy look on your face.

“Stay with me? Just for tonight?” you pleaded, your eyes shimmering with hope. He knew he couldn’t say no to you, not when you looked at him like that. Sighing, he quickly removed his scarf and hat before crawling in on the other side of the bed, wrapping his arms around you and pulling you close. The comfort of being in his warm arms quickly had you dozing off, Ace admitting how peaceful you looked before falling asleep himself. If you thought he was a show off before, you might just smack him for what he had planned tomorrow.

#one piece #one piece ace #portgas d. ace #fire fist ace #portgas d ace #ace x reader #fire fist ace x reader #portgas d ace x reader #hiken no ace #hiken no ace x reader #op ace #thief!ace #nobleman!ace

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cockatrice-writers-guild · 9 months

Text

Contact

this takes place in the space au

warnings: swearing, fear

word count: around 4.8k

taglist: @autism-alley , @awkwardgtace , @tripodcat-gt

T-minus 10

“Could I ask you something, big guy?”

“Sure.”

“Are there other ways you hold the planet? It can’t always just be in your hands, right? That has to get tiring.”

“…well, sometimes I kinda…cup the planet to my chest. Like when I lay down. …or just…I don’t know…whenever.”

“Dear God, you are touch starved.”

“…touch starved?”

“Mmm...it means you crave physical affection.”

“Touch…,” I can sense the wistfulness in his voice. “I’ve seen the way some humans hold each other…I think it’s called a hug? And just…I don’t know, getting lost in someone’s arms for a while…it seems…really nice. I just…I wish there was some way for me to hug you, Mia, but…well, you know.”

“...maybe there is.”

“…what do you mean?”

Lift off.

There’s a giant that lives up in the cosmos who holds the world to prevent it from freezing over now that the sun’s dead. It's literally something out of a children’s story but the scientists have been working on this long enough to know that somehow, impossibly, it’s still the truth.

Weirder still is that this giant never asked for anything in return.

Until, that is, when a particularly tired intern got the shit scared out of them when the massive cosmic entity known as Jax popped into their head to quietly ask them if it would be okay to send their cranky janitor to space. And once the higher ups got word of it, they knew it was probably for the best not to say no to the giant who literally held the entire planet in his hands and started on it right away.

Of course, they could have said no. Jax knew that. I knew that. They didn’t know that. I guess they were just happy Jax hadn’t started asking for human sacrifices or something.

So that’s how I ended up here.

I’m in a ship and a bulky suit, watching the sky turn darker and darker as I leave the Earth’s atmosphere. The constant shake rattling through the ship is horrible and the jolt of the engine separating from the rocket is even worse. The ship stops shaking soon after but gradually, I can feel the sheer weight of gravity pushing me deeper and deeper into my seat as the vessel tries to escape the Earth’s pull. It’s almost agonizing in its intensity, the sounds and sights and feelings all working together to turn my body and brain effectively to mush but then finally, finally

the engines shut off and I’m left sitting there in the dead silence that follows, still so stunned from the trip that it takes a few moments too long to even bring myself to move.

And that was the easy part.

My legs feel like jello and both my back and neck feel stiff but still I wrestle my way out of the chair to go look out the window.

And the first thing I see is the Earth, an impossible sight of blues and greens and yellows all condensed and mixing together, masses of huge storm clouds passing over continents. The backdrop of stars and darkness make it almost glow.

And then I see something else.

Something that just about makes my heart stop beating.

As the Earth slowly, very slowly, gets farther and farther away, I can see that it’s not suspended in the star filled void of space like it’s supposed to be. Instead,

something

something so huge I can’t see where it begins or where it ends, something so huge my brain can’t even fully comprehend what I’m looking at,

something rests just below the planet, cupping it, holding it up in the cosmos

something flesh coloured

something warm

I’ve seen this before, when Jax projected himself into my head or…whatever the hell he did to me but seeing it here, now

It’s too much

It’s genuinely too much

And as the Earth gets smaller and the flesh surrounding it remains the same endless expanse, I find it harder and harder to stay calm.

My brain is screaming, screaming at me to get away but I can’t breathe and

instead I choke on my own spit, staring at the view as my breaths get harder and harder to control until I finally manage to turn around, pressing my back to the cool glass and instead focusing on the dull interior of the shuttle as I try to get my breathing back under control. I’m starting to sweat again and the insulation the suit provides isn’t helping. I try to take in every single detail of the room I’m trapped in, the grooves in the seats and the dull walls, the fluorescent lights and the panels and panels of buttons lining the main console, the screens and the sensors and very very distant hum of fans and other machinery quietly working away to keep me alive.

The constant beating in my chest as it finally starts to slow

As my vision stops dancing in front of me

As my head gradually stops swimming

And then I hear it, a call so sudden it causes me to jump.

“…Mia?”

Jax.

Jax

A being so fucking huge that the world is nothing more than a marble to him. Of course, I’ve seen him so many times before in the sky, his huge face stretching across the horizon thanks to his sheer size, an eye larger than the Earth completely engulfing it when I want to show him something. Even when he holds an arm out so I can see him better, the concept of him holding the planet is still something I can’t even begin to register.

And now I don’t have a barrier to protect me.

It doesn’t take long before I can feel tears streaming down my face as I hug my arms close and then closer.

“…Mia?”

Quieter now.

I can’t stifle a sob in time and somehow, somehow, I know he hears it.

“…I…I’m sorry, M.” He sounds pained and my heart pangs even as I slowly lower myself to the ground.

My friend.

This cosmic fucking giant is my friend.

I guess on some level I just never fully thought about what I was dealing with.

Jax is a giant, one so goddamn huge that any space program that wants to send something out has to let him know in advance so that his damn fingertips don’t block their flight paths.

He’s not human. He’s never been human but

“…do you want to go home?”

He’s tentatively whispering in my head like we’re equals, asking me questions, asking me what I want to do. There’s genuine distress in his voice. He wanted this more than anything and yet I know he’d give it all up for me. He’s…

“…Jax?”

A lengthy pause on his end. Then

“…Mia?”

I take in a few more gulps of air, staring at my now empty chair before I speak again.

“…give me a moment. This is…a little hard for me to deal with right now.”

“Are you sure?”

“I am.”

“…alright.”

Some time passes in silence, me eventually starting to run a hand up and down the material of my suit to try and ground myself before Jax hesitantly speaks again.

“…I…actually, there…might be something I can do to help.”

I try to focus on his voice. “…and what’s that, big guy?”

“Just…just give me a moment.”

“Okay.”

More silence for a long long time before,

“…Mia?”

“…Jax?”

“Look out the window.”

“…what?”

“Trust me. Please.”

There’s something about his tone that cuts the tension. There’s desperation, yes. But now there’s something else too. Something that almost sounds like excitement.

I frown, staring down the empty room before finally breaking. Damn it, now I’m curious. And I did trust him at the end of the day.

I slowly uncurl myself from the floor and move to peek out the window. And I see

Jax

He’s…

Oh my God he’s so far away right now.

I don’t even know how far away he is but I know it must be a lot because I can fucking see him now

All of him

He looks like a regular human floating a short distance away from the glass. I can finally see his fucking clothes properly, some kind of weird flowing orange-purple crop top and a long flowing skirt to go with it. He tentatively waves when my eyes meet his because of course he can see when my fucking germ sized eyes meet his planet sized ones over the how many millions of miles he just marathoned in his quest to make me feel more comfortable.

And goddammit I can’t believe it’s working.

He’s just…he’s so fucking sweet. And God, the face he’s making right now is so cute if he wasn’t the size of a goddamn galaxy, I’d squish his cheeks.

A half smile slowly worms its way onto my face and after a moment, he seems to relax too.

“Are you alright?” I know his mouth doesn’t move when he talks to me like this since he’s projecting his voice directly into my head but it’s still trippy to see, especially like this.

“I…think so.”

He smiles. “So now what? Do you want to just…talk like this for a while before you go back?”

“Dude. I didn’t go through months of space training and being questioned by the feds to just talk to you.”

The man’s smile grows.

After dancing around the subject for a while, I finally bite the bullet and leave the room to go put on a space suit even bulkier than the one I’m currently in. Jax is a constant nervous chatter in my head as I check the suit over and over and I try my best to reassure him even as my own heart rate steadily rises at the mere thought of what’s about to happen.

And once I’m finally done looking the suit over and over desperately for anything I can use to stall for just a second longer, I give up and make my way to the airlock.

There’s a palpable tension in the air now. I know exactly what’s on the other side of those heavy metal doors and it takes a second to even make myself bring a hand up to the panel.

I take a slow breath in

And a slow breath out

and then I press down.

The doors open and it takes only a second for the lack of pressure to kick in before I’m all but shot out into the black void that yawns open in front of me.

It takes some time to get my bearings now that gravity’s moot and for a while, I just try to stop spinning by any means necessary. Means in this case being flapping my arms and legs around until the universe finally stops spinning. At some point I can even hear Jax start to chuckle quietly in my head and it does not help.

But once I’m finally able to place myself, I take some time to take in my surroundings. Because God, they are stunning. The black void of space completely engulfs everything around me. It’s full of stars and what has to be a few unfamiliar planets all hanging in the empty space, dotting the dark backdrop with a massive array of colour and light. It’s…beautiful. Ethereal.

Completely silent.

There’s something quietly unsettling about it all, the way it doesn’t seem to end, the way I’m the only visible living being for miles, the way the silence is so palpable it makes my ears ring. Beautiful, yes but uncaring, lifeless

Lonely.

…what Jax must go through every single day of his life.

I can feel his gaze on my back, one that makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand and my latent survival instincts kick into overdrive.

The stare of a giant who holds the world.

And now there’s no magical barrier. No ship. No nothing.

It’s just me.

For a long time, I stare into the cosmos aimlessly until finally, a small whisper starts up in my head, the abruptness of it making me jump.

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?”

I swallow, trying to find my voice. “…yeah, it is.”

There’s a long pause and I try to find something else to say to stop focusing on how hard my heart is beating.

“I…don’t recognize any of these planets. Never-,” I choke on my air for a moment but force myself to continue, “-never saw one with three rings around it like that.”

Jax is silent for a long moment.

“…Mia…you don’t have to-”

“Where are we?”

“…what?”

“I…I don’t recognize any of these planets so…where exactly are we, big guy?”

He’s quiet for a moment longer before “…I travel around, I guess. Your system is…well…it’s not habitable anymore so you guys just travel with me now.”

You guys

The entire population of Earth is just ‘you guys’ to him.

The idea is so inconceivably, horribly absurd to me that I almost burst out laughing, instead choking on my own spit as I forget to breathe for a few moments too long.

“…Mia?”

That voice in my head again, even quieter than before because, and the realization helps to ground me just a little, he’s hesitant, because he doesn’t want to scare me further or, God forbid, because my reaction actually scared him.

There’s something so undeniably human about the way Jax carries himself. In spite of his ridiculous size and the power he holds over billions of comparatively minuscule lives, he acts like a person. We’re all just ‘you guys’ to him. Equals, friends. Hell, I’m actually his friend. It’s insane. All of this in insane but-

after taking a few sharp inhales and trying to get my breathing back under control, I finally bring myself to start really looking around. Not for the scenery but for my gigantic friend.

And finally, I see him floating in the distance just as before, one of his hands cupped and the other hanging loosely at his side. I know what’s cupped in that hand but try not to think about it, instead focusing on the man himself. He doesn’t say anything but cocks his head slightly at me instead.

I quietly squeeze my hands before I speak again. “…so, how do you want to do this?”

“…you were having trouble breathing, M.”

There’s this deadness in his voice that makes me wince. I ignore him and try again, fighting to keep the shake out of my voice.

“How do you want to do this?”

“…I don’t think this is a good idea.”

We stare at each other for a long moment before I raise a hand and beckon him forward.

“You’re shaking, Mia.” He sounds close to tears, now visibly upset as he hangs in the dead of space.

“I’ll get over it.”

“No, you won’t.”

“Yes, I will.”

He looks like he wants to argue more but instead tries something else.

“I don’t want you to do something you don’t want to do.”

“That’s great, Jax, but I want to do this.”

He looks away.

“…Jeez dude, do you even want to do this?”

He nods slightly after a long moment.

“Then?”

“…I don’t want to make you panic again. …or you know…throw up.”

“THAT WAS A ONE TIME THING!”

Jax actually laughs a bit at that and I frown at him.

“You’re an ass, you know that? Now get over here.”

“Mmm.”

“Mmm?”

“…I don’t know…”

“Jax, I swear to God.”

He stares at me.

I stare at him.

After an unbearably long silence I just start swimming towards him and he almost immediately starts back peddling away from me frantically.

“YOU ARE AFRAID OF ME!” I yell as I keep up the pace.

“I’M AFRAID OF WHAT I CAN DO TO YOU!” he practically wails as his legs kick away from me. “IT’S NOT THE SAME!”

“IT MIGHT AS WELL BE, YOU DRAMA QUEEN! GET OVER HERE!”

I try to swim after him for a bit longer before he becomes little more than a speck in the distance and I stop to catch my breath with a sigh. Unfortunately, with that no longer my main focus, the creeping dread of space starts to get to me again. Beautiful and desolate. Completely silent.

…

My ears start to ring.

…

I only have a few small meals that were packed in case anything goes wrong. I’m not sure how much oxygen I have left but I know it’s not enough to live on.

Stranded.

The infinite darkness all around me, closing in.

Closing in.

“…JAX!”

My voice comes out a strangled cry and the pale dot in the distance immediately freezes. “Mia?” He sounds concerned.

“Don’t go. Please.”

There’s a long period of silence before he speaks again. “Oh! Oh no, I’m sorry, Mia, I didn’t mean it like...you’re not- I wasn’t going to- I’m sorry I just-” He cuts himself off, taking some time to get his thoughts in order before he speaks again. “I’m sorry, I’m coming back. I won’t leave you, I promise.”

With that, the speck in the distance slowly grows until once again I can make out a person. I can feel distant relief seeing another living thing.

“I’m sorry,” he whispers again.

“I…it’s ok, big guy.”

Jax watches me for a long moment before he speaks again. “I’ll do it.”

“Hmm?”

“I’ll come over to you and we can…touch.”

“Are you sure?”

He nods slightly.

“Okay.”

And so slowly Jax starts making his way over and as the figure of him grows and grows, a distant part of my brain starts screaming and after a second, Jax stops again.

“You’re scared again,” he says quietly.

I just use a now trembling hand to wave him over and he shakes his head.

“Mia, are you sure you want to do this? You really don’t have to force yourself. We can always just talk and I really appreciate you trying like this but-”

“Jax?” There’s a shake in my voice that I can’t quite fight down.

“…Mia?”

“Get over here.”

“…but I-”

I hold my arms out to him and he watches me for a long moment before slowly he starts moving again. His figure grows and grows in the middle distance but I remain frozen in the sky, arms held out in invitation, my heart beating faster and faster and my breaths struggling to catch up.

Jax pauses again. “…are you sure?”

Unable to form words, I just nod and Jax eventually starts moving again. The movement causes me to flinch and Jax stops, cocking his head slightly.

I’m about to beckon him again but

“…you…your hair is green and fluffy. You told me it’s dyed that colour and I think it really suits you.”

He’s whispering again. Continues his approach. It takes me a second to realize what he’s doing but as soon as it clicks, I close my eyes and focus on his words, a small smile starting to grace my lips at the familiarity.

“Your eyes are brown. Kind of a dark brown like…hmm…really dark chocolate.”

That gets a small chuckle out of me and he returns it in kind. There’s a noticeable change in the atmosphere now, like I’m starting to get pulled into a gravitational field. I know what’s causing it but just try to focus on the voice in my head.

“You’re…uh…you…said I was white so…”

I cough to warm up my throat. “…you can just say brown, big guy. It’s fine.”

“Brown then! And you’re…,” he stops to think about it for a second, “…uh…kinda skinny and muscular at the same time? I can’t see your body through the suit but I’ve seen you on Earth and you’re pretty strong, M.”

“Thanks.”

He hums in acknowledgement. “I…can’t see your clothes right now either, M but your…space suit I think it’s called?”

“Yeah.”

“Space suit then. It looks…well…um…”

“You can just say it looks like shit. It’s fine.”

Jax snorts at that. “I mean…I’ve seen worse. And…right now, your eyes are closed and you’re shaking badly but I know that you’re trying and well…”

There’s a long pause before with a jolt that makes my heart jump, I can feel something plush below my feet. I don’t open my eyes just yet.

“…there we go,” Jax whispers.

And so I slowly take a seat.

Take a deep, deep breath.

And finally,

open my eyes

And now I’m here.

Sitting on what it takes me way too long to recognize as the pad of a finger so massive it dwarfs the Earth.

I can’t really make out anything besides the massive black void that makes up what must be his pupil, stretching on and on in every direction like the night sky. Every time he blinks, I can hardly understand what’s happening and on some level, I’m distantly horrified as I stare back at him, the frozen death of space warded off only by the heat rising out of the endless stretch of flesh that makes up the pad of his finger. Every single groove of his fingerprint is like a bottomless chasm to me, my legs dangling off of one as I sit partially rooted to the surface below.

He blinks again and the night sky eclipses with it.

I’m literally nothing to this man.

Nothing at all and the fear is almost enough to make me want to gag but

He’s whispering quietly in my head again too, reassurances, using a voice I can comprehend and even as I can feel my eyes start to glaze over in fear, I can’t fight the smile that’s making its way onto my lips at the familiar voice muttering quietly in my head.

Because in spite of literally everything, he doesn’t want to scare me.

I know this man and he knows me.

Impossibly, I’m safe here

I finally force myself to move and use a shaking hand to rub the surface below me and the voice in my head stops in an instant, replaced with a small sigh as the massive eye in front of me closes in contentment.

“Oh,” is all he says after a long period of silence.

“Oh?” I finally make myself ask.

I hear a small sniff in my head and after a moment, he opens his eyes and my view is replaced by a black ocean suspended in the air in front of me.

He sniffs again and in that moment I want nothing more than to wrap my arms around him and never let go.

Which is…beyond impossible here but still, heart pounding, I hold my arms out to him instead.

He watches me for a long time, a blink sending what must be several oceans of water floating into the atmosphere but I hold my ground until finally the man speaks again.

“…I’m…not sure that’s a good idea, M.”

I just wave my arms at him again and he lets out a watery chuckle.

“I’m too big, Mia.”

“And I’m still waiting, big guy.”

“…I don’t want to hurt you.”

He sounds a little desperate so I finally drop my arms with a sigh. “Fine. In that case just stand still.”

“…what?”

“Trust me.”

He laughs at that. “…alright.”

That out of the way, I make myself stand up and examine the massive eye in front of me for a moment longer before I kick off of Jax’s finger and start swimming through the air.

“…uh, Mia?”

“Shush. I’m trying to prove a point here.”

Jax watches me swim through the air for an impressively long amount of time before he finally speaks again. “…if you’re trying to get somewhere, I could help you out?”

I look around and see that I’m basically exactly where I started.

“…fine.”

Jax laughs. “Where are you trying to go?”

“Just…your face I guess.”

“…oh.”

There’s silence for a long moment before everything starts moving again, the giant black globe rotating until it changes to grey and then a stark white, finally settling on a massive patch of flesh that must be the skin between Jax’s eyes. He then leans forward until the bridge of his nose lays a short distance away.

“Is that okay?” he asks quietly.

And I feel my heart warm up at that. And with that I can feel my hands start to twitch. Why is he so fucking cute? IT’S NOT FUCKING FAIR. I CAN’T EVEN SQUEEZE HIM LIKE- “I…yeah, actually. Thanks, big guy.”

I hear him hum in acknowledgment and literally want to kill him. He’s an incomprehensibly huge cosmic giant and it’s not fair not fair not fair not-

I start swimming towards him almost frantically and finally, FINALLY

I reach the man’s face and all but throw myself at him, grabbing as much of his skin as I can and rubbing the glass of my helmet against him.

“You…this is more…aggressive than I thought it would be. I…,” he lets out a small laugh, “…is this normal?”

I let out a small squeak and continue squeezing him and he chuckles in response. “You alright there, M?”

“No.” I finally manage.

“No?”

He sounds a little distressed so I try to clarify. “Jax, I’m fine. I just-,” I squeeze handfuls of flesh for as long as I can manage before letting go and wrapping my arms over as much of him as I physically can, “-GOD, I CAN’T.”

“You can’t?” he sounds more worried now and before I get worked up about that too, I try to calm myself down a little.

“Jax?”

“Mia?”

“You’re being fucking adorable right now and humans do this thing sometimes where if something is too cute it makes us want to hurt or kill them.”

“…so you’re trying to…kill me?”

“…uh,” I feel my arms tingle and know in my heart that I want to punch him repeatedly and also throw him into the sun, instead settling for hugging him tighter. “…not actually but…yes?”

“…oh? You…don’t feel like you’re trying to kill me though. You just seem a little…,” he cuts himself off to hum a little when I try to nuzzle him again, “…rough.”

“That’s ‘cause I have self-control.”

“Oh.”

There’s a long period of silence where I continue trying to awkwardly cuddle Jax to death and he enjoys the physical touch. Eventually though

“…we’re still friends then? You’re not actually trying to kill me?”

“Jax, oh my God, you’re killing me here.”

There’s a long pause and eventually I just frown.

“…We’re still friends. I’m not trying to kill you,” I deadpan and he chuckles.

“That’s a relief.”

He’s humming and crying and I’m trying to tear his skin off his body when something occurs to me.

“…wait, big guy.”

“Hmm?”

“You said you wanted to hug me too, right?”

“…Mia, the pad of my thumb is bigger than your planet.”

“So? I trust you.”

“You really shouldn’t.”

“Be untrustworthy then. See what happens.”

“…hmm.”

“Hmm?”

“…maybe some other time.”

“…what do you mean by that?”

Jax just chuckles and I frown.

“Hug me, man. It’s why I’m here.”

“I don’t want to kill you, Mia.”

“Then you won’t.”

I go back to squishing handfuls of his skin together in the silence that follows and eventually I feel more than see something approaching, the way the atmosphere seems to be physically moving away from some unknown threat. I try to focus on the movement of my hands against his skin instead.

“…Mia,” Jax finally says, “Your heart is-”

“Keep going.”

Jax is quiet for a long long time and I eventually drop the skin with a sigh. “If you want to touch me, Jax, keep going.”

Jax doesn’t immediately respond to this and so I try to soothe him by running a hand up and down the mass of flesh in front of me.

And finally

“Are you sure?”

“I am.”

More silence now.

I’m about to say something more when suddenly something bumps into the back of my helmet and propels me forward slightly, pressing me almost tenderly into the warm skin in front of me. Jax doesn’t say anything and for a long time and so neither do I, wrapping my arms around what I can of him once more as we soak each other in in the silence.

And as I feel the trembles running through what I assume to be Jax’s finger finally start to die down and I settle into him, I raise my head slightly and look to the general direction of where one Jax’s eye might be, trying to find my voice one more

“Hey,” I whisper to him.

“…hey,” he whispers back.

#tldr jax finally cashes in on his good boy points to launch his best friend into the stratosphere #I Was Supposed To Finish This By Like March RIP #jax and mia #space au #ocs #the rooster crows #(please don't tag as g/t or with any g/t tags)#thanks for reading!

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