Tumgik
#i have this zoo that i want to put into my game but nowhere it will fit
par-vollen · 11 months
Text
i wish ea would give us another empty world like newcrest. i have so many lots saved to my gallery with nowhere to put them.
5 notes · View notes
theradioghost · 2 years
Text
for real though I guess I haven't talked about it here but. so there's a song called "The World Is Saved" about the feeling of finishing video games and it is associated with MANY memories for me and I often tear up while watching it but most recently it makes me think about how i went completely over the fucking deep end for monster hunter world.
i'm adhd/asd, i'm disabled, and I spend a lot of time sitting around doing fuckall because it's what i'm capable of, so when I saw this thing with interesting creature design at #1 on a youtube video literally titled something like "10 video games for people with too much time on their hands," i went okay, sign me up, i already owned it because of a previous encounter with the feral madness of the steam summer sale, i just got a laptop specifically to handle games and it runs planet zoo so it'll run anything, let's go
and then. the thing is i don't mostly play games with real time combat. the first game i ever felt like i had meaningfully gained skill at a non-insignificant combat system was breath of the wild. and mhw is like "here's 17 different weapons good luck" and i panicked and googled best beginner weapon and that's why I main s&s. but i've never mained ANYTHING before!!!! i did the first fights and did badly but went 'holy shit, i like this? it feels good?' so i kept doing it! i paid attention! i learned combos! i fell in love with the gorgeous atmosphere of this game, the music, the characters, the world, the design, feeling myself getting to know each environment and each individual monster and getting better at them. wiring a whole new portion of my brain with instincts for this game. it was fucking exhilarating.
and i'm still not Good at it! there are so many systems I still don't understand and i've put over 300 hours into it! i haven't touched any of the other weapons! I am nowhere even CLOSE to done with the endgame content! the only people i've ever played multiplayer with are my siblings! but holy shit. that night where I sat down to do the Namielle quest and it turned out to be one of my absolute favorite fights and monsters, where the sound design and the way she moved just blew me away, and I was so excited I decided to go straight into the end of the story. i ran the ruiner nergigante fight down to the fucking wire and i was exhausted. it was midnight and i am 100% not in any way used to fifty. straight. minutes. of nonstop need-to-be-the-best-i-am-capable-of video game combat. but i did it.
and then i wanted to go to bed. but then fucking shara ishvalda shows up and i think fuck yes i'm going to bed this is a tomorrow problem. but then the fucking anime-ass characters point out how far i've come, all that i've done, and my brain goes FUCK IT. WE BALL.
i have tried shara ishvalda multiple times since then and i have run out of time, every single time. i don't fucking know how i did it then, i haven't found anything saying it has less health in Paean of Guidance or anything. I think i had about 90 seconds left and fuck me, that thing's second phase actually freaked me out (it was 1 AM! i was tired and wired!) not helped by the fuckin. Exorcist music. but i did it, and then i walked around in circles in the dark for half an hour.
every time i listen to the soundtrack it all comes back. i put some mhw music on last night and sent myself into a frenzy. i've had some fucking powerful, emotional experiences with games but none that made me feel powerful in quite that way. I'm dabbling with the Iceborne endgame content a lot more slowly; I haven't touched Rise, but I did play Stories 1 on iOS and then snag Tri and Generations Ultimate, and I'm definitely in for the long haul with this series now. but shit, man. i guess this is a recommendation for monster hunter world, if you've got a fuck ton of time to spend.
23 notes · View notes
ca-8 · 3 years
Text
Yakko x Reader Scenario: When You First Meet
Tumblr media
'This is it. The beginning of the end.' 
Gripping on the straps of her backpack, (Y/n) exited the bus and stared up at the water tower that displayed the famous Warner Bros. logo. As expected, it emitted a smug aura onto the entire area; however, surprisingly, there was a slight twinge of mystery to it as well. But she didn't have time to ponder about it, so she only gave it an uneasy look and headed straight for the entrance.
Her heart stopped. She knew the place was going to be busy, but it was like an entire New York City packed in one section! So many writers, producers, actors, large men carrying heavy sets, every type of person working in film was scattered all over the place. It was like an ocean, with the people as marine life doing what they're designed to do, and (Y/n) being the puppy that was abandoned at sea.
The moment it all settled in, an involuntary realization invaded her thoughts. 'I don't belong here.'
The young girl reminded herself to breathe and rushed over to a vacant wall, then pulled out her phone. She had already sent her mother about a thousand messages telling her she was here, but since she hasn't responded, a few more shouldn't hurt. Fingers rapidly typing away, she bit her lower lip, already wishing she had stayed on that bus. 
"Oh, you're just gonna love it!" Her mother's squealing voice had already filled her skull. "You're so talented, I know you're gonna fit right in."
'Yeah, standing around all day with a bunch of people I don't know while doing something I suck at is exactly how I wanna spend my summer.' She let out a soft sigh. 'It's fine. Just shut up and make her happy, (Y/n).'
Several attempts of calling and texting later, no response. (Y/n) sighed again, and her eyes wandered over to the bustling crowd. 'No way. Absolutely no way.' But if she wanted to get the day over with, absolutely yes way.
First, she walked up to a lady looking down at the clipboard in her hands. "Um, excuse me," (Y/n) said. 
The lady's head snatched up. "KYLE!" she yelled, her eyes now ablaze with fury, "YOU IDIOT! THAT GOES IN THE WAREHOUSE ACROSS THE STUDIO!" And like there was nothing but a breeze behind her, the lady stomped off to the poor soul that had to face her wrath.
The breeze took a step back and ran around the corner. 'Maybe I'll find someone else instead…!' (Y/n) stopped and spotted a man sitting on the steps that lead to the entrance of a small building. She swallowed whatever was left in her mouth and reluctantly approached him. 
"E-Excuse me, sir?" she stuttered, hoping her voice was louder than the last time. As she got closer, (Y/n) noticed he was chuckling, and his gaze was glued onto a small piece of paper. 
"I...I did it…!" he said. She yelped and shrinked back when he suddenly jumped to his feet. "I FINALLY DID IT! WE'LL SEE WHO'S REGRETTING THE DIVORCE NOW, MARGARET!" And with a manic laugh, the man dashed into the building. 
'...Or maybe I'll just find it myself.'
It wasn't too long before (Y/n) got herself lost. Despite the help of maps that were stuck to some of the buildings, all of them seemed exactly the same. It was like a maze, and with each passing minute, she was more and more convinced that there was no finish line. Even worse, her mother was too busy to respond to anything she sent her. 
'Oh, what should I do?' (Y/n) thought for the thousandth time. No matter how hard she pinched or held them, her arms refused to stop trembling. Not too long ago, the outside of the studio became deserted and she'd hate to walk in a warehouse and possibly interrupt something important, so asking for help again was out of the question.
...Or, perhaps it wasn't. 
A tiny, hopeful smile crossed (Y/n)'s face when she heard the sounds of frustrated grunts around the corner. It was the first time she was so relieved to see a stranger. 
And thank god that stranger was a security guard. Though she wondered why he had a giant net in his hand, she shoved the curiosity as far in the back of her mind as she could and reached up to gently tap his shoulder. 
"Um, excuse me sir?" she asked as loud as she could. 
His head whipped around, revealing angry eyes and a scowl that said he was ready to kill. But right as his gaze landed on her, it changed within an instant. 
"Oh, hello!" he said with a bright smile. 
(Y/n) blinked, cocking her head. ‘What was this guy up to?’
"I'm sorry to bother you, but do you know where (M/n) (L/n) is filming? I'm her daughter, (Y/n), and I'm trying to look for her. She's not answering her phone either."
His joyful expression slowly melted into a confused one. "Uuhhh…(M/n) (L/n)?”
“Yes. She’s a part of Animal Kingdom? Do you know where that’s being filmed?”
“Oh! I know there’s a zoo around here called Animal Kingdom! I don’t think you’ll find it in a film studio, though.”
(Y/n) frowned. “...No, I mean the show. Aren’t they filming in a warehouse today? Do you know where that is?”
“Who’s ‘they’?”
Her eye twitched, and she was just about ready to drown the entire studio in the nearest ocean. “N-Nevermind, I’ll just-”
As if the universe wasn’t satisfied with tormenting her enough, the security guard suddenly launched up into the air and flew into the sky. Right before her eyes, the heavens were coated with explosives of every color that ever existed. 
“Oh my god!” (Y/n) yelled. ‘Who strapped fireworks on that guy?!’
“Oh, I knew you’d love it!”
Her eyes were ripped from the loud fireworks show as she was immediately smothered in a hug. “It’s so nice that another girl’s here! All the other ones here are either too busy or just keep shouting about a restraining order for some reason. I dunno, but anyway, I just know you're gonna love it here! Anyway, my name’s Princess Angelina Louisa Cantessa Francesca Banana Fanna Bo Besca the third! But since we're friends now, you can just call me Dot.”
This confirmed it. This was a trap set up by her mother to deliberately drive her insane, because how else can someone explain the nut jobs and talking dogs in pink dresses? 
A combination of those two things happened to be clutching her head and digging her face into hers. “...Huh?” (Y/n) mumbled.
‘Dot’ jumped off of her and smiled widely. “Sorry about Ralph by the way. I figured out you were coming at the last second and I really needed someone for your welcoming gift.” she said.
(Y/n) glanced up at the sky where the fireworks were slowly dying down. “Um...Is he gonna be okay?” she asked.  
“Of course he will!” her backpack said.
The teen screamed and threw her bag on the ground. A hand popped out and unzipped it with impossible ease, then a taller boy version of Dot jumped out, pulling up his long brown pants and flashing a grin. 
“H-...H-H-How did you…?!” (Y/n) stuttered, pointing at him. 
“What? Never heard of cartoon logic?” he said, approaching her. “And Ralph’ll be fine. His skull’s so thick, concrete’s the last thing that can kill him.”
“What-?”
“Anyhow,” he walked over to Dot and put an arm over her shoulder, “The name’s Yakko, this here’s my beloved baby sister Dot, and this is-” He stopped, staring at the empty space to his left. He leaned into Dot, whispering, “Say, uh, you don't mind looking for Wakko, do ya sis?”
Dot glanced at (Y/n) for an uncomfortable moment and suddenly shot her brother a glare. "I've got eyes all over this studio, Yakko," she warned, slowly stepping away.
Now (Y/n) certainly knew she didn't see pairs of eyes appear around every inch of her sight. 'Oh god, I didn't breath in drugs on the way here, did I? Actually, that would explain whatever the heck's going on.'
Yakko smiled as he watched his sister leave and turned to (Y/n). He walked closer to her, and she realized that his half-lidded eyes had a strange glint in them. “Sooo, your name’s (Y/n), right? A pretty name for a pretty girl.”
(Y/n)’s face heated up. ‘First I get lost, then see a guy get blown up, and now some other guy’s flirting with me? ...To be honest, this is still better than what Mom had planned for today.’
“So what brings ya’ here?” he asked.
“O-Oh, well, my Mom was supposed to give me a tour of the studio, but I’ve been giving that to myself all day. I tried finding her, but I’m pretty sure I’m nowhere near it by now.” Her eyes wandered over to the ground, but a realization made them perk back up and over to Yakko. “Hey, do you happen to know this place by any chance?”
“Know it? Please, my sibs and I live here, we know this place by heart and soul!” He mumbled something else, along the lines of “Basically made our hearts and souls”. 
Her heart jumped; finally, a piece of good news. “Really?” she said, a smile spreading across her face.
He nodded. “So where do ya’ need to go?” Before she could answer, he pulled out a piece of folded paper and moved in so close, their shoulders were smooshed together. Yakko unfolded it, and it turned out to be the biggest map (Y/n) has ever seen. “Well, from here, you’re gonna need to take a right and continue straight until you get to the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts exhibit. But be careful, I heard some of them escaped, and if anyone asks if you’ve seen any of them, don’t tell them I gave one to Dot as a late birthday gift. Anyway, you take a left from there, then a right where you’ll see the lot where they used to shoot Game of Thrones. Now this is only a rumour I’ve heard, but I think some of the producers are still on that set. If you happen to see them, do not, I repeat, DO NOT mention season eight, or maybe just don’t mention the show at all. Actually, don’t even look at them. As a matter of fact, you probably shouldn’t even go there at all, just keep heading straight until you get to the D.C. Universe lot. Then you just take left there, then a sharp right over over, then you keep going straight until you get to here, turn up over there, turn right there, and then you’re there. Did ya’ follow all that?”
(Y/n) stared at his face, which was practically radiating with enthusiasm, and she felt her eye twitch again. “...No,” she said, shaking her head.
His smile dimmed, but it became just as bright as the sun again a split-second later. “Ah well, maps are gettin' old anyways,” he said, throwing the map over his shoulder. “WAKKO!!”
And, low and behold, another anthropomorphic dog popped out of nowhere, and (Y/n) was starting to question if there was an army of them hidden somewhere. But she had to admit, it was pretty cute how this one was dressed in an oversized blue sweater and red hat. 
“Tablet, please,” Yakko said politely, holding out his hand. 
‘You're not gonna walk me there-?'
Wakko suddenly held his head back with his cheeks puffed out, then leaned into Yakko’s hand as he forced out a small object from his mouth. After an incredibly uneasy moment, a tablet glazed in spit was in Yakko's grasp. While he praised the little guy, (Y/n) forced back the urge to vomit.
“E-Ehhhh…?” She couldn’t say anything else while her gaze frantically went back and forth from Wakko and the regurgitated tablet. 
“Oh! Where are my manners?” Yakko said. “(Y/n), this is my dear little brother, Wakko. Wakko, this here’s our new special friend, (Y/n).” 
“Hello!” Wakko greeted, who was suddenly in her arms. “You’re really pretty!”
“Ehh? Thank you? I guess??” she said apprehensively, and finally managed to make eye contact. Despite his...quirks, he's actually a little adorable... She let herself grin a little.
The moment of semi-peace was ruined when she took notice of Yakko’s narrowed eyes. “ALrighty, (Y/n)!” he said loudly, grabbing his little brother by the collar and gently setting him on the ground. “Animal Kingdom, right? Let’s get ya’ right over there.” He moved right beside her and taped the screen a couple times. 
“Um, what’re you doing exactly?” she asked.
“Doing what every person does to get somewhere nowadays.” He grabbed her waist and pulled her against him, and (Y/n) flinched from his touch. “Please keep your arms, legs, and personal items inside the tablet at all times.”
Just when she was about to question him for the hundredth time, he pressed the screen again, and her vision became nothing but white. Her body felt like it was launched into a tornado; a strong force of wind thrusted her back, and somehow, the boy’s arm kept her from flying off from his side. A second later, her feet were back on the ground, the sky was where it needed to be, and reality was back in place. 
Except for (Y/n)’s mentality. 
She stumbled around, trying to find her balance as the world unbearably whirled around her. Finally, she shook her head, and quickly turned back towards Yakko, whose face tried to tell her whatever happened was perfectly fine and normal. 
“What was THAT?” she yelled, staggering towards him and gripping his shoulders.
And he still had the audacity to have that 'why-are-you-freaking-out-so-much-we-do-this-every-Friday' smile. “Thank you for attending Warner’s Travel Tours! I would say my Agent Ralph’ll take your bags, but I left him alone with my sibs, so he’s probably in the middle of the Pacific Ocean by now.”
(Y/n) could only stare at him. Her mind was twisting and turning, trying so hard to make any sense of what happened but only making her headache grow larger and larger. And then, her thoughts just went blank.
She smirked. Then giggled. And a few seconds later, she had burst out laughing whilst holding her stomach. (Y/n) looked back up at Yakko, wiping a tear from her eye. “Th-Thank you…” she said, catching her breath. 
His smile had grown and she thought his white cheeks were red for a moment. Yakko had opened his mouth, but whatever he was about to say was cut off by a net suddenly covering his entire body. Ralph was behind him, his skin and clothes burnt and ears practically smoking. “You’re coming with me, Warner!” he said.
And yet, Yakko only grinned. Like physics was his enemy, he disappeared from inside the net and appeared sprouting from the security guard’s back, cheerfully waving at (Y/n). “I’ll see ya’ around, yeah?” he said, then ran around the corner with Ralph sprinting right after him.
(Y/n) giggled and reached for the straps around her back. But when she only felt the (f/c) fabric of her shirt, her smile dropped, and a deep sigh escaped her lips. “Great…” she whispered.
“(Y/N)!” 
She gasped as a pair of arms squeezed the life out of her. Her mother spun her around to face her gleaming smile, which was immediately replaced by an apologetic frown. “I’m so sorry I didn’t get your texts! That scene took forever, but I’m glad you found your way here! You’re so smart! Anyway, I know we don’t get as much time now, but there’s still so much we’ll be able to see!...”
She rambled on and on and on and on. Her daughter’s shoulders slumped and she followed her to where she wanted her to go, but the frown on her face didn’t last long when she remembered the fun she had just a few seconds ago. ‘Maybe this summer won’t be that bad.’
141 notes · View notes
kojinnie · 3 years
Text
With The Exception of You
I dislike everyone in the room.
Pairing/Character: Reiner x Reader (she/her), Porco Galliard
Tags: SFW, fluff, college!au, Reiner Braun is a jock who is tired of his own friends, secret relationship
WC: 3.2K
Summary: Reiner had agreed to be in a discreet relationship with you, but after six months and with the arrival of Porco Galliard around you, he couldn’t help but to mark his territory.
Tumblr media Tumblr media
Reiner couldn’t seem to fathom the butterflies wreaking havoc in his stomach. It came out of nowhere, as it often happened to be. Once in a while, he could feel his guts twisting as his chest filled with overflown emotions at odd times. Reiner hated it when it happened, because as much as he wanted to convince himself that he wasn’t self-aware of his image, those feelings could potentially strip himself off of his cool guy status.
Reiner had come to realize that such strange feeling often occurred caused by the sight of you.
It could be anything. Things so mundane, so simple. Like the way you twisted the pen in your fingers, the way you squinted your eyes at the blackboard during a lecture, and how you hastily scribbled things on your leather-bound notebook.
Or maybe it’s the way you sighed deliberately loud when someone uttered a dumb, sexist remark in class with no trace of shame, after they tried to debate your sound, well-researched opinion, and how you’d resolved it with a sarcasm that could disintegrate a man’s ego. Reiner sat on the corner of the classroom, disguising his chuckle by clearing his throat, finally coming to experience what they had called butterflies-in-your-stomach all along. 
At that point he had found himself painfully and helplessly in love with you.
He was well-aware of how different the two of you were. Reiner was the athlete, admitted to the uni through football scholarship, and you were the hard-working academician that mostly kept to yourself – hard to approach, hard to tame. Reiner hated how stereotypical he was – tall, buff, blonde, jock, with cheerleader exes and a DM full of thirst trap from his assembly of admirers. Reiner once wished he was anything but a cookie-cutter of everything you had been appalled of.
Reiner could feel every ounce of confidence he had ever had shriveled around your presence. It’s the way the two of you almost collided to each other at the campus hallway, and the way you threw an acknowledging, formal smile at him before striding away that made his heart ached. He wished you’d run to him and shriek his name with affection, but Reiner realized you were not one of his cheerleader exes, and not that he wanted you to be one. You were an anomaly he had yet to understand. A misplaced figure sticking out of his history of penchant for conformity.
“I really like you.” one day he finally said. Never had he been weak on the knees for a confession to any girl before, but this one occurrence? He did.
He didn’t know how he mustered the courage, but after hours, days and weeks he had spent trying to know you – learning your favorite song, accompanying you for book hunting, baking your favorite muffins, texting you good morning and good night – he finally got you alone, in the campus library, only five minutes before closing time.
You laughed at first, because the confession sounded ridiculous to you. The last thing you needed was a horde of girls sending you anonymous hate comments on Insta because you took the campus’ most eligible hunk off of the market. But he didn’t laugh along, and that was when realization hit you.
“So, is that why you’ve been following me around?”
Reiner furrowed his thin, almost non-existent brow, “What do you think?”
“I thought you were just bored with your jock friends,” you scoffed, “because you know, I’d be bored out of my ears too if all I ever heard all day is insecure men constantly praising themselves.” you glanced at Reiner, trying to discover even the slightest amusement on his hardened face to no avail.
“Reiner, are you serious?”
He sighed, couldn’t believe his ears. The first time ever Reiner caught you being stupid beyond recognition, “For the millionth times, yes.”
“You’ve only said it once, though.”
“For fuck’s sake,” the jock grunted, but there was a slight smile arose from his face, “I like you, really much. Times eight hundred ninety-eight thousand.”
“And?”
“So would you be my girlfriend?”
And you said yes, after three minutes of hesitation, you said yes. With a laughter. Because the absurdity of you being with someone like Reiner was lurid. Yet still, you were in no capacity to lie when his good morning text had been the most unsubstantiated text you looked forward to every day.
You wondered why? It’s just text. But maybe, you tried to convince yourself, it’s because of the effort he put, of trying to wake earlier before you every morning although he was hardly a morning person. Or it’s the way he listened to your kind of music although he was practically tone deaf, and returned to you the next week with his analysis on why your favorite band’s first album was their masterpiece and that sadly they never outdid it with any of their following albums.
And maybe, it’s the sight of the topless Reiner in the football field, after a home match. The way he was quick to run to the side of the field with his Captain instinct, lurching himself towards the start of a brawl between the two teams’ players, heated by animosity over the match result. Reiner was strong enough to break at least ten muscular jocks apart from throwing punches at each other, and with his deep, stern, authoritative voice, he commanded them to “Stop it. Fuck off.” You remembered immediately leaving the bleachers and found the nearest toilet because you needed to breathe and that you felt things simmering in your nether area. You never felt like that before to any of your exes.
Reiner knew the mutual pining between the two of you was evident, and so he was left puzzled when you said, “But please don’t tell anyone yet.” He asked why, but you only shrugged your shoulder with an answer that gave very little explanation, “I just don’t feel like having people talk about us.”
Reiner trusted you, because at first, he thought it was for modesty, you were not a fan of the limelight, evidently. Or it’s for practical reason, you don’t want to be burdened by society’s expectation on how two adults in relationship should be. Reiner could make 1,000 excuses for you that would justify your terms and conditions, so he went with what you wanted, because he was so hopelessly into you.
Nonetheless, still he enjoyed holding your hand in the dark alley of the campus – away from all the prying eyes, or the girls that’d giggle walking past the beautiful giant. Still he liked to have you sleeping naked in his embrace, making lazy circles with his calloused digits on your small back, at the emptiness of his dorm room when his roommate was home early for Christmas. Still he enjoyed teasing you at unassuming place, at the quiet library, studying together in silence for the upcoming exams, he’d be sitting next to you, leaning to his chair and slithered his right hand underneath your sweatshirt, to playfully and quickly unclasped your bra, only for you to smack his stomach in annoyance. He liked you, and he liked how you scurried to the restroom to fix your bra. He liked to be with you, no matter in silence or in noise.
However, after six months, questions started to throb incessantly inside Reiner’s mind. Even after all the time you had spent together, why must still he go alone to the football team soiree? Why would you let his team mate thought that Reiner was single, and promised him chances with girls, left and right? Why were you unfazed to see the girls sliding into his DMs? And when you put on that tight, backless black dress on New Year’s Eve, why would you put it for your friends’ party, and not for his eyes only? Why would you color your lips with the blood red Chanel lipstick Reiner gave you, and smile at other people that’s not him?
Reiner could not make sense of you. He pondered, he wondered and he became jealous. He’d look at you intently and see whether there was any trace of other man on you that he had not recognized? He’d become quiet and his friends thought he had gotten sensitive over nothing. The captain had become agitated, irritable and his head was hardly in the game – all with seemingly no reason.
Reiner began to think that he knew the reason why. He thought it’s the boy you’d met at the Academic Writing class, with stupid name and equally stupid undercut. Porco Galliard, you said his name was. In an instance his name had become a staple in your conversation. When Reiner asked you out for a dinner, it’d be like, “Ah sorry babe, I got this assignment with Porco.” A trip to the zoo? “You know, Porco have this funny experience with apes.” A night out in his dorm? By the point Reiner had a half-boner forming already seeing you in your lounge shorts, you’d be giggling and stayed busy with your phone. Reiner asked, “What’s so funny, babe?”
“What’s so funny, babe?” he asked again, because you didn’t seem to hear the first time he asked you. Distracted, you showed a stupid meme on your phone, “Porco sent me this.”
Porco here, Porco there. Reiner was sick of hearing that dumb name.
He had tried to look up for his background, and he hated to find that all that ever came up about him were amicable. His friends knew him, said he was chill, said he was smart as fuck, said he had a cool family, said he turned down a track and field scholarship for law school. Porco Galliard is a cool dude, they all said.
At certain point Reiner had grown to be furious, and the more your text messages became sparse or the more you spent your Saturday nights without him, the more he set his mind to do something about the two of you. He had become so sick of hiding and he wanted the whole world to know that you were his. Especially that guy with a name that sounded like her mother hated giving birth to him.
So came that day. You hadn’t been replying to his texts since morning, and only did so after chains of messages he left.
[you | 11.35] oh my god reiner!!! I’M SO SORRY, i left my phone uncharged all morning. i’m heading to cafeteria rn, it’s muffin tuesday 😵👅
[reiner | 06.37] good morning baby
[reiner | 07.49] you awake now?
[reiner | 08.15] sleepyhead 😪💤 see you today pretty
[reiner | 10.23] i got practice today until late. see you tonight? my room?
[reiner | 10.55] are you in class rn?
[reiner | 11.36] wanna go together?
[you | 11.45] haha noo a lot of people there
[reiner | 11.45] who r u going with?
[you | 11.55] with pockooo haha we got class together after lunch
Pocko. Is that an endearing term you came up with for the jizzhead? Reiner thought, pissed off beyond compare. He paced restlessly in his room, trying to figure out what did Porco have that he didn’t have? Thinking of how his undercut made his head looked way bigger for his neck, just like sperm; and it made Reiner mad angry. “Fuck you, Jizzhead”, he hissed, kicking the pile of dirty laundry on his dorm room.
The cafeteria was bustling busy when you arrived with Porco. The two of you immediately joined the line for lunch and the muffin. The man was busy babbling about yet another stupid thing that he had done back in high school, but your mind was darted on the muffins that were sold off fast. You looked around and almost everyone you disliked were present – mostly Reiner’s jock friends and their girlfriends. The prospect of one day going public with Reiner and having to spare days in your life to socialize with these loud people made you squirm. Not that you were completely against it, you were just… enormously reluctant to do so. Also, what would they say about you? You barely existed for them, evident by how they just greeted Porco with huge affection, yet pretended like you were invisible despite the fact that you were talking and standing close to him.
Your mind was elsewhere, between eyeing the muffin and managing your detest towards the it crowd, you weren’t even listening to the small talk that Porco was having with some of the jocks, until the mention of your name spilled out of Porco’s mouth, “Hey, have you guys known ___ before?”
You blinked with surprise, and they looked at you unenthusiastically, “Ummm, no?” one of them said.
Porco stared at them in disbelief, as if not knowing you was a big sin, “Get to know then! She’s cool, she’s really into—” but even before Porco could finish his words, they averted their attention elsewhere, pulling out their phone like it was the most important thing in the world, and talked amongst themselves. How fitting, because the first thing they talked about as an excuse for ignoring you was to talk about Reiner, “The captain’s been grumpy. Haha. That man. What’s up with him?” You cringed, because you knew there was no weight in talking about Reiner that must be done at that time, that moment. They just wanted a reason not to be roped into talking to you, obviously because you didn’t think you were cool enough or some other shit excuse only them and their bobbleheads understand. So, conveniently throwing out Reiner’s name was an effective way to basically say ‘haha look at us talking about the coolest guy in the campus so you know we’re in this cool clique unlike you’. You read them too well. You couldn’t even be amused anymore.
Porco looked embarrassed, he smiled at you awkwardly and stayed silent, until one of the girls threw their attention back to the man dirty blond undercut, “Anyway, Porco, do you know Reiner?”
“Ah, I haven’t had the chance to.”
The girl frowned rather dramatically, “Oh my god, we all should totally hang out together with Reiner, right? He’s like—super cool.” her question was obviously in exclusion of you. You rolled your eyes and turned away to see new text from Reiner appearing.
[reiner | 12.15] im going there
[you | 12.16] convenient. right in time. your cool friends are all here and you can sit with them and be cool with them or whatever I guess haha
You immediately pulled your phone to your chest; you could feel your heart thumping. Is this it? Is this it? The question became menacing in your head, because you were not sure on what Reiner was planning to do. The line to the muffin was still far away, and it would be stupid to run away.
[reiner | 12.17] idgaf about em
[reiner | 12.19] i want u
You could hear the girls were still talking about Reiner. Reiner this, Reiner that. You were nowhere to lie that you could feel your chest heat up with annoyance. The way their squeaking voice praised Reiner’s body, Reiner’s personality, Reiner’s wit. For the first time, you knew you were experiencing jealousy, vibrant and up-close.
“You know what? One time, Reiner thought that the way I did my hair was so cute that he wanted—”
Just in time, one of the boys raised his voice, “Oi Reiner!” and in unison the jocks erupted, welcoming his arrival like they were in some goddamn party.
You could see Reiner walking towards the line you were in, his face was hardened and his walk was swift. You immediately turned away to look at the opposite direction, not wanting to see him.
“Yooo Reiner! Where have you been? We’ve missed you dude,” one of them said. You cringed at how they all tried so hard to sound cool, “have you met Porco, by the way? And his friend—”
“—hey, what’s her name again?” one of the girls chimed in, asking Porco instead of asking you directly, as if you were not there. At that point, Reiner was standing not too far behind you, and you pretended like you were too busy with your phone, hoping the floor would engulf you instead.
“Is she like, deaf or something?” the girl whispered to Porco with a jeer, before getting back to Reiner, “So, Rei, I’ve got this party—”
“—yo Capt, do you know that—”
“—have you heard about the news, dude? Like—”
The way all these people tried to suck up to Reiner was so pathetic and incessant, they all chirped like hungry birds all in a matter of couple of seconds. You hated them and you hated the situation.
“—come on, Capt, that would be awesome—”
“—oh my gosh, Rei—”
“—you must try it, Rei—"
“Shut the fuck up,” Reiner said. Rather abruptly. His voice was cold and deep, like he couldn’t give a damn in this world about any of them. Surprised, they all dropped quiet in an instance. You looked over your back at him. Reiner was staring at you, and at you alone, not even at the Jizzhead he had grown to hate so much, “you all talk too fucking much.”
You snorted, suppressing a laughter to escape from your mouth. Clearly, it was too audible, that the girls were now looking at you with complete disdain.
“Babe,” Reiner said, staring at you, while you were still facing the opposite direction, “babe, what are you doing with this Jizzhead here? I can bake you muffins remember? If you want it so much.”
Your surrounding fell deep in silence. Everyone was either confused or surprised. Murmur started to sweep over the crowd, most audible was: ‘Who is Jizzhead?’
You scoffed, finally turning your back, although still closing your mouth trying to prevent the laughter and the embarrassment to display itself.
“What the hell?” one of the girls asked in dismay, obviously she was one of the girls sliding into Reiner’s DM and sending him bikini photos by the pretense of ‘Rei, you should join us for summer holiday!’ when all she wanted to do was to show her tits.
“Shut up,” Reiner said to her, baffling the girl to complete silence, “and stop sending me your beach photos. They’re ugly.”
An uproar of restraint laughter was heard throughout the cafeteria.
“Babe,” Reiner said again, this time extending his arms toward you, gesturing for you to come closer, “now you know why I need you, right? My friends are fucking whack.”
Few laughter was starting to break. Yet Reiner was unfazed.
“Reiner, what—”
“—yo dude, what the hell?
“—who is she?”
“—are they dating?”
“And listen here, you hag,” Reiner now turned his attention to the girl who called you deaf, “she’s got a name. Her name is ___, and she’s my fucking girlfriend.”
Embarrassed yet amused, you finally let out a small chuckle, “Reiner, please you’re humiliating me.”
“Whatever,” he shrugged off. Reiner now turned his attention to Porco, “and listen here you, Jizzhead. You can be nice to her but keep in your fucking mind, she’s mine.”
Without hesitation, Reiner pulled your hand and yanked you closer to him. You stared at him for a second, eyes broadened and heart thumping, “Reiner, what are you gonna do—”
“—shut up.” he said, cupping your face with his gigantic hands, and pulled your face roughly to him, before landing his dry, chapped lips to yours. He had gone sick of pretending, and doing things in secret. So there Reiner Braun was, hungrily, longingly, sloppily devouring your lips with his mouth, so deep, so thirsty of your taste. He finally showed the world who the true owner of his heart was. You.
296 notes · View notes
illfoandillfie · 3 years
Text
Kinktober Day 5: Panties & Lingerie
Kinktober Masterlist | Regular Masterlist
Pairing: Gwilym Lee x Fem!Reader
Words: 2,153
Warnings: nothing much, some degredation, teasing, set during quarantine/lockdown, DIY bondage, gag, implied sex, dom!gwil
A/N: The first Gwil day! 
You listened to make sure Gwil was still in the kitchen before closing your bedroom door and setting your plan in motion. After a few months of being in lockdown things had begun to grow stale. The days bled into each other and there was little variation from one to the next. It wasn’t bad really – you and Gwil were both healthy and able to work from home easily enough – it was just becoming monotonous. But you were determined that the habits you’d slipped into and the routine of your lockdown lives wouldn’t get in the way of your relationship. So you came up with an idea to surprise Gwil, just to spice things up and keep him on his toes a little.  
The first step was to dress in something you knew would turn him on, so you opted for a lingerie set he’d bought you and definitely enjoying seeing you wear- a deep purple chemise that fell around the top of your thigh, hugging you tightly, and barely concealed the matching thong. And then, because you didn’t want to make it too easy for him, you threw an oversized hoodie on top. It was one you’d stolen from Gwil the first winter you were together but he always claimed you looked better in it and never tried to take it back. Even after you moved in together it lived in your side of the wardrobe. It was baggy and cosy and almost drowned you in excess material, hanging closer to your knees than the lingerie did, which made it the perfect cover. Gwil didn’t think anything of it when he saw you. It was lockdown after all, no one to see or impress, nowhere to go, nothing to dress up for. Comfort was the name of the game. He himself had opted for tracksuit pants and a baggy shirt with a sweater over the top since it was getting to be quite chilly.  
After you were dressed, the next part of the plan was to tease him. You saw it as sort of like animals in a zoo enclosure. This was Gwil’s enrichment for the day. He’d have to figure out how little you were wearing under the hoodie and then it’d be up to him what he did with that information. But you were sure it would be fun. Which you supposed meant that teasing him was your enrichment activity, something to keep you entertained and occupied. The thought made you laugh to yourself as you settled on the couch with your laptop to check your emails. Gwil had a zoom meeting first up, taking himself off to the dining room, so your scheme would have to wait until he was done. But that just gave you more time to think through how you’d tease him. 
Roughly an hour and a half later Gwilym popped his head through the doorway. “Putting the kettle on, sweetheart, d’you want a cuppa?”  “Yes please,” you said, making a show of setting aside your laptop and arching your back as if you needed to stretch.  Gwil smiled but didn’t seem to pay any attention to how you were pushing your tits towards him.   “Should I grab out some of that biscotti I made yesterday?” you asked, relaxing into a more normal posture. The hoodie was probably too thick to properly show off your chest, even if you were pushing hardened nipples against the fabric. No wonder Gwil hadn’t seemed to notice.   “That would be lovely. It’s really good.”  You chuckled and stood to follow him to the kitchen, “I wasn’t sure it was going to work but they turned out pretty alright. Think next time I might try and do one of those chocolatey variations. Where’d you put them?”  “Pantry. Can you grab the sugar out while you’re there? The canister’s almost empty.”  “Sure thing.” You located the Tupperware box of biscotti first and then the sugar. They were on the same shelf, one higher than you usually placed things. It wasn’t that you couldn’t reach the shelf – the biscotti would be easy enough to grab down – it was that you had to stretch a little further to get things towards the back of the shelf. And at some point since you’d last filled the sugar container, the bag had been shoved behind other things. You said a silent thank you to past Gwil for putting both items that high up. “Gwil, honey!” you called out as you raised yourself onto your tiptoes and stretched your arms up.  Gwil came in just in time to see you flailing for the sugar, arms over your head, your hoodie pulled up so that more of your legs were exposed, clearly showing him that you weren’t wearing shorts.  “Can’t reach the sugar,” you chuckled, grabbing the biscotti box and sinking back down onto the soles of your feet. You turned around in time to see Gwil blinking.  His momentary stupefaction disappeared and he laughed as he reached up to retrieve the bag you’d been unable to get.  
When the tea was made you carried it and a plate of biscotti out to the lounge so you could watch mid-morning TV. Gwil settled onto the loveseat but you’d already been set up in the armchair so sank back into it. You crossed one leg over the other, uncrossed them, leant forward to pick up your teacup, crossed your legs the other way and took a sip. You suspected Gwil had noticed your odd actions when he leaned forward in your peripheral vision and didn’t sit up again.   “Oh, silly,” you said to yourself as you uncrossed your legs again, leaned forward to grab your snack, sat back and crossed your legs once more. Sensing Gwilym’s eyes on your thighs, you turned to smile at him, pleased to see his eyes dart towards the TV once he’d realised you were looking. And then, after enough time so it wouldn’t be too obvious that you wanted him to look, you uncrossed your legs again, instead drawing them both up under you.   Gwil stood up suddenly and left the room but before you could wonder about it too long you heard the toilet flush and let your attention drift back to the TV as Gwil took his seat again.   You finished your tea, noting that you felt quite warm after it. 
Around midday Gwil went in search of some food. You heard him open the fridge and then close it again. His footsteps moved away after that, down the hall and then back to the kitchen and then back out to where you were still sitting, once again on your laptop.   “Gonna have that leftover lasagne for lunch so I’ve stuck the oven on to heat up.” He said, pulling his sweater off and swinging his legs up to recline on the couch.  The oven hadn’t been on long when you noticed the heat and wondered what temperature Gwil had set it to. It probably didn’t help that your laptop had seen quite a lot of use and was feeling very hot against your legs. You shifted it around, trying to find a way to make yourself more comfortable without interfering with the hoodie.   “You right?” Gwil asked.  “Yeah, fine,”  “Must be getting a bit warm in the hoodie,”  “Not really,” you shrugged, trying not to sound too suspicious of him.  Gwil stood, “Oven’s probably warm enough now right?”  “Yeah probably.” You listened carefully as Gwil walked into the kitchen but once more his footsteps faded off up the hall. Ten seconds later and you’d already noticed the rise in temperature, and it dawned on you that perhaps the oven wasn’t the only think Gwil had been tampering with.  
You followed him quietly to the kitchen, pushing your sleeves up to your elbows as the heat got worse. He seemed surprised to see you there as he crept back into the room but you feigned ignorance, muttering something about needing a drink as you bent over the dishwasher, lowering yourself more than was strictly necessary as you pretended to search for a cup, offering him a peak at your scant underwear.  When you righted yourself Gwil was right behind you, his hands reaching for the hem of the hoodie, “Game's up sweetheart. Take the damn thing off.”  “Wondered when you’d get there,” you laughed, “Might want to turn that stove off for the moment.” You waited until he’d done so before lifting your most modest layer over your head to reveal what little you wore underneath it.  Gwil’s eyes travelled over you as he breathed in deeply through his nose, “All dressed up. What’s the occasion?”  “Just wanted to.”  “You mean you wanted to tease me.” His voice was low and soft but that just made it all the more ominous, a hint of what was in store for you. You didn’t even have a chance to answer before his fingers wrapped around your wrist and he began to lead you to the bedroom.   “In my defence, teasing you is fun.” You couldn’t help but want to taunt him further.  “I think you just like it because you know I won’t be able to resist taking it out on your cunt.”  “That’s definitely part of it.” You laughed but you were abruptly cut off as he pushed you towards the bed.  
Gwilym growled as he backed you up to the mattress and you quickly scrambled into place. His hands felt hot against you as his pushed the soft material of your lingerie up to your chest and then straddled your exposed stomach. With a sudden yank he began to pull the chemise over your head but, to your dismay, it seemed to catch partway, your arms and head still stuck in the clinging material.   “Umm, Gwil?” you asked, trying not to panic with your head still stuck inside the lingerie.  “You’re alright, sweetheart. I’m going to pull it up further in a second but I think some sort of poetic justice is in order. So reach back and grab the headboard and then I’ll readjust.”  Heart racing, you tried to blindly do what he said, grateful when he leaned over and helped position your hands so that each was wrapped around one of the slats in the headboard. You felt the material hug your arms tightly as he readjusted it so that your nose and mouth were freed. Your eyes remained blindfolded by the bottom of the dress but being able to breathe freely meant it wasn’t so panic induicing.    “There, that ought to hold you.” He shuffled back down your body until he was straddling your thighs, “I think it’s fitting to keep you stuck here enduring my cock, bound by the very thing you used to taunt me.”  The idea made you shiver but your enjoyment was helped by Gwil’s hand falling to your thong clad pussy. He dragged his fingers along your lips before finding you clit and beginning to circle it slowly.   “It’s quite rude to tease really.” he said as he pressed his fingers against you, making you gasp, “Does it make you wet sweetheart? Does it turn you on to be a dirty little slut, begging to be fucked. Because that’s what you are right now. Dressing all slutty and bending over like you were hoping I’d just fill you with cock there and then.”  You whined as his fingers became more insistent and his words got filthier, everything contributing to your growing wetness and your nearing orgasm.   “If you’re not careful I’ll have to fuck you every day until this lockdown ends. You won’t get the chance to tease me with your thongs and your stretching and whatever other slutty ideas are in your slutty head. I’ll just fuck you first and save you the trouble. Oh you like that idea huh?” he laughed in response to your moan, “Spending every day cock drunk and begging for more? Prove it. Cum for me and I might actually do it.”  His fingers were impossible to argue with and you couldn’t hold back any longer, moaning with your release.  “Good girl,” he cooed softly, “Making such a mess of your panties though. What about we take them off now and I can see just how slutty your cunt is.”  You nodded eagerly, giving him a few words of encouragement as he dragged the wet underwear down your legs.   Gwilym held the panties up to the light, twisting it to better see the slick patch you’d created, “Very good.” he said as he balled the underwear up and, grabbing your jaw, stuffed it between your lips.  You whined around the material, able to taste your own arousal which only turned you on more.  “Now keep being good for me,”  You watched as Gwil pushed his pants down and pulled his cock out, positioning it between your legs. 
Taglist: @labessieisallama @deakyclicks @jennyggggrrr @drowseoftaylor @hannafuckingsucks @i-cant-hangout-im-drumming @queenmylovely @ilovequeenmorethanyou @johndeaconshands @borhapbois @stardust-galaxies @cherries-n-rocknroll @rogersslave @scorpiogemini
57 notes · View notes
kazzyboy · 3 years
Text
Andriel As Gamers (Kinda)
Andrew (@HolierThnThou03)
- Personal channel, separate from his team/exy life, so he can post whatever the fuck he wants
- And what does that mean?
- Chaos. Pure, unbridled chaos.
(Like the notes I made for this spontaneously at five this morning)
- Either shows up to stream in a complete, put-together outfit, carefully-done messy eyeliner, fresh out of the Maserati; or shows up in sweats and one of Neil’s old Jurassic Park shirts. He has three of his piercings in. One of his socks is missing. There is no in between
- Barely responds to chat, except when someone’s being fucking annoying (and not in normal fan sense, in horrible person sense) to publicly pause his game, stare directly at the screen, and psychologically demolish them for ten straight minutes. The mods (Typically Renee, Nicky, and Robin) calm everyone down and give the user a warning. If they say something horrible like that again, they’ll be kicked and blocked. No one ever gets to the second bit.
- Stares directly into the camera when he dies like he’s in The Office
- Mostly horror games, occasionally aesthetically-driven Minecraft builds
- Sort of stiffens and goes wide-eyed when he’s well and truly scared
- More often than not does story-oriented games
- Gets cancelled for saying shit like,”Disgusting. Horrible. Kill yourself.” When he gets nervous while playing horror games (except nearly everyone reacts like “he can’t be cancelled!!!” Which he can’t, because he was telling the game to kill itself, which his poor mods had to explain for several months after the initial pandemic.)
- Sarcastic, poetically-driven commentary. Gets memed for it, constantly (“Humor be like-“ picture of Andrew, blank-faced, while someone gets swallowed whole by an alien on camera,”the inner workings of my mind are an enigma”)
- Leaves randomly, midstream, for snacks. Doesn’t even pause the game. His chat goes insane every time
- Guest stars include Renee, Robin, King, Kevin, and occasionally Nicky and Aaron
- @/BetsyTheBee shows up in chat sometimes and no one knows who the fuck it is, but he thinks it’s funny so he waits till people start asking if they’re dating to tell them she is literally his therapist and basically his mother.
- Streams and posts lengthy, unedited content (bc he’s lazy, but he says it’s because his editor sucks. No one knows who it is. It’s Neil. Neil did not sign up for this responsibility.)
- Rock music constantly in the background
- Occasionally does a crime podcast with various Foxes, called Gravedigger -The High Road To No One
- Constantly the victim of copyright strikes, thanks to his posters, music, and shirts, and he wins every time. Constantly claims it’s the reason he chose to major in Criminal Law (or whatever it was, cheeky little shit)
- He purposely holds his controller weird when he uses one to piss people off
- Coffee. Just, so much coffee.
- Cries at the end of Rrdr2
Neil (@TheFoxSaysNJos10)
- Semi-professional channel, in which it was supposed to be professional but the PR managers had to fight Neil’s loud mouth and lost
- Constantly argues with chat (His mods, Allison, Matt, Dan, and occasionally Andrew ((undercover)), have to block so many people bc they actually try and start shit over his jokes. Not because Neil cared that they were insulting him, but because if they mentioned the Foxes he’d fucking kill them. And get away with it.)
- Professional exy player for Pro Palmetto State Foxes, Coached by Dan and Captained by Kevin Day (you can’t @ me I’ll die on this hill)
- Promotes stuff for the team by wearing/using it on stream/in interviews/events. To this day, it’s a mystery how no one realizes he wore Andrew’s hoodie three consecutive interviews in a row, his sweatpants in another, and Andrew’s stuff is literally all over his apartment (from random visits, made up of broken traffic laws and horrific gas prices)
- His poor, poor PR managers. ManagerS. There’s more than one. The trauma is too powerful
- Clips from exy games, interviews, and practice (Him and the Foxes sometimes react to compilations, from fails, funnies, and fights)
- Every time someone asks about his scars his story gets more ridiculous. He got smacked in the face with a flying jellyfish at the zoo when he was seven. He became self-aware before he was born and took a chunk out of god’s hand, so he was cursed. He tripped on a crack and broke his mother’s back. Neil what the fuck
- Collabs with Kevin’s conspiracy channel, posted at three in the morning somehow everywhere? There are a million mugs on the desk. Are they in a news station? A single light is on? What are they trying to summon???
- When he does post gaming videos, they have like a millions cuts thanks to all of his cursing, to the point that people think they’re actually just clips of him playing the same game
- He does randomly stream, which is beyond the power of professionalism
- He normally plays shooter games, and is deathly attached to Halo.
- No one wants to play multiplayer with him, though, even online strangers, because his insults are unnervingly accurate. How did you know I have forty eight tea cans on my desk. Lurking. Jail
- Sir!! He once devotes an entire three hour stream to playing games with Sir, to the point that he occasionally does Sir Sundays
- Plays random games out of nowhere (Wobbledogs, puzzle games, literal board games that he drags others into)
- Neil doesn’t get a mic on his headphones bc he’s too loud.
- Their fans constantly ask for Andrew and Neil to collab, thinking it’ll be a total bomb show, since they haven’t talked since college and they hated each other
- Because they are completely unaware of the fact that Andrew and Neil have been married since their third year of professional exy, thanks to one too many unauthorized hospital visits
- And no one knows that they’re waiting for Andrew’s five-year contract with the New York Lions to expire so he can move in with Neil back in Columbia and become a co-coach for the professional Foxes
- All the while, Andrew is helping Renee with a Shelter For Homeless And Troubled Youth, called The Fox Den.
84 notes · View notes
whosscruffylooking · 3 years
Text
The Purest Things-Something There
Warnings: Mentions of murder. Canon-typical violence.
Word Count: 2.5k
a/n: i am so beyond sorry that it has taken this long to get another chapter out. this doesn’t follow my post schedule that i had previously given, but hopefully this can be a good place holder till later this week. 
The Purest Things Masterlist
May 2008
Tumblr media
Bookend: "It took me quite a long time to develop a voice, and now that I have it, I am not going to be silent." -Madeleine Albright
"There's no way I'm doing that," you rebuttal, "Hotch? Tell them it's a ridiculous idea." He stays silent, but his mouth twitches slightly.
Oh, you son of a-
"Richards is a classic narcissist. The challenge of facing a tough, fearless, and intelligent woman will give him his high. Narcissists are drawn to goal-oriented women, women who are resilient, adaptable, yet decisive. Show him that you are a good listener, but don't praise him."
"Think of him like a wild animal," Spencer adds, "You don't feed zoo animals because they are unpredictable. Remember, narcissists have an extraordinary sense of self, and when you praise his ego, you enable his unstable and feeble mind. He doesn't hear praise; he hears how much better he is than you. If you don't feed the beast, he won't have the stamina to combat your confidence later."
"Once you disarm him, I'll come in and challenge his confidence," Hotch concludes. 
Could you have said that less attractively? That would have been more helpful.
Aaron cheekily smirks as if reading your mind but quickly looks away. You wish you didn't blush so fast-that you had some sense to keep your emotions to yourself. In a second, your cheeks are rosy, and you are convinced that everyone in the room can perceive your feelings as if you wrote them on little notes and passed them around.
You grunt and roll your eyes, "I hate all of you."
Derek snaps his fingers at you, "Lose the jacket."
"All men are pigs," you spit while removing your blazer, leaving you in a fitted tank top and your tight-legged jeans that hug your curves in all of the right places.
Derek wolf whistles at you, and you hurl your jacket at him.  Aaron lets his eyes slide up and down your body, his gaze lasting longer than it should. He swears that as you stride into the interrogation room, your hips swing a bit farther side to side than usual. It is the very action that radiates courage, a mind coupled perfectly with itself and the world around it, concentrated and solemn.
Typically, Hotch would divert the task of adulating a narcissist to Prentiss, but he knows if anyone can take command of someone's attention, it's you. How does he know? Because you captivate him far more often than he cares to admit, defying his very being with every interaction. You are a secret weapon that he wants to keep concealed until you can allow your talents to shine genuinely. Aaron knows that now is your moment. ++++ "What is it that I am being accused of? Fraud? Embezzling?" The sharp-dressed businessman questions; his gaze is straying further below your eyes than you care for.
Pig.
You throw a file down on the medal table, and it slides across, stopping right in front of the man, successfully redirecting his stare somewhere other than your chest.
"Try murder."
His eyes widen, "You're joking. Come on, where are the hidden cameras? I'm ready for you to yell candid camera now! I am Milton Richards, for god's sake!"
"I don't know!" You shrug your shoulders. "Why don't you explain this to me, Mr. Richards. I'm just as confused as you are. What reason could a successful, charming, handsome, wealthy business mogul like yourself possibly have to kill someone?"
"Oh please," Richards scoffs, "This isn't an interrogation. You've already pegged me as guilty."
"I don't agree, but you have the right to feel how you feel."
He purses his lips, leaning as far away from you as physically possible while handcuffed to the table.
"Milton, why did you try to escape a moving vehicle when my team apprehended you?"
"Just felt like it, I guess," he shrugs mockingly.
"So, something just randomly compelled you to flee the custody of a federal agent?"
Richards leers at you. You stand up and walk around the table, leaning down next to him, "I get it. I do. You're a suave, wealthy, and ruthless business tyrant. You have to cover your tracks-do what it takes to survive."
He raises his eyebrow, turning to face you, your faces mere inches from each other. I got you now.
"Trust me. I know probably better than anyone what it takes to maintain a position you fought your entire life for. I'm a woman; I had to claw my way into the F.B.I. Do you think it's easy being surrounded by a team filled with uncontrolled testosterone? Womanhood requires balls; I see you keep your balls in your pants, cool, cool. Mine are on my chest, up top. As you've so duly noticed."
His eyes flicker to the aforementioned area, and you restrain yourself from gagging.
"And you know what, Richards? I use them every day of my life. Because in my line of business, sometimes I have to take the backdoor to get things done. Why do I get the sense that you were the same way before you became Mr. Wolf of Wall Street? How else does a kid who grew up in the projects become a multi-millionaire mogul by 27?"
"We both know what the other is capable of. C'mon, let's show each other a bit of respect here. No games, let's be upfront with each other," you appeal. ++++ Aaron watches as you work the room like it is your stage. You play the part perfectly.  He admires your ability to absorb things and then responded rather than immediately react to douse firey circumstances rather than add to the flames.
Derek finds himself next to Aaron, smugly observing Aaron's visible fascination with you.
"She's fantastic, Hotch," Derek beams with pride. Hotch holds his breath behind pursed lips in an attempt to barricade himself from the feelings of foolish jealousy he feels creeping up.
I know she is. I think I recognize it a little too well.
Aaron knows that Derek will be scrutinizing his reaction to the commendation and refrains from responding.
Of course, Derek reads this lack of a reaction as a response itself. And he finds it strangely amusing. ++++ "Here's what I think happened," you twirl your finger around the manilla file, "I think you were having some money troubles and your top investors caught onto your little games. When you sat down, you volunteered the crimes fraud and embezzlement as reasons you assumed we brought you into custody. You listed them like they are apparent reasons for us to charge you. Those are two areas you are clearly willing to take the fall for and have cause to oblige by."
Opening the file, a photograph is revealed within of a murder victim. Richards shifts uncomfortably in his seat, stifling a cough.
"Do you know this man?"
"N-no," he claims as his eyes flutter from the photo to his hands.
Surprised by his blatant tell, you glance back at the two-way mirror.
Turning back to the suspect with a newfound spark in your eyes, you press harder, "Strike one. Try again."
"Excuse me?"
"The man in the image is Walter Barone, the C.E.O. of Jameson Whitely Associates...your accounting firm. Your company was going bankrupt, Milton. There was nowhere left for you to turn. So, do you want to try that again? This time, answer my questions directly and honestly."
"Walt had a reserve saved for me worth $5 million. Last week when I approached him about dipping into the fund to keep the company afloat, he withheld it. I wouldn't kill him for it, though."
"Well, see, that's the problem here, Milton. When he was found, that little reserve of yours was nowhere to be found. Naturally, you can assume where my mind goes when I try and put two and two together, right?"
"I told you," he says, clearly provoked by your accusation, "I wouldn't...didn't kill him."
"Wasn't it you, in your book, right? Who said, 'It's surprising what a man will do when properly motivated?' I don't know about you, but losing everything you'd ever worked for and having your one saving grace held from you seems like pretty good motivation."
Silence. "Oh, come on, Milton, now is not the time to act so arrogant!"
He slams his fists on the table; you abstain from being startled in an attempt to show him no fear.
Wild animals can smell fear. 
"Arrogant, huh? Why don't you step up and prove me wrong? Prove you're better than me. You despise me for being successful; I despise you for your assumption that you could waltz in here like a tramp and seduce me into giving myself up. What? Too harsh? I'm not sure you and I are even the same species."
Hotch bursts into the room, and you quickly signal for him to stand down. I've got this.
He gives you a prideful wink. I know you do.
Somehow Aaron being in the room gives you that last little push to conclude this grand performance of yours. Slowly, you begin clapping dramatically for his little one-person comedy act. He certainly knows how to play the fool.
"Is that a dare? Challenge accepted. Your entire life, you have suffered from a disease... a fragile ego. You have built these walls of detachment so that you can conveniently solicit status to hide your true, weak self. You lash out because you feel it compensates for your insecurities."  
"The truth is, despite being at the top of the corporate chain, every day you lead the life of a loser. You are willing to destroy people psychically, emotionally, and mentally. And you view that as a cause for celebration. You are the embodiment of a loser and abject failure."
Hotch touches the small of your back; you shiver at the sudden warmth that fills your body in reaction to it. He hands you a piece of paper, one that seals Richards' conviction.
"Milton Richards, you are under arrest for the murder of Walter Barone, Hank Simmons, Frankie Lisbon, and Jillian Ryder."
Hotch motions for you to do the honors.
"By all means, lead the way."
Holding yourself proud and tall, you waltz over to Milton and hoist him out of his chair. Inclining your lips to his ear, you tell him contemptuously, "You lose."   ++++ "Way to go, superstar! You had us all on the edge of our seats," Derek says, wrapping his muscular arms around you. You breathe in his cologne and savor the sensation of being in his arms.
Since the day you met Morgan, you've felt a draw to him. Not in a romantic way, though you proudly admit he is hands-down one of the most gorgeous men to set foot on earth. He gives you the feeling of safety, warmth, and brotherly love. His hugs rejuvenate you after a long day of work, and you see to it that neither of you leaves the office without receiving your signature embraces.
Aaron observes you and Derek's shared embrace from the shelter of his office. Before he can comprehend his movements, his legs carry him to the terrace overlooking the bullpen.
What do you think you're doing, Hotch? Pull yourself together. They’re friends. Just like you and her are.
Dismissing his inner voice of reason, he calls out to you, "Y/L/N. See me in my office."
You grimace at his tone of voice but abide by his request.
Derek chuckles, "Green is not that man's color."
"What?" You turn to him, confused.
"Goodnight, superstar."
"Night, handsome," you blow him a kiss, trying to brush his comment out of your mind.  ++++ "You summoned?"
Aaron's whiskey-colored eyes meet yours. The tempo of your heart quickens like a metronome.
"You did a phenomenal job in there."
"I've learned from the best." You. I've learned from you.
He clears his throat, "Those things you said...a-about the men on this team. Is that how you truly feel?"
Shocked by his willingness to believe such a misleading statement, you gasp and close the distance between the two of you.
You must have some nerve to believe that I would ever view you as anything other than the most upstanding man I've ever met.
"Aaron, what I said in there is further than the truth than I would have liked to have strayed. In fact, it was with you that I finally felt equal as a human being-like someone recognized me for my intellect and self-worth. A woman can't acquire that regardless of how 'equal' this world claims to be."
Aaron finds himself lost in your eyes, absorbing every meaning behind your words.
"It was a freeing feeling having someone I respect so highly show me similar respect."
No. Don't stop talking. Please. Hotch blushes at his inner monologue, incapable of comprehending precisely what kind of influence you hold on him.  
"Anyway," you laugh, brushing away a strand of hair that had fallen in your face, "Sorry for my little tangent."
"No," Hotch interjects firmly, "Never apologize for expressing your feelings. I assured you last year that I'll always be available as a sounding board for you. That offer still stands."
Your gaze softens as you study him, his intentions, his mannerisms. He notices your pupils dilate, and it commences a chain reaction within his veins. To him, it's not the fact that you radiate beauty on the outside. Sure, you are physically fit and put in the effort to maintain your appearance. Naturally, that would be why someone like Derek Morgan would have you on his radar.
But, Aaron has gradually grown accustomed to the kindness that you seem to reserve just for him. He sees the differences between how you act around the team versus when you step inside his office or are alone in the car with him, even the way your confidence elevates when he walks into the interrogation room.
These differences aren't unique to just you, though. Aaron notices the same changes in himself when he is around you. Never did he expect to go home from work and lie in bed thinking about the way your eyes strayed on his for a moment too long, or how as he completed paperwork at his desk, he'd replay in his mind a cheesy joke you told the team. He knows how you like your coffee from observing you in the break room one too many times.
One cream, two sugars.
Your laughter warms his body from the inside out. When you talk about your favorite comic book with Prentiss and Morgan, the twinkle in your eye never fails to bring a smile to his face. He knows that you hate getting out of the car when it rains because your perfectly straightened hair that you spent god knows how long on will undoubtedly curl.
His changes were less evident on the outside. But, he knew that deep down, there is something there that wasn't there before.
Tag List:
@chellybear98 @destiny-tsukino @wanniiieeee @sweetiecake180 @vampiracontessa @weexinling @spaghetti-dad187 @hothskies @star-stuff-in-the-cosmos @mac99martin @clairedragonessbaker @cecemariee7302 @halloweenwithreid @megans-txmblr @theoldestguard @purpledragonturtles @chazubagi @frogrrylovebot @agentaaronhotass @obsssedwithjustaboutanything @ssagube @enilledam @yougottalovefandoms @kenzies-mr-j @chazubagi @softhetixx @peachyotps @cat11-2 @prettylittlemoonlight @ravenmoore14 @gubs-boobs @spencerreidsoulmate @totalmess191 @yoshigguk @hopelesslylosttheway @britishspidey @timelesstay @averyhotchner @kyliesalvatore
177 notes · View notes
fan4196 · 3 years
Text
Happiness (Part 3)
Evermore
Hey everyone here’s part 3, the last part, as requested by so many of you. Hope you like it. Enjoy!
-
After they dropped Izzie of at the hospital to see her mother alone at first, Jo convinced Alex to drive them to the loft and order some lunch. The twins were already sleepy from the flight and also jet lagged, so Alex gave in and drove them to the place he once called home instead of driving them around city, looking for a hotel to stay at.
As soon as they walked through the loft door, Alex has this weird feeling of being home again. It feels like the place where he belongs, the place he once thought he would start a family with Jo in - now he sort of does but he also feels like a complete stranger. Like he shouldn't be here. Like he shouldn't be allowed to feel like home here.
He immediately notices the missing of all their pictures. The corner were is workout stuff used to be holds two cribs and a changing table now. Most of the stuff he once brought into the loft is gone. Jo's closet is half empty and all in all it just doesn't look like it used to.
All of them get rid of their shoes and jackets and Jo prepares the bed for the twins, so they could take a nap. She and Alex sat on the couch talking until the twins woke up again and they ordered pizza.
The evening went over rather quickly with them watching movies and playing games. Heavy hearted the twins said goodbye to their new friend Jo, but got immediately excited again when she promised to accompany them at the zoo tomorrow.
Exhausted Jo falls into bed that night. Letting the day reminisce. She's really relieved that the twins immediately liked her and also that Alex is back or at least near. It makes her feel safer, to know that if something would happen now Alex is only a fifteen minutes drive away and not a three and a half hours flight. Although her due date is still seven weeks away, you just never know.
-
For Alex the next morning starts quite early - like almost every day with the twins but today they are extra excited. From getting them dressed, through breakfast and through out the whole car ride to the loft, they couldn't stop talking and asking about Jo.
They pick Jo up from the loft and Alex drives them to the zoo. The twins chat happily with Jo and sing along to the Taylor Swift songs she plays for them. Alex is quiet the whole car ride, smiling and thinking about how this right here is everything he ever wanted - a family with Jo.
At the zoo they start with the otter as requested by the twins. They walk the big round, looking at all the animals before then decide to take a break at the playground.
While the twins play and show Jo their skills at the monkeybars, Alex sits down on one of the benches from where he has a good few at them.
"Are they all yours?" An old man that sat down on the bench with Alex a few minutes ago asks all of a sudden.
"Yeah." Alex answers simply with a toothless smile, not really in the mood to explain his family constellation to a complete stranger.
"If an old man can give you an advise, try to keep them as happy as they are right now. If they are happy you are happy." He says before he stands up again and walks away.
"I see while I was gone you made a new friend your age." Jo jokes as she comes towards him and sits down on the bench.
"Shut up." He snorts, keeping his eyes on the twins.
"Never." She mocks, laughing at the sulky look on his face.
They sit in silence watching the twins play for a while, when out of nowhere Jo grabs Alex's leg and doubles over in pain.
"Jo what is it? Are you in pain? Jo talk to me!" Alex immediately asks concerned, grabbing her hand that's on his thigh, while his other hand strokes her back.
"I think I'm having contractions." Jo answers as the pain subsides and she sits up straight again.
"Since when?" He asks worried, not letting go of her hand while he's also not taking his eyes off of her.
"This morning?" She answers a little quieter, looking away to escape his look.
"What?"
"I'm having braxton hicks since probably a week. I saw Carina and she said everything was alright. But I don't think that those are braxton hicks, this one was way stronger and it hurt a lot more." She answers, trying to take deep breaths to calm herself down. Alex hand on hers was helping a little bit.
"Ok. Ahm we can do this. We're gonna get you to the hospital. Can you walk?" He asks before he gets up from the bench, holding his hands out to help her up.
"Yeah." Jo answers, taking both of his hands and letting him pull her up.
"Ok. Alexis! Eli! Come here! We need to go!" He screams in the twins direction, waving at them.
"Noo, Daddy." His daughter immediately complains from the sandpit.
"Yes. No complaints we need to take Jo to the hospital now!" He shouts again.
The twins know their dads serious voice so without further complaints they come running towards them and all of them make their way out of the zoo as fast as Jo can. Alex arm is around her to support her while walking and to stabalize her when another contraction hits.
"You're doing so good. Deep breaths." Alex whispers in her ear when they stop for another contraction break. His arms are around Jo, calmly stroking her back while her head is against his chest.
"It's way too early." She whispers a little out of breath from working through the contraction.
"I know. Let's get you to the hospital and see from there ok-" He says while her head still leans against his chest.
"Sir, Ma'am do you need help?" An older lady asks, coming up to them.
"No!" Alex immediately answers rather rudely which scares the lady off.
"Alex! They just wanted to be nice."
"They should mind their own god damn business." He answers "You good again?"
"Yeah." Jo nods and they keep walking, finally making their way out of the zoo.
"Ok you stay here with Jo and have an eye on her and I'm getting the car." Alex orders, already running off to get the car.
"Are the babies hurting you, Jojo?" Eli asks as he sits down beside Jo on the bench in front of the zoo.
"A little bit but it's fine. It's nothing you have to worry about, ok?" Jo assures him with a smile stroking his hair. "There's your dad. Come on."
They get up from the bench while Alex parks in front of them. He quickly gets out of the car to help Jo in the passenger seat and the twins buckling up in the backseats.
During their ride to the hospital the car is silent. The twins are completely quiet while Jo calmly works through her contractions and Alex tries to get them as fast but also as safe as possible to the hospital.
"Kiddos when we are at the hospital a nurse will take you to your mom, ok?" He explains to the twins, watching them nod in the rearview mirror.
"Ok daddy."
"Good." He takes his view from his kids and takes a quick look at Jo, "You ok?"
"Yeah." She smiles as he reaches for her hand to let her squeeze it during the next contraction.
"Ok unbuckle. I'm gonna get you in a second ok?" He tells Jo before he gets the twins inside where a nurse takes them to Izzie. He comes back with a wheelchair and helps Jo sitting down in it.
"Karev? You can't park here." Owen orders as he comes around the car, which is parked directly in front of the ER door.
"Jo's in labor!" Alex replies immediately, handing his key to Owen.
"Alright don't worry. Go get her admitted I'm gonna take care of your car."
"Thanks Owen." Alex screams as he pushes Jo into the ER.
"Stop!" Jo interrupts Alex before he can get them into the elevator, "Levi! Can you go to my place and get me my hospital bag it's right at the front door?" She stops the resident before he could walk past them.
"Are you in labor?" He asks totally surprised.
"Yes."
"Oh my god. Ahm- Of course. I still have my key."
"Thanks." Jo smiles, letting go of his arm so Alex can get them onto the elevator.
He pushes the number to the OB/Gyn floor and squads down in front of Jo, taking her hands in his.
"You're doing so good." He smiles up to her, his eyes softly looking at her.
"It's way too early." She whispers, trying to hold back tears while she keeps looking into his soft, brown eyes.
"It's not. You are 30 weeks which is far enough for them to survive. You kept them save as long as you could and once they're out I promise that I'll keep them save as long as they need, ok?" He assures her softly.
"I'm so glad you are here right now." She whispers.
"Me too."
The opening doors of the elevator interrupt their moment of intimacy and Alex gets her admitted and into a room.
"Jo, bambina I didn't expect you here so soon. Oh hello Doctor Karev." Carina DeLuca greets then as she walks into Jo's room.
"Hi Doctor DeLuca." Alex returns her greeting.
"Carina." She smiles at him, as she puts on a pair of gloves.
"Carina. Alex." He smiles back, taking Jo's clothes from her and puts them on the chair in corner.
"Ok let's see. Did your water already break, Jo?" Carina asks, getting the ultrasound machine ready.
"No- yes." Jo corrects her answer, as she feels the liquid running down her leg.
"Alright then there's no turning back now. Your bambino's want to come today. Can you lay down so I can do an ultrasound and check how far you are dialated?" She asks, getting everything ready.
Alex helps Jo on the bed and sits down on the chair beside her while Carina does the ultrasound and checks her.
"Your babies look great. They are both with their heads down which means we can try the vaginal birth you wanted." Carina smiles, taking off her gloves.
"Yes."
"Perfecto. I'll give you an IV with fluids and something to develop their little lungs and then we'll see. You are seven centimeters so you'll have a little more to go." Carina informs them before she gets the ultrasound machine to take it with her again.
"Thank you Carina." Alex smiles at the OB as he gets up to help Jo sit up again.
"Of course. I'll send a nurse for your IV and check on you in an hour."
"Thank you." Jo smiles.
Carina pads Alexs shoulder before she leaves the two alone again.
"If you need to get the twins or something you can go, I'm fine." Jo turns to Alex.
"Hell no I'm not leaving your side again. Izzie can take care of them for once." He replies, sitting down in his chair again.
"What do you mean?"
"Since the day I got there she plays the 'You missed five years of their life' card which means I have them 24/7 and she doesn't give a shit about them. Don't get me wrong I love my kids but Izzie couldn't care less. She's happy when they are at school or at a friends house and she doesn't have to deal with them all day. Why do you think she has this big ass farm with a hundred animals and a nanny? Just so they can run around outside and she has her quiet inside the house." He vents, laying his head back agains the headrest of the chair.
"So you have them all the time?"
"Yeah they basically live at my place and visit Izzie when she's free on the weekends."
Jo had heard enough, with Alex's help she gets up from the bed and sits down on one of the yoga balls. Closing her eyes and thinking about everything Alex just told her. 
The next few hours go by quietly. Carina checks on Jo every hour and Alex tries to help Jo whenever she needs it.
"I'm thinking about moving here again." Alex voice breaks the silence from his new place on the bed, "Would that be ok with you?"
"What?" She asks again, opening her eyes to be sure he really said what he said.
"I wanna be closer to you and our babies. I wanna see them growing up, Jo. I already missed the first five years once and I don't wanna miss them again. I wanna be their dad - who is around, who is there for their their first words and their first steps. I wanna change dirty diapers and get puked on, I wanna take them to daddy and me classes, I wanna have the whole damn thing - if you'll let me." He finishes, waiting for her answer, "Jo?"
He gets up from the bed and walks to her. Seeing that her eyes are closed, he takes her hands.
"I need to push."
-
An hour later their beautiful babies are born.
Small but healthy. They need a little help with their breathing but other than that they are both perfectly fine.
Jo has Emery on her chest, Alex has Parker for a little skin to skin time. They are all four curled up on the hospital bed - happier than they ever believed they could be.
"They are so perfect Jo." Alex whispers, watching his son and daughter sleeping peacefully.
"They really are." She smiles towards Alex, "And yes."
"Yes what?" He asks, now looking at Jo.
"You can have the whole damn thing if you want but only if I'll get the whole damn thing with your twins too." She throws him a toothless smile.
"Are you saying-"
"I'm saying after all I still love you and I wanna do this with you. I'll probably need a little more time to fully trust you again but I want them to have their dad around." She nods, not interrupting their stare.
"Thank you." He really doesn't know what other to say.
They get interrupt by a knock and the door opening.
"I'm so sorry Jo that it took this long. I got pulled into a surgery with Bailey- Oh my god you had the babies." Levi stops in this movement.
"Thanks Levi." Jo smiles at him.
"Sure. They are perfect, Jo. Congratulations."
He smiles at them before he puts the bag down at the door and leaves the four alone again.
"How come you call him Levi?" Alex asks interested, watching her carefully.
"He was my roommate for a while right after you left." She answers, carefully stroking her daughters rosy cheek.
"Oh-"
"And Taryn too." She adds, taking her glance of her daughter now looking at him again.
"Who?" He asks, scrunching his nose as he returns her glance.
"Helm."
"Oh ok."
Another knock at the door interrupts them. This time it's one of the nurses.
"Are you up for some visitors?" She asks carefully before she opens the door completely as Jo nods. And the twins come into the room.
"Hey guys. Come on in." Alex assures them as they are a little careful. But within a minute they are on the bed with the rest.
"Eli, Alexis those are Emery and Parker." Alex announces with the biggest smile an his face. Right in this moment he was the happiest man alive.
"They are so tiny." His daughter marvels over her little siblings. Scooting closer to her dad to have a better look at her new baby brother.
"They are." Jo laughs at the twins reaction.
"But they are soo cute." Eli adds, scooting a little closer to Jo to get an even better look.
"Right? Don't you think that Parker looks just like your daddy?" Jo asks, pulling the blanket a little from Parker's face so the twins have a better few.
"A little." Alexis agrees with a nod.
"Can we hold them?" Eli asks excited, scooting even closer to Jo.
"Sure. Are you guys strong enough to get me this bag?" Jo asks them, ponying towards the bag Levi just brought.
"I'll get it."
"Thank you, Eli. Let's get them dressed then you can hold them ok?"
The twins nod before they help Jo dressing Emery and Parker. When the smallest Karevs are dressed Jo gets something else out of the bag and hands one to Alex.
"I think you were right about their heads. These are a little big now but just think about their heads if they would have been full term."
"Where do you have those from?" Alex looks at the little hat in his hand, before he looks at Jo.
"Your mom send them."
"You're still in touch with my mom?" He blankly.
"Yeah. And Amber and Matt. And I finally met Aaron too-"
"When?" He asks quite surprised.
"Well your mom invited me to Easter and Amber, Matt, the kids and Aaron where there too."
"We would have been there too but the twins were sick," Alex gasps, looking at Jo.
"Well now we're all gonna be there for Christmas." Jo smiles at him.
"We will." He smiles back.
37 notes · View notes
ghostdrew22 · 3 years
Note
Draco admires you with your kids and their friends
SOFT || Draco Malfoy
Requested: Yes Pairing: post-war Draco Malfoy x fem!reader Warnings: one minor injury that involves blood but other than that, nothing!
WORDS : 1767
~
“Cass, come on, please put that down?” Draco asks with an exasperated tone as he runs after your daughter- who’s running around the living room with an evil giggle. “Scorpius, don’t you dare-“
Draco gets cut off by the sound of glass shattering as your son, Scorpius, and his friend, Liam, drop a vase off the table. He stops mid-run and sighs heavily as he runs his hands down his face.
Draco has always wanted children. For as long as he can remember he’s wanted children so that he could fill the gaping hole that was left by the lack of affection from his father. But that same hole, that very same resulting trauma, has always made him think that he just can’t do it, that he’ll end up exactly like his own father. And it’s always moments like these that make him doubt his abilities, moments like these that make him wonder if in comparison to his own father he’s too soft.
Draco would’ve never gotten away with half the stuff that your children do at this age, but also he never really had much of a childhood anyway. In a way, being a stay-at-home dad helps him make up for that and recover long lost moments of adolescence that he never had the opportunity to experience. Moments like this, in which he has to chase around your chaotic children and try not to get drunk on the sound of their elated and mischievous giggles, that he still doesn’t know if he’s earned it yet, despite the fact that he’s become a teddy bear in comparison to his own father.
The first time the two of you had discussed children you’d both agreed that one of you would be a stay-at-home parent, and at the time you’d been happy to follow in your mother’s footsteps and volunteer for the role. But then you fell pregnant and hesitated to submit your resignation papers so, in a moment of rushed and haphazard courage, Draco resigned instead and fully committed to the stay-at-home dad lifestyle, despite his perpetual fear of failure, so that you could have the advantage of both motherhood and a successful career. Draco hated his ministry job and you, paradoxically, did not- it was a win-win situation.
So now he stands in your living room, wearing an apron with your daughter’s favourite tv character on it, feeling very exasperated and out of sorts at the overwhelming responsibility of having to supervise your children’s playdates.
You walk into the living room and take in the scene- Cass, holding one of Draco’s old academic trophies as her and Jade run around with paint on their faces, and the boys wrestling on the ground, awkwardly close to the remnants of a broken vase- stopping behind your husband to wrap your arms around his waist and plop a kiss up onto his cheek. He softens into your touch and turns to kiss the side of your forehead before you sink off your tiptoes and onto the heels of your feet. “Need some help?”
To say that your twins are a handful would be an understatement, now add to that two other children with just as much chaotic energy? An absolute disaster. You’d told Draco that taking them to the zoo or the park for the playdate would’ve been a better idea but he insisted on celebrating the twin’s birthday at home and you’d obliged to his wishes. Now, he regrets not listening to you.
“If you don’t mind, that would be great.” He pouts at you and you laugh lightly at his frustration.
“Boys, break it up. Girls, freeze right now.” All the kids halt their movements and quickly turn their heads to face you with wide eyes, “There’s a cake that needs to be cut up and eaten in the next thirty minutes but I don’t think you have earned it.”
“No, we have!”
“Please mum? We’ve been good!”
Draco scoffs at your daughter’s blatant lie of having been good and you bite back a smile. “I’m sure you have, but if you really want the cake then I’m going to need you all to play a couple of games of hide and seek outside first. The winner gets the biggest slice.”
They all squeal in excitement and hurry to run out to the garden so that they can play. You quickly mutter a charm to repair the vase and turn to your husband who’s looking at you with a mixture of exhaustion and adoration.
“You’re my saviour.” He breathes out and you smile, “Somehow you spend less time with them and still manage to handle them better.”
“A mother’s touch love.” You giggle and give him a quick peck.
“I wish this mother would touch me.” He hints as he pulls you in by the waist with a grin.
“You’re so-“
A sharp cry from down the hall cuts you off and you both sigh. “I’ll go get him.” You reply.
“I’ll get the cake ready.”
~
The kids all come running into the kitchen excitedly at the sound of your voice calling for them to get cake. You smile at the sound of their giggles erupting into the kitchen as you play with the recently awoken baby in your arms, but your smile is gone as quick as it came at the sound of a light yelp and cry coming from one of the older kids.
Without missing a beat you rush toward the sound and find that it’s Jade harbouring a thin, but rather long, cut along the expanse of her leg and right below her knee. Draco can see that you’re moving to help her and he holds his hands out for the baby but you pay him no attention and, somehow, manage to lift the 8 year-old into your other arm and carry her up onto the kitchen counter- while still straddling your son on your hip.
“What happened sweetie?” You ask your friend’s daughter gently as you make to grab antiseptic, cotton wool and a bandage from under the sink- the place you and Draco had taken to storing them after the kids came back from playing outside with injuries one too many times.
“I think I scraped my leg against the edge of the little gate by the door.” She points toward the door that leads out to the garden and you nod in acknowledgement- knowing exactly which gate she’s referring to.
“Come here my little skittles, give mum some space to breathe.” Draco figures it’s best not to interrupt you and gestures for the other children to come toward him. They all shuffle their feet against the tile nervously as they keep their eyes trained on their friend.
“I’m so sorry love, we’ll make sure to get that fixed for next time you come over, yeah?” You ask her with furrowed eyebrows and she nods perkily. “This is going to hurt a bit, but I know that you’re a very brave girl so if you can close your eyes, count to ten for me and squeeze my hand that would be great.” She nods and follows your instructions- grabbing hold of your outstretched hand that sits underneath the baby’s bottom- while you dowse some cotton wool in antiseptic and drag it softly down the injury.
She winces but doesn’t cry, counting to ten as instructed and trying to focus on the promise of cake waiting or her, and soon enough you’ve already draped the bandage over her leg.
Draco watches the scene unfold with a look of admiration coating his features. It’s in this moment that he sees why you became an auror- no matter the situation you always present a fierce, prepared and oddly comforting energy- it’s one of the reasons he fell so deeply in love with you and it’s a quality of yours that he hopes both of your children will inherit.
“Thank you aunt Y/N.” She smiles up at you and your heart wrenches at the sight. You give her a kiss on the forehead and help her off the counter.
“You are very welcome, Jade. And I think you’ve earned the biggest slice of cake, what do you guys think?” You turn to the other children with an inquisitive gaze and they all nod quickly in agreement- wanting desperately to make their injured friend feel better. “Okay, bottoms in seats then!”
All the kids scramble to find seats around the table as you go about handing them each a plate with cake in it- making sure to give Jade the biggest slice. 
Draco knows that he should feel envious at how easily you get the kids to bend at your will despite the fact that he spends way more time with them, but all he can feel is an immense sense of love and pride swelling in his heart. He feels soft.
He knows that the ‘woman can have it all’ mantra is often misleading and impractical but the truth is that you can have it all. Somehow you juggle your family and work so well it almost looks flawless, and while he knows how hard you work to keep it all steady, he still always finds himself speechless at how well you do it. Even after spending countless nights reassuring you that you’re not a bad mother for wanting a career, he can’t seem to understand why you’d ever doubt your abilities when he watches you in action.
Badass auror in the papers, loving mother in the house and generous lover in the-
“Draco?”
“Oh, sorry love, did you say something?” He blinks back his thoughts and smiles down at you.
You tilt your head backwards in a laugh and move to hand your husband the baby, “I was asking what you want to get for dinner? Blaise and Luna are picking up Jade and Liam soon so I thought that maybe we could just order in for dinner tonight?”
“That sounds lovely actually, I’m not particularly interested in cooking or eating Flora’s burnt food.” He says with a grimace- referring to your very incompetent house elf.
“You really should fire her.”
“She’s got nowhere else to go.” He pouts and you roll your eyes.
“When did you become so soft?” You raise your eyebrows at him and he shrugs as he watches you speak sweetly to your son that he’s got in his arms.
In that moment he already knows the answer, he became so soft the minute you came into his life, and he wouldn’t want it any other way.
“I won hide and seek by the way, so that cake was rightfully mine.” Scorpius grumbles out- even though he wears the signature Malfoy grin on his lips- and you all laugh at his random outburst.
<~>
So there’s my first ever request! I hope I did it justice, it was a little difficult to put someone else’s vision down and into words but it was a really nice challenge and I’d like to do more so please feel free to request moreeee.
Jean <3
157 notes · View notes
steve0discusses · 3 years
Text
Yugioh S5 Ep 19: Yugi and the Only Neck Accessory He Didn’t Really Want to Wear
Been busy! Hopefully stuff will open up soon as I’m taking a hiatus on a different quarantine project and will be finishing painting the entire roof of my car this week? One can hope. Sanding the rust off the whole top of a car takes a long time it turns out?
Also, fun Yugioh fact, I recently painted a book cover for an author who is older so she’s never seen the show, and she looked at my tumblr, saw my Duke Devlin fanart and was like “That’s him. That’s my main character. OMG. You captured him perfectly!” and I was like “Ma’am that is Duke Devlin, hence the single dice earring on his lobes there, but we can work with this.” and now a spiritual Duke Devlin is on the cover of a Wuxia-style fantasy trilogy on the Vella. Had to give him a top knot and delete the eyeliner for Wuxia reasons but uh, that’s just Duke.
So long story short, fanart can get you work, don’t even worry about posting that stuff online because most people don’t even know it’s fanart anyway and older ladies freakin love it.
Back in Yugioh, the team was doing their best to navigate a map through the woods and they do about as well as they normally do.
Tumblr media
And inside Tristan lifted up the floorboards and was like “I found the only way out, this is it, this is the only way.”
Tumblr media
And they ended up in something that has a color scheme I would actually associate with a jungle. Finally. We have finally left California (in order to go to another Hell.)
Tumblr media
Youknow, when we went to California, we visited Hell, and when we went to India, we also took a stop at the nearest death destination. There’s just so much death on this show and sometimes I forget because there’s been a ghost in our party for so freakin long it’s been normalized.
(read more death imagery under the cut)
Joey freaks out at a flock of crows and reveals in this episode something I never realized about him before.
Tumblr media
Like I’m not always the perfect observer as I’m sure you’ve noticed, but I love that this is canon for probably only this episode, but I will never forget it for the entirety of this series.
You go on hating birds, Joey.
Bro was like “Maybe it’s a deep cut about Mai Valentine because she’s a harpy lady” but eh...pretty sure we spent like an entire season of Joey telling us that Mai was a good experience? Would be incredibly funny if immediately after all of S4, Joey was like “You know what? Screw Mai, guys.”
So my thoughts...it’s probably just a literal bird experience. Like I had a friend who hated deer because once she went to a petting zoo, got some pellets to feed the deer, but her finger was sticking up, so when the deer came over to nibble on some pellets her finger went up it’s nose by accident. She was so disgusted by this event that was entirely her fault, that she brought up how much she hated deer basically whenever we saw one.
So like...maybe Joey fed a bird wrong at a petting zoo. I can see him getting bit by a parrot because he was too Joey Wheeler.
But now that we’re in a graveyard neighborhood, Pharaoh decides to hop out because there’s a lot of ghosts here and he needs to practice socializing with his peers.
Tumblr media Tumblr media
So that’s just a Yugioh monster doing the ostrich dance, right? Like this is a meme from like 2010 but on Yugioh in 2003(4?)
Good to see the Ostrich dance here in the land before Vine.
Tumblr media
So they pull out their Pokemon to do some antics, Tea looked like she was about to do something useful, and Yami does a yump across time and space to get her as far away from playing (not)cards as quickly as possible and y’all...sure was a position these animators animated.
Tumblr media
Holy crap.
And I was going off about that scene last season where they woke up in the same bed like...
...have these two been together this entire time? Like together together?
They’re like...way more comfortable than you’d figure they’d be considering Yugi nearly passes out every time he gets a hug. But Yami just like....How long has this been going on? As long as Joey’s fear of birds?
Like obviously this show would never cover what the hell Yugi may be thinking about this overreaching move here, because we’re gonna gloss right over that, and just run away up a flight of stairs. No one mentions this ever again. Which is mind blowing for an anime to do. I think in most anime I watch, the kids would be like “ahh ahhhh I bumped into a booooob!” like it does for I want to say every other episode of My Hero Academia. But in Yugioh, they saw that low hanging fruit and they were like “we expect a higher level of maturity out of our audience. Now here’s a fleet of ostrich dancing tree monsters with faces for crotches.”
Tumblr media
They decided to sprint up this flight of stairs, and it enough of a slope to deter the monsters who are only unbalanced weird legs.
I want us to take a moment and admire this background painting. I can’t unsee the rocks that are all the same size, just piled on top of eachother. Did Alexander the Great just plop rocks here--or was the mountain made up of tons of similarly shaped boulders?
Like there’s a lot of nice bg’s in this arc, don’t get me wrong, but this one...I’m just trying to wrap my head around the logic of it.
Tumblr media
At the top, they meet a pantheon, that is immediately blocked by this wall, because if this arc had a tagline, it’s “Yugi gets inconvenienced every 4 seconds.”
Tumblr media
Bro was like “Clearly they would have pushed it over if Tea wasn’t slacking off” and like...she is actually. Look at her. Only used one hand? Slacker.
Joey was disappointed he couldn’t push over a massive wall, and the team decided not to analyze how much Joey Wheeler thinks of his own strength and instead fixate on these statues.
Tumblr media Tumblr media
Usually in anthro characters they kinda look birdlike but act human. But what about an anthro that’s just a bird? Like human torso, but can turn his head 180 degrees? Yugioh made me ask this question.
And then Joey was like “wait, there may be a solution that isn’t just to use brute strength!”
Tumblr media Tumblr media
Youknow it is a bummer that Kaiba couldn’t witness Joey own a dragon while he himself only has a robot jet dragon. Although, the jet is probably faster, stronger and overall...better than this baby dragon. It would have been great for Kaiba to witness Joey under-utilize this dragon and forget he has it for like huge swatches of the episode.
And then Grandpa pulled some body horror out of nowhere.
Tumblr media
Wow.
I mean that is really gross.
I guess Grandpa can’t use Blue eyes, because Kaiba ripped it up, Grandpa can’t use Exodia because Weevil tossed it off a boat, and grandpa can’t use the card that’s just a building because...it’s a building.
So instead Grandpa has a bunch of meat and bones that look like something out of Doom. It’s probably from a more obscure Konami property, but I forget which.
Tumblr media
I’ve seen Tristan hold back Joey in this hold, first time it’s been Tea.
So much shipping in this episode, it’s wild.
It’s also wild how low my standards are for what could possibly be shipping when it comes to Yugioh because of how freakin tepid all of these characters are, which as I’ve brought up before, I really don’t mind.
Tumblr media
So Yugi decides that because Grandpa was folding his arms like one monster and it made a gem light up or something, to just do the video game thing and use the giant ass statues as clues.
Tumblr media
Why was this arc not a video game? Like parts of it really feel like it was meant to be.
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
So Yugi falls down a hole, where the walls cave in like it’s that dumpster in Star Wars but like...it barely phases him.
Tumblr media
Also...Yugi might be able to see in the dark. It’s never been brought up but like...the more I think about it...has Yugi ever struggled to see without the lights on?
Tumblr media
After Joey disappoints everyone, he confronts death.
Tumblr media
And Pharaoh and Yugi decide to solve the puzzle of “how do I get out of this trap dungeon room” which, honestly, is probably what they’re doing every time they hang out in the brain pyramid.
Tumblr media
So they summon their mascot monster, and surprisingly the show decided its ability to fly cannot help them out here.
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
Kuriboh manages to become enough of a doormat to push Yami up to the stone and they end up in a set of weird cuts that ended in this?
Like seriously it was like flashes of light and then they were just...up here like this.
Tumblr media
Hey like...
Alexander the Great, my man...
Were you planning to put that stone in the middle of a exhaust vent hoping someone would touch it? Because there’s no way anyone would rationally have done that. You would need to fly to do it. This is the world’s worst DM.
Like Yugioh pulls a lot of fantasy nonsense but this arc is a lot more like a “it’s a kid’s show, just go with it.” arc than most of them. It’s not a bad vibe, necessarily, it’s just not the vibe I’m used to.
Tumblr media
So once I witnessed maybe the most boring conversation I’ve ever witnessed about corn (this was on a twitch stream, by the way, a guy was playing an interesting game, and then a guest came on and started talking about corn and plants for 2 hours) and they would not shut up about how all taxonomy is wrong because there are no such thing as trees and how all animals are labelled incorrectly, and then they started comparing it to like all sorts of mushrooms and phytoplankton as you would if you clearly got a little bit high before dumping your corn knowledge on a twitch stream.
Anyway, after that bizarre experience I suffered so I could learn how to play an obscure video game, I think I can safely say, that while I know everyone here thinks a bird can’t be a dog. If you’re a high biologist: a bird is absolutely a dog. Apparently you can just do that if you’re the most boring biologist alive and no one will argue with you because to do that would involve talking to you. We’ll just say a bird is a dog and no one can fight me or I will talk about the corn book that this guest on this twitch chat was thinking about renting from the library about the different types of corn mutations inherent in freakin Indiana. Therefore, Joey’s fear of birds and dogs is same.
So they use Dark Magician to save them from the statues, and Yugi busts into the pantheon again because they got to open this casket before a time limit that I kind of forgot about, tbh.
Tumblr media
And inside the casket, is...this thing!
Tumblr media
(enjoy this line on the bottom of the image I don’t feel like fixing it)
And you may say to yourself...it looks like it’s just floating in mid-air, that’s silly, and so I want to introduce you to the next panel where you can see that it is...quite literally...just floating in the air like a video game.
Tumblr media Tumblr media
and it just slurps itself onto Yugi before he can be like “nonono.”
Tumblr media Tumblr media
Wasn’t there some horror movie where you were stuck in some sort of body brace that slowly tortures you (was that Saw?) This has that vibes. Like man that looks uncomfortable to wear over a jacket and two belts and a collar that is another belt.
That and I...I gotta appreciate that Yugi popped his collar while wearing body armor and chunky necklace. What 00′s fashion appreciation right there.
Bit like...this isn’t breathable, right? Like Yugi’s gonna finally take this thing off and his jacket will just be completely soaked in sweat?
Anyway, that’s it for this post, next week we’ll see if Yugi can walk through a doorway in that thing.
Also, I can’t bring up the ostrich dance without sharing the vines of my generation
youtube
27 notes · View notes
chemicalpink · 3 years
Text
512 ♡ Jung Hoseok
Tumblr media
Pairing: Hoseok x Reader
Words: 1.5k
Genre: fluff, kinda neighbours to lovers
Warnings: none
Summary: There's just something so captivating about the man living inside the apartment at the end of the hall, so what if there's a whole zoo inside your belly whenever you see him, at least there might be a chance to get with him, right?
A/N: Inspired by Selena Quintanilla's song el chico del apartamento 512, part of BCC Summer Games.
Tumblr media
You feel exhaustion taking over as you were making your way to your apartment building after being dropped off by a taxi, the way you always did, mind already deciding which movie to pick as you eat dinner, half a mind to really drag yourself all the way to the elevator, the modern, yet somehow overcrowded living complex giving you a sense of comfort and dread at the same time as you hear someone calling out your name.
“Y/N!” you turn your head towards the man, a cute guy by the name of Jungkook of whom you only knew two things for sure, one, he had the most obvious, yet somehow endearing, crush on you, making it a habit of waiting for you outside his own apartment just to greet you as soon as you got home, and two, that even though he was very cute, he was also considerably younger than you. You sighed to yourself, the same way it was customary for you now, turning towards him and smiling just a little bit, although to some it might have been a bit infuriating to go through such a routine on a daily basis, you just couldn’t seem to help to be friendly with the guy, knowing he’s never ill-meaning on his actions. As soon as you acknowledge his existence, you could clearly see him blush and immediately rush inside his home, having you giggle to yourself at his actions
Just a few more steps. A few more steps until you could comfortably be enveloped in a familiar warmth, munching off of whatever leftovers were on the fridge. Just a few more steps until “Y/N! How nice to see you around here!”
“Seokjin, we’ve been over this, I live here, you see me literally every day” you go for the arm had wrapped around your shoulders in the overly flirty way that he always seemed to greet you with whenever you two crossed paths, placing it back down on his side as he laughs your reaction off. The man had always been everything but subtle about his flirty ways, not that you were complaining really. Kim Seokjin was one hell of a man, not just visually, although you were soon to find out that his seemingly romantic advances were merely part of his own charming personality, Kim Seokjin, was as beautiful as he was afraid of commitment, so really you had just stuck by as friendly neighbours that would sometimes turn into drinking buddies.
“Yah, I just wanted to invite you over for dinner, I made kimchi fried rice and it’s so good” and really, it did sound nice, perfect even, Seokjin was one hell of a cook that almost never shared his delicacies and the man knew very well how to play his cards with you. As if the evening couldn’t get more eventful than that, the elevator doors ding open, a man walking out rearranging his black blazer as the world seemed to slow down, the light hitting the right places on his face to make him look even more handsome, hair pushed back, brilliant smile thrown your way as Seokjin acknowledges him “Hoseokie, going somewhere?”
“Oh yeah I’ve got this thing from work” Jung Hoseok, not that you were a stalker, since the two of you weren’t exactly formally introduced, but he lived on your same floor, a few doors down on apartment 512, your schedules didn’t quite overlap so it was a rare occurrence for you to run into him, although you very much treasured every small glimpse you could get of the man, really, it should be a crime not to see that much beauty on a daily basis. Your heart seems to stop beating for two seconds too long when he poses his eyes on you “Hi”
Your ears are ringing and you robotically say a polite goodbye to the man when he takes off, if years of friendship with Seokjin were anything to go by, you should really just skip the dinner invitation in favour of not being questioned any further about what had just happened. “So… someone’s got a massive crush”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about” you start your original path towards the elevator, forget homemade kimchi fried rice, it was definitely not worth the teasing that Kim Seokjin was capable of, although you might have underestimated his love for meddling with your life as he stops you right before you enter the lift, dragging you unceremoniously towards his apartment like a mother handling her petulant child. It really wasn’t worth the fight.
“I’ll even throw in a homemade bingsu if you spill all the tea” And you were a goner.
Apparently, Seokjin, that little social butterfly, has pretty much become Hoseok’s closest hyung ever since the man arrived at the building, and as soon as he heard your lovesick stories over him, and buckled down in laughter with tears coming out of his eyes, he dramatically pursed his lips saying something along the lines of having the right to remain silent. At least the free dinner was nice.
Surprisingly enough, your crush on Hoseok was a topic that wasn’t really talked about any further, most probably due to the fact that said man was nowhere to be seen, even if the holidays had so much as come around during summer, leaving you that much time to lounge around your apartment, deal with a one-sided lover boy and leech of off Seokin’s cooking skills.
“I’m just saying Y/N” your friend turns to look your way “don’t question me any further, but if you were to ask Hobi out, I’m sure he would say yes”
You groan for the umpteenth time, making a big fuss out of something that you had long deemed like something that was meant to just stay inside your head, so close to making you feel like you could reach it, yet so far away. “You don’t know that”
“I really don’t” Seokjin cough uncomfortably, straightening up on his seat the way he always did when something made him uncomfortable, the way he religiously seemed to be doing whenever you two talked about Hoseok, making you wonder just how much effort he was putting in not spilling his guts on whatever it was that he definitely knew but was adamant on telling you.
So perhaps Seokjin had hyped you up a little bit too much, whatever stratospheric ego he had, he had rubbed off on you, which was probably the reason as to why you were currently hyping yourself up in front of a mirror “Come on Y/N, you’ve got this” you whisper to yourself as you make sure your look is put together but not overly done either. After months of pinning over Hoseok, you were finally just going to go for it, what’s the worst that could happen? Probably a lot of things, you two lived on the same floor after all, so hopefully if he rejected you, it wouldn’t be too awkward when running into each other. Or when you got to use the elevator at once. He might even go ahead and try to evade you like the plague. But none of these thoughts were useful on the bright Sunday morning you woke up determined to make the day to finally ask him out.
You walked down the hall, all too aware of the fact that this was indeed happening. Your heart seemed to pick up its pace as soon as your eyes locked on the small golden number ‘512’ for a few seconds as you fixed your hair and just went for it. Your fist connected with the wood, knocking three times in a row, not too loud but loud enough for anyone inside to hear you clearly calling at the door. Your stomach seemed to get all warm and fuzzy as you heard the lock turn, only for that lovely feeling to turn into a need to contain your stomach contents and your heart seemed to break when an unfamiliar, and very much female face, answered the door. Of course, Hoseok had a girlfriend. What type of man that even remotely looked like he did would have done it single? Screw Seokjin and his stupid way of working your courage and hopes up to do this. He was most definitely going to pay for it. You took a deep breath in a futile attempt to calm yourself down when the girl spoke up “Oh..you must be looking for my brother”
42 notes · View notes
slutsofren · 3 years
Text
Danger Days Chapter 5: Skylines and Turnstiles
Tumblr media
summary:  arriving at the University of Eastern Colorado, things start pointing to an unwanted direction
warnings: little allusions to anxiety and awkardness, everybody is finally getting along (kinda), mild sexual tension,  reader is fucking horny
word count: 3,116
read on ao3 here / danger days masterlist
Tumblr media
You had been zoning out for about the last hour, only starting to pay attention as you saw the familiar red brick walls of the university. Joel had been droning on and on and on about football and the rules of the game, teaching it to Ellie and she lapped it all up excitedly. If there was one thing you had grown to love about the girl, it was her passion for knowledge, especially of the old world.
As they talked, you recalled your adventures the past month, thanking the stars it was a rather smooth journey to get here. The three of you only encountered one group of hunters that weren’t much trouble and they were rather well stocked on supplies and food, keeping you all fed for a few days longer.
The two horses were doing well too, the long trek didn’t seem to bother them as much as you originally worried. Made the journey much smoother and shorter than you accounted for. When you all left Jackson, it was only October, now it was maybe halfway through November. You were making pretty good time on your schedule. 
“I don’t see a glass building,” Ellie told you, pulling you out of your thoughts.
“We’ll need to get to the center courtyard of the campus. You’ll see it from there, it’ll look like a mirror made of glass.” You raised a hand and pointed through some buildings, vaguely gesturing the way.
You led them into an area of the campus that led to the science center. But Joel stopped you and dismounted, giving Ellie the reins, “Stay, Callus.” After a couple feet of walking away Joel asked her, “What kind of a name is Callus, anyways?”
He goes around, searching the area for either troubles or supplies, grumbling about the name Ellie gave the horse.
“Not my fault you forgot to ask Tommy his name,” Ellie jokes and jerks her thumb at you, “Or that she didn’t know it either.”
“Hey, don’t bring me into this, kiddo. I’m just buddies with my dear Whiskey here,” you pat the neck of the black horse. He gave a little huff beneath your fingers and shook his head, enjoying the attention. “Besides, Cherry is the only one able to tell the difference between all of them.”
Joel gives you a faint smile as he reaches for the bit on Callus, guiding him through a gate into the middle of the campus that you waited by.
After being in such close proximity to each other, the two of you began warming up to the other. Of course, you still chucked snide comments at him, often calling him an old bastard when he’d piss you off or do something snide. He would reply in kind, calling you a brat and threatening you to behave.
Needless to say, that awakened a little fantasy you totally didn’t need of the man, eliciting some rather vivid dreams when you slept. Hinting that maybe you were unfortunately in need of a good orgasm to get it all out of your system once and for all. Being out in the middle of fuck-all nowhere made that kind of difficult.The mental imagery alone kept you up most nights on your watch while you kept an eye out as the two rested. Regardless, Joel had been a gentleman towards you, apparently all that southern charm was genuine but he was still a broody asshole most days, never once hinting he saw you in such a way despite how often you’d catch him staring.
Ellie on the other hand, took to you rather quickly. She would ask you question after question about California, FEDRA, what to expect with the Fireflies at the lab, what you were like before the outbreak. She was intrigued about life pre-cordyceps virus, it was as if it was a fantasy to her.
Well, you admit, you supposed it was. She was born after the virus took hold, she never got to experience the things you and Joel did in the world before.To go to a zoo, a concert, gossip with friends about who likes who in school. The only thing she knew was to keep fighting, surviving, and running. Despite how cheerful and passionate she could be about her comic books or absorbing as much knowledge as she could, you were saddened that she never got the chance to be normal.
As much as you tried to keep some things private during her lengthy questionings, you knew her curiosity was blinding. She meant no harm, likely going to you for these questions seeing as Joel was completely shut off from his past, not that you blame him. You couldn’t imagine what he experienced from what Tommy had told you before.
Ellie looked around on the horse, “So, these places… people would live here and just study? Even though they were all grown up?”
“Yeah, study, party, and find themselves. Figure out what they wanted to do with their lives,” Joel replied. He let go of the leather strap and motioned for you and Ellie to stay where you were as he walked towards what looked to be like a loading dock and began searching.
She repeated Joel’s last sentence about finding themselves, possibly turning over the idea in her mind, after a few moments of silence of both of you watching Joel she turned to you, “Did you ever go to college?”
You shook your head, silently telling her no. “I was too young when shit hit the fan, but I would explore these buildings and take the books that were salvageable. Read them when I had the time. Tried to educate myself however I could.”
“What would you have studied if you went?”
“I don’t know,” you think. Suddenly you remembered some of your favorite books that you had stolen from these very buildings. “I really liked reading the history books that I found here. Maybe I would have done something with that. Or maybe,” you ponder, “maybe I wouldn’t have liked history if not for the whole world fucking ending.”
Ellie considers this for a moment. Then, from the corner of your eye, you watch Joel disappear behind a corner and you turn towards her, “What about you?”
Ellie scrunches her face in thought. “Art. Or maybe music. I like being creative.”
You smiled at the idea, “Ellie Williams: Comedian, Artist, Rock Star.”
Ellie smiles widely and the moment is cut short by Joel announcing somewhere above you. “There was a look-out here,” his voice calls down.
Both of you look up and see Joel leaning over a concrete railing on the second floor. “That’s a good sign,” Ellie says to him, then she looks at you and asks quietly, “Right?”
“I don’t know,” you answer honestly. You furrow your brows and begin to bite on your bottom lip, unsure of what to make of things. It’s unlike them to leave a look-out abandoned. Now that you’re thinking about it, you’re pretty damn positive you’d have come across somebody by now.
You try to get your facial expressions back in check, not wanting to worry Ellie or even Joel by making them feel like something is vastly wrong with how this looks. Before, when you were with the militia group, there were armed guards practically on every roof of this campus. They were always checking in with each other, making sure none of the infected or even hunters penetrated the walls. It wasn’t always secure or even practical, more lives were lost that way but it helped protect the lab.
You’re pulled away from your anxious thoughts as you spot Joel. He takes one last look around then comes down from the loading dock and gets back on the horse he’s sharing with Ellie and looks to you, gesturing his hand out in front of him. “Lead the way.”
You give Whiskey a little kick and he takes off, jumping over a concrete barricade then leading them up some stairs and under some ornate arches and pulling the reins to the left. With a motion of your hand you point to the science building in the distance, “There it is. The one with glass walls.”
Ellie looks over his shoulder and huffs a surprise, “It really does look like a glass mirror.”
Unfortunately there was a locked gate between the group and your destination. “Question is, how are we gonna get through here,” Joel thinks out loud.
After looking around it seems the only way forward is through the crumbling buildings. Joel dismounts from Callus once again and led you both through a broken wall on the left that led to the inside of the old library.
“How many people you think are there? Fireflies, I mean,” Ellie wondered.
“Reckon it takes quite a crew to run that operation,” Joel looks at you.
You nodded at both of them idly, “Yeah, when I was here we had at least a few dozen, maybe more. I kind of kept to myself.” 
“You think there’ll be other people my age,” she asked, not letting her eyes look up towards you.
“I do.”
The three of you approached another locked gate inside the building, essentially cutting off both the library and the rest of the hall you were in from each other. Joel pulled on the handle and it creaked open, Callus and Whiskey both shuffled and whined, making you and Ellie shift on them.
“Woah, woah, woah, what is it boys,” Joel tried to calm down the horses.
Your attention got pulled away when you heard a shriek and Ellie said, “Sounds like runners.”
Joel looked back behind him then forward at you, “Stay together. I’ll go check it out.”
“Joel, no wait,” you try to argue as you dismount but he closes the gate behind him.
“Stay with her,” he tells you. “I don’t want the horses or her runnin’ off again.”
You give him a hard look that he mirrors, neither one of you wants to budge but the look in his brown eyes make you waver, finally caving into his demand. “Stay alive, you stubborn old bastard.”
His lips twitch, hints of a tense smile wishing to creep on his face. He puts his hands up on a calm gesture as he removes his backpack, removing the shotgun from it and pocketing a couple extra rounds as he stands back up. “I’ll be right back,” he says your name softly, his voice deep and rich, “I promise.”
As he walks away, you inhale a deep breath and your heart is beating. You’ve come to hate it when this happens, not that it did much. Whenever the three of you found yourselves in a tight situation with the infected, you each carried on with taking them down. You hated this, hated that he felt the need to do this on his own.
It fuckin’ sucked waiting.
Just as you were working yourself up more, you heard five consecutive shotgun blasts. Then silence. Ellie must have noticed your worry because she announced loud enough for Joel to hear, “Hey, I was thinking… I would’ve wanted to be an astronaut.”
“That a fact,” his voice rang out in the distance, echoing off the library walls.
“Yeah, can you imagine being up there all by yourself? Would’ve been cool. I’m just sayin’.”
You opened up the gate, leading Whiskey inside the library, still simmering with whatever the hell you were feeling. Ellie trotted her horse past you to another gate, this one opening with a panel and leading back outside to the courtyard on the right.
Faintly you could hear presumably Joel starting up a generator three times and then panel next to the gate lit up. You pressed the button, opening it up then went back to Whiskey, jumping up into his saddle.
Joel came back down the steps and grabbed the reins to Callus and his eyes fell on you, “Told you I’d be right back.”
“What about you? What’d you want to be,” Ellie asked him.
Joel looked away, focusing on something in the distance as you all walked out the opened gate. He scratched at his beard and admitted, “Oh… well, when I was a kid I used to want to be a… a singer.”
You raised your eyebrows and gave a small laugh, Ellie did too. “Shut up,” she said jokingly.
“I’m serious.”
“Sing something”
“Ah, no.”
“Come on, I won’t laugh,” she begged.
“I don’t think so.”
You watched as they both bickered over this, Ellie even tried to pull you into the conversation, saying your name, “Come on, tell him we won’t laugh!”
“Maybe he can treat us after a successful creation of the cure,” you compromise. Joel turns to you and ponders.
“We’ll see.”
The three of you make your way down the steps, then turning to the left, continuing your trek to the science center. Ellie gets Joel's attention, “She said she wasn’t sure what she would have done.”
“Is that so?”
You shift your weight on Whiskey, “Yeah. I mean, I like history now but back then? I didn’t really have a plan after graduating high school. I didn’t really click with anything, y’know?”
He absorbs that information and ponders. “Yeah, I get it.”
The silence took over and whatever anxiety you had was lessening yet amplifying the closer you got to the building, still wary of the fact you hadn’t seen any sign of the Fireflies aside from the abandoned look-out. Joel got back up on Callus as you approached the center of the school and together with Whiskey, jumped over another barricade.
The view in front of you was a much larger campus courtyard, with a giant fountain in the center decorated with a statue in the middle of it. Ellie was the first to notice a small group of bright orange monkeys and cooed at them as they chattered and swung around the clearing.
“That was kinda awesome,” she said as they swung away into a nearby building.
You smiled at her reaction and asked, “First time seeing a monkey?”
She nodded and repeated, “First time seeing a monkey!”
Atop the two horses, you all keep looking around searching for a sign of life but finding nothing. Leading you all down another outside corridor. Joel offers, “Maybe these guys like to keep a low profile.”
Ellie, now sounding less energetic, half-heartedly agrees.You bank right, vaguely remembering where to go when she points to a wall to the left. “Hey, look. Fireflies.” When you turned to look, you noticed the old wall tag.
“Yeah, it was to help point the way to the building we were in, in case new recruits got lost or something like that,” you tell her.
You pull into another corridor that is also blocked with a gate. To the right of the wall is a painted sign, saying ‘disconnect generator when not on duty’ in bold white letters.
Together, each of you gets off Whiskey and Callus and attempts to lift the gate to find it won’t work. The damned thing wouldn’t budge. Joel grumbles, “Probably have to find the generator.” He walks to a barricaded doorway to the right and peers around it then kneels. “It’s gotta be through here.”
“Joel, you are not going by yourself again,” you tell him.
He looks over his shoulder at you and cocks an eyebrow at you. The two of you, once again, locked in this damned game. He sizes you up with an intense stare and he already knows he’s won. You groan loudly, “If you die in there, just remember I told you so, old man.”
“Watch Ellie, you damned brat.”
He turns and crawls under the barricade, giving you a bit of a nice show of his ass before entirely disappearing. You roll your eyes to yourself as you turn back around, standing near Ellie and the two horses.
“So,” she starts.
“So?”
“What’s going on between you and Joel?”
It was so unbelievably hard to keep your face in check, to keep your internal screaming from etching your facial expression. “I don’t know what you’re talking about Ellie.”
“You both look like you want to fucking kill the other in their sleep.”
“That’s because I do.” Amongst other things.
You cross your arms in front of you, mindlessly showing your defensiveness on the topic and definitely not trying to tell the obviously fourteen-year-old who has never had the sex talk about how your body is screaming with alarms to get dicked down by the first person you see. Mentally scolding yourself for your predicament. How dare he.
“That’s just Joel,” she says. “He’s always like that.”
“He needs to learn how to work as a team or else we’re all going to end up dead, or worse.”
Gunshots cut the conversation short, the two of you ducking close to the ground, both pulling out weapons. It was difficult to tell where the shots came from because the two of you were still in a tunnel but you whisper-shouted, “Joel!”
Nothing but eerie silence responded to your call, settling in your bones. It took everything you had in you to not bolt and look for the man but both you and Ellie looking around for any sign of him. “Son of a bitch, this is exactly what I was talking about,” you groan frustrated.
Seconds ticked by that dragged into forever-long minutes. You weren’t a nervous person on missions, always trying to stay hyper-focused but truthfully, you don’t know how you’d handle the return journey with just Ellie.
Before you could work the nerve to go search through the maze of dorms, Ellie notices him before you, “Joel! Are you okay? What happened in there?”
“More infected, I’m fine,” he shouts, exiting a door from the far left, as he runs over to where you and Ellie were standing still, waiting for him.
“Here - come open the gate!”
As Joel pulls the generator to the wall to plug it in, Ellie tells him, “Holy shit you’re lucky you came out of there alive. She almost ran in after you.”
Suddenly you felt like you couldn’t breath under your coat as you gave Joel a sheepish look. “I didn’t want to have to explain to Tommy that I got his brother killed, alright? Don’t let it get to your big head, cowboy.”
Joel raised a brow at you then grunted, resuming to kickstart the generator to power the gate. It came alive kind of loudly but you resigned, only to mount your horse again choosing to ignore whatever Joel or Ellie could be thinking.
78 notes · View notes
thesmokingguns · 3 years
Text
Carnival First Date with Tommy One Shot
Tumblr media
Carnival First Date with Tommy One Shot
Word Count: 2001
Summary: Based on the head cannon from a few weeks ago. Tommy takes you to the carnival on a first date. He’s just a fun time to be around and you get to experience the various sides he has
Note: feedback is always welcome. Messages me any requests you have! Thanks for reading
Tommy was drumming his hands against the steering wheel, shooting nervous looks up at the front door. He was waiting for his date to come out. He had met this chick a couple weeks ago at a bar where she was a waitress. He had been doing every day asking her to go out, only to get that pretty little smile and a laugh as she declined him. Until today at lunch where he had been talking to Nikki about the carnival in town when she had been walking by. He had perked up seeing her and instantly invited her to go out with him expecting the usual no. She had slapped her address down on the table telling him she’d see him at 6pm. Now it was 5:59 and he was wondering if he should go knock on the door.
The front door flew and he saw the mess of brown curls out of your usual ponytail. You were wearing these tiny shorts, Converse and a cropped top to try and stay cool in the summer heat. You were letting the metal door slam shut, heart racing looking around until your eyes found him. Tommy smiled as you did a small wave, jogging over to the car tossing your bag inside the open window before jumping in.
“Hey, thanks for picking me up.” It was weird going out with this guy who had been hitting on you nonstop for weeks.
“Thanks for putting out of my misery and finally going out with me.” As soon as he revved the engine you grabbed hold of the door, your heart sinking as he sped through traffic. There wasn’t a doubt in your mind that you were going to puke tonight.
Tommy was like an over excited chimpanzee when you pulled into the dirt parking lot. His eyes were blazing in excitement as he climbed out the car over to your side and pulling the door open.
“We need to hold hands so we don’t get lost.” He was weaving his fingers into yours, a perfect fit. It was easy with how smooth he was. He was running, skipping and into the gates. Before you could pull your money out he was getting you bracelets for the rides tonight and letting go of your hand to put it on.
“Do you want to get on rides first or get something to eat?” You asked as he walked towards the excitement with your hands together once more.
“We should get the fried Oreos and maybe some cotton candy..Ohhh they have fresh donuts.” you suddenly were worried that maybe he would be the one that puked.
Tommy ate two full orders of fried Oreos, a chocolate milk shake, popcorn, and even decided to share his fried dough with you.
He’s so easy to joke with and you’re laughing so hard your stomach hurts. You’re holding hands as he runs to get you guys in line for the Zipper. You hesitate slightly before stepping into the ride and you feel his hand rubbing over your knuckles.
“We can go on another ride or play games if you’re into that?” He offers, giving the guy about to lock you in a look so you have time to decide what you want to do. Your hearts fluttering as you smile, reaching out to bring the bar down and lock you in. He’s smiling with you as the ride starts up.
It’s infectious. His laughter and joy deep into you and you’re laughing so hard as you weave between people. It feels like you’ve created this little bubble in the two hours you’ve been together and you’re seriously thinking it’s been the two happiest hours of your life. Even though you puked at one point in the bushes he had just gotten you water and asked if you wanted to go home but you didn’t want to go home. You wanted to be where he was, where this happiness was. Your cheeks were sore and you had a stomach ache from the muscles in your body adjusting to the joy Tommy was bringing them.
“We have to ride the Ferris Wheel!” He said, pulling you along and cutting the line that he didn’t realize was there to get you guys on. Your heart was racing as you thought of how high up you’d be but Tommy was already looking out into the distance.
You’re looking over the carnival, the sound of people slowly fading as you get higher up. The wind feels good on your flushed cheeks and you tilt your head up welcoming the cool relief.
“Can I kiss you?” You’re shocked when he asks this and don’t respond because you can’t remember a time when someone asked to kiss you instead of doing it. It’s respectful and kind. You manage a nod and he leans forward, his hand sliding over your face to hold you against him as his lips meet yours. It’s like everything that you’ve been waiting for. Tommy pulls away, this big smile on his face and he’s suddenly standing up rocking the whole Ferris Wheel car you’re riding in.
“Tommy-“
“HOLY FUCKING SHIT!” He’s screaming as the car is shaking and you question your entire life as it’s flashing before your eyes. He’s screaming and hollering, well the operator of the ride is shouting something that is lost in the wind.
“Tommy.” It comes out as a whisper and he sits down throwing an arm around you. A sheepish smile on his face.
He helps you off the Ferris wheel, spinning you around before dragging you off to the bumper cars. He stops along the way offering to buy you an ice cream.
You can feel him watching you. Your tongue on the soft serve, dragging upward. Your eyes dart to where Tommy is watching, ice cream dripping down his hand.
“Can I have a taste of yours?” He is reaching out holding his ice cream out, watching you. Smiling, you grab his wrist licking the chocolate off his fingers. Smiling as you see his smile spread. You pull away licking your bottom lip.
“Well, you’re definitely proving to be worth the wait.” He teased watching the way you smirked. “Are you having a good time because if you’re not we can leave?” He was so sincere and worried about you enjoying yourself you couldn’t help but smile at him.
“Cmon, drummer boy. I want to ride bumper cars.” You were tugging him along. Tommy couldn’t stop his smile watching as you pulled him along.
You were pretty sure that you had some sort of trauma from Tommy slamming his bumper car into you so hard you were sure you were going to have whiplash. As you turned the car to back up he was slamming into your side, a shit eating grin on his face.
“I like that you’re competitive, Y/N.” He said helping you stand from the bumper cars. You rubbed your neck giving him a look and wanting to kick him in the shin. But he was smiling offering you his hand and you guys were off again.
It was funny watching him get mad at the games. He took another three baseballs shooting a glance over his shoulder at you. He had been dead set on winning a teddy bear and was failing. He had, however, managed to gather an audience of kids. When Tommy noticed all the kids he slammed some money down on the table.
“Maybe they’ll have better luck.” He joked walking away as the kids excitedly rushed forward. His arm was around you as you walked through the carnival grounds that was getting less busy as closing time approached.
“That was really nice of you to do.” You said watching him shrug like he didn’t care. A smile danced over hour face and you rolled your eyes at the way he was trying to play off a cool rockstar, “would you think it was super lame if we did the photo booth?” His eyes lit up dragging you inside the tight space. Tommy was so tall that when he sat you had nowhere to really go other than his lap. His hands rested on your thighs as you fed the machine the dollar bill leaning back against him. You ended up feeding the machine a lot of money until the final picture where Tommy was kissing you.
You shifted on his lap, leaning into his embrace. Kissing Tommy felt good, like this relaxing wave of pleasure through your whole body. He tasted sweet, probably from all the junk food he had been eating. His hand was running up your leg, under the loose crop top, cupping a breast in his palm. The soft moan was drowned out in his kiss and he was ready to take you right there. You could feel him growing under your body and the primary urge for more was over taking her. A knock outside the booth had you both stopping. Instead of an awkwardness you both fell into a fit of giggle spilling out. He grabbed the pictures, stuffing them into his pocket and moving back over to the games.
Tommy stopped seeing the goldfish in the bags. He frowned, counting how many bags there were. Turning to you he gave you a quick smile.
“How much for all the goldfish?” He asked. The man seemed confused by his question and even you were confused. There had to be thirty bags of goldfish. But Tommy was counting out bills and grabbing bags of fish, motioning for you to take some too. And then you were headed for the exit. Stopping only when Tommy wanted to kiss the goats head at the petting zoo.
“What is the plan for all these fish?” You asked as you helped him lay them in the back seat. They did look pretty sad in their plastic little bags.
“We’re going to drive to the ocean and free them.” You wanted to argue you weren’t sure goldfish didn’t come from the ocean but you weren’t exactly sure where goldfish came from.
Tommy kept looking in the rear view mirror checking on the fish like they were kids. It was funny to see him so nervous about the thirty fish in his car.
When you get to the beach you’re unloading fish and Tommy is naming them as he unloads them into the ocean.
“Have a good life Jeffrey. Best wishes Omar. I hope you meet a good guy, Josephina.” You’re crying laughing at how sincere he is. Tommy finally lets out the last fish which he names after himself.
“Do you feel better?” You asked him as you’re both sitting there, the sound of the ocean all around you and just an easy understanding between you two.
“At least they have a chance of life now.” He scoops up your hand and you’re laughing again. Standing up to brush off your thighs. Tommy looks confused by this but stands up.
“I had a great time tonight but I have to work tomorrow and there’s been this cute guy coming in everyday so I need to make sure that I’m ready for him.” He shook his head.
“There better not be another guy.” You laughed shrugging your shoulders and starting to run up the sand with Tommy on your heels chasing you back to the black.
When you pulled up to your house he walked you to your front door. His hands were jammed in the front pockets of his jeans and you could see he was going to ask you something.
“I had a good time tonight.” You agreed with him, “Can I take you out again tomorrow?” You let the smile spread across your lips as you opened the door.
“I work the 11-7 shift tomorrow. Why don’t you ask me then?” You teased heading inside the house. There would be a lot more of that drummer boy in your future.
36 notes · View notes
futurebicon · 4 years
Text
Family Skate Through The Years
2021
��Heads” Sirius called like always. Dumo called tails.
“Heads” Finn announced as he turned over the coin in his hand. “Siri-”
“Remus” Sirius chose before Finn could finish talking.
“No!” Dumo shouted.
“Sorry Pascal, but he’s my boyfriend” Sirius smirked, kissing Remus when he skated over.
“Kasey” Dumo chose.
“Good, Loops can beat him again”
“I’m not letting him score this year” Kasey demanded.
“James” Sirius picked.
Remus got 2 goals. Each time pissing Kasey off more and more. He was skating down the ice beside Sirius, waiting for a pass. 
Sirius passed it to him, letting him score with ease for the third time. Sirius skated over and pulled their helmets off, kissing him hard as Kasey continued to yell that it wasn’t fair.
2022
“Heads”
“Tails”
“Tails”
“No” Sirius stomped his skate against the ice.
“Sorry Cap. I’m stealing your fiancé” Dumo patted him on the shoulder.
“Se dévisser“ Sirius shrugged him off. 
“Sorry baby” Remus kissed the pout off his face before going over to Dumos side.
Dumos team won. Sirius had chosen Kasey, Dumo had let him. His anger had become a new tradition. 
“Good job baby” Remus kissed him.
“You too, l’amour”
“You got the venue yet?” Lily asked them as they ate.
“No” They both answered.
“Why not” she whined.
“Because it’s stupid.” Sirius said as he shoved cake into his mouth. Remus nodded in agreement.
“What’s stupid?” James asked as the rest of the team came over.
“These two think it’s stupid to pick a place to get married at”
“What?” Everyone let out sounds of confusion.
“We didn’t say that” Remus rolled his eyes. “We just think it’s stupid to make a big deal out of it.”
“Lily, you and I are taking over wedding planning. Nat and Dumo you’re helping too” Celeste announced. Those named nodded in agreement.
“But it’s where you’ll get married. That’s a big deal” Finn pointed his fork at them.
“Fine, we’ll pick a place.” Sirius said. “Kasey pick a place.”
“The Zoo”
“Perfect, our weddings at the zoo. See, settled.” Remus nodded. 
“No” Dumo told them.
“Olli pick a place” Remus called down the table.
“Here” 
“Great idea” Sirius clapped his hands together. 
“That’s actually a pretty good idea. You’ve already picked your best mans. And your ring bearer and flower girls.” Nat nodded.
“See, done” Remus took a bite of cake.
“Oh my god” Dumo put his head in his hands and shook his head.
“Wait so it’s not at the zoo?” Kasey asked.
“No babe”
“Aww man”
2023
“Heads” Dumo called out before Sirius could call it.
“No” Sirius scowled. 
“Tails” Finn told them.
“Haha, thank you Dumo” Sirius smirked. “Re” 
Remus skated over and kissed his husband before standing behind him and wrapping an arm around his shoulder. Picking all of the newly engaged Cubs. 
Remus got 4 goals under Kasey this year. 
“C'est quoi ce bordel“ He shouted after the fourth one went in the net. “No, no, no” He groaned. 
“4 goals? Damn” Sirius smiled.
“Think it’s newly weds luck?” Remus smirked. 
“Hmm, probably” Sirius kissed him. 
The wedding had been 2 weeks ago, they wanted to get married quickly and would go on their honeymoon in the offseason.
2024
“Fizzy” Sirius called over to the bench. “Heads or tails?” He asked his 2 year old daughter, Felicity.
“Tails” she shouted with a giggle.
“Tails” Finn turned over the quarter.
“Thank you Fizzy” Sirius smiled at her. “Re”
“You’ve gotten him for 2 years in a row.” Dumo whined. “Let me have him”
“He’s my husband, Dumo. Too bad”
Dumo rolled his eyes.
Remus got 2 goals in. Dumos team got 1.
“Good job, baby” Remus kissed him with a smile, keeping up with tradition.”
“Good job Daddy ‘n Papa” Felicity clapped as she skated a little wobbly over to them. Even though they had only adopted her at the beginning of the year she fell in love with skating and made Sher parents teach her every night for months.
“Thank you Fizzy” Remus scooped her up. Kissing her cheek as he tickled her stomach, causing her to shriek with laughter.
Sirius smiled at his little family and pecked Remus’s lips.
“Fizzy, no.” Sirius pulled her hand away as she tried to reach for her cake. “I know it’s good but you have to eat your lunch first.”
She whined but ate the bite of ham Sirius held in front of her as she sat in his lap.
“You guys any closer to have one of these soon?” Remus asked the newly wedded Cubs as he ruffled his daughters brown hair.
“Trying too. But, you know it’s pretty hard when you’re gay and being poly doesn’t help at all. Plus with our schedule with games and practices...” Logan trailed off sadly.
Leo kissed his temple as Finn squeezed his hand. Logan loves kids and the team knew how much he wanted a few of his own.
The team hated that they had told them they actually started the adoption process while they were engaged so that they could adopt a kid very soon after they got married but haven’t gotten anywhere with it.
“If any agency’s reject you they’ll be attacked by the best team in the NHL and their fans” Sirius told them. It had happened when they were going through the adoption process and were rejected for ‘being sinners’ as the rejection paper told them.
“You’ll have a kid of your own soon enough” Remus promised.
“New friend?” Fizzy gasped with a wide smile as she picked on bits and peices of the conversation.
“Yeah, Fiz. You’ll have a new friend soon” Finn told her. All of them smiling at her innocence as she cheered and took a final bite of mac-and-cheese.
“Cake now?” She asked Sirius with puppy eyes.
“Yes you can have cake now” Sirius smiled as he kissed her cheek.
2025
“Heads” Sirius called out.
“Tails” Finn smirked.
“Haha, Remus” Dumo chose.
Remus kissed him. “Should of stuck with Fizzy’s answer” he smirked, earning an eye roll from his husband.
“Kasey” Sirius picked.
“I’m not letting him score this year.”
“You’ve been saying that for the last 5 years babe” Nat kissed his cheek.
“Well I mean it this year.”
He didn’t mean it, Remus got 2 goals in.
“Yay” Fizzy cheered as her and her basically cousins skated out onto the ice to congratulate or comfort their parents.
4 year old Harry was scooped up by Lily and laughed at James who was pouting at his lose.
Jay, the Cubs 2 year old son was scooped up by Logan and kissed on the cheek by Finn and Leo. Jay clapped at their win.
“It’s so sad” Dumo sighed at lunch.
“What is?” Remus asked as he took a bite of salad.
“Sirius was that closed off stern faced 18 year old skating God that feels like my son. You were that PT that came out of nowhere that we really didn’t know much about but then the team all just kind of accepted as one of our own. Logan was a loud, obnoxious rookie that we all still loved, living in my basement and who is also like a son to me. Finn was the red haired semi nerdy boy who screamed and punched the air when Logan was drafted to the Lions. Leo was the tallest rookie I’d ever seen, a little shy but still fun to be a round. And James was- still is the loud, insane, mind of a 5 year old player.” He said.
“And now I look around and all of you have kids and are married to the loves of your lives” Everyone was crying at the words.
“And it just makes me feel really fucking old” he sighed.
“Oh my god Dumo.” Logan laughed as he wiped his tears away.
“You give this tear jerking long speech about us just to end it by saying it only makes you sad because it makes you feel old? Wow glad to see you have your priorities straight, Pascal” Sirius shook his head.
“I does” he laughed.
“It is crazy though” Finn sighed.
“Did you two think 8 years ago that this would be your life?” Lily asked Sirius and Remus. “Best player in the NHL with a team that’s your family. First openly gay couple in the NHL. Married to the teams PT and teams Captain. And have an adorable daughter?”
“God no, never in a million years.” Sirius’s smiled at his husband and daughter. Kissing Remus and then their daughters head.
“And you three” She looked at the Cubs. “Ever think that you’d be playing for one of the best teams in the NHL. “Married to 2 people. One of them the man that you loved for 8 years but never said anything. And have an adorable son.”
“Never” Finn smiled kissing both his husbands and son like Sirius had done.
“Okay. Enough of the sappy stuff.” Celeste said a few seconds later, wiping the tears from her eyes. “Who wants cake?”
This is longer then I planned but I like how it turned out.
@lumosinlove
190 notes · View notes
charincharge · 4 years
Text
Cruel Summer, Part 7
Tumblr media
cruel summer masterlist
AN: Usual warnings apply. Thank you for all your comments and interactions -- you are all wonderful.
Aelin is going to murder her family. Okay, not actually. But, for some reason, they’ve decided they haven’t been spending enough time together, and that this week is going to be completely taken up by family activities. Which, usually Aelin would love. However, the only activity she wants to partake in is making out with Rowan Whitethorn’s face, and her family is making that physically impossible.
She opens her messenger and reads through her meager back and forth with him, explaining her lack of presence in the park. Rowan’s not a big texter, she learned. He replies in clipped answers. It’s impossible to read him. She messaged him the day after Friending him, not wanting to look too desperate, but also, she can’t stop thinking about the way her whole body pulsed as he’d leaned toward her in the brewery back hallway.
She is fairly certain she’s going to combust when she actually gets to touch him. Their chemistry is undeniable. Like two pieces of a magnet, unable to stay away from each other. She can’t believe he thinks she was dating Dorian, when she thought she’d made it so incredibly obvious she wanted to jump Rowan. And now that it’s a possibility… Her heart pounds with frustration at her family’s unintentional cockblocking.
Aelin hears Gavin and Evie squealing in the foyer, despite the early hour, which means Aedion and co. have arrived for the day. Aelin decides to descend from her room, waiting to hear what family activity awaits today. Hopefully it’s more active than yesterday’s beach day where she had nothing but free time to fantasize about all the things she wanted to do with Rowan on a beach and stress about how long he takes to reply to her messages. She did get a great base tan, though.
“Ah, look who’s decided to grace us with her presence,” Rhoe jokes. “Just in time to leave for the park.”
Aelin lights up. “We’re going to the park today?” She racks her brain. “But it’s not Saturday?”
Aedion ruffles her hair, earning a frown from Aelin. “How could you forget what today is, kiddo?”
“Because time has no meaning during the summer? And don’t call me kiddo, old man,” Aelin says cheekily. Aedion pokes her side, and she swats his finger away. “No, seriously, what is today?”
“It’s the Ashryver Alzheimers Foundation Fair,” Rhoe says, his tone serious. “So, let’s all be very nice to your mother today. She’s already at the park setting up.”
Aelin frowns in apology. She can’t believe she lost track of the time so much so that it’s already her mother’s charity event. Evalin spearheads the foundation. It’s her life’s passion. She created it after her own mother passed away from Alzheimers. It’s the one day of summer the park turns into more of a County Fair, filled with local food booths, a petting zoo, a fashion show, a silent auction, animal adoptions, and a big band for dancing in one of the eating tents. All the proceeds go to the foundation. Her mother works relentlessly all year long to put together the event, and it’s always incredibly fun.
Aelin takes out her phone and opens her messages again as Rhoe tells them to be ready to leave in ten minutes. She grins when she sees a message from Rowan waiting for her.
So, am I ever going to see you again, or…
Aelin replies too quickly. YES! We’re actually going to the park today.
Rowan messages back immediately. Out of excuses to avoid me?
Another message arrives in rapid succession. Just kidding. I know it’s a big ~Ashryver~ day here. Lorcan is just about to give us our morning assignments. Who came up with these activities? They’re insane.
Aelin smirks, wondering where he’ll be assigned. It’s the most Rowan has ever texted back.
It’s for charity! And you’ll love it. I’ll see you soon :)
I’ll believe it when I see it.
“Who’s got you smiling like that?” Aedion hovers over Aelin’s shoulder, and Aelin clutches her phone against her chest as she whips her head around to glare at her brother.
“No one.”
“Uh huh, sure.” Aedion frowns. “It’s not Chaol again, is it?”
Aelin grumbles. “Oh my god, why does everyone always think that?”
Aedion laughs. “I don’t know, maybe because he’s been the only guy you’ve dated for the entirety of your life? Even though you keep breaking up for good reason?”
Aelin flicks him off. “It’s not Chaol. He has a new girlfriend. Thank you very much.”
“So spill.”
Aelin shakes her head.
“Nox? Cain? Archer? Mikhail?”
Aedion lists the names of Dorian’s friends, other board members’ sons, and surrounding neighbors. Of course those are the only people he would consider. Someone from the park wouldn’t even cross his mind. Mostly because her family would not approve in the slightest.
“Come on, kids, let’s go,” Rhoe calls, rushing past the siblings in the foyer and saving Aelin. She exhales quickly as they pile into the car. Since Evalin will have so much to transport at the end of the day, they forgo walking.
The park is just opening when they arrive, and they spot Evalin immediately. She works to set up signs and balloons at the entrance. Rhoe goes to stand dutifully beside her, holding her purse and other accoutrements. The woman is a whirlwind, but a productive one. The park has been transformed before Aelin’s very eyes. Aelin breathes in deeply. She can already smell the scent of roasting meats and fried dough.
“Need any help, mom?” Aelin asks, and Aelin’s never been so grateful as when Evalin shrugs her off and tells her to go find her friends.
Aelin is halfway booking it to attempt to find Rowan when Gavin and Evie run up to her, each grabbing a hand and pulling her toward the animal adoption booths. “Let’s go look at the animals, Auntie Ae!” Evie announces sweetly, and Aelin sighs. She guesses she’ll have to look for Rowan later in the day.
Aelin takes her niece and nephew through the petting zoo, giving funny voices to all the farm animals, which delights them. She gives the cow a particularly high voice, which sends Gavin into a fit of giggles. Next to the petting zoo is a long row of adoption booths, and though Aelin knows she shouldn’t, she goes and looks at the puppies.
“Oh my god,” she exclaims, looking at the little of small golden puppies in the pen. The attendant smiles.
“I know. They’re precious, right?” Aelin nods, her hands itching to reach out and pet them.
“Do you want to come meet them?” the attendant asks, and Aelin nearly jumps into the pen with excitement. She sits down, Gavin and Evie with her, and within seconds, they’re swarmed by little balls of yipping fur, trying to climb over them and attack them with kisses.
Aelin hugs a puppy tight to her chest, letting it lick her face. She’s so happy she could almost cry.
“Not who I thought I’d run into you kissing today,” Dorian’s voice calls from the other side of the pen. Aelin flashes him a warning glare, but Dorian just laughs. “You look like you’re in heaven, Ace.”
“I love her,” Aelin says, nuzzling the puppy in her arms.
“Ah, I was wondering where my children ran off to. We’re not getting a puppy,” Aedion says, telling his kids to get out of the pen. “You too, Aelin,” he says with a soft chuckle.
Aelin reluctantly puts the puppy back on the ground, and it starts crying immediately. “She loves me too!” Aelin’s heart tugs. “I’m sorry, puppy. I hope you find a good home,” Aelin says as she climbs out of the pen.
“We’ll be here until closing,” the attendant says with a knowing smile.
“Come on,” Dorian says. “The pig race starts in ten minutes.”
Aelin looks around, trying to spot that bright head of silver-blonde hair, but it’s nowhere to be found. Resigned, Aelin follows her family to the races.
The rest of the afternoon flies by, filled with delicious food and ridiculous activities. But with each hour that passes, Aelin becomes more and more anxious to see Rowan. By the end of the day, Aelin still hasn’t seen him anywhere. She told Dorian to keep an eye out for him, too, but they must be on opposite schedules because wherever Aelin’s family goes, Rowan is not.
“Aw, don’t frown,” Dorian coos, pushing her cheeks up into a smile. “Should I go win you a stuffed animal? Will that make you feel better?”
Aelin checks her phone. No messages from Rowan. She sighs and looks at her best friend. “Yeah, win me a giant stuffed animal, please.”
Dorian rolls his eyes. “Let’s not be greedy, okay?”
Aelin laughs as they head over to the long row of games. Dorian attempts a bottle toss and fails miserably, missing each time.
“They’re glued down!” he insists, and Aelin laughs loudly.
“Sure, tell yourself that.”
“Whatever, I want to try again,” Dorian insists, but Aelin convinces him to go down the row of games, trying a new one each time. Dorian successfully fails at each and every one, and by the last one, he’s practically fuming. “They’re rigged!”
Aelin tries her hand at the bean bag toss and wins her first try. She turns to Dorian with a wide smile. “Sucker.” She hands him the small teddy bear awarded to her.
“Is this a mirage?” a low voice rumbles from behind. Rowan’s hand brushes against the small of her back, making Aelin shiver. “Or do I actually see Aelin Ashryver in front of me?”
“I’m real!” Aelin insists, spinning around quickly to see Rowan’s frowning face. “Are you okay?” she asks.
Rowan sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose, exhaling slowly. “Really not looking forward to my final gig of the day.” He nods his head in the other direction. “I didn’t even think kissing booths were real outside movies, but apparently they are.”
Aelin is stunned silent at the words kissing booth, so much so that she doesn’t even clock Rowan saying he’ll see her later and heading to the booth. She watches as he relieves Fenrys of his duty and takes his seat behind the heart shaped awning. Aelin’s never participated in the kissing booth before, deeming it silly to pay $10 for a staff member to kiss her cheek, but the staff member giving out kisses has never been Rowan Whitethorn before.
Frantic, Aelin opens her wallet and groans. A single dollar bill sits inside. She looks up at an amused Dorian.
“Need a loan, Ace?”
“Don’t be mean,” Aelin begs. Dorian pulls out his wallet. He rummages through and pulls out a crisp hundred dollar bill. Aelin raises her eyebrows.
“It’s all I have.”
“I’ll pay you back,” she says, and Dorian’s laugh trails after her as she makes her way to the kissing booth line quickly. She can’t believe how much it’s filled up in the mere minutes since Rowan took over.
She hears the girls in front of her giggling about how cute he is, and Aelin can’t say she disagrees. She also can’t believe she’s actually doing this, but she can’t not.
When she arrives at the head of the line, Rowan looks remarkably surprised. He sits up straighter in his seat and clears his throat, a slight blush tinting his cheeks. He looks up at her with his wide green eyes, and it takes all of Aelin’s self-restraint not to lean in and kiss that blush right off his face.
“Hey,” he begins, startled. “I didn’t think…”
“You didn’t?” she interrupts, a glimmer of mirth in her eyes.
He rubs the back of his neck uncomfortably. “I may have really thought you were avoiding me. Which would be totally understandable. I definitely made things weird.”
Aelin laughs. “I’ve been texting with you all week!”
“I know,” Rowan chuckles. “I just… I didn’t want to assume anything anymore.”
“I don’t think I can be any clearer than this,” Aelin says and slides over Dorian’s money.
Rowan looks up at her through his flutter of blonde eyelashes. “Aelin, this is a hundred dollar bill.” He pauses. “It only costs ten.”
“It’s for charity,” she says, hoping her confidence outweighs the pile of nerves swirling in her stomach.
Though most girls had been turning their heads to the side, giving Rowan their cheek to kiss, Aelin leans straight forward, her face head on with his. She watches his internal debate rage, his eyes flickering from her eyes and down to her lips and back up again. Aelin leans forward a smidge further, and his eyes darken. Aelin’s stomach flips, waiting for him to close the distance. She inhales and exhales uneasily, and finally, Rowan leans in and slowly presses his lips against hers. It’s soft and perfect and ends far too soon.
Aelin’s eyes flutter open. She hadn’t even realized she’d closed them. Rowan breathes heavily as he pulls away, and Aelin is satisfied to see that his blush has bloomed further on his cheeks. With how flushed she feels, she’s sure she looks similarly.
“What time does your shift end?” Aelin asks, pulling her hair into a ponytail.
Rowan looks at his watch. “Forty minutes. Why?” he asks.
Aelin leans forward, hoping her voice sounds steadier than her legs feel as she whispers, “I’m going to be waiting under the pier. And I’d like to collect on the rest of my ninety dollars.”
Rowan brings his hand to his face to cover his wide smile and nods. Electricity crackles over Aelin’s skin as she walks away, and without even looking she knows it’s because he’s watching her.
She finds her family quickly and congratulates her mom on a successful day before letting them know that she feels like walking home alone. They’re all so tired and distracted from starting clean up that Aelin’s suspicious behavior barely even registers with them. Except for Aedion who raises an eyebrow at his sister, but she waves him off, saying she just feels like some quiet time.
Aelin climbs down onto the beach and heads for her spot under the pier. The sun fades over the horizon, giving way to a beautiful bright moon. The ocean seems to glitter under it, and the sound of breaking waves soothes her as she waits. She slips off her sandals and sinks her toes into the cool sand and leans against one of the thick wooden posts of the pier’s structure. She rolls her shoulders backwards and tries to loosen up and relax, but the anticipation is killing her.
It feels like she’s waited forever when she finally hears the sound of soft footfalls approaching on the sand. She turns nervously. She wasn’t actually sure he’d show up. But there, in all his silver-headed glory, stalking towards her is Rowan.
She’s about to greet him, but she doesn’t get a chance, because before she says a word, his mouth crashes to hers. Gone is the tender, sweet kiss they’d shared an hour ago. This one is desperate, a culmination of weeks of misunderstandings and tension and heated glares. Aelin opens her mouth against his, letting him in, letting him take whatever he wants of her. Her skin feels like it’s on fire where his hands roam across the fabric of her shirt and down to her ass. Aelin groans against Rowan’s mouth and wraps her arms around his neck, not wanting any space between them.
Rowan’s strong arms reach down and lift her legs, wrapping them around her waist, and Aelin can feel him hard against her. She pulls him even closer. Now it’s Rowan’s turn to groan. It’s music to Aelin’s ears. She rocks against him again – anything to elicit that noise from his mouth again.
Rowan backs them into the wooden post and braces himself with one arm. Aelin doesn’t have time to think about how impressively strong that must make him. To hold her up with one arm and his hips, pinned against her. The wooden pole of the pier scrapes against Aelin’s back, and she hopes her family is asleep by the time she gets home otherwise they’ll have some serious questions. But Aelin’s already thrown caution to the wind. She’s burning, completely electrified by Rowan’s touch. She lets her head fall back as his open mouth trails down her bare neck.
“If you leave a mark I’ll kill you,” she manages to croak out between pants. And Rowan chuckles against her neck but doesn’t stop his affections. “I’m serious,” she breathes out. “It’s summer, and I’m not wearing a scarf.”
Rowan lets his teeth drag across her neck, gently scraping the skin, and Aelin fully shudders in his arms.
He finally pulls his face away, but doesn’t let Aelin slide out of his arms, still keeping her pinned to the wide pole.
“Hi.” He smiles, his dark eyes staring into hers. The dark pine green glows with want.
“Hi,” she says in return.
He pushes her hair, which has fallen out of her ponytail, away from her face and tucks it behind her ear. Rowan smiles wider and kisses Aelin softly again. His lips lingering on hers until they’re practically breathing into each other’s mouths.
“I told you I wasn’t avoiding you,” she mumbles quietly into the space between their lips.
“I’ll never doubt you again.” He looks at her seriously. His eyes plead with silent apology and future promises, and they slice through Aelin, making her feel something that she’s not sure she’s ever felt before.
“I want to do this with you all the time,” she says as she unhooks her legs and finally slides to stand on the ground.
Rowan chuckles, and she can feel his chest vibrating against hers. “I think we can arrange that.”
She looks up at him, and he looks right back, his gaze unwavering, and Aelin knows in this very moment that she’s in trouble.
Oh boy.
As they resume their kissing, this time slow and languid and toe-curling, Aelin can’t help but think she’s not sure she’s ready for a Rowan Whitethorn.  
~*~*~*~*~
let me know if you’d like to be tagged in future chapters – ask me HERE
tag list:
@thewayshedreamed​
@b00kworm​
@alifletcher2012​
@aknymph​
@the-third-me​
@mymultiversee​
@superspiritfestival​
@empress-ofbloodshed​
@http-itsrebecca​
@queen-of-glass​
@but-she-was-aelin-galathynius​
@westofmoon​
@rowaelinforeverworld​
@iliketoasterstrudels​
@bamchickawowow​
@hizqueen4life​
@faerie-queen-fireheart​
@giorgia-the-trashpanda​
@acourtofmoonlight​
@m-like-magic1​
@rolltide7​
@wordsafterhours​
@amren-courtofdreams​
@alserath​
@tswaney17​
@jesstargaryenqueen​
@joyceortiz13​
@itsme-malin​
@aesthetics-11​
@keshavomit​
@yingyingbearbear
@alxanxah​
@but-she-was-aelin-galathynius​
@minaidss​
@meowsekai​
@deepdarktrashhole​
@samotita​
@in-love-with-caramel-macchiato​
@ehazzard7​
@cursebreaker29​
@flourishandblottsx​
235 notes · View notes
the-darklings · 5 years
Text
—𝒄𝒉𝒊𝒍𝒅𝒓𝒆𝒏 𝒐𝒇 𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒔;
Tumblr media
pairing: john wick x f!reader
word count: 6.5k+
summary: “Tell me a story with a happy ending.”
warnings: strong violence, blood, swearing.
notes: oh wow, it’s been a hot minute, huh? I miss posting my writing on here but life has been hectic and pretty unkind this year so apologies for the inactivity. All I can say is that I got an urge to finally write for Mr Wick. This is set pre-first movie so any spoilers will be up to that movie only. For now, I decided to split this into two, so expect another part some time soon and enjoy!
children of ares series: .. | 02 |
Tumblr media
“Tell me a story with a happy ending.”
“I can’t. People like us don’t get happy endings.”
. . . 
The first time you meet him, he points a gun to your face with a sharpness that makes your pulse race.
You’re just a second behind him, but you know perfectly well that it would have been a second too late. 
“Oh, for goodness sake,” Tarasov grumbles under his breath, waving his hand in irritation. “Will you two lower your weapons, we aren’t in the zoo.”
The man clad in all black does so immediately, and you idly wonder just how tight his leash is if he obeys so seamlessly. 
You watch him warily as you lower your arm as well, hesitating just long enough for Tarasov’s gaze to slide your way. While you don’t want to piss off your new boss, the man in black stands beside him with a stoic sort of calmness that makes your instincts prickle with unease. 
You know who he is. 
You’ve heard stories about him. 
Soft, terrified murmurs of his infamy—of his terrifying skill. You would rather not meet him at all, truth be told. 
Even amongst killers, John Wick’s name is spoken with a degree of reluctant respect and fear. 
“John, this is our newest associate. I wanted to introduce you personally,” Tarasov explains easily, pouring himself another glass of vodka. “I was rather hoping you will be able to look after her for a bit. Show her how we do business.”
You rather he didn’t. Truly. 
John Wick is tall, calm, and deadly focused on every twitch of your body. 
Underground world has some certains you can find in any corner of the world: money, blood, drugs, and high egos. The latter goes hand in hand with an inflated sense of self-importance and posturing. 
You’re used to that. You know how to handle people with egos. Know how to communicate with those who like the sound of their own voice a bit too much. 
Yet, John Wick somehow manages to be the most fear-inducing thing in the room without so much as making a sound.
His dark eyes appear almost black when they finally connect with yours. There is nothing but polite coolness to be found in his gaze. 
“Sure.”
Tarasov grins wider, saluting you both with his glass, “Excellent,” he intones in smooth Russian. “I do believe this is the start of something rather beautiful.”
. . .
Three months down the line, and you’re still unsure what to make of John. 
Anyone who kills people for a living should be easy to pindown. Sure, everyone has their own reasons, but at the end of the day, they’re all a little twisted. 
John is a walking contradiction. 
He’s cold, he’s stoic, he’s frighteningly efficient in his field. John rarely speaks, and getting more than a few sentences out of him at any given time seems like an incredible feat.  
But he’s also kind in the most subtle ways, thoughtful, and always—unfailingly—has your back on the field. 
Tarasov originally wanted you to do three missions together before he sent you on your own. But somewhere along the way, he seems to have concluded that you work better as a unit. 
It’s odd at first. You’re not used to working with someone, and you’ve never heard of John having a partner with him either. He’s the man they send when no one else wants the contract or they simply can’t finish the job. So working with him is as bizarre as everyone's reactions when they see you together. 
Most of the time, you’re not sure if he even likes you because most of the time, it’s near impossible to read him.
On paper you should never work, you know that much. 
He’s older. His name is known. He’s earned the respect of some of the deadliest in the world.
You’re a nobody from nowhere. Sure, your skills are finally being utilized and by merely associating with John and Tarasov, people are starting to take notice of you, too. But doubt still lingers in your mind as you go through one job after another. 
Truthfully, you’re still unsure if there’s a place for you here, in this shadowy circle of Tarasov’s gang. Though all the alternatives are so much worse you can’t even entertain the idea of a different life right now.
“A stick of gum?”
John is silent for a long time, and for a second you worry that he may not have heard you over the sound of the wind, but you don’t dare to lift your gaze from the scope in front of you. 
Patience you know well. It’s one of the very few areas where you and John are equals. 
“Realistically, one,” he finally mutters, his voice low to a point you have to strain to hear. Blinking, you suppress a grin, adjusting your position as you wait for your target to appear. 
“Just the one?” you repeat with obvious disappointment. “Huh.”
John’s breaths are quiet next to you, thoughtful, “Sorry to disappoint but choking is the only viable option,” he points out a little dryly. 
You hum contemplatively, trying to think of your own spin on this scenario. It has become a bit of a game between you. When you first started working together, John’s company was near painfully boring, especially on long jobs. So you came up with the idea of challenging him with ordinary objects and drilling him on how many people he can realistically kill with them. Of course, he has to fully justify his reasoning for each casualty—that’s half the fun right there after all.  
He still likes his space and peace to this day, but at least now you get him to talk with you regularly on jobs. 
“See if it were me,” you begin in an unhurried drawl. “I would put slow-acting poison in the gum. Maybe even add a dispersing agent into it, so anyone the target comes into contact with would die as well. Multiple dead, I won’t even have to break a sweat.” 
“Sounds dangerous,” he points out idly, but the challenge in his voice is clear. “And highly volatile. How can you be sure it won’t accidentally kill your partner or anyone else that needs to be kept safe?”
“Antidotes, John, c’mon now,” you shoot back playfully, your finger moving to rest against the trigger when you spot slight movement in the building opposite to you. “Oh, the party is a go. Target twelve o’clock.”
You both watch as the men file into the room, chatting and pouring drinks as both parties sit themselves down around the room. A typical setting for deal negotiations. Of course, Tarasov doesn’t want any negotiations to happen at all—hence why you and John are here, and ready to rectify that. 
“You have a clear shot,” John speaks beside you after a long pause, and it still unsettles you how composed he is during jobs and outside of them. It’s like nothing can ever affect him. With every job, every interaction, you begin to understand more and more why the nickname The Boogeyman is starting to catch on. “Take the shot.”
You do. 
Inhaling deeply, you line the shot and it pierces the air with a deafening whistle that shatters the hotel window to pieces. 
Panic reigns and the men scatter like cattle. Some try to find where the shot came from, but by the time they come anywhere near the window, you and John are already walking down the fire exit in a calm, unhurried fashion. The target is dead, and that’s all either of you care about.
“You’ve gotten better.”
It’s not praise, not exactly, more of a tepid assessment. But you take what you can get with John nowadays. In the beginning, it unsettled you, but now you just know that’s how he is. 
“Marcus is a pretty nice guy once you break past that prideful demeanour of his,” you joke with a slight laugh as you both get into his car. “I think he tolerates my pestering because of you, to be honest.”
You feel John’s curious gaze on you, and when you turn to glance at him one of his eyebrows is arched slightly. “That so?”  
“Drive on, Wick,” you say instead. “I’m starving. I wonder what it is about doing this job that always makes me so damn hungry.”
. . .
“You’re a pain in my ass, I hope you know that.”
John only grunts in reply. 
You half drag him with you through the front lobby of The Continental as you slowly approach the reception.  
Charon welcomes you with his typical placid smile and a polite nod of his head. 
“Mr Wick and Miss Vipress,” he greets politely, unfazed by all the blood covering you both as you stagger to a stop in front of his desk. “Pleasure as always. A room for two?”
You nod your head briskly, shifting on your feet till more of John’s weight is leaning against you. “Thanks,” you mutter, sliding the golden coin across the smooth wood. There’s still specks of blood on it, but Charon takes it without batting an eye. 
“Will you be needing a doctor tonight?” he questions with a tilt of his head, ever the helpful hotel concierge. 
You’re shaking your own head before he’s even finished speaking, and glance at the still dazed John beside you. He’s already looking better than he did fifteen minutes ago—less pale and clammy—meaning that the poison is slowly but steadily leaving his system. 
“We’ll be fine,” you say wearily. “But if you could send us up some X7 and Aspirin later, I would appreciate it.”
Charon hums, noting your request immediately in a notepad in front of him. 
“X7 will take a bit longer but consider it done,” he responds pleasantly, sliding your room key across the table. You grapple for it, clenching it tightly between your bloody fingers. “Enjoy your stay,” he adds as you turn to go.
You grunt some vague pleasantry back but your mind is only focused on getting John to the hotel room before his legs decide to give out on him.  
By the time you make it to your room on the third floor—Charon has mercifully put your room only a few doors away from the elevator, and you make a mental note to thank him for it tomorrow—your arms are trembling from the strain. John falls on the couch heavily, a harsh groan rattling free the moment he does, indicating just how bad he must be feeling. 
His dark, half-lidded eyes track your movements as you stumble towards the bathroom, grabbing the complimentary first-aid kit found in every room. A certain, intent sharpness you’re used to seeing is missing from his gaze and you snap your fingers in front of his face a few times. 
“Hey, you still with me?”
John nods his head and groans as he sits up, leaving you once again impressed with his silent strength. It seems like things that would kill ordinary men ten times over barely leave a dent on John. Some part of you can’t help but be slightly envious of the fact that he’s really as brilliant and as unstoppable as everyone makes him out to be. 
He shrugs off his jacket under your command, leaving him in only a shirt and a tie and you loosen it, hurriedly wrapping it above his bleeding forearm. 
“See, poison is a bitch when it’s not done by yours truly,” you mutter under your breath, carefully tracking his breathing patterns. “Aren’t you a lucky boy to have me on hand?”
His answer to your poor attempt at a joke is a half-hearted glare, and you smile weakly, grabbing a small blade from your boot to cut off his shirt sleeve. The white material flutters towards the ground and you grimace at the deep gash running at least eight centimetres down his arm. It looks angry and inflamed; a side effect to the potent poison the blade to make that cut was laced with. 
You brush the damp strands of loose hair away from his sweaty forehead, and press your palm against his skin. A pleased hum escapes you and you nod your head, satisfied, before turning to sanitize the needle you’ll be using. 
“The fever is going down,” you tell him when you feel his silent question hang in the air between you. “That means the antidote is working. You should be back to normal in another hour or so. Gelsemine though? Jesus. I miss the days when people used Thallium and thought they were efficient poisoners.”
You grab your belt, taking it off with a hurried jerk as you offer it to John who looks up at you in confusion. “For the pain,” you supply, shaking your hand a little.
“Just get me something strong,” he grunts, pointedly shifting his gaze to the table where a bottle of something that looks like whiskey sits untouched. 
Clicking your tongue, you shake your head, “Not if you want to start vomiting blood. The poison is still in your system. Alcohol will make it worse and likely kill the antidote too. Take it.”
John looks away and you roll your eyes, dropping the belt to the ground as you step between his legs to get better access to the wound. 
“Right, okay, this will hurt.”
John doesn’t say anything—not that you expect him to. You start with cleaning the cut first, and John’s fingers sink into the couch but he remains stubbornly silent. His eyes focus on a spot just above your shoulder as you work quietly. Cleaning wounds is meticulous work, and your line of work assures that you’re always meticulous. By the time the needle finally pierces John’s skin, it already looks better. 
His jaw clenches tightly as you move the needle in and out of his skin. You know it’s excruciating but he makes no protests aside from occasional soft grunt of pain. His blood is warm on your fingers and you work as quickly as you can without messing up, a slight tremor shaking your hand. 
“How,” he begins before clearing his throat. “How did you get involved in all of this?”
You make a small sound at the back of your throat, unsure if he’s trying to distract himself from pain or truly asking because he wants to know.
“How does anyone get involved with this sort of thing,” you answer dully, not taking the bait. “We’ve known each other for almost a year and you’re only asking about my tragic past now? Tsk, tsk.”
You feel his eyes focus on you, and pull on the needle harder, tightening the stitches much to John’s clear discomfort. 
You’re both silent for a long moment after that, and much to your surprise John doesn’t push further. Most people would. 
But John Wick is not most people, you’ve come to find. 
He’s the type of man who never tries to make passes on you, never makes unnecessary comments about you or your appearance, and always insists on two beds. If there’s no spare bed, he always offers to sleep on the couch or the floor—the only exception to this rule is if he’s injured himself. 
“My parents,” you speak softly before stopping. There’s a sudden tightness in your chest and throat as you swallow, gripping John’s arm tighter so you don’t slip with all the blood coating your hands. You feel his attention turn to you, and work to control your breathing. “They worked for Tarasov when he still ran his drug operation in Moscow. Everyone owned him. He practically ran the city. People were watched, police bought out. I didn’t know about any of it. My father was tasked with the export of drugs from and into the country. My mother worked directly in one of his drug houses. Keeping the books.”
You pause, breathing deeply, and grab the nearby towel to wipe away the blood on John’s arm. Hesitating, you glance up at him. He looks alert again, sharp, and you wonder if you should continue. 
This man is already lethal—the last thing he needs is leverage over you. 
But—
You move towards the desk where the bottle of whiskey is sitting while you wipe your own hands on a towel, hiding the visible trembling of your fingers as you resume your story. 
“They decided that it would be a good idea to have a side gig on the side,” you continue, your words flat, emotionless. By now, you don’t feel grief when thinking about your parents. Just anger. The destructive, bubbling sort of rage that festers under your skin every day. “My mother started adjusting the numbers. Little by little. Nothing Tarasov would notice. Never more than thirty thousand rubles per shipment. That may sound like a lot but actually, it’s less than five hundred bucks. Seems laughable now when I think about it. For us, of course, every month that kind of money made a big difference. We didn’t need many luxuries. But they say your greed grows as you eat.”
You turn back towards John, bringing the bottle over to him. Sitting down on the table in front of him, you pour some of the whiskey on a fresh towel and press the soaked material against his arm. John’s expression twists slightly but you can tell from the way his eyes focus on you seconds later that he’s listening intently to your every word. 
“They started taking a bit more every month,” you whisper, swallowing your anger, “More and more. Just a bit. But penny after penny and it all adds up. Tarasov eventually found out, of course. He gathered everyone who works for him and had my parents shot in front of them. That’s how you keep sheep in line. You scare them till they’re too afraid to do anything, even help. I don’t blame them though. Those people had nothing. Elderly. Orphaned kids. Immigrants. Fear and hunger are all they’ve known. And well, after...”
Your head dips, and you nibble on your lip for a second, tasting blood. For the first time in a long time, the coppery tang makes you feel queasy. 
“Tarasov came to our flat that same afternoon. Had me make him dinner practically at gunpoint,” you explain further, a sardonic smile twisting your mouth as you meet John’s steady stare. So far, he hasn’t made a sound. “We discussed my parents' debt to him. He could have just had me shot too of course. But he said he didn’t want that. He said that my talents with chemistry were too valuable for him to waste. So he gave me a choice. I work for him until my parents' debt is paid off or….”   
For the first time since you began your story, John speaks, “Or?”
You chuckle under your breath, removing the towel from his arm, and lightly press your fingertips against the tender flesh. 
“There’s many uses for a healthy, young woman, John,” you state flatly, your lips stretching into something that could never pass for a smile. 
You can’t exactly pinpoint his expression, but you know it’s not pity. Perhaps it’s sympathy or even compassion. Some deeper understanding that can’t be expressed with words alone. But for once you feel like John is looking at you openly and without that uncrackable armour he usually wears like a second skin. 
“I’m sorry,” he says, at last, his voice almost gentle. “About your parents.” 
You scoff, taking a swing from the bottle and wince at the stinging burn the drink leaves in its wake. “They were stupid idiots,” you deadpan harshly. “I love them dearly. But they were fucking idiots.”
John nods once because you both know you’re right, and you swallow shakily, blinking your eyes rapidly.
For a few minutes, it’s quiet between you. You expect it to be awkward yet somehow it isn’t. In fact, it’s almost peaceful. 
“Anyway, I made my choice and here I am,” you mumble, carefully pouring him a tiny amount of the drink. He should be fine to drink it by now. Probably. “Tarasov said that once the debt is repaid, I’m free to go.” 
“And you believe that?”
Your eyes meet as John takes the glass from your hand. 
“No,” you reply frankly, your smile pained. “But when you have nothing, you have to believe in something.”
. . .
You settle into an odd little routine, you and John. 
Tarasov gives you a mission, you go, accomplish the impossible somehow and get to go on breathing for another day. 
The longer you work together, the easier it becomes to correlate. Your only weakness—if one can even call it that—is that you’re both stubborn individualists. He’s a brute, relentless strength to your sly, vicious subtlety. That’s what makes the fact that character-wise you couldn’t be more different so stupidly hilarious to you. The only real arguments you have is the way in which the job should be approached.
That thought makes you chuckle and you wince in pain immediately after. The ice pack against your jaw shifts slightly, and you shift in your seat, trying to get more comfortable. Most of your body aches painfully, but your jaw feels especially sore. One of the idiots has managed to get three heavy hits in before John splattered his brain all over you. In return, you’ve been forced to kick John out of the path of a bullet hail. 
He’s the one who pressed ice against your jaw while you were busy cleaning his bruised and bleeding knuckles. 
Then you sat in silence, digesting another job well done, and basking in the tranquil air of the hotel room while the pain-reducing solution you’ve made works its magic. 
And odd routine indeed. 
“Hey,” John’s voice breaks the soft tranquillity, and you jerk up, realising that you’ve come dangerously close to dozing off. “Do you ever think about getting out?”
You blink slowly, clearing your head as his words register. Then, confusion blooms, “Out? Get out of what?”
John doesn’t look at you though. His heavy gaze focuses on something outside, out of your sight. The slopes of his profile have become familiar to you—the raven hair, dark eyes, the small crinkles that appear around his eyes on the rare occasion he does smile. He’s not standoffish in the way others often accuse him of being now. If anything he looks softer somehow, more human than a weapon Tarasov boasts of so smugly. More than a living nightmare so many fear. 
He looks like a man. Simple as that, and when he finally turns to face you, you see the fresh cuts and bruises on his face. Just a man. 
“Getting out of this life,” he replies slowly, his voice rougher from the lucky hit one of the guards managed to get into his throat. “Getting away from everything. From Tarosov.”
It strikes you then that John is asking from a genuine place of interest—something he rarely indulges in with you, considering nine out of ten times all conversations between you are started by you. 
The second thing that strikes you is a genuine surprise. John is not the person you would ever expect to hear this type of question from. It’s private, it’s raw; he knows about your debt, about the chain around your neck. Better than most, perhaps better than everyone. But because you respect him enough to at least give it actual thought, you consider his question for a long time. 
It takes at least five minutes until you finally speak and when you do your voice sounds hollow in your own ears, “I never wanted this life,” you begin softly, your voice thin. “I never asked to be involved in any of this. I didn’t ask for my parents to take me from country to country, never allowing me to settle down anywhere or make friends. When they kept secrets and were barely home. I didn’t ask for adventure, or danger, or even wealth, John. But—”
John stares at you, considering you, no doubt analysing your words, and you swallow the sudden lump in your throat at his show of keen interest. 
“But,” you repeat again, your tone harsher. “I’m here, and I have to make the best of it. I’ve never been good at anything in my life. But if there’s one thing I’ve learned about myself in this last year is that I’m very, very good at this. I’m starting to think that violence is in my blood, and I don’t know what that means just yet but…”
You exhale, eyes fluttering shut and you only open them after counting to ten inside your head. Slow and steady as you meet his gaze straight on. “So to answer your question: no. No, I don’t think about it. Even after I’m finished dealing with Tarasov, I don’t see another path for myself anymore. It was taken from me.”  
John peers at you for a long, long time after you fall silent. You’re not sure what he discerns from your expression or what he’s searching for, but you doubt he finds it as his obsidian eyes eventually slide away from you and towards the window. 
The sun is rising in the East. 
Milan is beautiful this time of year. 
You sit together through the sunrise, not saying a word. 
Years later, you would look back on this as the last true moment of peace for an interminable number of years. 
. . .
Separation comes only two short months later like a punch to the face. 
Tarasov’s argument is simple: he needs two jobs done on different sides of the world. One requires the lethality John is infamous for, another requires the most subtle of touches; a snake’s slyness. 
Tarasov needs the Boogeyman and the Vipress but for vastly different things this time. 
John must sense your unease—this will be your first solo mission after all—and he stops you as soon as you’re both out of earshot of any prying eyes. 
“You’ll be fine,” he says so simply, effortlessly, with enough confidence in his low voice that for a second you believe him too. “It’s the perfect job for you.”
“Of course I’ll be fine,” you shoot back with forced nonchalance. “I’m not that helpless.”
Your smile is forced, and John knows it too. 
He doesn’t point it out because deep down John is kind—no matter how ironic it is for a deadly assassin to be that.
For once, you expect him to say something else but he doesn’t. One of Tarasov’s men shouts him over because his flight is leaving in three hours. John’s gaze lingers on you for an insignificant second but he still walks away, leaving a cold kind of silence in his wake. 
His name burns at the back of your throat as dread bubbles in the pit of your gut.  
But you don’t call his name out.
. . .
It doesn’t go bad. 
It doesn’t go well either. 
It goes thoroughly and wholly to shit. 
You grasp at your shoulder where blood is still pouring freely, and your eyes sting with tears of pain as you make your report to the silent Tarasov over the phone.
They have known. 
They have prepared. 
The target got away at the last moment.
You are lucky to still be alive. 
“Better you weren’t then,” Tarasov purrs in Russian, the letters curling like a death grip around your throat. “Report to me tomorrow.”
“But—”
The line goes dead. 
You pull the bullet out yourself. Through gritted teeth and sweat dripping down your forehead. You cry twice and throw up once before you pass out from pain and terror. Still, you manage to patch yourself up. 
The lack of John’s presence stings in an unexpected, violent way when you wake up, bleary-eyed and shivering.
You have gotten dependent on him and his help. 
Now it feels like a weakness. 
Now, you hate yourself for shaking in terror as you make your way to Tarasov’s new office in New York. 
You’re strong (but not strong enough), you’re smart (but not enough), you’re— 
You wonder if you should pray, or perhaps plead for help from some higher power. Tarasov as good as admitted that you will be dead by the end of this meeting. There is no helping you now. 
Sickness cramps your stomach and you dry heave in an alleyway behind his office. Your vision swims, your blood rushes in your ears and for a second you consider simply lying down on this cold, dirty ground and letting the world consume you.
You failed, you fucked up. First solo mission and you failed in the most spectacular way possible. The target got away. There’s no one to blame but yourself. 
You’ve considered poisoning him, but that seems so unlikely to succeed now. His lackeys will never allow you to walk through the office door without ransacking you, nor would Tarasov be stupid enough to let you anywhere near him. 
Death, now more than ever, seems like an inevitably. 
John will save me. 
A harsh bark of laughter tears from your throat at the sudden, invasive whisper of your mind. How pathetic. To mess up is one thing, to know that there’s close to nothing you can do to rectify the situation is another, but to actually hope someone else will save you…
Even if you are to allow yourself the overly indulgent thought, that still doesn’t change the fact that John is in Europe right now. Half a world away—too far away. 
John.
Knees quaking, you stand up. 
Squaring your shoulders, and ignoring the burn of pain in your left shoulder, you start walking. 
John would face this with dignity, with that same cool detachment he does most things. 
John would not quiver in some dingy alleyway. He would not cry like some pathetic idiot because of his own mistake. He would face it, and he would fight back. 
Your forehead presses against the freezing wall of the building as you pull yourself together piece by piece. 
You are no longer that same girl who wept over your parents because you have no idea where they are buried, or if they even had a burial. If perhaps their bodies have been thrown onto the streets, or woods, or simply fed to the dogs. 
That girl has been killed by your parents' stupidity. 
Now only the Vipress remains. 
Vipress who is a master poisoner, whose name is no longer whispered with mockery but with reluctant respect that’s starting to rival John’s.
With every step, you stand straighter, walk with more confidence. Your shoulder throbs terribly but you step into the building as through a fog.
Tarasov greets you with a glass of vodka and a wide grin. 
The hardness of his gaze is chilling though, and you try to keep your cool demeanour, emulating John as much as possible. Two other guards lurk in the dark corners of the room, and you still entertain the thought that you can take them if it comes to that. 
Your heartbeat is so deafening in your ears, you barely catch Tarasov’s words. 
“Sorry?”
His grin stretches even further, and he tuts, “My, my, I almost forgot. How’s the shoulder?”
He doesn’t sound like he cares. But not answering would be a stupid thing to do. “It’s fine, sir.”
Tarasov makes a small sound at the back of his throat before his fist strikes your shoulder with enough force that you crumble to the floor. A cry of pain manages to escape before you bite your cheek, hot blood flooding your mouth as you tremble on the floor before him. 
“Oh, my,” Tarasov comments in sharp Russian as if surprised by your predicament while one of his guards hands him his glass. “Seems like you’re not as ‘fine’ as you say. You’ve disappointed me, (Name). Greatly.”
Tarasov pats your head, the contact heavy and patronizing, as he jerks your head up. He stares at you with a hum, shaking his head as his powerful features rearrange into a look of genuine disappointment. 
“Stand up,” he orders sharply and lets go of you, allowing you space to stagger to your feet. “It would be undignified to shoot you like this. Believe it or not, my hopes for you were high and you’ve been rather useful to me. I at least respect that.”
The two guards shift in the dim room, and you bare your bloody teeth on instinct, lowering your blood-covered hand from your shoulder. If they want to fight...   
Tarasov laughs genuinely this time, loud and booming, suddenly reminding you of your father. “You’ve got fire, little viper. I will need that ferocity for our expansion. But you also fucked up. Badly. But you will never fail me again, isn’t that right?” 
You don’t answer, staring at him through a pain-fueled haze. Tarasov ‘tsk’s and the back of his hand strikes your face with numbing force. Your lip splits on contact, one side of your face tingling with raw pain as your head snaps to the side. 
Few droplets of blood hit the pristine floor, and you stare at it dumbly, breathing harshly through your mouth. 
“I grow impatient,” he mutters coldly in clipped Russian. “Isn’t that right? I expect an answer. What did you think I will kill you? No, no, my dear. Not yet. You’ve made a mess but it can be sorted. How severe your punishment is going to be, however, is entirely dependant on you.”
Swallowing thickly, you lift your eyes to his, “I won’t fail you again.”
Tarasov laughs again, and salutes you before drowning the half-full glass in one gulp. He exhales, looking rather pleased with himself. 
“Of course you won’t,” he hums pleasantly, and pats your injured cheek with heavy intent. “Because if you do, I will have John himself put a bullet in your pretty little head. Now get out of my sight and don’t come back till I call for you.” 
. . .
The knock on your door comes two days later.
You aren’t expecting guests so the first thing you do is grab your poisoned needles and your gun. 
Gripping the familiar weight in your palm, you cautiously approach the door, levelling the gun against the wood. “Who is it?”
“It’s me.”
Your hand drops instinctively, and you crack the door open, only to find a familiar pair of dark eyes already staring at you. Your fingers tremble slightly as you open the door fully and John’s familiar stocky frame comes into view. 
He, in turn, takes a good minute to no doubt take in your bandaged shoulder and bruised face. Even though you added ice the moment you left Tarasov’s office, one half of your face is still swollen. Ugly, blotchy bruises litter your skin and you swallow shakily upon noting the hard, near frightening intensity in which John is taking in your injuries. 
“Why did you come?” you finally force out, and clear your throat when your voice cracks a few times. “Didn’t you have—”
“What happened?” John speaks instead, and there’s an icy undercurrent to his words you’re unused to hearing from him. 
Turning away, you walk deeper into the room, and John follows you silently. 
“I figured you would know. I’m the talk of the town,” you mutter dryly, and feel a stab of anger at the thought.
When you turn to face him, John’s expression is still oddly severe though his demeanour appears as calm as always. You’re not quite sure what to make of it. 
“I do know what happened on the mission,” he replies, his mouth a tight line, and voice dropping into almost whisper. “I want to know about this.”
He reaches out and for a stupid—purely idiotic second—you think that he’s going to touch your face; maybe run his thumb over your tender jaw to soothe the pain. 
But John stops halfway and allows his hand to drop back to his side, patient and quiet as he waits for your explanation. 
There’s an odd tension in the air that you can’t quite pinpoint. The relief of seeing him, at knowing he cares enough to at least come and see you, is already enough. Which doesn’t explain why you feel a distinct stab of disappointment at the realisation that he’s not going to hold you or comfort you, regardless of how naive it would be to expect something like that from him. That hard demeanour of his is near impossible to crack through most of the time.
“Tarasov wasn’t happy,” you settle on the easiest explanation you can give him. “Reminded me that I will never fail him again or he will have you shoot me next time.”
John’s expression twists. “I—”
He cuts himself off and you smile sadly, wincing when you scabbed lip stretches too wide. You know what he was about to say. That he wouldn’t do it—that maybe he simply couldn’t. Even in the world of killers, there are grey areas no one likes to tread on. Friends, family, associates. 
But you also know the truth. 
You both work exclusively under Tarasov’s contract. John would have to do what he’s told regardless of his own feelings on the matter. And maybe even if he does care, even if he considers you an actual friend, it won’t be enough to deliberately place himself in danger by showing disobedience. 
“It’s okay,” you say softly, and you wonder why you sound so sad without even meaning to. “We do what we’re told. We don’t ask questions. We just pull the trigger, right? It’s who we are. We’re made for violence and isn’t that fucking sad? We don’t even question it anymore, John. Do you think—”
His head tilts, his loose hair brushing against his forehead. “Do I think what?”
You exhale slowly, shaking your head, and give him another tiny smile. Somehow even ignoring pain is easier with him beside you. 
“It’s nothing. It doesn’t matter.”
For a moment, it looks like John will say something else but he stops himself at last second and nods his head as if accepting your words. 
The distance between you feels like a ravine even while you spend the entire evening in the same room, breathing the same air. But perhaps that’s just the endless paradox between you.
. . . 
It doesn’t happen overnight. Or days. Or even weeks. 
It’s slow. So much so that you don’t notice for a long, long time and by the time you do, it’s already painfully clear that there’s no going back. 
Much like the name John wears, much like the man himself, it creeps up on you. Little by little. Bit by bit.
There’s no groundbreaking moment, there are no fireworks. There’s just the knowing that sits deep in the pit of your stomach. It’s a foolish, idiotic thing. You brush it aside because you know better. Because you’re not naive enough to hope for anything in a world like this. 
Hope is a dangerous thing, and you’ve had yours broken too many times to rely on it anymore. 
So you don’t.
You know not to expect good things anymore, to never try and rely on anything or anyone. Every good thing you’ve ever had has either died or been taken from you. 
So you really should have known that this would never last. 
. . .
Tarasov’s imposed “time out” lasts for three months. 
It marks the beginning of the end. 
And it starts with an accident that turns into a tragedy. 
. . .
an: wooo, I hope you all liked that. I’m sooo rusty it’s not even funny but I hope you found some enjoyment in this. Also sorry for the very slowburn relationship I suppose? This isn’t super romantic. But considering the type of man John is (and the fact that he’s younger here) I actually don’t see him falling for someone immediately? Also, I love angst so....this is gonna be exactly that! Thank you for reading everyone!!
1K notes · View notes