#i must have yawned at least 100 times working on it

[lazer-t]

3D Animation Commission

Character belongs to @wanderingwastelands

[robinette-green]

Late Night Day Dreams Chapter 11:

The Day After

You’re a Parts and Service Technician who’s been out for a week due to illness. An early morning phone call has you coming in at 6 am on your first day back instead of 10 pm like you had been planning on.

You just want to clock in, get set up and then seen your robot boys in the daycare but things don’t go as planned.

2,941 words

Princess Quest ending

Sun and Moon are 100% your boyfriends and it’s a secret but everyone knows

Punching my code into the keypad, I yawned, covering my mouth and squinting as my eyes watered.

6am was much, MUCH too early to be awake.

A phone call had startled me from sleep about 15 minutes ago. It was one of management’s automated voice messages, pre-recorded and riddled with breaks from a robotic AI voice.

“Hello, Faz Bear employee, NUMBER 13357. We are calling to inform you that you are needed to work MORNING SHIFT PARTS AND SERVICE TECHNICIAN. We apologize for any inconvenience and appreciate your cooperation. Please arrive on time for your SIX AM shift. Thank you and have a good day.”

I’d been out sick for a week and today was my first day back. It was just starting much, MUCH earlier than I thought it would.

Jeff must have called out. He was the normal morning tech. It was odd though because usually he’d shoot me a text to give me a heads up if he knew he wouldn’t be able to come in.

Well if he was sick he’d probably be sleeping in so I’d text him later to make sure he was alright.

The keypad beeped, light glowing green for a moment before the large metal door that split the parking garage from the lobby started to lift.

Adjusting my bag on my shoulder, I took a long sip of coffee while I waited for the door to rise enough to walk under.

Neon lights reflected off the polished floors of the lobby, large LED screens played ads of the band on the pillars and walls, and staff bots mopped the floors and did security rounds. Everything as normal at Freddy Fazbear’s Mega Pizza Plex.

Well until I made it to the turn styles and noticed that the gates for the lower gift shop and the customer service counter were both raised.

…

They should have been lowered last night and the night guard wouldn’t have needed to raise them.

…

Okay, well, whatever.

Maybe one of the animatronics opened them and forgot to close them again.

Ducking into one of the ticket booths, I booted up one of the computers and clocked in for my shift. The computer played a little fan fair with children cheering in the background as the punch went through and I rolled my eyes. I don’t know who programmed it to do that but I wanted to have a conversation with them. We were just going to talk.

Taking another sip of coffee, I adjusted my bag again and started through the lobby and up the stairs to the elevators.

The plan was to go down to parts and service first and get set up then I’d check on the main four before going to the daycare to see Sun and Moon. I needed to at least pretend to do my job before I could see my favorite boys and once we’d gotten through the hugs and catching up I’m sure they’d enjoy coming with me on my rounds of the -

…

The elevator doors had opened and I was distracted by the upper half of Monty clawing his way across the atrium floor. Not even sparing me a glance.

“… the fuck???”

It took another long moment before I could pull myself out of my surprise and shock.

“MONTY!” I shouted, trotting to catch up to the torso crawling across the floor.

“Dude! What the fuck?”

He didn’t respond, continuing on his merry way, a growl periodically coming from his voice box.

I dropped to a knee and set my coffee aside so I could rummage through my bag. Luckily, my Faz wrench, a large, orange, two-pronged tool, was near the top.

Faz wrench in hand, I ran to Monty and practically tackled him, placing a knee in his back to press him to the floor. As the bot growled and scrabbled at the floor, ripping up carpet and scooting us jerkily forward, I forced the service hatch on the upper part of his back open and slammed the prongs of the Faz wrench into the slot I’d uncovered. With a twist of the wrench, Monty slumped to the floor as he rebooted.

What the hell happened last night???

As Monty started to boot back on, I moved to sit next to him on the floor, closing his service hatch as I did.

Monty blinked a few times then groaned, clutching at his head with what was left of his hands. Now that I was really looking at him I could see that the shells of his hands were also gone.

Did someone break him for his upgrade?

Were the others okay??

“Wha?” Monty shifted to look down at himself and then at me.

“What, in the swampy bottom Faz fuck happened to my legs!?” He demanded in his gruff cajun accent.

“Language. If I knew, I’d tell you. I just got here. Walked through the doors and found you crawling your way through the plex. I was hoping you could tell me.”

“ Hypocrite. You spend too much time in that daycare” Monty grumbled.

“Is everyone else alright?”

“Again, just got here,” I repeated, ignoring his jab at my own use of cuss words, before getting to my knees and grabbing the gator under his arms.

“Come here you overgrown backpack. Let’s get moving and find out.”

With Monty’s help and a good bit of struggle, I managed to get Monty into my back and stood. Turns out that he was still extremely heavy when only part of an upper body.

“You’ll grumble but we’re going to the daycare first.”

Monty did grumble a little bit, tightening his grip on my shoulders.

“Na, I get it. Need to check on your boys.”

Lugging the large gator along, I went back to the elevator to go back to the lobby. This route would be faster than going through Kids Cove and I wouldn’t have to walk as far with a heavy passenger on my back.

“Hey kid, put me down. I’ll crawl” Monty could tell I was already flagging.

“No. This is faster and I can have Sun and Moon carry you once we find them.”

The music in the elevator cut out and the announcer told us a Faz fact that was very clearly untrue.

Bears aren't extinct yet and most certainly don't eat pizza in the wild.

Monty and I waited silently for it to finish and now that we weren’t talking I could really feel his weight pulling me down, compressing my body.

“…Though if I change my mind you’ll be the first to know.”

Monty chuckled and the elevator doors opened and we were able to continue on.

We made it to the daycare check-in before I had to set Monty down but we were close enough that it didn’t matter.

I practically fell down, getting Monty to the floor without dropping him and my body felt oddly light and floaty as I stumbled to the 'side into fun' slide that went down into the daycare proper.

“SUN!” I called down the colorful plastic tube.

I’d been out for a week, they should be anxious wrecks to see me again.

The sudden crashing of an animatronic scrambling up the slide startled me and when Sun shot out, his arms wrapping around me I fell over, his weight crushing me.

“OH DEWDROP! I’m so glad, glad, GLAD! You’re back! So many things have gone WRONG! They made us get an upgrade WITHOUT YOU! It was HORRIBLE! And, and now Moon won’t talk to me! And he’s HURT an EMPLOYEE!! And we’ve had complaints! I’m not allowed to turn the light OFF anymore!! and, and, and OH MY GOD WHAT’S HAPPENED TO MONTY!!!” Holding me tight to his chest, Sun scrambled away from the torso of the gator that was crawling towards us.

“Woah! Easy!” I took Sun’s face into my hands, trying to calm him some.

“It’s alright.”

The large sunny animatronic melted into my touch, curling further around me.

Next time I get sick I’m going to let Sun and Moon squirrel me away in their room and let them care for me like they wanted because clearly I couldn’t leave for a moment without things falling apart… literally.

Monty sighed, resting his head on his hands as he looked at us over his sunglasses.

“We don’t know what happened to 'em,” Monty grumbled.

“I woke up like this. Your little human says they found me crawling through the atrium like this and gave me a reboot.”

It took a little longer to calm Sun down and after some coaxing and more hugs, I finally got him to let me go.

We decided that the first thing we would do was get Monty down to parts and service. I didn’t know what condition the others would be in and I might need Sun and Moon to carry them. That would be easier if they weren’t also carrying the gator.

I also wanted to check on Moon. From what Sun had said I had a feeling that something had gone wrong with whatever upgrade they’d gotten and I needed to make sure Moon was okay.

Sun scooped Monty up and carried him with one arm then snagged my hand, squeezing for reassurance.

Giving him a smile, I squeezed back.

I was going to fix this.

It didn’t take long to get down to parts and service. We placed Monty on one of the work tables and let him go into rest mode then I gently talked Sun into the repair tube. He was nervously pulling at a ray, the rest pulled into his face plate with worry.

“A-are you sure this is a good idea? Y-you haven’t seen the state of our room. H-he’s been destroying staff bots! I don’t want you to get hurt! What if something’s really REALLY wrong and he- and he-!”

“It’ll be okay, Sunny bunny,” I murmured, patting Sun’s hand as he sat in the large dentist-looking chair.

“You and I both know that Moon would never do anything to hurt me. We’re going to find out what they did wrong during your upgrade and I’m going to fix it. Promise. It’ll be okay.”

The door closed, sealing us in as I sat on my rolling stool and hooked up my laptop to the port in the back of Sun’s head.

“I’ll do a check on you first, then we’ll turn out the lights,” I said, already distracted by code as I dug through Sun’s files, Sun giving me a nervous affirmative.

They’d given Sun and Moon a battery that could outlast any of the other animatronic’s batteries but when they’d done this they’d turned off Sun and Moon’s ability to enter rest mode.

I grumbled something unsavory to myself as I turned it back on. Not being able to rest for a week was probably part of the reason Sun was so high-strung right now. Not resting on top of everything else going on.

Luckily everything else seemed to be in order…

“We’re going to take a long nap once we get everything sorted. Looks like you both need a snuggle and some rest.”

Sun took one of my hands in his, tilting his head slightly so he could look up at me with his white eyes.

“Please?” He asked, his voice so small.

I leaned down and pressed a kiss to his forehead.

“Absolutely.”

Now it was time to check on Moon.

Giving Sun’s hand a squeeze, I reached over and placed a finger on the light controls.

“Ready?” I asked softly and after a moment of hesitation, Sun nodded.

The lights in the repair tube went out and dimmed in the rest of Parts and Service. Sun’s body convulsed and he made a pained sound that had me lurching forward.

“SUN?!?” I called out but as soon as it had started, it stopped, Moon’s red eyes glowing in the dark.

“Are you alright!? That sounded like it hurt!” I ran my fingers along the edge of Moon’s face plate where Sun’s rays had retracted, looking to see if something was impeding the change there.

A hand grabbed my wrist and squeezed. Hard.

“Ahh,” I hissed, free hand instinctively going to Moon’s fingers to try and relieve some of the pressure as my eyes flew to Moon’s.

“Sssss-starlight?” Moon growled, voice glitching.

Suddenly, Moon jerked forward, gripping his face plate with a hand and crying out, his eyes flickering purple for a moment.

“Moon. Talk to me, buddy. What’s wrong?” I scrambled for my laptop, clicking away with my free hand through Moon’s coding, wincing as I tried to ignore the way my other wrist was being crushed.

“S-sommmmme-thing’ssss. Ii-t’sss in-n-n-n-n my head. Connn-t-trolling-” Moon managed to get out, doing his best to fight whatever was trying to rear its ugly head.

“Hold on honey, I got you,” I murmured, typing as fast as I could with one hand.

There was something in his code, probably the same thing that had been affecting Monty when I’d first found him. Moon needed a reboot, that should clear out the virus like it had with Monty.

Moon growled, the metal of his face plate creaking as his grip tightened down, the grip on my wrist just as tight.

“J-Just a little longer. Hold out for me if you can.” I managed to say through gritted teeth, trying to ignore the way my bones were creaking.

Grabbing my Faz wrench, I was just barely able to get the prongs into the slot on the back of Moon’s face plate. With a grunt, I turned the wrench and Moon suddenly went limp, eyes going dark.

I pulled my arm free from his grasp and cradled it to my chest. By some miracle, it was bruised but not broken.

Leaning closer, I tried to see what Moon’s optics were doing.

“Moon? How are you feeling sweetheart?”

Red eyes flickering back on, I had to sit back as their head did a spin and Sun’s rays joined Moon’s hat.

“Happy Birthday!” Eclipse gushed and I sighed, smiling down at the grinning robot.

If Eclipse was fronting then everything must be working smoothly. This part of the daycare attendant could only surface when Sun and Moon were working in harmony.

“Not my birthday, Eclipse. Did the reboot wipe the virus from your system?”

“Sure did! We’re in tip-top shape! And we’re able to communicate again just fine as you can see!” Eclipse gushed as he sat up, reaching out to pull me into a hug.

“Thank you, Star Shine!” He whispered into my hair. Then in a much smaller voice, he asked

“Is it… time for that cuddle?” He sounded so anxious and sad, I wanted to immediately agree but we still had work to do.

But then I would cuddle my poor boys for days and we’d have a week-long sleepover. They deserved it after what they’d been through.

After checking on Monty one more time, Sun, Moon, and I set out to find Roxy, Chica, and Freddy and check on DJ Music Man.

We found Roxy in her salon, sobbing uncontrollably as she tried to hide her face. Her eyes had been ripped from her head, wires hanging loose from the empty sockets. Her hair had been thoroughly messed up and it looked like her snout had been bent giving her a permanent snarl.

The shock from losing her eyes had forced an auto reboot, purging the virus but it had left Roxy a wreck, sobbing and raging about the boy that had taken her eyes from her.

Sun and I promised over and over that she was still the most beautiful and that I would easily be able to fix her. I even told her that we could add whatever she wanted to her shell. New hairstyle, new colors, different earrings, whatever she wanted. We’d make a spa day of it.

This seemed to calm her down some and Sun and I were able to get her to parts and service, letting her sit in a chair near Monty’s table as she whimpered softly.

So this Gregory had taken Monty’s hands and Roxy’s eyes. I had a feeling I knew what would be missing when we found Chica.

And I was right but it was worse than I’d thought.

She’d been smashed by the trash compactor but was somehow still mindlessly wandering around and shoving food into what was left of her mouth. Someone had pulled her voice box out and taken her beak with it leaving Chica with a large hole in her face. Her shell was cracked in serval places and she reeked of trash.

I ended up having to have Moon hold Chica down so I could open the service panel in her back and force a reboot with my Faz wrench.

Even once she was rebooted, Chica seemed dazed and confused. Moon was able to converse with her via sign language but, just like Monty, she had no memory of what had happened.

DJ Music Man seemed alright, all things considered. He seemed to have the robot equivalent of a headache, holding his head, lying sprawled out on his stage. DJ had a vague memory of a boy running about the arcade but couldn’t tell us more.

No matter how hard we looked, we couldn’t find any sign of Freddy. He appeared to have vanished along with the boy that had caused all this destruction.

If this is what happens when I leave for a week then I guess I can’t leave ever again.

Not that Sun or Moon would let me.

[bluesylveon2]

omg, can I request number 13 with sebek please?????

I did it anon! I wrote this! The ending could be better but I think this turned out good. This prompt really fit Sebek too lol

Prompt: 13. We make contact before trying to steal the last seat on the subway/bus/train and I end up in your lap and fuck you, I’m going to stay here because I’ve had a really long day and this seat was mine

Note: Modern au and aged up characters

Word Count: 1691

Warnings: not beta read, possible OOC characters (Sebek is an asshole at first), and an attempt at writing subways (I based it off NYC)

500 Follower Event

Yuu was having a not-so-good, horrible, very bad day.

It had all started when she had slept past her alarm and woke up to Grim, the recent cat she adopted, making her sofa a scratching post. Then, after running out of her house with a white blouse, a skirt, heels, and a cup of coffee in her hand, she magically ran into someone, spilling coffee on her clothes. 

The person apologized, but Yuu wanted to scream. She only had 5 minutes left until her shift at the office started, and she did not want her boss or coworkers to get on her about it. 

(There was a redhead in the IT department who was strict and infamous for lecturing a coworker who was late by two seconds). 

It was a stroke of luck that Yuu made it on time. Everyone was too busy to notice her arrival except for Vil, who gasped at Yuu's current state. Luckily for her, he had a blouse and a skirt that he lent her (but not before giving her a lecture about her appearance). 

The rest of her shift was boring after that. Yuu quietly sat in her cubicle while the chaos happened around her. It was a typical day, to say the least, until her boss, Dire Crowley, showed up with a mountain of paperwork and wanted it done by the end of the day because he was oh-so kind. It reminded her of the infamous trio in Accounting and Finance, who she was 100% certain were in the mafia. And so, Yuu left her job with a massive headache, a plastic bag with the company label of her soiled clothes, and a list of how to get revenge on her boss. The poor girl was working like Cinderella, and she only wanted to sleep while cuddling Grim.

Yuu made her way toward the train station and mindlessly went to her stop. Yuu could not hold back her yawn as the subway appeared. She tiredly followed behind the crowd into the train, letting her feet guide her inside. It was partially full, and luckily, only a few people entered with her. Her eyes landed on the spot near the door, perfect for her to sit and decompress. 

Yuu only took two steps towards the seat when suddenly, a man with slicked back light green hair, yellow-green eyes, and the strangest green and black outfit she had seen sat down in HER seat. Now slightly awake but more annoyed, Yuu marched toward him. 

"Excuse me, sir. That is my seat."

The man looked her up and down at her appearance, and his lips curled up in disgust like she offended him. "It is clear that I saw this seat and sat down first. Therefore, it is my seat."

Yuu huffed and wanted to say some not-so-nice words to him, but some children were around her. She chose to look down at his stupid-colored eyes with determination. "Look, mister. Don't you know the saying 'ladies first?'"

The man scoffed, "Of course I do. Do you think I was raised like a barbarian?" He said and eyed the plastic bag in her hands. "Unlike some people. Besides, I must be in top shape after spending all day protecting my Master."

Yuu stared at him like he was a crazy person. "You- jjsndgondvisjdf" She could not form words and chose to say sounds instead. One parent covered her child's ears. 

"Do you not know who I am?"

Yuu stopped her rambling and looked at him. "I don't know and I don't care. If you don't move, then I have no choice."

The man's eyebrows furrowed, "What are you? HEY!" He yelled, causing some people nearby to silence him. Meanwhile, the girl on his lap made herself comfortable. "What are you doing?"

"Sitting," She said like it was obvious. She turned her head to look into his eyes; a frown etched on her face. "Look, I had a tiring day today too, but I need to sit down after a long day at work."

The man blushed at the close proximity and looked away. His face was slightly red, and a pang of guilt filled his chest. "I'm sorry for being rude to you. I was unaware."

Yuu waved him off, "It's alright. You didn't know." She suddenly yawned and rested her head against his chest. She could feel how fast his heartbeat was going but was too exhausted to ask why. She felt like she was covered in a blanket. "You can just chill until it’s your stop. I'll get up when it is my stop."

The man looked at her curiously, "Where is your stop?"

Yuu yawned again. Her eyes felt heavy. "Ramshackle Street," she replied, her eyes getting starting to close. "You are so warm and comfortable," she said absentmindedly, wrapping her arms around his torso. 

"Hey! What are you?" Sebek stopped talking and stared at Yuu's sleeping face. He moved his arm to shake her awake but stopped. He could see how exhausted she was by looking at the eye bags under her eyes and how she managed to sleep so quickly. It reminded him of Silver, but slower by two seconds.

Speaking of, Sebek's suddenly rang, and his friend's name was on the caller ID. 

"Hello?"

"Ah! Sebek! There you are! We were looking for you. Where are you right now?" His other Master and Silver's adoptive father, Lilia's voice, replied. "My phone died, so I must use Silver's khee hee."

"Father, that's because you misplaced your charger." Silver's voice called out. 

Lilia laughed. “Silly me!”

Sebek rolled his eyes, “Is the Young Master safe?” 

Lilia huffed. “Malleus is next to me, eating some ice cream. You know how he is, but we have a more important matter to discuss. Where are you now? The city must be so big for you to accidentally wander off."

Sebek sighed. He should have been more diligent and kept sight of Malleus (the tallest person he knew) or Lilia, but he didn’t. And now he was stuck on a train with a random girl sleeping on his lap. 

It was like the girl knew he was thinking about her because she mumbled something about 'that damn Crowley' and was loud enough to be heard by Lilia.

"What was that?"

Sebek scrambled to say something, "I apologize, Master Lilia! I am taking a train that will stop in the Diasomnia area, but I might be delayed. You see, there is this girl-"

"A GIRL?!?" Lilia exclaimed, "Why didn't you say that earlier? Is she your girlfriend? Did you meet online and finally get to meet in person? Am I finally getting grandchildren???"

Sebek could tell that Silver was rolling his eyes at the last part. "No, Master Lilia. She was exhausted from her work and ran into me on the subway. She is taking a nap right now."

"Oh, crumbs," Lilia sighed dramatically. "I thought I would finally experience what it is like being a grandpa. You know I am not getting any younger."

"We know." Silver and Sebek said at the same time. 

"Well, make sure that the girl gets home safely, Sebek. Do you know where her stop is?"

"Ramshackle Street."

"Perfect!" Lilia exclaimed. "It is actually nearby Diasomnia, so we can meet you there. Malleus has always wanted to explore it anyways. It is known for its historic mansions, you know. Make sure to send your location or call Silver so we can find you."

Sebek nodded and adjusted Yuu by securely wrapping an arm around her so she did not fall off his lap. "Understood. It should be one of the upcoming stops, so I should be there soon."

"Good. See you soon, Sebek!" Lilia said and hung up. Sebek pocketed his phone and looked down at the sleeping Yuu. She looked peaceful, and she was breathing quietly. However, she did look cold, and her thin long sleeve did not look like it was enough. Sebek took off his coat, leaving him in his white shirt and tie (it surprised him just how he did it, given the complex design), and wrapped it around Yuu's body. He wrapped his arms protectively around her again and sighed. 

"Next stop is Ramshackle Station. Stand clear of the closed doors, please," the intercom's voice called out. 

Sebek gently shook Yuu's shoulder. "Hey, you need to wake up. Your stop is coming up."

Yuu slowly opened her eyes and looked around her surroundings. "Huh?" Her eyes landed on Sebek's face. "Oh, right. I took a nap on you. Let me get out of your way." She moved to stand up but was stopped by Sebek holding onto her hand. 

"You have a few minutes until the train stops. You can stay until then..." His voice trailed off. 

Yuu chuckled, her laugh sounding like music to Sebek. "Where are my manners? I'm Yuu." she smiled, causing Sebek's heart to skip a beat. 

"I'm Sebek Zigvolt." Yuu's smile grew even wider as she clung to Sebek's coat. Realizing the unfamiliar fabric, she looked down in shock.

"Is this yours? Here, let me return it-" She began to take it off only to stop when Sebek shook his head. 

"Keep it. Besides, you can wear it even longer if you allow me to walk you home."

Sebek expected her to say yes, not jump on him, and wrap her arms around his neck. "Yes! Thank you, Sebek!" She grinned. Maybe her day was finally getting better after all.

Bonus: Sometime during the walk back to Yuu's house. 

"You know, this fabric seems pretty fancy. Are you a bodyguard or something?" Yuu asked while rubbing Sebek’s coat between her fingers. 

Sebek nodded and smiled proudly. "Yes, I am. In fact, you might meet my masters when I drop you off."

Yuu's eyes widen. "Really? They must be important people for you to call them that."

"Of course! It is none other than the great Malleus Draconia! He is so great and powerful-"

Yuu sweatdropped as Sebek went on a rant about Malleus when all she wanted to do was to go home. 

Disclaimer: I do not own Twisted Wonderland and its characters. Those belong to Aniplex, Walt Disney Japan, and Yana Toboso.

©: This story belongs to bluesylveon2 2020-23. DO NOT modify, republish, or plagiarize my work.

[silentcryracha]

❍ ‗ Work Buddy (Bang Chan)‗ ❍

Pairing : Chan x reader (Chan pov)

Genre/warnings : none it's just fluff and kittens fr

Summary : Bang Chan wakes up one morning and takes a short walk to the JYP building to go to work, but meets an unexpected friend along the way.

Word count : 3.3k

A/n : I know Chan has Berry and he's 100% a dog person, but I had a fluffy vision, don't question it

Blank '__' is intended as a name filler, self insert or not

ps: Do NOT repost on other socials. Leave feedback if you feel like it, otherwise enjoy! ♡︎

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

Chan was awaken by the soft ringing of his alarm clock. His eyelids fluttered a few times before he gently stretched his arm out to turn it off. He then covered his mouth to hide a yawn, before shifting his gaze to his right side, where his partner was still peacefully sleeping.

A small, soft, smile appeared on his face while looking at them. Unfortunately though, he had to wake up and get to work, so he gently removed his arm from under your head and got out of bed.

It was barely 8 am, and he probably had a total of four hours of sleep, maybe three and a half. He stayed up late to the studio to rehearse a new dance for his group's new song, but today it was producing and recording day. He was extremely tired, why lie.

But he's also the type of person that just needs to take care of his own business, which also included creating his own material. And with a new comeback in less than two months he couldn't allow himself a break. Which is why he just got up, washing up quickly before getting dressed and heading out without complaining.

He didn't have the time nor the strength to prepare breakfast to anyone, so he did leave a small message of apologies to his partner, even though he knew that they wouldn't have expected him to do it regardless. The times were rough, but he was grateful to have them by his side.

Chan put on a black face mask, one of his beloved beanies, and then a leather bag across his torso before heading out. He quickly stopped, mumbling a 'fuck' under his breath as he realized that it was lightly raining outside. So he stepped back inside and took a folding umbrella, then went back outside again.

His own apartment wasn't exactly a close walk, but he didn't feel like calling the driver so he just shoot the agency a message as he went. He needed to walk, to clear him mind even if it was under the rain and cold.

-

When he finally reached the agency building, it was about 25 minutes later and the rain had started to really pour. He eyed the coffe shop nearby as he waited for the green light to cross the street, and when they finally switched, he quickly reached the opposite side of the road.

As he approached the entrance, he saw a small and wet ball of fur curled up to the side of the shop, at the very start of an alley. He frowned, both in confusion and to sharpen his eyesight to understand better what it was.

Was it a rat? No, too big. Was it a raccoon? No, too small. Then, he figured, it must be another animal. Probably a cat. And his doubts were confirmed as he got a little closer.

Chan looked at it for a while, questioning himself on why a small kitten would be all alone in a public space and under the rain. While he felt sorry for it, he was barely standing on his own two feet by that point, so he just headed in the coffe shop and ordered his usual.

As he waited in line, first to pay and then to retrieve the order, he was munching on his lips, still thinking about that poor animal. But what could he do? He wasn't sure, but he was sure about the fact that he wouldn't have been able to go on about his day peacefully if he didn't at least check if it was injured.

So, with that thought in mind he went back outside, coffe in one hand and umbrella in the other. Chan saw that the cat was still there, so he carefully got closer. It was indeed a small kitten, but not a newborn. It looked like it was at least a few months old, but was still quite tiny.

"Hi litte fella" he called out gently, using a bit of a baby voice. He squatted down, leaning his head to the side to try and inspect the kitten a little. The animal turned its head towards the voice, and jumped a little, startled. But it didn't run away, instead just looking at Chan with its two big yellow eyes.

It was a very pretty cat, he thought. With short gray fur and bright yellow eyes, the only hint of color beyond that being its cute pink nose.

Chan still munched on his lips a bit, unsure on how to proceed. He wasn't very familiar with cats, but he knew that they felt a human's vibe and mostly acted based on it, so he made sure to not appear threatening. He quickly decided to close the umbrella and attach it to his bag, so that at least he could have one free hand.

Then he gradually got closer, with his hand stretched out and fingers rubbing against each other to attract the cat. He was also making some noises with his mouth, like little kisses noises, that usually cats liked.

When he got close enough, and thankfully partially covered from the rain by the building's roof, he stilled and waited. With his surprise, the cat seemed to be curious and friendly enough to walk up to Chan, sniffing his fingers with featherlight touch.

The man smiled, softly talking to it until he took up enough courage to move his hand to scratch his chin gently. The cat seemed to really appreciate the gesture, since he started purring and head bumping Chan's hand.

"Ow, you're so sweet" he cooed, now petting his back, "What are you doing out here in the rain, mh?"

Chan noticed that the cat wasn't injured but it also didn't have any collar on. He did look quite small and skinny, though, so he figured that it must be a stray a not an outdoor cat who got lost. He was also friendly, which means that a lot of people mustv'e approached it before.

He was trying to think of what to do, but the cold, the rain and the freezing iced americano in his hand were bothering him too much to even think straight, so he just decided to take it with him. Or at least take it inside, away from the rain, And then he would've asked someone of the staff to take care of it.

Chan stood up straight, calling for the cat to follow him, which he miraculously did. They were almost at the agency building's entrance, when a loud car almost scared the cat away. So the man just sighed and decided to pick him up.

The animal meowed a couple of times but didn't really fight, probably choosing to put his trust on Chan. The security at the entrance looked at him wired, but didn't question him further, since they knew perfectly who he was.

So he just walked up to the elevators, with the cat to his chest and the americano in hand. All the people that he passed by gave him a weird look, but he didn't care. As he finally reached his studio, he sighed in relief and released the cat on the couch before closing the door behind him.

He put down the coffe on the table and took off his wet beanie and jacket, turning on the heater. Then he glanced quickly at the cat, which seemed to be lurking around quietly, so he took the chance to slip outside the door once again. He went to the bathroom and dried himself off as best as he could, also using the hair dryer to dry his curls. Before going back to the studio he grabbed a couple of towels.

As he opened the door to the studio, he saw that the cat had jumped on the desk and was checking out his computer. He chuckled lightly, closing the door again before approaching the desk.

"Nah-ah mate, this is off limits, yeah?" he picked the cat up and realized that he didn't even know if it was a male or female. So he maneuvered it a little, making him meow in protest, but he did eventually see a pretty noticeable pair of testicles.

"Yep, definitely a boy. And not a neutered one either." he said out loud, confirming once again his thoughts of him being a stray. Chan brought him closer to the couch where he had put the towels, and picked one up to try drying up his fur a bit.

The kitten didn't seem extremely happy about it, complaining the whole time and shaking his fur, sending droplets of water everywhere. Chan chuckled again as he tried to gain back some trust by petting him.

"I know, mate. But we gotta dry you up a bit, yeah?" so he kept on rubbing and petting him with the towel until he was satisfied enough. Now he was just damp, so his own fur plus the heat would've finished him off.

At that point Chan took a look at the time, and saw that it was almost 9.30 am. He needed to get to work and prepare the room for the boys' recording sessions. So he carefully put the wet towels on the humidifier to dry, and then sat in his chair and turned on his laptop.

-

After about three hours, someone knocked on the door. Chan gave permission to enter, and that's when Jisung and Changbin saw an unexpected scene in front of their eyes.

Bang Chan in full producing mode, but with a little gray ball of curled up in his lap and chilling.

"Oh my- is that a cat?" the older one said, while Jisung released an excited gasp, immediately coming closer. He squatted down and gently started to caress the cat, which wok up for a second, but then quickly turned his belly upwards waiting to be petted.

"Ow such a good kitty you are, yes, so soft. " Jisung cooed, then looking up at Chan who was tiredly smiling down at them. "Care to explain?"

So both Han and Changbin put down their bags and sat down, chilling as they got ready to work. Chan quickly explained to them how he ended up with a stray cat in their studio, and the two of them had different reactions.

"I stil think that you should let the staff take care of it. They'll bring him to a shelter or something." Changbin said, provoking Han to scoff at him.

"He found it. The cat is already attached, he's cute. What more can you want? I'd take him home. Didn't you say that __ also likes cats?" Jisung asked.

Chan nodded, looking down at the kitten who had become his new work buddy. It was a calm cat too, which was a bonus. And it honestly gave him a sense of comfort, to be alone but not completely. He would've surely talked about it with his partner first.

"Okay guys, who's the first in the list today for recordings?" he asked, shifting the subject. Both the men instantly followed along, deciding to leave him alone.

"It's Minho. So careful, or he might snatch that little furball before you can make a decision" Jisung joked.

-

The 3racha worked together for about an hour alone before the first of the members came in, which was Minho. Needless to say that he was ecstatic to see a cute kitten in his workplace. He went straight to the pet that was sleeping on the couch between Changbin and Jisung, and just picked him up like a baby to pet him.

Jisung quickly filled him in with the context, and he agreed with Jisung on both the fact that he should definitely bring him home, but also on the fact that if he didn't, he would've done it instead.

Chan once again had to recall their attention and put them to work. In the end everything went smoothly and their work day went on as any other, with the difference that now if a member wanted to cuddle a bit he would've had a fluffy gray ball to do it with.

In the afternoon, during lunch break, Chan asked a staff member to go buy some kitten food and water and bring it back to the studio. The girl was quite confused but complied nonetheless. She also made her acquaintance with the new arrival and was absolutely smitten.

The kitten ate well, like he had been starving, and Chan felt thankful that he picked him up from the street. He had questioned if he should call his partner before suddenly coming home with a cat, and he decided that he should. So when he had a moment alone, he picked up the phone and instead of a normal call, he started a video call.

It rang for a few seconds before your beautiful face appeared on the screen. Your face adorned with a sweet smile,as you didn't expect your boyfriend to videocall you.

"Hi baby, is everything okay?" you asked. Chan nodded, giving them a small smile.

"Yes baby. I just wanted to introduce you to my new work buddy." his partner had a confused look for a second but tried to hide it by straightening their posture, really believing that they were about to meet one of Chan's co-workers.

But instead he pointed the phone down to his lap, showing the kitten that was currently making biscuits on his thigh. It did hurt, yes, but he didn't want to interrupt him.

"No way! Oh my gosh!" a gasp was heard coming from the phone, making Chan giggle.

"Channie what is a cat doing in your recording studio?" they asked while they kept gushing over the small animal.

He gently picked the kitten up and brought it against his chest, moving the phone again to show the both of them in the frame. His partner squealed and he knew that they were taking screenshots.

"Basically I saw this little guy all alone in the rain near the café this morning and I felt bad so...yeah now he's the new Skz mascot I guess." he chuckled as the other person 'aw' 'ed on the phone.

"To be honest I don't really know what to do with him. Bin says I should let the staff handle it, but he'll end up in a shelter at best. While Minho and Jisung think that I should bring him home." he explained, studying their reaction.

"What do you think, baby?" the cat meowed so Chan let him jump off his lap as he took a sip of his second iced americano of the day.

"I don't know, baby. I would love to take him, you know it. I love cats" they smiled sweetly, a small frown on their face. "But we also both work. You go away from home, stay away til late to the studio and stuff. And I do work only part time but still..." they shook their head slightly, unsure.

"We'd keep him inside though. I don't think that a few hours alone would be that much of an issue. We should just make sure that he settles in well the fist few days." he responded, suddenly feeling like a child who was trying to convince their mom.

Maybe deep inside the reason was that he actually missed a lot the presence of a pet in his life. With his little dog Berry so far away. He would've always liked to have another one, but he wouldn't have betted on a cat.

"I could also bring him with me here, when I have quiet days like today. I think it could work. What do you think, baby?"

Their partner sighed softly, thinking for a few seconds before finally nodding with a small smile.

"Okay then. Should I go buy some stuff for him when I get off work?" Chan giggled like a kid when they agreed, making them laugh too at his adorable reaction.

"You know what? I think I'm gonna try and get out early today. I need to sleep for more than four hours or I'll collapse." he confessed,

"So we can go together at the petstore, yeah? We'll bring this guy along so we can get advice. And a vet appointment." he added. __ laughed again, walking around. Chan understood that their lunch break was over, so he decided to let them go.

"You sound so excited, I love it. I love seeing you happy." he couldn't help but smile as his heart melted at those words.

"I love you too, baby. I know you have to go now, so I'll let you go. I'll text you in a couple of hours so we can organize everything, yeah?"

"You're right, Channie I have to go now. I'll be waiting, okay? See you later baby, love you" they sent a flying kiss, making him giggle, again. He waved his hand cutely, saying one last 'I love you' before hanging up.

Chan put the phone down, sighing as he let himself rest against the studio chair. He rubbed his eyes slightly with the heel of his hands. He was still extremely tired, but also happy. This is was definitely not the way that he had imagined his day to go.

When he looked behind his shoulder he saw the kitten playing with a dangling piece of his jacket, which made him stand up quickly.

"No, no, no mate. That one's expensive." he chuckled to himself, as he bent down to distract the cat. He made him play with his fingers for a bit until he eyed a useless piece of paper, which he then took and scrunched into a small ball.

"Look, here" he threw the little ball across the room, and the cat sprinted to go play with it. Chan smiled, satisfied, and then picked up the phone again, deciding to check in with his members and the management to let them know that he would've needed to go home early today.

As he waited for the response, he thought back about his morning with his new little friend. He played, slept, cuddled, then played and slept some more. He loved his job to death, but sometimes he wished he could live like that kitty.

He remembered fondly how nice it felt to not feel as alone while he worked. Animals may not be able to actually talk, but even a simple head bump, painful biscuits on his legs or some purring was already enough to give him back some of the good mood that he was struggling to keep up those last few days.

Yes, he thought. Why not? It'll be like a baby without having an actual baby. Even though his members already did take that place up sometimes, he sneered affectionately at his own thoughts.

His phone lit up, signaling new notifications which he checked out. Both the management and his members gave him the okay, and instead encouraged him to take the rest of the day off, knowing how hard he was working. He thanked them and let them know to rest, too.

"Alright mate, we're going home tonight. Aren't you excited?" he asked out loud, shooting a glance at the kitten which was still running around with the ball.

To __ 🌑💓 - Hi baby, got the ok. Pick me up later with your car? So we can go buy some stuff. I'll order some food for us tonight, to celebrate ;) - See you later, love u

He also texted __ before going back to work some more. Around ten minutes later, he got a reply.

From: __ 🌑💓 -Of course, Channie <3 Can't wait to meet him TT -I'm already thinking of names, just so you know ;) -Later, ily

He smiled one last time and then put his headphones on, getting back to his work.

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

[idnek83]

Service With a Smile 2/?

Fandom: Trigun

Rating: Explicit (eventually)

Pairing: Vash/Wolfwood

Tags: Coffee shop au, Vash owns a cafe, Wolfwood is a mystery man, Trans Vash, Getting together, Fluff, Slow burn, Eventual smut, Recreational drug use, Drinking, Vash is self conscious about his scars, afab language

Summary: Vash works at a little coffee shop known as Seeds Cafe,  and likes to make his days more interesting by trying to make each of  his customers smile or laugh at least once before they leave. He has a 100% success rate... That is, until one day a moody man with a taste for cigarettes and black coffee shows up...

Chapters: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

Read on Ao3

_____________________

Vash finds Meryl waiting for him outside when he arrives at Seeds. He waves in greeting as he moves to unlock the door for the both of them.

As they walk inside Vash stretches and tries to pretend he can’t feel Meryl staring at him. They go about getting the place ready for the morning in relative silence, and Vash does his best not to let his mind wander to the man from yesterday.

Surely if he just got another chance he’d be able to get tall, dark, and angry to crack a smile? It’s not like the guy owed it to him or anything, but Vash just... didn’t like the idea of not being able to brighten someone’s day.

It’s the one thing he’s really good at...

“You’re awfully quiet this morning.”

When he looks at her, Meryl is looking him up and down. Analyzing.

“Am I? I guess I’m just tired?” He tries to laugh her off.

Meryl looks unimpressed.

“No, that’s not it. You’re... are you pouting?”

“What? No! Course not!” He says far too loudly.

“You are!” Meryl gets right up in his face, or as in his face as she can with how short she is. “What happened? Some jerk customer come in yesterday?”

“No! Well... no!”

Meryl squints at him. Vash sighs, knowing she isn’t going to drop it.

“I think he was just in a bad mood? And, it’s not like he was actually rude or anything! I just feel like...” Vash gestures vaguely, “I don’t know? Like I did a bad job?”

“Did you mess up his order?”

“No?”

“Were you rude to him?”

“No...?”

“So then why do you think you did a bad job?”

“Well... he just seemed so grumpy, there must have been something I-”

“Vash, your job is to serve people coffee, not solve their personal problems.”

“I know! It’s just-”

“You can’t try to take responsibility for every pissy guy who comes through that door, that’s just a great way to make yourself into a pissy guy, you know?”

Vash holds up his hands in defeat.

“I know, I know...”

“Good.” Meryl backs off and smiles at him. “So forget Mr. Grumpy, and focus on not accidentally bankrupting yourself by giving away freebies today, alright?”

Vash laughs, for real this time.

“Yes Ma’am!” He salutes, and both of them get back to their morning prep, quietly chuckling to themselves.

About 5 minutes later the bells above the doors chime, signalling their first customer of the day. Meryl is dealing with some stuff in the back, so Vash turns to flash the newcomer one of his signature smiles, Mr. Grumpy all but forgotten, only to come face to face with the man himself.

There’s a quick flash of recognition on the mans face as Vash stares.

“Oh, huh, morning.” He doesn’t look quite as pissed today, probably because the obvious exhaustion is softening his scowl.

Vash forces his smile back into place, hoping the man didn't notice it slip.

“Good morning! The usual?” Vash hopes Mr. Grumpy might be a little more up for banter than he was yesterday.

“Hah?” The man scrunches up his face in confusion.

“Large black coffee? Strongest we’ve got?” Vash tilts his head in a way he’s been told is cute, unable to stop his near instinctual desire to try to get some kind of positive reaction out of everyone who walks into his store.

“Oh, yeah, thanks.”

The man yawns as he pays.

Now that he’s right at the counter, Vash catches the scent of cigarettes and alcohol wafting off him like cologne. He must have been out drinking last night then? Probably pretty late judging by how exhausted he looks.

But what kind of person wakes up at the crack of dawn to grab a coffee after a night of drinking? Unless...

Was Mr. Grumpy on his way back from a one night stand? Grabbing some mid-walk-of-shame caffeine on his way home?

Vash eyes the man as subtly as he can, scanning his neck and partially exposed chest for hickeys. He doesn’t see anything obvious but...

Wow, he really does have nice pecs.

The man stretches and Vash quickly looks away before he gets caught.

Focus, starring at this guy’s tits is probably not a good way to get him to smile.

And neither is taking super long to pour a coffee.

Vash racks his brain for something he can try, scanning the counter in front of him for inspiration as he finishes pouring the drink. A marker catches his eye as he reaches for a lid.

It’s worth a shot.

Vash uncaps the marker and pauses for a moment, trying to decide what to write, but he hears the man begin to tap his foot impatiently as he does, so just goes with the first thing that comes to mind.

He hands the man his drink with a sheepish smile.

“Sorry that took so long, guess I’m still waking up!”

The man takes his drink and pauses for a moment, a single eyebrow raising as he appraises the small, poorly drawn smiley face on the lid of his drink. There’s a single moment where Vash thinks he catches the slightest upwards twitch of his lip, a faint flicker of amusement in his eyes, but then Mr. Grumpy is turning away.

“It’s fine.” He raises his hand in a slight wave, not looking at Vash as he moves to leave the store. “See you around, Blondie.”

And then he’s gone.

And Vash is stuck trying to figure out if it had been a trick of the light or if the man had actually liked Vash’s dumb drawing.

“Blondie? You’re literally wearing a name tag.” Vash startles slightly as he resisters that Meryl has returned. “Was that someone you know? Or just someone who can’t read?”

Meryl looks up at him expectantly.

“Oh, that was actually, um, the guy from yesterday?”

Meryl snaps her head towards the door, trying to catch another glimpse of the man.

“He didn’t seem that pissy?”

“Mmm, I think he was too tired?”

“Well there you go, you fixed his bad attitude with your magic coffee, and you never have to pout about it again.” She stares at him flatly.

“Well, he did still seem kind of grumpy...” Vash needed to see him smile, that single moment of maybe amusement had done something to Vash. He knew it was possible now and he needed to see what this guy looked like with a real smile on his face.

“Vash! You-” Meryl sticks an accusing finger against his chest, but is interrupted as the door opens and another customer enters the shop. Meryl sends him a quick glare, letting him know he’s not off the hook, before slapping on her customer service smile and taking the new customer’s order.

Vash spends the rest of the day thinking about Mr. Grumpy, his raised eyebrow, and that slight twitch of his lips.

Next time for sure. He was going to get that man to smile if it killed him.

<< Previous Chapter || Next Chapter >>

[nickgerlich]

Seemingly Smart

It’s when you realize that pop culture is driving product introductions, you begin to wonder if companies have it all wrong. In an ideal world, marketers would be creating culture with their products, not responding to it. Alas, it just doesn’t work that way all the time these days. Make that even some of the time.

Take, for example, Heinz’s knee-jerk response to what happened at the Kansas City Chiefs game this last Sunday. I’m pretty sure the whole world knows by now that Taylor Swift attended the game, and was seen fanboying her latest alleged crush, Travis Kelce, from the family skybox.

While camera crews were focusing intently on T-Swift, the internet was more concerned with what she was eating, which, as reported in a fan account, was “chicken tenders, ketchup, and seemingly ranch.”

Rather than let an opportunity pass them by, Heinz must have ordered its marketing staff to work nonstop until they figured out a way to capitalize on something that could easily tie to their core product, which, of course, is ketchup. Those marketing people came up with a ketchup and “seemingly ranch” blend, which will be limited to a production run of 100 bottles available via their Instagram account. If you’re one of the lucky ones, that is.

Of course, Heinz did not need to put their food scientists on overtime, because they actually already sell a product that is…well…ketchup and ranch. Available since 2019, Kranch meets the needs and wants of those who like to mix condiments. They just do the heavy lifting for you.

All of which means that the marketing people only had to come up with a new label for this gimmicky item, and then let the media do all the rest. It is brilliant marketing in many regards, even if the phrase will have a shelf life of about a week max. If it steers more people to the real Kranch, then good for Heinz. But it will take more marketing than just this in the long run.

And we still don’t have a firm answer for all the inquiring minds: Are Swift and Kelce dating?

More than anything, Heinz’ response shows just how powerful pop culture is, especially internet culture. As they said on The Morning Brew Daily yesterday, “Internet culture IS culture.” I tend to agree, even if the marketers are put in the sometimes unenviable position of having to respond to it. It’s like the tail wagging the dog.

The problem is that internet culture changes fast. Very fast. Today’s hot meme is next week’s yawn. Anything buzzworthy now is old news even by lunch tomorrow. Even the fastest marketer risks putting effort into something that has already started to fade.

As for Heinz, good on them for recognizing this for what it is: it’s a viral story, one they could capitalize on, but not spend a lot of money doing so. And therein is the lesson. If you find the tail wagging you, then do everything possible not to oscillate out of control.

I realize it is tempting to want to hitch your wagon to anything Swift is doing these days. Her Eras Tour is set to rake in $2.2 billion in ticket sales in North America alone, earning it honors as highest-grossing concert tour ever. Then factor in all the merch sold, hotels, meals, and so forth, and you realize just what an economic impact this one person has. You go, Heinz. Taylor Swift is golden right now. You may go a long time before an opportunity like this lands in your lap.

Me, I’ll stick with Franch, the fictitious condiment parodied on a Breaking Bad episode a decade ago. I don’t need to tell you what’s in it. And if Heinz had been paying attention then, they could have easily come to market with it, or at least staged an Instagram contest.

Then again, neither Walt nor Jesse are anywhere near as attractive—or culturally powerful—as Taylor Swift.

Dr “Pop Goes The Culture” Gerlich

Audio Blog

[blueberry-pride]

Hi! I was wondering if you could do Leona angst to fluff with a fem reader for the 100 followers event? Thank you!💜

LEONA X FEM!READER

Berry: *screeches* you have no idea how much I wanted to write for this lion man TvT thank you so much for the request <3 There wasn't really much to go on so I did my best with all the creative freedom I was given XD enjoy everyone~!

warning: cursing, angst

100 FOLLOWER SPECIAL (FEB 14-28, 2022)

'Why did you like him?'

That was the thought going through your mind at least once a day, most especially when you saw a glimpse of his green eyes. Out of all the eccentric and colorful cast of students that is Night Raven College, you had your eyes set on probably the most difficult person to have a crush on.

"For this final project you are all assigned partners so whomever you're paired up with, stick with it" Professor Trein instructed. Tired groans and remarks about his announcement were heard all over the classroom with the occasional meows from the professor's familiar.

"If you and your partner scored perfect marks in this final project, a percentage of that score will be added to your final exams," Trein noted which got a lot of the student's head up.

"Once I announce the pair, go to an area in the room and plan your project, if I see you two slacking off...well I suppose an 800 worded essay must be more suited to your tastes?" Numerous heads bobbed up and down in a disciplined manner as some crossed their fingers for a lucky matchup.

"Felmier, you're paired up with Hunt."

"Asim, you're paired up with Shroud"

"Trappola, you're paired up with Schoenheit"

After almost everyone was called, your heart dropped.

"(L/N), you're paired up with Kingscholar"

You never thought your head would shoot up fast enough but now you do. Whispers then soon erupted from the announcement while you hear starts hammering at your chest.

"I forgot Leona-senpai is also in this class." You heard from your left.

"Of course, he's not even here for the announcement." Another spoke at the back.

"Typical of him..." A guy scoffed beside you. You looked around and sure enough, there's no lion beastman insight. Though a part of you was glad so he couldn't see how 'excited' you are at this moment.

Professor Trein clicked his tongue and shook his head, he motioned you to come forward to his front desk and spoke in a hushed tone as the others were already chatting away with their partner.

"I deeply apologize for your...partner but please fetch Mr. Kingscholar at once and tell him of the final project" He sighed as he starts petting Lucius. "He's most likely at the botanical garden."

That's where you found yourself at. Though, unlike last time, you are much warier of where your footsteps land in fear that one mistake could end up in stepping in someone's tail...again. As you were walking, you thought that maybe being more assertive and determined once you approach the lion man would work, He's part of a dorm that respects tenacity after all.

"What brings you here herbivore?" You whipped your head to the voice behind you and saw Leona laying comfortably on the grass. He yawned and blinked his sleepy green eyes as he observes your next move. "Uh..." You cleared your throat, your voice determined. "You skipped Professor Trein's class and he announced a project that'll be with partners-"

"So let me guess... you're my partner huh?" He cuts off, his facial expression was all the more the same from the often times you've passed by him in the hallways. Not a care in the world in those unamused eyes of his.

you nodded confidently. "A-and not to worry, I've already had a rough idea for the project, it's simple enough that it won't take long...I can come by your dorm when I'm halfway done.'

I waited for a while as he thinks to himself, his tail swishing lazily from side to side in the green grass. "That won't be enough to prove to that professor I'm working my ass off, Let's meet up every after school, maybe you have a mistake that you couldn't spot before." Leona leaned against a trunk of a tree as he looked straight into your eyes which made your heart jolt. "S-sounds like a plan!" You smiled at him.

For the next few weeks, Leona actually kept his word. You'd meet up after his magift practice, after classes where he even insisted on coming to your dorm instead of his! You'd be lying to yourself if you said it didn't make your heart flutter a bit at all the gestures. Especially when he paid for all of the materials you guys needed for the project. Not to mention the times he ordered take-out when you two worked for hours on end on the damn project.

"Congratulations Miss (L/N) and Kingscholar, you are among the very few who got full marks!" Professor Trein smiled as he crossed his arms. Lucius meowed in a higher tone in response, to which you scratched his head in response.

"I'll go tell Leona the news then, thank you again, professor." You excitedly nod as you jogged out of the class to find your 'partner'.

"Leona?"

"Leonaaa..?"

"I have some good news..!" Your voice faltered at the end. Your eyes swished left and right to try and find the lion beastman within the main part of the botanical garden, but nothing. "Could he be...in class?" You frowned a bit as you decided to try again next time. You guess today you'll celebrate with your friends instead.

The next day

"Hey, Ruggie have you seen Leona? I wanted to give him this meat burger as thanks for the project." You asked the hyena beastman.

"Sorry (Y/N), y'know how Leona-san is, if the guy doesn't wanna be found, he won't budge." Ruggie shrugged with a frown.

the third day

"Leonaaaa?" Your voice echoed through the botanical garden. You frowned again, your heart aching as you walked around the place but after fifteen minutes of searching. Nothing.

the fifth day

"Jack, have you seen Leona anywhere?" You asked the tall man beside you in class.

"Sorry no...Leona's a recluse as you can already tel-"

"Howl, (L/N), save that conversation after the lecture." Professor Crewel scolded which was followed by the sound of his beating stick.

the seventh day

"maybe I should just...leave him alone for a while..." You said to yourselves. You nodded to yourself as you sat in the usual spot you and Leona used to hang out with when making the project.

"Did he just use me?" You whispered to yourself.

For the past few days, you hung your head low, sure you were hanging out with your other friends, doing other school work but you couldn't help but hear whispers as you still waited...and waited in the same spot in the botanical garden.

"Hey is that (Y/N)? What's going on with her?"

"I don't know man, she's just.. sitting there in the garden"

"Could she be waiting for someone?"

The twelfth day

You were tired, and its making you sick

You sat on your usual spot in the botanical garden in silence, during this time you managed to do your homework on your own and accidentally fell asleep a couple of times. But on this day, as you look at the flowers and plants that decorated this place, you crumpled the grass under your palms and stood up.

You're done waiting

Maybe you just needed to move on

Maybe that was all he sees you as, just partners

But why does it hurt so much when it makes so much sense?

You briskly walked back to your dorm outside and decided to take a shortcut through the sports field.

"Oi Ruggie, watch your left!" A familiar voice barked out.

Your head whipped to the sound and low and behold He's right there. Leona stood in the distance, both of his hands lay on his hips as he scanned the rest of the club members. As he did so, he accidentally locked eyes with yours for a second. He stood there frozen but luckily enough, his saving grace was the sound of Coach Vargas' whistle.

"Alright, boys! do your stretches before you head to the showers." Coach's voice boomed as he slapped some of the guy's back. "Got to have those muscles ready for next training!" He let out a hearty chuckle. Since you got distracted by the coach's words, when you look back at Leona, he was already gone.

You shook your head in anger, "That's it..." stomping angrily towards Savanaclaw. You didn't think that this plan would work but you were too angry to stop now. You wanted answers. Shouts and complaints were heard as you entered Savanaclaw dorm, curious and annoyed of your presence and they only increase in volume as you made a bee-line towards Leona's room.

"(Y/N)-san! WAIT." Ruggie tried to hold on to your shoulder but you dodged it and finally went inside Leona's bedroom. Once you were inside, you locked the door behind you.

You were in the lion's den now

"Leona!" You called out. In the midst of your anger, you heard the sound of a shower turn off. "just a sec." He finally replied. You sighed in relief as you hold onto your arms as you waited for what felt like an eternity. Finally, he came in with a towel over his hair, dressed up in his dorm clothes.

"Why did you ignore me? I've been looking for you!" You yelled. "I went to the botanical garden, your classroom, your dorm but I didn't see shit from you!"

"We passed the project didn't we? So I don't really see a reason for you to still come find me." He said nonchalantly.

"I've asked Ruggie, Jack, Epel, hell I was even tempted to ask Rook!" you noted, getting closer to him.

"If this was about the final project, I already know we passed. With my help, it's quite obvious we'd get full marks" His eyes peered into you. "So what else could you possibly need my attention for?"

"Oh I don't know...maybe to hangout with you!? to chat with you? for fuck's sake, are you so in denial that a person just wanted to spend time with you just cuz?" You blurted out. Leona blinked a couple of times in surprise and then sat on the edge of his bed. He had a stern face as he say the next few words. "Because I was nice to you, you think you owe me some of your company." It wasn't even a question that irked you so much.

"Maybe because you were really nice and tolerable during our project-"

"First off, It was because we were assigned partners, 2nd, Professor Trein would yank my ears off so I needed the marks and have him off my back, and third...you're a determined woman, and you know what you're doing. I respected that so I followed suit without question." He cut off. You stood there frozen, lips quivering.

"And last thing..." Leona stood up once more, walking towards you with a boring expression. "Why go through all this trouble to 'hangout' with me when you know perfectly well what would happen."

"And what would that be?" You quirked an eyebrow.

"You're no idiot, remember when I've used people? I get whatever I want, whenever I want no matter what or who is in my way..." He gets closer to you. "Do you really wanna be involved in that? I'm already giving you a chance to distance yourself from me, yet you're so stubborn. What makes you think I'm so special? Because I treated you with nicely? herbivore, if you're like that you're going to get fucked over a million times." He let out a dry laugh.

"You're too good of a person to accompany someone with the likes of me, so what makes you think I'm so special?" He's face inches away from you, his eyes flared in anger, you stepped aback in response as your heart hammering in your chest.

"B-Because.." You stammered, your head drifted down to the floor.

"Yeah...Thought as much." He nodded and was about to get to bed when you finally spoke up.

"Because I think you're worth it..." You gulped.

"Worth it? what do you mean I'm 'worth it'? Are you the one who gets to decide whose worth it and who isn't?" He snarled.

"Then just hear me out, despite what you said, despite the walls you put up, despite the anger you have for yourself...for your...past" You gulped. "You're good, you are capable of having a good kind of change Leona." You nodded to yourself. "And just like you said, I'm stubborn and I'm proud of that...so there's nothing you can do to change my opinion of you." You smiled, looking up into his green eyes. He was silent for a while, his expression changing from annoyed to... something soft.

He sighed as he pats your head. "I can never understand you herbivore..." Leona looked at you with a small smile which made you chuckle. "Maybe if you hang out with me more, you can." You smiled again at Leona.

"It's going to be one long ass journey then so be prepared." He said. You smiled at him, your heart settling down when you take all of his features in with the afternoon sun bringing out the highlights in those summer green eyes of his. "I know."

Once a day, Out of all the eccentric and colorful cast of students that is Night Raven College, you had your eyes set on probably the most difficult person to have a crush on yet you still persevered.

'Because... under all of that, he's worth it.'

[cazimagines]

Perfectly Exasperating - Chapter 3

Synopsis: While you have been unknowingly kidnapped Zemo is determined to make the time he spends with you the best that he can

Word count: 5.4k

Author’s note: Hey all! This is sorta a one-month celebration of my account and for all the love you guys have shown this series and my other series 'A Freudian Slip' I can't thank you enough! My editing program decided to screw me over though so if you can see a difference grammatically in the first half and the second half that's why

Masterlist

(Please check out my master list to see what I will be writing next and if requests are open or closed)

Cross-posted to ao3 under the same username

Part 1 Part 2 Part 4

Your eyes slowly flutter open as the warmth from the sun shining through the curtains touching your skin waking you up. Yawning and stretching, feeling the soft duvet move on top of you, you sighed in content, closing your eyes again as you embraced the happiness which had been foreign to you for so long. You reach out to seize the end of the duvet and gradually slide out of the bed; you feel the slight chill of the morning breeze brush against your exposed legs. Crossing over to the wardrobe your hand reaches out to flick through the many dresses, shirts, trousers that hung in there, all belonging to shops such as Gucci, Prada, Valentino. There were clothes appropriate for any event, but today you choose comfortably as you pull out a maroon knitted sweater and dark blue jeans. Though appearing to be rather cheap clothes, you knew Zemo would never have spent less than $100 on them.

When Zemo said he would take care of you, he meant it in every aspect. It was a culture shock going from the relatively poor life you lived, surviving off the small amount of money they paid you for being an Avenger to being treated like royalty by Zemo. Not that you were complaining. It was a guilty pleasure of yours enjoying this luxury, a part of you hoping it would never end. If you had told yourself just a few weeks ago, you would have enjoyed living with Zemo you would have laughed in your face but that man had certainly turned on the charm and you couldn’t help but feel the slightest big thankful for him for everything he has done for you.

You finally leave the confines of your room, something you had only been allowed to do a few times until today. You convinced Zemo yesterday that you weren’t concussed from when John had hit you with the shield and that you would be fine getting up and walking around. He was still hesitant but knew he couldn’t keep you confined in your bed forever.

You close your eyes as you inhale the sweet smell of cooking pancakes, making your stomach grumble greedily. Following the scent, you work your way down through the interior design living room into the lavish kitchen where Zemo currently had his back turned to you as he attempted to flip the pancake he had in the frying pan. His purple turtleneck sleeves were pulled up, exposing his forearms as they tensed, trying to get the timing right to flip the pancake. He does so with perfect accuracy, the golden brownness of the pancake soaring up into the air and landing back down in the frying pan, sizzling.

Zemo giggles to himself, celebrating his minor achievement as he waves the frying pan, his body swaying along slightly with it.

“That smells heavenly,”

Zemo whips around at hearing your voice pierce the air. “Ah y/n! Please, take a seat while I make breakfast,”

His eyes follow you as you take a seat down at the table he had prepared for this morning, then focus back on the breakfast at hand. You pour out some orange juice Zemo had left on the table, then your gaze flickers back to him as he finishes cooking. He stacks the pancakes onto two plates and grabs some sugar, maple syrup, and lemons out of the shelves, giving you a choice of toppings.

You scoff as he turns around, seeing on the apron he had tied around himself the words ‘kiss the chef’ on it.

“Really?” you ask, raising the glass to your lips as you watch him glance down to his apron and then back up to you offended.

“You don’t like?”

“It’s embarrassing to look at!” you exclaim as he places the plates down on the table and sits down opposite you.

Zemo’s eyebrows twitch as he scoffs back at you, “I think it suits me, plus a kiss is expected after I worked so hard on breakfast” he says, tapping his cheek with his finger.

You raise an eyebrow, letting a breath out as you laugh, “Yeah, in your dreams,”

You two settle into a comfortable silence as you readily eat the breakfast he made. The pancakes were soft but delicious, sickeningly sweet but you have always had a sweet tooth and so it seems, does Zemo.

“I thought you would have one of your staff make breakfast, you never struck me as the person to do something yourself when you can make others do it,” you say breaking the silence as you finish the last of your pancakes.

Zemo glances up to you, tilting his head, “Why do you think that? Because I grew up rich?”

You nod, not attempting to make yourself sound nicer, “Yes. It’s common knowledge the rich are always spoilt”

His lips twitch up into a smile at your bluntness. He sighs, leaning back in his chair, crossing his legs as he addresses you.

“You’re right. Even though Sokovia was a rather small country, I grew up with more riches than most people could dream of. But at least I acknowledge my privilege. That counts for something, doesn’t it?”

“Depending on what you use your privilege for. Blowing up the UN isn’t exactly putting it to good use now stop avoiding my original question,”

Zemo bites the inside of his mouth as you see through his attempts at trying to dodge the question. His admiration for you however outweighed any annoyance he might have felt at being called out for it. Leaning forward again to rest his arms on the table he says,

“It’s only me, you and my Butler who occasionally comes in. After I was arrested, there was no work for my staff so they all left and I can’t exactly hire anyone else,”

You nod, satisfied, then dab the napkin that Zemo has set out beside you, on your lips to get rid of any leftover sugar. You place your hands on the table and push yourself up from it.

“Well, thank you for breakfast, and thank you for looking after me this last week… that was nice of you, but I better be going. Do you know where my phone is?”

Zemo’s eyes furrow and he immediately stands up as you walk away from the table. He rushes past you, stepping in front of you to stop you from walking.

“You can’t leave y/n,”

Your head jilts back in confusion, “Why not?”

“We ruined Karli’s plans, so she is trying to find us. That’s why Sam and James are out hiding and why we must remain here,”

“I can handle Karli,” you tell Zemo, trying to step past him, but his hand reaches out and grasps your arm firmly.

“Not a super-soldier y/n. It’s too dangerous, especially after your recovery. James and Sam will reach out to me once it is clear to leave, but for now, we stay.”

You huff in frustration, shaking Zemo’s hand off your arm as you cross them. “Well, at least get me a phone so I can keep in contact with them too,”

“I’m afraid I can’t get you a phone currently, but you are welcomed to use mine. Alas, James and Sam have my number but I don’t have theirs’s so unless you remember their numbers we have to wait till they message first to reach out to them,”

You let out a melodramatic sigh, rolling your head looking to the side of the room then back to Zemo.

“So what the hell am I to do to keep occupied?”

Zemo tilts his head, his eyes flicker to the side in thought as he opens his mouth wordlessly and his eyes move back to yours, his eyebrows raising as he frowns thinking over the idea that has just entered his head.

-

With his fingers, Zemo, gazing at you eagerly, beckoned you down the corridor, towards a giant door that was at the end.

“I’m not a dog Zemo” you complain as you follow him

“Have you ever heard of dramatic effect?”

Zemo had taken off his apron and replaced it with that coat he loved to wear so much. You firmly believed it gave him a power complex. He strutted to the end of the hallway and placed his hands on the door. His face turns to you smirking, enjoying this dramatic pause as you roll your eyes at him. He pushes the door open and stands to the side, sweeping his arm across the space to let you in.

You walk past him and your eyes widen in amazement as you walk into the most magnificent library you had ever seen. The room itself stretched out almost further than you could see, seeming to go on and on. The shelves looked like they reached up to the sky, each one stacked with thousands of beautiful hardback books. The design of it looked like you had just stepped into heaven, with white and gold being the main colour scheme. On the ceiling was a painted sky with the gods on, looking down at you. On the pillars separating the shelves were little cherubs, their bows positioned to pierce your heart. Everything about this library was beautiful. It felt like a library that should belong to a museum not kept in this private mansion.

“You see why the dramatic effect was necessary?” Zemo says stepping up beside you, looking out at the shelves before you.

“Zemo this is… this is beautiful,”

His eyes flicker to you then back to the library, a smile appearing on his lips, “Yes, I suppose it is. When I was younger, I had always taken things like this for granted, but after my time in prison I believe it’s made me more humble,”

You walk over to the nearest bookshelf, letting your fingers brush over the colourful hardbacks. You pull one book out, stroking the golden platted side. “You must have every practically every book in existence here”

“I have more books than I could ever get round to reading. You can find anything you want to read here,”

After ten minutes you had gathered a rather sizable book pile you were determined to read, full of fictional and non-fictional books, some of your favorites and some you had never read before.

Zemo chuckled as you tried to hold all of them in your grasp. As you picked one up, the book on the very top of your pile slipped and fell to the floor. Panic surged in you, worried you would damage something so expensive, but Zemo’s hand appears and catches it before it could hit the ground.

Straightening up, he gave you an amused smile, “Maybe you should let me help carry them”

Accepting his help, he takes half the book pile off you and guides you over to a place deep in the library where you two could read. There were two light green armchairs facing each other, with a fireplace just behind them. To the side of the chairs were small tables which contained bookmarks, a goblet, and an ashtray, and to the side of one chair was a globe which could be opened, and inside it held a decanter full of whiskey.

Zemo places the books in his arms on the table then walks over to one shelf, browsing till he finally finds the book he was looking for. He returns to find you getting comfortable in your chair, opening the first book.

“Whisky?” he asks, opening up the globe beside him.

A few days ago you would have said ‘no, no way,’ but today you smile and nod your head, reaching out with the glass beside you to gracefully accept the drink.

-

The next couple of days were spent similarly with you and Zemo spending much of your time reading in the library together. Occasionally you two would even read to each other as he had first done with you when you had woken up here. Though you would never admit it to him, his smokey voice made you very comfortable. If he tried, he could lull you to sleep with that accent of his.

You couldn’t help but try to separate the Zemo you know now as the one you used to hate. Yes, he had torn apart your family, but he had all the reason for what happened to Sokovia, what happened to his family. Plus, this Zemo seemed to try hard to make it up to you. Almost too hard. He was trying everything to keep you entertained while you were stuck here, make your life as comfortable as he could. It was nice.

You strolled into the kitchen hearing the quiet buzz of the radio playing the latest top hits and the sound of someone humming along to the music. In there you find Zemo by the counter, fixated on the bowl he held in his arm and the spoon in his hand as he delicately tries to put the mixture into the cupcake trays before him. You had offered to make food, feeling like he always did too much for you but every day he insisted he would, even on days where it Butler would come around.

“Need help?” you ask, walking over to stand beside him.

He glances at you, then back to the tray he has laid out before him. “I’ve got a handle on this,” he replies just as he spills some mixtures onto the counter, making him swear under his breath.

“Uh-huh, sure,” you say, looking down at the spilled mixture. You turn to face him, letting out a chuff as you place a hand on his arm, “Zemo stop being so prideful and let me help”

As soon as your hand comes in contact with his arm, he freezes. He glances down at the ground, swallowing then his eyes flicker to yours and he smiles gently, his usual arrogance disappearing. “Okay,”

You grab a spoon from the draw and help Zemo scrap off what he puts into his spoon into the cake tray with accuracy. You two stand together, your shoulders brushing up against each other till you finish and put it into the oven.

“We have 30 minutes until we need to get them out. Why don’t you read for a bit while I clean up,”

“I can help clean up,” You tell him already going over to the sink to turn the water on, “You’re not my servant Zemo,”

“Helmut” he suddenly says

You turn back to look at him, confused at the seriousness of his face, “Please y/n, call me Helmut,”

Your mouth moves wordlessly for a moment, then you say, “Helmut,” trying the name out on your tongue. You were so used to calling him Zemo, you had forgotten that that wasn’t his first name.

“Thank you” he whispers, glancing away from you bashfully.

He takes a towel off the side of the rail and dries up everything you washed as you two settled into a peculiar silence.

Attempting to liven the atmosphere again, you put a cup just at the right angle of the running tap that the water splashed into Zemo’s coat. He steps back shocked, glancing down at his coat then back to you. He lets out a laugh, his mouth open in surprise that you would do that. “Oh, if that is how it is”

Zemo quickly grabs a mug, running it under the following water. Realizing what he was going to do you let out a squeal and rush for the door but you don’t get far enough till you feel the water hit your back, soaking your t-shirt.

“Helmut!” you gasp as he chuckles at you. You run forward to grab the nearest thing in front of you to chuck it at him, a piece of bread in this case but he ducks as it flies over him. He fills the cup up again and runs towards you but you get to the table and hide on the other side till you were both poised opposite each other waiting for one of you to make the first move.

“This isn’t fair!” you whine, feeling the coldness of your t-shirt cling to your back. “Who said anything about fairness!” Zemo shouted back, grinning at you.

Eventually, you two called a truce when the oven chimes letting you two know the cupcakes were finished baking. After that day, Zemo always asked if you wanted to help him make meals.

-

“Is the popcorn ready?” you shout as you jump up from the floor where you were placing the DVD into the DVD player.

“Almost done” Zemo calls out.

While waiting, you settle yourself down on the middle of the red sofa, twisting your back to get that perfect spot as you stared up at the giant screen in front of you.

Zemo emerges from the kitchen holding the popcorn and places the bowl onto the table in front of you. He settles down beside you, instantly positioning his arms on the top of the sofa, resting behind your head.

He leans forward to pick up some of the popcorn, tossing it in his mouth as he asks you what you have chosen to watch tonight.

“Beauty and the Beast,” you say excitingly and Zemo coughs, leaning forward as he accidentally inhaled the popcorn in his mouth.

He wipes the tear from his eye as he leans back and you give him a confused look, “Do you not like the film?”

“No-no, it’s not that. W-why do you want to watch the film?”

“It’s my favorite Disney film,”

He nods his head slightly looking down at the popcorn, “I see…” he then glances back to you, looking you in the eyes, “Why is it your favorite Disney film?”

You lean back sighing as you think the movie over, “Well, I’ve loved it since I was a kid. I always wanted to be like Bell and I found the beast so sweet and gentle”

“Even though he imprisoned her?”

“He let her go in the end, and she came back to him”

Zemo opened his mouth wanting to say more, but you sushed him as the movie started, wanting to concentrate only on it.

Zemo turned down the lights to make the experience feel as cinematic as he could of you. Grabbing the bowel he offered you some of the popcorn and you smiled at him in thanks. He tried to enjoy the movie, but his eyes kept wandering back to you, watching your expressions as you watched the movie. His heart skipped a beat every time you laughed at it when that gorgeous smile would grace your face, even in the sad moments where it looked like you were about to cry. He loved seeing how you reacted to everything. There were so many things he had taken for granted, and it felt like he was discovering them all over again with you. It fascinated him to find out the beauty and the beast was your favorite film. It was almost ironic given your current situation, one of which you remained painfully unaware of. He knew he couldn’t keep you in the dark forever. Sam and James were bound to discover where you two were eventually, which is why he wanted to enjoy every moment he had with you to the fullest before it was over.

As the movie went on, Zemo could feel your body moving closer and closer to him. The heat that radiated from your body made him want to wrap his arms around you, but he didn’t know if that would go too far. Roughly by the end of the movie, your head rested against his chest, moving slightly up and down as he breathed. He could tell by your shallow breathing you had entered the realm of dreams.

Looking down at you, he couldn’t help but admire how peaceful you looked. When on the mission with Sam and James you had always appeared tense, prepared to fight your way out of a situation as soon as possible, but at this moment you were relaxed and it made his heart flutter. He could look at you forever like this and never tire of it.

He had found himself in the past comparing you to his wife. He felt conflicted feeling this way about another woman, but how he felt about you differed from how he felt about his wife. It was new, exciting, addicting. Slowly raising his hand, he brushes a piece of hair that had fallen over your face while you slept. Your skin was smooth against his fingers and so soft. His fingers lingered on your skin before finally, he let his arm rest around your body, holding you close as you slept against his chest.

-

Your arms were raised, feeling the walls on either side of you as you tried to figure out if you were going and if you were about to bump into anything while Zemo’s hands were clasped around your eyes tightly.

“Don’t you trust me y/n” he whispers in your year, snickering.

“Do you want a pleasant lie or the harsh truth?” you ask, turning your head slightly but Zemo tuts and moves your head back with his hands

“Not long now, just a few more steps,”

“Till what!” you whine

“Be patient y/n!”

Zemo lifts one hand of your eyes telling you to keep them close and you hear the creak of a door open ahead of you. His hand returns to your face and with slightly pushing his body against yours, he urges you forward into this new room.

“Can I finally look now?”

Zemo removes his hands and steps back from you, “Okay y/n, open your eyes”

Opening them you gasped in shock seeing what was before you. On a stand was a replica of Belle’s dress in Beauty and the Beast. Its honey yellow colour shone out, the top of it tightly clung to the mannequin it was on while the bottom poofed out, it hung with no shoulder straps and came with yellow gloves. Everything about it was perfect.

“Helmut I- I’m, stunned,”

“You like it?” he asks anxiously

You turn to him grinning, “Of course I do!”

You hug him tightly, ecstatic, then rushed over to the dress, brushing your fingers along it. “It’s beautiful” you whisper.

“I think I got the sizes right,” Zemo says coming up beside you, a pink tinge to his cheeks, “There’s only one way to know for you,” he adds on, turning to you giving you a gentle smile

He helps you take the dress off and chuckles as he watches you rush off with it to get changed, then leaves to get changed himself.

The dress fitted perfectly on you. Everything from the bust down to the waist. Even the gloves fitted perfectly. When you entered the bathroom, you found Zemo had even found some make-up in case you wanted to use any. He thought of everything.

Finally looking at yourself in the mirror, you couldn’t wipe the smile off your face. You truly felt like a Disney princess. Slowly you walked back down the stairs and enter the room Zemo had to lead you in, to begin with. As you walked in, let out a merry laugh as you saw Zemo, dressed up in a blue jacket, embroidered with yellow roses on the sleeves, just like the beast. He was standing by a record player, putting a disk in as you walked in. He turns to look at you, his mouth opening in wonder.

“Y/n… you look glorious,”

His sincere comment makes your cheeks heat up and you hold your arms out to him, squeezing your hands letting him know you want to hold his hands.

He turns the record on and your favorite song from Beauty and the Beast floats out, making your cells light up with excitement.

“Helmut” you start to say as he walks over to you, holding his hand out, “Why are you doing this?”

He gently takes your gloved hand, bending over to kiss it. “I know it isn’t easy being stuck in here all the time and you said you loved ‘Beauty and the Beast’ so I thought it would make a pleasant treat,”

His arms hesitantly touch your waist as he looks into your eyes as if asking it was okay. You nod and step closer to him, taking his hand in yours holding it up. Getting into the waltz position you two start to move along the dance floor, swaying to the music.

You two slide along the ballroom floor, picking up speed. As you look up to him, he breathes out smiling back down at you happily. His hand on his waist spins your around as your dress flutters out. You squeal in delight as you grasp back onto his hand as you felt dizzy.

You two turn around the floor looking each other deep in the eyes. You could feel his breath on your face as you two were barely inches apart from each other. Zemo pulls you in even closer as your arm goes around his neck, your body pulled into his. He dips you as you cling to him tightly for dear life as the music fades.

He holds you into that position, panting as he looks at you, his eyes flickering from your eyes to your lips. You could feel that pull towards him, your eyes starting to flutter shut. He leans towards you but suddenly you feel your fingers slip and you almost let go of him. His other hand quickly wraps around making sure you don’t fall to the floor.

He helps you back on your feet and you two steps apart. You look away feeling your cheeks burn up again.

“Helmut, thank you. Thank you so much” you tell him earnestly

He looks deep into your eyes, smiling in bliss, “Anything for you y/n”

-

“Y/n, are you awake?”

You groan as you hear Zemo whisper beside you, waking you from your sleep.

“Ugh, Helmut what time is it,” you moan turning over with your eyes are closed.

“It’s 8, time to wake up”

“Nooooo” you whine screwing up your eyelids.

You hear him chuckle and then you feel something push against your lips. You open your eyes confused to see Zemo beside you, holding a strawberry to your lips.

You smile and take a bite out of it, moaning in delight as you taste its sweetness as you sit up. He sits up beside you and holds out some melted chocolate for you to dip the strawberry in.

“Helmut, you spoil me”

“Not enough,” he whispers back as he puts the chocolate-covered strawberry to your lips letting you take another bite.

“I’m not even surprised anymore to see you in my bed when I wake up,” you tell him

“Technically this is my bed”

“You know what I mean!”

He chuckles as he pushes his head back into the headboard, “I thought it would be a nice way for you to wake up,”

“Consider me impressed,” you tell him, looking over at him smiling. He glances back to you, his lips twitching up. You lean into his side, not caring at the moment you were in a simple nightdress. You close your eyes inhaling his cologne and picking up a strawberry to feed to him.

“I could get used to this,” you whisper to him

-

You scan the piano music book before looking back down to the notes before you. It had been a while since you had last played so you thought you might as well pick it up while you were stuck in Zemo’s mansion.

You press the notes but every time you tried to play one of the chords you always missed one. You were trying to play your favorite song 'Comptine d'un autre été' but to no avail.

“You need to flow with the music and not worry about hitting the right notes”

You turn around and smile as you see Zemo approach you from behind. “Isn’t the whole point of music to play the right notes?” you say sarcastically

Zemo lets out a huff chuckling, “Well yes but you’ll hit the notes when you stop trying so hard. Now try again”

You turn back around and attempt the music again but hit the wrong notes making you slam the piano in annoyance.

“Don’t damage the piano”

“I’m sorry,” you mutter, “I should give up,”

“No don’t do that” Zemo says, brushing his fingers over your waist, “Here let me help you”

He puts his hands on top of yours guiding them, “Let’s try again,”

You look to the music then back down to your hands which had Zemo’s resting on and attempt to start playing again. His hands moved in time with yours as they guided along with the piano, pressing down on your fingers when you needed to. You got every note. Well, Zemo got every note.

“See, easy,” he says as he pulls back from you. “Now try again”

You attempt to play again but feeling his eyes stare into your back you couldn’t concentrate and messed up the notes again.

“We just went through this!”

“It’s hard to concentrate with you staring at me!” you exclaim turning around to him. Your eyes widen as what you just said as he tilts his head, a smug smile appearing on his lips.

“Oh, I make it hard for you to concentrate do I?”

You groan at his cockiness, looking away from him so he doesn’t see your glistening red cheeks.

He walks up behind you again, his fingers grazing your jawline, stopping at your chin as he raises your head to look up at him. Seeing him look down at you made a knot in your stomach tighten.

“You are awfully red y/n”

“Shut up”

He chuckles and leans down, placing a kiss on your forehead, “I like it when you blush”

The breath gets caught in your lungs as you feel his lips on your forehead, their softness cooling your burning skin.

For the first time in your life, you were rendered speechless, by Helmut Zemo no less.

His teeth flash in his smile as he looks down at you, “Come let’s practice this again” he says, leaning over as his back pressed into yours, putting his hands back on top of yours.

-

“Zemo do you mind if I borrow your phone briefly to see if that new video has been released?” you call out picking up Zemo’s phone that he had left on your seat.

“Go ahead! Just don’t check anything else on there” he yells back

“Worried I will find your nudes?” you call out as you unlock the phone. Pressing onto the youtube app you sigh in annoyance seeing no new video and so you were about to put the phone back down when a message appeared from a contact simply labeled ‘S’

It read, ‘S: Look just tell us where you have taken her. Whatever you are doing with her it isn’t worth it”

Your eyebrows furrow in confusion at what the hell could that message mean. You click onto the message stream just to see a ton of messages from this ‘S’ contact but with no reply from Zemo.

You hesitate for a moment, knowing Zemo wouldn’t want you to do what you were about to do, but your curiosity got the best of you and you pressed the call button.

It rang for a few seconds and then the line picked up.

“Zemo” Sam’s voice rang out through the phone

“Sam?” you ask back

“W-what, YN/!? Are you okay? Where are you?”

“Woah Woah Sam, calm down, I’m fine! I’m with Helmut-Sam what is going on?”

“What has he done to you?”

“What do you mean he's done nothing, Sam I thought me and Helmut were hiding out here till Karli was done with her plan?”

You hear a sigh down the phone and then the muffled voices of what you could make out as Bucky and Sharon down the line.

Sam picked the phone back up and spoke directly, “Y/n you need to get out of there now. Zemo, he's kidnapped you”

The phone slips from your hand and lands on the floor with a loud crash.

Tag list: @sinister-sleep @cable-kenobi @faustlyaccused @chipster-21 @icarusinstatic @yallgotkik @montypythonsholysnail @bunniwritesx @checkurwindow @huntheimpossible @jayxkelsi @avgravy @prestigious-tea @aloyssiac @hannahbal-the-fannibal @alainabooks143 @jokerprettyprincess @plumsandkiwis @latenightartist-author @e-barba @flutterskies @loonylunalovegood77 @lieutenantn @wonderwoman292 @there-goes-thefighter @multiyfandomgirl40 @freyjasamael @ineffablebean @arianalilyblack @mandowhatnow @scullys-alienpussy @felicityofbakerstreet @babayaga67 @spookycereal-s

[an-anticlimactic-bass-drop]

Tall

Prompt: Tech is too tall for his own good. Constantly hitting his head on objects and desks as he works on projects. The other bad batchers make fun of him for this but you find it endearing. 

Tech X Reader

Slow Burn/ Angst

Warnings: Mild 1.10 Spoilers

Word Count: 1.5K

Part 1/?

This was 100% inspired by this gif from episode 7 of Tech under the main control desk.

You enter the cockpit of the Havoc Marauder late at night slowly and quietly as you try not to disturb the tall man who is working on the wires under the main panel. 

“Tech?” you call softly to him when he doesn’t notice you. 

He abruptly sits up hitting his head on the underside of the panel and laying back down quickly with a loud thunk. 

“Well that was unpleasant.” he says with a grimace of pain as he leans out from under the panel. You try to not look worried when he rubs his head where he had hit it on the panel. 

 “Is there something you need?”

 “Sorry! I just couldn’t sleep. Figured you were still up here.”

 He nods slowly as he leans back down to continue working on the wires. 

“Do not mind me. I am upgrading the general security system of the outer walls. The door has been slow to close recently and I am trying to fix the timing. Feel free to sit in here as long as you want. I could use the company.” 

He becomes absorbed back into his project as the time passes. Mindlessly chatting about the upgrades he's making and the general gossip of the other men and Omega. It is mostly you gossiping honestly. Tech isn’t the biggest gossip in the world but he listens like every detail you talk about is the most important and interesting information he has ever heard. 

“I’m pretty sure Omega thinks we don’t notice when she borrows our blacks to sleep in. I swear every time I turn around I’m missing another shirt out of my basket. I think it must be a comfort thing.” you say with a yawn as you fight back the call of sleep. Tech’s presence is a calming one and you love hearing him talk. He is your favorite of the bad batch and you might have a small crush on him but you would never admit it to him. He is your best friend. Tech nods absently as he pulls another wire from under the panel. 

“I have noticed mine disappearing too but I assumed Echo was doing laundry and got them mixed up with Hunter’s again.” he says slowly. His goggled eyes glance towards you with mirth in his eyes at the joke.

 “If Echo is confusing your black’s with Hunter’s then he really must be bad at laundry. You have at least 5 inches on him and your blacks are much bigger. At least he doesn’t think they are Wrecker’s.”  You chuckle sleepily at the thought. 

Tech crawls slowly out from under the panel, making sure not to hit his head again, apparently done with his upgrades. “I think it is time for you to go to sleep,” he says with a small smile in his voice. You don’t complain as he helps you stand and leads you towards the bunks where the rest of the crew is sleeping. 

“You need sleep too.” you protest as he turns to go back towards the cockpit. He smiles wryly at your pathetic attempts to chastise his insomniac tendencies. “I will be fine. Someone needs to stand guard until morning.” 

You wake up to the sounds of the rest of the Bad Batch moving around and packing up for the rest of the day. Hunter is passing out rations, Wrecker is curling Gonky like a barbell, Echo is slurping what is obviously his 2nd cup of caf of the morning, Omega is still curled up in her little corner with her clone trooper doll and Wrecker’s blacks on looking more like a night tent than a nightgown, and Tech is nowhere to be found but is more than likely in the cockpit still.

 “Any caf left?” you ask in Echo’s general direction. He grunts in the direction of the pot that still has ¾ of the brown liquid in it. You pour 2 cups of the precious drink and head towards the cockpit. Tech is absorbed in his datapad and again doesn’t hear you enter. You wait in the doorway and watch the tall man as he scrolls through the information he has been pouring over all night. The smell of the caf fills the cockpit. Tech sniffs the air and turns towards you as a smile appears on his face. 

“Is that for me?” he asks hopefully. You hand him the cup you prepared for him just the way he likes it. He smells the cup before he takes a sip. “It is perfect. Thank you.”

You fall into the co-pilot seat with your cup and start to examine the new security system that Tech spent the night working on.

  “Looks good to me! Anything I need to know before you all leave for your mission?” 

Tech starts explaining the broad strokes of the new system and how the upgrades make it easier to use. You nod along as you listen to the explanation. The men are headed out on another one of Cid’s bounties. This one is on Raxxus? You think. 

“Isn’t Raxxus the separatist capital? Why are you all headed there?” you ask slowly, not comprehending. 

“A job is a job. We must pay back our debts.” He’s doing the really cute finger thing he does when explaining things.

 Your heart melts at the gesture. He doesn’t realize how cute he is sometimes. Tech gives you a strange look as you realize you have been staring at him for a moment too long. 

“Hey Tech!” Hunter calls from the back of the ship. 

Tech stands up to head back towards the bunks where the other men are gathered around a map of some kind. He hits his head on the top of the doorway as he forgets to duck while walking through it.

  “OW”

 You stifle a laugh as he rubs his forehead and pushes through to the back of the ship. You can hear Echo making a crack at Tech’s mishap with a light laugh. 

“Watch out for the roof Tech. Your head might damage it if you aren’t careful.” 

That man is too tall for his own good. He towers over you when you stand next to him and you won’t deny it makes you feel things. You have had a crush on the nerdy clone pretty much since you joined the merry band of deserted clones. You joined in the aftermath of Order 66 with Omega from Kamino. You were her nanny and you gladly went with the clones when the imperials took over. You never quite trusted Palpatine when he was the Supreme Chancellor and you trusted him even less when he turned the clones against the Jedi and declared himself Emperor. The Bad Batch offered you freedom and you seized the opportunity. Shaking off the memories, you make your way back towards the back of the ship. Omega is awake now but is still sitting in her bunk. Her big eyes are blinking away sleep. You help her down and she immediately goes to stand next to the clone she has claimed as her makeshift father. Her nightshirt is almost dragging the ground with how long it is and you chuckle at the sight. Hunter gently pats her hair, mussed from sleep. Echo hands her a ration bar then turns back towards the map. Tech has an angry red mark on his forehead right above his glasses from where he hit the top of the doorway. 

“So what is the plan?” You ask as you look over the map. It appears to be a blueprint of the palace on Raxxus. Hunter starts explaining the mission in simple terms so that you can understand. Basically they need to rescue the senator from the Imperial clones. Omega and you are to stay on the ship and protect it from patrolling clones. Omega protests this as you frown at the idea. Hunter shuts down the complaints with a wave of his hand. 

“It is safer for you two to stay on the ship than risk losing you to the imperials” He says quietly. “I can’t lose you again.” he says to Omega as he bends down to her level, “This is the best option right now. We don’t know what we are walking into on this planet. We already have 2 at least bounty hunters after you and the last thing we need is the clones to find you too. We still don’t know where Crosshair is or if he is even alive after the last encounter. I can’t lose anymore of you.” 

He finishes slowly and turns back to the men gathered around the blueprints scattered on the table as he rises. Hunter nods to the others and they head towards the ramp. You gather Omega up in your arms and head up to the cockpit to watch as the men depart. She is not happy at the thought of being left behind and her big eyes are shining with anger and hurt. You hold her close as you watch the men disappear into the trees with the droid client. I hope they are going to be okay. You think to yourself.

[superhero--imagines]

Part 1 Here! / Part 2 Here! / Part 3 Here! / Part 4 Here! / Part 5 Here! / Part 6 Here! / Part 7 Here! / Part 8 Here! / Part 9 Here! / Part 10 Here! / Part 11 Here! / Part 12 Here! / Part 13 Here! / Part 14 Here!

Donate to Higher Ground HERE!

* “Everyone in school thought you were dead.”

* Jessica says bluntly as you walk down the pink streamer filled hallway

* you offer her a fake yawn and a smile.

* “My dad came by for a surprise visit.” She looks confused before her expression smooths

* “Oh your real dad, not Carlisle”

* Carlisle contacted his counterpart, Eleazer to tell him you were running away with a man 300 years your senior

* So of course Eleazer came running -after he probably had a spat with Carmen about who would handle this situation better- to Forks on the first flight he found

* Only to burst through the door to see you and Emmett playing kingdom hearts in the living room

* “Oh, I see the rumors have been vastly exaggerated.”

* Cue -figuratively- sweating Carlisle who takes a sip from his mug

* Since he was already here you figured you would take a few days off from school and show him around

* “Is there anything in particular you might want to see?”

* Edward and Carlisle are looking pretty smug thinking that they’ve already shown you everything of note in the area.

* “I’ve always wanted to see the space needle in Seattle.”

* They both falter when they hear that. All the things they’ve shown you are things humans wouldn’t be able to see, hidden meadows, waterfalls, underwater caverns

* They never thought to show you human landmarks. Eleazer nods a growing smile on his face

* “Seattle has a lot of museums that I’ve wanted to visit as well”

* Carlisle let’s out a sigh of relief, none of his kids would be caught dead at a museum outside of a field trip

* To their dismay and Eleazer’s delight your eyes sparkle

* “Can we go to the pop culture museum and the arboretum too?”

* You don’t even pack, Eleazer tells you you can just buy whatever you need when you get there. You do take a duffel bag full of blood bags though

* And then you’re gone, you leave care instructions for your animals with Edward and you and Eleazer drive off towards Seattle in the rented Mercedes he got at the airport

* “Is it just me... or do they look happier with Eleazer than they are with us.” Edward’s only talking to himself, but Carlisle hears and the oncoming doting parent verbal and mental sputter makes him regret saying anything at all

* “it’s okay Carlisle, I’m sure they’re happy here with us too.”

* You guys stay at a pretty upscale hotel downtown, in the penthouse

* “Are you here on a trip with your boyfriend?” The receptionist asks, and Eleazar straight up starts laughing

* “This is my dad.” You say with a straight face and you can tell the receptionist wants to die

* “I-I’m so sorry, we usually get couples this time of year.” Right, it’s almost Valentine’s Day. Makes sense.

* Still there’s something super gross about people thinking you’re romantically linked to Eleazer

* The penthouse is very nice. There’s an infinity pool on your balcony, and three different bedrooms.

* The trip is really fun, you have a -pretend- meal at the revolving restraint at the needle, and spend the rest of the week museum hopping

* “She feels so familiar....” you mumble to yourself as you gaze at a portrait of a woman with long dark hair

* “That’s Carmen” Eleazer tells you

* “What?!?”

* “She was popular with artists even before she turned, it’s always been a hobby of hers to model” You’re just glad it’s not a nude portrait

* You take super cheesy pictures at the natural history museum, and even better pics at the pop culture museum

* On one of your last nights in the city Eleazer took you to a laundromat

* “I know we’ve been running out of clothes, but I’m sure the hotel has a laundry service”

* Eleazer just grins, talking to the attendant, who takes him to a hidden door.

* Well this isn’t sketchy at all

* Eleazer takes your hand in his as he leads you down a long narrow hallway. When you teach the end there’s a pretty nice bar and what appears to be a jazz club

* “It’s a speakeasy, I thought it might be a little fun for our last day”

* Being beautiful has its perks because the waiter doesn’t even card you, just brings you your dink

* “So...Garrett huh?” You groan, and Eleazer smiles

* You knew this was coming

* “Don’t worry, I’m not like Carlisle, if you like someone I like them too.”

* Well at least he isn’t acting like a total freak about the whole thing

* “I am surprised someone like Garrett is more your flavor though” you raise an eyebrow.

* “In comparison to who?” Eleazer gives you a funny look

* “Edward of course”

* You almost spit out your drink

* “Oh, is this one of those situations where the three of you are a couple together?”

* You start coughing and the waiter brings you a glass of water

* “We’re not together!”

* “Well of course you and Garrett aren’t together yet-“

* “Edward and I aren’t dating.”

* Eleazer just looks at you like you told him you’re pregnant

* “That can’t be right” he mumbles and you sigh

* “Why would you think we were dating?” The jazz singer belts out a high note and Eleazer patiently waits for her to be done so he can talk again

* “Well you went with them to Forks, and when you came to visit last year with him we all just figured it had happened naturally”

* Besides, Eleazer see’s the way he looks at you.

* Like you’re the epitome of your gender, like there’s never been anyone like you and there never will be again

* “We all? The entire coven thinks that?” Your fingers thread through your hair.

* What does Tanya think about that? She must be feeling pretty smug what with that talk she gave you all those years ago about how you would eventually date Edward

* Edward probably knows and just doesn’t even care, the criminal probably thinks it’s funny

* Eleazar watches you have a breakdown, taking a small sip of his brandy. It looks like you haven’t realized the way you look at Edward yet

* You look at him like you don’t have a single doubt. You trust him unconditionally, you know exactly who he is and where he will be.

* You look at him like he’s home

* “This is so embarrassing” you mumble and Eleazer smiles

* He guesses it’s not time yet for you to realize your feelings. Maybe it’s for the best, he’s not as bad as Carlisle, but the thought of giving you away at your wedding makes his heart ache.

* “The best cure for embarrassment is alcohol, drink up.” He grins when you clink your glass against his before gulping down the contents of your drink.

* Who knows, maybe in a few years someone completely different will show up and sweep you off your feet.

* You do talk about something really important with Eleazer though

* “Eleazer when do you think Aro will send for me?”

* Eleazer stops mid motion, his glass halted halfway between the table and his mouth

* “If I’m being honest, I don’t think he will for many years” Eleazer has an awkward expression on his face. “I think he’s afraid of you”

* You sputter

* The great and powerful Aro?! Alive for 1000’s of years. AFRAID OF YOU?!?

* “Oh don’t look at me like that, try and think about it from his perspective.”

* Your power is on par with Janes, but unlike her over the decade you’ve been a vampire your power has only gotten stronger. Your body’s natural despair and your desire to be human feed off of each other, compounding on each other to make your power that much more potent

* The only difference is that now you’ve learned to hide it, keeping your emotions in check so others aren’t hurt

* There isn’t a person alive that stands a chance against you at your full potential. You’re the strongest known vampire

* “Chelsea can’t bind you to coven with her loyalty like she does the others,” Eleazer takes a sip of his drink. “his only choice is to let you come back on your own volition, otherwise he risks a war.”

* A war he wouldn’t win, on your own it was dicey, all of them against just you could go either way

* But you weren’t alone anymore, now you have Tanya, Kate, Irina, Carmen, Eleazer

* And Edward. You know without a second thought Edward would follow you into hell if you asked.

* “Saving any discovery of remarkable talent”

* A discovery like Bella

* You’re not 100% certain, but you’re pretty sure your powers don’t work on Bella, the same way Edward, Jane and Alec’s powers won’t work on her

* And if she can really spread her shield to others-

* You’re f*cked

* “but the chances of that are slim to none.” Eleazer reassures you

* You give him a reassuring smile

* “Salud” you raise you glass and he smiles

* “Salud” he grins as your glass clinks

* You weren’t expecting the week to go by so fast, or to be having as much fun as you did.

* You were pretty sad when the end of the week rolled around and Eleazer dropped you off home

* “He’ll be back before you know it” Edward says, his arm over your shoulders, giving your arm a comforting squeeze

* “Yeah I know, it still feels bad though”

* Edward doesn’t say anything, he just holds you a little closer

* You’re thankful to the Cullen’s for taking you in and giving you an opportunity you might not have had otherwise

* But they’re not your coven, they’re not really your family

* And so now you’re here, walking in a bright pink and red construction paper covered hallway next to Jessica who’s talking about Valentine’s Day

* Ah right, today’s Valentine’s Day

* “Do you think maybe...Mike bought me a carnation?” She asks twirling a strand of hair around her finger

* “I’m sure he did”

* You’re actually sure he bought one for Bella, but you’re hoping the courtesy extends to the whole friend group

* You bought all your friends valentines, and that includes the Cullen’s and everyone on the cheer team

* The money wasn’t the worst part, they were only a dollar each, the worst part was having to write notes for all of them, it wouldn’t have been so bad if the girl at the table wasn’t giving you a dirty look as you pretended to struggle through writing 30 cards

* “How much do you want to bet Bella gets the most flowers out of all of us?”

* You would bet the entire contents of your bank account, but you’re pretty sure Jess can’t match your bet

* “Well, she’s something new to look at, and boys are dumb”

* Jessica blows a strand of hair out of her face. You know she’s probably a bit bitter since she’s started to notice Mike is interested in Bella and not her

* But you kind of get it

* Bella’s cute, but she’s no Cindy Crawford. And to add...she’s really shy, not exactly someone with a charismatic personality.

* The attention she’s garnered will fade in due time, Edward had told you as much

* “It’s the same thing as when we moved to town, most of these kids have gone to school together since childhood, so when someone new gets here it’s all they can think about. They don’t really like her, they just like the idea of her. The illusion of a choice”

* It made you a little sad to be honest, even worse was that Bella didn’t seem to enjoy the attention. She seemed uncomfortable every time a boy flirted with her

* “I almost feel bad for her, I get the feeling she’s not really into any of these guys that are chasing her” Jessica says, so you’re not the only one that’s noticed

* You’re a little surprised that when the student comes by with carnations you get two entire bouquets worth

* And then they come back the next period and give you another bouquet

* “Oooo someone’s popular!” Angela teases and you shrug. Most of these are from Alice and Rosalie, they each bought you three each

* You got a whopping 12 from Conner which feels a bit surprising

* You knew he was going after it, but you didn’t think he would bother to actually put any effort into his attraction outside of flirting with you

* You’ve got one from everyone in your friend group, a handful from others on the cheer team, Emmett and Jasper both bought you one

* The only person who didn’t get you one was Edward

* You wonder if he got Bella one? The thought seems unlikely since they were basically at each others throat the last time they were together

* So imagine your surprise when you walk into the hall to see Bella and Edward talking

* You’re gone for a week and it’s like they’re suddenly insta-friends

* In fact, Bella’s actually blushing, a carnation twirling between her fingers

* A light red carnation

* So he did buy carnations after all, just not for you

* And Edward...his eyes are sparkling as he looks down at her. A lopsided grin curling onto his face

* Oh, there’s that smile

* He says something to her and she pouts, slapping him lightly with the carnation

* They’re getting along just fine without your matchmaking efforts

* So you were the problem

* You should be happy, relieved even-

* But all you can feel is the sharp twist in the bottom of your stomach

* “Hey (Y/N/N), I see you got my flowers”

* You turn around to see Conner who’s looking at your half zipped bag, 3 bouquets of flowers popping out of the top

* “Oh, yeah thanks they’re beautiful.”

* “I’m glad you got them, I noticed you weren’t at school and for a second I was worried you wouldn’t be here today too.”

* He really is cute. He’s got chocolate brown hair and clear blue eyes, a splatter of freckles across the bridge of his nose. He plays tennis or baseball or some other irrelevant sport.

* He’s popular with the girls too, he dated Lauren a few times, and Jessica admitted she had a crush on him freshman year.

* “Are you feeling better now?” He asks, he looks genuinely concerned and it takes you back a bit

* “Yeah, my dad came for a surprise visit so we went to Seattle”

* “Oh that’s cool, what did you guys do?”

* You’re a little surprised that Conner O’Malley, f*ckboy extraordinaire, is Trying to engage you in an honest conversation

* “We just did all the tourist stuff, space needle, museums, food, the usual.”

* Conner smiles at you, hands fidgeting together

* “That’s cool, did you um-did you read the note with the bouquet?

* You didn’t notice there was a note, you swing you backpack around, picking out his bright red bouquet with ease.

* You hadn’t paid attention to the note attached than reading the name on the front to see who they were from.

* “Will you be my valentine” you read the note out loud, feeling confused. What does that mean

* He fidgets in front of you, from here you can see his ears are bright red

* “So would you want to go out sometime?”

* He’s asking you out? On a proper date????

* “We could go watch a movie, or um I know you like to ride those bikes in Port A-“ you do like to ride those bikes in port a

* You watch the his human boy fumble over himself. There’s no future with this boy, one day he’ll grow old and want things you won’t be able to give him.

* “I have a ton of homework to catch up on-“

* “Oh, yeah no, I get that”

* But maybe... maybe it’s okay just to pretend and let yourself be entertained by the experience

* “Would you want to come with me to the library? I’m totally lost on Trig”

* You know it’s not the most romantic place, but that’s part of the reason you suggested it. You want to give him an out

* He looks a little surprised but recovers quickly.

* “I’ll meet you after school then, we can drive to the library together”

* You don’t bother telling Edward, you just look to the spot where he’s with Bella, he must have heard

* His eyes meet yours, his mouth pinches into a slight smile and he gives you a nod before turning back to Bella

* What so just because he’s got a new friend you’re invisible now?

* Stupid Edward. Not like you care, you just wanted him to know he’d have to ride home with the others

* Maybe his new best friend Bella can give him a ride home

* “So you’re going out with Conner tonight huh?” Mike asks when you take your seat in biology

* Edward doesn’t so much as spare you a glance

* “He’s just helping me catch up on school work.” You shrug, pulling out your biology homework

* “I bet he’ll help you catch up on-“

* “You’re going out with Conner?” Bella interrupts, you’re grateful for it but at the same time: those doe eyes and innocent face irritate you

* “He’s just helping me catch up on homework I missed”

* “Couldn’t Edward hell you do that?”

* You try to not look at Edward

* But what the f*ck?!?

* Last week the two of them couldn’t even sit in a car together for a short ten minute drive, and now all of a sudden she’s asking why you’re NOT spending time with Edward?

* It’s so... irritating

* You feel a tap on your arm, and turn to look at Edward

* “Control yourself”

* Oh great so the one time he decides to acknowledge your presence is to tell you to control your powers because he’s worried about his little human girlfriend getting the whiplash?!?

* Seriously, f*ck off Edward

* “Mr. Barnes I have to go to the nurse.”

* You don’t even wait to hear his answer, you just grab your bag and walk out

* You keep walking, practically fuming until you get to the parking lot

* Well you can’t leave, you already told Conner you’re going with him to the library after school

* Not to add it’s going to look real weird if you don’t go the nurses office eventually after storming off like that

* But you don’t want to go there yet

* Queue you discretely crouching under a window, lightly tapping the glass

* “Rosalie, Rosalie can you hear me?” You whisper

* Rosalie head turns to the window, her eyebrows threaded together, you poke your head just slightly above the ledge and give her a small smile and a wave

* Well at least it’s always interesting with you around

* “What are you doing?” Rosalie asks when she meets you under the school staircase

* You give her a nervous smile before collapsing onto the floor

* She gives you a knowing look before sitting beside you

* “So what did king Brood do now?”

* Queue the Edward rant

* “I leave for one week and all of a sudden he’s besties with some human, when just last week he told me not to get to close to her”

* “That’s Edward for you, king of the brood and hypocrisy.” Rosalie leans her head back against the wall

* “You know he didn’t even get me a carnation?”

* Rosalie rolls her eyes

* “That sounds like him, if it helps he didn’t buy me a carnation either, he just doesn’t think things like this are important”

* “He bought Bella one.”

* Rosalie sputters at that, so you retell her all about the flirting you had to watch

* “What color was the carnation?” Rosalie asks, and your eyebrows thread together

* Why is that important right now?

* “Um I don’t know, not quite pink, not quite red, something in between.”

* Rosalie’s expression smooths

* So that’s his game

* “Don’t worry about it too much as long as it’s not a deep red it doesn’t mean love”

* Now it’s your turn to sputter

* “W-what why would I be worried? Edward can do whatever he wants, even if it is with some human”

* Rosalie gives you a knowing look, and you avert your eyes

* If Rosalie were cruel she might ask why you’re sitting out here with her instead of in class, if you don’t care about what Edward does

* But Rosalie isn’t cruel, at least not to you

* She pats your shoulder, and you sigh

* “Come on let’s go to the nurse so you can pretend you have cramps or something” you nod

* “Besides don’t you have a date with the hottest human boy at our school?” You groan and a teasing smile curls onto her lips

* “Not you too.”

* The date is over hyped for sure, it’s mostly you and Conner sitting at the end of a small table asking each other questions about the trig homework

* “So...are you supposed to use the radical formula for this one?”

* “I think so..do you remember the formula?” Conner scratches his head

* “Um I remember there was a story about a mixed up guy going to a party that’s supposed to help”

* Basically it’s more like you’re helping Conner with home work than him helping you Totally underwhelming

* “Sorry, I bet there are better ways to spend your Valentine’s Day” Conner scoffs

* “Are you kidding? I’m spending it with the hottest person at Forks HS, as far as I’m concerned this is a win” he grins and you smile back

* Well, it wasn’t completely a waste

* You roll around back home around 11:30, everyone’s gone, on with their own Valentine’s Day plans.

* You’re not surprised to see Edward’s not in his room either He’s probably out watching Bella or doing god knows what

* You know this is the way it supposed to be, it’s the best thing for you too, you know even with Bella in the mix Edward would never betray you

* Once she’s on your side you don’t have to worry about the Volturi. But still, there a twist in your stomach You don’t like this new Edward, even if it is who he really is.

* You want your Edward back

* You sigh as you walk down the hall and into your room Stopping in the doorway when you flick on the lights

* There on your desk is a bouquet of roses

* You have half a mind to think they’re from Eleazer or Garrett or something

* So imagine when you pull off the card to see Edward’s name attached

* “Glad to have you home, happy Valentine’s Day” - Edward

* You toy with the card, a small smile curling onto your lips

* Maybe he’s still your Edward

* Your Edward just more anti-social

Tags:  @moonlights27 @thebluetint @the100thtwilight @awesomebooklover17 @oneofthepotterheads @smileygirl08 @imdoingathingmom @iconicgguk @yrawn @alyciaswhore @little-horror-show @wicked-watering-can @lazydreamers @ xxxmuxxx @ideas-for-you-to-adopt​​ @poisoinedhope @maryleigh8796​ @moose-squirrel-asstiel​ @hotmessgoodness @jaimewho @corabmarie @what-am-i-doing10​

[parvulous-writings]

36 Degrees C // McCree x Reader

Request:   Hello❧ Can I please get fluff 14 with McCree? It has been miserable with the heat and I wish I could work at night instead of day time because I teeter between overheating and heatstroke most days and thus am awake at night for some mercyful coolness. My friends are striving but my heat tolerance is zero and I strive at below zero celcius... 😥How are you holding up?                -Seriously overheated Blue❧ 💙

Requested by: Blue​

Summary: A oneshot using the prompt “ “It’s okay... I couldn’t sleep anyway...” “, also based on  Blue’s predicament- hopefully it brings you some sort of peace <3

Warnings: None

Words: 1K 

Notes: I feel your pain, Blue- I also struggle greatly in the heat. Anything over about 20 degrees Celsius and I can’t spend more than about 20-30 minutes outside at a time, unless I’m under good enough cover, which is rare. So, I stay inside all the time during summer. Though, someone or something must be watching over me, because it’s been overcast and raining ever since my birthday, where I am.  Also, I have finally reached 100 followers! Whoop whoop! 

Not my gif

The past week or so had been nothing more than a scorcher, weather-wise. There was no clouds in the sky, let alone any other sign of rain. It was not a good time for you- heat made you suffer to a degree where you could have sworn your every waking moment was spend living in hell, or some similarly high-temperature place. Heat was never your strong suit- you thrived in lower temperatures, much lower temperatures. To put it simply, you’d much rather be sent to Echopoint than Petra.  Jesse, on the other hand, he loved the heat, he soaked up the sun like a basking viper. He spent every chance he got outside, reveling in the sun and it’s light, and he even got a bit more of a tan going with how long he’d spend out there. You didn’t know how he did it, how he endured such heat and mugginess. The only time you ever got any peace from aforementioned heat was after sundown, so this had thrown your entire sleep schedule out of balance. It was not a fun time, to say the least. It was like a constant state of sleep paralysis, in some ways; you didn’t feel quite alive- you could hardly move most days- but you didn’t feel quite dead either. Whilst you experienced such torment and hardship, McCree just acted as if he were living his best life, like he couldn’t be happier. 

One night, just after sundown, and when you had finally regained your ability to move, you strode towards the window. You opened it carefully, allowing a cool breeze to waft through, cooling you down further. Jesse was fast asleep in your shared bed, and he didn’t mind the breeze one bit. Or, he didn’t react to it at least. You perched yourself on the windowsill- you room was high up enough that you had the perfect view of the landscape, vast and sweeping. You let your eyes wander over the sight before you, your eyes eventually landing on some faint lights in the distance. You sigh gently. How peaceful it seems out here, in the dead of night, no one awake to make a sound.  The contrast between night and day at the complex was rather frightening at times, especially when walking the corridors. Usually they bustled with life, but at night, there was silence, and lots of it. 

You were roused from your train of thought from the shuffling of covers. You look over your shoulder towards the only other person in the room. The breeze had gotten stronger during the time you had been thinking to yourself, and it was now disturbing Jesse. Though you moved to close the window for him, it was too late, he had been woken up by the chill. As he sat up, and laid his sleepy eyes on you, you gave him a sheepish smile. “Sorry...” You say quietly to him. “I didn’t mean to wake you.” Jesse gave a quiet grunt as he pushed himself into a seated position.  “It’s fine... I couldn’t sleep anyway...” He lied, jokingly. As he stretched his arms behind his head he gave a little bit of a yawn. “What’re ya doin’ up so late, anyhow? It’s the middle of the damn night, ya should be over here..” He patted the empty space next to him. “With me.” He chuckled lightly. You gave him a little bit of a shrug in reply.  “Too hot, I guess.” Jesse gave a deep sigh at that.  “Are ya still complainin’ about the weather? It’s lovely durin’ the day, what are ya on about?”  “It’s not my kind of weather, Jesse.” You explain. “I don’t deal with the heat as well as you do.. I can’t.” Jesse rolls his eyes a little, though it’s hard to see in the low light.  “Oh come on, now, Sugarcube,” He starts, trying to coax you over. “Just come over here...” He waves you over, and you fold your arms over your chest.  “Did you not listen to a single word I just said?”  “Well, yeah, ‘course I did...” He pauses. “I just thought that some snuggles might cheer ya up...” You give him a rather unimpressed look.  “It’s too hot!” You insist. “You need to start thinking more with that,” You point to his head, “And less with that.” You point down to his hips.

You turn back to the window, though you hear more shuffling. You ignore it for the most part, and the sound turns into the heavy pat of feet against the cold floor. A pair of arms wrap around you, pulling you into the still very warm chest of Jesse. He pressed a gentle kiss to the back of your head, before his chin rested on your shoulder. “C’mon, Sugar... I know it’s hot, but it’s lonely without ya in bed...” He whined quietly, though you knew that he was only joking beneath that. You chuckled gently at his words, reaching up behind you to carefully caress his beard. He leans into the touch, humming quietly in approval of the contact.  “Just a few more minutes, cowboy...” You say quietly to him, and he falls silent. The silence doesn’t overly last long though, as the gunslinger sweeps you up into his arms. “C’mon, you need sleep. I don’t want to have to deal with ya bein’ grumpy in the mornin’.” You struggled in his grip, wanting to be put down.  “Jesse!” You hiss, not wanting to be too loud and wake up your neighbours. “Put me down!” He doesn’t listen to you, still keeping you clasped in his arms, even as he fell back onto the surface of the bed with you.  “No...” He mumbled, pressing his face into the crook of your neck to stay close to you. Though it was unbearably hot, him holding you close was not as hot as you had been expecting. He pet your head gently, “Go to sleep, Pumpkin.” He mumbled, already starting to fall asleep himself. You chuckled quietly and you feel him start to fall asleep, his arms still wrapped around you, his breathing slowly calming you and lulling you into slumber.

[anne-i-write]

sweet love

| who would have known that the local bakery could get sebastian to show his soft spot |

sebastian moran x reader

word count: 3609

tw: sexual implications but no actual spice (mostly from sebastian’s “flirting”)

a/n: a little new years gift from me to all of you! i’m sorry it took so long to get another post up but i enjoyed writing this one! hopefully sebastian isn’t too ooc in this idk ig i just have a thing for making characters ooc but it’s very sweet and possibly tooth rotting. i also realize that i got carried away making this one and now you can read through my brain rot lol. ALSO APPARENTLY HES 6’6 THE MAN COULD ABSOLUTELY PUNT ME WHAT anyhow, i hope you all enjoy!! p.s. if you see grammatical errors and incoherent sentences, i just copy pasted from google docs lmao good luck

Sebastian grumbled under his breath, annoyed with the work that William had him do.

“‘Those who do not work in this house aren’t treated as people.’” Sebastian scoffed as he glanced over at the list. “Louis should be glad I’m on good terms with William.”

The ex-colonel should’ve been back at the estate an hour ago but he felt somewhat spiteful and decided to stay out longer. He had finished everything he needed but he had no clue what to do. It was already lunch and his stomach was silently growling but he refused to face the brothers just yet.

That was until he stopped in front of a quaint bakery with the words Fox’s Biscuits painted on a hanging sign.

“Isn’t this…” He looked at the bakery window, mouthwatering biscuits on display for everyone to see.

“These are the biscuits Father bought for me when I was younger.”

Longing for a sense of his childhood, Sebastian walked into the small shop.

In an instant, the sickly sweet smell of chocolate hit his nose and the bell above the door rang out. It was a small space but one could feel the dedication put into the little treats. “Hello?” Sebastian called out as soon as he realized he had been alone for at least two minutes.

“Just a moment!”

Crashes and clangs could be heard from behind a door that presumably led to a kitchen. You burst through the door, your apron stained with chocolate and your right cheek was covered in a light dust of flour.

Sebastian stared at you with wide eyes, not sure if he should focus on the disorderly ruin that was yourself or the absolute charm that you carried. “You have a little something—” He pointed to his cheek and your cute eyes widened a smidge.

You frantically turned around, swiping at both cheeks and turning around when you felt like you were clean. “How may I help you today?”

Sebastian’s heart skipped a beat when you smiled widely, his cheeks feeling a little flush. He shook his head.

“Those biscuits by the door; how much are they?” You took a step to the side to see which one he was talking about. “Oh, it’s 10 shillings for each one.” You informed him, walking to the stacked treats with a cloth in hand. “How many would you like?”

A sly grin painted Sebastian’s features and he turned to face you. “3 pieces please.” You barely picked up the second biscuit before you felt a presence looming behind you. “Perhaps, I can have you too if I pay extra.” He whispered in your ear.

Heat spread across your face as you quickly shoved the rest of the biscuits in the small bag. You shoved the biscuits his way and held out your other hand expectantly. “Th-That’s 30 shillings!” You cursed the way you stuttered.

Sebastian laughed at your flustered state as he handed you the payment. He shot you a teasing glance.

“I can’t bake very well but I can show you how good I am with my hands.” Your eyes widened again at the implication and you shoved him towards the exit.

“Thank you for coming to our bakery!” You breathed out a sigh of relief. One patron down… only many more to come.

The ex-colonel swung the bag leisurely as he strode into the manor, forgetting about lunch. “Where were you, Sebastian?” Louis asked as soon as he opened the door.

“Getting myself food.”

The bell rang in your little family shop and you smiled, heading out to greet the next customer with freshly baked biscuits in hand.

“Good afternoon–” Your smile dropped when you realized who came into the bakery.

“What’s with the frown, sweetheart?” Sebastian cooed and you narrowed your eyes at him. “Did you not wish I would come back?”

“I wish you never came at all.” The man stilled for a moment but laughed when you walked past him to restock the display case. “You were here yesterday, were you not?” He turned to see you carefully placing the treats on the platter. “Yes but I’m here to buy more of those delicious biscuits you sell.”

Sebastian stalked closer to you just as you spun around to point the tray in his face. “Personal space, please.” He raised his hands in resignation and backed up. You walked back to the counter to place the warm tray on top. “You weren’t complaining yesterday.”

“I didn’t expect yesterday. Now, how many biscuits would you like?” Before he opened his mouth, you continued. “And buy enough so I don’t have to see you again.”

Sebastian laughed again, enjoying your quips. “You seem very spirited today, m’love.” You rolled your eyes. “Either you buy something or you can get out of the shop.” The man walked towards you but you stood your ground this time, arms crossed.

“Your biscuits are delicious but I bet you taste even better.” Your face heated up and Sebastian grinned. “Th-The way out is right behind you.”

Why do I always stutter?

“You’re adorable when you get shy on me.” You shot him a pointed glare and he chuckled. “I’ll have the whole display.” Sebastian thoroughly enjoyed the way your shy attitude appeared when he spoke.

“Th-The whole—” Sebastian chuckled and leaned on a nearby wall. “Yes, sweetheart; the whole case.” Of course, you needed the money but could the man even afford it?

“Th-That’s 100 shillings.” Sebastian took another glance at the display and shook his head. “Come now sweetheart, all of that is at least 600 shillings.” You shook your head.

“600 shillings is too much!” The thought of even getting mad at his previous words flew out of your head as he insisted on paying the full price. “Please, I’ll lower the price.”

Sebastian smiled as he reached into his coat and pulled out a satchel of coins. “It must have taken a painstakingly long time to make all those biscuits, it’s only right I pay you in full.” He placed the bag on the counter and you slid it back towards him. “I don’t have time to count 100 shillings! Please, that would be more than enough.”

This continued on for another ten minutes before he finally got you to settle on paying half of the original price.

“Enjoy your biscuits!” You called out to him just as the door barely closed behind him. Thankfully the door had a large glass pane and he turned around, offering a small wave before walking off.

You watched as he left the front of the shop and your eyes drifted to the empty display case.

“What in God’s name happened.”

Sebastian was aware that the last time he saw you was the other day, but he did comprehend that coming back the day after buying 60 biscuits would look rather odd. Telling Louis he had to run an errand in the town, the ex-colonel set off to your little bakery. Considering how empty it was the last two times he saw you, Sebastian expected it to be the same.

What he didn’t expect was a large crowd that seemed too big to be inside of the bakery.

Sebastian carefully opened the door and was greeted with the bustling sound of people chatting as they waited for their treats. Being the tall man he was, he searched for you in the crowd until he saw you rush out of the kitchen with your hair a complete mess.

“Thank you for being so patient, have a great day!” You said breathlessly and the patron nodded, wishing you well before leaving. They passed by Sebastian and he watched as they left the shop. He turned his attention back to you, who wore the same smile that made his heart stutter as you helped the next customer.

God only knows how long Sebastian was in the shop but the last customer left and you slumped against the counter. “Is that how you hold yourself in front of your patrons?” You groaned and he laughed.

“You bought 60 biscuits the other day and I still have to make the next batch, why are you back?” You glanced up at him and he shrugged. “Can I not wait for the biscuits?” You kept staring at him and he shot you a questioning glance.

“I can give you an estimated time for when the biscuits are done.” You yawned as you stood up and stretched. “I saw you come in a while ago, do you not have anywhere to be?”

Sebastian leaned against the counter and sighed. “Not today.”

Not having the energy to make him leave, you simply walked back into the kitchen and he watched as the door swung behind you.

It had been three minutes since you disappeared behind the doors and Sebastian was about to leave before you emerged from the kitchen. “If you’re staying until I make the next batch, then I want you to try this.” You said as you place down a small plate with two chocolate covered biscuits. “My father doesn’t know about these so I want to see if these taste good.” He took a glance at the plate and looked up at you.

“You couldn’t try them yourselves?” He asked as you stood across from him, arms folded. “I’d be favored to like them because I made them.” A beat of silence passed as you stared at each other.

“They’re not poisoned, if that’s what you’re worried about.” An impressed look crossed Sebastian’s face as he picked up the biscuit and ate it. You watched closely as the man in front of you chewed your creation. “Is that jam and cream?”

“Don’t talk with your mouth full, it’s indecent.” Sebastian snorted as he took another bite. “You sound like my mum.” You smiled softly as he started to reach for the second one.

“Keep staring like that, I might have to eat something else.” He said as he winked at you.

“Y-You—!”

Sebastian’s visits became routine and each time he came in, your day got a little better. You scoffed. Like you would ever tell him that.

“Darling!” Sebastian called out as he opened the door. “You know, I don’t even know your name and you’ve been coming here for two weeks.” You stated as you cleaned down the counter.

“Aw, you want to put a name to a face so you can moan it tonight?” He cooed and you slammed your towel down, flustered. “O-One day without suggesting those things! I-Is that too much to ask?” Sebastian laughed and you went back to furiously wiping down the counter.

He smiled as he walked towards you and placed his hand on yours. “If you keep scrubbing like that, the wood will wear down.” You sighed and relaxed your grip on the washing cloth. “Your hands are warm.” You said and he chuckled.

“The cloth’s gone cold.” He pointed out and you rolled your eyes. “I didn’t realize.” Sebastian snorted and took the cloth out of your hands. “Here.” He took both of your hands and held them in his, breathing out slowly on them. He looked at you, taking note of the dark circles under your eyes.

If you were working yourself that much, he would make you take this short break to relax.

You looked up at your hands and suddenly felt shy at the intimate contact. “(Y/N),” you muttered, looking away.

Sebastian glanced up at you and huffed softly. “Sebastian.” You continued to let him warm up your hands.

A serene silence fell over the two of you as he exhaled softly on your hands.

That was until your sister barged into the shop, back from the market. “(Y/N)!” All three of you paused as you stared at each other. You watched as your sister’s eyes traveled from yours to your intertwined hands and you instantly flared up.

“I was just handing him biscuits!” You yelped, yanking your hands out of Sebastian’s. You looked at him and nodded your head towards the exit. “Thank you so much for coming!” Sebastian grinned and he leaned in closer to you. “I’ll come back for you tomorrow, sweetheart.”

He knew he said this loud enough for you sister to hear. “Good day!” He smiled innocently, nodding to the girl by the door and walked out.

You watched as he left, not noticing your sister walking up and taking her place next to you. She watched with you as Sebastian walked away and took note of the subtle starry gaze in your eyes.

“Now I understand why you always want to watch the shop.”

You fidgeted as Sebastian walked into the shop once again. What was this? His 40th time at the shop? You shook your head. It didn’t matter.

I will ask him!

“What’s troubling you, sweetheart?” Even through the teasing tone, you could hear some worry and you just decided to spit it out.

“Would you like to accompany me to the moorish dance tonight?” Sebastian’s eyes widened as you stared up at him with unintentionally large eyes. The man knew he had a persona to hold in front of you but felt himself failing as he struggled to fight the blush rising on his cheeks.

“Only if you’ll accompany me to my bed tonight.” He watched as your eyes narrowed and you puffed out your chest, crossing your arms. “Forget I asked.” He laughed as you turned away from him. “I’m just playing around!” You stuck your tongue out childishly and turned away again.

“You’re pouting!”

“No I’m not!”

You two continued to bicker until he apologized, albeit through laughs. “I’m serious though, Sebastian.” He looked at you with a fond smile and he exhaled.

“I’d be honored.” You turned to face him with the same smile you used when you first greeted him, except this time it was wider and you looked like you were about to bounce over the counter. “But I really thought I would be the first to ask you.”

“Let customs lay themselves to rest for a bit, Sebastian.”

The dance was some time later at night so you decided to close shop early and walk around the town with Sebastian.

He had never seen you so talkative before and it was very interesting to see you speak without having to put him in his place every five minutes.

“So, do you and your sister run the bakery by yourselves?” Sebastian asked as you walked down the bustling road. “Lately. My father had been overworking himself so my sister and I decided to take over for him.” You smiled as a girl ran past your legs, her little brother following shortly after.

He watched on with a fond look as you continued talking about the bakery and all the baking mishaps that made you the person you were today. “That sounds like it requires a lot of effort.” You chuckled as you reached a secluded tree, not too far from the town but enough to be alone.

“It does, but the son of my father’s friend likes to help from time to time.” The sound of a possible competitor peaked his interest and sat down beside you on the grass. “The son of your father’s friend?” You nodded as you stared at the town and leaned on the tree.

“He’s a wonderful boy, very enthusiastic about helping me and my sister.” You turned to face him with an excited expression. “Oh, I’ll introduce you at the dance later! He’s helping the men set up but we should be able to see him!” The alpha male in Sebastian refused to let himself lose the one good thing he could possibly have in his life.

“You hid the whole jar?”

“Mrs. Pettor makes the best jams! I wasn’t going to let my family finish it!” Sebastian laughed as you defended yourself.

It was almost time for the dance and you both were walking to the town center.

“I’ve been talking all this time.” You realized and you turned to Sebastian. “Tell me more about—” You cut yourself off with a squeak as you were lifted off of your feet.

Sebastian watched as a blonde boy swung you around. “A-Alexander!” The boy put you down, a grin on his face.

The blond boy looked at you and you smiled back before Sebastian cleared his throat. “Oh, right!” You turned to face Sebastian and grinned. “Alexander, this is Sebastian! Sebastian, Alexander!” The shorter man held out his hand, blue eyes instantly hardening.

“Hello Sebastian,” Alexander said as Sebastian shook his hand. “Alexander.” You looked between the two and felt a tense aura emanating from them before you clapped your hands.

“Shall we go to the dance?” Alexander let go of Sebastian’s hand and immediately faced you. “Of course!” The blond grabbed your hand and you were barely able to get ahold of Sebastian’s before Alexander took off running.

Cheers and music filled the air and the sound of shoes hitting stone echoed throughout the streets. Despite knowing most of the faces, you spent most of your time talking with Sebastian about stories from each of your lives.

“(Y/N)!” You turned your head and saw Alexander heading towards you, out of breath and sweaty from dancing. You excused yourself from the conversation and Alexander stopped in front of you. “I never did thank you for working more than you should have these last few days.” You laughed as you waved him off. “It’s nothing you should thank me for, Alexander. My sister helped so it wasn’t all bad.”

Alexander took a glance at Sebastian, who had been mobbed by most of the town women and looked like he was trying to hold his own. “Would you like to dance?” His question caught you off guard. “I invited Sebastian, I couldn’t leave him…” You turned to see a group of girls crowding around the man and your smile faltered. “One dance wouldn’t hurt.”

“Sebastian!” He looked up from the group of girls and saw you waving. He was about to move until he saw your hand in Alexander’s. “I’m going to dance for a bit!” You laughed as Alexander pulled you to the dance area. Alexander chuckled at you as you told Sebastian of your whereabouts. At least you had the decency to tell him you were dancing with another man.

“So how’d you meet Sebastian?” Alexander asked as you danced to the music. “He came into the shop one day and just kept visiting!” You smiled and the boy in front of you exhaled softly, deciding to drop the topic and talk to your sister about it later.

The former colonel no longer focused on the girls in front of him as he watched you laugh hard at something Alexander said and his heart beat faster in his chest. Out of jealousy or awe, he couldn’t tell. But the way your eyes shone under the golden glow of the street lamps told him to move and get you.

He pushed his way through the crowd of ladies and kept his eyes trained on your carefree figure. Your skin looked so beautiful under this light, maybe you were the one who lit up the town. Your smile alone had enough energy to do so anyway.

“May I have a dance with (Y/N)?” Sebastian asked as he reached you and Alexander. The blond man smiled and your eyes sparkled in delight. “Of course.” Alexander gently let go of your hand and placed it in Sebastian’s.

“Thank you Alexander!” You called out and he turned around, sending you a soft smile and a small wave before walking towards your sister.

You turned your gaze back to Sebastian and you grinned. “Did you get jealous?” Sebastian scoffed before shaking his head. “I don’t get jealous.” You laughed as you felt Sebastian pull you closer. “I saw you looking at Alexander like he was going to steal me away.” You pointed out with a smug smile.

“He did steal you away.” You grinned at him.

“You’re pouting.”

“N-No I’m not!” You laughed and watched as the tips of his ears turned pink. “Aw, you’re adorable when you get shy on me!” You cooed, using the exact same words he said to you a while back.

“You—” He picked you up by the waist and you squealed as he lifted you up. “You think you’re so smart.” He muttered as he placed you back down and you looked up at him, your skin shining from sweat and short breaths leaving your lips.

He instantly leaned in, placing a short kiss on your lips and your eyes widened before trying to chase him before he pulled away. “You do taste better than your biscuits.” You buried your head in Sebastian’s chest in embarrassment and he laughed as he started to lead the dance once more.

“Because of that, I’m charging you the rest of the 60 biscuits you bought.” Sebastian feigned hurt. “But that’s too much!” You rolled your eyes and smiled up at him. “I’m sure if you don’t want to pay, Louis can help me find something for you to do to pay me back.”

Sebastian’s eyes narrowed and you giggled at the sour look on his face. “I’m sure you can help around the shop to pay them off, if you don’t want Louis to get involved.” His eyes softened before gently grabbing your hand and placing a chaste kiss to it.

“If it means I get to see you everyday, it will have been worth it.”

tags: @zoehanji @infinitebells

[krastbannert]

Pet shop Azulaang

Okay anon that's still totally, definitely, 100% not @writebecauseyoucannotbreathe, prompt #2 coming at you. I have literally no idea what happened here. Like, I couldn't start it, then I just said fuck it earlier this morning, blinked, and there was a fic. I don't think I really thought about any of this. But. Here. It's a fic.

Oh, and Writ - happy slightly early birthday, my friend.

Going to take the opportunity, since I didn't have time to write anything else, to say that this is also my contribution to @azulaang-week-2021. So I did something, see?

@atla-multishipping-bingo

Modern AU Bingo I5 - Pet Shop

When she’d finally relented on going to a pet shop, this was not what he’d wanted to happen.

Aang had tried for weeks to get her to go - he believed wholeheartedly in the idea that animals could really, truly help people, and he thought a pet might be good for her. Besides, animals were cute! And hilarious! And spontaneous!

All things Azula needed more in her life, at least in his humble opinion. But his girlfriend had put her foot down: she was not getting a pet. Sure, they had Appa, but one of her own? No. She didn’t need one, didn’t want one, and they didn’t need another animal running around the house. And that had been the end of that.

Or so she thought.

He’d been persistent, sliding it into conversations while having dinner, showing her pictures of cute animals, talking more about volunteering at the shelter, everything he could think of to put the idea in her head. And, finally, his persistence had paid off.

“We can go,” she’d said,” but do not plan on getting me anything.”

That was good enough for him - he could worry about the rest while they were there. Besides, she’d done this more than once: begrudgingly go somewhere, not intending to get anything, and walk out with something.

(It’s how she’d started dating him, after all.)

But so far, the plan is not working. Not at all.

He sighs, leaning on the counter, watching Azula stride through the rows of enclosures, glaring down at various animals with a slight disinterest. Every single one has seemed to cower just a little under her gaze, even the fish. He hadn’t even thought that a fish could cower, and yet it happened, right in front of him.

The slight click of her heels echoes in the empty store, and it just seems to accentuate what she’d been saying: she wasn’t going to find anything. Maybe this time...he really had been wrong.

“Rough day?” Smellerbee rasps as she comes up next to him. (How did he keep forgetting she was here? She opened the sanctuary today.)

“You could say that,” Aang whispers.” She’s been here for twenty minutes and has done nothing but glare at the animals.”

Bee just shrugs.” She’s never liked animals, you know that. I mean, she always says she can barely tolerate Appa.”

“She’s lying. Azula loves him!” Aang knows it's true, but he’s wondering, now, if maybe there was a little truth to her words.

“Hey, it’s alright, Aang. If she doesn’t like animals, she doesn’t like animals - it’s not a big deal.”

“Yeah, I know, I just - hey, wait, where’d she go?”

The click of her heels was gone, and Azula was nowhere to be seen. She’d vanished, like a ghost. He pushes off the counter and glances around.

“Azula?” he asks loudly. Where did she even go?

“Over here,” she calls from the back of the building - he had no idea how she’d gotten back there so quickly, but he hurries towards her, anyways. If she’d stopped walking, she must have found something that intrigued her. When he finds her, she’s staring down at one of the kennels, and she wordlessly points at the animal that had piqued her interest.

It’s a fox.

A...fox.

He really hadn’t expected that one, but it’s easy to see why the animal had piqued her interest: it’s small, maybe fifteen pounds at most, yet it stares up at Azula like it could take her in a fight. And it's gorgeous - deep red with a black tail, face, and chest like it had just rolled around in charcoal. It yawns as he watches, almost as disinterested as Azula is pretending to be. (Actually, that...matches her fairly well.)

“Is this one available?” Azula asks quietly after another moment.

“I thought you didn’t want an animal?” he teases, slinging an arm around her shoulders.

She huffs, but leans into his side, reaching up to gently hold his hand.” Hush, you, and answer my question.”

He chuckles, gives her a light squeeze, and nods at Smellerbee.

“Uh…” she starts.” Yeah, technically - but are yah sure?”

Azula nods.” I am.”

Bee shakes her head as she walks back to pull the fox out.” Suit yourself. Don’t say I didn’t warn you, though.”

It only takes a moment to understand the warning - when Bee reemerges from the kennel area, the fox is biting, snapping, and growling at everything in sight, only stopping when Bee puts it down on the floor. He half expects the fox to dart away as Azula crouches down, and sure enough, it raises up on its haunches, snarls a little - although it’s more cute than intimidating - but it stops, sniffs Azula’s hand.

She keeps her hand right where it is, just lets the animal keep sniffing her hand. Azula doesn’t move, and for a moment Aang thinks she’s not breathing, either. (He wonders, for a second, if this is what Azula had seen in her - the same unbreaking stare, the same wary exterior, but thinking, hoping that maybe there was a soft heart under it all.

Sounds a lot like someone he knew.)

He can see Bee’s eyebrows raise as the fox slowly, moment by moment, drops her guard.

“I’ll be damned,” he hears Bee murmur as the fox sidles a little closer. Azula gingerly reaches forward, pats its head gently, then scratches it experimentally on the forehead.

The fox practically melts, and that’s all it takes.

“Satomi,” Azula whispers after a silent moment of scratching the fox’s forehead.” I think it suits her.”

When she glances over her shoulder at him, there’s a soft light in her eyes, a light he rarely ever saw.” Don’t you?”

“Yeah,” he says, crouching down next to her. He doesn’t, really, but if it makes Azula happy, well - he can’t complain.

(Later, when he sees her curled up on the couch, half-asleep with Satomi tucked under her arm, he can’t help but smile.

“I was totally right,” he boasts quietly as he tugs a blanket over her.

”Don’t let it go to your head.” Azula, he knows, is trying to sound threatening, but it doesn’t work. He chuckles to himself, kisses her forehead - when she’s half-asleep and struggling to stay awake like this, she’s more adorable than intimidating.

“I’m not hearing a no,” he whispers, kissing her on the cheek again. She swats at him, but he can see the grin on her face.

She’s happy. Totally, blissfully happy. Good, he thinks. That’s all I wanted.

“...fine. You were right,” she finally mutters. Her smile as she scratches at Satomi’s head, he thinks, is like the sun itself.)

[blu-joons]

You Look After Him Whilst He Films A Programme ~ Exo Reaction

Suho:

The flashes of the cameras instantly made you tense up as you pulled up outside of the red carpet for the first showing of The Universe’s Star. “You alright?” Junmyeon questioned, spotting the panic in your eyes.

Your head nodded, straightening out your outfit. “It’s just a little bit overwhelming, I thought a few of your fans would be here, but not this many.”

“If it’s too much, I’d understand if you want to go home,” he smiled, pressing his hand against the small of your back. “I didn’t think it would be this big either.”

“No,” you smiled, glancing down the red carpet. “I want to be here to support you, I saw first-hand how hard you worked on this programme, I’m not missing the chance to finally be able to see some of the stuff you’ve been up to.”

His own smile grew, pressing a kiss to the top of your head. “I’ll stay right beside you all night long, I’m just glad you’re here.”

“I wouldn’t miss this for the world,” you assured him, “you’ve worked hard, and I’m so excited to be able to watch.”

“I just hope it lives up to your high expectations.”

Xiumin:

His eyes lit up as he spotted you stood behind the cameras that were filming as the director yelled for a break to be taken. “What are you doing here?” He chuckled, weaving around the staff to be able to see you.

Straight away, you handed the bag you were holding to him. “I thought you could do with some food seeing as you’re working so hard.”

“You didn’t have to do that,” he appreciatively smiled, taking a look inside. “You bought my favourite too, you’re full of the best surprises sometimes jagi.”

“I wanted to come and see too,” you chuckled, taking a good look around the set. “I can’t believe you get to work somewhere as nice as this. How’s all of it going? Are you going to become a megastar actor at the end of this?”

His eyes widened, “I’m already a megastar,” he teased, “but why don’t you stay this afternoon and watch a bit?”

“Are you sure no one will mind?” You quizzed, but his head shook straight away. “I’d love to stay and watch you Minseok.”

“Then it’s settled, I’ll set up a spot for you.”

Lay:

You could feel Yixing’s proud eyes looking at you as he watched what you’d done with the trainees to try and choreograph their routine. “You did good,” he smiled once the cameras finally stopped rolling on you both.

You smiled appreciatively in his direction, “well when they’ve got several other coaches who work them so well, my job becomes pretty easy.”

“You’re amazing on your own, not any of the other coaches,” he assured you, taking a step off the set away from the trainees. “How are you really finding it here?”

“It’s fun,” you assured him, glancing around the room once again. “It’s certainly hard working with trainees again, but it’s fun seeing them work their way up from the bottom, reminds me what we were like a few years ago.”

His head nodded, resting a hand against your waist. “I forget sometimes that this is what my life was like a decade ago.”

“At least we can give them a lot of tips,” you added, “I’m sure there’s plenty of things you know not to do as a trainee too.”

“There were a few things I picked up on in my time at the dorm.”

Baekhyun:

Your smile grew as the producer introduced you to the team that you’d be working with on set. “Baekhyun,” a confident voice introduced himself, pulling you into a tight hug whilst you offered your hand to shake.

You could only chuckle at the tight hold he had on you. “You don’t need to introduce yourself, I even listened to your music on the way here.”

“So, you’re a fan?” He proudly quizzed, pressing his palms together. “I was already looking forward to working with you, but now I am even more.”

“I’ll be very professional,” you assured him, making sure everyone on the set heard you. “Although if you want to tell me some secrets about Exo when the cameras cut off, I’ll be more than happy to hear your stories.”

Baekhyun chuckled, nodding his head, “I’m sure I can let you in on a few secrets, as long as you give me a few acting tips.”

“I’m sure you don’t need any tips from me,” you complimented, “I’ve seen you act before; I know you’re really good.”

“I bet I’m not as good as you, though.”

Chen:

You felt your stomach drop as you saw several photos of you, taken at the King of Masked Singer set be posted all over social media. “You good?” Chen questioned, noticing how you suddenly fell silent beside him.

You handed your phone across to him, “what if they figure out that I’m here because of you? Everyone will know that it’s you behind the mask.”

“You could just be here for a guest appearance,” he suggested, trying to find the positives. “It’s not like there’s any sign of me on the photos.”

“True,” you sighed, studying across the photos one final time. “I thought I was so secretive coming into the studio, I didn’t even spot any fans stood around, they must be incredible at hiding to not be seen.”

Chen’s hand rested over yours, “there’s no point in worrying, if people do think it’s me, they’ve got no actual proof that it is me.”

“Who else would I come here to support?” You quizzed, brushing your hands through your hair, “I think I’ve messed this up for you.”

“You haven’t, I promise you, nothing is wrong.”

Chanyeol:

Your eyes peeled open as finally Chanyeol came home from a long day of filming So, I Married an Anti-Fan. “Hi,” he whispered, noticing that you were asleep, “you didn’t need to wait up for me, you should have gone to bed.”

Your head shook, stretching your arms up, “I wanted to stay up and check on you when you got home to make sure you were doing alright.”

“I’m good,” he smiled, taking a seat beside your figure, “the filming just went on a little longer than any of us imagined tonight.”

“That’s good though,” you smiled, moving across the sofa to curl into his side. “It shows that everyone cares, and they want the show to be perfect, they could have just settled, but instead they knew you could do better.”

Chanyeol’s head nodded at your words, “it doesn’t change the fact that I was desperate to get back here and come and see you though.”

“You’re home now,” you cheered, letting go of a yawn, “even if it is a little better than you had hoped to be back here.”

“I reckon now I’m home you head to bed.”

D.O.:

Your eyes widened as an email popped up on your laptop screen. You called Kyungsoo through, knowing what the only thing it could be was. “Open it,” he cheered, standing beside you with his hands on your shoulders.

Reluctantly, you opened up the email. “Congratulations,” you read out, “you’ve been cast to be a part of 100 Days of My Prince.”

“I knew it!” Kyungsoo yelled, pressing several kisses against your cheek. “I can’t believe we actually get to work on a programme together.”

“It feels like a dream,” you blushed, reading through the email yet again, just to be sure. “I was convinced they wouldn’t hire me, I thought maybe they wouldn’t want both of us on set, their faces when I told we were dating were horrible.”

Kyungsoo’s smile widened, “I told you that you shouldn’t put yourself down, your talent was the thing that got you cast.”

“And now we get to work together for the foreseeable future too,” you grinned, “that’s easily the best part out of all of this.”

“I’m excited to get spend every day with you now.”

Kai:

When you heard rumour that Jongin would be featuring on your show, you refused to believe it. That was until you walked onto set and saw him stood with his manager. “Hi,” he smiled as you walked past him.

Your eyes looked back, smiling back at him. “Hi,” you blushed, “it’s nice to meet you, I’m Y/N. I’m playing the main character.”

“I know,” he chuckled, “don’t worry I’ve done plenty of research on the show, and also a bit about you too, I wanted to get to know you.”

“Oh,” you stuttered, feeling your cheeks turn a dark shade of red. “I’m in a little bit of shock right now if I’m honest, I thought the producers were playing a joke on us when they said that you’d be making a guest appearance.”

Kai’s head nodded, “well hopefully out of all the guests you’ve had on, I can be the best first kiss that your character has.”

“There’s been a good few here already,” you teased, “but I’m sure you’ll do the job well, I’ve got high hopes for you.”

“That’s definitely a lot of pressure on me now.”

Sehun:

His brows knitted together as he walked into his dressing room, noticing several snacks laid out on the table. He followed the trial that was there until he saw you sat in his chair. “What’s this?” He chuckled, walking over to hug you.

You stood up from the chair, placing your arms around his waist. “I thought I’d come and see what you get up to, if that’s alright?”

“Of course,” he nervously giggled, pressing his palms to your cheeks. “I can show you all around if you want, there’s plenty going on today on set.”

“That would be cool,” you smiled, struggling to contain your excitement at the thought of seeing Sehun on set. “I’ve had good things about you and the production, so they better live up to my expectations now.”

Sehun nudged your hips gently, “I promise you’ll love it. I think To the Beautiful has been my favourite programme I’ve been on.”

“It’s certainly been the one I’ve noticed you smile the most with,” you pointed out, “I can tell you’re enjoying yourself.”

“I really am having the best time here.”

---

Masterlist

[roo-bastmoon]

Fascinating

A friend of mine who shall remain anonymous for now used to volunteer with people on the spectrum and wrote me this really fascinating take on neurodivergency in relation to my last post, and it's full of so much useful info, I'm sharing it here with permission!

Hi, I worked with adults and children on the spectrum for many years. I suspect Jungkook’s zoning out is what we’d refer to as using “one’s minds eye” to enjoy a moving picture show - the ability to see things in your mind in 3D from any viewpoint. My ex and my son are both A.D.H.D., brilliant picture thinkers, with more talent in their one finger than some have in their entire bodies. Their brains don’t like to be bored however and sitting still listening to a conversation that isn’t the least bit relevant or interesting is agony. It can make time feel like it’s standing still. The opposite is true for pleasant tasks, speeding time up and making enjoyable things feel like they are over almost immediately. The program we worked with was the Davis Correction Method. The program is this: for the 250 dolch spelling words that children are expected to know by grade 2 or 3, a picture, a meaning a the correct spelling is created using clay. This is also used for words that are often misspelled or on a weekly spelling list. In addition, the person learns to put their minds eye in one place, behind their ears, on top of their head, as though some one (another you) is reading over their shoulders. They may have changed the wording on how this is achieved, as it’s been many years since but that was the basic premise. Also, people fidget or feel the need to move when their minds eye is not on point. In young children they often feel nauseous. When they move it has a calming effect and actually feels as though they are sitting still. My son was especially sensitive to smells and the feeling of clothing next to his skin. All tags at the back of his shirts had to be removed and he would feel the fabric before he would even try something on, even at age 3 or 4 when I would try to get him dressed. T-shirts with iron on transfers or seems, itchy nylon threads at the edge of the cuff or where the buttons were sewn on would bother him. He wore 100% cotton, very good quality shirts that would feel like silk after being washed several times. He also was/is beyond gifted at sports, impressions and no longer has symptoms, so while English was not his favorite subject, he still pulled top marks in all his classes until his graduation. He obtained a Ba, with a concentration in Biology and a minor in kinesiology. He is currently working towards his masters degree. Like my ex-husband, he loves to start new things/projects but completing them is difficult if the remaining tasks are minor and boring and apt to be a bit of a hassle to do. He loves, and needs his daily routine, and does not like it when plans suddenly change at the last minute, just like his father. That is unless he is the one changing plans. That’s not to say any of this is a negative. Not at all. In fact you will find that most of the CEO’s, most successful inventors and actors are all dyslexic, ADD, ADHD. Those with dyslexia can see 3d pictures in their minds from any viewpoint. Liner thinkers like me can not. People with ADD can see in 3D too, and from any direction but they can also alter the feeling of time. Things feel slow or fast depending on interest level. A doctor performing a complicated 8 hour surgery on an infant’s heart can remain focused the entire time without so much as a tremor or a yawn. Those that possess ADHD can see in their minds as well as alter the feeling of time passing but also are considered hyper active and make exceptional athletes, dancers, idols, musicians etc. So in summary, people on the spectrum are very gifted, brilliant, inventive, creative and special beings. It is the education system that fails them unfortunately. That and the expectation that we as human beings must sit still or be indoors for hours upon hours a day doing a job in a factory, at a desk or in front of a camera. And we consider human beings to have evolved, lol. The book “The gift of dyslexia” by Ron Davis is very easy to read and it explains in the last chapters how to get “on point”, or your minds eye in the correct position.

[anagentinwriting]

Lifeline - Part 6

Summary: (First Responders!AU) Moving to Los Angeles and living with your brother, Thor, was never part of your plan nor was being a 9-1-1 dispatcher, but plans change when you are faced with your own emergencies. In your case, it was leaving behind a relationship that wasn’t as perfect as it seemed. Will this be the fresh start you were hoping for or will your past find a way to catch up with you?

Pairing: Steve Rogers x Odinson!Sister Reader

Word Count: 2800+

Warnings: Angst, Fluff, Language

Lifeline Masterlist / Main Masterlist

A few days after your stroll with Steve, you finally had a day off of work, well, more like the next three days, which was a relief. Taking a stool at the kitchen island, you let the hot mug warm your hands. It was a long night with nightmare after nightmare resulting in little to no sleep. You would have slept in, but today is the day you were signing your lease. It was time to stop using your brother as a crutch and get back out into the world by yourself again. Now, all you had to do was tell Thor.

You blew the steam off your mug, hearing Thor come barreling into the kitchen, patting you on the shoulder before grabbing a mug from the cabinet. He has a huge smile on his face, pouring himself some coffee.

“YN, you will never believe what happened yesterday? It was marvelous.”

“You got laid?” you yawned, rubbing your eyes. How he never looked tired still bothered you. I mean, his energy was always way more than you could handle. It was like he was from a different planet sometimes. 

“Yeah, well duh, but besides that?”

“What happened?”

“Steve, you know, Steve--” you nodded your head slowly, wondering where he was going with this “--He rescued a dog from a burning warehouse, and now he has adopted it and called it his own. Here look at the pretty boy.” Thor reached for his phone in his pocket and showed you a picture of the dog. It looked like a golden retriever mixed with something else, but you couldn’t place it. “Steve named him Cosmo.”

“Aww, he’s cute. How did this even happen?”

“He heard a dog barking, ran inside, rescued it, and then got his ass chewed by Danvers. It was hilarious,” he chuckled. “Steve was like the building isn’t clear and Danvers was like don’t you dare, but then he was like blegh and took off--” he smiled, shaking his head to himself. “--once Steve took off, Bucky went right in after him. I tell yeah, those two are like two peas in a pod.”

“The adrenaline makes you do crazy things sometimes.”

“Yeah, but still, crazy morons.” He shook his head. “How are you doing this morning? It sounded like you had a rough night, and not to be harsh, but you look kind of terrible.” He pointed his finger at you, waving it over you as your mouth dropped open.

“Thanks so much for that uplifting compliment, brother.” You rolled your eyes, unable to hide the annoyance in your voice. “It’s fine, a few nightmares here and there, but it’s a take it day by day kind of thing, right.” He nodded. “But there is something I wanted to talk to you about?”

“What’s that?” Thor asked, taking a sip of his mug. “Darryl, my good man, good morning.”

“Good morning to you both,” he nodded at each of you. He grabbed a mug from the cabinet, stepping over to the coffee maker, which Thor was still standing in front of.

“What did you want to tell me?” Thor asked, not even noticing Darryl trying to get some coffee.

You sighed, rolling your eyes. “Thor, move. Darryl wants coffee.”

“Sorry pal, I didn’t see you there.” He smiled, patting him on the shoulder, and moved out of the way. 

Darryl nodded his head at you as if to say a silent thank you. He filled his mug and took the stool next to you. Thor watched him the whole time before his eyes connected with the clock.  “Oh, shit, is that the time. I have to get to the station.”

“I’m moving out,” you blurted out, forcing Thor to stop dead in his tracks and face you. 

“Ahhh...what?”

“I’m moving.”

“No, you’re not. I don’t want you to move out. Darryl--” he pointed at him “--Darryl doesn’t want you to move out.” 

You turned around on your stool to look at him. “While Darryl has been sleeping and living on the couch for the last three months.”

“Darryl doesn’t mind. Do you, Darryl?”

“Well, actually…” Darryl started, but Thor cut him off. 

“Darryl, please stop talking--” Thor held up his hand at him “-- I am trying to have a conversation with my sister.” He turned back towards you. “What if he finds you? Who is going to protect you?”

“I don’t need your constant protection. I can handle myself; besides, I started training with Val, and she has been teaching me a few things.”

“Really? Like you were protecting yourself when you were married to that guy for what...6 years. Yeah, real fine job you did protecting yourself there.” You glared at him, shaking your head. “And what about when you had your breakdown a couple of weeks ago, or how you just told me you’re having nightmares.” You bit your tongue, trying to hold back what you really wanted to say to him.

“Well, I am gonna leave you two to it,” Darryl started to stand up.

“No, Darryl, sit and stay,” Thor stated, forcing him to sit right back down. Darryl stared wide eyes at you and nodded to himself. This must have felt like torture to him, similar to when a friend is getting yelled at by their parents, and you’re like this is a nice wall.

“Darryl, it’s fine. Go and get ready for work.” He stood back up from his stool.

“No, Darryl, sit back down.” He sat back down.

“No, go, Darryl, you have to get ready for work.” He stands up and swiftly walks out of the kitchen to the living room, grabbing his suit and rushing towards the bathroom. 

“Darryl doesn’t even work today?”

“Yes, he does. If you would ask him a question now and then, instead of making him do your chores.”

“He likes doing them.”

You roll your eyes, shaking your head. It was like arguing with a child; once he sees something shiny, he changes the subject. You stood up and took a deep breath. “Thor, I’m moving. I found this cute little one-bedroom condo a few blocks from work in a great neighborhood. It sits in a nook with two other condos and has a top-notch security system. There’s even a neighborhood watch, and the price is too perfect to pass up.”

“But why move when you’re not ready to be out on your own again.”

“You’re the only one saying I’m not ready. Thor, I need to start living for myself again; instead of using you as a crutch that I constantly fall back on.” He shook his head. “It’s the next step, and I need to move forward.” You bit your lip, marching past him towards your room.

“I bet Loki would agree with me,” he yelled down the short hallway.

You stopped dead in your tracks and turned on your heels to face him. “That’s where you’re wrong, brother. He sided with me on this one--” you pointed to yourself  “--he wants me to move on and get my own place. He wants me to FIND myself again, but you...you don’t. You don’t know what it was like living with someone you thought you could trust. Someone you thought loved you and then...then he--” your voice cracks “--forget it, you’re not even listening to me.”  

“Sometimes, you’re just as stubborn as Loki.”

“Well, he is my favorite brother, and that shit is bound to rub off on me sooner or later.” You turned back on your heel and slammed your door closed. 

“THEN, WHY DON’T YOU GO MOVE IN WITH HIM THEN,” Thor yelled, hearing it echo down the hall to your room. 

You bit your lip and swung the door open. “MAYBE I WILL, OR BETTER YET, I'LL JUST GET MY OWN PLACE,” you replied, slamming the door again. 

_______

“Steve, I need to tell you something,” Bucky grunted as he bench pressed with Steve spotting him. 

“What’s that pal?”

“There is this girl, while more so a woman than a girl, but I’ve seen her on more than one occasion if you know what I mean.” Bucky put the barbell back on the rack and sat up on the bench to switch out.  “And man, she’s something else. At first, when we hooked up, it was, I’m not gonna lie, it was hot. The best I’ve ever had. I won’t tell her that because she’ll get all cocky about it, but now I am starting to wonder if I’m the best she ever had, you know?” 

“Buck. I don’t think you’ve ever talked about a woman like this before. It’s almost like you’re catching feelings for her.” Steve leaned down on the bench as Bucky started spotting him. 

“No, I’m not; besides, what do you know, man?” Bucky scoffed, rolling his eyes. “Last I heard, you didn’t know a thing about women.”

“Yeah, well, they can be complicated, but you’re telling this to the guy who was married before,” he chuckled, getting fifteen reps in before sitting up. 

“Why do you always use that line? It's not fair because I have no comeback to it.”

“That’s why I use it,” he chuckled as Bucky shook his head. “It shuts you right up.”

Steve glanced over when he heard a door slam from the locker room. Thor stomped out, wrapping his hands angrily for the punching bag. He grunted, cursing under his breath. 

“Hey, you alright, Thor? You’re really taking it out on that punching bag?” Steve asked, looking over at Bucky, who had a smirk on his face from watching him. “Thor, what’s up?” Thor made a face at them and continued to beat up the bag when the alarm blared, forcing them to stop everything, suit up, and get into the truck.

“Alright, gentleman, it sounds like we have a lady stuck in a donation bin. We have word she has been in there for at least 3 hours, and on this hot day in Los Angeles, best guess it is well over 100 degrees in that metal container. We will have to work quickly to get her out, so here’s the plan…”

______

On-site, Steve got out of the truck and followed Thor to one of the gear hatches. A few news crews were already on the scene along with a crowd of people watching from the barriers the police set up. He sighed, rubbing the sweat off his forehead. It was a scorcher today, and the inside of the bin was only going to get hotter for the woman trapped inside. 

“Steve, I’ve noticed you have a way with words,” Thor admitted, trying to find the saw.

“I have my moments,” he smirked with a half shrug.

“My sister wants to move out,” Thor confided, scratching his beard before grabbing the saw. “She found this condo.”

“Isn’t that a good thing?”

“Yes and no,” he sighed, following behind Steve to the donation bin where Val was talking to the woman inside.

 “Hey, boys. Her name is Maggie Lang, and she’s conscious, but she’s burning up. She’s sweating profusely and feels like she could pass out at any minute, and judging by the increasing heat index, it is not going to get any better, so let’s hurry this up.”

“Maggie, go to the other side of the bin as far as you can and cover up with this jacket," Steve advised, handing her his fireman's jacket. "This will protect you from any of the flying sparks while we cut the hinges off." Steve stepped away from the container, shooting Thor a quick nod.

“Ready,” Thor announced as he turned on the saw and started cutting the door hinges. Everyone backed away, and after he got the last one sawed off, the door creaked, falling to the ground. Maggie was holding onto an ugly rabbit stuffed animal, looking very flushed and dehydrated. Val and Sam ran over to check on her.

“Whoa, you went in there to save that ugly thing,” Sam asked, smiling down at the toy.

“It’s my daughter’s,” she breathed.  “My ex-husband got it for her, and I accidentally threw it in the donation bin.” 

_______

Steve started carrying equipment back to the truck when Thor came up next to him. “The thing is, since you’re new…newish, you might not know that YN was married.” Steve widened his eyes at him. “Technically, she still is married, but she left him and ended up on my doorstep.”

“I see,” Steve added, narrowing his eyes, stuffing the equipment into the hatch.

“It wasn’t a happy marriage. It was destructive and took an emotional toll on her, both mentally and physically.” He ran his hand through his short hair. “I don’t think she’s ready to be out on her own yet. I mean, how is she even going to protect herself if he comes around?”

“Think you’re underestimating her man?” Thor stopped what he was doing, furrowing his brows at him. “She got out. She left him. Leaving those toxic relationships is the hardest part. Besides, hasn’t it been three months? If he knows where she is, why hasn’t he come around.” Thor nodded. “You should be proud of her and encourage her. She is moving on and trying to make a new life for herself without her ex.” 

“But my point is, she’s leaving again, and I don’t want us to lose touch like we have in the past. She’s always been close to Loki, so with me getting to know her again has been great.” 

“It’s not like she is moving back across the country, Thor.”

“I know, but we had a fight recently, and she said she was going to either move out or go back to live with Loki.”

“She probably didn’t mean it; besides, if she moves into the condo, you can go visit her anytime you want. YN is building a new life for herself, and you should be proud of her.”

“You’re right, Steve.” He patted him on the shoulder, a huge grin hitting his features. “I am proud of her. I should talk to her after this.”

“Yeah, you should.”

“You sound like Bruce. He is really good at giving advice.”

“Bruce?”

“He is the one that popped my dispatcher cherry. I’ll tell you the story sometime.”

Steve chuckled. “Sounds great.”

_______

You sat on the couch with Darryl on the other end, flipping through the channels, hoping something good would show up. Earlier today, you went and signed the lease on the condo, and you could start moving in tomorrow. It was a big step for you, and you were going to take it whether or not Thor supported you. You needed to do this for yourself.

“YN,” Thor shouted, entering the house, making you jump a little on the couch.

“In Darryl’s room,” you yelled back to him. Thor came in and stepped in front of the television, so you couldn’t see the screen. “Excuse me?  We were watching that.” 

“Are you positive you want to move?” He stepped over the coffee table and sat on it. 

“Yes. I signed the lease earlier today, and there's nothing you can do to change my mind.” 

“Great, that’s fantastic,” he nodded, giving you a thumbs up. “I don’t want to change your mind. I want you to do it.”

“Really?” Your eyes widened, then narrowed with suspension. “Why the sudden change of heart?” 

“I realized I was being childish,” Thor admitted, and you nodded in agreement. “I want you to be happy, and if this is what makes you happy, I’m with you, but are you going to be okay living by yourself?”

“I don’t know,” you shrugged, making him narrow his eyes at you. “But I have to try, right? I 

mean, the only reason I do feel ready is because of you.”

“Me, why?” 

“You convinced me to start over and make a new life here in LA. You took me in, kept me safe, and he still hasn’t come around. Sure, he called the one time, but that was it. I was scared when I left, but you helped me feel safe again. I still have a long way to go before I start to feel myself again, but I am getting there with your help and the friends I have made here. To be honest, I don’t think I will ever be fully ready to be out on my own, but the hardest step is taking that first step.” 

His face broke out into a huge smile. “I’m proud of you, sister, and I’m sorry about earlier.” 

You smiled at him and leaned over, pulling him in for a hug. “You’re forgiven, and thanks for everything, Thor.” You pulled back from him. “Oh, one more thing, I’m moving in tomorrow.”

“Great...yay...so soon,” Thor pulled you in for another hug, squeezing you tighter. From the quick glimpse you saw in his eyes, he wasn’t ready for you to go, but you loved how he was trying to support you.  

“So, I can have my room back, now?” Darryl asked from the couch.

_____

AN: Thanks for reading Part 6! She is finally moving out!! And Darryl just might get his room back! When I was trying to figure out who Thor's roommate should be, I instantly thought of Darryl. I mean, he technically is Thor's Earth roommate, right! 😂😂 So, Bruce popped Thor's dispatcher's cherry....kind of makes you wonder what went down, am I right? 😉🤔 And what about that teensy tiny little comment Steve made, any ideas what might have happened there?! Anyways likes, reblogs, and comments always welcome. Until next week...thanks again!