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#in all seriousness though the idea of your lawful god breaking a promise? being an angel and having to return to a world 30 years past
utilitycaster · 1 year
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I would not swear on a stack of Tal'Dorei Campaign Settings that there is no way that Vax comes back in mortal form, though I would admittedly find it to be pretty abysmal storytelling. That isn't important though; what's important is we just had Deanna and FRIDA and their extremely complicated feelings about being resurrected after centuries, and they both died relatively normal and came back normal. I think any story in which Vax comes back mortal is a horror story.
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suzyblue0292 · 3 months
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Rewatch - Dead Boy Detectives S1E2 - The Case of the Dandelion Shrine
Is this a functioning cannery?
Edwin being their diplomat is both horrifying and hilarious, but yeah, he is actually the best choice. 
I always knew if my cat could talk he’d be an asshole.
I can’t tell how much of the seduction is real and how much is a play to get the bracelet on…
The fear on Edwin’s face as he backs off. 
I’m not sure it’s consensual if you smack a caging spell on someone first…
I wonder if the cat king returned him hours later on purpose to screw with them - it makes Edwin’s story so suspect to Charles because - how could that be all that happened - you were gone for hours!
Edwin is so stressed out and striking out at everyone. Also this makes 2 times he has mentioned hell. 
Poor Jenny does not get paid enough for this shit. 
Obviously they have not traveled much if they don’t know the mail gets forwarded.
And the sad moment we all realized it was not psychic lesbian love. 
“You’re a cursed walrus. That’s cool.” Oh Charles.
Charles does smile a LOT.
Esther was totally planning revenge before she knew they were stuck. Oh, deary me. I love her so much. 
Where do doctors still make house calls? Is it because he really is such a crap doctor?
I don’t think Edwin doesn’t care - he’s trusting Charles to handle Crystal - while he observes and puts together evidence. 
Honestly, Edwin a simple “We can’t talk to the living, you can.” Would have sufficed. Yes, Charles, stop being so nice. Western doctors refuse to treat women with any seriousness even when it’s not a magical malady so let’s not give Dr. Dehydration any props here. 
Married bickering. 
Crystal, while I don’t begrudge you poking through someone else’s library, those letters are not your business. 
Edwin’s repetitive use of “hysteria” cracks me up.
More married bickering. Right until it looks like Edwin could hurt himself, then Charles is so soothing.
Also, which one of them is more obsessed with the Cat King?
Poor Charles. Also, when you consider that Edwin’s calmness is because he’s seen so much worse, poor Edwin.
Crystal, all you do is talk about it.
Boarding school is a theme in this show. 
Everyone was staring because of the sprites, so she had to drop out of school. 
Where do all of Crystal’s clothes come from?
Niko looks so delighted at the prospect of Crystal being insane. She really is delightful.
So much of Edwin’s rudeness comes from a place of concern.
Are those women twins?
A dead child causes more trouble than a live one. Tell me how you really feel about children, Nurse Lady.
Such a cute map Niko.
I think Edwin liked, or at least respected his father. He is quoting him a hundred years after his death. I wonder if he didn’t have a better homelife than Charles and that is why he looks so stricken when Charles says “lets not talk about dads.” He doesn’t really understand that Charles was abused - in part because Charles hasn’t shared that and in part because our idea of abuse has changed over time. However - it should be noted that when Edwin himself was a small child there were reform movements, and anti-child abuse laws passed in England, so it isn’t fair to assume he was abused or would have no understanding of the notion. 
I love the relationship we’re seeing between these two. Charles’ gentle comments about Edwin’s “old-timey insults” immediately elicits a promise to be nicer from Edwin. 
Then his comments about liking Crystal because she’s like Edwin get this soft smile from Edwin and he breaks down and admits he isn’t upset with Crystal but himself. Charles is so quick to put the blame on the Cat King - even though he could scold Edwin for trapping the cat.
How does a ghost break a bone on the mortal plane? 
“I went with grab it.” Charles I love you.
“ANOTHER discussion about your impetuous behavior.” “Sure, mate.” Charles does shit like this all the time, clearly. 
The teacher in me feels such kinship with Jenny.  I wish I could say “cut the weird shit.” God knows I think it a lot. 
Me too Edwin. Me too.
I think we all sleep on how brilliant Charles really is. While Edwin and Crystal are bickering he’s reading the book and coming up with a solution.
Why does the jar float in thin air but not the book?
Edwin does care about Crystal. 
Okay Crystal’s speech to the sprite’s is so sad, but does anyone else expect a lion and hyenas to start a musical number when she says “you’ll never go hungry again”?
So rude that the sprites could just always “exit the body” this way but instead explode people. 
Love the sprites.
“But also dangerous and unprofessional. Do not do it again.” Is Edwin for “I care about you and you frightened me. Which Charles damn well knows. I suppose it would embarrass Edwin (and probably Crystal) for him to point that out though.
Charles please stop. We’re all in pain here.
Love Niko’s confidence.
Charles is so happy to collect new friends. 
Oh my god. So many ghosts.
Esther, my queen. 
The spellwork sequence is so cool. 
I know Monty comes off all sweet later but his grin is evil. 
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cornertheculprit · 2 years
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one thing i rarely ever see mentioned is maya's disillusionment with the fey clan over the course of trials and tribulations as well as her own struggles with the idea of becoming the master. it's first mentioned near the middle of the stolen turnabout, where phoenix mentions maya hasn't been back to kurain village in a "long time" (which is the same way he refers to the last time he saw mia, implying that maya hasn't been back to the village since before 2-4):
Phoenix: (Now that I think about it... Maya hasn't been back to Kurain Village in a long time...)
and then, at the end of the stolen turnabout, mia says this:
Mia: I'm just joking, Phoenix. Don't take everything so seriously. But on the other hand, Maya... She seems kind of lost these days.
Phoenix: You mean about becoming the Master of the Kurain Channeling School?
Mia: Becoming the Master... means saying goodbye to our mother.
and it becomes even more apparent in bits and pieces throughout recipe for turnabout, though it isn't obvious at first because it's the type of dialogue you only get when you present profiles and other things:
Maya: Well, I'm kind of taking a break... I'm having a bit of trouble right now, you know?
Phoenix: (Last year's incident must still be on her mind... I haven't seen Maya train at all since that time. I think Mia said it's because Maya's at a loss these days...)
[...]
Armstrong: You 'ave la perfect face for a waitress, you know.
Maya: Um, thanks. I guess if things don't work out someday, then maybe I'll be back.
Phoenix: (What things? Is she talking about her being a spirit medium...?)
and then it culminates near the end of bridge to the turnabout, where she outright states that she wants nothing more to do with they fey clan:
Godot: ...Witness, please tell us your name and profession.
Maya: Maya Fey. My profession is... Umm... I'm the assistant manager at Wright & Co. Law Offices.
Phoenix: (Maya...)
Judge: According to the magazine I have here... ...you're a spirit medium of the Kurain Channeling Technique...
Maya: ... I... I'm frightened. The Fey clan... I don't want any more to do with it.
Phoenix: (Oh, Maya... The pain the Fey bloodline causes must be unbearable...)
and it's something that makes me question her decision to keep training to be the master, because the end of bridge to the turnabout outright states that the reason maya is staying so chipper and happy is because she's trying to be strong for pearl. which is understandable! and at the end, all phoenix and maya are trying to do is cheer pearl up, which ultimately leads to this:
Phoenix: This is a day to remember. A day when a lot of things were finally put to rest. I think we should celebrate what we've overcome today.
Pearl: B-But... I-I still can't...
Bikini: ...Oh, go on, sweetie. You can come back for training anytime.
Pearl: Um... OK!
Maya: Alright! I'm going to make a brand new start, too! Sister Bikini! I'll be back for more training! I promise!
Bikini: I know, and I won't go easy on you just because you're the future Master. I'll make sure to prepare reservations for three for when you come back! Wa ha ha ho ho ho hee hee hee!
Maya: Alright! We're going to have a great feast today, Pearly. You know why? Because training is a battle of endurance!
Pearl: OK, Mystic Maya! I... I'll eat lots and lots of food tonight!
maya puts on a determined face and says that she's going to make a "brand new start" and then proceeds to say that she's going back into training and that pearl should too—she's still in the process of actively attempting to coax pearl out of her sad shell and help put a smile back on her face after everything that's happened. more than that, the entire endgame of morgan's plan was to put pearl in the master's seat instead of maya even if it would lead to pearl being miserable, and god knows all maya wants is for pearl to be happy. so it makes me think that maya, being the self-sacrificing person she is, really only wants to become the master so that pearl won't have to. there are other factors of course (the burden of misty and mia's legacies, for one) but i think pearl is her main motivation. she wants her little cousin to smile again and if that means smiling herself and taking on the burden of the master then so be it. even if she wants nothing more to do with the fey clan anymore. someone's gotta do it and it might as well be her.
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hmspogue · 3 years
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Outer Banks season 2 Official Trailer shot-by-shot rundown
A comprehensive post where I scream about analyze the entire trailer frame by frame for clues, theories, and plot. Just my own opinions and general tin foil-hatting
These are screenshots from Netflix’s trailer for Outer Banks season 2. I do not claim or own any of these.
note: this post is tagged as a long post if you wish to avoid having to scroll until your thumbs break.
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“My old man used to tell me, ‘it’s best to never say you’ve hit rock bottom’.”
(Putting all of these shots together since they’re scenes we already know but-) Holy shit, okay let’s just....start off like this I guess, damn.
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“'Trust me’, he said...”
Kiara looking back and forth between the boys like this really just feeds the headcanon I have that her form of grief this season is going to be her trying to hold it together for their sakes (and eventually just snapping).
JJ just looks fucking furious someone give these kids a hug? I already know this scene is going to ruin me.
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“You can always go...”
JJ back working at the hotel. He looks literally so angry again in this scene I could see him self destructing at work and losing his job? (Please do not be isolating yourself you beautiful son of a bitch even though I know you’re going to).
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Pope in the Twinkie (costuming wise they all are in warmer looking clothes for some of the shots, so just confirming it’s a little bit into the school year when this all takes place).
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“Lower”
Big John was real big into pep talks, I see. (seriously can you imagine Big John having this conversation with like 8 year old John B after he fucking dropped his ice cream cone or some shit I shouldn’t be laughing).
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I’m just-
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These poor kids, I wanna know how the police all the way down in the Bahama’s knew about them?
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Their calves....
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“RUN!”
Are going to be so fucking jacked by the end of this season I stg.
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Fuck you.
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“The gold from the Royal Merchant....it’s here.”
For a while, I had thought that maybe they didn’t even make it to the Bahama’s at the front of the season and ended there (because everyone had been filming in there). But I guess they’re going to be making two trips.
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If I were a bird from this POV I’d shit right on that house no questions asked.
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oooooh ho hokay. Just so we’re clear. Ward Cameron not only get away with murder and about two dozen other felonies, but-
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“Half a billion.”
HE STILL FINDS THE GOLD IN THE CRAIN HOUSE AND GETS TO KEEP IT?
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Not the polo with the snap back, I just know this man has a playlist called Sad Boi Hours that is just Juice WRLD’s top 5 songs on Spotify and he tells his friends they wouldn’t know the underground artists he listens to.
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Sh, you have lost screaming privileges. Go inside and take a nap maybe.
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“John B, we are fugitives in a foreign country.”
So, previously, I was talking about how I was confused how they would still be trying to find him is everyone thought he was dead, but here the wanted poster clearly says “presumed lost at sea”. I think that will be interesting to see how the Pogues all interpret that. 
Especially because they already had a memorial for John B and everything, I wonder if there will be any part of the Pogues holding out hope that they both could still be out there OUCH.
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I’m going to circle back to this, but it looks like John B and Sarah are going to get separated for a little while in this man hunt, I could see my idiot himbo son trying to sacrifice himself so Sarah can get away but in reality just....stranding her.
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“Promise me you won’t do anything stupid?”
Oh, sweetie....
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“Well, Sarah Cameron, I do stupid things all the time without realizing it.”
The volume of his self awareness is astronomical. sir, that is your whole character summed up in your own words.
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GOD, IT’S ME AGAIN. PLEASE LET THEM LEAN INTO COMPLETE HIMBO JOHN B THIS SEASON I’LL DO ANYTHING-
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nyyooooOOOOOOOOOOOOM-
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“Hold on!”
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The complete abject terror I would feel having John Booker Routledge driving get-away and then saying the words “Hold on” while reaching fro the gear shift? The english language fails me. 
Sarah, bestie, I’m so sorry.
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I just wanna know-
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what the plan or objective was in this situation. What was the reason for being this dramatic.
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Rest in piss, bozo <3
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“Ward’s still out there...”
Okay, same conversation they were having as before. I wonder what makes them decide they need to get back to the OBX for this tho.
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“I can clear my name. This can all be over in one shot.”
It looks like Topper watching this but way more concerningly, correct me if I’m wrong but this 100% looks like....John B gets caught. And the DEATH PENALTY?! He did have a mug shot for the fliers in s1 and the one above but he was never brought in? Plus he just looks super dirty and dishevled in this one so I-
Jail break anyone?
I also still want to know if they’re going to go with a Topper redemption arc this season. like, does he know more than he should just from being around Rafe and his big fat mouth? Is he going to help out the Pogues even if it’s just for Sarah?
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This shot just suddenly made me really sad. The thought of this all started because Big John left one last thing for his son to find, his literal life’s work. And when it all started, it was just a fun adventure John B and his best friends were going on together and having fun with. Then it all got dragged to absolute shit and turned into what it did, including the remaining 3 Pogues thinking that this treasure hunt took their two best friends away from them. And it’s nothing like Big John intended it to be.
Why my eyes wet?
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Now we’re edging into what I was talking about earlier with John B and Sarah getting separated.
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“If you think there is anything I wouldn’t do...”
Once again, John B is no where to be found. Also, just in case y’all didn’t already know or forgot Ward is an actual psychopath.
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I believe this one of the new character, played by Jontavious Johnson (Stubbs). Based on the voice over it lowkey sounds like they’re implying Ward maybe hired Stubbs and Cleo to find and bring Sarah back. My theory would be I bet they do go to retrieve her, but she somehow convinces them that it would be more beneficial for them in the end to be on the Pogue’s side instead.
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Miss Girl you gotta be keeping your head on a SWIVEL. Especially when you’re a FUGITIVE of the LAW-
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“...you haven’t been paying attention.”
My guy, who are you clarifying this for?
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It’s what you deserve for monologuing.
in all seriousness, the idea of them coming to face to face with Ward in Nassau after thinking they finally escaped him is genuinely terrifying.
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“SARAH!”
It kind of looks like they’re either hiding their faces or covering their noses? I don’t know maybe it was from some tactic to get away from Ward.
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What did I literally jsut say about yelling privileges, you unhinged mother fucker?
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“I’m calling the shots now. I’m driving.”
The following progression of scenes made me actually snort-
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“I can’t drive stick.”
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PLEASE THE FINGER GUNS LAUNCHED ME INTO ORBIT I LOVE THEM, YOUR HONOR.
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Alright, so now it looks like we’re in Charleston. This is the same scene with Heyward’s truck that got leaked from BTS (read: JJ and Kie shoulder touch).
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One of the main things that stuck out to me in the following scenes which, you will see, is it lowkey looks like Pope is kind of heading up this part of the operation, or even going in alone? The following clips are just very Pope focused. 
I don’t know what it means, it’s just an observation.
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“John B was not the only one that Ward double-crossed.”
LIMBRY-
Bro, we have been hearing about this woman for literal months and I just have....so many questions? 
Who the hell is she? How is she connected to Ward? Why is she in South Carolina instead of the OBX? How do the Pogues even learn about her and how to track her down? How is she meant to “help” them? GAH I JUST WANNA KNOOOW. I already know I don’t trust her though and no I will not be offering up supporting evidence.
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Sir, that is my son please unhand him.
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“I think you know what I want.”
.......no? But feel....free to explain yourself?
The print on the paper is the same one that’s on the ceiling tiles in the following scene. Obviously, with a key on it that most likely goes to the place a few shots from now.
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Hell yeah, son, let’s get SLEUTHING.
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“The treasure belongs to the Pogues.”
DAMN STRAIGHT.
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Bestie’s I’m not going to lie, I stared at this frame for a solid 10 minuets and I have no idea what it says on there I’m sorry. Someone in the comments is welcome to enlighten us.
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“We gotta find it first.”
I can’t tell if that’s just dirt or if he hurt his head? But he look GOOD right now for one thing. For another, same outfit as the one in the Twinkie from the beginning of the trailer.
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Look at her. LooK AT HER! LOOK! AT! HER! I MISSED HER SO MUCH even in that damn smiley face top that continues to haunt my waking hours she is in it so much and it stresses me out for literally no good reason I’m sorry-
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I could literally cry right now and I think that speaks volumes to how little we actually see him genuinely happy. Have I mentioned how much I love that red hat?
Also, probably not that important, but this is not from the same scene as the shots of Pope and Kiara were. This is from the next one-
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“Woogity-woogity?”
“Give me some woogity, baby!”
Yeah, this pushed me over the fucking edge, the way that they’re actually happy and laughing? The fact that they kept woogity-woogity and made it A Thing? Yes.
I am, however, going to be intentionally ignoring what appears to be the very intentional stagingof having such an obvious space between where Kiara and Pope are sitting adn where JJ sits, even including the level they’re sitting on because I don’t have the emotional capacity to face those implications right now. Thank you for your time.
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Yes yeeeeEEEEEESSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!
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GIVE ME ALL OF THE SCENES OF THEM ACTUALLY GETTING TO BE TEENAGERS AND JUST BREATHE AND LAUGH AND HAVE A GOOD TIME AND NOT BE RUNNING FOR THEIR FUCKING LIVES!!!!!!!!!!!
before Rafe comes in and literally starts shooting because they can’t breathe for more than 7 seconds but we’ll....get to that.
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They refer to Sarah as a Pogue this season or I burn Netflix to the ground. Your move, Jonas.
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50 bucks says John B is driving the Twinkie again for the first time since being back.
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I deadass think the Pogues JUST got Sarah and John B back and they’re just having the time of their life. Kie was in her smiley face outfit when Pope was in this one a few clips ago, and I still hold to the belief that that one still they released of JJ and Kie hopping over a fence is the Pogue reunion so-
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Ward? I have no idea what he’s looking at behind the wall paper and I’ll be so honest I don’t care my eyes are only seeing Pogue content right now.
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“This is a map of the whole island.”
This fit, when will John B learn how to operate buttons, stay tuned for season 5. Also my previous theory of this being their reunion outfits and stuff because Pope is in the back in the same jacket as before.
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The plot thickens and so has JJ’s hair, Rudy drop the shampoo brand.
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Please, dear God, tell me they’re back in the sex church. For @jiaaraa sake.
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Kiara, your Madison is showing.
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Okay, I really did try but all I can make out is Something to the tomb begin something something.
You’re welcome.
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I am no expert but I do not believe boats operate on land.
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John B looks like he is in the same outfit here that is in his mug shot we saw on the TV screen so I have a sneaking suspicion this is where he gets caught. 
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“John B is back-”
Once again with the damn sexual tension that’s always between Barry and Rafe in every scene they do are we about to kiss right now?
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“-it’s him or me.”
First of all, no.
Second of all, I’m just....so very confused about this time line this season. It kind of looks like Ward and Rafe follow and find Sarah and John B in Nassau (unless those scenes by the truck were actually back in the OBX). So did they....go to Nassau, then just come right back when they did? I’m just confused.
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Put that thing back where it came from or so help me.
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Literally when will you stop at this point I am begging you. 
This looks like the same scene the Pogues were, ya know, literally just having a good time at so fuck me, I guess.
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Yeah, no, it’s going to be a no from me, I’m just going to pretend like I’m not seeing this and moving on.
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I have simply no idea what is going on here or who that is on the bike but maybe JJ? Maybe Luke even? I think that’s JJ’s bike. 
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The sewer scene. The SEWER SCENE-
For months sicne that tiktok leaked this damn scene has been genuinely all I could think about. So (obviously) it seems like they’re sending Kie down into the sewer to go do seomthing and things go horribly, horribly wrong. 
If you haven’t seen the tiktok, essentially all it was was JJ and Pope screaming and trying to lift up the man hole cover while Kie is begging for them to hurry from inside. I’m cheating a little bit as this isn’t a shot from the trailer but this picture was posted and it’s from the same scene.
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I’ll just....leave this here. Back to the trailer shots.
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Nice. Also, same shirt as mugshot.
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Hey, um, what? 
Kiara’s car, she’s driving, I can’t tell who’s in the back seat or the front.
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Holy God what is going on and how can I as an audience member put a stop to it?
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So, same scene as we will see and was in the teaser but, for some reason, they’re all jumping off of a giant ass boat into the little life raft where it looks like JJ gets hurt later but don’t you worry we’re getting to that.
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JJ AND KIARA WITH THE POGUE HANDSHAKE JJ AND KIARA WITH THE POGUE HANDSHAKE THEY BOTH LOOK SO DAMN GOOD AND THEIR LITTLE SMILES SPARE ME-
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Cleo 🥵
I’m so excited to see her arc and what it brings this season you guys have no idea.
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Please for the love of God be about to get Ward Cameron’s ass like he deserves literally punt him into jail right from Tanny Hill.
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Sarah at My Druther’s with what looks like a bloody bandage on her side? Same outfit she’s wearing when they’re running from the police on the beach and she has the bandage there too so. Interesting. 
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Topper hugging who I’m pretty sure is Sarah, being a general douche because he’s clearly looking at John B like 😏 
Clips like these serve to remind me just how many of my worldly posessions I would gladly give up to be able to punch Topper Thorton in the throat one time. 
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I think this is Cleo jumping off the boat with Pope after John B and Sarah. 
Absolutely busting a lung at Pope’s form in this one.
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John B and Sarah waiting in the life raft, still Cleo and Pope coming after them. The obvious next question is where are JJ and Kiara. The scene I’m sure you all have been waiting for is coming up and clearly takes place in the life raft as well.
So, I really think JJ and Kie get left for last, something horrible happens as they’re trying to jump (my head instantly goes to JJ maybe like pushing Kie out of the way and getting hit on the head instead or even just some accident). 
And, oh my GOD a scene of him falling off the boat after it happens and Kiara diving in after him immediately, having to desperatly try to stop him from sinkingand get to the life raft holy shit-
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Girl CATCH HIM?????
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Because why wouldn’t this be Rafe’s fault. Part of me wonders if this isn’t related to JJ being hurt.
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I am going to try and unpack this as calmly as possible because behind my computer screen I am vibrating at a frequency that could shatter glass but respectfully.
WHAT IN THE FUCK IS TIAUEWFHLAILA
Okay, so scene wise, JJ’s hit his head somehow (probably while he was jumping with Kiara) it looks like and now they’re back on the raft. 
In my opinion, this is either:
A) JJ is in really, really bad condition after getting hurt in the jump and they’re not sure he’s going to make it. So this is a “Please stay with me, stay awake, please don’t die” hug OR
B) They very narrowly just avoided a deadly situation (my first thought is JJ hits his head while jumping, passes out in the water, maybe almost drowns but Kie and the others get him onto the life raft in time) and this is more of a “Oh my God, you’re okay, you’re safe now, we’re okay” hug. 
I honestly lean more to the second one based on the little bit of Sarah’s face we saw in the background. To me, it almost looked like she was smiling thru tears, which, fits way more with the second option than the first. 
Anyways. Moving on before I burst a lung again.
(also, before anyone comes at me, no, I’m not happy JJ is hurt, obviously.  
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(Once again, arrest outfits). You can still see the bandage but it looks like Sarah’s limping now too so...good Lord give the girl a break maybe?
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Everything in this trailer just went to shit so fast I think I have whip lash, can we go back to the Pogues hanging out and being happy now pkease I liked those scenes.
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“I get it. You guys are scared.”
“No.”
She’s cute but, uh, hello sewer scene outfits. Seems like them planning to do whatever the hell they were going to do in the sewers but the boys are starting to get cold feet as maybe they should but hind sight is 20/20 I suppose.
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“It’s kind of cute.”
“I’m not scared.”
“You should’ve just led with that.”
I will never be able to express how much I adore Pogue banter and general dumbassery and I have a feeling this season will not be lacking in either department
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I high key don’t think these two are actually going to be there for this scene to go down but I’ll let it slide this time because-
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They do be kinda cute.
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It both feels like I’ve been waiting for this damn show for 3 years and also like I just watched season 1 last month explain that to me. 
Either way holy shit. I missed this dumb show and these dumb kids so much it physcially hurts and WE GET THEM BACK IN T-MINUS 16 DAYS.
Also. Where The Hell Is Wheezie Cameron And When Will She Have The Rights She Deserves.
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A lonely kitty in Gotham
Chapter 1
Tired... Marinette was extremely tired. All she wanted to do was curl up in a ball and sleep but instead she sat staring at the wall of her office in her small apartment she had bought and was now living in because her parents kicked her out.
Why was she staring at the wall you may ask? Short answer, she had finally done it! She had finally tracked down Hawkmoth and Mayura after 3 years of fighting she now knew both of their identities (Gabriel Agreste and Natalie Sancoeur) and not only that but she had an entire file filled with proof. Now all that was left was to take back their miraculous and hand them over to the police (not before cursing them first... obviously).
Unfortunately it’s not going to be as easy as it sounds. You see Marinette or Nettie which she goes by now was alone, completely and utterly alone.
No Parents, no family and no friends.
Three years ago Nettie had all of the above she was happy, she had a best friend Alya and a group of many friends from her class, she had two loving but slightly distant parents who ran the most popular bakery in all of Paris possibly even France and her amazing grandmother Gina who traveled the world and told her all about the crazy things she did (some of which she promised not to tell her parents about because it may have been considered breaking the law but nothing reallllly bad).
But all of that soon changed over the first year Hawkmoth terrorised Paris with his akuma and was later joined by mayura with her sentimonsters. Slowly she lost everything including her partner in fighting crime Mr.Bug holder of the ladybug miraculous.
Nettie is in procession of not only the black cat miraculous but also forcefully became the last remaining guardian of 18 other mini gods that are bound to jewels (excluding the butterfly and peacock (not that she would ever give them up because they are basically her family now and she will do absolutely everything to protect them)). How?
Running late to class 3 years ago she saved a (very) old man (186 years old to be specific) from being hit by a car, and for some reason that was enough for him to “gift” her the black cat miraculous as he saw her true chaotic soul and aura (it didn’t matter that she was only 13 YEARS OLD!) he thought it was a brilliant idea to turn her into a child soldier fighting a war against two supervillains more than double her age.
After and introduction to the one and only God of Destruction, who by the way is OBSESSED with the stinkiest of cheeses, she became one of Paris’ main superheroes Kitty Noir alongside her partner Mr.Bug who she guessed to be around the same age as her at the time. It was easy to deduct that he was going to be more of a problem instead of a partner due to his obsessive and intense flirting and lack of skills other than some possible fencing training, all in all he didn’t have a clue how to fight. He was also apparently extremely reckless... like more reckless than her pouring 2 energy drinks into coffee before downing it and has died so many times in a fight she now also has a close relationship with tiki the God of Creation having had to end the fight herself (honestly why did the old guy pick him because it seems like he didn’t even do a similar ‘oh help save me’ situation like he had with her otherwise the old guy would already be dead!) Even though she wasn’t that much better to begin with she did have some hand to hand combat training curtesy of Gina and her ‘friends’ (let’s talk about those later). And she was now training in martial arts and going to the gym to build more muscle and become better without the enhanced supersuit just incase (she also sticks a domino mask on before transforming because she’s paranoid okay and if she is ever forced to detransform she doesn’t want anyone knowing her identity right of the bat to use against her, okay!)
Alongside that she was also extremely smart (like genius level) great with technology and quick to come up with some absolutely insane but brilliant plans. This all resulted in her taking on more of a leadership roll whilst fighting akumas. Mr.Bug only got worse as time went on and her civilian life went downhill, it took 8 months for the old man (previous guardian of the miraculous and temporary mentor for 2 of the months) to become compromised and pass the roll onto her. And the first thing she did was take the ladybug miraculous back and erase the holders (Adrien Agreste her former friend) memories of being Mr.Bug.
The only problem with that was the battle Miracle queen where master fu (the old guardian man) was compromised, and so were all 8 of her temporary heroes except Viperion, holder of the snake miraculous, who had started to tour around the world with his farther Jagged Stone) this ment there were two consequences of taking The ladybug back, the first being she was now alone against two superpowered terrorists but also that she had to switch transformations at the end of a battle to be able to purify the Akuma and cast the miraculous cure to fix everything and yes that did include... resurrection of people who died in the cross fire.
Anyways, back to how Nettie is alone. Only a few weeks after the first attack, an exchange student transferred to the the newly dumbed Akuma class *sigh*. At first she seemed nice and had and was telling the class of her interesting life, her mother was a Italian diplomat and she’s traveled the world.
But Nettie had a bad gut feeling about Lila Rossi which unfortunately was correct. On her third day in the class she started gushing over how kitty noir aka Nettie dearest (obviously unknown to everyone else) saved her from and Akuma attack and they became “best friends”, to say Nettie was left speechless and confused at the lie is an understatement.
Regrettably Nettie was unable to prove her story was a lie because how would she know said superhero didn’t save her without revealing her secret identity.
But the girl carried on creating more and more outlandish claims, such as how she saved Jagged Stones cat on a jet runway (like come on seriously what airport would allow a CHILD of even a cat to run out onto the tarmac). But pointing this out was apparently a mistake which Nettie soon discovered in the girls bathroom after class. Lila sauntered in with a sickly sweet smile that was soon dropped when Nettie refused to give into this girls bullshit.
Hence she was pinned against the wall and threatened, that if she didn’t go along with lie-la’s lies she would lose everything she loved before leaving so she wasn’t caught. Not believing her Nettie continued to point out inconsistencies and facts that contradict her story’s but no matter how much proof was presented to the class lie-la was able to turn it around (meta theory coming into her head: maybe she wasn’t affected because of the miraculous magic) and plant the idea that Nettie was a bully into all her friends heads which apparently all share one brain cell ( or so she thought until Adrien confirmed he knew they were lies to but he was taking the ‘high road’ because nobody was getting hurt, it’s definitely not like lilas ruining all there future careers by promising favours and opportunity’s that will never come and convincing them they no longer need to put in any effort for their futures *insert eye-roll* ).
So life continued and her friends started to turn on little Nettie the scattered brained, clumsy girl who bent over backwards to protect and make sure they were all happy. It hurt more than words could describe the day Alya her BEST FRIEND led the class to turn their backs on her and declare they no longer want to be friends with a jealous bully anymore.
Luckily Nettie wasn’t akumatised but she came very close to it. The only things keeping her going were her duty to Paris and her family.
But as a consequence to that good luck, bad luck hit like a truck. She didn’t know for a few weeks until a guy named Jason called her parents to inform them that her favourite person in the whole world her amazing grandmother Gina had passed away in a accident somewhere in the United States. And if that wasn’t bad enough Lila also managed to place a seed of doubt in her parents around the same time. Life fucking sucked. She wasn’t able to process and grieve due to Hawkfuck still being around so instead she threw herself into creating her own business (NeTi Designs) doing commissions, did I mention she’s a talented fashion designer... no, well now you know. As well as diving head first into a very thorough investigation on mothfucker in between fighting Akuma, helping in the bakery, plus training and patrolling the city of lights for two hours each night.
Atleast she didn’t have to make excuses to not hang out with her ex-friends anymore heh heh *cough*.
Eventually this resulted in her parents questioning her on her disappearances from her room after randomly checking in one night while she was out patrolling and the conversation sort of went like this.
“Marinette, where have you been?! I just checked your balcony and you weren’t up their. It’s 2am” Sabine exclaimed when she dropped back onto her bed moments after detransforming. “Mamma I swear I was up there and I fell asleep in the corner near my pillows behind the deck chair. I just woke up from the cold and I thought I herd movement and panicked because ‘oh my gosh!’ Is it an Akuma but it wasn’t it was you mamma” Nettie responded with dramatic waving of her hands and a fake smile.
Sabine was NOT impressed and most certainly knew it was a lie but it was 2am and she couldn’t deal with this right now so she glared at her daughter whilst leaving her room through the trapdoor.
This continued for two weeks with both her parents randomly checking in. Nettie had to eventually relocate her research into a small apartment a few streets away from the library (which she paid for with commission money that nobody but her knew about especially since her business was doing well and she didn’t put it past her class to try and destroy that if they ever found out) and say she was studying to not be caught doing deep background checks on all her suspects, making files for every Akuma and tracking the butterfly’s on a app she created that has multiple resources available to the public ranging from an alert for attacks that can be activated all the way to videos she made in her hero persona showing things such as meditation or basic self defence that should only be used if they’re unable to get to a safe area away from the Akuma or to buy time to then get away depending on the powers of said Akuma. (Could also be useful in regular crimes like attempts at mugging)
This lead to longer disappearances to the point all her stuff that had any value to her or was related to business and miraculous matters (so basically everything) she was practically living there already. Not that she realised since she got maybe 5-6 hours of sleep and week? She was so enclosed in her little world when her parents decided they had enough (after multiple accusations of her sleeping around with older men and doing drugs (all tests came back negative because her choice of drug was caffeine) which where definitely lilas doing) her parents yelled at her to get out and never come back... so she did the only thing she had to grab where her pillows and fairy lights and she was out of the door, the situation was dubbed a future Nettie problem because ya know suppressing your emotions so the world doesn’t end.
(Authors note: I have plans on making this a series. Hope you guys like it 🙃)
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It’s that time again, the time where we all gleefully sit down on the nearest mound and regale ourselves with totally normal Welsh tales of magical women and horses and enchanted bags, because that’s just how the Mabinogion is. Fun sources and FACTS beneath the cut, as always.
Press J on your keyboard if you hate stories about Medieval etiquette, liminality, and magic mounds.
The Prince and the Horse Girl: a temporally disconnected romance for the ages
So, the last we heard of Pwyll, he had successfully cockblocked himself into becoming best friends with Arawn, the Lord of the Underworld, which sounds like a pretty average Friday night in Cardiff, let me tell you. Anyway, Pwyll at this point is just kind of riding high on the fame that being best pals with Arawn brings, and he’s showing his friendship bracelet to everyone he meets and saying stuff like “yeah, it’s great to have the Lord of the Underworld Arawn-ed whenever I need him,” and everyone just sort of rolls their eyes good-naturedly and thinks about death.
One day, Pwyll is at his court at Arbeth, which is one of his most important courts. There’s a huge feast in front of him and all of his courtly pals are there, just chewing the fat. Pwyll tears off the leg of another whole roast pig, probably his eighth of the session, and he’s about to bite into it when he realises that everyone sat around the table is staring at him, so he puts down the pig leg really gingerly and says, “do I have hog spleen around my mouth or something?” and one of his courtly crew, who doesn’t get a name in the original text and so will henceforth be known as Brad, says, “no, my lord, but you do have practically an entire herd of pigs in your stomach, so maybe it’s time for a walk?”
Pwyll blinks at him and he’s like, “I don’t really see why I would want to go for a walk in the yucky outside when I could be sitting here and savouring delicious morsels of tenderly roasted flesh,” and Brad shrugs and says, “well, I read an article about nutrition in this scientific journal last week, and apparently it’s not actually that good for you to just eat constantly and never go outside ever,” and Pwyll is like, “no, but it’s super fun,” and Brad sighs and he’s like, “look, I wasn’t going to tell you this, just in case you got too excited, but there’s actually a mound outside,” and then Pwyll’s eyes go as wide as dinner plates and he cries, “a mound? Seriously? You’re not just fucking with me to get me to go outside?” and Brad is like, “no, there’s seriously a genuine, 100% organic mound outside, and it’s only a short walk away,” and so Pwyll pushes his chair out from under the table and he’s all, “lead the way, pal, I can’t believe you didn’t tell me sooner that there was a fucking rad mound outside, you know how much I love mounds.”
So, they all traipse outside on horseback, and lo and behold, Brad wasn’t lying. There really is an absolutely incredible mound outside, all earthy and hilly, and… look. I’ll level with you. It’s hard to get excited about a mound, but Pwyll manages it. I have no idea how. God knows I’ve tried. But anyway, he leads his merry band of lads up to the top of the mound, and they’re all about to sit down when Brad puts out a hand and stops Pwyll from doing so. Pwyll is like, “dude, stop crushing my vibe, I’m about to become sedentary on this sediment,” and Brad just shakes his head and he’s like, “bro, I need to tell you something about the mound, because I may have undersold it.”
Pwyll is obviously in complete disbelief at this point, just like, “mate, there’s no way you undersold it. It can’t get any cooler than this. It just can’t. Have you seen it?” and Brad is like, “yes, it’s a really interesting geological formation, and the topography also makes it look a bit like a butt, which is obviously super rad, but I didn’t tell you that it’s also a magic mound, because if a nobleman sits on it, one of two things will happen: either he’ll see something absolutely fantastic, like the original The Mummy film starring Brendan Fraser or a cool dog, or he’ll get maimed and mortally wounded. It’s 50/50, to be honest with you.” 
Pwyll just blinks at him, and he’s like, “dude, those are two very different things, but you know, I really can’t pass up the opportunity to see a cool dog,” and Brad says, “I need you to know that the dog was just a random example, I make no canine promises here, I can’t stress that enough,” and Pwyll just shrugs and scoffs, “whatever, dude. Anyway, if I do get totally maimed, I’ve got my posse here, and you’ll do first aid on me, won’t you?” and Brad just sort of nods nervously, because they haven’t even invented antiseptic in Medieval Wales and all their bandages are just, like, old socks drenched in ale, and they don’t have St John Ambulance to teach them all first aid because there isn’t even a J in the Welsh alphabet, and then Pwyll grits his teeth and sits down.
Almost immediately, this brilliant white horse just zooms past them, and Pwyll is like, “oh, that’s fucking sick, my dudes! I thought a dog would be cool, but a horse? Are you kidding me? It doesn’t get much better than this! Equestrian displays are my jam!” and then Brad rolls his eyes and he’s like, “my lord, did you not notice that there was a phenomenally sexy and almost certainly magic lady in gold riding that horse?” and Pwyll is like, “honestly, no, I was kind of distracted by the fetlocks, but now you come to mention it, she’s pretty attractive, I guess. Hey, do you think I could catch up with her and ask her where she got her cool horse?” 
So he gets back on his horse and he tries to catch up with the lady, but even though Pwyll’s horse was sold to him as being the fastest ride on four legs, he can’t even come close to her. He walks back to his lads, his metaphorical tail between his actual legs, and he’s like, “dudes, we’re going to formulate a plan tonight,” and then a random guy in the posse is like, “oh cool, I brought Sharpies,” and they go back to Arbeth Court and spend literally all night just drawing diagrams and equations on a tapestry of England, because that’s probably the best use for it.
The next day, they put their plan in action. Pwyll gets his youngest, fittest lad, plops him on his biggest, muscliest horse, the one that’s like an equine version of that man in Game of Thrones who keeps breaking weightlifting records and is almost definitely earmarked to play Atlas in some big budget Greek myth film, and sends him after the lady. But still, no matter how fast they ride, she’s always one step ahead of them. At one point, they almost catch up with her, but when Pwyll reaches out to stroke her silky blonde hair in a totally normal and cool way, she pulls forward again and he just fucking eats dust. It’s humiliating. 
And this goes on for three days, because princes don’t have, like, hobbies in Medieval Wales, or apparently any princely duties that would make galavanting after a magic horse woman for half a week kind of inconvenient for the general populace, and gradually, Pwyll’s men all bow out one by one, probably because they’ve all developed an absolutely stonking case of piles from being on horseback for three days solid, and then Pwyll is alone in his romantic and also literal pursuit. 
Exhausted, starving and probably desperate for the loo at this point, Pwyll throws his head back and howls, “what the fuck is going on on this day? I’ve tried everything! I’m absolutely stumped. I don’t know what to do about this. I’ve considered it from every possible angle. I chased her, and that didn’t work. I got my wingman to chase her, and that didn’t work. Those are my only two options in the entire world. I just don’t know what else I can do. It’s completely fucking futile, I wish I’d just seen a dog instead,” and then a flash of inspiration comes to him, and he just calls out to the woman, “erm, could you maybe just, like, stop?” and, like a miracle, she does.
When he catches up to her, she glares at him, and says, “I’ve literally been waiting three whole days for you to just ask me to stop, why did it take you so long?” and Pwyll is like, “I sort of thought that it was implied, to be honest with you, what with all the chasing and me crying loudly about my unending solitude and the futility of love,” and she shrugs and says, “well, if we’re to be marred, we really have to work on our communication,” and Pwyll is like, “wait, what, who said anything about marriage?” and she just rolls her eyes, like, “look, I’m a sexy Medieval maiden and you’re a prince with some land and gendered expectations, so of course we’re going to get married,” and he’s like, “well, if we marry, that means I get to ride your horse whenever I want, right?” and she nods, like, “yes, that’s definitely the primary appeal of marriage.” 
But just as he’s about to get down on one knee, she looks at him again, and says, “I should just tell you something super quick, in the name of true love and Medieval marriage etiquette,” and he’s like, “what, your name?” and she says, “no, not that, although it’s Rhiannon, but mostly I’m thinking of the fact that you actually have to wait a whole year to propose to me, because I’m almost engaged to someone else, who I hate, and I need to sort that all out first.” 
Pwyll frowns and says, “hang on, is this going to be another one of those weird magic things where I have to wait a whole year and then conveniently murder someone in a previously determined location?” and she’s like, “what the fuck, no, there’s not going to be any murder at all, just a lavish engagement feast and some nuptials and probably some awkward standing around with the in-laws to-be,” and he’s like, “so why do we have to wait a year?” and she just waves her arms around and says, “temporally disconnected Otherworld shit, my love, I don’t make the rules. Just come to the court of Hyfaidd Hen in exactly a year, and we’ll do the whole ball and chain thing. It’ll be great.” 
So he agrees, because of course he does, and the next thing he knows, it’s a year later, and he goes to Hyfaidd Hen and Rhiannon’s there in this beautiful McQueen wedding dress, looking all Kate Middleton but without the colonial royal associations, and there’s an absolutely exquisite feast laid out, with a whole array of delicious Medieval food, like unseasoned meat pies and room-temperature ale that looks like piss, and Pwyll just thinks to himself how cool it all is, but he also secretly harbours a lingering regret for the previous year, where he was forced after a blunder of etiquette to kill a random man in a duel, and although he feels bad about it, a part of him longs for the decadent adventures of his bachelorhood, when murder was more than just a six letter word. 
They’re all just kind of milling about on the dancefloor, listening to the bards spit some absolute club classics like Y Gododdin by Aneurin, which really gets the toes tapping, when this random dude with a chiseled jawline and a playful glint in his eye comes up to Pwyll and extends his hand for Pwyll to shake. Pwyll, who is completely head over heels for manners and etiquette, shakes the man’s hand, and says, “hello, new friend! What can I do for you?” and Rhiannon elbows him in the side, and hisses, “be careful, fiancé dearest, don’t let him tangle you up in a web of etiquette from which there is no escape,” and Pwyll waves her off, saying, “my sweet darling, I am a prince of Wales; manners are my middle name,” and he turns back to the man. 
The man grins at him, and he says, “I’ve come to ask a favour of you, Pwyll, prince of Wales,” and Pwyll, still enamoured by this man’s manners, is struck by an overwhelming desire to just do whatever this perfectly polite man wants, so he spreads his arms wide in a benevolent gesture, conveniently using it as an excuse to set down his glass of lukewarm piss ale on a nearby shelf, and says, “literally anything you want, my friend, I’ll give you!” and then the stranger’s grin turns into a smirk and he says, “by your word?” and Pwyll is like, “fuck yeah, man, by all of my words, as God and all these noble guests are my witness!” and the stranger is like, “sick bro, I want to marry Rhiannon, and I also want your wedding feast.” 
And Pwyll has no idea what to say to that, because he just promised this man anything he wanted, so he decides that maybe silence is his best bet here, and the man grins at him, and stalks off, knowing that there’s literally nothing that Pwyll can do now except reconsider all of his life choices up to this point.
When the man has left, Rhiannon groans, “you phenomenal dick, that man was Gwawl and he’s the complete bag of dicks that my parents tried to marry me off to, and you just got me affianced to him!” and Pwyll just grits his teeth and hisses, “well, dear, you might have told me that before I told him I’d do whatever he wanted,” and Rhiannon sighs and says, “you’re right, but look, we can work through this. Here’s the plan. Firstly, we’ll tell him that he can’t have the feast, because it’s not yours to give, but mine, and we’ll prepare him an equal feast instead. Then, we’ll tell him that he can marry me a year from today, but here’s the thing - on the day of the wedding, you’ll secretly turn up in disguise with a very tiny magic bag and you’ll ask him, very reasonably, for just enough food to fill the bag. He’ll obviously say yes, because even he can’t turn down something that reasonable, but the bag will be enchanted to never be filled, so you’ll just take all the food, until he asks you how he can help you fill the bag, and you tell him that a fine nobleman has to step on it to seal it, and then he’ll step on it, and then you jump on him and pull the bag over his head and tie him up in the bag and hang it from a rafter, and then you’ll blow your hunting horn to summon your posse of lads and you’ll all beat him to a bloody, pulpy death in the bag.”
Pwyll just blinks at her, and says, “sweetheart, love of my life, light of my existence, did you perchance dream up that oddly specific plan a while ago, because if not, then your imagination terrifies me,” and this small, maniacal grin plays on her lips, and she says, “darling, you know how you asked me last year if you’d have to wait a whole year and then conveniently murder someone in a previously determined location, and I told you no?” and he’s like, “yes, I do remember that,” and she says, “well, ask me again,” and so he says, “babe, do I have to wait a whole year and then conveniently murder someone in a previously determined location?” and she’s like, “yes, sweetheart, but I’ve got it in the bag,” and then they high five each other and do a vengeful murder jig for like ten minutes.
And of course, a year later, they do it all over again, this time with a tiny enchanted bag and a goddamn point to prove, but that’s a story for another time.
My other retellings can be found here, and my Mythology Mondays Facebook page is here. My book is here. Yay.
I’m going to level with you: I typed out a whole bunch of super cool academic stuff and then my turdwallet of a laptop crashed and deleted all of it, and I honestly want to perish very slightly at the prospect of typing it all out again, but in a nutshell:
Some people think that Rhiannon was a horse goddess who was undeified by the Christian dudes who wrote down the pagan Welsh myths all those years later. While the Christian dudes did almost certainly sanitise the source material, we just don’t have any real proof of what they left out. The main argument for Rhiannon being a horse goddess is that she’s a woman and there was, erm, a horse. Not the most compelling argument. Some people also think she may be a cognate to the Gallic horse goddess, Epona, but this is basically extrapolated from the fact that they’re both female and somehow linked to horses, which I don’t think would fly in a court of law.
If you’re wondering why Pwyll didn’t just tell Gwawl to fuck off, it’s because he’s bound, as a nobleman, by a very strict code of honour and morals. By giving Gwawl his word, even before he knew what he was agreeing to, Pwyll made a binding promise. If he goes back on his word, Gwawl is well within his rights to challenge the fuck out of him.
Welsh myth and the Otherworld is super interesting. The Otherworld was generally believed to only be accessible at certain times and via certain places, called ‘liminal spaces’, such as bogs, bodies of water, and caves. Liminal spaces are essentially a sort of sacred space which exists in the in between, where the boundaries between worlds are porous and can be crossed, provided certain ritual conditions are met. The mound in this particular narrative is likely a portal to the Otherworld, which explains why Pwyll was able to access the magical realm of Rhiannon through it. The Otherworld, although not explicitly an Underworld, does have links with death and the afterlife, as do mounds, so that strengthens the connection. Bet you never knew mounds were so fucking cool.
Primary sources:
Davies, Sioned (2007) The Mabinogion, New York: Oxford University Press
Secondary sources:
Goldwasser, Michele (1994) What Drives the Mabinogi? Proceedings of the Harvard Celtic Colloquium, 14, 49-57
Linkletter, Michael (2001) Magical Realism and the “Mabinogi”: an Exercise in Methodology, Proceedings of the Harvard Celtic Colloquium, 21, 51-63
Wachsler, Arthur (1975) The Elaborate Ruse: A Motif of Deception in Early Celtic Historical Variants of the Journey to the Other World, Journal of the Folklore Institute, 12(1) 29-46
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Top Surgery
Oneshot about (trans) Remus Lupin getting top surgery. Bit of wolfstar as well.
Disclaimer: To all my trans boys/trans masc people reading this. You are no less trans, nor are you no less male/masculine if you decide against top surgery, or if you don’t/can’t get top surgery. This goes for bottom surgery, binding, hormones, etc. Your body doesn’t define your gender, nor does what you decide to do with it. <3 ~ Remus wasn’t allowed to get top surgery until he was seventeen. Well... “top surgery” was the muggle name for it. In the wizarding world, a simple spell would do the trick. But there was a law in the wizarding world stating that parts of the body weren’t allowed to be removed from an underage wizard or witch unless said body part was detrimental to the child’s life, say, an unfixable limb, or a gangrenous leg. And despite Remus’ adamance that his chest was a detriment, specifically to his mental health, (when would the wizarding world take mental health seriously? He regularly thought to himself), the law disagreed. So he had to wait until he was of age.
In the meantime, he simply wore a shirt with a binding charm put upon it, which did the trick to make his chest look flat with his clothes on, but he was desperate to just be able to take his shirt off, in the hot weather or in bed. He forwent ever swimming in the lake with his friends because he couldn’t swim with his binder on, but he didn’t want his chest to be noticeable. So he had to sit by the edge of the lake instead, his feet dipped in and his friends splashing at him from within the water.
Another problem Remus faced was that, even when he did turn seventeen, he had no idea where to go to get top surgery. He lived in 1970s Britain. There were simply no resources, muggle or wizarding, and he didn’t have the money anyway. And Madam Pomfrey couldn’t do it. She was a school nurse, she wasn’t allowed to perform procedures. She could only give out potions and fix up bones. Procedures were for St Mungos. And St Mungos didn’t have top surgery as an option.
The days leading up to Remus’s seventeenth birthday made him rather depressed. He’d soon be of age, but it wouldn’t make any difference. He was stuck. Stuck in the wrong body, and there was nothing he could do.
Of course, he had been on hormones since second year, or at least the wizarding version of hormones, which was just a transfiguration potion, and luckily for him, it wasn’t against wizarding law as long as he had his parents’ permission, which he did. And the potion had changed his body considerably. His voice deepened, he had facial hair and he tried hard to work out so he had abs and muscles, which he knew wasn’t exactly necessary, and he didn’t go overboard, but really he was just trying to offset the dysphoria he got from his chest by making the rest of him look as masculine as possible.
He was in a similar situation with bottom dysphoria, but at least he was able to hide it. Getting surgery for that wasn’t as pressing as his chest, and because of the potion he at least didn’t have to worry about his periods anymore.
Compared to Remus’s misery before his seventeenth birthday, Sirius, James and Peter were clearly happy about something, but they wouldn’t tell him what it was, even when he threatened to hex them; a threat he regularly used but never went through with, so it didn’t do much to get them to talk.
But he soon found out what they were whispering about on the day of his seventeenth. Sirius handed him an envelope, unlabelled, and said “It’s from all of us.”
“You know, for two rich people, you guys can be real cheapskates.” They just continued smiling expectantly until Remus opened up the envelope and looked inside.
There wasn’t a card like he was expecting, but some sort of advertisement, or pamphlet. He read through it, and his eyebrows knitted together as he read further down the page. The ad was for a wizarding clinic, specifically aimed at trans wizards and witches. It was set up by a guy named Gray Jacobson, who was a trained Healer, and trans himself, and offered all different kinds of things, including top surgery.
“I... don’t get it?” Said Remus eventually, pushing down any hope that was making its way up through his body.
“What’s not to get?” Exclaimed Sirius, no longer containing his excitement. “It’s a secret clinic, away from the ministry and St Mungos and shit, and surgery is affordable. Free even, if you really can’t pay. But don’t worry about that, because we all chipped in-” he was talking a mile a minute.
“Woah, woah, slow down, Padfoot,” interrupted Remus. ““How do you know this clinic is trustworthy.”
“If we didn’t think it was trustworthy, mate, we wouldn’t have shown it to you,” said James. “We’ve been researching it for months, Sirius and I even visited it last half term. The guy, Gray, is really nice. He told us all about it. He can tell you as well. The procedure for getting rid of your chest is so easy. Takes a few minutes, then you have to take a potion every night for a week until you’re all healed up. But then it’s done! No more chest!”
“No more binding!” Grinned Sirius. No more chest. No more binding. God it sounded brilliant. Too good to be true.
“Really?” Was all Remus could manage.
~ Half term was already upon them, so Remus and his friends were able to visit the clinic the next day. And James and Sirius had been right, Gray was very nice. And Remus loved meeting someone else like him. He’d never met another trans man before, and Gray gave him hope for his future. The man seemed happy, content. Remus wanted that.
It didn’t take long for Remus to view the place as perfectly legit, even with his usual paranoid, distrusting self. And according to Gray, the spell really did only take a few minutes, even if he did have to be placed under a sleeping charm while it happened, and he wouldn’t be able to see his chest until a week later. That didn’t bother him at all. What was a week after six years of waiting?
He booked the next appointment for the following Monday, and he really couldn’t remember the last time he’d been this excited. When he left the clinic, Sirius immediately hugged him, and James joined in, until Remus couldn’t even move under their combined weight.
~ The day of the appointment, Remus was nervous. Excited, but nervous. His friends had all agreed that it would be a little overwhelming if they all came with him, so it was decided that Sirius was to be the one to accompany Remus. He was Remus’s boyfriend after all, and besides, wild centaurs couldn’t stop Sirius from being there to support his best friend.
Remus didn’t know what to wear, and he couldn’t help but feel very self conscious at exposing his chest, even for a few minutes. But it was the price he had to pay, and he chose a button up shirt and jeans. Nothing special.
“Here’s the sleeping potion,” said Gray, handing Remus a bottle of silvery liquid. “You’ll be asleep in a matter of minutes, and then awake in another matter of minutes. The only difference is, when you wake up, there’ll sure be a huge weight off your chest.” Sirius snorted from behind the man, and even Remus grinned at the stupid joke. It was definitely something his friends would say.
They were in the clinic now; they’d arrived around twenty minutes ago, and hadn’t needed to wait that long. Sirius held Remus’s hand the entire time, though he seemed to be more nervous than Remus was. Remus was nervous, but the nearer the surgery came to actually happening, the more impatient he felt. He wanted this to be over with, so he could finally feel like himself.
Remus uncapped the potion and drunk it down in one, and within seconds he started to feel light headed and drowsy. Gray helped him to lie back on the bed that he was sitting on, and the last thing he saw before falling asleep was Sirius giving him a very cheesy double thumbs up.
Somehow, within only a few minutes, his brain managed to conjure up what felt like hours of dreaming, although it was so nonsensical that Remus couldn’t make heads nor tails off it, and by the time he’d woken up, he couldn’t remember anything.
It took him some time to come round properly, drowsy as he was, but when the fog from his head finally cleared, he immediately looked down at his chest.
It was wrapped up in bandages, but one thing was certain: his chest was flat.
He ran his hand across the bandages. Yup. Absolutely flat. He almost started crying right then and there.
“Hello, love,” greeted Sirius, seeing that Remus was now awake. Remus stared up at him.
“It’s flat,” he croaked. Sirius grinned.
“It sure is.” Gray walked over to them. He’d been tinkering around with some vials, and he handed one to Remus.
“Take a sip of this every night for a week, it will help your chest to heal fully. Then you can remove the bandages. And if you need anything else, any help, or you have any questions, you know where I am.”
“Thank you.” Remus hoped the man could see just how grateful he was, as he was unable to form full sentences for the moment, the affects of the sleeping potion still lingering. But Gray let him and Sirius go on their way, and like last time with James, Sirius waited until they were out of the clinic, this time using the floo network in the clinic’s fireplace to take them home to their tiny apartment, to throw his arms around Remus. This was it for Remus, and he couldn’t stop himself from breaking down in tears. Good tear of course. Happy tears. If this was what he was like now, he’d be a wreck after a week.
And if Remus was impatient before, he certainly was now. Sirius had to constantly stop him from trying to unwind his bandages early.
“Keep doing that and I will personally pin you to the ground,” Sirius warned.
“Is that a threat or a promise?”
“In this instance it is solely a threat.”
“Fine.”
After what felt like years, the week was finally drawing to a close. And James, Lily and Peter arrived to see the big reveal. It was an audience that made Remus feel a little self conscious, but a part of him didn’t want them to miss this.
They were all crammed into the bathroom, the only place in the apartment that had a mirror. Rather than cutting off the bandages with magic, immediately revealing his chest, he opted for unwinding them by hand. His nervousness had returned to replace his impatience and he wanted to take it slowly.
As the last bandages fell away, he started into the mirror, and his friends cheered beside him. His chest was completely flat, and it looked exactly how he wanted it to look. It was a chest that could be shown off. A chest he could take a shirt off of and go swimming with. Finally. He never had to wear his binder again. He’d never smiled this much in his life, and it only faltered as he tried not to once again start crying. He failed. Sirius went over to kiss him, and soon all his friends were hugging him.
And the first thing he did when half term ended and lessons at Hogwarts were let out for lunchtime, was take his shirt off, and go swimming in the lake with his friends.
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Californian Dream (Pt. 11 of 11)
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Pairing: Billy Hargrove X Reader
Word count: 2.3 K
Summary: Being part of one of the richest families of California doesn't mean you're happy. Your life is boring, and you're surrounded by meaningless people and their meaningless talk. Even during Summer, with the break you have from college, there's nothing good going on. Nothing but the new pool guy, Billy, the most handsome man you ever saw. You were successfully avoiding him, not wanting to act like an idiot in front of the guy until Billy accepts to be your date for a fancy gala you're forced to attend. The night was going well, even better when he sneaked you out to go to the beach. But a gang of criminals breaks into the party, kidnapping the heirs to the wealthiest families, which includes you. So, for your safety, your parents want you to stay with Billy, living in his apartment until the criminals are caught. And that could take weeks, maybe even months.
Warnings: Light violence
<- Previous part (10)
{Stranger Things Masterlist}
{Dacre Montgomery Masterlist}
×
California Never Felt Like Home
Even though he's not going anywhere any time soon, you hook one leg around his waist, just to pull him a little closer. “You're my prisoner now.” You mutter, sleep still clouding your voice.
“I wouldn't want to be anywhere else.” He answers, placing kisses all over your face.
“The good part is that we'll have all the afternoon to ourselves.” You giggle, moving to lay on your back with Billy hovering over you.
“I'll take you to see the sunset on that beach you like. Completely desert.” He says in a low voice. “If we survive your parents.”
“We already did.” Kissing him, you move to lie on top of him. “It'll be at this super expensive, fancy restaurant, so it means they won't yell at me or put on a show.”
“Sometimes I think you should consider what you're giving up.” He gets sad suddenly, sighing. You know what he's thinking about, and it will take time for Billy to see and understand this is what you really want.
“I'm giving up a huge house I never felt like it was mine. Lots of money that never brought me happiness.” In between the words, you place kisses all over his face. “But what I'm getting...? God, it's amazing.” Sitting up, you straddle his hips. “I got real friends now, and a home. And an awesome boyfriend who doesn't compare to the assholes on my parents' list.”
“I'm so happy I'm around to see the good daughter rebelling.” He sits up too, strong arms encircling your waist. “You look so good, little rebel.”
“You're just saying that because I'm wearing your shirt.” Wrapping your arms around his neck, you raise an eyebrow. Yesterday, you decided to pick one of his shirts to put on instead of your regular pajamas.
“Babe, you look good on everything. But I gotta admit seeing you wearing my clothes is very hot.”
Smiling, you can't help but blush. “We still have a few hours, so I think we can maybe make out for a while?” Biting your lip at his smirk, you giggle.
“Starting the day off with good ideas already.” He mutters, holding you up and throwing you back on the mattress. “This is the first day of the rest of your lives, you know that, right? Because I'm never letting you go. Unless you get tired of me.”
“I don't think I'll ever get tired of you, so yes...” Caressing his cheek, you take a deep breath, the sunlight illuminating his face. “The very first day of the rest of our lives.”
•••
The morning bliss had to be interrupted. But, as you sit across from your mother at the restaurant, you don't feel scared, or nervous. You feel perfectly fine. You're not dressed for this place, you can see it in your mother's eyes, but you don't care. You like the clothes you're wearing, and your mother's disgusting stare makes you chuckle under your breath. Making yourself comfortable, you ignore the silence. Nobody is saying anything, and your father has been staring at Billy as if he could kill him with his stare.
“So... I believe you want an explanation.” You start, cupping your hands together above the table. “Billy and I are dating. And I'll be living with him.”
“Is it some kind of joke?” Your mother interrupts, leaning closer. “You can't possibly think I'll believe you'll do that.” You're about to say something when she raises a hand, and you shut your mouth. “I get it, (Y/N). Billy is good looking, he has this appeal, he's different from the guys you're used to, rougher around the edges, I get all that. But this? This is insane.”
It's only a matter of time for the insults to begin, you're aware of that. “That's not all, mother.” You add, not even considering giving her a proper answer. “I'm not going to course Law anymore. I'll look for something I actually like. And go to the public University.”
“What the–”
“I have a good job now, at a store of diving equipment and I love it.” Cutting your father short, you raise your voice just a little. “That's my life now. I'm not going back to the house, but I want you both to know that I'll visit, of course, and you can visit me whenever you want and–”
“I'm not going to let you throw your entire life on the trash because of the freaking pool guy.” Your father's voice storms out, making a few people look your way. He does seem a little embarrassed, but definitely angry. “This man–” He points at Billy, and you hold his hand under the table. “–he can give you nothing. Nothing. What do you have in life, Hargrove? I shitty job, a tiny apartment. Do you think you can provide to someone like my daughter?” There it is. The insults. And, knowing exactly what Neil told Billy, you won't let your father treat him this way.
“You wanna know what Billy gave me, father?” Smiling, you begin. “He gave me a life. I never felt truly happy, never. Not in our mansion, or those fancy galas, or wearing fashionable clothes. Never. But with the pool guy, as you call him, in his tiny apartment with his lowlife friends? I finally felt something. I finally felt life was worth living.”
“Alright.” He slams his fist on the table, glancing at your mother, a mean smile on his face. “If you insist on doing this, I'll disown you.” He giggles, a hand half covering his mouth. “You won't see any cents from me anymore. Is that what you want?”
He looks like he got everything figured out. Exchanging a stare with Billy, you can tell he's worried. Does he think you'll fall for this? Squeezing his hand a little and smiling, you try to reassure him. He must feel awful, seated here, and listening to all this shit. “I–”
The waiter comes and you're cut short, waiting for your parents to order whatever they want to eat. “Oh, finally. We'll want Muffin Pan Shrimp Ragoon. Thought I'll give my kid one last decent lunch at a decent restaurant. What do you think?”
Seriously? “I can't eat that.” You think it's so obvious, but by the look on your father's face, he doesn't get it.
“What? Do you want to order something more expensive as a goodbye to your good life?”
“She's allergic to shrimp,” Billy speaks for the first time, his voice strong and deep. Both your parents look a little surprised, but soon enough recognition comes to their faces.
They completely forgot, but it doesn't bother you. You're happy Billy actually remembered it. You only mentioned it once, at the gala. “It's alright, though. We'll have lunch by the beach.” You tell them, smiling at Billy.
“Let me guess...” He dismisses the waiter with a gesture of his hand. “Sandwiches and soda?”
“Actually, yes.” Exclaiming, you stand up, and Billy does the same. It's over. You told them what's gonna happen now, and they have to make peace with that. And if your father wants to change his will and cut you out of it, so be it. “I made them myself and they're delicious.”
“For goodness sake.” Your mother mutters, running a hand through her hair. “Honey, please think this through, alright? Your house will be opened whenever you want to come back.”
“Thanks, mom. I will visit, I promise.” That said, you smile at them before turning away, hand in hand with Billy, walking away from the table.
“You better wipe off your bank account, (Y/N), because you'll never get a penny from me again!” Your father yells, and you simply wave at him, not even bothering to look back.
When you're outside, you feel light-headed, relieved. “This wasn't as bad as it could be.” You breathe out, walking to where Billy parked his car, a block away.
“Did he mean it? About disowning you?” He sounds serious, despite the smile that's on your face.
Turning around without letting go of his hand, you start walking backward. “I don't give a damn.” Speaking slowly, you wink at him, stopping suddenly and letting him come closer by himself before grabbing the collar of his shirt and tiptoeing to kiss him, sweet and slow.
“What the– (Y/N)?” Someone calls and since you do know who it is, you keep kissing Billy for a while longer. “Holy shit.”
It makes you giggle when he pulls your closer, deepening the kiss. But eventually, you have to breathe, so you break apart, a smile on your lips.
“Care to explain why the hell you're making out with the pool guy? In public?” Daniel says as you turn to face him. He has a girl with him, but you don't know who she is. He seems better, given the time he spent held hostage. “Have you lost your mind, girl?”
Sighing, you roll your eyes at him. You have a lunch date on the beach, and you don't wanna waste any more time with meaningless people. “Yeah. I'm dating the pool guy.” You tell him, shrugging your shoulders. “Actually, I'm in love with the pool guy. And now I work at a scuba diving store, so you can come up with some kind of name for me too, but you wanna know what? I don't give a damn.” Pulling Billy harder, you start walking again. “I'd love to say that we'll be seeing each other soon, but we won't. So... Goodbye, Daniel.” Turning on your heels, you leave the couple behind.
The drive to the beach is short, and instead of sitting on the sand, you chose to seat on the hood of his car. Which he now calls Lily, and you peacefully eat the sandwiches and drink the soda. You wouldn't trade it for all the money in the world. The ocean, the sunlight, the fresh wind messing with your hair. The simple food, the hood of his car... And him. Billy is certainly the best part. Having him here is indescribable, and knowing you'll go back home with him is even better.
“So... Will you help me chose something to major in?” You ask as he helps you climb off of the hood, taking your hand and starting to walk down the beach.
“Actually, I have some fresh news coming straight from Jason.” He says, a bright smile on his lips.
Furrowing your eyebrows, you stop to look at him. “What news...?”
“Mr. and Mrs. Heeler, from the store.” Billy starts, putting a strand of hair behind your ear. “They want to retire and they're thinking about passing the store over to you and Jason since they don't have any relatives. If you both agree on being associates.”
“Oh my God!” You exclaim, tiptoeing to crash your lips on his. “This is amazing.”
“Please act surprised when Jason tells you.” In a sudden motion, Billy reaches for your thighs, pulling you up and wrapping your legs around his waist. Using his shoulder for balance, you giggle. “He didn't want me to tell you but I couldn't resist.”
“This is just awesome. This is...” Taking a deep breath, you take a look at the ocean. The sound of the waves crashing is low and calming, and the way the sunlight reflects on the water shines like liquid silver. Then, you look at Billy again, his smile warming up your heart. “I love you.” You haven't said it yet, but it feels like the right time. And this is how you feel. You've never been in love before, but you know how this is how it feels. Like someone owns your whole heart. “I'm not sure if you feel the same but I just need you to know that–”
“I'm completely in love with you.” Billy cuts you off, bouncing you up a little and making the way back to his car. “I have been for a while and that scared the hell out of me.” When you reach Lily, he puts you down on the hood, remaining in between your legs. “But now... I'm sure of it. I want a life with you. A future.”
Blushing, you smile, your forehead touching Billy's. “So that thing you said about me getting to pick the kid's names...” You tease, placing a kiss on the corner of his lips.
“I mean it, if...” Pulling away from a little, he locks eyes with you. “If you don't pick something silly like the name you insisted on giving my car.”
“It's not silly!” Playfully, you try to push him away, giggling when he grabs your sides, tickling you. “Alright! Alright!” After a while you manage to stop him, his hands going back to your hips. “We'll pick names we both like. How does it sound?”
“It sounds like we're talking about kids even before getting married.”
“What?” Furrowing your eyebrows, you try to process what the hell he just said. “Sorry, I thought you heard you talking about...”
“I never felt like the type for marriage but, God, I want to marry you,” Billy exclaims, connecting his lips to yours.
You have a lot to say, a lot of things to ask, but you surrender to the kiss instead. This is all the answers you need. His lips on yours, on this paradise on Earth.
California never felt like home because home isn't a place, but a person. Billy is your home. Wherever you are, if he's with you, it's the right place. Nothing else needs to be said. The life you had before vanished like smoke in the air, and this is even better than everything you could ever dream of. Not all the money in the world can buy this moment, and you don't regret a thing. Love is far more important, and now that you found it, nothing will make you let it go.
×
@multific @dontxfearxthereaper @nope-thanks @nikkixostan @shinydixon @clockworkballerina @infinitelycharmed23 @lilred91 @moatsnow
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psychedelic-ink · 4 years
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This is my commission for @some-piece ! Thank you so much for commissioning me once again and oh my god I hope you like this because I certainly enjoyed writing it! 
Pairing: Law x chubby!fem!reader x Zoro
Genre: Smut, Fluff, Drama
Word count: 5 k
Warning: Fingering, anal, dirty talking, threesome 
Summary: You, Law and Zoro go to visit Franky and Robin on Christmas everyone is there including Sanji. Zoro’s and Sanji’s constant bickering annoys Law and you so the two of you hatch a plan to end it all.
Commissions | Ko-Fi
There was a reason why you never invited anyone to your place and it was a good one. It wasn’t one reason though, it was two. 
And the two reasons were standing right infront of you. 
“Stop eating the appetizers you damn moss head!”
“For the love of god could you go bother someone else! Shitty curly ass eyebrow!” 
“What did you just say!?”
Taking in a deep breath you apologetically looked at both Robin and Franky, you felt like you had brought a toddler who just wouldn’t settle down. But the older couple seemed to be happy with this since they both laughed along with Zoro and Sanji’s immature fighting. But sadly you and Law couldn’t be as cheerful, the two of you had grown tired of the constant bickering of the two at every goddamn gathering. It was embarrassing, especially since the both of them had no filter at all. 
The evening continued, it was nice seeing everyone else, honestly the gathering of all your friends was the only reason you appreciated Christmas. Luffy was constantly shoving appetizers in his mouth, Usopp was talking about his new book with Franky, Robin and Nami were happily gossiping, you and Law were mingling, everything could be considered great but of course Zoro and Sanji’s constant fighting put you in a sour mood. Law placed his arm around your shoulder and pulled you close, his warmth calmed you but you couldn’t stop from sighing constantly. 
“I’m sorry,” you mumbled, looking at your raven haired partner. “I’m really enjoying myself but I just can’t seem to zone them out, they’re like mosquitos constantly buzzing in my ear.” 
Law glared at the two, he had no idea why but Sanji had his foot against Zoro’s face. 
“I get what you mean.” he muttered. “Hey dumbass!” he shouted. Zoro flinched and turned his gaze from Sanji’s foot to him. “You promised not to do this. Again.” he hissed between clenched teeth. 
You couldn’t see Law’s expression but you were positive that he was gesturing towards you with his eyes, which you had no issues with since you just wanted the mosquitos to stop quarrelling. Zoro’s eyes went between you and Law, finally he pushed Sanji’s foot away from his face and clicked his tongue in annoyance as he walked towards the two of you. 
“Yeah listen to you boyfriend.” Sanji cooed as Zoro left. 
At that moment both you and Law knew that there was no way Zoro was going to spend the evening with the two of you. Beet read, Zoro turned back on his heel and they resumed their shout race they had with each other. You buried your face into Law’s chest as the two of you groaned. 
“Yeah there’s no way they’re going to stop anytime soon,” Law said, annoyance latched into his voice. “Maybe we could distract them or something?” 
“Zoro has a one track mind, I doubt we can distract the beast after he’s been awakened…” After a moment of silence a smile spread across your lips. “But I do have an idea that might work. We might not be able to distract Zoro but we can distract Sanji.” 
“With what exactly? I already share you with one man, I ain’t sharing you with another.” 
You laughed at the pure seriousness of his tone. 
“No not like that but we could act like the most nauseating lovesick couple ever and annoy the hell out of him.” 
“Are you sure that would work?” Law questioned raising an eyebrow. 
“We’ll never know until we try my sugar bear.” 
Law looked at you and as soon as you made eye contact with him you both started to laugh. 
“There’s no way we’re going to get through this without laughing,” Law said wiping a tear. “If you ever with all seriousness call me sugar bear I will dump you.” 
“Please do so, that just felt wrong.” 
But even if both of your stomachs churned each time you made kissy faces and called cute little nicknames at each other, you continued your attempt to distract Sanji. Surprisingly, you both managed to do it without breaking into a laughing fit and you could tell that Sanji was starting to get annoyed. The fact that Zoro was in a couple and he wasn’t (maybe he could find someone if he just stopped drooling over every goddamn woman he saw) just made him angry in a petty way. 
Honestly you’ve never seen Sanji like this before, he usually just called Zoro names or made fun of his hygiene but this Sanji, a Sanji enraged in seeing a lovey dovey couple at every corner… it frightened you. Of course he couldn’t say anything to you so that meant he focused all that rage towards Zoro which was the exact opposite of what both you and Law wanted. They started to get more violent, more verbal and to be completely honest their behavior threatened to ruin your whole mood. 
You were hoping that dinner would be the solution to everything, everyone was gathered around the table, the smell of Sanji’s cooking enticing everyone's noses and stomachs. Momentarily you saw Sanji, he was oddly calm and much like the Cheshire cat  his lips were spread out in a grin. Your stomach dropped at his expression, the cook had his gaze fixated on Zoro who was sitting right next to you, calmly scooping mashed potatoes into his plate. Law was on your other side and gently you nudged him with your knee, he followed your gaze and locked his eyes on Sanji as well. Ever so faintly you could hear the tattooed doctor groan. 
“Zoro, how does it feel to not be able to make your girlfriend happy?” he asked, humming. “How does it feel to need another man’s help to satisfy her?” 
Your mouth fell open at his words, never could you imagine Sanji hitting Zoro below the belt like that. Quickly your eyes switched towards Zoro, if looks could kill Sanji would be dead by now, he dropped the spoon and stood up, the chair falling to the ground as he did so. Law had his hand on your leg, his thumb going in circles as he tried to soothe your nerves. Everyone was dead silent and was holding their breaths. What would Zoro do? He would fight back obviously? Sanji was still smiling at him as Zoro’s glare intensified. 
Then Zoro did the unimaginable. He walked away. 
That seemed to take Sanji by surprise because momentarily you could see his smug look wavering and for a short moment you could see regret. But that didn’t stop you from lashing out. 
“Good job Sanji.” you spat. “Are you happy now?” 
“I...I…” 
Before the cook could finish his sentence you stomped away and went to find Zoro, Law followed you after excusing himself from the table. You could hear Nami scolding Sanji but you didn’t care about that right now. The only thing you cared about was Zoro, he already wasn’t the most comfortable about the relationship and Sanji had hit him right where it hurt. You searched the house for the green haired man, he was in none of the guest bedrooms, finally the two of you heard a groan and followed the angry mumbling. You saw light coming from a door that was cracked open and well behold Zoro was in the third guest bedroom. 
 “How did you end up here?” Law asked, genuinely curious. 
Zoro flinched at the voice and turned to stare at the both of you, quickly you closed the door as you entered the spacious toilet. 
“I...don’t know.” Zoro grunted, turning his gaze back to the mirror. 
You noticed droplets of water dripping down his face, it was clear that he was trying to calm himself down and honestly you were impressed by his tenacity. You placed your hand gently on his back, just as you were leaning in to check on his face he pushed you back. You gasped, surprised that he pushed you away. It wasn’t a strong shove but it still took you by surprise, Law took a step forward with his eyebrow furrowed as he glared at Zoro. 
“What do you think you’re doing?” he asked. “Don’t take your anger out on y/n.” 
“He’s right.” 
“What?” you asked, your heart braking at the tone of Zoro’s voice. 
Zoro averted his eyes and as a plea for help you glanced at Law. He sighed and placed his hand on Zoro’s broad shoulder. 
“Look at me.” Law said firmly, Zoro, hesitant, lifted his gaze back up to face him. “You love y/n don’t you?”
Zoro nodded. 
“You love me too right?” 
Zoro sighed but nodded again. 
“See this isn’t about not being able to satisfy y/n, the three of us love each other. Sanji was just trying to piss you off and you know that.” 
“Yeah.” you chimed in also taking a step forward. “It’s also kind of our fault since we edged him on with the lovey dovey crap.” 
“Really? I haven’t noticed.” 
“Yeah well, you were busy trying to choke Sanji.” Law said, an amused smile on his lips. 
You also broke out into a smile when you saw Zoro finally giving in and chuckling. It looked like Law managed to get through his thick skull of his, taking a step forward you planted a soft kiss on Zoro’s cheek, he seemed surprised by that and gave you a confused look. 
“That’s for not losing your shit in front of everyone.” 
A faint shade of red colored his cheeks, Law patted Zoro on the shoulder and laughed. 
“Yeah good job! You somewhat kept your promise to y/n and me.” 
“We’re still annoyed at you though.” you said, pouting. 
Law nodded at your statement. Zoro sighed and rolled his eyes, it was nice to see him starting to relax. You knew well that he always felt calmer with the two of you, and even though that could be said for the three of you it was especially true for Zoro since he wasn’t the most emotionally open person in the relationship. 
Every beautiful rose has its thorns but when it came to Zoro it was worth it. 
“How about we go back,” Law said, gently pushing Zoro towards the door. “I bet everyone is worried.” 
You followed them both with a smile, Zoro had groaned a bit to Law’s statement but didn’t resist. When Law opened the door the three of you were surprised to see Sanji there, the blond flinched and quickly hit something behind his back, taking a step back he nervously started to tap his feet. 
“I-I wanted to apologize,” he stuttered. “To all three of you, what I said was in bad taste.” 
You locked eyes with Law and you could see in his gold orbs that he was as equally shocked as you were. Quickly your gaze fell back to Sanji who had his eyes locked to Zoro. 
“Yeah it was.” Zoro grumbled as he crossed his arms in front of him. 
“I especially wanted to apologize to you Zoro, I...I was just being an asshole.” he took in a deep breath. “I didn’t mean what I said, so here.” 
Quickly Sanji pulled out what he had stashed behind his back and shoved it into Zoro’s chest, both you and Law peered over his shoulders to see what it was, much to your surprise it was a present. Zoro raised his eyebrow and gave Sanji a confused look as he held the gift. 
“I got everyone a little something for Christmas, this is your present. I really didn’t want to make you upset, especially on Christmas.” Sanji said, stuffing his hands into his pockets. 
Zoro sighed and started to tore away the wrapping paper. Your curiosity grew. 
“Just because you bought me something doesn’t me— WHAT THE FUCK?” 
Zoro’s hands were shaking as he held a black shiny box, Karuizawa Vintage Single Cask Malt Whisky was written on top of it in gold. Behind it there were big red kanji symbols that you had no idea what it meant but apparently it was a big deal because Zoro’s hands were shaking and his mouth was agape. 
“Ohh fancy.” you here Law humming. 
“How did you get this you dumbass?” Zoro blurted out his eyes back on Sanji, the cook seemed amused by Zoro’s reaction. “Did you sell an organ or something?” 
“I have my connections,” Sanji replied with a smirk. “I’m guessing you like your present?” 
“You’re such a piece of shit you know that right?” 
From Sanji’s expression you could see that he wasn’t expecting that, his eyebrow twitched but he quickly took a deep breath and walked away muttering something about ungrateful moss heads. Zoro smirked and called out to him as he left. 
“Thank you!” 
Without glancing at their direction Sanji waved and disappeared from view. Your eyes went between the supposedly expensive bottle and Zoro, you could swear you could see sparkles in his eyes. 
“Should we leave you two alone?” you asked, teasing. 
“Oh shut up,” Zoro replied, hugging the bottle. “Alright let’s go back.” 
╚═══*.·:·.☽✧    ✦    ✧☾.·:·.*═══╝
You let yourself fall on to the bed, it dipped under your weight and you sighed happily at the coziness of it. Franky and Robin sure as hell knew how to spoil guests. The rest of the night had gone, much to your pleasure, swimmingly. Sure Sanji and Zoro bickered now and then but it was more on the soft side, you could tell Sanji was holding back his vulgar mouth and Zoro’s teasing had become more playful after receiving the very expensive bottle of japanese whisky. 
Law quickly made his way to the shower, despite looking like a homeless college student he did shower quite often and Zoro had laid down on his stomach right next to you. He placed a kiss on your cheek, and grazed his lips against your skin making you giggle at the sensation. 
“Hey y/n,” Zoro whispered, his lips inching closer to your ear. “Let’s have sex.” 
“What?” you snorted. “Why now?” 
Zoro propped himself on his elbow and came closer to you, you could easily sniff the alcohol coming from his breath, a devilish smile spread across his lips. 
“The cook is next door, let’s make some noise.” 
“For the love of god Zoro,” you groaned. “This is you master plan to annoy him? It’s a pretty shit one. Besides you know I don’t moan.” 
“Come on, for me?”
“No,” you said again, furrowing your eyebrows. “Besides I don’t want to be included in this childish game.” 
Zoro flashed you a grin as he climbed on top of you and you rolled your eyes as you guessed what was going to come next. 
“Fine I’ll just have to make you moan then.”
“Yeah good luck with that.” 
He ignored your annoyed tone and snuck his hands under your shirt, his lips latched to your neck, Zoro’s fingers traced your body as you continued to lay down on your back. You let out a shaky breath when his hands brushed over your nipples. Zoro started to squeeze and knead you breasts, it felt good of course and small whines left you but that was pretty much as far as noise making went for you. 
Zoro left open mouthed kisses as he rolled up your shirt, exposing your breasts, he took a hold of each nipple and started to roll the sensitive nubs between his fingers. Your back arched with his touch, and he nibbled on your flushed neck. 
“Come on I want to hear you.” he muttered against your skin. 
But your lips were sealed shut, Zoro clicked his tongue in annoyance. Swiftly he lifted you up and pulled down your sweatpants followed with your underwear, you gasped when he shoved in two fingers. 
“You’re so wet,” he said, his voice hoarse. “Look how easy I can slide my fingers in to you y/n.” 
Your back arched as he fiercely started to thrust his digits in and out of you, your heart was beating madly in your chest as you let out shaky breaths. Zoro disappeared between your trembling legs and left a trail of open mouthed kisses up your thigh, occasionally he would nibble on your soft flesh as he traveled towards your heat. 
You weren’t going to lie, the man was really going all out for you to make some noise. 
“Zoro…” you whispered as you felt his breath ghosting over your clit, his fingers still thrusting in and out of you. 
“That’s a good start,” he chuckled. “But how about we get a bit louder?” 
Before you could snap back with a snarky remark, he wrapped his lips around your clit and started to suck on the already overly sensitive nub. Zoro hummed as he tasted you, your juices overflowing around his fingers. The lewd noises echoing inside of the room turned you on even more, your whole body shivered and you bit your bottom lip. You placed a hand behind his head and started to roll your hips accordingly to the rhythm of his sinful fingers. 
You weren’t sure but it felt as Zoro was smiling at you for slowly coming undone, he continued to suck, nibble and push in your clit with his tongue. He scissored his fingers inside of your, spreading your insides, searching for that sweet spot that he was sure that would make you scream. 
Too bad that you were one stubborn woman. 
Your toes curled, you flinched, trembled, occasionally whined and whispered his name but that was pretty much it. Zoro gradually became more annoyed at your silence, suddenly he pulled out his fingers strings of your juices following his digits, you gasped at the sudden emptiness. You glanced up at him and noticed that he was glaring at you, you raised an eyebrow to that. 
“This shouldn’t be a surprise to you.” you said, challenging his glare. 
“We’ll see about that.” he growled and shoved down his sweatpants, his cock slapped against his abdomen and needless to say you were impressed by his stubbornness. 
Zoro grabbed your hips and squeezed your love handles, aligning his cock with your hole he buried himself inside of you with one swift motion. Your eyes teared up a bit by the sudden feeling of being stretched out, your back arched and you gasped for air. Without giving you a chance to adjust he continuously slammed his hips in and out of you, your breasts bouncing and hitting you in the chest with each thrust. 
“Just make some noise woman.” Zoro grunted as he leaned in and buried his face into your neck, biting and sucking on your skin. 
You closed your eyes and started to lose yourself in the bliss, you couldn’t care less about Zoro’s ambition to make you scream and shout, you were just going to enjoy the ride. Just as you were losing yourself you opened your eyes back up as you heard a faint creak of a door opening. 
Law came out of the bathroom and steam followed him, with a white towel loosely wrapped around his waist, he was dabbing the excess water out of his hair with another towel. Momentarily he glanced at the top of you, unfazed he continued to dry his hair. An idea popped into your head and before Zoro realized that Law was out you furiously started to wiggle your eyebrows at him, he noticed and gave you a puzzled look. You turn your head to the night stand and look at the lube with such intensity that it looked like you were trying to summon the bottle to move towards you. Law understood the message, of course he did, he understood everything and with a grin he quickly grabbed the lube and dropped the towel flashing you a glimpse of his semi erect cock. 
You watched as he stood behind Zoro, pouring a generous amount of lube over his fingers, he spread Zoro’s cheeks and pushed in the tip of his two fingers. Zoro immediately jolted up and his thrusting slowed down, he turned enough to see that Law was behind him. 
“What the hell?” he hissed. 
“I want to join in on the fun too.” Law hummed.
Grabbing Zoro’s chin with his free hand, he pushed his finger deeper as he grazed his lips over Zoro’s. A smile spread across your face when you saw how red Zoro was getting as he parted his lips, wanting a kiss from Law. But instead of a kiss, Law smirked instead and curled his fingers, stealing a rather loud moan from Zoro. 
“Tell me what you want Zoro.” he whispered, his voice dripping with lust. 
Zoro swallowed as his eyes widened, you could swear you could hear his heart racing in his chest, you licked your lips at the sight and felt yourself becoming slicker at the scene playing in front of you. Unwillingly your insides clamped around Zoro’s cock and he let out a soft whimper. 
“Kiss me.” he breathed out, his voice trembling. 
Law placed his lips over Zoro’s, you watched intently as Zoro parted his lips allowing Law to slide his tongue inside. He moaned into the kiss and he slowly started to roll his hips, making you throw your head back as his shaft grazed against your puffy clit. Law continued to suck on Zoro’s tongue as he scissored his fingers inside of him, preparing Zoro for what was about to come. You could feel Zoro quivering inside of you, your mouth watered knowing how good he was feeling. 
Law broke the kiss and with a string of saliva connecting them he grinned at Zoro’s flustered state. He pulled out his fingers and Zoro whined at the loss of them, Law gently placed a kiss on the side of Zoro’s chin and aligned himself with his hole. With both hands squeezing Zoro’s hips, he started to push in. Zoro gasped at the feeling of being stretched open and his cock twitched inside of you. Law clenched his teeth. 
“You’re still so damn tight Zoro,” he breathed out. “I need to fuck you more often.” 
As a reply, Zoro let out a groan, you chuckled at that and saw Law move up his hands towards Zoro’s chest, he grabbed both of his breasts and squeezed them. Your eyes widened as Zoro’s back arched and let out a throaty moan. Law started to play with Zoro’s nipples, rolling the erect nubs between his slender fingers and pulling them occasionally. Zoro’s head fell back and Law continued to push in until he was fully sheathed. 
Law let out a shaky breath and decorated Zoro’s skin with open mouthed kisses, his hands fell back to Zoro’s hips and he pushed the green haired man forward so he would drop on all fours. Zoro’s face was an inch away from yours and his hands were on each side of your head. He was breathing heavily, the scent of alcohol and yourself still lingering in his breath. Pushing yourself up you captured Zoro’s lips with a kiss, you felt Law starting to thrust in and out of him, effectively making Zoro thrust in and out of you as well. Zoro moaned into your mouth as you sucked on his bottom lip, wanting to hear more of him you let go of his intoxicating lips. 
Zoro’s tongue lolled out of his mouth as Law’s thrusts became more intense, sweet moans left him nonstop, you could relate to him, getting fucked by Law was no easy task. The noise of skin slapping against skin was like a sweet serenade to your tainted ears, each time Law thrusted, Zoro thrusted deeper into you. You clawed Zoro’s back, you couldn’t stop watching him, Zoro was looking down at you between half lidded eyes, his cheeks a beet red and his tongue dangling with each thrust, his moans were gradually becoming louder. 
“Ahh...ahh...Law…” he mewled, pushing back into the doctor. “This is too much.” his voice trembled and you could swear you could see his eyes glistening with tears. 
“I’m just starting Zoro.” Law purred and as a demonstration he pulled his hips all the way back  and snapped them back, pushing his throbbing cock in all at once. 
Law rammed his cock into Zoro’s deepest parts and it was just too much for him to handle. You could tell that he hated how good Law was making him feel, hated how he couldn’t stay quiet and hated how he was already coming undone by Law slamming into him, lewd noises of his balls slapping against his flushed skin was enough to make him want to disappear. 
Lost in the pleasure, Zoro didn’t notice Law grabbing his green hair. He pulled at Zoro’s hair, and as a response his hiss could be heard. 
With each thrust Law was able to rip a throaty moan from Zoro, he buried his face into the crook of your neck. Without a hint of shame in his voice Zoro screamed out, he moaned, he groaned and he begged Law to let him cum. 
His voice echoed throughout the whole goddamn house and by the end of the night everyone would know who was making him feel good. A wicked smirk spread across Law’s lips. 
“Law!” Zoro shouted, his voice echoing. 
“Yeah that’s right, scream my name.” Law teased, grinning at you and winking. 
Zoro didn’t reply and instead continued to moan out Law’s name, he sometimes even moaned yours as well, his arms trembled as he struggled to keep himself up so he wouldn’t end up squashing you. You felt yourself growing closer and closer to your orgasm, Zoro’s cock throbbed inside of you, his length now drenched in your juices, you slightly lifted your hips so he could hit that special spot inside of you, normally you would ask but you weren’t sure he could even hear you over his own moans at this point. 
Also wanting revenge for earlier, you lifted yourself up as much as you could, you licked a stripe down Zoro’s neck and ended on his breasts, with one hand you rolled his erect nipples between your fingers and with your mouth you sucked on the other one. 
“Y/n what are you— Ahh!” 
You bit into the sensitive nub and violently sucked on it, Zoro shivered and pressed his chest further into your face. He always did like to have his nipples teased. Your tongue went in circles, the way he whimpered and moaned on top of you made you want to tease him further. You took another bite and sucked, hoping to leave a mark. Falling back you witnessed your masterpiece, even now you could see a dark circle forming around Zoro’s nipple. Just as you were going to suck on the other one, you were pushed back as Zoro basically fell on top of you. Momentarily your gaze landed on Law, he was looking down at both of you, his eyes dark with lust.  
Law’s grip on Zoro’s hips tightened, his movement grew sloppier as he chased his own orgasm. Law flashed you one last grin before plunging himself deep into Zoro groaning, as he came and of course him plunging into Zoro meant that Zoro was burying himself into your deepest parts as well, you saw white as you came, you juices dripping on to the sheets. Zoro was twitching inside of you, his mouth wide open and his eyes crossed as he screamed out Law’s name over and over again. 
Law pulled Zoro out of you, his cock was still hard as a rock. Law motioned you to get on your knees, which you did, Law wrapped his fingers around Zoro’s cock and stroked him until he was cumming all over your face, thick ropes of cum shooting out of him. Your eyelashes felt heavy with his cum, you darted his tongue out and gave it a little taste, it was bittersweet. You looked up to gaze at Zoro, he seemed completely out of it, he was still panting looking down at you with awe, you grinned and stuck your tongue out showing him that his seed was still lingering in your mouth. He shivered. 
“Let’s get you into a shower.” Law said as pulled out, softly slapping him in the ass. 
Without saying anything Zoro let Law and you guide him to the bathroom, his cheeks were still beet red. 
╚═══*.·:·.☽✧    ✦    ✧☾.·:·.*���══╝
Breakfast was certainly more entertaining, at least it was entertaining for you and Law, Zoro much like an embarrassed child kept his gaze on his plate, Sanji on the other hand...he couldn’t even look at either of you. Whenever he did, he would look away and blush. It was amusing to see them both so silent, it pleased you. 
And of course it pleased Law as well. 
Law wrapped his arm around Zoro’s shoulder and placed the weight of his body on to him, forcing him to press down further into the chair. Zoro let out a yelp, you hadn’t noticed right away but it seemed like Zoro couldn’t quite sit down right, both you and Law chuckled as all eyes turned to the three of you. Your poor green haired partner blushed and tried to cover up his yelp with a cough, this seemed to work on all of them except for Sanji who was now blushing furiously as he excited the kitchen. 
Zoro’s master plan had worked after all.  
157 notes · View notes
mediocre-writerr · 4 years
Text
when you love someone [leah rilke]
leah rilke x fem reader
request #1: Ahhhhh I love your Leah x reader series!!! It’s so good :) I know you have a bunch of requests but would you consider doing a part four where Leah and her are sitting up one night and the reader confesses shares more about her past, maybe something darker (like knowing the reason that Becca died, but she doesn’t blame Shelby) and that she never wants to leave Leah once they get home and they fantasize their future together. The other girls overhear and also share what they want to do when they get home. Lots of fluff because the girls deserve it, lol
hi guys! i love this series so much, honestly it’s one of my favorite ones to write! so as long as you guys keep requesting for this series to keep going and ideas for it, it’ll keep going! so if you love this series as much as i do keep requesting for it! also i have a lot of imagines queued up so stay tune!
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*not my gif*
You were sat in between Leah’s legs, her arms wrapped around you. Her front pressed against your back as her head hooked onto your shoulder. You relax into her touch, pressing a kiss to her temple. 
“What was life like back home?” she asks you, breaking the comfortable silence.
You shrug, staring back out at the ocean, “Um not the greatest. It was really me and Shelby against the world.” 
“What about that Becca girl you and Shelby always mention? Weren’t you like the three musketeers?” Leah asks jokingly, but your whole mood seems to change, “I’m sorry. You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to.” 
“No it’s okay, really. I trust you enough to tell you.” you say and she tightens her arms around you, giving you a soft squeeze.
Before you go on with your story, you kiss her softly. And a small smile appears on her face as the two of you pull away.
You let out a sigh, “You were right it was always me, Shelby, and Becca against the world. The three musketeers. But anyone with eyes can tell that me and Shelby were closer.”
“This is terrible!” you exclaim, your face contorting into disgust as you pushed the 7/11 hot dog away from you. 
“I can’t believe you ate that!” Shelby adds on, pretending to gag.
Becca picks up the hot dog from the hood of your car, casually taking a bite, “It’s not that bad!” she says with a mouthful of gas station hot dog.
“Eww Becs!” you and Shelby say in unison, before laughing at how the two of you were in sync. 
“Reputation was big at our school. If you didn’t have a good reputation, you might as well fall off the edge of the Earth. If you couldn’t tell, Shelby and I were the top of the social food chain. Popular, pretty, everything all the girls wanted to be.” you say.
“Ah, you had the classic typical movie high school.” Leah says, trying to get a better grasp on the story, “I’m assuming Becca didn’t have the best rep.” 
You nod, still staring out at the big blue, “You assume correctly. She had a few mental health problems. Her parents sent her away for a little bit and it was this big uproar at the school. When she came back me and Shelby never loved her less. At the time though, I didn’t quite know the extent of how much Shelby actually loved her.” 
“Wait so Shelby had feelings for Becca?” she asks.
“Mhm, that’s what caused the downfall.” 
“Hey Shelb? Are you okay?” you ask her softly, you were driving her home after bowling with your two best friends.
She just looks at you with a tight-lipped smile, “Yeah...I’m okay.” 
You give her a look and raise your eyebrows, “Why do I not believe you?” 
“Because you worry about me too much.” she says, mocking the look you were giving her.
“I only worry when I have a reason. You’ve been quiet since we trashed the car. You didn’t even sing ‘The Climb’ with me.” you shoot back, staring at her seriously.
“I’m okay. I’ll see you tomorrow.” Shelby says, giving you a hug before heading inside.
“I didn’t find out about their kiss until later. When Shelby came to me crying, the last time the two ever spoke.” you continue onto through your sob story. 
There was a frantic knock on your front door. You were home alone watching Criminal Minds, so you were a little taken a back at the pounding at your door. You open the door just a tiny bit, peeking through the little hole you created.
Shelby was standing on your porch, pacing back and forth. Tears streaming down her face. You immediately open the door wider and she crashes into your arms. 
“I’m ruined, everything is ruined.” she whispers softly.
You run your fingers through her hair, “Shh...it’s gonna be okay. Whatever it is we’re gonna be okay. I promise.” 
“That night she told me everything. She didn’t want to admit to herself or anyone else, but with me it was like a truth serum. All of it just spilt out, her feelings for Becca. Her feelings for girls in general.” you let out another sigh.
“Why was it a big deal?” Leah asks, hesitantly, knowing it’s a bad topic. 
You let out an empty laugh, “If you met our parents you would know why.” 
“Y/N come down here!” your parents yell from downstairs.
You skip your way down the stairs and into the kitchen, “Yes?” 
“Mr. Goodkind told us about Shelby and Becca.” they begin and you swallow tightly, “We wanted to make sure Shelby didn’t do anything like that to you. Or make sure you didn’t do anything to her.” 
“No I haven’t and why would it matter if I did or if she did?” you retort and your parents look a little taken aback by that comment.
“You know why, the Bible says-” your parents say, giving you a look.
Internally you roll your eyes, “People deserve to love who they want without being judged. God loves everyone, no matter what they do. That’s what you always taught me right? Not to carry hate in your heart?” you say and your father opens his mouth, but you keep going, “But you're gonna stand her and carry hate in your heart for Shelby when you don’t even know what happened.” 
“Y/N...is there something you’d like to tell us?” your mother asks. 
You wanted to tell them. Just blurt it out. Maybe you and Shelby could be burnt at the stake together, but you just gave a tight-lipped smile.
“No.”
“So I’m not gonna win daughter in-law of the year.” Leah says jokingly and you laugh, thankful for the laugh in a serious conversation.
“Definitely not.” you respond, still chuckling to yourself.
“Damn...but proceed onto the story.” she says, gesturing for you to continue.
“That day, the day that Becca died I was at Shelby’s pageant. I sat with her awful parents. Who were finally okay with me being there, after a long conversation between them and my parents.” you say rolling your eyes.
Leah tightened her arms around you, probably sensing that this would take a turn. She hooked her head back on your shoulder, kissing your cheek softly. You smile softly at her sweet antics.  
“Mrs. Gilroy?” you ask, stepping out of the little theater.
You could hear little sniffles on the other end of line, “Oh Y/N. Becca...she’s dead. I found her in her car, she purposefully crashed it into a street light. We called 911 and rushed her to the hospital, but she uh she didn’t make it.”
And you just dropped your phone onto the floor. Before falling softly to your knees. Frantically, picking up the phone. Tears streaming down your face at the news.
“Do you need anything Mrs. Gilroy? I’m sorry-I’m sorry you have to go through this.” you ask, trying your best to stay strong.
“We’re okay for now honey, thank you. But she left you and Shelby notes. You can swing by and grab them.” she suggests and you knew she wanted you to have them. 
“Okay. I’ll be over later tonight.” 
You rushed your way into the contestant’s dressing room. Desperate to find Shelby to let her know the news. When you found her, she was staring blankly at herself at the mirror. Someone already told her.
“Shelby?” you say, you voice barely above a whisper. 
Her head immediately turns to you and she gets up from her seat, rushing towards you. Flinging herself into your arms, she buried her face into the crook of your neck. You could feel the tears fall upon your neck as your cheeks were stained with your own. 
“She can’t be gone.” Shelby sobbed out and you shut your eyes tight, shaking your head softly.
“But she is love...she’s gone.” 
“I got 31 calls from Becca that night. If I just-if I just answered one phone call. She could still be here right now. She’d be at home, practicing her bowling so she could kick me and Shelby’s ass when we got home.” you say, a small tear slipping down your cheeks.
“You can’t blame yourself. It’s not your fault.” Leah reassures you and you nod, swallowing to choke back the tears.
You take your hand and wipe off the tears that were falling, “I know. But I don’t blame Shelby either. I couldn’t, maybe this new me would, but the old me couldn’t. Her parents would have done anything to stop her from feeling that way. Her reputation would be shot. And in a small town like ours, that’s a death sentence.” 
“Is that why you want to save everyone?” she asks, finally understanding everything, “Because you couldn’t save Becca?”
You nod, “I can’t lose anyone else. Especially Shelby and you.” 
“What’s gonna happen when we get back to the real world? With us?” she asks you.
“I’m not the girl I was before I came here. I’ve learned that reputation and what other people of you doesn’t matter anymore. It’s not gonna matter in the long run. So I don’t want to leave your side.” you tell her, turning around to be face to face with her.
She cups your cheeks softly, “Baby, we live miles and miles away from each other.” 
“I don’t care. I don’t want to be apart from you. We could have our own little apartment with Shelby and Toni and probably Martha.” you suggest to her and she smiles widely, “Breakfasts every morning, but don’t ask Shelby to cook she’s shit at it.”
Leah laughs softly, “It’s okay I can cook. Double dates all the time, playing UNO with Martha. Lazy mornings, twisted in bedsheets.”
“Reading together in bed quietly before bed.” you add on and she smiles and nods.
“Our perfect life.” 
“Fuck you Y/N, you suck at cooking more than I do.” Shelby’s voice cuts in from her spot next to me. 
You and Leah both jump at her voice. Thinking that you two were the only ones awake. 
“Would we really all live with each other?” Toni asks, “I don’t want to hear Y/N and Leah go at it.” 
“Us? You two literally did it under a lychee tree not too far from here.” you say firing back at Toni’s snarky remark.
“You told her about that?” Toni asks, looking at her girlfriend incredulously.
Shelby looks down at her hands, smiling coyly, “Maybe.” she says drawing out the ‘e’. 
“I guess if Leah’s cooking, I’ll be fine.” Toni replies with a shrug.
“I’d love to move in with you guys too!” Martha says, “But only if Marcus could come. And we play UNO at least twice a week.” 
“Is everyone awake?” Leah asks, staring at all the girl.
A murmur of yes’s fill the previous silence. 
“I want to get out of my house, you know? My parents aren’t the greatest either. Maybe we could be next door neighbors!” Fatin suggests, “If any of the couples need privacy, you ladies could hop over next door.”
“I don’t think it’ll be much better with all the guys you’ll bring home.” you joke and Faitn flips you off with a smile on her face.
Dot nods in agreement, “That would be so fun! Pizza nights and watching trashy reality TV every night.” 
“Roomates?” Fatin asks, extending her hand out to Dot.
“Roomates.” 
“Do you guys mind adding two more roommates?” Rachel asks and Nora nods smiling.
“Of course.” Dot says with a smile.
“Yay neighbors!!” Shelby yells and all of us laugh softly.
Toni playfully rolls her eyes, “I’m not escaping any of you ever, huh?” 
“Nope!” the rest of you girls say in somewhat unison, laughing together.
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yostresswritinggirl · 4 years
Text
Scholars’ Chit Chat Prologue Submission
XXX
Cyno x Reader (Platonic, possibly romantic in the future)
*Lore dump warning
*Spoilers for all the Archon Quests and speculations of Teyvat
*Really it’s all serious talk
XXX
This is basically how you and Cyno met
XXX
The libraries of Sumeru are quiet, like how they’re suppose to be.
It is a new semester after all, the freshmen are still getting a grasp of the large campus, though Cyno does guess that soon enough they will be awed of this place.
Walking among the tall shelves, he tries to locate the section he had been researching on, but a voice calls out to him, breaking his concentration.
“Hey, you ever thought of why were you given a Vision?”
He turns to the source of the voice, only to see you there, sitting on top of one of the book shelves as your legs dangled from it.
“I would say that it is a question worth discovering with my entire life.”
“Huh, to think that you would answer so naturally… Wouldn’t one first ask who I am or ask why would I want to know that?”
“Because, first, I know who you are and second, those who come to this place seek knowledge.”
“Oh, so I had become the talk of school despite me being here for the first day?”
“Indeed, you were known as one who had declared to not take part in any sort of Mysticism studies yet aim to unveil the mysteries of this world. They called you naive yet you had earned the highest scholarship obtainable. It’s kind of hard to not let such news spread out.”
“Well, there are certainly advantages and disadvantages with this commotion, but that’s not my main focus anyways.”
“And may I ask what that would be?”
“To search for answers to fulfil my contract with the God of Wisdom.”
“Contract?”he questions, not capable of following your conversation, you slyly smiled at this.
“Unfortunately, this upcoming topic requires a fee to unlock~ I don’t mind sharing my findings to others, but when it comes to something as rare as words from an archon….”
“You get the idea, a price is required for everything after all.”
“…”
Cyno stared at you as if you were pulling his leg, but his reaction made you smirk even more.
“Oh, I won’t be asking for much, something like… Your name, perhaps?”
Suddenly realising that he hadn’t introduced himself yet and was reminded in such a playful matter, Cyno couldn’t help but let out an embarrassed chuckle.
“My apologies, I forgot to introduce myself. I’m Cyno, a pleasure to meet you.”
“Hmm… You know that one’s name is important, right? Names hold power, not necessary the one given by your parents but the one that defines your soul. There are quite a few stories mentioning that giving your name to someone is the same as giving a part of their soul to them.”
The male however lets out a laugh at your advice.
“Thanks for the warning, I’ll keep that on mind.”
“It was nothing, and to the end of my bargain, yes…’ you began as you jumped off the shelf, landing right in front of him. “Well, it’s more like a bet than a contract if I’m being honest.”
“Which is?”
“To find out the truth behind Khaen-riah’s fall, or more specifically, the reason behind the alchemist Gold’s fall, before I graduate.”
“?!”
The kingdom that had technology and Mysticism developed greatly even without an archon, then was destroyed five hundred years ago.
Not much is known about Khaen-riah, and yet...
Cyno, was shocked, no, shocked isn’t enough to describe how he’s feeling.
“That’s... nearly impossible, isn’t it? Just what sort of offer did he gave you to tip the scales-”
“If I succeeded, he would answer me anything I want to know about.”
“A-Anything?”
“That’s right~”
...
“What happens... If you fail?”
Everything comes with a price, as you had said.
“Then my life would be in his hands, for him to decide my fate.”
Despite only knowing you for not long, Cyno cannot believe what you had risked.
“Are you out of your mind?! What would you possibly want to know that you’re willing to-”
“To understand the laws of this world.” You answered one a simple matter.
“It has been so long that the human race had been existing and yet none of us came close in finding the truth of the world...”
“Or perhaps someone did, and they failed to tell anyone?”
“Even Khaen-riah itself is advance with Alchemy, history tells us that their greatest alchemist Gold fell and became quite a threat... But why...?”
“...”
“What I’m trying to say is that we’re too trusting towards the gods cause we’re told to do so since we were born, you know what I had learnt after being tricked once? Doubt everything when you first see it, question it’s existence and see if you can use another point of view to perceive it.”
“Why do you doubt the gods?”
“That’s because I believe in humanity’s wisdom. I believe that even without the gods, humanity can still take care of themselves as fine.”
“If you need to rely on someone else in order to live, then what’s the meaning of living in the first place?”
“This is... quite a lot...” Cyno mumbled.
“It is a lot to take in, I agree.” You nodded as you leaned against a shelf.
“Our senior Lisa left this place after mere two years and went to Mondstadt to be a librarian despite her being a genius the Academia hasn’t seen for 200 years... Is it because she saw something that nobody else realised?”
“So what you’re saying is... There’s more to the bigger picture?” Cyno guessed as you snapped your fingers. “Bingo.”
“But that being said, questioning the gods is the same thing as raging treason against this world... “ Cyno pointed out with worry. “Are you sure this is what you want?”
“Indeed, *I’m trying to understand the rules of this chess game, so that humanity, the supposed audience of this game gets the chance to participate in it.”
“And if we can win this chess game or not, is entirely up to our legacy...”
“You have too much belief in humanity... Or should I say you have no intention of losing in the first place?”Cyno predicted with a sigh.
“Hm, seeing that you’re being so interested in our bet, perhaps you would like to become my partner in crime?”
Hearing this, Cyno finally realised that he was tricked at the point when he answered your question about his Vision.
“So that was what you were going after for all along, huh?”
“Haha, yup~ I mean, our archon didn’t state anything about not able to team up with others, so why not?”
“Able to ask anything from the God of Wisdom himself, what else more can a scholar wish for?”
Cyno understand that your words are trying to lure him, but in truth, who can give up this opportunity?
“I mean, even if we fail, I’m the only one who would lose anything so it really sounds like a pretty good deal to me~”
“And would you mind me asking for a warrant from you for the time I would be spending on this?”Cyno requested, surprising you for a bit.
“Well, how about my name? You’ve heard about me but haven’t known that yet, correct? With a part of our souls in each other’s hands, no one can run off easily, don’t you think so?”
“Alright I accept the of your con-”
“It’s a promise, not a contract.”
Cyno pauses at your sudden seriousness, he then takes notice of the frown on your face.
“...”
“You want this partnership to be built on trust and not just a piece of paper?” He guessed.
You softly nodded, trying not to meet him in the eyes.
But there’s no way that he would accept that, you two only just met after all-
“Then I promise, that I will be your partner in crime upon this bet against the Dendro Archon.”
Wha-?!
Cyno offers you a small smile. “Everyone has their own reasons, I too wish that I can understand you better within these few years... That is if you wish, of course.”
I’m glad.
“Yeah, likewise, Cyno.”
“I also by offering my name, promise that we will find out the laws of this world and allow humanity to earn the chance to be a part of this chess game.”
“My name is-“
XXX
*The chess game is referencing The Feynman Lectures on Physics, it is also referenced from Honkai Impact 3rd (another game of MiHoYo) Honkai Quest event by the character Delta, it is possible that it works as well for the world of Teyvat.
(One way that's kind of a fun analogy to try to get some idea of what we're doing here to try to understand nature is to imagine that the gods are playing some great game like chess. Let's say a chess game. And you don't know the rules of the game, but you're allowed to look at the board from time to time, in a little corner, perhaps. And from these observations, you try to figure out what the rules are of the game, what [are] the rules of the pieces moving.
You might discover after a bit, for example, that when there's only one bishop around on the board, that the bishop maintains its color. Later on you might discover the law for the bishop is that it moves on a diagonal, which would explain the law that you understood before, that it maintains its color. And that would be analogous we discover one law and later find a deeper understanding of it.
Ah, then things can happen--everything's going good, you've got all the laws, it looks very good--and then all of a sudden some strange phenomenon occurs in some corner, so you begin to investigate that, to look for it. It's castling--something you didn't expect.)
And welp, Exiled, mind me adding this?
-To their future child(ren)
And this is how your parents met//slap
With the Gnosis shaped as chess pieces and with MiHoYo’s other games referencing this...
Well theories will be theories until they’re truly revealed.
Until then Snowdrop’s gonna freak out on what the heck I just wrote
There will be continuations... Just please don’t look forward to it... OwO
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Oh I do NOT mind AT ALL, Snowdrop. CONTINUE. This series looks so freakin cool and refreshing even!
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twoidiotwriters1 · 4 years
Text
Never give up (Diego Hargreeves x Fem! Reader)
A/N:  This is the second and final part of the previous one shot: Just One Chance , I hope you like it -Val
The requests are still open!
Words: 2,853
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"How could you betray me? I thought we were best friends," says Allison from her phone. I roll my eyes.
"It's not treason, it's just a date" I say walking towards my closet. "It's not a big deal, Al."
"Sure, because it's a good idea to date the guy who practically used you as a punching bag."
"Al, Diego has never hurt me physically, at least not on purpose ... not that way."
"Right, if he did, all my brothers would kill him," I nod, even though she can't see me.
I reach out my arm to take two dresses and put them on my bed.
“Hey, which dress should I wear? Blue or red?"
"It seems that you do have a lot of interest in your date..."
"I thought you were against it."
“Hey, it's not my fault. I remember when you were crying when Diego made fun of you, then you got over it and now you ask me for fashion advice for a date with him-"
I sigh as I sit back on the mattress.
"Do you think I should cancel?" I ask nervously.
Allison is right, although all of our fights were childish, I really thought Diego hated me, but when he explained everything –I don't know-
"I can't help you with that."
"Come on, Allison. Now I feel the betrayal."
“You're going out with my brother and even if I don't want to admit it, if he gets hurt, I'm also hurt. I love you, you know, but I also love my brother, Y/N."
“Okay, let's forget for a moment that we had those problems when we were kids. What if I'm wrong to give it a try? You know that I don't have luck with my relationships..."
"Hey, no, no, no, don't start with that. We've talked, they were the idiots, you're great and it's their lost. Enough doubts and insecurity, forget what I told you!" She remains silent for a few seconds. "I could say that red would highlights everything, but I know that blue dress you mentioned and I'm sure that you'll leave my brother breathless. I vote for blue." I smile a little. “Listen, like you said, it's just a date. And I know you very well, if you don't go, you will regret it."
I sigh.
"Thanks."
“It's nothing, sweetie. Don't forget to tell me how it went!" She says and then hangs up.
I stare at the blue dress.
"Please don't be a disaster" I implore.
***
Diego
"Do you want to review?"
I nod unable to stand still.
"Well, I hear you," says Vanya sitting from her bed.
"First I'll go for her and I must give compliments, avoiding mentioning her breasts or butt," I say quickly. "I'll take her to the restaurant that is two blocks from her house, we'll have dinner, we'll talk… I'll confess everything and hopefully she won't yell at me or kill me."
"Diego!" says Vanya scolding me.
"Can I say something?" Sissy asks sitting down next to my sister. "I don't think it's a good idea to plan a date like that."
"What?" I snap looking at the blonde.
"I'm not saying that you're doing things wrong," She says, trying to calm me down. "It's just that, I think it's better when you don't plan it and you're just yourself..."
The three of us remain silent for a few seconds.
"Honey," says Vanya, taking her hand. "We already tried that."
"That doesn't help me at all," I growl.
“Diego, relax. If she sees you tense or calculating, she'll think it's just a game," adds Sissy.
"It's not."
"Then just think that you're going to date a cute girl, if you want things to go well, you both have to be comfortable with each other."
I analyze her words.
"And breathe, please," Vanya adds.
"Ok," I stretch my arms, walk up to the mirror and adjust my jacket, making sure everything is in order. “I-I'm going out with a beautiful girl. A d-date,��� I nod in front of my reflection.
"You can do it, Kraken," says Vanya in a mocking tone making me laugh.
***
I ring the doorbell of her house, I wait a few minutes until I hear a "I'm coming" from inside. I step away from the door and breathe calmly again.
Don't rush, let everything flow.
She's the boss, keep an eye on the signs of affection.
Just relax.
The door opens and my breath catches at the sight of the most beautiful girl I've ever seen in my damn life.
"Hey," She says with a shy smile. I shake my head and smile at her too.
"Hey," I look at her blue dress -which looks spectacular- without stopping in some inappropriate place... for now. "You're beautiful, Angel." I say without thinking much about the little nickname, but I know it was the best decision since I see a slight blush on her cheeks.
"Thank you, you don't look bad either, Hargreeves," She closes the door, we both go down the stairs. "What's the plan, Knife boy?" I smile at the mention of the nickname from when I was a child.
“There's a good restaurant two blocks from here. We can go walking.”
"Sounds good."
We both walk in silence for a few seconds, until she giggles.
"What?" I ask with a nervous smile.
"Oh, it's just that... I'm so used to it– I thought you were going to make fun of my outfit or something."
"Well, sorry, I don't have material. You look beautiful and it's not that I'm an expert, but blue looks good on you,” I say scratching the back of my neck.
We soon reached the restaurant, where Vanya made reservations. Truth be told, I appreciate my sister's suggestion, this place is great for a first date.
After ordering our food I can see her in more detail while she's distracted, my heart races when I notice her playing with her hands, she constantly takes a strand of her loose hair and looks at all the decorations to avoid locking eyes with me. Is she as nervous as I am?
"You're good?" I ask.
She looks up at me.
"Yes, I am, it's just that ..." She shakes her head. "Forget it, it doesn't matter."
"Hey," I lean in and put my hand over hers. "If you feel uncomfortable, we can go somewhere else, no problem."
She tilts her head and frowns slightly.
"No, it's not that," She says moving her hand away. I also take away mine and fix my jacket. "This place is beautiful..." She looks at me. "Everything has turned out well in a short time, I don't know, I'm waiting for you to say nonsense, just... something hurtful."
Her words make me grimace. I can't blame her, I felt like an idiot for so many years, but even so, I'm trying my best, I haven't done anything wrong and she still thinks I'll hurt her.
"I won't," I say seriously. "But, if you expect something like that even after what I told you the other night, I don't understand why you agreed to this."
Maybe I'm willing to make a fool of myself in front of the girl I like, but I can't let my efforts be in vain. She tenses and leans in the chair.
"No, no! I didn't mean I- uhm" She stutters. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend you, you're right."
I sigh.
“Ok, let's promise something,” She looks at me carefully. “From now on, we will both be honest with each other. Let's forget tonight how stupid I was. I promise there will be no more games, or anything like that."
Y/N relaxes instead.
"Unless you want it," I add with a smile and she laughs.
"I promise to be honest with you, too."
The food arrives interrupting the conversation, but as soon as the waiter leaves, the tension is long gone.
"I can't believe I'm actually on a date with you," I say shyly.
“Trust me, me neither. My twelve-year-old self is over the moon,” She says.
I raise my eyebrows ."And what does your today self say about now?"
"She's still thinking things through."
The rest of the night we talk about what we've been up to lately. I told her about my boxing, some stories I had from when I help people -omitting some violent parts - the stupidest times I got arrested and she tells me about her life. She just finished law school and now works with a friend of hers, she tells me some funny cases, some sad cases, she also tells me the story of when her friend found out that she knew the guys from Umbrella Academy.
“I swear, she has all the action figures and some posters in her room. At first it was kind of adorable, but she's always asking me to introduce her."
"Is she hot?" I ask mockingly and she throws a grape at me, making me laugh. "Just kidding, just kidding!" I raise my hands in surrender.
"Can I ask you a question?"
"Shoot," I say nodding.
"Why did you wait until now to ask me out?"
I stir in my place, a little uncomfortable.
"It's ridiculous," I clear my throat. "But, since my break up with Eudora, I uh-" I look down until I feel her delicate hand on mine.
"You can tell me, Diego." I look at her and I feel the warmth of her hand, sighing.
“I see my brothers, Allison with Raymond, Vanya with Sissy, even Klaus has Dave. I uh- I've been thinking, lately, about my relationships, all a mess. Not that I'm comparing myself to my siblings -we both know I'm amazing- but, I-I don't know. I see them with their partners and I can't help but want something like that,” I scratch my face, right where I have a scar. “With Eudora, we had a lot of problems, we wanted different things. Then I met a girl, Lila..."
Y/N looks at me confused. My relationship with Lila is not known with my family, I think only Five knew her.
“It didn't work either, but the point is that, when I give myself moments to think about a future next to someone," I take courage to see her in the eyes. "You are always there."
I pray to God that it doesn't scare her away.
“When we were children, I didn't know how to act next to you,” She says shyly, “if someone said your name, I would get nervous and was afraid of making a fool of myself in front of you. So my best solution was to evade you. Then you started with the jokes and I thought you hated me, but to be honest, my feelings for you didn't change overnight. I remember when Allison comforted me, while I was crying thinking that I could never be with you."
Maybe if I can convince Five to travel back in time and tell my twelve-year-old self that he's being a jerk, everything would be better.
"I'm very sorry, the least I wanted or want is to hurt you, Y/N".
“I know,” She laughs slightly. “Now that I think about it, we were just kids, Diego. None of us knew how to handle our feelings. With time I gave up." She bites her lower lip and then smiles. "But apparently, you didn't."
"I don't give up so easily, Angel," She nods.
"I'm glad you didn't."
Quite cheesy, but I feel like there's a lot of movement in my stomach and it's not the food.
We decided to take a walk through a park close to the place.
"Diego," She says, and I stand in front of her. She looks away. "You have to know something, before anything happens..."
"You're married?" I try to joke, but her words actually scare me to death. Her laughter reassures me. I'm proud to be the cause of those.
"No, you idiot," She sighs. "You were honest when you told me about your relationships. I suppose I must be too," She fidgets. "I haven't had much luck either, my last boyfriends haven't been the best, they ended up... badly," She says with teary eyes. "I'm afraid that something like that will happen again."
My heart clenches and I just want to hug her, but I stop. I take her chin and slowly lift it.
"I don't know the whole story, but I can assure you that they're assholes," I whisper as I wipe a tear from her cheek. "Although, I'm glad they're not in my way."
"Diego-"
I cup her cheek.
“Y/N, I'd do anything to be by your side, to even hold your hand, listen to your day, kiss you... I've waited for years. I'm sorry, but if you agree to be with me, it'll be difficult to get rid of me later, no matter how many stories of ex-boyfriends you tell me."
"What if we end badly?"
"My brothers will be in charge of kicking my ass," is no joke and we know it.
"What if I'm the one who hurts you?"
"I guess Allison and Vanya can take care of your ass."
She laughs again and I join her.
"You really don't plan on giving up, do you?" Our faces are very close.
"No, ma'am," I say leaning down, about to kiss her.
"Not even if I tell you not to kiss me on the first date?" She walks away.
I freeze in my place and hear her laugh. I shake my head and look at her a little dazed.
"Is it a type of revenge?" I ask.
"Well, you once left me in the same spot when we were children."
I curse under my breath.
"Hey! In my defense that was Ben, he challenged me, trying to help me to confess what I felt for you, but in the end I chickened out," I say making a face.
She stands on her tiptoes and quickly kisses my cheek. I smile at her.
I'm sure my face is now that of an idiot in love and I don't care.
"What about kisses on the second date?"
She raises her eyebrows.
"I could consider it, but this time I choose what to do."
"Deal. Do you have something in mind?
"Maybe go to the gym where you can teach me some things about self defense..."
"Are you sure?"
"You offered yourself the night of the party!"
I nod.
"Whatever the lady wants."
"It's a date…"
___________________
 2 years later
"Klaus! You're already drunk and we haven't even started the game!” I complain.
"Don't be a spoilsport, Dieguito," He drawled as he sat in the opposite chair.
I roll my eyes and wait for my other siblings to arrive. This 'one night with board games' has become a tradition. At the beginning everything started well, but some don't know how to lose or even win, it always ends differently.
Luther arrives and sits next to Klaus to scold him again for being drunk, then Ben arrives along with Vanya and Sissy. After a few minutes, Raymond and Allison arrive.
"I hope you don't cry about losing this time, Y/N," says Five, Y/N walks in behind him.
“I've never cried. You're the one who always cheats!” She complains as she puts a bowl of chips on the table. She turns to see me pouting. "Right, D?"
She asks me sitting on my lap. I put my arm around her waist.
"He always does," I agree kissing her cheek. My brother looks at us with a sneer.
"Obviously your boyfriend's going to be on your side, brotherhood my ass," He complains.
"Don't be jealous, Five," I joke and he snorts.
"Well, we have to go over the rules," says Luther, drawing attention. "Five you can't flip the board again- Klaus put your glass away, the cards from the last time are still sticky..."
While he continues speaking, Y/N leans against my chest, I look down to see her.
"How do you think this will end?" She whispers.
"I say Ben will win, but Five will want to play again until he wins."
"Hmm..." She says, putting her hand on my shoulder. "I say Five will fight with Allison and it'll all be over before anyone can win."
"It's a bet?" She smiles and nods. "What does the winner get?"
"If I win, you should take me and Allison shopping," I groan. "But, if you win..." She leans close to my ear. "We won't leave the bedroom for a whole day."
I frown.
"Why wouldn't we go out?" She gives me one stern look and that's when I understand. “Oh! Yeah, okay." I smirk. "Deal, Angel," I say and then kiss her lips.
"Hey, you two!" shouts Ben in amusement. "We're going to start, so split up!"
We laugh. She turns a little to pay attention when Luther rolls the dice, I move close to her ear.
"I love you, Y/N."
She smiles at me and gives me a short kiss.
"I love you too, Diego."
Taglist (or somthing like that)
@gerim-1995​   @aymiron​  @white-wolf-buckaroo​​  @irenne-stans​​  @manchuria​​  @lindatreb​​  @alonewolfsblog​​
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gildedmuse · 4 years
Note
Law is still Shichibukai (for some reason) and meets with the others including Mihawk for government business or something. He learns he had a relationship with Zoro during the 2 years. Even though Law is in a relationship with him now Mihawk & Zoro never really ended theirs officially so Law gets jealous and competative
Right, I have to pass out. But here is part one of three of this magical tale.
Oh thank God someone else has thought of this because I think about this SO MUCH. Like, "what are you even doing with your life?" / "Oh, you know, mostly trying to set up a Mihawk/Zoro/Law love triangle." / "..... Just WHY?"
Because it'd be super hot that's why.
One dude whose super possessive, one who hates losing and one who's totally obvious to all that shit. are you kidding me? That was made for fanfic glory.
I don't know if I can do such a delicious thing justice in a "let's see if I remember how words work" post, but damn right I'll try it.
It's 2020. The world needs this you guys. And hopefully it inspires others to look deep within themselves and realize the Mihawk/Zoro/Law triangle was inside them all along.
To War Over You
"Why do I have to be here again? No offense, Torao, this whole thing sounds boring as hell."
Law closes his eyes and draws a deep breath; the best way to deal with any of the Strawhat crew if you didn't want it to end in bloodshed and a broken alliance. "Did you not understand the first three times I went over the situation, Zoro-ya? I don't know if I can explain it in any simpler terms without resorting to coloring books and grade school lessons."
It may have been a little snippy, but for as confidently as he struts down the hallways of the naval base just those side of Marie Joice, Law could never get use to having marines on either side, standing at every doorway, eyeing him suspiciously as they walk past him in the halls. He'd seen what these men would do given the orders or the chance, so despite how well he could hide behind a haughty mask and arrogant demeanor, Law can't help feeling once more like a frightened child on the run from these very same men.
He had fully expected to have to lead Zoro through the whole parade, tell him not to jump at the sight of every uniform (as is still, deep down, Law's immediately response) but the other swordsman comes off as almost entirely unaffected. He makes eye contact with passing marines as if daring them to question his presence or better yet try something. He doesn't even have a hand on his sword, a sure sign of the boy's nervousness. He walks next to Law, appearing utterly calm and unafraid and, well, bored.
It's giving Law a headache to be honest. Could one if the Strawhats even pretend to behave like normal pirates?
When Zoro's shoulder bumps against Law's he wonders, fleetingly, if this this is the part where Zoro finally admits how paranoid this whole scene leaves him.
They walk past a pair of marines like that, Zoro leaning into his shoulder practically hanging off Law, and neither men blinks an eye. In fact, they make a point of not even glancing up at the passing pirates, their conversation going quiet and their eyes locked to the floor until they've past. That's been the case more and more this visit; a complete change from the first time Law had been invited where even privates and ensigns felt confident enough to give him bad looks, expressions that clearly asked what one of his kind was doing there.
Zoro also waits until the heavy steps of the two marines are mostly out of earshot before he leans, somehow, even closer. Until Law can feel the boy's hot mouth up against his skin, heating the metal hoops in his ear. "I'm so sorry oh powerful warlord," Zoro teases because, since it really occured to him that Law is a Shichibukai - and apparently one the government is desperate to keep on their side - he couldn't seem to stop himself from mocking the title. If it were any other pirate, Law could have chopped them into parts and been done with it, but for whatever reason he allows the vice captain of the straw hats to get away with such insults. "I must have been distracted at the time."
Ah, yes. That's why.
Law ducks his head, as if attempting to hide a smirk as they go by another three marines - ensigns based on their uniforms and the way their eyes go wide before they scurry past. Ah, well, at worst they'll think he's planning something big, something illegal (which he is, though not for a while) though more than likely they'll just think that's how pirates are. Cocky and unafraid.
Law doesn't mind the reputation.
Of course, if they knew the real reason Trafalgar Law, pirate captain, worst generation, and Shichibukai looked so damn smug they probably would have hurried by all the faster.
Is it his fault that there is something so pleasing about taking a man with the reputation of Roronoa Zoro and having him on his knees and begging? Law can't help the spark of pride knowing that while most others couldn't even halt Zoro's steps were he determined to get by, Law could leave him sprawled out, exhausted, panting on the bed after being made to come a fourth time and yet in two hours he'd crawl into Law's lap, needy and impatient and wanting anything the older pirate would give him.
It's enough to make any man a little conceited. After all, how many can say they've reduced the pirate hunter to such a desperate state?
Law has every right to feel proud.
Still nearly climbing on top of Law even as they walked, Zoro takes the other man's ear in his mouth, tongue first warming the metal and then teeth pulling at the earrings. Law really should make him stop; they must have all sorts of surveillance inside the base. But he just can't find it in him to do more than find the most obvious of the recording snails stuck to the walls, offering it and whoever is lucky enough to be watching a cocky smile.
And because Zoro, like the most crew, doesn't seem to understand the idea of subtle, he follows the bite up with, "I guess having you fuck my mouth interests me more than some political bullshit. Hard paying attention to all this useless junk when your buried that deep in my throat."
It's not romantic. It's hardly even sexy. And yet even as Zoro slides back into his own space, Law can feel something in his gut start to tighten, to want. It had been such a mistake to bring the swordsman along, he should have known better.
Only he'd received a hint from a certain high ranking, unnamed inspector general that the navy knew he was harbouring at least some of the Straw hats on his ship (However did they find that out, Zoro-ya? Maybe if you didn't insist on fighting every battle ship you saw). He would still be expected to attend the meeting, of course, but if he did show up they would certainly search his ship for the pirates and, failing that, likely charge him all the same. Especially after they couldn't use the Doflamigo incident against him, in part thanks to Issho's very live, very unscripted broadcast.
It seemed obviously to Law that their best option is to claim these straw hats had made the decision to work under him (some more literally than others) which only left the matter of which one to bring, to show Law isn't afraid of their suspicious.
Robin could lie very well and would have easily been the best choice, except she was just as likely to stand in front of some of the top ranked marines and inform them that, in fact, she is still and will always be a Strawhat. And she'd say it with a smile. Franky... Well, no. Franky wouldn't last two minutes into an interrogation. Usopp could lie, but there's a chance he'd over do it, or simple break down at the sight of so many marines.
No, Zoro had been his best choice, which is a condemnation of his chooses really. He's just hoping the vice captain will be able to clentch his teeth and get through it.
As added incentive, Law made plenty of promises.... And threats. Depending, of course, on Zoro's ability to behave.
"What's the point of even calling you out here?" Zoro asks in an entirely casual tone, as if he hadn't just described sucking Law off. "Not like the government acts wants your opinion on anything."
Law has to admit Zoro's right, but after the near catastrophe at Dressrosa, Law is trying to play ball. If they haven't expelled him yet it's because they need something from him, and Law is determined to find out what. "Just do as I tell you and don't make a scene," Law says, knowing those two instructions are impossible for any strawhat to follow, perhaps especially this one. "So long as you don't-"
Suddenly, Law is no longer looking at Zoro but at the plain walls of the military base. Confused, he looks back to see Zoro has come to a stop in the middle of the hall. There is a dangerous grin pulling at his lips, one that Law would definitely be afraid of of he hadn't seen it so many times right before Zoro swallowed him whole. Now it just makes him lose his breath a little too fast, the heat in his gut pours through the rest of him, becoming something he can't control.
Expect Zoro isn't looking his way at all.
"Hawkeye," Zoro says simply, and while his voice is harsh his expression certainly isn't. "I forgot they still recognize you as a Shichibukai. When I defeat you then, do I get that title as well?"
Law jerks to look back so abruptly he feels a little sick, but sure enough there he is; fellow Shichibukai and world's greatest swordsman. A title that Law knows Zoro coverts, perhaps explaining the gleam in his eyes as he stares down the other swordsman. Though Law would have expected it to hold more.... Hostility. Instead, despite the seriousness of his tone and the challenge in his eyes, Zoro's lips keep twitching, unable to completely hide the a smile.
He's probably just happy to get this chance at a rematch. Not that Law is about to let that happen in the middle of a marine base. Zoro may be less than cautious and driven by his heart rather than solid reason, but he isn't that crazy.
.... Is he?
"Roronoa," Mihawk greets him formally and, again, his voice even and devoid of humour, and yet the older Shichibukai does nothing to hide his smile. "How strange to see the rabbit has wandered so far from its burrow."
Zoro wrinkles his nose before deciding to go for something slight more intimidating. "I told you not to call me that." He might try and pass it off as a growl, but honestly he sounds like a pouting child. It's cute, in a way.
In the way that it would have been cute, if it had been for Law.
Mihawk's smirk grows more amused, more cocky at Zoro's reply. "I seem to recall you didn't mind at times." Mihawk's long strides eat up the room between him and Zoro in a matter of seconds, and before Law even thought to be on guard the older man is leaning down, whispering something for only Zoro to hear.
Law may not know what exactly is said, but he recognizes the flush in the other boy's cheeks, the way his eyes go wide before falling half closed as he rocks, almost consciously, up onto his toes and closer to the one teasing him.
It's a state he's enjoyed putting the swordsman in in the past, one he's never had to witness as a third party.
When Mihawk has finished, Zoro is just a touch too pink and too breathless for Law's comfort. But it's the smirk on the older swordsman's lips when he pulls away that makes Law clench his fist and bite doesn't hard. If they weren't at this base, he's fairly certain nothing, not even his intelligence or will to survive, could stop him from casting a room and cutting Mihawk's heart out. At the least.
It's only after Mihawk has had his fun with Zoro that he looks up, his sharp golden eyes falling on Law. Law can only remember one other time the master swordsman has graced him with so much as a vague consideration; when he'd first arrived here, a newly appointed warlord. Mihawk had merely regarded him with nothing more than a passing glance before declaring he had more important things to attend to and making a swift, unapologetic exit.
Now, though, his eyes seem to study Law like he's preforming a dissection, seeing parts of him that Law would have thought impossible to see.
"Trafalgar," Mihawk uses the same even tone as he had with Zoro, only lacking in any signs of warmth as he had with Zoro. "I see you decided to join us after all." Before Law can point out that he could hardly deny the summon he had been sent, Mihawk's eyes are back on Zoro. "Am I to believe the rumours of you abandoning your captain are true then, Roronoa?"
Before Zoro can ruin their cover (Law can see it in his face and feel the aura around him, this refusal to deny his captain) Law is quick to leap in. "Zoro-ya is under me now, if that is what you're asking," Law snaps, perhaps with more bite than is necessary. And if his words can be taken more than one way, well, that's really up to the listener to decide. "Otherwise, why would I entrust him to accompany me to this summit?"
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thisdreamplace · 3 years
Note
Can you help me please? I'm crying so hard right now, and feel like I have no one to vent to. So, I sent something about my SP recently. You said I should turn the focus to myself and so I did. Thing is I was feeling overwhelmed, and quite sad because uncertainty about how my SP was doing was killing me, especially because he said he was not feeling well. I clearly couldn't focus because I still am in that state of abandonment and uncertainty.
It has triggered many of my past traumas. I'm doing efforts to uplift myself everytime I need it, but yesterday I couldn't stop crying because of him, so I texted him asking if he was okay, he didn't answer obviously. Today I have been so anxious, and 3D is showing me so many happy couples, some of them are people I had the chance to date before my SP. All of them moved on so quickly and easily from me (that's how it makes me feel) and it feels so painful how it seems so easy for others and I don't know how to make it easy for myself. I wish I could also be over someone and immediately replace them.
Whenever I turn the focus to myself, I have feelings of wanting to drop my SP, which is not what I truly want. I want him to be with me. But I feel like dropping him would be so freeing and easy for my own health. At this point after begging for answers I feel very humilliated. I wish he could've at least tell me to stop bothering him. I want to move out of my country and start all over, tbh. Like if you saw that chat, you'd feel pity for me. I have had people acting with me how I am acting right now, and always thought: "wow, how desperate" and now I am the desperate one. But I didn't do it because I wanted attention, I kinda just wanted to tell him that I'm worried.
How can I deal with the uncertainty of this ghosting thing and stop putting the blame on myself (myself as a human, I am aware that I caused this through my consciousness) and my worth? Also, how to not hate him in the process? Because the more I uplift myself, the more I push myself towards isolation. It's like I am uplifting myself and at the same time isolating OMG that's exactly how I have been feeling. Like I don't want anyone to come close to me. I go on extreme hermit mode. I may need a psychologist 🤦‍♀️
Ps. I may have seemed very negative, but I actually feel like something beautiful will come out of the current situation I am going through. I know I will have grown in so many ways, and it makes me excited to see myself after all this. I just need to organize my mess. 💕
This ask really touched me. There's a part of me that has felt the exact way that you have felt, many times on this journey. Like truly, down to the every last word you shared. So in that way I want to say you are not alone in this. And it's okay how you're feeling.
This is really heavy, because it's one of those weird moments where you're being called to take even more responsibility for your life... when all you really want to do is break down and cry and know that person is in your life. So, it's best to just cry it out. Let every little thought come up and show itself. Let yourself feel that pain. It's okay. Things come up to the surface so they can be released. So that love can make more way into your life.
I know how it feels to feel so upset with yourself, because you want to move on easily like the rest of the world seems to do. Because other people seem to forget others so easily, and then there's you who can't give up that feeling of wanting to be with that person. That is seriously one of the heaviest feelings. I think it doesn't help that in this world, we are often met with so many ways to judge ourselves harshly. Especially when it comes to love. Like there's so many dating rules and silly games that are encouraged. Even in the manifestation world, there's tons of people who put down sp manifestations. And of course, as you said, you think people would pity you for the way your messages look. You admitted you've even pitied people. But here's the thing. The truth is, I wouldn't think lowly of you if I saw your chat. I wouldn't think you're a person who is so desperate. Because I know how this reality works. No one is out there ignoring you or ghosting you, it's merely a reflection of your inner world. No one ever wants to hurt you on their own. They are just reflecting your inner world. That's all. And I wouldn't shame you for wanting to be with that one specific person. Your desires a promise. Wanting that person is no different than someone who wants a specific job, or a specific house, or anything else specific. It's not right that we think love is something to look down upon, so I won't support that ideology. All of our desires are perfect and all of our desires are perfect for us. They're for us. Your ego may argue, but your Godself knows this is the pure truth.
Here's the thing. I know it's scary to focus on yourself. Truly, I get it fully. You said you feel as though you want to drop him entirely and that's okay. If your desires are a promise, what do you have to lose? Think about it seriously. He's not going anywhere. He's waiting on you! This goes for any desire. Has latching on so tightly helped you up to this point? Sometimes we have to be real with ourselves in this way. What do you have to lose anymore? Your desires are waiting on you to allow them in! And how do you do this? You focus on yourself more. No, this doesn't mean you can never think of him. Just make sure you're the priority. And I think I should explain this better. We're so alike it seems haha Because when you say how the more you focus on yourself, the more you want to shut yourself out. omg I have been in that state so many times. Where I just feel like becoming more closed off from the world. But see, that isn't the kind of focus I am meaning. This isn't about lifting yourself up in an egotistical way. It's the ego who's telling you to hide from the world. It's fear based. When I speak of uplifting yourself it's more about how you begin to build confidence and trust in yourself. Like in these moments, you're trusting this is all working out in your favor somehow. Even though you have no idea how that could be, you're trusting it's working perfectly. Your desires are a done deal. I see that you're already doing that, as you ended your ask mentioning it. So see? You're literally already on the right track!
Start practicing choosing love for yourself more often as well. Most of what you said is truly just judgments on yourself. When we come to the law, we are being asked to practice seeing life through the eye's of God (aka through the eyes of unconditional love). And that includes in how we see ourselves. If our desire is God given, there's nothing wrong with it or you at all. Everything is truly perfect.
Something that has helped me is building trust in myself but also in my desires. Because I know how this world is me pushed out. So therefore, the more I build trust in myself and in my desires, I am only building more and more trust in myself. It's really helped my confidence. Because my desires are just me anyway. I am trusting that my desires are mine. I trust in them. I trust that they will make their way to me, because I am meant for them. Speaking of everyone is you pushed out, I understand it's really difficult and heavy. But try to see your sp doing well. You don't need 3D validation to know how he's doing. You can see him doing well in your mind's eye, as consciousness is the only reality in the first place. The truth is, you have got to practice self-validation more. You don't need him to text you to know that he's in love with you and that he's safe. You get to decide that. You don't need the 3D to validate you, to become validated in how your desires are yours. You seriously get to decide that for yourself. You can validate yourself, right now. The very fact we desire something, is validation it's ours already.
I hope you find this helpful and I hope you begin feeling better soon! Not sure if you ever tried it, but Dylan James' suggestion to do a few 10 minutes meditations during the day as well as a to-do list are truly so helpful. To help you re-stabilize and get back on track when you're ready to. There's really nothing wrong with take some days off to cry and just let it all out when you need to. When you feel ready to get refocused, you'll be coming back stronger than ever. 💖
#sp
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vin-taege · 5 years
Text
low expectations | 3
summary: after disappearing for six years to pursue law, you come back to Seoul, only to be hired by Jeon Jungkook, tattoo artist on the rise, and your high school ex
genre: angst, eventual smut, l2e2l (lovers to enemies [kinda?] to lovers)
pairing: tattoo artist!jungkook x lawyer!reader
words: 3k+
note: i am back
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"Mmm holy shit, I missed bread," You stared at Taehyung, who was shamelessly stuffing croissant after croissant in his face. Jimin sipped his latte awkwardly. Jungkook was back in his usual reserved state, silent, though visibly disturbed by Taehyung's lack of table etiquette. The whole table was captivated by the tattoo artist's seemingly never ending appetite, and at this point, Jungkook began to regret letting him borrow his credit card. Namjoon was first to break the silence. 
"So," he cleared his throat. "We came up with a list of possible suspects. The cocaine packet we found was already sent to a facility for DNA testing.”
"It's not exactly a list. More like one person," you got the case file out your bag. What back then was a thin folder filled with a singular page was now filled with paperclips and slightly dishevelled pages - the fruit of your research with Namjoon. You took the picture you printed out of the Gwangju rapper and put it beside a recent picture of Jung. "Don't these two conveniently look alike?" 
Jungkook leaned in to get a closer look, eyes straining to grasp any familiar features he could pick up from the low quality print. Suddenly, Yoongi jolted up, snatching the picture from the table. "How did you get this?"
"You know him?"
"Yeah, it's Hoseok. He went under the name 'J-Hope' back then until he just disappeared."
Taehyung hacked back a cough, a huge chunk of bread lodging itself in his throat. Jimin thumped him worriedly on the back, waving the rest of you off to ignore them. You continued questioning Yoongi." Joon, write this down. Can you elaborate on that?"
"I went against him back then Gyeongsangnam."
"He sucked ass."
"No, I mean, what happened after? Did you notice anything interesting about him? Something out of place?"
"Oh, well... From what I recall, he does look awfully a lot like Minho. Almost the same person. It's weird because they have the same last name too."
Namjoon shared a wary look with you. "Changing identities is very common for people in the illegal drugs industry. I'll get someone from the firm to run a background check on him."
You nodded. "Anything else?"
"I remember the police coming to raid the place. You know how there are some underground rapping contests? Ours was really underground. No ads, only word of mouth. You have to know someone there to get in. So we knew someone must've fucked up real bad for the police to get involved."
That's why you couldn't find any musical records or history on him. Namjoon was typing away at his laptop, seemingly getting the same idea.
"To be fair, nothing we did was illegal. The competition, the prize money, all legal. But that wasn't the problem. The problem was they caught Hoseok possessing marijuana. They shut everything down and took him with them. Never seen him ever since."
Everyone went silent again - even Taehyung ceased his coughing. Namjoon finished typing, readjusting his glasses." What year did that happen?"
"Somewhere in 2013. I think it was in April?"
"You mean to say,"  Jimin spoke up. "This Hoseok guy coincidentally disappeared six months before Soliloqy opened?”
Your jaw dropped, Namjoon mirroring your shocked expression. The tattoo artists looked at you in confusion, not getting what the big fuss was about. You lightly backhanded Namjoon on the chest, “Our theory’s plausible.”
“What theory?” Jungkook cut in. He wasn’t too worried about the case at first, but now that there were mentions of underground drug deals, he felt a bigger threat lurking around in the shadows. He just wants to be left alone - doesn’t want to lose the shop he risked everything for. 
“Hoseok and Minho are the same guy. We don’t have enough evidence to prove this, but we’ll continue to dig into it. The drugs, the blurry photos, Minho rarely seen outside and when he is, he’s always wearing a mask - these all scream fishy to me,” you paused to slide the pictures back into the folder, returning it into your bag. 
Taehyung slurped noisily on his iced tea. “This is some Scoobydoo shit.” He tapped his fork on his plate, confused to be met with the clinking of silverware. Bread crumbs and smears of strawberry jam greeted him, making him pout. Tugging Jungkook’s sleeve, he pointed his fork at his empty plate. “I’m all out.”
“Jesus Christ,” Jungkook rolled his eyes. He dug his credit card out his wallet for the nth time and placed it on Taehyung’s side. The older boy looked expectantly at him. “Well?”
“Can’t you buy it for me?”
“Oh my god-”
“I’ll buy it for you,” you smiled endearingly at Taehyung. He grinned back at you, a mischievous glint in his eyes. Jungkook stilled, an unreadable expression on his face. Without waiting for him to respond, you stood up, leaving the table and stood in line at the counter. 
To your surprise, Jungkook followed after you, taking his place behind you in line. “You don’t have to. He’s already spent over 30 000 won on pastries, and it’s only been two hours.”
“Oh come on, you’re acting as if we weren’t close back in high school,” you froze, realizing how wrong your words might have sounded. Back then, you could read him like an open book. Knew exactly what would set him up, where his boundaries were. But now, it was like walking on eggshells around him. 
“Yeah,” he mumbled, cheeks pink. “Maybe I should cut you some slack,” he said more to himself than to you.
"Yeah," you mimicked him. "Maybe you should."
"Seriously. I appreciate it. I appreciate you taking the case even after what happened between us back then," But the thing is, you didn't know it was him in the first place. It was unfair for him to think so highly of you. You knew you didn't deserve his kind words. Jungkook didn't change a bit - he was still shit at holding grudges. 
°°°
6 years ago
"Where are you?" Jungkook sobbed into the phone. Taehyung peered at him worriedly from the living room. The walls of his small dorm were thin, and Jungkook's side of the conversation was enough for him to piece together what you two were arguing about. "You promised."
"Tell her I'll come with you," he said, after a minute of silence. "I'll even work for her. I'll take the job offer she gave me. Please don't leave me."
He was so close to tearing his hair out. It's been a week since he last talked to you - you've been ignoring his calls and texts, Taehyung didn't know where you were, or if he did, he wasn't telling, and even your father hadn't been responding to him. And now you finally emerge from wherever the hell you've hidden in, telling him you were set to go to college in the States. 
"The job offer's gone, Kook. You're too late. My mom already booked the ticket, paid for my tuition. I can't turn back now," You were packing your bags back in Daegu. Taehyung's family was nice enough to let you stay for a few days until you were ready to go. Taehyung, along with your father, had explained your situation to them, and they were more than willing to help - though hesitant at first since they were also close to Jungkook. 
"Why are you hiding from me? Just tell me where you are. At least talk to me properly, please  ___," He kept walking in circles around the room, thinking of anything he could do. He felt so utterly helpless, sick to his stomach. "Please."
"At least tell me where you are!" He shouted into the phone. His mind was in a frenzy. Taking his wallet, he paid Taehyung no attention and ran out of the apartment, wearing only a t-shirt and jeans to protect him from the cold.
Taehyung ran after him, stopping him just before he could get into the subway. His phone was still in his hands, though you had already stopped talking on the other line. You brought the phone speaker away from your mouth, trying your best to muffle your sobs. He was still on the other and, yelling, pleading, begging to know where you were. At the back of your mind, your mother's words still echoed.
"You have no future with him, ___. He has nothing. No proper ambitions, no practicality, no sense of reality. He is weighing you down. If he wants to waste his potential, then that's on him. But he is not going to do the same to my daughter."
Taehyung was holding him back, trying to convince him to go back to his dorm. In the end, he dragged Jungkook back into the warmth of his room. The call was still ongoing, both ends of the line going silent until you finally ended it - along with your two-year relationship.
°°°
"So we're friends again?" you gave him a lopsided grin, offering your hand out to him. Guilt squeezed your heart. 
"Yeah," he looked away for a moment, pretending to be interested in the menu. He brought his hands together, twiddling his thumbs, before murmuring. "I missed you, ___."
When you came back, Taehyung kept staring at you, a suggestive smile on his face. You brushed him off, praying Jungkook didn't notice it too. The older boy traded - rather, forced to trade - seats with Namjoon, in favor of sitting next to you. A fresh plate of pastries sat in front of him, though his interest was on you alone. 
"I see you and Jungkookie are finally getting along," he whispered the moment Jungkook was distracted by Namjoon's relentless questioning. 
You rolled your eyes, elbowing him. "We're back to being friends. I'm just glad things aren't that awkward anymore."
"Took you a while to get off your high horse," he muttered, though his tone was playful. You still didn't get how he seemingly manages to brush everything under the rug. 
°°°
6 years ago
"___, you're hurting him," Taehyung hissed, keeping his voice low to not wake Jungkook up. He took a cautious glance around the place, sensing the younger boy was still asleep. "I didn't sign up for this. You told me you were only going away for four years. Why the fuck aren't you coming back?"
"I will come back," It was midnight. You were supposed to be sleeping. Instead, you were standing in the middle of the Kims' strawberry farm. Everything reminded you of Jungkook - his love for strawberries, his fascination with nature. Above you, the moon gazed upon the earth, accompanied by millions of blinking stars. And somewhere under that same moon, was the boyfriend you neglected.
"I just need a few years. Law school is not that easy, Tae. And I just can't go straight back there after I graduate. I need to work, I need to at least make a name for myself."
"I understand you don't want to disappoint your parents. I really do. What did you think I felt knowing my brother and my sister were aiming to be an engineer and a doctor, while I was going to take on a fucking arts course?" he took a deep breathe, forcing himself to calm down. "I know Jungkook doesn't have the most conventional dream out there, but at least explain everything to him. I can't see him hurting anymore."
"I did explain everything. "
"Telling him you were going abroad after ignoring him for one whole week isn't explaining, ___!"
"He won't understand! I'm only going to hurt him more," you ran a hand through your hair, the knotted mess getting pushed back. "I'll call him again by the time I'm in America."
"You better. I know I helped you because you were my friend, but he's my friend too. He's my best friend. And let me tell you, he is feeling depressed, ___. Your boyfriend is hurting because of you. At least be aware of that," Without another word, Taehyung ended the call.
You stared at the endless fields of strawberries and trees in front of you. Some of the leaves were already starting to brown in preparation for autumn. Not that you'll still be in Korea by the time it comes.
°°°
"So, what made you change your mind about her?” Taehyung was hunched over the arcade game, eyes stuck on whichever character he was beating to a pulp. The three of them were closing up shop. Jimin was still tidying up the customer lounge, while Jungkook and Taehyung waited for him in the employee room. Jungkook was on the other side, concentrating on designing a tattoo commission. 
“What do you mean?” he didn’t spare the older boy a glance. He was getting frustrated with this particular design. He had already gone through half a stack of paper just trying to get it right, and none of the sketches he has done so far looked right. 
“I mean-” he paused, letting out a grunt when he lost a round. “The first time you saw her again, you wouldn’t even talk to her. And before that, you wouldn’t even talk about her.”
“She’s our lawyer now. Of course I have to talk to her.”
“No, what I’m saying is- ah shit!” he slammed his hand onto the side of the machine. “Why the fuck won’t I jump? What the fuck?!”
“As I was saying,” he continued after putting in another token. “Yeah, she’s our lawyer and we have to be cooperative for obvious reasons. But I don’t know, you were different at the cafe. First of all, you bought me some food - which you never do.”
“Rarely do,” Jungkook corrected, pencil continuing to scrape on the paper. 
“Same thing. And you were giving her all these soft looks. Like a puppy or something.”
“I was?” Jungkook’s eyes widened, abruptly halting his sketching process. Taehyung had his full attention now. “Was I really, Tae? Honestly? If I was, do you think she noticed?”
“Maybe. I dunno. She looked really focused on the evidence folder and shit. But yeah, anyone could tell you missed her just by seeing the way you look at her. It’s kinda like the way you used to look at her back when you two were...” Taehyung never finished the sentence. Instead, the sound effects from the arcade game filled the room. Taehyung knew just how far he could touch that area, and not once did he cross the line; he still didn’t know if it was safe or not.
“You can’t keep hating her forever.”
“I don’t hate her.”
“Well then, you can’t keep holding a grudge against her. I know what she did to you was utterly hurtful. I was there to witness shit hitting the fan. But you know, you’re bad at holding grudges. Especially against someone who was a big part of your life. I’m not saying you still love her. I’m just saying, you can’t...” After what felt like an eternity, Taehyng pulled out a chair and sat beside him. “You can’t pretend like you’re not getting affected by any of this. You get me?”
The older boy sighed, grabbing Jungkook by the wrist to stop him from sketching. “If you stopped living in total denial, you would realize that you’ve stopped designing the tattoo, and instead, have been sketching her for the past 15 minutes.”
Jungkook straightened up in his chair, getting a better look at the paper. There, in fact, was a messy, but distinguishable sketch of your face. Before he could react, a brown paper bag was plopped onto the papers. 
“I re-heated some grilled cheese and double-locked the back door. We’re good to go,” Jimin leaned one of the chairs next to Jungkook. He bunched up the papers and shoved them into his bag before Jimin could see. 
“We’re good to go,” he repeated.
The night was cold. There were only a few people in the streets, illuminated by the scattered lamp lights. The streets were damp - they didn’t even notice it rained. They walked in silence, both boys sensing the younger one’s dread. Not because he hated you, but because he didn’t know what to feel anymore. 
“It’s gonna be okay kid,” Jimin wrapped an inked arm around him. “You just need some closure, that’s all. Talk to her and see how it goes. If it turns out good, then it’s good. If it turns out bad, I have a friend over at the Naughty Bunny who can get us inside without having to wait in line.”
Jungkook chuckled, thinking about all the times Jimin came to work with a pounding headache and love bites all over his neck. He shook his head, “Thanks for the offer hyung, but I have to pass. ___ might call for an emergency meeting and-”
He stopped abruptly, making the boys halt. Taehyung made a move to speak, but Jungkook waved him off, signalling for him to keep quiet. The older boys looked at each other in confusion. In the distance, just beneath the shadows of an alley next to Soliloquy, a tall figure hunched in front of the brick wall, fumbling with something in his hands. It was too dark to see, but Jungkook was sure it was him.
Without warning, he bolted towards the man, Jimin and Taehyung running after him. The figure took a second before noticing him, but by the time he went to run, he was already cornered. Jungkook grabbed him by the collar, slamming him against the wall. 
“Yah! Don’t run off like that you brat!” Jimin started scolding him. He didn’t even notice Taehyung tugging on his sleeve, muttering his name.
“Hyung. Hyung. Jimin. Jimin hyung. Jiminie.”
“What?” he asked, annoyed. Taehyung pointed at the boy in Jungkook’s hands, his eyes terrified, pupils blown out in such a way he knew he wasn’t sober. His hand hung limply, sluggishly trying to get Jungkook off him. There was the man himself - their greatest rival. “Son of a bitch-”
“Yah, Jung Minho, ” Jungkook said. “We have to talk.”
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sockablock · 4 years
Link
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Chapter 12: The Petals on Her Brow
“No.”
“But—”
“No. Close your eyes.”
“This is boring! Do I really have to—”
“Yes.”
“But—"
“Yes. You do. I will not tell you twice.”
— — —
Back in the cabin, Team Regular People had set up camp in the living room.
Only about an hour had passed since breakfast, but in that time, they’d already managed to turn the couches into literary chaos. On the coffee table, stacks of atlases and maps had been supplemented—then supplanted—by the hundreds of pages of chemistry notes that Nott was supposed to be preparing for the summer semester. Jester similarly had strewn all her summer homework onto the carpet. Fjord was half-slouched in an armchair buried nose-deep in a tome titled The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, looking for all the world like would rather throw himself into the ocean than keep reading.
And as those three languished in the rigors of academia, Caleb, Beau, and Caduceus were sitting at the kitchen table, hunting for Yasha’s mystery flower. So far, they had already eliminated almost everything growing in Eastern Europe, though Caleb had been convinced for a while that the flower was liverwort.
“Its name is ‘Leberblümchen’ in German,” he said. “We used to see it in our garden.”
Beau stared critically at the page, then turned to examine Yasha’s drawing. “Your thing isn’t pointy enough,” she said. “And it doesn’t have enough of those…stringy things in the middle.”
“Liverwort is usually blue, too,” Caduceus said. “Sorry, Mister Caleb.”
He sighed. “It is fine, perhaps we should move farther south.”
Beau pulled over another book and started flipping through the pages. “Do you miss being home?” she asked idly. “I know you haven’t been back there in a while.”
She mentally kicked herself when she noticed Caleb’s smile turn melancholy.
“Oh, fuck, I didn’t mean to remind you—”
He shook his head. “No, no, it is alright, Beauregard. I do miss it, of course. In many parts. Your beer in America is piss poor, for example.”
She immediately rolled her eyes. “Yeah, you say that all the time.”
“It’s a sticking point. Oh, and your trains are very bad—”
“Ugh, I know—”
“—and none of your restaurants know what eggs and soldiers is.”
“No one knows what the hell that is.”
“I don’t,” Caduceus piped up. “What is that?”
“It is a soft egg eaten with little strips of toast. It is the only way to eat toast,” Caleb said wistfully.
“It sounds like you haven’t been back in a while.” Caduceus dipped his head. “It must be difficult, being so far from your family like that.”
“Ah.” Caleb’s expression changed. It was subtle, but the softness in his eyes went still. “That is…I do not have family there, anymore.”
“Oh, I—Caleb, I’m sorry—”
He raised his hand. “It is alright, Caduceus. You did not know. It is not, ah….”
“He doesn’t go around advertising it,” Beau said.
“Well,” Caleb huffed, though not at all angrily, “that is certainly one way to put it. And…yes, to elaborate a little more, since the rest of these people already know, I…some time ago, something happened back home and I decided to leave. It…was not an easy choice, but inevitable, I think, in some ways. And while I do miss Germany, as I said, being here, with my friends, has helped me quite a lot. I am…I find that when I say ‘I’m okay,’ lately, I mean that more and more.”
“You should’ve seen him before,” Beau grinned. “He had such a stick shoved up his ass he could barely smile—though, uh, I guess that’s not surprising since—”
She shut her mouth. She opened it.
“I’m going to go back to staring at flowers now.”
Caleb snorted. He slid another book across the table. “Here, try this one,” he said. “Plants of Italy. If it is not in here, we switch to the Americas.”
She took it. “Thanks. Here’s hoping.”
“Let’s go for another thirty minutes,” Caduceus said. “Don’t forget, it’s important to stretch and take breaks.”
— — —
“Seriously, if you don’t let me, I’ll die.”
“You will not.”
“I will. I swear, I will. I have to take a break. Ten minutes. Five minutes! Sixty seconds, at least, or I drop dead.”
From her perch on the large grey boulder that lay at the edge of the woods behind the cabin, Yasha opened one eye and saw that Mollymauk was already lying down.
He’d rolled off his log and was even in the grass. She frowned. “You are not even trying.”
“I tried, but none of this makes any sense! Sit still and try to ‘feel myself’?” He made air quotes. “Yasha, dear, if that’s what you really wanted, I definitely would not be sitting still.”
He waggled his eyebrows. She ignored him.
“Controlling your energy instinctive,” she said instead. “It is tied to our ability to see and read auras. But because you do not know how to do either, I am doing my best to explain it to you. This is the only way I know how. You are really not taking this seriously.”
“You think I’m not taking this seriously?” He scoffed. “Do you really think I would put myself through any of this if I didn’t think I had to? Need I remind you that my family was attacked by those crazy bikers as well?”
“What? They are not your family,” she blinked. “We were your family. But you left us when you fell.”
He made a show of dramatic incredulity. “Then I also need to remind you, dear, that I haven’t the faintest idea what that means. I’ve got amnesia, remember? Accidental hellfire and devilish charms aside, I really am not a demon. Not culturally.”
She frowned. “Culturally?”
“And I’d really prefer not to dwell on it,” he continued. “As far as I’m concerned, as soon as I get this ‘aura’ nonsense under control, I’m going to go home and get back to living an extraordinary, charmed, non-demonic life.”
Her frown took on a confused note. “But…you are a demon. That is that.”
“No, no, you’re not getting it, Yasha.” He rolled over and looked her in the eye. “Listen to me. Whoever had this body before, maybe, maybe that person could’ve been a demon. But whoever that was, they weren’t me. They were just some stupid asshole who got buried in the earth for, for—I don’t know. Frankly, I don’t even care. Because it’s no concern of mine.”
“Er…buried?”
“Long story,” he shrugged. “Not important. What is important is that the person you see now, that person is me—Mollymauk Tealeaf. Fortune-teller, sword-spinner, lover of…well, lover. You aren’t going to get anywhere until you at least understand that. Alright?”
He rolled back over, crossed his arms on his chest.
“Besides, it seems as if—at least, from the context clues that I’ve pulled together myself—you’re missing a few memories too, aren’t you, Angel? Maybe you should try reinvention.”
Yasha was silent a moment. Eventually, “But I still know who I am. I did not lose that.”
“A pity.”
“It is…no, it is not a pity. It means I still have a purpose. And a past.”
Molly scoffed. “A past isn’t worth bragging about. The present, though, now the present is something.”
She titled her head. “Er…meaning?”
He waved a hand. “Well—well, okay, for example, can you honestly tell me that you aren’t enjoying what you have right now? In this cute little cabin? I still happen to be offended that you don’t think the carnival is my family, but you seem to have found one of your own, too. These people, here, and their delicious pancakes.”
“W—yes, the pancakes are good, but—"
“And those tiny little blueberries, delicious!” he sighed. “I haven’t had berries that sweet since…who knows?”
“You…like sweet things?” Yasha blinked. “Wait, go back, what was it that you said about family?”
“Oh, so you do care that you upset me?”
“I did?”
“Of course you did! My god, The Fletching and Moondrop might not’ve been the most functional of units, it might not’ve been the most traditional, but I certainly cared about them a lot. They found me when I had nothing, was no one. They gave me a home. They took care of me. They were my whole world, and trying to deny me that is basically like—it’s spitting in my face!”
Her gaze drifted downward. “I did not know. I am sorry.”
“Oh, cheer up, cheer up!” He scrambled upright. “You didn’t know, it’s alright, Yasha. God, have I just made an angel feel guilty? Isn’t it supposed to be your job to do that?”
Her brow furrowed. “I have been trying to do my job for two hours. I am supposed to teach you. You do not listen.”
“Because that’s boring. Sitting still is no fun.”
“I explained it already, Mollymauk. You are not just sitting still, you are centering yourself to connect with the world’s energy, then turning it inward—”
“Oh, I know! Why don’t I teach you, instead?”
She stopped. Her brow furrowed. “You…what?”
“Let me teach you something!” He clapped his hands together, eyes shining with glee. “Come on, come on, what do you say? It can be anything you like! Tarot reading!”
“No, what—”
“Alright, alright, it’s not for everyone, okay…how about sword spinning?”
She frowned. “Why would you do that?”
He rolled his eyes. “Why not? It’s flashy, exciting, and you can show off your skills! What, think won’t don’t have the dexterity for it?”
Something in Yasha bristled. “I am good with swords.”
“Then prove it! I’ll go back into the house right now and fetch the glass ones, then—"
The fog cleared; she caught on. “Wait, wait. If you go in, I am sure that you will not come back out.”
He laughed, completely unashamed. “Fine, fine, how about…oh! Why don’t I teach you to make flower crowns?”
She immediately opened her mouth in protest, but for some reason, somewhere along the line, the response that came out was a semi-choked, “Huh?”
“Flower crowns!” He grinned again, sensing weakness. “Come on, it’s great if you like flowers. Don’t tell me you don’t have those in Heaven.”
“I…it is called Elys—of course we have flowers.”
“Perfect! Do you have a favorite kind?” He leaned forward. “C’mon, I promise it’ll be quick, and then I’ll absolutely pay attention to the energy stuff. Just ten minutes! Only ten.”
She wanted to argue again. She knew she had to, it was her duty, her responsibility to tell him no way, to pick him up and throw him over her shoulder and sit him up straight and threaten him until he listened…
But what she said was:
“…fine. Ten minutes, and then we start again.”
“Yes!”
— — —
“Do you think he’d look good with pink instead?” Jester let a strand of Caleb’s hair fall from her hand and back onto his shoulders. “Caduceus could probably help, too. Couldn’t you, Caddy?”
“Sure I could.”
“I don’t know,” Nott rubbed her chin. “I mean, pink, don’t get me wrong, it’s a great color—”
“Thank you.”
“—but close to the original. If we’re going to do a dye job, it should be wild.”
Caleb counted to ten. “The ‘if’ in your statement should sound more hypothetical,” he said.
“Well, it’s only if you want it, Caleb. But you know, you’d look really cool with dyed hair!” Jester gushed. “How about a streak? Like Fjord? To be stylish?”
“I’m glad you think I’m stylish,” Fjord called from his armchair, Conventions now draped across his face. “But you know I didn’t do this on purpose.”
“Right, right—”
“What, really?” Nott glanced at him. “What happened? Don’t tell me it was a prank someone pulled.”
“Why?” he grunted. “Upset you didn’t do it first?”
“Yes! Of course I am!”
He sighed, and tugged the book off his face. He ran a hand through his short black hair and found the shock of white streaking through it.
“I got it in the accident. With the shipping company, remember? That whole thing with the engine malfunction. Big storm, boat went down, but, uh, I got rescued.”
“Yeah,” said Nott, immediately relenting. “I…remember. You nearly drowned.”
“Yeah, well,” he shrugged. “I noticed this grey streak after leaving the hospital. So…either a nurse used some real strong hair dye, or…I dunno, maybe it was from the stress?”
Jester very quickly reached over and squeezed his hand.
He gave a tiny smile. “It’s alright, it’s been a while since it happened. And you know, thanks to all the bad press they got after, they had to do something for me. So…it balanced out.”
“They sent you to college,” said Caduceus, remembering. “The scholarship?”
“Yeah. And an offer to work for them again after I graduate.”
“Hell no!” screeched Nott. “Are you kidding me? After everything that happened, do they really expect you to work for them again? Or even to go out on the water?”
“I dunno,” he shrugged, “I really liked sailing, I…I miss it sometimes, actually. But I probably shouldn’t go back to them, that’s true.”
“What was the name of the company?” she demanded. “I’m going to leave them terrible reviews.”
“I don’t think you can do that for corporations.”
“Just give me a name, Fjord, it’ll make me feel better, if not you.”
He sighed and put his book back on his head. “U.K. Toa Shipping Industries. Have fun.”
“U.K.?” Caleb gently tugged himself free. “It is British?”
Fjord was quiet for a moment. “Huh,” he said. “You know, I don’t actually know. I always assumed so, but I guess I never asked.”
“That’s it,” Caduceus suddenly said.
They all turned.
“That’s what, Caddy?” Jester said.
“Fjord’s accent,” he grinned. He sounded incredibly satisfied. “You’re British now, aren’t you? I knew there was something different.”
A pause. Then:
“Oh my god, I completely forgot—”
“Nott—”
“That’s right! You did do that, Fjord—”
“Jester, I’m begging—”
“You told me you were Texan,” Caduceus nodded. “You talked all…twangy, before. In freshman year.”
“He did, didn’t he?” Nott all but beamed.
“I want to die,” Fjord moaned. “I want to die, it was—it wasn’t a phase, but…oh god…” He sunk down even lower in his chair.
“It’s a sweet reason,” Jester said supportively. “Real sweet.”
“Really?”
“Yeah! Fjord, can I tell him?” she asked.
He vaguely waved his hand and Jester removed his book to tap him on the nose.
“Well, you see, Fjord did it partially ‘cause he was going to America and he didn’t want to stick out as the British kid. But he also did it because he wanted to remember his old captain. Vandren.”
“He was Texan,” Fjord mumbled. “And it wasn’t just, you know, remembering by itself, it was also…I dunno, I wanted to emulate him. He was…he had this way of commanding a room that just…you know.” He shifted awkwardly. “I…I wasn’t the…most confident person, before. When I was younger, especially. But putting on a mask, pretending to be Vandren, it…helped. Especially since nobody knew me here.”
Caduceus hummed his understanding, and nodded.
“What changed?”
Fjord’s cheeks colored. “Well…you know. After a while, I realized it was…pretending to be Vandren was preventing anyone from knowing me. The mask was comfortable, but it wasn’t…true.”
Caduceus smiled. “Jester was right. That is very sweet. I’m happy for you. And this accent isn’t bad.”
Fjord chuckled. “Thank you,” he tipped his book like a hat. “That is—thank you kindly, partner.”
“It’s tragic that you decided to be genuine,” Nott sighed, leaning back into a cushion. “Your southern accent was way hotter—”
“I got it!”
This outburst came from Beau, who had ended her break early to resume the search. Fjord all but threw himself out of the living room in pursuit of this new distraction.
“What?” he asked, sliding into the kitchen. “Is it a match?”
“Fuck yeah it is, look! Everyone, look!”
The rest trailed in behind him and gathered around Beau, who was practically vibrating.
“Trientalis borealis! The starflower!” she yelled. “Here it is—” she slapped Yasha’s drawing onto a page displaying a faded photo. “It’s a perfect match, seven pointed petals, a lot of yellow stringy stuff in the middle. And it’s tiny. Half an inch wide.”
“The starflower is one of the more common spring wildflowers native to eastern North America,” Caleb read, sitting down in the chair next to her. “The species name borealis refers to being from the north, although this plant is also distributed in the Midwest and the higher elevations of the southern Appalachian Mountains. Depending on latitude and altitude, starflowers generally bloom from mid to late spring into early summer.”
He leaned back, and gave Beau an amazed look. “You are right, this photo is exactly the same. You…you did it, Beauregard, that is…incredible.”
She punched the air. “Now who’s the king of nerds?! Wait, gross…”
— — —
“—little longer, you just need a second color. Something, hm…maybe blue. Or yellow. Preference?”
“P—what? Oh, uh…either is fine.”
Yasha and Molly had drifted away from their makeshift stools and into the forest, coming through the grass for summer blooms. Molly was flitting from flowerbed to flowerbed, plucking up stems and laughing when bumblebees had to spiral out of his way. Yasha had taken to sitting below a tree trunk, moving as little as angelically possible, so as to not disturb her crown.
Molly had placed it atop her head, and she could feel the petals on her brow. They were purple wildflowers. They were soft.
Yasha was always surprised by just how soft flowers could get—after all, they had to live outside all the time and there was so much danger, so much weather, it was a miracle they could grow at all. Still, it made her nervous to touch flowers; she was worried that her big, calloused hands would break them, maybe damage or ruin them somehow—
“Don’t be silly, love. You could never do such a thing.”
Yasha flinched, startled. “What?”
“Er…I just asked if you liked these,” Molly frowned. He’d flopped back down beside her and was showing off a hand of pudgy yellow blossoms. “Are you alright, dear?”
“Oh, er…yes. I am fine.” She blinked, and that whispered voice was gone. A second later, she wasn’t sure if it’d been there at all.
“In that case, look, look, what do you think?” He held the flowers up to the sun. “Nice, right?”
Yasha felt her face soften. A tiny smile crept into the corners of her mou—
“Hey, where’d they go? Yasha? Mollymauk? Where are you guys?!”
“I think I see them, through there—"
“Uh-oh.” Molly turned to Yasha and grinned. “I think we’ve been made.”
She groaned, and shut her eyes.
— — —
“—you understand how important this is?! We told you what the stakes were, I can’t believe you were picking flowers!”
“Hey! Why does everyone think I don’t understand anything? And anyway, Yasha was with me the whole time—”
“Oh, right, pin it on her, you asshole—”
“Fuck you, I��m not pinning anything on anyone—”
“Hey, hey, okay, calm down,” Fjord stepped between them and raised his hands. “Whoa, déjà-vu. Anyway, let’s just relax. Please?”
“She’s accusing me for no reason,” Molly said, hackles lowered but still with a bite.
“And he’s slacking off,” Beau glared.
“Yasha did say they agreed to take the break together,” Fjord reminded her. “And it’s the first day. It’ll take time to perfect the, uh, formula, right, Yasha?”
The three of them turned to look at Yasha, who was standing back with the rest of their friends, wearing an expression of absolute discomfort.
“Er…er…yes, right,” she said clumsily. “We just got…carried away.” She gave Beau a nervous nod. “Sorry.”
This was enough to soothe Beau’s foul mood. She sighed. “I don’t blame you, Yasha, I blame that one.” She jabbed a halfhearted thumb at Molly.
“Hey!”
“Just let her have this,” Fjord said.
“It’s not your fault,” Beau continued, ignoring them. “And—ugh, I hate being the bigger person—I get it. It’ll take time. You need breaks. I’m…sorry I freaked out.”
“Thank—” Molly began.
“Not you.”
“Well, It was worth a try.”
Yasha seemed more than relieved by Beau’s words. “You do not need to be sorry either, but thank you. And I will be more, ah, better next time.”
“Next time,” Molly grumbled. “Well, as long as she isn’t there, next time.”
“That is right,” Yasha tilted her head. “Beauregard, why did you come outside?”
From the back, Jester grinned. “Oh, Yasha, it’s so exciting!”
“That’s right!” Beau’s face lit up immediately, her annoyance at Molly all but melting away. “Guess what?”
“Er…what?”
She whipped out a book, small and bound with a soft green cover.
“I found it. Your flower.”
Yasha’s eyes widened. “You—what? You did? Where is it? What is it called?”
Her grin widened as she turned the pages. “It’s the Trientalis borealis, let me show you the picture—"
“Tren…” Yasha frowned in concentration. “The…three-foot…no, one-third—”
Beau actually laughed, then flipped the book around, pointing to a small picture beneath text. “Its common name’s ‘starflower.’ Sound familiar?”
“Star…flower.” Yasha hesitated. “That sounds…I’m not sure…”
“It would be ‘ʢƾʯɬƺƛᵿɿʑʖɕʚɬ,’ I think—” Caduceus said.
“Yeah?” Beau asked hopefully.
Yasha nodded. Her frown had vanished, and now she was staring at the book, nearly frozen, glued to the image of a little white flower. “…starflower,” she murmured. “ʢƾʯɬƺƛᵿɿʑʖɕʚɬ. You found it.”
“Hell, yes!” cheered Nott from between the others.
Yasha managed to tear her gaze away and this time, it fell on Beauregard.
“Thank you,” she breathed. “You…found it. Thank you.”
Beau’s cheeks flushed. She forced herself to stay still. “Oh, well, you know, it was…it…nothing.”
She did not resist as Yasha took the book, moving it closer to get a better look. “No, it is everything,” she said. “You did it.”
“Well—fuck, I mean, you know,” she scratched her neck and looked down, “I told you I would.”
“And you did. Thank you.”
“Now that she has found the flower,” Caleb cut in, both to Beau’s relief and disappointment, “we can start narrowing down a region. In fact, we already know from this book that the starflower is endemic to the United States.”
Yasha patiently waited for him to elaborate.
“That is, it grows near us. It is common on the east and west coasts, and is usually found in the early summer.”
He stepped forward, and with Yasha’s permission, flipped the page and showed her a map. Much of the US and Canada were blue.
She traced this with a finger. “Wait, then…does that mean I might have been in Iothia this whole time? Or right next to it?”
“That remains to be seen. It depends on how big Iothia is,” Caleb said. “And of course, again, exactly where it is. But we can use this map, and the geographical features we know, to compile a list of locations that would give you the most likely areas of Iothia.”
He gave Yasha a satisfied nod. “You are well on your way to going home, Engel.”
Her gaze fell back to the book. She turned the page to look at the flower.
Its name is ‘starflower.’ Isn’t that funny?
“Wha—why is that funny?” she said out loud.
“Hm?” Caleb cocked his head. “Why is what funny?”
She frowned. “The…name of the flower, I think. Or the…stars?”
“Actually, I was thinking that too,” Nott said. “Since, you know, you fell from the sky, right? And I guess these little flowers did too!”
Beau groaned. “So, this whole time, we were looking for a pun?”
“I think that’s irony, actually—” Fjord began.
Yasha blinked.
—and that whispered voice was gone…
When she looked up again, everyone was staring at her.
“Are you okay?” Jester asked. “You…is everything alright?”
—a second later, she wasn’t sure if it’d been there at all—
She shook her head, then realized that looked like a negative and managed to produce a weird, swooping nod.
“I am very happy,” she said quickly. “I am just…it is just a lot to take in. The flower. This…memory, it was…something important.”
Caduceus smiled. “Then it gets to be important again. This time, it’ll help you find your way home.”
Seven little petals. Bright like a star. Tiny enough to fit in someone’s hand.
She passed the open book back to Beau. She noticed Beau’s hand brush the flower.
“I…you are right,” she said, half to herself. “I think it will.”
“We all will,” Beau grinned.
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