#like I'm not looking for high engagement it just sucks to hear people won't give something a try if it's not already popular

[piipaw]

Genuine question: when you read fic what is like the most important thing for you to actually click on something and decide to read it?

I got a little sad seeing on twt that I guess a popular thing is to look at the comments/kudos:word count ratio (which I personally think is bullshit) where as I focus on the tags?

Like I'll give something a chance even if it has low/no kudos or comments so long as it's not in 2nd person POV and over 800 words.

[imagines-by-a-typical-fangirl]

Good Girl, Bad Boy (Pt. 01 of 15)

Pairing: Billy Hargrove X Reader

Word count: 2 K

Summary: You're the extreme opposite of Billy Hargrove. The good girl, with perfect grades, the child every mother wants to have. And you don't want to have nothing to do with his kind. Ignoring Billy – and his constant, lingering stare – became an habit. But after you're put together for a special school program, you'll have no choice but to get along with him. And soon enough you'll find out that Billy is so much more than just Hawkins' bad boy.

Next part (02) ->

{Stranger Things Masterlist}

{Dacre Montgomery Masterlist}

×

Keychain

You hate Billy Hargrove.

But it's nothing personal. You just don't get along with his kind. Most girls find it so appealing, the guy who doesn't give a damn about anything, does whatever he wants, not caring about anyone else. And you get the idea, but this is not your thing.

You don't really think about him. Well, you try not to. Because everyday, the moment you set foot in school it's almost impossible not to hear some type of gossip involving Billy. Who slept with him. Who didn't sleep with him. You're not the one to pay attention to those things, they don't affect you in any way.

But there's one thing you wish you could just shake away, like dusting off your clothes. Ever since last year, when Billy came to Hawkins and stepped out of his Camaro, the guy has his eyes set on you.

The reason you don't know. He came to talk to you twice, on the same week he got here, but after you ignored him, he kept a distance. But the staring continued. And now, in senior year, life had to turn things around once more. Mrs Martinez, one of your teachers and head of some programs to help the students, decided to include you this year. Because you have the best grades in basically all the classes. And Billy is one of the worst students they have.

So your mission is to pair up with him for every project and possible tests and quizzes, so, hopefully, he won't have to go through senior year of High School again.

As much as you'd like to help someone get this done, you really wish it wasn't Billy. But, after chatting with Mrs Martinez and accepting to join the program, you find Nancy by her locker, leaning against it and rolling your eyes.

“Why do I get this feeling something is going on?” She says, closing the locker.

“Guess who I'll be helping on Improvement Program.” Holding your Math book close to your chest, you start walking side by side with her.

“By how bothered you seem, there's only one option.” Nancy knows everything about you. You've been best friends since you were kids, and there's nothing you keep from her. So yes, she has been listening about your complaints on Billy's lingering stare ever since they began.

“There are like twenty other people who suck. Why does it have to be him?” As you speak, Jonathan joins you, but you don't mind. You trust him.

“You could at least ask why the staring,” Jonathan adds, holding Nancy's hand.

“I already told you. He stares because he knows you're someone he can't get.” Nancy shrugs her shoulders, keeping her voice low. “It only got worse after you and Steve dated.”

“That was last year. And it lasted for like two months. It's not like it was a big deal.” You and Harrington got pretty close some time ago, and since the friendship was good and you were both single, you tried to engage in a romantic relationship. It didn't click, so the break up was mutual, and you're still very good friends.

“Yeah, but if you haven't noticed, Billy hates Steve. And Steve hates him.”

“Steve hates Billy because the moment he came here, King Steve lost his crown.” Rolling your eyes, you sigh, linking arms with Nancy. “And Billy hates Steve because–”

“He didn't have anything against Steve until the word got out about your relationship with him,” Jonathan speaks up again, exchanging a glance with you. “I'm quite the observer, so it was pretty clear to me.”

“Mmm.” Muttering, you shake your head lightly. “Look, it doesn't matter. I'll do this, I'll try to help him and if he doesn't want to be helped, he can do things his way and be kept back.” When you reach your classroom, you stop and wave at both of them. “But I will be free from High School once and for all this summer. This much I can assure you.” Turning your back at them, you walk in, taking your usual place on the front roll.

The class goes on as it usually does, but now, you're aware of Billy, seated on the back, probably not giving a damn about this very difficult lesson. Sighing, you run a hand through your hair before telling yourself to focus. This is just something you have to do, no big deal.

Thankfully, this is the last period and you're free to go home. But not before talking to Billy. You wish there could be some formal announcement so you wouldn't have to do this, but here you are, fixing the strap of your bag on your shoulder as you walk over his car. He's with a girl, Stacy, leaning against the hood, checking his wristwatch. Taking a deep breath, you walk around the Camaro, and he's quick to notice your presence.

“Billy Hargrove.” You speak up, giving Stacy a glance. You don't really talk to her, so there's no reason for formalities. “Can I talk to you for a second?”

Stacy chuckles, a mean smile on her face. “What the hell would a girl like you have to talk to Billy?” She asks with a hand on her hip.

Billy gives her a stare, quick and rude, before turning his attention back at you. He seems... Surprised. And of course he is. You never speak to him. “Sure.”

Handing him over the papers, you sigh. “It's the Improvement Program. They paired us up.”

“Huh.” He mumbles, eyes quickly going through the paper.

“I'll check the upcoming projects and make you a calendar so we can keep up with everything.” You do know every project by heart, but you don't want to tell him that now. Not while Stacy is looking at you like you somehow set below her. She's in the program too, set up with some other girl, so, in this scenario, she's the one below you. “Bye.” With that, you turn around and leave.

“Of course they'd set you up with her. She's a nerd.” Stacy says, and you wonder if she's keeping her voice that loud on purpose.

“She's not a nerd. She's freaking intelligent.” Billy snaps back, and you almost halt, completely taken aback by how he... Defended you? Nonsense. He's probably just mad at her, so he'll take any chance he has to annoy her.

Walking through the parking lot among the students, you wave at Steve as he drives by, high-fiving him in the air, even despite the distance. Nancy's car is across the lot, and it means you have to move through a small sea of people.

“(Y/N)!” The mention of your name makes you turn around, stopping on your tracks. You see Billy coming your way, walking fast. “Do you...” He starts, but only continues when he's close enough not to be heard by anyone else. And, God, the guy is tall. You have no choice but to raise your head a bit to look at him. “Do you need a ride home?”

What? Furrowing your eyebrows, it takes a while for you to even process what he's saying. “Mmm... No. I came with Nancy, so she's dropping me home.” Gesturing at where her car is, you give a step back. “Don't you have to take Stacy home or something?”

“No, I don't.” Some people walk by, and Billy gives them a look.

“Ok... But thanks, anyway. I gotta go.” Slowly, you start moving again, waving before rushing to Nancy's car and sitting shotgun. You still have hopes she didn't see anything, but by the way she stares at you, refusing to start the car and get going, you know she saw it. “What, Nancy?”

“Oh, nothing.” Shrugging her shoulders, she turns the ignition. “I'll patiently wait until you tell me what Billy Hargrove just spoke to you.” Maneuvering the car, she starts moving.

“He just offered me a ride home.” Keeping your voice as boring as you can, you buckle up, throwing your bag on the backseat.

“What the hell?”

“What the hell indeed. Who knows what goes through Billy's head? He could be just trying to make Stacy jealous or something.”

“Maybe.” She adds, making a turn left. Nancy doesn't know much about Billy, just as much as you do. Only what you hear about him, the gossips. Everything else is a mystery.

Billy couldn't stand Stacy anymore as she went on about something he didn't care about. His mind was claimed by something else, someone else, so far different from the girl sitting next to him. He tried not to think about (Y/N), as usual. It's a hard task since they go to the same school and attend the same classes. But he was somehow succeeding until today.

When he was forced to participate in this stupid Improvement thing, he never thought he'd be paired up with her. This thought never crossed his mind, because if it did, he'd be the one to ask to participate in the first place, and maybe go as far as to ask them to sign her up to help him.

“Right?” Stacy asks, and Billy mumbles in agreement, a hand hanging out the window.

Biting his lip, Billy steps on in, wanting to drop Stacy home as fast as possible and be done with it.

He curses himself for thinking about (Y/N). She's not the type of girl he should like. Or the type of girl who would be interested in him, as she made clear last year.

(Y/N) is just so damn good. It makes sense she doesn't want anything to do with him. He's no match for her. He's no match for her good grades, good manners, politeness, purity, kindness.

The thought makes him laugh, giving the review mirror a glance. If only he could stick to that and keep the hell away from her.

“Billy?” Stacy raises her voice, and he eyes her, annoyed. “Are you even listening?”

“No.” He barks, eyes on the road.

“Whatever. Just–”

“I can't go out with you on Saturday.” Billy decides way too quickly, making a sharp turn left. He just can't stand her anymore.

“What? Why?”

“Because I don't want to, damn it. Are you dumb?” Raising his voice, Billy runs a hand this his hair. His sudden outburst serves as one more reason for the already long list of why girls like (Y/N) are more than right to keep a distance.

Although, he'd never treat her like that. Yelling at (Y/N), right at that pretty face? Blushing cheeks and cheery lipgloss? He couldn't.

“What the hell is wrong with you?”

He thanks the heavens for finally reaching Stacy's house. The girl doesn't say anything else before stepping out, and he doesn't wait half a second to speed away.

Not even the loud music helps this time, and Billy feels stupid. Guys don't get to do that, have someone in their head, floating like a goddamn ghost. And a guy like him? Never sleep alone guy, who always has a different girl at his disposal whenever he needs it? It's not supposed to happen.

When he gets home, turning the music off and letting the car die, Billy takes a deep breath. Neil's car is here, he's home.

His house is a nightmare whenever his father is in it, and (Y/N) is the closest thing he has to a dream. So for a while, he'll keep her in mind, just to help ease the pain.

• • •

Billy has a hand behind his head and her keychain in the other. As he stares at the ceiling above his bed, he remembers the day he saw it falling from her bag last year. He had it forgotten in the back of a drawer, but today, as bitter, unwelcomed tears insisted on rolling down his hot, bruised cheek after a fight with Neil, he furiously looked for it.

It's a simple thing, a daisy. But somehow, holding the cold metal in his hand, he feels... Relieved? Less lonely? Billy Hargrove knows he should throw this stupid thing away, and focus on the many girls he can get. Beautiful, hot girls who can't wait until he makes a move. It would take only a call, and he'd have a pretty girl to help him forget Neil's ugly face, someone he could put all his stress on.

But nobody is as pretty as her.

He suddenly felt like a creep, thinking about (Y/N) for so long, so intensely. He wonders, just for a second, if there was a chance, as small as it could be, that she'd be thinking about him too.

Of course she isn't. Girls like (Y/N), sweet and kind, don't waste time thinking about stupid guys like himself. Sighing, Billy turns to his side, eyes closing, keychain in hand. Hopefully, he'll dream of her.

×

@multific @clockworkballerina @tina1938 @graciehams @moatsnow

[softer-ua]

in regards to what you pointed out a few posts ago, ngl one of my least favorite fandom things is when they make Kaminari the Har Har Stupid Joking ADHD Bi Playboy Who Is Never Serious Trope. like, he's very smart, 'worst in ___ area of a UA course' is very impressive and I don't remember if it even said that or just that he was studying with some other students, worried about his grades overall, calls himself stupid with implied insecurities about it, and didn't think he was very smart compared to the other people in the course. quirk overuse makes him loopy, incoherent, and think everything's funny. and yeah, he's a bit of a flirt and made a few perverted comments and actions that he clearly didn't think through that well. I'm pretty sure he's not ever stated to be bi in the manga because it was written by a coward, so I think people should think more about why they're associating and pairing together the idea of "hot flirty playboy who if legally able would sleep with everyone he meets" with emphasis or joke in the captions of whatever the content is on him being bi. I don't think this is inherently bad, even put together, but the execution feels kind of :/ and shallow. and I mainly just wish they'd pause to consider if there's any reason (subconscious or intentional) why one of those makes them think about the other, and at the very least lean back to see if they're blatantly making those traits centric around each other and tweak how they're showing them a little. Part of this is also because it's basically his fanon sexuality, but then they stick together "oh he's bi and everyone thinks that" and "he's made flirty or perverted comments and actions in canon at some point" and then mentally exaggerate and have this Canon Image of him as *waves hand at above* and I don't think that's happening consciously in most cases but. again. Cookiecutter Bi Party Playboy Who's Made a Date Offer to Everyone In The Building. not a flirty Person or a Playboy who is bi and flirts with more than one genders

I myself headcanon him as adhd and while the exact sexuality depends on my mood I think of/have him as bi in a lot of my content, but it's the same thing with why non adhd people see how he acts and label "adhd!" Especially about comprehension speed and derpy acting and intelligence and attention span jokes/tropes. Again, not bad in and of itself, but the specific parts of his behavior that make them think he's adhd, or that they start making jokes about or Ha Ha ADHD'ing, or that they think is why we project ADHD on him, (which they aren't necessarily wrong about, but like right in a really disrespectful look at how funny this is oh look squirrel way that's only funny when adhd people are doing it and it isn't all mocking like that) when they see other people calling him adhd, are the wrong ones, I think, and it shows in their characterization of him.

I'm not saying that any of those traits are bad in a character, but as a queer adhd girl with very high annual test scores and Gifted Kid Intelligence but extremely poor grades, focus, and brain damage (admittedly nothing like his, it was a longterm passive thing that mainly just made me have a Lot of Really Bad headaches, and closest thing it did to me was make me sluggish and emotional on bad days and also techincally have the potential kill my language bit if left untreated or the surgery messed up, which it didn't, and it won't be a problem again. but even after explaining that it wasn't cancer or any sort of tumor, and after seeing it do very little at all to affect my behavior outside of irritability and performance, because y'know, constant migraines, gone after the surgery but this was before that, Certain People I Was Vaguely Kind Of Acquaintances With started to treat my like I was a fragile glass thing going to to drop dead and revive myself speaking like a comic relief cartoon crazy person at any moment which was. patronizing.) I've since had surgery for, the way the fandom combines them into stereotypes and portrays them really just rubs me the wrong way- "Flirty Bi(tm) Playboy" "Har Har ADHD Can't Focus Or Get Things After They're Explained To Him, He's Still Confused And An Idiot" "Stupid Person With Brain Damage Who Can't Take Care Of Or Think For Themself And Acts Stupid And Funny For People To Laugh At" which tbh is super ableist even and especially when people irl do fit that description, and also reminds me of the Autistic Person Freaking Out And Being Dramatic sense of humor. And I know it's not helped by canon, because it done for comic relief and to limit his powers, but explored more I think it as a limitation could have been used way more interestingly than canon did and also call me biased but that quirk induced brain frying sounds at least as concerning as Izuku's quirk's backlash.

And it's a shame!! Because he's so much more interesting than that! Instead, the fandom gives me the Cookicutter Funny Bi ADHD Flirt Who's An Idiot and I am sad about it.

tbh it reminds me of what happened to percy jackson, esp with the ADHD Idiot Trope thing. which sucks because apparently it originated in the author making up stories around characters like his adhd and dyslexic kid inspired by Greek myths to tell him after running out of actual myths because it was his special interest and he wanted more. and then the series got kind of all over the place and the fandom processed that the adhd and dyslexic main character who does dumb things sometimes but is very combat smart and great at strategizing and leading gets bad grades and has trouble focusing and has, y'know, adhd, and made him the ADHD Idiot and erased his Gifted Kid girl friend's traits and ADHD and dyslexia into No Nonsense Calls Him an Idiot And Thinks He's Stupid And Has To Tell Him What To Do And Manage His Life For Him and honestly that just kind of sucks and it reminds me of what happened to fandom Kaminari. and now that I think of it people have jirou like that around him a lot too.

im fine with you answering this publicly if you want or have something to add but probably tag as ableism and maybe a biphobia mention content warning for people who don't have the energy to deal with thinking about those kinds of negative things rn because I kind of Went Off About It

I love this! Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts and experiences 💚(and double thank you for tag suggestions)💚

I couldn’t agree more that a lot of fandom has messed up Kami’s character, which is why I’ve kinda been posting more about him cause he’s just stuck in my head.

I think a lot of fandoms have trouble with characters like this, people have a hard time with duality in characters and fast/fun posts are easier to make if you flatten a character down.

The did it to Kami, they did it to Percy, they did it to Ron Weasley, they do it to Thor, the list goes on. If being the Smart One ™️ isn’t your thing and you can be goofy than you get pigeonholed into the idiot trope.

I feel for Kami a lot(probably because I have adhd/brain damage too)

It sucks when you’re smart but it’s not the traditional, measurable kind of smart(even if by national comparison Kami technically is).

I got terrible grades growing up, and I pretty much got the absolute lowest gpa you can get and still graduate. But absolutely no one would have known if I didn’t tell them, because I’m not dumb.

(It’s okay if you are “dumb”, I love me a head empty just vibes friend. You’re 100% valid, stil worthy of joining discussions, and should be listened to and taken seriously. This just isn’t about that tho)

I joke sometimes that I’m clever and witty but not smart, because that’s exactly what it feels like.

I have lots of thoughts and ideas that I think I articulate pretty well, I am excellent at finding the humor in things and expressing it in a way that’s funny to others too, and there is almost zero problems I can’t find a work around. And the people in my life love it, and they love to use it.

But eventually everyone in my life finds out that I’m not smart. They see the way I have to pause to Google how to calculate a tip, that I don’t know the name of all 50 states or even where to find them on a map, or I legitimately just can not spell (if you ever see a post where it looks like I used a weird word choice it’s probably because I tried 4 times and autocorrect+Google couldn’t help me and voice to text wasn’t an option)

No one ever questions my intelligence until they find out about my adhd and/or catch me struggling with it. After the mask comes off it’s like they can’t even hear me anymore, nothing I say could be true or matter because I’m now just the goofy accident prone spacy girl. My family literally calls me Spacy

And ya know what sometimes I just let people think that because it’s easier, it’s easier than explaining that I’m dyslexic and that I didn’t have a single geography/history clas until 10th grade and shocker the capital of Iowa doesn’t come up much by then. And it’s easier for me to laugh off losing my keys again than dwell on the fact that sometimes it feels like I’m losing my marbles.

And I wouldn’t be at all surprised if after this post I get a lot more “fact checkers” and push back on anything else I post.(not talking about people who want to genuinely engage,y’all are always welcome, I’m talking those people who don’t wanna look it up themselves but no longer trust me to know what I’m talking about)

Kami is a sweet brilliant boy. He’s in a nationally high ranking school, he loves the weather channel, he’s careful about his quirk that could easily hurt his friends in combat, he has a very high emotional intelligence level, he wears dorky shirts with electricity puns on them, and he pays attention to his friends and remembers a lot of little things about them.

He wants to be a hero and he takes that seriously, and the series has tried time and time again to tell y’all that smiling and laughter are an important part of that. Kami excels at this part! So what if his history grades don’t rival the top of the class, the top 5 students would struggle hard to do what Kami does.

Iida can’t relax, Momos rather shy, Todo struggles with social cues, Midoriya is canonically not funny, and jfc where to even begin with Katsuki. I’m certain they’ll all grow up to be excellent heros in their own right, but none of them are going to bring the level of joy and camaraderie that Denki can. You can’t test that into someone.

Kami also just notices people differently and has any easy way of joining in with them, he doesn’t struggle approaching Katsuki or Shinso. Sure he doesn’t hit the the nail on the head the same way Deku does but he’s the only one who has the guts and skills to try. Also he’s not that kinda friend, he’s not looking to a save these guys but pal around with them

I think Kami 100% realizes what a special case and tough nut to crack Bakugo is, I don’t think he’s just careless or too dumb realize his life’s at stake or whatever.

I think he’s purposely testing Bakugos boundaries all while trying to not be a threat to Katsukis actual ego and calling Bakugo out when he needs it in a way that not to serious. Kami knows how to be just goofy enough that he’s approachable. He’s also keyed in that the way to Bakugo is through Deku, meanwhile everyone else is stuck believing the opposite.

Kami also realized how important music is to Jiro and saw an opportunity to let her display her skills and combin the two worlds she lives, and he wasn’t afraid to get some back lash from her for it.

Like Deku Kami isn’t afraid to be uncomfortable. You really can’t teach that level of social ease, you can teach the posture and feed people a couple of lines but it’ll never hit the same. Funny approachable people have spent a lifetime learning the craft, usually out of necessity.

It’s actually what gives me the biggest adhd vibes from him, because adhd is (speculated to be) a dopamine deficiency disorder. People with adhd are constantly trying to raise their dopamine levels, and that means looking for praise and reward and nothing makes the human brain light up faster than postative human connections.

Adhd children struggle a lot with connecting with peers and often find making people laugh a fast way into people’s circles and makes it more likely people will overlook being interrupted or spaced out on.

Also adhd people are pretty much forced by their own brain structures to be genuine in all they do, low dopamine levels make it very hard to do things you don’t enjoy because there no promise of dopamine from the activity and you don’t have enough to spare, plus impulsiveness makes it really hard to not show when you do or don’t enjoy something.

I agree that Kami is also painted as overly perverted at times, he’s a little flirty but in a fun casual way but it’s not the foundation of his personality and it’s really mellowed out over the course of the series.

And while I subscribe to the bi hc from his interactions with Jiro and Shinso, we should all be very mindful that we don’t lump these characteristics together. The are separate facets of his personality that are not dependent on each other in anyway.

Kami deserves all the respect and love, I can’t wait to see our electric king again 🖤⚡️🖤

[elejahfanfic]

The Vampire Files/2

Fanfiction

Part 2

A TVD crossover AU story

Elena Gilbert & her partner Nick Amaro are FBI Agents,

investigating murders caused by paranormal activities.

ft. other tvd characters, too.

□○□○

thanks for reading.xoxo🥰🌼

@miguelsbrat

□○□○

Elena walked in the Mystic Falls woods with the torch in her hand. This was not unknown territory for her. 

Flashback

"Why are we  going to the woods, mommy?" the nine-year old Elena asked her mother.

"There are some really mean people, who want hurt us. And we have to hide in the woods. Don't be afraid. We won't be here long." Miranda said.

At a certain point in the woods, Miranda opened a trapdoor hidden underneath a big pile of leaves and taking the girl by the hand took her down the wooden ladders in the ground into an area that resembled hidden caves.

The Special agent now stood in front of the spot where the ground trapdoor was. She crouched down and removed the layers of the leaves looking for the hook to open it. As she grabbed it to open it she heard a swishing noise of the leaves moving and as she wanted to get up to turn to see in the dark what it was, something kicked her hand and the torch fell aside. She got her gun out ready to shoot as something knocked her over as it swished by her. She quickly rolled over in the position to shoot as she then did. It was a shot in the dark, she knew it. Frustrated, she now got up picking up her torch and looked to see if that someone would return. 

"Show yourself," she shouted, "I dare you."

But there was nothing. But she knew that somewhere from afar someone did still look at her. Angrily, Elena now decided to return to the Mystic Inn. 

In several hours she would have to be at the Morgue and she needed some sleep. And this place was doing everything possible to keep her from it. 

As she got to her room, she took her clothes off and went  for a really hot shower. The fall left her with a bruise on her arm. She examined it as she dried herself. It didn't look bad. 

Flashback

"Ok, listen to me, Elena. Mommy has got to go now. You will be safe here. Ok, my darling? Don't be afraid. I will come back for you. I love you so much!" Miranda kissed her daughter, who nodded in agreement silently. 

Elena, now changed and went to bed. She curled up, closing her eyes hoping she would not have any dreams of any kind.

Demons are real, Elena. They are wrapped up in folk stories. It is true that only a handful can see them, get to their true nature and fight them with equal measure.

***

Nick was up at dawn. He got himself ready for the day and then took a walk around the town, familiarizing himself with the victim's last activities, before meeting Elena at the Grill.

***

Washington, DC

Caroline woke up rubbing her forehead. She looked at the clock. It was 6.10 a.m.

"Hmm- what time is it?", Stefan asked as he heard her move sitting up.

"Time to get up." Caroline said walking to the bathroom.

Stefan sat up checking his messages.

"meet me at office, at 9- Val"

He put the phone aside, and got quickly dressed. He knocked at the bathroom door telling Caroline he had to leave. She replied with 'later'

"Later", he said the same and walked out of the apartment.

"Val-"Stefan said as his partner picked up the phone.

"The murder weapon appeared" Valerie said.

"I will see you at the office", Stefan said hanging up.

****

At the Mystic Diner, somewhere around 8 a.m.

Elena waited for Nick for breakfast. Her life was either office-bound or field-bound, whichever, but one thing she never missed was breakfast. It was like the only time she would reconnect with the real world. There were these few things that kept giving her continuity and normality. At least half an hour every day. 

The waitress served Elena coffee and brought her a big breakfast. She thanked her and looked at her phone for private messages. One from Caroline and one from Rebekah. 

Caroline: Got drunk. and - slept with Stefan, again. Call me. Whenever.

Rebekah: Call me. We are all with you.

Elena closed the message icon as Nick sat down at the table and Elena greeted him.

"Morning." Nick said and then looked at the three different plates in front of Elena.

"Just coffee. Black." Nick said to the waitress and said that he had already had something.

"I'm gonna let in on a little secret" Elena said to her partner and Nick wondered what was coming.

"Everyday, once a day give yourself a present- like this good hot cup of black coffee. A little wisdom from Agent Cooper. My mentor. And maybe something extra- like blueberry pancakes."

"I see that you have a sweet tooth," Nick said.

"You don't mind me finishing this?"

"No." he replied. 

To get used to a new partner was never easy. Elena had three of them, and Nick a few. And all of them loved working with him. He had an easy personality.

"I can see that you have dug something new out?" Elena said as she took a sip of her coffee.

Nick was surprised she said it as he didn't disclose anything.

"I can see it in your eyes. Eight more minutes and then we're off to the morgue and you can tell me what you found out."

"You can see it in my eyes?" The Agent said slightly stunned that she was so forward.

"Not just your eyes. Your whole jittery demeanor tells me that it is huge- illogical!"

Nick narrowed his eyes at her, "You are loving this"

"Not really" Elena admitted, "because we probably won't be able to present it in any court. And these victims will not receive any kind of justice. Come on, let's see the body." she got up leaving the money for her breakfast on the table.

****

Washington, DC

Rebekah walked in the hospital greeted by a fellow surgeon.

"Hey, Joel- I thought you left to work for the Jeffersonian?" Rebekah said.

"Next week- I am leaving next week" Joel said.

They got into the lift,"Why did you refuse to work for them?"

"I want to help the living." Rebekah said. "I need hope. Everything else is like- ahm- curse-"

"I am sorry- I heard-" the surgeon referred to Marcel breaking their engagement.

"Yeah- well- if you know someone who can mend a broken heart-"

"Sorry, can't help " Joel said.

"Huh- shouldn't be dumping my lousy mood on you- see you-" Rebekah said as the stepped out of the lift and each went to their stations.

"Dr Goran?" a nurse came up to him and he now went with her being briefed about one of his patients.

****

Mystic Falls

Elena examined the body of Lexi Branson. Nick stood aside waiting for her to finish up and give her findings out to him and Bonnie Bennett, a forensic scientist from Withmore. 

"Here" Elena said showing both her partner and the scientist two markings on the ankle.

"That is different from the victim in Oregon." Nick said.

"Dakhanavar" Elena said.

"What?" Nick said looking at her with question marks in his eyes.

"Nothing." Elena said looking at Bonnie "There was no trace of blood on at the crime scene?"

"None." Bonnie confirmed. 

"And no trace of a car, footsteps, and the time from when she was last seen going out of the Grill and time of death in the woods? Incomprehensible, right?" Elena said.

"Yeah." Nick now confirmed. Bonnie nodded.

"I like your necklace" Elena said turning to Bonnie all of a sudden.

"Thanks. It's my grandmother's" Bonnie replied.

"Uhm- we are done here. Elena said looking at her partner. "We can tell the Sheriff that they can release the body"

Nick nodded in agreement.

As they said their goodbyes to Bonnie, Elena and Nick left.

"All right. Explain Dakhanavar!" Nick said as they got into the car.

"Ferociously territorial vampire, who would, unlike other regular vampires, suck the blood from the victim's feet." Elena explained.

"Seriously?" Nick said with a whiff of disbelief in his voice.

"Seriously." Elena then said snapping at him. "Ok. This is not going to work" She stopped the car and looked at him inhaling sharply, her face stern, "when we get back I will ask them to reassign you."

"On what grounds?" Nick asked calmly.

Elena exhaled trying to keep her composure. This was not her. She doesn't lose her focus. It must be this place. She wanted to scream. She felt her blood boiling to the point wanting to kick him for his nearly no emotional reaction. "I'll think of something," she said and continued to drive. 

Irrational. But there it was. She couldn't take it back. And strangely, she didn't care. 

Nick knew that her outburst had nothing to do with him, at least not directly, and yet he knew he was the trigger. He looked outside of the window- and then decided not keep quiet, "Stop the car."

Elena looked at him stunned at this sudden change in him. She could see that he was serious and so she stopped the car.

They got out in the middle of the woods. Elena waited to hear what this was about. 

"You are right. Yes. This doesn't work. Shall I tell you why?"

"Why?" Elena said miffed.

"Because I am not him." Nick said.

"Him?" Elena looked at the man gone out, "what are you talking about?"

"He probably knew all of the demonic-files by heart- you have finished each other's sentences and he understood how you mind works- and he is gone- and you got me now- and you hate it!"

What followed surprised them both- as he touched Elena's nerve and she punched him straight in the face. 

They stood quiet for a second. Nick wiped a bit of blood that appeared on the lips. 

"I am sorry- I just- ah- how did," she felt like all the suppressed anger and pain mixed up came lashing out and the tears now just came flooding out. 

"It is fine-" Nick said.

"Shut up" she shouted at him "don't you dare make this into an ok thing!"

"I am not."

"Good. Because- you don't know anything about me"

"I never said I did."

"Oh, really?! All you have been doing is taking the high-ground-" Elena spat back at him through her tears.

"I could say the same about you- we're supposed to work as a team- did you think that I didn't notice that you left your room at 1.20 p.m. and returned at 2.17p.m.?! And you kept it to yourself- what was that about? What were you doing in the woods?"

Elena glared at him drying her tears now with her palms and said,"It's personal."

"Personal?" Nick repeated not knowing what to think. His mind was racing. For a moment he wished he was in the car and they never had stopped and then - something unexplained wanted to know everything about her. 

Elena realized what she had said and now tried to take it back. She had never overstepped the mark going over to the personal. She never shared any of her past to her friends. Not even Jackson, who she had an excellent working relationship. Only the Bureau, her aunt Jenna and her knew what had happened to her and her parents the night she had to hide in the caves in the woods. 

"I lived here as a kid" Elena then said. 

And by the tone of her voice, Nick could notice that there was something disturbing behind it. He felt that all went way out of the line and he then took a step forward saying,"I apologize for - digging at you"

Elena looked at him slightly wide-eyed, "This is so not- this is not me"

"You have a mean right hook, I'll tell you that."

"Yeah- uhm- believe it or not I've never hit anybody. At least not human. Sorry -"

"Who says I am human?!"Nick joked rising an eyebrow at his partner. "Let's forget this ever happened and - start over?"

"Yeah- start over!" Elena inhaled softly.

"Coffee and pie?" Nick suggested.

"Coffee and pie!" Elena nodded a little.  

For a moment she was leaving darkness behind. Although its shadow never would. She knew that.

[prettylittlelucygoose]

Serious Talk || Jucy

L: "I'm happy to be home with you."

J: "I'm happy to have all my girls home."

L: "I really do love you."

J: "I love you too."

L: "And I promise you I'm never gonna leave you."

J: "Please stop saying that."

L: "But it's the truth. I never make promises I can't keep, but this is the easiest promise I'll ever make. You make me the happiest I've ever been and I'm gonna try really hard to show that to you."

J: "Okay."

L: She sighed sadly, "You don't believe me."

J: "I didn't say that."

L: "But you're not saying you believe me either."

J: "I believe that you mean it right now."

L: "I mean it forever. I was either not coming back after the hotel or if I did come back I was back for life."

J: "What about Ian? And Niall?"

L: "What about them?"

J: "You still love them."

L: "No, I don't. When I think back to how Ian walked out on me with no explanation and how Niall abandoned me when I needed someone the most it makes me hate both of them. I'm a very sexual person and a lot of times I let my promiscuity take control of my thoughts so yeah, maybe sometimes I think about how it would feel to have sex with someone, them included, but I'd never act on it. It's a fantasy." She reached for his hand, "They were not the ones for me so even if they both begged for me I would turn them away. I have the best husband in the world and I'm incredibly lucky."

J: "Do you get how that makes me feel? To hear you talk about wanting to fuck someone else, or to see you flirt with them on Twitter? It makes me feel like a worthless piece of shit."

L: "You can't tell me you've never thought about fucking someone else, everybody think about it at least once. They mean very little to me compared to you. Why does it matter if sometimes when I'm alone I think about other people? Most of the time I'm thinking about you anyway and when I'm with you I'm only thinking about you."

J: "Just forget it."

L: "No, I won't forget it. We have to work through these problems."

J: "You're never gonna understand so why bother?"

L: "I'm trying to understand...but I'm also trying to get you to understand me too."

J: "There's a difference between thinking about something and sharing it with the fucking world making me look like an idiot. The world doesn't need to hear every fucking sexual thought that pops into your head."

L: "I'll try to watch what I post from now on."

J: "For the record, I may appreciate a beautiful woman, but I have not once thought about sleeping with anyone else."

L: "But that's the kid of person you are, you can't fault me for being the person I am. I'm faithful to you. Since we've been together you're the only person I've been with. Why doesn't that count for anything?"

J: "How do I know that? I don't know what you did on your benders, do you?"

L: "Yes, I do. I locked myself in my room and took pills, smoked weed, watched TV and slept. And when I did go out with female friends to the bar to drink, the one time someone made a move on me I turned them away and when they kept putting their hands on me Jeff came over and got rid of them and got me home. I've never cheated on you."

J: Jared looked at his wife with tears in his eyes. "How can you be sure? You were high the whole time."

L: She moved closer to him and hugged him, "Because I've never been too high where I lost track of time. It scared me that morning I woke up in Ian's bed when I was engaged to Sebastian. I never wanted to put myself through that again and I never have."

J: "I'm so tired Luce. I'm tired of fighting. I'm tired of feeling like I don't matter. I'm tired of always being the strong one so you don't breakdown again. I'm just tired." He said putting his face in his hands.

L: " And you think I like fighting with you? This house isn't exactly a picnic for me either. I always feel like I have to walk on eggshells or you're gonna get worried or mad or jealous. I feel like I can't be me because I don't fit into the cookie cutter image you have for your wife. I'm not Gen, if you wanted a perfect wife you should have stayed with her."

J: "I never said I wanted perfect. But I do want someone who actually wants to be in this family. Who isn't so concerned with having fun that she forgets she's a parent. Who actually thinks before she acts. You get tired of walking on eggshells so I don't get mad? Did you ever stop to think that if you actually had a conversation with me instead of telling me this is what you're doing instead of doing whatever you want, that maybe I wouldn't get pissed all the time? This is supposed to be a partnership. I'm not supposed to feel like I have five kids instead of four."

L: "I'm not used to this..." she admitted. "I've always been on my own doing my own thing and only really caring about myself because at the end of the day everyone always leaves and I can only depend on myself. I don't know how to..." she sighed, feeling stupid, "I don't know how to be part of a family like this. I don't know how to be in charge of a family. I know I'm not responsible when it comes to everything other than work. I've always excelled when it came to work but I suck at personal relationships."

J: "It's been two years since you've been a mom Lucy. It's like you don't want to try." He said frustrated. "Do you want to be part of this family or do you want to be free to do whatever you want?"

L: She took a deep breath and thought about it, "I hate being a mom, but I love being married to you. I don't know...I don't know where to go from here.."

J: "I can't keep going like this Lucy. I can't have a part time partner in all this. So you need to figure it out and decide what you want."

L: "I don't think I'm the one for you..." she said sadly and started to cry, "But I don't want to lose you...but I can't be who you want me to be.."

J: "Maybe you need time to figure out what you really want for your life," he said sadly. "I love you Lucy, and I don't want to lose you, but something has to change. Living like this isn't good for either of us, or the kids."

L: "I love you too and I do want to be married to you. I just don't know how to be the mother you want me to be. I've gotten better I feel, but I'm never gonna be like Gen, or Ashley, or Danneel, or anyone else we know."

J: "I don't expect you to be them but I do expect to be able to leave the kids and not worry if you've got them or if you've given them to someone else because you can't handle them."

L: "And what if I'm never able to handle them? Am I supposed to give Belle to Seb, give Sam to you and just vanish? I don't want that. I do love them."

J: "That's just is Luce. You CAN handle them you just choose not to because you'd rather focus on what you want instead of what they need. Being a parent is about putting your kids first no matter what."

L: "I try."

J: "Do you, or do you just call someone to take them so you can go do whatever?"

L: "I. Try." She didn't want to yell at him so she tried to keep her voice low even through she naturally felt herself getting defensive. "I do as much as I can and when I get too overwhelmed I ask for help. I take care of the kids more now than I ever have and you never acknowledge that. You only say something when I ask someone to watch them for a little bit, even when it's for a legitimate reason."

J: "You're right. I don't acknowledge that and I'm sorry."

L: Hearing him say she was right shocked her and she lifted her head to look at him. "I really am trying, Jared. I might not be at your parenting level but I'm far from where I was when Belle was born."