#long story short there was this guy (A) and he was just being. so pessimistic

[caninecowboy]

i hung out w/ some acquaintances of mine yesterday and i think i mayhaps be more positive/bubbly than i thought i was

[writersdare]

All Too Well | Calum Hood

Pairing: Calum Hood x Reader (she/her)

Summary: It's the first time ever when Calum and Y/N didn't need to be apart, as they were going on tour together. However, things could never just be perfect, could they?

Warning: angst, fluff, a bit of cursing

Word Count: 1 725

Requested: yes

Author’s Note: This was the one I worked really hard to make it softer than it initially was. It'd say it's more of an angst story still, however, not too heavy, and there are sweet moments, too ♡ Inspired by Taylor Swift's short film "All Too Well". I hope you'll like it!

It almost felt like Christmas, when Y/N and Calum took a seat next to each other in the plane. It was the first time when the girl was going on tour with him, and both were very excited.

Cal was really glad they finally managed to go together, they didn’t need to be separated for so long again. 

Y/N could compare it with a miracle, truly. The last month was very stressful, as she had to do a lot at work before getting a remote project. At some point Y/N even doubted she was going to finish everything in time. However, there she was, holding a hand in Calum’s, while he was quietly sleeping on her shoulder. There was no need to be homesick, because Cal’s home was right next to him. And Y/N didn’t need to learn how to live alone again, because she was in the company of a loved one.

Sometimes “too perfect” could bring unexpected problems. It couldn’t all go smoothly. The musician wasn’t exactly a pessimist, but he always agreed with that way of Y/N’s thinking. 

However, Calum didn’t exactly expect his girl to blow up easily only because he didn’t pay much of attention to her after a concert. For Cal it wasn’t a big deal. Once they finished the performance, everyone went to have dinner in their dressing room, not being able to wait for any longer and go to some restaurant nearby. It was a usual evening, chatting with the bandmates and discussing how good the concert was. Y/N was happy that fans were welcoming and active during the whole show, and of course, she could share the joy of her boyfriend, but it still felt slightly uncomfortable. Even though they started dating a while ago, Y/N didn’t know Calum’s friends well. She surely didn’t mind him spending time with them, but the girl hoped for some little reassurance here and there; after all, it was the first time, when she went on tour. Few attempts to join the conversation were interrupted by her own boyfriend, and Y/N’s mood went down completely. Yet, she stayed polite and kept smiling lightly, ignoring unpleasant feelings inside. The girl didn’t ask for much, she only hoped Cal would stop making her feel that dumb, would stop as if reminding her that she didn’t belong there. As if she wasn’t there at all, even when Y/N tried to touch Calum’s palm. She wasn’t begging for attention, the girl only thought that as she came with him, they’d spend more time together. Wasn’t it the point? All of sudden Y/N felt like a mannequin which Cal would look at only when he needed it. 

“You just walked in the room and behaved as if I wasn’t there!”

Y/N tried. She really tired. The girl promised herself she wouldn’t make a scene, she wouldn’t argue, because it was a very wrong place and time. However, Calum brought up the topic himself, saying she was “hell annoying” and looked “weirdly upset.”

“I was fucking tired! Exhausted, Y/N! I didn’t mean anything, I was just hanging out with my friends!” Cal blew up immediately, although by nature he was pretty calm. “I’d look at you if you’d jump around, sing for few hours, Y/N. Would you have powers for anything else after it?” the guy run a hand through his hair and sighed heavily, apparently analysing what he had just said.

Calum used to say he valued words a lot, the musician hated when people would tell things they didn’t actually mean. He never rushed up to answer on the interviews; Cal liked to think first, before saying anything, completely anything. Perhaps, that’s why sudden accusations shocked Y/N that much. If he said it, he probably really meant it, and that was quite upsetting. The girl never even dared to think that Calum wasn’t a hard worker or that his job wasn’t difficult. Of course, it was, and she knew it very well. That’s why Y/N was always there, supporting him no matter what. And yet, she couldn’t get the connection between him acting like a moron during the dinner and blaming her for saying he wasn’t tired. She never even said it.

“You know what? Back off," after a short pause Y/N realised that she was too overwhelmed to continue arguing. These past days were rather exhausting, the trip, so far, was very stressful as there were too many unknown faces, and Cal’s words didn’t exactly make the girl feel any better.

“Y/N…”

“No, Cal, you’re right," she nodded, being dangerously calm.

The girl grabbed a bag and threw a phone in there. Y/N wasn’t going to leave, it’d be too immature of her, but she desperately needed fresh air and time alone at that moment. Lately it was getting harder to breathe, and she finally admitted that she was simply choking. Being busy with tour and job issues the girl didn’t have time to check on herself. For some reason, Calum didn’t see it either, apparently, he was busy working, as well. She knew how it could be, so the girl wasn’t blaming him. At times Cal couldn’t take care even of himself. 

"How would I know? You’re the only one who works hard," Y/N snapped, regretting she took that hell of a project at first place just to be closer to Cal. What for? Surely, emotions were speaking at that moment, and sometimes it was very hard to gain control of them. Suddenly nothing was working anymore, their relationship included.

“I didn’t mean it this way," Calum’s voice became small, too. He gently touched the girl’s wrist with his fingers, and felt a little relief, as Y/N didn’t attempt to break the touch. However, her eyes didn’t give him any hope.

“No, you did.”

“No, I didn’t," he hurried up to deny. "Look, I’m just stressed, I swear I…" her hand slipped through his fingers, and Y/N headed to the exit of the dressing room. "I know you’re… Y/N, c’mon! Don’t do this right now!" Cal outraged. "We’re trying to talk, and you’re running away again!"

"It’s you, who is trying to talk, Calum!" the girl turned around quickly, hoping her body wouldn't betray, and salty tears wouldn’t flow down the cheeks. "You can’t even understand me! I worked as hard as you to get here at first place! I don’t mind you hang out with friends and have a rest after the concerts, but since the day one of the tour you’ve never asked how I was feeling! I don’t even know these people! They are total strangers to me," she finally broke in tears. Cal didn’t dare to touch her and only watched from the distance. "And this evening I only asked for a small reassurance, I wanted to feel that you’re here with me, because I don’t feel damn comfortable here, I need time! And now you make me feel like a total dickhead for asking that, because you are damn tired, because you had a show to perform! Maybe it was a bad idea to come with you at first place. It could have been totally different," she shook the head and looked down, wiping the tears with her fingers quickly.

A storm was attacking inside, Cal wanted to say a lot, but words got stuck in his throat.

"I had no idea," he finally mumbled, feeling rather ashamed. "This tour… is really important to me," the musician continued, even though everything didn’t seem to have any sense once he spoke it out loud. "I was too focused on work, but it doesn’t mean I forgot about you, Y/N," Cal made a step forward and reached out to her uncertainly. The fingertips didn’t touch hers, he was waiting for the girl to do it instead, if she wanted to. Or waiting to give him a sign that he was allowed to.

The girl closed the eyes for a moment and shook the head negatively. She touched a handle of the bag to avoid Calum’s sudden affection. 

"I know it’s hard for both of us," she spoke up quietly. "But we need to learn how to understand each other, and I’m tired of being the only one who is trying to do that. Relationships don’t work this way."

"I know. I fucking know," he lost it, made a step forward and squeezed Y/N in his arms, resting a head on her shoulder. For that Cal had to bend down a little, but it was worth it. "I’m sorry."

A heavy sigh left Y/N’s lips. She looked up on the ceiling, hoping to stop herself from crying again. Just some time ago Calum was behaving like a sick superstar, and now he was asking for forgiveness. Why was it always like a seesaw with him? And why did she still love him?

The girl closed the eyes and tilted her head to touch the top of his with a tip of a nose. Cal smelled with berries – a shampoo she bought him few days before the very first tour. Since that time she was always doing it, and Calum was always taking the black jar with blueberries on the cover with him. Funny, that smell reminded him of her. And to Y/N that smell reminded her of them. Them, being together, happy, in love.

"I love you," she whispered, feeling that sudden wave of affection after a long day and bitter argument that left a small but still a wound on the heart.

"I love you more," he whispered back and hid the face in a crotch of her neck, leaving then a short kiss on her skin. 

The touch was too familiar to give up on everything they went through. Calum knew he needed to keep in mind that the tour was going to be be different, as his girl was there. He needed to give Y/N time, as it wasn’t normal for her as for him, who has been performing since a young age.

"I know I didn’t give you the best tour experience so far," Cal whispered in her ear after a long silence. "But, please, let me try again."

taglist: @dgrangaa, @gracieboogirl

– gifs aren’t mine and belong to the rightful owner, found the 1st one here @uservalentine & the 2nd one here @carriedawayfromhome –

© writersdare | all rights reserved

All stories are original and written by me. Do not copy, trace and post anywhere without permission and credit. The stories are fictional, they do not correspond to reality and written just for fun ♡

Masterlist | Taglist | Prompt List

[sachermorte]

Ok, so then who did you actually name yourself after? Or was it the vibe that drew you in?

i've gotten two anons about this since I last checked my phone so this is the real story.

it was the third week of september in 2019 and I had just launched myself out of the united states after living there my entire life and getting my bachelor's in linguistics summa cum laude. I knew if I stayed there any longer I was going to die, and I'd had this supernatural surety that I was going to live a full life in vienna since I was nine years old at the oldest, so against the vehement objections of family I had accepted a teaching assistantship position jointly facilitated by the BMBWF and Fulbright Austria. before I began my misadventures, of which there have been many incredibly crazy bullshit stories you would never believe in a million years, I had to attend a week-long sleepaway orientation in a tourist town in Salzburg called Zell am See, where I would meet the other TAs (including someone who remains like a brother to me to this very day), learn what was expected of me, and drink quite literally and without exaggeration for every waking moment.

believe me when I say that this was fucking wild. we had classes in the morning to teach us how to do our jobs but we were pouring full bottles of vodka and gin in our water bottles and taking it to class with us. one of the hotel receptionists started supplying us with weed and pills. people were hooking up left right and center. I ended up at one point being dragged away without any greetings or explanation to make out with a lovely but very drunk british girl named holly in another room. believe me when I said that not a single one of us drew a solitary sober breath for the entire seven days straight.

so because they wanted us to acclimate culturally (which is unneeded because I've always been a dramatic, cranky, whiny, pessimistic, ambiguously gay complainer genau nach wiener art), one night they brought in a trio of dance teachers to teach us some traditional folk dancing. so we, being generally hospitable and gregarious taken as a whole, decided to invite these three to party with us that night.

we.

got.

HAMMERED.

this is the drunkest I've ever been without having to go to the hospital. and as the night proceeded it became exceedingly clear that one of the dance instructors could not hold his liquor, and what's more, had been going through some stuff as of late.

cut to the end of the night. the man who is now like a brother to me had given the dude, out of the kindness of his heart, nearly a full bottle of 7€ hofer brand gin, which he drank without a mixer in nearly one go. shortly after, this man had punched through not one, but two windows. the police had been called, and a friend of mine had managed to grab his phone and literally call his mother. someone else was guarding him to make sure he didn't break anything else, while he kept shouting "MIR IST SCHEIẞEGAL, MIR IST SCHEIẞEGAL" to anything and everything that was said to him.

this event lodged itself solidly in my short term, long term, and everyday working memory. I thought about this three or four times a week at bare minimum. not only because I considered it rather embarrassing and distasteful, but because I thought if you were going to be a good for nothing dipsomaniac (as I considered myself to be as well, even then), there were far more stylish ways to go about it.

when my egg shattered during quarantine his name was the one that wouldn't leave my head. when I went public with my transition, I received several messages from friends who had witnessed the event in question, going "did you really name yourself after That Fucking Guy. why"

to which of course I responded "mir ist scheißegal"

[lpsgirl109]

Give me the full rundown on ghost phin, every single detail you can think of.

So I already went through the basic concept of the AU in this post but I'll use this as an opportunity to further explain Phin and Harry’s relationship here and why I decided to make it a thing

So when it came to choosing the character that would be able to see Phin, I ended up torn between Miles and Harry. Miles is an obvious choice of course, but ultimately I didn't go with him because 1. That feels too easy and I wanted Phin to interact with someone who didn't know her prior 2. The AU also serves as a rewrite of sm:mm and semi rewrite of sm2, in which Miles is still dealing with the trauma of losing Phin like that, because as we all know it pisses me off to no end that the events of sm:mm are pretty much not mentioned at all aside from some easter eggs that you can go the entire game without ever finding. And Miles being able to see Phin immediately after she dies sort of throws off any chance of exploring how he's coping with losing her. So she gets thrown to Harry

I went with Harry not just because I like him, but because I've always drawn connections between him and Phin as characters and the roles they serve in their stories. Both best friends with Spider-Man, end up becoming enemies, in the end sacrificing themselves for Spider-Man. Obviously their situations are very different but you get the idea. They're fun to work with here because of how many similar themes they share. They lost a good chunk of their lives that they should've spent enjoying themselves, Phin losing the last of her teenage years devoting herself to taking down Roxxon, Harry losing 2 years of his early 20s in a box. There is also the whole thing of dying young that I mentioned in the last post. It's very interesting to me to see Harry, guy who believed for a long time that his life would be short, interact with someone who died at 18. They're very similar in that way it makes them fun to write

Their friendship is something I sort of view as an older brother little sister type relationship. It's a lot of teasing and messing with each other, but they do genuinely care for each other and grow pretty close over the course of sm2. Phin pretty much attaches herself to Harry upon meeting him, and like why wouldn't she. He's the one guy who can see her. And he's not really opposed to this but it is something he needs to get used to. But once he does, they bond pretty quickly. Harry sees a lot of himself in her for aforementioned dying young thing. He also feels pretty bad for her, he knows she didn't deserve all that mess, especially at such a young age. Phin is happy to have a friend after so many months, and she finds Harry to be a really fun person to be around. His cheeriness and general carefree attitude is something she needs, as she tends to be a lot more pessimistic most of the time. He helps her turn her focus away from more negative things, and he teaches her that while she has every right to be angry about how her life turned out, she shouldn't let it weigh her down so much. She deserves happiness in her weird little afterlife, something that's much easier to achieve when she has a friend at her side. They care for each other a lot and generally just want the best for each other

There's more that I think I'll keep hidden for when I turn the AU into a fic, but this should satiate the Ghost Phin fandom (like four people) for now. Funny ghost and funny goblin. They are besties

[thelien-in-bg3]

Tav Character Worksheet

Thank you for the tag @hybernating-bear <33

Tagging; @brickhoise @aroaceofthanes

Name: Ullr

Ullr is the name of the god of hunting, snow, archery, and, get this, skiing - I grew up with stories of him just as the other gods, but he always meant something special he shoots while skiing what´s not to like!?

Gender: Male, he´s a lil guy doing funny faces :)

Sexuality: Demi-Bisexual, but in the way he´s not just confused, he has no idea.

Pronouns: He/Him

O T H E R

Family: He was born in the Underdark and grew up there in the cult of Lolth and was later smuggled out "accidentally" by some raiders, he was then picked up by a farmer and his wife and raised there for the rest of his childhood.

Birthplace: Underdark

Job: He runs around doing small things for coin as he doesn't like being confined to one place, he also hates the outdoors just not that much so he compromises.

Phobia: Small places (Claustrophobia) and big places, and fire.

Guilty pleasure: Gossip might be one of the biggest, if this guy hears anything, everyone heard it, that´s not to say he can´t keep secrets, he can as long as you make it clear it´s a secret. Romantic novels, he likes the idea of ​​love you don't have to earn and is that is equal. Those are probably the only two things he might feel a bit of guilt for.

Hobbies: Rocks. He picks up rocks and puts them in his pockets, and others too if he doesn´t have more room, without shame. And dirt sometimes too, if it´s a new place. He keeps small bottles on him for different kinds of dirt and sand that he labels.

M O R A L S

Alignment: Chaotic Natural

Sins: Murder is always okay! So is theft. Most of the time...

Virtues: Loyalty to those he care about, everyone else can die for all he cares as long as he doesn´t need them in some way.

T H I S O R T H A T

Introverted / Extroverted (depends on the person and situation)

Organized / Disorganized

Close minded / Open minded (he always knows best unless you can back your own point up with a nine slides PowerPoint)

Calm / Anxious / Restless

Disagreeable / Agreeable / In between (no is his favorite word :) it´s so short and simple)

Cautious / Reckless / In between (depends very much on the situation)

Patient / Impatient / In between (depends very much on the situation, and who it is)

Outspoken / Reserved / In between

Leader / Follower / Flexible (he enjoys his own company but doesn't mind being joined as long as he withdraw)

Empathetic / Unempathetic / In between (he wasn´t really thought empathy when he was small and it never caught up but he tries for his friends)

Optimist / Pessimist / Realist (optimist pessimist?? "we´re all going to die, but hey at least we had the chance to breathe in some air!")

Traditional / Modern / In between (traditions are important but some of them needs to die)

Hardworking / Lazy / In between

R E L A T I O N S H I P S

OTP: I don´t really know.... either Astarion or Karlach

Other ships: -//- idk

Brotp: Shadowheart, Lae'zel, Wyll, and Gale, Gale in an awkward weird kind of way

Notp: I don´t really think there´s anyone in the camp he doesn´t like, or he would tell them to leave by threatening to do it himself if they didn´t.

[papabirdurskeks]

4 and 44 of the OC meme? 😁

4. A character you rarely talk about? (44 will be answered under the read more!)

Oh goodness, this one is a toughie because I have so many OCs I barely talk about because I always go from one to another (aka, me forgetting about them while paying more attention to others and repeating the cycle each time). However, they often do get their turn to see the light of day even if small!

Yet, if I were to go to territories in which I have never ever talked about certain OCs, one of them would be Zigor!

This guy I never spoke of to anyone aside from my brother because he predated internet socializing days and I never got around to really fleshing him out aside from the stories my brother and I made up together.

But once upon a time, I used to be very avid in the Halo fandom and instantly fell in love with the franchise to the point I made several different OCs actually. Zigor just happened to come in much later when we finally got to know the Forerunners a bit more! And so, Zigor was born!

He himself is Forerunner with a rather...pessimistic agenda when it comes to doing his job and tends to view the world and life in about the same life. In fact, he's what one would call the brooding type but its not because he's had a hard life but just has very little hope for things to get better in the times that he was alive and saw calamity arise when the Flood began to surface. Ideals of hope and revival were bleak in his mind and eyes, but he did as he was told and tried his best to save what he could before things ultimately went to shit.

Long story short, he had somehow managed to survive this calamity and lived off his days sort of plotting and planning for an ultimate end to things. He was sort of like one of the big bads that my brother and my main OCs went against in some big fight.

And here he is now! Completely revamped and seeing the light of day after almost 10 plus years x') I still very much love him and am glad to finally show him off! c:

44. Something you like about your OCs in general

I think one thing I really love about my OCs in general is being able to give them life through both design and story telling! Nothing brings me so much happiness then to actually be able to show them off in this way because it gives them life and shares their stories to anyone who is willing to listen and is interested as well! I love being able to share their stories, the art they are in and just be able to bring them to life and interact with people who want to know about them!

That life itself is just so much fun and enjoyable to give that it feels good to know that even if one person likes them, I know that I am doing something right in the long run x')

[jishyucks]

one plus one ‣ hhj

‣ pairing: hyunjin x gender neutral!reader

‣ genre: fluff, meet-cute

‣ wc: 1.7k

‣ summary: In which you ask Hyunjin for his interpretation of a painting and his pretty brain leaves you wanting to see him again; alternatively where you're so absorbed by a painting that you were unaware that someone saw you as the work of art

‣ warnings?: none I don't thinkkkkkk, genuinely just fluff and cozy-type feelings  

‣ an: idk why but this was fun to write even though I don't really like first meeting fics lmaoo (×_×;) but I hope it's a good short read for everyone!

There’s really no telling how long you’ve been staring at the painting.

Maybe it’s been seconds, minutes, hell, it may have been hours since you’ve crossed paths with the artwork and yet you still find yourself sitting directly in front of it with hopes of interpreting it in a way that satisfies you. 

Although you couldn’t really grasp the interpretations running through your head, you’re able to take in the greater or lesser details of the painting. At first glance, the main object of the painting looked like nothing more than a blob—well, a blob with no better way to describe it. It did, indeed, look like a blob, but a multicoloured blob. Some may even say that it looked like a bunch of blobs swirling against each other to create shapes and images. 

But the longer you look at it, the more you can make out that the artist had painted two individuals embracing each other rather closely. It was only difficult to distinguish because the setting of the painting was dark. A majority of it was painted in shades of black—if that was even possible—like you were watching the scene happen inside of a dark room and your eyes did not have enough light to generate colours for your brain to process. 

A small portion of the painting held colour—the area behind the two lovers. You can confidently say that it was a partially covered window, the curtain being a blue-teal colour. Compared to the inside of the so-called room that the individuals were in, it was bright outside. You guess this could be part of the interpretation, but you wanted to take everything in before you start analyzing it. 

The last detail that you felt made the story was the way that the two lovers are practically melting into one. Their faces are indistinguishable, making it hard to make out where they meet. You could guess it was somewhere in the middle, but you could be wrong. 

The interaction between the two, described in one word, was passionate. Somebody looking at the picture could say that they were very much in love. The only problem now was what type of love it was. What type of relationship did they hold for such passion to be held between them? Why were they in such a dark space, almost hidden from the bright world outside?

You can guess that the minds of an optimist and a pessimist would work differently. A romantic and aromantic. Maybe even simply what stage of life a person was present in. And despite the many ways that a human’s mind worked to create these stories, you really really wanted a satisfying interpretation.

“Beautiful, isn’t it?” A voice whispered beside you. Though you weren’t startled, you were still questioning how someone had managed to approach you without your knowledge. Maybe you were that immersed in the painting. 

“I’ve been sitting here trying to figure out its meaning,” you laugh quietly. You turn your head, eyes meeting those of a guy your age. What catches your attention first is his hair that hugs the nape of his neck. He’s wearing glasses that are big enough for the bottoms to kiss his cheeks and his lips were very pink. Yes, it sounded weird to be noticing some stranger's lips at first glance, but his lips really were pink. 

“I know,” he says without hesitation. He snorts a little bit before he holds his hands up, “Not to sound creepy or anything. I just have been here for a bit too and just noticed you here.” His eyes dart away in slight embarrassment but they look back to you again. 

“Valid,” you nod, “What do you think about this?” You jut your chin out to point to the painting sitting in front of the two of you, “I wanna hear it.” 

He hums, leans forward and reads the small plaque pasted on the wall beside it, “The Kiss… Edvard Munch.” He leans back to his original position and looks up at the painting. 

As odd as it sounds, you watch him as his face moves in a way that reveals to you that he was thinking. You watch his eyes scan the artwork just like yours did when you first saw it. But something about how he looked at it gave away that he’s seen it before. His brows furrow together as he presses his lips together, diving deeper into concentration. 

Just by the way he’s analyzing the painting, you can tell that this man loves art. Whether it be for leisure or whatever the opposite of leisure was (work?), you can easily make out that art was a big part of his life.

You think you asked the right person.

“I’ve heard a lot of people interpret the painting negatively,” he begins, “that they’re losing their individuality because of love. That they, alone as themselves, won’t exist because of love and it gives love a bad rep.” 

You nod along to what he’s saying before looking back up at the painting. You can see why people interpret it like that. It’s probably the darkness and the obvious fact that you really can’t see the faces of the two lovers separately. But you didn’t like that interpretation. 

“Then there are others who make up an entire Romeo and Juliet type story.” He shifts in his seat and continues, “That we’re looking straight into a scene where the two are hiding because of forbidden love.

“I can’t really cover all the interpretations I’ve heard, but most of them were very… pessimistic?” He tilts his head, “But then again, Munch never got married so I guess that’s why people always thought he was miserable.”

“I wanted to hear what you thought of it.” You say. Sure it was interesting how many others analyzed the work of art. You wondered if there were any good interpretations to it. There obviously would be, but you’d understand why there were so many negative ones. The painting was covered in rough, dark strokes. 

But you know what they say… in darkness, there’s light. 

“Me?” He huffs, “I have the most mediocre understanding of this painting and I don’t think you would want to hear it.” 

“Try me,” you push. You’re curious. Even if the way he made sense of the piece was average, it was still worth hearing. 

“Well…” he bounces the heels of his feet against the ground beneath the two of you, “I see it as love that’s private but not secret.” He lifts his arm to point at the open window, “The window’s open just enough for people to see in but it’s not open all the way and they’re not exposed. There’s still some light bleeding through the curtain, but again it isn’t all the way transparent.

“They’re still very comfortable enough to be embracing each other to the world's end, to the point where they’re melting together to, in a way, become one, but not completely. You can still make out that they’re two different people, but their love unites them.

“And I guess… my interpretation’s something like that.”

You gawk at him, “I don’t understand why you thought that that was mediocre. I actually… really like your interpretation.”

“Really?” His brows raise, “Thank you.”  

You both sit in silence, hearing the hushed whispers of other visitors in the museum. The atmosphere’s comfy despite you speaking and sitting next to a random man who you don’t even know the name of. 

“Did you come here alone?” He speaks up. 

You nodded, “If I came here with someone then I wouldn’t be able to sit and observe a single painting.” Turning back to the painting, “And I don’t think my friends would really enjoy going to a museum.” He nods but you don’t see. “How ‘bout you?”

“I came here with two friends,” he retorts, “But I lost them somewhere along the way.” You exchange quiet giggles. 

There’s a part of you that’s wishing to ask for his name. The question’s at the tip of your tongue, but you’re not quite sure whether you actually should ask for his name, only because you’re also not even sure that you’ll see him again. There’s also the fact that he seems too perfect—simply judging by how he presents himself. 

A notification on your phone turns your screen on, finally giving you a proper look at the time. 

“Oh shit,” you cuss and stand up abruptly, “It’s almost seven?” You knew you'd been there for a long time, but not that long. Time’s gotten ahead of you. You’ve been at the museum for five hours.

“Seems like it,” he nods and pushes himself to his feet, “Do you… have to go?”

You nodded, “I’ve got dinner plans.” Then you blurt, “With my mom. Dinner plans with my mom.” Why you had the urge to let him know that is beyond you, but a feeling in your stomach leaves you satisfied. 

“That sounds nice,” he grins, “I probably have to go look for my friends.”

For a moment, you both just stand there in silence. He’s mustering up something to say, you can tell by the way his eyes search the floor and how his lips slightly open and close, words hanging by a thin string. 

“My name is–“

“Hyunjinie!” 

He’s interrupted by someone entering the gallery. Despite the person having only exclaimed the name, their voice bounded against the walls of the large gallery, the name carrying easily through the air. 

The head of the boy in front of you turns in response to the call, “Hannie!” He calls back before holding up a finger to his lips. 

“So? No one’s here!” Then he begins waving him over, eyes wide like a young child’s, “Come here! Felix found something you’ll like!” 

“I’ll just follow!” Then he turns back to you, eyes sparkling, “As I was saying… My name is–“

“Hyunjinie,” you tease subtly, “I heard.” You hold your hand out and watch as he takes it to shake. You’re relieved that he made the very move you were contemplating on doing, cause that means he wants to see you again, too.

“My name is Y/N.”

°•. ✿ .•°

an: after reading this I hope you know what one plus one equalsヽ(>_<ヽ)

[ithinkabouttzu]

hi Mac! BoB ship requests are open? OMG! could I have one? please! I read all your stuff!

Looks: I'm 5'6", white, european, green eyes, brown hair with bangs, born in 90s, geeky style Personality: shy, introvert, jealous, childish, emotional, pessimist, crazy cat lady, couch potato Love language: physical touch and words of affirmation 50/50 Interests: writing/reading stories, playing guitar, collecting merch, watching musicals (theatre kid) Other: I have 5 cats, crush for half of BoB cast, addicted to sweets and coke, fear of blood, hate conflict and loud people, love sleeping and cleaning

thank you for all your work here! you're such an inspiration! ❤️

Thank you for your request, lovely!! I hope you enjoy 💗🤍

I ship you with…

Joe Liebgott!

Song recommendation:

- ALRIGHTT, when this man sees you he swears it’s love at first sight. Like he thinks you’re the most beautiful person he’s probably ever met

- So let’s say you meet him during basic training while he’s out on one of his weekend passes, perhaps a dance hall out in Georgia? (hear me out alright) He would see you hanging out with your friends, talking and whatnot and would be in LOVE when he sees you smile towards him, like his knees almost give out on him

- The first thing he notices about you is your green eyes, he thinks they are so beautiful!! Like he probably comes off as a creep to you bc he just keeps staring at you 😭

- Eventually after just watching you enjoy your time with friends, he would build up the courage to go talk to you, when he does he tries to be as smooth as possible lol, he just wants to sweep you off your feet so bad

- He’d ask you if you’d like to dance first, but I think he could tell if you were nervous or a bit shy at first and slow down his flirting, when you guys eventually start to dance he has the time of his life with you, he’s sure he’s met his one finally

- After that night he’s completely smitten with you, he just waits and waits til he can see you again (I can also see him sneaking out maybe one night to see you and gets in bad trouble with Sobel because of it 😭)

- When they finally ship off to England he would send you SO many letters, like i’m sure you would come home to a whole pile of letters when you come home from work/school. His letters would consist of anything really, some being sweet romantic letters of how much he misses you, or maybe just daily little messages of what’s going on around him. Either way he just feels the need to tell you everything which is adorable.

- He thinks it’s so cute when you get shy around him, like if he says something and you blush at him, he immediately MELTS like his brain starts to short circuit, he just thinks it’s so funny and cute (he might even tease you abt it as a joke too lol)

- I’m sure you and him would both be so full of emotion for each other, doing all kinds of crazy fun stuff and being all romantic with each other 24/7 it’s amazing how well you and him get along so well with your and his personalities. Like both of y’all can be emotional but you both handle it so well and help the other one out when they need it.

- If we’re being completely honest, and he would probably never tell you this, he thinks it’s so hot when you get jealous. I mean he would never try to make you jealous on purpose or hurt your feelings, but when you are he thinks it’s so attractive when you get possessive over him, he just loves it so much

- You and him being couch potatoes on the weekend?? YESS he would love to watch countless of silly movies or shows with you as long as you let him cuddle you too lol

- I think his relationship with your cats would be funny but also very sweet. Like if any of them like to play he would LOVE to play with them and hangout with them, he just really wants to make a good impression on them so they like him 😭 “Hey guys, how would you like a dad?” BAHAH

- I think he would constantly tell you how much he loves you and how proud he is of you even without knowing that was one of your love languages. He just feels like that’s something he should do as your boyfriend,

- he also LOVES physical touch too and is always finding an excuse to kiss or hug you, in public he’s most likely always got his arm around you or holding your hand, he just loves being near you and getting to feel you beside him.

- he would love to hear you play your guitar any chance that he gets, he thinks you play so well and it sounds so beautiful!! Like music to his ears

- Imagine it’s your birthday, and you’re just chilling and he surprises you with tickets to your favorite musical!!! I could see him working really hard to get those tickets for you and before he gives them to you he’s just so excited for you bc he knows you’ve wanted them so bad for so long.

- When I tell you he would feed your sweets and cola addiction I mean it, like he also loves it so why would he not? whenever he sees you the first thing he gives you is a hug, and then some treats. His saying is, “as long as it’s in moderation, than it’s good” 😭

- For dates he would love taking you really anywhere that you really like or things your interested in (like musicals and or anything else you’d like to do in particular)

- He’s just the sweetest boy that wants to surprise you and spoil you with lots of love, gifts, and affection for as long as your with him, he wants to see you happy always!! <3

Thank you again for your request!! I hope you liked it 💗

[curejiraiya]

I've been watching cherry magic and reading a bunch of yaoi doujin so I thought of the idea for my own, but like I'm not gonna write it and I'm not gonna remember it past a few days from now so I thought I'd share it lmfao

so they're both about 27 and are childhood friends

the seme (lmfao) is a shorter guy with black hair and a kind of scruffy face, his name is like Kanji or Kojiro or something with a hard K sound and two syllables. He's an office worker who doesn't sleep well and has permanent bags under his eyes. The like pessimist negative kind of guy except when he's with his partner. His partner is like his light in the dark.

the uke (these terms holy shit) is a taller bigger guy, with light brown hair with a fade to blonde dye. he's got big eyes in a fun anime mc color like pink or purple. His name is like Joutarou or Junnosuke or something on the long side. and his partner definitely gives him a cute nickname. He's got a big infectious smile and is just an absolute ray of positivity. When he was younger he dreamt of being an idol and trained hard for it (hence the figure), but despite his dream being impossible now he still sings all the time and has this like Cinderella singing to animals air to him lol.

And then the twist is that the uke has fibromyalgia and is mostly wheelchair bound. So like he's fighting to be this ray of positivity when his illness has taken almost everything from him.

So then the story itself is short and fluffy mostly, because that's the kind of doujin I read lmfao like the ones with 6 or 7 chapters and light drama that resolves fast and fairly.

The pair start together before the story begins and it mostly resolves around the seme and how he takes care of his partner and like the troubles that come with having a disabled partner, but it's shaped in a really fluffy and fun way. Like he does shit like buy fluffy pillows for his wheelchair so then there's a comedy panel of this scary looking dude with eye bags buying fluffy pillows lmfao. Or like him picking his partner up from the hospital and going on a date as if they both just came from work. Both of them also support each other through rough days like having to stay late at work only to go in early the next day, or the other guy being in tons of pain that he has to miss out on doing things he wants.

The "drama" would be at the office people would talk about bringing their partners to workplaces events or whatever and it would be revealed that the office was even LGBT friendly but it wasn't wheelchair friendly so the seme still would have to go alone. He would doubt his relationship a bit and one of his bosses would make a gross comment about putting his partner in a home or something. But he would get home to his partner trying as hard as he can to help him and realize that he didn't want a "normal" partner and that his uke was perfect for him. And since this is my perfect story the guy who made the gross comment would be fired.

also there would be a flashback chapter that like starts with them meeting as kids in like elementary school. the seme would be sad and the uke would dance for him or something dumb and pass his infectious smile. then it would flash to them getting together, I'm imagining like the uke at like 17 being rejected from an idol audition and being in a ton of pain and not knowing why, and his future partner having to be the positive one for a change and cheering him back up. then he tells him he loves him. yeah

no guys I think this story is so good though, if only I was an author.

[writersdare]

He Called Her a Fairy | Luke Hemmings

Pairing: Luke Hemmings x Reader (she/her)

Summary: No matter how excited Luke was to go on tour, it was always too heartbreaking to say goodbye to Y/N. However, that parting was worth going through to meet again.

Warning: hurt/comfort, angsty

Word Count: 1 004

Requested: yes

Author’s Note: It's been a while! Thank you for continuing to read my stories, it truly motivates me to keep writing. I hope you'll enjoy this a bit moody but in a way cosy story with our golden boy ♡

Six months away from the loved ones was not a joke. Luke was always certain he’d get used to it eventually. Sure, it wasn’t easy, but over time he adapted to the new changes, even the most difficult ones. At teenage age Luke thought he’d never be able to ignore hate comments, but there he was. Of course, it still annoyed him, not as much as when he was starting a career of a musician, though. Yet, every time it was tough, almost unbearable, to leave home. No matter how excited Luke was to go on tour, it was just too heartbreaking to say goodbye to her. He hated it, truly.

The very first time, when they had to experience it, was, probably, the hardest. The musician refused to say goodbye and mumbled a short "I’ll text you at the airport". Luke was scared to think even for a slight second that it’d be their last time seeing each other. Maybe for someone it’d sound overdramatic, but the problem was that it did happen in the past. Just few months were enough for a partner to message him "we aren’t working any longer" and "it’s better to break up". Squeezing Y/N in the arms and trying to memorise her perfume, Luke barely kept a phrase "please, wait for me" to himself.

"It will pass quickly," she promised, being cheerful as much as she could, although once Luke left that door, Y/N burst into tears. The girl trusted her boyfriend, and the tears were not a reflection of doubts about him or their relationship, no. It was only an expression of bitter sadness because of the simple fact that they wouldn’t be able to see each other for quite some time.

LA looked a little bit alien. The flight was long and tedious. Usually Luke couldn’t sleep normally on planes, but the last few concerts were so exhausting that the whole fight back home he spent dozing off constantly. Even when his bandmates woke him up, saying they finally landed, the golden boy needed a minute or two to figure out where he was and what actually happened. And then it came as a wave – six months had passed. He was finally home. 

It was the middle of the night, and Luke begged Y/N not to bother with driving to the airport. Even thought it could be romantic, in reality it was more of a torture for a public person. His girl was waiting at home. She did have a second thought to make a surprise at the airport, however, Luke was right, and there was no need to take a risk. The musician was too tired to deal with paparazzi as well.

Luke didn’t exactly remember how he ended up next to the entrance, waiting for Y/N to open the door. He was sleepy the whole way there, however, realising he was going to see her after six month being apart, it awakened goosebumps all over his body. The butterflies raised in the stomach once again. Suddenly, he felt cold, terrified by a pessimistic thought of her not being there. Or her, preparing a speech how she was not ready for that type of relationship, for that kind of difficulties. But ones Y/N opened the door, she jumped on Luke, cuddling softly, and the guy, lifting her from the floor, lost it, sobbing like a child and smelling her perfume, always the same, always so special.

"Baby…" Y/N had promised herself she wouldn’t cry when she’d see him, but as the girl heard a quiet sob, she couldn’t hold hers, too.

"Please, don’t go," the musician mumbled, letting out a phrase he had been holding since the day he left for the tour. Luke kept those words to himself, being scared they’d be prophetic, but at that moment the guy knew he had nothing to worry about. She was there. She was with him…

"What are you talking about? I won’t go anywhere," Y/N rested a palm on his cheek, smiling and glancing at Luke’s blue eyes. "You look so tired… You’ll eat and then have a rest, okay? You need to sleep a lot now, in few days it’ll get bett–"

"Hush, just kiss me," Luke chuckled, not being able to believe that the girl decided to give him recommendations how to survive jet lag. Him, travelling the world since he was a teenager! But that’s why he loved Y/N so much. She was caring from the very beginning, it was so unfamiliar and almost strange to him at first. The girl was never "too much"; Y/N always knew when Luke needed her and when he needed time alone. The musician called her a fairy, meaning Y/N certainly had magical powers, knowing him that well. "A witch" was too offensive by his taste, it didn’t suit the girl. She was a fragile soul that for some reason found a safe place in him. Luke couldn’t find the right words to express how actually thankful he was to her for choosing him. Him, with all the problems and flaws. Y/N would only laugh when he’d say that she was perfect. The girl would repeat that no one was, but that what was special about both of them.

"When you love someone, even flaws become favourites. I can get annoyed when you chew loudly, but when you were gone… Every time I had breakfast alone, it was too quiet," Y/N admitted, patting his golden hair.

Luke couldn’t get enough of her, so after late dinner, they lied together on a couch, and he cuddled Y/N tight, resting a head on her shoulder. The guy already warned that he wasn’t planning to let her go any time soon, but it’s not like Y/N was complaining. She didn’t mind a little battle who of them was more affectionate. And the silly competition has just begun. 

taglist: @dgrangaa, @gracieboogirl

– gifs aren’t mine and belong to the rightful owner – saw them here @kaleidoscopeminds –

© writersdare | all rights reserved

All stories are original and written by me. Do not copy, trace and post anywhere without permission and credit. The stories are fictional, they do not correspond to reality and written just for fun ♡

Masterlist | Taglist

[paradisetemporarilymisplaced]

So I was being a basic bitch the other day and listening to my true crime podcasts when it occurred to me just how suspicious Nile’s “death” would look to everyone not in the Guard, leading me to a train of thought that, 2200 words later, absolutely got away from me but I can’t let go so I’m inflicting it on all of you!

To set the stage, we know the movie takes place over approximately a week. Here’s what happens to Nile from the military’s point of view:

She dies is very seriously injured

She heals without a scratch

Just before she’s supposed to be shipped out to Germany, she vanishes, leaving two men concussed (and presumably reporting being knocked out by a woman with short hair wearing civilian clothes)

She goes AWOL for several days

They get word from the CIA that she is to be reported killed in action (details unclear)

So, at the beginning of this very weird week, the USMC has to tell Nile’s family of her death critical injury. What her family was told depends on how long she was dead – a Google search tells me that family will be notified in person within 8 hours of a soldier’s death, but we don’t know how long her first death lasted. For an injury, however, they’d get a phone call to notify them and the unit would arrange for them to visit as soon as the soldier is transferred out of a combat zone. Like I remember when I was in high school, a guy from my church who was a Marine was really seriously injured in a helicopter crash in Iraq and from what I could tell, his parents were told immediately and were flown out to Germany to see him, so it stands to reason that Nile’s family would have been informed relatively quickly after her throat was slashed, one way or another.

And then, she goes AWOL. Her family would be notified while the USMC tried to figure out where she went, not least because the military would want to know if she’s contacted them. (And it’s possible that her family may have been on the way to Germany to see her since we know that’s where she was supposed to go!) So for several days:

Nile’s mom and brother have no idea where she is

They know she was seriously injured and most certainly should not have been moving around on her own

They can’t get a hold of her

The military can’t tell them anything

And the next thing they know for sure is that she was “killed in action.” After being injured and vanishing into thin air. And they presumably cannot produce her body or any concrete evidence of her death. In any case, something sketchy is going on, so they’re like. SMELLS LIKE A MILITARY COVERUP.

In a surprise to probably no one, there is a well-documented legacy of mysterious US military deaths, particularly of women of color (TW for sexual assault in these links). The cases of LaVena Johnson and Vanessa Guillenin particular have made national news because of their families’ persistence in seeking justice. Likewise, Nile is a Black woman, and her mom and brother are most certainly hypercognizant of (a) state violence against Black people and (b) these high-profile cases of suspicious military deaths. So her family are seriously side-eyeing the situation, knowing that (a) the military has a serious incentive (and a documented history) of covering up things that make them look bad and (b) nothing about Nile’s disappearance and supposed death are adding up.

And Andy’s right. Nile does come from warriors. And you know who else does? Her brother.

Don’t get me wrong. Nile’s mom would absolutely not back down. She’d know something was up and want to get to the bottom of it. But based on what I know about Gen X parents (mine), they’re not the most technologically savvy. Like they can use the internet, but they didn’t grow up with it the way we young millennials and Gen Z did. So Nile’s brother takes the lead. And what do zillennials do best?

Social media.

Nile’s brother starts going hard on any site he can, trying to get the word out to see if anyone knows what happened to his sister. He starts a Reddit thread. He starts a Facebook group. He reaches out to the media and true crime bloggers and podcasters à la Sarah Turney, getting loud and being a general nuisance in hopes of getting some answers. He gets his friends and Nile’s friends involved. Maybe eventually Dizzy, Jay, and others from Nile’s unit hear about it and reach out, telling him what they saw and how weird it all was. He’s drumming up interest, and soon “Nile Freeman” becomes a household name (at least among the true crime fans).

Copley is, of course, trying his best, but at this point there is just so much that it’s impossible for him to scrub everything. Sure, he can erase new footage of Nile and the Guard, but what can he do about Reddit threads and podcast episodes that are speculating something weird has happened? Maybe he could hack the sites and shut those things down, but honestly, that’s the last thing he’d want to do, because that only adds weight to the theory that Nile’s disappearance is a military coverup. So eventually he has to tell Andy what’s going on.

Andy, obviously, does not take the news well. However, she is also completely computer illiterate, because that’s Booker’s job and he’s the only one who ever bothered to learn what the internet is in any meaningful way. (She probably calls Booker for advice, and for the record, I think Booker would have no qualms about shutting down conspiracy threads, tinhats be damned, but Copley is too concerned about the consequences. He’s ex-CIA for crying out loud, he knows how it’ll look if they scrub every mention of Nile’s name from the internet.) Maybe she confers with Joe and Nicky but, let’s be honest, they’d be equally unhelpful. So at this point, she knows they have to bring in Nile.

But the thing about Nile is that she, too, knows how to use the internet (duh). Aside from her being a young millennial/digital native, we know from the cave scene where she’s giving Booker suggestions on how to track Copley that she clearly is even more computer savvy than the average person. And for that reason she almost definitely took over the day-to-day tech stuff after Booker’s exile. So I think it would be foolish to expect her to be unaware of what’s happening. She’s not contacting her family or posting on the message boards or anything, but she knows what’s up. So Copley and the team probably sit her down to “break the news,” but we know the girl does not have a poker face (see: literally shooting herself in the foot and not being able to play it cool whatsoever) and cracks immediately, telling them she’s seen everything about her case – she’s not interacting with any of it, she certainly didn’t instigate anything, but she knows. (And she is so goddamn proud of her brother.)

At this point, I’d like to pause and consider Nile’s role in the overall narrative of this movie. She’s set up as a foil to Andy, obviously, but she’s also a foil to Booker. Booker, who, like Andy, is a serious pessimist, but who, unlike Andy, still has very fresh memories and trauma associated with being the new kid, which have destroyed him. In his mind (and Andy’s), if Nile communicates with her family, she’ll become just like him in a century or two – bitter, alone, and stuck with her grief and memories of watching her family die and knowing they died resenting her. It’s a small sample size, but this is the only experience they have to go off of.

But it doesn’t have to be like that.

There’s been a lot of discussion of TOG being a fundamentally queer movie – a group of people brought together because of something inherent about themselves that is different, that must be hidden, that causes others to hate, fear, and reject them. Booker’s backstory is the archetypal traumatic “coming out” story – his family learns who he is, hate him for it, and attempt to cast him out of their lives. He’s stuck with his trauma, his pain, his loss, and it consumes him.

But what if Nile’s family would be the opposite? What if her “coming out” to them as immortal is met with acceptance, love, celebration? What if her family is just overjoyed to have her back, and they don’t care what the circumstances are? I'm reminded of this incredible post from @shitty-old-guard-deaths a while back, where Nile’s mother hits Booker with a frying pan because “my baby let me believe she was dead for FIVE YEARS based on your bad advice???” (which may or may not have inspired this whole tangent). Nile takes the advice of someone who did the same thing she wants to do because she doesn’t want to risk her family’s rejection. She wants the good memories with her family and is afraid that showing them her true self will bring her unbearable pain, forever replacing those memories. But, with high risk comes high reward.

Anyway. Nile and the team are trying to come up with a plan for how to handle this whole thing, but she’s not really participating because she’s too afraid to hope. Until finally, quickly, so she doesn’t lose her nerve, she suggests she reach out to them, knowing that, realistically, that’s the only solution before things snowball even further out of control. The team is shocked, but realize that she has a point. They decide that Copley should actually be the first point of contact, posing as a US government official to talk with them and test the waters.

So Copley goes to Nile’s family’s house to talk with her mom and brother. They’re probably distrustful and apprehensive, but nonetheless secretly ecstatic that their work has paid off. They talk and review all of the information that they’ve collected, including testimonials from the people on Nile’s base and recent sightings (along with photos) of Nile (with the same three people) over the last few years that people have sent them but they haven’t posted publicly. At this point, Copley’s like, yeah this is about to blow up, we gotta put our cards on the table. He convinces them to come with him to some safe house/black site/whatever he can get that is technologically impenetrable (I’m picturing them in like, an interrogation room at a police station kind of deal), takes their phones, locks the doors, and brings in Nile.

What follows is the most delightful reunion scene of all time, bringing Joe, Nicky, and even Andy to tears as they watch and listen from outside the room. With Copley’s help, Nile tells her mom and brother about her immortality and what’s been going on since she died (within reason, of course), and they are thrilled. They don’t understand why (because no one does) but they don’t question it and they see it as a gift from God – she’s been resurrected, she will live, and she has a purpose. Her mother and brother are so happy to see her again and are willing to agree with pretty much anything to stay in her life as long as they can.

So. They set up some complicated agreement (they bring in the other three for support/intimidation as needed) setting the terms of their relationship. They swear Nile’s family to secrecy, maybe bringing up the lab to show how high the stakes are, and they readily agree. They come up with some cover story for Nile’s brother to share on the message boards (maybe that the government has opened an investigation but because it’s an open case he has to shut it all down? Tells people to direct their tips somewhere else? Something to that effect). There’s still speculation, of course, but without Nile’s brother at the helm providing the energy, the hype dies down as news stories are wont to do without any movement. And Nile’s family goes to work for the team. The experience has taught them that Copley can’t possibly do everything himself, especially when it comes to social media, so Nile’s brother takes the lead on the day-to-day tracking/social media while Copley and her mom focus on finding jobs and scrubbing their traces afterward.

So there you have it: Nile gets to integrate her biological family into her found family and spend the rest of their lives with them as it should be, Copley gets some badly needed help managing the reality of social media, the team finally has a positive narrative surrounding outsiders Knowing About Them AND about interacting with people from their previous life, and the audience gets the happy ending to this very lovely and very queer story to counteract the pain associated with Booker’s family.

Plus, you know, I’m a sucker for both a good government conspiracy theory and for Nile getting every good thing she deserves.

[youryanderedaddy]

I had a dream just now that might make a good story. So, I had a virus on my laptop which allowed a hacker to see everything I did on my computer and use my webcam. The hacker ends up falling in love with me after stalking me for a few months and pays for someone on the dark web to kidnap me. It works, and then I wake up tied up in the hacker's arm as he caresses and kisses me. That's pretty much it, good night! 🌙

Yo this is my kink 😳

Also I couldn't not write this for Saeran, ok.

Title: Stranger danger

Tw: nsfw - ish, female reader, masturbation, cyber stalking, hacking, mentions of dark web, very irresponsible online behavior, obsessive behavior, implied kidnapping

You knew that this was a stupid idea. Lurking on the dark web with almost no protection other than the Tor browser and some free anti-virus program wasn't your best decision, but fuck it if it wasn't entertaining. You had always been drawn to the darker, scarier part of the human mind and this side of the internet proved quite interesting. Your friends always warned you about the dangers that came with looking up shady online searches and sites but everything had been quite peaceful so far. There weren't hackers or murderers on the dark web, the worst you had seen were people selling drugs and weapons for unreasonable prices, along with some questionable fetish porn and the typical popping ads.

Your favorite thing to do while online was chatting. Two weeks ago you had stumbled upon an unusual forum called "Scream buddies" where upon entering you were automatically connected to another random profile. The whole theme of the forum was discussing horror and mondo movies, shockumentaries and overall creepy stuff, your forte. The person you met on there shared a similar fascination with all things dark and gory which soon made talking to them the only thing you were looking forward upon opening the site.

You didn't know much about the guy behind the profile yet, except that he was a young man. His icon showed an eye so green it emited with the neon pigment and his username was just as mysterious - BlueRose7. You enjoyed chatting with him about your hobby but the thing you liked the most was undressing him little by little, metaphorically so, by getting pieces of information about his life. It started small - his favorite food, favorite book, favorite game, but the moment you tried digging deeper and asked whether he had siblings or not, the man simply disappeared for the next few days. You quickly realized just what type of topics you needed to avoid to keep your new friend from leaving. Family, childhood memories and work matters were out of the picture.

The stranger wasn't fair, not really. He didn't show you vulnerability and kept his secrecy while demanding to know everything there was to know about you. For the longest time you didn't want to answer just to stay on a equal footing, just to show him how frustrating it was, but there was something about the man that drew you in. He was magnetic, clever and witty, if a bit pessimistic and dark at times. You couldn't help telling him everything he wanted to hear - what your job was, whether you were single or not, all that jazz. In your defense, BlueRose7 actually listened to your stories, took your problems seriously and provided solutions, which despite being too extreme and overprotective at times (upon hearing that your bestfriend talked behind your back he offered to "take care" of her), were comforting. It was nice to have someone caring around even if you met him on a sketchy website.

Meanwhile your personal life wasn't going too great. You had to balance between attending college, working long shifts as a waitress and meeting your friends from time to time which was draining. On top of all there was a weird virus on your computer which resulted in the camera turning on and off and the most random times of the day - while you were studying, watching TV, or in some cases, fully naked and ready to take a bath. You didn't think much of it though, with all the illegal movies and games you downloaded along with the dark web lurking it was more than expected for your laptop to behave weirdly. You didn't even mention it to your friend from the IT major because you knew that he'd force you to delete Tor and put an end to your internet adventures.

One time you were particularly bored after several long lectures and you were laying in bed, the camera turned on once again. It was a hot afternoon and you were wearing boyshorts and a loose T- shirt with nothing underneath it, you were home alone so there was no need. The bright red spot was twinking like a recorder, the light reflecting in your eyes, when a silly little idea came to your mind. You slid your hand under your blouse and lifted the fabric up, exposing your breasts to the laptop, your nipples hardening due to the sudden coldness, becoming pink and stiff in seconds. You played with for a few minutes, pinching and pulling the buds gently, moaning softly into the pleasant sensation. Soon you could feel yourself getting wet, and slowly, teasingly, removed your shorts and panties. You smiled at the camera, biting your lip provocatively, imagining you were a camgirl performing for her desperate little fanboys and fangirls. The thought alone was enough to make you spread your legs wide and slip two fingers into your throbbing cunt, using the wetness to push deeper. You used your other hand to stroke your clit and whimpered wantonly, your face red, your neck sweaty and your heart pumping fast from the adrenaline. You were quickly reaching your orgasm and your mind wondered to the boy you were talking to in the forum. You wondered how he looked like, how his body was built, whether he was a sweet sensual lover or a rough mean one. Fucked up as it was, you pictured the man as one of your most loyal viewers, watching all of your streams with a fist around his thick vock and an excited grin on his face. He would comment things like "you look so beautiful like this" or perhaps even "pretty little slut" after tipping you enough to last you a week. Soon all the mental stimulation sent you over the edge and you came with a loud cry full of pleasure. Well, this felt good.

After your "performance" was over the camera was magically turned off, which may have caused some concerns if you weren't too busy feeling embarrassed and dirty about the unhinged fantasy you had just had, and with a person you knew nothing about. You managed to calm down though - it wasn't nothing more than a fun pastime, a naughty thought that would never become the reality. You would never actually meet BlueRose7, right? There was nothing to worry about, so you just went on with your day.

You had some dinner afterwards and decided to have an early night as you already felt full and tired. You put on your favoruite pajamas and laid in bed, staring at the ceiling until you fell into deep dreamless sleep.

You woke up due to a weird noise. You could hear someone's heavy breathing right next to your ear, someone's grabby hands were wrapped tightly against your body, trapping you between the wall and their hard chest. You had only a few seconds to scream before the intruder's palm covered your mouth.

"Shhh." The man whispered softly and stroked your hair like you were a doll he was playing with. "Don't scream or I'll be forced to hurt you, flower. I have a gun." His voice sounded deep and rough but this didn't stop you from thrashing and turning on your side until you came face to face with the man. It was dark in the room and you couldn't exactly see all his features but his enchanting green eyes would forever be burned into your memory - they seemed dashing, hypnotizing. You couldn't utter a word.

"It's me, the person you've been talking to all these months. I came to take you home" He spoke out suddenly, the line of his mouth twisting into a smile or a smirk, you couldn't quite tell. You shook your head no, tears threatening to spill all over your cheeks from the fear. It couldn't be him, the man would never do that to you. Or would he? With what little information you knew, you couldn't really tell. His hold finally loosen, seeing you quiet like that.

"Let me go, please." You begged, pushing at his shoulders weakly since you were still sleepy, groggy and tired. "I don't know you." You said, hoping this would remind the stranger you weren't friends, lovers or anything that gave him the right to be so close to you, to touch you so intimately. Unfortunately, this only seemed to amuse him and he chucked darkly as he pulled your hair away to place a small chaste kiss on your neck.

"But I know you, flower." Your supposed online friend replied shortly after, his eyes full of malice. "And your little show today makes me think you want to know me too." He added in a low tone, licking his lips before smashing them on yours, forcing his tongue deep into your mouth just to hear your whines and protests. Then it hit you. The camera, the virus, the questions. He had watched you, he knew where you worked, where you lived and studied, everything. You had told him after all.

The hacker thought you looked so adorable right now, figuring things out, helpless, confused, regretful and most of all, weak. You were so weak and careless, and he loved you for it. It reminded him of himself before life screwed him over.

You wouldn't be in this position, underneath him, if you had just told someone about your laptop virus and the bad guy you had encountered online. But Saeran couldn't say he wasn't glad your self-preservation instincts were so very broken and dysfunctional. He wouldn't meet you otherwise. "I need you, princess. That's why I'll take you to Paradise." These were the final words you heard before you felt lightheaded and sleepy again, your last memory a pair of green mint eyes.

You really shouldn't have trusted strangers on the internet.

[fraiserabbit]

Hey!

I was wondering if you had any designs for the fireman? Or any headcanons on how they act?

(if Fireman exist in this AU? I'm 95% sure you hinted towards them before?)

A lot of people are fascinated by the Magic, and to be working so close to it excites them. They’re free to drive anyone’s engine with them, but they usually stick with their main Driver.

There's no special magic putting them in the rail industry, unlike Drivers. As such, there's no magic to protect them from serious injury because they're just squishy regular people. So becoming a fireman entails that you know the risks that may come with it.

You can imagine how much Drivers blame themselves for the injuries (or deaths) of their firemen when an accident happens, since most of them grow to be really close with them. A little survivor’s guilt here, a few Drivers feeling like the new fireman is replacing their old friend there...the usual angst.

🔥🧍‍♂️ designs/hcs for the 6 major guys below :]

Thomas’ fireman - Jim

About Thomas’ age, but not as youthful in mindset; acts more like his tired guardian who can’t quite keep up with his Driver’s antics

Can never expect what Thomas will do next, despite working with him for so long

Calls the engine “old girl”, though Thomas insists she’s the opposite--then he’ll start being a smartass and throw some Train Facts at him (Thomas never seems to learn though, and keeps challenging his fireman)

Edward’s fireman - Sidney

A little older than Edward and has a loud wheezy laugh Edward loves

Doesn’t let his age hold him back, reassuring Edward when he was bullied for this (look, in my first story!)

Frequent dad jokes being exchanged on boring journeys, praises Edward’s jokes (Edward thinks he doesn’t know they’re taken from Charlie, but like c’mon the old man is sharper than that)

Henry’s fireman - Ted

Just a year older than Henry, but likes asking to be carried around because goddamn that man is strong (Henry happily obliges)

Received a broken leg from the Kipper accident, but remains lighthearted about it and reassures Henry when he starts feeling bad

Gardening is a hobby of his, so sometimes before work he’ll pick out the best looking flower to put in the engine cab before Henry arrives

Gordon’s fireman - Kevin

Younger than Gordon, actually his second fireman after the first moved away with his family (Gordon still keeps in touch), enthusiastic about his job

In a way he reminds Gordon of his younger siblings, making Gordon feel protective and responsible over him (this time he’ll not be a bad older brother ever again)

Sometimes he’ll purposefully mispronounce words to see how far he can push Gordon’s limits, knowing Gordon won’t dare hurt his crew

James’ fireman - Larry

Older than James, provides emotional guidance when he needs it

One of the three people that knows about James’ scars--they’ve bonded quite a bit after James’ accident since he received a few minor injuries himself, now they’re like two peas in a pod

Can be seen hanging out with Thomas’ fireman often, and honestly maybe they had a short fling at some point idk man but James likes to tease him about it

Percy’s fireman - Robert

A couple years younger than Percy, yet he acts (and looks) like a gruff old man; pessimistic, but he genuinely does love his Driver and they have a fantastic friendship

“Percy, I’m trying to focus and you’re yappin’ in my ear about a cow we passed five minutes ago.” “Oh. Should I stop?” “No.”

You’ll see them writing something on pieces of paper and tuck it into each other’s uniform pockets at the start of the day, then read it aloud to each other at the end of the day :]

[ptergwen]

web of lies

take a leap. if you start to fall, the net will appear to catch you.

photographer!peter x journalist!reader || masterlist

w/c: 7.1k

warnings: swearing, one drinking mention, descriptions of anxiety, and angst if ya squint

summary: peter can’t stop holding your hands, betty and ned are the modern day bonnie and clyde, ned is a terrible guy in the chair, the osborn’s are up to something, and mj hates you all

a/n: y’all i’m super excited about this series like i haven’t had an idea i’ve really loved in months? so it’s good to be back !!! there are tons of things i have planned and i can’t wait to share them with all of you hehe i really hope you enjoy part one <3 happy reading

to be honest, which is what you do best, you’ve had a thing for peter parker your whole time at the daily bugle. you actually almost told him once.

a couple months ago, peter walked you home on a night you worked overtime. he’d came in last minute to leave some pictures on your boss’s desk. no one else but you was there, hunched at your computer in the dim office lighting. peter was pleasantly surprised to see you, yet concerned for your well-being. you had to put your finishing touches on a story.

he didn’t feel comfortable letting you travel alone at that hour. so, he went with you when you were ready. his company was more than welcomed. you told peter about your article while you two sat on the subway. he’d listened intently, your head resting on his shoulder and his arm around you. he made sure you got to your apartment building alright as well.

“hey, peter?” you’d asked, halfway up the steps. he was waiting until you were inside and safe to leave. “hm? you good?” he’d smiled sort of expectantly. “yeah. i... i wanted to say...”

your words got caught in your throat when he gave you the softest puppy eyes you’ve ever seen. you couldn’t do it. for some reason, you were too scared to confess how you felt. “thanks again for walking me home,” you’d settled on. he’d seemed disappointed that was what you wanted to tell him. nevertheless, he said not to worry about it before taking off.

that one moment perfectly captures it all; how yours and peter’s narrative plays itself out.

—

“we’ve got an update on hydra v. the people!”

“those freaky giraffes escaped the zoo... again.”

“shoot one more spitball and it’ll be your last.”

“does anyone have an aspirin?”

welcome to the daily bugle, where the chaos never ends and the calm never starts. you’ll find new york’s finest writers, publishers, and creatives of all kind right here. that would include you. you’re one of the top journalists in the whole building, according to mr. norman osborn. he’s the brilliant and slightly insane man who runs this place.

although it’s rare for someone in your field, you were hired straight out of college. norman read a few pieces you’d written and loved them so much that he offered you a job. full time, full benefits, no questions asked. there was something special about the way you wove your words together. your writing had its own voice. a strong voice, one the paper was severely lacking.

you’ve been with the bugle for just over a year now. it’s not the quiet, nine to five gig you were initially expecting it to be. you’re each very unique individuals in your office, and there’s never a dull moment because of it. your coworkers can be found hosting debates on the riskiest topics or tackling each other for blueberry muffins, and that’s just a regular tuesday. the place is stranger than strange. but, it’s become home.

thanks to mr. osborn being so accommodating, you actually settled in rather quickly. another big help has been the friends you’ve made. your first was michelle jones, who prefers to be called mj. she’s a fellow journalist with a wickedly dark humor that trickles into her writing. if you had to describe her in one word, it would be blunt. mj is as real as it gets, and also eternally loyal. she keeps her circle small, so you’re honored you get to be in it.

mj sits right next to you, which means you’re always talking through your days. that’s due in part to the way your office is set up. there aren’t any cubicles, tables and swirly chairs taking up their space instead. norman heard it was more progressive, probably from his son harry.

harry is about your age, only a couple of years older. he hangs around quite a lot, but doesn’t do much with his time besides that. according to norman, he’s still seeking out his passion. he’s banking on him finding a suitable career at the bugle. he’d like to pass this all on to harry some day, hopefully sooner than later. either way, you don’t mind having harry here. he’s super funny and friendly with everyone.

there’s also ned leeds, who’s an editor and reviews most of your pieces. he’s sweeter than candy, even when he’s ripping your grammar to shreds. on the rare occasions you’re not discussing breaking news, you two talk about movies. ned is a film buff and gives you the best recommendations. you’re convinced he was a critic in his past life.

last but so from least is peter parker. he only works for the bugle part time, since he’s still in school. you both graduated from your respective colleges the same year. peter wants to get his masters degree, though. he’s a photographer who’s aspiring to be a cinematographer. him and ned have their passion for the industry in common, and that’s what makes them such great friends.

you learned this and more from the times you and peter have partnered up on stories. he’s one of your best friends not only at the bugle, but in your entire life. the many long nights you’ve spent collaborating have brought you close to each other. they consist of drinking and deep talks, along with some actual work. he takes the pictures, you do the writing. you’ve been told you make a lovely pair.

peter says it himself, too. you’d like to believe he means it as more than coworkers. he’s so caring, and smart, and pure, and peter. yeah, you like him an awful lot. you can hardly stand the feeling of it sometimes.

the fact that you you haven’t come clean already is ridiculous.

“goddamn. not again,” you mutter out. “em, you better come look at this. it’s bad.” mj wheels over to you in her chair with a puzzled look. her eyes follow yours, landing on your computer. “leeds just sent this? to everyone?” she questions, your reply a short hum. you’re both staring daggers at the email your screen displays.

ned is responsible for assigning each journalist their own topics to cover. he’s been lacking a bit recently, having you write up think pieces on fluffy things. in other words, stuff that no one cares about. he asked you to compare oat milk and almond milk just last week. you’d hoped this week would be better, but here you are.

“this is ass. who does he think we are, buzzfeed?” mj scoffs at her own words. the daily bugle prides itself on being a reliable news source, on paper and tv. you’re starting to stoop down to the low level of your competitors. “he assigned me some tiktok dance trend. i’m not writing a single word about that app.” she sets her elbows down on the table, head in her hands.

“aw, why not? grandma mj isn’t down with the kids?” you tease and click out of the upsetting email. “i don’t write for kids,” mj deadpans. she pushes her glasses up on her nose. “what’d you get?” “the evolution of memes,” you gloomily reply. you’re surprised norman has been approving these topics. then again, ned is the head editor. he can do whatever he wants regardless of approval.

mj glares over at the kitchen, where betty brant currently resides. she’s making two hot chocolates instead of her usual one. “i blame her,” mj mumbles to you. your eyebrows furrow. “dude, what? betty is an angel. she doesn’t even work in editing.” betty is the bugle’s highest rated anchorwoman. her and her news team are on people’s televisions every night.

“no, but she has been spending a generous amount of time with leeds,” mj grumbles. she’s admittedly very nosy. the upside is that she tells you any juicy office drama there is. “my theory is betty’s making him give us crap stories so she can report the good ones.” she glances over at you to see what you think. “no way. that can’t be allowed... or legal,” you laugh back.

as if on cue, ned appears next to betty in the kitchen. he takes the extra hot coco that’s piled high with whipped cream. betty tucks a sheet of paper into his suit pocket and kisses his cheek, then he’s gone. you can only gasp as you watch this unfold. what has she done to poor, clueless ned?

“not such an angel anymore, huh?” mj smirks in satisfaction. “suddenly, she has red horns and a pitchfork,” you bitterly agree with your tongue in your cheek. betty waves to you two on her way back to broadcasting. mj gives her a fake nice finger wave, you ignoring her. “we can’t sit back and let this happen, em. we have to do something,” you decide. “let’s tell norman.”

uninterested, mj takes off her glasses and starts to clean them. “like he’ll believe us. yeah, golden girl betty brant is sabotaging the writer’s room,” she rewords her previous statement to put its stupidity in perspective. you throw your hands up. “she is, though! we literally watched it happen!” mj puts her freshly wiped glasses back on and sighs.

“i doubt norman would care, y/n. every newspaper to ever exist is corrupt somehow.” your pessimistic old pal has a point. however, you’re not so willing to accept it. “why can’t we be the first one that isn’t?” you offer a small smile. mj snickers, wheeling back to her own computer. “those are words of the innocent.” she’s already tapping her fingers across the keyboard.

“i thought you weren’t doing the tiktok piece,” you say under your breath. you’re slightly pissed mj turned you down, since she’s the reason you know about betty’s meddling. “i’m not,” mj answers sharply. “i’m gonna email quentin and ask if we can change our topics. happy?” quentin beck is another editor in the building. he’s not bad, but he is intimidating. no one typically goes to him as their first option.

“i’m thrilled,” you confirm and grin at mj to emphasize it. “thanks for stepping up. you’re forgiven.” “i didn’t realize i had to be sorry,” mj notes, this time in a playful manor. she shakes her head as she begins writing. “you and your morals.”

what you value most in your career is honesty, under any circumstances. of course, the other daily bugle writers are the same. norman strictly prohibits clickbait and crazy headlines because that isn’t real news. you leave that to companies like buzzfeed. you’re honest in the sense that you say whatever has to be said, what everyone else is too afraid to. you’ll speak your truth no matter who tries to stop you.

it didn’t used to be that way. there’s some childhood trauma that remains deep in the back of your mind. you’ve left that behind you now, having over a decade to cope with it. hey, they say the past is in the past. what’s important is your takeaway, that you would never let yourself or anyone else be silenced from there on out. never again.

quentin ends up giving you the okay to write different stories. he lets you and mj choose choose your own because he’s got “better things to do” and you’re “big girls.” what a peach he is. mj goes with how capitalism is continuing to provoke global warming. she has something to say about every major world issue, and you admire the hell out of her for it.

you’re a bit stuck when it’s time to write your article. it’s terribly ironic because you pushed for this. you aren’t too worried, though. the city is crawling with material, so you’ll find what you’re looking for eventually. lucky for you, some much needed inspiration comes skipping out of the elevator.

“morning, peter,” you hear liz greet him at the front desk. she’s your floor’s receptionist. her wisdom and patience keep this place going. “hi, liz. how’s it going?” he asks. “things have been quiet... mostly. can i do anything for you?” liz peers up at him. peter sports a shy smile. “uh, yeah. mr. osborn wanted to see me?” “right. hang on.” she nods, dialing his office phone number.

it’s endearing how peter calls him mr. osborn, seeing as the rest of you go with norman. he’s probably the politest guy you’ve ever met.

grinning, liz puts down the phone. “you can go in whenever you’re ready. good luck!” peter laughs nervously and turns to leave. “thanks, you too.” his face falls when he realizes his mistake. “wait, i- i didn’t mean to say that. that was stupid. you’re not-“ “it’s fine, peter,” liz reassures him. his anxiety makes him trip over his words sometimes. that, and he’s a bit dorky in general. you find it rather adorable.

you also wonder what exactly he needs good luck for. he’s not even supposed to be working today, so your curiosity as to what’s going on has been piqued.

“um, i’m gonna go now. bye!” peter rushes off, his face tinted pink from the embarrassing encounter. you’re hoping he’ll stop and talk with you for a little while, but he heads straight to norman’s office. your whole body deflates at that. mj notices from her peripherals.

“what’s the matter? missing your hubby?” she coos, her words dripping in sarcasm. “no,” you lie. “i’m... i don’t know what to write about.” ok, there’s some truth. mj gives you a couple pats on the shoulder. “ask parker for help. you two work... well together. don’t you?” this must be the zillionth time you’ve heard that.

“we do,” you murmur and glance at norman’s closed door. peter is hidden behind it. “i just don’t wanna bug him. he has finals soon, and whatever norman is putting him up to. it’s my job, anyway.” mj pokes your arm. “those sound like excuses to me,” she concludes, still jabbing at you childishly. “you really just don’t wanna tell him you like-“

“can you keep it down?” you hiss, yanking your arm back. “he’s literally right over there.” peter stands up and shakes norman’s hand. you catch it through the blinds on his window. “y/n, you were drooling over his mere presence only minutes ago,” mj prefaces, a smile pulling at her lips. “you can handle three little words. i like you, that’s it. spit it out already.”

you’ll never admit this to mj, but she’s right. you lost your momentum after your first failed attempt to say the three little words. you’re still not sure what stopped you. you’d shared the details of that faithful night with her, and she’s been pushing you to try again since.

the door to norman’s office opens, and out walks peter. he’s beaming after their conversation, which seems like a good sign. harry passes peter on his way in to pay his dad a visit. he claps him on the shoulder, peter happily accepting before continuing his stride back into the main office. it takes a moment to register that he’s coming towards you.

you quickly set your focus back on your computer so he doesn’t think you’ve been watching him. even though, you definitely have.

“y/n!” peter calls your name. he’s on the opposite side of your table, in front of you. “peter!” you match his tone. “i was just dropping by. i thought i’d say hey while i’m here.” he’s still grinning. “what’re you doing?” he looks cute as ever in an oversized and cream colored sweater. his curls are slicked back with a tad too much product, cheeks rosy. you gaze up at him when he rests his arms on the table.

“pretending to be productive,” mj answers for you, pressing her lips together. peter cocks his head to the side. “pretending?” “ignore her. she’s being a shit stirrer today,” you explain. “like every other day,” he jokes, earning a laugh from you. mj just tuts and keeps writing. “talk about me like i’m not here,” she mumbles to herself, then gets back into her article.

“anyways, i thought you didn’t work today?” you ask to take the attention off yourself. also, because you’re curious. “oh! get this.” peter perks up even more, if that’s possible. he has energy like no other. “you know alex in broadcasting? betty’s camera guy?” “what about him?” you wonder. “he called in sick earlier this morning, with the flu or something.” he’s oddly excited to announce this. that prompts you to make a funny face.

biting back another smile, peter elaborates. “mr. osborn needed someone to fill in for him, so he picked me. i’ll be here all week.” it makes sense, since peter knows how to work a camera and does so wonderfully. you give him a celebratory push at his chest. “peter, that’s amazing! this is the perfect way to transition from pictures to film, right?” he’s nearing his finals at school, which consist of more movie-like projects. the news will be great practice.

then, he’s off to hollywood. you’ll put that out of your mind for now.

“exactly! i think it’ll be a good place to start. the pay isn’t bad either.” peter wiggles his eyebrows at you, you giggling once again. you do a lot of that when he’s around. that’s going to be more often now. “plus, i get to see you. everyone wins.” he squeezes your hand that was just on him. your heart begins to thump. “except alex,” you challenge, playing with his fingers. “but, for real. i’m happy you get to do this and that we’ll be spending more time together.”

“thanks, y/n/n. me too.” peter grins and leans over, taking a peek at your computer screen. there’s a blank word document on it. “you never told me what you’re up to,” he chuckles. “guess mj was right... nothing.” “i’m always right,” she chimes in from next to you. you look between the two of them with a scowl. “i haven’t found my story yet. i don’t know, this never happens.” peter nods as you share your dilemma. “no good ideas are coming to me,” you murmur.

“they will. you have a way of attracting things.” he licks his lower lip, your heart completely stopping this time. “well, i gotta go set up for rise and shine with betty brant.” he waves his hand like he’s presenting his words. that’s what betty calls her morning news segment. “be careful with her. she’s being really sketchy these days,” you warn peter, mj grunting in agreement.

confused, peter purses his lips. “really? ned says she’s a sweetheart. they’ve been going out for a while.” mj pops her head up and adjusts her glasses. “did ned also tell you she’s bribing him to give her all of our scoops?” she’s asking rhetorically because she already knows the answer. of course he didn’t. “it’s one thing to not like her. you’re just making things up now,” peter huffs.

mj kicks your foot under the table. “i told you no one would believe us. not even peter gullible parker.” “it’s benjamin,” he corrects her. “whatever,” she brushes it off, resuming her work.

peter does tend to be sort of naive, to only see the good in things when there’s plenty of bad. you’re the same in that way, unless you hang around mj for too long.

“is that true? betty’s stealing your stories?” peter turns to you and asks. you gesture to your screen. “i don’t have one, so you do the math.” he hums sympathetically. he’ll listen to you, never mj. “i’m sorry. thanks for telling me, y/n. i’ll watch out for her.” he bends his fingers to look like goggles, putting them around his eyes. you sigh lightheartedly.

“are you twenty two years old or twelve?” mj remarks, but not without a comeback from peter. “you’re, like, eighty five. worry about that.” they’ve had this type of banter for as long as you’ve known them. it’s equal parts amusing and exhausting. “don’t be late on your first day.” you snap peter out of it with a knowing smile. he returns it.

“i hope something crazy happens so you can write about it.” he’s walking backwards now, towards the elevator. “see you later, pete,” is all you say back, yet another laugh threatening to escape you. “see you. bye, michelle,” peter says just to bug her. “it’s mj,” she groans without looking up. he shrugs. “not so fun, is it?”

after peter is gone, you try to get back into work. or rather, you try to start your work. what he said about you having a way of attracting things keeps ringing in your head. was he flirting? no, he couldn’t have been. peter parker doesn’t flirt. words aren’t his strong suit, and you have countless memories that prove this to be true. earlier with liz, for example.

you’re probably reading way into this. peter was simply doing what any good friend would do and gave you advice.

it’s late in the afternoon when anything worth mentioning happens again. peter is still with betty, as far as you know. they’re probably preparing for the nighttime news now. all you’ve done since seeing him is nibble on snacks and bug mj, who’s almost done with her story despite your distractions. this is really bad, considering your deadline to submit is at the end of today.

you’ve never missed a deadline.

mj emails her work to quentin while you repeatedly bang your head on the table. she hits send before deciding to entertain you. “whatcha doing over there?” she cautiously prompts, powering off her computer. “trying to get an idea. i’m desperate, if you couldn’t tell.” your voice is muffled. “i could.” mj grabs your shoulders and pulls you back so you’re sitting up. you childishly pout.

“y/n, the only thing that’s gonna give you is brain damage,” mj says sternly, then softens her tone. “why don’t you ask for an extension? norman gives me them all the time.” whining, you slump down in your chair again. “yeah, but you’re you! we do things differently, have different expectations put on us.” she’s back to cold mj after you say that. “alright. at least i did something today besides pine over that little-“

mj’s insult for peter is interrupted by harry. “ladies, what’s shaking?” he comes up to you two with a the hint of smirk on his face. you manage a nod to acknowledge him. “oh, hey... harry,” mj unenthusiastically replies. she’s the one person who isn’t really a fan of him. “not much. y/n was just having a tantrum.” “she was not,” you dismiss her. “it’s work stuff. you know your dad.”

harry clicks his tongue in a teasing way. “yep, the grind never stops in this joint. boss man is...” he does the sign for cuckoo with his finger. you laugh a little at that. “in a good way,” you add on. mj only watches you two, blinking blankly. harry gives you a definitive pat on the back. “before i forget, he wants to see you.” that gets mj talking. “norman?” she questions. “your dad?” you choke out at the same time.

“who else? he said you two have to talk.” harry flashes you a weary smile. “have fun in there, old sport.” you’re too busy biting the skin off your bottom lip to respond. “mhm... she will,” mj speaks on your behalf. even she sounds worried. saluting you both, harry leaves to go pester your other colleagues. you’re completely and totally fucked.

“that’s it for me!” you grin sarcastically, freaked out by harry. “i’m fired, aren’t i? i’m definitely about to get fired, and it’s all because-“ “relax!” mj cuts off your rambling. she reaches down and grasps at your wrists. “get it together, y/l/n. you’re the best we have, okay? you aren’t going anywhere.” your grin becomes a frown. “then why does norman wanna talk to me? and, why don’t i have a story?”

mj always has the answers, but this time is the execption. she lets out a breath. “i don’t know. you’ll go find out and tell me what happens.” there’s no use protesting. you’re going to have to face whatever you’re about to at some point. “ok,” you give in, defeated. “i’ll be back soon, i hope.”

the walk to norman’s office feels like a walk of shame. mj can do nothing but sit back and observe it. if this ends the way you think it will, you’ll be collecting your things and won’t ever return. norman is a kind man, and he’s usually pretty understanding. he doesn’t mind the workplace shenanigans as long as you get your job done. unfortunately, you haven’t today.

you hear your boss’s booming voice when you approach his door. inhaling deep, you knock on it, and the room goes silent. “come in,” norman responds after a few seconds. mustering up a smile, you open the door to be met with your doom. “hi, am i interrupting something?” you check. “not at all! you’re just the person i wanted to see. sit, sit,” he beckons you over. he’s not using his angry voice, so maybe you’re in the clear. you enter the room as told.

you’re shocked to see a terrified peter is already in one of the chairs. he visibly relaxes a bit now that you’re here. what the hell is happening? whatever you were expecting, this was the last thing.

taking the armchair next to peter, you sit facing norman’s desk. you nudge his arm to get his attention. his big brown eyes lock with yours. “what’s going on?” you whisper. “no idea,” peter whispers back. the two of you turn to norman again when he claps his hands. he’s plopped down into his cushy leather seat.

“so,” he begins, gaze flicking from peter to you. “you kids know why you’re here?” “is it because i missed my deadline?” you blurt out. you’re once again a nervous wreck. peter doesn’t speak, just winces. “not that. although, i did hear from ned that you turned down his assignment.” norman flicks at a post-it on his desk. “i asked quentin for one instead. me and mj,” you explain, peter’s eyes going wide.

“you talked to quentin? that guy’s bad news,” he murmurs to you. “how so?” norman questions, since it’s his employee. “he- he, um,” peter clears his throat before answering, “he’s super critical, you know? hates all my pictures.” “i love your pictures,” you assure him, the corners of his lips turning up. “your style is so cool. yeah, though. quentin’s pretty bitter.”

considering this, norman drums his fingers on the desk. “i’ll look into that. but, that isn’t why you’re here. i’m letting you off the hook this time.” your whole demeanor changes and a huge weight lifts off of you. “really? you are?” “i have a scoop of my own that i want you to cover,” he continues, peter bumping your knee happily. a toothy grin takes over your face.

“since peter will be sticking around for a while, i want him to join you.” norman waits a beat in case you have any questions. it’s been a minute since you last worked together. peter laughs in disbelief. “you want me to take over for alex and do this?” norman nods proudly. “y/n will need the extra hands, if you have them.” “yes, sir. i do,” peter immediately confirms. “my last class is next thursday, so i have the time.”

“wait, so you’re almost done? that’s awesome!” you bump peter’s knee this time. “yup, all that’s left is finals... and studying.” he mindlessly takes your hand, lacing your fingers together. you’re enjoying his gentle touches. “thank you so much, norman. seriously, i appreciate this a lot,” you tell him and mean it. “hey, no problem,” he chuckles at your eagerness. you grip peter’s hand tighter.

“what’s the story?” “ah, yes. the most important part,” norman starts, peter sharing an excited look with you. “how familiar are you two with spider-man?” his excitement fades at the question posed. it’s unbeknownst to you, caught up in the moment. “uh, same as everyone else, i guess,” you casually reply. “how come?” “he’s your subject.” norman points at you both. “you’re gonna study him over these next few months.”

peter’s hand goes limp in yours, and he gulps hard, throat feeling dry. “you mean, like, an exposé?” “no, no. there will be no exposing,” norman clarifies. “i’m sure he wears the mask for a reason.” that settles peter only slightly. you’re not sure why he’s so tense all of a sudden. “what’s our aim here, then?” you steer the conversation.

“see what new york’s favorite hero gets up to every day, how his life is beyond the crime fighting,” norman further describes your task. peter exhales a shaky breath, shifting away from you in his seat. the golden sun hits his face and reveals a bead of sweat dripping down it. you stare at his figure in worry. “you okay, peter?” “fine. i’m just... hot,” he murmurs back. his sweater does look pretty heavy, so you concede.

getting back to norman’s story, you grimace at the idea. “do you really think people will want to read that? for lack of a better term, it sounds kind of...” you pause. “basic.” “i thought the same thing at first,” he surprisingly agrees with you. “harry pitched the idea to me this morning. you won’t believe it! the other night, he caught spider-man hanging outside his window.”

“harry... harry saw him?” peter squeaks out. he uses the wool material that feels like it’s swallowing him to dab at his forehead. “he stopped on his balcony. must have been pretty late, the kid’s a night owl,” norman says about his son. your face lights up as you listen to him. “he took some shots of spidey in action, when he swung off. i saw a few. they were pretty great.” he’s grinning at his son’s success.

“maybe he’ll get into photography with you, pete,” norman suggests. peter gives him a weak smile in return. “we’d be happy to have him.” he usually has a lot more to say about his career than that. his behavior is starting to genuinely concern you. “anyway,” norman gets back on topic, “it got me thinking. how much do we really know about this guy? we’re supposed to blindly put our trust in him?”

you’re beginning to see the appeal now. you’ve written your share of pieces on the avengers and their methods, tackling the same questions norman just asked you. spider-man shouldn’t be overlooked, especially when he operates so close to your home. this could be another revolutionary superhero story in the making. and, you get to bring peter along for the ride.

“you know what? this has a lot of potential,” you smile at norman, then peter. he has his phone in his lap, fingers flying across the screen. it must be something important. you’ll discuss with norman while he takes care of that. “we could make it a weekly thing, about spider-man’s adventures. find out what we can about the man behind the mask...” peter shoots up in his seat. “without taking it off,” you finish, putting his mind at ease.

“see, i knew you were gonna love it! it was a blessing in disguise, you missing that deadline.” norman bangs his fist on the table with a hearty laugh. “what do you say, peter? you still in?” peter slips his phone back in his pocket. his tongue pokes out to wet his lips. “oh, of course. i can’t wait to work with you, y/n/n,” he speaks in a monotone voice, adding on, “again.”

something is definitely bothering him, and it isn’t the weather.

“i gotta go. betty needs me upstairs, so,” peter moves to get up, his body stiff. you assume that’s who he was texting. “thank you again, mr. osborn.” he’s rushing out of the room just like that, until you call after him. “um, don’t you wanna set a time to meet up? so we can get started?” you reasonably ask. “i... i really gotta go. find me later,” peter tells you, giving you both a tight lipped smile and running off.

“the dynamic duo is back!” norman announces to you. you’re disappointed you can’t share that sentiment with peter.

he’s absolutely booking it down the stairs, not bothering to wait for the next elevator. this is bad. this is a nightmare.

peter went from having one of his best days in a while to the worst in not even a full round of work. today started off fine, and got better when norman promoted him. it got way better when you came along. he saw your smile that makes his insides tingle, heard your laugh that’s the prettiest sound to grace his ears, held your hand that he never wants let go.

things went a bit downhill after that. betty was pushy and yelled at him a lot, demanding he only film her good angles for the segment. you and mj weren’t wrong when you told him to be careful.

later on when he saw you again, everything was okay. he was physically shaking as brad told him mr. osborn requested to see him. brad is mr. osborn’s assistant. a try-hard for sure, but good at his job. why did mr. osborn call him in? did betty complain already?

they’d been sitting in mostly silence, save for small talk until you came knocking on the door. simply being next to you was enough to ground peter and his racing thoughts. it was enough, then it wasn’t.

the whole day had gone to shit after he found out you were going to be writing stories about his alter ego. not only that, but he was helping. during the pitch, he’d texted ned to meet him in the bathroom. he was really anxious and needed a friend who understood why.

ned accidentally found out peter is spider-man last year. it’s a long story that involves peter hiding from some bad guys in the building and ned shrieking so loud the lights flickered. they’re cool now that peter talked things through with him. his secret has been kept, from what he knows.

pushing open the men’s bathroom door, peter is a mixture of sweat and ragged breaths. he’s panting from his fast descent down the staircase. he takes in his disheveled appearance using one of the mirrors. his styled hair is now damp and undone, hands trembling and palms sweaty, chest heaving. here’s his daily reminder that anxiety is not cute. as if he didn’t know.

his stupid, gigantic freaking sweater is only making things worse. it’s suffocating him. no one else is in here, so peter pulls it over his head and tosses it to the ground. he’s got a t-shirt on underneath that happens to be black. what a convenient day for him to wear the hottest material there is.

peter splashes his face with some cold water next to try and cool himself down. that doesn’t do much for him. his face still feels like it’s on fire, but now it’s wet. he takes his hands through his mop of curls, backing away from the sink.

“fuck. fuck, fuck, fuck,” peter repeats to himself. he’s silent for a moment, then rage overcomes him. he kicks open a bathroom stall. “shit! i can’t do this. what am i supposed to-“

the door creeks open, so peter shuts up in case it isn’t ned. it thankfully is, and he wears a deep frown at the sight of his best friend. “dude, what happened? you look...” “terrible. i know,” peter finishes for him. he tugs at his locks in another attempt to tame them. ned approaches him carefully. “you’re not, like, dying... are you? because betty was telling me you have to-“ “of course you were with betty,” peter exhales in frustration. “no, ned. i’m not dying.”

in ned’s defense, the text he received was very alarming. all peter wrote was, ‘EMERGENCY. SOS.’

“i mean, yeah. it was my break.” ned sits on the ledge by the window, close to peter. “you do the same with y/n.” the mention of your name upsets peter all over again. he hides his face in his hands as ned watches. “if you’re not dying, then what’s the problem?” ned finally asks. “me and y/n...” peter removes his hands from his face, meeting ned’s worried eyes. “mr. osborn wants us to do a project together.”

“uh, peter? you’ve been saying how much you miss her forever, dude! you’re not excited?” ned snorts at him. he means well, but he has no clue what he’s talking about. “no. it’s supposed to be about spider-man,” peter answers angrily. this isn’t the support he was hoping for. realizing the severity of the situation, ned gets serious.

“oh... but, you’re still doing it?” he questions. “i didn’t have a choice,” peter scoffs out. “i can’t let either of them down.” “you’ll expose yourself!” ned escalates things further. “it’s not like that. we’re gonna follow spider-man around and post updates on him,” peter says, technically in the third person. he’s given an are you insane? look from ned.

“you are spider-man! and, no offense, but you’re not so good at hiding it,” ned refers to himself finding out. “how are you gonna be in two places at once?” damnit, peter hadn’t thought about that yet. he can’t be taking pictures of spider-man and swinging from building to building simultaneously. “i- i’ll figure it out,” peter stammers, unconvincingly.

ned looks him over in a disapproving way. “jeez. you’re really putting your life on the line for this girl-“ “woman,” peter interjects, not loving ned’s attitude towards you. “have some respect.” unfazed, ned gets up from the windowsill. “speaking of women, remember betty? you’re still on the clock,” he changes the subject. peter nearly forgot he has to go film her segment.

“i’ll head up to her now,” peter gives in. he scoops up his discarded sweater, not bothering to check his appearance again. ned follows behind him to the door. “we wrote her script together, you know,” he gladly informs peter, who already knows from you. “not really a flex,” peter mumbles his response. “peter, lighten up.” ned hits at his shoulder. the two of them exit the bathroom.

“you’ll figure this out later. i can always help.” he shoots him a sugary sweet smile. “thanks, ned. for talking with me and everything.” peter doesn’t smile back. they do a quick bro handshake, then they’re going their separate ways. “have a good show, dude!” ned yells back, to which he doesn’t get a response. peter doesn’t have it in him.

he allows himself to take the elevator back up to broadcasting. he’s so drained from the several anxiety attacks he endured. while peter waists for the elevator, he contemplates all the issues he’d better solve. it’s a relief to hear it ding because it brings him back to earth. that doesn’t last long because both you and betty are there when the door opens.

you’d each had the same idea, to find peter. unlike betty, your intentions were good. you asked liz if she saw peter leave. she told you he went downstairs, so you did also. betty was already in the elevator when it got to your stop. she was looking for him because, you guessed it, he had to record the news. the small space was filled with tension as you and betty occupied it.

“perfect. we’re going right back up,” betty beams, motioning for peter with her index finger. “hop in!” “coming,” peter does as told, going to stand between you and betty. she presses the button for your floor and theirs. the doors close. “pete?” you speak up, voice soft. “you kinda ran off earlier. i thought you were with betty.” “clearly, he wasn’t,” betty sneers.

you’re less concerned with her and more with peter. the sweater he looked so huggable in is now folded in his arms, his face splotchy and jaw clenched. he must have gotten triggered by something back in norman’s office.

“are you sure you’re okay? you... you can talk to me about it.” you take a step closer to peter, your doe eyes searching for his. he meets them with a tiny smile. at least, it’s real this time. “i’ll be fine, y/n/n. ‘s nice that you came to check on me, though.” “don’t mention it.” your arms loop around his neck and bring him into a hug. peter hugs you back by your middle, chin resting on your shoulder, breathing out in relief.

you keep your hands on his shoulders when you pull back. his stay on your sides, a lopsided grin now crossing his features. “spider-man...” you quirk an eyebrow. “how are you feeling about that?” “should be cool,” peter somehow maintains himself. “i’m mostly looking forward to doing it with you.”

listening in, betty joins the conversation. “what’s happening with spider-man? anything i should know?” her hand reaches into her bag and emerges with a notepad. does she ever think of her own content? “she’s nothing if not persistent,” you grumble to peter. chuckling, he pulls you into his chest. if he didn’t hold you back, you would’ve pounced on her.

“we’re gonna do a piece on him,” peter tells her. “you can’t copy or steal this one because it’s already been approved,” you contribute, smiling smugly as peter holds you tighter. betty is taken aback. “are you accusing me of stealing? who said i-“ “ned ratted on you... sorry,” peter says in a sing song voice. squealing, you jump away from him. “he did? we were right?”

“mj’s never wrong,” he reiterates. “mj knew about this? oh my god, i can’t believe her!” betty stomps her foot. “we got you on candid camera.” you make a clicking noise with your mouth. peter mimes taking a picture to back you up. “alright, alright. i won’t do it again,” betty mumbles, turning away from you two in annoyance.

“finally!” you hold up your hand for a high five, which peter gives you. “we really do make the best team,” he hums. your fingers intertwine with peter’s, and he lays his palm flat against yours. he prays extremely hard you don’t notice that it’s sweaty. you do, but you couldn’t care less.

“i was wondering when you’d wanna start our... research?” peter asks you, his lip between his teeth. “you were saying something earlier. maybe we could make a schedule.” “how elaborate of us that would be,” you tease. that earns a breathy laugh from peter. with a knowing smile, you put your free hand back on his shoulder.

“what are you doing tonight?”

-

peter parker taglist

@saturnpeter @tpwk-grande @itstaskeen @missyouhollnd @becicamina @dummiesshort @zspideyy @watchitimreadinghere @my-patronus-is-mabel-pines @dpaccione @karispotters11 @theofficialzivadavid @thehumanistsdiary @kelieah @aayaissaa @petersgroupie @annab-nana @tayyx @swtltlmrvlgrl @magicalxdaydream @haoluvver @kjune113 @captainamirica @marvel-dork98 @emmastarz @killingbxys @viriditie @misshale21 @veryholland @liliswifts @tommydarlings @rebelemilu @peterspideysense @cr-uelsummer @dreamy-clousds @quaksonhehe @quxxnxfhxll @blackbat2020 @babyblue19 @falconxbarnes @zachary-s @dirtytissuebox @dracoswhore007 @heavenlyholland @thsquad @etheralholland @dhtomholland @awh-lilies @tomshufflepuff @multifamdomfan12

-

if i forgot you please lmk!

[usahanna]

So, the original idea of this post was to compilate some of the headcanons i had for Seni, but instead i info dumped parts of an AU i have

Strap in boys, this is going to be a long one

Content Warnings: Excessive self indulgence sorry guys but it's MY current comfort AU and i am going to do whatever i want with it

I apologize for my amateur writing and doing everything in bullet points, it's just the safest way to write my thoughts and if i dont share any of this i will explode

(Not to mention these are all retouched versions of things i had written in my notes app lmfao. So uhh, enjoy?)

Starting off with something important, what happened to Sen?

I already explained this in the original post of the AU, but here's some extra context: When BF and GF escaped the game, the Spirit merges with Senpai and brings the character to life. Now Senpai (who now calls himself Sen) is aware that he's living inside a videogame, and not only that but he also holds some memories of the Spirit and the 13 years of loneliness trapped inside here. This fucked with his mind a lot, making him extremely paranoid and being tormented by memories of people he felt he was never supposed to know. He thought he'd spend the rest of his days endlessly walking through an empty town, until a short angry soldier appeared behind the trees of the school

TLDR: He's a more aware and disturbed Senpai that doesn't want to be referred as such

• Sen originally was cheerful and cocky, a bit self centered and short tempered. After BF and GF escaped, he became more distant with himself and was easily irritated

• Sen became reserved, while he's happy to meet other people he prefers to stay on the sidelines and analyze the person before he can open up more, he is a bit mischievous once you get to know him, you just need to dig a lil deeper

• he is kind and easily amazed by the outside world

• but his politeness goes out of the window when he's with John

• he feels more like himself with him at his side :]

• Sen has a notebook filled with pressed flowers, in the real world he remade the book now with phrases he likes

• Actually now that i think about it this guy definitely loves journaling

• His favorite drink is lemonade

• Sen often has nightmares of the spirit's memories in the real world, he feels immense hatred for the people he sees in his dreams

• Whenever he feels anxious or stressed, Sen starts twisting the end of his sleeves or the tie

• He likes the scent of red fruits

• John never told Sen his real name until days later (Sen was referring to him as Captain or Cap)

• Sen knows Japanese and he tried teaching John how to speak it

• The results were not that bad!

• By the years they spent inside, John recognized words and phrases, but he still had to work in his pronunciation

• John teached Sen knife throwing and other tactics of self defense, he promised once they get out he'll teach him how to fire guns

• Sen was always pessimistic when it came to the idea of them escaping, John always tried to cheer him up, even if he had no idea they would ever have a chance

• If they were going to be stuck together for the rest of their existence, John wanted to make the most of it (and they did)

• Being chaotic little shits around town and inside the school

• Annoying the NPC's to get their reactions, stealing items from them and even getting inside houses just to see what they had inside

• During one of those times Sen managed to steal an earring and a coat from someone, he liked them so much that he started to wear them constantly (The game would eventually recreate the items and the NPC would forget about it in a month so there really wasn't any big issue)

• Since the game identified John as the player, they would often get in,, interesting situations with the NPCs

• Sometimes following along by curiosity and other times they would just leave

• John and Sen would often walk around the town and just talk

• John would tell stories about his friends while Sen quietly listened, sometimes commenting but always paying attention

• To keep himself distracted, Sen started doing different hobbies: cooking, baking, weird paper crafts, sewing, painting

• But he got a knack for baking

• And to his surprise, John got into cooking and gardening

• He liked to take care of the flowers of the backyard, it soothed his mind :]

• He found some broken pots (with names?) that were hidden in the shed of the backyard

• When he fixed them he showed them to Sen to ask him if he had any idea why they had names

• The moment Sen saw them he seemed... happy

• So happy that he started crying

• I wonder why that is

Awkward division here, this is where the tone shifts completely lololol

• The first week of his existence was nightmarish for him

• Being tense all the time and sometimes screaming at random NPCs, some would be surprised and others would just stand unresponsive

• This of course would not help his situation

• He'd sometimes try to act like 'another normal day in a normal high school' but he knew he was just lying to himself

• He didn't even felt like a student, or a person

• Sen had a collection of flowers with names, he took care of them so he could have something to look forward to every day

• Some of their names were Eva (Evangeline), Aiko, Kawa, and Mizuki

• He thought the flowers were more alive than the NPCs will ever be

• He would constantly talk to them, even if it felt weird at times

• During a fit of rage he threw all the pots to the ground, immediately regretting what he had done, he threw the broken pots inside the shed in his backyard

• In his first encounter with Captain their first impressions were, not the greatest,,

• Sen screamed his heart out telling him how he was not alone anymore after years of solitude and torment, after that Captain laughed at his face, brushed off everything he said and just asked where he was

• This pissed off Sen, a lot

• So they, of course, started arguing

• After having enough of eachother they separated and went their own way

• When John tried to talk to anyone he would be confused as of why these people would not give proper answers

• Weirded out by the sickenly sweet athmosphere of everything he started searching for Sen, since he looked like the only one in here to be sane

• Sen, just realizing he just rejected the only REAL person in here, backtracked immedeatly and started searching for John

• When the two met again, they awkwardly apologized and settled things up

• And Sen explained the situation they were both in

• John grew more undersanding of Sen and realized that no, this guy was not a maniac and has been trapped in here for more than a decade

• During the first weeks, John and Sen slept in the couches of the living room in Sen's house

• There was another bed upstairs but Sen never really told him until days later (there wasn't any ill intention he just didn't want to sleep alone)

• Of course John was pissed that he's been sleeping in a couch while a bed was right there like come on man

• Funnily enough, the bond between them grew as time went on. From being random strangers that had no other choice but to talk to eachother to genuine friends who were there for echother no matter what

• They joked together, laughed together, cried together, and tried things they thought they would never do (well, mostly for John)

• While John was more than happy to have met Sen, this didn't mean that he didn't missed the tankmen, hell, even two years later he still was worried about Steve and whatever happened after he was thrown in here

• Even after all of this, he hasn't felt this relaxed in years, it was like he finally had a chance to breathe and enjoy the present

• After 3 years inside, Sen discovered he was able to manipulate the code of the game (he's intertwined with the code after all)

• He can create/duplicate things and make them disappear, but this took a lot of energy from him

• The same day he discovered it he almost passed out by trying to change the structures of some buildings, all at once.

• He got a bit too excited

• Before falling on the ground he saw... something he had never seen before

• It looked like the sky but the colors were too vivid for it to be from the pastel toned game atmosphere (could it be?...)

• John quickly went to aid Sen, he heard him mumbling something about the sky

• When Sen regained full conscience he tried to explain what he saw

• A sky with a vibrant toned blue, clouds with funny shapes compared to the always perfect looking, fluffy clouds in the game

• He saw the real world

• They were both speechless, there IS a way out isn't it?

• Breaking the code somehow allowed Sen to catch a quick view to the outside

• Could this be pushed further?

• But if it were to be pushed further, could it cost Sen's health?

• They were both discussing if it was even worth trying

• Sen offered doing it again but John turned him down immediately

• At the end they agreed to try doing the small things Sen started with, like duplicating and deleting small objects

• Not only to practice but also to see how far this 'power' could go

• Months and months passed and progress was clearly being made

• Duplicating small objects, moving things from one place to another without the need of holding them (he liked to annoy John with this)

• Soon he'd learn how to teleport himself and finally, changing structures from the same buildings he tired to modify, almost a year ago

• And when he managed to create those buildings he saw in his head, they both knew it was time

• It hurt like hell, Sen felt how every single piece of code corrupted as he destroyed their way out

• But they did it

• John and Sen woke up next to an abandoned dumpster in an alleyway, it was raining

• For the first time in years, John was free

• For the first time in his life, Sen felt alive

• They didn't know would come next, but they sure as knew they would do whatever the hell they wanted

.

.

.

Now.

I like to consider this the 'end' of this AU, because if i didn't i could go on and on about all the little things that happened afterwards

Like their journey searching for Steve (and somehow finding him), leading to a very sweet reunion between John and him, while Sen was just awkwardly standing There. The three of them decided to live together and Sen and Steve slowly became friends.

How Sen decided to set his birthday in November 7, the day John and him escaped the game

Or when John and Sen were banned from a supermarket due to severe disturbances in the area of fruits and vegetables, now Steve is the only one who can buy the groceries there

How Sen changed his name to Naoto, leaving Sen as a nickname that only those he trusts the most can use

OR when Sen started working as a barista, he met Skid and Pump, they were sent by Lila every once in a while to get her coffee (and buy other desserts in the meantime). They would tell him stories about their daily lives he didn't even asked for, but he would be lying if he said he didn't grew attached to these halloween-loving kids

(btw John and Steve work at home depot, i don't think i need to explain this one)

...Or that one very uncomfortable encounter between Sen and BF with GF

,,,EITHER WAY this part of the AU is just the boys finally enjoying their freedom and Sen rediscovering the weirdness of the real world

Some little extra things that i couldn't fit anywhere but i still wanted to include heehee:

By merging with the Spirit his appearance changed and, he aged, like literally, he fucking grew up

The back of his hair became brown-ish black and he lost the curls senpai originally had, he became taller and the light of senpai's eyes were straight up gone (the eye-thing only lasted so long until he became more friendlier with John, he ​noticed this and was really confused, Sen never found out about what happened to his eyes so he thought he was just joking)

Sen loves the unpredictability of the real world, but that doesn't change the fact that he grew accustomed to things mostly being the same inside the game, being like a type of routine for him. So he gets really annoyed when things don't go as they originally planned, he's been working on getting a better attitude about things and he's been improving a lot :^)

[x-infernhoes-x]

Evermore- Maliksi x Reader

Title: Evermore

Genre: : )

Warnings:  Not much but I’ll leave it to you guys lmao. Implied Relationship as well so ye.

Word Count: 1, 690 k +

Description: I don’t know WHY I get ideas for fanfics at ungodly hours of the night like I’m supposed to be on a break here since my neck still hurts from writing that 2k pound of word vomit that is known to be one of my greatest smut piece that eventually earned me the title as ‘The Emissary for Zaddy Cannibal’ WHEEZE and I started writing this at 1:57 am so let’s hope I’d finish this before 4 am. I’m basing some stuff I know about Maliksi from the comics and perhaps the anime as well. I also suggest listening to Evermore from the live-action version of Beauty and the Beast after reading!

PS. I didn’t finish this last night because I got sleepy at 3 am. There’s an AO3 version of this that’s direct to the point if you want something shorter than this one which can be found here! Oh and my grandma suggested that I set the font size to 12 instead of 11! and as always, I finished this at 3:29 am GGWP talaga.

Anyways, enjoy! _______________________________________

If people asked about how the Prince of Tikbalangs was like as a person, most of them would describe him as rowdy, haughty, stubborn at times may even be perceived as a pervert due to his distaste of not wearing any underwear underneath his jeans. Some thought of him as the classical, spoiled rich kid who cared for no one but himself but in reality, he was so much more than what people would perceive him to be. Being a Prince was something, sure he got everything that he wanted regardless of what it was, he would always find a way for it but sometimes it led him to live a rather lonely life that felt like he was nothing more but a slave to live through this illusion of being the perfect prince.

If they took the time to peek through the curtains of his façade, they would see that he just wanted someone to understand and see him for who he is but this also proved to be contradictory for the poor fellow given the fact that every time someone would show him just the right amount of honesty and kindness, he would find out that most of these people were only after him for things such as taming him to become their loyal servant, for his money or even for the sake of his looks. He thought that this curse of his would stay with him for the rest of his Engkanto life but somehow that all seemed to change his rather pessimistic view on life when he had come across someone who would turn his whole life in a different direction.

Maliksi had met (Y/N) (L/N) on one of his father’s many extravagant events where he was forced to sit through it. Of course, while his father was busy chatting away, the prince took this as an opportunity to sneak away which eventually led him towards an unsuspecting person who would change his life forever.

At first, the two of them were like total opposites, always clashing and arguing about something to the point that his father, Senior Armanaz had to interfere with their constant bickering but time seemed to wear both Maliksi and (Y/N)’s dissatisfaction for each other’s presence and instead began to tolerate the other, which eventually led into something more than just friendship among the two.

Maliksi and (Y/N) were completely inseparable, almost attached to the hip to the point that the Prince was rarely seen without them. He would take (Y/N) on trips across the country, sometimes he would take them out on long drives after his races and almost everything in between. People have reported that the two seemed even more in sync especially in battle, covering each other’s backs while bantering about which car model was the best or where they would eat after this whole ordeal like the two of them were playing a mere game of Patintero or even playing a good round of Pogs to see who got the most hits on their opponents and who seemed to be stronger.

But there were precious moments where Maliksi would take them on trips across the country just to escape from the hectic and bustling streets of the city and gave them the taste of what it means to be free and live life in color. He would watch his partner’s joyful and almost curious gaze with a feeling of warmth and care in his chest that would make him smile along with them, the two of them would participate in various festivals such as Flores de Mayo and its ritual pageant, Santa Cruzan, The Masskara Festival in Bacolod down to his personal favorite which happened to be the Moriones Festival that takes place in Marinduque. But out of those trips, the one that he treasures the most was the time Maliksi and his parents had flown out to their home province, Bukidnon to celebrate the Kaamulan Festival where his partner met the rest of the family, of course, this was also the time where he had proposed to (Y/N) after their 3 years of dating, he was glad that they had accepted his proposal.

Who knew things would eventually change from thereon. With the underworld restless and agitated from all the events that have transpired, it seemed to put a strain between Maliksi and his fiancé. To make matters worse between the two, Maliksi began to do races that would conclude in fatal car accidents for both parties. This would result in (Y/N) and Maliksi arguing non-stop every time they meet however these fights never resulted in something physical but it would leave them in tears or the other walking away with a slam of the door. This cycle seemed to break the moment a certain Babaylan-Mangdirigma had beat him at his own game and managed to snap some sense into him as well the moment his beloved ran at him at full force, scolding him right in front of Alexandra Trese before the two left to settle their problems in private.

“Magpakasal na tayo.” Maliksi told (Y/N) the morning after the two of them had reconciled. Of course, this made his fiance cough up their drink, eyes wide and still hacking their lungs out while Maliksi made his way over to them, patting their back gently to ease their pain. Once things were clear, (Y/N) could only look at him, disbelief and surprise evident on their face before they spoke, “Seryoso ka ba?! Paano yung simbahan, yung venue-“ Holding their hands in his own, Maliksi could only give his soon-to-be spouse a grin, placing a chaste kiss upon the back of their hands. “Wag ka nang magalala, babe. I’ve got it covered.” And just like he had said, Maliksi did have it covered, the venue, the church, and everything in between. It was a quick but simple ceremony that had his parents and (Y/N)’s parents present and nobody outside of the clan knew about this union between them. Time seemed to move quickly after that but the two newlyweds felt like it was an eternity for them both.

In a short amount of time the fantasy of church bells and dreaming faded into war cries and chants of ‘Sic Itur Ad Astra’  quickly and we see Maliksi and his spouse come face to face with the greatest foe they’ve ever come across, the war-god of Bukidnon, Talagbusao. With the rest of their forces subdued by the War God and Maliksi trying to recover from the hit he had taken from Talagbusao, the Tikbalang prince seemed to take notice that his spouse was nowhere in sight and panic seemed to take a hold on him like a choke-hold. Standing up, he began to look for them, ruby-red eyes rapidly scanning the area, furiously looking for his beloved, silently praying to Bathala that they were okay or let alone still be alive.

His prayers seemed to be answered when he saw them, still kicking and fighting and running to where Talagbusao was and he immediately knew something was wrong. “(Y/N)!! ANONG GINAGAWA MO!?” Maliksi yelled out through the sound of roaring bullets, trying his best to reach over to where their lover was.  “Alexandra, ngayon na!” Maliksi heard (Y/N)’s commanding voice ring out as she caught the Babylan-Mandirigma’s knife, Sinag throwing it to her while they subdued Talagbusao to the best of their abilities, eyes locked with their husband as they mouthed at him, ‘Patawarin mo ako, Maliksi.’ And as quick as a flash, Alexandra, Talagbusao, and (Y/N) disappeared into the Dragon’s Gate. Maliksi was left to watch his spouse in paralyzed horror and shock disappear right before his eyes, chest clenching in panic as the impact of the closing portal sent everyone nearby it flying backward.

_____________________

A month has then passed after that event and we see Maliksi within the Trese household as he would always do, always waiting, hoping, and praying that his (Y/N) would return to him safe and unharmed. This day was different than the other days he would spend at the household because this day was the day that Alexandra Trese had returned as announced by a pale-looking and wide-eyed Hank. The tikbalang prince was the first to head where Alexandra---who was now swarmed by her older brothers and the kambal, his eyes still searching for his spouse, his expression of hope immediately diminished as he spoke, his voice slowly trembling with each step he took, “Nasaan si (Y/N), Alexandra?”  at the mention of his spouse’s name, Alexandra then refused to meet his eyes as the rest of the Trese siblings along with the Kambal clearing a path for him, all watching him with disconsolate looks and glistening eyes as Alexandra held onto Sinag as tightly as she could, trying her best to find the right words to say to him.

“Wala na si, (Y/N), Maliksi. She’s gone.”

_________________________

“There is a story, of a man who had lost his beloved in a war, some say he still waits for their return, others say that the day his beloved had disappeared, he had soon followed.” 

“They say that this man could be found standing by the tall windows of Tower A [1] located in Ayala Avenue. Urban myths suggest that this man is a ghost bound to the building, others say that he’s the reason why that Tower still exists.” Now in his prime, Maliksi sat in the place where his father used to sit. It had been years since he had taken over the clan and years since his beloved, (Y/N) was taken away from him at such an early age. Beside him was an empty throne reserved for them once they return. No matter how many years it would take him, Maliksi Armanaz, former prince and now leader of the Armanaz clan, would still wait for his beloved, (Y/N) to return to him until the end of his days. He would wait for them for evermore.