#my parents hated it. never passed up a chance to tell me that. my dad doesn’t comment on it anymore but my mother does

[jyoongim]

HIHIHIH OMG ILYSMMM UR WOEK IS AMAZING!!!

SOOOOOO i have a few req idwas!!

idea 1: reader is lucifers s/o and finds out luci is cheating on them so for payback they hook up w alastor luci may or may not find out up to you!

idea 2: reader is alastors s/o and they are at readers parents house (theyre also in hell) and reader goes to ask their dad sum like "hey daddy..." and her dad and alastor both respond....

JUST A FEW IDEAS I HAD FOR AWHILE BTW IDK IF I DID THIS RIGHT THIS WAS MY FIRST REQ..

You did a wonderful job! Thank you for the request! i did the 2nd idea! I thought it was funny hehehe

Your parents had invited you and Alastor to Sunday dinner. Funny thing that the most church-loving couple ended up in Hell. They never broke tradition even down here.

“Ooh honey we are so happy you two could join us” Your mother chirped, beaming as you hand her the bouquet of flowers you had picked up and pulled you into a hug. 

“Its always a pleasure to get a chance to eat your fine cookin maam” Alastor smiled as his mother in law gave him a squeeze, letting y’all inside and heading towards the dining room.

Your mother talked about the latest gossip she had heard, hissing murderously at the mention of Susan joining her book club.

”Oh can you believe that hag? Just can’t let me have nothin”

“I told ya momma if she hate the woman so much why not just smoke ‘er, but nope she too sweet.” Your father’s deep brawl met your ears as you entered the living room.

He smiled at you, pulling you into a bear hug as he kissed your forehead “Ooh there’s my princess” he said affectionately making you giggle. He straightened up, turning to Alastor, he gave a smile

”Aaah how are you doing my boy? heard you were managing a fancy hotel! Me and the Mrs should come check y’all out sometimes.” 

They shook hands and you slipped away to help your mother get dinner.

And what a dinner indeed.

Dinner was filled with chatter as the two parties caught up with each other. 

Everything was wonderful.

“Daddy can you pass me the pitcher of lemonade please?” you asked as you realized you had a empty glass.

“Why of course”

”Sure thing”

two voices said, making you tense and look up with wide eyes.

Your father and Alastor were now looking at each other as both had reached out to grab the pitcher.

Alastor ears were perked as he gave your father a sharp smile, slowly retracting his hand as he chuckled.

Your father however had a frown on his face and his lips pulled into a snarl, eyes narrowing.

You wanted to be swallowed up by the floor.

Your father’s eyes cut to you, making your cheeks burn as you looked away, embarrassed.

“You wanna tell me why he responded to that? You know what i already have an inkling. Alastor meet me out back” your father growled standing up, making a move to grab his shotgun.

”There’s no need for that!” You whined, standing up to block your father from Alastor.

”Sir i assure you that isn’t half of what she calls me” the red demon chuckled darkly, making the older demon rush at him. 

Alastor disappeared in a shrew of shadows, taking you with him.

”Dinner was lovely as always Madam” he kissed your mother’s cheek, disappearing as the sound of a shot rang out.

”Well dinner was rather eventual” he smirked, you facepalmed

”i am never going home again. How will i face them again after that?” You whine. Alastor kissed your cheek

”Dear you’ve called me worst, I’m sure hell forget about it”

———————————————————————————-

“Um guys why is there a demon with a shotgun shouting outside the hotel?” Charlie asked.

You groaned, glaring at Alastor

[princessbrunette]

rafe definitely would be the type to get his fwb pregnant, ghost her for a while, and then come back with his stupid shaved head and his hands in his pockets like ‘when’s the next appointment’. he has to take a little panic time to come around to the idea and remember that it takes two to make said child, and then the fear of being like his dad and neglecting his firstborn kicks in and he pops back up ready to sort shit out and attempt to be there to the best of his ability in his own way cause it’s still rafe and he’s not perfect ykwim. definitely could heal him though 🙏. Waddle around in those flowly little dresses cause they’re all that fit in the late stages but cause of the belly it makes them shorter than they already were and he’s a man starved.

GODDDDD this makes me go crazy😀

you’re by no means a pogue but your place is still just small enough to make rafe turn his nose up at it if you remember correctly, proving his disapproval of it when he shows up after a few months, a few shades tanner, buffer, with a buzzed head. he looked older, more mature— but the way he stood with his hands shoved into his pockets, staring unabashedly at the bump that had only just broken into vision, it was clear he was the same old rafe.

“so uh, y’know if it’s a boy or a girl yet?” he wanders, slowly pacing your kitchen whilst you brew him a coffee.

“no, rafe. i’m keeping it as a surprise.” your voice is quiet, untrusting. it makes him resist a sigh, scratching at his cheek with a look of discomfort. he just wants his girl back. he wants his family.

“right, right.” he nods, watching you for a moment. he supposes its true what they say about ‘pregnancy glow’ because you look fucking stunning. “baby, i’m really sorry.” he drawls and you flinch a little at the nickname. it’s been a while since you heard that. you turn to him, giving him a chance to explain himself.

“i freaked. i’m— i’m a fuckin’ coward and if you hate me, cool— alright i get it. but whether you like it or not, that’s my baby in there. and, and i’m gonna be apart of it’s life. just… let me take you out of here. we’ll start again. tanny hill’s all mine now, can set up a nice little baby room, paint it any colour you want, n’you can stay there too, with me—” he pauses, watching your unsure expression, not quite knowing how you feel about sharing the bed with rafe cameron once more. “…or sarah’s old room. up to you.” he adds reluctantly but gives you the option anyway. he does seem to really want this, and whilst you were mad he just up and left, leaving you to deal with the start of your pregnancy alone you could never resist him. you didn’t want your baby to grow up without a dad, not one bit.

“what’s wrong with my place?” you frown at your shabby little apartment your parents had set you up with.

“this place… tanny hill.” he holds his hands out mimicking a tipping scale, a cheeky smile growing on his face, voice still being gentle with you. that was the rafe you liked.

with his baby inside you, and the two of you spending all that time together, you didn’t stand a chance. you’d wondered how the two of you had ever commit to just being friends with benefits when it’s clear you had great deals of love for one another. he constantly doted on you, spoiling you and buying you whatever, if anything annoyed him he’d remove himself from the situation instead of getting mad like he used to, didn’t let you even walk anywhere alone despite telling rafe it was fine, jumping up to guide you with an arm around your waist once you got more swollen. he was treating you like you were made of glass, even showing reluctance to fucking you when you’d begged him, telling him how the pregnancy hormones were driving you mad and you missed his dick, the blue eyed man furrowing his brows in concern asking whether this could hurt the baby.

once he was passed the concern though, rafe couldn’t help sate his arousal almost every time you’d walk around in stretched out little nighties, swollen tits practically falling out of the top. he’d still be real gentle, don’t get it twisted— opting to grind his cock into you instead of thrusting like a madman remanent of your past with him. he’d stroke your clit with his thumb, your legs spread with his cock burrowed inside you, panting. “its true what they say, pregnant pussy is wetter. didn’t think you could get any better, baby.” he groans, your walls clamping down around him, crying out at his vulgarity.

“get used to this life, sweetheart, ‘cos i don’t think i’m ever gonna be able to stop fucking babies into you.”

[am-i-the-asshole-official]

AITA for telling my dad to let out his emotions?

(cw: this entire post is about animal death)

Long story short, my dad (58M) has wanted a dog for decades. My mom (54F) has been refusing a dog for all 25 years they've been together. A few years ago, she finally agreed to get a puppy, and my dad was more excited than I've ever seen him be for anything.

Our dog passed away from a tumor a few months ago. He wasn't even three years old. This practically destroyed all of us, especially my dad, since he'd fought so hard for a dog for years. On top of that, he hasn't had much of a chance to let out his emotions since my mom keeps stopping him, and also making it worse.

A couple of weeks ago, on the way home from a party, something reminded my dad of the dog, and he started to cry in the car. We all comforted him, but after a few minutes my mom rolled her eyes and told him to stop crying. When we got home, my dad apologized for getting emotional. I (18M) told him he didn't have to apologize, since crying in grief is a completely normal thing to do. My mom told me I shouldn't say that, since he would just "wallow in his sadness all night" and it was better to just tell him not to do that.

I was baffled by this. I realized that she wasn't trying to make him feel better, she just didn't want to deal with him crying anymore. (I also recently noticed that she does the same thing to my sister (14F) and I.) Apparently this has been going on for pretty much their entire marriage of ~20 years.

On top of all of that, my mom brings up the topic of our dog and his death to people at Every. Single. Opportunity. And it always makes the rest of us feel like shit. She ordered a custom portrait of our dog as a Father's Day present for my dad. When I implied that this might be a bad idea, she said "So you hate it. Great." She also wants another dog exactly like our old one, despite the fact that he was a purebred, and had some health problems because of it. At this point, she wouldn't shock me if she said she wanted to clone the poor dog.

My dad has struggled with depression for years. He lived a very difficult life growing up, and was basically taught that showing sadness or fear was weak. Throughout my life, though, he's always made sure to tell my sister and I that he never wants us to have to bottle up how we feel and that the "boys don't cry" attitude is stupid.

So you can imagine my surprise when I tried to comfort him earlier tonight and he said "No, no, I'm fine. Boys don't cry. Don't worry about me." After that, my parents got into an argument about my mom telling my dad that he needs to "move past this".

TLDR: My mom keeps doing things that remind my dad of our dead dog, but then when he gets overwhelmed and starts crying she tells him to stop because she doesn't want to deal with his crying. AITA for telling my dad that she's wrong?

[lvrcpid]

love / paranoia.

tonowari watched what was unraveling in front of him. scared you were going to do something drastic, he quickly put a hand on your shoulder as you followed behind neteyam, your tight grip still attached to his braids, but was shocked when you harshly pushed him away.

you then threw down neteyam down onto the hard floor as he rubbed his head and yelled at you “what the hell is your problem (y/n)!” quickly getting up and rushing to you, shaking your shoulders, trying to snap you out of whatever little fit you were having.

“get the fuck off of me!” you shoved him away, he stumbled back and fell into lo’aks arms. the family was..shocked to say the least. you rarely talked but this is the first time they had ever heard you yell like that. you asked tonowari to take tuk out of the mauri for a few to go to the ocean, she had done nothing wrong. she didn’t deserve what they had coming. when he fulfilled your wishes, you turned back to your family and shut the entrance of the mauri.

“i’m the one who has a problem..? no..no.” you chuckled, shaking your head. “i’m not the one with the problem, it’s you egocentric imbeciles who have no compassion or thought for anyone but yourselves!” you began, your face turning a dark indigo as you began to get angrier with each word you spoke.

“when was the last time any of you had hugged me? when?!” you started back up “it was..” jake trailed off, he really couldn’t remember when was the last time he held his oldest child. “silence. dead silence. do you guys even remember when i completed my right of passage?! oh yeah you don’t cause you guys weren’t there! you were never there for me!” tears started to brim your eyes as you continued.

(everyone cheer for y/n cause this is gonna be a long one)

“for 16 long years i’ve been the black sheep. neteyams shadow, lo’aks big sibling, tuks babysitter! there’s nothing special about me! at not once have you tried to make me feel that way! it’s always them over me! i’m the oldest! i’m the one who’s supposed to be olo’ekytan/tsahìk in training! not neteyam/kiri!” you paced around the mauri, meeting your fathers now crying eyes.

“oh you want to cry?! you want to shed tears now that your shitty parenting is coming to light?! i haven’t referred to you as dad in years!! years! and you want to cry ?? i don’t even know who the hell you are anymore, you could be walking around and i wouldn’t even bat an eyelash in your direction.”

neteyam and lo’ak were now crying, seeing you spit venom at your father. “oh please don’t tell me you two are crying?! i spent my entire life covering for you idiots! and not one thank you! god neteyam it should’ve been you!! you should’ve been the one to die! not me!!” you pointed to your chest. neteyam gasped and looked at you. you took that bullet for him?

“i’m so embarrassed to even call myself a sully..sullys stick together? yeah right” you were now full on sobbing , running a hand through your hair and clapping “come on! give yourselves a around of fucking applause for the best family of the year! come on!” you laughed through tears and shook your head when your family stood there awkwardly crying.

“you guys are pathetic..i actually wish eywa didn’t give me another chance. i hate you guys. every single one of you..” you spoke through tears , looking each and every single family member in their eyes, making sure they felt the hatred in your eyes . “you all are dead to me..never-“ your voice cracked. “never speak to me again.” and with that you left. leaving the remaining sully family members in ruins.

a few minutes had passed and the family was still in their state of shock. neytiri then broke down onto her knees , begging eywa to wake her up from this nightmare. lo’ak just stormed out of the mauri, angry tears sliding down his face. kiri just quietly slipped over to your hammock and laid down, hugging the cover up you had made yourself, letting tears fall onto it. neteyam just moved to the corner of the mauri and just cried. no matter how much he tried , he just couldn’t get the tears to stop flowing.

when tuk came back from her excursion with tonowari she was shocked to see the crying faces of her family. when she asked where you were, the little girl was shocked at the answer, immediately bursting into tears with the family. jake was quick at neytiris side, hugging her tightly and crying himself, praying that you would return to them.

but it was too late.

meanwhile with you, you were an emotional wreck. the tears wouldn’t stop and the sobs wouldn’t stop erupting, no matter how hard you tried.

the olo’eyktan and his family tried everything to calm you down but they knew you had to get this cry out. they could tell you were holding this in for a while and it was a long time coming.

tonowari genuinely thought about banishing your family back to where they came from that night. when your sobs began to die down, tonowari was soft at your side , asking “‘tìyawn just say the word and they’re gone..” but you couldn’t do it. granted they put you through hell.

they were still your family.

after you had calmed down, hours later. it was already past eclipse, the stars in the sky twinkled against the ocean as you sat on the rock near the sea.

tonowari and ronal were hesitant about letting you go, arguing that you weren’t really in your right mind and needed to stay by their side for the night. you quickly shut them down and walked to the ocean, the cool sand cooling down your warm body.

you didn’t move as you felt a strange presence arrive next to you. “if mom and dad are trying to get me home tell them no-“ you turned to meet face to face with rotxo, a sad smile on his face.

you sighed as you ran a hand through your hair, looking back to the ocean. “sorry, i thought you were my brother” you apologized, your tone of voice changing from the bitter one you held before. “no need to apologize..ao’nung told me what happened today..im sorry (y/n)..i know it must be hard for you” he added. “yeah tell me about it” you stretched , cracking your neck in the process.

a few minutes went by before rotxo spoke up again “we’re having a music festival tomorrow..i would love if you joined us..” he smiled towards you, hoping to at least lighten your spirits a little. “eh i’ll pass” you said, not really in the mood for a loud party. “please (y/n)? come on i’ll promise it’ll be fun!” he asked with big puppy eyes. you rolled your eyes before nodding. “fine” you got up, leaving him at the rock alone “you’re coming to get me” you said before walking back into the family mauri.

the party came quicker than you would’ve liked it to. you groaned as you were dragged into the festival. the sounds of drums and war chants filled your ears as rotxo and tsireya began to dance, ao’nung not far behind.

you were weary to the festival at first, but you gradually got more comfortable with each song. you were having a blast! but of course thanks to the wonderful author sae, not all good things last forever.

you plopped down on the floor and watched your friends/siblings dance around with eachother. suddenly you were tapped on the shoulder by an unknown person.

“(y/n)..can we talk?”

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tags 🏷️: @23victoria @avtprint @bucky12345 @boilingpots @Marcswife21 @elegantkidfansoul @itsyogurl @stars4deku @stvpidscvpid @uniltsatirey @urdeadpoet @annamarieisbae @graysonmalik2550 @blueberryfailureclinic @jordan-network @newjeansbonnie @stickyfictioninwriting @fanboyluvr @zatarias-pandora @jjkclub @elvyshiarieko @im-in-a-pansexual-panik @adaiasafira @scarletrosesposts @spicycloudsalad @vane28282 @nuttyrebelflower @aemondmyl0ve @msbimb0 @neteyamforlife @gamorxa @sharni07 @thegooberboy @theesexystallion @nanaitesully @destinylb @fandom-garbage @dakotali @1ntefly @kiricomics @osumarusjade @rosemaryblossoms @malfoylaufeysonweasleybarnes

[0cta9on]

Unlikely Duet - 5

length: +5k words

Genre: Fluff

NewJeans Minji x Male Reader (OC)

【☆】★【☆】★【☆】★【☆】★【☆】★【☆】★【☆】★【☆】★【☆】★【☆】★【☆】★

Yuno’s POV

The light patter of the rain was a reminder of how this all started. A chance encounter, a gut feeling, a gesture of kindness, all of these different choices were woven into the fabric of fate and led me here - eating dinner with Minji and her rich (and terrifying) parents. No matter how I twisted it, this is not at all how I thought I would spend my friday. 

“The rain is getting bad out there. I’m so glad we caught you before you went out in the rain, we would hate for a friend of Minji’s to get sick,” Minji’s mom remarked, her warm, motherly smile concealing something that set off alarms in my head. I kept my guard up, no matter what.

Minji sat next to me, a worried expression painted on her face. She hasn’t said anything since discovering the blood stain on my sleeve from my altercation with Tyler. I wanted to say something to her, anything, but it was impossible in this tense atmosphere. The guilt of not being able to tell her the truth was eating me up inside.

“Dinner is served. Eat as much as you like, dear,” Ms. Kim says, gesturing to the food she had set on the table. An array of different side dishes I had never seen before surrounded a large roasted fish adorned with sauce and vegetables. My stomach grumbled at the sight. It was more food than I had ever seen in my entire life, and it didn’t help that I was also starving from not eating anything the entire day. Without thinking, I quickly grabbed a little bit of everything and piled it onto my plate. Right as I was about to dig in, I noticed the shocked expressions of Minji’s parents.

“S-sorry… I-I’m hungry,” I stuttered sheepishly, earning a small chuckle from Minji. I felt the heat cover my face as her parents got their food, taking much smaller portions than I had. Right as I pick up the spoon to my lips, Mr. Kim clears his throat.

“So, Yuno,” he begins, focusing his gaze on me. “How long have you been friends with our daughter? Minji never mentioned you before.” 

Regretfully, I place down my spoon as I think of an appropriate response. “Uhh, we’ve been friends for…” I turn to look at Minji, hoping to find an answer, but her eyes are glued to her plate as if she’s lost in thought. “Three days. We’ve been friends for three days.”

Mr. Kim’s eyebrow rises slightly in surprise. “Really? And how did you two end up meeting?”

I gulped, my mind going back to the circumstances of our first meeting. Sure, I’ll tell one of my only friend’s parents that I met her in the detention room after beating someone up to the point of hospitalization. They’ll totally love me after that, right? Thankfully, I have an easy out due to Minji’s lie from earlier.

“We got partnered together for science class,” I state, trying my best to sound confident. Mr. Kim narrows his eyes as he studies my expression. I stare back, not wanting to show weakness in front of him. 

“What do your parents do for work?” he asks. The questions were starting to feel a bit too personal, but I would rather not risk going against him.

“My dad works the night shift as a security guard,” I responded. Despite seeing him passed out drunk everyday, he somehow managed to maintain his job all these years. Either that or he never bothered to tell me he got fired.

“And your mom?”

“She’s, uhh…” I glance at Minji for a brief moment, hesitating to answer. “She’s dead.” The room falls silent as each member of the Kim family looks back at me with a mix of shock and sympathy on their faces.

“I-I’m sorry to hear that, dear,” Ms. Kim says, her intimidating demeanor replaced with genuine compassion.

I shrug in response. “It’s fine, it was a couple years ago. I’m okay now.” I stare down at my plate, unable to look any of them in the eye. Truthfully, I was never completely okay with my mother’s death, but what was I supposed to do? Cry in front of them?

Mr. Kim opens his mouth to say something, but his wife stops him. “Honey, you should let him eat,” she says in a stern tone. Mr. Kim relented, and a sense of relief washed over me as I was silently grateful for her intervention. Not only was the onslaught of questions exhausting to face, but I was also still hungry. The rest of the dinner was spent in silence, aside from the clinking of silverware against porcelain and the rhythmic downpour outside.

______________________________________________________________

I lean back in my chair, completely stuffed. Every single bite of food had more flavor than I’ve ever had in my entire lifetime. As intimidating as Minji’s parents were, they were also amazing cooks. I peer outside and notice that the rain had stopped. Taking my chance, I stand up and excuse myself from the table.

“Thank you for the meal, but I should really get going now.” Before they had a chance to respond, I swiftly exit the room, grabbing my backpack. Right as I reach the front door, Minji’s voice calls out to me.

“Wait!” she exclaims, trailing after me. “I’ll walk you home.” I give her a confused look as she turns to her parents. “It’ll give us a chance to talk about the project some more. Just like you say, every second counts.”

Mr. Kim contemplates for a moment before nodding. “Alright then. Be careful, and don’t be out too late. Your mother and I want to talk to you once you get back.”

Minji follows me outside and shuts the door behind us, releasing a long sigh as she leans against the wall. “That was soooooooooo stressful. I’m sorry you had to go through all that, Yuno.”

I chuckle lightly, joining her on the wall. “It’s alright. I’ve survived worse.” We stood together in silence for a while, the chilly evening air gracing our faces, infused with the lingering scent of rain. Minji is the first to break the silence as she turns to me, a look of sadness in her eyes.

“I’m sorry about your mom. I had no idea she was…” Her voice trailed off as she avoided saying “the word”.

“It’s okay, Minji. Really.” I give her a reassuring look as we both head start walking towards my house, the gentle moonlight guiding our path. 

“She died in a hospital fire three years ago,” I began, my voice carrying the weight of the past. Minji looks up at me, listening intently. “She was a nurse. Very caring and loved helping people. Even as the building was burning all around her, she spent the last moments of her life helping people.” I fall quiet as my gaze falls to the ground in contemplation.

“Yuno…” Minji reaches out and pats my shoulder reassuringly. “I’m so sorry.”

My legs freeze in place as I turn to look at her. The chorus of chirping crickets and the subtle howl of the evening wind created a backdrop as I met Minji's saddened eyes. What was she apologizing for? The fire wasn’t her fault. It was an act of fate, a cruel twist beyond anyone’s control. Some higher power up there decided that my mother’s life would be cut short, whether I liked it or not. There was nothing I could do about it.

“Minji…” I call out her name as I unravel my sleeve, revealing the blood stain. “I got into another fight. Tyler McGraw.” I did my best to keep a straight face, but my heart was thumping with anxiety. “He was beating up a freshm… He was beating up my friend. I couldn’t control myself. I’m sorry.”

Fate has a sick and twisted way of working. It brings people together, and tears people apart. Any single one of us could drop dead without a single warning if it willed it. Our entire lives we spend making decisions that we think will matter in the end, but at the snap of a finger, all those efforts could be in vain. Yet, here I stood, disclosing my vulnerabilities to the person I expected the least. Whether this is a blessing or a curse is yet to be seen, and I’ll be damned if I don’t see this until the end.

Minji’s expression shifted from sadness to disappointment to confusion as her mind processed the information. I could do nothing but stand there, vulnerable and exposed as I awaited her response. 

She lets out a heavy sigh. “How is your friend?” she asks, her gaze fixated on the ground. Her disappointed tone felt like a knife stabbing through my heart.

“He’s okay, I think. Your friend with the glasses helped us out.”

“Danielle?” she says, looking up at me with a surprised look before clearing her throat. “Well, that’s good. What about Tyler?”

I scratched my head, averting my gaze as I searched for the right words. “He’s uhhh… He’ll be out for a few days. Maybe a week. Or two,” I admitted sheepishly. Minji pinched the bridge of her nose as I stood there like a child who was caught red handed. 

“You were just… protecting your friend. I’m not gonna fault you for that,” she says, pushing past me. I was left in shock at her unexpected understanding. “What are you standing around for? I said I’d walk you home. Come on.”

I pick my jaw up off the ground and catch up to her, leading the way to my house. We spend the rest of the walk in silence, tension hanging in the air. I stole a couple glances at her, but I couldn’t read her expression at all. Is she mad? Disappointed? All of the above? Before I knew it, we were face to face with my front door.

“This is my house,” I say bluntly.

“Okay. Bye,” Minji says with an unusual coldness, turning to leave. 

“W-wait,” I stammer, calling out to her.

She turns around, her expression blank and unreadable. “What?”

“Are we… still friends?” I cringed, feeling a pang of embarrassment at the vulnerability of the question. Minji chuckles in response, a genuine smile gracing her face for the first time in a while.

“Yes, we’re still friends, silly.” The tension in the air dissipated and my heart felt as light as a feather as a sigh of relief escapes my lips. “You’re a good person, Yuno. I just wish you would stop getting into trouble.”

“Cool. Um, good night, Minji.” I wave awkwardly at her as she leaves. “U-uh, get home safe!”

Minji giggles, the sweet sound  of her voice echoing through the air. “Good night, Yuno!” Her smile imprinted itself into my brain as I watched her silhouette fade into the night. 

I’m greeted by the dark and desolate state of my living room as I enter my house, but all of it fades away as an unfamiliar feeling of elation stirs in my chest. I trudged to my bedroom and collapsed onto my bed, the events of the evening taking their toll on me. Meeting Minji’s parents was exhausting, but I would be lying if I said I wasn’t happy that she considered me as a friend. As my eyelids slowly flutter shut, visions of Minji flashed through my head, invading my dreams.

______________________________________________________________

Minji’s POV

As I walk through the door, I see my parents sitting on the couch waiting for me. I gulp as a steady tension fills the air.

“Minji. Have a seat dear, your father and I want to talk to you,” my mom says in a serious tone. A thousand thoughts fill my mind as I wonder what they could possibly want to talk about.

My dad clears his throat, his eyes meeting mine. “This Yuno boy… We don’t want you hanging around him.”

I felt my heart drop in my chest. “W-what? Why?”

“He seems… sweet, but we don’t think he’ll be of any benefit to you in the future,” my mom explains. “Once you two are done with your science project, we want you to cut all contact with him.”

A mix of anger, confusion, and sorrow welled within me. “B-but-”

“No buts, Minji. You should be grateful that we still let you talk to Hanni,” my dad interrupts. “If you want to be successful in life, you must surround yourself with those that are like minded. Frankly, I don’t see that boy amounting to anything.”

I tried to argue, but my voice got caught in my throat. It would have been pointless anyways since they never listened. Without another word, I stormed upstairs to my room.

“Minji!” I ignored my father’s calls as I slammed my bedroom door behind me before collapsing onto my bed. Why were they always like this? Why couldn’t I just be friends with anyone? Tears welled in my eyes as I pulled out my phone, calling Hanni. After just one ring, she picks up.

“Hey girl, looks like you got your phone back, I wonder who gave it to you,” she answered, giggling.

“Hi Hanni…”

“Oh no, what happened?” she asked, her tone shifting as she noticed the sadness in mine.

“I’m just so… frustrated with my parents. It hasn’t even been a full day since they’ve been back, yet I’m already so exhausted.” I snuggled with my bear plush, hoping it would make all my problems go away.

“I’m so sorry, Minj. Do you wanna talk about it?”

I let out a heavy sigh. “Not really. I’d rather forget all about it.”

“Hey, I have an idea! Why don’t we go to the fair tomorrow with the girls? You’ve been stressed enough with all the prom junk, you deserve to have a break.” she suggested.

“Ehhh, I’m not sure, Hanni. I would love to, but I’m not sure if my parents would let me go.” 

“Girl, just tell them you’re going to the library with Dani to study. They’ll have to say yes!”

I hesitated for a moment, contemplating the pros and cons. On one hand, my parents would absolutely kill me if they found out, but on the other hand, a break does sound nice. For the past couple months, my life has been nothing but school work, studying, student council meetings, and prom preparations. I’ve rarely had any time to just have fun. Steeling my nerves, I made up my mind.

“Okay. Let’s do it then,” I say, my heartbeat quickening with excitement and anxiety.

“WOOOOOO!!!” Hanni cheered through the phone. “We’ll pick you up at three, you better be ready by then.”

I couldn’t help but chuckle at her elation. “Alright, I’ll see you tomorrow then. Good night, Hanni.”

“Good night, girllllll.”

I hang up the phone, placing it on my night stand before falling onto my pillow with a sigh. Tomorrow would be fun for sure, but what about after that? What if my parents found out that I lied to them and went to the fair? Would I be able to live with the consequences? I shake my head, trying to dispel the worries from my mind. Regardless of what will happen afterwards, I was determined to have fun and mess around for one day. 

______________________________________________________________

Yuno’s POV

I jolt awake from an aching pain shooting down my back. My body had gotten so used to sleeping at Minji’s house that I forgot how shitty my own mattress was. Heading downstairs, I’m surprised to see my father not only completely conscious, but he was also cooking breakfast. And it smelled amazing.

“Uh, hey dad,” I grumbled, half-convinced I was in a dream.

He startles, almost as if he was surprised to see me. “Yuno. M-morning,” he stuttered nervously. “U-uh, why don’t you have a seat? I cooked up some breakfast.”

My hunger trumps my confusion as my legs carry me to the table, adorned with a traditional breakfast of eggs, bacon, and pancakes. I quickly dug into the feast, almost choking on a piece of bacon in the process.

“Slow down there,” my dad chuckles lightly. “I guess I haven’t been doing a great job of feeding you, huh.” The gloom and regret in his tone were palpable while his eyes were fixated to the floor, avoiding mine. 

I pause mid-bite to look up at him. “It’s fine. I managed.”

“It’s not fine.” Anger tinges his voice, directed more at himself than anyone else. “S-sorry, I just… I should’ve been taking care of you. Your mother’s death was hard on both of us, but that’s not an excuse for me to neglect you. I want- No, I need to make things right, Yuno. Will you ever forgive me for being a terrible father?”

A flood of emotions overwhelms me, freezing my body in its wake. After my mom died three years ago, my father turned to alcohol to numb the pain. I never blamed him for it; she was a bright light in both of our lives and her absence left us completely shattered. 

I gulped, suppressing the swirl of emotions bubbling within me. “Y-yeah, dad. I forgive you.”

A smile grows on his face - the first time I’ve seen him smile in years. “Thank you, son. I promise I’ll be here for you from now on.” A strange choking feeling constricts my throat as tears begin to well within my eyes. I rise from the table, turning my head away. 

“Where are you going?” my dad asks. “You should eat some more if you're hungry.”

“U-uh, I just remembered, I uh have plans with some friends today,” I lied impulsively. I’m not sure why I lied, but all I knew is that I needed to get out of the house.

“Friends? That’s great, Yuno. Go out and have fun, don’t worry about me.” The smile that grew on his face only made me feel worse about lying. I quickly grab a hoodie and $20 from my room, not bothering to change out of my sweatpants. Right before I leave through the front door, I turn to my dad, who’s washing the dishes.

“Bye, dad,” I called out to him, a memory of my five year old self doing the same thing flickering in my mind.

“Bye, Yuno. I’ll see you later,” he waves as I close the front door behind me.

My dad sobering up after all these years is a great thing. I should be happy for him. Yet, I couldn’t knock this strange feeling in the back of my head. I took a deep breath in, hoping the cool morning air would help clear my mind. The sun casts its warmth on my face as I begin walking aimlessly. With no plan in mind, I decided to head to the convenience store.

The familiar jingle of the convenience store door chimes as I step inside, the pungent scent of cooking hotdogs assaulting my senses.

“Good morning, welcome to- Yuno!” Winter greets me with a mop in her hand, her demeanor much more upbeat than what I’m used to seeing from her.

“Oh, hey. Didn’t know you were working today.”

“I’m just filling in for one of my coworkers who’s out sick. Are you looking for anything in particular? We just restocked on the ramen you got last time,” she offered.

I hesitated, contemplating the answer myself. “No thanks. I just needed to get out of the house.”

“Are you alright, Yuno? Did something happen?”

“No? I don’t know, I’m all conf-”

“YUNO!!”

A short figure appears out of nowhere and attempts to tackle me from the side. My instincts kick in, allowing me to dodge the attack and grab the back of the assailant’s collar.

“Who the fuck-” My eyes widen in shock as I see that my attacker is none other than Yujin. A white medical eyepatch covers his black eye, but the rest of the wounds on his face seemed to have healed overnight. “Yujin? What are you doing here?”

“He came to visit me at work,” Winter answers, mopping the floor. “It’s been a bit slow this morning, so he offered to come hang out until my shift ends.”

“Yeah, I even told her all about your epic battle with Tyler!” Yujin says, beaming up at me. I release my grip on the back of his shirt as my cheeks burn slightly from embarrassment.

“It wasn’t epic, it was… Whatever. Where the hell is the ramen?” I groan as I drag my feet towards the ramen aisle. 

______________________________________________________________

The three of us sit at a table in front of the store, enjoying the gentle breeze. Warm, spicy ramen broth slides down my throat as I finish the bowl.

“It’s such a nice day outside,” Winter comments. Her eyes are shut with contentment as she leans against the table.

“We should all do something fun since the weather is so nice!” Yujin suggests, his eyes beaming with excitement. 

With no actual plans for the day, I had no choice but to agree. “Sure. Why the hell not.”

Winter nodded in agreement. “Where do you guys wanna go?”

My mind went blank. I have no idea what people do for fun, let alone these two. When was the last time I had fun anyways? 

Yujin hopped out of his seat, a twinkle of elation in his smile. “We can go to the fair! It’s been forever since I last went. What do you guys think?”

I scratched my head in contemplation. It’s not how I imagined spending my weekend, but my life hasn’t exactly been predictable as of late. The fair did sound… intriguing. “Okay. I’m down.”

“M-me too,” Winter added. “I haven’t been to the fair since I was seven. I wonder if they still sell those chocolate chip cookies I used to love.” As if on cue, her stomach loudly grumbled. I couldn’t help but chuckle as her cheeks grew pink with embarrassment. A group of students walked past us, entering the store.

“I-I should get back to work now. I’ll text you guys when I’m done,” Winter said before disappearing into the store. 

“We’ll see you later, Winter!” Yujin called out to her before turning back to me. “Hey Yuno, what’s your number? I’ll make a groupchat with the three of us.”

“Don’t bother. I don’t have a phone,” I said before walking off. Yujin followed closely behind me, bewilderment painted on his face.

“What?! What do you mean you don’t have a phone?! How do you even live?”

I shrugged. “I don’t know. Never needed one,” I answered simply. It was the truth - up until now I had no one to text or call. Social media seemed like a waste of time and my dad was always too drunk to wonder where I was when I went out. 

“That’s crazy. Let’s stop by my house real quick, I can lend you my old phone,” Yujin says.

“You don’t need to do tha-”

“You helped me out twice, alright? This is the only way I can repay you, so just take it.” There was an adamance in his voice that made it difficult for me to refuse.

I relented with a sigh. “Fine. Lead the way.” Yujin grinned at me before pulling me in the opposite direction towards his house. The bright rays of the sun washed over us, filling me with a sense of calm. With how weird the last couple of days have been, it felt nice to be outside.

“By the way, my grandma doesn’t speak much English, but I can translate for you. I don’t bring friends over often, so she’ll probably want to talk your ear off,” Yujin says, chuckling to himself.

“That’s fine. What about your parents? I ask rather bluntly. His expression darkens, sending a pang of guilt into my chest. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to-”

“It’s okay, Yuno,” Yujin reassures me. “I lived with my parents back when I was still attending my old school. I wanted to stay with them, but they thought it was best for me to live with my grandma after they found out how bad I was being bullied. They would freak out if they ever found out I was being bullied here too…” His gaze fell to the floor and his shoulders slouched, his usual vibrant energy dissipating in front of my eyes. Feeling guilty, I place a hand on his shoulder supportively.

“Don’t worry about it. No one’s gonna mess with you anymore.” I awkwardly patted Yujin on the back, hoping it would cheer him up even a little bit. Thankfully, it ended up working as his frown was replaced with a small yet hopeful grin.

“Thanks, Yuno. I think my parents would like you.” I kept my mouth shut, grappling with the uncertainty of whether Yujin’s parents would like their son hanging around with someone who kicks the shit out of bullies just because he can. We soon arrived in front of Yujin’s house, which was similar to all the houses in the neighborhood, save for the pair of rocking chairs decorating the front porch. 

“Before my grandpa died, my grandma and him would sit in those chairs to watch the sunrise together. That’s kinda cute, don’t you think?” Yujin’s words hung in the air as he unlocked the door. I could only offer a nod as my understanding of romance and the like was nonexistent. 

Upon stepping into his home, we were immediately greeted by Yujin’s grandmother, resting in a large reclining chair. The two of them exchange words in a language I can’t recognize, and Yujin says something makes his grandma smile.

“Grandma said that you’re very tall and handsome,” he says, chuckling. A rush of warmth tinges my cheeks, caught off guard by the unexpected compliment.

“O-oh, uh, tell her I said thanks. I guess.” Yujin relays my message, triggering a bout of laughter from his grandma that eventually transforms into a coughing fit.

“Yujin, are you back alre- Oh jeez.” Danielle suddenly rounds the corner, carrying a saucer with a cup of tea balancing on top of it. Her casual attire of a simple yellow t-shirt and jeans was a far cry from the cold aura she normally exuded in her school uniform. She places the cup of tea on the table next to Yujin’s grandma before turning her attention back to me. 

“Yuno. Hello,” she greets, glaring at me through her glasses. I nod back, bewildered by her presence in Yujin’s home.

“Danielle and her mom are helping me take care of grandma. They’ve been really helpful ever since yesterday.” A genuine smile illuminated Yujin’s face, inadvertently softening Danielle’s expression. It immediately hardened as her gaze went back to me. “I just stopped by to give Yuno my old phone to borrow since he doesn’t have one of his own. Isn’t that crazy?” he explains to Danielle.

She scrutinized my expression with steely eyes, sending chills down my spine. Minji’s parents may have been scary, but Danielle was a completely different beast. “You’re just giving it to him? He’s not, I don’t know, threatening you to give it to him?” she interrogates. I instinctively rolled my eyes at her words while Yujin simply laughed it off.

“It’s the least I could do to repay him for…” He gestures to his eyepatch, cautiously glancing at his grandma, who drifted off to sleep without anyone of us noticing. Yujin’s phone suddenly buzzes in his pocket, revealing a text from Winter. “We should hurry, Winter’s shift is ending soon. Come on, Yuno!” he says before running up the stairs. I quickly follow behind him, not wanting to be left alone with Danielle.

Yujin’s room is the epitome of a stereotypical geek’s paradise. The walls are lined with a colorful variety of superhero posters, accompanied by some drawings he had done himself. On the far side of the room, a shelf is filled to the brim with action figures, fake weapons, and a single first place trophy for a “Junior Art Competition”. His desk is the complete opposite of Minji’s, half-finished drawings, eraser shavings, and colored pencils scattered along its surface.

“Sorry about the mess, I would’ve cleaned up if I knew you would be coming over,” Yujin says as he rummages through a drawer on his desk, pulling out a phone. “Here. It’s not much, but you’ll be able to call and text people, and you can download some games on there if you want.”

 It was smaller and less impressive than most phones I’ve seen people carry, but I couldn’t complain. It was better than anything I’ve had before (which was nothing).  “Thanks,” I utter as I take the phone from his hands. “I’ll, uh, keep it safe.”

Yujin chuckles as he leaves his room. As we reach the bottom of the stairs, he suddenly stops. “Oh shoot, I should probably give you the charger too,” he says before darting back to his room. I turn around to wait for him in the living room, only to find Yujin’s grandma beckoning me with a wrinkly hand. As if I was in a trance, I suddenly started inching towards her, like a snake being hypnotized by a flute. She muttered in my ear in perfect english: “Please take care of Yujin.” Her message was plain and simple, yet I was still filled with questions. Before I could ask any, however, she was already fast asleep. I was starting to wonder whether or not I imagined the whole interaction.

“What are you doing?” Danielle asks from across the room. Somehow, I failed to notice her presence this entire time.

“N-nothing, she just… Sorry,” I stutter awkwardly. With impeccable timing, Yujin appears from the stairs with a phone charger in hand, saving me from this awkward situation.

“Here you go, Yuno. We should head out now, Winter oughta be done with her shift by now,’ he says. “Bye, Danielle!”

Danielle waves at Yujin as we leave, shooting one final glare directed at me right as the door closes. I inspected his old phone, turning it around in my hand. Aside from a couple essential apps, it was completely bare bones, and even the lock screen was nothing but a plain blue rectangle.

“I should probably add your number to the group chat now, huh,” Yujin says, pulling out his phone. After a brief moment, I feel the phone vibrate in my hand with an audible buzz. A notification on the phone reads, “You have been added to a group chat!” 

“There you go! If you ever need to talk to either of us, just send a message and one of us is bound to answer!” He flashes me a wide toothy grin that I silently snicker at. A vivid memory of my childhood suddenly plays in my mind - a timid only child playing with his imaginary siblings. I never brought it up with my mother when she was alive, but I always wanted a younger sibling to play with and take care of. That want manifested itself into an imaginary younger brother that played with me when no other kid would. Of course I’ve long outgrown that phase by now, but something about Yujin is eerily similar to the imaginary younger brother I had before. Or maybe I’ve finally gone insane.

“So.. the fair. What’s it like?” I ask him.

“What?! You’ve never been to the fair before either?! How on earth are you even alive right now?!” Yujin exclaims, his eyes growing wide with disbelief. “As your friend, it’s my job to ensure that you have a fun day at the fair. Now let’s hurry up, Winter is probably waiting for us.” He grabs my arm and pulls me forward, running to the convenience store. A small grin grows on my face as the wind blows past my ears.

______________________________________________________________

“Are you two ready?” Winter asks us as she steps out of the convenience store. She’s dressed in a flowery sundress with a forest green cardigan layered over the top, a contrast to her plain work uniform.

“Yup, we’re all ready! I got some extra cash for the subway,’ Yujin says.

“Subway?” I ask. My hand shoots into my pocket, fingering the $15 I have left and regretting my decision to buy ramen that morning. 

“Don’t worry about the subway, we can just use my metrocard,” Winter says, pulling out a shiny plastic card from her purse. I let out a sigh of relief, although I can’t help but feel bad for not being able to pay for myself.

“Alright, let’s hurry before the lines get too long!” Yujin skips ahead of us with the excitement of a child bringing home a new toy, eliciting a giggle from Winter. 

The sun flashes its light into my eyes, casting its warm glow on my skin. A light fluttering fills my heart with each step, and for the first time in years, I felt hopeful for what the day would bring.

[bi-bard]

No Saints Ever Watched Over Me - Kaz Brekker Imagine [Shadow & Bone]

Title: No Saints Ever Watched Over Me

Pairing: Kaz Brekker X Sun Summoner!Reader

Word Count: 1,798 words

Warning(s): canon-typical violence

Summary: Kaz held onto the belief that no saints had looked out for him and none were in a rush to rescue him. When forced to face the very saint that he refused to believe in, will Kaz accept that he was wrong or continue on his path of denial and avoidance?

Author's Note: Here's how one piece of dialogue made me want to throw all sorts of canon to the wolves just so this idea could happen.

---------------------------

At some point, hiding became as natural as breathing.

My parents taught me to hide before most things.

They were the only ones who knew about my... condition that I hadn't directly told.

They had seen the sunlight that coursed through my veins. The prophecy unfolding in their very home. The future presented to them on a silver platter.

They knew what would happen if I was ever discovered. They never wanted me to hear, but I did. They knew that I would be hunted for the rest of my life. That I would be shoved into harm's way in the name of Ravka. Men would be happy to watch my blood spill for their battles if they were wrapped in the flag of their country.

I was young when a group of men showed up at their door.

My dad took me away. As far away as he could. My mom didn't have a chance.

When he knew that what was happening was inevitable, he told me to run. Run, hide, and never tell anyone about my gift.

I was alone.

I never saw my power as a gift. Especially not after that day. In one swoop, this "gift" had taken everything from me.

And I still had to survive despite that.

I settled in Ketterdam. Alone and terrified. I needed to find work and a place to stay while I was still very young.

Working with Kaz Brekker was an accident more than anything else. It had been a few years since I had seemed to plant my feet on the ground. I had made friends with Jesper, who had offered me a chance to make myself a decent amount of money.

After that, Kaz seemed to come to me for every mission they had. I don't know why. As far as he was able to know, Kaz could have found a hundred people who were just like me.

Granted, I didn't have to keep working with him. I could have taken another job. But I didn't. Working with Kaz just felt right. Working with the Crows felt right.

I was a regular part of the team.

It was nice.

None of them seemed willing to say it out loud but it was like having a family. A real family for the first time in ages.

I kept my... situation private. They didn't truly need to know.

However, I knew that it would be foolish to think that I could hide it from them forever. It did take them longer than

Inej was the first to find out.

Kaz had noticed that something was "off" about me. Something was different. He couldn't figure out what that thing was. And Kaz Brekker hated not knowing everything about a situation.

He sent her to spy on me for the night. Follow me. See who I did business with, who I met for drinks, who I brought home with me (which I never did).

I had been curled at the foot of my bed after a long, exhausting day. I was tired and sad and angry all at the same time. I needed something of comfort. I allowed a ball of sunlight to form in my hand and sit in my palm. The fog and dreariness of Ketterdam didn't allow for one to enjoy a moment in the sunshine, so I had to make my own.

Inej must have caught me just as I was sitting there with it.

Not that she told me.

Instead, she went straight back to Kaz with what she had learned.

I could imagine what his reaction was. The disbelief, the anger at the insistence, and the dismissal of the whole event with some comment about it all being some clever trick on my part.

I hope she asked him what the point of a trick was when I was alone.

I only found out that Inej knew when I was told to go meet Kaz in his office. As I passed the bar, Inej and Jesper watched me go by. I watched Inej's hand move to her forehead and chest. I furrowed my eyebrows for a moment. I hadn't told her anything, so why did she do that?

Kaz was standing behind his desk when I walked in.

"Close the door," he instructed bluntly. I did so.

I walked over to stand across from him, waiting for some indication of what this was all about.

"What are you," he asked.

I paused for a moment. "Excuse me?"

"What are you?" he repeated, putting an emphasis on each word.

"I'm (Y/n), you allow me to work with you because I can fight, and you said that I can be pretty clever-"

"I said what, not who."

"Will you just tell me what this is about," I asked. "I clearly don't know."

"I had Inej follow you last night."

"Kaz!"

"You were hiding something from me," he tried to explain.

"So you sent someone to watch me? That is incredibly invasive!"

"She saw your trick," he continued. "The sunlight in your hand."

I felt frozen. The motion at the bar suddenly made sense to me. Inej was firm in her beliefs. Private, but firm. She saw me and thought that I was the saint that the stories were about.

"How did you do it?"

"I... I just can," I shrugged. "You think it was a trick."

"I know it was a trick," he replied. "The sun summoner wouldn't hide away in Ketterdam."

I took a deep breath. "My parents paid for me to get here. They knew what I was. They knew what would happen if the Grisha got their hands on me. It was meant to protect me. I kept my head down. I stayed quiet. Worked with you for money because it was the safest choice I had at the time."

Kaz didn't speak up. He didn't truly believe me. Not entirely. I wasn't surprised by that. Kaz had trust issues when it came to normal people. Never mind... someone like me.

I took a step away from the desk. I let a ball of sunlight form in my hand.

Kaz slowly walked around the desk. He studied me, stepping in a small circle around me. He was looking for the trick. The effect. Some sign that what Inej had seen was wrong.

He stopped in front of his desk again.

I closed my hand, scuffing out the sunlight.

"You are never to do that unless in the presence of me, Inej, and Jesper. Understood?"

"I know how to hide," I replied. "I've been doing this for a long time now."

He just nodded to me.

I kept to that agreement as best I could. I never showed my gift outside of my room. The only time anyone else saw it was when Inej came by, begging to know if it was all true.

She tried to praise me. Call me a saint.

I didn't let her. I begged her to not see me as a hero because I wasn't one. I had no interest in being one. All I wanted was some semblance of normalcy. She respected that.

My agreement with Kaz didn't crumble until I saw it as absolutely necessary.

He had told me to join him to get through the door of some place.

He had been doing that more and more. Having me work directly by his side. I had no interest in questioning it, but I did notice it.

It had been going well. However, the number of guards had been greatly underestimated.

The only part that I truly remember was one of the guards choking Kaz. His cane had been thrown across the room from him. I didn't have the physical strength to stop the guard. I knew that.

So, as if on instinct, I threw a ball of sunlight at him.

He fell to the ground, allowing Kaz to lean back against the wall and catch his breath.

I ran over to grab his cane. I walked over slowly, holding it out to him. He snatched it from my hand, an angry look taking over his features.

"Are you alright," I asked.

He didn't bother with my question, instead posing one of his own, “What the hell were you thinking?”

“That you were about to die."

“You could have gotten yourself killed, hunted! All that you have claimed to have been terrified of!”

"You would truly rather die by the hand of your own stubbornness than ever thank someone for their help," I rolled my eyes.

"You agreed to never use your powers around others! I don't need you to save me!"

I scoffed at him. “Kaz, I understand that you think you’re invincible, but please believe me when I say that you are nowhere close.”

“And you are?” he stepped closer to me.

“Would you like to compare a list of things that I could survive versus what you could survive? I really don’t think you would because you would end up quite embarrassed!”

Kaz’s jaw clenched as he merely continued glaring. As if he were stunned that I had the nerve to yell at him the way I did. To question his power and control and leadership the way I did.

“I hate to tell you this, but you have people who care for you, Kaz Brekker,” I continued. “There are people that actually don’t want you dead. Let them help you. That’s why you have a crew in the first place.”

"Don't claim to be my savior."

"Don't claim that you never need to be saved!"

The silence after that was tense. He was angry and the boss of the whole gang. I was angry and able to scorch the earth beneath his feet.

"We have work to do," I finally muttered, walking around him.

"What happened to keeping your... affliction a secret," he asked as I did so.

I stopped at the door, turning back to him. "If the choice was letting you die or exposing my secret, then the choice would be you. Every single time."

There was a long pause before Kaz spoke up, "Why?"

There was another, even longer pause. "Is it not obvious?"

His face didn't shift. Not at all.

I had some feeling in my chest that he knew the answer to his question long before he asked it. Maybe he just needed the personal confirmation. Maybe he wanted me to say something entirely different so that it would bring some comfort. Allow him some escape route from his own feelings.

"Can we go now," I asked.

He nodded. "Fine."

Kaz may not have believed in saints. But I would like to believe that some part of him believed in me.

And that was enough for me.

---------------------------

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[blue-sadie]

So i've seen this edit about quaritch and spider with that song "oh i love it and hate it at the same time, you and i drinking posion from the same vine" and just image it; reader who has an avatar and neteyam as her mate and she told everybody that her mom was na'vi and her dad was an avatar. When lo'ak and neteyam went to save spider they see reader in her human form and she thinks neteyam is dissapointed in her. Her avatar dies and she has to live with neteyam in her human form. The reader thinks he hates her or smtg. I thank you very much if you could write my ideea or just react <3

Sorry this might not be exactly what you wanted but I hope you like it 😁

Our Love Is Pure

Neteyam x Human Reader

Summary: sometimes our thoughts get the best of us causing us either failure or fortune

Warning: music = lyrics, reader death (kind of)

3rd person pov

Neteyam watched the horizon hoping and praying to see Norman's helicopter but every time he does his heart just breaks all over again.

Telling myself I won't go there Oh, but I know that I won't care

You saved him, you pushed him out the way and took the bullet, the bullet that would've killed him but it killed you instead.

He held your avatar as it died he pleaded and begged for eywa to give you another chance you deserved it while he didn't he should have protected you he should have taken it not you.

With each day passing no news or sight of you, his heart arches more and more he struggles to look after himself but what he didn't know it was the same for you.

Tryna wash away all the blood I've spilt This lust is a burden that we both share Two sinners can't atone from a lone prayer Souls tied, intertwined by our pride and guilt There's darkness in the distance

It took norm days just to get you to speak but with each word becomes more shakey, what is supposed to happen between the two of you.

You never really hung out with him in your human form mostly because of safety reasons would he still want to be with you.

Those thoughts were clouding your head most of the day you would spend in your room staring at the way norman says your eyes get duller by the day, your skin has become paler and your body thinner because of the lack of food and water.

From the way that I've been livin' But I know I can't resist it Oh, I love it and I hate it at the same time You and I drink the poison from the same vine

Norman didn't know what to do he didn't know if contacting neteyam would help or just make it worse but what pushed him over the edge is when you came stumbling into the kitchen bearly holding yourself up.

You collapsed and he caught you before you hit the floor you blacked out, that was his breaking point they put you onto one of the med beds attaching an iv to your arm and made sure you were stable.

And once they knew you were safe he contacted jake to let him know about the situation and jake could almost say the same was happening there.

Oh, I love it and I hate it at the same time Hidin' all of our sins from the daylight From the daylight, runnin' from the daylight From the daylight, runnin' from the daylight Oh, I love it and I hate it at the same time

When jake finally told neteyam what happened with you neteyam finally expressed emotion other then sadness and finally did something other then stare out into the open sea.

He tried to get on his ikran but his father and mother tried to stop him and reason with him to stay.

He finally burst and let his emotions out shocking his parents screaming at them that he needs and too see you and how he would be dead without you

Tellin' myself it's the last time Can you spare any mercy that you might find If I'm down on my knees again? Deep down, way down, Lord, I try Try to follow your light, but it's night time Please, don't leave me in the end

He yelled about all the times you were there for him and now he's gonna be there for you, his parents let him go because either he was going back.

The ride was long and terrible his lack of food and sleep was making his ikran nervous and almost crash afew times.

He finally felt relieved when he saw his home land in the distance and he spoke to himself praying that you would hear him, I'm coming baby hold on.

There's darkness in the distance I'm beggin' for forgiveness (ooh) But I know I might resist it, oh Oh, I love it and I hate it at the same time You and I drink the poison from the same vine

He dodged the floating rocks and ignored as some ikran riders tried to talk to him as they flew past he didn't care all he cared about was you.

When he landed he could tell something was off when norman came running at him and telling him you need him.

He didn't even let norman finish and dashed into the lab his eyes widening as he saw the many scientists crowed around you.

Oh, I love it and I hate it at the same time Hidin' all of our sins from the daylight From the daylight, runnin' from the daylight From the daylight, runnin' from the daylight Oh, I love it and I hate it at the same time Oh, I love it and I hate it at the same time You and I drink the poison from the same vine

His heart clench and his body began to sway with dizziness he already lost you once and he wasn't gonna lose you again.

He crouched at the head of you bed looking down at your face you and your avatar were almost identical.

He slowly and softly caressed your small face with his fingers as he spoke to you as tears streamed down his face, baby please don't do this to me I can't lose you again.

Oh, I love it and I hate it at the same time Hidin' all of our sins from the daylight From the daylight, runnin' from the daylight From the daylight, runnin' from the daylight Oh, I love it and I hate it at the same time

He sat there even after the other scientists left he sat there staring at you his hand clenching yours He was to scared to let go.

To scared to lose you, it only took 2 hours before you woke you your face twisted in confusion as you felt someone holding your hand.

It took you a couple minutes to open your eyes but when they did they filled with tears, neteyam tried to hug you but all you did was push him away.

He felt rejected and hurt in till he heard you speak "why are you here" you sniffled he felt confused.

"W-what do you mean baby" he murmured trying to think of reasons you would rejected him.

"Neteyam my avatar is dead" your voice was strained and raspy "what does that have to do with anything" he asked sitting beside your bed.

You didn't know if was joking or just trying to fool you "n-nete i-" "do you think I'd just leave you because your avatar is dead".

It was like he could read my mind, I looked away from him ashamed "yn I fell for you, your beautiful personality not your body" he murmured caressing my face and bringing it to look at his.

"I fell for your clumsiness, your idiotic ideas that always get us into trouble I fell for you" his words drew a quiet giggle from you making him smile.

"I feel for your mind and heart"

Tag.List

@greekgods15

@sweetirilly

[lilapplesheadcannons]

r/AmITheAsshole: u/throwaway478wwx

AITA if I tell my "husband" I love him?

Throw away because my siblings and friends are here. Don't roll your eyes, please. It's very complicated. So I (34M) have been married to my incredible husband Z (34M) for the last 8 years. We went to the same high school but actually ran into different circles. Z, who was a straightA student, didn't like me and my friend circle. Things worsened after I accidentally ruined his science fair project. High school ended with bad blood between us. His older brother, who was a few years senior to us, was my sister's classmate, and he tried to mediate between us, but Z really hated me and would get huffy every time we met.

We met again in Uni. Z seemed more open to the idea of a civil relationship, and things improved tremendously once I gifted him 2 rabbits for his birthday. Z had the cutest crush on our classmate M and would get so flustered when I asked him about M.

In our final year, all of us got very drunk in a party, and I lost the drinking game. As a punishment, I was tasked with safely escorting Z back to our dorm. Just my luck, for such a calm and self-controlled person, Z is an agent of chaos when drunk. We broke into the nearby aquarium to look at the sting-rays, went into a Mcdonald where Z proceeded to buy all the chicken wings as a gift for me and tried to fight a mirror for 'staring at the love of his life'. I somehow managed to calm him down and took him back to the dorm.

Fast forward a year, M suddenly announced her relationship with someone else. I was extremely surprised, but not only Z stoically bore the news, the rest of my friends were very chill about it too. In fact, they seemed more annoyed at me for making a fuss. My angel of a sister, who never spoke a harsh word in her life, told me I was lucky I was so stinking cute.

I tried my best to support Z in this difficult time. We spent most of our free time together. In fact, I invited Z to my sister's wedding to cheer him up. Incidentally, we kinda discovered a big conspiracy to harm Z's brother and his boyfriend, and Z's family was very taken with me. His mom started to joke that she'll steal me to be her own son. Even Z's very stern uncle seemed to soften up.

Finally, M announced her wedding when we were 26. I hastily planned a trip as a means to distract Z. We backpacked and hiked. One night, we got roaring drunk and woke up the next day in bed with each other. Even worse, drunk us thought it was a good idea to apply for a marriage certificate online and make an announcement on Facebook that we were getting married. Our families were blowing up our phones. They asked us how could we do this? How could we exclude them from the happiest day of our life and not give them the chance to celebrate? Before our hungover brains could explain anything, Z's brother was dispatched to retrieve us, and our parents were looking at the wedding venue and cakes.

Our mothers combined are a force to reckon with. I tried to explain things, but mom said she thought she raised me better, and Z's otherwise very kind brother told me he'd feed me into a woodchipper if I backed out of the wedding.

Long story short, we got married that spring. We planned to let things settle a bit, but disaster struck. A friend of ours had a baby cousin whose parents suddenly passed away in an accident. The baby's nearest kin was his grandma, who was very frail and terminal, and my friend didn't have the means to support the baby. Z and I promptly applied to adopt the baby.

Our little radish is almost 9 this year. Z is not only a great dad, but he's an incredibly good husband, too. He's kind, warm, sweet, and patient. He's a wonderful cook. We are compatible in every way, and I mean every possible way. My parents love him. And I think I have fallen in love with him too. But would I be an asshole if I told him that I loved him? We have a good thing going on here. I don't want to rock the boat.

Update 1: Thank you so much for your kind words. I have decided to confess to my husband. Wish me luck.

Update 2: To the person who DMed me calling me "so dumb that light can enter through one ear and exit via another," JC, I know your writing style. Push your luck, and the whole of reddit will know what happened in our third year.

Update 3: So, I told Z that I loved him. He was reading our baby boy's half yearly report. Have I told you guys how handsome he looks with his glasses on? He raised his eyes and said, " And I love 'my name' too. Always have." So I guess that's settled? We have been in love for the last decade? That's good. Thank you for all your support. And I love you too, Jie.

[oksurethisismyname]

Hiiiii as a queer person living in the Bible Belt of the USA, I’m envisioning a “Christian trauma AU / general theology AU” because you know my main focus is always Sanji. This assumed that we’re in the USA, modern era, and I guess maybe a college or post grad AU for how they meet each other? This is a lonnnnnnnng text post so scroll at your own risk. To keep it from being toooo long I’m also sticking to east blue crew.

Hear me out:

There are a million different sects of Christianity so we’ve got a ton of angles to use.

Garp is catholic (but think FRENCH laïcité instead of American Amy Coney Barret Supreme Court justice weird catholic cult), Dragon straight up rebels against the strict structure and goes about his atheist ways. Neither of them really raise Luffy anyway so 💁🏻

Luffy ends up being agnostic. It’s not that he doesn’t believe in a higher power but he knows he needs to take action and that he can’t rely on a higher power to fix the problems of the world. Very Albert Camus, revolting against the absurd and holding himself to a higher responsibility in life

Zoro comes from a Shinto or Buddhist background. He’s not judging anyone’s religious beliefs unless they’re harming others.

Nami has religious trauma from the Baptist church that set up in her town and made it impossible to be herself. Belle Mere is so clearly queer and she’s harassed and dies at the hands of some zealous bigots who were emboldened by the words of the local Baptist church pastor (Arlong)

Ussop comes from a chill Protestant background (maybe Presbyterian?) But he’s more of a CEO (Christmas Easter Only) in terms of actually attending any sort of church. Honestly, with his dad out of the picture and his mom dying, he just had bigger things on his mind like living every day.

Finally, Sanji. Oh boy, Sanji has major “Quiverfull movement Christian” trauma from Judge. For those who don’t know, quiverfull is a Christian extremist movement where the idea is to have as many kids as possible and adhere to very strict purity rules and gender roles. Contraception isn’t allowed. Women wear long skirts and non fitted shirts to hide their womanly form (ew), and most of the time these parents homeschool there kids to avoid the “temptation” or “impurity” of modern society.

Judge had these 5 kids who he’s raised in this faith but Sanji never liked how Judge treated his mom. Why was Sora supposed to be “seen and not heard?” Why was it ok for his brothers to use scripture to bully and hurt and spread hate? Why would a loving god create women just to subjugate them? Judge wouldn’t like this, and once Sora passes away (probably because Judge wouldn’t let her seek medical care post birth of the quadruplets, so her health deteriorated for years), Judge locks him up and makes him do all sorts of horrible “prayer” and “repentance” practices, which are really just abuse.

Sanji would maybe escape when they go into town to get something mundane like a printer or a new wifi router (which only judge is allowed to use the internet). He’d probably bolt first chance he gets and when he meets Zeff, Zeff can recognize the signals of abuse. He takes Sanji in and even though Sanji never believed women were less than men, he still has years of trauma and gender roles beaten into him that he has to unpack.

His choice to cook? That’s a huge rebellion. Wearing tight fitting suits that look sinful? That’s a middle finger to his dad. He always treats women like goddesses because he feels so much guilt for the sins of his father. When he finally joins the Strawhats, he’s so overwhelmed with how free and nonjudgmental they are (of important stuff, obviously they’ll still poke fun at small stuff) that he feels comfortable dropping little comments here and there, opening up.

Ussop will be comforting Nami about something and sanji will tell him is so refreshing to see a man be so nurturing. He goes to Ussop often, asking how he’s so confident sharing his emotions.

Nami will be ordering them around and he’ll do everything she says with a smile, just happy to see her free to do what she wants (which is be a bossy bitch)

Zoro will talk about Kuina one night and Sanji will sob, overwhelmed with joy that she got to have all that strength and a friend like zoro even when faced with hurtful gender expectations.

Luffy above all is the most jarring for him. He grew up hearing about sin and sinners and temptation and evil but when he sees Luffy doing his thing, taking down bad people, fighting for the underdog, he knows that if there is a God (he she it they? Who cares), Luffy is doing their work.

——————

Bonus Gay Cherry on top is that Sanji meets Iva and gets into drag, starts performing, does some events, and through that gender liberation is able to find some peace in who he is, tucking away all the hate he was born into. And he ends up with zoro the end bye

[https-harlow]

Mixed Emotions - Part 3 Petty Arguments

Summary- After finishing her first year of law school, Jack asks Gabriella to come on tour with him as his stylist.

Over the next several months, Gabriella continued to periodically style Jack. She would never admit it, but she was enjoying it. Even though Jack and Gabriella didn’t always agree, in fact, they didn’t agree more than they did, but Jack knew that Gabriella was doing him a huge favor, especially since she was currently finishing her first year of law school. While it might have been a stretch to say that the two were getting along, they were definitely getting along better then they did at the beginning of the year.

Gabriella hated law school, she knew it was going to be tough, but she didn’t expect just how difficult it would be. It wasn’t that Gabriella wasn’t smart enough, she got into Emory University, a private university with the law program having an acceptance rate of 30% with no help from her parents. She had also gotten accepted into the University of Chicago’s law program, which had an acceptance rate of about 20%, but her mom had ties to the law program at that university and she didn’t want anyone to say that she only got in because of her parents. Which is why she completed the whole application for Emory University by herself.

It wasn’t even the difficulty of her classes, she was passing all of her classes with absolutely no issues. She just hated her classes. Gabriella realized very quickly that she did not want to be a lawyer, but she didn’t want to let her parents down.

The weekend after Gabriella’s university let out for the summer and she ended up spending the weekend at Jack and Urban’s apartment. 

“Hey Gabi?” Jack asked, sitting down next to her on the couch, Urban had left to go pick up dinner for the three. 

“Yeah?” Gabriella asked.

“I wanted to ask you something.”

“Okay, what do you want to ask me?”

“I was wondering, since you’ve been doing alot of styling for me, and I know you’ve been telling Urban how much you hate school, if maybe you wanted to do all of my styling for tour.” Jack offered.

“Jack. I can’t just drop out of school to be your stylist.” Gabriella sighed. “I’ve thought about dropping out, but it isn’t that simple.”

“But why can’t it be that simple? If you want to drop out of school, this is your chance. Why continue doing something you hate when I’m trying to give you the opportunity to do something that you obviously love.” Jack asked.

“You’ve never realized it have you?” Gabriella asked Jack.

“Realized what?” Jack asked, looking at her confused.

“That my parents don��t care unless it’s some big moment in my life. I’m not saying they don’t love me, but I was just never a part of their plans. My parent’s plan was to move from Chicago to somewhere where my mom could start her own law firm and my dad could start his own medical practice. They were so ecstatic when I told them that I was going to law school so that I could take over my mom’s law firm one day.”

“But they would want you to be happy with what you do, not stuck in some career you don’t want to be in.” Jack said.

“They want me to be happy, I’m not saying they don’t. I’ve never felt like they don’t love me or anything like that, but since they never planned on having kids, they’ve always just been more focused on work. I’m glad they didn’t give up on what they wanted because of me, but I do feel like I come second sometimes. I know dropping out of school would be disappointing for them, even if they didn’t show it. Even if they were happy that I was doing something that I loved, both of my parents are always so focused on work that I know it would be disappointing if I didn’t take over my mom’s law firm.” Gabriella explained.

“My parents showed up to things like high school graduation, birthdays, or award ceremonies, things like that, but if it wasn’t something special, or even that year I got a B in that one class, they didn’t acknowledge my grades that year even though I got an A in every other class. I didn’t get in trouble, but I also felt like I disappointed them. I know it will be the same if I drop out of school. I won’t get in trouble, but I know it will be disappointing.”

“Is that why your family moved to Kentucky? To start their businesses?” Jack asked and Gabriella nodded.

“Yeah, I didn’t want to move away from my home at five, leave all my friends, my nanny, I didn’t know anything different. My parents wanted to move before I started school though. They tried to get my nanny to move with us, but she had her own life in Chicago that she couldn’t leave. Which as a five year old, I was very upset that my nanny had her own life outside of me, but everytime we went back to chicago I got to see her which helped.”

“Your nanny as in your grandparents?” Jack asked and she shook her head.

“No. My parents hired a nanny when I was born. I had one nanny until I was two, then they hired a live-in nanny so it was easier when they went out of town. Then when we moved to Kentucky, my parents both had a work emergency, the only people they knew were your parents, since you lived across the street, and since Clay and I were a similar age and got along, your mom offered to watch me after that.” Gabriella explained. “I think I ended up spending the same amount of time with your family as my own, if not more.”

“Why don’t you just come on tour with me as my stylist for the summer. That way you won’t feel like you’re disappointing your parents while you figure out if you really want to finish law school.” Jack suggested and Gabriella sighed softly.

“Maybe, when does your tour start again?” Gabriella asked.

“Three weeks, but I think Urban and I are planning on going back home for the week before the tour, at least come home with us.”

“My parents aren’t even going to be in town.” Gabriella told Jack.

“But mine are, and my mom asks about you everytime I talk to her.” Jack said.

“I talk to her at least twice a week.” Gabriella said. “But okay. I’ll come with you both. And I’ll come on tour as your stylist.”

“Really?” Jack asked.

“Yeah. I’ll have to be back in Atlanta by August for school, but what if I hate touring?” Gabriella asked.

“If you hate touring, I’m not going to make you stay. My team will have you sign something but it’s more like an NDA, I told them not to put any specific dates on there for you working for me. I’m not sure why I’m explaining paperwork to you, you’re the one in law school, you can understand legal paperwork.” 

“Jackman Harlow. You told your team I’d do this before you asked me?”

“I uh, I knew you had finals and I didn’t want to stress you out more. I told them that you might not do it. They needed an answer.”

“Did you even think that I might say no?” Gabriella asked. “What if I didn’t want to tour with you? You do know you haven’t ever been the nicest person to me? I don’t have to do any of this for you. I should have known you weren’t pushing me to style you for the tour because you wanted me to come. You were doing it because you already told your team I would.” Gabriella snapped at Jack.

“Look, I was just trying to do you a favor. I knew you liked styling me, and I knew you hated school.”

“No, actually, I like styling. But it’s not just limited to you. I’d much rather style just about anyone else.” Gabriella interrupted Jack.

“You’re so fucking annoying. I was just trying to do something nice for you. ‘You haven’t been the nicest person to me.’” Jack mocked Gabriella’s voice. “Well I tried to, and you see where that got me.” 

“Doing something nice for me, would have been giving me an option before you said I’d do it.”

“Well does it really matter, you agreed to do it now.”

“Yes, it does matter Jack. I swear, you’re so lucky that Urban and Clay are going on tour with you too because if it wasn’t for them being there, I’d back out.” Gabriella told Jack.

When they were little, their arguments ended the same way every single time. Both of them pouting and making little comments back and forth because they both wanted to get the last word. Now that they were adults, nothing had changed. The only thing that changed was instead of Maggie defusing their argument, this time it was Urban.

Urban got home about 15 minutes later, finding Jack and Gabriella sitting on opposite ends of the couch, Gabriella had her arms crossed and Jack had his phone in one hand, they were refusing to talk to each other. 

“Okay, what happened while I was gone?” Urban asked, setting the food down.

“Jack said that I would-” “Gabi said that-” They both started at the same time before looking at each other and then back at Urban.

“You two are like my children.” Urban uttered underneath his breath. “Gabi first.”

“Why does she get to go first?” Jack complained.

“Because I like her better. Now let her talk before I have to put you both in time out.” Urban said sarcastically.

“Jack told his team that I would style him for his tour before he even asked me.” Gabriella said.

“Okay, Jack, your turn.”

“I knew Ella had finals and I didn’t want to stress her out more, so I thought I was being nice. I had a deadline, but I knew if she said no she could get out of it.” Jack explained.

“Gabi, if you want to tell Jack no, tell him no, but, I’d love it if you came. Jack, next time, ask Gabi before you agree for her to do something. That’s just common sense.” Urban said.

“Well Jack must not have any common sense.” Gabriella whispered and Urban held back his laughter.

“I heard that.” Jack said.

“I meant for you too.” Gabriella said as she stood up, walking to the kitchen, Jack following her so they could eat.

“I should have known better than to leave them home alone.” Urban said to himself, following them before they could get into another argument.

Tag list @jackharloww @harlowcomehome @nattinatalia @hoodharlow @itsyagirljaz @heavyhitterheaux @harlowsbby @awhore4moree @harlowslefttoe @twerkforambrose @jackmans-poison @ilovenudy @taniapri @killatravtramp @easternparkway @macey234 @toocriticalharlow @lightsoutstyles @rachxc13 @iknowdatsrightbih @idktbh101 @blossomluvv @middlechild404

[chaosduckies]

Restoration (Chapter 6)

I had no idea what to do with this chapter, but it’s going to mostly lead up to something that’s going to happen later on! So mostly a filler chapter just because why not?

Word Count: 5.1k

CW: Slight mentions of suicide, slight trigger warnings, serious overthinking

6-Nathan

A week has passed since that night. But I couldn’t stop thinking about how I just hugged him. How embarrassed I’ve felt since then. How awkward I feel when I’m near Ryker. Even though he wasn’t at all bothered by it. It hasn’t left my mind. I just feel so embarrassed by it. I mean, we barely knew each other and I just went up and gave him a makeshift hug? Not something people do on an ordinary basis. But still, I haven’t forgotten the way he gently pressed one of his fingers against my back to return the gesture. Somehow I was terrified, but also… grateful? Happy? Whatever the word for it was, it just felt nice. 

I spent that entire week trying to talk to him again, but I guess the adrenaline rush was the only reason I could get those few words out to him. Of course, because I can never get anything to work out in my favor. Typical Nathan. 

Well, during that week, my mom had taken off from work to be with me, since she’s apparently realized that I’ve “been in and out of it,” This entire week. Which I have, I just didn’t think she’d really notice. But of course she does, because she’s a parent and a nurse. How could she not notice? 

She asked me everyday for the past five days after school how everything was going. I would always reply with a smile and say, “It’s good.” Even though in some cases I was lying. Sometimes at school I would stare off into space, not paying attention to anything anyone ever said. Or sometimes when Ryker was talking I would just cave in on myself and ask: Why am I even here? What was wrong with me? Heck, even Ryker has noticed and tried confronting me about it. He told me I didn’t have to answer, and I didn’t. Afraid that I would ruin whatever friendship we’ve made. Or if he even considers us friends. Though, I doubt that was a possibility. 

I had no idea what was wrong with me. Ever since that… hug, I’ve been nothing but a mess. Was it the unbelievable act I thought I could never do again? The way I felt about it afterward? Was it the fact that I wanted to talk so bad, but I couldn’t? Mom can’t know about any of this. She’s already heartbroken enough, and I’d hate myself even more if I dropped this bombshell on her. This is why I needed my dad. Even when I was younger I was always timid and shy and I overthought plenty of things. He’d help me by saying that I should put all of those bad thoughts into a jar and throw it far, far away. But that was when I was a kid. What about now? 

Mom was really worried about me. I could tell. But I was fine. I think. Probably not. Either way, she called the school counselor in hopes that whatever was going on with me would go away. I knew she hated seeing me so sad. I remember when we were still… trapped she used to try to keep my happy by playing little games, or telling me made up stories. As I grew older she tried her best to keep me from crying, trying her hardest to keep me happy. Even after dad died. 

So, this was the week I had started to take counseling after school every Monday and Thursday for forty minutes a day. On top of that, she also contacted Mrs. Kay for whatever reason, and she’s told me that she wants to work with me for at least twenty minutes everyday after class. Great, right? So much for a normal life. I thought I could give it another chance and all of a sudden people are just trying to overwhelm me when I wanted to solve this mystery on my own. 

It was a grueling morning. It was raining, hard. Thunder had sounded above the entire city, making me jump. Stupid right? A seventeen year old scared of thunder? I have a good reason. I think. Didn’t matter. 

I groaned, forcing myself out of bed. This was going to be a long day. I already knew it. It was raining, mom was passed out on the couch, and my body felt like it was going to give up on me at any moment. And luckily that stupid little project thing was over so I could finally take my regular classes. I just hoped Mrs. Kay wouldn’t assign anything crazy again. She probably would though.

I didn’t bother eating breakfast. Just grabbing my backpack on the way out and making my way to the bus before I was late. Nothing to it. The same routine as the past month. 

The school looked as gloomy as ever. Of course it did. It was Monday. The halls were filled with people talking by their class, or running down the hall like there was no tomorrow. Isn’t it too early in the morning to be doing all of that? I was barely waking up. Either way, I went by unnoticed by the crowd of people and made it to class. 

I admit it felt weird not having a looming presence above me at all times. Was that a good thing? I have no idea, but it makes me kind of miss the one-sided conversations Ryker likes to start up. I miss it a lot. Even though I never talked, I loved listening. I was so weird. Before all of this mess, I wanted nothing to do with him, and here I am wishing for his company. Why couldn’t I just be normal? 

The classes were the same as always. Nothing new to it. Then it was lunch. The time period in school where anything can happen. Especially with that encounter a couple weeks back… I shuddered at the thought, reaching the cafeteria. So many people. Too many people. I forgot how crowded it was being on this side. 

Searching for the table I sat at before I had met anyone, I found that it was taken by a group of girls. Nope. Not getting that back. Especially since I know that no one would willingly sit in the far corner. I sighed, searching for a table that was open, and not finding any. Could I just sit with Ryker again? I asked myself. It would be nice, but I don’t think he wants to see me. At least not until last period. I wouldn’t want to be bothered by me either if I were him. 

“Boo.” I jumped, catching my breath while Lucky was laughing so hard he starting coughing. I was not expecting that at all. I thought he would just forget about me. Especially since the “project” was over. I just thought I was another name to be remembered once they all graduate. 

“Sorry, sorry, but you’re so easy to scare,” He chuckles, “Wanna come sit with us?” 

It takes my mind a while to process what just happened, “Wh-who’s ‘us?’” 

“Just Ryker and me. Dylan had a basketball game so I’m all alone.” Lucky shrugged casually. Did I want to sit with them? Yes. Of course I do. I was just afraid I might zone out like I have been for the past week. What if I get scared again? What would happen then? They would all drop me and I’d be all alone again… 

I was about to shake my head before Lucky grabbed my wrist and guided us through the cafeteria to where Ryker always sits. Away from everyone else… I gulped, seeing him stare bored at whatever was playing on his phone. This was a bad idea. Who told me I could even do this? No one. Lucky just dragged me here. And there was a tiny feeling of gratefulness that he did. 

Lucky guided me into the elevator with him. It was silent on the way up, and I couldn’t help but notice the way Lucky looked at me like he was worried. Was it because I kept fidgeting with my hands? Was it because I couldn't look straight ahead? Or was it because he’s noticed something was wrong with me just like everyone else has? Probably the last one. 

“Why do… you look nervous?” Lucky had asked before the elevator made that same ding sound it always does. I didn’t take a step forward, and neither did Lucky. Nervous? I have no idea. 

“I-um… I don’t know.” I let out a sad chuckle, trying my best to give a genuine smile. Lucky gave a skeptical look, “If I promise not to tell will you tell me?” 

Do I trust that? I do. I really, really do. I had no reason not to trust Lucky. Even if I didn’t know what I was so nervous about. I don’t get why everyone was so concerned either! I was a nobody. Just another person trying his hardest to live an impossible normal life. Maybe I should have stayed at the hospital… 

“I really don’t know though.” I muttered, looking down at the ground. Lucky gave another skeptical look before guiding me out of the elevator. I still almost ended up tripping over my own two feet per usual. What was going on with me lately? 

“Hey Ry.” Lucky greeted, smiling and heading over to watch whatever Ryker was watching on his phone like it was nothing. What was I supposed to do now? I can’t… What? My thoughts were a jumbled up mess. I don’t even know what I was thinking at this point. Does Ryker even want me here? No, no he doesn’t. He’s tired of me. I already know it. Everyone gets tired of me eventually. I’m either “Impossible to deal with,” or, “Not worth the time.” A messed up system, right? 

“Hey,” He sighed, his eyes wandering towards me and flashing a soft smile, “Hi, Nathan.” 

I didn’t know what to do. Was he acting? It didn’t really seem like it. He also didn’t seem like the kind of person to act in a situation like this. Still, there was no telling. Maybe he just didn’t want to break the news to me like this? Yeah. Most likely. 

I raised a shaky hand, giving a wave and a nervous smile in hopes that Ryker wouldn’t catch on. He didn’t, but that didn’t stop him from giving a confused expression as if he was trying to put together a puzzle. Hah. As if you could solve my puzzle. I’ve lost so many pieces it’s practically impossible. I’ve tried to solve it myself many times and failed miserably. 

Ryker dragged his attention back to the movie on his phone, looking bored. What was I supposed to do now? We used to watch that hilarious cop show, but I think he only put it on to keep me from being bored and bothering him at this point. Was it all an act? Did he just play along with whatever happened? He didn’t hug me back because he wanted to? He forced himself to do all of those things just so he wouldn’t be bothered? Was I tricked again? 

I’m overthinking.

One step at a time. I said I wanted to give life one more chance, so that’s what I’m going to do. Even if this was all some kind of sick act. Even if I get hurt. I sucked in a deep breath, and sat next to Lucky, watching the events on the theater-sized screen in front of me. Usually I sat further back, but I was afraid of being alone at the moment. 

Even though I was scared out of my mind, there was also some other kind of feeling lingering in the back of my mind. I felt comfortable. Surprisingly after everything that’s been going on inside my head. I was too used to being around Ryker. That doesn’t mean I was comfortable being around any giant though. I had nearly an entire month of forced contact with him. Of course I’d be more lenient towards him. Especially after he’s made no move in those past four months to imprison me and keep me as some kind of pet or entertainment. 

“Bell’s gonna ring.” Ryker grabbed his phone from in front of us, stuffing it back into his pocket and holding his hand palm-up. Why though? We can just take the elevat-

Lucky quickly pulled his backpack on and climbed on, waiting for me to follow. I guess I didn’t have any other choice. Lucky helped me on, and we both managed to fall over on top of each other somehow. Lucky laughed while I hurried to get up, muttering quiet apologies to him. 

“It’s nothing. It happens with Angela all the time.” Lucky smiled. Ryker cupped his hand a bit and started walking towards the doors to get out of the cafeteria. Just in time too, because the bell rang and everyone was now rushing to get to class all of a sudden. I stopped looking back, afraid that the panic attack I’ve been fighting back for the past month would suddenly resurface. Nope. Everything will be okay. I think. Hopefully. 

Ryker crouched down at the part of the hallway that leads back to the human side of the school, letting us down. He barely even talked to me. In fact, the only time he was even talking to either Lucky and I was when we arrived at the table. Was he okay? I couldn’t tell anymore. I just hope that I’m not the cause. 

———Ryker———

Today was not a good day. For more than one reason. One reason being that I had work afterschool today. Another being that I woke up late today due to staying up until about two in the morning because I needed to finish cleaning. And my third reason was the fact that I’m ninety nine percent sure I messed everything up with Nathan. 

In the last week of that “project” I noted that Nathan didn’t really seem to be… himself? Of course I barely knew him and he could have something going on at home, but something just felt off. Maybe it was just that one tiny moment that Friday? Did I do something wrong? Was I not supposed to hug him back? Did I do or say something wrong to upset him? It didn’t really make sense in my head. I thought everything was going good. So why all of a sudden did he seem timid and nervous around me? 

It was that entire week. I asked him if he was okay and if he wanted to talk about it. Nathan just shook his head and gave the best makeshift smile he could manage. I knew something was wrong and that it had something to do with me. And today proved it. It seemed like we were back at step one. 

Was Nathan okay? I remember asking one time and receiving a shake of his head, but I never once thought if he did it just to answer or if he really meant it. I guess I have my answer now. I don’t know why I was so worried honestly. Maybe because in my brain I pretty much consider Nathan and I friends? I have zero idea if he thinks the same, but I hoped so. 

I forced myself through these next grueling classes, waiting for last period. I hadn’t talked to Nathan at lunch because it really didn’t seem like he was up for it at the time. I don’t want to overstep his boundaries either. What if he just wants to be left alone? I have no idea what was going on in his mind as I’ve said before, so that could be a possibility? 

Mrs. Kay had nothing being projected on the board today, which meant it was either a free day or it was some kind of lecture on relationships between human and giants. Something that this world apparently is so focused on. I guess that’s a good thing though. 

After a couple minutes of waiting, I heard the faint ding noise that comes from the elevator and watched as Nathan stumbled out, figuring out a way to trip once again. I’ve wondered for a while why he had always found a way to trip over thin air, but I could never figure it out. Maybe he was just clumsy? It would make sense, but that can’t be the only reason, right? Still, every time he fell my hand twitched to try and help, but I already knew that would tumble everything downhill. Especially now. 

Mrs. Kay had announced that today was a free day since she still had to put in some grades. Would it be overstepping if I asked if Nathan was okay again? Maybe to him, but I was already feeling guilty for being the cause of why he seems so upset. 

“Are you finally glad that you don’t have to be carried around by me anymore?” I nervously laughed, hoping for him to answer. Just build up. That was the way to do this. 

Nathan turned around, thinking about the question before rotating his hand sideways. Kind of? Honestly, that was expected because even Lucky gets tired of being carried around everywhere. Speaking of… Lucky told me something about Nathan making brownies? I’m pretty sure that was on Friday, I just don’t know when he did. But Lucky and Angela absolutely loved them. And Angela had showed me a new stuffed animal that Nathan had bought for her too. In return, she drew a picture of Nathan with some of her crayons and my heart practically melted. 

“Oh, um, Angela has a gift for you. Y’know… for the stuffed animal you bought her?” I smiled. I think it was sweet. I don’t know why he thought he needed gifts though, everyone already thought he was nice already. I guess he just wanted to make sure that no one thought bad of him? 

Nathan’s eyes widened and pointed to himself with an unsure look. Was he confused why? I don’t even know why either. I shrugged my shoulders. Nathan brought his knees up to his chest and stared at the ground, deep in thought. Did I do something wrong again? I guess now would be the time to bring up the topic. 

“I know you’re probably not going to answer me, and that’s okay! But, do you wanna talk about something? You just don’t… look okay.” I bit the side of my cheek in hopes that he’ll give me some kind of a response. He probably thinks I’m annoying at this point. Even I think I am at this point. This was a bad idea. I shouldn’t have even asked. 

Nathan shook his head, putting on a makeshift smile. He was lying. But, if he doesn’t want to talk to me then I won’t force him to. There was nothing I could do. Although, I’m sure a teacher or even his parents would have noticed this. If they haven’t already, then it would be soon. Most likely they’ll just get a therapist or he’ll eventually tell someone about whatever was going through his mind. 

The rest of the time was spent asking him how his weekend was. How it felt to be back on his schedule. You know, questions to keep his mind off of things. I think it was working. At least for a little before the last bell of the day rang. I gave a two fingered wave to Nathan, receiving a shaky one back and left the room. I still felt bad. 

———Nathan———

Remember when I said today was going to be a bad day? I wasn’t kidding. The one-sided conversation with Ryker helped get rid of the uneasiness of going to the counselors office. But as soon as the final bell rang it all came flooding back. Last period wasn’t as bad as I thought it was going to be. Not bad at all. Not until that loud bell rang, and the entire classroom rushed to get out. 

On my way down the hallway to the counselor’s office, I couldn’t stop thinking about what could possibly go wrong. They might give up on me too. They might tell me to just go home. Or they might send me back to the mental hospital. I mean, it’s not that bad of a place when you don’t have any friends waiting for you, but there were some things that I hated. No contact with the outside world, they make you take these dumb classes to help “calm the mind.” Like yoga or where you would pass a foam ball around and tell everyone your name and what you were there for. I never, ever took part in that exercise. 

Sucking in a deep breath, I knocked quietly on the door that read, “Counsellor Office. Mr. Smith” I didn’t exactly know how these kinds of things worked. All I knew is that no one liked them. 

“You must be Nathan! Please take a seat. Anywhere is fine.” Mr Smith was a tall man. He look about in his late thirties early forties, but he looked so friendly and calm. His voice was trusting and soft as well. I can’t wait till he starts talking behind my back about how impossible I was. 

His office was like any other office I’ve been in. Other than the two different colored bean bags that sat in the corner by a small book case that had a tiny tv above it with movies on the side. This room was nothing like any therapist room I’ve been in. Usually they’re cold and only have a singular couch with magazines about eating healthy and being mentally healthy. Not that those ever helped me. 

I decided to take a seat in the chair in front of his desk, fidgeting with my hands the entire time. Mr. Smith walked over to his own chair, taking out a notebook and gave another soft smile. 

“Nervous? Most students are when they walk in here,” He chuckled, grabbing a pen, “Do you mind telling me your name and how old you are?” I thought he knew that already. 

I opened my mouth to speak, “N-Nathan… I’m seventeen.” Curse the stuttering. Today was already hard enough, why does everything go downhill after I feel good about something? 

“Nice to meet you, Nathan. I’m Garrett Smith, thirty-seven years old, and I have a PhD in psychology.” PhD? Then why is he working as a school counsellor? He could be an actual therapist and won’t have to deal with so many kids. This guy was confusing, but I feel somewhat comfortable around him. Even though we met barely three minutes ago. 

“Now, your mom was worried about you. She says that you seem to be having more nightmares lately. That you seem more tired and sad lately. Would you wan to start there or talk about something else bothering you?” He asked, waiting patiently for my answer. My heart was racing. What was I supposed to answer? I didn’t even know at this point. I haven’t taken therapy for a couple months now, and usually they started with talking about the excruciating events that had happened while we were kidnapped. Instead, Mr. Smith just wants to start with this? Why was that? 

“S-sure.” I nearly squeaked. I never did good at any sort of therapy. I was always too nervous. And then they’d pressure me to answer when I couldn’t. I was afraid that he might do the same. 

“Alrighty then,” He tapped his pen on the notebook, “Would you mind telling me when you started feeling this way?” 

“Last weekend? I th-think.” I started silently tapping my foot on the carpeted ground. Just another thing I do when I was nervous. Mr. Smith didn’t seem to mind or notice. 

“Hm. Did anything… happen around that time?” He wrote something down and I had no idea what it was. Was it bad? Was it good? Did I somehow say too much to get me placed back into the hospital? Please say no. I don’t want to go back there with a bunch of screaming kids throwing the plastic chairs while I was just trying to make some cookies. 

“U-um, just this project thing for Mrs. Kay.” 

“The project where you spent two weeks with a giant in school?” He asked, his face full of curiosity. I nodded my head, playing with my hands again. I’m pretty sure he wrote that down. 

“May I ask who your partner was then?” Oh. Not a question I was too prepared for. I slightly turned to the door, the window peaking inside covered by a piece of cloth. Did it really matter who my partner was? I don’t think it did honestly. 

“Ryker…” His eyebrows shot up in shock as he chuckled lightly, “Ryker Stone?” I nodded. I’m pretty sure that was his last name. How did he know who he was though? There was no way he could know all eight hundred people in this school. That seem a bit over-the-top. 

“From my understanding, you went to his house last Friday and something happened over there?” I nodded. I shouldn’t have hugged him. I shouldn’t have hugged him. I shouldn’t have-

“Was it bad thing?” His eyebrows were scrunched up like he already knew what my answer was going to be. Nothing bad happened. It’s just that my thoughts like taking over me sometimes. A lot of times. I make a good situation and turn it into a bad one. I shook my head at his question. 

Mr. Smith laughed, “That’s Ryker for you. Not a dull moment with him.” He said it like he knew him personally… maybe he did? I mean he is the counsellor. I just didn’t think he worked with giants as well. So if he knew Ryker… does that mean Ryker knew him? Of course that’s what that meant.  

“Back on topic though, I did some looking around on you. I found some… interesting things, but also a record from past therapists. All different notes on you, except for one. That you’re known to overthink situations. Do you think that’s why you’ve been so upset lately? You have a thought on your head from the event that happened?” He wasn’t going to ask what happened? I mean, thank goodness because I don’t think I could answer, but he really wasn’t going to ask me? This guy has a weird way of getting people to open up, but it’s working. It’s working amazingly. 

I nodded my head. Ryker doesn’t want anything to do with me anymore. I couldn’t stop thinking about this. I knew it was true. I messed everything up that Friday night ruined things between us. The worst part is that I was actually warming up to him. He really did feel like friend even though I was deadly afraid. 

“Do you mind telling me what’s been on your mind? It’s alright if you can’t.” He asked softly, already knowing that this might be hard for me. It is. It really, really is. I didn’t want to lose the only friend I’ll ever make in my entire life. Even before I was kidnapped, all of the other kids didn’t bother talking to the shy, timid kid who sat alone by himself at lunch and never had a friend to play with on the playground during school. 

Now I was in high school where people still look at me the same way. I didn’t want to lose someone who was so nice to me. Who actually takes the time to talk and hang out with me. Is that what’s wrong with me? I didn’t want to see someone I care about leave me? 

That stupid cage had ruined me. 

“I-I don’t think Ryker w-w-wants to be around me,” Tears stung my eyes, and I tried my best to blink them away while sucking in a deep breath, “I-I like to think we’re f-friends… but I d-did something stupid and now that this project is over I think he’s just done with me.” A couple tears fell down my face. I wiped them with the back of my sleeve, looking down at the ground. I really didn’t want to lose the one potential friend I’ve made in my entire life. 

The room was quiet except when I heard Mr. Smith pass the box of tissues my way, showing a sympathetic face, “You don’t want to lose a friend?” I shook my head, calming myself down before I make this even more embarrassing for myself. I haven’t cried for a while. It felt good for some reason. Too bad I wasn’t going to let it go any further than a couple tears. 

“And what if Ryker still wants to be friends? What would you think then?” 

That he’ll eventually grow tired of me like everyone else. That it’s only short lived. He’ll eventually forget about me. 

“I’d be grateful… but I doubt he’d remember me after graduation.” I sadly answered. Mr. Smith wrote something down, ripping out the page he was writing on and handing me the paper. I grabbed it with shaky hands, looking over the paper. My name, age, things I’ve done while sitting in his office, and some squiggly lines. He didn’t write down questions? No notes on what he should do next? 

“I don’t like writing down the questions I ask. I think people would prefer to keep them said and not on paper,” He chuckled, “And as for your tiny piece of advice, you and Ryker aren’t so different, and I doubt he thinks ill of you.” That was it? No other questions? He wasn’t going to pry me open? He wasn’t going to force me to spill my guts to people who didn’t want waste their time anyways? No words could describe how confused and happy I was at the same time. 

“Th-that’s it?” I muttered, trying to figure out if he was playing a trick on me or not, but he nodded his head and opened the door for me. I grabbed my backpack, stuffing the sheet of notebook paper in it and walked out of the door. 

“Thank you.” I mumbled. 

Mr. Smith smiled, “Come anytime you want to talk. Just remember after school on Thursday, okay?” I nodded, thinking hard about how Mr. Smith believes, in all honesty, that Ryker won’t just leave me. He could be right. I just have to trust in his word. 

—————————————————————-

Yup. Nathan’s afraid that Ryker will leave him now that their little project is over. I wonder what happens next?

I don’t know how I feel about this chapter. I like and I don’t at the same time. We’ll see. Thank you for reading! Love you guys ❤️

[layce2015]

Supernatural (Dean Winchester x Female!Reader)

Rakshasas

Previous Chapter / Masterlist

Later, after getting these red Cooper Carnival jackets, the boys and I spread out on the grounds and, surreptitiously, scan around the area with our own EMF reader. I couldn't find anything so I wander around, while picking up trash, until I come up towards Sam.

He told me that he got off the phone with Dean minutes ago and said that he thinks that maybe the ghost isn't attached to an object but its remains. We stand around and act like we're working when Dean, finally, approaches us.

"What took you so long?" Sam asked him. "Long story." Dean replied.

"Mommy, look at the clown!" A little girl's voice said and we look over to see her pointing at something. "What clown?" The girl's mom said and we look to where she was pointing but didn't see anything. "Come on, sweetie, come on." The mother said as she drags her away while Dean, Sam and I share a look.

That night, we were on stakeout outside the family's home. "Dean, I cannot believe you told Papazian about the homicidal phantom clown." I said to him, referring to the blind man. "I told him an urban legend about a homicidal phantom clown. I never said it was real." Dean said as he pulls a gun and cocks it.

Sam grabs at it and pushes Dean's hands down. "Keep that down!" Sam said and Dean scoffs. "Oh, and get this. I mentioned the Bunker Brother's Circus in '81 and their, uh, evil clown apocalypse? Guess what." He said. "What?" Sam and I asked. "Before Mr. Cooper owned Cooper Carnival, he worked for Bunker Brothers. He was their lot manager." Dean said.

"So you think whatever the spirit's attached to him. Cooper just brought it with him?" I asked. "Something like that." Dean said then he shakes his head and sighs. "I can't believe we keep talking about clowns." He mutters.

Later that night, Sam and I sit there in the car while Dean was passed out. Then I noticed a clown coming out of the woods and walking towards the house. I look over at Sam and we share a look before Sam shakes Dean awake.

We run towards the house and enter inside. Then we come up to the hallway and see the little girl taking the clown towards the back. Sam leaps out and grabs the girl, who starts screaming, as Dean and I shoot the clown in the chest. It falls on its back, then gets up as Dean and I cock our shotguns again.

"Sam, watch out!" I shout as the clown leaps out the window, turning invisible as it runs away. The parents come rushing out and scream at us then Sam let's go of the girl and we run the hell out of that house.

The next morning, we parked the minivan off the side of a road and started digging out oir belongings, including the license plates. "You really think they saw our plates?" Sam asked. "I don't wanna take the chance. Besides, I hate this friggin' thing anyway." Dean said and we start walking down the road.

"Well, one thing's for sure." I said. "What's that?" Sam asked. "We're not dealing with a spirit. I mean, that rock salt hit something solid." I said. "Yeah, a person? Or maybe a creature that can make itself invisible?" Sam asked. "Yeah, and dresses up like a clown for kicks? Did it say anything in Dad's journal?" Dean asked. "Nope." Sam said and he clears throat and pulls out his cell phone.

"Who are you calling?" I asked him. "Maybe Ellen or that guy Ash'll know something. Hey, you think, uh, you think Dad and Ellen ever had a thing?" Sam asked. "No way." Dean said.

"Then why didn't he tell us about her?" Sam asked. "Or why my dad didn't mention her to me either." I said. "I don't know, maybe they had some sort of falling out." Dean replied, shrugging. "Yeah. You ever notice Dad had a falling out with just about everybody?" Sam said and Dean nods, casually.

Moments later, Sam lowers the phone. "Well, don't get all maudlin on me, man." He said to Dean. "What do you mean?" Dean asked. "He means this strong silent thing of yours, it's crap." I said and Dean groans. "Oh, God."

"I'm over it. This isn't just anyone we're talking about, this is Dad. I know how you felt about the man." Sam said to him. "You know what, back off, all right? Both of you! Just because I'm not caring and sharing like you want me to." Dean yells once he stops walking and turns to us.

"No, no, no, that's not what this is about, Dean. We don't care how you deal with this. But you have to deal with it. Listen, I'm your friend and Sam's your brother, all right? We just want to make sure you're okay." I said to him, concerned. "Guys, I'm okay. I'm okay, okay? I swear, the next person who asks me if I'm okay, I'm gonna start throwing punches. These are your issues, quit dumping them on me!" Dean yells as he looks at me and Sam.

"What are you talking about?" Sam asked him. "I just think it's really interesting, this sudden obedience you have to Dad. It's like, oh, what would Dad want me to do? Sam, you spent your entire life slugging it out with that man. I mean, hell, you, you picked a fight with him the last time you ever saw him. And now that he's dead, now you want to make it right? Well, I'm sorry Sam, but you can't, it's too little, too late." Dean yells at him.

"Why are you saying this to me?" Sam asked him, confused. "Because I want you to be honest with yourself about this. I'm dealing with Dad's death! Are you?" He asked and Sam swallows while he looks upset. "I'm going to call Ellen." Sam grumbles and he pulls out his phone then walks off.

"Way to go, Dean." I said, annoyed. "Hey, don't start, okay?" Dean said to me. "Dean, I just want to make sure you and Sam are okay." I said. "Oh God, would you stop! And leave me alone!" Dean yells at me and I glare at him. "You know, I just want to help you through this. Since I've lost my own father not very long ago." I said and Dean stares at me. 

Even though he was still looking at me, harshly, I could tell that his eyes had gone softer. "I know the emotions you and Sam are going through and what will be going through. Hell, I'm still dealing with it, almost two years later. I just thought I could help you out with the process." I said and I walk off and follow Sam as he talks on the phone.

"Thanks a lot." Sam said into the phone after some time later, walking down the road. "Rakshasa." Sam said to us. "What's that?" Dean asked. "Ellen's best guess. It's a race of ancient Hindu creatures. They appear in human form, they feed on human flesh, they can make themselves invisible, and they cannot enter a home without first being invited." Sam replied.

"So they dress up like clowns, and the children invite 'em in." I stated and Sam nods. "Yeah." He said. "Why don't they just munch on the kids?" Dean asked. "No idea. Not enough meat on the bones, maybe?" Sam said, shrugging.

"What else'd you find out?" I asked him. "Well, apparently, Rakshasas live in squalor. They sleep on a bed of dead insects." Sam replied and I give him a look of disgust. "Nice." Dean said, sarcastically. "Yeah, and they have to feed a few times every twenty or thirty years. Slow metabolism, I guess." Sam replied.

"Well, that makes sense. I mean, the Carnival today, the Bunker Brothers in '81." Dean said and I nod. "Right. Probably more before that." I said and Dean stops.

"Hey guys, who do we know that worked both shows?" He asked us. "Cooper?" Sam and I said, questioning. "Cooper." Dean said. "You know, that picture of his father, that looked just like him." I said. "You think maybe it was him?" Dean asked me. "Well, who knows how old he is?" Sam said, shrugging.

"Ellen say how to kill him?" Dean asked Sam. "Legend goes, a dagger made of pure brass." Sam replied. "I think I know where to get one of those." Dean said as he looks up, thoughtful. "Well, before we go stabbing things into Cooper, we're going to want to make damn sure it's him." Sam said.

"Oh, you're such a stickler for details, Sammy." Dean said and we smile at each other. "All right, (y/n) and I'll round up the blade, you go check if Cooper's got bedbugs." Dean said to us and we nod.

"Well, I've got all kinds of knives. I don't know if I've got a brass one, though." The Blind man said to us as we head towards his trailer. He leads us in and taps a trunk with his cane. "Check the trunk." He said.

Dean opens the trunk and both of us frown once we find a red clown wig. "What the...?" I whispered as we stand up. "You?" We said in realization as we turn to him. Blind man drops his cane, pulls off his glasses, revealing that his eyes look normal. "Me." He said and his eyes get cloudy, his face begins to melt. He waves, then his face disappears, cheshire-cat style with his eyes glowing last. 

Dean and I struggle with the door as we try to get out. A knife flies past our heads to bury in the door. We jump as another knife lands with a thunk a little higher.

"All right!" I yelled at the man just as Dean manages to get the door open. Both of us book it out of there, tumbling as we go, and get outside just in time to meet up with Sam. "Hey!" Sam said to us. "Hey." Dean and I said back, breathless.

"So, Cooper thinks I'm a Peeping Tom, but it's not him." Sam said. "Yeah, so we gathered." I said and Sam looks between us. "It's the blind guy. He's here somewhere." Dean replied.

"Well, did you get the --"

"The brass blades? No. No, it's just been one of those days." I said, interrupting Sam. "I got an idea. Come on." Sam said and he leads us to the funhouse. We go through it when a door separates me and the boys.

"(Y/n)!" I hear them yell as I try to get the door open. "You boys go, I'll find another way." I shout and I start to make my way around the funhouse. 

At one point, I find a pipe organ, which was giving off steam. Knowing it's gonna be hot, I pull out a cloth and used it to help try to pull the pipe off.

"Hey." A voice said and I turn to see the boys coming towards me. "Hey! Where is it?" I asked them. "We don't know." Sam said. "Shouldn't we see its clothes walking around?" Dean asked when a knife flies past Dean, pinning his sleeve to the wall. Another one pins Sam's wrist. "(Y/n)!" They shout.

I pull the pipe all the way off and stalk forward slowly. A knife flies past my head but I dodge. "Boys, where is he?" I asked. "I don't know!" They shouted.

Dean reaches up and pulls a lever andmore steam pours from the pipe organ, and his and Sam's eyes widen as they look behind me. "(Y/n), behind you! Behind you!" They shout and I stab the pipe behind me without looking. I turn and see it buried in the still-invisible creature, blood pouring from the wound. Dean and Sam manages to free themselves.

The three of us look to where the creature had fallen and see only empty clothes and a bloody pipe. "I hate funhouses." Dean mutters and I nod.

Later, Sam, Dean and I were sitting at the bar just as Ellen lays down a three beers. "You three did a hell of a job. John and (father's name) would be proud." Ellen said. "Thanks." Sam and I said and Ellen walks off while the three of us started sipping on our beers.

Then the back door opens and Ash enters, carrying the folder and a bizarre looking laptop.  "Where you guys been? Been waitin' for ya." He exclaimed at us and we turn to him. "We were working a job, Ash. Clowns?" I said, like it was very obvious.

"Clowns? What the --" Ash said, confused, before Dean talks over him. "You got something for us, Ash?" Dean asked. Ash then sets the laptop down on a table. 

"Did you find the demon?" Sam asked him. "It's nowhere around. At least, nowhere I can find. But if this fugly bastard raises his head, I'll know. I mean, I'm on it like Divine on dog dookie." Ash replied.

"What do you mean?" I asked. "I mean, any of those signs or omens appear, anywhere in the world, my rig'll go off. Like a fire alarm." Ash replied as Dean goes over to him and reaches for the laptop. "Do you mind..." he said and Ash gives him a look. "Yeah." Dean mutters as he pulls his hand back from the keyboard.

"Ash, where did you learn to do all this?" I asked him. "M.I.T. Before I got bounced for... fighting." He replied. "M.I.T.?" Sam and I asked, confused. "It's a school in Boston." He replied. "Okay. Give us a call as soon as you know something." Dean said to him. "Si, si, compadre." Ash said and we take our last sip of beer then we get up and head out the door.

"Hey, listen -- if you three need a place to stay I've got a couple beds out back." Ellen said to us. "Thanks, but no. There's something I gotta finish." Dean said. "Okay." Ellen said.

The next morning, I was in one of the spare rooms at Bobby's home. I was just flipping through one of Bobby's book when my phone rings. I pick it up to see that it was Dean who was calling. "Dean? Everything okay?" I asked once I answered the phone. 

I hear him let out a heavy sigh then he said. "Can you come meet me outside." He sounded alittlw upset, which made me grow concerned. "Sure." I said and I hang up and make my way outside.

I walk out onto the junkyard and see him lean forward on the trunk of his Impala. As I walk closer, I see there was a pole near his feet and I notice some dents on the top of the trunk. I walk up to his side and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Hey." I said to him, softly, and he turns to me. "Everything okay? Did you...?" I started to ask until Dean pulls me towards him and hugs me. "Hey, hey, hey....it's okay." I said, soothingly, as he holds me, tightly. I patted his back and kept repeating the words "It's okay" over and over to him until we pulled out of the embrace.

"Sorry, I-uh...I just..." Dean stammers and I give him a comforting smile. "It's okay, Dean. We'll get through it, together." I said to him and he nods, slightly. "Uh...don't tell Sammy about this." He said, gesturing between me and him, and I chuckled. "My lips are sealed." I said and he smirks a bit.

I look down for a moment then back towards him before I lean up and kiss his cheek. Once I pull away, the two of us stare at each other and I couldnt help but feel this weird tension between us and I didn't know how to react. And frankly, I don't think Dean did either as he clears his throat and takes a couple of steps back.

"I better get back to working on this." He said and I nod at him and said. "Okay, if you need anything else...let me know." Then I, slowly, walk away and back towards Bobby's house.

[sebsdaniel]

12 Questions about F1 through the years

I was tagged by @twinkodium Thank you sm girl! This one's my fave so far <3

I tag whoever wants to do this in F1blr <3

1. Who or what got you into F1?

My dad. He grew up in a racing/car family and automatically transfered that love to me when I was just five days old and he held me up in the hospital to show me the German GP of 1999 on TV. We always joke I've watched F1 since I was born, which is no lie. Since then, we've seen almost every race together. We've also gone to 15 F1 GPs together.

2. Who was the very first F1 driver you supported? Do you support them now? Have your opinions on them differed or stayed the same since then?

Michael Schumacher. My dad is a Jenson Button fan and he's convinced I started supporting Schumi just to annoy him. I don't fully remember why I chose Michael, but my best guess is I fell in love with the red car that kept winning. I love him still and still hope he gets better someday.

3. Who’s your current favourite F1 driver?

After 16 years of supporting Sebastian Vettel, I ended up supporting Max Verstappen in 2023. My dad's been supporting him ever since his debut, and made him his main since Jenson retired. However, I didn't get there that quickly. I adored Max when he began F1. Got annoyed with him a lot in 2018 and 2019 when he kept having run ins with Seb (fave bias I guess), but once 2020 I grew to adore him and in 2021 I fell in love. He'll never reach the same level for me as Seb did in my heart (he's my hero after all, since I was 6), but I love him sm already.

4. Is there a driver pairing or pairings you support? What made you attracted to that pairing in the first place?

I love so many F1 duo's, but my two faves are Sebastidan and Lestappen.

Sebastidan got me out of my high school depression phase in 2017. I remember feeling extra down when Seb lost his chance at the title that year in Japan. I was so frustrated and watched video's of them as teammates the whole day. I've adored them since and while they aren't a fanfavorite, I can't help but enjoy the bits and pieces we still get from them.

Lestappen. I got into them last year during their - sadly short - title fight. The history they have, the connection, is something so unique. They also seem to become better friends with each passing month. I'd love to see them as teammates someday.

5. Do your parents, siblings or relatives have a favourite team and/or favourite driver(s)?

Dad's a Max and RB fan. He hates Mercedes and especially Toto. His past faves are Senna, Hill and Jenson. Mom has watched F1 since she's been with dad (1985), but never got into it. She always liked Nico Rosberg though!

6. Do you have any favourite races? Are there any that stand out to you the most?

Belgium 2014 as it was my first live GP. Belgium 2018 as it was the first time I saw Seb win live. Abu Dhabi 2012, which was epic Abu Dhabi 2021, I'll never forget that day Brazil 2008, it was mind blowing.

And probably many more!

7. Do you have a favourite circuit? Can be from the past or from the current calendar.

Spa. It's my home track which I've been visiting since I was a toddler. And Zolder, for the same reasons.

I also adore the Red Bull Ring, Yas Marina circuit and Monza.

8. Have you ever been to an F1 race in real life? Feel free to tell us your experience going to one if you like.

15 in total! 14 times the Belgian GP (would've been 15 if it weren't for 2020) and 1 time the Austrain GP. It's always amazing! The organisation of Spa has changed for the better as well!

9. Have you ever met an F1 driver in real life?

Several times the whole grid before 2020, because it wasn't as difficult to get close to them. In Spa they organized hours long signing sessions at la Source for everyone with a weekend ticket. Since then I've seen them mostly from a distance. The closest I've come to talking a while to someone was Charles in 2018, Seb several times and Daniel also a few times. I still get butterflies thinking about it <3

10. Do you have a favourite F1 car? If so, what is it?

RB19 (2023), it's such a precious car <3 Seb's 2010 RB. The Ferrari from 2004. Brawn GP car from 2009.

11. Do you have a favourite one win wonder?

Not really. Unless, you count Oscar's sprint win from last year.

12. Do you have any favourite quotes from the F1 world? This can either be inspirational or hilarious.

‘If you no longer go for a gap which exists you are no longer a racing driver’ - Aryton Senna -

'Enjoy these moments. We know they won't last forever.' - Sebastian Vettel -

'Enjoy the butterflies' - Daniel Ricciardo -

'If I get a few more, I think I'll headbut someone' - Max Verstappen -

'God might be with him, but he's no God' - Max Verstappen -

Thank you so much for this tag, hun <3

[no-not-without-you-blog]

Flufftober 2nd: "You told your parents?"

Summary: You and Steve are visiting your family for the holidays with big news. He's terrified of their reaction.

Prompt by: @flufftober Graphics by @firefly-graphics

You and Steve were in the car, trunk loaded with presents, heading up to your parents house for the holiday. If you were an outsider looking in, you would think that it was a perfect idyllic moment. But as you looked over at Steve, you saw the tight grip he had on the steering wheel. You noticed that he wasn’t humming along to the music and his jaw was set firm. You reached over and placed your hand on his arm, he was pulled from his thoughts as he looked over at you. He relaxed that arm and let you pull it over to your lap, placing your hand in his. 

“Steve, it’s going to be okay.”

He sighed a deep sigh. “I know you say that, but you’re not the one that’s going to be on the firing line here.”

“You’re not going to be on the firing line. My mom is already so excited.” At your words, his head snapped over to you.

“You told your parents?” He asked in a panic.

You caressed his hand. “Just about the engagement. I wouldn’t tell them without you.”

“Oh God, this is going to be a disaster. Your mom is going to hate me and your dad and brothers… they’re going to kill me.” He was full on panicking at this point. You couldn’t help but laugh a bit though. 

“I’m pretty sure you can take them, Steven.” He looked over at you and glared at you.

“Oh yeah, because that’s a great first impression. ‘Hi, I’m Steve Rogers. I’m the guy who’s marrying your only daughter and the baby of the family, and, oh yeah, she’s also pregnant. Let me beat you up with my superhuman strength.’ That will go over real well.” 

All you could do was laugh and hold his hand up to kiss it. “Maybe not quite that direct, sweetie.”

He groaned and you could tell that he was actually very nervous about all of this. “Sweetheart, I need you to listen to me. I know you are worried, but I am being 100% serious when I tell you that you have nothing to worry about. They are going to love you.”

He took a deep breath, still finding it hard to believe you but feeling slightly better.

Another hour had passed and you were finally pulling into the snowy driveway. Steve got out and walked around to your side, opening your door and helping you out. You weren’t showing too much yet, but your hips had been in pain, expanding to accommodate your growing womb, and he did all he could to help ease the discomfort.

The front door opened and your mom quickly made her way down the steps of the porch and hurried over to you, wrapping her arms around you. You returned the tight hug with tears in your eyes. It had been around a year since you had seen your family and you forgot just how much you missed them. 

You were all quickly ushered inside and into the living room. Steve set your luggage down and stood tall and proud. Only those closest to him would notice the nervousness just under the surface. Your three older brothers, sisters in law, and nieces and nephews wouldn’t be here until this evening. You had made sure to get here earlier to give Steve a chance to ease into it all. He had never had a big family and what family he once had, had been gone for a long time. 

“Mom, Dad. This is Steve… my fiancé.” He looked down at you when you said it and the look of love in your eyes gave him a boost of confidence. His whole life was right there in front of him and he would do anything for you. Even brave the next few hours of terror. 

He looked back up at your father and stuck his hand out firmly. “Mr. and Mrs. Y/L/N, it’s a pleasure to meet you.” You almost snickered when you heard him using his “Captain America” voice, but you weren’t going to push him right now.

Your mom surged forward, wrapping her arms around Steve. At first he tensed up, not prepared for the sudden embrace, but you could see him visibly melt into the hug. “Please, you’re marrying our daughter. There’s no need to be so formal.” Steve felt such a loving presence from her. Your father, well, he wasn’t cold, but just more reserved, waiting to pass judgment on whether he approved of his little girl's partner.

They ushered you into the living room, you sat beside Steve and held his hand. He was sitting up stick straight. Obviously incredibly nervous. “So,” Your mom started, “When are we going to be planning a wedding?” 

You took a deep breath. “Well, we are probably going to want to have it pretty quickly. Probably this spring.”

“Oh honey, there’s no need to rush. I’m sure you would prefer to take your time. Planning a wedding takes a long time.” 

“Well, we are wanting to have it sooner rather than later. We don’t want to wait.” You said, the nerves of telling your family finally starting to build.

“What’s the rush, sweetie?” You mom continued to push. “I promise you, you won’t want to rush through it all. It’s better to have a good long while to plan everything. I mean when I-”

“I’m pregnant!” You hadn’t meant to yell it out. You mom was just starting to stress you out about pushing the wedding and you couldn’t hold it in any longer. You looked around and Steve was tensed back up, his face giving little away but you knew he was bracing for an onslaught of yelling. You dad looked taken aback and your mom’s eyes were wide. 

“Y-You’re pregnant?” Your mother questioned carefully. All you could muster is to nod your head. After a beat your mom clapped her hands together and let out a squeal of joy. “Oh Sweetie, that is the best news! I am so happy!” She jumped up, pulling you up into a hug. 

“We weren’t going to say anything until this evening but I couldn’t hold it in anymore.” You looked over and gave Steve an apologetic look. He nervously smiled at you, he cleared his throat, feeling like he needed to say something. Your father still seemed wary of him and Steve felt the need to change that.

“I want to assure you both that I love your daughter with everything in me. We had talked about me taking a step back and finally hanging up the shield after we got married. That decision became so much easier now that Y/N’s pregnant. I don’t want to put her or our child at risk and I don’t want to risk not being there for them. I’ve lived my life for others for long enough. It’s time for me to live for her, our child, and for myself.” Your mom seemed totally sold at his words but your father still looked slightly unsure. Your mom picked up on his hesitation. “Y/N, sweetie. Why don’t we go get everyone some dessert to celebrate?” She pulled you towards the kitchen and Steve nodded at you, knowing that he needed to have this talk with your dad. 

As you and your mother left to the kitchen, Steve and your father sat in awkward silence. Steve finally spoke up. “Sir, I just want to reiterate that I love your daughter and want to give her everything in life. I know that the timing of all of this is backwards and I, more than most, appreciate the old fashioned way of doing things. That being said, I wouldn’t change a single thing. I want to marry your daughter and I want to have this baby with her.”

He just nodded his head, letting Steve’s words process. 

“When?”

Steve was confused. “When what, sir?”

“When did you decide to marry my daughter? Was it before or after you found out about the baby? I guess it doesn’t matter much at this point, but it would be nice to know that it was before yo-”

“October 2nd, 2022” Steve interrupted him. “Over a year ago, on our third date. We went to a fall carnival. It was still slightly warm out and she was wearing a white dress and a soft blue cardigan. We had just played a carnival game and she wanted some cotton candy. She smiled up at me and I saw my whole future flash before my eyes. I knew then and there that I wanted her for the rest of my life.”

Steve wasn’t sure how your father was going to react to what he said but was relieved when your dad let a small smile cross his face. “It was my fourth date with her mom. We had gone to the movies and I had chosen something scary, thinking it would help me get close to her. But of course, she had to turn my plans upside down. She laughed the whole movie. Every scary scene was one where she giggled. Turns out, she loves scary movies and always laughs at them. I was sold from then on out.” 

Steve smiled as he told the story, you had the same reaction. “I’m sorry that we sprung all of this on you. We had hoped to tell you tonight along with letting you know that we were thinking about moving back here. If I stay in the city, I feel like I’ll be drug back into the fray. We want to get away from it all and no better place than by family.”

Your dad seemed to light up at that. He had missed his little girl and the prospect of having her closer was a welcome thought. 

“Can I be honest with you, sir?” Steve asked. He nodded yes, prompting Steve to continue. “I’m man enough to admit that I am scared shitless.”

Your dad laughed at that. “I promise you, I don’t bite. Now her brothers? No guarantees.” Steve chuckled lightly at that. 

“No. It’s not that. Although there was and is some definite fear there as well. I don’t know if you know my history, but I didn’t grow up with much family. My father died before I was born and it was just my mom and I for a while. She died when I was just 18 and then it was just me. I didn’t have any father figures growing up. I’m just terrified that I’m going to screw it all up. Y/N and this baby deserve the best of everything and that includes a husband and father. I am just worried that that won’t be me.”

Your dad just walked over to the side table poured himself and Steve a drink, handing the dark amber liquid to Steve. “I’m gonna be honest with you, son. It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do. It’s mentally, emotionally, and surprisingly physically exhausting at times.” They both laughed at that. “But just expressing that you're worried that you're not going to do it right makes me know that you will. Will you make mistakes? Absolutely. Every parent does. There’s no manual to all this. But you try your best each day and love them with everything you can. That’s all there is to it. Oh and you gotta teach them to whistle. Y/N can’t whistle worth a damn, so that’s on you.” They both laughed heartily at that and they heard you and your mom coming back into the living room. The smile on your face making both mens heart’s ache. Steve’s for how beautiful you looked, hand resting lightly on your barely there belly, and your father as he saw the beautiful woman his little girl had now become. Your dad clapped a hand on Steve’s back. “You’re going to do just fine, son. Besides, anything you need, we’ll be here for you.”

Taglist:

@annasrefuge @chrisevansdaughter 

[audrey-carr1]

The Heiress and the Lady of the House (Part 8)

A/N: Sorry for the late updates. I got a new job, and it takes up my weekdays leaving me the weekends to rest and write. You know I did not think this would end this way when I first started. I hope you all have enjoyed the story thus far. There may be an epilogue coming soon. Someone also suggested that I could write this from Hetty's point of view, and that doesn't sound like a bad idea.

warnings: fem!reader, Hetty x Reader

Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8

Want to Read on Ao3? Click here

“I’ll give you two time to talk, but I want an answer soon,” Death says before disappearing

Hetty nods solemnly to herself, thinking about what she was told. She looks at me, a look in her eyes that I cannot place. 

“I want you to be happy, truly,” Hetty says.

“Hetty, please-” She places a finger over my lips shushing me before brushing her thumb across my lips. Her hand cups my cheek, and I place my hand on top of hers. 

“You can be with your parents, it’s okay. You’d have peace, the night terrors would stop. You deserve to be happy without loss, my love,”

“But I am happy with you!” I say teary eyed. 

“If we are meant to be we’ll find each other again.” Hetty begins to cry, “I know what it’s like to not have your parents around. Especially not growing up with a mother. If you have that chance, I’d give it to you without a shadow of a doubt. I want you to have every good thing in the world. You have been running from what happened for years, and I have come to believe that you are using us to help you not face your problems. I know it’s not malicious, but I cannot watch you lose yourself to us. I’m telling you ”

“You’re leaving me?” I ask. 

Hetty sighs. Of course, that’s the only thing you heard from her speech. Hetty grabs your shoulders and waits for you to look her in the eyes. 

“I can’t offer you anything in our world,” Hetty says, “This relationship would go nowhere. Literally.”

“Hetty you came all of this way to get me only to try and leave me?” I say. 

“If it means giving you something better then yes, I will let you go.  If I let you go, I can give you more. Does it hurt? Yes, and it’s taking every fiber of my being to not be selfish and keep you all to myself,”

“I do not want for anything, Hetty,” I beg, “Only you. Please don’t let me go.”

“I will not allow you to wait idly while your life passes you by. Do more than I could, live your life beyond Woodstone. I’ll be okay…we’ll be okay,” Hetty kisses me chastely, “You’ll be okay.”

“Hetty please do not make me choose. I don’t…I can’t” My face is wet and warm with tears. My fingers clutch the fabric of her dress fearing that if I let go then this will all be over. 

“It’s okay,” Hetty says wrapping me in an embrace.

“I thought you loved me,” I sob. 

“I do love, so much if I were alive it would kill me. You have made quiet the impression,” Hetty says wiping away her own tears. 

Hetty couldn’t bring herself to say that she knows what you’re night terrors are about. How in your sleep you still call out for your mother. How you’ll mumble about your dad sometimes in the wee hours of the morning. She would never tell you that one night she asked Sass to enter your dreams, and she’ll never forget the empty expression that was on his face when he relayed what he saw. 

Hetty couldn’t allow you to live like that any longer. Sure she would go back to life as it was before you. She’ll miss having her arms wrapped around someone. She would miss having someone who understood the multiple complex layers of her personality. She’ll miss watching you interact with everyone and hearing your infectious laugh. She’ll miss catching the hijinks that you and Trevor would cook up. Hetty hates that it took losing you to realize how much joy and life you brought to Woodstone. Something that wasn’t there even when Hetty was alive. 

Hetty knew that if she were to allow you to come back with her, you would never leave. You’d never grow into the person that you are destined to be. Stifling your growth would be worse than breaking your heart. At least in Hetty’s eyes, it would be. As selfish as Hetty wants to be, she has to let you go. At least this way it doesn’t cause either of you pain you would remember. 

“Hetty?” I ask, “Hetty, what happened that day when I crossed the boundary?”

Hetty’s mind flashes back to that day. Her stomach is twisted in knot as she replays the image of you layed on the floor being worked on my paramedics. The feeling of losing you so intense it makes her spin even now. Hetty takes a shuddering breath before she finds the words to speak. 

“It was a very painful ordeal to watch. It all happened so fast. I woke up to noise downstairs, and I saw you being carried in. You stopped breathing,” Hetty stops her voice too shaky to continue.

“It’s okay, you don’t have to continue,” I say taking her hand. 

 “What did it feel like for you?” Hetty asks.

“I didn’t feel a lot really. Apparently, the reason I felt so crappy before is because my soul, or what was left of it, was trying to attach to Woodstone. Since the other part was here, when I crossed the boundary I cam here. This is the place where-”

“Where the girl pushed you. Riley told me after I had asked,” Hetty says, “It’s okay you don’t have to talk about it,” Hetty says. 

She pauses for a moment, and then continues,“So this was inevitable, you would have had to cross the boundary at some point.” 

“Yeah I guess so,” I respond.

“And I’m at the hospital now?” I ask already knowing the answer. I just want the confirmation that I’m still alive. 

“In a coma,” Hetty nods, “I only found you because we did a reverse seance,”

“A reverse seance?” I ask. 

“The ghosts sent me to you instead of asking you to come back. We were afraid that if your soul came back to Woodstone it would be trapped as a soul forever. This whole ghost thing can be very tricky,” Hetty laughs before her lips go back to being pressed in a fine line. 

At some point we find ourselves sitting, and I watch as Hetty draws mindless shapes in the sand. 

“I can’t remember the last time I played with sand,” Hetty says a bit amused by her own actions. 

I watch her a little longer before speaking up again. 

“You’re not going to let me come back with you, are you? I ask looking at her. 

“You are a woman who can make her own decisions, but I would advise against it,” Hetty says not looking up from the drawings. 

I don’t respond. My mind wanders to the possibilities that lay infront of me. I lean against Hetty and she wraps her arm around me.

“If you could leave Woodstone, what would you do? What would you be?” I ask. 

Hetty's smiles at the question, her eyes staring out into the distance as she ponders her answer. 

Hetty laughs softly before saying, “Here’s something I haven’t told you. I used to design dresses. I never made them, but with drawing skills, I could sketch some of the best designs. I had a few of them made, and I wore them. It felt nice to have original works that no one else could get their grubby little hands on,” 

I laugh at the last comment. 

“I think you would be a great designer,” I say. 

—--

“When did you first know you liked me?” I ask. 

“I’ve always liked you,” Hetty says smiling. 

“I mean romantically,” I say nudging her, and Hetty laughs. 

“Well, I remember seeing you for the first time. That was the first time I think my heart skipped a beat without it being cocaine-related,” Hetty says, “I think I knew I liked you when we would go on our walks together or when we would have our moments alone. I looked forward to those moments more than I would have cared to admit in the past. I knew I was in love with you the night we danced. When I had you in my arms…I think about that moment all the time. Especially since that is when we first kissed. I knew from that moment that I was head over heels in love with you.”

“When did you know you liked me? Hetty asks me this time. 

“I’ve always liked you,” I reply grinning. 

“Using my words against me I see,” Hetty smirks. 

“I knew I liked you the moment I laid eyes on you. I fell for you literally, and you caught me. I saw our forever in your eyes,” I lean in closer to her laying my head on her shoulder.

“You are rather clumsy,” She says matter of factly leaning into me. 

“Hey!” I say in self defense, and we both laugh. The laughing dies down and gives way to silence. The sound of the water and wind rustling the leaves the only things making noise. 

“What are you going to choose?” Hetty asks looking at me this time. 

“I’m not sure,” I reply softly,  “Hetty I don’t want to lose you.” 

Tears begin to fall down my face, and I bite my lip to keep from sobbing. 

“You won’t lose me. I promise you won’t lose me. No matter what memories may be lost, we’ll still have each other someway,” Hetty says wiping the tear from my face, “My love is so strong for you. Though you won’t remember me, and I won’t remember you my love will always be there. I can feel it.”

Hetty has to fight back tears herself, “I’ll be the sun that kisses warmth on your skin, I’ll be the clearest day when the rain is done. Not even a shake of an earthquake could break my love. That’s how strong my…our love is. We’ll find a way to each other again. In some other lifetime, we’ll be together. I know it,” 

Hetty leans in, and I do the same. Our lips meet in a kiss. This kiss is different. It is uplifting and heartbreaking at the same time. Filled with sweet memories and regrets. We pour ourselves into kiss grasping for just a bit more of each other before the inevitable happens. We hold on to the other almost afraid to let the other one go. I break away from the kiss and look at Hetty. 

“I love you,” I say

“I love you too,” Hetty says

—----

In some other life - June 2025

We walk inside the shop, the bell above the door sounding above us. We are greeted warmly by the staff, and given complimentary glasses of champagne. Movement at the top of the stairs brings our attention in that direction. A striking pair of blue eyes meet mine. I feel as if the air has been sucked out of the room, and my heart skips a beat. I take in the woman’s appearance.

Curly red hair, piled into a messy bun with a pencil sticking out from it. They are dressed in black slacks and a dark teal top. A string of pearls around her neck. A tape measure hanging carefully from her fingers.

There is something familiar about her, but I can’t place it. I hate that feeling when you think you’ve seen someone before, but you know you haven’t. I’m brought from thoughts as the woman descends the final step and walks over to us. 

“Welcome to House of Woodstone, I am the Lady of the House, Henrietta, but you can call me Hetty.”

Nadine and Riley both introduce themselves taking her hand in greeting. 

Hetty gets to me, and my heart flutters again. 

“You must be, (y/n),” 

I’ve gone mute, and I can only nod. I’ve never been rendered speechless by such beauty before. She outstretches her hand, and I take it in greeting. 

“Her skin is so soft, and she smells of bergamot, my favorite,” I think to myself

“Well (y/n), we must get you fitted for your dress,” Hetty says placing a hand on the small of my back to lead me into the dressing room. I try to fight the blush that threatens to overtake my cheeks at the gesture.

The blushing gets harder to fight when her hands work on the dress. I feel like I may die just by her being this close to me. I feel the warmth of her hands as she smooths over parts of the dress. 

“We’re going to get some more champagne, we are all out,” Nadine says taking Riley with her. Hetty and I acknowledge their departure before Hetty goes back to working on the dress. 

“Why don’t you try walking in it for me,” Hetty says. 

I nob taking some of the dress in my hand to have room for my feet. Ofcourse in my clumsy nature I trip trying to come down from the raised platform. Before I hit the floor, I’m wrapped in a pair of strong arms. 

“Clumsy?” Hetty says. 

“Awfully so,” I reply as he helps me into an upright position. Her hands rest on my hips, and I steady myself, resting a hand on her arm. 

“We’re back! We got the whole bottle this time,” Nadine announces. 

Hetty and I move from each other quickly as if we had been scalded by the other’s touch. Hetty clears her throat and gestures for me to walk. 

“Well seeing you don’t have trouble walking in the dress, I think the final alterations will be quite simple,”

“Did she ask about the bust?” Nadine says sitting on the couch.

“The bust?” Hetty asks, quirking an eyebrow up. 

“Don’t listen to her,” I say quickly. 

“No please do. She is a little shy, but we both think,” Nadine gestures between herself and Riley, “That she has a killer rack and it should be displayed but you know tastefully. Is there a way to help accentuate that,”

“Please forgive her she’s had too much champagne I think” I  apologize.

Hetty turns to me a look a mischief in her eyes before turning to Nadine, “Yes, I think I can do that. Especially if we-” 

I nearly choke on my spit when I feel Hetty’s hands on my under bust. She does some more adjusting, and I am practically squirming. I exhale sharply when her hands come to adjust my chest a bit. 

“Are you comfortable with this?” Hetty asks a faint look of concern in her eyes. 

“No, no I’m fine. It’s just uh I’m not used to dress fittings.  I’m just a little flustered, but I’m fine. Keep going,” I say and then I realize my words, “ I mean-”

“I know what you mean,” That mischievous gleam is back in her eyes. 

Once she finishes we all look in the mirror.

“How’s this?” Hetty asks. 

“It’s perfect! The cleavage is impeccable. My mouth is watering already,” Nadine laughs

I groan to myself. This is the last time I allow Nadine to come with dress shopping. 

“Well, I would hate for a killer rack to go to waste,” Hetty says her hand lingers a bit on the exposed skin of my shoulder. She winks at me in the mirror, and I feel weak-kneed again. I take the glass of champagne from the table next to me, and I down it one go. I’m a goner. 

I look to Riley and Nadine, and the two of them are walking amongst themselves. I don’t they’ve noticed anything, especially the flirting. 

“I’ll have the dress ready for you by tomorrow,” Hetty whispers to me before leaving the room. I can’t help but watch her walk away, and I do not fight staring at the extra swing in her hips as she leaves. 

—--

The Ball - Still June 2025

The night of the ball is more exhausting than I thought. Meeting and talking to people I really do not have much interest in. The only person I can think of right now is Hetty, and her eyes. The feel of her hands and the sound of her voice. 

I press my drink to my chest, hoping the chill of the glass will help fight the warmth I feel. 

“The dress looks like it was made for you,” A voice says from behind. 

I turn around to thank the person, and to my surprise it’s Hetty. 

“Hi, Henrietta, sorry I mean Hetty,” My cheeks flush, and I kick myself for stumbling over my words.

“It’s okay…” She pauses,” I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I quite like the way you say my full name,”

“I’ll admit. I also like the way you say mine,” I add,”  I love the dress too.”

“I’m glad you do,” She smiles and I do the same, “ I never thought I would make a dress for an heiress,” 

“Aren’t you one?”

“You’ve done your research,” She says a bit impressed, “It’s different when it’s a new silhouette.” 

We stand in silence watching the room and the people in it. I rack my brain to find something…anything to say. I’ve never been rendered speechless by someone before, and it is awfully frustrating. 

“So…” Hetty says breaking the silence. 

“So…” I repeat trying to find something to say to fight the awkwardness in the air. I could facepalm myself for how dumb I must sound. 

“Where is your girlfriend?” Hetty asks before taking a sip from her wine glass. 

“Girlfriend?” I ask.  I look at her and I notice her cheeks turn pink. 

“The woman you came to the dress shop with,” She says casually 

“Nadine?” I ask. 

She nods. 

 “Oh no, she’s not my girlfriend just a friend that is a girl. She is very flirty with and without alcohol,” I clarify. 

Hetty tries not to react strongly to the news that you may be single after all. She schools her features and prepares herself for the next question.

“My apologies, I assumed that since she called looking for a dress for you that you two were together,” Hetty clears her throat before continuing, “And the boy? Is he a friend that happens to be a boy?”

“Yes, in fact he is,” I reply with a small smile. 

Hetty gives an internal utterance of gratitude. Again silence overtakes the both of you, but neither of seem to mind in this moment. You both enjoy each other’s company even if words aren’t being exchanged. 

Hetty can’t describe the feeling she has just by standing next to you. She tries hard not stare, and keeps her eyes trained on the others in the room. 

The orchestra begins to play, and I immediately recognize the tune. Lana Del Rey’s rendition of Once Upon A Dream. 

“I must be feeling very bold tonight, but would you like to dance?” Hetty asks extending her hand for me to take. A feeling of nervousness overtakes Hetty as she realizes that you could say no. That she could have been overstepping a bit. 

I look at the outstretched hand.

“Yes, I would. I have to tell you that I am not well versed in the art,” I reply

“It’s okay, I’ll lead,” Hetty says

I try to fight the butterflies in my stomach that flutter when Hetty places my hand on her waist and then places her hand on my waist. Her other hand skates down my forearm, and I gasp softly at the sensation. Her other hand slips into mine easily, and we begin to waltz with the rest of the crowd. We move around the room as if we are the only ones here. 

The air feels heavy, and the tension around us could be cut with a knife. 

“I have been trying to recall where I know you from. You seem awfully familiar,” Hetty says 

“As do you,” I say, “I have never felt a strong connection with someone I’ve just met before. ” I say.

She smiles, “Neither have I.”

As we dance we prattle places we could have seen each other, but nothing rings a bell for the other.

“Are you single?” I ask. 

Hetty smirks at the question. Her tongue darting out to quickly dance across her lips. My breath hitches at the sight. I breathe sharply through my nose, and I tear my eyes away from her lips. 

“I am,” Hetty says matter-of-factly. 

She looks me in the eye, and I am thankfully she has a decent grip on me otherwise I’m sure my clumsy feet would have the best of me again. She pulls me in closer closing in any of the remaining gap between us. I’m not sure who’s heart could be the one hammering. 

Her eyes look to my lips, back to my eyes, and then my lips again. 

“May I be bold once more?” Hetty asks. 

“Please,” I reply.

Her lips meet mine, and it feels like my soul has finally found its missing piece. The cliches about the feelings of true love’s kiss finally make sense. My world finally makes sense. To anyone else, we would look like a couple instead of two practically strangers. 

The kiss breaks, we are in public after all. 

“I apologize, I have never been so forward before,” Hetty says 

“No it’s okay. I wish I would have been as forward,” I say hoping she doesn’t leave.

“Are you sure we haven’t met before?” Hetty asks again. 

“Maybe in some other life,” I say. 

Hetty smiles, kissing my lips again before continuing to lead the dance. I hum the lyrics and laugh to myself at the irony and slight accuracy of the lyrics. 

But if I know you, I know what you’ll do

You’ll love me at once

The way you did once upon a dream

-Fin-

A/N: Ah the final installment! I should probably get to work on the other stories huh?

[creacherkeeper]

hi!! um. what. what do you mean you nearly died of heatstroke??

(warning for near death experiences, medical, puke, & child neglect ahead)

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oh,,, well that's just One of the times ive nearly died (like the car crash. or the carbon monoxide poisoning. or the dog mauling. or the mrsa. or the second gas poisoning. or the-)

but essentially i went horseback riding. i hadn't gone for a while. it was 105f/40c and 105% humidity. all i had eaten that day was doritos and diet coke bc my parents were oh so responsible

am doing the lesson. the instructor does not offer me any water. it's in full sunlight the whole time. florida sun. she knows i have not ridden in a while but is pushing me to do physically demanding moves like trotting (hate trotting)

im doing this for like 30 min and go hey. can i take a break. and she's like yeah i guess

i stop the horse. sway for a moment. lean over to the side and puke everywhere and she's like Oh Shit

the horse does Not enjoy this so it bucks me off. i manage to land on my feet (ive landed on my feet all three times ive gotten bucked). i stand there for a moment and go Hmmm i can't see anything and collapse

i was unconscious for about 30 minutes. during the time i was partially awake i did not have any vision and could only see shrimp colors (i remember thinking they were really pretty and trying to remember them for later but i can't now). the instructor drags me under the shade of a tree and simply. leaves me out there. goes inside her house. i might've puked again but i don't remember. she never got my parents number so she couldn't call them to come get me. it's very touching spirit bear

(i feel like it's also important to note im allergic to horses)

finally my parents show up and im like hi ive been unconscious and still can't see anything and they're like oh so true so they pour some water over me until my vision comes back and then throw me in the backseat of the car with the ac blasting. take me home (not the doctor)

we get home and they're like soooooo. we have plans? so like. go sit in a tub of cool water and then sleep it off. and they leave

i got in the tub fully clothed because i was not coordinated enough to get anything off and riding clothes are tight. just sat in there for a while drifting in and out of consciousness. and then i dragged myself into bed and passed out

i don't super remember the next few days. but i lived lol? i just had a very bad brain injury that lasted for all of high school and some of college bc it was the summer before my freshman year (i had just turned 14). this brain injury did not get diagnosed until i was 24

so yeah :o) 👍 when i looked it up at age 24 it was like oh yeah if you have these symptoms it's like an 85% chance of death and i was like oh worm? didn't tell my parents that but i already wasn't talking to my mom and i only talked to my dad a handful of times after that (as im sure yall can understand)

truly i have survived so much i am invulnerable i think. and that's the story of my heat stroke