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rhubarbbaby · 4 years

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Strawberries and Art 3

Jihoon x Y/N

Genre: College AU, Fluff Word Count: 5k Summary: Like every passionate art student, you spent most of your time immersed in your drawings and paintings. The day you meet Jihoon, your everyday life suddenly gets a lot more exciting…

All chapters: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5

Chapter 3

You woke up to the exaggeratedly loud chirping of a bird that seemed to be sitting right on your window sill. What was it even doing there? Rude. Rolling to your side, the first rays of sunshine fell onto your face. Not wanting to open your eyes just yet you let the warmth linger on your face. As your consciousness slowly tore itself free from the claws of the dreams, you wouldn´t be able to remember in a second, you realized you were still wearing the jeans from last night. Last night…Last night…Jihoon. Suddenly everything that happened hit you like bricks.

Did Jihoon really walk you home? Had he really held your hand? For a moment you thought you were messing up remaining pieces of your dreams with reality but then you remembered the text he had sent you before you fell asleep. Prying your eyes open you looked at your phone. The text was still there, staring back at you, still unanswered. (You also had 4 unread messages from Jo but you couldn´t care less right now)

Unknown: I just got home. Goodnight, Sweetie. Don´t forget to drink lots of water!

Sweetie. You knew you wouldn´t be getting used to that soon. When he had called you Sweetie last night you felt so taken aback because maybe for the first time in your life, you had enjoyed a guy calling you by a pet name. He had sounded so honest, in a certain way even serious, he had sounded so different from all those boys who were calling girls by all those sickly sweet things just to get into their pants, belittling them in the process. He had been so incredibly considerate. The way his voice had seemed to have gotten a tad bit deeper when saying it, the way you could practically hear him smirking, it was sheer impossible getting used to something like that.

After you had saved his contact you stared at your phone. Simply seeing his name on your screen made your heart, not jump, but it did make a distinct little hop. With a big sigh you let yourself fall back onto your mattress. What crazy ass romantic movie parallel universe have you stumbled into? Meeting a guy you were interested in, was already a rare occurrence. But meeting a guy you were interested in, who was also showing interest in you (AND CALLED YOU SWEETIE) was something that only happened once in a blue moon.

You knew you had to send him a reply. It didn´t help that you were reading his message over and over again, hearing his voice in your head. You needed to focus. Just because you didn´t have to look him in the eyes, and didn´t have to actually form words with your mouth, just because you simply had to type it, you did only spend about 5 minutes coming up with a (you hoped) funny text.

You: Hey! I fell asleep yesterday. With my clothes still on! Like I actually wore jeans to sleep. That´s like fucked up. Anyways, thank you for texting me :) I had so much fun last night.

After hitting send you instantly threw your phone onto your bed. You were scared of him answering right away. Scared but also excited but also scared. Giggling to yourself because you were aware of how dramatic you were handling the entire situation you decided to get up and start with your day. It was only eight and you made an agreement with yourself not to think about him until after breakfast because having a crush on a (extremely beautiful and funny and handsome and hot) boy who you had just met two days ago was ridiculous, or so you told yourself. Taking a shower, brushing your teeth, putting on clean clothes… your undertaking was going well, you hadn´t thought of him, at least not directly. You had thought of not thinking about him…and you counted that as a win. During breakfast you decided to check Jo´s messages.

Jo: Did you use condoms??

Jo: Did you get home safely?

Jo: Is he staying over?

Jo: Are you ok?

You couldn´t help but laugh at how excited she was about the whole situation. She probably had been annoying Hansol with it all evening. Poor man.

You: Yup I got home very safely. And no he didn´t stay over.

You: We had so much fun tho.

You: Did you get home safely?

She answered within two minutes.

Jo: Don´t you dare make this about me. I NEED TO KNOW EVERYTHING.

Jo: Did you kiss?

You: No we didn´t. But we held hands.

Jo: CUTE. When will you see him again?

You: I don´t know yet. I hope soon.

Jo: I hope so too. I´m already planning the marriage.

You: omg stop it…LOL

Just after you had hit send, you felt your phone vibrate with a new text. Of course it was from Jihoon. Without an ounce of hesitation you practically threw your phone next to you on the couch. You did not want to look at it. Actually, you did. But you needed to physically prepare yourself for reading what he had messaged you. You could feel your heart oh so clearly in your chest. How ridiculous it was that you reacted this way just because of a goddamn text…Calm down. You took a deep breath in and out.

Before reading his new message (and it wasn´t just one!!!! There were three of them) you reread what you had last written.

You: Hey! I fell asleep yesterday. With my clothes still on! Like I actually wore jeans to sleep. That´s like fucked up. Anyways, thank you for texting me :) I had so much fun last night.

Deep breath in. And out.

Jihoon: Hahahahaha yes Y/N, that is fucked up.

Jihoon: But I´m pretty sure you still looked cute.

Jihoon: You wanna get lunch tomorrow after class?

HOLY FUCK. This was real. You just got asked on a date by one of the most beautiful boys you had ever seen. Yes, you had already held hands yesterday, but there had been alcohol involved and people do a lot of things when they´re drunk. But all of your past overthinking just turned out to have been utterly pointless because Jihoon wanted to see you again. And he had called you cute. Your entire face was burning and your stomach seemed to do some weird gymnastic exercises.

You did not have to think long before typing your answer.

You: I´d love that :)

Jihoon: Awesome. I´ll show you my favorite place.

He actually wanted to show you his favorite place. Your heart was still beating way too fast and the blush on your face was still very visible but at the same time you felt a calming warmth spread through your stomach. You remembered you had felt so comfortable talking to him last night and for some dumb cliché romantic movie reason you felt like you had already known him for years. And now he wanted to show you his favorite place. That was a big hell of a deal. You couldn´t stop smiling.

After dumbly grinning at the ceiling for several seconds you scolded yourself. You couldn´t just be lying around all day daydreaming about a boy. Sighing you remembered that today, you had to finally start with your portrait assignment. It was already due on Wednesday. You needed it to be good. Your professor was very supportive and had been pushing you to become better. Disappointing her was the last thing you wanted to do. But you didn´t even know who you wanted to draw yet…some random celebrity was just boring…a family member maybe? But you had all drawn them before already. Burying your face in your hands you sat on your couch. After about fifteen minutes you reluctantly started sketching your mother´s face. You´ve drawn her face so many times already, it was nothing special. You weren´t satisfied with your choice at all but you couldn´t think of someone better at the moment.

When you realized it was already getting dark outside you stared down at the lines you had been working on for basically the entire day. You didn´t like it. Far back in your head you knew that other people would label your work as good, maybe even great, but you just couldn´t bring yourself to like it. The facial features you were trying to portrait just didn´t seem right to you. You only had so many good pictures of your mother and remembering every single wrinkle and mark on her face was harder than you thought. The way the lines were flowing over the paper didn´t look right, it didn´t look like you had drawn them. You were aware that every artist had days like this, but the deadline was next week and you simply didn´t have the time to start over. Also you had a date tomorrow. How the fuck were you going to survive the next days?

Before going to bed you forced yourself to lay out the clothes you wanted to wear for tomorrow. You weren´t exactly a morning person and you knew you´d panic if you had to find an outfit to wear right after waking up. An outfit Jihoon was going to see you in…

You fell asleep thinking of tomorrow, a mixture of anxiety and anticipation making your stomach feel weird.

The first thing you did, after waking up the next day, was to check your phone:

Jihoon: You still up for lunch today?

Jihoon: 1pm in front of the arts building?

You: I´ll be there!

After having typed an answer, you got dressed, grabbed all your things and left your apartment. You weren´t one of those people who got up an hour earlier to do yoga or whatever bullshit normal people do in the morning. Every day you woke up only twenty minutes before your first lecture started. Every single second of sleep counted.

While you were walking you got a message from Jo.

Jo: You up for breakfast after the second lesson? You need to tell me everything!!!!

You knew she was probably already dying from curiosity. She was too nosy for her own good. But you had mercy.

You: Sure!

You were actually looking forward to telling Jo everything. You still couldn´t believe what had happened yourself, maybe it would become more real through finally saying everything out loud. Your first two lessons you spent listening to the professor talk about Paul Cézanne and, for some reason, reciting every last unnecessary detail of his private life. You decided that the only important piece of information from this lecture was that some of Cézanne´s landscape paintings were sort of pretty.

When you finally sunk down in the chair opposite of Jo´s you were already grinning. You simply could not wait for her reaction to everything. She immediately leaned forward while leaning on her elbows. “Start already” “Oh my god. Can´t I just relax for a second.” “NO.” You had to giggle at her urgency. “Alright, alright…”

After you had told her everything, from the long talk the two of you had had, over the way he had made you blush continuously, to when he had walked you home and had given you his phone number she just said, “That´s so unbearably cute and romantic it´s disgusting.” You couldn´t help but laugh out loud at her remark. “You two are so sickeningly romantic I wanna die. Why can´t you be as cool as me and Hansol?” she was grinning. “First of all, we´re not a couple and second of all, you two are at least as disgusting!” you were laughing. “You realize mine and Hansol´s first date was when I drank too much and he had to hold my hair while I was throwing up?” “Yeah. I know the story.”, you were still laughing. She continued anyway “And then he drove me home. And he kissed me even though I had just thrown up minutes ago. Ok, now that I think of it, maybe our first date was even more disgusting. I´ll shut up.” Both of your laughter was carried through the entire cafeteria. The other people, who were most likely just trying to have a calm morning were probably already, annoyed by the both of you but you couldn´t care less. “Also. I kinda maybe have a lunch date with him later.” “You´re kidding!!!!!” You just shook your head and smiled. “Oh my god, I´m dying this is the cutest shit. I´m sooo happy for you. Are you nervous?” “So fucking much. But I can´t wait to see him again.”

The rest of your classes passed rather quickly. Not being the biggest fan of auditory learning you were happy about it, but at the same time you couldn´t help getting more nervous every time the hand of the clock on the wall moved. Rationally you knew you were being silly. There was nothing to worry about. You were only going on a date with the most attractive guy you´ve ever seen, who is able to make you blush with just a raise of his eyebrow. There was totally nothing to worry about. Fuck.

When you classes had ended you still had fifteen minutes before you were meeting Jihoon. You were so nervous, your hands were shaking and you didn´t have the faintest clue how you would be able to form a straight sentence later. You slipped through the door into the girl´s bathroom. You washed your hands with cold water while staring at your own face in the mirror. The last time you had spoken to him, you had been drunk, there was no doubt the alcohol had helped you with your anxiety. Today you were on your own. Why did you always have to be so nervous? With one long breath and a last look in the mirror, you were actually happy with how your hair fell today; you pushed yourself away from the sink and made your way to your meeting place.

Through the glass front of the building you could see him standing next to that weird sculpture, which the seniors from last year had designed, in front of the building. He was looking at his phone. Every step you took made you even more nervous (how was that even possible?). How were you going to greet him? Hug him? Shake his hand?? NOoo, what the fuck that´d be way too formal. Why were you thinking bullshit like that? You took a deep breath, put a loose strand of hair behind your ear and opened the door. He still hadn´t seen you.

“Hey.” You called softly, loud enough for him to realize it was meant for him. “Hey you.” He looked up and if you weren´t mistaken, his eyes lit up when he saw you, a sparkle that you were sure you could watch all day. But maybe it was just the sun reflecting in his eyes (it was not). You were now standing in front of him, unsure what to do. He smiled at you; put his phone away in his back pocket and then he pulled you into a hug. Your first hug. And holy fuck, a hug shouldn´t be a big deal but it definitely felt like it. It wasn´t one of those hugs people gave because they thought it was expected of them. His hug was tight and you could actually feel his hands on your back. Jihoon´s embrace was so soft, so affectionate. You actually felt like you were stuck in one of Claude Monet´s paintings. Gentle, colorful, overwhelming, so beautiful, yet realistic and real. You smiled, thinking of that comparison. Neither one of you noticed the students leaving the building smiling at you because the hug was obviously too long for a hug to be considered normal. He felt so warm and safe, and when you wrapped your arms around him even tighter you briefly touched his hair, and goddamn it, it was so soft.

“It´s good to see you again.” He finally mumbled against your shoulder. “You too.” He pulled away and looked at you. He was grinning like a kid in a candy store, his eyes had disappeared and small wrinkles had appeared around his nose. It was absolutely precious. You had no choice but to smile back at him.

“You hungry?” he finally broke the silence. “A bit.” At that moment your stomach growled. (It must´ve been destiny) “A bit? I see…,” he laughed. Your cheeks flushed with a light tone of red. “Come on.” he took your hand, not giving you enough time to be embarrassed about the situation. “Where are we going?” you asked. “I promised I´d show you my favorite place.” He gently started pulling you away from the building while still looking at you, smiling. Your body still felt like there was electricity running through your veins and your face must have been still flushed red but it felt so right to hold his hand. You smiled back.

He took you to a little ramen restaurant, close to town. The front door seemed so inconspicuous that you had probably walked past it without noticing it in the past. As the two of you entered he was still holding your hand. He led you through the interior of the restaurant, where some people were already having lunch. You knew you already liked the place when you saw how diverse the clientele was. At one table sat two boys, approximately your age, stuffing their mouths full of Ramen, while at another table two businesswomen seemed to have a heated conversation. Jihoon dragged you past them, and only stopped when you were standing in a small backyard with a few tables of which only one of them was occupied by an elderly couple who were sharing a plate of what looked like Gyoza.

You chose the table for two that was the furthest away from the door and took a seat. On the way here, you had been overly focused on Jihoon, on how tightly he pressed your fingers, how he occasionally stroked the back of your hand with his thumb, the quick glances he threw at you, your undivided attention had been all on him but now that you were sitting here in this absolutely adorable backyard, you allowed your brain to briefly focus your attention on your surroundings. Climbing plants were growing up the wall of the house, carrying small pretty blue blossoms, the blue of the flowers looking especially pretty in front of the beige colored wall plaster. In the corner, where two walls from two different buildings met each other, the blue and beige mixed with a white from the neighboring wall and a light pink of some petals that were growing on bushes that were planted there. The colors alone went so beautifully together you just couldn´t help but stare. When you saw the little clay-figure of a frog in a suit sitting on the ground, as if he had to guard those bushes, you had to giggle.

“What is it?” Jihoon interrupted your thoughts. He was beaming at you as if you had just found the cure for cancer. You couldn´t have known it, of course, but Jihoon would´ve been able to watch you look at those flowers for hours on end. He was sure the way your eyes started to sparkle when looking at something beautiful was the cutest thing he had ever seen in his entire life.

“Nothing really. It´s just, that frog there looks so adorable.” “What frog?” he turned his head to look at the figure himself and then continued “Oh that frog. That´s just Ferdinand.” As you were laughing at his remark, he smiled fondly at you, proud of himself for being the one bringing those sounds out of you. “Ferdinand? You serious?” you grinned, finally having caught your breath again. “Yep. He´s like my best buddy. We always have very interesting conversations whenever I come here.” “Ferdinand does seem like an intellectual to me, I bet your talks are always incredibly exciting.” At that Jihoon joined your laughter. His laughter reminded you of vacation, of secluded beaches, of evening sun, of a loaded ice cream cone, of not worrying. “Can I tell you something.” you already knew from the tone in his voice that he wasn´t going to say anything serious. “Always.” “I don´t even know Ferdinand. This is the first time I noticed him. We´re basically strangers. Hell, I don´t even know if his name is Ferdinand.” Your stomach already hurt from laughter while you held your hand in front of your mouth, trying not to laugh out loud again. “Jihoon, you are so silly.” “Oh, I know sweetie, I know.” he smiled knowingly, almost cocky as he leaned back into his chair and locked his arms behind the back of his head. You were still laughing but you had no choice but being You stunned over how easily he could go from being the sweetest and cutest human being to making you blush like crazy. It was simply not fair.

“So tell me, how was your day?” he came to your rescue. He was still smiling, enjoying the effect he had on you. When you started talking, it took you a few sentences to gain back your confidence and certainty in your voice. Your conversation was light and easy but not at all shallow. He listened to you attentively and even asked for details, you seriously felt like you were telling him the most exciting and fascinating stories he has ever heard. Maybe you really were living in a romantic movie now because he honestly was making you feel like you were the most important girl on earth right now. You only were interrupted by the waiter who quickly took your order. Talking to Jihoon felt so familiar while at the same time not. You did have the feeling of having known him for years, but you also felt like you didn´t know anything about this boy sitting in front of you. Both in a good way. He made you comfortable and curious. And because people who have a crush are blind to some things you wondered if he was feeling the same way about you.

When the waiter had dropped off the two plates of food in front of you, and you both had just taken your first bite, neither of you had to say anything. You even closed your eyes briefly and let out a short sigh. The food really was that good.

“It tastes like heaven, doesn´t it?” he cocked an eyebrow at you. “It really does. How have I never been here, I´ve been missing out on this for so long.” You sighed dramatically which made him grin. “Thank god you met me, huh?” Your gazes met, and although his remark had definitely contained a hint of cockiness, he now looked at you, as gently as if you were the most beautiful, most delicate thing he had ever seen in his life. Looking into his eyes, your heart skipped a beat, and even though you were flustered, you could simply not turn your eyes away. Because, yes, he was right, you were really happy you had met him. “Thank you so much for showing me this place. Seriously.” You finally said, your voice way too hushed to sound confident. “You´re very welcome, Y/N. I´m happy you´re here with me.”

You quickly fell back into a conversation about music. You absolutely loved listening to him talk about his passion. He got so excited talking about his work and when you mentioned that he finally had to show you some of his work, he even got a little shy. As fellow artist you understood the insecurity that came with showing other people personal works. Nothing was more relatable to you than the fear of not being able to convey to other people what you had tried so hard to express through your art, or the fear people wouldn´t even understand your kind of expression. But you also knew that any kind of art is always, in a way, a portrait of the artist himself. And when you were looking at Jihoon, listened to the way he talked, you already knew that his music was going to be just so goddamn beautiful.

The minutes you had spent talking to him had disappeared like the wind carries away seeds from a dandelion clock. The time had gone by so quickly, you hadn´t even realized that the two of you had been talking for over two hours. When the waiter came with your bill, you wanted to grab your wallet, because fuck gender roles but Jihoon was faster. You looked at him aghast, ready to tell him he really should´ve let you pay. The words already on your lips, Jihoon didn´t even let you start “I know, I know”, he held his hands up defensively “You wanted to pay and I´m sorry, well actually I´m not…” he laughed. “You didn´t even give me the time to look at the bill!” you were smiling now too but you still tried to keep your tone at least somewhat serious. “I´m sorry, sweetie.” He took your hand “What if I just let you pay next time?” You felt like the floor had been pulled from under your feet (and you were still sitting on your chair). He really wanted to see you again. You weren´t completely oblivious (only a bit) and you knew the date had been going well, but hearing him say those words was a totally different story. You nodded; he was still smiling at you. “Yes, I can live with that.” Your voice was a bit shaky. “Deal.” He was still holding your hand over the table, brushing his thumb over your knuckles.

He shortly looked down before posing his question “Ok so the thing is, I really enjoyed this and I kinda wanna keep talking to you so, do you wanna go for a walk?” And fuck you really really really really wanted to. Like REALLY. But the thought of your portrait assignment made you hesitate. You knew you still had so much work to do, hell you probably had to redo everything you drew yesterday. “I…” you started when he cut you off. “You don´t have to, Y/N. I don´t want to pressure you into anything.” he smiled softly but you could see a tiny bit of disappointment changing his features, he must´ve noticed you were a bit hesitant to answer him.

“No! I´d really love to. I love talking to you too. But I should go home to work on an assignment. It´s due on Wednesday and I´m kinda panicking because I haven´t even really started yet.” You looked down at the table where your hands were intervened. “Oh I get it. What´s the assignment?” “Basically I just need to draw a portrait of someone but I really really want it to be good. I started drawing my mom yesterday but I don´t like it. I think I don´t have enough good photos to draw her realistically and I´m not that great at drawing from memory.” “So you basically need someone to model for you.” You laughed softly, “I guess so.” “Why don´t you draw me then?” he winked at you. You blinked. Once, twice. Had he actually winked at you?? This man was going to be the death of you. Your eyes slightly widened, a blush was creeping up your neck again “You´re kidding.” “I am. Unless…” he was grinning from ear to hear. He really was enjoying your embarrassment way too much. “Also I´d say my face is pretty.” If he wasn´t holding your hand you would´ve tried hiding your face but that wasn´t an option now. “It is.” You stammered. “Did you just call me pretty?” he smirked. That was the last straw. You couldn´t take it anymore. You pulled your hand out of his grasp and hid your blushing face. “Maybe.” “I see. But I do think your face is even prettier.” He chuckled. You looked at him, that goddamn cocky grin on his slips. He knew what he was doing. Gathering all your left confidence you replied, “I can´t draw myself though.” “That´s why you should be drawing me.” “Wait, are you actually being serious?” “I´m not not serious.” He was still grinning but you could hear the earnestness in his voice. “I don´t even know what to say…” “Just say: yes Jihoon I´d love to draw your pretty face and I´ll even make your eyes a bit bigger so you´ll be even prettier than in real life.” You momentarily forgot about your heart beating this fast and your still cherry red face. You loved his eyes and how they disappeared whenever he was smiling. “What? No! Your eyes are perfect just the way they are.” “I appreciate the compliment, sweetie.” He smiled warmly at you. “But I really think we should go now, you still have to draw my portrait today.” You giggled. “I didn´t even agree yet!” He was getting up from his chair “Oh come on,” as soon as you were standing up too he reached for your hand again, “no one would turn down an offer like this.” “Jihoon, you are so full of yourself.” you laughed heartily. He over dramatically clutched his heart with his free hand. “Ow, don´t hurt me like that Y/N when I´m just trying to trick you into spending more time with me.” His blatant honesty made you speechless. You just looked at him and if you weren´t completely mistaken a tiny bit of red was covering his cheeks now too. “Fine. I´ll draw you.” “I am disproportionately delighted to hear that.” You giggled at his choice of words while squeezing his hand a bit tighter. And then the two of you were walking to your apartment, side by side, hand in hand, wearing matching grins.

Hi! It´s me, Jo. I´d like to thank you for reading my stuff! I really hope you enjoyed it. If you have any feedback, comments, requests, questions please let me know!

#jihoon x reader #woozi x reader #seventeen x reader #seventeen ff #seventeen #seventeen fluff #jihoon fluff #woozi fluff #kpop ff #rhubarbbabywrites

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xhannahbananax03 · 4 years

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Meeting Him

Summary: Dean Winchester arrives in a small town to accompany his best friend, Jake to a high school graduation. He meets Jake’s cousin and instantly takes a liking to her. But when the girls ex boyfriend shows up, things take a turn.

Words: 2.2k

Chapter Warnings: Swearing, slight angst, jealousy, mentions of sexual acts

A/N: This was my first fic ever, so be gentle.

MASTERLIST

It was like any other day. Get up, get ready for school, eat breakfast, and get on the bus. The only difference of today, was this was the day your cousin, Jake, was coming home.

You and Jake have always been best friends, you grew up together. He was 2 years older than you, but that didn't matter. You two were always together. You'd wake up every morning and go straight over to his house, which wasn't hard because he lived right next door to you. You both shared so many adventures, and special moments together. Like the day his little sister was born. After Kayla was born you and Jake would always play with her, whether it be dress up, or playing in the sandbox. You couldn't do to much with her though, considering she was 4 years younger than you, and 6 years younger than Jake.

Everything was perfect, that was until Jake went to high school and you stayed in the junior high. It wasn't so bad though, right? You and Jake still lived so close, you could still hang out whenever, right? Wrong. Jake started making new friends, and girlfriends... It shouldn't have bothered you as much as it had, but you still got jealous, when he would say you couldn't come over because Madison, his girlfriend, was over, or because his other friends were over. It upset you, and hurt you. So instead of being in pain, you decided to distance yourself from Jake. Not asking to come over so much, going to other people's houses. It was getting easy to not think about Jake so much. You made a lot of new friends, and grew to love them over the two years of junior high. Jake was still pretty happy, though he missed you too, but both of you were branching out from each other, that is until your first year of high school, he was starting his third year, him and Madison had already broken up, but he was moving. Him and his family were moving to Kansas. Jakes dad got a special, one time, job offer that he couldn't turn down. And you couldn't blame him. Jake told you that once he gets out of high school he's going to start working with his dad. But he would call and text you whenever he could, and he would visit as soon as possible.

So here you were, getting ready for school. You only had a couple days left, and Jake had already graduated, so he was coming home for the first month of summer. What you didn't know was he was bringing his best friend. "(y/n), sweetheart, breakfast is ready! " Your mom shouted from the bottom of the stairs. "Ok mom, give me 5! " You shouted back. You were standing in front of your closet looking at two outfits you had prepared, it wasn't to terribly hot, but it wasn't cold either. So you decided to go with,

You did a simple natural make up look, and lightly curled your (h/l), (h/c) hair to give it a beach wave effect. As you came downstairs you got a text, from Jake.

Jake: Hey (y/nn), so I know you hate surprises, but I'm bringing one home with me. So try not to look like a piece of trash!

You: Geez, thanks Jake. I will try my best not to look like garbage!

Jake: Thank you, Madame.

You: lol, ❤ you Jake! Can't wait to see you. I have some fun stuff planned!

Jake: ❤ you too, and so do I! 😈

After texting you noticed the time, "Crap! " You booked it down the stairs, grabbed your bag, and a piece of toast. After shoveling the toast into your mouth you ran outside only to see the bus drive past your house. "Fuck... " Man you wished you had a car right about now.

~Time Skip to Last Period of the Day~

School went OK today, you went through all your classes without, trouble, hung out with your friends, which was difficult, because the kept looking out for this guy in a, "shiny black car ". So they didn't pay much attention to you, but you were entertained hearing them gawk over this, " Beautiful mystery man". At one point your best friend, started talking about what her first date with him would be like, which had you doubling over in laughter.

The end of the last period came, and you couldn't wait to be out of there, Jake texted you during lunch saying he was picking you up after school and taking you out to eat at the diner, that was basically your second home. You were so excited that you were focusing on the clock and only the clock, bouncing you knee up and down. It got to a point where your friend reached over and placed her hand on your knee.

"(y/n), are you alright? " Your friend Sarah asked you, you just nodded while keeping your eyes on the clock, "what has you so anxious today? " She asked you trying to look you in the eyes.

. "Jake is coming home today. " You said completely ignoring her face, but you were able to see a slight blush creep up her face. She had always had a thing for Jake, but was too scared to tell him. Right then the bell rung, and you were up out of your seat before anyone else.

Grabbing your things you made your way to your locker, Jake new what your locker number was so when you didn't see him standing there, you were slightly disappointed. "Maybe he's just running late" You thought to yourself. As you were putting your stuff in your locker, you grabbed your bag, and when you closed your locker door, he was standing right there. You were so happy you could barely contain it, you squealed and dropped your bag, before literally jumping into his arms, it wasn't an easy task considering he was considerably taller then you, but you managed. He held onto you tight and spun you around making you giggle, once he sat you down, you both smiled at each other, before he had to go and ruin the moment, "I got to hand it to you, (y/n), you've gotten a lot prettier, and you don't look like trash! " This made you widen your eyes in mock hurt, before slugging him in his arm. Before he had time to grab you, you were running out of the door, the one downside, was you didn't know what car was his, so you had no where to go. Before you had time to even turn around he was there and punched you, actually pretty hard, well hard enough to knock you on your butt.

He felt a little bad so he helped you up, mumbling something about how much that hurt, you took his hand and stood up. "Thanks Jake, now my pants are all dirty. " You said following him to a car.

"Aww your welcome! " He said enthusiastically.

Out in the parking lot you could see this beautiful Chevy Impala. "Jake is that your car? " You asked pointing towards your dream car. "Hmm? Oh, that's actually part of the surprise. " You could see a tall man standing at the drivers side door, talking to the most popular girl in school, Megan.

Megan was a perky blonde. She was curvy, but still really skinny, she was so bubbly but still such a bully, to anyone who she didn't like, including you. And she didn't like you because when you came to the high school, you became one of the most liked girls there, and not just by guys but by everyone, because you were sweet, and caring, and everyone felt like they could trust you. Megan was one year ahead of you, because she skipped a grade. But you firmly believe that's because she took some, "extra credit ". And it wasn't just you who thought that, but that's the kind of girl she is.

Jake stopped you from walking because he could tell something was wrong, " Hey you ok? " He asked stepping in front of you, looking down at you, you look up and smiled slightly, "yeah, but anyways, who's that guy? " You asked pointing to the guy who was now being pinned to his car by Megan, it was such a sight to see, it made you shutter, Jake saw this and looked over to him, chuckling a bit, "always a ladies man, " He chuckled, "That's dean, my best friend, the one i'm always talking about. "

"Oh." Was all you could say, Dean was way more attractive than you thought he'd be, he was probably the one all the girls were talking about, "Yeah, he was a hit with the ladies today. " You said starting to walk towards the car again. "Was he a hit with you? " Jake asked surprising you a bit, "Not particularly. No" You said still walking now a little ahead Jake.

Finally you reached the car. And when Megan saw you she gave you a look of pure disgust, before moving her eyes onto Jake, she always did have a thing for older guys, "Hi Jake... " She said biting her lip, trying to act sexy. "Hey Megan, how are you? " Jake never really liked Megan either, I mean he thought she was hot, who didn't. But he just hated her personality, and the way she treated you.

"I'm fine, but would be a lot better if I was in the back of his car tight now. " She giggled, looking at Dean with predatory eyes, which for some reason made you jealous, maybe it was just the fact that she always got what she wanted, and you did not want have to walk to the diner right now. Dean looked at Jake with a bit of shock, but you weren't shocked at all.

"So, (y/n), what are you doing here? " She asked moving her eyes to you, she was taller than you, and it wasn't because she was tall, it was because you were short, you were probably the shortest girl in the school, and Megan always wore these high heels.

"Did you forget that Jakes my cousin? " You asked raising an eyebrow at her. She just scoffed while rolling her eyes, "No, I didn't forget, I mean what are you doing here, " She said while pointing to the ground, "by this car? " "Well if I'm not mistaken, this is my ride, right Jake? " You looked to Jake, and so did everyone else, waiting for an answer, once he nodded. You looked back to Megan. She just scoffed before whispering something to Dean before walking off smirking. He looked a little dazed, and a bit shocked. Jake finally cleared his throat also clearing the silence, that's when Dean really noticed you were there, which made you a little upset, but whatever. Reaching out his hand, he finally spoke, "oh, you must be (y/n). Hi I'm Dean. " You reached for his hand, and shook it. Once he realised that he had been holding you hand for a bit too long, and staring at you, he retracted before opening the back door for you to get in, noticing a slight blush on his neck you giggled a little before getting into the beautiful car, noticing the wonderful leather interior, running you hands across the seat, you smiled. Once you looked up, you saw Dean was staring at you though the rear view mirror, you looked down from his intense gaze, blushing.

"Do you like her? She's beautiful isn't she? "He asked starting up the car, which cause a low rumbling feeling through the your whole body. " Like her? It's my dream car, this exact model and everything! " You said a bit excited which made him chuckle a bit. Jake was just enjoying that fact that he two best friends were getting along. Once Dean started driving you saw how well he handled the car, before he left, you'd definitely have to see if you could drive this car. "Do you mind if I turn on some music? " He asked looking at you while reaching for a box full of cassettes. "Not at all, go for it. " You told him smiling hoping he had a somewhat similar music taste to yours. He then handed you the box full of tapes before saying, "choose one. " Which for some reason surprised Jake, but you just shrugged it off.

Once you saw the tapes you become even more happy, if that's possible. He had the same music taste as you! You were really starting to like this Dean guy. Grabbing an AC DC tape and handing it to him, you saw his smile grow wider, "You've got good taste." He said, which made you smile even more. He popped the tape in before turning up up the volume, and blasting AC DC through the speakers. This was going to be fun!

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thollandthot · 5 years

Text

three’s company ; tom holland x harrison osterfield

A/N: ta daaa !! here is my long awaited threesome one shot !! this is probably the longest one shot i have ever written so i hope you enjoy it !! WORD COUNT: ~5.5K lol PAIRING: college au frat boy!tom holland x frat boy!harrison osterfield x female reader. WARNINGS: possibly the most nsfw thing imaginable. threesome/polyamory, oral sex (male and female receiving), unprotected sex, underaged drinking kinda.

CLICK HERE TO READ PART ONE. CLICK HERE TO READ PART TWO. CLICK HERE TO READ PART THREE. CLICK HERE TO READ PART THREE AND A HALF. CLICK HERE TO READ PART FOUR.

three’s company

Quite a bit of your college experience had, for a lack of a better term, sucked. You took classes you didn’t care about that were taught by professors who didn’t care about you, and gave homework you never understood. You tried to remain a good student, but it was becoming increasingly difficult as the semester progressed.

However, there was one class you were always excited to attend. Your 11:15 Philosophy course. It was your last class of the day, and always put a smile on your face. Not because you enjoyed what you were being taught, nor the professor who taught it, but because of the two incredibly attractive British exchange students that sat in front of you.

You’d been fortunate enough to get paired with the two of them for a project at the beginning of the semester. You had to do a presentation about Socrates together, which wasn’t extremely difficult, but once you looked around the lecture hall and noticed many of your classmates practically drooling over the two boys who were assisting you on your project, you knew you weren’t the only one competing for their affections.

Luckily for you, you had a slight advantage over everyone else in your lecture. You had developed a friendship with both of them. Meeting with them twice a week for almost a month to work on a project did have its perks, but that did nothing to lessen the crush you had on the two. They were genuinely nice guys. They kept their room clean, they were funny, they were polite, and the more you saw them interact with each other, the more you began to like them.

But you knew you had to shove those feelings down. You knew both of them were incredibly out of your league, and although they both said they didn’t have girlfriends, you could tell that they both had a pretty high body count. But that didn’t deter you. Hell, if you looked like either of them, you would have a high body count, too.

“Good afternoon, ladies.” You snickered as you plopped into your unassigned assigned seat behind the two Brits a few minutes before your lecture began. The two swiveled around in their chairs to face you upon hearing your voice.

“Y/N.” The blonde greeted with a nod and a playful grin. That one was Harrison. He was taller than his roommate, and a little bit paler. He frequently wore a confident smile, which definitely factored into the crush you had on him. He had piercing blue eyes that always helped him get what he wanted out of you, whether it be answers to homework, a story about a boy, sex, you’d give it to him if he gave you one look. It was a problem.

“You free Friday night?” His brunet companion raised a brow at you. That one was Tom. Although he was shorter than Harrison, he was definitely leaner. You often found yourself staring at the way his t-shirts would strain around his shoulders and biceps, and when he’d move his arms up to stretch on occasion you found it difficult not to salivate. You also noticed that he often messed around with his chocolate brown curls during class, and it never failed to make you think about what it might feel like if you were the one running your fingers through that gorgeous head of hair. His brown eyes were soft, but his smirks were teasing, giving you the impression that he would never do anything to hurt you, but that he also wouldn’t hesitate to fuck you into oblivion.

You were too caught up in your own thoughts to realize Tom had asked you a question, and it took you a bit longer than it should have to respond. “Come on, Tom, you know Friday is bingo night. I’m trying to win big at the nursing home.” You joked, causing Harrison to stifle a laugh as his friend glared at him.

“You should blow that off and come hang out with us instead. PIKE is having a party.” Tom continued. PIKE, as in the fraternity. Of course they were in a fraternity. And it wasn’t just any fraternity. It was the fraternity that was rumored to host the wildest parties on campus. You heard tales since your freshman year about girls leaving without their shirts after the cops were called, a kiddie pool filled with jungle juice, the list went on. You never had the pleasure of going to a PIKE party, because they were always very exclusive.

You mulled over the invitation, tapping your chin as if you were deep in thought. “Huh, Idunno, boys. I might have to check my calendar.” Of course, you already had an answer. You would have been stupid to pass up an opportunity to hang out with two of the most attractive men you had ever laid eyes on and experience a wild frat party for the first time. It wasn’t as if you had anything better to do, anyway. Regardless, you played it cool. “Will there be alcohol involved?”

Your question caused Harrison to laugh, which was followed up by a playful smirk. “A little bit, yeah.” And as if you weren’t already sold on going to this party, that really sealed the deal. You knew you could use a break from all your studying, and a good drink would definitely help you loosen up.

“Can I bring a friend?” That was your next question. You were far too introverted to go to a party alone, even if you knew two of the fraternity brothers. Not to mention, your roommate would probably kill you if she knew you went to a PIKE party without her.

Tom glanced at Harrison, as if silently asking for his approval. The blond kept that playful grin on his lips, making it difficult for you to not melt into a puddle. “Yeah. Just make sure it’s not a guy, yeah? We want you to ourselves.”

You weren’t too sure what to make of that last bit, actually. You couldn’t decipher whether or not Harrison was just partaking in playful banter or genuinely flirting with you. Regardless, the words made your cheeks heat up. “Then perhaps I’ll stop by.” You gave the two of them a wink, and as if on cue, your professor entered the lecture hall, which caused the pair in front of you to face forward in their seats, ready to start today’s lesson.

——

Friday came upon you quickly. So quickly, in fact, that it was almost 10 p.m. and you were frantically searching for what to wear to see the two boys. They never gave you a dress code, so you were going in completely blind. You figured, because it was a frat party, you’d wear something a bit more suited for the occasion than your normal t-shirts and skinny jeans. Which was why you enlisted the help of your roommate to select the outfit you had decided on; a maroon velvet camisole that was tight around your chest, your trusty pair of distressed black skinny jeans, and a pair of black wedge heels. You wouldn’t be caught dead wearing stilettos to a frat party, but you couldn’t deny how the wedges your roommate suggested made your legs look longer and accentuated your ass in your skin tight jeans.

After your brief walk across campus, the faint sound of a pounding bassline grew nearer, the beat of some dance remix to a popular song ringing in your ears. You and your roommate immediately went your separate ways upon entering the frat house, reminding each other to text or call if or when you left. You were ready to attempt to find the kitchen in hopes to get a drink until you heard your name being called.

“Y/N!” It was in a British accent you knew could only belong to one of two people. Turning in the direction of the voice, you were soon face to face with the two boys from your Philosophy class.

Tom was the first to greet you, looking more relaxed as he gave you a hug with his free arm. His change in demeanor was almost definitely due in part to the half empty solo cup of beer in his other hand. Harrison gave you a squeeze next, wrapping both arms around you before pulling away and giving you a quick once over. He let out a low whistle and then a chuckle.

“Damn, who knew you were hiding a body like this under all those band t-shirts.” His comment caused you to flush, but it probably wasn’t noticeable under the dim lighting. Harrison took your hand in his before lifting your arm up, giving you an expectant look. “Give is a spin, yeah?”

You rolled your eyes, but obliged, nevertheless, allowing Harrison to turn you around and let the two best friends see your outfit from every angle. Harrison whistled once more. “She looks good,” his attention went from you to his best friend for a moment, raising his brows at Tom and asking for his approval. “Doesn’t she, mate?”

It wasn’t until then that you noticed just how close the three of you were. Your fingers were still laced with Harrison’s and you heard Tom hum in agreement, even over the loud house music, before he proceeded to rest his free hand on the small of your back. He leaned in even closer to whisper in your ear, “You look sensational, darling.”

That made your heart skip a beat. Even the smallest of touches from Tom sent a shiver down your spine, and the pet name he called you made a surge of want course through your veins. It was suddenly incredibly hot, and you leaned forward to speak to both of them, hoping to dissolve the tension between the three of you.

“So are you two just gonna stare at me all night, or are you gonna come with me to get a drink?”

They didn’t argue, and for most of the night, the three of you sat on a couch in the living room, you nursing the same vodka soda the entire time. You were sat between the two roommates, Harrison’s arm resting across the back of the couch behind you, Tom’s hand on your thigh as his thumb absentmindedly drew circles on your skin through your jeans. You talked about a lot of things, but mostly classes and homework. You attempted to avoid talking about your shared Philosophy course, not wanting to kill the mood.

The three of you weren’t drunk, but you had enough to drink for your body to feel warm and for your judgement to be slightly clouded. Which was why you didn’t think twice before you asked, “So can i see your room?”

The two roommates looked at each other, a gleam in their eyes that you couldn’t quite recognize, before each of them took one of your hands, helping to pull you up off the couch and leading you upstairs. The three of you maneuvered through the bodies of drunken and sweaty college students, Tom and Harrison clearly having done so more than you ever had. They led you down the corridor, less people occupying it the further down the hall you went. You didn’t fail to notice how Harrison kept his hand in yours and Tom rested a hand on the small of your back as they guided you, but you weren’t going to comment on it. Not then, at least. Pushing through a door towards the end of the hallway, you were met with a relatively quiet room, the noise of the party becoming quieter once the door shut behind you. You took a moment to take in your surroundings; the two beds on opposite ends of the room, the UK flag on one of the bare walls, and a simple rug covering the expanse of the tiled floor. There were things tucked underneath their beds, and a few photos on their respective desks, but for the most part, there wasn’t much to be seen.

You cautiously took a seat on one of their beds and you patted both spaces next to you, suggesting they join you in the same position they had on the couch downstairs. Of course, the two were happy to oblige, seemingly identical cheeky grins spread across their faces. They easily fell back into the same dynamic, with Tom’s hand resting on your thigh and Harrison’s arm draped around you. The air felt a lot thicker now, with an emotion you couldn’t quite place. There was a deafening silence as you looked between the two Brits, trying to read their expressions that darted between you and each other. You couldn’t read either of them, and it was driving you crazy.

You couldn’t take it anymore. “Are you guys, like, fighting over me or something?” It was probably stupid to ask, knowing they only thought of you as a friend, but the alcohol in your system really helped to get rid of the worry that the two of them would reject you. And in light of that, you decided to dig your grave a little bit deeper. “Because I’m gonna be honest, I’m super attracted to both of you.”

That seemed to pique their interest. It caused Harrison to smirk and Tom to chuckle, squeezing your thigh. “We’ve been best friends for years. We don’t fight over girls, love.”

Your head dropped, mentally slapping yourself. You should’ve known Tom and Harrison were out of your league. In fact, you did know it, but you assumed that when they spent all their time with you tonight, you thought that because of their body language, maybe you had a chance. You clearly had misinterpreted all of it, and you wanted to curl yourself into a ball and never come out.

It was then that Harrison cleared his throat, causing you to look up. “What this div meant to say was that -- we both are attracted to you.” The blond clarified, causing you to snap your head to the right to look at his brunet friend, hoping he’d confirm the sentiment was true. Tom nodded in reply.

“Extremely.” He admitted, hand that was on your thigh now stroking back and forth. And you suddenly realized that the looks they were giving each other, both in class the other day and throughout the night, were looks of knowing. And maybe even lust.

You weren’t exactly sure of what to say, your mouth hung there as if words were going to come out but they didn’t. Never in your wildest dreams did you think you’d have a chance with even one of the attractive foreign exchange students from your Philosophy class, and now here you had a chance with either of them. With both of them.

“We’ve gotten, em, quite good at sharing.” Tom prompted after there was no reply other than a long pause and an slacked jaw from you. The sentence caused your brows to furrow, now slightly confused. Originally, you thought you were just supposed to pick one of them, which was an extremely difficult choice, by the way. Those words made you think differently.

Attempting to process what Tom had just said, you blinked a few times, gaze fixed in your lap, before speaking again. “You mean, like, you have threesomes together?”

Alright, that probably wasn’t the best way you could’ve phrased it, but that was what he had meant right? What else could sharing possibly mean? Clearly, neither of the boys expected you to say that word so bluntly, them both shifting slightly in their spots on the bed before Harrison finally spoke.

“It’s not something we’ve done before, but something we’ve talked about.” Harrison gave you that serious gaze with those gorgeous ocean blue eyes that would’ve gotten you to do anything. Perhaps even have a threesome with him and his best friend. “We thought that you’d be a good candidate.”

The words made your heart stop in your chest, your gaze flickering between the two boys beside you. The two most attractive boys you had ever seen in your life wanted to have a threesome with you. Who were you to pass on that opportunity? “I’ve, uh, never done anything like that before.” You muttered, embarrassed beyond belief.

And admittedly, Tom and Harrison had never done anything like that before, either. But they weren’t sure if you were saying yes or no, and there was an unspoken pact between them in that moment that they’d try to make you feel as comfortable as possible, if you chose to partake.

So they didn’t say anything. Instead, the two opted to make things the least awkward they could possibly be. “We don’t have to, love.” Tom squeezed your knee gently, and the action combined with the pet name caused you to inhale sharply.

“I didn’t say I didn’t want to.” The declaration was quiet, but caused both boys to look at you intently, as if you were going to say something else. Maybe a ‘but I can’t’, or something along those lines. But you did want to. Oh god, did you want to. “I just wanted to give you the heads up.” Your gaze rose from your lap to glance between the two of them, and the three of you waited with bated breath for someone to make the first move.

That someone ended up being Harrison, bringing your chin closer to his face with his thumb and index finger, his lips meeting yours tenderly. You weren’t too sure of what to do about Tom, but your thoughts subsided when he started kissing your neck, which caused you to gasp into Harrison’s mouth.

After coming to terms with the fact that this was actually happening, you unlaced your fingers, giving each of them attention with one of your hands in order to palm them both through their jeans. You ran your fingers up and down their thighs until you found exactly what you were looking for, and the two both groaned against your skin in sync when you felt their hardening length beneath your touch.

The bed was small, especially since it was a twin sized mattress, courtesy of your university, but perhaps it was better this way. Having both Tom and Harrison impossibly close to you certainly wasn’t something you minded, and that was only proven as Tom shifted off the bed for a moment, allowing his roommate to lay you down across the sheets. You were quick to sit up for a moment, only giving yourself enough time to pull your shirt up and over your head and toss it somewhere on the floor. That gave the two initiative to keep going further, and cued Tom to remove his own shirt as well before leaning on his side and capturing your lips in a kiss.

You took the time to memorize the details about how different they were when it came to kissing. Tom was definitely more handsy, his one arm tugging you closer to his body by your bare waist, but Harrison had fuller lips. You were so caught up in your mental comparison between the two that you hadn’t noticed that Tom’s hand roaming lower until he gave your ass a squeeze, which caused you to gasp into his mouth. He smirked against your lips, the same hand now moving forward to rub you through the seam of your jeans.

“You can take them off.” You pulled away from Tom to mumble the words, chest heaving even though the three of you hadn’t gone further than second base yet. But you’d be lying through your teeth if you said you hadn’t wanted this. You’d be lying if you said you hadn’t thought about this, too. Which was one of the many reasons why you were so anxious to get this show on the road. “Please…” you pleaded, and although it sounded pathetic to you, it was music to their ears, and it made the brunet turn to his blond friend with a wink.

“Well, you heard her.” Tom grinned at Harrison, and Haz was quick to unbutton and unzip your skinny jeans, helping you slip them off your legs as Tom’s lips went back to yours. A whimper left your mouth as Harrison rubbed you through your panties, and he shimmied to the end of the bed so he could see the wet spot forming on the fabric.

Harrison tutted softly. “She’s fucking soaking, mate.” He grunted, words directed at Tom as if you weren’t even in the room. And it was hot. You found yourself thinking about if they talked about you when they were alone. Whether it was like this or platonically, you didn’t really care at the moment, but something told you it would’ve been the former.

“Really?” Tom grinned, turning his head to watch his roommate’s expression. It was then that Harrison pushed your panties to the side with his index finger, his middle and ring fingers slipping languidly through your wet folds a few times before raising his hand for Tom to see.

Harrison nodded, showing his now glistening fingers to his friend as evidence. You were, indeed, incredibly wet. “See for yourself.” Harrison’s words caused Tom to shift on the bed, propping himself up with one elbow to get a better look at Harrison’s digits in the dimly lit room. But you could still see the juices he’d managed to collect on them, and it made Tom let out a low groan.

Tom went back to your lips in an instant, this time much more hungrily than he had before. “You’re so fucking sexy.” His voice was lower than usual and dripping in lust, which forced a shiver to rack through your body. Tom went back to running his hands up and down your side while Harrison worked on pulling your panties down your legs before tossing them on the floor somewhere in the room. The blond admired your pussy for a few moments before licking one long, thick stripe up your folds, causing your back to arch forward, pushing yourself closer into Tom’s toned chest. Your hands curiously roamed his torso, fingertips brushing every dip and crevice of his abs. It was an action you only dreamed you’d ever be able to do, but here you were. Two gorgeous British boys, one on your lips and one between your thighs. You were convinced you were the luckiest girl on the planet.

It was only then that you realized you were almost completely unclothed, whereas Tom was the only one with his shirt off. You sat up on your forearms, causing the two to halt their movements as they waited for you to speak. “Can I, um --” you cleared your throat and didn’t fail to feel the heat rising in your cheeks. “Let me suck you guys off.”

The command made their cocks twitch as Tom helped you down off the bed as Harrison hopped down himself, and the two stripped themselves of the rest of their clothes. Your eyes weren’t too sure where to focus as they raked over their naked forms. Of course, Tom was as fit as you had imagined him to be, but Harrison was more muscular than he let on. The blond boy’s cock was lengthier than his roommate’s but Tom made up for that in girth. You had trouble not salivating as you dropped to your knees, one attractive Brit on either side of you, with their hard, swollen cocks now at your eye level.

Admittedly, you weren’t entirely sure where to start, much less who to start with. You rationalized that since Harrison was just giving you head, it was only fair that you returned the favor. With that in mind, you wrapped one hand around each of them before licking a tantalizing slow stripe up the underside of their cocks. You took Harrison’s tip in your mouth slowly, stroking Tom in time with each bob of your head. After a few minutes, you switched, giving more attention to Tom’s dick, and you kept that pattern going for a while. Every time you’d pivot on your knees to suck one of them, they’d buck their hips gently into your mouth, a groan passing their already parted lips.

Eventually, Tom took a step backwards, and once Harrison saw the action, he did, as well. Tom offered you his hand to help you on your feet, a sinister glint in his eyes. “Why don’t you get back up on the bed, huh, love? On all fours.”

You felt a surge of arousal course through your veins at his words, but you nodded eagerly as you stood, getting on your hands and knees on the bed like Tom instructed. In an instant, Harrison was behind you, rubbing a calming hand over your back as Tom positioned himself on his knees at the front of the bed, his cock once again at your eye level. You were quick to take him back into your mouth as Harrison gently pushed your legs further apart, rubbing his length slowly up and down your slick folds, which made you moan around Tom’s dick.

“Ready for me, love?” Harrison cooed, placing one hand on your hip, the other still massaging your back as he lined himself up with your entrance. You hummed your reply, which was all the approval the blond needed to push himself inside of you, grunting at the feeling of your walls around him. “God, even tighter than I thought you’d be.”

The words made your walls contract around Harrison’s cock. Knowing that Harrison -- and most likely Tom, as well -- had thought about fucking you was the hottest thing ever and a dream come true. For the last few months, you thought the two British exchange students from your Philosophy class were incredibly out of your league, and now here you were. One in your mouth and the other inside your cunt. It was the type of story Pornhub viewers would eat up. You were sure of it.

Once Harrison began thrusting inside of you, it took a lot less effort to suck Tom’s cock. Each thrust jolted you forward, forcing you to take more of Tom’s length, and soon, the two were working in sync. Tom was rutting his hips to meet your mouth while Harrison was jutting his hips to get deeper inside of you. You didn’t think it was possible to feel this completely and utterly fucked, and the sensation made your walls clench around Harrison’s cock once more.

“Fucking hell, look so fucking hot. Taking my cock so good.” Harrison groaned, pulling you back by your hips. Your eyes fluttered shut for a moment upon hearing the praise, making Tom raise his brows curiously.

He decided to test the waters, bringing one hand down to your chin. Your eyes opened once more, now making eye contact with the attractive brunet above you. Tom grinned, “Doesn’t look too bad from here either, mate.” Tom replied to Harrison, giving you a wink. The words made you moan around Tom’s cock, eliciting a low groan from him in response. “Well, well, well.” Tom smirked, his gaze moving to his friend for a moment. “Looks like Y/N’s got a praise kink.”

You wanted him to shut up, and in an attempt to make him do so, you opened your mouth wider to take Tom’s length into the back of your throat, which only made him lace his fingers in your hair. It was too late, anyway. The secret was out. “Really?” Harrison mused, shifting slightly to change the angle of his thrusts, quickening his pace. “You like being told you’re a good girl, don’t you, love?” You nodded as much as you could with Tom’s dick in your throat, batting your lashes up at the brunet. Tom rubbed his thumb gently over your cheek in response.

“You wanna be a good girl and cum for us, darling?” Tom cooed, thrusting himself deeper into your mouth, making you gag. The words made your walls clench around Harrison’s cock once more, eliciting a groan from the blond. You moaned around Tom’s length, and that was all the confirmation he needed. “Come on, then. Cum for us, love.” And the permission was all you needed, your eyes squeezing shut as your orgasm worked through you.

It was like a domino effect from there. Your moans of ecstasy around Tom’s cock caused his hips to stutter as he released into your throat, and the pulsing of your cunt sent Harrison over the edge, as well. After a few moments, you sat up on your knees, pulling your mouth away from Tom’s softening cock as Harrison simultaneously pulled out of you.

There was a silence between the three of you for a moment as you attempted to redress yourself, ready to head back to your dorm room. The two friends looked between each other before Tom nodded. “Hey, uh, Y/N. You don’t have to head back yet.”

The words took you a bit by surprise. You assumed this was much like other college hookups. You were supposed to head out as quickly as possible. But apparently, that was not the case. You halted your movements, only blinking and flicking your gaze between the two. Tom continued, “I mean, it’s getting late. We can let you borrow some clothes and you can, uh, spend the night.” You could almost see a blush tinge Tom’s cheeks from the dimly lit room as he spoke, rubbing the back of his neck. “Don’t want you walking back to your dorm alone or anything, you know?”

“Uh, yeah, sure.” You replied awkwardly. It was a nice gesture, and if you were being honest with yourself, you didn’t want this night with the two of them to end just yet. The two gave you identical grins upon hearing your answer, and Tom was quick to grab you a t-shirt and a pair of boxers for you to change into, which you graciously accepted.

The soft music you could still hear died down as the three of you changed, getting ready for bed. You weren’t sure how long you had been up in their bedroom with them, but it must’ve been a while considering the party had now run its course. There were no windows in their room, so you couldn’t judge based on the night -- or perhaps the morning -- sky what time it was. Nevertheless, you got ready to head to bed, shifting slightly on the balls of your feet, unsure of what your sleeping situation would be.

“Looks like you’re bunking with me.” Tom murmured into your ear, as if on cue, as he wrapped his arms around your waist. You giggled, spinning around in his arms. “Haz over there is a spreader. Sometimes he even falls off the damn bed.” The brunet chuckled, causing his roommate to thump him over the back of the head.

“I would’ve offered, but I do --” Harrison spread his arms and legs wide, as if demonstrating his sleeping position, “-- starfish.” You nodded knowingly, a giggle leaving your lips as you padded over to the other side of the room where Tom’s bed resided.

It was a tight squeeze for the two of you to lay on the same bed, not that you minded. You were pressed impossibly close to Tom’s bare chest, his arms wrapped around your middle as they had been a few moments prior. “Sorry I didn’t get to eat you out.” Tom whispered into your hair. The words made you turn to face him, one hand reaching up to push a few stray strands of hair out of his face. So this was what it was like to run your hands through his hair. It felt good. Almost too good.

“It’s okay.” you replied softly, still feeling incredibly sated in that moment, regardless. “Sorry you didn’t get to fuck me. Next time, I promise.” You tensed upon hearing the words leave your mouth. Next time. Admittedly, you didn’t know if there was going to be a next time. You weren’t sure whether you were just helping the two friends check an experience off their bucket list, or whether they would be willing to do something like this again. If that was the case, you just made a complete and utter fool out of yourself.

Nevertheless, Tom grinned at you, easing your nerves when he spoke, “Yeah. Next time.”

-----

@tom-hollands-eyelash / @ophcelia / @tiny-parker / @jackiehollanderr / @starlightfound / @thirsttrapholland / @marvelsinbin

#tom holland #harrison osterfield #tom holland x reader #harrison osterfield x reader #tom holland fanfiction

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never-not-ever · 5 years

Note

Can you share your story with us? You can do it ❤️

Thank you! It wasn’t that bad… The 8th graders this morning were paying attention which was nice but no one asked questions in the end so it was like a little awkward lol. But after that at the high school I was a part of 5 periods where the kids would shuffle in and me and my co peer mentors would sit at the front like a panel. Since there was a bunch of us we didn’t all have to present each time but I ended up doing mine twice!

Also just to preface this, my story is not the full story. The first draft I sent to the coordinator was like 10x long and over time we shortened it and tried to not make it as descriptive/triggering… but here ya go!

“Freshmen year of high school, I was sitting in class joking with my best friend about how it was going to be my last day in school. I had an annual physical with my doctor later that afternoon. This was my first doctors appointment since I started self harming. Back then I thought that the second she saw my arm I was going to get taken away by two men in white coats. I didn’t go to a psych ward that day. Instead, she asked me if I was okay and I replied “I’m fine, it was a stupid thing I did, I promise I won’t do it again”. She handed me a little white card with the name and phone number of a therapist. I often wonder what would have happened if I actually called that therapist and got help back in high school. Would the self harm have stopped? Would the suicide attempts have been prevented? Would I have graduated from college by now? Who would I be if I got help back then?

I think I had a pretty normal childhood. I didn’t have a mom and a dad but I had my Nana and my Aunt. My Nana got custody of me when I was 2 and she and my Aunt raised me my whole life. My Aunt was like my mother and everywhere we went people thought I was her daughter. I have no memory of my father. He was an alcoholic and left before my mother lost custody of me. My mother has her own problems with mental health as well as a drug addiction. We tried to have a relationship but as I grew up I saw who she really was. By the time I turned 15 I wanted nothing to do with her and I haven’t spoken to her since.

Growing up I was really close with my Aunt, she was like a mother to me, a real one. My Aunt was diagnosed with breast cancer when I was in middle school and she was constantly in relapse and remission. For months it would disappear and then all of a sudden it would come back again. I went to a small middle school with probably about 15 kids in my class. I was the biggest person in my school. At the 8th grade dance all the other girls wore cute dresses and I wore pants and a nice shirt. That wasn’t my style but I was just way too self conscious to ever wear a dress. In high school I was once again the biggest person. I had a couple close friends but I hated being around people, always fearing that they were judging me for my size. I had a friend online who introduced me to self harm. He was always bullied so he starting hurting himself as a way to cope. You see I was never bullied. I was always overweight but no one ever called me names or made fun of me, at least to my face. I was the bully. To myself. I hated the way I looked, the things I said, the way I interacted with other people. I hated everything about myself. I always scolded myself for saying or doing the wrong thing. I started self harming in my freshmen year. Back then I didn’t see a future for myself. I was so depressed that I wasn’t thinking about the consequences I’d later face because of my self harm. My depression, along with my extreme self hatred, turned my self harm into a way to punish myself.

After high school my depression and self harm got worse and I started feeling suicidal. My Aunts cancer was back and had traveled throughout her body. She passed away in April of 2012. She died at home and I watched her take her last breath. Right after she passed I ran up to my room and tore apart the suicide notes and threw away all my self harm supplies all while telling myself “I have to be there for my Nana, I can’t leave her too”. My Aunt’s death made me feel selfish for feeling depressed and suicidal. It made me think of all the people who have it worse and here I was so depressed and wanting to end my life? It didn’t make sense. But I wasn’t choosing to feel this way and I had every right to feel the way I did. It took me a while to realize that but I know now after feeling such joy and happiness I wouldn’t chose sadness and depression, no one would. For a while after my Aunt passed away I thought maybe she was watching over me and so every time I had that urge to hurt myself it was easily pushed away. The day my Aunt died it was like I put this shield up and I automatically started comforting everyone around me so I wasn’t actually grasping the fact that she was gone. Later on that fall I tried to go back to school but my depression got worse and the reality of my Aunt’s death finally came to the surface and so I ended up dropping out. The self harm started up again and it was now a full blown addiction.

Almost a year after my Aunts death I saw my first therapist and later that summer my first psychiatrist. I spent a year in therapy while working part time. I tried once again to go back to school but for the third time I dropped out. I was severely depressed, self harming and binge drinking alone in my room. I was soon admitted to a psych ward at McLean Hospital. I was there for a week and on the day I discharged I went home and attempted to end my life. The memories of that day will haunt me forever. Back then I didn’t think about how my death would effect the ones around me. When I hear suicide survivors talk about their lost loved ones it hurts to think I could have put my friends and family through that.

For years after that I started this cycle where I would feel fine, happy even, for months at a time. But then out of nowhere I’d slowly start to feel depressed again and the self harm would start up. Depression looks different for everyone but for me it’s not wanting to get out of bed. It’s pushing away friends and family, always feeling like a burden. It’s staying up until 4 am and not waking up until the late afternoon. It’s binge eating and gaining weight and climbing up past 300lbs. It’s hating everything about yourself and the person you’ve become.

I’ve had to go back to the hospital a couple times since my suicide attempt. There were no scary men in white coats like I had thought. Going to the hospital is needed if you’re in danger of hurting yourself. It’s a place to go if you can’t keep yourself safe. A couple years ago I was feeling suicidal and I vaguely talked about it on Tumblr and thankfully someone called the police. Back then I was so angry at that person but looking back they probably saved my life. During one of my hospitalizations I was diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder which was something I had never heard of before. BPD is a mental illness that consists of intense mood swings, self harm, suicidal thinking, bad body image and impulsive behaviors.

Finally I reached a point where I wasn’t constantly thinking about ending my life. I started Dialectical Behavior Therapy, the most successful therapy for helping people like me. This type of therapy can be done outside of the hospital so it allowed me to go back to work and school. It teaches you skills to help manage your emotions, maintain healthy relationships and handle stressful situations. I’ve done many different types of DBT therapy, residential, partial programs, groups and individual therapy. But I’ve finally gotten to a place in my recovery where all I need now is just therapy. It’s become a weekly place to check in and talk about any red flags before they become another spiral.

McLean hospital and DBT have literally saved my life. I mean, I saved my life but DBT taught me the skills to not destroy my relationships and myself. Today I’m in a healthy, stable relationship with my girlfriend and we’ve been together for 3 years. We just moved in together last summer and adopted two little black kittens. Last fall I passed my first classes since 2015 and I know now that I want to work in the mental health field some day. I’ve lost a lot of weight and I’m starting to feel more comfortable in this new body scars and all. I work full time as a florist manager and I’m now part of this amazing peer mentor organization. I might not be here today if someone didn’t call the police back then. I wasn’t able to reach out for help so I’m grateful that someone else was able to do it for me. It sounds cliche but it does get better and if you had told me that back then, I would have laughed in your face. After 12 years I still have urges to hurt myself and sometimes I hear a song that reminds me of the day I tried to end my life and all I want to do is sleep to escape those feelings. But it passes. The urges and the sadness and the hopelessness. It all passes. I think of my cats and how amazing it is to feel the sun on my arms. I think of things that help me chose recovery instead of resorting back to old behaviors and that’s how I know things are different now. Thank you.”

#personal #my story #mental health awareness #borderline personality disorder #depression #self harm #recovery

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potaetaezz · 5 years

Text

|| Sweet Like Coffee || 10

prev << >> next

pairing: Nct Dream x Reader [female]

genre/au: fluff | teeny bit of angst (to come) | enemies to lovers | Everyone is just a clueless bunch of weirdos, you get the drill… or so you thought.

warnings: slight swearing, immature content, underage drinking

A/N: its’s my first fanfic so no judgment lol | Jaemin is getting friskyyy | Longer Chp | here we go~

_____________________________________

You did end up regretting it. But not what you expected.

Your lips didn’t meet Jaemin’s, and a part of you was grateful. Something happened to you when you were with him, it was like the rest of the world didn’t exist. You could say anything to him, do anything with him, and there would be no consequences, no regrets. That of course, wasn’t true. The minute you left you regretted your explanation, your candidness of your emotions, your feelings that won you over. You regretted the ‘I care’. You did care, something inside of you was making that very clear. But you didn’t want to. You couldn’t even distinguish how you cared, or in what way.

There was a darkness, a greyness that inked his eyes, that told you to fall for him. There was a loss of control around him. You hated that. But most of all, you hated his ‘type’. His arrogance, his ego, his cockiness. Everyone always wants the ‘bad boy’, but not you. You craved someone who was good for you, someone who treated you right. Someone like Jeno. But Jaemin was confusing your thoughts, haunting your dreams. And you knew, that if you kissed him, those hazy shadowed dreams would come true. Sadly.

What you needed most right now, what you needed most whenever your emotions became too intimate, was space. You decided to take a step back from Jaemin that day. To take a step back from his bad influence, his dark, bitter eyes, his warmth. You didn’t like when your emotions became too inflamed, overly tenacious. For when your heart was aflame, it was all too easy to be swayed, by emotion, by luring eyes. You needed control, for if your feelings took over your power, took over your actions, you could make some very impulsive, unbearably regrettable decisions.

[7:09am]

You woke up to someone gently singing. A soft but hoarse voice. Lila.

‘How many people have the keys to my apartment??’

“Oh good your awake! Look Haechan’s party, we need-“

“Woah, Lila calm your shit okay, is that even today??”

Haechan’s parties were said to be unreal, and even that was an understatement. Crowds of people flowing in from anywhere to meet people, make bad decisions and have fun. No one knew anyone there, or barely anyone, and that’s what was so compelling. Haechan was basically a modern Gatsby in party terms. Of course, it would be amazing to let loose, have a drink, dance a bit. But you weren’t as sociable as Lila, and you couldn’t drink as much as Renjun.

Renjun used to be like you, a little bit shy yet speckled with gregarious traits. But he befriended Haechan last year, and since then he could chug a naggin of vodka like it was water. And as for Lila, put her in the middle of any social gathering and she’d shine. You just- you didn’t know where you’d fit in - at the party.

“Yes, yes it is. Sooo what are you wearing?”

“Wearing? If I’m going uhm jeans—”

She interrupted before you could finish, with a half-suppressed laugh emerging. “Oh no honey, it’s a Halloween party.”

Leave it to Haechan to throw a Halloween party 2 weeks early.

“I’ll see.” You spit out, eyes smiling as Lila’s beamed.

———

Sitting down, staring at the empty whiteboard, you could feel something on you. A stare. Someone’s eyes mesmerising your figure, capturing you intently. Your back burned from the glare. You turned around. Fast. In hopes of catching the culprit with smoldering eyes.

Haechan. What a surprise. He always knew how to catch one's attention.

He quirked his eyebrows and passed a note to you. Once you gripped it, you could tell Jeno was curious beside you. Peering intently into its contents.

‘You better come to the party. This is a personal invitation y/n.’

‘What a Gatsby move.’

You crumbled the note in one hand and shoved it into your bag, making sure both of them watched. He wasn’t going to influence your decision. If you were going, it would be for Lila, or for yourself. Not for some guy.

Your eyes gazed up to Jeno instinctively. He was focusing intently on the work on the board. ‘There has to be something beyond his smile’ you thought, ‘Eyes full of lust, some tantalising charm behind that innocence.’ Your blood warmed at the thought.

“So are you going?” his voice brought you back to reality.

You assumed he was on about Haechan’s party. “I don’t know” You chuckled lightly.

“You should.” His smile almost persuaded you, right there and then.

There was an attraction in his gaze, and you knew hoped he felt it too. You were falling deeper into the wrath of his smile, and you liked it. You wished nothing more than to reach over and fuse your smile with his. Nothing more than to simply talk with him, read with him, stay with him. Your feelings grew deeper and you hadn’t even noticed. Spending time with Jaemin really did confuse you. Little were you aware of how deep your feelings ran, in your veins, in your pulse. Little did you know how your tensions drowned away with the smile on his face. You weren’t an affectionate, sappy person, and you definitely weren’t good at expressing or understanding your emotions. Oh but only if you were. Haechan’s party would’ve gone a lot differently.

———

Arriving home, you noticed Ten was already there. Sitting right in front of the television, remote control in his hand.

“How was school?” He asked, trying to act brotherly.

“Do you care?” you laughed.

“Not really.” and he smiled brightly. “You going to Haechan’s party?”

You shook your head. As much as you like socializing, reading a book snuggled up with chamomile tea in your hand definitely beat it. During your final class, you had reached the conclusion that you were not going. You didn’t see the point, and at home, you could catch up on many missed episodes of your new binge tv show. ‘They’ll be fine without me’.

lunalila560 : comin to Haechan’s?? [5:53]

imaginey/n :nahhh, too tired [5:55]

——

[6:16]

A knock came from the door and in stepped Lila. She brought with her a huge blue gear bag filled with her most stylish clothes and makeup, because your most stylish clothes were probably your Christmas pajamas. She wore a short pink dress, with a black cropped denim jacket resting delicately on her shoulders. Black heels embraced her slender feet. Her hair was tied in two loose braids, with white glitter sprinkled casually over. Her makeup was classic with a dash of extra glitter to contrast. She was beautiful as always, and you were still in your pajamas, stuffing your face with popcorn as if watching a fashion show.

“Okay so…” she began. She held out a clothes hanger, your new Halloween costume hanging from it. “You’re coming, I don’t care what you say.”

You rolled your eyes but didn’t protest. Lila had clearly put effort into your costume, knowing fully well you would’ve actually worn jeans. She was always so organised like that.

“So what am I?” You sat on the edge of the couch, leaning into her beaming eyes, curious of her plans.

“Lara Croft.”

You nearly choked on air as your eyes filled with uncertainty. Ten chimed in with appreciation. You shook your head but she argued; “Just trust me.”

Lila knew you so well, too well in fact. The outfit was unarguably perfect for you. Not too revealing, comfortable, something you could dance in. She wanted you to wear shorts, but knowing you, she chose green cargo pants with a slit around the thigh instead.

She plaited your hair, pulling out the messy bits at the front. Made your makeup look effortlessly casual. Smeared brown paint like ‘dirt’ on your body and grey tank top. Tied a bandage around the slit in your pants as if you were injured. And of course, who could forget a (toy) gun in your hand. You couldn’t deny you actually liked it.

———

Lila walked beside you up Haechan’s driveway, wearing her version of ‘Jessica Rabbit’. Your breath trembled. You could already hear the music. There were a few people outside. You were late, by approximately 2 hours, which meant the party already started. You gulped. Butterflies dancing in your stomach. No. Wasps, stinging.

By the time you had reached the porch, it was too late. Lila’s arm linked in yours preventing your escape. The sweat clammed your palms, and your armpits, which you prayed the dirt could hide the stains. Before Lila grabbed the doorknob, her eyes met yours. Telling you that it was going to be okay, that it was safe, that you should breathe. Little did she know the reason for your racing heart. But before you could blink, she pulled the door open, music shrieking in your ears.

The party was loud, real loud.

The house was beautifully designed, but there were way too many people to appreciate it. The place was crowded, people everywhere, streaming from the top of the stairs, out of the innumerable rooms up there, and people headed straight into the kitchen downstairs, or what you assumed was the kitchen. The lighting was dim, you could barely make out Lila’s face beside you. People were hanging over banisters, screaming, chanting. Music blaring, deafening your ears. And everyone was clearly very, very drunk.

Lila’s shout met your ear, yet you barely heard her; “Kitchen….drink?”

It didn’t matter for her hand tugged yours into a room, the kitchen. You bumped into everyone, dancing, laughing. You focused your eyes on the floor. You weren’t ready to recognise people yet. You needed alcohol for that. And lucky for you, you were nearly there.

You looked up when Lila came to a halt.

‘Holy shit.’

There wasn’t enough counter to hold all the bottles. From vodka to whiskey, it had everything. You didn’t know where to start. Lila did, however, as she shoved a cup filled with something in your hand. Before you knew it, you too were laughing. You were very nearly drunk on the atmosphere, on the music. You took a gulp of the vile concoction before you felt the heavyweight of a stare settling on you. That familiar glare. You quickly forgot about it as Lila refilled your drink. If anything was going to make this night easier, it was alcohol.

“You came!”

Renjun screamed beside you. He had a rather large glass in his hand.

“Ms.Croft.” He added, “enchante.”

A laugh escaped your mouth easily, “And what may you be?”

“Ayy matey, tis’ I, Jack Sparrow.” He completely failed the accent, but A for effort.

“How fitting.” you quirked your eyebrows, “a pirate always does have a drink in his hand.”

He bowed, his pirate hat falling off. Then, nearly collapsing on the floor with laughter. You couldn’t help but laugh with him.

Your eyes wandered to Lila who was already talking up a ‘Joker’.

The alcohol buzzed in your veins, your body warming up to its comfort. You followed Renjun to another lively room. He began chatting aimlessly with people, and you stood beside him. Your body swayed to the music, feeling looser than it did an hour ago. You were lost in conversation when a finger tapped your back. You turned to see Haechan, standing a touch too close.

“Pleasure to see you here.” His voice engulfed in lure.

“Pleasure to be here.” Words slipped easily.

“Nice gun.” He sniggered, eyes judging it but the smile on his face loving it. You held it out, pointing it at him. You pressed the trigger, releasing a pathetic squirt of water. His hands were up before you could attempt a wink.

He was dressed in a suit, a very Gatsy suit.

He held out a drink, one that smelled sweet accompanied by a strawberry floating on top. He winked, properly, as your hand grasped it. A wink followed by that carefree laugh. You spent some time with Haechan, talking about things you couldn’t remember, drinking things you couldn’t distinguish and dancing, as awfully as you’d imagined. The alcohol began to race, rush through you, bubbling, fizzing. You lost track of time, of faces, of songs.

“Have you seen Jeno?” you asked.

“Oh, lover boy? Nope.” he laughed

Your heart sagged just slightly. You reminded yourself that these parties last all night.

‘I’ll see him later.’

Yet again, you felt a set of eyes find you within the growing crowd. It wasn’t Haechan, you soon realised for you were with him, dancing. You scanned the room, but there was no one you recognised.

Until there he was, walking sauntering down the stairs, holding your gaze. His eyes wandered from yours to your ripped tank top, down to your boots. Taking in all of you. His stare full of deceit and depth, but none the less intoxicating. He stopped in front of you, looking down at you, into you. His teeth taunted his lip, bit his lip. A smirk pulling at the corner of his mouth. Haechan disappeared, everyone disappeared, as if it was only you and him in the room.

You pulled out your gun, a smile taking over your mouth. “Hands up, Jaemin.”

He did as he was told, hands following your order.

“And don’t you dare bite that lip.” You added, confidently.

You traced his outline. His body embraced by a black suit. A white shirt peeking out behind his blazer. A black bowtie drawing your eyes to his neck, and then back up to his gaze. While you were admiring his suit, he pulled his own gun out to point at you.

“Fair play.” he chuckled.

“What even are you?”

“You see, Ms.Croft” he began with that deep voice of his, “I was going to be your prince charming, but now, I’m your savior. It’s Jaemin, Na Jaemin.”

You couldn’t hold back a giggle as he winked. He surely was charming, but he was definitely no prince.

You forgot a lot, but the alcohol wasn’t going to let you forget how close you had been before. How close you had been to his bitten lip or his deceitful stare.

“Care for a drink?” he asked.

“Of course.” but this time it was you who winked.

It was when the drink met your lips that his head turned to the corner of the room. Yours followed. It was dark, you were borderline drunk, but you could always spot Jeno in a crowd.

You dropped your drink. Your breath hitched.

Jeno wasn’t smiling at you, he didn’t even notice you. He was too busy sticking his tongue down some girls throat. His hands roaming her body, his mouth desperate, his teeth tugging at her lip. He was on fire yet your eyes watched, like ice.

You knew there was a part of him that was aflame, seduction lurking inside of him, he just didn’t want to show you. Disappointment tugged at your heart. You wanted to look away, but you couldn’t. You were frozen. You didn’t feel jealous or hurt (maybe a little bit). You felt pathetic, stupid for letting yourself believe that even the tiniest part of him was interested in you. Stupid for beginning to like him.

His mouth tore away from her, taking in oxygen when his eyes found you. Found you staring right back at him, at the girl, at their intensity. You almost saw a dim speck of regret in his eyes, but it was too dark to be true.

You panicked, his eyes still watching you. You looked to the ground, and then to Jaemin. His expression changed, from understanding to pure desire. You inched closer, making sure Jeno’s eyes were locked on you. You closed the gap between your beating heart and Jaemin’s. He looked into your eyes as if he was searching for something. Temptation speckled his iris. His hot breath meeting your cheek. Control disappearing from your grip.

Slowly, the music faded and so did the crowd, so did Jeno. It felt like it was just you two in the room, alone, a fraction away from each other. Your heart raced, breath shaky. His mouth searched for your ear, his voice ragged; “You’ll regret this.”

You opened your mouth to speak when his lips crashed against yours. You pulled away for an instant to see lust overtaking his gaze. Then he devoured you, lips moving in rhythm. Body melting into his. You could taste the desperation in his mouth, feel the want on his tongue as it plunged down your throat. His breathy sounds taunted your ear. His hands worked their way around your body, feeling each crevasse, each line until they settled a bit lower than your waist. Pulling you impossibly closer. His teeth teased your lips. Your mouth felt bruised but you couldn’t let go.

His kiss was intoxicating. His passion ignited something in you. You couldn’t hold back a slight moan as his lips moved to your neck. Your fingers intertwined with his hair, pulling it. Want racing through your veins. His tongue demanding more of you, until you broke away, gasping for air. For a moment you tasted the alcohol on his breath, and it brought you back to reality.

His smirk settled on you again.

His mouth dived for your ear once more, nibbling slightly before his hoarse voice spoke.

“He’s still watching.”

_____________________________________

See you next time -> Wednesday 23rd xx

_____________________________________

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sailorshadzter · 5 years

Text

dog park date

a bonus chapter to this mini series

i couldnt help but to write this out after mentioning their first date in the second chapter. i couldnt even find the motivation to write the third chapter until i finished this one. so here it is lol.

Sunday morning.

She's spent a ridiculous time in front of her bedroom mirror, frustrated by her lack of clothing and the anxiety she's begun to feel. It's true, she's not done this in a long time. Once, she had sworn off dating and men in general. After Joffrey, though, who could blame her? Joffrey had been of a caliber all his own- arrogance and violence all wrapped up in one single man. And yet... His smile was charming, his golden hair like that of a hero from a story book. Sansa had fallen hard for him and in the beginning, things had felt perfect, almost too perfect.

Looking back, there had been signs- of course there had, but she was blinded by the brightness of being in love for the first time. She recalled the first time they argued, about a night she spent with Margaery, far later than the time she had thought to be home. The fight ended when Joffrey smashed her phone in a fit of rage. Sansa had fled their shared flat that night, opting to spend a night at home instead, though she never told her parents the truth of her stay. She wishes she'd never gone back to that flat, back to him, but she had... And it was the worst mistake of her life.

Knock, knock.

Sansa turns towards the door, pulled from the past and the tangle of her thoughts to face her younger sister who stands there, dark hair pulled back in a tight top knot, Nymeria hovering in the doorway behind her. "You're gonna be late," she says as she steps further into the room, avoiding the discarded clothes that litter the floor. Clearly, her usually well dressed and fashionable sister was struggling. Sansa makes a face at her and turns back to the mirror, once again surveying the reflection it shows. "You look fine," Arya goes on as she sinks onto the bed, though she must shove over a few shirts to find a spot to sit. Nymeria lays down beneath her feet, though her eyes do not close as she too blinks up at Sansa. "It's just a walk in the park."

"I seem to remember someone who worried about what they wore on their first date with Gendry...." Sansa shoots her sister a smirk in the mirror, triumphant when the young girl blushes despite herself. Arya is not easy to poke fun at- except when it came to Gendry. "You really think this is alright?" She turns back to face her little sister, arms outstretched to give her a better look. It takes a moment but then Arya nods, giving her a quick thumbs up. Sansa sighs but gives a single nod of her own, knowing at this point she didn't have time to change again anyways. This was it. "Don't forget, Jory will pick you up at noon to go see mum," Arya nods, following after Sansa as she heads out of her bedroom.

Arya had come to live with the month before. Her little sister had always been a bit on the wild side, like their aunt Lyanna, their father said, but ever since their mother's illness had resurfaced... Arya was having trouble dealing. And so Sansa had decided it was best for everyone if Arya came to stay with her awhile. It seemed to be helping... at least, Sansa hoped it was. "I'll see you tonight, alright?" Sansa smiles down at her little sister and raises her hand in a wave as she clips Lady's leash into place. "Later!"

Out into the sunshine of the late morning, Sansa allows Lady full control of her leash, keeping surprisingly slack grasp for a dog like Lady. But her sweet Lady was gentle, soft, quite unlike the way she looked and quite like the name she's been given. The wolf dog was often assumed to be prone to violence- wild animals, people on the street would say, but Lady was far from it. Truthfully, all of the pack had turned out quite docile, though Grey Wind had always snapped his jaws when irritated, though fitting for Robb's companion. She could still remember how Robb would snap in an instant, laying to waste any bully, grown or child, with his sharp wit and intelligence.

Her thoughts turn from her brother instead to Jon, who has caught her gaze just up ahead of her. He's knelt down on the corner, just outside the gate that leads into the local dog park, grinning as he pats his great, white dog on his head. For a moment, all of the breath leaves her body; here in the sunshine, she catches a glimpse of him she's yet to have. Jon wears a white t-shirt, basic but it suits him, and it reveals to her what she's been wondering all this time- just how muscular was he? Turns out, its the perfect amount. His dark curls are tightly secured in a knot at the back of his head, something she's very attracted to, and his dark jeans look well worn, as if they're his favorite pair. "Sansa, hey." He notices her almost too quickly, rising up from where he knelt as she approaches. Before she can respond, Ghost is surging forward and Lady is greeting him just as excitedly, as if they were long lost friends. "Well, they like each other, huh?" Jon jokes and Sansa laughs, the sound sending waves of pleasure down his spine.

In truth, he's not sure how he managed to stand up and speak to her. She's a stunning vision in her light colored denim, skin tight down to the ankle, her top a slightly oversized graphic tee that's been ripped down into a sharp, deep neckline, tantalizing him in the worst (and best) of ways. Her red hair is pulled back in a sleek ponytail on top of her head and the length of it still amazes him. "No gun today, huh?" She asks, her voice bringing him out of his stupor.

"No," he laughs, shaking his head as they fall into step along the pathway. It's prime time for the dog park and so there comes laughter and voices from all around them, the barking of different dogs floating along the breeze. "Even I get a day or two off a week." In truth, he gets three, but that's because of the long hours. "How about you? What kind of work do you do to score weekends off?"

She blushes, surprising him, and she licks her rosy lips as if she's thinking about what to say. "Well, I'm a student, mostly," she admits with a quick smile, loosening her grip on Lady's leash so the dog can catch up with Ghost, who runs ahead. "I had a job but..." She can't admit that she had to quit her job because of Joffrey so she says the first thing that comes to her mind. "It was interfering with my studies, so I'm just taking a break until the end of the semester." Now, that wasn't entirely a lie, anyways.

"You must go to U of W, huh?" He asks to which she nods. "What are you studying?"

"I want to be a music teacher," she grins, thinking already of the small children she's guided through a spring concert during her time as a student teacher this last semester. "For little kids." She thinks a lot about taking an extra course or two, to add music therapy to her degree, but with her mother being ill, she's barely had the time for her regular classes, let alone a few additional ones.

Jon thinks back to those two nights at the bar, the sound of her voice always an echo in his mind... "Any kid that has you for a teacher would be pretty lucky," he admits without hesitation, bringing another rush of color to her cheeks. They turn onto another path, this one leading to a fenced off chunk of land that the dogs can run leash free. When Lady and Ghost are rushing excitedly out into the open, the other dogs in the distance barking as they approach, the two of them find a seat on one of the benches that sit against the fence. "I meant to ask... Your mom, how is she?"

Sansa blinks, genuinely surprised by the question he's just asked. She sits up a little straighter, their shoulder brushing as she shifts. "She's doing great, actually, I think hopefully she'll get to go home in a few weeks." The most recent prognosis had been a good one and Sansa can only hope that it's a matter of time before she's considered "well" again. "My father will be glad to have her home and my brothers, too." She smiles, thinking of the little boys she's left behind in the North, at home.

"That's great!" Jon says, truly meaning it, recalling the heartfelt wish of her last song. "Where does your family live? You're not from down here," like him, her voice carries the distinct Northern accent, though from differing areas. "Northern, am I right?" He thinks she must be from the Vale, that red hair of hers certainly reminded him of the Tully's in Riverrun. "Where are you from?"

She blushes again and looks away, momentarily distracted by the sound of Lady's bark. "Well, I told you my name was Sansa Stark, didn't I?" She shoots him a somewhat sheepish glance, blue eyes shining in the morning sunlight. That's right... Jon realizes, recalling that night when she had told him her name, though it hadn't registered with him what that might have meant. "My father is Eddard Stark."

"You're the daughter of the Warden of the North?" Jon exclaims, unable to contain his shock at what she's just told him. So he was right about that Tully red hair, considering who her mother was. Though united under a single king, the kingdom of Westeros was divided into nations, governed by someone chose by the king himself, to rule in his name, as of course he could not be in every nation at once. The governor of each kingdom was like a king all his own.

She cringes, unable to help it, though she smiles all the same. "Yeah, he is," she confirms with a quick nod. It's not that she's ashamed of who she is or who her family is, but being attached to the Stark name, to the name of a family who's head runs an entire kingdom... It can be daunting. The expectations were higher, she was raised differently than the other young women she attends University with. With that comes privilege and coming to school here has opened her eyes to the many blessings she's been given in life. But.. Even so... She had always wanted more than what her parents had wanted for her. Coming to university had been her only way of rebelling against them, choosing to study music and pursue a career of her own outside of running the North.

"That's incredible," Jon kicks himself mentally for not realizing this sooner. "So your family lives up North still?" He's somewhat surprised that Eddard Stark had allowed his daughter to stray so far from home. It was rumored that the Stark's were untrusting of those outside their bubble of the North, of Winterfell. Though, Eddard Stark's oldest friend was their King, Robert Baratheon, so Jon supposes he felt he could trust his daughter would be safe in the South.

"My father lives North still, with my brothers, and my mother.. Well the best hospitals are here in the South, so..." She trails off, raising her shoulders in a shrug. "I moved here for school because I wanted something of my own. Being part of my family..." Another pause, a strained sort of smile toying with her rosy lips. "I've been what they wanted my entire life. I wanted something that was only mine, not something they gave me or something that they wanted me to want. But... When I left, that's when Robb... That's when Robb was killed. And not long after that was my mother's first diagnosis." It was also when she had first met Joffrey. Sometimes, irrational as it is, she can't help but to wonder if she was the cause of her family's pain and Joffrey had been her punishment. She had moved to King's Landing despite her parents wishes and Robb had come along to "protect her" as he'd put it, deciding to enroll in the University alongside her. Before anyone knew it, he was dead and their mother was ill. "I'm sorry," she's blushing again, "that was a lot to dump on you." Again, she's struck by how easy it is to talk to him.

For a moment, Jon is silent. "I kind of understand what you mean," he admits after a moment more. "I grew up mostly on my own," he shakes his head when she looks up surprised, mouth opening to apologize. "But I never felt like I had something of my own. I didn't have a family, so I didn't have much. I guess that's why I joined the Special Forces." Back then, he had hoped to find family among comrades, to find something worth fighting for. Worth living for. "I came South to find what I've always felt like I was missing." He's never told anyone these things, but looking into her clear blue eyes, Jon knows he could probably tell her anything.

Sitting there in the sunshine, staring into his eyes, Sansa knows something is about to change. She can feel it in the air, hear it in the whisper of the wind. She opens her mouth to speak, but she can't find the words to say. In truth, it almost feels better without words. It's as if they understand each other, despite the silence of the moment. No moment has ever felt like this before, super charged with electricity that flows through her veins. She wonders if he can feel it too.

He can.

It takes everything in him not to reach for her, to touch her hand, to feel what her skin feels like against his own. They fall back into easy conversation after a few more moments of static silence and Jon finds he quite enjoys the easy going sound of her laughter. He wills himself to be wittier, if only to bring another smile to her face.

Later, when the morning has faded into early afternoon, they stand at the bottom of the stone steps that lead up to her home. "I had a lot of fun," she says, bobbing on her feet, ponytail swinging with her every movement. "And it looks like they had too much fun," she giggles, gesturing down at the dogs that have laid themselves down on the sidewalk at their owners feet, tired out from a long morning of running and playing.

Jon chuckles as he tugs on Ghost's leash, urging the dog back up onto his paws. "Maybe next time we'll have to leave the slowpokes behind, I guess they can't keep up." Sansa feels her heart skip a beat. Next time? He wants there to be a next time? "I'll call you, okay?" He goes on and she pulls herself from her mind, nodding quick. "See you, Sansa."

"Bye, Jon." She feels almost... Empty... Yes, that's it, empty, when he walks away from her. Perhaps he feels it too, for on the corner he pauses, turning back around to look for her. She still yet stands there on the sidewalk and so she raises her hand in a silent gesture of goodbye. Jon returns her wave and then disappears around the corner, leaving her with no other choice but to head inside.

When she steps inside, she finds Arya laying on the floor in the den, Nymeria beside her. "Hey." Her younger sister calls out, raising herself up onto an elbow so she can turn to face Sansa as she sinks down onto the couch. "Mum says hi," she rolls over and sits up to pat Lady who has dropped down onto the floor beside Nymeria. "So..?"

"So what?"

Arya rolls her eyes, leaning in to give Sansa's calf a gentle punch. "Sooo, is there going to be another date?"

A smile toys with Sansa's lips before she gives a single nod. "I think so. I hope so."

[ x x x ]

It's as she's dumping the dishes from dinner into the sink that Sansa hears her phone beeping with an oncoming call.

Wiping her hands off on a dish towel, she waves a smirking Arya away and can't stop her heart from skipping a beat at the sight of the name on the screen. "Hey," she says when she answers, sounding way more easy going than she feels. In truth, she's fearful that her heart might beat right out of her chest there in the kitchen.

"Hi," Jon's tenor vocals are smooth through the phone. She can almost imagine him on the other end, leaning against his kitchen counter, Ghost at his feet. "I know there's some rule about waiting to call, but I..." He trails off and surely he must be shaking his head to clear his mind. "I couldn't wait."

"I'm glad you didn't," she's barely breathing as she sinks into her usual chair at the table.

On his end, Jon is smiling, her admission giving him the confidence to continue on. "I want to see you again. Soon." He can't keep her out of his mind, out of his heart. Somehow, already, she's found a place within him. "Tell me when."

A beat of silence and then comes a response.

"Tomorrow... Tomorrow evening."

Jon inwardly rejoices and he nods, though she cannot see him. "Tomorrow. Seven thirty? I'll pick you up." When she says yes, Jon feels true joy rush through him. They talk for a few moments longer before hanging up, though almost at once Jon feels that almost familiar feeling of longing. How can someone he knows so little have such a magnetic pull upon him?

That night as he crawls into bed, Jon hears his phone buzz on the side table.

Reaching for it, he smiles when he opens the message, pleasantly surprised to see a photo before any words. She must be laying in her bed, the only source of light from that of her phone as she snaps the photo; Lady is laying across her chest, clearly passed out after her long day. He glances down at Ghost asleep on the floor beside his bed and smiles. Good night, is all it says, but it's enough... It's more than enough.

Just before she dozes off, Sansa hears her phone beep. Good night, sleep well, I'll see you tomorrow, is all he's written, but it moves her unlike anything else ever could. Such a simple message, but somehow, coming from him, it means something new. Something wonderful. It is the start of something new and exciting.

The start of something special.

#jonsa #jon x sansa #modern au #i wrote this #my writing #this has literally been in my drafts for weeks #ITS FINALLY FINISHED #its over 3k words but its DONE.

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lizzybeth1986 · 5 years

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Quick Thoughts on TRH Book 1 Chapter 7

• More YEEHAW with a dash of bachelorette action, a sprinkle of rollin'-in-the-hay (literally) and one big dollop of "oh we're poor" to set up for next week's chapter.

• Screenshot credits:

Hana: @pixieferry

Drake: @thefirstcourtesan and BizzysChoices YouTube channel (@thefirstcourtesan also sent screenshots for Penelope's dancing scene from her Liam MC playthrough).

Maxwell: @thethots-plicken

• These are the tags you can block if you don’t want to see these posts: #long post, #trh quick thoughts, #trh qts, #trh qt reblogs.

• This is the only chapter that could potentially have no men in it, and you deliberately force the focus away from Hana? Now if that doesn't sound like the TRR writing team then I don't know what does.

• Why is Madeleine here? Go climb a pine tree in Fydelia or something.

• If you're going to give Drake a whole extended family, PB, at least get the family straight? Who is Leona, is she Bianca's sister? Jackson's sister? WHOSE SISTER IS SHE.

• Title: A Night Out In the Town

Alternative Title: The Mandatory Annual Courtly Maidens Meetup

Alternative to the Alternative Title: Hana Lee and the Audacity of this Bitch

(you know which one)

• This chapter works mostly for the nostalgia factor. There's plenty of it in these scenes.

• Bachelor parties and bachelorettes have pretty much been a long-standing tradition in TRR - there's always going to be that one chapter where someone gets a sendoff via a wild party (exactly how wild really depends on whoever is throwing it). The MC meets most of the original gang (except Hana) at Liam's bachelor party, and there have been at least 5 bachelor/bachelorette parties in the series so far (counting this one). I won't be surprised if they gave Penelope a dude in TRR Book 3 just for the express purpose of having another excuse to have another bachelorette party next book.

• The one really good thing about this chapter? It's that Hana will not stand for any nonsense from Madeleine:

She's not going to pretend Madeleine deserves to hold any space among her circle of friends, or even of acquaintances. She's not going to allow Madeleine to get away with not following the rules of an event she's planned, not when Madeleine failed to show the same courtesy to women in her court. If Madeleine insists on badgering the MC about her 'pregnancy', Hana is here to defend you. The message is loud and clear. This is Hana Lee's show, she is running it, and if you can't listen to what she says you can fall on a cactus.

• I only wish we were able to give her the kind of loyalty and protection from Madeleine, that Hana deserved. She did not deserve for us to allow the bullying done to her, to be brushed aside as a hazing ritual. Hell, even while knowing what Madeleine did to her, we didn't even get to check up on her.

Hana did not deserve for us to pretend that never happened to her, and she definitely did not deserve to have her own pain be treated over and over in the narrative like it didn't matter. Even now, her no-nonsense behaviour is rooted firmly in her concern for other people, like the MC and Savannah. Why can't the team ever allow Hana to do this for herself? Why can't the other characters ever step in to defend her the same way? Why am I allowed to (optionally) coddle Penelope twice in today's chapter in a way I never can for Hana?? Why should Hana always be the one protecting but hardly ever the one protected??

• So the ladies of the court have arrived, leaving a puzzled Bianca and a perpetually pissed-off Leona in their wake. Hana explains the situation: she invited Kiara, Olivia and Penelope along. Madeleine invited herself for the sole purpose of being nosy.

• ...in what universe is Madeleine a "public relations angel". Have you SEEN how badly you did your own job the last book??

• Olivia and Madeleine can't last two minutes without sniping at each other and this makes Savannah sad (not that they care, they're enjoying the back-and-forth banter) The MC elicits a promise from the two that Olivia will not stab Madeleine, and Madeleine will not "mentally and emotionally break Olivia". What's with Madeleine and constantly wanting to break people?

• Also you really think you can emotionally break Olivia??? She's from Lythikos, you pineapple!

• Hana mentions shopping to Bianca and Leona, and we have yet another hint that all is not well at the ranch.

• The ladies change at a store nearby, to outfits that suit the rustic theme for the event. Which means Savannah gets the opportunity to dress a little more glam on this day, and the ladies of the court get to dress down a bit. Well...except for Olivia, who prefers to change into her red Coronation gown. Here are the girls in order of preference:

Okay first off - I have to say this - FULL BODY SPRITES FOR THE LADIES FINALLY OMG!!! It's the first time I'm actually seeing them all like this: the last time we managed to see a change of outfits was when we had to choose their outfits for the wedding, and even then only the half-body sprites were used. The fact that we never get to see Olivia in a different outfit kind of makes me feel like they might be saving her sprite for a bigger diamond scene? Idk.

• Also how did no one either notice nor point out that Olivia was still wearing a gown?

• Hana stays in the outfit she wore the previous day, and you get to choose whether she keeps the hat or not. The denim short skirt and brown shrug is a lovely outfit on Kiara, and I like the necklace Penelope has on. I think my favourite is Savannah's? I love the rhinestones, the embellished belt, the flower design, and it's a beautiful silver colour that compliments Savannah's skin tone.

• Savannah may annoy the hell out of me but one thing you can't deny about her is she's HELLA fashionable (remember the Drake engagement scene where he says the lavender coloured dress was her choice? That dress was super pretty).

• The MC wearing gold for bachelorettes is kind of a theme with her now lol. Started with the gold theme for Madeleine's bachelorette, then a theme where she wore gold and everyone else was supposed to wear black for her own, and now every going country - but she and Savannah get to bring on the bling.

(Fun Fact: Both Madeleine's and Savannah's bachelorettes take place in Chapter 7 of their respective books, with very different outcomes)

• Our first stop after the country makeover is the bar! Which is Hana's choice, because she is the kind of lovely, wholesome human being who will fully commit to research for her friend's sister's bachelorette party.

Why are you lying Hana.

• So the MC helps Hana out first my selecting drinks. You have 5 options to choose from: beer, cocktails, champagne, one of those fire drinks, and sparkling water. Savannah is doubtful and then excited to try the fire drinks, loves fruity cocktails and enjoys the bubbly. Olivia is impressed when Savannah chugs her fire drink. Kiara is amazed at the sight of beer coming in bottles. Penelope is disappointed if we decide to order a very tame sparkling water. Madeleine raises her eyebrows if you try to take anything even remotely alcoholic because she has already decreed you pregnant.

• Next stop: dancing! You get to choose which lady you'd like to dance with, and if you're romancing Hana this opens up to a romantic scene!

Hana: is happy and enthusiastic if you're friends, whoops and giggles as you spin her. More slow dancing happening if you're married to her...definitely more romantic.

Kiara: is nervous at first because she doesn't know "the social mores of this establishment", but when the MC reassures her that no one cares, she lets go of her inhibitions and shakes her hips, enjoying herself.

Olivia: very competitive, is confident she can dance circles around the MC, starts doing martial arts instead. Savannah reminds her it's not a duel and Olivia's like "EVERYTHING'S A DUEL". I should take her to Kerala and have her learn kalaripayattu 😁 (also I'd be interested in seeing a three-way dance battle between Hana, Maxwell and Olivia plsthnx).

Savannah: Also enthusiastic and excited, v much the 'happy bride'. Both Savannah and the MC are comfortable in this setting.

Penelope: This comes with a reference to her social anxiety, because her initial nervousness has to do with the crowds. The MC makes space for her through dancing, and she winds up having fun while still feeling comfortable. Madeleine tries to make a smart-alec comment but pretty much no one gives a shit about her so it's okay.

Madeleine: does not exist.

• After this, Savannah shows the girls how to do a Texas Two-Step, which is baffling to them. Hana gets it down in like two minutes, and the MC depending on options can either do it perfectly, go off-beat then claim she created her own trend lol, or trip over herself and hurt her feet, following which Hana assumes she is doing the robot, and does it alongside her. Apparently she learned it during a summer class she took while her embroidery instructor was sick.

• I don't get it, what's with all these random embroidery references they keep throwing at Hana these days.

• Olivia and Kiki are still baffled by the two-step dance, so Savannah recommends more drinking! Madeleine and Olivia are competitive with each other and loving it, and Penelope and Kiara are confused about how they're supposed to drink tequila. The MC gets to show them how it's done. She can either do it right (pour the salt, drink the shot, suck the lime), or get it wrong (pour the shot, suck the salt, drink the lime). The highlight of this is definitely the last one (pour the salt, drink the salt, suck the salt!). Like, the MC actually tips the contents of an entire salt shaker into her mouth! Failplay MC is the very definition of chaotic energy.

• Kiki, like the awesome friend she is, asks Savannah if she'd like to flirt or do anything hot-guy-related, which Savannah laughs and refuses. The topic then comes around to her relationship with Bertrand and his insecurities regarding Chuck. She says she barely had a thing with him but she's afraid Bertrand might do something stupid (he might, actually). The MC can choose to reassure her.

• I don't get it like...okay? Why am I the one you're telling this to rather than your own fiancé? If he's the one having the insecurities, and you know they're there, what are you doing to alleviate that? I mean as far as I can see your aunt is pretty much dragging him the whole time for not magically acquiring ranch skills and I hardly see you even talking about that. I don't see you actually trying to talk to him. So why tell me all these things - go tell him and sort it out yourself.

• Because Savannah speaks about wanting a happy family in the wake of this conversation, the topic then returns to that of the MC's ongoing attempts to get pregnant.

• Madeleine is a nosy, entitled piece of shit. She just is. Raises her eyebrows at me when I'm drinking, makes terrible apple puns for a fetus that probably isn't even there yet, comes for a trip she's not even been fucking invited to so she can poke her entitled nose into my business. Even her show of 'sympathy' revolves around her and her problems. All this while she acts like a martyr for following a dress code (remember how she dragged Penelope for not getting a metallic dress on time and 'ruining' her dress code, but came to our bachelorette making excuses for not following our dress code?). I'm glad Hana was having none of it at least now.

The only differences between this scene in a Hana playthrough vs in the others is that Hana tries to get Madeleine to stop before the MC gets to give her answer ("Madeleine, please..."), and that she reacts sadly to the MC if she chooses to be openly sad about it.

• ...so the scene in the hotel in Chapter 5 (where the MC and Hana could talk about what Dr Ramirez said, if Hana was your LI) always had a "there, we spoke about it, now shut up" feel to me. Because now they've given the MC a voice regarding how she feels about this pregnancy (we can either deem it invasive, speak normally about it or be very, very sad and spill out how disappointed we are. The last option's dialogues is the one I put up).

It's surreal...to see an MC who can say this openly while Hana's condition and how it's affecting her is barely even addressed. It's even more surreal that even now we're still coddling Penelope to the high heavens, and how a lot of aggressive importance is still given to Olivia, while still ignoring what could be happening to Hana if she's married...or making even a chapter that has potentially no men in it about literally anyone but her.

• The nice thing is Savannah is quite supportive in all three options. Olivia diffuses the tension/seriousness by suggesting we have more drinks.

• Aha! Queen Amalas.

• So she claims she came down not to pressurize us into anything but to see the MC in an environment outside of the palace/estate and court, including how she behaves with other people. She has no friends but treats her servants well (and apparently tipped her waiter a thousand). But the little bits she adds in about our origins can be a little unnerving. While offering a Sarzac she mentions our home state New York and asks if we'd prefer a Manhattan, and suggests we would know about how important a good tip is since we worked as a waitress. The MC's reactions can range between friendly, curious or accusatory. Overall the general impression is that she's mysterious and alluring, but there's something about her that spells danger.

This is me rn:

• Anyway...so we leave with our drinks, and join the girls. Penelope is drunk and talking to a mechanical bull, Kiara is drunk and trying really hard to talk country to the same bull. Savannah deeply (I'm kidding) regrets not returning Kiara's kindness in teaching her French by teaching her American English, coz it would have saved her this moment of cringing in a bar rn.

• They raise a toast to either Savannah, or friendship, or "putting the past behind us". I don't want to raise a toast to any of these options.

• Savannah is emotional and speaks of how hard it was to fit in and how much she missed Cordonia and the people she knew in court when she was away bringing up Bartie, and how the MC "changed all that" (how??? Again, a lot of what she does is optional, not default! Plus a bulk of the work of finding her went to her own brother, and later a fumbling Bertrand - not the MC unless she really chose to help. My MC Esther gets these dialogues despite not bothering to help Savannah in any way) and how she is now friends with all of them.

• Diamond scene! The ladies of the court have never had sleepovers (for various reasons), so MC-who-had-a-way-more-normal-life to the rescue!

• We start off with a drink. Three are on offer and we get to choose one: Hana's special Hot Chocolate recipe ("like drinking a minty chocolaty hug"), Olivia's Lythikos Nog ("like drinking a buttery, spiced cloud") or the traditional Walker Hot Toddies from Savannah (basically hot water and whiskey made with lemon, honey and spices).

• Once that's out of the way, we start off with, as the MC calls it, "gossiping about our love lives". Penelope is asked first, and she gets to tell us about her ongoing relationship with Kiara's brother Ezekiel. Olivia is next, and depending on your choices she can openly speak about the fact that Liam didn't choose her, twice, and how she needs to move on. She can also choose not to talk about it if the MC tells the other ladies of the court to back off (which is funny, because the whole thing was her idea to begin with). There's not a lot of change to this dialogue in all the playthroughs, except for mentions of whether Liam was engaged to the MC or not.

• After this, the MC can choose to ask either Madeleine or Kiara the same question:

- Madeleine is defensive and reminds the MC that she "interfered" with her relationship status (wasn't even much of a relationship to begin with), but eventually makes it known that she doesn't believe in "sappy romance" and would rather marry to benefit her house or country instead (nice save there, PB).

- Kiara is surprised and fumbles with her answers, speaking at first about how busy her life currently is. But eventually she does tell you she has a type. The dialogue differs depending on whether the MC is married to Drake or not:

(Screenshots on the left are from my playthrough, and the ones on the right are from @thefirstcourtesan's Drake playthrough).

...I look at Madeleine's dialogue in this scene and need to remind myself that even broken clocks can be right twice a day.

• Repeat after me, Kiki: I deserve way better than a dude who might throw me under the bus just so he can kiss a Duchess' ass.

• Also most guys in Cordonia must have rippling abs, right. Considering that 90% of the male LIs in PB have six-pack abs.

• Interestingly, Olivia is allowed her feelings - and the confusion and mess that comes along with loving someone and not having that love returned - across playthroughs, but Kiara's has to be adjusted and shrouded in vagueness according to which MC she is speaking to. There are two factors at play there:

1. More often than not the narrative has taken Olivia's feelings more seriously than it has ever taken Kiara's. Of course part of it could be the childhood memories and the amount of time she spent with Liam, but we need to remember that the general attitude in the narrative towards Kiara's feelings constantly bordered on dismissiveness - and that wasn't even the worst of the treatment meted out to her.

2. Have you seen the amount of hate Kiara got from some Drake stans for as little as looking in the man's direction?? They'd tear her apart if she dared to even mention her crush in a Drake MC's playthrough!

• The ladies of the court now want to play literally anything else, so the MC pulls out the tried-and-tested Truth and Dare game out of her fancy cowboy hat. Here's the way it goes:

- The MC nominates Savannah, since she's the bride-to-be. Savannah goes for dare, and has to go by a nickname for the rest of the night (default: Bridechilla. I was really craving something so I went for Fried Chicken 🤣), or pose for a sexy photo which she can text to Bertrand. No response, but you can hear him faint upstairs. When asked to nominate someone, she nominates Penelope to ask a question.

- Penelope chooses Kiara, who picks 'truth'. She makes the MC choose for her instead. The MC does what the Choices universe calls a Wed, Bed or Dead which is really a way of saying FMK without having to write the F. You can give her an option between three women (Olivia, Penelope and Madeleine) or three men. Based on your playthrough, Kiara's list of men will vary (Liam, Maxwell and Bastien in a Drake playthrough, and Bradshaw, Bastien and Drake in other playthroughs). Her 'bed's are Olivia, Maxwell and Bastien, her 'wed's are Penelope (obviously), Liam (to be Queen) and Drake (also obviously), and her 'dead's are Madeleine (but obviously), Bastien and Bradshaw (coz CORDONIA RULEZ!). It's interesting to note that Kiara seems surprised/shocked by the idea when you ask her to choose between the girls, and Hana eases her into it by stating that they're all friends here. Which I found really sweet. Kiara then nominates Madeleine to choose someone.

(note: why is Savannah acting so shocked about Kiara choosing her brother for 'marry' when she spoke about liking him barely ten minutes ago???)

- Madeleine chooses Olivia, hoping to wriggle out any information about the mysterious mission Olivia seems to be on. Olivia cleverly tricks her, by reminding Madeleine that she didn't say truth or dare, and picking dare. With no option she asks Olivia to prank call someone. Olivia has three options:

1. Give Maxwell a phone call pretending to have tickets for a Celine Dion concert. He has to choose the best noble house. Sweet Maxwell cannot choose between his own house and ours, but loses out because the correct answer (obviously) is House Nevrakis lol. Savannah's best line comes from here: "Don't worry, his heart will go on" 🤣

2. Give Bertrand a call claiming to be a representative from the Cordonia Philharmonic Orchestra, and Olivia asks the same question to him. His answer is House Beaumont, without question, and Olivia gives him the same answer. The nice thing about this option is that it's coded such that if you chose Savannah's 'sexy photo' option, the narrative mentions that his voice is 'woozy' and he sounds like he recently came back to consciousness. Whereas if you chose the nickname option, these lines would not be included.

3. Give Drake a call claiming to be from a "secret whiskey enthusiast society". Drake somehow figures out that the caller is Olivia, thus leaving her very, very annoyed.

Once this is done, Madeleine nominates the MC, who chooses truth or dare instead of a person like the others did. Hana makes the suggestions this time.

If you choose dare to a single Hana, she asks you to pretend to lasso Savannah.

If you choose dare to a married Hana, she will ask you to kiss her.

If you choose truth, she asks you what law you'd pass if you had a chance, and you have to choose between a serious one like "restrictions on paparazzi", or jokey ones like naming a day after the MC or getting fancy hats from her subjects. The last one yields this adorable exchange:

- Before we can go any further, the girls notice Savannah feeling drowsy and decide to call it a night. The only people who have basically not been asked anything are Penelope (but she already did get to speak about her beau) and Hana (because no one bothers to ask her anything, she isn't even nominated).

• We return to the kitchen, where our LI is waiting for us. The MC tells them about the visit from Amalas, which the LI also views as suspicious, and the MC has a choice again in how she wants to react to this (the visit was invasive, she is impressed with Amalas' guts, she doesn't know what to make of her). They assure the MC that they'll alert the Walkers.

• LI Diamond scene! A cute scene at the hayloft where the MC and LI can have some private time away from the ranch. Those walls must be paper-thin. The first half deals with the couple talking about loving this glimpse of simplicity, and the second half has the MC choosing how she would have them seduce her. The closing bit mostly has the couple talking about how they feel at home with each other no matter where they are.

Liam: Gets a bit of a hero moment at the start of the scene, where a stray beam almost falls on the MC and he catches it. They joke about a couple of things, such as how 'adventurous' the barn is, and whether or not a rendezvous in a barn would qualify as being in the 'outdoors' 😂 In the second half of the scene, the MC can choose between a 'rough-and-tumble', or have Liam sleep with her in his usual tender way. He clearly has a preference for the second, but is more than game if the MC wants to try the first.

The music for Liam's scene, for some reason, is different (his background score for the first half is the romantic one from High School Story, and Drake's and Hana's is the romantic one from Big Sky Country. I'm not sure what Maxwell's is like because I have only seen screenshots of the scene) and he is the only LI who gets the option to keep his hat.

Ending Caption: Hay-pilly Ever After

Hana: The MC notices that Hana seems happy and at home at the ranch, and Hana points out how different the environment of the countryside ("cows outside, open air, no display cupboards") is so different from her home, where "there's gilt on the walls and silver in the display cupboards", and how she loves this space. The couple imagine together how it might have been if they met in a more humble setting (with the MC as a cowgirl and Hana as a salon owner), and how they would fall in love. In the second half, Hana expresses her desire to go a little wild, and the MC can choose between having her hands bound, or being blindfolded.

This scene tells us that Hana does an amazing impression of a Southern accent and I personally would love it if she could coach Kiara on doing one xD

Ending Caption: Country Courting

Maxwell: As he leads her to the loft, the MC has the option to point out that they have a bed, to which he quips that she's obviously not had as much camping experience as he does. They do a little dance in the barn, and they admit that they missed each other while she was gone. In the second half of the scene, the MC has the opportunity to tease Maxwell, beckoning him to chase her around the barn and catch her. I think he also tells her to "use your words" at one point.

I think this scene has the cutest ending, because they both have an impromptu yodelling duet after that.

Ending Caption: Oh, Darlin'

Drake: This scene is more nostalgic in nature because Drake is reliving his childhood, and admits that he didn't know how this trip back would turn out, or feel. He had no idea how different everything would be, nor what his emotions returning to the ranch would be like - and which Valtoria will always be home to him in some ways, the ranch's simple charm means something special to him. The couple can imagine this place to be either perfect for romance, or for bringing back their future children. In the second half of the scene, he confesses to fantasizing about the MC in the palace stables, and the couple indulge in a bit of role play. This also includes an option to take her against a wall.

The end of the scene has Drake tell the MC that being with her itself feels like a fantasy, one that sometimes still feels too good to be true....and therefore he never wants to take it for granted.

Ending Caption: Making Hay.

• We then see the couple going downstairs the next morning, where the MC manages to overhear a conversation between Leona and Bianca that indicates the ranch has no helpers before an auction that is supposed to bring in money for the wedding, and is in deep, deep trouble.

• So our next chapter will probably involve the people of the court working together to help save the ranch, perhaps some flashbacks? Idk. And perhaps because of their contributions, Leona may thaw a little. Who knows.

General Thoughts:

• Plenty of callbacks this chapter!!

- The bachelorette party itself has plenty parallels and could almost be seen as an inverse of Madeleine's bachelorette. Back then, the ladies of the court each began to express frustration and hurt at her controlling, bullying behaviour, Hana's confidence was left in tatters, Olivia was an outsider to the court not bound by their rules.

Here, Madeleine is a largely unwanted presence and pretty much everyone makes it clear that what she thinks no longer matters. Hana is at the peak of her confidence here. She makes it clear that if Madeleine wants to stay she has to follow their rules. Olivia still manifests as a mysterious outside figure, but more out of choice than out of necessity.

- The other indicator of this parallel is what Amalas tells the MC about wanting to know who she is dealing with. She mentions that she wants to see how the MC interacts with her "friends and servants", and it kind of gets me wondering just how much trouble Madeleine would have been in if a figure like Amalas managed to see her behaviour in Italy with courtiers like Penelope and Hana.

- The fire drink which the MC can optionally suggest for both Drake and Savannah to drink. Drake drinks it in a competitive spirit in his birthday party scene in Book 1, Savannah looks doubtful at first but sees it through, to which the MC will remark that "your brother would be proud".

- Savannah mentioning Bertrand giving someone at Cordonia Philharmonic Orchestra a "severe tongue lashing" 🤣 Which kinda was a term Bertrand used for himself in Book 2.

- Lady 'I didn't know I could dance until I actually did it' Kiara. In Book 2 Hana can compliment Kiara on her dancing skills, to which Kiara laughs and mentions that she had no idea she could dance either. She was super drunk back then, now she knows it while she's sober too! 😅

- Some bits in this chapter remind me of our time with the Beaumonts in Book 1? Like the scene where Penelope speaks to the mechanical bull while drunk, while kiiiinda resembles her drunken behaviour at the Beaumont Bash. Also the whole situation of helpers/staff dropping off at the last minute seems a little parallel to what happened twice to the Beaumonts? Once with the MC's boat and then with the Beaumont Bash to host the court. I kinda find that interesting because Bertrand has been in a similar situation and hopefully could feel...somewhat...useful? If he can manage to string more words together, that is.

- Hana daring her wife to kiss her during Truth and Dare, which is (if you bought that scene and actually picked that option) exactly how their first kiss happened 😁😁😁

• I kinda like it when we have chapters like these where the women of the court have a chapter to themselves, because the dynamics are fun and the women are all different in ways that tend to complement each other.

• Honestly, Savannah asking my MC to become her maid of honour was pretty jarring considering my MC doesn't care a single bit about her and has honestly done very very little (if at all) to help her. I mean I can kiiiiinda understand if the MC is her sister-in-law/future SIL via Drake or Maxwell maybe...but otherwise why couldn't Kiara be an option? How is it that Savannah mentions her struggles to fit in, yet Kiara genuinely helping her never even features? Not even once?

I honestly think that Kiara could have been as good a choice to be MoH - we could have either coded it based on our diamond choices with Savannah, or split it between MC for Drake and Maxwell stans, and Kiki for Hana and Liam stans. Or at least more of an acknowledgement of how they were friends before she left? Beyond an offhand "oh yeah you taught me French, not like that helped me in that completely foreign place where I was bringing up my baby, maybe I should have taught you to speak country". Because having Savannah give me a grand speech about how amazing I've been to her was nothing short of weird and it would have felt a lot more natural to see her at least remembering the friendship(s) she did make in court.

• In at least two points in the chapter, Penelope requires someone to handhold her into certain things. You have to create the space for her while dancing. You have to decide on what questions to ask Kiara coz Penelope doesn't want to decide those herself. I'd actually be glad about their commitment to writing her that way, if I didn't understand how much they've let Penelope get away with, and how much other characters in similar positions have to suffer because the same amount of thought is never given to them.

The failplay I did of all three books brought up a couple interesting (but also disheartening) points about how they dealt with Penelope's condition, and how they dealt with difficult situations other characters had to go through (esp Kiara and Hana). At this point Penelope just sounds extremely entitled to good treatment, without wanting to really give back much in return.

• Kiara...well...I love her in this. She was fun, tried new things out, got out of her comfort zone, and she had some marvellous lines in this chapter. I just think it's funny how huge the differences between the way Olivia's feelings are acknowledged regardless vs the way Kiara's can only be acknowledged if it doesn't affect the MC...and it kind of says something about how those feelings are viewed by those writers. Because as a reader who has been following this story thread closesly, I know the writers have either conveniently forgotten - or take very lightly - how shitty Drake has been to her.

• I mean...had it been just about him not being interested, I probably wouldn't have cared much. I would have either turned to fanfic to change that around a bit, that's something you can always do for a pair you want to see but know you can't in canon. But realizing that the man could openly suspect a woman he knew was stabbed at the same event he was shot, optionally pander to the MC's whims and dismiss what she was going through in the process, and to not feel any fucking remorse for it...I mean, Kiara doesn't deserve better just because Drake doesn't isn't interested in her - because no one should have to be obligated to show interest for another person...Kiara deserves better because this man has done very little for her in their few exchanges (esp Book 3) besides ridicule, mock, act rudely and unfairly to her, and finally getting away with the worst possible behaviour without any consequence (some of it is optional, but the suspicion was definitely default). And I know the writing will never admit that because Drake is their golden boy.

• Madeleine causes minimal damage this time and Hana totally owned her a couple times today...so I'm kinda happy with that. At least they made sure never to bring back any hints of that story they were planning with her for Hana...if there is one thing I'm only too happy they are retconning, it's that!

• Speaking of Hana - there are maybe a couple of things I'm happy about and a lot that I'm not. I like that that she can throw shade (though I wish to God they would have let her do it much earlier) at Madeleine, and my favourite bits involve Hana not allowing that woman to get away with shit that she never allowed other people to get away with when she was in power.

But there's also the fact that she's pretty much treated like the least important person in that room? Like I would have personally loved to see her be asked a cute fun question. I mean, by now both Liam and Drake have gotten individual character scenes, and I only get to see Hana in the context of a group scene with the ladies where she is mostly helping the others? I loved that we got the barn scene afterwards...but let's be honest the barn scene was mostly about the sex.

I honestly just found it weird that the one chapter with (optionally) no men in it still couldn't have some focus on her, or much effort put into her. Is asking for more than scraps for her, too much to ask for? (I feel like the answer to that would be yes).

• Olivia is upto something, and the livestream apparently hinted at her being important to the story. I mean what's new about that? Olivia is a favourite of the writers and they will continue to favour her while Hana is still relegated to the sidelines (and so will a huge chunk of this fandom). No lie, I really like Olivia, but why the heck aren't you giving the lone female LI that much attention?

• I also wonder how much of her mysterious work has to do with the reading up she was telling us about in the last book's epilogue.

• Queen Amalas...I still don't know what to make of her - she's a pretty interesting mix of intrigue and invasiveness I think. She's flirty and teasing, but the way she slipped in those tidbits about our past definitely raised my hackles a little bit. Could be a red herring...could be more. Who knows.

• The Olivia and Madeleine dynamics were great...Kiara is still an awesome, encouraging friend to Penelope, but for me the highlight was Hana and Kiara's bonding (that exchange about hats definitely was a winner).

(Is part of my joy because I ship them? Yes. Yes it is. You can pry that ship outta my cold dead hands PB!)

• The barn scene was lovely: it was nice that the couples got to explore their more adventurous/homely sides in the first half of the scene, and were able to go completely wild for the second half of it. I think it's nice we got to see what they'd mostly like to experiment with in bed from time to time.

• I guess that's all for this chapter. Texas might possibly take a week or two more? Idk. Let's see. Rescuing the ranch may take a chapter, and so will the wedding...there may be one in between probably to figure out BertVannah's relationship but I'm not going to spend diamonds to make them talk to each other, no.

• I kinda like the subtle shift to childhood experiences to certain scenes in this book, because it gives the MC who doesn't know what the place is like for a child an idea of what the others had to grow up with...and therefore how she may need to approach her parenting. A number of the group scenes in this half of the book have had to do with childhood experiences the royals and nobles may have missed out on (pets, sleepovers) and the return-to-childhood narrative is a smart way to deal with that, I think.

• That's it for this chapter, guys! See you on Friday (hopefully) with a Book 1 QT, and next week with the next chapter!

#long post #the royal heir #trh quick thoughts #trh qts #hana lee #olivia nevrakis #trr kiara #trr penelope #trr madeleine #savannah walker #king liam #maxwell beaumont #drake walker #bertrand beaumont

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imacrowcawcaw · 5 years

Text

These Dreams (Sanny) 1/3

*Just realized that this is super long and the formatting is a mess so I'm breaking it into three and cleaning it up*

Title: These Dreams

Author (As known on Various sites): Lady Lover- Rockfic, Luluthechoosingcrow - AO3, theladylovingcrow - Wattpad and Deviantart, Tumblr - imacrowcawcaw

Fandom: Greta Van Fleet

Pairing: Danny Wagner/Sam Kiszka, Josh Kiszka/Jake Kiszka at the end

Warnings/Tags: first time, first kiss, smut, frontage, grinding, fluff, attempted humor, discussions of underage attraction

Summary: *No actual underage sex graphically depicted, but it's talked about*

*twincest at the very end*

"'You're telling me that we've known each other, been near inseparable, since seventh grade, and you've never once thought about it? At all? You've had to have thought about giving guys a try at least once, everyone questions their sexuality." Sammy gave him a shit eating grin. He scooted even closer to Danny, so that their knees touched and their noses weren't more than half a foot apart. Danny stopped laughing.'

Author's Notes: Sammy seems to be the instigator in most things, and Danny always seems to be secretly in love (in my stories), but I like it like that lol.

God I finished this at midnight lol

For Helena and everyone else who needs gvf content down deep in their soul like I do

Sorry, it's kinda dialogue heavy

Singing along to Fleetwood Mac gave me the title

*I am marking this as underage because there is discussion of attractions and fantasies while they were underage, masturbation, losing virginity while under 18. But there is no graphic underage sex actually written, both boys are at like 20 or nearly 20 (today era) where I place this. (Also will not be posted on Rockfic because I've made that mistake once before and I respect their rules and the reasons behind them)

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

"What if we fucked?"

Danny let his head roll to the side on his pillow so he could eye Sam.

"What?"

"I dunno, it was just a random idea. Like, don't you think it would be kinda fun?"

Danny stared at him, confusion and amusement mingling on his face. This wasn't the weirdest thing Sam had said in, hell, the last half an hour? But, still, the hypothetic had Danny's attention simply because the idea was something he never really thought about - or, at least, never thought would ever happen. A boy had wet dreams and fantasies, they weren't always things he would actually act on.

"I've never thought about it."

Just not gonna mention those dreams. Or the one time he jacked off while sharing a bed with Sam, nose breathing in the scent of his hair and eyes roaming his best friend's sleeping backside. That never happened, okay?

"Really, like never?"

Sam actually looked surprised. He had?

"You're telling me that we've known each other, been near inseparable, since seventh grade, and you've never once thought about it? At all? You've had to have thought about giving guys a try at least once, everyone questions their sexuality."

"Well- I mean..."

To come clean or to not come clean, that was the question in Danny's mind. Sammy seemed totally cool with the idea, though, so it probably wouldn't do him any harm to admit it. Unless this was a prank? Nah, Sam loved jokes but this wasn't his style. He would never pick on someone for something like this, he much preferred messing with Danny in other ways.

"Fine, yeah, I've thought about it. Had a really intense dream in like, eighth, that freaked me out for a while. Didn't know how to deal with it then, ya know?"

"See, I knew it! Everyone thinks about it! What was your dream about?"

Sam bounced on the bed like an excited puppy - which, he was. A cute, fluffy, yapping ball of energy with too big feet who got super excited whenever he met new people, that was Sammy. How could Danny not love him?

"Do you really wanna hear about this?"

He had to know, just to make double sure, that Sam wasn't pulling his leg.

"Yes, I do! It's interesting to think about. And - if you tell me about your's, I'll tell you about mine?"

"Wait, your dream? What? When? How much have you thought about this? Like, being with a guy, or with me? How come you've never said anything?!"

Why was this the first time he'd heard about this? Sam was usually very vocal about everything he was thinking, at least when in private with his brothers and Danny.

Though, he guessed he knew why: it was the same reason he'd never really mentioned his own dreams and ponderings to Sam.

"Well, how come *you've* never said anything?" Sam countered. "And I'll tell you what I've thought about, but later; I wanna hear hear about this dream that freaked you out so bad. What could it have even been?"

"Mr. Oakenstein."

"WHAT?!"

Danny was cracking up at Sam's face, he looked like he'd just been told that Gibson was going out of business or something.

"Please tell me you're joking!" Sam begged. Poor boy, Danny should put him out of his misery.

"Of course I'm joking, doofus! God - Mr. Oakenstein? He was at least seventy five when we took bio! There's no way that - if I liked guys - I'd be into him. He's so wrinkly and hunched and- and *jowly*."

They both shuddered. Mr. Oakenstein's name brought back unpleasant memories of weekly chapter tests (how was it even possible to go through a book that fast?) and frog electrocution, not to mention the mental image of his sagging, jiggly face.

"Would he have even been able to get it up? Like, how long does Viagra take to kick in? You'd just have to lay there waiting and looking at him - which, ugh. That would be a nightmare, not a dream."

"Yeah," Danny agreed, still giggling a little bit, "I didn't dream about him, but it definitely would have freaked me out more if I had. Hey, you still think Miss Marcie is hot?"

Danny was procrastinating, they both knew it, but this was always a fun conversation to have.

"Always, dude. I still remember with, like, perfect clarity the time she had me come in during lunch to go over my test. I looked up and she was *right there* leaning over me reading what I was doing, and I could kind of see up her shirt... man, I was so distracted the rest of the day."

Sam sounded dreamy, lost in his memories of a hot tenth grade teacher.

"I remember that day! You were so distracted after school on the way home, you nearly drove us into a lake. And at band practice you kept messing up, Joshie nearly strangled you with his mic cord."

"Yeah! Man, I was so hard, I couldn't fucking concentrate on anything else except for trying not to cum right then and there. As soon as we called it quits for the day I was in the bathroom; and of course Jake knew what was up and wouldn't stop ribbing me about it the rest of the night."

"Damn, that bad? I mean, she was hot but she wasn't, like, *amazing*, was she?"

"You might not think so, but Miss Marcie is always gonna have a place in my heart. And the spank bank," Sam sighed. They both snickered.

"Well, what about you, hmm?" He asked. "If you didn't like Mr. Goldenstein, then who? Everyone gets hot for teacher."

Sam hummed the lyrics to the classic for a minute, Danny filling in the guitar parts. Neither of them listened to Van Halen that much, but how could you not know that song?

After a little drum solo on his thigh while Sam progressed into increasingly southern banjo sounding guitar noises, Danny stopped and answered.

"I agree, Ms. Marcelina was really hot, but she had NOTHING on Mrs. Bell. Do you remember that red dress she uses to wear?"

"Of course I do! The economy of the United States has never been so interesting!"

Danny snorted. "Dude, you never gave a shit about econ, you just liked to stare at her. Which, okay, I did too. She made that class bareable."

"I'd say she made it a bit more than bareable. And yeah, that red dress was something else,"

Sam rolled onto his side.

"Hey, what if Mr. Goldstein wore a red cocktail dress. Would you go for him then?"

Sam laughed when Danny shoved at his shoulder, shaking with amusement and disgust at the thought.

"You know, I've never entertained that thought, but I am SO glad you brought it to my attention. I'll never be able to *stop thinking about it* now, Samuel."

Sammy gave him a shit eating grin. He scooted even closer to Danny, so that their knees touched and their noses weren't more than half a foot apart. Danny stopped laughing.

Part 2

#Greta Van fleet #gvf #gvf fic #gvf slash #Danny Wagner #Sam Kiszka #Sanny #fluff #smut #humor #first time #kissing #fanfiction #fanfic #my writing #lulucrowproductions #fics

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iampikachuhearmeroar · 5 years

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honestly I think the number 1 (no. 1) reason i outgrew my interest in drama/acting and studying acting, was because of the classic “washed up amateur actor who ends up several thousand dollars in debt who just ends up being a children’s party entertainer (usually a clown)* trope..... that even ended up as a joke in kids shows or movies when I was a kid, where it was mostly like:

*open scene in a fredrickson high’s career advisor’s office, with carter henderson and the career advisor, ms. ganthrope.*

ms ganthrope: so carter, what do you want to be when leave school?

carter: i want to be an actor!

ms ganthrope: oh carter, pick something more achievable and realistic and helpful to your parents 🙄😤! what about being a teacher or something like that? do you really want to be an actor? maybe reconsider your interest, yeah?

carter: but i want to be an actor though??? why is that so bad?

ms ganthrope: do you think you’ll be successful, carter? or do you want to be washed up and jobless in your 20s while everyone else you know has a stable job? how will that help you? will you still be passionate about it when you’re constantly between jobs and working as a barista???? becoming a successful and famous actor, like i suspect you’re thinking you will turn out to be, will be as achievable as miss Coltrane’s dream job of being a politician.

carter: um what? i..... i never thought of that. maybe i will have to think about it. but what if I am successful though or whatever and don’t actually want to be famous and all that junk???

ms ganthrope: that ends our meeting today carter, want to meet next week?

carter: but, like, miss, you didn’t even answer my questions??? what does jenny got to do with this conversation?

ms. ganthrope: thanks mr. henderson, come back next week *looks down starts writing notes*

carter: *gets up to leave* well thanks, i guess, miss. *shrugs and walks out*

*end scene*

okay the above example is pretty awful, but you get my point, yeah? because a fair amount of interactions between usually a teenager expressing they’d like to be a actor/actress or do something in the arts, usually ran like this in any tv show etc, and it really pissed me off. like why must the kid who has in interest in being a writer/artist/actor etc always reassess/reevaluate their career aspirations, while the character who is always pitted against them is from a field in stem or education or whatever, as if those fields have more achievable career paths etc.... when nowadays literally nearly EVERYTHING requires a masters degree to look good and to be successful.

anyway, to get back on track. even years after I grew out of my interest in acting, i was finding this joke in kids media. for example, I went to watch Pixar’s inside out with my best friend’s mum back in 2015..... and we stayed to watch the end credits. during the end credits, they show you inside other people’s minds (not including Riley and her parents) and how their emotions worked for the lighthearted end of movie lols.

one mind they look into is that of like a 40 year old (let’s say) man, who, no surprises here, is literally the trope that I mentioned earlier. one of the guys “feelings” per se, even said something wryly along the lines of: “why did I even bother doing this? $40,000 & four years of drama school for this! ugh! I can’t believe I’m this washed up and dressed as a clown while doing it! I’m 40! well played, Dave, old buddy. well played.” my assumption is that it was meant to be some type of dark humour joke for the adults who go with their kids.... or like young adults who still watch Pixar movies (like myself at the time at 19/20 lmao).... and that they might try to rely on kids not staying to watch credits....

but like..... imagine being a kid, say aged 10 (ok im not sure what the main age demographic was/is for inside out, but im assuming it was/is like 5-12) hearing that joke for the first time in the end of a kids movie???? like what the fuck is that??? like why are studios putting these jokes in kids shows/movies anyway???? and telling kids that their aspiration of being a successful actor is a pipe dream????

like don’t get me wrong, i know being an actor (like a hugely successful one or even a moderately successful one) is a pipe dream for many many people, including myself, due to the realities of life not playing out like they wanted them to or like.... the money aspect of going to a good acting school being a hurdle (for example, i S T U P I D L Y wanted to go to the aussie version of Juilliard, in Sydney- the National Institute of Dramatic Arts (NIDA)... or where half of australia’s premier hollywood acting stars attended- which meant I had to move to sydney to be closer to it.... and then also pay for compulsory class trips throughout the course to LA/hollywood and London, for starters... both of which my family couldn’t afford even if I’d had financial aid..... like tell me chasing the dream of studying and pursuing the passion of acting ain’t just made for moderately well-off/rich kids lmao).... and a whole other set of factors that mean people can’t/don’t achieve their “dream” of being a “real” actor...

but with the above, what im mainly saying is that kids shouldn’t have “deadbeat actor” type jokes in their media... because I think it’s idk hurtful to always have your field of interest always put down and kinda shunned from the minute that you’re watching tv and movies.

like I’m not gonna lie, I did run with the “I’m gonna be a deadbeat broke actor” stereotype joke for a while in high school, because I thought it was funny af.... but after a while it wore me down.... mainly because it made me realise just what a shitty industry acting- and the whole entertainment industry in general- can be for some people.... when this is like the number one stereotype that people know (particularly) amateur actors as and for.

anyway yeah. I hope these jokes stop popping up in kids media sometime soon. like hell, we’re all in significant student debt etc etc, no matter what study field we’re in these days. stop pitting arts fields (and it’s actually bad in arts faculties as well; like with journalism/communications/acting departments vs arts departments like philosophy and English at my home uni where I did my undergrad) against fields in stem or law or even business majors as better things to study, when even people in those degree streams can struggle to find jobs in their desired fields. like we’re all struggling to find meaningful and stable graduate work out here y’all... not just acting students, christ. most of us will probably be washed up at 40 no matter field we’re in, in this godawful global captialist hellscape that is 2019 almost 2020.

lol here’s another rant.

#life #about me #shut up ilona #ok this rant turned out to be far longer than i intended it to be lmao sorry #this is a tl;dr post for people who hate reading long form posts on this hellsite #ilona rants about shit

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amitds · 6 years

Text

Sirocco: Hidden beneath The Sand

Summary: Months have passed since Sasuke and Sakura escaped Pein and the other vampires sent by the Uchiha and now the two are enjoying their time together in Suna, ‘The Desert City’, while on the run. Unbeknownst to the couple, though, new enemies lurk, hidden in the sand.

Notes: I decided to follow up my ‘Cloaks’ fic from ss month 2018 (day 21) with a sequel. Suna is supposed to be like Las Vegas but with more desert sand lying around and less strippers lol. Um it’s supposed to be SS but I feel like half way through it reads like a full on story and not only ‘shippy’. I guess it’s because I actually thought of continuing Cloaks and even continuing this with a part 3 (fingers crossed).

“Morning,” Sakura mumbled as she awoke, her head resting gently on Sasuke’s bare chest.

Months have passed since Sakura and Sasuke ran off escaping Madara and his Akatsuki and now, as residents of Suna, the couple usually started off every day like this. Lying and holding Sasuke in her arms while in their new home; this extravagant, beautifully, embellished apartment, Sakura could sense a tear moistening her eye ready to spill out. Such was the sensation of peace and contentment that resided within her now. As Suna’s vivid sunlight filtered through her fine wine- coloured silken curtains, its rays dyed the red of blood, Sakura could only think of Sasuke and this life he was building for them both. Sakura was his princess. This Sasuke ensured.

“Aa Sakura” he returned, still shaking the sleep from himself with his fingers gently brushing the creamy skin of her bare back as his other hand reached for her forehead.

“Tap.”

“Anata..” Sakura gushed, her cheeks kissed red like rose bloom. Sakura felt a special, ethereal bliss every time Sasuke tapped her forehead. Even now, months after eloping and after a night of sweet passion, Sasuke’s little gesture warmed her heart. It was their gesture and it was sacred to them. This man loved her and would do anything for her. She could feel it. This is what she knew and such was the euphoria of their life, their new life as husband and wife.

“We really should wake up now, Sakura.”

As much as he dreaded ending this moment Sasuke remembered that he promised her some semblance of a honeymoon and some fun while here. Sasuke had to deliver on his promise. The temptation of spending the rest of the day held up in this russet, mahogany poster bed hidden behind drapes of silk while he held, touched, kissed and made love to his wife was almost too much for the young man to bear. Sasuke, however, knew better.

Sakura was now his wife and for the first time in his centuries- long life Sasuke Uchiha felt the intensity and delicious furor of love. The loneliness and yearning for love and companionship that controlled him for countless years as a noble of the Uchiha Clan was extinguished and now replaced by a blaze of pure ecstasy; Sakura Haruno’s love and friendship. Sasuke was resolute in his vow to protect her and ensure that their eternal life together would be worth every minute.

“Hmm not yet..” Sakura giggled as she turned, her light green eyes meeting his own of pure obsidian. The young witch then lavished her husband with sweet kisses as she pulled over the crimson silk sheets, ready for part two of what transpired the night before. Sasuke, despite his views, was all too happy to oblige.

Hours later, due to in no small part Sasuke’s stamina as a vampire prince and Sakura’s craving for him, the couple finally pulled themselves out of bed to start their day. After a quick shower together Sasuke and Sakura, the former vampire prince and all powerful Shikkotsu witch, were ready to take on Suna.

“Where do you want to visit first, Sakura?” Sasuke inquired, as usual wanting Sakura to decide as he himself found solace in just being with her. He had just finished getting dressed when his wife shouted from her closet.

“I’m feeling lucky, how about some slot machines. This is our honeymoon after all... well sort of.”

Sasuke smirked. His characteristic smile, the one he only shared with Sakura was now painted across his face. It was only to be brushed aside as Sakura arrived.

“So how do I look?” Sakura asked, her voice dripping with innocence. “What do you think about this?”

Sasuke was trapped in brief awe as his smirk died away, instead being replaced with an expression of utter amazement. Naturally, Sasuke thought of Sakura as the most dazzling and enticing woman in the world but something about today and the way she looked right now in their apartment threw him, the usually stoic prince, completely off.

Before him stood Sakura, her sleek, lengthy, fuchsia hair cascading down her back while neat bangs framed the delicate features of her face. At the center of her forehead, of course, was her bindi stippling the porcelain of her skin. Her eyes were lined with deep kohl and lipstick, the crimson of blood, glistened against her soft lips. Her dainty frame was hugged by a tight, short sleeved salmon top paired with a black leather mini skirt that, Sasuke thought, showed off her exquisite, milky legs perfectly. Pointed earrings of jade-coloured aventurine now dangled from each ear, for luck, replacing her rose quartz crystals she wore before (she needed no luck in love now, she had her true love after all).

The young witch also wore a choker embedded with smooth round crystals of black tourmaline for protection while her athame and shrunken besom broom were camouflaged within the straps of her knee-high, onyx, gladiator heels. Perhaps her most valuable accessory, though, was her intricately designed white gold and white diamond wedding ring that adorned her left hand, a symbol of her husband’s eternal love.

Needless to say, even without magic Sakura could enchant Sasuke. Still, he couldn’t totally believe that someone this beautiful, this gentle, this perfect could be his wife. Seeing Sakura, as she stood, bathed in the pristine light shining through the silk curtains of their apartment, Sasuke was overwhelmed by feelings of contentment and appreciation. Finally they were together. Finally they were at peace.

“Hmm.” Sasuke smirked, moments later, composing himself. “You look great Sakura.”

Sakura, her cheeks reddening once more, chuckled after examining her husband a bit. Sasuke had worn his favourite royal blue shirt, a gift from Sakura, with its sleeves rolled back, coupled with his reliable blue jeans and preferred black and white cushioned sneakers. An obsidian gold bracelet, with specks of black tourmaline for protection, given by his wife, encircled his right arm with his matching black gold and diamond studded wedding ring adorning his left hand. As usual for his trips during the day his ruby necklace; his protection from the sun, hung from his neck under his shirt.

Yet, Sakura found herself entranced by Sasuke himself. The way his shirt hugged his muscled frame, how his spiky raven hair caught the light filtered through the curtains, his clean cut, chiseled face that now wore a mischievous smirk that made her knees weak and especially the starless night of his intense eyes all trapped the witch in Sasuke’s own spell. Indeed, Sakura was the luckiest woman alive, she thought, to have such a man as her life partner. Only his heart could spell her more.

Despite months of dating and their recent marriage Sasuke and Sakura still felt enraptured with one another,especially when they were on display like this for each other to consume. It as if the were meeting for the first time, over and over again. Truly, Sakura was the Venus to Sasuke’s Adonis.

“You’re looking quite handsome yourself. I might have to hold on to your extra tight today.” Sakura smiled, now out of her wonder as she interwove her arms with his.

“Aa.” Sasuke blushed faintly. “Well then.. let’s go.”

In the moments that followed Sakura placed enchantments of armament upon the apartment while Sasuke, invoking his vampiric compulsion, set up wards to deter intruders. Ironically though, they themselves were intruding as Sasuke compelled the landlord for this space. Nevertheless Sasuke, the vampire noble, claimed this apartment and thought nothing in doing so. This was their first home, his family’s first home and to him that was all that mattered. With that the couple set off into the clamor that was downtown Suna City.

Suna was the grandest city Sakura, and even Sasuke, had ever seen. Amidst the surrounding desert the city lay nestled like a jewel at the center. Soaring buildings towered within the city: five star hotels, first class restaurants and, perhaps Sakura’s favourite, luxurious casinos. Suna, despite its presence among an arid desert, West of Leaf City, had established itself as a booming metropolis and a ‘tourism city’; one of sophistication and allure. Humans from all over the world flocked here year round.

Despite it’s complexity, Sakura most notably admired the tinge on nature intertwined among the urban setting. During her few days in Suna Sakura saw towering and verdant palms dotted between streetlights and throughout the city, abundant thriving greenhouses and markets as well as lush gardens and parks scattered throughout the city. Nonetheless, the most memorable and appealing to the white witch were the countless, unique and well fashioned sand gardens present within Suna. Sakura and Sasuke both had never seen such gardens which were slightly reminiscent of those of their ancestral homes in the East. Their ability to incorporate the grandeur of Suna into the refinement of a sand and rock garden only heightened their charm.

Sasuke, though, was appreciative most of all for the city’s fast pace and dense population which served as the ideal shelter for a runaway witch and vampire. Naturally, among the luminosity and dazzle of the casinos and restaurants that lined the main roads, Sasuke felt safe and hidden from their enemies.

“When did Katsuyu say she was coming back, Sakura?” Sasuke posed as they strolled along the main strip of Suna.

“Hmm. I’m not really sure...” Sakura replied, pondering with her index finger bent against her chin. “She’s at the Caves in Shikkotsu meeting with other familiars and crystal gathering so it may be a while. Those slugs are really thorough with their council meetings compared to the other types of familiars.”

“Other types?” Sasuke asked, curious to learn more about Sakura and the witches.

“Yeah Shikkotsu witches have slug familiars but then there’re the toads used by those carefree witches at Mount Myōboku...” Sakura lectured, now in her zone, as Sasuke called it.

“Oh...And then there’s those snakes the black witches of Ryūchi Cave have as familiars. They’re bad news though.”

“Aa... I see.”

Sasuke was now smiling, admiring his ‘teacher’.

“Well now that you’re married to a witch I guess that makes you part witch, a-na-ta.” Sakura teased, as she emphasised every syllable and grinned in Sasuke’s direction. “You’re going to have to study up now.”

“Hmm.”

“Sasuke oh look there’s... Ow!”

Sakura fell back, rubbing her forehead after smashing into something. While walking, losing herself in her moment with Sasuke, something or someone had crashed into the young witch. Sasuke, now alert and steeled for battle, looked ahead with his hand gripping Sakura. How could we not see or sense this? Was I that distracted?! He now saw what stood in their wake.

“Oh my God. I am so sorry guys,” a strange voice apologized. There, ahead of the couple stood a breathtakingly beautiful young woman seemingly in her early twenties. “I’m Ino.”

“Um.. It’s okay, Ino,” Sakura assured, her hand still caressing the soon to be formed bump on her forehead. “I wasn’t looking where I was going...My name’s Sakura and this is my husband, Sasuke.”

Despite her pain Sakura couldn’t avoid noticing the woman. She’s perfect, Sakura thought to herself. Ino’s long, sunny-blond hair descended her back and was held in a high pony tail. She possessed a dainty frame just like Sakura and her deep violet turtle neck and charcoal pants both held her tightly, accentuating every curve of her body. Strange clothing for a desert city, Sakura noticed but flawless all the same. With her open toed black stilettos she towered over Sakura, the witch noticed, as she held Sakura’s emerald green eyes in her own, the hue of malachite. As she took in the woman Sakura heard her voice continue.

“Nice to meet you, Sakura, Sasuke...” Ino gushed, looking especially in Sasuke’s direction as she closed in, holding both of their hands in her own. Sakura could feel the warmth of her hands pressing against her skin. Was she holding Sasuke like this too?

“Hmm, yes.” was the vampire’s only reply.

“He’s not much of a talker is he, Sakura?”

“Uh... um nice to meet you too, Ino” Sakura hurried, trying to divert the path of the conversation.

“Well I have to go now, see you both around then.” Ino grinned, winking at Sasuke in particular. With that the tall blond released her grip, her smile never fading and marched off, the length of her hair dancing behind her as she strode.

Something was awry Sakura thought while eerie thoughts sprouted in her mind.

Am I jealous? God why? No. It’s not that. I’m not a jealous person. But why am I feeling this way? Is it because she winked at Sasuke? This isn’t the first time someone checked him out in front of me and guys do it to me all the time... What’s different now?

“Sakura... Sakura are you alright?”

“Oh yeah. Uh let’s go.” Sakura was snapped out of her stupor. Whatever she felt was inconsequential now. She was with Sasuke in Suna and it was time to relax. They only had a few more days before the had to depart and Sakura promised herself to treasure every minute.

“Before that woman came along I was saying that we should try that Eastern themed casino.” Sakura was now pointing at her anterior towards the colossal complex before them.

“Aa. Well yeah. This looks interesting.” At his core Sasuke could sense that something was off. An odd air of foreboding chilled him now. Is she really alright?... Am I?

Suppressing their thoughts Sasuke and Sakura headed to the Sansukumi Casino and crossed the threshold.

“Shannaro!” Sakura bellowed, hours later, as the couple once more strolled along Suna’s strip, her excitement spicing the air around her. “Twenty thousand dollars! Thanks to those three slugs in the slots! Can you believe it, anata?”

“Impressive, Sakura,” Sasuke noted, his eyes closed as he formed his signature smirk.

“Didn’t have anything to do with this, did it?” Sasuke then teased, his finger playfully flicking his wife’s hanging aventurine crystal earring. “Hmm?”

“Aa, well, um you see... those slots were rigged anyway... and...” Sakura’s words stuck in her throat as a red blush once more graced her features. Finally, she conceded.

“How did you know, Sasuke?”

“Aha. Well as you said...” Sasuke now had her where he wanted her.

“My wife’s a witch...”

“And?”

“And I had to study up.”

“I see.”

“And I was getting tired of spoiling her by compelling people so maybe now she can support us with her winnings.” Sasuke was now winking as he smirked at Sakura.

“Oh really? What a terrible husband I have.” Sakura surmised, now weaving her arms into her husband’s.

“Horrendous.” Sasuke teased.

“Oh Sasuke.” Sakura burst out giggling.

She’s laughing. Good.

To Sasuke, Sakura’s laughter felt like hundreds of cherry blossoms blooming in profusion around him, wrapping sweet fragrance around him. The pure delight and hearth he found in her happiness felt as though a lively spring sunshine was melting the glaciers that held him for so long.

Vampires of the Uchiha were not supposed to love, they couldn’t. Yet here he was finally feeling, finally enjoying as he floated in the high of Sakura’s light. Maybe he was still paranoid after what happened with the Akatsuki. Maybe everything was okay. Sakura seemed fine. Maybe it was just me?

“Want a late lunch, Sasuke?” Sakura asked interrupting him. She was ready to sponsor with her winnings. “Anything you want!”

“I had two blood bags before we left but if you want anything?” Sasuke snapped back, giving her all of his attention.

“Nope. I have everything I need right here” Sakura’s caress tightened as she said it while looking into Sasuke’s eyes.

Sakura still holding him, moments later continued. “I would like to see The Shukaku Sand Sanctuary though. It’s supposed to be the greatest sand garden on the planet!” The witch was now holding out a flyer she unfolded from her purse towards Sasuke. “I saw this flyer for the garden. I think Ino dropped this.”

“Ah...Okay then let’s go.”

Following a few unsuccessful taxi hails and Sasuke nearly resorting to compulsion, the duo finally found a driver in the form of a burly, almond-haired man, seemingly in his twenties as well. Sasuke’s only qualm, the driver ate as he drove and couldn’t shut up. How is Sakura so perky with these people all the damn time?!

Following half an hour of Choji- of course Sakura found out his name- yapping incessantly and having Sasuke seriously considering eating him, the couple arrived at The Shukaku Sand Sanctuary.

The Shukaku sand garden was more awe inspiring than Sakura had ever imagined. Upon their arrival Sakura, and even the usually stoic Sasuke, paused to fully appreciate the image that took shape before them.

Framing the acre wide estate were textured, beige bricks approximately seven feet high crowned with abstruse, ink-black wrought iron, further bolstering the height of the barricade. At the center, directly in front of the couple, lay the entrance: a wide double entrance gateway bent into the shape of a semi circle as if bursting, soaring beyond the surrounding iron fencing. Unique to this gateway, Sasuke noticed, were depictions in black iron of three orbs- moons he surmised- placed vertically from the top to the bottom of each of the two iron gates. Accompanying the moons were also intricate designs of wild vines, bloomed blossoms of cherry and plum along with an elegantly bent cursive ‘S’ split between the top of each of the two gates. ‘S’ no doubt for Shukaku, Sakura concluded, the guardian of ‘The Sand’ according to legend.

The complexity of the exterior was only surpassed by the tranquility and simple beauty of the interior. As they crossed the threshold Sasuke and Sakura were met by a vast open space permeated by a smooth, resplendent lake of sand. The splendor of the sand was further enhanced by Suna’s fevered desert sun causing the sand to shimmer stars of silver, gold and yellow. Countless carefully carved ash-gray rocks stippled the landscape along with small shrubs and alabaster concrete benches.

Perhaps most prominent among the lake of sand, were silvery rock carvings of figures too far to identify, even with Sasuke’s enhanced vision, which he assumed matched the two massive statues of noblemen at the sides of the entrance where the were. The boundary, leaning against the interior of the brick wall and hugging the garden took the form of a thin waterway snaking around the parameter. Sasuke could have sworn that he saw a quaint Japanese styled temple at the edge of the garden directly at their anterior, at the edge of the compound.

“Since when are rock and sand gardens this large though?” Sakura inquired, still examining the compound. “Aren’t they supposed to be tiny and simple?”

“Just like everything else in Suna it seems it’s flashier than the gardens of the East.” Sasuke added on, though he couldn’t shake the feeling that something was askew. That piercing chill he’d come to trust was gnawing at him.

“It really seems off. Not the design, which seems to incorporate standard Western park features but something else.” Sakura’s sharp mind was already engaged. “It almost feels like we’re intruding in someone’s personal space, there’s no spiritual power her but this is a sand garden!... and where are the other visitors?”

“There are none, Sakura...”

“What? Sasuke...”

Before Sakura could finish, her words were drowned out. The mystery was solved.

“What the...?!” Sakura exclaimed as she turned and crossed her arms before her face, meeting the strength of the gale with her own body. As Sakura spoke a raging storm of wind exploded into the couple from behind them, attempting to hurl them across the compound.

Not this time!

As the wind met their frames Sakura, prepared unlike her time with the Akatsuki, met the force head on with magic steeling her body and fixing her in place. Shannaro! When she fought the Akatsuki the past Sakura had been tossed around like a rag doll and one thing was for certain. She was never allowing herself to be treated like that again.

Sasuke, his aura cloaking him in an aurora of black tinged with ice blue spirals, weathered the assault. Sasuke could feel the power and precision behind the gust of wind. As a fellow user of this power and a vampire with enhanced senses Sasuke knew exactly where this came from, or rather who was eyeing them right now. Instead of being hurled meters away, both Sasuke and Sakura were merely nudged as they turned meeting the windstorm.

“Sakura, you’re not hurt are you?” He finally said as the winds died.

“No I’m fine.”

“Fine? I guess I didn’t do my job properly then,” a woman’s voice hissed as two figures materialized in front of the iron gates. “I’ll be sure to remedy this soon though.” In front of Sasuke and Sakura new enemies emerged from a whirlwind of golden sand.

“Gaara! Temari!” Sasuke shouted, anger and hazard simultaneously lacing each word as he clenched his fists. Birthed from a cocoon of sand were two figures, vampires, Sakura concluded from Sasuke’s outburst. A man and a woman.

The woman, Temari, Sakura guessed gazed at them with intense, teal eyes as she spoke. Her sandy blond hair was styled into four consecutive pig tails and she wore a jet black short sleeved kimono that reached her legs with slits at the sides showing off her toned legs. Her kimono was held by a lengthy scarlet sash tied tightly while she played with a Japanese war fan through her black finger less gloves. Regardless, what disturbed Sakura most of all was the calculative and icy expression she wore. This woman would kill them both without question and judging from the level of miasma she exuded, she was powerful enough to do it

“Gaara... you...” Sasuke started as he stared at the man before him.

Gaara, a vampire noble like Sasuke now radiated more darkness, more hate than Sasuke had remembered. Sasuke had always sensed his ferocity even as a child but now, as the auburn haired vampire prince stood before him, even Sasuke Uchiha felt the sting of unease, a frosty wind against him.

As all nobles, Gaara exuded an air of kingship and authority which pierced forth from his teal eyes, eyes held by deep rings of black that contrasted the pallor of his stoic features. Despite his unruly, spiked hair, as Suna’s clan head he wore his clan’s traditional long-sleeved crimson coat paired with full-length charcoal trousers. Two belts covered his coat along with a single strap fixing the clan’s traditional grey vest in place. Temari was cunning and ruthless however for Sasuke, Gaara, her brother was the real threat to him and to Sakura. Before Sasuke could complete his utterance, the man began.

“I was not supposed to be here?” His voice was calm, lacking any emotion. From his tone neither anger nor excitement could be felt. “The vampires you probed thought I wasn’t.... Next time you should compel people higher up on the chain of command, Sasuke.”

A bitter chill ran up Sasuke’s spine as Gaara spoke.

A trap?! No! We were careful!

But I should have known.

The three moons, Temari’s fan!

S... Sand Siblings!

Sakura...

Yes, Sakura. Despite his shock Sasuke had to compose himself. Sakura needed him. He would not lose anyone precious to him. As her husband, as her love Sasuke had to be resolute, he had to steel himself and eliminate whatever, whoever threatened his family. As Sasuke drew closer to her, Sakura heard his voice.

“Sakura. Let’s fight!”

“Uh-hum!”

“Temari attack!”

“Yes Gaara!”

No sooner had the words had parted with Sakura’s lips than the vampires’ assault began. In the face of her prey, with her psionic power bursting in the form of a deep teal aura and her war fan branching out as it waved, Temari summoned forth a violent gale that kicked up sand in its wake, easily outclassing her prior storm. It was as if the wind was her puppet, dancing to her will.

Adding to the chaos, while Temari’s storm raged, Gaara too began to move. With his right arm extended Gaara, now outlined in an aura of gold tainted with stygian strands of power, let lose a storm of his own. Springing from beneath him, as if forced out by his matching aura, was the very sand at his feet. Tendrils of gleaming sand and dust wrapped around the vampire before amassing into a massive drill- like cyclone and hurling into Sasuke and Sakura. Mid-way on their path Sasuke could see just how Temari’s whirlwind met with Gaara’s sandstorm, bolstering it and thus birthing a sandstorm of even greater power and speed. Convergence?!

“Sakura!”

“On it!”

Moments before the cyclone would crash into them, Sakura made her move, her bindi now alight with violet energy. With her right arm outstretched and her left caressing the black tourmaline crystals on her choker, Sakura invoked the armament of her white magic. Similar to her battle against Pein, Sakura resorted to turning to the black tourmaline crystal, a crystal of protection, for power. Contrasting against the onyx of her choker and the deep scarlet of her nails, wisps of pristine, white mist bloomed from her choker and simultaneously from her outstretched palm.

“Protect!”

As if heeding her command the bone- white smoke covering her palm shot forward and took the form of a massive screen of solid mist and smoke, seconds before the vampires’ sandstorm crashed. Instead of skewering Sakura and her husband, the dust storm exploded onto the solid white barrier causing thunderous booming and blinding light to be spilled throughout the garden. When the eruption died only Sakura’s shield remained, weakening but still holding. Oddly enough this was much to the amusement of her attackers.

“Sasuke I got your back! Go!”

“Hmm.”

Still sheltered behind the barrier it was Sasuke’s turn to act. Before giving his enemies a chance to strike once more the vampire prince summoned forth his own vampiric power as his eyes blazed scarlet and his fangs extended, ready for prey. Revolutions of inky black power, tinged with glacial blue locks of energy now engulfed Sasuke, surrounding him. Instantly, as summoned, his aura then extended, sending whips of black power directly at Gaara and Temari.

“Pathetic,” Temari sighed, readying one more swing of her war fan.

“Indeed.” Gaara agreed as his arm was once more at his front.

“What?!”

Before Sasuke’s power smashed, the duo was caught off guard. Stars of blazing fuchsia energy in the form of spheres instantly bullet-ed out from behind the barrier and exploded into the siblings, outpacing Sasuke’s tendrils and their attacks.

Did he slow down his attack on purpose?! Even Gaara was alarmed.

Gaara and Temari were sent flying. Yet they were still in jeopardy as mid air Sasuke’s attack weaved through the air as if waiting for the explosion and finally caught up to them. Once more the stillness of the desert air was ripped apart by the thunderous crashing of their powers when Sasuke’s psionic attack connected, forming a brilliant explosion of murky, flame-like energy where the siblings landed near the gate. The siblings were beaten. Or were they.

Sakura and Sasuke looked on and what they saw alarmed them. Sasuke’s black flame-like power was parting along with the clouds of smoke and sand that hid the siblings. From the center a new image took form; a sphere of air tight aureate sand, no doubt enclosing the vampires and shielding them from Sasuke’s psychic onslaught.

“How can they do that?” Sakura failed to grasp how these vampires’ powers functioned and as she readied herself for another attack she continued. “That’s not how your powers work. That’s not how Pein’s worked.”

“The Sand Siblings have totally mastered the telekinesis aspect of our power, Sakura.” Sasuke related, uncharacteristic worry now bursting from his words.

“Even I can’t replicate it. Gaara controls each grain of sand with his power, compelling it and Temari... she pushes and pulls the wind itself with her mind. That ridiculous fan is really for concentration. They don’t use raw psionic energy as much... and Sakura...each of them is stronger than Pein.”

“ Sasuke...” Sakura once more was at his side, a reassuring smile now displayed on her face. “So are we.”

“Yeah...” How could Sasuke be so blind? Sakura was right. They were stronger than Pein and together, Sakura and him could beat anybody. Such was their strength and the power of their feelings for one another. But despite his profound faith in their power together, an innermost fear still clung to Sasuke’s heart. What if they weren’t? What if Sakura died today?

“Sasuke. I told you. We are stronger and we will win!” Sasuke never could conceal anything from Sakura and now that she was his wife he was ardently sure that this was just the beginning of it.

Certainly, Sakura was right. In the months since Pein and the Akatsuki’s assault and the couple barely snatching their victory, both Sasuke and Sakura had no choice but to train. Sakura, hating how helpless she was at one point in the fight, studied arduously to master new spells and perfect her old ones. The young witch even created a new style of magic: imbuing magic into her limbs and body for strength and aegis, a power she used to weather Temari’s initial windstorm moments before.

Sasuke, the proud vampire prince, despised the fact that he couldn’t protect Sakura properly. He was weak and he knew it. Never again, he resolved and from this regret a passion was born. In the months since their escape Sasuke honed his vampiric power daily. Telekinesis, telepathy, psionic power manipulation, he pushed them all, beyond their limits. Sasuke was leagues beyond his former self, the pathetic vampire prince who nearly lost to Pein, and despite Gaara and Temari’s new power, he was not going to lose.

“Hmm. You’re right....thank you for reminding me.” Sasuke agreed moments later, once more recollecting the path taken since leaving Leaf City. “...and you’re also the strongest one here right now since just as myself, those two are without moonlight and darkness....But Sakura...”

“Yes?”

“We have to beat them before the third sibling arrives.”

Upon hearing Sasuke’s words, Sakura’s confidence temporarily dimmed a bit. A third?! We need to end this quick! “Sasuke. The link!” the white witch exclaimed as she gathered her energy while Gaara and Temari were freed from their cocoon. “Ah.” Was Sasuke’s only response. He had to control his aura for what came next.

Once freed from their cocoon of sand the siblings wasted no time in their retaliation. As the orb of sand broke open Gaara, his eyes now lit with power; an unstable golden aura cloaking him let out his attack. With both arms outstretched he ordered tonnes of sand before him to take shape.

“Sand Serpents!”

Bending, snaking as it erupted, several massive tentacles of sparkling sand burst forth from the ground and launched straight at the couple.

Temari was no different. With her aura of bright teal crackling around her, her eyes lit and fangs outstretched she violently waved her fan, constantly and without rest. Birthed from her motion, Sasuke could sense, were countless slashes; blades of wind like pure white crescent moons launching towards the couple in a wild bombardment.

“Lunar beheading dance!” she hollered as her attack was sent.

In the past the white witch would have been overwhelmed but not now. Sakura, though impressed by her attackers’ skill, would not be outdone. Such was her courage, her determination. Simultaneously, as the siblings launched their attacks, Sakura too readied her counter knowing fully well that Sasuke needed no consultation.

In the face of their powers Sakura once more called upon her white magic: weaving her signature hand seal, her left thumb on top and her hands clasped together vertically. With this her bindi shone a star of dazzling amethyst while a pristine wind twisted around her. A new spell, a potent enchantment had now been invoked.

“Shikkotsu Deep Forest Emergence!” Sakura cried causing a rippled of white light to leave her body and imbue itself into the sand before her. Gaara’s tendrils could not reach her, for seconds later his sand was met with the tremendous force of her own weapon. As commanded by the Shikkotsu witch dozens of thick cherry blossom trees bloomed into existence to meet Gaara’s sand head on. The gold of Gaara’s sand was punctuated by the earthen brown and roseate of Sakura’s cherry blossom trees as tendrils of sand were smashed by the lashing of sakura trees and vice versa in a battle for dominance for the field.

Shannaro! If only I could stab him in the heart with a branch!

Sasuke, without paying heed to Sakura’s fight, invoked his power against Temari’s scythe-like wind attack. By the time the vampiress whipped the wind Sasuke, his aura manifesting its characteristic twister of pitch black with streaks of blue, ascended his vampiric power to its zenith. Springing from his whirlpool of psychic power, while his eyes flared scarlet, were veins of onyx, no different from Gaara’s sand tendrils and Sakura’s winding trees. Alas, Sasuke’s ability contrasted those powers significantly. Sasuke’s lines of black energy arrowed towards Temari but as opposed to meeting her blades of wind head on they twisted about the field haphazardly, totally evading her assault leading to Temari’s blades all cutting into Sasuke’s cloak of energy.

The fool missed me! He’s mine! Temari’s victory was ensured. Or so she was led to believe.

While Sasuke’s shield of energy was being whittled away the young Uchiha kept his focus, his focus on Temari. By the time the vampire realized what took place it was too late. Sasuke, his aura now weakened significantly, willed the whips of black power, redirecting them to return to Temari’s side with each tendril drilling into her temples as she flew back, crashing into the wrought iron fencing at the front. The vampiress had no time to react as Sasuke’s attack took place in the blink of an eye. Such was his skill.

“Gaaah!” Temari was now shrieking while she wretched on the ground clasping her temples. Sasuke had cornered her and with Gaara kept at bay by Sakura’s attacks, Sasuke was sure of his victory.

Go to sleep Temari. I command you!

Sasuke’s message was burning through her mind, dimming her aura in the process. Sasuke knew that it was only a matter of seconds before he would have her out cold. Even a vampire of Temari’s power, power that currently could rival Sasuke himself, would be out long enough for Sasuke to end it.

Go to sleep!

Seconds passed by before it happened. Temari fell to the ground, limp and unconscious. As this happened a mischievous smirk appeared across Sasuke face, a stark contrast to his smirks with his wife. Such was his nature as a warrior, as a hunter and as an Uchiha.

“Shit Temari!” Gaara, still in his conflict with Sakura, finally showed some emotion. He was irritated. In the seconds he focused on Sakura Temari had lost against Sasuke. He had to end this quickly. He knew it. But how?

“You’re not going anywhere!” Sakura shouted. “Shannaro!” With that Gaara’s fate was all but sealed. Gradually, Gaara had noticed that Sakura’s trees were overpowering his tendrils of sand and now he was sure of it. Sakura was stronger. As he struggled to keep Sakura’s wild forest at bay, Gaara was dealt another shock. While ribbon-ing through the air Sakura’s branches had not only kept him back but had picked up a passenger. Sasuke.

“How are they doing this? Ridiculous! I sense no telepathic communication.” Even Gaara, the all powerful vampire prince, was dismayed upon witnessing the couple’s combined efforts. “How does he know where the branches are? Can he see such fast moving objects? No! Impossible!”

In her final move, Gaara realised, Sakura let loose all of her rage and inhibitions as she commanded her forest to branch out, where Sasuke his frame cloaked in vampiric power and his claws outstretched, jumped on. From Sakura’s flailing trees Sasuke kicked off, he was launched off by Sakura and was now speeding, soaring through the sky like an eagle waiting for prey. His awesome vampire speed was bolstered by the force of Sakura’s throw.

It was beyond Gaara’s reaction time, especially now. While launching Sasuke, Sakura with her bindi’s light growing let loose a Hydra of fully bloomed Sakura trees with new trees springing from the ground simultaneously. In the face of such an onslaught Gaara’s sand pillars were smashed and before they could be reformed, so was he.

While failing to keep Sakura’s trees at bay Gaara could not properly avoid Sasuke’s plunge. Sasuke, his arms black as night, wrapped in vampiric power as his claws branched out, had finally succeeded in his attack. When Sakura’s trees removed all pillars of sand from the vicinity Sasuke pierced Gaara’s chest, barely missing his heart.

Several branches crashed into Gaara’s gut and sent him hurling into the entrance gate before Sasuke jumped back meeting Sakura. “Shannaro!” Sakura yelled once more as she ended the fight with the remainder of her sacred forest flourishing and ramming into Gaara and even Temari. Sakura trees were now pinning the duo to the wrought iron at the front.

We did it, Sasuke! The link worked!

Sakura, yeah we won.

They didn’t think we could communicate without words or psychic messaging but ... Oh Sasuke! We won! You’re safe!

Hmm. Sakura so are you.

Even in the midst of battle or rather due to the risk of said battle, Sakura and Sasuke couldn’t resist the yearning and appreciation that characterised their relationship. Knowing that they could have lost one another, knowing that they were safe and this fear would not be realized Sakura felt as if a stinging fire was doused and cooled within her. Sasuke, grateful that his bride was safe could only bask in their victory and joy.

Their plan was successful. Gaara was right. There was no telepathic communication during the battle...or at least any that he could detect. Months since their battle with Pein and Sasuke drinking from Sakura, the pair realized that something had changed with them; between them. The bond that was forged as they shared their minds, their very souls on that night had lingered and now the couple could tap into this link whenever and wherever with no exertion of magic or compulsion. Naturally, this livened their already passionate episodes at home, though, there was another use for this bond.

The couple could now phase into one another’s mind if need be and communicate without fear of detection. Sasuke likened it to speaking on a different frequency that was moot to the ears of others, even other psychic users. This was their trump card and it worked brilliantly.

Sakura now looked on as Sasuke rushed Temari and Gaara both pinned to the barricade, while gripping a wooden stake no doubt supplied by Sakura. It was time to stake them or forever be on the run from these two as well.

“I couldn’t stake you during the fight but now that you’re trapped...” Sasuke was inches away, racing towards his victory.

“I can’t believe Leaf vampires and witches are putting Suna to shame like this.... Dance of One Hundred Puppets!”

Following this command echoes of what seemed like gunshots thundered leaving Sasuke lying injured on the ground. He was mere feet away from Gaara. He was bleeding, Sakura could see it from where she stood. Not only that but his attacker, the voice they had heard in the last minute could now be seen as well, crossing the threshold of the gates.

“Ino?!”

What is going on? Ino? Is she a vampire too? No. As Sakura looked on in horror at her husband bleeding on the ground it all became clear to the witch. Who?

Sasuke, wretched on the ground, gripping his gut while he extracted the bullets that pierced him. He was shot by the young girl. That girl? “Kankuro!” Sasuke was coughing now, glaring at Ino and her companion. “You will pay for that.”

In the background standing behind the young girl, his right arm wrapped over Ino’s shoulder was a young man. Kankuro of The Sand Siblings. Beyond him several people, humans, could be seen at the entrance of the gates as if awaiting their signal to move. Each person, Sasuke saw, held weapons of their own: pistols.

Kankuro was the strangest of the siblings, Sakura thought. He wore a long top and trousers, black, inky- black in colour slashed by the deep crimson of the sash that held his waist. Perhaps what seemed the strangest was his face. Kankuro wore a hood that matched his ensemble with protruding cat-like ears atop while lines of rich mauve raced across his exposed features in a pattern unknown to the witch. Sakura likened his appearance to that of traditional bunraku puppeteers from their ancestral land as she examined him, the vampire who just like his siblings radiated nothing by power and blood lust.

“Good job, Ino. Hmm... now how about you just stand there and look pretty? I’ll take it from here,” Kankuro gently instructed as he gripped Ino’s left arm, gently caressing it as she held her sterling silver pistol.

Kankuro was in control of the situation and this was a fact Sasuke had to accept. Sakura, repulsed by what she was seeing- this man controlling this girl- was already thinking of her next move. As Kankuro strolled towards his siblings, Sakura pounced.

Imbuing her legs with magic, the same technique she had used to endure Temari’s storm before, Sakura raced off with augmented speed the likes of Sasuke’s. Swiftly and expertly the white witch met her husband, swinging her heel at Kankuro as she did so.

While reaching for Sasuke, Sakura’s high heeled gladiator on her right leg shot out, revealing itself to be a elongated, spear- like stake, and bulleted forcefully at the vampire. For a split second Kakuro seemed taken by surprise before regaining his composure. “Pathetic.”

Sakura and Sasuke both looked on in horror as Kankuro avoided her stake. Naturally as a pure blooded vampire he could have managed a psychic shield or stealthy evasion, Sakura thought, but what Kankuro chose to do was both abhorrent and unnecessary. At the twitch of his fingers Kankuro created a shield for himself, a human shield.

Dashing in front of the vampire before Sakura’s attacked fired, as if Kankuro foresaw her retaliation, were Kankuro’s puppets and before Sakura’s attack could meet its target, her stake buried itself into the chest of a young man. He looked no older than fifteen, Sakura concluded. He died on the spot.

“Monster!” Sakura’s emotions were out of control. “What is human life to you anyway? Does it mean nothing?!”

Kankuro simply laughed while he continued his stroll towards his siblings. “Nope.” Before Sakura, Sasuke now in her arms could pull of her retreat, bullets rained down upon them.

“Aaaah!”

Sakura’s screams lit the sand garden ablaze as countless silver bullets met her back while she shielded Sasuke.. Tightly, strongly she gripped his back, her husband’s face buried in her chest as she sought to endure it all. “Sasuke...” In the face of the assault Sakura’s love and protection covered Sasuke. After all this was the love of her life. He was her husband. Sakura was willing to take on any pain and sacrifice her very life for him.

Ice ran down Sasuke’s spine as he, still recovering from the bullets embedded within him, looked on in terror while Sakura shielded him with her very body. “Sakura no! Sakura stop it!”

Alas, his words held no power. Sakura was sacrificing herself for him. Sakura! No! Immeasurable fear washed over Sasuke, completely shaking him. Sakura will die if she keeps this up. His wife was in danger and he couldn’t do anything to save her. Panic seized his heart as he struggled, Sasuke couldn’t communicate with Sakura mentally anymore. The link was weakening. Sakura was too weak, too shaken to respond to him.

Sasuke didn’t care about dying. Sakura had to be saved. As he looked up at Sakura, her expression marred with pain and her body flailing against the tremor of the bullets, Sasuke gritted his teeth while trying to shake free of the effects of his injuries.

These bullets must be coated with Jichinsai, Holy Sake! Shit!

Desperately he forced, as if attempting to will his vampire regeneration into overdrive, to pull the noxious bullets out. Gradually he gathered the scraps of power he could manifest in this state as Sakura still clung to him. Then with all his attention needled into his move, Sasuke called upon his compulsion one last time.

Kankuro paid no attention to the couple when it happened. While attempting to free his siblings in the midst of Ino and the others’ assault the vampire was blind to the glint of power Sasuke summoned.

“Sakura!” Sasuke’s voice boomed as he grabbed his wife and spun her around, his arms now sheltering her. Sasuke and Sakura were now cloaked in a thin veil of onyx and azure streaks of psychic power, remnants of Sasuke’s last ditch invocation. Guarding them from each bullet that pinged against it,the curtain of power doubled as a weapon.

When each bullet met the veil, Sasuke claimed them just as he had, Sakura surmised, extracted the bullets from within his body and held them with his compulsion mid-air. Now with the forceful wave of his free, left arm Sasuke sent the bullets dancing across the field and into his opponents.

Of the dozen people that faced them, Sasuke was able to take out nine, of course aiming for their legs to avoid fatality. The holy sake would nullify Kankuro’s hold on them, Sasuke deduced, as he studied the scene before him. Ino and two others, probably at Kankuro’s willing, were however able to avoid injury.

“Sa...Sasuke... I’m fine,” Sakura coughed, still shaky from her episode. “I managed an armament enchantment with the little magic I mustered at that time.” Despite her assurance, Sakura could feel her husband’s tight grip remain. He wouldn’t let go.

“Sasuke I’m fine, really. But I couldn’t stop him. I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay Sakura,” Sasuke gently whispered as his wounds still regenerated. “But maybe we still can stop him.”

“Yes!”

“No.” Kankuro announced, now in front of his siblings still pinned. Kankuro now revealed his power. As Sasuke and Sakura stood now facing their enemy Kankuro invoking his psionic power was now wrapped in his own aura of deep purple. “Dance of One Hundred Puppets!”

As the vampire called out his power Sakura couldn’t fathom what was happening. Silvery grey statues, the height of the wrought iron barricades, were enlivened; moving towards Kankuro only to stand at his sides thereafter.

“Shit!” Sakura could hear the panic that dripped from her husband’s voice.

“Kankuro ‘The Puppet Master’. This is his power. He can control any person with his compulsion and any ‘puppet’ with his telekinesis.” Sasuke was now peering at the two giants before him, statues of former clan leaders no doubt that were now protecting Kankuro.

“What are these siblings?!”

“He’s just as strong as Temari, Sakura... Be careful.”

Moments later, a new conflict ensued. While one statue freed Temari and Gaara from the branches that held them, despite Kankuro’s attempts with vampiric strength, the other charged at Sasuke and Sakura with astonishingly great speed and force. There was no time to cast any spells or invoke substantial power, the couple each concluded. This was a close ranged brawl.

As the statue swept it’s massive arms across the field Sakura and Sasuke with their vampiric reflexes and bolstered strength, respectively, leaped and evaded the behemoth. “Shannaro!” Sakura screamed as she jumped and transitioned gracefully from evasion to her attack. Gathering, weaving and controlling her magical energy the witch, who had been training with her husband for months in the art of hand to hand combat, went in. As Sakura descended her heal swung downward as if a meteor of white magical energy was impacting the garden, crashing into the statue’s head and felling it.

“Hmm!” Sakura’s work was done and now Sasuke took control of the battle. Their blood bond was once more activated and Sasuke knew exactly what to do. As the statue fell Sasuke, all of his body’s monstrous vampiric strength concentrated into his right fist, sunk his fist into the statue hurling it forcefully into the wrought iron where it crashed onto the road beyond the garden. With the bullets gone and Kankuro focused on his siblings Sasuke was able to finally regain his strength before facing the statue.

Alas, their victory was short lived as Kankuro was unaffected by this development. While the statue lay ruined outside Sasuke and Sakura struggled to comprehend what they were witnessing. There, Gaara and Temari sat as Kankuro looked on. They were feeding.

“Kankuro!” Raged exploded from Sasuke’s holler at this point. Once more they were tricked, distracted and outmatched. Already exhausted from their fight the couple engaged that statue and now this?

“No....” The pain of seeing the lifeless corpses in the vampires’ arms was too much for the young witch to bear. Sakura now gritted her teeth through her disdain and anguish. “That bastard. Did... did he bring those brainwashed people here with Ino as food?”

“Indeed he did.” Kankuro chuckled as he waved his arms, showing off his handy work. “I am the puppet master and these are my puppets...” he was now pointing at the two limp bodies that were lying next to Gaara and Temari, the siblings still savoring the elixir that was fresh blood warm from the vein.

“Don’t worry. This cutie is mine.” The vampire shifted his attention to Ino who stood mesmerized before him. “I had to use a lot of power to gather these guys and save your asses, Temari, Gaara. I want to feed too.”

“Let her go you bastard!” Sakura was enraged and now her voice boomed with passion and panic intertwined. “Ino!” Sakura had only just met the girl and had barely spoken two words to her but she could let her die here, not like this. Sakura felt it was her duty to protect this girl especially since she couldn’t save those people on the ground from these vampires.

“Sakura...” There was nothing Sasuke could say. Sasuke knew how his wife felt even without their bond. Compassion and love, appreciation for life and its fragility, this was who Sakura was. No one treasured life like Sakura, that’s the kind and sweet girl she was. Nevertheless, Sasuke also knew what had to be done.

“Tch. Do whatever you want, fool.” Gaara had risen and so had Temari. Brushing off their robes the duo joined their brother as the three siblings readied themselves to finally do away with the pests that stood before them.

Sakura!

Yes!

Once more Gaara and Temari flared their auras of vampiric power setting the sand beneath them on fire with sparkles of white and gold. There powers were restored and it was as if they had never fought Sasuke and Sakura. Bathed in their signature auras of teal and bright amber, with Temari’s fan swung and Gaara’s arm outstretched,the siblings called forth another sandstorm in their convergence.

“Power of nature

Purity of the Shikkotsu

I beseech thee

Protect!”

As was the case in their struggle against the Akatsuki, Sasuke and Sakura were forced to resort to their ace. Snatching her choker and sinking it into the soft sand beneath her, Sakura recited her enchantment and invoked her ultimate defensive spell. Through combining her white magic with the power of her black tourmaline crystals, Sakura Uchiha, once more summoned her maelstrom of ivory mist which set itself in the form of a protective dome.

Sasuke had to feed on her to multiply his vampiric power beyond that of his three enemies and he had to do so immediately. The proud Uchiha hated himself for having to resort to such a method, relying on his wife’s blood as opposed to his own skill and power but Sakura’s and his life depended on it. Resolved to finish this quickly, Sasuke gently held Sakura in his arms as she bore her neck out for him like she had done on that night. Carefully he rested his lips upon her smooth neck, kissing her rich blue veins as his outstretched fangs penetrated her.

Sakura quivered, her arms now wrapped around her husband as the same sweet bliss she had experienced that night, and several nights later on when the shared blood, burst within her.

“S...Sasukeeeh...”

Despite the circumstances and Sakura’s wounded pride for needing such a trick for their victory regardless all of their training, the potency of their bond and the sharing that was beginning, completely engulfed her. Sakura hated to admit it but part of her relished that it had come to this and her veins ached for Sasuke to breach them and drink from them as he was now doing. Sakura could sense Sasuke smiling as he realised this through their bond.

Sasuke...

Sakura...

This was it. There was no power Gaara, Temari and Kankuro could summon to combat Sasuke’s own when doped with Sakura’s blood as a white witch of the Shikkotsu. Sasuke, in that form, radiated a beacon of vampiric energy fueled by Sakura’s blood, her warmth, her love that could fell an enemy. He would be as strong as ten Sand Siblings or greater and this was the key to certain victory. Only a few moments and Sasuke and Sakura’s bond would guarantee their victory over the vampires that meant to kill them.

Victory was so close and as the vibrant feelings of love, excitement and hearth that were aspects of their blood sharing thrummed within their minds. Sasuke and Sakura both could feel a flood of cool, relief and security immersing them.

Sasuke! Yes!

Sakura! Almost!

“Aaaaah!”

“Ugh!”

Sheltered within their dome of pure mist Sasuke and Sakura had nonetheless failed.

The last thing Sasuke could recall was him starting to drink from Sakura and the deluge of emotions and light that overcame him as their bond was activated before being attacked. Now, with him and his wife scattered haphazardly across the field torn apart from one another, details of what occurred rushed to him. As Sasuke began drinking pulled tightly by Sakura who was wrapping her arms around him, an explosion power erupted beneath them, an explosion of sand.

Shit! Realization dawned on the vampire prince. Gaara managed to attack them from underground, within Sakura’s barrier. They didn’t think about that possibility. Sasuke didn’t think of it. How could he be so careless. How could he fail so terribly. He couldn’t protect Sakura. Sakura?!

Sasuke was now frantically searching for Sakura and after a few seconds was calmed. A few meters to his right lay Sakura. Her eyes closed as she groaned, caressing her forehead while propping herself up. “Sakura you’re okay aren’t you? I’m not feeling any serious pain from you so...”

“Yes Sasuke. I am fine,” Her palm still placed upon her forehead, the witch responded.

“ Those bastards! He set his power into the sand before my barrier was activated so, like you, it remained despite the barrier barring vampiric energy from the... aaaah!”

“Ugh!”

Fiercely as Sakura and Sasuke composed themselves, another attack struck. Tentacles of resplendent sand as thick and oaks wove around the couple and raised them both several feet in the air. Kicking and flailing, husband and wife could do nothing.

“You two aren’t bright very bright are you?” Temari was gloating, her smile hidden behind her fan. “We know how you beat Pein. We’re not stupid... well two of use aren’t...” Her eyes now shot at Kankuro.

“Temari...” Kankuro irritably responded as he prepared to feed on Ino, the young woman wrapped in his arms.

“Silence!” Gaara boomed, letting everyone, Sasuke and Sakura included, know who was in charge here. His right arm was once more outstretched, willing his tendrils to seal his victims’ movements. On his proclamation, his siblings quieted.

While Sasuke and Sakura were squeezed, Gaara with a clenching fist began his tirade. “You Uchiha can never leave other clans alone. After I kill you I will take great pleasure in handing you over to that tyrannical geezer, Madara!”

Sasuke, pressured by his grip, could sense a tinge of resentment in the stoic clan head’s voice. Of course the Uchiha were the strongest vampire clan and as such and with Madara in charge, they would coax and sometimes intimidate even other powerful noble clans. The Sand was one such clan.

“Hmm” Sasuke smirked with closed eyes. “Careful Gaara, wouldn’t want that statement to go back to Madara, now would you?”

“You dare, Sasuke?!” Even Gaara’s usual expressionless face slightly reddened with outrage and his fist clenched further.

“Gaah!” Sasuke’s cries were peppering the still desert air while the pillar of sand compressed against his rib cage.

“Bastards! Leave him alone!” Sakura’s fury at this point knew no limit. Radiant stars of fuchsia now blossomed around her, surely birthed from her rage. “Aaaaaaah!”

“I said silence!” Gaara’s voice again drowned everyone and everything out, sand tightening around Sakura’s chest and stomach. Her stars of power now dissipated. If not for her channeling magic into her frame, she’d have been killed for sure.

“Sakura Petal Storm was it?” Temari commented, ignoring her younger brother’s order. “You actually managed to force it out for a moment... sort of... I told you, we know all about your fight with Pein.”

“Sakura!” Sasuke coughed out still trapped and helpless.

“Time to die.” Gaara’s stoic voice interrupted once more.

“No Kankuro!”

Temari was screaming and Gaara halted his final strike as a result. What they witnessed left the siblings stunned. In that moment Sasuke and Sakura, dangling, were of no importance. Only Kankuro caught their attention and the attention of Sasuke and Sakura as well. Only Kankuro and Ino.

Standing before Kankuro was Ino, or at least Sakura thought it was Ino. The blonde woman, seemingly before Kankuro could sink his fangs into her neck, held Kankuro’s own neck in her arm. Kankuro, a pure blooded vampire prince, was trapped, gagging and coughing in her grip. Sakura could see the vampire’s legs swinging as he dangled off the ground. Ino was lifting him. How?

What the hell is that? Even Sasuke was at a loss. That blonde girl, Ino was handling a vampire prince as if he were a rag doll. Also her aura. What is that aura? Sasuke could not identify the spectacle before him. Ino was cloaked in a dense fog of translucent, crimson aura. Springing from the shroud were red-bubbles forming all around and dissipating into the air. Nine tail like extensions of the aura danced in the wind behind her. Ino’s eyes were slit, her nails and canines branching out like a beast’s. Was she a vampire, Sasuke pondered this but that aura was neither vampiric or witch-like. She was a totally different creature altogether.

“You bastards have some nerve hurting Sakura chan!” Ino was reprimanding Kankuro at this point, her voice changing and taking on a masculine, grating tone.

Did this person know Sakura? Who is she? Numerous questions pooled within Sasuke. Was Sakura hiding something?

As she finished her speech, with Gaara and Temari speeding towards her, Sakura, bewildered, looked on. Ino had flung Kankuro into the wrought iron behind them while her ghost-like tails met Gaara and Temari’s frames, matching their vampiric speeds adeptly. The two of them joined Kankuro, sinking into the pitch black iron.

With arms outstretched Ino, it seemed, channeled the red energy from her cloak of aura and short forth a solid orb of crimson charged with black bolts at the trio. Upon contact, against the black of the iron, translucent flames of red burst forth upon them vampires, no doubt trapping them. “Tailed beast bomb!”

Sasuke and Sakura were now freed and as the columns of sand tore apart Sasuke, gripping his wife bridal style on the ground, looked on in utter disbelief as Ino’s transformed. Ino was transforming, into a man.

Wrapped in wisps of ruby coloured mist Ino’s arms thickened, her cascading blonde hair receded into concise spikes, her rich green eyes were dyed azure and her features completely altered. From a stunning young woman Ino had transformed into a man of Sasuke’s physical age. Perhaps most astonishing were his cheeks, etched with whisker-like markings. In the revolution of her aura, Ino’s clothing also changed and the young woman, if she was indeed still a woman, now wore a deep fiery- orange hoodie with cobalt laces ,plain blue jeans and blue sneakers striped white. Across his forehead rested a matching cobalt headband with a symbol, the pattern of a leaf, emblazoned upon it in black outlines. Wary, Sasuke still resting his arm around Sakura who was now standing, held eyes of burning crimson as he readied himself for a possible attack from this stranger.

“Sakura do you know this person?” Sasuke’s inquiry was swift, his eyes never straying from the approaching man.

“No. Not that I can remember.” Sakura struggled to identify this man. Honestly she could not remember this person but he said her name so he had to at least know of her.

“He’s a werewolf, probably, Sakura. That would explain his power.”

“Hmm, not quite. Judging from his aura and his appearance I’d say he’s a kitsune, a fox spirit. They use pure, wild natural energy unlike the witches.”

“They’re real?” Even Sasuke was shocked. There were no fox spirits in the West. He was sure of it. “Hmm I never met a kitsune.”

“It’s because they don’t live in the West at all. Even in the Eastern lands they are a recluse and rare species. Mistress Tsunade knows them though I’ve met them on occasion... Maybe he...”

“Hey!” The young man was waving at them as he jogged over. “Will you guys stop talking about me like I’m not coming over?” Sakura was slightly amused by his sunny disposition and child-like personality. It was a stark contrast from Sasuke’s which was calm, focused and mature. Sasuke, however, seemed distrusting with his eyes still fixed on the man.

“To answer your questions guys. Yes I am a kitsune and Sakura chan, Granny Tsunade sent me to check up on you. She figured you’d run to Suna.” The man was now directly in front of the couple, smiling an radiating nothing but warmth and energy. “My name is Naruto!”

“Naruto?”

“Sakura chan we played together three centuries ago when my tribe visited the Shikkotsu Woods for the Forest Festival, remember?”

“Oh my God! I do know you. You were that short, goofy kid who played with us that night!” Sakura couldn’t believe she forgot about him. However in her defense, annually there are tonnes of festivals and this was hundreds of years ago.

“Enough of this.” Sasuke was angry and now grabbed Naruto’s collar. “We still have to deal with them...” his scarlet eyes pointed in Sakura’s direction. “And if you are on our side then why did you shoot at us, at Sakura?! Answer me you idiot!”

“You bastard!” Naruto fiercely exclaimed, returning Sasuke’s anger with his own while grabbing Sasuke’s shirt. The two men glared into one another’s eyes. “As if I’d ever hurt Sakura chan on purpose! That bastard compelled me! I just broke free in the last minute! And Sakura chan was protected! ”

“Hmm. As if I’d believe that!”

“I don’t care what the hell you think!”

“Guys! Stop it!” Sakura’s voice was booming at this point, quelling the conflict as the words parted with her lips. The witch was now grabbing the men, ripping their arms off of one another.

“Please, Sasuke. Leave him alone....” Sakura pleaded and caressed her husband’s face with her hands. Sasuke’s own expression softened as his scarlet eyes met Sakura’s resonant eyes lit with worry. “You said it yourself, we have to deal with Gaara and his siblings, didn’t you?”

“Sakura....”

“It’s okay. Let’s deal with all this later.”

“Hey guys...” Naruto interrupted. “My fox fire’s dying. Let’s stake them before it does!”

“Tch.” Sasuke still peeved responded. “Fine.”

“You guys...” Sakura sighed “ whatever let’s do it.”

As flickers of ruby ‘tailed beast ball power’, as Naruto called it, danced in the desert wind, the newly formed trio prepared their final attacks. Moving in close was to risky so Sasuke decided that they go for a long ranged assault.

Sasuke, his aura of black and icy blue once more alight across his body, compressed the aura of psychic power into his palms. Sasuke had been inspired from his fight with Pein months ago and now developed a new technique. Expertly and instantly compressing the power, Sasuke Uchiha now held the full concentration of his compulsion in his arms ready to fire. “Chidori!”

In tune with her husband Sakura simultaneously called upon reserves of her remaining white magic. In the past the young white witch recalled that she would have been done for at this point but now after months of training Sakura’s stamina was such that she still had reserves of magic to spare. If only my bindi were ready though..Okay not the time.. Halting her thoughts Sakura performed her enchantment. With her left thumb on top and her hands clasped together vertically as was the usual for the witch Sakura summoned her signature roseate stars of white magical power from the pure wind of light that now twisted in revolutions around her. “Sakura Petal Storm!”

Naruto, now joining the couple, let loose his attack as well. Quite similarly to Sasuke, his new found rival, Naruto gathered the power of his now flaring aura. Pulling from the bubbling energy of scarlet, the young kitsune was able to compress his power into a spinning sphere of energy now dyed light-blue in its revolution. With his power spinning like a top Naruto’s arm reached back and he readied his throw. “Rasengan!”

The once calm sand garden was now blazing with sparks and the thundering of the trio’s powers. Sakura’s stars of fuchsia energy exploded in the direction of the siblings paralleled with Sasuke’s lightning bolt; his laser of onyx and azure psionic power and Naruto’s comet of blueish- white which shot across the garden, leaving behind streaks white energy.

What happened following this bombardment was beyond what Naruto, Sasuke or Sakura could ever anticipate. In a flash, in the wake of their three streaks of power, the witch, the vampire and the kitsune’s attacks were blocked.

In the last minute, as each attack neared the siblings, a savage tornado was born. Adding on to this a soaring wall of golden sand erupted behind the windstorm which was itself reinforced by the frame of Kankuro’s cracked giant, now outlined in an aurora of deep violet. The siblings were still conscious and, worst of all, still able to fight.

Against each defense the three powers weakened before bursting through only to die against the crumbling giant that was Kankuro’s statue. In the wake of all the smoke and rubble a rotating sphere of clean golden sand could be seen hovering. Gaara further protected himself and his siblings.

“Sasuke! What...” Sakura was overcome with fear so much so that her thoughts jammed in her mind and struggled to escape her lips. For the umpteenth time these siblings had outmaneuvered them. This was vampire royalty just like Sasuke. Three nobles. Was she in over her head? Did all the training Sasuke and her endured been for naught? So many negative thoughts washed over the witch upon witnessing the vampire’s resurrection. Sasuke... There was a very real possibility that this time Sasuke would die. They would both die here and so would Naruto.

“Shit.” Panic entered Sasuke’s bones and a bitter cold chilled him from the inside out. He really was weak, pathetic, unworthy. Sakura is in danger and after all this he still couldn’t pull off a victory. He failed to save her. They were both low on energy and power and from the looks of the three vampires escaping Gaara’s sand they still had power left. He couldn’t let his wife feel this though and thus calmly hid his feelings from their bond, instead replacing them solely with thoughts of the plan he was currently weaving in his mind.

“Those bastards!” Naruto blurted out, breaking the couple’s thoughts. “I thought we had them there.” Gaara, Temari and Kankuro now stood on the sand beyond them their auras blazing teal, gold and violet against the sand. “Sakura chan, Sasuke, what do we do next? We have to kick their asses!”

Naruto, despite their predicament, still held hope and a fire within him, Sakura noticed. This kitsune was not giving up. Upon his words Sakura could feel a faint smile bloom on her face as she held Sasuke’s shoulder. Sasuke, conversely, was even more irritated by the kitsune. That idiot.

He was right though, Sasuke thought. He also couldn’t stand to see the kitsune so determined while he himself was wallowing. Hmm. A smirk naturally streaked across his stoic face. At least the idiot helped him snap out of it. Still, Sasuke felt a bit envious that Naruto’s bright personality brightened Sakura so and even affected him too. He was not going to be outdone by some idiotic mutt. This he promised himself as he intertwined his fingers into his wife’s and readied himself for their final stand.

“So a kitsune joined in?” Gaara broke his silence as his siblings and himself invoked their psionic powers. “If two can’t work then try three? How simple.... Temari, Kankuro go!”

On his command the siblings let loose their attacks. Twitching his fingers meticulously Kankuro summoned a statue once more, his second, untouched statue, while his violet aura outlined the puppet now readying its punch. Temari sprayed crescents of scythe like wind once more in the trio’s direction. Finally Gaara, the strongest of the three, let loose two sharp tendrils of sand, weaved into a nebula thus completing the vampire’s team up.

Despite Sasuke’s chidori, Naruto’s rasengan and Sakura’s petal storm once more shooting out in response, the trio failed against the siblings’ might. Meeting each attack with their own, Sakura, Naruto and Sasuke could only repel them for seconds before the siblings, brimming with power and vitality from their feedings, splintered their powers away before sinking their own into the trio.

In the wake of the great explosion birthed from the vampires’ flare of power Sasuke, Sakura and Naruto were sent flying about the garden of sand. As the chaotic clouds of sand and dark power died, Gaara and his siblings stood triumphantly while Sasuke, Sakura and Naruto lay defeated, spread out helplessly in the cushion of the sand.

Sakura are you okay?! Sasuke’s thought wave was blaring at his wife as he steadied himself, struggling to wake himself from his defeat. A few meters off Sakura, herself clenching fistfuls of golden sand as she rose, replied. Damn! Yeah I’m fine, Sasuke. We lost.

“Naruto! What about you?!” Sakura was now vocal once more as she peered to her far right at the kitsune spread flat on his stomach. “Okay Sakura chan! I’m hurt all over though... those idiots sure got us.”

Ease and relief warmed Sakura’s heart as she realized her husband and even Naruto were okay, for now. However what could she do? Of all the fighters here she was now the weakest. Naruto didn’t exhaust himself as much as they had, the siblings fed already and even Sasuke got at least a mouthful of her energizing Shikkotsu blood in his system. Making matters worse, their best abilities were now being outclassed by the enemies. Guilt soon replaced the spark of relief as an ice cold frost blew against her, glaciating her once passionate spirit. We’re going to die because of me. Because I can’t help them any more. Naruto... Sasuke I’m sorry.

Sakura enough. Sakura your magic is what made us reach this far in the first place. Sakura you saved me!

Unbeknownst to Sakura, her bond was still active and Sasuke felt her emotions as she herself experienced them. He never changes, Sakura thought to herself. Always the protector. Always supporting. As much as Sasuke treated her as an equal Sakura still appreciated how serious Sasuke took his role as her lover and friend. Sasuke always ensured that she was at her best, even when she may not feel it herself. Sasuke had always seen the value in her, even when she herself failed to do so.

Sasuke....thank you. Sakura’s confidence was reignited and Sasuke could see and feel the zeal flicker in her smirk on her face and the ‘smirk’ warming her mind.

Hmm... Sasuke closed his eyes and flashed his signature smirk for his bride.

You come up with a plan while that idiot and I distract them. Your analytical ability is the best in this group after all! We can’t make it the way we’re going, Sakura.

Sasuke... yeah let’s do it!

As his thought reached Sakura, Sasuke needled his plan into Naruto’s mind. “Fine, for Sakura chan, I will work with you but I’m not going to like it!”

Moments later, covered in the remnants of The Sand Siblings’ attack, Naruto and Sasuke, the vampire and the fox, began their hunt. They sped off, claws extended to meet the trio head on.

Hidden behind clouds of sand while Gaara and his group readied their second firing, a charcoal ribbon of power waved through, cutting through clouds of dust towards the group. Simultaneously Naruto’s tails, nine tendrils of energy branched out above the wave and shot towards the siblings. Gaara could see Sasuke and Naruto in blurs of scarlet and onyx speeding towards them.

Whilst Gaara’s wall of sand easily fended off the attacks, Sasuke and Naruto now airborne, landed behind the trio and like lightning met their frames with their fists, claws and ‘tails’.

“Arrgh!” Temari groaned while blocking Sasuke’s black fist of power with her war fan, now alight in flickers of teal and light green. Sasuke was nudging her back as his other fist met Gaara’s core at his side. Against Gaara’s golden aura, Sasuke’s dark fist sizzled on impact. “Sasuke you...”

Alas, Gaara couldn’t finish his curse nor could he summon any sand. Naruto too was there. While Sasuke attacked from Gaara’s front, Naruto using several of his tails of energy, swept across Gaara’s leg from behind, his scarlet aura meeting Gaara’s as well. They were trying to throw him down. Naruto’s claws though were sinking into Kankuro’s chest, almost through his violet armament of psionic energy as far as Naruto could see.

This skirmish went on for moments as the siblings defended against the desperate strikes of Naruto and Sasuke. Close ranged combat seemed to work alright, Sakura concluded as she noticed Temari and Gaara, especially, struggle against Naruto’s rabid taijutsu while barely countering Sasuke’s which was polished and expert. However, Sakura could see the boys tiring and Gaara and his siblings gaining the upper hand, soon managing to block and stab the boys as their moves slowed. This would end soon. Of this Sakura was certain.

Close combat? Can I jump in and help them? No! Those three are still stronger and if I join in they could get my witch’s blood! We can’t chance it! Come on! Think Sakura! Shannaro!

Clenching at the sand beneath her, Sakura struggled. On paper Sasuke’s proposition sounded logical but what could they do? What could she do? If only Katsuyu were here! Doubt once again held her as Sakura stared, her attention split between the boys struggling to claw at Temari and Gaara while Naruto’s tails and Sasuke’s power now snared Kankuro, and her current, barren surroundings. Three against two... Sakura knew the end was soon approaching. Guys!

Frantically Sakura scanned the sand garden for any crystal she could utilize, any plant she could enchant. There was no Holy Sake around either, Sakura surmised, her mind still storming through plans. She could do nothing.

Sadly Sakura tightened her grip on the sand between her fingers and gave up with tears trickling down her face. As her fists blazed with roseate energy, the precursor to her Sakura bolts, Naruto and Sasuke were beaten. Forcefully, the men were blown back by the aurora of Gaara, Temari and Kankuro’s convergence of power. The siblings had won.

“I’ll finish you three myself.” Gaara’s voice was booming, spiced with rage and utter annoyance at the trio. The vampire prince was now covered in a veil of power; an aurora of bright teal, whirling mauve and his natural aura of splendid aureate. Sakura, now near her husband and Naruto, could see his acute curved fangs bare against his lips as his aura crackled. His arms were outstretched as he then proclaimed his attack. “Sand Binding Coffin!”

Borrowing some of his sibling’s power, Gaara then unleashed his ultimate attack. As Sasuke, now leaning against Sakura, looked on he witnessed sand, not only from the ground but from the very desert sky itself, being pulled into whirls around Gaara. Streams of brilliant sand with sparkling flecks of crystal and rocks embedded, danced chaotically around the sand garden. Sakura, gripping her husband, thought that it would have been gorgeous if this was not the weapon that would kill her. Gaara now showed them what the Sand’s vampires were capable of. Vampire royalty that was one with the desert: wind, sky, sand and sun. As the prince’s maelstrom stabilized, the form of a tsunami of golden sand appeared before the trio totally blocking out the siblings and soaring beyond the framing of the sand garden. Suddenly it was crashing into the vampire, the witch and the kitsune.

Sasuke!

Sakura!

“Bhoosh!”

“Sakura chan!” Naruto awoke now looking around for Sakura and even Sasuke. As he did so he was dumbfounded by what lay before him. Mounds of sand littered at his anterior and flecks of faint, white stars dusted the atmosphere. Beyond, near the gates, the Sand Siblings were lying on their backs.

“What the hell?!”

“Tch. Must you be so loud, idiot?” Naruto was shaken upon hearing that voice.

“Sasuke?!” As he looked behind him after sourcing the voice, Naruto was met with Sasuke smirking mischievously.

“Who else, idiot?”

The young kitsune soon ignored Sasuke altogether as his mind registered something far more important. “Sakura?!”

There, held firming in Sasuke’s arms was Sakura. Her arms were wrapped around his neck as her husband carried her towards Naruto. Apart from beads of sweat stamping her now blushed complexion and the wary look in her resonant eyes, Naruto could tell that Sakura was okay.

“Naruto! Thank God!” Sakura managed as Sasuke put her down finally. They were reunited with Naruto. She hugged him tightly when they met.

“Sakura chan” Naruto was blushing and returning her hug hesitantly.

“Whatever, let’s get those siblings before they wake up.” Sasuke interrupted, obviously irritated by the sappy reunion. “Don’t get distracted, Naruto!”

“You!”

“Guys!” Once more Sakura was the voice of reason among them.

“So when are you going to tell me what happened?” Naruto desperately nagged as they jogged towards their fallen enemies. “Come on Sakura chan!”

“It’s on a need to know basis...” Sasuke interrupted. “And you don’t need to know”

“Sasuke stop it.” Sakura sighed as the three of them now stood looking over the siblings. “Naruto stay still,” Sakura carefully instructed him while laying her palm gently against his forehead, as if checking for a fever. “Now feel!”

Sakura’s words echoed in his mind. Naruto’s mind now blackened from her touch. Naruto couldn’t think for a moment before suddenly, a lone star of intense white light blossomed in his mind. From this one star a pure and intense white light soon flooded his mind. Naruto could feel it, he could see it. A clear view and vibrant feelings entered him.

Materializing before Naruto was the answer to his questions. Naruto saw what he failed to witness himself while semi conscious. Gaara’s tsunami of sand descending upon them and Sasuke. Sasuke in his arms.

What the...?! Why am I holding Sasuke? Where is... me?! Before he could complete his thoughts Naruto was surprised to see himself on the ground. It was as if he was looking at himself; as if he were someone else. It was as if he was Sakura.

That’s it! This is a vision. Sakura’s vision from that time! The realization had finally dawned on him. Ooooh! I see. Upon his realization, Sakura’s experience continued. Naruto saw and felt it all.

Sakura panicked. A ripping pain tore through her body. It was the taint of defeat and hopelessness. Naruto felt it. No, that’s not all. It was heartbreak. Sasuke could die and so would he. Sakura couldn’t bear it. Gaara was readying his final attack and Sasuke and Naruto were defeated. They were doomed. I failed! They’re going to die because of me!

There was nothing but sand in this God forsaken place. Nothing but sand. Sakura gripped the sand in anguish as she cursed their fate. Sand. Sand that gave Gaara power and gave nothing to them, nothing to a witch like Sakura. There was no spell, no herb, no crystal. Only sand.

Sand...

Sand....

Sand!

Sakura’s discovery dawned upon her like the rising spring sunshine after the dead of winter, melting, scorching away the glaciers of hopelessness and fear that held her spirit. In its wake, buds of hope and promise sprung forth like blooming cherry blossoms. Sand was also crystal. Sand was also power.

Shannaro! Sand! Clear quartz! That’s it! Sakura’s grip loosened into a gentle caress as she readied herself. In the face of Gaara’s newly formed tsunami, with her comrades near her, Sakura fanned out her hair while feint jade sparkles of her lucky aventurine crystals twinkled. The witch would cast one last spell.

Invoking her power, the pure magical art of Shikkotsu, Sakura linked her mind, her spirit and her power with the clear quartz crystals in the sand. Alone a speck of clear quartz was insignificant and could barely sting a vampire with it’s power, the power to cast away negative energy. However Sakura thanked God that she wasn’t dealing with one speck. As she ran her fingers through the sand, now enlivened with her finger’s motions, Sakura appreciated flecks of diamond-like sparkles dancing before her eyes. Indeed, Sakura didn’t have a single speck. She had trillions.

Sakura do it! Sasuke cheered, his mind linked with hers; his mind helping her as if performing the spell with her as one mind and soul.

“Flares of the Sun,

Glow of the Moon,

Radiance of the stars,

In this darkness I invoke thee...

Dispel!”

Sakura, channeling all of her white power into the crystals in her hands, formed a link. Each speck shimmered brilliant jewels of pristine white light as Sakura’s magic resonated and awakened their natural power. Sakura felt a warmth like a flare of pure solar power coursing through her, warming instead of burning, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Like wildfire this phenomenon spread. Each crystal pierced by white magic then awakened another and in seconds, while Gaara’s tsunami was crashing down on the trio, the entire sand garden was alight with enchantment.

In the wake of Sakura’s spell, pearls of luminous white, an entire cosmos of star- like crystal burned, lighting the entire garden and exploding upon the tsunami of sand, nullifying it and collapsing it in the process. It was as if the Sun was rising on the garden itself when the light burst forth and blossomed white magical power that blinded all who were present.

The last sound Naruto heard as Sakura was the wailing of the siblings as the light of the enchantment pierced even his vision, thrusting him back to the present and his own mind.

“Sakura chan! You’re amazing!” Naruto excitedly exclaimed, still on a high from his experience. “What amazing control of your magic!”

“Oh he’s back.” Sasuke sighed, feigning disappointment as he stood over Gaara.

“Naruto. Thank you. But I really only pulled it off because you both helped me and supported me.” Sakura was humble and Naruto chuckled as he saw her eyes meet Sasuke’s as she went on.

“Yeah.. you weren’t totally useless.” Was that Sasuke’s version of thank you, Naruto asked himself.

“Sasuke...” Naruto couldn’t find the words to reply.

Sakura now broke their awkward silence, “Naruto. I mean it. Thank you for everything. I owe you my life. We both do. Tell Mistress Tsunade I am okay and will send a letter with Katsuyu soon. But before that...”

As she finished her praise, Naruto was shocked before he could respond. Sakura kissed him gently on his cheek, setting it ablaze in rose like blush as she did so.

“Sakura-chan...” Naruto stumbled for words as his eyes glazed over. “No problem...”

“Tch”

Ignoring Sasuke’s mocking he continued. “Um Sakura, what are those? Are they... those guys’ protection?” Naruto asked while pointing to three palm sized crystal orbs of teal, violet and amber.

“Yes Naruto, these are their protection from the sun.” Sakura smiled, as she played with the precious crystal orbs she had recovered while the kitsune was spelled. “Without these, even when they recharge, they’re helplessly paralyzed by the sun.”

“Oho. Vampires are so disadvantaged.” Naruto smiled, looking at Sasuke.

“Idiot...” Sasuke retorted sharply.

“Hey!”

“Guys!”

“Sorry Sakura chan”

“Hmm..” Sasuke was speaking now, blocking out Naruto it seemed. His attention was focused entirely on Gaara now as he intertwined his fingers with Sakura’s. The couple now stood resolute, side by side in the face of the siblings.

“Gaara, how about we make a deal with my wife and I?”

“Wow. I can’t believe Sakura chan knew where the one ramen shop is Suna was!” Naruto exclaimed cheerfully as he strolled down a minor street in the city. With his eyes shut and his signature sunny smile adorning his face, the kitsune seemed perfectly content despite his recent ordeal.

“I cannot wait!”

“Ugh who is that?!” Naruto complained as he halted to answer his phone. After a brief scan of his surroundings he stepped into a nearby alley. Only the rats present would hear what the kitsune said following this as his expression died down to one that matched Sasuke’s.

“Hello?...”

“Yes I found them...”

“No the witch protected them from my tracking wards with that tourmaline crystal thing....”

“No they didn’t suspect a thing. They think Granny Tsunade sent me.”

“Yeah at most they got some weird emotional shock when I tried...”

“No no I didn’t fail! Listen they’re still here. They’re not on the move. This is what I am saying, they are staying here... and...”

“Listen, I really... I really think you should come here now, Master.”

#sasusaku #sakura haruno #sakura uchiha #sasuke uchiha #myfic #sasusaku fanfiction #sasusaku fanfic #ss fanfic

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