#next chapter won’t be so long or take as long hopefully

[anywaymuahahahaha]

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Chapter Four: Let Me Explain Everything About Magolor…

Elfilin and Magolor were getting closer to Kirby's house. Magolor cast an anxious glance over at Elfilin. He began to slow down, and then they came to a halt. Kirby’s house was just below.

“Hey… So, you know that stuff I said about Kirby back there? Let's uh… Let’s keep that to ourselves, okay?” Magolor said with a smile.

Elfilin grew anxious as he looked down. He seemed to have forgotten about the lies back in town. It might be difficult to explain to Kirby how they managed to bring back so much fruit.

“Magolor…You lied about Kirby...Why would you do that?”

Magolor took a deep breath then looked down below.

“Kirby has saved Planet Popstar many times. I’m sure you’re aware of that. You’ve seen Kirby in action; isn’t he amazing?…Well, that fool seems to have forgotten just how important he is. Kirby isn’t just some ordinary citizen. He’s a hero and he deserves to be treated as such! Wouldn’t you agree, Little Dude?”

“Well…yeah! Of course, I do! But…What will Kirby say when he finds we stole everything?” Elfilin asked.

“Kirby’s not going to find out!” Magolor winked.

“W-what do you mean by that? You’re gonna lie to Kirby?!”

“What!? Of course not! I'd never lie to my dearest friend!” Magolor said, almost outraged by the remark. “...Besides, he'll be so completely thrilled about all this food we’ve brought him that he won't care a bit where it came from!”

“But Magolor, stealing is just wrong!…I…I can’t go through with this. I’m sorry, but I’m taking everything back!” Elfilin turned around and prepared to fly back but Magolor quickly appeared right in front of him and held up his hand, preventing him from doing so.

“No way, Little Dude! Kirby’s waiting on us! We can’t let him down!” Elfilin anxiously tried to move past him, but Magolor wouldn’t budge.

“Calm down! To be honest…we technically didn’t steal anything because…Well, I’m gonna go back and pay for it all tomorrow!”

“…You are?”

“Of course!…I do it all the time.” He smirked.

“But…Aren’t you banned from that place?”

“…Oh… That obnoxious jerk has such a nasty temper. He’s never liked me, and I don't know why; I’ve never done a thing to him. He’s always blaming me when things go wrong for him because, well, he’s just bad at his job. It can’t be helped. He's a pathetic old fool.”

“Are you sure?…or is this another lie?” Elfilin asked.

“Okay…fine. I'll admit...I occasionally tell a little, white lie to some of the folks around here…but to Kirby? Or you? I don't lie to my friends anymore!” Magolor said, smiling and nodding.

Anymore?…

“Aw, don't give me that look.” Magolor said with a pout. “I only lied about Kirby like that because I was in a hurry! Normally, I wouldn’t do something that drastic, but I had no choice. He was taking way too long, you know?”

“I wonder if he’s okay after what happened with that Black Hole-”

“Like I said, Little Dude, it’s no big deal! No one got hurt! No harm done!” Magolor snickered. He seemed to have no regret at all for what they had done. He seemed like he might have enjoyed it even. He pointed below to Kirby’s house and smiled.

“Well, let’s go!” As Magolor tightened his grip on the hefty sack of fruit, he noticed Elfilin still appeared to be a bit hesitant to return. He jabbed him on the shoulder with a lighthearted punch.

“Remember, Little Dude! I’m going back tomorrow to pay for everything we took today…and then some, even!” He said with a wink.

Regardless of how horrible he felt about the situation, Elfilin couldn't help but believe Magolor. He just brimmed with sincerity. So kind and friendly. He certainly had a mischievous side, as Elfilin could see, but was it really such a bad thing? He clearly took a lot of pride in his friendship with Kirby and valued it above all else. Elfilin was impressed and inspired by his dedication to being such a good friend, but was also a little concerned and somewhat curious about the obscure and dark past he seemed to be hiding.

“Hmm. In fact, I'll throw in a little extra to help repair the damage caused by that nasty black hole!” Magolor continued.

“Really!? Wow…That’s very…cool of you!”

“What can I say? I’m a pretty cool dude…And so are you! Nice work back there!”

“You really think I’m cool!?” Elfilin exclaimed, his eyes wide with awe.

“Of course, and you'll be even cooler if you remember what I said about keeping what happened back there a secret! Just follow my lead, Little Dude. Remember, we're not lying; We’re simply keeping it between us. I’ll handle everything and you won’t have to say a word! Now, let’s get down there and show Kirby all this delicious fruit! Last one there’s a rotten egg!”

Magolor sped off flying down below to Kirby’s house. Elfilin quickly caught up to him and even surpassed him. Just as he thought he would make it to Kirby’s door first, Magolor emerged directly in front of him. He twirled about, giggling.

“You almost beat me! Looks like you'll have to pick up your pace juuuust a bit, there, heeheehee!” Magolor winked. Elfilin blushed, humiliated at yet another defeat.

“Don't worry, I won't tell Kirby about it..heehee!” Magolor opened the door and they went inside to see Kirby and Bandana Waddle Dee continuing their chess game from earlier.

“Yo! We’re back! We brought lots of good stuff too! I made sure to get plenty of apples, just as you wanted, Kirby!” Magolor tossed him a bright red apple.

“The most delicious apple in the universe!…Just for you!” He smiled.

Kirby's eyes sparkled as he gazed at the apple. Then he inhaled it all in one go.

“Wow, that was delicious! The best apple I’ve ever had! Thank you, Magolor! Thank you, Elfilin!” Kirby jumped around happily.

Magolor bounced around joyously with Kirby, while Elfilin chuckled nervously. Magolor then took both sacks of fruit and poured them out on the floor. Kirby's eyes grew wide as he gazed at the mountain of fruit surrounding them.

“Alright, Kirby! Dig in!” Magolor smiled. Kirby was practically drooling on himself from his excitement.

“Wow! Look at all of this!! Apples, peaches, and even strawberries! Imagine what we could do with all of this! We could make cobblers, pies, fruit tarts, even parfaits!! The possibilities are endless!!”

Kirby frantically rummaged through all of the fruit grabbing every piece he could possibly fit in his hands.

“That's right, Kirby! I made sure to get only the best! I know just how hungry you get, so we made sure to grab plenty!”

Magolor smiled as he sat down next to Kirby.

Bandana Waddle Dee was amazed by how much fruit they brought back. It almost seemed too good to be true that Magolor could bring back this much. Kirby, of course, was so eager to devour everything that he didn't seem to care where it all came from. He was just happy to eat. Bandana Waddle Dee then spotted Elfilin standing alone. He quietly took a few steps towards him.

“Pssst…Elfilin!” He called out. Elfilin turned to see Bandana Waddle Dee motioning for him to come closer. While Magolor and Kirby were preoccupied, they met in another corner of the room.

“Hey, Elfilin…how did it go?…” he asked, speaking softly.

Elfilin sighed and glanced down. He then turned towards Magolor, still beaming with happiness as he sat with Kirby.

“…It’s Magolor, isn’t it!? What did he do this time!?” Bandana Waddle Dee said angrily.

“I just knew he was up to no good! He did something horrible again didn’t he!?”

“What? No!” Elfilin said hastily. “Magolor is…Well, he’s great! He showed me the sights, introduced me to some new people, and helped get all this food for Kirby!”

“Yeah, about all this food…” Bandana Waddle Dee said as he looked around the room. “How did you guys pay for all this?…”

Elfilin froze in panic. He remembered Magolor’s plea to keep everything between them. He couldn’t tell Bandana Waddle Dee about what really happened. But he couldn’t lie either. He took another uneasy glimpse around.

“Well…you see…” Elfilin stammered. “Um…Magolor…”

Bandana Waddle Dee shook his head in defeat as Elfilin stumbled over his words.

“…He handled everything like a total pro! It’s all been taken care of! There’s no need to worry Bandana Waddle Dee!”

“Are you sure? You seem anxious…”

Elfilin was determined to keep his promise to Magolor but…he wasn’t quite as good at lying as Magolor seemed to be.

“…Yep!…he…” Elfilin sighed. “Paid for everything…”

“Oh, Elfilin…you can be honest with me. I won’t tell Magolor anything you say…It’s not like I ever wanna talk to him anyway.”

“I don’t know why you seem to hate him so much…He really is nice, you know? He’s awesome! Ooooh, and I think he wants to be my friend! Isn’t that cool!?”

Bandana Waddle Dee exhaled deeply. He was well aware of Magolor's ways. Using his charm to win over anybody he wants and get whatever he desires. He watched him do it to Kirby and now he was doing the same to Elfilin.

“Elfilin…” Bandana Waddle Dee said.

“Look, I know you seem to like Magolor a lot…and I really hate to have to tell you this…but he’s not this super cool guy you think he is.”

Elfilin frowned. Bandana Waddle Dee leaned in closer and spoke quietly.

“He tries really, REALLY hard to make you think he wants to be your friend…He plays it off like he’s a real nice guy…but the truth is..he’s a lying, backstabbing, TRAITOR!!”

“…A traitor?!” Elfilin was taken aback. “Magolor!? There’s no way!”

“He’s a liar and a wizard!! Believe me, Elfilin! Stay away from Magolor if you know what’s good for you!”

Elfilin glanced over at Magolor and Kirby. Still talking and laughing it up. Could he really be this lying, backstabbing traitor!? Elfilin couldn't picture Magolor doing such a thing to anyone, let alone Kirby.

“He might look friendly and nice now-but it’s all an act!- Listen! When he first arrived on Planet Popstar…He told us he was a lost traveler in need of help. Kirby, of course helped him. We all did! You know what happened after that!?”

“…What?”

“HE BETRAYED US! He betrayed Kirby!”

“He..betrayed Kirby??” Elfilin was in disbelief.

“Yep! And he’ll betray you too, Elfilin!…Once Magolor has you right where he wants you, that’s when he gets you! He tricked us into helping him steal something that didn’t belong to him and once he had it- he ATTACKED US!!”

“Magolor attacked you!?” Elfilin still couldn’t believe what he was hearing. He knew Magolor was hiding something…but he never imagined he was hiding something quite like this…

“Yeah! And that’s not all!…He put on this thing called the Master Crown which made him transform into a big hideous looking monster! He had piercing red eyes, long, scary horns and big, freaky hands!”

Hearing this left Elfilin in pure shock. Magolor, a monster who betrays his friends? The very same Magolor who has been so kind to him and Kirby��It couldn’t be true…

“Magolor…turned into a monster?”

“That’s right! After he attacked us, he abandoned us on a strange planet far away from home! We were lucky to make it out alive!”

“What happened after Magolor…attacked you?…”

“Well, we managed to catch up to him thanks to a dragon named Landia. But he was determined to get what he wanted and wasn’t going down without a fight. Kirby had no choice but to face him in battle.”

“You mean Kirby and Magolor actually fought each other?”

“Yeah... Magolor was strong and very powerful but Kirby put up a good fight and ultimately had the upper hand. It was a pretty intense battle but Kirby was able to take him down.”

“…Take him down? You mean like…”

“Yep. Kirby defeated him.”

Elfilin was rendered speechless. Magolor seemed friendly, funny..a bit of a liar maybe, but a monster?…He couldn’t wrap his head around it. And to think they once fought each other in a vicious battle…When you looked at the two of them now, it seemed unbelievable.

“What happened to him after that?”

“Well, he just sort of…vanished…and that was the end of it.”

Elfilin kept his gaze on Magolor as Bandana Waddle Dee spoke, still struggling to process everything he was hearing.

“Kirby took it pretty hard at first but…after a while he finally managed to moved on…Magolor was gone for a really long time but then…one day he just showed back up on Planet Popstar acting as if nothing ever happened. We were all a little confused…But Kirby was really happy to see him again. Magolor has been living here in Dream Land ever since. He claims he’s changed but he still causes all kinds of trouble around here and he’s still a big, fat, liar. I’ll never understand him. But…for some reason…he and Kirby are still friends…” Bandana Waddle Dee sighed.

Elfilin could clearly see the two of them had a very special bond. He could tell they really enjoyed each other's company. Elfilin knew Kirby wouldn’t forgive someone who wasn’t deserving of it. If he was willing to forgive Magolor even after all that, it had to mean something, right?

“Bandana Waddle Dee…maybe you’re being a little too hard on Magolor…” Elfilin said softly. “If Kirby is willing to forgive him, then…maybe you could too.”

Bandana Waddle Dee was admittedly, a little shocked at Elfilin’s remark.

“Elfilin…you heard what I said, right? He turned into a MONSTER!”

While Elfilin could obviously see that Magolor was far from perfect, the more he learned about him the more sympathy he felt for him. While Elfilin’s circumstances might have been a little different he found himself relating more and more to his seemingly tragic past.

“Magolor doesn’t seem like a monster to me…In fact, he is one of coolest people I’ve ever met. I know I don’t know him as well as you and Kirby do, but if he says he’s changed then I think he means it! He just wants to be a good friend! Look at all this fruit he got for Kirby! Don’t you see how happy they are! You really ought to give Magolor another chance, Bandana Waddle Dee. Once you get to know him, he’s really a pretty nice guy!”

“NICE!? Elfilin…are you sure we’re talking about the same guy here?-“

“Yo, Little Dude!” Magolor suddenly appeared right in front of him, his attention to Elfilin. He was beaming with delight. He pulled out a bright red apple and handed it to Elfilin.

“I promised to give Kirby the best apple, but here’s the SECOND best apple…just for you! Heehee!”

Magolor bounced with excitement as he awaited Elfilin to take it. Elfilin was still slightly caught off guard by Magolor’s sudden appearances but still found himself completely starstruck when he had his full attention. Bandana Waddle Dee watched with slight frustration as Elfilin was completely frozen in awe of Magolor’s presence, his eyes sparkling as if he were about to cry.

Oh, give me a break!…

“Go on, take it!” Magolor handed over the apple to Elfilin. He took a careful look at it. It was much larger than all the others ones and noticeably redder too. It looked delicious! Elfilin held it tightly and smiled at Magolor.

“You’re giving this to me!?” He said, choking back tears.

“Of course! It’s the least I can do! You were so incredibly helpful back there! I couldn’t have done it without you!” Magolor said with a wink.

“Thank you, Magolor! Wow! It looks delicious! Are you sure I can have this?”

“Yep! It’s all yours, my friend! Enjoy it!” Magolor said with a nod. “In fact, why don’t the two of you come over here and sit with us! We were just discussing all the fun we’re going to have tonight!”

“Sure!” Elfilin spun around joyously and floated over to where Kirby was sitting. As Bandana Waddle Dee prepared to follow, he was stopped by a hand on his shoulder.

“Oh, and Bandana Waddle Dee…” Magolor began, his voice low.

He leaned in closer to Bandana Waddle Dee, who was frozen in fear.

“You should know it’s very rude to talk about people behind their back…” he whispered. He took a few steps forward then turned his face slightly towards him.

“Especially when the person you’re talking about hasn’t had a chance to tell their side of the story.”

Magolor smirked at Bandana Waddle Dee for a moment before returning to Kirby and Elfilin, leaving him completely stunned.

Did…Did he hear everything?….

Bandana Waddle Dee nervously approached them. Magolor intensely looked him in the eye as he headed over. He happily pat his hand on the ground next to him.

“Yo! There’s an open seat right next to me, Bandana Waddle Dee!” He giggled.

Bandana Waddle Dee hesitated for a moment. Kirby gave him a puzzled look.

“What’s wrong?” He said.

“Yeah, what’s wrong?” Magolor said slightly giggling.

“N-nothing…sorry…” Bandana Waddle Dee slowly sat down next to Magolor. He gave him a cheeky smile and scooted slightly closer to him.

“You know, We really should talk more, Bandana Waddle Dee.” He said giggling.

Bandana Waddle Dee sighed and turned away from him.

“Alright, then!” Kirby announced with a beaming smile. “Now that Magolor and Elfilin are back, what do you say we-“

KNOCK-KNOCK-KNOCK!!

The room went silent at the sound of a loud knocking at Kirby’s door.

“Oh, another visitor!? I wonder who it could be!!”

Magolor and Elfilin froze in panic. Elfilin began to tremble anxiously as Kirby approached the door. He looked across to Magolor, who was looking around the room frantically, and then disappeared with his dimensional vanish. Elfilin hunched down and covered his face with his big ears. Bandana Waddle Dee observed them with perplexity.

Kirby opened the door and smiled big.

“Meta Knight! You made it, after all!”

Meta Knight, the mysterious, masked swordsman and longtime friend to Kirby had shown up.

“Good afternoon, Kirby. Can I come in?”

“Of course! Hey, everyone! Meta Knights here for the party!”

“Party?…” Meta Knight looked around the messy room and noticed Bandana Waddle Dee and Elfilin sitting together. Finally Magolor returned from his dimensional vanish appearing next to Kirby. He looked at Meta Knight and groaned.

“Oh, it’s just you. Now the real fun can start. Yippie…” Magolor sulked over to Elfilin and plopped down next to him. Elfilin stared in awe at Meta Knight, his eyes shining brightly.

“Oh, Magolor. You’re here as well.” Meta Knight said.

Magolor gave him an unenthusiastic hand wave.

“Well, I suppose that answers my first question…” He said glaring at him.

“Hey, Meta Knight!” Bandana Waddle Dee said cheerfully.

“Bandana Waddle Dee.” Meta Knight greeted him with a nod.

“It’s great you were able to make it considering Magolor stole your invitat-“

Magolor quickly jabbed Bandana Waddle Dee in the gut, cutting him off before he could finish his sentence.

“Meta Knight! We’re so happy you made it to the party! We’re gonna have lots of fun! Come on, come on!!” Kirby took Meta Knights hand and led him over to where Elfilin was sitting.

“Kirby, I’m not here for any party-“

“Meta Knight, you remember Elfilin, right?”

Elfilin was suddenly face to face with Meta Knight.

“Elfilin. It’s been a while, how have you been?” Meta Knight extended his hand out to Elfilin for a handshake.

“M-Meta Knight!” He stuttered. “Wow! It’s great to see you again!” Elfilin said happily shaking his hand.

“Likewise.” Meta Knight nodded at him then turned his attention to Kirby.

“I apologize for the intrusion but I am not here to hang out. I’m sorry to interrupt the…party, but I just need a quick word then I’ll be on my way.”

“Is everything all right, Meta Knight?” Kirby asked.

“Kirby…I was just in the village and there seemed to be a disturbance at the Farmers Market. Magolor…you were just there. Would you know anything about that?”

Magolor turned away from him, ignoring his question.

Meta Knight then turned to Elfilin. He began to tremble anxiously.

“Elfilin, I believe you were there with Magolor, correct?”

“Y-yes.” Elfilin stammered.

“Did you see anything…strange happen while you were there?”

Elfilin glanced over at Magolor, who was eyeing him intensely. Magolor very subtly shook his head ‘no’ and gave a small ‘thumbs up’ gesture with his hand.

“No, sir. I didn’t see anything strange…it must have happened after we left!”

Bandana Waddle Dee shook his head in anguish.

Oh, Elfilin. Not you, too…

Meta Knight nodded at Elfilin then took a few steps toward Magolor.

“Kirby, the shopkeeper who runs the Fruit Stand was robbed today.”

“What!? Robbed!?” Kirby said with a gasp.

“What happened!? Is anyone hurt!?”

“No one is hurt, thankfully. But it could have gotten ugly had I not been there to clean up the mess after the culprits fled the scene.” He glared angrily at Magolor. 

Elfilin sunk lower and lower with every word.

“Oh, when I find out who’s responsible for this!…they’re gonna be sorry!” Kirby said, viciously punching the air.

“Magolor…” Meta Knight began, his voice stern.

“Two sacks of fruit were stolen today. Curious…How many sacks did you take off with, again? It was quite difficult to see, given how fast the two of you were going.”

Magolor continued to ignore him. Kirby approached him angrily.

“Magolor…Don’t tell me you stole everything!” He said.

Elfilin panicked.

“Magolor, I know we’ve discussed this before but if you wish to continue living here in Dream Land you must behave yourself.”

Kirby frowned and glared disappointingly at Magolor. He looked over at Elfilin.

“And don’t be getting Elfilin here caught up in your antics either.”

“Elfilin, is it true? Did you guys steal everything?” Kirby asked.

Elfilin found himself in the hot seat. He swallowed nervously and attempted to speak.

“Kirby, don’t bother questioning Elfilin.” Meta Knight said. “This was all Magolor’s doing... As for the stolen fruit… I took care of the bill.”

He shot Magolor a disapproving look.

“You can pay back me back later.”

“Didn’t you just say you were leaving?” Magolor remarked.

Wow…Magolor and Meta Knight sure don’t seem to like each other very much…

Elfilin observed the tension between the two of them.

In fact…A lot of the folks around here don’t seem to get along with him…Was Bandana Waddle Dee right about him after all?…

Kirby sighed deeply and shook his head in remorse.

“Magolor…Why would you do this?! And to drag Elfilin into it?…”

“It’s not like anyone got hurt. That shopkeeper is such a crybaby. Listen, the only reason why I took off with everything was because I simply forgot my money! I was gonna go back and pay for it, tomorrow! I’ve done it before. He knows I’m good for it.”

“Magolor, if I’m not mistaken the shopkeeper has made it very clear that you are forbidden from his stand.” Meta Knight continued. “Perhaps I could show you the poster in case you’ve forgotten-”

“Hey! Magolor promised to pay for everything, right!? Um… You’re sorry, right? You didn’t mean to do it, did you, Magolor?” Elfilin chimed in.

“That’s right! Desperate times call for desperate measures. Kirby, you know I am always, ALWAYS, more than happy to clean up whatever messes I make. I was gonna tell you the truth eventually…but sadly, I wasn’t given the chance! Thanks, Meta Knight.”

“Oh, You’re quite welcome…And I’ll be seeing you soon to collect what you owe me.” Meta Knight nodded at Magolor and then to Kirby.

“Again, sorry for the interruption, Kirby. I’ll be on my way now so you can return to your party.” Meta Knight approached the door. He turned around once more.

“It was good to see you again, Elfilin. Enjoy your stay here in Dream Land. Magolor…” his voice took on a more serious tone. “Behave yourself.”

Magolor smirked, floated over to him and gently nudged him closer to the door.

“Well, here’s the door, my friend. You’re certainly a busy dude, right?” Magolor opened the front door and smiled. Bandana Waddle Dee, Elfilin and Kirby ran up to the door and waved goodbye.

“See ya around, Meta Knight!” Bandana Waddle Dee called out.

“Thanks for dropping by Meta Knight! Sorry again for all the trouble Magolor caused…” Kirby shot him a look of disdain once again.

Meta Knight approached the door but then stopped again and turned towards Kirby.

“Oh, Kirby…One last thing before I go…”

Magolor groaned in annoyance.

“Tell me…How are you feeling?…” Meta Knight asked.

“Me?…Oh, well…I feel just fine! Why do you ask?”

Meta Knight eyed Magolor.

“No reason. Well, I’ll be on my way then. Enjoy your party.” Meta Knight waved goodbye one last time and walked out the door.

“Bye, Meta Knight!” Elfilin waved.

“Yes, good-BYE!” Magolor slammed the front door shut.

Kirby stomped over to Magolor in a furious rage. To Elfilin's surprise, Magolor sank low onto the ground hiding his face behind hands.

“Magolor! How could you?! What were you thinking doing something like that!?” Kirby yelled.

Magolor peeked one watery eye out from behind his hands.

“Kirby, please forgive me! I promise I meant no harm by any of it! You know me! I wouldn’t just steal something if it wasn’t for a good reason!”

“There’s never a good reason to steal anything, Magolor!”

“Sure, there is! Truth be told, he deserved it. You should have heard the lies he told about you.”

“Oh, knock it off already!” Bandana Waddle Dee said angrily. “You’ve done nothing but cause problems since you got here! Kirby, just make him leave already!”

“No!” Elfilin yelled rushing to Magolor’s side.

“Kirby! He said he’s sorry! Please don’t make him leave!”

Magolor smiled at Elfilin who returned a friendly nod at him.

“Magolor…you can stay…but please, don’t cause any more trouble! We’re just trying to have fun! Promise me you’ll behave yourself?”

“Of course, Kirby! In fact, I’ll be so good, you’ll forget I’m even here. Heeheehee!” He winked.

Of course Kirby’s giving him another chance…

Bandana Waddle Dee sighed.

Elfilin smiled at Magolor and twirled around joyfully.

“That was a close one, huh?!” Elfilin whispered.

“Too close…Thanks for having my back, Little Dude!” Magolor held up his fist. Elfilin looked at it in confusion.

“Come on, don’t leave me hanging!” Magolor took Elfilin’s hand and demonstrated to him how to do a proper “fist-bump”.

“Got it? Now, let’s try it again.” Magolor once again held up his fist. Elfilin smiled and bumped fists with him.

Bandana Waddle Dee shook his head in disappointment.

Oh, Elfilin…I hope you don’t find out who Magolor really is the hard way…

Kirby frantically rummaged around the room, seeming eager to move on to the next activity.

“Well, Kirby, what’s next!?” Magolor said happily.

“Well, it looks like we’ll have to stick around here for the night! But I have a great idea! Why don’t we go for a swim in the lake right outside!” Kirby gathered a bunch of pool toys and excitedly rushed to the door.

Bandana Waddle Dee was slightly irritated that Magolor’s misdeeds in town were seemingly so easily forgiven, but he was also relieved to finally move on from the situation.

Magolor didn’t seem very thrilled at Kirby’s suggestion. Elfilin noticed his apprehension as everyone rushed out the door.

“What’s wrong, Magolor?” He asked.

“Oh, I’m fine. Just…lost in thought, that’s all.” he stared nervously out of Kirby’s window at the lake.

“Well, are you coming?” Elfilin said as he waited at the door for him.

Magolor took a breath breath and turned to him with a big smile.

“Of course! Let’s go!”

Magolor floated happily towards Elfilin, and together, the two of them set out for the lake with Kirby and Bandana Waddle Dee.

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[previous chapter]

[table of contents]

[next chapter]

[jabean-fanfiction]

I was actually able to write these last 2 days!!

I’ve written ~1600 words in my Darklina fic, Keep Me Where the Light Is. 🤪

[ghosts-and-blue-sweaters]

Tommy sighs, and some of his anger is blown out through his nose and into the salty breeze. He’s quiet for about a minute before he says, “Do you want me to go in with you?”

~~~

Ghostbur stares at the list, and then looks up. He can see structures at the end of the path, behind some leafy trees. Wooden structures. Houses. A little village.

Ghostbur doesn't visit many villages—he doesn't remember any from Alivebur, either—mostly because they tend to be far away from the main parts of a server, and it takes a while to get to them.

~~~

Even so, Tommy’s heart pulses in his head, and his feathers are raised all over him, and he feels cold instead of hot even though his hair feels sticky.

~~~

When Philza saw Ghostbur for the first time, he gasped.

~~~

Wilbur wonders if Techno ever feels like this, around Tommy. This warm bursting inside his chest, like his heart is expanding past his ribs and slowly tearing through his skin. This explosion in slow-motion, a cacophony of colors and heatwaves and emotions, collecting in a storm cloud inside Wilbur’s brain. This feeling that’s so loud, and yet so quiet at the same time.

~~~

Wilbur loves her.

~~~

Tommy exhales softly. "Why aren't you saying much? You're all closed-off and stuff. That's bad, y'know. It represses trauma and locks up all your thoughts with a teeny tiny key and throws it out the window. Stuff like that." He waits. "Puffy says that's bad for you. Did she tell you that? About repressing things? Wil?"

~~~

Tommy presses his lips together. “Hey, if you- if you’re tired or anything, we can sit down. We don’t have to keep walking if you’re feeling bad.”

~~~

He wonders now, as he holds a tiny glass in both hands, walking from the kitchen to the den. It's the smallest glass he owns, he's sure; he'd spent way too much time looking for it earlier, opening cupboards and peering behind dishes and even checking underneath the sink. It's the only glass that'll fit the contents made for it—which, of course, is a flower. A very small, very tattered, very weak blue flower, all but one petal torn off.

~~~

Techno flicks his eyes to Ghostbur’s face, watching the ghost’s nostrils flare gently every time he breathes. Blanket covered chest rising up and down. Ghostbur doesn’t look like he’s in pain. That’s good.

Even so, Techno drops one hand from his chin and lets one elbow slide off his knee, reaching his arm forwards in order to lay his palm across Ghostbur’s forehead. A bit cold.

[payphoneangel]

I have like. A four hour gap in my schedule soooooo guess who’s writing fic at work

[thevoidbunny]

I just posted the newest chapter in my fanfic! Check it out :D

[cozycottagetarot]

The Next Chapter Of Your Life

How To Pick A Pile:

Everyone has their own technique for choosing a 'pile'. My recommendation is to clear your mind and focus on each image for a few seconds. The image you find yourself coming back to even when you focus on the other images is the pile for you.

Quick notes on this reading:

It's a long one -- This reading is a lot longer (I think) than what I typically post. I'd appreciate any feedback on the length since it's something I'm experimenting with. The pile titles are colour-coded -- Hopefully, it helps make scrolling to the next section quicker.

Each pile references multiple scenarios -- some scenarios came through stronger than others, but I did my best to write what I was getting to be applied to situations not mentioned.

‼️ THIS READING IS MEANT FOR SELF-REFLECTION AND ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES ONLY -- While this reading does contain a bit of advice and reflective questions, IT'S IN NO WAY SHAPE OR FORM MEANT TO REPLACE PROFESSIONAL ADVICE OF ANY KIND. Please use your discretion, think carefully before you act and only take what resonates be it a little, some or none at all. (The usual disclaimer is at the bottom).

Reading Masterlist | Patreon | Paid Readings -- Open 🥂

PILE 1 (Scrapbook)

Who are you? Cards: The Poet, The Founder rev, The Queen of Roses

This pile may be the pile for you if any of the following resonates:

Wanting to connect or being very connected to your loving, nurturing and supportive side. You've been receiving messages or sensing that a new connection is on the horizon. Motherhood/parenthood or marriage. Seeking resolutions to a relationship. Leaving behind relationships that have been in your life forever. Giving too much to others. Ending toxic relationships. Finding or wanting freedom. Finding your voice. Finding you. Tapping into your creative side. A quest for happiness.

If none of these individual sentences resonate feel free to check out a different pile.

Who will you become throughout this next chapter? Cards: The Muse, The Gambler

You will begin to bloom. Maybe not fully, but you’ll be more open to taking the necessary steps (which may feel like risk) to flourish. The end result will be you tapping into your creativity and creator energy. But also putting in the work, and changing your approach. I pulled all the cards at once so being able to take in all the cards at once, it’s this sense of making you happen. Gone will be the sense of being who you think you should or are expected to be. You’ll be gaining a new sense of self that is brighter and more wild. The risk is non-existent. It’s more perceived. It seems like a risk to indulge in the aspects of yourself that may seem like they’re more whimsy, but by actually making those things happen, you will transform into someone who can inspire themself. You won’t have to look for inspiration elsewhere, you’ll have it there within you.

How will you find success? Cards: 3 of Keys (The Chess Game), The King rev

Through changing your tactic. This chapter won’t necessarily be easy. There will be conflict with those around or above you, especially if this relates to career or relationships, possibly even both. Detach from the situation and be objective. Waiting for your opening will be the key to your success. For some, it’s a situation where everyone is only looking out for themself and I’m picking up that it's creating a stalemate. With the king reversed, you know what’s best in the situation but someone with more authority than you or a level of seniority if this is a personal relationship thinks they know better but they don’t. It’s about being firm and holding your own as well as not letting your emotions, or the part of you that’s super connected to the situation, get the best of you and influence you to make rash decisions.

Challenges you may meet: Cards: The Astronomer, The Orator, Reflection rev.

I see the biggest challenge here for you being one of mastering yourself in this next chapter. There’s a battle between your emotions and your intuition. To navigate this you need to have a conversation with yourself and determine why you’re having such strong emotions. Where are these feelings stemming from? The astronomer card is here to remind you that whatever the situation is, it’s not really about the past-- it’s not going to help you navigate this chapter. Especially if you’ve been acting according to what’s expected of you when the current/upcoming situation(s) requires you to do what is true to you. I hope I'm not repeating myself too much here, but the challenge becomes exploring the why behind the emotions so you can better make decisions and listen to your intuition. BUT, keep in mind that it doesn’t mean not to listen to your emotions at all.

Another message here is that working with other people may also show up as a challenge. There's a reminder to listen to other people's perspectives but also know that choosing to hear someone’s POV doesn’t mean you have to absorb it as yours either.

Finally, even when it gets tough, don’t doubt yourself. Take your time. It may seem like you have to have it all figured out and know what to say and which decision to make, but not really. It’s easy to feel that way when it feels like everything is at stake, but again, if you feel that way, pause and ask yourself why? Once you have your why, you can take on the world.

Lessons To Be Learned: Cards: The Painter, 8 of keys (the master artisan)

This definitely feels like it relates to career or passion projects, but of course, just adjust to your individual situation. It may or may not mean anything, but your cards have lots of florals.

Your lessons in this next chapter of life relate to learning to connect with yourself, speaking up and putting yourself out there. Your energy is one that makes me feel like you have such an amazing talent you're hesitant to embrace. You have so much to learn and just as much to offer... this is the beginning of that journey. Don’t be shy. There are opportunities out there waiting, you just have to figure out the way to pursue them that is most authentic to you. Even if it’s simply an opportunity to give love and kindness. I know I focused a lot on career and creativty, but this goes for relationships too. There is a lot of heavy energy covering this beautiful light-hearted one that just wants to break free. If you are considering going into teaching or taking up a teaching opportunity (not necessarily even in a formal education system) or enrolling in a course of some kind, I feel like this is a nod to say go for it. Especially pottery or beadwork? Trade work as well, maybe even culinary school or food-related skills. (I could be projecting there on the culinary aspect though as that's what I did and the imagery on the card reminds me of it).

Advice to take with you in this next chapter: The hound and pear (loyalty) — This card is always a bittersweet card whenever I see it. The message here is one of loyalty and friendship. A new relationship (of any kind), one founded on friendship, is precious but also delicate. Don't make irrevocable decisions based on conclusions. It must be treated with care on both sides because it can be damaged easily.

The deer and oat (healing) — Rest and recharge. Moderation and mindfulness are also key for recovering from difficult or intense situations. Ask yourself, how you can rest and nurture yourself?

The snake and fern (starting over) — it’s time to finish breaking free from the past so you can become something new. So you can return to your true self. What has protected you and brought you to this point? Are you in a position to release it? Are there any parts of your past self that you can regrow from (like snipping off part of a plant that may be unhealthy and leaving the rest so it can re-catch itself, not sure why I picked that analogy) or must you grow anew? (Planting a new seed, from the old plant. The essence is still there but a completely new plant will grow)

If you made it this far I appreciate it. Feedback is welcomed and if there's a topic you'd like me to cover in a pac, feel free to let me know!

Pile 2 (Compass)

If you’re drawn to pile 1 feel free to check that out as well.

Who are you? Cards: The Oracle of Delphi, the Sentinel, the Forgotten

This pile may be the pile for you if any of the following resonates:

Intuitive. Connected to a higher power. Diety work. Past lives. Psychic powers. Perseverance. Fighting back. Confidence threatening to become arrogance. Dominance dancing on the lines of domineering. A force to be reckoned with. Someone who's sometimes brash. Amor fati (love of fate). An academic. Dreamlight Valley. Self-esteem issues (past or present). Someone who was looked past and from it learned not to try. Fear. Anxiety. A lost soul stumbling in the dark. Chaos. Morally grey. *You may be an avid reader or enjoy fantasy media as well.

My Overall Impression: You’re a force to be reckoned with and reckon you will. Your energy is just pure power and chaos. I low-key feel like you’re battling with life/the universe (call it what you prefer, that’s just how I prefer to call it). There’s this energy of "Try me" and the universe is like "I got one for you, watch and see". But there’s no malice. I just get fed-up vibes from you and the response from life is like "Okay 👀, but chill." Enemies to lovers with life itself.

Who will you become throughout this next chapter? Cards: The Ark of the Covenant, Beith — Birth, The Queen, The Assassin

The Queen and The Assassin flew out with such fury! You’re going to become someone worthy of wearing a crown. But it comes at a price, though it’s not one you can sit around and sulk about. The next chapter of your life reminds me of being forged in fire. Now you’re stepping into the role and identity of someone who can achieve your goals. It’s dark at times, but you’re gaining the skills to do what you want to do and I get the feeling this "thing" you're meant to do is one you may feel on a deep or soul level. (It is) fulfilling a higher calling or purpose. At the very least, you’re becoming someone who has decided that this is the last time they repeat a cycle.

You’re working towards something more and it feels like by the end of this chapter, you’ll be granted a brief reprieve. There’s still more work to be done though. You’re stepping into a new era where so much will grow from you. For some of you, a new romantic relationship is coming in and/or you're expanding your family-- that includes found family as well.

How will you find success?

Cards: 4 of Roses (views of the ego) the Witch. Rev

The first message that comes through is that your success lies in cutting someone off. Someone selfish and self-absorbed to be exact. It’s a relationship you’ve stayed in too long... they could have had some kind of hold over you, not necessarily in a controlling way, but they could have meant something on a deep level which could have been why you held on. You may have done a lot you’re not happy with because you’ve done it with this person in mind. Cutting ties with them grants you success as it allows you to focus on what’s truly important to you.

The other message with the witch reversed is the importance of remembering that while you’re forging your own path, it’s okay to look to others who have made it or 'gotten out'. Maybe they haven’t gone through the exact same thing, but it doesn’t mean there isn’t wisdom in the stories of others who’ve forged through and paved their own way as well. Pile one was about breaking away from the expected, but you’re being called to review what is expected and see if there’s anything worth considering. Kind of like shopping around for inspiration? You might come across someone else's story and it might spark an idea within you on how to navigate your own.

Challenges you may meet-- Cards: The Tailor Rev, The Scribe

Your challenges in this next chapter involve trying not to force your will upon the flow of your life and refining your focus. I know, I said forged in fire. There’s an imbalance of sorts... instead of firing and hoping you hit the target (your goal), you need to pause and take a good look at what’s working vs what isn’t. The 'wheel of life' worksheet/exercise comes to mind but I personally hate that exercise so much. I bring it up because it allows you to get a visual of what areas of your life you've been focusing on vs neglecting and pinpoint which areas of your life you’re lacking in. From there you can further assess and gain a better grasp on what you should be focusing on. After all, you can do anything, but you can’t do everything.

With the scribe, you may need to study or fine-tune your skills regarding a specific matter more. Here, there's something you need to learn to influence your life in the way you want, but you have to take the time to figure out what it is that you need to learn. It doesn’t have to be formal learning either. It could be something such watch a YouTube video, reading a book or article, or even taking a free online course or masterclass. Nothing is too big or too small here, as long as it's helping you to develop to get from point A to B.

Lessons To Be Learned:

Cards: 8 or scrolls (path unknown), the diviner, the puppeteer

The 8 of scrolls here reminds you that you’ve been travelling on a path where you know the outcomes, but to get to where you want to be sometimes requires walking down paths that may mean you don’t know what’s going to happen until it happens. At the same time, that’s how opportunities we didn’t know we needed arise. In the card imagery, there’s a basket next to the girl filled with scrolls, the same type of scrolls pictured in the scribe card. I think for you it’s learning the skill or information I mentioned that is going to help you feel more confident and assured on this path you’re following. You’ve got the energy of the queen archetype (regardless of gender), and though it may be a challenge, you’ve equipped yourself with the skills necessary to go after what you want. You’ll have what it takes 100% to move on to the next phase (after this one we're talking about).

The Diviner is about divine timing and evaluation. Here you’ve done all that you can with what is in your control. What’s left now is waiting for your desires outcomes to come to fruition. While you can’t rush or force things, you can make sure you set yourself up for success when you get it. So let's say you're waiting on receiving a sum of money, in the meantime you can learn/brush up on the skills to manage money etc.

Finally with the puppeteer, mending relationships could also be a lesson. Although I think it’s more about learning to interact with others better? But also remembering that sometimes apologies can mend relationships and other times they can’t. Going back to that relationship mentioned way before, it could be a matter of "are you willing to forgive the other person if they were to apologise and see the error of their ways?" (Though with the type of person mentioned that may be unlikely but, who knows).

Another possibility with the assassin card is that you may ruffle feathers at some point, so you may learn the power or limits of an apology in that sense as well.

Advice to take with you in this next chapter:

The Finch and Peach (romance) — romance is on its way to you. Things to ponder on could be: do you feel ready to welcome love into your life? What are some things that make you feel loved/how do you like to receive love?

The Marten and Foxglove (mischief) — this card asks you to stay open to opportunities that allow you to tap into your playful side, be spontaneous or travel. Ask yourself how can you make room for spontaneity? (It could be through trying new foods, reading a different genre, visiting a place you wouldn’t typically visit, changing up your daily routine etc). Also are you at a point where you can open yourself to new adventures, big or small?

The Boar and Pumpkin (confidence) — You’re not wrong to be confident in yourself, don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. Take a moment to acknowledge your accomplishments and think about what you’ve done that you’re proud of (doesn’t always have to be tangible, it can also be mindsets, situations you’ve walked from etc).

The Snake and Fern (starting over) — Again, if you were drawn to pile one, I suggest you check that out. Here this card nods to beginning a new and asks you to see if there are any parts of yourself you can return to, or if it’s time to completely start anew and discover yourself from scratch.

If you made it this far I appreciate it. Feedback is welcomed and if there's a topic you'd like me to cover in a pac, feel free to let me know!

Pile 3 (The Trunks/Suitcase)

Who are you? Cards: The Smith, The Twins, The Lookout, The Askashic Library, 3 of Forces (Bird’s Nest)

This pile may be the pile for you if any of the following resonates:

The overthinker. Having a twin or prominent Gemini placements. If you're considering something you’ve been wanting to do for a while but keep putting off. A relationship with someone in which you both started on the same path but they went in another direction. Holding onto resentment. Feel like everything is up in flames. Writing. Seeking self-awareness. Manifesting. Intuitive. *Read that book you’ve been meaning to read. Needing a backup plan. Expanding. Hopeful prospects.

*If this doesn't feel like your pile, and you were eyeing pile 4, definitely check it out. This pile was actually the last I pulled and the hardest to read for and it felt like many aspects of it related to other piles as well. I recommend checking out a secondary pile in general if you were drawn to one.

Who will you become throughout this next chapter? Cards: The Waker, The Runaway, The Warrior (Sorry, I forgot to write down some of the cards 🤦‍♀️, I believe it was 'Fated Meeting' and 'Queen of Scrolls')

You’re becoming someone who is becoming centred/aligned and more intuitive. Your internal world and external world are going to become more connected. Connected to your ‘higher self’ as well, it’s going to be you vs you (levelling up). You’re going to become someone who can face the things you’ve been running from head-on.

That thing you’ve been putting off, you’re going to be able to finally put into action. Coming into being filled with inspiration, clarity and direction. This is especially if you’re considering careers/education, or projects in the fields of writing, publishing, marketing, communication, counselling or teaching. If you’re seeking a mentor, this person could help guide you to becoming this way. It could also be someone in your life already that may help you who is in one of these fields.

For a select few of you, you’re becoming the version of you that was meant to meet your person. If it’s not a romantic partner, then you’re coming into contact with a soulmate (meant as someone you have a ‘soul bond’ with).

Where Will You Find Success? Cards: 4 of Keys (Clearing The Way), Reflection, The Cartographer rev, The Weaver

If you find yourself prone to many different avenues of ideas and project but never settling on one, you’re going to find your success through settling on one thing and focusing on it. It’s time for you stop buckle down and stick with one of those brilliant ideas of yours and make it happen.

Also while it may be time for you to focus on one thing professionally or creatively, when it comes to yourself, it’s time to embrace all the pieces of you that seem random. It reminds me of this post I saw a couple of days ago about how we don't have to force ourselves fit perfectly into an aesthetic... that it's okay to have and embrace parts of your personality that are completely left field of the other bits that go hand in hand. So for some of you, maybe it’s time to embrace all the pieces of you that don’t go together neatly. Maybe that’s why you have these ideas and start them and then ditch them, because you’re a multifaceted being and you’re not allowing yourself to be so and that is the way it manifests in your life? Maybe it’s time to learn how to let all the sides of you coexist without getting lost. Food for thought maybe?

Regardless, it’s time to remove distractions that are holding you back. Tap into your intuition. Become more aware of your emotions. There's a sense of self-mastery is needed here.

Challenges You May Meet? Cards: The Pathless, The Miser, 1 of Scrolls (On Track), Up In The Air, 6 of Forces (The Waterfall) rev

Your challenges kind of relate to the things that were mentioned already. Being in your head, overthinking things, being unable to settle, but also trying to avoid falling into a headspace where you’re being pessimistic and stubborn. Just because you stick to one thing doesn’t mean you can’t shift and adjust your approach. And if you find that you’re really stuck don’t be afraid to just take a step back. If this is all relating to something where other people are giving you their unsolicited advice, don’t be afraid to brush it off and say “Hey, I might have hit a block but trust that I know what I’m doing”. Another scenario is to not internalise any unsolicited advice or opinions because I feel like that could be a trigger for getting lost in your head for some of you.

For overthinking, it'll be about learning to accept that you won’t be able to know the exact outcome of certain things. If you’re working with someone else, then feeling like you are in control or that you have a say may be the challenge. For others, the challenge may simply be making the decision or committing. It could also be coming to terms with the fact that you waited so long to pursue this goal.

Lessons To Be Learned: Cards: The Brawler, The Forgotten, 2 of Roses (The Winged Messengers), Uriel and the Sphinx, the king of roses

With the Forgotten you’ll learn that you can’t be afraid of mistakes. Mistakes help you grow. You'll come to realise how much fear has been holding you back. There's also learning how to make something out of your anxiety. Learning not to run from conflict or maybe how to properly address it could also be another lesson. This could be regarding internal conflict or conflict with another person as I am getting multiple scenarios come up.

Again there's a message here that for some of a romantic suitor specifically coming in. Overall for everyone there’s an important relationship making its way into your life. The mentor shows up as a neutral energy throughout the reading (or balanced feminine and masculine). Their energy is thoughtful, nurturing/comforting and supportive.

Advice — The Goat and Willow (overdoing obstacle) — even though there are losses to suffer, you can overcome them with renewed energy and the right balance. When obstacles appear, prioritise realigning yourself with your goals. You can even get ahead of the game and brainstorm ways to handle potential obstacles before they arise. The Chipmunk and Laurel (success) — Your path to success will be a unique one, one you have to create on your own, but there will be adventures along the way. The Elk and Ash (strength) — Don’t be afraid to fight back when met with a challenge.

If you made it this far I appreciate it. Feedback is welcomed and if there's a topic you'd like me to cover in a pac, feel free to let me know!

Pile 4 (The plane around the world)

CW: Brief implication of strong language

Who are you? Cards: The storyteller, the mascareri, 1 of roses (commitment), 6 of roses (the war of roses)

This pile may be the pile for you if any of the following resonates:

Someone who struggles with the 'self'. You may hide your true self and struggle to accept others' true selves. For you, you could spend a lot of time crafting your persona. For some of you you maybe in positions where you delegate to others or are responsible for others' behaviour (managerial or boss positions). Some of you could work with kids or want to work with kids. Putting on a mask. Neurodivergence. You could enjoy writing or be a writer of some kind. The arts. Struggling with a partnership (romantic or business), trying to balance honouring yourself and their wishes? Conflicted about a relationship. Feeling like there's a battle between your head vs your heart.

Who will you become throughout this next chapter? Cards: 4 of Scrolls rev (The Karmic Trenches), The Patron rev, The poet You’re becoming someone with so much to offer and is still looking to grow. However, people may want to take advantage of that. Becoming someone who doesn’t hesitate and is in love with life. Embracing that life is imperfect. Becoming more vulnerable. Finding like-minded people. Embracing happiness. Tapping into your creative spirit. There could be an ending of some kind, though you didn’t want it, it brought a world full of new opportunities. You're finally breaking a pattern but also having the awareness to know when you’re tip-toeing along the lines of going back. Coming out of the dark. This sense of being healed on multiple levels and being able to finally experience joy.

Where will you find success? Cards: The Astronomer Rev, The Hound, 5 of forces (summer/winter), 7 of keys (The Ascent) You’re going to be finding success through setting long-term goals. If this is about a financial situation especially, then also finding a balance between focusing on what is necessary and not letting the 'wishlist' desires lead you astray. It can apply to any situation in general though. Focusing on what’s necessary and the things you would like to do coming afterwards.

There's also a matter of assessing where your loyalties or priorities lie and releasing habits, relationships, and ideas that are no longer serving you. Loyalty and staying true to your word might be something you value heavily and stand by, but I also see you finding success in this next chapter of your life by realising, you know what, sometimes you have to cut your ties, count any losses and move on because staying is only doing more harm than good. For some of you who have a relationship in mind or the relationship part resonated with you, this is especially true.

Taking action in general will bring success. This chapter could either close out or begin in the summer, or summer will mark an important time for you. With the 7 of keys, your success is guaranteed as long as you put in the work.

Challenges You May Meet: Cards: The Founder, The Shepard, 3 of Scrolls (Setting Your Course), Caught in The Ruins With The Founder, a challenge you might run into is needing to put yourself before someone else who is asking you for your help, although I'm also feeling it maybe asking you to put them first. You might struggle to determine whether or not you should offer them your help. The Shepard urges you to step up and take the lead when others need guidance. However, I think the best question to ask is what kind of person do you have to show up as in order to offer them your support? And also what type of person do you have to show up as to meet your goals? I’d say make a decision on how to proceed based on whether the two can successfully coincide or not.

A lot of different situations come up in this pile— relationships, career/finance, behaviours… but the common theme here seems to come down to mindset. Whatever the situation is that has you feeling trapped, you have to realise that it’s not definitive, even if it seems that way in your head. It seems like a lot of what is going on, and what you have to overcome, is self-sabotage and realising that just because you’ve always done something a certain way or a situation has always played out that way, doesn’t mean it will always be that way. You have the power to change; the challenge here simply lies in picking yourself up and dusting yourself off. There’s so much more out there for you than what you’re seeing right now. If relocating or travelling, especially where you have to cross the ocean, is something you’re hoping to do, then the end of this chapter we’re discussing in this reading might be the beginning of that next chapter in your life.

Lessons To Be Learned: Cards: 3 of Roses (Loving Elementals), 5 of Roses (The Garden)

The lessons here are about having a sense of child like wonder, and learning to find joy and exploration in life. Being able to laugh and play and find inspiration once more. If any of you have been thinking about starting a family (not necessarily right away) then it’s likely that this chapter will set you up for that. If not then I think a matter of legacy here. Being exposed to opportunities to nurture and grow the future you desire.

You’ll learn that sometimes you are the one who has to be the catalyst to change your life. I love this line from the guidebook of my Citadel Orcale cards regarding the catalyst. It says “ You are the bolt of lightning that topples the tower”. If you think about the Tower card in the traditional tarot deck, there’s lightning striking the tower and setting it on fire. Whenever it comes up it talks about upheaval and there’s often a sense of “oh great, something’s about to come **** up my life” but maybe [we] should consider that we’re not always the tower, but instead, we are the lightning. You have to make the decision to do or become something different, even if goes against what you've always known or what everyone tells you you should do.

What’s also important is not dwelling on past mistakes or regrets, it’s about learning from what happened and using it to make a better decision. Stop doubting yourself and overthink until your head hurts. Give yourself some grace and self-compassion. Take your time, changing isn’t going to happen overnight and often times we have to adjust to who we’re allowing ourselves to become.

Advice to take with you in this next chapter:

The Bee and Pomegranate (productivity) rev — If you find yourself struggling with procrastination, don’t be afraid to rest a while before giving whatever it is another go. Consider what makes you productive as well as what you can do to change why you’re not feeling productive towards another task.

The Racoon and Sycamore (curiosity) — The time is now to do some self-exploration. Explore new interests and hobbies as well as take time to think about how you’ve evolved and how you’d like to further evolve.

The Finch and Peach (romance) — Love is on its way to you. (I did kind of feel like it’s romantic love but it wasn't a prominent message in the reading.)

The Bear and Cedar (leadership) — You’re being guided towards leadership opportunities but remember to ‘rule’ with fairness and care. Ask yourself how can you be a better leader? Who can benefit from your knowledge and experience?

If you made it this far I appreciate it. Feedback is welcomed and if there's a topic you'd like me to cover in a pac, feel free to let me know!

*** Disclaimer: All readings and tarot/blog games are for fun and entertainment purposes only. It is in no way meant to act as or replace professional advice of any kind. You know yourself and what’s going on in your life best so I ask that you trust yourself above all else. Finally please take only what resonates from the reading which may be some of it, all of it, or none at all.

[rafeandonlyrafe]

study sesh

words: 900

warnings: 18+ only, smut, p in v sex

“rafey, i don’t know how you expect to help me study considering you’ve never even taken an anthropology class before.” you say into your cell phone.

“i can help you concentrate! keep you focused, bring you snacks, hand feed them to you.”

“you know you’re only going to be a distraction.” you say, genuinely needing to study.

“okay, okay.” rafe says with a chuckle. he had no intention of actually helping you study. “how about a deal? you have an hour of solo study time before i come over.”

you look at the clock, figuring you could cover most of the chapters that would be on the exam tomorrow. “alright. bring snacks though.”

you can practically hear rafes smile over the phone when he responds, “i wouldn’t dream of not.”

--

“hey baby, you gotta be quiet.” rafe shushes you as you bounce on his cock again, textbooks long forgotten, decorating the floor along with your pens and flashcards.

“can’t.” you whine, knowing that your dorm walls are thin and the girl across the hallway is a tattletale who has reported rafe for sneaking into your room multiple times before.

“gotta, princess.” rafe says, bringing you down into a kiss to hopefully smother your whimpers and moans.

“trying, i swear.” you tell rafe, hands gripping his shoulders, nails sure to leave little crescent marks on his skin.

“i know, and you’re doing so good for me, huh?” rafe brings one hand down to your clit, massaging it and spreading your wetness around. “always my good girl.”

you nod your head quickly, loving the praise. rafe flips you over quickly so you are laying on the bed, keeping his cock lodged deep inside of you as he does so.

“ahh…” you let out a quiet moan, rafe’s cock reaching deep inside of you. 

“cum for me.” rafe demands, pinching your clit. upon release, you let out a shudder as your orgasm racks through your body. rafe closes his eyes as your cunt pulsates around his cock. he takes deep breaths as he waits for you to come down from your high, wanting to force another orgasm from you before he came inside of you.

“so good.” you place your hands on rafe’s cheeks, bringing him down to kiss you.

“i know, you got another in you?” rafe asks as he picks up the pace again. it’s already your third orgasm of the night, being given one by his fingers and one by his tongue.

“can’t.” you whine, pushing his hand away from your clit.

“oh, but you can, my love.” your boyfriend teases you, but takes his hand away from your pussy, gripping your hips as he uses your body to meet his with every thrust, a slapping sound no doubt able to be heard by your neighbors.

rafe suddenly pulls out, silencing your complaints with a kiss as he gets off the bed, grabbing a stack of flashcards from the floor.

“what is primatology?”

“wh- what?” you ask, pussy throbbing, missing the sensation.

“you said i would just be a distraction while you studied. i’m proving you wrong. let’s study. want me to fuck you? tell me what primatology is.”

“study of primates, like apes and shit.”

“language, but good job.” rafe says after he flips over and reads the back of the card. he lines his cock up with your entrance, giving you one quick thrust.

“what is ethnography?” 

“study of…” you let out a gasp as rafe thrusts into you, “cultures.”

“you’re so smart.” rafe praises, giving you a couple more thrusts as he reads the next card, “who was franz boas?”

“he developed a theory of… something.” you can’t think of anything as rafe’s cock pulses inside of you.

“cultural relativism.” rafe explains, tossing the card onto the floor, pulling out of you.

“nooo, rafe, please. fuck me and then you can quiz me.” you beg.

“then you won’t have any motivation, sweetheart.” rafe smiles gently, “besides, your test is in the morning, you need your sleep, and we are multitasking to save time.”

“what is cultural relativism?” 

you rush to answer, needing to feel rafe inside of you again, "that we judge cultures based on the standards of our own."

“good.” he coos, tossing the card as his cock re-enters you.

“what is stimulus diffusion?” 

“the spread of ideas from one group to the next.”

“aaand…” rafe prompts you, giving you a hard thrust.

“and the… the idea being changed by the adaptors.”

“good.” rafe smiles, “answer the next two right and i’ll give you a break… and let you cum.”

you nod quickly.

“what is acculturation?” 

“adapting... assimilation to a dominant culture.” rafe reads over the card and then nods, you summed it up well enough, and his need to also cum lets him give you a pass.

“what is the result of acculturation?”

“abandoning of original culture and um… uh…”

“good enough.” rafe tosses the rest of the cards on the floor, smashing your lips together in a kiss.

he thrusts up into you, hitting just the right spot inside of you that makes you see stars.

“can’t last.” you whimper out, bringing a hand down to rub your clit.

“cum for me, smart girl.” 

you immediately follow his demand, tumbling over the edge as your legs lock around rafe’s hips, forcing him to cum inside of you.

“there you go.” rafe hushes you as your body slowly stops shaking. “good girl.” he kisses along your shoulders and collar.

“now…” he sits up, letting his cum slide out of you. “what is biculturism?”

[discordantwritings]

Captain’s Orders (Buggy x Reader)

Warnings: NSFW 18+ MDNI, gn afab! Reader, angst, Buggy is bad at feelings, canon typical violence, oral, PiV sex, creampie

WC: 8.4k

Summary: Getting a job as the chronicler of the Buggy pirates was the best, then worst, then best thing that ever happened to you.

Notes: The second I realized I hadn’t done a solo buggy fic I wrote this I’m so sorry buggy

No one tells you how hard it is to keep a job on a pirate ship. Unless you manage to land with a big name captain the chances your job sinks to the bottom of the sea is pretty high. Which is what happened to your last three jobs- you were so tired of ending up on a dingy paddling away from a lost battle that you had no say in. You were a chronicler after all- not exactly a fighting pirate.

Despite being a non-essential crew member a chronicler was a sought after person. Every pirate thinks they are going to be the one to find the One Piece so, naturally, every pirate needs to have someone to log their journey to becoming king of the pirates. It was a little tiring, hearing the same story over and over again, writing the same few chapters only to end up waterlogged and searching for a new ship at the end.

But you needed to eat and you could only afford to live at this tavern for so long. You’d posted your services on the local board, listing your name and where you were staying in hopes of drawing in a pirate captain. One that hopefully won’t be going under in less than a month. And if you were really lucky- one that wasn’t so painfully textbook.

Really you should have known the gods were going to get you for wishing that.

When the clowns first walk into the tavern you wonder if you missed some signage that a carnival was coming into town. But when a distinctly dressed blue haired pirate captain walks in behind them- you put it all together. The Buggy Pirates were docked here. Their chronicler probably had their hands full but at least it wasn’t the same boring-

You notice when the barkeep points Buggy the Clown in your direction. The two of you make eye contact across the room and you quickly run through your memory to try and figure out what you could have possibly done to be hunted down by a big name pirate. As his heavy boots thud against the wooden floors you can’t think of a single time you’ve even brushed shoulders with any clowns let alone pirate ones. As Buggy looms over your table you frantically try and think of a way out of whatever sorry situation you’ve accidentally gotten yourself into only for that hurried train of thought to be abruptly derailed.

“You the chronicler who has that ad posted?”

It takes you probably too long to respond with a squeaky- “Yes?”

“Great!” The clown takes the chair next to you and sits down, quickly putting his feet up on the table. “Do you have examples of a resume or whatever?”

“You don’t already have a chronicler?” The question is out of your mouth before you can stop it and you bite the inside of your cheek to stop yourself from saying more stupid things.

“Nope.” He shrugs and you see the rest of his crew settle in around the tavern.

“Oh. Well-“ You reach off to your side and take out a leather bound journal that has some of your work plastered in it. “Here’s some snippets.”

As you hand it over to Buggy you feel as his sea green eyes rake over you for a few moments before he finally takes the book. He flips to the first page, looks at it for maybe all of two seconds before snapping it shut. “How would you write about me?”

Then why did he even- “Well I think- see people sometimes assume a chronicler only writes down the basic facts are events but I think a real chronicler tells a story that the average person didn’t get to see or hear about. For example a lot of people heard about the Straw Hats taking you out at Orange Town-“

He sits up a bit, gaze hardening but you quickly continue. “But- I think there’s a different story there! They fought the fishmen so soon after your encounter with them and it’s no secret that the Arlong Crew was pushing their luck in the East Blue. So the story there should really be about how you used your genius to let the Straw Hats go and sent the Arlong Crew after them- letting your opponents fight it out and weaken each other.”

There’s a long pause where you feel the clown practically searing holes into your skin with his gaze until he finally breaks into a smile that rivals the one painted on his face. “That’s exactly it! You get it! People just need to hear the right side of the story! Start writing that down. That'll be your first entry as our chronicler.”

That is probably the most presumptuous way you’ve ever been offered a job but you certainly were not about to look a gift horse in the mouth. “Great!”

It’s only after Buggy then orders a round of drinks in celebration and the cheering begins that you realize something.

“I don’t have to wear a clown costume do I?”

You didn’t have to wear a clown costume but already in the few weeks you’ve been a member of the Buggy Pirates your wardrobe had gotten more colorful. A sequin scarf here- a bright blue shirt there- these things just landed in your bunk and it did help you fit in. You minded it less than you thought you would, being in a crew that actually put thought into how they looked was a pleasant change.

You tied a striped sash around your waist over your pants as you prepared to have your nightly debriefing with your new captain. During the day you flitted about the ship, taking notes on everything that happens. Every night though Buggy always wanted a check in. From letting him know what happened while he was doing other duties, to telling you some previous journeys that he and his crew had been, to embellishing the stories of the day.

It was nice having a captain who actually cared about what you were writing. Most had just left you to your own devices and didn’t much care for your craft beyond the fact it made them look good. But Buggy actually wants to listen to your words and he provides some actual good feedback (admittedly in a sea of crazy unbelievable ideas, but the point still stands).

Journals and pens tucked under your arms you navigate to the captain’s quarters, finally feeling comfortable navigating the large ship after walking this route twice a day. It’s not that long before you’re knocking on the large door and hear Buggy’s voice, muffled through the wood.

“C’mon in.”

You push through the door and see Buggy behind his desk, face laying sideways on a pile of paper. You take a seat across from him.

“You alright?” You ask, eyebrow raised.

“Being a captain is not all fun and games my dearest chronicler.” He pushes back on the desk, flopping back in his large seat and swinging his feet up on the desk, knocking over the papers in the process. “Responsibility is a heavy burden to bear.”

You look over the mounds of untouched paper work that have been sitting there since you first arrived. “Seems like it.”

“But now you are here to save me. Tell me my story weaver- what is the tale of the day.” When he looks at you you know you have his undivided attention. There was something so fulfilling about capturing his attention, something you’ve learned is so finicky and flighty. But for you? He’s never been distracted.

“Well, it’s been a pretty standard day.” You go into every detail that matters- what acts were practiced, who's flirting with who, what crew member Richie managed to bite a finger off of- that kind of stuff.

“You know- we should have a whole section where we track body parts Richie has eaten and see how many full people can be put together with the parts.” Buggy adds as you finish up your recap and you huff a laugh as you write that down.

“I think we’ll have a lot of spare fingers.” You point out.

“Good point. Full bodies and hands.” Slightly more sensible… kind of.

“Got it. I’ll start logging and asking around for people who have lost limbs to Richie.” You make the note and you see out of the edges of your vision as Buggy’s legs come off the desk and he leans over, getting a bit closer to you.

“Y’know I’ve told you many stories already- what about you?” His head settles in his hands, perched up by his elbows.

“What do you mean what about me?” You tilt your head, genuinely confused.

“Your stories! You said you were the chronicler for a few ships before mine, you must have had some adventures out on the great wide East Blue.”

“Ah, well… no.” You admit a bit awkwardly.

“No?” Buggy raises his eyebrows, clearly looking for more.

“I was just a chronicler. I didn't really do anything on the previous ships I worked on. Hell, you’re the first captain who actually wants to hear about what I’m writing. For everyone else it was just an ego trip to have someone writing for them…” Your pen slips into your journal as a placeholder as you close it and pull it close to your lap.

“That’s…” Buggy frowns. “What losers! Most pirates won’t know talent if it slaps them in the face.”

You try to bite back your smile but it’s pretty ineffective. “You’re very kind captain.”

“You’re going to have to learn to take some compliments because with my crew? We are going all the way to the top and your stories of our journeys are going to be known across all four seas!” As he talked he stood up, wildly gesturing as he talked about his grand plan.

When other captains of yours had talked about getting the One Piece it had always annoyed you for some reason. The hunt for fame and money was… well it was cliche. But there was something about the earnestness that Buggy talked with- the grand scale he always thought on that made you believe it.

“Well, I guess I will have to work on that.” You say as you look up at him.

“Yes. Captain’s orders.” He hops up to sit on his desk just adjacent to you. His right foot lightly knocks against the side of your left calf.

“Then I’ll have to do it.” You smile wide, his energy was infectious.

“But seriously, not a single story? There has to be one fun thing you can tell me.”

“I guess… there was this one time-“

You break into a small, stupid story but Buggy hangs on your every word. The second you’re done he shares a similar experience and you go back and forth like this for hours, journal where you were supposed to write these things down long forgotten. Somewhere along the way you both ended up sitting on the floor, leaned up against the desk and legs side by side as you both gesture wildly through your stories. You don’t know how long this goes on, but when you feel yourself fighting to open your eyes after you blink you think it might be way late.

“I should get to bed.” You nudge Buggy’s shoulder with your own, working up the strength to stand up.

“Oh yeah it’s like-“ His hand detaches and he grabs something off his desk before bringing it down to his face. “Oh shit- 3 already?”

“Wow-“ You look at the clock he grabbed and sure enough, 3:21 am. “Yeah I really need to get to bed. You too, captain.”

You get up with a grunt of effort and once you’re standing you turn around and offer up your hand to help Buggy up. There’s an awkward pause as he looks up at you and he must be just as tired as you are with how long it takes for him to clasp his hand in yours and pull himself up.

“See you tomorrow night captain.” You squeeze his hand before letting go and walking out the door.

You’re not sure why you feel a low buzz in your body, nerves up from some unknown source. It’s not a gnawing anxiety… something else you can’t place. No matter what the second your head hits the pillow you’re out like a light, body getting ready for another long day.

The Buggy Clowns were weirdly affectionate. Not all of them, mind you, you don’t think you’ll ever get Cabaji to even smile at you, but the camaraderie they have is intimate. Most of the time not in a sexual way (though you’d be remiss to ignore the raunchier performers in the circus), but in friendliness and touchiness. Never before have you been on such an affectionate crew.

Every time you put more than 10 seconds into your appearance you got hoots and hollers from most of the crew members. When you grab lunch in the mess people fight over who gets to sit with you and be documented. Even Richie has a soft side- you’ve managed to pet him without adding a body part to the now running list.

It’s been a few months now and they still fight over you at meals- a quirk you would have thought would die out long ago. Everyone is eager to tell you about their day and try and loop you into spending the rest of the day with them. Today the tightrope walkers win out- or at least they think so. Secretly you’ve made a schedule for when you follow each group and no one has caught onto your pattern yet. But it makes it easy for you and makes it so no one is favored.

But when they cheer and lean into you, arms wrapped around your shoulders you still feel like shrinking away in embarrassment. It’s not bad- you can’t deny the little ego boost it gives you- but there’s something that always makes your face burn. But all that is nothing compared to Buggy.

You quickly figure out that, like all crew attitudes, it trickles down from the top.

Of course Buggy isn’t going around hugging crew members (when he’s sober) and he does lose his temper often, but there’s also a softness to him. He’s got nicknames for everyone, and everyone gets their time in the spotlight. He personally reviews all the circus acts and when someone wants to do something new it’s rare he says no.

Everyone in the crew is a misfit, but because of that, no one is. A group of people who have never felt respected or wanted before suddenly find themselves belonging- it makes sense why everyone was surprisingly warm. But you still have a hard time handling it, especially when it comes to Buggy.

It’s the damn nicknames.

Story weaver, dearest chronicler, writing star. And the worst part? It’s always his.

My story weaver.

My star.

Never in a tone that makes you feel owned or degraded- quite the opposite really. You’re treasured, respected, seen. It’s been too long since you felt that way and the reblooming of those emotions was… uncomfortable.

But you don’t think you’d ever want it to stop.

“My lovely chronicler-“ It’s Buggy who suddenly throws you out of your thoughts with affection and a hand on your shoulder. “I have to cancel our meeting tonight.”

“What? Why?” You want to kick yourself for sounding even slightly hurt.

“Not your fault- turns out I’m a few days behind on planning out supply orders for when we dock tomorrow.” By a few days you know he means he hasn’t thought about supplies since they last docked.

“Oh, well, do you need help?” The second you finish your sentence you feel a light elbow in your side from one of the tightrope walkers but before you can turn to look at him your attention is grabbed by a clap from Buggy.

“Great! See you tonight!” He says, already walking away.

You turn to the source of the elbow. “What was that for?”

“I’m sorry, you totally just got suckered into doing all his paper work.” He says apologetically.

“Yeah, he’s done this with just about every crew member. You’re the only one who doesn’t know his trick.” Another one explains.

“Well, he is the captain, he could just make one of us do it.” You say, still very confused about this whole situation.

“Yeah, but then he has to admit that he messed up and needs someone else to do his work. This way he is just, I don’t know, reveling in his crew’s generosity.” Yeah, that sounds like him.

“I’m not going to get any sleep tonight am I.”

“Nope.” You get a few reassuring pats on the back as you slump onto the table.

“Captain?” Later in the day you knock on his door and come in at his usual ‘come in’.

You walk in and see papers everywhere. There’s no organization, no sense that he’s actually began to work on anything, just papers on almost every flat surface you can see. You don’t think half of these are relevant to what needs to be done.

“My darling most beloved star.” Buggy calls from behind his desk. He’s laying it on thick so you don’t run away.

“Did one of your bombs explode in here?” You carefully walk over to his desk, hopping over random papers on your way.

“Yes?” It’s obvious he’s lying.

“Well… I guess we have our work cut out for us.” You make it across from him and start looking at papers, trying to find some sense.

“Yes. I trust you implicitly- now I’m just going to go-“ He stands up and you glare at him.

“You’re not going anywhere.” You’re a little annoyed, but there’s no real malice in your words. Despite that, Buggy still shrinks back.

“But you’ve got this.” He says, confidence quickly draining from his voice.

“It would go a lot faster if we work together. Come on. We will start by organizing. Figure out what actually needs to be done for tomorrow and go from there.” You gesture to the mess on his desk before you get to work on the papers discarded on the floor.

“But-“

“No.” You cut him off without even looking at him- you know he’s using his puppy dog eyes.

“Fine.” He grumbles and you hear the shift of papers that tells you he’s at least pretending to do something.

It takes you hours to get everything sorted but after that the actual work doesn’t take that long. You have a pretty good knowledge of what supplies everyone needs and the average use of those supplies in a day- you write it all down typically. All in all you’re done and dusted just before midnight, an accomplishment really.

Buggy is moping at his desk, the reward of a job well done isn’t really enough for him after he actually had to put in some effort. You’ve set up a schedule for him too- something he’ll probably ignore but you’re pretty hopeful.

“That’s it right?” His voice is partially muffled by his face being smooshed down into the wood of his desk.

“Yes, we are all done for the night.” You reply, straightening out the last stack of files on his desk.

“Yay.” His voice is flat and devoid of all joy.

“You’re pretty childish for a captain, you know that?” You take a seat across the desk, not quite ready to leave.

“That’s part of my charm darling.” He lifts his face so his chin is resting on the desk.

Darling.

That was a new one.

“It’s not your best feature but I guess it is a part of your whole deal.” You admit, still trying to shake off the weird stirring of emotions from the new pet name.

He perks up instantly, sitting up in his chair. “What’s my best feature?”

“Hm?”

“You said it’s not my best feature, which implies you know my best feature. What is it?” His smile is wide, matching his face paint.

“Ah-“ Well. You know exactly what his best feature is but you hesitate to say. It’s not what a pirate captain typically wants to hear but… well he’s anything but typical.

“I think your best feature is that you care. Genuinely. You yell and stomp around at the crew but you always make sure all of our needs are met. To some people finding the One Piece is just the thing pirates do but you care with every fiber of your being. When you want to do something, really want to do it, you throw yourself into it for better or for worse. Your risks end up paying off more often than not and I don’t think that’s a coincidence.”

There’s an awkward pause where Buggy’s smile drops a bit and he stares at you and you think that you’ve fucked up. He is still a pirate captain with an ego and not telling him that his strength or intellect was his best feature was a dumb mistake. But then he coughs, a fake awkward cough and you’re not sure what’s going on.

“Oh that’s- yeah- I mean what am I if not the best captain to work for in all of the seas.” The smile returns to his face but there’s something you can’t place and you feel like you’ve misstepped.

“It’s late- I should go-“ You stand up and quickly head to the door but Buggy’s voice stops you right before you exit.

“Hey-“ You turn and look at him. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” There’s more hovering in the space between you but none of it can be put into words.

You leave.

Even if the Buggy pirates were worlds different from any other crew you had worked with they still party like every other pirate crew after a victory. Just a little more explosive. Literally.

You had never seen fireworks before so you were laying down on an upper deck while the loud party raged a few decks down, reveling in the bright and colorful explosions that shattered across the sky. You know Buggy made them all himself, he was surprisingly talented in pyrotechnics. It was overwhelming to your senses in the way that Buggy often was-

You’ve found yourself thinking more and more about him recently. You don’t want to think about what that means so you just shove those things down and focus on the shimmering colors dancing around the sky.

Until, of course, your captain finds you.

“My star! We are all missing our chronicler at the party!” His head peaks up over the ladder as he calls to you but you wave a dismissive hand.

“I’m just enjoying the fireworks, I’ll be down later.” You say, perched up on your elbows.

Buggy pulls himself all the way up the ladder before walking over and taking a seat next to you. “I’m glad someone is enjoying all my hard work.”

“I’d never seen fireworks before tonight.” You admit, laying back down fully.

“Really? Well I’m glad I could introduce you.” He lays down as well, only a few inches separating you two as you both lay flat on your backs.

“It’s- I mean I have no idea how you do it. It’s seriously magic.” You turn your head to look at him, admiring the profile of his face under the multicolored lights of the fireworks.

“It’s all chemicals and patience. I know, surprising that I have that.” He looks at you, a sly smile on his face.

“There really is nothing our fearless captain can’t do when he puts his mind to it.” You half joke, nudging his arm with your elbow. “But really- how do you get all those different colors?”

“Well-“

As the different fireworks explode in the sky he tells you the different chemicals he used to get the respective colors and effects. Somewhere in the explanations and pointing he’s right next to you, arms and thighs pressed together. You can’t help but lean into his warmth against the cool wind of the sea.

“I guess there will have to be a chapter on fireworks in your chronicle.” You say after the fireworks slowly die out, all of them used up by now.

“You can just slide that chapter in when things get too boring. Wake readers up with an explosion!” His hand gestures over both of your bodies.

“I’m not sure there will be any time where your story will be too boring. I’m pretty sure just by being a clown pirate you’re always interesting.”

Out of the corner of your eye you see Buggy turn his face towards yours. In turn you move your face as well, and you can feel his warm breath fan over your face.

He’s really quite beautiful in the moonlight.

“Do you really think that?” He asks, so quiet you almost don’t hear him over the low drone of the party below.

“Of course.” You answer automatically.

“I uh-“ You see a panic set over his face and you wonder if you’ve done something wrong. He sits up and you sit up in turn, confusion on your face.

“I should get back down to the party. It’s been-“ He stands up and practically trips over his own feet. “Nice.”

You watch him quickly descend the ladder and you’re suddenly very aware of how cold it is out on the deck at night.

You’re not sure what you did, but you messed something up.

You stop having your nightly meetings. It’s once a week now and he blames it on the recent partnership with Alvida and her crew but you know there’s something else. You got too comfortable with your captain and distance had to be created. You were disrespectful and you needed to learn your place.

You weren’t his anymore.

Chronicler, sure. Star, sometimes. You almost despised when he used your actual name. The burning feeling of being discarded weighs in your chest every time you see him.

It was only after how painful and hard you took the slightest bit of rejection that you realized you might have feelings for your captain. Stupid inappropriate feelings. You hadn’t put the label on it before, pushing any feelings down into the pit of your gut but with how quickly they turned sour you couldn’t help but feel them rise up and burn your throat.

Stupid how you realize these things too late.

Because now there’s a new crew, a new partnership, and plenty of shiny new objects for Buggy to be enamored with. None of them you.

You still did your job through- dutifully chronicling each day. Your emotions will pass and this job is still far and away the best you’ve ever landed. You won’t throw it away over a stupid unrequited crush.

It’ll pass.

Someday.

But today isn’t that day as a pang rings through your chest as you see Buggy loop an arm around Alvida’s shoulder and pull her in close. You know there’s nothing going on between the two of them (you’re fairly confident Alvida doesn’t swing that way) but seeing him pay attention to someone else the way he paid attention to you-

You sounded like a child didn’t you.

You were just about to excuse yourself from the area when Buggy spots you and calls you over with a quick shout of your title. Taking a deep breath you steel yourself and put on a smile before walking over.

“Yes captain?” You say, overly formal as you hold your journal close.

“I was thinking maybe you could do a few weeks with the Alvida pirates, you know, get a better look at their side of things! Wrap them into the story of the Genius Jester!” He gestured grandly with his free hand.

“Oh, well, if that’s okay with captain Alvida…” You look towards the dark haired woman who shrugs.

“I’ve never had a chronicler before so I guess I wouldn’t mind seeing what it’s all about.”

“Great! Our perfect partnership continues!” Buggy looks at you. “How’s a month sound?”

A month. He wants to get rid of you for a whole month. You swallow down your emotions. “When have I ever not followed my captain’s orders?”

“You are a loyal crew member. And it’s not like you aren’t going to see all of your crew mates! It’s just shifting focus for a bit.” It’s true, both crews frequently overlap ships but you know you’re going to be glued to that gaudy pink ship (not that the ship you were currently on wasn’t gaudy, just a different kind).

“Fine by me captain.” You say, making your voice as cheerful as possible.

“Great.”

“Good.”

There’s a long pause where the two of you are just standing there, Alvida casting glances to both of you.

“Well if that’s all I’ll go pack some of my things for my stay.” You say, already taking a step backwards.

“Yes, good idea! Always taking initiative!” He waves goodbye and you turn around as fast as possible, walking at a brisk pace when you really want to run.

Working with Alvida wasn’t bad at all. You checked in with her once a week and she was pretty receptive to your work, provided you added in a lot of extra pages about how beautiful she was. At first it was annoying, but once you got used to it she was surprisingly nice to you.

You were two weeks into your month with her and she was already asking you about how to hire her own chronicler. It was rewarding to know that you’ve done a good enough job so far that she would seek out someone like you. You were working hard, trying to shift your focus from your emotions into something more productive.

It didn’t work.

Every day you found yourself looking around the decks hoping to catch a glimpse of your captain visiting. He was never there.

You saw plenty of your other crew mates- both crews frequented both ships as you sailed together. It was nice having that familiarity, but the reminder that you were specifically sent away while they got to go back to their ship every night stung.

“Ah, chronicler.” Alvida’s voice shook you out of your thoughts, having zoned out while recording what the meals were for the day in the kitchen.

“Hello Alvida, was there something you needed?” Your finger slipped into your journal as a placeholder as you turned your attention to her.

“Yes. I just finished discussing some business with Buggy and your good work came up.” You couldn’t help but puff up a bit- You did want him to know you were still exceeding at your job. “And then he made me an offer that I’d like to extend to you. He said if I wanted you full time I had his permission, so. Would you like to be my chronicler?”

There’s a full 30 seconds that you have to take to process the words that were said to you and come up with a response that doesn’t sound like your heart just got shattered into a million pieces.

“Oh wow, that’s quite the offer I- uh-“ Your mind is struggling to work under the weight of your emotions and Alvida catches on that you’re overwhelmed.

“It’s a big change so you can take some time to think about it. Just come to me when you have your answer.” She gives you a curt nod before heading off, leaving you with your spiraling thoughts.

You manage to hold back your tears until you’re at you bunk, burying your face in your pillow to catch your flow of tears. There was something so painful about being shipped off to someone else, being so unwanted he couldn’t stand to work with you anymore. You’re not even sure what you did wrong which might be the most frustrating part.

If you could lead this all back to one action you took maybe you could make it better- maybe you could go back.

But you didn’t.

You know when you’re not wanted.

Later that day you knock on Alvida’s door and accept her offer. All your stuff is already on her ship so you don’t ever have to step foot on Buggy’s ship ever again.

It’s easier that way.

A month has gone by of officially being the chronicler of the Alvida pirates. It’s… fine. Painfully fine. Perfectly average.

You stop wearing bright colors, swapped out for the pinks and reds that cover the ship. You still keep your old clothes, tucked away in a box that also has the journal you used to chronicle your time the the Buggy pirates. The sequins and stripes keep it safe and far away from you, letting you pull back at the last second before you obsessively repour over the pages to find where you went wrong.

You were getting better.

You stopped crying every night, you stopped longing looking over the bow at Buggy’s ship, you stopped searching for him whenever your old crew came over.

The lingering feelings will pass soon, and you eagerly count down the days until your heart patches itself up and moves on.

It was easy to ignore your emotions during a storm. All your energy focused on locking up your stuff and going where you were needed- you were a chronicler but all hands on deck meant all hands.

It was a nasty storm- lighting and high waves bashing against the hull repeatedly and ruthlessly. You were down below deck, sent on your own to grab emergency medical supplies from deep storage, two crew members had already broken bones and there were probably going to be countless other injuries before the storm let up. Boxes shoved in your arms you were making your way back up to the medical bay when you heard it- the sound you never want to hear below deck.

The sound of wood breaking.

You hear the hit of a strong wave before the groaning of wood and then that dreaded sound. You only have a second to process it before you hear the flood of seawater rushing in. Dropping the boxes you quickly jump to the ladder, scrambling up as you hear water flooding in behind you.

You make it up the ladder and halfway to the next one before the next wave hits. Your world jolts under you and you’re flung to the floor and the back of your head hits the deck- hard.

Your vision swims as you feel sea water rushing over your body and you push yourself up, ignoring the nausea overwhelming your senses. You crawl to the ladder, water threatening to grab and pull you under. Grasping the rung of the ladder you try to pull yourself up before your realize just how hurt you must be.

The pain, the blurry vision, you barely have control over your body. There’s no way you can pull yourself up the ladder. The sea was going to take you and you didn’t have the senses about you to swim. It was over.

You hang your head, watching the water swell up around your body as you wonder if all your works will go missing to the sea. Maybe there will be nothing left of you. Or maybe someone will find your journal- just dry enough that the words haven’t dissolved and run together. Maybe someone will remember you.

Somewhere in the distance someone shouts your name.

You’re confident it’s your addled mind playing tricks on you until it’s louder and right above you- loud and frantic. You look upwards and see Buggy, rain soaked and panicked.

Now you’re really confident you’re seeing things.

“Grab my hand!” He lays down on the deck above you and extends his hand and everything becomes real painfully fast.

“Get out of here! The water- You can’t-“ You yell out, head throbbing.

“I said grab my hand! Captain’s orders!” He shouts and you don’t think you’ve ever heard him so serious.

Gathering up all the strength in your body you pull yourself up a few rungs until you can reach out and grab his hand, quickly being violently pulled up the rest of the way.

“Can you walk?” He asks, yanking you up to your feet. You fall into his body, answering his question for him. “Alright.”

Suddenly one of his arms is under your knees and the other is around your shoulders and you’re being carried, your vision obscured by Buggy’s clothes. It’s better that way, you think hazily, to see him and not your death waiting to swallow you up. Maybe it’s a trick your mind is playing and you’re down in that lower deck, knocked out and drowning. But as you curl up against him and your thoughts fade to nothingness it’s a trick you’re willing to accept.

If your last thoughts are of him it’s not a bad way to go.

You wake up with a start- jolting up in bed before realizing how much that sudden action hurts. Your hand flies to the back of your head and you realize it’s been bandaged up.

“Hey- take it easy.” Eyes flicking up you see Buggy standing up from a chair in the corner of your room.

Your room- back on Buggy’s ship.

“You really should lay back down.” He’s a few steps closer now and in the dimmed light of the room you can finally get a good look at him.

He looks like shit. Dark circles under his eyes, he probably hasn’t shaved in a few days, and his normal face paint is missing. He’s down to just his vest and pants, normal bright accessories missing.

The memories of the ship sinking come rushing back to you and a panic sets into your chest. “Wait what happened- the ship- the crew-“

“Hey, hey, it’s alright calm down.” He sits down on the bed and takes one of your hands in his. “Alvida’s ship sank, but we managed to get everyone out and on here before she went down.”

Your breathing evens out and you relax a bit. “Good.”

“We were calling everyone to get on board here right when you had left to go grab supplies- you were missing so I came and got you.” He explains, putting the remaining pieces together for you.

“You-“

“Just wanted to make sure you woke up alright so now I-“ He drops your hand and stands up. “Will go.”

He gets to the door before your words stop him.

“You shouldn’t have done that. It was- you could have easily died. You can’t swim and you didn’t even-“ You screw your eyes shut, brain still putting itself back together from the hard hit.

“Captain’s duties.” He explains shortly, hand still on the doorknob and not looking at you.

“Yeah but, you’re not my captain. You made it painfully clear you did not want to be my captain.” You swing your feet off the bed, glaring holes into his back as weeks of repressed emotions come leaking out the broken and battered seams.

“It’s not like that-“ He says, forehead meeting the wood of your door.

“Then what is it like then? Because I’m just confused and hurt! I don’t understand!” Your hands fist in the sheets of your bed as tears well up in your eyes.

“Please don’t-“ He turns around and you see the hurt in his eyes. “Don’t cry.”

“Then tell me what I did wrong!” You shout, hot tears spilling down your cheeks.

“Nothing. You did nothing wrong.” He wrings his hands and looks down at the floor. “You’re too- you’re too good for me.”

The words ring in the dim space and confusion comes over your already frazzled mind. “What?”

“You- okay.” He takes a deep breath and shift from foot to foot. “You have this grand idea of who I am. You think I’m smart and caring and a good captain and that’s just not true. I’m not any of those things. I’m just a huge faker. I was never meant to be a captain- I just keep doing it because I have to.”

You look over his anxious form and finally see what he’s been hiding under all those flashy clothes and bright face paint. He was truly and painfully insecure.

You go to stand up, slipping off the bed to try and land on your feet but your vision blurs and you slip and you’re sure you’re going to crack your head on the floor again. But before you can land your being held, Buggy’s hands having quickly detached and grabbed you. The rest of his body runs over only seconds later, connecting his hands back and placing you delicately back on your bed.

You’re sitting up again, Buggy anxiously standing next to the bed as he looks over your body, checking to make sure you’re okay. This time you reach out, taking Buggy’s hand despite the fact you can see him wanting to run away again.

“Buggy, you’re really stupid sometimes.” You see his face shift into pure confusion and you elaborate. “I don’t think those things because of all the acts you put on- I think those things because that’s what I really think after spending so much time with you. I know who you are, don’t think I don’t.”

Buggy practically collapses, sitting next to you on the bed. “Don’t say that.”

“Why not?” You grip harder on his hand, pulling yourself closer to him.

“Because I don’t want to disappoint you.” He admits, his voice cracking under his emotions.

“You- all this time- Buggy, look at me.” You pull at his hand, urging him to follow your directive.

He does and you see all the emotions you’ve been feeling swirling in his eyes. “I care about you. And I don’t care if you think you’ll disappoint me! I just want you.”

You feel something break as you stare into each others eyes and in a flash he’s on you- lips pressing harshly against yours. He’s messy and harsh and frantic as he overwhelms you and you let him. Your freehand tangles in his hair and holds his head close. Neither of you break the kiss until you absolutely need to, pulling away gasping for air as spit still connects the two of you.

“Do you mean it?” He whispers, forehead pressed against yours.

“Did it feel like I meant it?” You grin, pressing a chaste kiss to the corner of his mouth.

“I don’t know… I might have to check again.” You see a smile creep back onto his face and you pull him in again.

He kisses you like a man starved, eagerly throwing himself into you. He nips at your lips, pulling playfully as he slides on top of you, your body sliding down into the bed in turn. You can’t tell if his hands are attached to his body or not as you feel them wandering your skin, pushing up under the hem of your shirt and grabbing onto your waist. You whine into his mouth and he pulls away quickly.

“Did I- sorry is this too fast we can-“ You shut him up by pulling him in for a quick kiss.

“I want more.” You say against his lips and he nods so furiously you think his head might fall off.

His lips trail down, kissing where your jaw and throat meet. As he does so you feel a deft hand undo the fastenings on your pants and sliding into them, plunging past the hem of your underwear and to your folds. Your hips buck up as his fingers ghost over you and you hear him chuckle.

“Don’t laugh at me!” You lightly hit his back, unable to stop smiling.

“I’m not, I’m not.” He claims, but you know otherwise. It’s hard to be mad at him though when his fingers pry open your folds and he sucks in a breath when he finally dips in. “Fuck you’re wet.”

“All for-“ You’re cut off by your own moan as two fingers press into you. “All for you.”

His motions still for a second before he’s biting into your neck as his fingers sink all the way into you. “Can’t just say that stuff. Fuck you don’t know what you do to me.”

You feel him grind up against your leg and that sends a thrill through you and you push further. “Missed you so much- thought about you every day-“

“My lovely star-“ He breathes into your skin, fingers pumping in and out of you.

“That- I missed that. Missed you calling me yours.” You admit through moans as his fingers stretched you out.

All of a sudden his fingers are pulling out and you whine as he sits up. In a flash hands are tugging your shirt up and off your body while he shimmies down your bed. Once your shirt is discarded he can pull down your pants, hands smoothing over your thighs. He takes a few moments to just look at you and your face heats up.

“See you still need to learn how to take a compliment.” He jokes as he lays back down, pushing apart your thighs so he can settle between them.

“This is not the same.” You try and argue, your hand drifting to his bright blue hair as he kisses up the inside of your thighs.

“Whatever you say.” You want to argue further but all coherent thoughts leave your brain when you feel his breath on your folds.

You feel his fingers spread you apart before he dives in, tongue eagerly lapping up your slick. Your hand fists in his hair as he pushes his tongue into you, the thick muscle a welcome sensation. When his tongue leaves you, you whine but it quickly dissolves into a moan as he wraps his lips around your clit.

“Fuck- Buggy- Just like that!” You buck your hips up into his mouth and you feel his fingers slip back into you.

He listens, repeating the motion and adding a third finger inside you. His other hand comes around to the back of your leg, hiking it up over his shoulder so he can have better access. His tongue swirls between your clit and thrusting in with his fingers. As your orgasm builds up you pull tighter at his hair in warning and you feel him groan into your folds. The vibration against your clit edges you ever closer so you pull again, not missing the way his hips jerk up against the bed as you do.

He sucks on your clit as his fingers curl inside you and the dam breaks, orgasm washing over you. Buggy slowly pulls his fingers out of you but you still feel his tongue on you, lapping up your slick as you come down.

You gently pull on his hair, urging him to come closer to you. He gets the message, sliding up your body until he’s face to face with you, his lips and chin glistening with your juices.

“Can I repay the favor?” You ask, your hands sliding down his body until he shakes his head.

“Baby- if I even see you on your knees in front of me I’m going to blow my load before I can get inside you.” His confession makes your skin run hot as you surge up to him, kissing him deeply.

“Then get inside me.” You say when you finally pull away, your own taste lingering in your mouth.

“Oh, who’s the captain now?” He grins as he slides off the bed to quickly take off his vest and pants.

You can’t help but stare at his cock, long and curved and you need it inside you now. He sees you staring at it’s the ego boost he needs as he crawls back in bed, slotting his hips between your thighs. His hand guides his tip to rub against your clit and you whine impatiently. He chuckles but lines himself up with your entrance before slowly pushing in.

“You’re so- warm- tight- fuck-“ Buggy thrusts into you despite himself, every inch of him inside you all at once and you practically scream his name.

“Can’t help myself baby you feel-“ His body covers yours as he mouths at your collarbone and throat and whatever skin he can find. “So much better than I thought.”

“You thought about me?” You manage out, breathless.

“Every damn day and night I-“ His thrusts are erratic but you can’t bring yourself to care when he’s still making you feel so good. “Sometimes, after you left our meetings I’d- I’d touch myself the second you left I couldn’t stop imagining you on my desk I- fuck-“

Knowing he thought about you like that did things to you and you drag your nails down his back and hook your legs around his waist, unable to verbalize through your moans. You can tell he’s close already, the throb of his cock and the way his filthy words are getting increasingly slurred. You’re close too, and you reach up and grab Buggy’s hand, urging it down to your sensitive bud. He takes the direction well, his thumb rubbing right circles that make you see stars.

“Where- I’m so close-“ He chokes out and as he goes to pull out you clench your legs tighter, trapping him inside you.

“Fill me up, please Buggy.” You whine and that’s it for him.

You feel hot ropes of cum fill you up as he groans into your neck. He manages to still work your clit so it’s only a few moments after him that you’re orgasming again, milking every drop of cum out of him. Breathless, he collapses on top of you, softening cock still in you.

You wrap your arms around him, holding him tight as though letting him go means he’d drift away from you again. He nuzzled into your neck and must sense that somethings up.

“‘m not gonna be that stupid again.” He says, pressing a kiss to your neck. “Not gonna let you go.”

“I’m your chronicler again?” You ask, voice weak with emotions.

“Until the end of time.” He promises, and you trust him completely.

[worth-the-chaos]

Adventures in Babysitting - Steve Harrington x female!reader - Chapter 17

Chapter Summary: After finding out more information about Vecna, you and your friends prepare for the worst, and tensions rise as you mentally prepare for the possibility of a future without you in it.

Content Warning: swearing, general angst, mentions of sex (like nothing graphic or explicit), Jason being a dick, Upside Down scary shit, existential dread

Word Count: 7.7k

Author’s Note: Hey guys! I’m so sorry that this took so long for me to get written! I am home for summer now, so I’m hoping to have some more down time to write, so hopefully the next chapter won’t take so long! I also am curious as to what you guys think I should do with the story regarding the fact that season 5 isn’t out yet…should I go on hiatus until season 5 drops or would you rather me write an ending with season 4?

Message me to be added to the taglist and get updated when the next chapter is posted! I highly recommend this if you want to keep up with the story since I don’t do regular updates!

Series Masterlist | Part 16 | Next Part

***

Steve felt your body go limp as you dropped the makeshift rope, your head lolling backwards as you collapsed towards him. His heart stopped as he swiftly set you down on the floor next to him, pulling back to look at you.

He felt sick to his stomach when he noticed the way your eyes were rolled into the back of your head, and he felt like he was suffocating on the ash that drifted in between the two of you.

“Y/n,” he shook your shoulders, desperation lacing his voice. You didn’t respond, the only indication that you were still there was a slight whimper that escaped your parted lips. He shook you more aggressively and felt like he could vomit at the way your body caved to inertia.

You were somewhere else.

“Y/n, baby—stay with me!” Steve shouted, his voice cracking as fear invaded his tone, “Wake up, y/n! Wake up!”

His eyes were welling with tears and he felt like his legs were going to give out as panic began to fill his chest. He felt like he was drowning. You had always been his lifeline and he felt like he was watching you fade from existence. Blood started to drip from your nose, and he gently wiped it away, breaking down at the sight of it.

“Come on, y/n,” he sobbed as he pulled you closer, trying to shield you from the dangers of this strange world. “I love you, I love you, I love you,” he whispered into your neck as he buried his head there, placing a small kiss against your skin.

He heard arguing above him, and his attention was momentarily pulled back towards the world he was trying desperately to get you back to.

“Madonna, Blondie, Bowie, Beatles—Music! We need music!” Robin’s voice rang out, and he heard the clatter of mixtapes falling to the floor.

“This is music!” Eddie shouted back.

Suddenly, Steve remembered the walkman in your pocket, and his fingers furiously pulled at the ziplock bag. His hands were shaking and he cursed himself as he struggled to get the bag open. He placed the headphones over your ears, hitting play and turning the volume up. He could hear the music faintly playing and watched as your eyes continued their rapid movement side to side underneath your eyelids.

He held his breath, hoping that something—anything—would change, and he thought the world was ending when it didn’t.

But then, suddenly, your eyes shot open as a gasp escaped your lips. You began falling backward and Steve barely had time to wrap his arms around your back to slow your fall, dropping to the floor with you.

You panted and your whole body trembled at the horrors you just witnessed. Vecna—or more accurately Henry Creel’s voice still rang in your ears as you hyperventilated, trying to push the images aside. As you began to settle, another voice filled your consciousness.

“It’s okay, baby. I’m here. I’m right here,” you looked up to see your boyfriend’s big brown eyes staring down at you with concern and love and all the words he still had yet to say to you.

Your terrified expression broke into one of great sadness as tears began to fall down your face while sobs wracked your tired frame.

“Sweetheart,” Steve’s voice was a whisper as he wiped away your tears, neglecting the ones that were falling from his own eyes. He cradled your head in his hands and you melted at his touch. In this moment, it was just the two of you; nothing else mattered and nothing else existed.

You took in the sight of Eddie’s denim vest draped over his shoulders, your eyes drifting to his bare arms and the blood and dirt caked against his skin. “We have to get out of here,” you whispered, your fingers gripping into his bicep.

With that, Steve swiftly stood up, and helped you back onto the makeshift rope. You felt his hand on your ass as he pushed you up, trying to quicken the pace at which you climbed. You saw the way your friends stared at you from the real world, concern lacing their features. As you crossed the threshold between the Upside Down and your world, you felt your stomach drop as the gravity switched directions. Your heart jumped to your throat as you free fell for a moment before hitting the springy mattress with the questionable stains.

You didn’t lie there for long before Robin grabbed your arm, pulling you to your feet and into the tightest hug she’d probably ever given you. You squeezed your eyes shut, trying not to cry at the horrors you’d just witnessed as you held on to her. You released a breath you didn’t even realize you’d been holding as you heard a soft thud behind you, knowing your boyfriend had made it safely out of the hell that you’d just been stuck in for far too long for your liking.

“We can stay at my house tonight,” Max spoke up and you broke away from Robin to face her, “my mom should be gone until tomorrow afternoon so we should be fine.”

And with that, you all quickly made your way over to Max’s under the cover of night. Once you got there, everyone spread out as much as possible in the small home to camp out to sleep and Steve and you curled up together on the floor in the living room.

You shut your eyes tight as you tried to tune out the ticking of a small clock on the living room shelf. You buried your face in the crook of Steve’s neck as you both drifted off into a restless sleep.

***

The next morning everyone gave you a bit of space and no one really talked much, giving you a bit of time to cool down from the events of the night before. When you were finally ready, you all huddled up in the living room and everyone waited with bated breath for you to explain what you saw.

You cleared your throat before you spoke up. “He…showed me things that haven’t happened yet. The most awful things. I saw a dark cloud spreading over Hawkins. Downtown on fire. Dead soldiers. And this…giant creature with…a-a gaping mouth, a-a-and this creature wasn’t alone; there were so many monsters—an army—and they were coming into Hawkins, into our neighborhoods…our homes.”

You could barely get some of the words out, taking a deep breath before you continued. “And then he showed me my parents, and-and you guys and you w-were all….” Your voice trailed off as a lump formed in your throat, unable to say the words, afraid that you would speak it into existence. Tears began streaming down your face and Steve was quick to try and ease your pain.

“Okay, but…he’s just trying to scare you, baby. Right? I mean, it’s not real,” he tried to be the voice of reason, but his tone showed his lack of confidence in the truth he was trying to present. The real truth was that none of you knew what was going on, what would happen next.

“Not yet,” you whispered through teary eyes, “but…but there was something else. He showed me gates. Four gates, spreading across Hawkins. They looked like the one outside Eddie’s trailer, but they didn’t stop growing, and this wasn’t Upside Down Hawkins, this was our Hawkins.”

You looked between your friends, each one’s face twisted with worry and fear. The kids all looked so much older, the weight of the world constantly on their shoulders aging them, causing them to grow up too fast. You pushed the thought down as you continued. “Four chimes. Vecna’s clock always chimes four times. He’s been telling us his plan this whole time.”

“Four kills, four gates, end of the world,” Lucas spoke up, elaborating on your explanation.

“If that’s true,” Dustin took over, “he’s only one kill away.”

You felt everyone’s eyes turn to you, and you shrank under their stares, knowing that you were next.

“Try them again, try them again,” Steve looked at Max and she rushed to the phone. Max fingers worried at the cord of the phone before she hung it back up and turned around.

“Rang a few times and then went to busy signal,” she announced.

“Maybe you punched it in wrong, just try again,” Steve pushed, desperation lacing his tone.

“I didn’t punch it in wrong,” Max rolled her eyes.

“Dude I think she knows how to use a phone,” Dustin defended the redhead.

Max dialed again anyway, hanging up the phone with a resounding clang before turning around with a look that screamed I told you so plastered across her face. “Same shit.”

“I told you, Joyce has this telemarketer job. She’s always on the phone, Mike’s always whining about it,” Dustin explained.

“Yeah, but the phone’s been busy for, what, three days now? That’s not Joyce. No way. Something’s wrong,” Max countered.

“Whatever’s happening in Lenora, it’s connected to all of this,” you spoke up. “But Vecna can’t hurt them…not if he’s dead. We have to go back to the Upside Down.”

Steve and Eddie both immediately voiced their disagreement, Steve standing to put his two cents in.

“Woah, woah, woah, let’s think this through,” he put his hands up in a pacifying way trying to calm down your impulsivity.

“What is there to think through?!”

“Y/n, we barely made it out of there in one piece!”

“Yeah, because we weren’t prepared! But this time we will be. We’ll get weapons and protection, we’ll go through the gate, we’ll find his lair, and we’ll kill him.”

“Or he’ll kill us!” Steve yelled back at you. “The only reason you survived is because he wanted you to. He’s not scared of us and I’ll be damned if I let him have a chance to hurt you again. No, not happening.”

He said the words with such finality, but you opened your mouth to argue with him again, anger boiling below the surface. Before you could speak, Robin spoke up.

“We learned something new about Vecna/Henry/One…He’s a number like Eleven, only a sick, evil, male, child-murdering version of her with really bad skin, but-but my point is, he’s super powerful. He could turn us inside out with the snap of his fingers, it is not a fair fight.”

“So why fight fair?” Dustin interjected, “he’s like Eleven but that gives us an upper hand. We know Eleven’s strengths and weaknesses. When El remote-travels, she goes into this sort of trance-like state. I bet the same is true of Vecna. When he attacks his next victim, I bet he’s back in that attic, physical body defenseless.”

“Defenseless? Yeah? What about the army of bats?” Steve gestured to the deep bruising around his neck from his last encounter with Vecna’s very present defenses.

“True. We’ll have to find a way past them. Distract them…somehow,” Henderson replied.

“And, uh, how do we do that exactly?” Eddie looked like he was damn near close to killing the boy.

“No idea. But once they’re gone, he doesn’t stand a chance. It’ll be like slaying sleeping Dracula in his coffin.”

“That all sounds good in theory, but there is no pattern to Vecna’s killings. I mean, at least not one that I can decipher. We don’t know when he’s going to attack next. We don’t even know who he’s going to attack next.” Robin countered.

“Yeah we do,” you spoke up, “I can still feel him. I ditch Kate Bush and I draw his focus back to me.”

“No way in fucking hell!” Steve was quick to cut across the room to approach you. “He’ll kill you!”

“I survived before, I can survive again…I-I just need to keep him busy long enough so that you guys can get into that attic.”

“There’s got to be another way,” Steve pleaded, grabbing your hands in his, his thumbs gently rubbing over the back of your hands.

“Maybe there is,” Dustin spoke up. “Y/n, other than last night—which was clearly just a scare tactic—the last vision you had was in the cemetery, right?”

“Yeah?” Your words came out as a question, not quite following the fast paced turning of the gears in the young genius’s mind.

“Well, then maybe he isn’t after you anymore…I mean, you basically found the antidote. He can’t get to you with that music playing, so maybe you don’t have to be bait at all…maybe he’s moved on to someone else.”

“That’s so highly hypothetical, Dustin. I mean, we’re not in a position where we can operate purely on a hunch!” Robin exclaimed. She wanted nothing more than for it to be true, for you to be safer than you had been, but it was too big a risk to take.

“Think about it! If Vecna was going to kill y/n, why didn’t he just do it last night? They all spent hours in the Upside Down yesterday, and he didn’t even try to get her until the very end to send a message! We’re all so convinced that Vecna isn’t scared of us, but maybe—even to just a small degree—maybe he is.”

“He’s always been two steps ahead of us,” you spoke up, your voice quiet but sure.

“Exactly! And I can’t help but think that he is expecting us to fawn over y/n, trying to keep her safe to prevent the end of the world while he’s just gearing up to cause it somewhere else.”

“I mean, I gotta say, that kind of makes a shit ton of sense,” Eddie supported the boy’s hypothesis.

“But what if we’re wrong?” Steve questioned. “What if we’re wrong and Vecna is still coming for her and she fucking dies? What then?”

“If we don’t do anything, it’s the end of the world either way; it’s just a matter of time,” you replied. You sounded so confident and your words seemed final. He knew you were stubborn enough that once you settled on something, there was no way that you were budging on it. It was something he loved about you—your pure grit, your determination—but he couldn’t help but hate it in this moment.

Eddie had moved across the small living room, pulling a thick phonebook from the highest shelf. He quickly thumbed through it and brushed past you, dropping it down on the table with a satisfying thud.

“Check this out. The War Zone,” he pointed to the bottom left corner of the page, “I’ve been there once. It’s huge…they’ve got everything you need for, uh…well, uh, killing things, basically.”

“Do you think fake Rambo has enough guns there? Is that a grenade? I mean how is any of this even legal?” Robin inquired, critiquing the advertisement in the phonebook.

“Well, lucky for us it is, so…this-this place is just far enough outside of Hawkins. As long as we steer clear of the main roads, we oughta be able to avoid cops and, uh, angry hicks,” Eddie explained.

“If we’re trying to avoid angry hicks, maybe we shouldn’t go to some store called the War Zone,” Erica spoke up.

“Normally, I’d agree with you but we need the weapons so I think it’s worth the risk,” Nancy replied. She sounded tired and you couldn’t help but feel the same. You wished you could just be young adults who had to worry about normal things like figuring out what you wanted to be, what you wanted to do with your lives. Not trying to determine if a calculated risk was going to get you killed.

“Is it worth the time though? It’ll take all day to bike there and back,” Dustin pointed out.

“Who said anything about bikes?” Eddie chimed in.

“You got some car we don’t know about?” Steve questioned.

“It’s not exactly a car, Steve. And it’s not exactly mine, but uh, it’ll do,” Eddie smiled and you knew you were all in for a hectic, chaotic time. “Hey, Red, uh you got a ski mask or a bandanna or something like that?”

And that’s how you all ended up sneaking around the trailer park following Eddie Munson in a Michael Myers mask…which somehow wasn’t the weirdest thing that this group has had to do for the sake of the greater good.

Eddie rounded the corner around an RV and slid open a side window before hoisting himself through it. Steve followed suit and helped pull you through the window, steadying you as you dropped very ungracefully into the vehicle.

Eddie began pulling at wires under the dash and Steve watched him work with a concerned confusion plastered across his face. “Where’d you learn how to do this?”

“Well, while the other dads were teaching their kids how to fish or play ball, my old man was teaching me how to hot-wire. Now, I swore to myself that I wouldn’t wind up like he did, but now I’m wanted for murder, and soon, grand theft auto. So yeah, I’m really living up to that Munson name.”

“Eddie, I’m not sure I love the idea of you driving,” you spoke cautiously as you leaned into Steve’s back to join the conversation happening at the driver’s seat.

“Oh, I’m just starting this sucker. Harrington’s got her, don’t ya big boy?” And just like that, the RV revved to life, and the owners of said RV began banging on the sides of it, screaming at you to get out. You felt bad, like really bad, but you kept reminding yourself it was for the greater good as Eddie and Steve swiftly switched places.

“It’s just a car,” Steve whispered to himself, trying to psych himself up before yelling back to the other passengers of the now stolen vehicle “everybody, hang on to something!”

“Drive, Steve! Drive!” Dustin’s voice rang out and he didn’t have to tell Steve twice, as he put his still bare foot on the gas, taking off out of the trailer park.

“Shit they look pissed,” Lucas pointed out, watching as the RV’s owners tried and failed to run after their vehicle.

“Well, it’s not every day that you lose your house and your car in one fell swoop,” you cringed at how awful your actions were, hoping that you’d somehow be able to return the RV undamaged but that was unlikely given your present predicament.

“Hold on, hold on, hold on!” Steve shouted, making a sharp turn. You nearly would’ve fallen out of your seat if it weren’t for Eddie’s quick reflexes as he grabbed at the collar of your shirt, pulling you back towards him.

What had you gotten yourselves into?

***

Everyone was asleep in the back, catching up from the eventful night that you had the day prior. Naturally, you couldn’t sleep, so you found yourself sitting in the passenger seat next to Steve, and you couldn’t help but feel wistful for the way it all felt so normal. You had fallen into a comfortable silence, until Steve broke it as he spoke up.

“You know, it’s silly, but I…I’ve actually…I always had this dream that I’d have this really big family. I’m talking, like, uh, a full brood of Harringtons, like five, six kids.”

“Six?!” You asked incredulously.

“Yeah, six of ‘em. Three girls, three boys…and-and every summer, I figured all of us Harringtons, we would pack into something like this and just…see the country. You know, the Rockies, Grand Canyon, maybe Yellowstone. And then end up in some beachside town in California, spend a week parked in the sand…learn how to surf or something.”

Your heart was beating a million miles a minute. You and Steve rarely ever talked about the future because everything always felt so precarious. The most you’d ever talked about was wanting to simply have one together. The fact that he’d been day dreaming about a life was almost too much for you to handle. You thought about Vecna and your visions and your headaches and your eyes began welling up with tears at the very real possibility that it would be someone else giving Steve the life that he wanted, the life he deserved.

“That sounds nice,” you whispered through your watery eyes.

“Baby,” Steve noticed your tears, reaching over and putting a hand on your thigh to comfort you. “What’s wrong?” There was a lump in your throat and you couldn’t quite get the words out, so Steve jumped in, trying to make you laugh. “I mean, I guess the six kids part is a bit much—a bit tear inspiring—so maybe I should’ve held that detail back, you know? I’ll work up to it once we already have a few little Harringtons of our own, what do you say?”

If it were under any other circumstances, his effort to make you smile would’ve paid off but instead, it just made you cry harder, considering this future that you were damn near sure you wouldn’t have.

Watching you react like that was sending Steve into a spiral. He wished he could go back and just keep his damn mouth shut because maybe you didn’t want that. Maybe you didn’t want a future like that with him. Hell, maybe you didn’t even want a future with him at all.

He knew that you loved him, but he couldn’t help but wonder if maybe you were falling out of love. You had been through so much together, but this shit was so much fucking worse than what you’d been through before. Maybe you were realizing that he wasn’t the one for you…that he wasn’t enough. There’s nothing like a series of near death experiences to make someone rethink all their life choices.

“I’m sorry,” you whispered, quickly getting up and moving to the back of the RV, needing some space. Robin had been awake and overheard the conversation the two of you had just had, her heart breaking for her best friends. She’d be damned if she let this blip break up her favorite couple, so just like that she gave Eddie a swift kick to the shins.

“Ow! Robin! What the fuck!” He exclaimed, the abrupt wake up something he was not happy about.

“We’re putting out fires okay? I need you to go talk to Steve and keep him from going fucking crazy.” This was a divide and conquer situation.

Eddie noticed the way you sat in the back corner, sniffling and staring out the window. “Trouble in paradise?” He asked.

“Yeah, but under these conditions, I’d hesitate to call it paradise.”

With that, Eddie made his way up to the front of the RV.

“What do you want, Munson?” Steve groaned, gripping the steering wheel tighter as he tried to keep his anger in check.

“Nice to talk to you too, Harrington,” Eddie rolled his eyes.

“I’m sorry, I’m just really not in the mood to fucking chat right now, okay?”

“You need to chill out man.”

Steve stared incredulously at the long haired freak in front of him. “Did you seriously just fucking say that to me? Munson, I’d like you to tell me how the fuck you think I should just chill out. It’s not like I’m barefoot, driving a fucking stolen RV to a store called fucking War Zone, and the world is fucking ending, not to mention my girlfriend is basically fucking dying…oh, and if we end up getting out of this shit storm okay, I think she’s going to dump me anyway…so forgive me for not being fucking chill.”

The words dripped like poison from his lips, but he kept his voice to a seething whisper so as not to upset you further. He could hear your soft sobs from the back of the RV and his heart ached as he tried to figure out where he went wrong.

“What the fuck are you talking about, Harrington?”

“What do you mean?” Steve answered Eddie’s question with a question.

“Like yeah, yeah, yeah, all that shit you listed is, well, pretty fucking shit…but there is no way in hell y/n is going to dump your ass.”

“You don’t know what the hell you’re talking about,” Steve rolled his eyes, aggressively flipping on his turn signal as he pulled up to another side street.

“I don’t think you know what the hell you’re talking about, man. I don’t think I’ve ever seen two people as in love as the two of you dipshits are, and considering you’ve faced the end of the fucking world more times than I can count, I’d say that your relationship outlook is pretty fucking solid.”

Steve sighed, debating whether or not he should open up to Munson. He didn’t really like Eddie all that much before all this shit, but he was learning that the metal head wasn’t as terrible as he thought. Besides, half of his hatred was no doubt misplaced jealousy over the fact that you had been tutoring him and spending extra time with him. Despite this, Steve decided to take the calculated risk of being vulnerable.

“We were sitting up here talking…and-and I just brought up how, in the future, it would be nice to have some kids of our own and pack up into an RV like this and travel the country…and…ugh, and then she just started crying! And, yeah I did say that I want like six kids—“

“Six kids?!”

“Yeah, it’s a lot, but that’s besides the point. And! And I made a joke about it, because yeah it is a fucking lot, but that just made her cry harder and I feel like the only explanation is that maybe she doesn’t fucking want that with me, and she just isn’t ready to rip off the band aid yet. I mean, I know we love each other, but maybe she’s realizing she doesn’t love me like that, you know?”

Eddie sat there quietly for a second considering what his newfound friend just said. I mean, Steve’s thought process did make sense, but Eddie thought back to the conversation you had with him; the one where you told him that you were pretty confident Steve was the one. Eddie swore himself to secrecy, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t put his two cents in.

“Look, there’s no way she doesn’t want to spend the rest of her life with you dude. She is head over fucking heels for you, trust me,” Eddie started out, “Besides, you guys haven’t been officially dating for that long anyway…I don’t see something happening in that short amount of time that would have caused her to change her mind like that. No way, man.”

“I don’t know,” Steve mumbled, and Eddie could tell he was holding something back.

“Spill it, Harrington,” when Steve looked at him hesitantly, Eddie rolled his eyes. “Dude, I’m a wanted man and the whole fucking town hates me. Who am I going to fucking tell? Besides, bro code and all that patriarchal shit.”

Steve looked over his shoulder. You were still locked in a pretty serious and hushed conversation with Robin, so he felt a bit better about the fact that you wouldn’t overhear what he had to say.

“If you tell anyone, I’ll fucking kill you myself, understand?” Eddie nodded, and Steve continued, “okay…we…um, you know how we broke into the high school to find all those files and shit?”

“Yeah…?” Eddie replied, not quite sure where this was going.

“Well, that night, y/n came back to my place to spend the night because she had her first vision and we needed to talk a lot out, and….well, and we had sex.” Steve whispered the last part so quietly it was barely audible.

Eddie stared at him like he was a fucking idiot. “Okay….? And….? You two have been dating for like eight fucking months. You had sex. I don’t get what the big deal is.”

Steve rolled his eyes, trying not to flush with embarrassment about giving Eddie Munson of all people the intimate details of his love life. “We had sex for the first time, okay? So yeah, it’s a pretty big fucking deal,” Steve defended himself.

Eddie looked absolutely dumbfounded. “So you’re saying that you, King Steve, have been dating a girl for eight months and you haven’t fucked her until like a few days ago? I’m sorry man, but I have to call bullshit on that.”

“I swear, dude. Y/n hasn’t really dated anyone before so it was her first time, first time, so we were waiting until she was ready.”

“That had to fucking kill you, man. I’m surprised you waited that long at all,” Eddie tried to hold back a chuckle.

“Hey! Knock it the fuck off, Munson!”

“Was it good?”

“I’ll pull over right now and beat the shit out of you. I’m not fucking joking.”

“Well I am, so you can chill the fuck out,” Eddie laughed. “I still don’t see how this has anything to do with her potentially wanting to dump you.”

“Well, it’s just a change, you know? Like what if she didn’t like it and—and…I don’t know, the spark is gone?”

“Dude, respectfully, that’s surely not the case. There’s probably a shit ton of women in Hawkins who would be lining up just to sleep with you, so there’s no fucking chance that she’s going to break up with you because you’re bad in bed.”

“I did not say that I was worried I was bad in bed; don’t put fucking words in my mouth.”

“What a fragile little ego you’ve got,” Eddie teased, “no dude, but seriously, please don’t worry about it. There’s no way that your little lady isn’t hopelessly in love with you.” Eddie gave Steve a pat on the shoulder before moving back to the back end of the RV.

Meanwhile, Robin was trying desperately to calm you down. Sobs wracked your tired frame as you wiped at the tears that were flowing down your face.

“Y/n, please. What’s wrong?” Robin asked, pulling your hands away from your face so that she could get a good look at you. You took several deep breaths, hiccuping through a few more sobs until you calmed down enough to speak.

“I-it-it’s Steve,” was all you could manage to say before another communication breakdown had you unintelligibly sobbing again.

Robin shook her head, “honey, you have to tell me what’s wrong; I can’t help you otherwise, and I want to help. Please.”

“He’s just so perfect,” you whispered, your eyebrows furrowed together with such a hopelessness that Robin nearly wanted to cry with you. She wasn’t exactly sure what you meant, so she just stayed silent for you to continue. “Like, he was talking about how he wants this future together with all of these kids and-and…and Robin, I want that. I want it so fucking bad, but I don’t think we’re both going to make it to the other side of this.”

Robin’s heart stopped in her chest. “What do you mean, y/n?”

The sympathetic look you shot Robin was enough to kill her. “Robin.”

“No, y/n. What do you mean?”

“I don’t think I’m making it out of this one alive, okay?” You sighed, another tear falling down your cheek that Robin was quick to wipe away. “And…and it’s just hard to hear him talk about a future that he’s going to have to have with someone else…because I want him to have that—I really do, Robin—but I just know it’s not going to be with me.”

“Y/n, you have to let us try. I’m not going to fucking let that happen,” Robin argued as a tear fell down her face, “you and Steve can have all the gross, sticky children you want because our plan is going to work, it has to work, okay?”

You took a deep breath and wiped at your eyes one more time. You didn’t feel confident, but despite that, for your friend, you agreed, the words coming out in a whisper.

“Okay.”

***

As soon as you stepped foot into War Zone, you were immediately overwhelmed. “So much for avoiding angry hicks,” Robin voiced what you all were thinking. The store was packed full of people, and you figured that everyone from Hawkins was probably gearing up for what they thought was the inevitable with an alleged murderer on the loose.

“Let’s be…fast,” Nancy spoke up, and you all split off in different directions to gather the supplies you needed to face Vecna. Not quite ready to face Steve after your breakdown in the van, you sped off to a corner of the store away from him, ducking and weaving between other customers before he could argue.

As he watched you disappear in the crowd, his heart jumped to his throat. He didn’t like the idea of you being out of his sight right now; none of you had any way of knowing what was going to happen, and he liked to keep you close so that he could be there if and when shit hit the fan. The fact that you were still upset was also killing him. You guys usually communicated so well, but this whole Vecna situation was really throwing you off your game. How long would it be before you guys couldn’t communicate at all? How long until you were shells of the people who fell in love, destroyed by grief and pain and tragedy?

Robin pulled him out of his thoughts before he could spiral too much. “How many of these do you think we need?” She asked, holding up a canister of kerosene.

He threw on a jacket he had found in the store, throwing another canister in the cart. “Five or six,” he answered, though in all honesty, who could really be sure?

Steve placed a few more canisters in the cart before noticing that Robin was suddenly very sidetracked. His heart rate picked up for a second, thinking it was due to some sort of threat, but he calmed down a little when he realized that she had spotted Vickie.

“What are you gonna do, Rob? Just stand here and gawk at her?” He asked as a smirk broke out across his features.

“Shut up,” she was quick to respond. Steve’s heart soared as she took a step towards Vickie, but it quickly shattered to the floor when a guy came up behind Vickie, wrapping his arms around her frame. His heart was breaking for his friend as she turned around, running the other way, embarrassed by the hope she’d allowed to grow in her mind.

“Robin! Robin!” Steve called after her, but it was no use.

You stood at the gun counter, rifle in hand, heart pounding as you inspected the firearm. “How much is this?” You asked the man at the counter.

“$120.99, but I’ll throw in twenty rounds of buckshot for ya,” he replied. You were glad you weren’t the only one that was going to have to cover the cost for all of this shit, because you certainly didn’t have the funds for end-of-the-world-apocalypse preparation supplies. You nodded softly at the clerk and he turned to help another customer when you heard a voice that made your stomach drop ring out next to you.

“Hey, can I see this real pretty .375, please?” Jason asked, his hands pressed against the countertop, letterman jacket looking pristine compared to your dirty and disheveled clothes from the hell you’d been through.

“Here you go son,” The clerk handed the gun over the counter and Jason thanked him. You tried to turn away so as not to be recognized, your heart pounding in your ear.

“Y/n,” Jason spoke up, gesturing at you with the pistol, “wouldn’t expect to find you here.”

“Yeah, well, it’s just…scary times,” you used the easy excuse at your disposal. “I’m…really sorry about Chrissy,” you added, and you meant it with every fiber of your being.

“Want my advice?” He took a step closer to you. “Shotguns are not good for much of anything past killing small birds. I mean, they got power, sure, but not much range.” You swallowed back your fear as he took another step closer to you. “And that’s just gonna force you into close-range combat, then someone can just grab that barrel like this and redirect it.“

You jumped as his hand wrapped around the barrel of the shotgun you were holding, inertia carrying you as he jerked the gun towards him.

“You look nervous,” Jason pointed out, his steely gaze not wavering from your eyes.

“Like I said, scary times,” you refused to look away either, meeting his intensity with a burning hatred of your own.

“You…you know Munson,” Jason continued, leaning even closer towards you, if that was even possible. “Physics. You tutor him, right?”

“I did,” you tried to emphasize the past tense nature of that sentiment, hoping that giving him as little as possible would make him let it go.

“He…he here with you, by chance?” You could see the craziness in Jason’s eyes as he said it, and your heart began beating faster. This was a man that had snapped, and you were afraid of what he would do to you and your friends if he knew that you were helping hide Eddie.

“No,” you shook your head, still not breaking eye contact.

“I’m only asking because, after all, he’s in charge of Hellfire, you know?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” you feigned ignorance.

“What about his friends?” Jason pushed the question, tightening his grip on the shotgun and taking another small step towards you. “They here with you?”

“Would you let go?” You asked in a hushed tone, your expression settling into something fierce and serious. Jason didn’t respond, his eyes still locked onto yours, his stern expression matching your own, so you raised your voice a bit. “Let. Go.”

“What’s going on over here?” A familiar voice rang out behind you and you felt relief flood your veins as you felt a hand at the small of your back. You wanted to roll your eyes as Jason eased up a bit, his grip loosening on the barrel of the gun in your hand. The countless ways a man will not hesitate to disrespect and intimidate a woman astounded you compared to the complete change in demeanor as soon as his actions could be construed as disrespectful of another man. Bro code was a bunch of certified bullshit.

Steve knew Jason better than you did. After all, they played basketball together just the year prior, with Steve being the team captain. Steve looked at Jason quizzically, his eyes practically daring the letterman jacket wearing jock to cause trouble.

“Steve,” Jason’s crazy, out of control expression melting into a polite smile, “nothing’s going on. Just two friends having a chat. Right, y/n?”

Jason’s stare made you feel nauseous, so you moved your head in a small and stiff nod, being agreeable to avoid any further confrontation. Steve could obviously sense the tension and felt his blood boiling at Jason’s clear attempt to intimidate you.

“It’s just, you’re standing awfully close to my girlfriend, and she’s very clearly uncomfortable,” Steve refused to back down.

“My apologies. Store’s quite crowded, is all,” Jason explained, his expression swiftly changing, menace dripping behind his mundane words.

“Certainly still enough room to back the fuck off,” Steve moved between you and Jason. You quickly waved down the clerk to ring you out for your purchase.

“Woah there, Harrington. Being a little defensive, don’t you think?” Jason’s eyes narrowed. “If I was crazy, I’d even go as far as to say you’re hiding something.”

“I don’t have any clue what the fuck you’re talking about,” Steve took a step towards Jason before continuing. “She’s my girlfriend, so I’m just trying to make sure she’s alright.”

“And Chrissy was mine,” Jason shot back, and you watched the way his fists clenched and unclenched. He looked like he was about ready to lose it and you weren’t really too confident in his ability to self regulate right now with everything that was going on.

“Is everything okay between you boys?” The clerk asked after handing you your bag. At this, Steve and Jason took a step away from each other.

“Everything is fine, sir. Thank you for all your help,” Steve spoke up, putting a hand on the small of your back again and moving you in front of him as he began guiding you through the store towards the front.

Before you could get far, Jason spoke up from behind the two of you, putting a hand on Steve’s shoulder to make him stop. “If you know anything, I recommend you tell us because we’ll find out one way or another.”

“Is that a threat?” You questioned, finally finding your voice. You were surprised by the way that it didn’t waver.

“Oh, no” Jason chuckled, “it’s a fucking promise.”

With that, Jason backed away, moving to the other end of War Zone to meet up with the rest of his entourage, and Steve quickly moved the two of you towards the front of the store. Robin, Nancy, Max, and Erica had clearly realized the presence of Jason’s group and were finishing up checking out the rest of your supplies. Nancy finished paying and the five of you swiftly exited the store as fast as you could, all piling back into the RV parked outside.

“Your old friends are here,” Erica announced to Lucas as she boarded the bus.

“Shit!” Lucas exclaimed.

“Let’s go! Let’s go!” Dustin shouted, fear lacing his tone at the thought of what Jason would do if he got his hands on any of them.

“I’m going! I’m going! Sit down!” Steve shouted as he rushed to the driver’s seat, starting the vehicle up and peeling out of the parking lot.

No one talked for a while, everyone still reeling from the close encounter you had just had in the War Zone. Once you were a considerable distance away, Steve spoke up.

“Hey, are you okay?”

“Uh, yeah, I’m fine,” you let out a bit of a chuckle, trying to play it off like you weren’t still a little freaked out from the way Jason was acting.

“Babe, come on,” Steve glanced over at you, “I know you.”

You sighed. “He just seems so unhinged right now. I felt like he was going to try and fucking kill me right in that store. And I’m just…I’m worried about Dustin and Lucas and Eddie. If Jason was that willing to be that aggressive towards me, who knows what he’ll fucking do to them if he gets ahold of them!”

“He’s hot headed, that’s for sure,” Steve agreed with you, “but we’re going to figure it all out, and it’ll be fine.”

You weren’t so sure that you agreed with him, but you didn’t say anything as he continued driving. He took several backroads until the occasional buildings disappeared, the scenery shifting to rolling hills and open fields. He pulled off into an open field that was shielded enough from the road by the tree line, and you all exited the RV, ready to prep your various weapons.

You sat on a basket, sawing at the barrel of the shotgun you had just purchased as Max and Nancy watched.

“Is this legal?” Max asked.

“Actually, I’m pretty sure it’s a felony,” you replied, continuing to saw without a care in the world of the legal repercussions of your actions. “But it guarantees one thing. I won’t miss.”

Once you were finished, you handed the shotgun to Max, standing up and wiping your hands on your pants, before smiling at her and moving to sit with Steve and Robin.

“I mean, it just doesn’t make sense,” Steve spoke up, holding a funnel as Robin poured kerosene into an empty bottle.

“What doesn’t make sense?” Robin asked.

“That was Dan Shelter. He graduated like two years ago,” Steve went on, and you realized you were clearly missing something.

“So?”

“So, he’s in college, which means he was visiting on spring break. Fast Times was returned, like, I don’t know, a week ago? Right? Unless she’s got some horndog brother we don’t know about which is possible. Or she’s just really into Judge Reinhold?” You finally caught on and realized that this was all about Vickie. Putting two and two together, you figured she must have a boyfriend, putting a total wrench into your plans to land Robin a kick ass girlfriend.

“Steve!” Robin cut him off. “I don’t care, and I don’t understand why you do either with everything that’s going on. Honestly, this feels like a prefect time for that little pull of the rug because in the face of the world ending, the stakes of my love life feel spectacularly low.”

“You deserve to be happy though, Robin,” you spoke up, weighing in on the conversation.

“Not everything has a happy ending,” she reminded the two of you, and your mind flashed back to Steve’s dream of six kids packed into an RV together. You figured now was the right time to speak your mind…after all the world was ending.

“I have this terrible, gnawing feeling that…it might not work out for us this time,” you explained, leaving out the part where you were pretty much 100% confident that it was specifically going to be you that was caught in the crossfire.

“You think we shouldn’t be doing this?” Steve asked, concern flooding his brown eyes.

“I think we’re mad fools, the lot of us…but if we don’t stop him, who will?” You looked out at all of your friends, each of them with their makeshift, modified weapons, and you willed yourself not to cry. “We have to try, right?”

“Yeah,” Steve agreed, his expression stoic. He picked up one of the empty bottles that had yet to be filled with kerosene. “To killing Vecna?” He proposed a toast.

“Slash Henry,” Robin added.

“Slash One,” you finished as each of you picked up bottles of your own to clink together. Your free hand searched for Steve’s as you wrapped your pinky around his, silently making an additional promise to him too.

A promise that you were going to fight like hell to live for the future Steve was dreaming of. A promise to believe that maybe—just maybe—everything was going to be okay.

His pinky tightened around yours, and for a moment, that was all that mattered in the world.

***

a/n: I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! If you commented or reblogged or even sent an ask about what you thought of it, it would honestly make my whole day! I really enjoy reading your comments and it 1000% motivates me to write more (I also have a list of some ideas for once this story is finished, so stay tuned for that!!!)

taglist:

@season4steve @sassyheroneckgiant @tangledinthegreatxscape @kahhori @palachannie @keeryverse @usaguisenpaisblog @emilieluckwood @sabrinadelreyy @mochminnie @xprloki @kitdjarin1 @kissmxcheek @daemonskitty @bethsvrse @aheadfullofsteverogers @quinnsadilla @chervbs @sheisjoeschateau @goosy-goose @frtfvthg @criesinlies @cycat4077 @kachelleee @killerqueenfan @newyorkangelbaby @spaghetittied @anxfl @huffledor-able541 @mikariell95 @nothergoaway @angie2274

[kamii-2]

“you thought wrong”

so sorry for not posting a chapter in almost 2 months but i hope you guys enjoy this long-ish chapter! a part of this chapter is based off of a fanfic i read a while ago, im not sure who wrote it or who the fic was about but if i ever find out who it is i will definitely give them a shoutout type thing. i’d also like to say this chapter is where things start to like really happen (idk how else to word it, hopefully you get what im saying) and im very sorry if the beginning of the sorry is confusing in any way, also act like they’re all old enough to drink.

warning(s): cussing, drinking, kissing

genre: fluff

pairing(s): kk arnold x reader

“you thought wrong” masterlist

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chapter 3: “is this some kind of prank?”

==================================

the moment you accidentally opened the door then shut it, kk pulled away from the girl she was making out with and ran to ice, not telling the other girl what was going on. “ice, i think i messed up any chances i had with y/n. she just walked in on me making out with another girl.” kk told her best friend, trying to catch her breath from running down the flight of stairs. “why would you even make out with someone else if you wanted her so bad? are you actually stupid?” ice was mad that kk would even do something like that, wanting a girl then making out with another, it made no sense. “i haven’t done anything with anybody in a while and the girl offered so why not take up that offer?” kk said, half joking. kk thought about where you could’ve went, “she left second she came back down here.” ice said as she took a sip of her drink. “great.” was all kk said as she plopped down next to her best friend.

-

kk was all you could think about while you laid in bed, trying to sleep. after seeing her kissing another girl it made you realize how in love with her you were. you wished you were the one she was kissing, not some random girl at a house party who probably just wanted to use kk for sex. the image of her and the other girl kept replaying in your head again and again, you couldn’t take it anymore so you tried to watch tiktok to forget about kk and the stupid girl she was with. when you opened tiktok the first thing you seen was an edit of kk. “oh my God.” you said out loud as you got off the app and turned on your tv. you decided to just watch some netflix until you fell asleep.

when you woke up with a mild headache, you didn’t drink too much so your hang over wasn’t as bad as it usually was when you drank. you got up and took some medicine to ease the headache and drank water to help the pill go down your throat. you grabbed your phone and seen that symphony had texted you a few times asking if you were okay, you told her about how all you thought about was kk last night and how when you opened tiktok she was the first thing you seen. you two continued to text about what happened last night and other random things until symphony just randomly stopped texting you back for a good 20 minutes. you brushed it off and went on with your day, thinking she was busy or her phone died. in reality, symphony got a text from kk’s best friend, ice, on instagram.

-instagram direct messages-

@ice.brady: hey this is symphony right?

@symphony_roy: yea why?

@ice.bradyy: be honest, does y/n like kk bc kk likes her a lot and doesn’t believe me that y/n likes her back. @ice.bradyy: pls tell me i promise to not show kk like fr

@symphony_roy: yes 😭 ive been telling y/n since the day she told me that kk is gay and likes her back but her slow ass won’t believe me

@ice.brady: bro they act the same way exact same way 😭@ice.bradyy: anyway the reason im texting you is bc i think we should make them go in a blind date but don’t tell them the gender of the person bc i don’t want them to find out immediately

@symphony_roy: wait that’s a really good idea @symphony_roy: but we need to plan this more before we dive right into it

-real life-

after they planned out their entire plan, symphony went to your dorm. “hey.” you greeted as she barged in, using the spare key you had gave her. “so…. how do you feel about blind dates?” she asked while clasping her hands together, taking a seat on the couch next to you. “uhm, they’re okay i guess… why?” you reply while stopping what you were doing on your phone and side eyeing her. “because you’re going on one on monday.” symphony stated, “what?!?” you yelled while whipping your head to look at her, “i did not sign up for that!” symphony just stared at you, a small smirk on her face. “well, you’re going on it, i don’t care what you say.” symphony shrugged while getting up and leaving, “bye, remember you have a date in two days, i’ll send you the details later.” she closed the door.

-

when you woke up you seen kk had followed you back on every app you followed her on, seeing this made your stomach do backflips. you were a bit embarrassed because you had followed her for ages and she just now followed you back but you didn’t really care because atleast she followed you. as the day went on you kept stalking kk, being careful to not like any super old pictures on instagram or old tiktoks. you were stalking so hard you even found her mom’s facebook page. in the middle of your stalking, symphony barged in your room, “okay so what are you gonna wear tomorrow?” she asked while sitting at the edge of your bed, facing you. “i don’t know, probably jean shorts and a crop top.” you shrugged, “basic as hell. wear something more revealing, you gotta show off all that ass to them.” she half-joked, “bro then you find my outfit.” you sighed at her.

symphony went to your closet and started to look through everything to find the perfect outfit for you. after about 10 minutes she found a short, tight, light pink dress. you bought it last month and never got the chance to wear it. “it’s perfect, i’ll tell your date to wear something on the nicer side. you guys will look so cute together.” she smiled while holding the dress up. you were still unsure on the whole blind date thing but you were kind of excited for it, maybe you’ll meet your soulmate. you had thought about who it could be and you thought about it being kk but you weren’t sure if symphony would do something like that.

symphony stayed over for the rest of the day and didn’t go home until sunset. you two talked about life, ordered pizza, and watched a few movies sherrie she went back to her dorm. you were too nervous to go to bed, knowing that the next day at 7pm you would be meeting up with a potential complete stranger for dinner.

-

the whole day you were super nervous and could barely think straight. part of you was thinking about just not going but you know if you did that then symphony would rip you a new one. you were hoping the date was a girl and hoping it was kk but you knew it wasn’t gonna be her, kk was just making out with another girl 2 days ago, she wouldn’t switch that fast, or so you thought. at around 6:00 you started getting ready, putting on the dress and some white heels that made you an inch taller, and putting on light makeup. symphony showed up to your dorm at 6:34, “im taking you to the restaurant because im gonna sit a table or two away and watch yall.” she said with a huge smile on her face. you nodded in response and continued to get ready.

on the way there you were so nervous to where you thought you could throw up. the whole car ride you were silent and had short answers when symphony talked to you. “y/n its okay i promise. dont worry about anything. all you gotta do is meet this person, talk to them, eat dinner, then you’re done.” symphony reassured you, keeping her eyes on the road. you sighed and tried to think on the bright side of it, if you didn’t like this person then you’d probably never have to talk to them again. as you got closer you got more and more nervous but you kept thinking about what symphony said and it helped it go down.

when you two got to the restaurant you immediately got out and walked into the restaurant. symphony pointed, “your date’s already here.” you stopped dead in your tracks and whipped your head towards her. “is this some kind of prank?” you asked while wide eyes. “nope. your date is kk.” symphony laughed while pushing you towards the table. “symphony you’re fucking lying.” you said while trying to resist her pushing you. “i’m not, now go sit down and talk to her.” she said while pushing you again and walking away. you sighed before slowly walking over to the table that kk was at. when she looked up from her phone she paused for a second before she realized that you were her blind date. when you sat down it was quiet for a second before she said something. “hey y/n. how’s life been?” she said, not knowing what else to say. “it’s been fine, how about you?” you asked her, “good. did you know that i was your date?” kk asked with a smile. “no, symphony literally came into my dorm and told me that i was going on a blind date, didn’t tell me anything else.” you two laughed and continued to talk.

the night went very well, you two talked about everything under the sun and flirted a lot. symphony and ice were watching from a few tables over and talked about how cute you two were together. “i’m glad they made us go on this date.” you admitted while admiring kk, looking her up and down. “i agree, maybe i can get your number or something?” kk asked, “yea.” you say as you proceed to tell her your number. after she got your number the flirting was nonstop, now she was certain you liked her back. the rest of the night you two continued to talk about random stuff and even talked about going on another date.

at free you guys paid for the food snd drink you both went over to symphony and ice’s table. “hey guys.” ice said with a smirk, “do yall wanna go to a club or something?” symphony asked while standing up. “sure why not.” you said, “okay i’ll send you the address.” symphony said, talking to ice. ice nodded and you all went to the cars. “so how was it?” symphony questioned you the moment you both got in the car, “we were flirting the whole time and she asked for my number.” you answered, “aren’t you glad i made you go on this date?” she smiled while pulling out of the parking lot and driving to the bar, you nodded and told her more about the date.

after you got your ID’s checked, kk grabbed your hand and pulled you into the bathroom. “what’s wrong?” you asked when you reached a stall. “nothing.” she mumbled before kissing you, you immediately kiss back. the kiss felt magical, the way your lips fit together perfectly made your stomach do frontflips. you relunctsntly pulled away for air, “damn.” was all kk could say as she went back for more.

==================================

i’m so sorry this took like 2 months to get out but i still hope you enjoyed!! i hope you have a good day/night, love you 💋💋

[chenlesfavorite]

After taking your time with viewing all the photographs with Winter, you make your way back to where everyone else is gathered.

The photos were pretty but to you, Jaemin’s photos stuck out the most, maybe it was because he was your friend, or maybe everyone else’s photos just didn’t hit the same as his did.

“Perfect, everyone is here already so that means I don’t have to go and search for y’all.” Jaemin says, arriving a few seconds later after you and Winter— taking a glance at everyone.

As Jaemin's voice catches everyone's attention, everybody turns their gaze over to him but Chenle remains unfazed and his eyes instead find their way to you... and it's as if the world around you fades into the background, leaving only Chenle in focus, like a scene from a movie.

The sight of him was insufferable to you, but that's not your concern right now. Instead, you find yourself wondering why he's staring directly at you instead of paying attention to what Jaemin is about to say. His sharp gaze unsettles you... it’s as if he’s trying to intimidate you. It's difficult to figure out his intentions, and you can't quite piece together what this guy is all about or what he wants.

You shake your head right as Jaemin clears his voice to continue his words. “Since I managed to sell a lot of my photographs, which, by the way, I’m super grateful for... I’ve just now decided, on the spot, that I’m inviting you guys to dinner! It’s all on me.” Jaemin announces with a proud smile on his face.

The others immediately perk up at the mention of free food, after all, who wouldn’t get excited? All sorts of suggestions start being thrown out there such as like; a steakhouse, a buffet, a seafood restaurant, and much more.

"Shouldn’t we just let Jaemin make the decision? After all, he’s the one who invited us to this and he’s the one paying for the dinner. We should go somewhere that he likes." Chenle suddenly speaks up, his words grabbing the attention of the others.

"He's right." You reluctantly utter, it killed you to admit that Chenle was right but oh well. You quickly avert your gaze, scratching the back of your head as the words leave your lips.

“I can’t believe you can be understanding, wow.” Chenle replies and lets out a snicker afterward.

“Okay, you two kids be quiet,” Jaemin butts into the little conversation you and Chenle are having, stopping it before you two start throwing hands and insults at each other.

After Jaemin gives much consideration— he finally gives his verdict on where he’s taking everyone. It was the restaurant not too far from the campus, there they served all sorts of food so Jaemin thought that was the best decision since everyone could get what they wanted there.

-

After arriving at the restaurant, the waiter there leads everyone to the table, letting you all take your seats; you didn’t mind Hendery sitting on your left side but what you did mind, was Chenle sitting on your right side. You were right in between the two of them.

You catch Winter's gaze shifting from you to Chenle, and then back to you. She's feeling nervous about the dinner, especially considering you'll be seated next to Chenle. You can feel her concern, likely stemming from your hatred towards Chenle due to the incident after your date with Jaehyun and the encounter at the convenience store.

He gets on your nerves badly enough already, but sitting next to him is just the cherry on top. You just hope he won’t annoy the hell out of you during this dinner.

Once all the food is ordered, the long waiting game starts.

"Y/N, how come Jaehyun couldn’t make it today to the exhibition?” Ningning brings up your boyfriend at the worst possible time, did you want to talk about Jaehyun while sitting next to Chenle? Hell no, but it seems as if you have no choice but to answer.

At that moment, the room was filled with different conversations, so hopefully the others wouldn't focus on your and Ningning’s conversation. "He just said he was busy today, that’s it. I’m not sure what he’s busy with but, yeah. I am a little disappointed though that he couldn’t come. He may not know you guys well but still, he should support my friends." You reply with a slightly disappointed tone.

"Seriously? What could he possibly be busy with after getting fired just a few days ago?" Ningning asks, crossing her arms as she looks at you with a mix of disbelief and surprise. "I'm asking myself the same question, girl. He confuses the hell out of me," You respond with a puzzled expression, adding a shrug.

"I've probably said this a thousand times, but just break up, you deserve better. How much longer are you willing to endure the suffering in that god-forsaken relationship?" Winter speaks up, adding her voice to your and Ningning's conversation.

Winter is definitely right. How much longer are you willing to endure his endless requests for race tickets, his willingness to go out on dates only after he makes a mistake, and the various other demands?

"I understand what you're saying, but as I’ve said before, it's really difficult for me to end things with him. Despite his flaws, I truly believe he's a good person, you know?” You express, letting out a heavy sigh.

“Or just let her suffer in that relationship because it seems like giving her advice is useless.” Chenle randomly joining your, Winter’s, and Ningning’s conversation was not something you expected nor did you want his opinion on this.

"Chenle, I'd appreciate it if you didn't get involved in matters that don't concern you," You say with a harsh tone. Sitting next to him was bad enough, but him trying to engage in a conversation that had nothing to do with him, only pissed you off.

“I’m just saying... jeez, what’s with you being so pissy all the time? Did you get dropped on the head as a baby?” Chenle replies, rolling his eyes, which just makes you scoff in reply.

Jaemin rises to his feet as soon as he hears you and Chenle beginning to bicker again. "Okay, everyone!" He exclaims, clapping his hands to capture everyone's attention.

‘This is going to be one hell of a dinner.’

══════════════════

NIGHT RIDER : chapter 10 — surprise dinner

back — masterlist — next

! author’s note : felt like making a written chapter hehehehe 😊 anyway spoiler but y/n’s and jaehyun’s breakup is coming VERYYY soon… and that’s when y/n and chenle’s love story starts beginning 😈 well actually it starts beginning 25+ chapters in but yk!

✮⋆˙ taglist : @nanaxwi @neocrashed @404tytrack @connormurphynation @dudekiss3r @injunnie-lemon @chenlesfeetpic @neozon3nha @morkiee @doughyk @i03jae @haechology @foxy-kitsune @fullsunbabe @polarisjisung @beommii @soobiverse @onlyhyunjin @lostinneocity @yyangj3lly @junviadinho @miyawwn @marvelahsobx @starfilledgaze @nosungluv @gukuwii @bitchzitschimi @whoooootf

══════════════════

[grandline-fics]

Forget-Me-Not

DESCRIPTION: Sometimes things happen beyond our control. After an accident occurs your relationship with Zoro is turned on its head and changed forever.

WARNINGS: slight angst?

CHARACTERS: Zoro

WORDS: 2,287

A/N: I know it's been a while but I was struggling with how this chapter was going to go but I think this turned out well. Hopefully the next chapter won't take as long to get written. Hope you all enjoy

*REQUESTS ARE OPEN*

DIRECTORY | PROMPT LIST

Chapter One | Chapter Two | Chapter Three | Chapter Four | Chapter Five (here) | Chapter Six | Chapter Seven(coming soon)

———————

“Okay if we’re playing the truth game then you look me in the eye and answer me this, do you love me?” Zoro’s head turned sharply at your question and you stared at him hard. Part of you hadn’t wanted to ask the question, part of you just wanted to just push every conflicting thought you had for this crew and this man in particular out of your mind but you couldn’t control yourself. You just couldn’t resist the urge in getting some sort of reaction out of him and taking a jab at his feelings you suspected he had for you. This wasn’t the reaction you wanted though. Zoro only stared at you, almost unsure, lost for a moment in his own thoughts. Sharply you snapped him out of it. “Well? What’s the answer?”

“The answer isn’t important anymore is it?” Zoro asked with a heavy frown, guarding himself against you and your need to keep picking at the wounds your accident caused to him. “Nothing I say will make a difference.”

“God, you’re so annoying.” You muttered, picking at the tangerine skin on the table in frustration, finally looking away from him. “Can’t you for once be honest and answer a question without being difficult?”

“Honesty isn’t the issue though.” Zoro snapped, his hands gripping into the railing he was leaning against. “Nothing I say will matter because you don’t want to hear the truth. You won’t accept it because it will mean accepting you’re not the same person you were back on your island and you’re not ready for that. So until I know you’re actually going to listen, I’m not saying a word.”

“Fine.” You grit out in annoyance and got to your feet, knocking the table as you did so. Angrily you but your bottom lip. You were unable to fully work out if your annoyance was because Zoro refused to answer or because he knew you so well that he already predicted your reluctance to accept anything he told you. “Forget I asked.”

You were frustrated and no longer wanted to be anywhere near him or his irritating perceptiveness. Angrily you stormed towards the staircase only to let out a gasp when your foot went sliding out from under you because of the fallen tangerine peel. Unable to stop yourself you toppled forwards and braced yourself for the impact of hitting the bottom of the staircase. Faster than you could blink, you were grabbed and the impact was cushioned. 

You waited a few seconds, as your mind catching up with what happened while your body all but relaxed in the warmth and security you felt. Something deep down in your felt a familiarity about it while it still felt new. With a shaky breath you slowly opened your eyes and tilted your head up to meet Zoro’s stare as he lay under you. You tensed at the sight. In his one visible eye you saw the concern and regret shining unrestrained in it. Was guilt there too or relief? Perhaps both. Regardless the genuine distress he made no sign to hide shook you completely. You felt his arm that had been secured around you lifted to gently touch your face. “If only I’d been there that day.”

His voice was so quiet that it made you think he was speaking more to himself than to you. His conflict and pain was clear that it made you want to reassure him. Despite your abrasive words and tension with him, to see him like this made you feel discomfort too. You mind stalled and with it caught in the inability to be rational your body reacted out of impulse and instinct. Setting your hands on the deck you managed to pull yourself closer to press your lips against Zoro’s. 

Momentarily stunned, Zoro let his moment of weakness get the better of him. He was too wrapped in his own guilt, imagining how things would have been the same had he been there to save you when you kissed him that he gave in to temptation, for the briefest indulgence and delusion that things with you were still the same. While still touching your face, his free hand gripped your shoulder and responded to the kiss, his lips moving against yours. For Zoro this was as effortless as breathing, a dance that only you and him knew the steps to. Having you against him like this was everything Zoro had wanted since you’d gotten hurt, for you to be you again. No, this was selfish. It was wrong. Quickly Zoro pulled back from the kiss and eyed you warily, watching as clarity flickered and sharpened in your mind. “Why did you do that?”

“I-I…” You scrambled to find an answer. “I don’t know…” You swallowed the lump in your throat and shakily pulled yourself to your feet and hurriedly offered your hand to Zoro while refusing to look at him out of embarrassment for your actions. You weren’t expecting him to accept your hand, clearly he could stand on his own but you’d offered anyway. When you felt his larger, coarse hand slip into your grip you lightly tugged and heard him stand. Feeling the warmth of his body standing so close to you and your hand still loosely holding his you could feel your mind fog in confusion for your own actions once more. You forced your hand to release him and quickly you cleared your throat. “Thanks for catching me…you should get Chopper to look you over when he gets back.”

“Of course I’d catch you.” Zoro murmured, taking a small step back to give you space. He could see how everything was beginning to overwhelm you. Better to try and play everything off as calmly as he could to keep you settled even though his own mind was racing and his stomach twisted uncomfortably. “Don’t need to bother Chopper with a small tumble down the stairs. I’m fine.”

“He’s worried as it is. Says you haven’t been sleeping, maybe he could help with that too?”

“Trust me, Chopper can’t fix my sleep problems.” Zoro told you with a small, dry laugh. “Don’t worry yourself about me.”

“If you’re all to get me back to my island, I need you all in perfect health right?” You asked unable to bring yourself to bring as much bite to your words as you had with him through previous interactions. Even mentioning going back to your home island didn’t have as much force either. If Zoro had noticed, he made no mention of the shift in your behaviour and instead nodded slightly. 

“Yeah, s’pose so.” He conceded  before letting out a long yawn and began to walk up the staircase to go back to the shade of Nami’s tangerine grove. “I’ll take a nap now then.”

You made no move to stop him or make any comment about how you didn’t believe he’d actually nap. After what had just happened you told yourself that not inviting anything else to happen between you would be best, even if it was an offhand comment. After all you could let yourself begin to feel things or become anymore attached to the crew. Silently you watched him stop at the top of the steps and lean down to pick up the cause for your fall off of the ground. He pocketed the tangerine peel and disappeared from sight. only then did you feel power return to your legs enough to wander below deck again, returning to the sanctuary of the medical room. 

When the door shut you let your hand lightly touch your lips, still feeling Zoro’s kiss against your skin. You closed your eyes and took a slow breath. Try as you might even the feeling of his secure hold lingered against yours, warm and strangely comforting. Roughly you shook your head, wanting to slap some sense into yourself. You needed to get out of your head and distract yourself so you finally returned to the pile of books you’d been wary to return to. Had you just stuck with them in the first place you would have avoided everything that occurred on the deck with Zoro. Quickly you opened the first book you found and focussed entirely on reading it. At first it was a way of passing the time until some of the others returned but you found yourself instead getting lost in the story until your eyes began to sting with tiredness. Reluctantly you set the book aside and let your eyes fall closed, telling yourself just a small nap would be fine. 

-------

“You’re so impatient, you know that! Impatient and stupid.” You snapped angrily, pulling at the fabric of his shirt. You winced at the sight of the torn, blood soaked fabric pulling at the skin. You tired to be as gentle as you could but even your cautious actions brought out a grunt from the swordsman as he sat on the floor, back leaning against the crumbled wall. “Oh I’m sorry but are the consequences of your actions catching up? Honestly why did you take the bait? It was obvious that asshole had his henchmen hiding and waiting to attack too.”

“Anyone tell you that your nagging is more bothersome than a stab wound?” Zoro asked watching you inspect his shoulder with a heavy frown. “I’m not going to die from that, relax your face. Another scar is fine.”

“Take this seriously Zoro!” You lectured, tearing you gaze away from his injury to his face. “You willingly got hurt because of me! How am I meant to ‘relax my face’ you could have gotten killed!”

Angrily you pulled out the small medical kit you’d asked Chopper to prepare for you so you’d have it in case of emergencies. Biting the inside of your mouth you began to tend to Zoro's wound, managing to clean the wound and bandage it tightly. It would do until you and Zoro regrouped with Chopper but you were by no means as skilled as your crew’s doctor. Through it all Zoro watched the distress in your face and noted the tremble in your hands you were forcing to control until you’d finished. “I wasn’t thinking.” Zoro finally spoke up while you were tidying the medical kit away. “I thought they had you and just acted, didn’t care how many henchmen were hiding.”

“Zoro, you need to be at least a little cautious from now on. Please.” You sighed, the stress lessening now that you were both safe and his wound was tended to as best as you were able. “How do you feel? The bandages aren’t loose are they?”

“Nope, feels good.” Zoro said after taking an experimental move of his arm. He didn’t anticipate anymore battles today but if one did happen he would still be able to wield his swords efficiently enough to deal with them. “Ever think of being a nurse?”

“Not a chance.” You laughed, nudging his uninjured shoulder. As long as he had his humour you’d find it in yourself to worry less, as hard as it was. Especially when it came to him. “You just want to see me dressed as one.”

“Not a bad idea…” Zoro grinned. “Good thing the cook isn’t here. Pervert would have exploded at that thought.”

You rolled your eyes and lowered your gaze when Zoro’s hand wrapped around your wrist. Your mouth felt dry as your lips slightly parted, watching his face carefully as he pulled you slightly. Unconsciously you followed his direction, inching closer and suppressing the small shiver when his fingers fell to your waist and coax you closer. You couldn’t help the anticipation stirring inside you. Your eyes slid closed when Zoro skimmed his fingers against you jaw and threaded into your hair before finally claiming your lips. Starting slow, you returned the kiss and pressed yourself closer, lips moulded against his and gaining intensity. You parted and let out a small breathy whisper. “Zoro…”

-------

A sudden knock jolted you awake and you looked around rapidly trying to gather your senses and orientate yourself. Rubbing your eyes you blinked in confusion to see everything was darker than it had been. Glancing out the window you saw evening was here. You got off of the bed and approached the door, opening it slowly to see Zoro standing in the doorway. Your gaze zeroed in on how he was shirtless and slightly sweaty, a towel draped over one of his shoulders. Seeing the bronzed, muscular skin you couldn’t help but stare with brief but evident appreciation. Quickly you cleared your throat and looked at the swordsman, trying not to think about the real kiss you’d shared or the one you’d had in your dream just moments ago. “E-everything okay?” 

“Yeah. I’m good. Getting hungry though.” Zoro explained, watching you carefully. “The others aren’t back yet so we’ll have to cook for ourselves. That okay with you?”

“Sure. Sounds good.” You nodded, reminding yourself to just keep things casual and keep your expression neutral. 

“I’m going to quickly shower. I’ll meet you in the kitchen.” Zoro explained and you nodded. As he went to head in the direction of the bathroom he lifted the towel from his shoulder and your eyes widened at the sight of the clear scar against his skin. It was the exact size and shape of the injury you’d tended to in your dream. Hurriedly you headed in the opposite direction to go to the kitchen and wait for Zoro while yet another thread of conflict connected in your mind and fixed you to Zoro. There was no way you could dream something so coincidental. It was a memory.

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

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[chishiyaisasnack]

Dare, part 7

Part 6

Hello again! Long time no see. My writers block is still in full effect. Anyway, here’s a little fun one. It’s not very smutty but that was all I could muster this time. I do have bigger plans for the next chapter, and hopefully it won’t take me 6 months to finish it.

Disclaimer! This is (light) smut. Minors and those of you who don’t like the topic, please stay away.

It’s written and posted on mobile so I apologize for any wierd formatting.

How did you end up in a cleaning closet in the meeting room that all the executives were going to gather in, in approximately three minutes? And how did Chishiya end up in it with you? Those were some of the questions that were buzzing through your mind as of this very moment.

”I did not agree to this,” you scolded him, not sure what you did agree to, to be honest. The tiny room was filled with things such as vacuum cleaners (covered in dust, what an irony), mops, drawers and buckets stacked on top of eachother on said drawers - all lit by a dank, yellow lightbulb hanging from the ceiling. For such a nice hotel, this cleaning and supply closet had been severely neglected.

”You said that you would help me clean, remember?” Chishiya shot back at you, his back turned against you as he rummaged through some cabinet filled with different types of detergents and cleaning products.

”This isn’t cleaning though, is it?” No matter how many taps with your foot on the wooden floor, annoyed sighs you made or ”hurry up” coming from your mouth, Chishiya still wasn’t done when you heard the entrance door to the meeting room open. The air was filled with voices, becoming clearer after each person that entered the room. You were out of time, if you wanted to get out of here you had to go now. One last look - okay, glare - at Chishiya, who had stopped his rummaging and were putting something in the pocket of his hoodie before him turning around to face you, and you were ready to leave all this dust behind you (Chishiya included).

”You are just going through stuff in drawers,” you hissed at him, only making him smirk. ”That is not cleaning.”

In the background, chairs started scratching against the floor as the excecutives started to sit down. They were right outside the door now and you could hear every word they were saying.

”I guess Chishiya won’t grace us with his presence today,” the Hatter exclaimed loudly in the joined room, followed by a sigh that was probably heard across all of Tokyo. ”I guess we’ll start the meeting without him.”

Your heart was beating out of your chest as the stress of getting the hell out of there was pouring over you. They were going to hear you, they were going to think that you were listening in on them. Or worst of all - they would try to make you join them. Hell no, you were getting out of the damn closet.

”Okay I’m leav-”

Chishiya slapped a hand over your mouth before you even had a chance to turn away from him, and grinned back at your horrified expression. What the hell was he doing?

Your eyes were shooting daggers into Chishiya’s dark orbs, silently telling him to let you leave the closet before they started the meeting and said something that you didn’t want to hear. You were not going to be an accomplice to whatever scheme they were making. There was a reason why you refused to be in that group of idiots. Standing up straight, you took a quick breath and reached for the door handle, just to be grabbed by Chishiya’s hand and dragged further back into the closet.

”If you leave now they’ll force you to join in,” he whispered, so amused by the situation that you wanted to kick him in the shin.

”If I don’t leave now they’ll think I’ve been listening behind their backs,” you hissed as low as you could while pulling your arm out of his grip.

”Are we starting this or not?” Niragis irritated - make that irritating - voice broke the stare off between the two of you and you made another leap for the door. Just to once again be stopped by the man next to you, who this time decided to force you out of his way and block the door with his body. God damn it.

”Fine,” you muttered. ”I’m not listening to them though,”

Chishiya smirked and watched as you took a few steps further back into the small room. You thought that the further in you were the less they would be able to hear you when you eventually would cuss Chishiya out for whatever he would do next. What he did do next was not a scenario you had expected.

”This might take a while,” he whispered, following you like a shadow. ”We should do something to pass the time.”

Reaching the end of the closet, now fully turned towards him again, confusion took over your annoyance for a second. What did he mean with ”something to pass the time”?

Before you could utter even a ”huh”, Chishiya had gotten closer, now so close that you could feel his body against yours. His hoodie was soft against your skin when he took one last step and was now flushed against you. Soft lips and pointy hair tickled the side of your neck as he spoke again.

”I dare you to not make a single noise before those people leave the room,” he said, his voice barely a whisper aganist your ear but still so loud that every nerve in your body turned to life. Slender fingers ghosted over you arm, from your fingers to your elbow, then back down again before running them along the bottom of your shirt, teasing them along your stomach. Oh, that bastard.

Still, you couldn’t deny how good he was at getting you going. Your breath had already sped up, your hands clenched onto the sides of his hoodie and that tingling feeling between your legs was already there. You barely registered that his hand had moved further down and was now playing with the waistband of your shorts, successfully popping the button open before reality finally hit your lust clouded mind and snapped your eyes open. When did you even close them? Moving your head back so that you could look at him, you shot daggers into his eyes, seemingly making him even more amused than he already was.

”What the fuck are you doing?!” you mimed at him, but that only made his grin wider and his hand snake it’s way down your pants faster.

You wanted to stop him, but you also wanted him to continue and get into your panties already. Conflicting feelings, but you knew that the latter was the one that was going to win. Pissed at yourself for giving up your pride so easily, you spread your legs a little to give him better access. Chishiya was so happy with himself right now, you could feel it in the way that he wiggled his hand under the waistband of your underwear and gently stroked over the skin above your center, taking an extra second to linger there just to tease you just that tiny bit more before finally moving further down.

A warm finger slid over your outer folds, treathening you enter at any second but still taking its sweet time. You dug your nails down into Chishiya’s arm to try to ground yourself while you were waiting for him to stop toying with you and touch you properly, but as usual he had other ideas. You could feel the smile on his lips as he pressed them against your neck, right below your ear, dragging out a soft sigh from your throat.

”Shh, they’ll hear you,” he whispered softly before pressing his lips down again. A light dab from his finger reached your clit, and even though it was barely a touch it sent a jolt through your body. Smirking at your response, Chishiya finally started to move his finger - unfortunately it seemed that he had lost all memories of how to do it properly. You knew that he was having fun messing with you by the way his finger just happend to miss your clit while drawing circles around it. If you didn’t know better you would think that this was his first time ever touching a vagina. You rocked your hips in frustration, trying to get him to stop his teasing, and with a silent, snickering, huff of air against your ear he stopped playing and started stroking you just the way you needed him to. Slow, calculated motions that sent electricity through your body. He knew exactly how much pressure you wanted, what speed you needed, and he gave it all to you.

”Feel good?” Chishiyas words were barely there, so soft and quiet that you almost thought that you imagined them. A tiny nod was all you could give him, your face now buried in the hoodie on his shoulder to make sure to keep quiet, and to muffle any possible noise you unthinkingly made. You would not lose this time, you refused.

The voices outside were long gone from your mind. Even if they were there, your ears had blocked them out and replaced them with the sound of your own heartbeat mixed with Chishiya’s breathing. It was almost as fast as your own, flowing next to you like a calming white noise. That, blended with the smell of him clouded your mind and let you enjoy the warmth that his fingers quickening pace was giving you. It felt good. So good.

It didn’t take long for you to feel it, the tightening in your belly, the fire heating up your body, the bliss that was going to spill over. You dug your nails down a bit harder, earning more pressure from his finger, driving you closer and closer and-

*SLAM*

Both you and Chishiya froze, teeth clenched to not make any sudden noise and give away your position.

”Let’s just fucking kill them off then!” Niragis voice echoed through the room, merely a few meters from where you and Chishiya was fixed in place. His hand was still between your legs but he had stopped moving it in preparation of getting caught. Slowly, you lifted your head up from his neck and stared at him, trying to find any help with how to react, but Chishiyas eyes were excited. How was he always so calm during situations like this? One noise and you’d both be busted, and yet here he was, with that stupid smirk while waiting for what would happen next.

Seconds felt like hours as you both stood there in complete silence, waiting for Niragi to walk away from the door seperating the group from the two of you. Your heart was racing and beads of sweat were starting to form on your neck as you held your breath. Fuck, what if he tried opening the door? What if he slammed his gun into it instead of the wall and accidentally broke it open? Just to see you standing there with Chishiyas hand inbetween your legs. There was no bullshitting your way out of that. You would have to live with the constant harassment of the beach making fun of -

The finger pressing down on your clit abruptly interrupted your thoughs and you couldn’t help but to almost squeal in suprise. Thankfully you were clenching your teeth hard enough to not let it slip out, but Chishiya’s face was amused nontheless.

Thankfully Niragi decided to head back to the table and leave the door alone without any further slamming on walls. As soon as you heard the footsteps become lighter you let your head fall back onto Chishiya’s shoulder, choosing to ignore the excited expression that was plastered all over his face. If you didn’t know better you would think he was trying to get caught. You barely had time to let go of the breath you had been holding in, before his fingers returned with full force and pushed your body right back to where he had left you - on fire and with that tight knot in your belly that was so close to unravelling.

”Hmm…” he hummed happily into your ear, fingers not relenting. ”It feels like you enjoy almost being caught.”

”Shut… up…” you tried to mouth back at him, but as soon as your mouth opened his fingers found their way to your entry. Inch by agonizing inch two of his fingers sank deeper until he started to rythmically move them, stroking your walls with ease from how wet you were. He let the palm of his hand rub against your clit while his fingers rubbed your sweet spot over and over again, guiding you to the orgasm your body had been holding in.

You came with a huff of air, muffled by the white fabric that you were desperately clinging on to. Chishiya continued to pleasure you through your climax, softer and slower but still enough to drag out every possible second of bliss. When you were finally coming down from your high you raised your head back up and took a deep breath, which you almost choked on when you heard the chairs in the room outside all slide over the floor at the same time.

”Okay, the first one to see Chishiya will tell him to come and see me,” the Hatter loudly ordered the crowd, clearly bothered that he would have to repeat the meeting to the man who had heard it all, but ignored it to play games with you. His voice was followed by footsteps, and just like that the room was empty again.

”Good job,” Chishiya smugly whispered before removing his hand from your panties, to then nonchalantly wipe his fingers on his own swim shorts. Your eyes followed the way they curled into the fabric, swirling around on there to dry off any traces of you before heading out. You crinkled your nose at it and hoped that he would wash them as soon as he got back to his room - but then realisation hit you like a brick.

”How are you not hard?” The slight squeak in your voice turned his attention towards you once again. The front of his shorts were flat as a pancake and his hoodie wasn’t even covering up that particular area.

”Why do you ask?” Chishiyas was enjoying your suffering and shame, no doubt about it. ”Do you want to get me off too?”

He swung his hips back and forth, mocking you.

”No thanks,” you retaliated, sour that he was able to keep such control of his body while you had just let him finger you in a dusty closet with people outside. You decided to change the topic. ”So what do I get for winning?”

”You get the honour of washing my shorts later.”

[cdelphiki]

Searching felt like it was taking forever. 

Jason sat next to Dick as he and Bruce poured over surveillance footage, trying to create a trail from Jason’s apartment to wherever they had taken Damian. 

It was hell. Jason kept checking his phone for a text from… he wasn’t even sure. Clark, maybe. Or Athanasia. 

Although he wasn’t even sure if she had the other cell phone with her… 

Lois, maybe. He shot off a text to her asking, “any news on Mara?” then looked back over at Dick, his leg bouncing. 

“What if we don’t find him,” Jason asked, “What are we gonna do?” 

“We’ll find him,” Dick said soothingly, “That’s not even an option, Jase.” 

“But what if,” Jason pressed. What was going to happen to Damian?

The League was fucking hell. And, and. Damian would lose all trust in him… If. If he had any trust to begin with.

[[The entire rest of the chapter is below the cut, due to the AO3 maintenance starting tonight so folks can read it during the blackout.]]

Damian trusted him, right? He stayed in the apartment and did what Jason told him to do. And. He gave his stupid cat to Jason when Jason made him, so the girls could sleep without the cat jumping on them, even though he kept thinking Jason would hurt the cat, or whatever. 

“Jason,” Dick said, “We will find him. If we don’t find him today, we’ll keep looking tomorrow, and the next day, and every day until we do. So don’t even consider won’t.” 

“Ugh,” Jason sighed. He leaned forward in his seat and steepled his hands. “I promised him he’d never go back.” And now he was there. 

He was fucking there. 

“We can’t control everything that happens,” Bruce said, “The important thing—” 

“I wasn’t talking to you,” Jason snapped. He needed need Bruce’s stupid advice or whatever he thought he was doing.

What he needed was for them to find Damian.

“We will get him back, Jason,” Bruce said, even though Jason wasn’t talking to him, “Ra’s has never been able to hide from me for long. We’ll find him.” 

Oh yeah, sure. Then how did Bruce explain Ra’s and Talia hiding two children from Bruce, hm?

Jason supposed that right there was proof Bruce didn’t fucking care about his own biological children. 

“Dick,” Jason said pointedly, refusing to look over at Bruce, who was on the other side of Dick, “Want to spar?”

“Spar?” Dick asked skeptically, “What for?” 

Stretching his legs out, Jason scowled and said, “I need to get used to these damned tights. Mr. Ra’s-has-never-hid-anything-from-me can deal with this for a little while. Come on, afraid I’ll beat you?”

“You, my little baby brother, beat me? Now you’re just dreaming,” Dick said with a giant grin. He got to his feet and motioned with his head toward the training mats. 

All Jason did was smirk in return. 

HIs phone buzzed with a text, so he looked down as they walked and read Lois’s reply. 

‘She’s still in surgery, I have not heard anything further. No news is good news at this point.’ 

Nodding, Jason shot back, ‘Thanks. Do you know how Attie is dealing?’ then set his phone down on a table near the training mats. Hopefully Attie was doing fine. Or… at least not crying her eyeballs out and not letting the Kents comfort her. 

However she was dealing, Jason couldn’t really do anything to help that. 

“I’ll go easy on you,” Dick said, still grinning. 

Sparring was, quite frankly, the best damn thing to do. 

Jason… Jason hadn’t been doing any sort of training for a couple months at that point.

And while, yeah, he’d been doing physical labor, and he did some stretching and such, he hadn’t been training since they got to Metropolis. 

Thankfully it hadn’t been too terribly long. What? Like…. Two months? Sixty days? Since they landed in the US? Because they definitely did enough physical exertion before while trekking across the entire damn world. 

Plus he fought with the assassins a few weeks back. So.

It wasn't like he was weak, but his muscles did feel a little achey as he started really moving them. 

Dick of course kept showing off all his acrobatic moves, but Jason wasn’t exactly clunky in his own movements. 

Several minutes into them exchanging blows, but not really landing anything on each other, Dick pulled out his escrima sticks. 

“No fair,” Jason panted, as he stepped back out of Dick’s range, “I don’t have any sticks.” 

“Do you want some?” Dick asked, stopping abruptly and standing up straight. 

Jason fall out of his own protective stance and contemplated it for a moment. 

He would be going up against assassins, most likely. Who had, like, swords. And Jason’s sword got abandoned in Kabul, so he didn’t have that. So. It was probably a good idea? He had his guns, of course. And guns were great, until he was in close range… 

Then he needed a way to deflect swords being swung at his neck. He could fill someone up full of lead, but if they managed to get one single swing on him, it was all over. 

“Yeah, that would be good,” he finally said. 

Dick took him into the weapons vault, as he always called it as a kid. In reality it was just an elaborate little nook in the cave with lots of neat things hung up on the wall. 

“I had such a nice sword in the League,” Jason lamented, as he start picking up different sticks, feeling the weight in his hands. 

Some of them were downright light, and it was a little unnerving. His sword had some heft to it, and Jason liked that. 

“So were you, like, a member of the League of Assassins,” Dick asked slowly. 

Jason rolled his eyes. He set the bo staff he’d been holding and picked up the next one as he said, “Not like you’re thinking. Talia was just getting me training.” 

Sure, he did some missions and stuff…. But yeah. He wasn’t, like, one of the assassins. 

Also it was none of Dick’s business. 

“Ooh this one,” Jason said, before Dick had even figured out how to respond to him. Jason had picked up a collapsible bo staff that could be split in half to be escrima sticks. They weren’t too heavy, but they weren’t light as feathers, either. The only thing they were missing was tasers. Dick’s had tasers. 

“Come show me your skills,” Dick said, and Jason could only grin in response. 

They sparred for a good half hour, and honestly it was the best damn thing. Jason felt so loose when he finally knocked Dick off his feet. 

Dick rolled onto his feet, but he did not stand back up. Instead, he stayed down and caught his breath.

“I learned from the League’s best,” Jason said, as he collapsed his staff and tried to find a good spot to store it on his body. 

“Apparently,” Dick panted. He reached over to where one os his sticks had landed, then looked up when Jason held a hand down to help him to his feet. “I went easy on you, though.” 

“No you didn’t, shut up,” Jason said. He walked back over to where his phone was and checked to see if Lois had replied. 

“Everyone knows you have to let the little kid win,” Dick said. He clapped Jason on the back. 

“Shut up,” Jason repeated. He opened Lois’s latest texts and read through them. 

‘Martha said Attie isn’t speaking, but she’s doing fine. They’re making ice cream right now, and she seems to be enjoying it.’

‘Mara just got out of surgery. Doctor said everything went well, they fixed the bleeding and stitched her up. They’ll hold her at least overnight, possibly for a couple days depending on how she’s doing tomorrow.’ 

“Mara’s out of surgery,” Jason said, as he started shooting back his thanks to Lois. He asked her if they knew when Mara would wake up.

He’d like to be there for that… but Mara understood, if he wasn’t. 

Probably. 

“How is she doing?” Dick asked. 

“They might discharge her in the morning, so good I guess.” 

Bruce walked over into the training area, Jason could tell because he was allowing his boots to squeak against the floor. 

Which was annoying, but at least he wasn’t sneaking up on him. 

Jason wasn’t turning around to look at him, though. 

‘If Mara wants I’ll talk to her on the phone when she wakes up, if I’m not able to get out there,’ Jason texted to Lois. 

“Jason, Dick,” Bruce said, when neither of them gave him immediate attention. 

Asshole.

“I found him.” 

Jason whirled around and demanded, “Where is he?” 

Bruce twitched, but he motioned with his head for them to follow him back out into the main cave. 

And Jason eagerly followed. 

Back at the computer, Jason stood behind Bruce as he sat and started pulling up all the research he had. Up on screen already was a flight tracker, with one flight highlighted that was just east of Greenland, presently. On another screen was a security footage video, paused. Jason couldn’t really tell what was going on with it, but it looked like it was footage from an airport.

“He’s on a plane?” Jason asked. If they got on their plane that moment, maybe Damian would only have to spend a couple hours with Ra’s, at most. 

Or, maybe they could intercept him before he even got to Ra’s.

Because Jason doubted heavily that Ra’s came to the United States to get Damian himself.

“Yes, but not one of the ones we were tracking,” Bruce said, as he pulled up flight logs, “It’s a private plane charted by a shell company. It took tracking through seven layers, but it does lead back to Ra’s.” 

Bruce hit play on the security footage, and Jason found himself leaning in. It wasn’t a long video, only about fifteen seconds, so Bruce had it on loop, and the quality was absolute shit. If it were a video on youtube, everyone would be asking if it was shot using a potato. 

But Bruce thought it had something to do with Damian, so Jason tried to take in each of the men on the screen. One of the men adjusted something as he stepped onto the staircase up to the small plane, and in the third loop, Jason finally saw the brief flash of a face against his shoulder. 

Almost like he was carrying a sleeping child…

“What the fuck did they give him,” Jason asked. Damian did not sleep deeply. Generally he’d stay asleep if Jason was very quiet, but more often than not Damian woke if Jason entered his room. And Jason was Jason. Someone he hoped Damian knew was safe to sleep around.

Random assassins he may or may not have ever met?

Nu uh, no way. He was drugged. 

“I have a few guesses based on Athanasia’s report it was an injected drug that caused almost instant unconsciousness,” Bruce said, “a few of those last several hours with one injection.” 

“Bastards,” Jason huffed, “If that kid was conscious, he’d be biting them all.” 

“Biting?” Dick asked, from where he’d come to stand next to Jason, behind Bruce. 

“Yeah. He bit me the first day I met him,” Jason said. And honestly, Jason was surprised that was the only bite he got from that feral little runt. 

Dick grinned wide and asked, “Why?” 

“I was trying to keep him from attacking fucking Deathstroke when Deathstroke was letting us go. We needed to run, not fight Deathstroke more.” And the fact a smart kid like Damian hadn’t even understood that on his own is a real testament to how fucking stressful that day was.

Or how brainwashed he was into believing you cannot lose a fight ever. 

Bruce looked up at Jason and legit just stared at him for a solid several seconds. 

“What?” Jason demanded. 

But Bruce shook his head, and looked back at the screens. “There are twenty-six people on this plane, including the pilot, who is employed by Ra’s.” 

“So twenty-five assassins and one drugged up baby assassin,” Jason concluded. They could take twenty-five assassins. 

“It seems so,” Bruce said. 

“Funny it took so many of them to kidnap one feral eight-year-old,” Jason said. 

“I asked Clark to do a flyby of the plane, he’ll be doing that in a few minutes,” Bruce said. 

Dick shifted his weight from one foot to another and asked, “Where’s the plane going? Do we know where they’re trying to take him?” 

Nodding, Bruce said, “The itinerary they filed with the FAA says they’re going to a small airport in western China.”

“Tashkurgan?” Jason asked. That was the airport they always used. It was a tiny little airport that was big enough flights leaving there wasn’t suspicious, but small enough no one ever noticed them. 

Plus, Jason was sure Ra’s slipped the officials lots of money. So. 

“Yes,” Bruce said, “So it seems they’re taking him to Nanda Parbat.” 

“That’s where Ra’s had been hiding the kids to begin with,” Jason said, “I would have thought Ra’s would try to hide him somewhere else, he must be pretty darn confident no one will ever escape from there again.” Jason would have found a different place, for sure.

But then again, maybe the League didn’t have another base so well hidden and guarded. 

“They’ll likely take a helicopter directly to Nanda Parbat from the airport,” Bruce said, “That might be a good time to intercept them.” 

The computer lit up with a phone call from Clark, so Bruce quickly hit accept.

“Talk to me,” Bruce said. Which was just. So Bruce. 

What an asshole.

“I can’t get near this plane,” Clark said, “There’s so much Kryptonite on it I can feel it a hundred feet away. I put one of your trackers on the plane, though. I don’t think anyone saw me.” 

“Is Damian on the plane?” Jason asked, “Could you see him?” 

“He is, yes,” Clark said, “He’s asleep, but they have him strapped into a seat between a couple assassins. He appears unharmed, and his heart rate and breathing seems normal.” 

“I see the tracker,” Bruce said, “they would have disabled it if they noticed you.” 

“Good,” Clark said, “I don’t think there’s much more I can do from here. I don’t want to down the plane and risk hurting Damian.” 

“Of course not,” Bruce said, “We can handle it from here.” 

“Thanks, Clark,” Dick said cheerfully.

“Keep me appraised. The Justice League is standing by. Just because I can’t get close doesn’t mean Green Lantern or Flash can’t be helpful.” 

“Will do,” Dick said, before Bruce could probably say no. 

Once Clark cut the line, Bruce turned to Dick and said, “We are not asking Green Lantern to help.” 

“We might,” Jason said. He started tapping his toe and motioned back up to the screen when Bruce looked his way, and said, “So what’s the plan? What are we doing?” He wanted to get Damian and get him now. 

“I think our best course of action is to follow the plane,” Bruce said, “The Batwing is faster than the jet Ra’s chartered, so Damian won’t need to spend long there by himself.” 

“Good. Ra’s is a bastard, I don’t want Damian there for a second longer than necessary.” 

“I don’t want him there, either,” Bruce said, “Children don’t belong in the League.” 

Jason huffed, but chose not to say something.

He wasn’t going to start fighting with Bruce over him leaving his fucking kids there. They needed to get the plane prepared to go. 

“Give me a task,” Jason said, “I want to get Damian back today.” 

“It will probably be tomorrow when we actually get him,” Bruce said, “even at top speeds, it will still take about eleven hours. Damian’s plane won’t even arrive for another nine or ten from now.”

“Ugh,” Jason whined. He knew that, of course. He knew it would take them a while.

Unless Clark could, like, fly their plane closer? Fly them closer? Then they could be there in an instant, but Damian’s plane still wouldn’t be there. So. 

He wouldn’t be seeing Mara that day, then. Or Attie. 

Hopefully they understood. He could still call with them, possibly. Especially if they get stuck on a damn plane for eleven hours. 

How the fuck was he going to sit on the stupid plane with Bruce for eleven hours? 

“Ugh,” he whined louder, “Still give me a task. He can’t stay there a second longer than necessary.”

“Fuel the plane up,” Bruce said, “You remember how to calculate how much fuel?” 

“Yeah,” Jason said, “That’s easy.” And it would be good to be working. 

He couldn’t get annoyed at Bruce if he was occupied. Probably.

“I told you we’d find Damian,” Dick said a few minutes later, after Jason had worked through the math and jotted it down on a sticky note. Bruce had fucked off to wherever he’d gone to prepare. 

Which was great to Jason. 

“We don’t have him back yet, Dick,” Jason said. 

Dick clapped him on the back and said, “You’ll see. By this time tomorrow, we’ll be landing in Gotham with your little ankle biter.” 

“It was my arm he bit,” Jason said, “he was trying to free himself.”

“He is the cutest kid,” Dick said almost fondly. 

“You’ve got a weird definition of cute,” Jason grumbled, “Tell him you think he’s cute. I dare you.”

“I will. I’ll tell him tomorrow morning when we see him.” 

Despite himself, Jason grinned at that thought. 

He was looking forward to seeing Damian throw a knife at Dick. 

At least now they had a timeframe.

[honeyhotteoks]

this night together - chapter seven (j.yh + s.mg)

chapter seven: any time now

chapter summary: things are finally back to normal, but how long can that really last?

warnings: references to a/b/o dynamics such as heat and knotting and designations, general reader horny thoughts, masturbation

notes: major love for everyone who's been so patient while i worked on this chapter and this fic in general. i've been going through it recently, but hopefully this is a little fun one before we get back to the smut and angst ♡

pairings: alpha!yunho x alpha!mingi x omega!reader.......... but we're also featuring some alpha!seonghwa x reader, omega!wooyoung x reader (platonic)

genre: smut, a/b/o/omegaverse, angst, fluff, romance, polyamory

word count: 9.7K

previous chapter | next chapter | AO3

“No, no I’m telling you,” Hongjoong asserts, his eyes full of passion as he leans across the table, “Bowie was the greatest artist of our time. Period.” 

It's at this exact moment that you can see Seonghwa’s eyes go fuzzy as he realizes he’s introduced two of the more argumentative and passionate people he’s ever met to each other, and now he has to live with the consequences. And it’s not even like you and Hongjoong disagree, in reality you’re mostly just agreeing with each other - just loudly and with excitable hand gestures. 

You start going down the deep rabbit hole of Hongjoong’s musical preferences again and Seonghwa starts to look for a natural place to cut in, you can see it on his face, but you’re too focused on debating which of Bowie’s albums is actually the greatest of all time to even care. It’s only the second time you’ve met him, but it clicked with him quickly, and despite barely knowing him, here you are. 

“Favorite era?” Hongjoong recaptures your attention and you lean back in your seat. 

“This is hard,” You admit. 

“Mhm,” Hongjoong takes a sip of his drink and leans forward on the table, “there’s a right answer.” 

“Are we talking style or music?” You counter back. 

“You two,” Seonghwa groans, “I’m getting a headache,” 

“Shush,” Hongjoong slaps his friend’s arm softly, “you wanted us to be friends, right?” 

“At what cost,” Seonghwa smirks as he knocks back his drink. 

“Style or music,” You repeat, nudging Hongjoong. 

“Style,” He narrows his eyes. 

“Thin white duke,” You answer with zero hesitation. 

“Oh,” Seonghwa laughs, “you would,” 

“What?” You laugh, “What could that possibly say about me?” 

Seonghwa shrugs but Hongjoong nods, “He’s right,” 

“Sure,” You roll your eyes. 

“You like a man in a suit, that’s what it says,” Hongjoong laughs, “but I would have picked Berlin era.” 

“So we both like a man in a suit,” You nod at him. 

“You got me there,” He laughs, running a hand through his shock of blue hair. 

“I never hear music like that anymore,” You comment and Hongjoong smiles. 

“I’d love to produce something like that,” He admits, “but you need someone with a much stronger vocal range for that.” 

Seonghwa nods along, and it’s clear it’s not the first time he’s heard this sentiment from Hongjoong. 

“Stronger than the idols KQ has now?” You ask, your eyebrow raised. 

He nods, “It’s not that they’re not good, everyone’s very talented and I enjoy working with them… but the chance to work with someone one in a million is different,” 

“I could see that,” You concede. You don’t know much about music production or vocal performance, but you know a one in a million voice when you hear it. 

“You won’t have to wait long from the buzz I’m hearing,” Seonghwa drops his voice to a bit of a hushed tone even though there’s considerable space between your table and anyone else. 

“I’m not holding my breath,” Hongjoong says, “I don’t want to get my hopes up,” 

“I know it’s a longshot,” Seonghwa offers, “but I’m hearing good things,”

“Me too,” Hongjoong says, “but nothing’s on paper yet, so you know how these things go.” 

“So…” You give them a pointed expression. 

“Right,” Seonghwa leans in, “KQ is currently courting a big name from a group that just disbanded,” 

“To take on a senior group?” 

“No,” Hongjoong shakes his head, “just one of the members, as a solo artist.” 

“Oh,” You drop your voice, “who?” 

“You can’t say anything,” Seonghwa makes a hand gesture as if to say you’re dead if you do, “but Choi Jongho,” 

The pause between the three of you seems weighty, but you don’t know him and you have to admit it with a little shrug, “I’ve never heard of him,” 

“What?” Hongjoong shakes his head in disbelief, “I mean that’s crazy,” 

“I don’t keep up with it as much as you’d think,” 

“I mean,” Hongjoong blinks, “he’s the one in a million, he’s the voice.” 

“I believe you,” You nod quickly, “I just don’t know him.” 

“Well,” He sighs, “hopefully you will. If our CEO can close the deal,” 

“You really want to produce for him that badly? He’s that good?” You ask. 

“Without question,” He sighs, “I would kill to write him some R&B,” 

“Oh, now there’s a thought,” You lean in. 

“You just need so much more vocal texture,” Hongjoong explains, “but if you heard him, you’d get it.”

You nod along. 

Hongjoong sighs and leans back in his chair, running a hand through his hair again, the silver of his many rings catching in the overhead light, “If he signs we could get an album together for early next year,” 

“You really want to work with him that badly?” You nod, “He must be amazing.” 

“He is,” Hongjoong hums, “so cross your fingers.” 

You do and show him your hand, “Done,” 

The server passes by your table and smoothly passes the check towards Seonghwa, but Hongjoong intercepts it with practiced ease and slips his heavier credit card into the billfold before returning it to the server’s waiting hands. 

“Thank you,” The server nods, “I’ll be right back with this.” 

“Thank you, Joong,” Seonghwa smiles, “next time on me,” 

Hongjoong waves his hand and you realize it’s much the same as the last dinner. You wonder just how well producers are paid if this is his casual attitude towards a bill for three people eating rich cuts of meat and having crafted cocktails, but judging from Hongjoong’s lack of concern at the check’s total, he’s paid pretty well. 

“Thank you, Hongjoong,” You echo. 

“Of course,” Hongjoong smiles, and then the bill is back in his hands to sign off before you’re all up and away out the door. 

You walk a little ways with them, in the direction of a much busier block so you can catch a taxi home, all the while Hongjoong and Seonghwa chat about people you’ve yet to meet at the company and old times. They’ve been friends for years, you could gather that even without the download of information Seonghwa gave you after your first dinner out with them. They have an easy way about them that makes you smile, and even though you’re not in on any of these stories or jokes, it still feels comfortable. They both exude cool, in their style and the way they walk and talk, their handsome smiles and the cut of their clothes, but they never stray too far into pretension and it makes you like them both all the more. 

When Hongjoong checks his phone briefly as he walks and hums quietly, Seonghwa makes a disappointed noise with his tongue against his teeth. 

“What?” Hongjoong glances up. 

“Stop thinking about work,” Seonghwa interrupts his brain, “it’s ten o’clock,” 

“Normally I’m still working, you know,” Hongjoong tucks his phone away and makes a face. 

“You do that to yourself, Joong,” Seonghwa comments. 

“I know, I know,” He shrugs, “there’s nothing wrong with working hard.” He swivels his head to you at the same time Seonghwa does. 

“Don’t look at me,” You throw up your hands in surrender, “I can’t help you, Hwa, I’m at the studio late every day.” 

“I have to stop attracting friends who do nothing but work,” Seonghwa says, but he smiles despite his words. 

“Speaking of work,” Hongjoong grins conspiratorially at you, “he said you’re on the choreography team for the new tracks,” 

“Yes,” You catch Seonghwa’s pleased eye, “I’m assisting with it,” 

“How do you like the title song?” He asks. 

“I think it’s an earworm,” You admit, “I’ve been hearing it in my head for days,” 

“Not too commercial?” He asks. 

“I said it was going to be popular,” Seonghwa groans, “not that it’s commercial,” 

“I’m just asking,” Hongjoong throws a hand out to his side to smack Seonghwa’s arm. 

“It’s not,” You shake your head vehemently, “it’s just good, and catchy as hell,” 

“I can’t wait to see what your team does with it,” Hongjoong admits with a sigh, “I’m proud of this album,”

“I’m looking forward to hearing the whole thing,” 

“When it’s finished you should come to the listening party,” He offers, his steps slowing as you make it to the curb of the busier street. 

“I would love to,” You smile, and Seonghwa nods.

“You’ll be alright to get home?” Hongjoong asks, turning towards you. 

“Absolutely,” 

“Let me,” Seonghwa steps past you to the edge of the sidewalk and raises an arm out to beckon a taxi over, and a yellow cab flicks its occupied light on and smoothly cuts over to the side lane. 

“Thanks, Hwa,” 

“Come out again soon?” Hongjoong asks, “I didn’t even get to my thoughts on 90s music,”

“Anytime,” You smile as Seonghwa opens up the taxi door for you. 

“I’ll send you some albums,” He adds.

“I love it,” You nod and move to the open door, catching Seonghwa’s eye as you do. 

“See you tomorrow,” He says as you slide into your seat. 

“Tomorrow,” 

He waits for you to swing your legs inside the car and then shuts the door tight, tapping on the hood and backing away to stand next to Hongjoong. He waves, and as the taxi pulls away they turn to walk back the way you came. 

Things stay perfectly in this new status quo for weeks, your life so much fuller and richer than the first few months you worked at KQ and tried to find inroads of friendship. Now you have dinner from time to time with Seonghwa and Hongjoong, drinks with your new dance troupe trio, workouts with San, coffee breaks with Wooyoung, and a growing sense of normalcy with Yunho and Mingi as you get back to work with them. 

You’re just starting to get comfortable when your phone reminds you that normal never lasts. 

As ever, things change. 

The shift starts with the first real peace offering you get from Yunho, weeks after the first night back in the studio with them. You’re buried in your phone trying to map out the dates of your next heat, paying exactly zero attention to your surroundings as you go through the app on your phone that tracks out your cycle symptoms. One that sends you painfully patronizing push notifications like - Hey girlie! Your heat is scheduled to start anytime in the next two weeks! Be sure to drink lots of water!! - complete with a panting red faced emoji. The last person you really want to see at this second is Yunho, or Mingi for that matter, and to be reminded of everything that happened a few months ago, but you’re never quite so lucky. 

Yunho’s hand enters your eyeline, dropping a coffee on the table in front of you and you jump at the sudden break in your concentration as you snap your phone lock on and let it slip through your fingers. 

“Sorry,” He smiles, “I didn’t mean to scare you.” 

“It’s okay,” You take a steadying breath as you watch him reach for your phone that skid across the floor, “I was just lost in thought,” 

“Mm,” He passes the phone back to you and you’re infinitely grateful for your panic response that locked the phone and darkened the screen to save you any more embarrassment, “is everything okay? You seem a little stressed,” 

“I’m good,” You assure him. 

Adjusting the cap on his head he gestures to the coffee, “Well, either way you looked like you could use one of these,” 

“Thank you,” You smile, trying to let the moment be normal. You had missed him bringing you little things. Before your heat he was always checking up on you, delivering water bottles and protein bars and iced americanos. You can’t help but comment on it as you lift the coffee and give it a shake, “it’s been a while,” 

“I know,” He grimaces, “I’m sorry,” 

“Don’t be,” You brush him off, “I just meant it’s nice, I’m really glad we’re friends again.” 

He swallows a little tightly, glancing to his side, and you know being vulnerable like this isn’t really his favorite thing but he’s trying, “I am sorry though,” he says finally, “Mingi and I shouldn’t have let things get so weird. That was… I mean, this is work. We shouldn’t have let it interfere like that, we should have just talked to you.” 

“Me too,” You murmur, letting him off the hook, “it goes both ways.” 

“Yeah,” He breathes, and then his eyes come up, “but friends? That’s what you want?” 

“Of course,” You nod quickly, the sharp idea of going back to barely talking or looking at each other making you queasy, and the past few weeks of working together with them has felt like a weight off your shoulders. 

There’s a beat between you, and a noise to your right as the door to the break room opens and bodies spill in. Someone shouts your name, but your eyes are holding so tightly to Yunho that you don’t even know who it was, you don’t really care. You need to know that he’s on the same page. 

Yunho nods finally and smiles, “Good, okay, friends,” 

Mingi crashes into him from the side with an arm slung over his shoulders and his face lit up in a bright smile, “Hey,” 

“Hi,” You smile, watching as Yunho crosses his arms loosely and lets Mingi stay clinging onto him. You catch Mingi’s eyes, “You’re in a good mood today,” 

“I guess so,” He shrugs, “it’s a good day,” 

The chair to your side moves and your head snaps over to see San flopping down, a freshly mixed protein smoothie in hand, “You’re late,” he comments and you snap a look to your watch. 

Fifteen minutes late to your training with him, and you grimace, “Shit, I’m sorry,” 

“It’s cool, I’ll just have to remember this when you’re begging to get out of the last set,” His eyebrows quirk up at you playfully. 

Mingi makes a quiet noise and when you look back up at him he’s pouting, “You never let me give you training tips,” 

“That’s because you hate the gym,” You laugh. 

His nose crinkles, “True,” 

Yunho laughs at the exchange and shrugs Mingi off and he looks like he’s about to add something to the conversation, but the door opens again and Dahan and Yujin cut their way through the dining area. 

Yujin catches your eye and smiles, “Ready for today?” 

You nod and try not to seem too terrified, “Definitely,” 

“See you at four,” She says, brushing past your table and heading for the coffee stations at the far side of the room. 

You let out a shaky breath, one you didn’t know you were holding quite so tightly in your chest and Yunho’s brow knits together, “What’s wrong?” 

“Nothing,” You assure him, “it’s just a big day for me,” 

“The meeting?” He asks, referring to the session later today where you and the rest of the crew will meet with the girl group members for the first time. You’ve been elected to run them through some of the point choreography, and while everyone will be working together, you’re first and that level of spotlight makes you buzz with anxiety. 

“Yeah,” You shrug, trying to stay casual about it, “it’s not that big of a deal, I know, but I’m still nervous,” 

“You’ve been working like crazy,” San cuts in, smoothing a hand over your fidgeting fingers to calm you down, “you’re going to be fine, when have you ever choked?” 

“You’re right,” You breathe, pulling your hand back and pushing your hair away from your face, “Yujin and Dahan are just very good.” You don’t elaborate, but the idea of teaching choreography in front of them makes your heart thump loudly in your chest. 

“You’re very good,” Mingi dismisses instantly with a noise in his throat. 

“Thanks, Mingi,” 

“It’s first time jitters,” Yunho smiles, “I get them every time we do something new,” 

“You do?” Your eyebrows shoot high. 

“Mhm,” He nods, “actually, I have an idea,” 

“Yeah?” 

“Let’s go for a run,” Yunho checks his watch and then nods. 

“Yunho,” You glance to San, “I don’t know,” 

“It clears my head every time, trust me,” He presses, “something about running outside… it’s definitely going to get you out of your head.” 

“Go,” San nods, brushing off your unspoken concern about ditching him. 

“You don’t mind?” You check with him. 

“Nah,” He grins, pushing himself up to stand and offering you a hand to help you to your feet too, “I’ll just go bother Wooyoung,” 

“I’m sure he’ll thank me for that,” You laugh. 

“He should be so grateful,” San brushes your arm lightly with his fingers and then gives you a warm smile, “but you go, relax, and text me later.” 

“I will,” You nod, and he jogs off. 

You twist back to Yunho and Mingi at the sound of a throat clearing and Mingi shifts from foot to foot, “I’d join you on the run, but,” 

“You hate running,” Yunho finishes for him, “you’re good,” 

“Yeah,” 

There’s a beat of silence between the three of you, and then Yunho clears his throat again, “Meet me out front in ten? I just need to change,” 

“Sure,” You have to do the same, and idly in the back of your mind you wonder if he’s a good runner, the kind of person who makes it look easy. 

“Great,” He smiles and then he’s off. 

Mingi watches him go and then shifts his attention back to you, “You’ll be great today,” 

“You think?” Your nervousness slips out. 

“I know.” He nods, pointed with no room for discussion. 

You swallow tightly, but agree anyway. 

Mingi guides you back out of the pull of your own thoughts when he claps a hand down on your shoulder as he moves past you and around the table, “Just chill,” 

“Chill,” You repeat dumbly. 

“Mhm,” He shrugs, quirking up an eyebrow at you as he pushes through the door and away. 

You’re used to his naturally flirtatious energy, but even a look that intense from him can send your stomach into little flip flops. Your phone dings again in your pocket, the familiar sound of your cycle app sending you another reminder and you don’t even bother to look and see what it says, your lingering gaze on Mingi is enough to tell you. 

Alone in the break room you sigh and run your hands through your hair before shaking the little interaction off and heading out to meet Yunho. By the time you’re out front he’s already there, and you think it’s quite possible that this is the biggest mistake you’ve ever made when you lay eyes on him. He’s dressed comfortably, in shorts and running shoes, but it’s the sleeveless black top that makes your pulse quicken. 

“Alright,” He says as he sees you approaching, “let’s do it.” 

“Okay,” You stretch out your arms in front of you and do your best to focus on your own body and not his and all the ways you’ve seen it move before. 

He waves you along and then starts to run. 

You set a pace together with ease, and you’re not sure if it’s Yunho accommodating you or you accommodating him, but either way you fall into step smoothly as you start jogging through the streets of Seoul. He adjusts the black cap on his head and settles his arms into a comfortable running position and he slowly starts to increase the pace, but you match him smoothly right back. 

“Do you have a route?” You ask between controlled breaths. 

“Yeah,” He nods, gesturing up ahead, “just follow me,” 

You murmur your agreement, and then refocus your eyes ahead and not on the man to your side. He’s right, you do need this. Your shoulders have been tense with stress for days, your body tired and feeling jittery, but the steady steps over the pavement and the cool air have your muscles relaxing already. You stay focused on your breath and the rest starts to melt away. 

“This way,” He directs after a little while heading straight, and he takes a smooth left turn across a busy intersection where the walk signs are lit up for you. 

In the distance is a block of trees marking the start of one of the riverside parks, and you’re sure that’s where he’s running to. You can feel him glancing down at you every so often, making sure you’re still at his side, and it’s oddly comforting to run with him and not alone for once. It’s been a while since you’ve been out like this, you’ve taken to sticking with San in the comfort of the KQ gyms, but with Yunho at your side it feels comfortable and right. 

“Good?” He asks as you push over the next street and into the entrance of the trail, hooking through two lines of trees. 

“Good,” You confirm, “you?” 

He smiles and laughs a little, but keeps running, “Definitely,” 

You push on and keep pace, moving down the pathway through the trees, nothing but the sound of each other’s breath for company. Being cocooned in trees, this close to the water, makes you feel insulated from the city and with every step your worries about the meeting later have started to fall away. 

You glance to Yunho and see that his eyes are still focused ahead, but you swallow hard at the pink blush across his cheeks and collarbones, the sweat now visible on his tanned skin. You have such a clear image of him above you, broad hand on your cheek and cock buried inside your body, looking flushed and sweaty just as he does now. 

“Feeling better?” He asks, not slowing his run at all. 

His voice jolts you out of your meandering thoughts, “Hmm?” 

“Are you feeling any better?” He tries again, “less stressed?” 

“A little,” You concede. 

He nods, but keeps moving. The lack of conversation between you both normally feels tight and unnatural, but lately it’s started to feel safe again. He’s always been a person you can just be around, nothing extra, just existing. It finally, finally feels right again. 

You make your way a little further into the park until it starts to curve around with the bend of the river. Yunho gestures up ahead to a block of benches that overlook the water and he glances down at you, “Let’s take a breath there and then double back,” 

“Yeah,” 

As you approach the benches and start to slow, Yunho grins, “It’s gorgeous today,” 

“It really is,” You agree, chest heaving a little at the effort from the run and you focus on deep steady inhales and exhales. 

He walks past the benches and up to the railing at the water, leaning down and resting his elbows on the dark blue painted steel, “That looks fun,” he comments, gesturing towards a group of boats on the water. 

“Mm,” You sigh, leaning next to him, your arms nearly brushing, “especially on a day like today.” 

He nods quietly, his eyes closing for a moment as he soaks up the warm sun, and then he turns towards you and leans against the railing with his hip, “So,” he says, “is it first time jitters, or is something else going on?” 

“W-what do you mean?” His words break you out of your thoughts again, and you didn’t even realize your mind was slipping away somewhere else, but every time he interrupts you it’s painfully obvious to you that you can’t stop worrying. 

“I’ve seen you nervous,” He comments, “this feels like more,” 

You shift towards him and look up, “A little, maybe,” 

“Tell me,” He prompts you, extending his hand for a fraction of a second before he lets it drop back to his thigh. 

Your first thought is that you want to touch him too, but you resist it. 

“Teaching these girls,” You trail off, dropping your eyes again to the ripple of the water as it kisses the rocky shore, “something about doing it in front of Yujin and Dahan… and even you,” 

“Me?” His voice runs high. 

“It’s just scary,” You admit, “I’m sure I’ll get over it.” 

“I don’t want to make you scared,” He murmurs.

  “It’s not that,” You glance up at him, but it’s safer to keep your focus on the water, “I just…. I don’t know if I belong in that room yet, and today all the attention will be on me. I’ve never taught anyone like this before,” 

“Yes, you have,” Yunho finally does touch you, nudging your arm and getting your eyes back on him, “you came up with good stuff for this routine. You taught all of us, and I saw you practicing everything together to show them. You’re ready,” 

“You really believe that?” The words slip out. 

“y/n,” His brow furrows, “of course I do, I wouldn’t have suggested you in the first place if I thought you couldn’t do this.” 

He’s right, you can do this, and with flying colors too if you really set your mind to it, but the question still brews in the back of your brain and you have to ask. “Yunho,” You sigh, “why did you suggest me?” 

“Why wouldn’t I?”

“We weren’t talking,” You explain, “we were barely looking at each other in the studio, but you still pulled me into this project. Why?” 

He’s still for a moment, his eyes flicking over your face and then he sighs, “Because you’re good, and because I know how hard you were working even when we weren’t talking. And because,” he pauses, “because I wanted you there,”

“For me or for my skills?”

“For your skills,” He nods, “the fact that it’s you… well, that just made my choice easier.” 

“You really mean that, don’t you?” You murmur.

  “I do,” He nods, “so be regular nervous all you want, but never doubt your place in the room, okay? I wouldn’t do that to you.” 

“Thank you, Yunho,” 

He nods and looks back out to the water before checking his watch and taking a deep breath, “You ready to head back?” 

“Let’s do it,” You agree with a sigh, shaking out your limbs. 

“Did this help?” He asks as he pushes off the railing. 

“Yeah,” You smile, “I mean, I’m still a little terrified, but I think that’s normal.” 

“Mhm,” He smooths his hand across your shoulders and gives you a squeeze, “plus, I promise you can dance circles around these girls any day of the week,” 

“Oh, shut up,” You roll your eyes, “now you’re laying it on too thick,” 

“I don’t lie,” He grins, “you know that already,” 

You open your mouth to retort but he takes the wind right out of your sails when he starts to jog backwards and he sticks his tongue out to tease you. As he twists around he calls back over his shoulder, “Race you back!”

You scramble forwards, “Hey! No fair, you got a head start,” 

He keeps running, but you hear him laugh, “Catch up then!”

You pump your legs harder, moving as fast as possible as you try to reach him. You watch as he glances back over his shoulder, goading you into pushing yourself harder, something swells in your chest. He’s close, if you just pick it up a little more, focus a little more, you’ll reach him. Maybe pass him. 

“You still with me?” He shouts back, voice light. 

Your heart is pounding in your ears, blood rushing loud, and your chest is screaming with the effort of working your body this hard but you don’t care. You want to win, you need to win. You pump your legs harder, clear your mind, and race. You gain on him inch by inch and you grin when you hear him laugh again, catching you in his peripheral vision as you scream up next to him. He says something but you miss it, your head too focused on every step in front of you. 

When you finally make it back to KQ you all but skid into the back entrance with him, colliding shoulder to shoulder and having to brace yourself on the entryway wall so you don’t pitch right over onto the hardwood floor. 

Yunho’s hands close over your hips to steady you, and you hear his heavy breath above you before he laughs, “Jesus, you’re fast,” 

“You annoyed me,” You wheeze, pressing on your side where a painful, sharp stitch has taken up residence. 

Your fingers brush along his for the barest of seconds and he pulls his hands back instantly before giving you an apologetic smile and pulling off his ball cap to wipe the sweat off his brow with the bottom of his shirt. The quick flash of his abs makes you dizzy. 

“I still won,” Yunho sighs, leaning against the wall. 

You shoot him a look, but you’re still catching your breath and at this point it’s not even worth the fight. As you raise your head to look at him, you suddenly notice the crowded hallway towards the side of the door. Wooyoung and San stand close together, angled towards you but clearly just in halted conversation with Minseok, Yujin, and two of the other dancers. 

Wooyoung gives you a single pointed eyebrow raise. 

“Were you racing?” Minseok asks, glancing between the two of you. 

You make an affirmative noise, all you can do while you recover.

  “Fun,” Wooyoung laughs a little to himself and if you had the energy you’d smack him, but you can’t even bother. 

“Why?” Minseok asks. 

“Why not?” Yunho shrugs and then turns his attention back to you, “Good?” 

“Good,” You nod.

  For a second he looks like he wants to say something else, maybe give you one last encouraging speech, but he just settles on a smile, “See you in there,” 

You nod, smiling back up at him, and then he pushes through the little pocket of your coworkers to get back to the locker rooms. You take another second to catch your breath against the wall, Wooyoung making an expression you need to roll your eyes at, but then you realize. You feel great. 

The nerves from the whole day have dissipated, the surging rush of endorphins from pushing yourself so hard, drowning out anything in your body except adrenaline, joy, and a little exhaustion. You could kiss him. 

At four o’clock, when you walk into the room, you do it with a clear head. In the back of the studio, Yunho smiles. 

***

A week later, your app dings again and this time it’s right on the money.

You submit the paperwork on Thursday after practice, another lozenge tucked into your cheek as you start to feel the first signs of your upcoming heat. It’s already better than last time, a more familiar kind of cycle than what you last experienced. You’re used to it being mostly mild, a few times a year leaving you achy and sore, and insatiably horny, but nothing like the desperate cramping from before. 

This time you have things down to a predictable science, and though you might have a few moments of serious weakness or deeper feelings of heat, you’d be fine. This time there would be no dizzy desperation, no crying into your pillow in hopes that an alpha would soothe you and take it away. No begging to be claimed. It would be fine. 

You should be fine. 

You leave the paperwork on the back desk and hurry out to catch a ride back home before you start to really feel it, but all you can imagine is Yunho’s face when he picks up the papers and you need to not be in the building when that happens. 

At home you set yourself up for the next few days. Bedroom door locked, a stash of water bottles, a stack of towels, and a bedside table full of charged and ready toys. You get undressed out of your restrictive leggings and tighter clothes, and pull on a simple pair of sleep shorts and a loose oversized top. Fabric that won’t cling or make you hot, just comfortable enough to relax and take it easy as your body starts to sink into heat. 

For a while things are normal and fine, regular aches and pains. You watch a show on your iPad and zone out the feeling, but eventually every little shift of your hips feels sharper, and a low throb starts to pulse inside you. It’s evening when you start to lose focus on the drama you’re watching. Something about the male lead seems familiar to you and your mind keeps drifting. 

You settle back into the cushions to get more comfortable and to try and refocus on the show, but the ghost sensation of lips on your throat makes your eyes drift closed. 

Your hand is pushing under the elastic of your sleep shorts before you can even think it through. 

Your mind keeps replaying the image of Mingi pushing his glasses up into his hair and smiling, the way his hands ran over your body and landed firm on your hips. Yunho’s head between your thighs. Both their fingers searching your body, pushing inside you, pulling you apart over and over again. Their hot breath on your throat. Pretty omega, they called you. Something tumbles in your chest, knots build up in your stomach. Your fingers feel good but they pale in comparison to what you had before and you work yourself up and up but nothing quite comes close to the edge of pleasure you’re looking for. 

You’re my best girl. 

You bite back a moan and push two fingers inside yourself. 

You can almost feel their hands on you, their hot kisses, gentle nips of your skin, but you can’t find the feeling of them inside you. You quicken your hand and replay the images faster in your mind. You miss them, you need them, you want them. You come hard and fast with a shudder, your eyes snapping back open. 

There she is. That’s our girl.

“F-fuck,” You breathe to yourself, pulling your hand out of your shorts. Your chest is heaving, a light sheen of sweat over you, and your core throbs like your body wants you to go again. 

“Oh my god,” You breathe, pushing yourself off the bed and stumbling into the bathroom, “what is wrong with you, get a grip,” 

You shake it off, trying to ignore the fact that you just thought about them while you were getting yourself off. It’s just heat, that’s all it ever is with them, that has to be it. Hot alphas will always scramble your brain at a time like this, you just have to listen to yourself and get a grip.

With a sigh you wash your hands, crawl back into bed, and try to just fall asleep and ignore the images still looping in the back of your brain. 

You don’t sleep though, you can’t. 

You toss and you turn, and you ache, but you don’t sleep. 

Around the third hour of trying to soothe your cramps with a heating pad that you decide to say fuck it and ask for help. You have a small window of time to get to wherever you’ll be spending the duration of your heat, and even though you know with your suppressants this won’t be quite as bad as before, your body still wants.

For a second you think about Mingi. You miss his hands, his easy smile, the way he would slowly stroke your back and massage your hips. You miss his scent, his warmth, and his all encompassing comfort. But things have just started to get back to normal at the studio with him and Yunho and you can’t let a moment of heat weakness lead you back. 

You open your phone, flipping through social media in an attempt to distract your mind but before you know it you have Yunho’s contact open and you’re fighting the urge to call, just to hear his voice for a second. 

Your finger hovers over the button, you can hear his voice in your mind. 

Sweetheart, just tell me where you are, I’m coming to get you. 

You can see it. 

But it’s just your heat. No matter how much Wooyoung likes to tease you about having a crush, it’s just this. Biology you can’t control rewiring your brain and telling you that they’re your perfect match. But you don’t believe in perfect matches or scent pairings. You don’t.

A particularly tight cramp ripples through your middle and you clench your fist through the pain, shifting in your bedding once again, sweat building at your brow. 

In a flash of genius and panic, you close Yunho’s contact card and open another. 

The phone rings and rings. 

He’s busy, you’ve probably missed him, and when he offered he was drunk anyways so he probably doesn’t remember but then suddenly the phone clicks and connects and his warm voice fills your ear, “Hey, y/n,” 

“S-Seonghwa,” You sigh, trying to sound as put together as possible, “hey,” 

“Is everything okay?” He checks, and you hear a little background noise and hope to god he’s not still at the studio. 

“Definitely,” You press your eyes closed and bite the inside of your lip to keep from making a tight, stressed sound. 

“Okay…” He waits a moment and then adds, “then what’s going on? You never call,”

The cramp passes and you take a breath, “Sorry, are you busy? I can call later,” 

“No, no,” He says, “I’m just grabbing a drink with Wooyoung and Joong,” 

“Is that y/n?” You hear Wooyoung in the background, “Tell her to come meet us!”

“Woo,” Seonghwa’s voice sounds a little far from the receiver and then he comes back on the line, “If you’re free, you can come meet us? We were just thinking about dinner, Hongjoong has a new project for us, you might be interested,” 

“Oh,” For a second, in the space between your cramps you forget why you called in the first place, “a new song?” 

“Two,” You can practically hear the smile on Seonghwa’s face. 

“Exciting,” You smile. 

“So what do you say,” Seonghwa says, “come out?” 

You would, you wish you could, but you shake your head, “I can’t, I actually… I’ll be out for a couple of days. I submitted the paperwork this morning,” 

“Are you going somewhere?” He asks, not yet picking up on the obvious. 

“Leave,” You smile at his question. 

“Leave,” He repeats, “oh, oh leave!” 

“Say it louder, Seonghwa,” You groan. 

“Is that why you’re calling?” He says, and a little blush creeps into your cheeks at the thought that he’s with other people and talking to you about this like it’s nothing. 

“Kind of,” You admit, “I don’t know, you’re busy I just remembered what you said, but you don’t have to,” 

“How are you now? I’m at least thirty minutes away, is that too long?” 

Warmth blooms in your chest, “I’m fine, honestly, go have dinner,” 

You can practically see him rolling his eyes when he says, “Stop being a martyr. Listen, I’ll call you right back, okay?” 

“Okay,” 

“And don’t worry,” He assures, his voice honeyed and warm, “I will call, I’ll only be a minute,” 

“Okay,” You manage, “thank you, Hwa,” 

He says something more but you miss it with the light commotion in the background, and then the line clicks dead. 

It takes two minutes, but he calls you right back. 

“Hey,” You sigh into the receiver. 

“Can you text Woo your address?” Seonghwa asks first, “We’re grabbing a cab,” 

“Oh,” You flip the phone on speaker and start typing, “okay, yeah, I’m… Seonghwa, are you sure?” 

“Mhm,” He replies, “as long as you are.” 

“Give me the phone,” You hear Wooyoung and immediately laugh. 

“What do you want?” Seonghwa says, clearly not talking to you. 

“Phone,” You hear him say and then after a brief groan, Wooyoung’s voice is in your ear, “Hey, you,” 

“Hey,” Something about him calms you instantly. 

“How far gone are you? Should we pick stuff up on our way or can you come back to my place?” He’s straight and to the point but still gentle, and you’re starting to feel glad that you called them and not anyone else. 

“I’m fine,” You assure him, “I can make it to yours. My roommates are here, I think it would be….” 

“Got it,” He says, “well just rest, we’ll be there soon,” 

Tears well up in your eyes and you sniffle softly, trying to keep it to yourself.

He picks up on the soft sound immediately, “Hey, hey, what’s wrong?” 

You swallow and wipe away the gathering moisture, “Nothing, you’re both just being so nice,” 

“Aw,” He murmurs, “jagiya you’re one of us now, we always take care of each other.” 

“Is she crying?” You hear Seonghwa’s voice raise an octave in the background. 

“She’s good,” Wooyoung brushes it off, “alright, twenty minutes okay, get your stuff, take a deep breath, and I’ll text you when we’re downstairs.” 

“Thanks, Woo,” You manage. 

“Deep breaths,” He reminds, and then he’s gone. 

You must be insane. You must be fully crazy to invite this type of chaos into your life twice with yet another group of men, but something about this feels right. It feels safe and sure, and something about Wooyoung being an omega too is just making all of this feel so much simpler than last time. At least where your heart is concerned. 

It takes you all twenty minutes to get your things together, but you decide to focus on this instead of what all this chaos might mean. You pack a bag of necessities and then change into something loose but more presentable than your sleep clothes. When your phone buzzes again you don’t even look down at it, you just know that it’s Wooyoung arriving right on the dot and you slip out of your apartment as quietly as you can. 

Downstairs a car waits across the street and when Seonghwa emerges to greet you, he rushes forwards to take your bags. Your cheeks light up with blush and you have to take a half, staggering step backwards, already being outside and in the presence of an alpha your subconscious mind is reacting to him. 

“Let me get these,” Seonghwa says, pulling the bags from your hands, and the touch of his warm skin along yours has a shaky breath leaving your lips.

“Thanks,” You murmur, watching him pack them into the trunk of the cab, and then he turns. 

He takes a good look at you and nods, “Yeah, let’s get you to Woo’s,” 

“Is it obvious?” You cup your cheeks. 

“Not too much,” He assures you, extending his hand for you to take, “but let’s not waste time,” 

“Let’s go,” You nod, and he tugs you forwards gently to get you into the car. You settle into the middle seat between Wooyoung and Seonghwa easily. 

“Doing good?” Wooyoung asks you, trying to be subtle in front of the driver. 

“Mhm,” You nod, and you smile when he laces your fingers together and gives you a squeeze. 

Seonghwa gives the next address to the driver and you’re away. 

It’s quiet at first, all you can focus on is the way the miles slowly tick down on the map the driver is using, and you try to breathe through your mouth in the closed car full of competing scents but it’s nearly impossible. Seonghwa’s scent envelops you easily, especially in the closed air circulation of the car. Warm, like freshly brewed coffee. You close your eyes as a cramp passes through you and you try not to think of him even though his leg keeps bumping into yours every time the car takes a turn. 

The automated sound of a window breaks your concentration and you glance to your side. Seonghwa isn’t looking at you, but he’s cracked the back window a couple of inches, and the pulse of clean air leaves you able to take a shaky inhale and exhale. Wooyoung squeezes your hand again. 

The mileage counter keeps clicking down. Seonghwa’s scent stays present in your mind despite the fresh air. Your stomach tightens. The car takes a particularly curving turn and your body is pressed against Seonghwa’s from knee to shoulder and you squeeze Wooyoung’s hand back instead of letting the whine in your throat bubble out. 

Your stomach clenches again, and then you feel it. A rush of slick as your body prepares, a flushing flood of hot warmth rolling up your body and through your cheeks. Seonghwa’s arm crosses over you like a seatbelt and he closes his hand over your left thigh, his thumb drawing slow circles to keep you steady and protect you from anyone noticing. 

You let yourself glance up at him once more, but he’s still focused out the window, doing his best to comfort you without drawing an ounce of attention. 

“Out front?” The driver asks suddenly, and you realize the building ahead across the intersection must be theirs. 

“That’s perfect,” Seonghwa replies smoothly, “thank you.” 

The minute it takes to cross the intersection feels never ending, and then suddenly things start moving at two-times speed. As the heat cramps increase, Seonghwa’s arm is around your waist and Wooyoung is left hauling your stuff up into the elevator. They get you inside smoothly and as the doors close, Seonghwa lets out a sigh of relief. 

“I thought I was going to have to fight every alpha in the lobby,” Seonghwa laughs as the elevator begins to climb, “are you sure you’re on suppressants?” 

You can’t help but elbow him slightly in the ribs, “Yes,” 

“I’m kidding,” He squeezes you, “you just smell like an extremely edible cake,” 

“Mm,” You murmur as a small cramp passes, “well, you know, this is why I’m on the strong stuff,” 

The elevator doors open and Wooyoung steps out before you, glancing to either side down the apartment hallway before beckoning you both forwards. He gets out his keys and glances over his shoulder at you both, “Which?” 

You tell him the brand as you lean harder on Seonghwa who hushes you softly with a comforting squeeze. 

“Ah,” Wooyoung nods, “no wonder,” 

You open your mouth to ask him what he means by that, but he’s too busy pushing open the door to his apartment and opening it up for you both to slip inside. 

His place is overwhelmingly simple and clean, utilitarian with dark black furniture and gray moody accents, but it suits him. He drops his keys off on the kitchen island and beckons you inside, “Come on in, get comfortable,” 

Seonghwa steers you to the couch and settles you down on the middle cushion, “So, where are we at?” 

Settled onto the couch now, you honestly feel fine. Your back hurts a little, and your joints are a little stiff, but the aching, pulsing pain you felt back at your apartment has mostly dissipated, “I think I’m fine,” 

“Yeah?” 

“I mean,” You cross your legs, your hands itching to wrap a cozy blanket around yourself but finding none, “off meds I was practically feral, this is…. manageable,” 

“Manageable is good,” Seonghwa smiles. 

Wooyoung settles his hand over your yours, soothing your little trembles and then he dips his head to catch your eyes, “I have a room all set up,” 

“You do?” Your eyes widen. 

“Mm,” He tangles your fingers together again and gives you a squeeze, “I used to have a roommate but when he moved out I just converted the second bedroom,” 

“Oh,” You breathe, and you can’t imagine the expense to maintain an apartment large enough to have your very own heat sanctuary, but you dream of the day you get to. 

“Let’s go relax in there,” Wooyoung nods, “maybe you’ll like it and get a little sleep,” 

“Should we talk?” You glance up at Seonghwa. 

“We will,” Seonghwa assures you as he shrugs off his blazer, “but go get comfortable, I’ll start setting up,” 

“Setting up?” You ask, confusion evident in your voice. 

“Ah,” Wooyoung bumps you with his shoulder, “our Seonghwa takes his caretaker responsibilities very seriously,” 

“You’ll want for nothing here, jagiya,” Seonghwa smiles and takes a slight bow, “Wooyoungie is the most pampered omega in Seoul, it will be nice to take care of someone less bratty for a change,” 

You laugh sharply and cover your mouth with your hand, “What have I gotten myself into?” 

“A fun weekend,” Seonghwa smiles, “now relax, let Woo show you the place.” 

Already this feels less stressful than before, and maybe that’s the level of your heat or maybe it’s them, but it feels easy. Wooyoung pulls you up and watches you carefully as you stand to make sure you’re feeling well, and then he guides you down the hall. 

Wooyoung’s nesting room is exactly what you’ve been looking for. The bed in this room isn’t necessarily large, but what it is, is covered in blankets and plush pillows. The second bedroom of his apartment has been so smoothly converted into an office and omega haven that you almost wish you had been here for your last, harder heat. 

“Okay,” Wooyoung walks you in, “there’s a robe on the back of the door you can use, the mini fridge is pretty stocked, and on that shelf by the bed there’s lozenges, wipes, towels, you name it.” 

“Oh my God,” You breathe, scanning over everything as he gestures. 

“And over in that bedside table,” He points out the single nightstand, “there’s pretty much any toy you’ll need.” 

“Oh,” You blush. 

“Hwa and I will be here, of course,” He assures you, “but I like a little extra something,” 

“Right,” You smile, “of course you do,” 

A gentle knock on the door behind you brings you out of your focus, studying every inch of his perfect heat sanctuary and you turn to see Seonghwa leaning against the door frame. 

“How are you feeling?” He asks gently. 

“Like myself,” You tell him honestly, “it’s starting, but it doesn’t feel too bad.” 

“Mm,” He nods, “it probably won’t be quite as bad as last time, but I’m certainly here for whatever you need,” 

“Thank you, Hwa,” You smile, “I can’t thank you enough,” 

His eyes light up with warmth and then he looks over you both, “This is nice,” he comments, “the two of you in here,” 

“Don’t get ahead of yourself,” Wooyoung laughs as he leans against the desk, “no one’s ready for your knot yet,” 

A throb pulses through you, but blissfully no one notices. 

“I just think it’s nice,” He shrugs, “two pretty omegas,”

You blush. 

“Oh,” Seonghwa smiles as he notices your pink cheeks, “you liked that,” 

“Hwa,” You protest weakly. 

“Ignore him,” Wooyoung cuts in front of you and leads you back to the bed, “get cozy, you’ll love this.” 

He all but puts you in the bed himself, but in minutes you’re relaxed against the cushions, under cooling sheets and downy comforters. Seonghwa waits in the doorway while you get settled, but once you are he smiles and crosses the room to sit on the edge of the bed. 

“You’re feeling alright?” He asks, reaching for your hand. 

“So far,” You nod, “and this bed is wildly comfortable,” 

“Good,” Seonghwa’s fingers smooth over your wrist, slowly stroking your gland and easing you further, “I’m going to go fix you both something for dinner, and if you need anything in the meantime Wooyoung will be right here,” 

“Okay,” You breathe. 

“I’m going to give Sannie a ring too,” His voice evens out in his chest, low and warm and tender to keep you melting into the bed under you, “is it okay if I tell him you’re here?” 

“Sure,” 

“Alright then,” He smiles, “just relax,” 

“Feeling pretty relaxed,” You tell him. 

The sound of your phone vibrating on Wooyoung’s desk draws your eyes, but you focus back on Seonghwa when he says, “I’m sure we can relax you more, don’t worry.” 

“You’re forward,” You nudge his thigh. 

“And you called me for sex,” He shrugs, “who’s forward now?” 

Wooyoung laughs sharply and claps his hands, “This weekend is going to be very fun,” 

Your phone buzzes again, then again, and your brows draw together as you look towards it, “Could you,” 

Seonghwa doesn’t let you finish your sentence, he crosses the room quickly and then passes your phone over to you, “I’ll be back in a little while, okay?” 

“Thank you,” 

He nods with a warm expression, and then leaves you and Wooyoung be inside this little cocoon. 

“Glad you called?” Wooyoung grins, cheeky and teasing.

  “Mm,” You sink deeper into the pillows behind you, “I might have to move in, just for this bed,” 

His nose crinkles, “We’ve got to update your space, you should have somewhere like this too,” 

“I’d like that,” You sigh, “someday,” 

Your phone buzzes again. 

“Soon,” Wooyoung dismisses, “until then you can always come here,” 

“Well, that’s really nice of you, but,” You tear your eyes away from him to finally illuminate the screen of your phone and your words die on your lips when you see the messages. 

Yunho’s name on your screen makes your breath quicken and you open the chat. 

hey I got your paperwork. of course it’s fine, but would you please let me know you’re somewhere safe? 

I probably shouldn’t have asked that. 

I just want to make sure you made it home safely, that’s all. If you need help getting home, you know I’m only a phone call away. 

Just… please let me know. 

“y/n?” Wooyoung’s voice breaks through your buzzing brain as you read Yunho’s messages over and over. 

“What?” You manage, glancing up for the briefest second to catch his worried expression. 

“What’s going on?” He asks softly. 

“Um,” You murmur, but then your phone buzzes in your hand again, this time not a message from Yunho at all. 

He’s freaking out a little bit, but I told him you’re probably already home and sleeping. 

Which you are, right? 

The two texts from Mingi hang in front of you and a tense feeling knots up in your throat. 

“Hey,” Wooyoung interrupts again, pushing his way into the bed beside you without preamble and sidling up to your side, “are you crying?”

“No,” You shake your head, “sorry, I just,”

He waits, holding your gaze with his warm brown eyes and attentive nods, and before you know it you’re letting the phone fall into his hands. 

He reads the texts quietly, and then hums, “They’re worried,”

“I know,” Your voice is small. 

“Do you want to respond?” He asks. 

“I don’t know,” You confess honestly. 

“You don’t owe them anything,” He murmurs quietly, locking your phone and setting it to the side so he can turn to you, “I know I keep teasing you about it, but if you wanted to be with them you would have called them. You know how you feel, not me,” 

He smooths your hair back and cups your cheek, gathering you a little closer under the covers. You take a deep, shaky breath, and the sudden scent of him all around you feels like a blanket. Fresh linen and summer salt, like falling into bed after a long day in the sun on the beach. His skin is warm against yours and familiar. 

“Do you really think that?” You ask.

“Mhm,” He all but whispers, “and either way, you don’t owe them a response right now. You owe yourself rest,” 

“Yeah,” 

He gives you a minute, and then rubs his thumb over your cheek, “You want to watch something dumb? Maybe fall asleep on me?” 

You nod, lips locking tight as your throat stays tense. You feel like if you talk about anything else you might start crying, so you let him pull you closer and grab the remote for the TV mounted on the far wall. He doesn’t ask you what you want to watch, he doesn’t push you any further, he knows you need him to just take care of things before you crumble and text them back. 

He selects something funny without putting too much thought into it, and wraps his arm around you as you settle your cheek onto his chest. This was what you were missing so much the last time you went through heat, the steadying comfort of another omega. Your fluttering nerves fall away, and his scent makes you feel warm and your eyes heavy. 

“Woo,” You murmur into his shirt. 

“Yeah?” 

“You’re the best friend I’ve ever had,” You confess. 

He sighs, fingers finding yours under the comforter, “And you’re mine,” 

You snuggle into him a little more, fingertips brushing the warm hollow of his throat and your heart slowing to a steady, easy rhythm to pump in time with his. Distantly as you fall into sleep, you feel the buzz of your phone again somewhere halfway across the mattress, but this time you don’t even open your eyes. 

Wooyoung silences it when it buzzes again, his words soft against your hair when he says, “It’ll all wait until tomorrow, babe, you just rest easy,” 

You nod, a yawn taking over you and he chuckles.

“Just sleep,” He murmurs softly, and you do, their messages left unanswered. 

[uptondixon]

Upstead Foster Daughter

Did you ever wonder how Upstead would be as foster parents for a teenage girl? Like Hank and Erin, Hailey and Jay welcomed Olivia to their home when she was 16. Olivia holds a lot of grudges and is full of mischief, but she is also incredibly sweet and has a tremendous need to feel like she belongs. To her surprise, Hailey and Jay will give her exactly that.

Masterlist

Word count: 2k-ish

[Chapter III] “What if I'm far from home?”

Jay recovers well and three months later Olivia finds herself face to face with him and Hailey again.

“Hailey,” Jay’s rough voice woke Hailey from a light sleep on the chair next to Jay’s hospital bed. 

“Jay!” she got up and held one of his hands between hers, leaving a chaste kiss on it. 

“Hi, my love,” Jay smiled, the effort to do so appearing bigger than it should be. 

Hailey smiled back, “How are you feeling?”

He made a face and tried to change his position on the bed, a huff leaving his lips, “Everything hurts.”

“I’ll call the nurse.”

“No, wait,” Jay grabbed her hand. “Let us be for a while, it doesn’t hurt that much.”

Hailey stared at her stubborn husband. She knew he hated hospitals, and he also wasn’t known for admitting his pain, but she let him be for now.

“What happened?” Jay asked. “I mean, with my CI and the case?”

“What about hearing about yourself first, huh? The surgery was a success, but the doctor said you must take it easy for a while otherwise it won’t heal properly. You scared me, Jay. I can’t see you in this situation again.”

“I’m sorry, I should’ve waited for you. You’re my partner, we do this kind of stuff together.”

“I should’ve insisted on going with you. Maybe if you had backup…”

“You can’t know that for sure, Hailey. If anything, you could be in my place right now so I’m happy I was alone.”

“Jay…”

“Let’s leave the what-ifs behind, okay? I’m here and I’m not going anywhere,” he was the one to kiss her hand this time. “I love you.”

“I love you too, always.”

Jay smiled, “Where’s my kiss? Or do I have a bad breath? I don’t know how long I was out.”

Hailey laughed, kissing her husband’s lips softly. “It’s been a day and a half.”

“Wait!” Jay said. “What about the girl who helped me? Olivia. Is she okay?”

“She is, it’s a long story though. We found out she had run away from her foster family.”

“Why?” Jay asked with a frown.

“I don’t know, we talked with her social worker but nothing was wrong, it seemed like a teenager thing.”

“Really? You guys went there to check?”

“We did, Kev and I talked with her foster mom. She seemed good, and the social worker confirmed that.”

“Well,” Jay rearranged himself on the bed again. “Hopefully she will be okay. We can keep an eye on her just in case.”

“I exchanged numbers with her social worker. Told her to call me if anything happened.” 

“Of course you did,” he smiled, but then his expression became more serious. “If it wasn’t for her… I don’t even know Hailey.”

“Yeah, I was terrified hearing from another person that you were shot, but I was happy you weren’t alone.” 

“Me too, I still remember her eyes staring at me in a panic. She must have been so scared, Hailey. But she still did everything I told her to.”

“She was a little shaken up afterward, Kim and Kev said she barely said a word to them. But she was brave.” 

“Oh, about the case,” Hailey started. “It was closed rather quickly, I’m sure Platt and Voight pulled some strings,” she laughed lightly and so did Jay.

“The team found out your CI was still working for his old gang, when you called him asking for info on our case he told them and they sent someone after you.”

“Son of a bitch,” Jay said.

“Both your CI and the guy who shot you were arrested."

Jay looked like he wanted to ask a million questions but Hailey spoke before he had the chance, "But now I just wish to never think about this again, can we do that?”

Jay nodded, “You don’t have to, I promise this was the last bullet to my count,” he said with a smile.

“It better be, Halstead!”

⭑*•⊱ 3 months later ⊰•*⭑

Hailey's phone has been ringing for the past 5 minutes, her ringtone waking Jay up. Hailey came running out of the bathroom wrapped in a towel, her long hair dripping water everywhere. Jay smiled lazily at the sight.

“I'm sorry Jay, I forgot to turn it off. I came in so desperate for a shower.”

It was around 1 am when she arrived home from an extra shift. There was a situation in a women’s shelter and she and Kim decided to go and lend a hand. 

Hailey did a double take at her phone when she saw the name ‘Martha’, she was Olivia's social worker. 

Jay noticed her shock and said, “You're good? Who is it?”

“It's Olivia's social worker,” she said while picking up the call. Jay sat up, all the traces of sleep suddenly vanishing from his brain. Something bad must have happened for her to call at this hour.

“Martha? Hi, yes I can talk. What's going on? Is Olivia okay?” Hailey said. She felt Jay's presence by her side. 

“Of course, no, don't worry about that it's not a bother at all. I'm glad you called, my husband and I are going right now, bye.” She hung up the phone and turned to Jay.

“What happened? Is she okay?” Jay asked straight away.

“She ran away again.”

2:00 am on a Wednesday, in Chicago. Jay is doing the best he can to avoid thinking about all the possible scenarios that could happen to a 15-year-old girl alone at night. He and Hailey drove around Olivia's foster family neighborhood, checking places she could have run to. No sign of her. After checking all the places the family said she likes to go, Hailey and Jay started to think further.

“Maybe we should call patrol to help out on the search? Call in the team?” Jay said, already sounding way more stressed than he intended to. He knew she wasn't missing long enough to follow all the missing person's protocol, it's been 3 hours. One of the kids that shared a room with Olivia woke up to drink a glass of water and didn't find her on the bed and her clothes were gone from the closet. However, Jay can't help but think the worst. A lot of things can happen in 3 hours, right? 

“Let's check the nearest bus and train stations, if she's not there then we'll see what we can do at the station,” Hailey said, her tone filled with worry.

They got nothing from the bus station, it was almost empty and no one saw a girl walking around alone. But their luck changed at the train station. They noticed her from a distance, sitting down on a bench, a backpack by her side. She was waiting for the train that would come at any minute now. Hailey and Jay looked at each other with relief, moving in the direction of the girl. 

“Olivia,” her head spun toward the feminine voice.

“Hailey? Jay?” Olivia stood up, putting her bag on her shoulders.

Jay immediately tensed up, afraid she might run from them. 

“Olivia we just wanna help, okay?” Hailey said with a small smile. “Come and talk to us.”

Jay watched in silence, hesitant to say anything that could scare the girl away. 

Hailey continued, “Please, Olivia? Whatever you're thinking, it's no good being alone in Chicago at night, we know you know that.” 

Of course, she knew. Olivia was scared, she didn't want to run away in the middle of the night, but it was the best time to do this so she had to gather the courage and go. Always looking over her shoulder the whole way.

“We're taking you to the station,” Jay spoke for the first time, “You're not in trouble, but we can talk there, you can tell us what's going on. How does that sound?” 

Hailey nodded in affirmation to Jay's words.

“Fine,” was all Olivia said. She followed them to the car quietly. The train arrived when they left. If they had got there 5 minutes later, Jay thought. 5 damn minutes and she would be gone.

Olivia did not say a single word on the way to the station. Hailey and Jay tried every possible topic of conversation they could think of but it was useless. She shut herself completely. Hailey was the one driving and after giving up the small talk, she and Jay were exchanging worried looks in silence. Jay, especially, was in a lot of thought. Of course Olivia shut them out, she did not know them. Between that day at the alley when they first met, Jay being in the hospital and Olivia being sent back to her foster family, neither he nor Hailey had a real conversation with her. Jay realized that he didn’t even thank her. 

“I never thanked you for saving my life, Olivia,” Jay said after a long silence.

“It was nothing,” Olivia answered in a low voice.

Jay looked at Hailey in surprise, he was not expecting an answer at all. “What do you mean it was nothing, I could have bled out if you hadn't called my team,” Jay looked at her over his shoulder. “Thank you.”  

It was around 3 am when they got to the district. The three of them went over to the Intelligence break room to talk. 

Olivia sat at the small table close to the window. “Are you hungry? Thirsty?” Jay asked.

“No,” Olivia mumbled without looking at him.

“I’m just gonna go straight to the point Olivia,” Hailey said, pulling a chair and sitting in front of the girl. “What’s happening with your foster home? Why are you running away?”

“You don’t get it,” Olivia said, still not looking at them.

“Then make us understand,” Hailey said calmly. She looked at Jay silently asking for help, he came and sat beside Hailey.

“We just wanna help you, but we can’t do that if you don’t open up to us,” Hailey tried again. Olivia looked up, looking between them both.

“You don’t know us and we don’t know you,” Jay started. “But we want to get to know you, we want to help you.”

“Why?” Olivia asked.

“Why wouldn’t we?” Hailey answered. “You’re a good kid, you deserve to be happy. If your current foster home is not giving you that then we need to know.”

Olivia thought for a moment. She never expected to see Hailey and Jay again, let alone have this conversation. They were nice to her and she knew they were grateful for what she did for Jay. They probably think they owe her something and that’s why they’re doing this. Whatever the reason, maybe they can help her.

“Fine,” Olivia said looking at the pair. “There is nothing wrong with the foster family.”

Hailey and Jay stared at her in confusion. They did not believe she was running away for the sake of it, it made no sense.

“They feed me, they are nice to me, they give me fresh clothes and a warm bed,” Olivia said. “But that’s all it is.”

“What do you mean?” Hailey asked. 

Olivia took a deep breath before saying, “I’m just another kid to them. They’re good people and everything but that is not my home. I feel like an intruder there. I know I should be grateful, a lot of kids are not this lucky when it comes to foster homes, but I can’t help feeling like this. So I made a plan.”

“A plan?” Hailey asked.

“Yeah, I planned to leave Chicago and the foster system behind. I would miss Chicago but at least I was going to be my own family.”

Hailey and Jay looked at each other in realization. So that's why she was running? She just wanted to belong. 

“I know the system's not perfect Olivia, but running is not the solution,” Jay said calmly. “How would you live? And the people who know you? They would be worried as hell.”

“We would be worried as hell,” Hailey said. 

Jay nodded, “We would be the first ones looking for you out there.” Olivia smiled softly at that.

“Will you let us help?” Hailey asked.

“Mm-hmm, okay.” Olivia honestly had no idea how they could help, but it was worth a try, wasn’t it?

Here we go! How you guys like this chapter? Thank you again for all the love on the previous chapters!