#right now me problem is learning what the fuck do I even do with pandas

[aesthetic-uni]

Me when I manage to bypass the obstacles the interface has placed on me and finally gain access to the forbidden texts

(I wasn’t able to install pandas and it took me an hours and multiple YouTube videos to find the problem and just change one property)

[bullet-prooflove]

"And I’ll dream each night of some version of you That I might not have, but I did not lose" with Stuart Scola, pretty please??

Tagging: @trublu2u @burningpeachpuppy @district447 @stelacole @kmc1989

Little Changes - Stuart notices when you start to make little changes.

The Last Time - You and Stuart face a problem regarding your wish to start a family.

Fresh - You decide you need to start fresh.

Seduction (NSFW) - You decide to seduce Stuart.

Stuart still dreams about you being a mom. He thinks about it everytime you’re in the vicinity of a child, picking up a fallen toy or stopping one from running out into the road. You’d be the fun parent, the creative one.

For you that dream has died, you’ve buried it, grieved for it…

“I’ve accepted it,” You tell him your first day returning to the field in two years.  “There’s no point in keeping my life on hold for something that’s never going to happen.”

The whole thing wrenches at his chest because he knows that having a family is still within your reach, that you still have options but you won’t even consider them.

“Surrogates change their minds, adoptions fall through.” You tell him when he tries to discuss it with you one morning over breakfast. “I can’t face that level of uncertainty.”

He can tell the conversation is over because you get up and head upstairs to take a shower.

The thing is, you may have moved on but Stuart hasn’t. He hasn’t told you that he still keeps a tiny stuffed panda in the top drawer of his desk at work, he bought it the first time you took a pregnancy test because he was so sure it would take. He takes it out when he’s alone sometimes, runs his fingers through it’s fur.

That’s what he’s doing when Jubal escorts the social worker to his desk, the one that’s apparently been trying to track him down over the last few days.

“I don’t understand, I’m not working any cases with kids.” He says as he tucks the panda back in the drawer and closes it.

“This is more of a private matter.” She tells him.

It’s in the conference room he learns he has son. A  three year old called Jack.

Back when you broke off the engagement to go undercover Stuart fell into old habits, drinking, fucking. One of the people he did that with was Nina Chase…

Nina Chase who had recently been killed in action during a raid on fentanyl lab.

Nina Chase who he had apparently gotten pregnant after a one night stand and had neglected to mention that the last time they ran into each other on case.

“Are you sure?” He asks the social worker because right now his head feels like it’s going to explode and he has no idea how the hell he’s supposed to feel.

“You’re listed on the birth certificate and in her will.” The social worker confirms as she removes the documentation from her satchel and pushes it across the desk towards him. He flicks through it, studying the details intently. It’s when he sees a picture of Jack that something just clicks, the kid has his eyes, the exact same shade of blue.

It’s the letter that comes with the will that confirms what he’d already guessed. The two of them had hooked up a month before you walked back into his life. By the time she found out she was pregnant you were back together, engaged again. She hadn’t wanted to fuck that up.

He’s waiting for you in the kitchen when you get home, a glass of whiskey in his hand and the documentation in front of him.  

“I know that face.” You say as you set your bag down on the kitchen counter. “That’s the ‘you’ve done something I’m not going to be happy with’ face.”

You come to stand in front of him, your hands resting on your hips and his heart pounds in his chest because this, this is going to upend your entire world and truthfully he doesn’t know where you’re going to land.

What he does know is, he’s going to raise his child, with you or without you.

“Sasha.” He says softly as he pushes the file towards you. “We need to talk.”

Stuart? Don’t miss any of his stories by joining the taglist here.

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Like My Work? - Why Not Buy Me A Coffee

[grlwtskulltattoo]

GET TO KNOW YOUR MUTUALS

Thank you @ladyaldhelm for the tag!

What's the origin of your blog title? It’s really quite simple, I’m a girl and I have a large skull tattooed on my left upper arm. As well as a couple of other skulls and a skeleton torso.

OTP(s) + Shipname: Finan x Revna OFC, and Finan X Uhtred …. But I also write a lot of Uhtred x Sihtric Haven’t really thought of shipnames, maybe Finna, Uhtric, Finred…. Haha  

Favorite color: Hands down, purple. Preferably darker shades of purple. Love purple so much that I have a purple car. Plum Crazy Purple…oh and I love black, as evidenced by the color of my wardrobe.

Favorite game: Don’t laugh, but I loved Farmville when it was a thing. That is until my farm got repossessed for hacking the game. More recently I’ve been obsessed with Disney Dreamlight Valley, again, don’t laugh. The level of excitement I felt when they added Jack Skellington…ahh. I also enjoyed Hogwarts Legacy, The Last of Us and Days Gone.

Song stuck in your head: Right now, it would have to be Under Your Scars by Godsmack. Second verse really hitting hard, for some events coming up in the Rp…if you know, you know..

Weirdest habit/trait? Uh, does driving around with a skeleton in my car count? I’m just generally weird, and I don’t really care what anyone else thinks. Maybe my need for routines and being particular about how certain things are done is my weird habit/trait.

Hobbies: Writing, reading, painting and drawing, some crafts. Was obsessed with cross stitch for a little while and dabbled in diamond art for a bit. I just like making or repurposing things. Oh and I love riding UTVs or ATVs up in the mountains.

If you work, what's your profession? I am a Customer Service Rep for a group of banks in the west. Not a big fan of it. I hate talking on the phone, especially to random strangers, and I take a job where that’s all I do all day. But it pays pretty decent and I get to work from home so that is cool.

If you could have any job you wish, what would it be? I would love to be an author and just write all the time. Only problem with that is I mainly write fan fiction, but who knows maybe one of these days I’ll create my own world/characters. Also wouldn’t mind doing art. Thought about blogging, actually tried it, but kind of felt it’s already so overdone.

Something you're good at: Avoiding drama…oh wait maybe not. Uh…learning new skills. I’d like to think I’m good at writing, but I’m still learning. Plants die in my care, so maybe not that. Cooking…I’m good at cooking.

Something you're bad at: Keeping in touch. 

Something you love: Halloween, skulls and skeletons, my kids, and my dogs. Even though Zeus can be an asshole… and don't get me started on Athena...

Something you could talk about for hours off the cuff: Plotting out story ideas, The Last Kingdom, Cooking, Crafts, my dogs.

Something you hate: When people say they are going to do something then they don’t. Don’t get my hopes up for nothing. Looking at you brother… Hate being late, or when other people show up late. If you tell me your going to be here at a certain time, then make sure you get here at that time, or fuck off. Rude or hateful people. Oh and people that don’t pick up after themselves. Damn, I’ve become an ornery old lady…haha

Something you collect: Main thing - Skulls and skeletons. My house is tastefully decorated year round for Halloween….I just add more when the holiday comes around. I call it cottage core goth/or farmhouse goth. Haha. I collect an excessive amount of craft supplies that I may or may not ever use.

Something you forget: Names, sometimes it takes me a minute to get them down. What I need to add to my grocery list.

What's your love language? Doing things together, touch, expressions of love.

Favorite movie/show: Movie:The Crow; TV show:The Last Kingdom, Sons of Anarchy

Favorite food: Honey Walnut Shrimp from Panda Express, or a ribeye steak from Texas Roadhouse

Favorite animal: Wolf, which is why I have two hybrids living with me. But I also love Crows and Ravens. 

What were you like as a child? I was quiet and shy, until I got to know someone. Tended to keep to myself. Didn’t have a good home life, so I only had a few friends I trusted. I was also funny…I mean I still kind of am, along with being sarcastic and a smart ass.

Favourite subject at school? Art, history, and English

Least favourite subject: Anything involving math. Wasn’t great with the sciences either.

What's your best character trait? Empathetic, loyal

What's your worst character trait? I can be very stubborn, and I hold a grudge like nobody’s business. My don’t give a fuck attitude, and sarcasm… lots of sarcasm. 

If you could change any detail of your life right now, what would it be? Honestly, to not have to work, so I could spend more time doing the things I love….but it is what it is. 

If you could travel in time, who would you like to meet? This might be completely in left field, but Billy the Kid. I was a little obsessed with him when I was younger, and I love the old west. Quite frankly I love any period in the way back past… Vikings, Old English, cowboys and Native Americans. I always felt like I was born in the wrong time, or maybe it’s just me remembering past lives….hmm.

And, anyone else who wants to do this, consider yourself tagged.

[raccoon-eyed-rebel]

Actually...

I take it back. The absolute worst thing that's come out of this is the anon message I know I didn't just fucking get. Someone tell me I'm fucking hallucinating.

I'm gonna put this under a cut because if you woke up in a good mood this morning, or are not feeling this type of negativity then I respect that and I applaud you for protecting your peace.

But I need to vent.

Imma put a few fun little panda GIFs here and wait for you to truly decide if you don't want to use that back-button right about now.

"Fuck this blonde bitch I hope she lose that bastard and dies in the process".

That's the message I got. I didn't want to answer it directly because I really want to give people the opportunity to avoid the whole discourse if they want to, and answering directly would have a) thrown it in everyone's face, and b) probably would have just invited anon to come at me again, and honey, I ain't got the time.

Anon is blocked, of course, and I thought that would be enough but every time I think about this — and I can't stop thinking about it — I get more and more excruciatingly fucking ANGRY to the point where it physically hurts me, so I need to get this off my chest.

It takes a special kind of human garbage to type shit like that. And I swear to god that if I had any kind of money, I would invite you and your sorry ass to come off anon and I would immediately offer to pay for the therapy that you clearly desperately need.

What in the ever loving fucking fuck could ever prompt a person to wish death on not just a woman they've never even fucking met — regardless of whether you 'like' her or not, just take two seconds to breathe in, hold, and out again, bend your knees, get all the way down to the fucking floor and pick up what I'm about to put down: YOU DON'T KNOW HER. Alright. Got that? Good. — so not just a woman you've never met, but her and her unborn baby?

(Also... "bastard"? Really? Like... Meaning "child born to unwed parents"? Because a) so what? Children are born 'out of wedlock' every single day and it's literally not a problem, so there's that. And also b) they may actually be married and just haven't told anyone. And I can tell you it's because of people who would have responded exactly the way you just fucking did. So...)

Like, if you care so deeply about this entire situation that you feel the inexplicable and uncontrollable need to harass people on anon about it, I'm gonna suppose you consider yourself a fan of Henry, right?

I say 'consider yourself' instead of 'are' because I'm of an entirely different opinion. Because how, if you're a fan of anyone, could you possibly wish death (or any other kind of harm) on the two people that man loves most in the world. Because that's what that is. That's what you're doing.

I know people who have lost a spouse. I know people who have lost a baby. And although I'm not going to stand (sit) here and pretend to know what that feels like, I'm pretty confident saying this:

That is irreparable damage.

Damage you will learn to live with. Pain that you will carry with you for the rest of your life.

That's what you're wishing on a man you supposedly care about. Someone you care so much about, in fact, that you took time out of your no doubt not all too busy schedule to harrass other people saying this completely despicable shit, ruining days (congratulations, you managed that, at least. It's an accomplishment, I guess).

I'm fucking depressed right now. Not because of this, and not because of you, don't worry. This was a preexisting condition. All I wanna say is that, in addition to sorting out all of those feelings I'm having by myself, about myself, and about my own life, I really don't need to deal with the pile of human garbage that is your fucking psycho ass, anon.

Get help.

Or at the very least fucking 'suffer' in silence.

[tojisun]

dance with me

— a valentine’s fic

synopsis: that "hi i need a plus one for this party and i was hoping it'd be you' fic

cw: no curses au, fem reader, soft toji, satosugu & shokohime appearances, legal age gap, (attempt at) fluff, baby gumi <3, dabbling into rich people doing rich people things // wc: 4.2k

an: happy valentine's babes! have fun and hope all like this <33

“No,” Toji says, turning away from you and busying himself with fixing up a dinner for himself and his son—you know, the five year old toddler who is watching CoComelon in the other room right now.

You groan, slumping down on the stool and resting your head on the island table. “But I was dared to,” you tell him, your whines muffled by the marble tabletop. Toji just grunts, his voice lost to the sounds of clattering plates and clanking silverware. You distinctly remember Megumi asking for his panda-designed chopsticks and your heart melts a bit.

“And it’s still not my problem,” Toji quips. You look up, still resting your chin on the table as you watch him make another plate. You realize it is for you and your heart melts for another time. “Why’re you even hellbent on winning the stupid dare? Last I checked, you always did the punishments when the fuckers ask too much from you.”

You groan again because he’s fucking right. Every time Satoru or Suguru demand too much risque stuff from you (“Kiss Shoko.”; “Break into Yaga-san’s office and try stealing your student file.”; “Fight Sukuna- okay fine, just Mahito, then.”), you usually backed out and ran around doing whatever petty penalty they had in store for you. Satoru even called you boring for not completing a single dangerous dare.

But you just cannot back out this time, it seems. Not when Satoru pulled that shit on you.

“I can’t,” you say, running your palms on your face as if to wipe away the futility of your predicament. “Satoru told me the punishment this time and I know I can’t do it.”

Toji hums, turning off the stove and facing you. “Why, what’s it this time?”

You swallow, looking away. “...thousand yen.”

“What?”

“…I have to pay Satoru fifty thousand yen.”

A pause. “Wait, what the fuck?”

You nod, bumping your forehead on his table again, a pained moan scratching at your throat. “I know!” You whine, stretching out your words.

You hear him shuffle close to you, settling on the empty stool by your side. You peer at him when you feel his warm hand rest on your shoulder, coaxing you to look at him. Toji’s face is pinched, worry and surprise are meshed together, tied by awkwardness as if he doesn’t know if he should comfort you or not. You laugh.

He rolls his eyes. “Why do you owe him that much, anyway?”

You blink, wanting to look away again but Toji is pinning you with that look and you know you wouldn’t have another chance to explain because Megumi would soon be crying for dinner. You cough, clearing your throat. “Well,” you begin, “He has some blackmail material on me and if I don’t want that secret to be aired out, I could either pay up or complete the dare.”

Toji just rolls his eyes again. “You really allowed him to have some shit over you?”

You shrug. “He found it out by accident.”

(You think back about that time in your fourth year in university, stumbling out of your dorm room only to see Satoru gaping at something on you and Shoko’s kitchen table. You remember being hungover, pounding head only focused on grabbing a glass of water to abate the rising nausea. You didn’t even question why Satoru was in your dorm or if Shoko made it back after leaving the party with her girlfriend. It was only when you plopped beside Satoru and he gestured at the scattering of papers in his hand that you learned what he was so shocked about.

“You submitted an article about your attraction to a widower?” Satoru asked, blue eyes bulged out as he pointed at your prose outline, the one that you wrote with Toji in mind.

“Uh,” you answered unintelligently, not knowing how to explain that yes, you submitted the Toji-inspired paper and won an award which led to said paper being published in the university’s journal. Or that yes, the article was about your yearning for Toji, your then-employer and the father of the boy you used to babysit.

“What the hell,” Satoru wheezed out as if he got what you were struggling to say before his beautiful and punchable face broke out into a shit-eating grin. “Damn, babe.”

At that moment, you knew that Satoru would dangle this over your head. And that despite his promises of not telling anyone, except Suguru because there is not one universe where those two do not share everything between each other, you still knew that he would hold this information over your head along with a request that he knows you would not be able to reject.

You just didn’t expect it to be used for a single dare.)

“So let me get this straight,” Toji begins, breaking you from your reminiscing. “You have to bring a plus one to this function or else Gojo would ask you to pay him fifty thousand yen?”

You nod.

He pauses. “Does it have to be me?”

Technically no, you think because it really didn’t have to be him. But this is a once-in-a-lifetime chance that your menace of a best friend presented to you so yeah, it has to be Toji.

“Yes,” you whisper, willing your heart to calm down lest Toji catches onto your lie. “Unless you expect me to pay then never mind.”

Toji laughs, genuine and joyous, throwing his head back in elation. You feel yourself smile.

When his laughter trickles off and the oven beeps, signalling their cooked dinner, Toji shoots you a wide grin. “Fuck it, sure, lemme be your plus one.”

You celebrate, jumping off your seat and launching yourself into his arms. “I don’t have to be broke!” You scream and Toji laughs again, loud and booming. You giggle along, trying your very best to quiet down your heart because fuck, it feels like any moment now it would jump out to your throat and wedge itself with Toji’s.

You shadow Toji as he serves dinner, the familiarity of their house rolling off of you as you take Megumi’s panda-designed drinking cup from the cupboards, preparing Toji’s tea mug, and setting the table with the usual navy blue placemats. You fill the doggy bowls with dog food and set aside two others for water. When Toji picks up Megumi from the living room, you open the door from the backyard and whistle, watching as Shiro and Kuro race towards you. The clacks of their paws are mirrored by Megumi’s shuffling feet and the three meet in between, with Megumi getting tackled by the hounds.

“Shiro, Kuro no!” Toji exclaims but his words fall on deaf ears as the dogs continue to lick at Megumi, the boy breaking out in hearty giggles to which you laugh along.

Dinner with the Fushiguros has always been a loud and joyous moment, after all.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

Satoru’s jaw falls open. “No way,” he says.

You grin. “Yes way, bottom bitch boy.”

He groans, flopping on his king-sized mattress, dramatically throwing his arms on his face. “Why’d he agree?!”

You silently scoff at his reaction before chucking a plush pillow at his beautiful face. You shoot an innocent smile his way, flirtingly batting your eyelashes at him when he whipped the pillow away from his face to glare at you.

“Bitch!” Satoru says, seething. You send him a loud flying kiss in response, laughing when he exaggeratedly avoids the invisible kiss mark. The moment dwindles and dissipates when he settles on his bed again, pulling you to rest on him, your head pillowed by his chiselled stomach.

“So what’re you really here for?” Satoru asks, playing with your hair. Your eyes flutter close, body sagging in relaxation as thin fingers massage your scalp.

“What do I wear?” You ask a moment later; a reply to his own question.

Satoru coughs out a surprised chuckle. “Baby, you tryna cuff a man?”

“Yeah,” you say, sighing dreamily, thinking about a future with Toji. A future that you really think could be possible—you remember fleeting touches and even more fleeting looks; of shared smiles and warm embraces; the familiarity with each other’s presence.

Satoru fake gags at your reaction and you roll your eyes at his childishness, whacking him with his pillow again.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

You open the door, mouth instantly drying at the sight of Toji.

He is dressed in a pure black three-piece suit, completely foregoing the tie and leaving two buttons loose, instead, which allowed his shirt to show off his sharp collarbones and the tan of his skin. His hair is pushed back delicately, quiffed using only a minimal amount of gel, making him look older but sharper, more handsome but less familiar. Your eyes stray to his glossy full lips, the lip balm he put on successfully showing off his beautiful scar even more.

“Wow,” you whisper, breathless and whimpery like Toji holds all the oxygen in the world and you are dying at the edges of his fingertips.

He laughs. “You are wow yourself,” he says and your breath hitches at the genuinity of his words, the way his voice curls as if choking on an emotion. You smile, feeling yourself blush.

Toji presents his hand. “Let’s go?”

You clasp your hand together with his, smiling as he leads you to his car. The smile grows bigger and fonder when Toji opens the door for you, his own face relaxed and gentle. You watch as Toji races to his own side, and you bite at your bottom lip to reign in the desire and the yearning and the squealing, even, because Toji looks especially regal tonight.

You smooth your face into normalcy when he gets in, turning to send you a smile before reaching for something in the backseat. Your lungs fully collapse when Toji hands you a bouquet of red and gold roses, wrapped in matte black paper and finished with a big black bow.

“Happy Valentines from me and ‘Gumi,” Toji says, scarred lips pulled back in a proud smile.

There is a desire coiling at the pit of your stomach, almost taking full control of your nerves. Later, you would imagine what could’ve happened if you just pulled Toji in for a kiss, letting your lips show him how much you actually love him. Perhaps you two might even miss the function altogether, leaving to have fun with each other. Screw the penalty, you would just pay Satoru with your savings.

But you snap back in control, fingers twitching, desire dampened at the thought of ruining your friendship with Toji. So instead, you smile, gentle and sweet, pulling Toji into an embrace—one that he returns, his arms coming up to hug you just as tightly. You whisper, “Thank you, Toji-san. Happy Valentines.”

When you two separate, green eyes dance over your features and you show him just how happy you are right there with him, glowing because of his affections. His eyes crinkle as he smiles, and then you two are driving off to the dinner place.

The car ride was pleasant, the radio a muted background noise as you and Toji talk about life, often lingering around what happened to work on this-and-that day, complaining about so-and-so. Toji also tells you about Megumi, how his little boy is currently having a sleepover party with Yuuji-kun and Nobara-chan with the Itadoris.

“You’d think they’re the ones with plans tonight since they’re the couple, but they said they promised Yuu-kun to celebrate with him,” he says.

You laugh. “That’s so cute! I remember how Gumi-chan didn't even have friends in daycare so I’m happy that he has two now,” you tell Toji, smiling at the memory of picking up the two-year old only to see him crouching down beside a stray cat, one of the daycare workers sitting in silence with him.

“Yeah,” Toji says, sounding like he was also thinking about Megumi from three years ago.

You two fall into a comfortable silence and you take that time to study Toji again, cataloguing every corner of present-him into your memory. There are not enough words to describe his beauty, let alone how you feel at seeing him like this in person. Satoru says you are just being dramatic and perhaps you are, but that doesn’t change the fact that Toji makes you feel so alive, leaving you tongue-tied, sure, but what is unrequited love if not that?

“Wanna take a picture, doll? Heard it lasts longer,” Toji says cheekily, grinning at you.

You pause before grinning back at him. “Sure,” you reply because you absolutely want a picture. You hear him sputter, not expecting you to agree, but you are already pulling your phone from your purse and angling the camera to capture you and Toji together.

He shoots the screen a lazy smile, looking as if you hadn’t just rendered him speechless for a quick minute. You send the picture to your group chat. You see Satoru already typing, sending multiple responses of just emojis. You leave him on read.

“We look good together,” you say absentmindedly, looking at the picture, even though your eyes are only trained on Toji.

You hear him cough before wheezing out, “Yeah, we do.”

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

The hotel that Satoru made reservations at is a lot fancier than the usual ones from past functions. It’s bigger too, and you begin to wonder what the purpose of the dinner party is because you are sure that the old people mingling about are Satoru and Suguru’s families, the very people they don’t usually invite.

“We celebrating somethin’ bigger?” Toji asks, eyeing the large ballroom space, studying the white and gold details on the walls.

It looks like a wedding venue and you are beginning to panic.

Someone calls your name and you turn, seeing Shoko marching towards you with Utahime, both of them looking so beautiful in their matching dresses. You’re still not used to seeing Shoko’s long hair, often you even find yourself only remembering what she used to look like back when you two were roommates.

You laugh when Shoko hugs you. “It’s been so long!” You say before turning to hug Utahime, this one far gentler compared to Shoko’s full-on body slam. “How’s Kyoto?”

Utahime beams, telling you stories about her teaching career and you nod, engrossed as she begins telling you about her students. She tumbles into complaints, but you can see how happy she is and you feel your lips tug up in a smile, feeding off of her joy.

Shoko enters the conversation. “Who are you with?”

You startle, so used to being the single one in your friend group that you forgot about Toji for a quick moment. You turn to him, apologetic, but he just waves it off, chuckling at your embarrassed grimace. You beckon him close and he moves to stand beside you, and you jolt when you feel his hand rest on the small of your back.

You see Shoko’s eyes shoot open, turning to you in question. Utahime, bless her, still looks lost.

You clear your throat. “This is Toji-san, my date. Toji-san, these are my friends, Shoko and Utahime.”

“Nice to meet you,” Toji greets, hand not leaving where it rests on your back even as he holds out his free hand to both of your friends. Shoko shakes it slowly, her eyes still locked to you and you want to throw your purse at her face because she’s being too obvious, it’s making you ballistic.

“Nice to finally meet you, sir,” Utahime greets. You snap your head at her, feeling shocked and betrayed, before remembering that she’s just as conniving as Shoko.

“Thanks?” Toji responds, blissfully lost. You continue squinting at Utahime, eye twitching when she just sends you a beautiful, innocent smile.

Shoko clears her throat and you all look at her. “Okay I’m just gonna say it, but does it look like we’re in the blind to whatever Satoru and Suguru planned?”

Utahime groans, nodding her head emotionally. “Right?” She says. “This doesn’t look like the normal stuff, I mean, they even invited their families!”

You hum, sweeping another look at the ballroom. More people are arriving, dressed up in clan kimonos and you grimace at how out-of-place you four look. Then, strawling with their usual grandeur, you see the men of the party.

Dressed in matching grey suits with black dress shirts, Satoru and Suguru walk in, holding hands. Suguru cut his hair short, not entirely that short but it’s certainly not as long as before, black locks only reaching his collarbones now. For some reason this shocks you a lot and you turn to Shoko who is just as surprised as you.

Satoru, for once, is not wearing his sunglasses but you can see them picking through the chest pocket of his suit. His blue eyes scan the large room and you see him brighten up when he sees you and your cluster of outsiders.

He waves and you instinctively wave back, squeaking when heads turn to you. You hide behind Toji’s bigger body, smacking him lightly when he laughs.

Satoru and Suguru greet people, but they are resolutely moving towards the centre space of the ballroom, long legs striding in tandem until they are placed on the spotlight. Suguru’s smile is small and polite, but Satoru is full-on grinning, pearly teeth shining as he studies the room.

It’s such a funny thing because there is no background music, only shuffling feet and occasional clearing of throats. You even begin feeling antsy when neither of your friends break the silence, cringing in secondhand embarrassment.

Then Satoru claps as if everyone’s attention isn’t on them already. “Hi everyone!” He greets, voice booming across the room. “Thank you for coming tonight! Suguru and I have a very special announcement!”

You share a look with Shoko, then with Toji, the older man quirking an amused eyebrow at you. You poke out the tip of your tongue at him and he huffs in amusement, looking at you with endearment. Your heart squeezes.

“Suguru and I are engaged!” Satoru exclaims, his voice echoing in the room.

You look away from Toji, sharply turning your head to your friends, feeling a myriad of emotions—happy, proud, confusion, bafflement—bubbling in your chest as your jaw drops in surprise.

What.

The ballroom explodes in a cacophony of noises.

Shoko jumps at you and you almost topple if not for Toji’s strong arms easily steadying you up. You are about to swoon and lose yourself at the feeling of being in Toji’s embrace again, but Shoko quickly grabs your hand and Utahime’s, dragging you two to where Satoru and Suguru are. You hear Toji’s surprised laughter but it is drowned out by the throng of other voices.

Moving to where Satoru and Suguru stand turns out to be quite futile as they are both surrounded with their family members, but Shoko is undeterred, skillfully sidestepping zoris and getas. Next thing you know, the three of you are standing in front of your friends.

Suguru sees you three first, the pretty boy letting go of Satoru’s hand to hug you all at the same time. Satoru follows easily (because wherever Suguru goes, Satoru follows), joining the pile and squishing you and Utahime uncomfortably together. Shoko is pressed somewhere between her girlfriend and Suguru, but she is just quiet again and smiling, content.

When you all separate, Satoru turns his back to the rest of the people vying for his attention and you watch as they patter off at his clear dismissal. You will never get used to the power that Satoru has over these people.

He turns to you. “So, where's the date?” He asks and you groan when Suguru chokes on his flute, eyeing you as if you dropped a bigger announcement than their engagement.

“There,” you answer, gesturing at where Toji is standing, startling when your eyes meet his. You feel giddy at the realization that Toji’s been looking at you all along. “There he is.”

You wave at him and Toji raises his flute and tips it your way. You giggle, incredibly happy at having his full attention.

Someone clears their throat and you look back at your friends only to see them staring at you with a knowing look. “What?” You ask, feeling shy and exposed.

“Nothing,” Suguru says, and you know it is not nothing. You squint at him, but he busies himself with his champagne, not offering anything anymore. Satoru laughs, coming to stand close to you.

“Looks like you can actually cuff the date,” he whispers, wiggling his pale eyebrows at you and his smile looking especially sly. You huff, amused.

“Maybe,” you mumble, thinking back to the flowers.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

“May I have this dance?” Toji asks, cutting off whatever Shoko was telling you. Shoko waves before stalking away. You don’t even notice as Toji leads you to the dance floor.

You hear cheering from behind you and you groan as you and Toji glance at Suguru and Satoru, the latter half-draped across his fiance’s lap. Toji chuckles, shaking his head in amusement, eyes bright as they find yours again.

“Your friends always this supportive?” He asks. He clasps a hand on your back and the other tangling with your fingers, slowly swaying to the sound of some American song. Toji mouths the lyrics and you wonder what they mean.

(“Would it be a sin? If I can’t help falling in love with you?”)

Maybe you’ve had too much to drink or maybe it’s the buzzing love in the ballroom—Suguru taking Satoru’s hand and kissing the ring that he proposed to Satoru with; Utahime peppering kisses on Shoko’s cheeks, nose, forehead—but whatever it is, it sparked the familiar coiling in your stomach, this one stronger and overpowering the anxiety hiding in your veins.

“Yeah,” you say, “Especially after finding out I’m trying to date my plus one for real.”

Toji pauses for a moment, stumbling on his feet, before dancing again. Your heart is thudding in your chest, a staccato of dread and desire, of fear and love.

He hums. “The dashing man who you forgot was your date?” He asks, playful but careful at the same time.

“That one,” you reply, joining whatever it is he is playing. “The finest man.”

Toji breathes in sharply. “Heard he’s got a son. You ain’t put off by that?”

You chuckle, shaking your head. “His son’s the best. Besides, he’s a good dad—just another reason to love him all the more.” You meet his eyes as you say this, hoping to convey the depth of your love.

You wonder if you’re fucking up your friendship right at this moment. If Toji would erect his walls again, pushing you out of his life completely. If he does, you know you would not be able to take it, but it seems like the love nestled in your heart is finally overflowing, unable to hide anymore from Toji.

Toji’s eyes shine with something like finality and you feel your breath get stuck in your lungs; the strength that held you upright evaporates, leaving you boneless and cold in Toji’s arms.

“I’m sor—”

Your apology is devoured by Toji’s lips. You squeak, jumping in surprise, wide eyes seeing nothing but a blur of black. But Toji just pushes his lips closer to yours, angling his head better and tipping into the kiss gentler. Finally, feeling like your heart is on your tongue, you close your eyes and bask in the warmth of Toji’s, well, everything.

You feel everything, deaf and aware of your surroundings at the same time—Satoru is cheering again, this time louder, and another American song is playing, filling up the space with words you do not understand. But it all melts into a symphony when Toji’s arms pull you close to him, embracing you so carefully like you are everything that is tender in his life.

You feel your eyes sting, tears tickling your lashes at the emotions rolling off of you in waves. Toji pulls back, hovering just a breath away from you, before kissing you once again.

Toji kisses you like you are the perfect singularity in his life—the one thing that makes sense. And you kiss him just as intensely, hoping to convey that you’ve loved Toji for two years now and that you will love him for more.

When you pull away to catch your breath, greedily gasping for air, Toji still doesn’t let go of you, his forest eyes lost in yours. You look back at him, just as feverish.

“I love you.”

You both blink in surprise before laughing, equally enamoured and overjoyed with the way you two said your confessions at the same time.

The chuckles dwindle, leaving only the weight of mutual hearts grasping for each other like ivy.

“I love you,” you say again. “In love with you. So so so in love.” You peck his lips once, twice, three times.

Toji smiles, a bit wobbly like he cannot believe you love him so ardently. Then, he says just as earnestly, “I love you too.”

He dances with you again, you two getting lost in your own, shared world as everything fades away.

(“You’re just too good to be true, can’t take my eyes off of you.”)

[write-orflight]

Settle Down: Chapter 4

**Gif Not Mine**

Prev -  Next

Pairings: SpencerXReader (kinda enemies to lovers)  

Rating: M

Words: 2.5K

Warnings: Smut!! (Oral, male receiving. Sexual conduct. language.)

Request: OPEN/CLOSED

Summary:   Y/N and Spencer don’t get along but turn to each other for the one   thing you need someone else for… A baby. You can plantonically start a   family, right?

AN: Unedited because I was scrambling to finish before work. Comment on this chapter or inbox to be on taglist. thanks! much love, Cia.

                Chapter 4: Frozen, fuck you.

Misfortune came in the form of spots in your underwear the following week. You weren’t pregnant despite your best efforts. You took a personal day because of how bummed you were feeling, assuring Hotch that you could do your job from home. So you spent your morning eating terribly and reviewing the files Garcia sent you. Once you finish all your work for the day, you curl up on the couch with a pint of ice cream, bourbon and National Geographic. You’re hours in when you get a knock at your door. You stumble over and open it to reveal Spencer. He looks at you concerned as you very drunkenly head back to your couch, leaving the door open indicating you were inviting him in. He closes the door behind him looking at you concerned. 

“Have you been drinking?” 

“Wow, is this why they say you’re good at your job?” You say, rolling your eyes. 

“Y/N, should you even be drinking? You might be—“ 

“Did you know elephants are pregnant for almost 2 years?” You say pointing at the TV. “Why am I even asking? You know everything.” 

“Do you wanna tell me what’s got you so upset?” Spencer says, kneeling in front of your perch on the couch. 

“Did you know it’s very difficult for female pandas to become pregnant?” You say, you feel your eyes becoming wet but you blink back the tears. “That makes two of us.” You shrug. 

It clicks for Spencer in that moment. “You’re not…” he asks. You shake your head. 

“Spencer, I’m sorry. Maybe you should ask someone else. Maybe someone without a broken uterus.” 

“Y/N, there’s nothing wrong with you.” He says, cupping your cheek with his hand. You can’t help but nuzzle back into it. “I went to the doctor with you. Just because it didn’t happen this time doesn’t mean it won’t happen. Not everyone gets pregnant their first time trying.” 

“But people not trying at all end up pregnant the first time. What’s wrong with me?” The tear that’s been threatening the whole time finally falls down your cheek. Spencer swipes his thumb across it, looking sympathetically at you. 

“We can just try again next month, Y/N. We’ve got time, ok?” He says, you nod. 

“Thank you, Spencer.” You say. 

“No problem. Now come on, lay down.” He says, sitting down on the end of the couch and pulling you down to lay down onto his lap. “And stop watching National Geographic if it’s making you sad. We can even watch that movie with the talking toys if you want?” 

“All three?” 

“God, there’s three?!” 

———————————————

The following weeks are pretty uneventful. You guys caught murders and went to bars afterwards. You were in one bar after a particularly hard case with the team sans Spencer and Hotch when Derek asked you. 

“Ok, apparently you swore my girl to secrecy but I have to know.” He says to you from across the booth. “What is happening between you and Pretty Boy?” 

You throw a pointed look at Garcia, who just looks at you guiltily. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Morgan.” 

Emily chimes in at that. “Please! Before the two of you would either never talk or when you would, it’d end in an argument. Now suddenly he’s calling you on cases, not interrupting you when you’re presenting--” 

“Maybe, he just finally got some sense.” You interrupt. 

“See, I would say that too.” Emily says. “If he hadn’t asked me where to get that korean tea you like so much.” 

You knew what she was talking about. When you found out you weren’t pregnant and came back to work. You were still hopped up on extra hormones so when you went to make your favorite tea that morning and realized you had forgotten to get more so you were out. When you saw that, you started crying softly. You just wanted tea. Spencer walked in at that moment and you wiped your face furiously so he wouldn’t see the evidence of your tears before speeding out of the kitchen. The next day you walked into the kitchen, expecting to have to make shitty coffee instead, but there was a new box of your tea. You didn’t think much of it. You assumed Garcia got you the box. 

“He probably just wanted it for himself. The box has been feeling a little light lately.” You lie. “I’m serious though. Nothing’s going on.” We just have really hot sex in hopes of him impregnating me. You think. Everyone let’s it go at that point, changing the subject. You were thankful for that. 

——————————————-

The day came around again and Spencer wordlessly just got in your car after you guys’ shift and you didn’t question it, you knew the drill this time around. Spencer hums along to your music playing in the car. You look at him confused. 

“You know California Dreamin’?” You ask. 

“I uh-I heard you tell Garcia about how you liked The Mamas and Papas so I listened to some of their songs. I thought it’d help me understand you more.” 

You don’t turn towards him. You keep your eyes focused on the road so he wouldn’t see the marshmallow soft look that crossed your face. “Did you learn anything?” You ask. 

He clears his throat. “You listen to a lot of soft melodic music. I wouldn’t have thought that considering how you are.” 

“And how am I, Spencer Reid?” 

“Opinionated, loud.” You narrow your eyes at that one but say nothing. “Yet you listen to soft love songs, your favorite movie is Wizard of Oz and you watch nothing but Disney movies in your spare time. You’re not as scary as you think you are.” He says, getting out of the parked car. You speed out the car after him immediately. 

“I’m plenty scary!” You say as the two of you enter your house. 

“Uh-huh, and which Disney movie are we watching tonight?” 

“Frozen, fuck you.” You say leaving behind a laughing Spencer to go take your ovulation test. 

After discovering you were in fact ovulating you went to the living room to put on Frozen. You were about halfway into the sister’s adventure when you asked. 

“Spencer?” You asked from your perch laying on his shoulder. He turns his head down towards you, humming inquisitively. “Emily told me it was you who got my tea.” 

“I did.” He says. 

“Why?” 

He shrugs. “It was upsetting you.” he says, like it’s obvious. 

“I mean, I was upset I was out, sure but it’s not your job to make sure I’m not upset.” 

“It’s specifically my job to do that, Y/N.” He says, turning so he can look you in the eyes. “Y/N, you’re literally about to be the mother of my child. That makes your happiness just as important as this child’s happiness. I’m going to take care of both of you so if buying a 10 dollar box of tea is what will make you happy, I have no issues doing so.” 

The look he gives you is so sincere and your heart flutters when he says it. You don’t know why but you’re suddenly bombarded with thoughts of kissing him and before you can stop yourself you do just that. Spencer hums in shock for a second. But quickly deepens the kiss, tongue tracing over yours. You moan slightly as his hands come up to cup your face. Eventually, the two of you separate, gasping for breath in the small space between you. 

“What was that for?” He says. 

You couldn’t say the real reason that you kissed him was because you wanted to, so bad. It would make things awkward and ruin what was an amazing plan. You needed to remember that you were doing this for the end goal, a child.

“I’m ovulating, so I figured we should start now.” You say. It was only half a lie. 

Spencer looks slightly disappointed for a second before he shakes it off. He stands and grabs your hand tugging you towards the bedroom wordlessly. Once inside, his mouth is on yours again. You smirk against his lips, hands going for each other’s respective clothes. Once undressed he deposits you on the bed, settling into the space between your legs. He’s leaving open mouth bruises on your neck and chest as his hands travel down your body. You stopped him, it wasn’t that you didn’t want that, but you had other plans. 

He looks at you confused for a second. A look that’s replaced completely with wanton desire when you start trailing a hand up and down is underwear clad length. You watch his eyes flutter shut for a second, relishing in the feeling. You smirk at that. You lean up to speak in his ear. 

“I want to ride you.” You say, you feel Spencer’s member twitch in your palm as you say it. “Can I?” 

Spencer nods fast, moving off of you to lay flat on his back. He goes to take off his underwear but you stop him, wanting to do it yourself. You tugged them down his body and as you crawled your way back up you found yourself face to face with a certain predicament. An intrusive thought pops in your head and before you can stop yourself you ask. 

“Can I?” You whisper, you didn’t finish the question but your face was right next to his dick so you figured he’d get the gist. 

“You don’t have to.” Spencer says, though his dick betrays his words as it violently twitches when you bring your mouth slightly towards it. 

“I know.” You whisper before taking the head into your mouth. You hear Spencer hiss above you as you let your tongue swerve over the head. You moan, taking him deeper into your mouth, hand covering what you couldn’t reach. You hear a strangled gasp above you and opt to look up. Nothing could’ve prepared you for that sight. Spencer’s head was thrown back, face and neck flushed and he was biting on his fist to keep from making too much noise. Spencer was always so complimentary of you during these times and you realized you never said what you thought,  that the man above you was beautiful. You still held your tongue though. It was preoccupied anyway. After sometime, Spencer’s hand cups the side of your face, moaning softly as he feels his member through your cheek. He gently pulled you off of him. 

“I need to be inside you.” He says. “Now.”  

You nod, crawling back up his body to straddle his lap. Spencer moves your hips so you’re right above him, allowing you to sink down on his length. The two of you groan at first contact, Spencer gives you a second to adjust, massive hands circling your waist as you rocked yourself back and forth in his lap. You already felt close despite the short amount of time. You look down at the man and he’s looking up at you with a glassy expression. 

“Fuck, Y/N.” He moans, hands tightening on your waist. “You look so hot like this, I’m not going to last long.” 

“Me neither.” You say, Spencer takes that moment to drift his hand to your clit, thumb drawing small circles on the bundle of nerves. You moan out loud, moving your hips faster as Spencer thrusts his hips up to meet yours. 

“Spencer, fuck, I’m gonna--” you cut yourself off with a moan. Spencer is thrusting up into you faster now. 

“Cum for me, baby.” He says, and as if you were waiting for permission, you release moaning Spencer’s names and expletives. Spencer rides you through it, moving your hips on top of him. Before you know it, you’re on your back and Spencer is thrusting back into you hard. You practically scream out as he sets a fast pace chasing his own release. 

“Fuck, you feel so good baby, I’m gonna- fuck.” He says as you feel him release inside you. He thrusts shallowly inside you, riding out his orgasm before pulling out. You wince slightly, lifting your hips so he can slide the pillow under you, knowing the drill by now. Spencer runs, his fingers through your hair, you hum pushing your head into him, like a cat. 

“You ok?” He whispers. “Do you need anything?” 

You shake your head. “Will you come sleep with me?” You ask. 

Spencer smiles softly at you. “Of course, Y/N.” 

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

A month passes and cold February winter turns to soft March spring. The weeks that pass are fairly uneventful. You work and come home to an unfortunately empty house. You and Spencer talk about not as much as before and hardly about anything not baby or work related. You could admit that the last time you guys had sex, some lines got blurred and you both needed space from each other to remember that this was still platonic. At least, that’s how you felt and though you never voiced it, Spencer seemed to understand that.

The team was out on a case when you realized. You and Garcia had been on video call with the team when you heard Derek say.    

“Woah, Oz. You look like death warmed over.” 

You roll your eyes. “I’m fine.” 

“She’s not fine.” Garcia butts in. “She’s been throwing up all morning.” 

“L/N, if you’re sick--” Hotch starts. 

“I’m not sick! I feel completely fine, I think I just had some chinese that didn’t sit right. I’ll be fine, can we focus on the case?” You plead, Hotch nods. You see Spencer looking at the screen wide eyed but you don’t understand why. 

“What did you find?” Hotch asks. 

“Ok, Sebastian Henry’s financial records were a little hard to go through. Everything looked pretty normal. So I did a little--” You gag for a second but manage to keep it down. “A little digging and found a s-secret account he’s been m-making large donations to a church that, through more digging, doesn’t exist--” Garcia is already there with the bucket which you snatch and empty your lunch in immediately. 

“We think it’s mafia.” Garcia says, grimacing at the sound of your vomiting. You lift up to see the team giving you empathic looks and Spencer with a deep thinking expression. 

“Great, Garcia, look into that more. And Y/N, go home.” Hotch says. 

“What? Hotch, I’m fine!” 

“And I wasn’t asking.” He says, in that authoritative voice that made you know he meant business. 

“Fine.” you grumble as he ends the call. 

You’re on the way home when you get a call from Spencer. 

“Spencer, what’s up? Does Hotch need me to go back in?” 

“Oh, uh-no.” He says. “Listen, I know you said you’d tell me if something was up but Penelope saying you’d been sick all morning is making me overthink and well, did you take a test?” He asked. 

You look up at that. The two of you had been so busy with cases and work that the one thing you had been waiting for had completely slipped your mind. 

You were late.  

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[that-bi-bitch-writes]

A Cursed Reality-JJK x M!Reader (Ch.2)

Question: Do you guys prefer longer chapters or shorter chapters? I’ve been making an effort to write longer chapters but if you hate reading them I’ll write them less.

Warnings: fluff, comparison of Inumaki’s speech to a disability/handicap, cursing. Dislike of Maki (Not me. wrong bitch. I love her)

Previous || Next

Chapter Two:

[Name] actively dislikes hanging out with the second years. Not that they’re bad people in any way, it’s just he’s anxious and awkward, and even after spending a year familiarizing himself with the school and the people in it, there’s like a small group of people he would invite to his birthday party.

That and he just doesn’t care for Maki Zen’in. And it is most definitely mutual. To him, she’s just pretty. She also won’t die in a battle between her and a curse below first grade. But that’s about the end of her appeal. Of course, Panda is fun to tease but he typically plays the peacemaker between the second years. [Name] would rather not care about people in peace.

There’s no dramatic reason to it all, it’s just [Name] didn’t really come to Jujutsu Tech by choice so he hadn’t intended on making friends. He obviously failed considering he befriended Inumaki within his first day and they have some homoromantic vibes going on in their friendship.

That’s not to say you can’t platonic cuddle with your best friend but when you longingly gaze into each other’s eyes and he’s the only friend you’ve made besides an annoyingly hyper 30-year-old because no one else understands you like he does… And it kind of goes both ways considering you’re the only person he trusts himself enough to have a full-on conversation with.

Yeah, it’s not looking very good for the argument that they’re not gay. They’re not though. At least not now.  

“[Name]”

“Yeah toge?”

“You look like you’ve got something on your mind” Inumaki responded. And although he had plenty of experience saying words, having a conversation without using safe words felt a little weird. It was an aspect of who he was now and [Name] being immune to the cursed speech wouldn’t erase the problems he had with talking and it didn’t make [Name] his savior or soulmate.

Luckily [Name] was both lonely and not a complete asshole because he had no problems adapting to the switch between Toge’s ‘onigiri glossary’. Learning it was actually a really fun experience because it turns out Inumaki did not have the exact translation of all his safe words. He would just say an ingredient and [Name] had to fill in the blanks. There was a lot of trial and error and a lot of [Name] smiling down at Inumaki’s concentrated face.

“I was just thinking.” [Name] broke the contemplative silence.

“Hmm”

“You know” [Name] started again “... They say it was believed people kept their souls in their throats” and as Inumaki gave a confused denial (“fish flakes”) [Name] was internally panicking on whether or not he should keep going with this specific train of thought or make a joke to deflect from the very real and emotional but corny statement he was about to utter.

“Ah fuck it. I want to exercise the curses in the world or at least enough to keep you safe so you don’t keep damaging your soul when you use your cursed technique”

“Sujiko”

[Name] looked at Inumaki. And as if breaking off pieces of his soul didn’t matter to him, Inumaki spoke, a short sentence that stunned [Name] into silence

“I love you”

If Gojo hadn’t come in, they might’ve kissed.

“[Name]-kun!!!”

Aaaand [Name]’s sentimental mood was gone. Don’t get him wrong, Gojo definitely would get an invite to [Name]’s birthday party, but the man was like 30 running around being overly cheerful and with that teasing nature he was definitely repressing some trauma. He also definitely had some of the worst timing

“What is it Gojo?”

“No sensei at the end? So mean!

“Fushiguro was sent out to find a cursed object but he’s been out all day with no calls back home or anything. Of course I plan on going to check on my beloved student, but I am busy for the next hour or so. Can you please check on him? For your favorite sensei?”

“My favorite sensei is actually Nanami and he’s not even a sensei but yeah I’ll check on the emo kid”

‘You’re pretty emo yourself dude’ Gojo thought to himself

“Ah Thank you [Name]-kun. You’re a lifesaver” Gojo called out behind him as he left to do whatever it is crazy white haired ‘old’ men do.

‘He’s/I’m totally not doing this for free’ both [Name] and Inumaki thought at the same time.

[Name] got up suddenly and started getting ready to leave paying no attention to Inumaki who watched him get ready with a casual interest. Before [Name] headed out, he turned to look at Inumaki with a serious and concentrated expression.

“Toge.”

“I love you”

“What the hell happened here?”

“....”

“Fushiguro-kun, if you please”

“Well I only know half of the story so it’s best if we hear it from Itadori”

All eyes whipped to the shirtless Yuji who had just gotten control of his body back from Sukuna, the apparent king of curses.

“I’d say it started when I went to school this morning but I think it started a little earlier for Fushiguro. Right Fushiguro?” Yuji asked

‘I swear I’m going to explode if someone doesn’t tell me the how we got this far I mean Fushiguro is bleeding from his head, this pink haired enthusiastic kid is possessed and I can’t tell if he’s too sweet to care or if he lost a few of his brain cells when he and the little emo first year wrecked this building’ [Name] thought to himself.

Clearing his throat he began “Well okay Fushiguro has a lot of really bad injuries so is it okay with you if he just quickly shares his part and then you take over?”

“Ohh Yeah that makes sense” Itadori awed and both he and [Name] turned their attention to poor Megumi who was bleeding from his forehead.

“Yesterday I was sent to retrieve a special grade cursed object and when I got there it was gone. Gojo sensei told me I couldn’t go home until it was recovered. The next day I stalked around the school and investigated when I saw Yuji for the first time.”

“Oh I remember that. It’s my turn to take over now. Uhh. I was in the occult club with my senpais Sasaki and Iguchi and we were asking the spirits about which animal the Student Council President was weaker than ( a fish) and then he burst in the room because he didn’t approve of our club-”

“Fast forward please” [Name] interrupted

“Fushiguro found me after my grandpa died and told me Iguchi and Sasaki were in danger because of the finger so I led him to the school where they said they were going to peel off the seal”

“And that’s why we’re here” [Name] surmised

“So what’s the situation”

“Gojo-sensei”/ “Old Man what are you doing here?” Megumi and [Name] called out

“I wasn’t gonna come but the higher ups got involved. I knew you’d all be fine though, I sent [Name] here to deal with it.”

“That’s true” Fushiguo mumbled

“I’m glad you all have faith in me” [Name] started “But that means I came here for absolutely nothing”

“... So did you find it?” Gojo asked

“Um sorry.... I ate it”

Gojo who didn’t hear the whole introduction and [Name] who didn’t quite get to the eating of the finger part in the story turned to Yuji in shock

“For real”

“For real”

“Haha you’re not kidding. They’re combined. How does your body feel?” Gojo asked Yuji

“Okay”

“Can you switch to Sukuna?”

“Sukuna?” Yuji asked

“The curse object you ate”

“Oh yeah. Probably”

“Ten seconds” gojo said “Take control again after ten seconds”

“I dunno about this”

“Don’t worry. I’m the strongest Jujutsu sorcerer”

Megumi looked to [Name] after hearing a curious “hmm” but [Name]’s face showed no anger or displeasure.

“Megumi hold onto this will ya” Gojo’s voice bled through Megumi’s thoughts of who would win between [Name] and Gojo. Give it a year or two and it might actually be [Name].

“What’s this?” Megumi asked

‘It better be a fucking weapon’ [Name] thought ‘Because if he sent me out because his important business was shopping he’s gonna regret it’

“Kikufuku Mochi” Gojo replied casually before feeling bloodlust leaking from [Name]. He’ll just have to make it up to the second year somehow

“Behind you” Fushiguro called out and [Name] sucked his teeth hoping Gojo would get hit at least once. He did not get his wish once

“I’ve got a student watching so..I hope you don’t mind if I show off a little bit” . And after that Gojo commenced kicking Sukuna’s ass. Sukuna tried to monologue a little as he sent out a powerful attack, but he missed Gojo on account of Gojo’s infinity dispelling the attack. By the time Sukuna realized Gojo was unharmed it was time for Yuji to switch back.

“Oh was everything okay?” Yuji asked as he came to his senses.

“Oh what a surprise” Gojo responded “You really can control it”

“Yeah, but he’s kind of annoying”

“It’s a miracle that’s the only side effect” Gojo said right before knocking Yuji out with one finger

“If he wakes up and isn't possessed, he might have potential as a vessel. Okay question for you two. What do I do with him?”

“Even if he is a potential vessel… He must be executed under jujutsu regulations…

“But I don’t want to let him die”

“Is that a personal opinion? Gojo asked

“Yes, a personal opinion. Please do something about it.

Gojo smiled and the two of them turned their attention towards [Name] who had been silent throughout the whole experience.

‘Besides being a little too excitable, he’s not bad. Like a puppy. I’d keep him as a pet.’ [Name] thought

“Don’t kill him” he said

“A precious student's request. And one from my favorite second year? Of course. Leave it to me!” Gojo said before lifting Yuji up.

[Name] still a little upset he was called away for nothing, raised his hand in front of his mouth so gojo couldn’t see what he was doing and whispered

“Fall over”

“Aak! [Name]-kunnn”

Fushiguro was shocked to see Gojo faceplant on the ground with Yuji on his shoulder. If the combination of Fushiguro’s wide eyed expression and the sight of Gojo in pain made [Name] giggle a little, he’d never admit it.

[anagentinwriting]

Lifeline - Part 1

Summary: (First Responders!AU) Moving to Los Angeles and living with your brother, Thor, was never part of your plan nor was being a 9-1-1 dispatcher, but plans change when you are faced with your own emergencies. In your case, it was leaving behind a relationship that wasn’t as perfect as it seemed. Will this be the fresh start you were hoping for or will your past find a way to catch up with you?

Pairing: Steve Rogers x Odinson!Sister Reader

Word Count: ~1800

Warnings: Car accident, angst

Lifeline Masterlist / Main Masterlist

A line ringing over your headset notifies you another emergency call is coming in. You cleared your head, preparing for anything, and clicked the spacebar, answering it, “911, what’s your emergency?” 

“Bro, that was insane,” the male voice said over the phone. “You’re gonna be famous on YouTube.” 

“Excuse me, sir? What seems to be the problem?” you asked, letting out a sigh. 

“My friend is having trouble breathing, and his throat feels like it’s on fire.”

“What’s the address?”

“576 Rose Lane in Westwood.” 

You typed the address into your computer, signaling the nearest available unit to the caller's location. “First responders are on their way. Can you tell me what he was doing before this happened?”

“We were doing the cinnamon challenge.” You rolled your eyes. “I thought it was harmless. Then, he was gagging, and then he coughed, and a puff of cinnamon came out of his nose. It was awesome; he looked like a dragon.” It's been a while since you got a call about an internet challenge gone wrong, but it's been forever since you got a cinnamon challenge one. You didn't even know that challenge was still around.  “Oh fuck!”

“Is everything okay? What happened?” 

“He collapsed. He’s not moving. Should I shake him awake?”

“He probably passed out, but paramedics are only a few minutes away. Is he still breathing?”

“I don’t think so,” he panicked.

“Remember to stay calm, I’ll help you through this the best I can, okay? Okay, now I am going to have to ask you to administer CPR. Do you know what to do?” 

“Sort of. I learned it in health class a few years ago.”

“Perfect. It's 30 chest compressions followed by two breaths going to the rhythm of the song Staying Alive. You can do this.”

“Ok---okay. Yeah. Right, right,” he mumbled. Hearing him set the phone down on the ground, he started counting and doing chest compressions.

The responding unit was about a block away, and once they arrived, you could hear the sirens coming through the phone call.

“Odinson, take over compressions,” a lady’s voice commanded. “Kid, come with me.”

“Is he going to be...” the line went dead as he hung up his phone.  

You leaned back in your chair, rubbing your eyes. This wasn’t anything new; when help arrives, people hang up, and you don’t get to know how it ends, but maybe it was for the best. You sit back up, seeing your reflection in one of the many screens in front of you. At least, you knew most of the firefighters from Station 107 at the scene, including your brother Thor, if you ever wanted to know how it ended.

It's tough, taking call after call, emergency after emergency with little to no recovery time in between. It’s a stressful job that is emotionally and physically taxing. It requires extreme focus, patience, and puts you under a certain kind of pressure. The pressure of wanting to help and do everything you possibly can when this person you never met puts their life in your hands. You never know what the outcome will be, but you try to help them get through what might be the scariest moment in their life. It’s those calls, the ones you were able to save, that keep you coming back to work.

You stepped away from your command center and headed towards the kitchenette, spotting Luis rummaging through the fridge. It wasn’t unusual, but it did always bring a smile to your face. It was hard to believe he was one of the dispatchers who showed you the ropes after relocating to Los Angeles three months ago. 

“Hey, Luis.” He turned around with a doughnut in his mouth, quickly removing it and shooting you a carefree smile.  

“Hey, Chica, get any weird calls yet? You know I love hearing about those weird ones, right.” 

“Nothing out of the ordinary, but a guy called earlier saying his whole body hurt everywhere he poked. I told him to drive to the emergency room and get his finger looked at because it’s probably broken. Oh, and there was another cinnamon challenge victim.”

“Another one, I thought that craze was over.” He shook his head. “But I did hear about this crazy call that came in last night, right. It wasn’t so much crazy, but one of those nuisance calls, you know what I’m saying, the kind where you’re like, ‘why are you calling, this isn’t an emergency type of situation?’ Anyways, Cameron Klein took the call; you know the dude with the great hair, the kind you just want to run your hands through. It has the perfect fluff to curl ratio. I mean, I touched it once, and it was like a cloud. I asked him what products he used in his hair, and he was like…” 

“Luis, how does this relate to the call?”

“Oh, right. Sorry, sorry, sorry, so there was this lady caller, right. She was telling Great Hair how she couldn't leave her car because there was a hostile raccoon outside her door. So then, Great Hair was like why don’t you go out a different door. And this caller says ‘yo I tried, but it’s like this trash panda can read my mind, right. He follows me when I move to the other side, and he’s like crazy, stupid fast like a rocket.’ And here comes the best part, Great Hair was like, ‘Hey girl, you better run fast then,’ and hung up,” he beamed with a slight chuckle.

“Oh my god, people really need to learn what an emergency is,” you chuckled, shaking your head. 

“You know that’s right, but duty calls.” He tilted his head towards the door, carrying two doughnuts and a huge mug full of coffee. 

“Later, Luis.”

Years ago, you never would have imagined you would be working as a dispatcher in Los Angeles. You preferred helping people hands-on, which is why you became an ER nurse. It was the feeling of never knowing what was going to come charging through those doors next that excited you. But being a dispatcher gave you a whole different kind of thrill because you could only use your voice to help.

The rest of your shift flew by until you were on hour eight of your ten-hour shift. A pileup involving a semi jackknifing on the highway forced a huge collision of cars. All the units in the area along with a few on the outskirts came in to assist. It was the same call coming in multiple times, and all you could say was help was already on the way.

“911, what’s your emergency?”

“Send help,” the woman cried, telling you her address.

“Ma’am, I am going to need you to tell me what is going on?”

“A power line…a power line fell into our pool, and my daughter is trapped on her unicorn floaty in the water. I don’t…I don’t know what to do.”

“Stay calm, ma’am. My name is YN, and I’m dispatching a unit to your home now.” You switched lines to the highway accident, getting on a line with Captain Danvers from Station 107, who was sending three individuals to the scene right away. You switched back to the caller. “Okay, I will need you to stay calm. What is your daughter’s name?”

“Morgan, she’s five years old.”

“Please, whatever you do, make sure Morgan stays on the floaty because it is protecting her from the water. There is a good chance the power line is sending more than 5000 volts through the water.”

“Okay, okay, I can do that, “ the mother breathed. “Honey, please stay on the tube.”

“I'm going to try to get in contact with the power company to turn it off.” You looked up the power company in the area, and someone slid next to you. You glance over, seeing Bruce get to work on calling the power company. You nodded at him, staying on the line with the mom. “Ma’am, has help arrived yet?”

“No, but I can hear the sirens.” You peeked at Bruce, but he shook his head, still trying to get a hold of the power company. “They are coming through the back gate now.”

“Ma’am, can you hand the phone to one of the firemen?” You bit your lip, studying the layout of their home on one of your monitors. There were flowers all over their backyard, and you got an idea. 

“Hello, this is Fireman Rogers.”

“Hi, Fireman Rogers. This is 9-1-1 dispatcher, YN, how is it looking there?”

“Well, on the drive-in, we saw that a truck hit the power line pole, which caused the pole to fall into the pool. The driver isn’t in any serious condition, but one of our EMT’s is looking him over,” he informed in a deep voice. “Then, we have a pool vibrating with energy, but I assume you already know that part.”

“Do you have a plan in place? We are still trying to get a hold of the power company.”

“There are a few more floaties by the pool. I could ride one over to Morgan and pull her to safety?”

“Really? Where did you get that from the macho man handbook?”

“I don’t think that book exists, YN,” he added, making you scoff.

“I may have an idea.” You narrowed your eyes, playing out the idea in your head. 

“What did you have in mind?”

“I can view the whole home on one of my monitors, and there are a ton of flowers. So, I can only assume a garden hose must be nearby.”

“Yup, I see it.”

“Okay, perfect. Grab the hose and cut off the metal ends; it's rubber, so it won't conduct electricity. Then, have you and another fireman take the hose and walk along the opposite sides of the pool. Have Morgan grab ahold of it and carefully pull her back to the edge."

“That’s genius, YN. Thanks for your help,” he acknowledged, making you crack a side smile. Few people said thank you in this job, but when they did, you appreciated it. “Here’s your phone back, ma’am.”

Morgan’s mother's breath was shaky and staggered through the phone. She was scared and had every right to be. If you were in that situation, you would be, too. “Oh my god, it’s working. It’s working,” the mother shouted into your ear. “Are you okay, honey? Are you hurt?”

“I am okay, Mommy,” Morgan replied before the phone line went dead.

You smiled at yourself in one of the now blank screens. It was these moments why you loved what you were doing; a happy ending. Some calls never get a happy ending, but when they do, those are the ones you try to remember when a stressful call comes in.

________

AN: I hope you enjoyed the first chapter. There is a long way to go and I promise things will definitely get more interesting. This was just a quick intro to some of the many characters that will make an appearance/cameo. Comments always welcome! Thanks for reading and I hope you’ll stick with me! 

[chorochororin]

Ah yes, Shanghai.

In regards to the ML Shanghai specials, I will not expecting Miraculous’s next Special to be like a ‘delicious meal’ (general, well created and plotted movie) that I will watch it multiple times, but at least it has to be edible. 

I was wrong. 

SPOILERS FOR THE PEOPLE. 

Now there are two problems raise for me and most audiences as well, notable A. representation, and B. (previewed plot)

Exhibit A: Asian Representation. 

I have the impressions that Shanghai will reveal the beauty of culture, art, history, and people of China like what they did in ML New York (ironically). And at the same line, due to the formulated plot of ML New York and how ML staffs likes to orderly mess things up, the ‘beauty’ of it will come with many mess and too much flaws regarding characters and settings. I was partially correct in my second thought. 

What I thought that Shanghai was going to explore to the audiences Chinese origin for our part-or-whole? Chinese characters, especially Marinette, since she is a Chinese-French protagonist, and the prominent deuteragonist, Fei, which I am more excited more. 

As a member of the Asian community, I was thrilled to see what the ML staff has their views on a Chinese woman who’s both strong as a citizen and a hero? That is...played on stereotypes but I’m sure that it’s edible (meaning the bare minimum)-

Yep, that’s her, Fei the Lady Dragon has appeared.

You know, I could forgive Uncanny Valley in the NY special for her transformation, reasons that I cannot fully represent the Black community about the issue about her, and I figured that white tin for her transformation was the usual material that was use for AIs in various commercials and technological photos, so I believe it is not necessarily whitewashing and it is just a material that human will probably stabilize it in the future to unload less stress (please correct me if I am wrong.) 

But this?! She’s white as a sheet, more actually. 

She’s whiter than Marinette! And that’s saying a lot. 

Keep in mind this is a result from a bunch of White people, sitting in a room, probably reading white-written Chinese books instead of observing actual Chinese people, and thought ‘hey! Let’s give her blond to match the color of red! As in good luck! And dragon!’ 

You know that this wasn’t really tolerable in Asian representation in media. The fact that she was blond during transformation as if the blond figure will be the eventual ending form when people idolize her in that blond form. Not too mention that in the trailers alone, we can see her doing some Asian Martial Arts and appeared quite skillful and strong, not sure if it was a common stereotypes for Asians (Kagami); and who knows this stereotype would tie in to her Dragon form as an implied ‘Dragon Lady’ stereotype (a stereotype of certain East Asian and occasionally South Asian and or Southeast Asian women as strong, deceitful, domineering, mysterious, and often sexually alluring,), you could’ve gone for a Giant Panda for her since it is also the National Animal for China, that would have been cute. Speaking of Dragons, there was once a post said that almost all Asians that are transformable heroes (sans Kim) are associated to dragons and all of them are woman? 

Maybe I have gone a bit too critical here, let us continue. 

Exhibit B: Plot. 

Remember some of us are salty because the New York came and that we see that the only reason Adrien could go was Marinette and vice versa? That the movie was pushing the ship not the story? Turns out it is also the same for Shanghai. 

Now a handful of officially-verified accounts (associated with ML staffs, VAs, and other officials) that has posted leaks about it, I’ll link you one right here:

https://twitter.com/ladyofacat/status/1372994794759278599

The ones I saw were on Instagram and this is on Twitter. 

Basically, the reason why Shanghai existed, not because what we were expecting about Marinette’s and Fei’s Chinese roots and origins at all, not because of introducing the beautiful culture and people of China. 

But Adrien was there, and Marinette just wanted to grab Adrien’s attention. 

Now first question: Why the fuck is Adrien there? This one special where there is a part of Marinette that she could be her own story, why is Adrien there? Secondly, why does every time that we were so close to have just once, just once about Marinette and only her, she would just take advantage on it because Adrien. 

This is really horrifying. By taking advantage of one’s parents, trust and money, to go far far away, highly implied, mostly alone to a land for one of your parents, hopefully to learn, only stalk your crush is insane. Even though Marinette was supposed to be the more prominent one in the Special, it seems that the writers don’t have a better idea centering her except if it revolves Adrien. 

Is this what the ML writers thinks? Are they actually okay in worsening our strong-willed and caring girl to the person that cannot live without her crush. Is this what the writers wanted to project? I mean, it is likely that she will learn something about her culture at the end since they still wanted to apply a heartful message to the show, but with her now intention to go and Adrien’s arrival to Shanghai, this is not going to be good. 

So between whitewashing representations and poorly written stories to push the ships, I will still watch the show, but even without the spoilers, the ML Shanghai Special would be too predictable now, badly so. 

[puckinghell]

The Plus One Pact | William Nylander | Part 5

Summary: Your ex is getting married, and you don’t have a date, which means the unavoidable “why don’t you have a boyfriend” question is about to haunt you for the rest of eternity. But then there’s Will, who could be the answer to all your problems. A simple business pact, no feelings involved: that won’t be hard for you, because you really don’t like him anyways. Except pacts were made to be broken… or something. Right?

Note: This is part 5. Click here for part 1 | part 2 | part 3 | part 4

--

When you wake up, there’s something heavy draped across your chest, and everything around you is warm.

It takes a few minutes, for everything to get back, and until you can fully open your eyes. You didn’t bother taking off your mascara – were a little preoccupied – and you’re paying for that, now.

You don’t regret anything from last night, though.

Finally, you shift so you can look beside you. You’re laying on your back and Willy is pulled up against your side, lips resting against the naked skin of your shoulder. His arm is across your body, effectively pinning you to the mattrass, as if he subconsiously tried to stop you from leaving.

He doesn’t have to worry about that.

He looks peaceful, his blond hair spread across the pillow, his eyelashes fluttered shut against his cheekbones. The rise and fall of his chest is steady with every breath he takes.

Last night comes back in flashes; lips pressed against your collarbone, your fingers curling in his hair. Your heels kicked out in the hallway, his back bumping into the wall. Cursing, laughter. His hands all over your body, with just the right amount of pressure. The way he looked like he’d never seen anything so beautiful before. The way he’d blushed when you told him that you hadn’t, either.

The question, when it was silent and dark in the room, just the sound of catching breaths.

“Stay?”

Willy’s immediate answer, unwavering and steady. “Always.”

Your alarm clock tells you it’s past 9 am, now, but you know neither of you have anything important today, so you’re more than content to press your nose against Willy’s scalp. It smells nice; familiar. He hums in response, but you don’t think he’s awake, not really.

Then, your phone buzzes.

At first, you think about ignoring it. It’s only 9am, after all, and there’s nothing that you can think of being that important. It’s probably just Zach, asking if you got home safe.

God, you’re gonna have to tell Zach what happened. He’s gonna be so smug about it; you’ll never hear the end of it.

But then your phone buzzes again, and again, and you think about Noah’s wedding. It could be your sister again, bothering you about it, or maybe your parents. Besides, the buzzing is making Willy stir, and you really don’t want to wake him up.

He’s been looking tired, the season running him down, and you’re not taking away any sleep that he could potentially get.

You carefully unwrap Willy’s arm from around you, which earns you another not-really-awake hum, this time one that sounds a little annoyed, and manage to grab your phone from your nightstand.

The words on your screen almost seem fake, but once you read them properly, you kinda feel like the room is spinning.

3 missed calls, and a text. 

From: Noah Daniels

I’m outside your apartment, can you let me in?

What in the actual fricking heavens...

With surprising clarity, your brain immediately realizes that you have two options now. You can go let him in, and talk to literally the last person on earth you wanna talk to, or you can not let him in, and risk your entire family screaming at you.

Besides, you’re supposed to be at this guy’s wedding in two days. So maybe only one option, then.

Your heart is beating way too fast, but you very slowly start the task of getting yourself out of bed without waking Will. It’s hard, to leave him there, and the thought flashes through your mind what would happen if he woke up, but he looks pretty knocked out so you decide not to worry about that.

You’ve got enough to worry about.

You throw on the first clothes you can find and try to make as little noise as you can while getting out the bedroom. Will stirs a few times, but his breathing remains even.

You really hadn’t wanted the first time you saw your ex to be like this, looking like a drowned panda wearing old sweatpants and – is that Will’s shirt, you grabbed?

But you guess you’ve learned nothing ever goes the way you want it to, with Noah.

When you open your front door, you almost expect him not to be there. Surely he was kidding, or sent that text to the wrong phone number, or it was a dare.

But no. He’s there, standing with his hands in his pockets and a hint of a smile on his face. He looks the same as he did back then, which throws you a little.

“Hi, Y/N,” he says, his voice soft. “I hope it’s not inconvenient, I was just in the neighborhood.”

“Uhm,” you bring out. It’s really inconvenient, but for some reason, the words can’t pass your lips.

“Can I come in? I wanted to talk about something, I guess.”

Great, now your nerves are truly flying at an all time high. Wordlessly, you step aside, and he takes the invitation for what it is and moves through your living room like he owns it, sitting on the couch without being asked. He doesn’t take off his shoes. It unnerves you, which is stupid, because Will doesn’t take off his shoes, either, and that hasn’t bothered you.

“You look…” Noah starts, pauses. Then settles on: “Different.”

“So do you,” you say, which is a lie, but you don’t really know what else to say. You could offer him coffee, but you find yourself not wanting to, so you cross your arms and stay standing in the middle of the living room.

“What did you wanna talk about, Noah?”

Noah sighs. “Straight into it. You never had a lot of time for small talk.”

You’re not sure if it’s meant to sound offensive, but it does. Maybe everything he says sounds offensive to you, now.

How did you ever love this guy?

“Well, as you wish.” Noah’s hands are folded in his lap. The engagement ring is shiny on his finger. “I’m getting married in two days, and you’ll be at the wedding. So I just wanted to make sure there weren’t any problems.”

Something in your brain short circuits. “Problems?”

Noah sighs again. It reminds you of the way your mom used to sigh when you were a little kid and you wouldn’t put on your shoes fast enough.

“Obviously things didn’t end great between us…”

Yeah, because you cheated. You don’t say it.

“And your sister told me you had some reservations about coming.”

That bitch.

“So I just wanted to make sure you weren’t, like, still in love with me.” He says it as if the thought amuses him. But he doesn’t look like he’s joking, and a storm is brewing in your mind. “Cause I know our relationship meant a little more to you than to me, and for that, I do apologize. But I don’t think it would’ve ever gone anywhere, anyway, you know? What we had was more of like, a summer fling.”

It’s like there’s wind whistling in your ear, but there’s no windows open in your apartment.

“A summer fling?” you repeat, a little dumbfoundedly. “We were together for four years.”

“A very long summer?” Noah offers, and you can tell by the smirk on his face he thinks he’s truly being funny.

“You cheated on me.” It’s the first time, you think, you’ve ever said those words to him, but you can’t keep them in now.

Noah’s face falls. “Hardly,” he says. “I just knew immediately that Betty was the one for me. I had to act on that, you understand that, right? I told you right after.”

Still counts as cheating. You don’t say that, either. Instead, you say: “You begged me to take you back.”

“That’s not how I remember it.”

You want to laugh. How else could he remember that night?

He stood on your porch in the darkness and said: “Look, I know it was stupid, but I’m young, and I don’t know anything about anything. I just know I miss you. The worst thing that I ever did was what I did to you, and I just want to make it up to you.”

You said: “Go fuck yourself”, slammed the door in his face and cried yourself to sleep for the next four months.

It’s not worth it, though, and it hits you how much you’ve changed. Because there was a time when you wouldn’t have had the strength to send him away, where this would’ve made you feel something. Frustration, sadness, anger. Hope, even.

It doesn’t, now. There’s not even the dull ache of being the one that was cheated on. There’s just indifference.

It feels like closure. 

“Look, Noah,” you say, “it doesn’t really matter. There’s not gonna be any problems at your wedding, okay? I’m just there because my mom wants me to be. I’ll keep quiet.” You smile, and you’re sure it looks fake but Noah doesn’t seem to notice.

“Okay,” he says. “If you say so, I believe you.” He stands up, clearly ready to go now that his worries have been soothed, then walks to the door and you watch as his hand lands on the doorknob. At the last moment, he turns around.

“I knew you understood, back then,” he says. The smile on his face is a little too sharp and pointed to be genuine. “You’re just not really the kinda girl guys end up marrying, you know?”

You’re still staring at him with your mouth open when the front door slams behind him.

Suddenly, you hear a different voice.

“Nice guy, that.”

You turn around to find Willy leaning in the doorway to your bedroom, fully clothed now. His arms are crossed and he’s frowning.

“You invite him over?”

“What?” Now you’re frowning, too. “What the fuck, Will, of course I didn’t. He just showed up.”

An unwelcome feeling is starting to creep up your spine, tingling through your skin like the most unpleasant current.

What if Noah is right?

What if this isn’t anything special to Will, what if he’s just passing the time until something better comes along? You’ve never seen him pick up many girls but looking like that, surely he does, and you think of his cocky attitude that bothered you so much before you really knew him, think of the way he was used to everyone loving him.

What if you’re just a conquest to him, to show himself that he can still get people to love him? What if you didn’t get to know the real him, but simply walked straight into his trap?

What if none of this is real and he’s going to go run off to someone else, because you’re just not that kinda girl.

“Do you think he’s right?” you blurt out, before thinking it through.

You really should’ve thought it through.

“Do you think I’m not the kinda girl guys end up marrying?”

Will’s eyes widen, and you see his hands clench where they’re wrapped around himself. Something clicks in his jaw. 

“Are you fucking serious?” he says, and he sounds upset. And angry. Really, really angry. “You really think I would be here if I did?”

You don’t answer. No, you don’t really think that. You think Will is better than that. But something inside of you is gnawing at your conscious, because if someone had asked you that question last month, you would’ve absolutely thought that.

“You do,” Will says, and he sounds like he almost can’t believe it. “You think I’m that kinda guy, still. You said you got to know me, but you still think I would be here and have sex with you and tell you all those things I told you if I didn’t mean them.”

When he says it like that, it sounds stupid, and doubt is starting to rise in your chest.

“No, Will, I didn’t mean it like…”

“But you did.” Will pushes himself away from the doorway, stalks towards his shoes and shoves his feet in. Instantly, you start to panic.

He’s leaving.

“Will, come on…”

“No.” Willy looks up, and there’s nothing but pure hurt in his eyes. It cuts like a knife, because you put that there, and you never wanted to be the reason for his hurt. 

 “You know what the funny thing is, Y/N? I’ve never thought anything bad of you. I liked you as soon as Zach introduced us. I thought we could be friends. But you were always so… judgmental, and you always rolled your eyes at me so I figured I shouldn’t bother, and that hurt, because I liked you even when you didn’t like me. And now you’re accusing me of thinking something so awful of you, when I only ever though the best, and when all you’ve ever done is think the worst of me.” 

He’s grabbing his jacket as he talks, stalks towards the door and you know there’s nothing you can do or say to stop him, not when you’ve hurt him like this.

Willy stops at the door, like Noah did. But he’s not smiling, no sharp amusement in his eyes. Only pain. Only sorrow.

“I always liked you, and you always disliked me. For no reason at all. And now, after everything, you still don’t like me, and the worst thing is, I still like you.”

The door falls quietly into the lock behind him, nothing like the way it slammed behind Noah - everything around you shatters, anyway.

--

He’s not coming you text Zach.

Zach is currently at a restaurant with his entire family in law, but he still answers right away. He’s truly been your rock, the past few days, even if he did also tell you how stupid you’ve been.

You already knew that, though.

He promised, didn’t he? He’ll come.

He won’t, though, and you can’t even blame him for it. If you were Willy, you wouldn’t come to the wedding either.

You’re standing in front of the church. Your family already spotted you, tried to get you to come inside with them, but you couldn’t. Not when there was still the slightest chance, when you still had the tiniest sliver of hope that he would be there.

“I’m just waiting for someone,” you had said, and your sister had given you a look of pity.

You kinda wanted to bite her head off, except you really didn’t have the energy anymore.

The ceremony is about to begin. If Will doesn’t show up, like, right now, he’s not coming.

He’s not coming.

Against everything you knew, you’d still hoped.

Suddenly, you hear a familiar voice.

“Y/N?”

Your eyes widen as you swirl around, but it really is who you thought you heard, her hair curled and wearing the most beautiful sundress. “Ellie? What are you doing here?”

Ellie laughs. “Your sister invited me. Said you could use some friendly faces in the crowd.” She frowns. “Aren’t you supposed to be inside? I thought I was running really late.”

“You are.” You sigh, and suddenly you feel like you could cry. You haven’t really cried, yet, refused to cry over Will when what you had was so new and uncertain. It’s not like you got dumped, for crying out loud.

If you’re never together, you can’t get dumped. So why does it feel exactly like that, then?

“Hey, what’s going on? You don’t look so good.” Ellie looks genuinely worried and that nearly pushes you over the edge; you let yourself sit down on the steps before the church.

The street is empty. The ceremony is starting, and he isn’t here. 

Ellie takes her seat next to you and waits patiently for you to talk. You want to, you need someone to talk to who doesn’t know Willy like Zach does, who might not judge you the way you’re sure Zach had – although he’d hidden it well, being too good a friend to be angry with you. 

It’s just hard to get the words out, is all.

“Remember Will?” you ask. Ellie smiles at the memory.

“The hot guy you brought to the last wedding we were at? That spent the entire evening shooting heart eyes at you while you ignored him? Yes, I remember.”

The guy who did what now?

I’ve liked you since Zach introduced us.

Fuck.

“Yeah, well.” You sigh. “I kinda fucked that one up.”

And so you tell her everything.

You tell her about the pressure of being single while Noah got married, how much you hate your family asking you those questions with pity in their eyes. About how Will promised to be your plus one if you were his; about the pact you made, the only rule that that was all it was.

You tell her you didn’t like Will, at first, but that’s because you didn’t understand him, and maybe, selfishly, because you knew how much you would like him, if you tried to understand him, and you were too scared to get hurt.

About how that happened, anyway; he wiggled his way into your heart with witty remarks and honest eyes, shy glances and the brightest smile you’ve ever seen.

About how finally, you gave in to the desire to kiss him. About how it had been magical, until Noah showed up.

How, just momentarily, you’d doubted him, because Noah’s words rang harshly in your ears and you don’t think the scars he left fully healed, no matter how many stars Will had drawn around them.

About how he immediately crawled back into his shell.

“I don’t think it’s so easy for him to let people in,” you tell her. “And he let me in and I immediately broke his trust.”

Ellie shrugs. “You were scared and hurt and you lashed out. It wasn’t a good decision, but if he likes you as much as he says he does, it won’t be the end of everything. You’ve gotta talk to him.”

“I know.” You stare at the stone of the curb in front of you. The sun makes it look strangely bright; it’s a beautiful day for a wedding. “I was scared to do that, too.”

“Yeah, but, sometimes scary things are worth it.” Ellie is looking at you, clearly trying to find something there. “Honestly, the way you’re talking about him? It sounds like he might be worth it.”

“It doesn’t matter, now.” The look on Ellie’s face tells you you sound exactly as pathetic as you think you do. “He’s not here, so he clearly wants nothing to do with me. Zach said he’d come, you know, because he promised and apparently he never breaks a promise.” You laugh, a little humorlessly. “I can’t even blame him for that, after what I said to him. But I didn’t mean it, El.”

“I know,” Ellie says softly. “But he doesn’t know that, Y/N. I’m not the person you need to be telling that to.”  

You sigh. Maybe you should, but you can’t, not right now, and you don’t think it would really matter anyway. 

“We should go inside, probably.”

“Yeah.” Ellie helps you up and tightly wraps her arm around your waist, like a crutch for you to lean on, and starts to lead you inside. One more time, you look behind you onto the empty street.

But there’s nobody there, so you enter the church.

He’s not coming, anyway. 

[leaveharmony]

The Rate My Villagers post absolutely no one asked for: post-Rocket edition (...there is no Rocket edition)

Leopold: 

10/10 The best boy.  Leopold was my first camper, which I have now learned means he could not have been rejected even if I had intended to, but I did actually not mean to say COME LIVE HERE right away!  I was just excited to have a visitor, and also it was a Cool Lion, and he immediately reminded me of Tana.  Also he was eating a doughnut, which made him even more endearing.  I love his entire design, from the green Tana hair that sometimes from behind makes me think he’s just part of a tree and sometimes has resulted in me running up to say hello to an unrelated tree that is not in fact him, to his sleepy eyes, to his big broad nose, to his little wee Lennon glasses, to the fuzzy lil ears that MATCH his toe beans in a dazzling display of coordination that is the envy of people who merely match their bags to their shoes.  No other lions, nor smugs, will ever be required on Kentanna because the positions are 100% filled.  He has never asked to leave but if he slid the dodos seven million bells in the dead of night to fly him away they would know I’d double the fee to keep him, circle the island a few times and land back at the dock, where I’d be waiting to give him a new hat.

(Everyone else under the cut)

Big Top:

10/10 Oh my god.  The first villager I chose, if I remember correctly; when the first three plots opened up after Cobb and Rocket were assigned.  I don’t remember if he was the first one I found, but I do distinctly recall saying “Oh my god, it’s an elephant,” and being instantly delighted.  It’s funny because almost everything that irritated me about Rocket’s design is wonderful on Big Top; wearing hats over his helmets, the little green suit never coming off...I think it’s just because elephants are inherently funny.  Like the other ones on the superhero team...the cat, the squirrel, Rocket, they just look silly, but it works on Big Top because elephants can get away with anything.  Love his laid back eyes and his mouth being off to one side, excellent tail, points for traditional elephant colouring.  He is never leaving.

Cobb: 

10/10 ok listen.  Listen.  I was dealt two starters by the gods, and Rocket was a disaster, but Cobb amused me as soon as I saw him.  He’s a green pig.  That’s fantastic!  I lost my entire mind the first time I saw him sitting under a tree reading and realized that it isn’t his glasses/goggles making him look like he has blank yellow eyes...his eyes are just blank and yellow.  His snout is so enormous that when he looks down I can’t see his mouth and I cannot tell you how cute it is, but I also love how wide his mouth actually is under normal circumstances.  When he does his exercises, his left ear flops...but only the left one.  The first thing Cobb did was give me a hat; my first hat, and he has had my sword ever since.

Miranda:

10/10.  Do you even know how badly I wanted a duck, though?  It was my number one wishlist item, and one day I just crawled through that tent flap and there was a fucking pink duck in there, casual as anything about being representative of all my hopes and dreams.  She has apple cheeks!!  She’s wearing eyeshadow!  LOOK AT HER LITTLE DUCK PATOOT!  It sticks out just like that no matter what she wears 😭 When she walks on stone there are little pap pap pap noises and she prefers elegant little dresses.  I’d die for her.

T-Bone:

10/10. I forget in which order T-Bone came to us, but I do recall I’d just set up the plot and intended to go looking for someone to fill it when I realized it was Sold already.  ‘Sold already!??’  I said.  ‘How can this be, I did not authorize this!  Who the hell is T-Bone!  I shall have a stern word with that loose cannon tanuki!’  And then it was just like.  Oh he’s a bull!  And the first thing he did was compliment my dress.  His place was classy, he sounds like Tenzan which is twice as funny because he’s a bull, I like the blue/grey, his minimalist eyes are very good...I just...loved him instantly?  And I know there are several other valid crankies but tbh I look at T-Bone and it’s...my friend T-Bone, not some strange wolf or anteater or bear.  His head is peanut-shaped and I love him more than I love my own father.

Flurry:

10/10.  My first Normal villager was, and it’s kind of telling that I can never remember how to spell her name, Rhoda or Rhonda, the rhino.  I picked her!  She seemed cool I guess, kinda neat.  She was also the first to ask to leave, and since I hadn’t yet formed an emotional attachment I decided I’d let her, so it was time to go hunting.

It was raining.  Little ears appeared on the horizon, flanking a small rain hat.  She had her back to me.  “Yes, good,” I said.  “Continue.”

Flurry emerged in the gloomy light like Athena springing from the head of Zeus. I had no idea what the fuck she was.  A cub?  A really short bear?  Back then I wasn’t sure I could talk to them without inviting them and I wanted a Normal type, but I did not know her name.  A little googling later, realization dawned.

“Hamster!  HAAAAMMMMSSSTTTEEERRRRRRRR” I desperately pm’d to @breadclubrising​, who justly laughed at me.

Look at her.  She is so fucking smol.  She has no nose!  Her mouth is an inverted child’s drawing of a distant seagull.  In certain moods her eyes turn white, and one time she got mad at Big Top for spoiling her book and she was just...stomping around with steam shooting out her ears in the world’s tiniest tantrum.  Do you know how much effort it must take to stomp with legs that short??  That is my Flurry, full of determination.

Cheri:

10/10.  Cheri preceded Flurry, which was why I thought she might be a weird cub at first.  One of the initial 3 after the starters, so her house is, like Big Top and Cobb’s, all wrong on the inside.  Again, I chose her on the hunt ‘cos she met the criteria of smol and adorable and a type I did not yet have.  I am tremendously fond of her but I think I can let her move on to delight someone else who will also be totally unprepared for a small pink bear with anime eyes to stroll out from behind a tree and declare that they are a Friend.

Clay:

10/10.  I was tired, my arm was sore, I was so, so tired of taking mystery tours.  The types were all accounted for, so whoever I found would end up a secondary.  Oddly, it was raining again.   “Oh NO!” I said, when Clay turned around.

Another hamster.  Oh my god, another hamster.

Listen I want to give Roald a shot to penguin the place up, I really do.  But...the thing is...look at Clay.  Look at him!  That is his default poncho, actually, I think the only default outfit I have apart from Bree’s.  This...hippie lookin’ golem hamster, I love him.  The design is so good??  He’s a little piece of caveman pottery, only a hamster.  I love his dots, and I love that the ears are such a vivid aqua to contrast with all the neutrals.  The slit eyes are very good.  There’s no reaction that makes him do it so I cannot demonstrate but when he sings sometimes his mouth makes a perfect round ‘o’

I have lost him 84 times because he’s short and blends in with trees and cliffsides.

Pinky:

10/10 damnit lol.  Pinky was another “Ok, close enough” hunt gone terribly right.  I love that she is ENORMOUS, like I think she’s even taller than T-Bone.  She’s such a great vivid pink, her toe beans contrast so well with it...she’s a panda, what more do I even need to say?  If I was going to keep an additional Peppy after ordering Ketchup I think it’d be Pinky rather than Cheri, which is wild considering you’d think it’d be the other way around.  But I really dig how tall she is vs how tiny all the other girls are...

Bree:

9/10.  I’m not gonna lie, Bree is a stopgap measure.  It could have as easily been Norma or Judy or any of the other randoms I happened across before I got sick of looking for Muffy.

But as stopgaps go, she is a fucking stellar one, eh?  Look at that tiny little body, I could leapfrog her if I wanted to!  The size!  Of the fucking ears!  Just amazing.  She cannot face the direction of the wind lest it blow her into the sea.  Love the hair, love the big green eyes, the blush, the tail.  She is just...very pleasing overall.  The score is 9/10 only because her head is so candy corn shaped that hats just kinda sit on the top and it looks ridiculous; Rocket had the same problem but had none of the cute that makes up for it.  If I could have like,15 villagers, I may even consider keeping her, but alas she is here only until I get my mitts on some amiibos.  I will enjoy her company until then. 🥰 

[meganshinsou-tm]

Vermilion. (m)

↳ chapter nine: kiss two

❧ genre:  pro-hero’s bakugou/kirishima, poly, happy ending

❧ chapter warnings: none

[multi-chap masterlist] [previous chapter - next chapter]

Your fun and lazy Saturday with the boys was cut short when they both got called out to help with some trouble from a small villain group. They advised you not to wait up and Bakugou told you if they weren't back before you fell asleep that he'd make it up to you and spend one on one time with you the next day. You reluctantly told them goodbye and to be safe, and for them to also call you when they were heading home, pouting once they walked out the door hours ago.

The remainder of the day was spent binge watching shows, around dinner time you went out and grabbed a quick meal, stopping by a grocery store after to grab items to make a cake for the guys. Once you got home it was close to late in the night and your roommates still hadn't called you. You weren't worried, you knew how the job was, long hours, never really knowing when the work would be done. And you knew the two heroes could more than handle themselves but still you were fucking lonely and it sucked!

With a sigh you kicked off your shoes and unloaded the few groceries before heading upstairs to take a quick shower. Later on back downstairs, you grabbed your phone and turned on some music, put your hair up into a messy bun and prepared to bake your ass off! A few songs and dance breaks later the cake was in the oven and you were having a damn good time around the kitchen, eating a popsicle you found in the freezer, making icing and forgetting about how lonely you were without Kiri and Bakugou.

Bakugou groaned as he rubbed the back of his neck and walked up to the front door. It was a rough night chasing around the small group they were after while also tending to other crimes going on. Finally some backup came, but the agency still wanted the red-eyed duo to stay for the night. Both Kirishima and Bakugou protested that only one could stay and that the other needed to go home, neither one liking the thought of you being home completely alone all night. Since Kirishima had his time with you the night before he had no problem letting Katsuki go home. "Try not to burn the house down and behave yourselves,” the red-head said cheerfully to his friend as he left the locker room.

Not even caring to argue back, the blonde happily left, he was so beat and honestly wanted to just have a calm night at home - hopefully with you. As he got closer to the door he could hear music blaring from the other side, it was poppy and upbeat, your voice was singing along. Bakugou smiled and quietly turned the doorknob to walk in slowly, thankfully there was a wall that hid the front door from the kitchen and he peered around it.

There you were, in some green shirt that was way to big for you and hung down to your thighs as you danced, quite well actually, hopping around, gyrating your hips, clapping your hands and more. All while eating one of his fucking popsicles! Before Bakugou could go into a full on temper tantrum his nose picked up on a sweet and indulgent scent filling the air that made him salivate as he inhaled it. Damn his sweet tooth!

Naturally, Bakugou wanted to scare the shit out of you, have some fun but he caught a glimpse of your face, full of joy and smiling like an idiot as you danced and sang. It made his heart swell and those now all too familiar feelings start to surface. A pleasant tightening in his chest, a warmth spreading throughout his body and a genuine stupid smile growing on his face. You were too fucking cute for your own good sometimes and it slowly chipped away at his brash exterior. "What are you doing to me you shitty girl!"

Slowly and quietly, Bakugou crept his way into the kitchen once you turned back around. He started to follow the dance and knew you'd be jumping back around soon. He stood behind you, stifling down a snicker and watched your feet as he bobbed his head with the music as well.

"I’m a new generation Anpanman, I’m a new superhero Anpanman. Naega gajin geon i norae hanbang. Lemme say, all the bad men, cop out.”

Right when you went to do that twirl Bakugou was waiting on, he quickly hopped into your space and tickled your hips with a shout.

"Boo!"

You screamed, feeling something touching your sides and red eyes glaring at you, it took you a few seconds to register who it was as your heart almost burst out of your chest.

"The fuck - don’t do that shit you asshole!"

You glared and shoved the popsicle into your mouth that shockingly didn’t get chunked in the midst of your heart attack.

"That's one of my fucking popsicles you trash panda!"

You snorted at the insult and shoved the cold treat to one side of your mouth, muttering around it. “Did your mother not teach you how to share Baka-gou?”

The blonde smirked and quietly scoffed with a "If you only knew."

Your eyes rolled and you went to turn off the music, asking why he didn’t even bother to call, warning you of his return.

"But if I did, then I would've missed the concert you were having!" He chuckled and kissed your cheek before strolling back towards the door to remove his boots and placed them in the living room.

"Stop teasing Bakugou, I'm already embarrassed!"

He walked back into the kitchen and dug in the fridge for a drink, "I'm not fucking teasing you, I thought it was ... cute. You're actually good, where did you learn that?"

"I just watch too many BTS videos repeatedly and learned," you admitted as you blushed and continued to eat the popsicle.

After grabbing a water bottle, Bakugou came closer to you and took the half eaten treat for himself, "Aren't gremlins not supposed to eat past midnight?"

You sarcastically laughed and flipped him the bird then went to take the cake out of the oven as the timer went off. "Where's Kiri?"

"He had to stay behind and work, he probably won't be back for a few more hours, possibly not till early morning."

Bakugou moved to stand behind you, hooking his head over your shoulder as you placed the cake on a cooling rack.

"What's up with you Suki?" The blonde shrugged and asked what you meant. "Well you're being extremely ... sweet? Granted the gremlin and trash panda joke, but you’re being very affectionate right now and even called me cute."

He groaned and finished the popsicle, removing himself from you and going to throw away the stick. You gasped when suddenly your body was being turned around to face him and lifted up onto the counter. Bakugou placed himself between your knees, leveling his face with yours and wearing an expression you’d never seen before.  

"I'm not always an asshole you know … plus I’m - I’m pretty beat up from work."

Crimson ones meet your own, they did look tired. A strand of hair feel into your face and Bakugou gently brushed it back, tucking it behind your ear.

"So what, I have to exhaust you in order to get this version of you?"

The hero grew agitated as you continued to pester him and prod for more. Katsuki wasn't good at expressing his feelings, you knew that but you needed more, you knew there was more.

"What’s with the fucking interrogation huh? Phishing for compliments or something, fine! I think you’re cute all the time, e-even fucking gorgeous. I might not exactly say that mushy shit all the time but that doesn’t mean I don’t think it. Look, I know I fuck with you but that’s just my way of ... my shitty way of affection or whatever you fucking call it."

Your brows furrowed as you felt Bakugou’s forehead with the back of your hand. “Kats, you feeling okay? This is - unexpected?”

The blonde shook his head and pulled your hand from him, looking at it before lacing his fingers with yours.

"Look that day on the train, when you were rubbing my head I decided I was going to stop suppressing my … feelings for you. I'm not that red-headed idiot, shit like this, it's not easy for me okay? I only know how to make my physical desires for you known, I'm not like fucking Romeo with expressing my deeper, stupid emotional desires but they're fucking there. Just - just bear with me and know I’m trying ... stop making it so fucking awkward, please."

You sat there in shock, silent. 

Katsuki Bakugou, the brash and explosive man, was letting his walls down for you, admitting and confessing some things that were probably embarrassing for him to say but he was doing it. You placed a hand on his cheek, seeming to make him un-clench his jaw and melt. Bakugou looked at you with those damned crimson eyes, luring you more and more into his space.

“Katsuki -”

Bakugou groaned and quickly took your face in his hands, his lips crashing into yours. Instantly, your hands wrapped around his wrists and accepted the kiss. It was warm and somewhat rough but passionate and soft at the same time. He kissed you with desperation, almost like your lips where the oxygen he needed to live off of. It made you heart flutter as you kissed him back sweetly before lightly sucking his bottom when your mouths started to part. Once the kiss finally broke, Bakugou pressed his forehead to yours and let out a deep breath, feeling like a huge weight had been lifted from his shoulders and he could think clearly.

"Suki, I know you aren't Kiri and I don't expect you to be like him. Where he's sweet natured and pure, you're rough around the edges and raw. That's what separates you two and what draws me to both of you. What you lack, he has and what he lacks you have. I admire and reciprocate both of your feelings, no matter how you display them. I know you, while I appreciate you trying to soften up don't forget that brashness and smart mouth is one of the main reasons I'm falling for you, so don't forget who you really are and know that I like the asshole Suki just as much as the sweet one!"

Bakugou smirked and kissed you again, knowing he’d never get enough of them now.

"Duly noted princess! Tell anyone about this at work and I'll kill you!"

You laughed and wrapped your arms around the blondes neck, "There he is!"

Bakugou rolled his eyes and told you to finish with the cake while he went to shower.

“And your ass better be in your own bed when I get out, I call dibs on you tonight!”

You obeyed your orders without a word, frosting the dessert and placing it on the cake stand you had brought to the home with you. You quickly jotted down a note for Kiri and placed it by the stand and cleaned up the kitchen. With a smile you turned off all the lights and headed upstairs.

In no time you were snuggled up in your bed that had yet to be slept in and waited for the blonde moody man to join you. A few minutes went by before the door opened and in walked Bakugou, gracing you with the sight of him in a pair of red briefs.

"So you're both brief men?" You joked and scooted over, making a spot for him.

Katsuki chuckled and crawled in next to you. With a devious grin he lifted your shirt up to see your panties, making you scoff and slap his hand.

"Hey, I show you mine, you show me yours. Fair is fair princess!"

Your eyes rolled, knee jerking up to nudge Bakugou and arms pushing at him. The hero laughed and pulled you close into his chest, wrapping your legs together and gripping your wrists. You smiled at him and watched as his larger hands moved to hold yours lovingly.

“Stop being a pain in the ass,” he growled out before leaning in and stealing a kiss from your lips.

You hummed and went along with it, sighing when his teeth lightly bit at your bottom lip, moving along and nipping at your cheek. Another kiss was pressed to your forehead and strong, warm, arms were soon holding you. Bakugou looked up at the night sky that shone through the skylight as you nuzzled closer into his chest.

"I guess this is pretty cool, but I'm sure I'm gonna change my mind about it once the fucking sun is out!"

You giggled and kissed his chest, making him look down on you and stop breathing for a second. The moonlight bathed perfectly on your soft and sweet face, making your (e/c) eyes sparkle like his own personal stars. Bakugou couldn’t help but get one last kiss.

Smiling after, you buried your face into his chest with a sleepy grunt and wrapped around him like a koala. "Goodnight Sweet Suki, I’ll tell Asshole Suki ‘hello’ for you when he returns."

A harsh pinch to you backside had you muffling a yelp.

"Shut up and go to sleep before I put you to sleep princess!"

[in-tua-deep]

Five finds a pillow pet in the apocolypse and goes fucking nuts. Similarly could also happen with a snuggie

you say pillow pet but what i hear is “Five having more than Dolores in the apocalypse au”

so it starts with Dolores. He picks her up, and she has a human face that isn’t decomposing, and it’s partially on a whim that he sticks her in his little red wagon and partially out of desperation. He needs company, he needs someone to talk with, or else he’s going to genuinely go insane. 

He takes her with him because he remembers reading about programmers who talk to rubber ducks in order to find problems in the code, and he thinks “okay, this mannequin will be my rubber duck and she’ll help me with my equations to go home, simple as that”

it’s not as simple as that, and Dolores becomes someone real

but Dolores isn’t enough

he finds the teddy bear in the street, dropped a dusty and he very purposefully does not look around for where its owner might be. He already knows there are no survivors - he checked every body he came across in those first few weeks. But the bear is sitting there, and it looks so sad, and he has room in his wagon - and he just picks it up without really thinking about it and pops it next to Dolores.

Five names him Buddy, and learns that Buddy has a wicked sense of humor if a little dark. 

Next he finds a little stuffed cat caught between bits of rubble. He’d thought it was a body at first (it wasn’t just humans killed in the apocalypse, after all) but no. The fabric is face, the eyes are plastic, and maybe once upon a time it was white but apocalypse living doesn’t exactly help with cleanliness. He calls her Snowy anyway, and places her in the wagon next to Dolores and Buddy. She’s very shy at first, and she doesn’t like Buddy’s jokes, but Dolores enjoys having another girl on the team.

And from there on it becomes a thing.

He doesn’t take all of them with him, and some are only temporary companions. Jasper is a dog that’s missing two legs. Scrappy is probably a panda but honestly is so filthy that Five is just guessing. Will is some sort of goofy looking monster. But every one he finds, he brushes off and introduces to the others and has a conversation - even if they’re just pretend conversations. Because it’s the end of the world and he’s the only one left and he’s hanging onto his sanity by his fingernails but having some form of companionship is… nice.

Even if it isn’t real.

So Five lives the apocalypse surrounded by dozens of toys who never speak but who have their own individual personalities that Five learns. He breathes life into them and makes them real, or as real as they can possibly be out in the apocalypse. It isn’t always stuffed animals. Sometimes it’s other mannequins. Sometimes he pauses to say hello to an intact statue, tracing the names people over the years have drawn and carved into them with gentle fingers. 

He keeps Dolores by his side always, she was the first and he is most attached to her. The others are a somewhat rotating cast. Candles the lion lives in the ruins of the pharmacy with Jellybean the giraffe. Hoot the owl perches on top of what Five figures must have been an old church bell or something. Chip the hedgehog usually stands around the halfway point between the library ruins and the ruins of the umbrella academy. They’re familiar faces that when Five goes out scavenging, he calls out greetings to and pretends he receives them in return. An entire unliving city full of the creations of a desperate, lonely child.

They’re his neighbors. They’re his friends. They’re all the companionship he has out there as the only person left in the world.

And then the commission grabs him, and he leaves his friends behind, and he wasn’t quite expecting it to hurt as much as it did because he’s always been gearing up to leave them eventually. To travel back in time and save his siblings. But it still leaves him anxious and jumpy without any of his friends to confide in, though Dolores at least is with him even if she does constantly point out that his equations aren’t finished. 

He goes back. He shows up on the day of the funeral. He goes to find the owner of a glass eye, he speaks to his brother, and then he shows up with Dolores. His siblings don’t question her. But they are slightly more confused when random stuffed animals start also popping up in the house.

“What’s this?” Allison asks, puzzled, picking up what could be a crocodile or a lizard or… something vaguely reptilian in looks.

Five doesn’t even look up, “That’s Snorri. Snorri, Allison. Allison, Snorri.” 

“Okay.” Allison says slowly, and puts the stuffed toy back on the counter.

And when the stop the apocalypse, it keeps happening. Luther sits on the couch and is immediately shoved at by Five who has jumped over in a flash of blue. “You’re suffocating her!” He’s yelling, and Luther moves, and Five fishes out a stuffed whale which might or might not look like it came from the giftshop of the local aquarium. Five jumps away, cradling ‘her’ protectively in his arms before Luther can say a word.

“Should we ask about this?” Klaus asks at the breakfast table after Five takes his leave, looking at the place at the table where Five has placed a stuffed dog as if it was actually a person. “Like, I feel this is something we should be somewhat concerned about?” and nobody has anything to say to that, because Five had just carried out a one-sided conversation with a stuffed animal at the breakfast table like that was a normal and sane thing to do.

Finally Diego, who was volunteered by his family and upon refusal was goaded into it by Luther sighing and saying that he supposed, as team leader he should - , addresses the issue. Sort of.

“So uh,” Diego coughs from where he’s sitting awkwardly on the couch. Five is cross legged on the floor next to the coffee table, scribbling away at some equations while a plush wolf watches over with baleful eyes where its placed across from him on the tabletop. “What’s your uh, friend’s name?”

“Allie.” Five gestures with a wave of his hand, “She’s the best with polynomial functions.”

Diego nods, like that makes sense. “And uh, where did she come from?”

“I made Allie’s acquaintance on the corner of First and Gregory, I believe. She was trapped under a street lamp and about half a house when I found her.” Five says absently, still mostly focused on his equations. Honestly it’s easiest to get answers out of Five like this, when he’s only paying attention to what he’s saying with half his brain.

“Oh uh, in the apocalypse?” Diego asks dumbly, as if there were random collapsed houses in the streets.

But Five doesn’t call him out, too busy scribbling out some more numbers to bother verbally eviscerating his brother. He just nods.

“Are they all from the apocalypse?” Diego prods a little further, a picture starting to become clear in his mind and it’s not exactly one he’s liking.

“Mmhmm.” Five hums, “It’s not everyone, obviously. I’m not going to tear anyone away from their family of course. But anyone I met in shops and the like are fair game, and they’d much rather live with someone familiar to them until we figure out accommodations.”

“Accommodations?” Diego was so not ready for this discussion. He shouldn’t have let Luther manipulate him. He should have volunteered Vanya for it instead, no matter her excuses about actually having a job or whatever.

“Yeah,” Five nods, frowning at his paper for a moment before quickly erasing a number and continuing on, “Like Hoot used to live on the church bell but she can’t anymore ‘cause the church is still up. And people would try and make Chip move if he lived on Windsor street again.”

“Alright.” Diego says, and then decides to bite the bullet, “You do know they’re stuffed animals, right?”

The scratching of the pencil stops abruptly, and Diego finds himself staring into Five’s furious eyes. Five stands gracefully and Diego shifts warily, almost expecting Five to launch himself at his brother and attack. But no, instead Five scoops up the plush wolf into his arms and looks at Diego like he’s dirt, “You can apologize to Allie when you’re ready.” Five sniffs, before jumping away and taking the wolf with him.

Diego goes back to the rest of the family and is basically like ‘so like, he found them all in the apocalypse i think. He plans on rehoming them? I think? So I guess just… ignore it for now. And also if I’m smothered in my sleep know that it was murder.’

but yes five with lots of apocalypse friends of his own making, but dolores is still the most important because that’s his wife !!

and yes, some of those friends might be pillow pets :’)

[crushedbyhyperbole]

Promises - Chapter Six

Chapter Summary: Rules and red tape.  Bucky and Izzy make the agreement that will redefine their friendship from then on out.  Bucky thinks this is singularly the best and the worst idea he’s ever agreed to.  It’s not like there’s a chance something will go wrong further down the line, right?  Right?

A/N: Ok so I toyed with abbreviated text speak for the [text messages] but it annoys me so much I can’t bring myself to put it in there, authenticity be damned.  Yes, I’m anally retentive, it IS a big problem, and no, I’m not currently seeking help ;)

I’m just going to apologise that this chapter is mainly dialogue, and probably not all that good dialogue either, but it sets everything up for Bucky and Izzy’s friends with benefits relationship.  The next couple of chapters after this are going to be smut central so you have been warned.

Warnings:  Tiny bit of angst - Bucky is feeling the stress. Mostly just fluff and talking.

PROMISES MASTERLIST  |  MAIN MASTERLIST  |  MOBILE MASTERLIST

Belated Prologue Part Five - The Rules

At a little after lunch time the next day, Bucky’s phone buzzed to life.

  [Izzy]  Morning Buckinator!  This is your next morning sobriety text! X

So much for her forgetting, he thought ruefully.  I guess I’m really gonna have to consider the options, now.  Fuck!

  [Buck]  Good morning.  You feeling rough? x

  [Izzy]  I feel like I licked the inside of a trash can.  What did you give me to drink?  Booty juice? X

  [Buck]  Hey, you asked for it x

  [Izzy]  I remember asking for something else too… so how about it? ;)

Euphoria.  Fear.  Anticipation.  Dread.  He felt them all and more each time he thought about the predicament that Izzy was putting him in.  He made a promise to himself that he’d keep his feelings under wraps, and do whatever he could to keep her in his life.  She was offering him something that he never thought he’d ever have but it was only half of what he wanted and it could ruin them if things went badly.

Rules were a good idea, they would help keep things in check and set boundaries.   There were only a few things that Bucky really wanted out of this arrangement and that was to safeguard their friendship and for it not to be a drunken booty call thing.  Oh, and safe sex.

  [Buck]  I dunno Iz we got a lot to lose if this goes bad x

  [Izzy]  It won’t.  Pinky promise. XX

She had to go and say fucking ‘pinky promise’.

  [Buck]  What got you started on this idea?

  [Izzy]  Honestly?  I’m horny and every guy I meet either comes with some amount of bullshit that I just don’t have the time or energy for right now.  I need a friend, someone who understands and will share this with me.  Guys I meet for 1 night are just there to get themselves off.  I want a bit more respect than that. X

  [Buck]  And your 1st thought was me? xx

  [Izzy]  Actually no, my first thought was paying for an escort but that doesn’t get you over the awkwardness of sex with a stranger. X

  [Buck]  I dunno that can be fun :p

  [Izzy]  Fun but not what I’m looking for. X

  [Buck]  Fair enough.  Why me? xx

  [Izzy]  Of all of the people I know who would probably sleep with me, you’re the safest option.  I can’t ask Steve, he’d die of embarrassment lol. X

Steve would probably drop down dead if Izzy had asked him.  As it was, Bucky wasn’t doing much better.  His mouth was dry and he was almost shaking with nerves, skin pale and clammy.  Panic was growing in his chest and all he could think about was losing her if this all went tits up.  He registered somewhere in the back of his mind that Izzy had put him on the list of people who would maybe want to sleep with her.  He didn’t know if that said more about her or him, and didn’t know if he should be offended or not.  He let it slide.

  [Buck]  I’m pretty much dying over here too xx

  [Izzy]  You can say no, Bucky. I’ll not be upset or anything. XXX

  [Buck]  true story? x

  [Izzy]  True story.  Listen, are you free in an hour? X

  [Buck]  Yep, I work at 6 though x

  [Izzy]  Come round to mine, we’ll talk ok? XX

  [Buck]  Ok doll xx

Jesus what was he doing?  This had to be the worst and the best idea of all time.  He was torn between protecting what he had and seizing this new opportunity.  He might actually get the chance to sleep with Izzy, more than once too, and have it not ruin their friendship

 Izzy answered the door in lounge wear; black leggings, novelty slippers and a huge white rolling stones t-shirt.  There was no big showy seduction going down here which made him feel more at ease.  He was usually confident when it came to sleeping with women but this was one of his best and oldest friends.  There was a history there that he cherished as much as he cherished her.

“Drink?”  She offered, shuffling off to the kitchen in her slippers.

“Soda, coffee, whatever.  I’m easy.”

“Well I had heard that about you but I didn’t want to believe the gossip.”  She quipped.

“I see my reputation precedes me.  I presume that’s why I’m here.”  It was half a joke and half serious.

He was curious as to whether Izzy had chosen to ask him because he slept around a little and had no problem with no strings sex.  The problem was, with her, there were so many strings it was a tenuously strung web of feelings and memories.  No part of this was going to be easy for him, but she had asked, and he would give her anything.

She passed him a chilled can of diet Pepsi before slouching on the sofa.  She seemed comfortable with him, even in this awkward situation.

“I wouldn’t say it preceded you but I’m aware of it.”  She smirked lightly.

“I do come with recommendations.”  Bucky raised a sarcastic eyebrow.

She nodded, distracted, distant.  The missed opportunity for a ‘your mom’ joke betrayed her nerves.

“Look, you can say no.  I understand it’s not ideal.  I just need someone reliable who gets me and won’t hurt me.  Someone I connect with but who won’t make demands on my time or dictate to me how to live my life.  You’re one of the most laid back guys I know and you’ve always looked after me, Bucky.  I just need someone I can be with without any drama, you know, without any bullshit.”

Bucky felt like he was watching the scene from somewhere deep in his skull, too far behind his own eyes for him to actually be in control of his own mouth at this point.  What she was asking for was virtually everything he wanted but he wanted love too.  She was willing to give him almost everything he wanted other than a full-on relationship.

He decided it was as close as he was ever going to get and who knew, maybe the feelings would come for her later, just maybe she could learn to love him like he loved her.  Or even part way to that and he’d be ok with it.

“I know I can, Iz, it’s just that I really cherish what we have and if this thing that we’re talking about here doesn’t work, and if it ruins our friendship I don’t know what I’d do.  You and Steve, you’re everything to me.  I can’t lose you, not for a few tumbles in the sack.”  He was being as honest as he could without breaking his promise to himself.

“Then that’ll be one of the rules.”  She said, regarding him carefully.

Bucky licked his lips absently as he thought about it.  It could work, if they absolutely promised each other that their friendship came first, no matter what.

“Okay.”  He said, blowing an unsteady breath out through pursed lips.

“Okay?”  She jumped with anticipation.

“Yeah.”  Bucky sighed right before Izzy threw herself forward to hug him.

“You’re awesome!”  She breathed against his neck.

She felt different, all of a sudden.  The giddy thrill of holding her with his feelings kept hidden had been replaced with the deep burn of longing.  He had permission to want her now, permission to touch her more than he ever had, but yet he didn’t.  They needed to set boundaries.

Pulling away, he stood up, turning his back to her as he collected himself.

“I have requirements.”  Bucky said, after a few long moments of silence where they both just existed in the space, contemplating how everything was going to be different for them both after this.

“Okay,” she pulled out her phone.  “Rule 1.”

“Protection.  The sex always has to be safe.”

“Okay, yeah, good.”  She typed quickly.  “Rule 2.”

“Respect.”  Bucky crossed his arms across his chest and frowned slightly as he searched for the right words.  “No drunken booty calls, or making the other person feel shit for saying ‘no’.  We respect each other as we always have and respect our other friends too.”

“Okay, got it.”  She smiled softly.

“You do one or I’ll feel like I’m dictating.”

“Rule 3.  No catching feelings.”  She said after a long pause.  “If it’s just sex it should be just sex.  One person falling for the other will probably end in disaster so no feels and no jealousy.”

That was her first rule, no falling in love with him?  Did it matter that he had already fallen for her?  She said ‘no catching feelings’ but his were already caught.  No matter how he looked at it, it still hurt to hear.

“Ok, in that case rule 4 should be no displays of affection.  No kissing, no cuddling, no holding hands romantically, no gifts other than maybe the standard shit we’ve always done at Christmas or birthdays.”  He clenched his jaw slightly.  This was more difficult than he’d thought it would be.  “Rule 4 supports rule 3.  If there’s to be no chance of one of us catching feelings then avoiding the little things like that will help.”

“Right.”  Her fingers tapped frantically over her phone screen. “Rule 5.  We both have to get off.  I’m about done with guys and their panda antics.”  She said with a frustrated sigh.

“Panda antics?”

“You know.  That joke?  Why is a man like a panda?  Because he eats, shoots and leaves.”

“Ohhhh, that’s witty.”  Bucky smothered his smirk.  “You know I’d never do that to you, right?”

“Let’s call this insurance.”

“What if I want to get you off but not myself?”  He couldn’t believe he was even discussing this stuff with her.

“I suppose that’s your call.”  She bit her lip thoughtfully.  “Okay, so we both have to be willing to make sure we both get off, unless we choose otherwise for ourselves.”

“Okay, deal.  Rule 6.”  Bucky sat back down beside Izzy, the warmth of her leg against his was both comforting and alluring.  “We only do this while we’re both single.  And we’re up front about the people we’re seeing.”  He wanted to know in advance if there was to be someone else on the scene.

“As soon as we think we might like someone we press pause.”  Izzy was concentrating on getting it all down on her phone as Bucky watched her.  The way she chewed the inside of her mouth, her minuscule frown.  He couldn’t believe he was this close to having her.

“Rule 7?”

“Rule 7.”  She mused.  “We have to keep it secret.”

“Yeah, Steve would freak the fuck out!”

“Imagine the lectures?  Oh god!”  She laughed.

“No one is gonna understand this whole thing so yeah, keeping it to ourselves is a good call.”  Bucky could do that.  The only person either of them would have an issue keeping a secret from was actually Steve.  It would be interesting to see if he could tell there was something going on.

“Rule 8.  Just sex, no making love.”  She sat back against the cushions as she wrote.  “No sleepovers in the same bed either.  And we should probably avoid using the word ‘love’ at all too.”  She tapped her phone against her thigh as she mentally weighed the idea.  “If we never say it, even to describe something, then it can never be misconstrued.  Rule 3, remember?”

“Sure.”  He said in absent agreement.  “Define making love.”

“Oh, you know, slow and passionate, with kissing and holding each other.  Staring lovingly into each other’s eyes, that sort of thing.”

“Right.”  He had a significant downward turn to his excitement now.  All these rules put in place just to stop either of them from catching feelings.  Knowing when you were breaking rule 8 might be difficult but he supposed that if you left out the kissing and eye contact then some slow sex might get past unnoticed.  “Rule 9?”

“No nudes.”

“Seriously?”  Disappointment didn’t cut it.

“Seriously!”  She chastised.  “There’s no way I’m letting naked pictures of myself anywhere near your phone, that any one of your friends might see… Hell no!”

“What if I wanted to send but not receive?”

“You wouldn’t want to receive?”

“Well, yeah I would, but…”

“No nudes, Bucky.”

“Ahh come on, you’re breaking my balls here.”

“What would you want them for anyway?”

“You have to ask.”  He laughed.

Izzy just shook her head with a bemused smile.  She knew, of course she did.  All guys liked to keep something to get them going with their personal time.

“Okay then, rule 10?”

The pair of them pondered in silence for a few moments.

“I got nothing.”  Bucky shrugged.

“Ooooh!”  Izzy twitched.  “Rule 10 should be the all-encompassing friendship rule.  Our friendship comes first, no matter what.”

How could he have forgotten that one?  It was the thing that was most important to him.  The first thing he’d said before they even started concocting rules and boundaries.

“That’s the most important thing to me, Izzy, I mean it.”

“Me too.”  She smiled and squeezed his hand.

After a long pause, she read through the 10 rules they had drawn up.  There were a few things that weren’t covered but they could go on for days creating red tape for themselves.

Red tape, hmm, I wonder. 

“So is there anything you don’t like, or won’t try?  Anything that’s a total turn off?”  Bucky wanted to get some insight into the territory he’d be traversing.

“Honestly, I don’t know.  I guess we just talk about it?  Do the respect thing, no forcing each other and no guilt trips if one of us says no.”

“Sounds fair.”  Bucky nodded.  “And when exactly are you thinking we start this arrangement?”

“Whenever you’re ready.”  She said calmly, like this wasn’t the most nerve racking thing he’d done since leaving the army.

Bucky just blinked.  Was he ready?

Continue to chapter seven >>>

[sweetdejun]

coterie: the bluetooth earpiece (2/2)

gang!x1 x fem!reader

synopsis: you’re an ordinary girl, with an ordinary life. but what happens when you catch the gang that is famous for keeping their deeds under the table, in action?

coterie’s masterlist can be found here

pairing: son dongpyo and y/n

a/n: mild cursing, so proceed with caution. this is also quite long, so just a heads up :)))

so over the next few weeks, your days went on in the same routine: you would wake up, have breakfast, watch some tv (currently you watch reruns of running man) and then dongpyo would have you come into a room that he has set up for your training purposes, specifically. here, he taught you how to place bugs and cameras efficiently, he taught you ways to make your acting more sincere and the most important one, he taught you how to not give in under any circumstances. “at times, the people I keep an eye on begin to get suspicious. I usually don’t give them a reason to be so, but sometimes they are smart enough. when that happens, don’t panic. it’ll only weaken your case even more. find ways of distraction, it could be anything. but don’t let them on your tail.” you didn’t get to play around with some of the fancier equipment, as dongpyo probably still didn’t trust you with that stuff just yet. you’re a good learner, you would attempt to argue with him, but he’d snort and ruffle your hair, “not today, pal,” to which you would just pout, and unbeknownst to you, speeding up dongpyo’s heart rate with this action of yours. during your training sessions, you’ve heard dongpyo sing under his breath quite faintly (what can’t he do), and his voice is angelic. he’ll catch himself singing and stop before you notice, but he doesn’t realize that you pick it up the millisecond he starts. one day, you did compliment him about it, and the poor boy had gone red for a solid ten minutes, before hyungjun stopped by and said, “yo, what’s wrong with your face?” all in all, dongpyo’s been nothing but sweet to you, regardless of his outgoing personality. but sometimes, you can’t help but notice that he’ll be caught in his own thoughts. when you ask him something or confirm if you’re doing something right, his eyes are focused in another direction, deep in thought. one day, you thought you could ask him about it. “dongpyo, can I ask you something?” his eyes shifted up from his phone screen to you. “you’re always thinking about something. sometimes when I talk to you, you don’t hear me. why’s that? what’s on your mind?”dongpyo smiled tight-lipped and responded with a lazy look in his eyes, “that’s attentive of you to notice, but I don’t think we stand in a place where we can be this open to each other yet, so let’s drop the topic.” and he shut you down like that, and moved on as if you didn’t even bring it up to start with. “I have to get a picture of you so I can get an ID printed for you. look at the camera,” he pulled out his phone. you felt a slight pang in your chest, but you decided to move it to the side and focus on the matter at hand, so you gave the camera a small and clearly fake smile and he took the photo. you left to your room as soon as you heard the click, unaware of dongpyo’s gaze on your every movement. 

you shut the door and leaned against it, your feet slowly dragging you down. you had no right to be upset, he was technically right. you knew the guy for what, almost a month and a half? what relationship did you guys have and more importantly how close were you two for him to tell this stuff to you? you can’t expect him to open up until he’s ready to. still, you think, why does it bother you that something’s bugging him? and on the other side of the door, dongpyo stood, eyes fixated on your door and his hands shoved deep into his pocket. he sighs and looks away before turning around and walking back to his room. he wants to be able to open up to you, he wants to have long conversations about what’s going on in his head with you. there’s just one problem, and that’s trust. he knew from the second you picked him that there was something different about you, and he was determined to figure it out. but as he started learning more and more about you and your addicting personality, he found that the only obstacle standing in his way was himself. from his childhood up until now, dongpyo had been deceived too many times. he was abandoned as a toddler at the steps of a foster home, and the only memory of that time that he has of his birth parents is a picture of him and his mother. he doesn’t know why they left him there. but that was the first time it felt like he was punched in the stomach; that feeling was betrayal. it continued to happen throughout his school days, where his friends used him to get things out of him. whether it was copying his homework, to more extreme things like sneaking into teacher’s offices to look for answer keys or tests, they all had one purpose; to get the dirty work done and use dongpyo as their scapegoat, when he’d get caught. the only person that he definitely trusted more than anything was seungwoo; dongpyo met seungwoo for the first time outside his school, when his so-called friends crowded him against a wall, threatening him. seungwoo saved him just in time, and since then the two were inseparable until seungwoo graduated. sometimes, dongpyo still can’t help but be hesitant when sharing certain things with him. later, seungwoo took him under his care and told him he could do what he wanted. when he told seungwoo that he wanted to do conning, seungwoo knew where he was coming from. this was a way for him to release his pent-up frustration, he thought. after all, his ability to deceive had been shaped by all those around him, so it makes sense that he’s able to use the techniques that were used on him to deceive others. call it trauma, or call it reluctance, but that’s why he thinks he can do his job in the gang so well. “god, why does everything have to be so complicated?” pulling at his hair, he slumps over to his desk. he’s just about to put his head down when he sees a bright colored sticky note in his peripherals. he doesn’t have those, he thinks and focuses his attention there, and examines it. there’s a series of small doodles on the sticky note: a panda bear, a few hearts here and there and ‘y/n’ written in all sorts of fonts. a smile grows on his face as his gaze lingers over the bright paper fondly. he’d often see you crouched over his desk whenever he’d set up equipment before training you, he’s just assumed you would be taking notes. 

the image of your concentrated face blinks in his head: eyebrows scrunched, eyes focused and your tongue poked out of the corner of your mouth ever so slightly. he remembers the last time he felt like this: it was in high school. sitting next to him in third block, senior year was a pretty girl named sooyoung. she was dongpyo’s everything; he liked her for so long and when he gathered the courage to ask her out, and she said yes, he was elated. they did all the lovey-dovey couple things: went out to the movies on weekend evenings, attended school dances and games together, and hung around the city together. it was love for him, but not for her. one day he found sooyoung near the lockers, with her friends surrounding her, paying her money. he was a bet and sooyoung won. he confided in her when things were rough, and to see that she stabbed him in the back too only made him cower in fear even more. dongpyo remembered the pounding headache that day because it felt like no other. once sooyoung found out that dongpyo knew about the bet, she didn’t even try to reason with him. rather, she scoffed and told him, “did you really think I liked you? get a grip on yourself, dongpyo.” if it didn’t feel like a slap to the face before, it sure as hell felt like one now. he shudders as flashes of the void he put himself in appear in front of him. he closed himself off shortly after graduating; ‘trust no one’ was the mantra running through his head, and it almost swallowed him whole, but he was saved, by seungwoo. point of the matter is, he hasn’t felt like this after then and before you. he saw the liveliness and passion in you ever since you started working with him, and it reminded him of sooyoung a lot. too much, in fact, to the point where dongpyo’s now afraid. even if he does tell you how he feels, which is an obstacle on its own, he is scared you will leave him because that’s always been the case. you’ll reciprocate the feelings and actions before you get what you need and drop him, just like everyone else. a part of him kept telling him that, but the other part of him tried convincing him you were different. “fuck it, I’m not letting my emotions get in the way of this. I have to focus,” he said aloud and shook his head, before getting back to work. fast forward and it’s now a day before “the big night”, and tensions between you and dongpyo have calmed down a lot, but there were unspoken thoughts from both ends lingering in the air between the two of you. dongpyo would often focus his gaze on you, and you started feeling it, your skin heating up from the newfound attention. “we’re only staying there one night, y/n, so pack light, but also pack enough where it seems like we’re running away.” your eyes flicker to his, and you question, “is one night going to be enough?” dongpyo runs a hand through his onyx locks, and nods, “one night is more than enough. we just need to plant cameras and bugs in their house, that’s all.” you nod obediently, and head to your room to start packing. dongpyo calms his nerves; he’s never been nervous about a mission before, and he knows that he’s feeling this way because you’re involved in it with him. 

grabbing your fake ID and passport, you run through the story once more in your head, as you walk to the car, dongpyo already inside. he’s in the back seat, and soonja’s driving, because you two need to take the bus. “once we get to the bus station, we start acting our parts, okay? you never know who’s around.” you had given yourself the name ‘eunji’ and dongpyo was ‘ilseong’. your story was you two were childhood neighbors and your families didn’t want you two to get together so as rebellious youth, for the sake of love you decided to run away and start your lives together. you decided to go to the minister of employment and labor because he happens to find jobs for young people, and manage to stay the night. “here we are, sir. be safe and if you need me, I’m a phone call away.”soonja brakes the car, and you two step out, with your belongings. there seems to be no one around, which is perfect. soonja offers a small smile before driving off. you two look at each other, and dongpyo gives you a small nod, and it’s like an off-on switch. the biggest smile grows on your face as you get into character. at this point, people have started walking towards the bus stand you were dropped off at minutes ago. “wah, ilseong! isn’t in liberating running away from home like that?” dongpyo smiles wide, and an erratic feeling spreads in your stomach. “I’m so happy we decided to do this, eunji. now all we have to do is find a job. I promise to keep you happy.” there’s something else in dongpyo’s gaze that you didn’t see before, and you can’t point out what it is. the bus stopping in front of you interrupts your thoughts and clusters of people simultaneously leave and enter the bus, including you two. you get on, swiping your passes and quickly sit down. a mother and her child sit in front of you. the child smiles giddily at you guys, and asks, “why do you have suitcases? are you going on vacation?” dongpyo laughs at the cuteness of the kid, and ruffles his hair, before interlocking your hands, “we’re moving to a happier place, me and this noona right here,” motioning to you. your cheeks tint red at the unfamiliar word falling from dongpyo’s mouth, and smile back, “your son is very cute, ma’am.” the woman smiles, the corners of her eyes crinkling and she responds, “and so are the two of you. ah, young love. I was around your age when I met my husband, too. I’ll never forget those sweet times.” she begins telling you stories about her and her husband, and just as she finishes, your stop arrives. “eunji, we’re getting off here.” dongpyo stands and helps you up, his hand reached to hold yours. you accept the offer, standing up and grabbing your things before saying goodbye to your co-passengers and getting off the bus. “this way,” dongpyo calls and you follow close behind him. not a long walk later, you find yourselves standing in front of a giant house. you’re surprised there isn’t a gate around the house. nevertheless, you exhale and ring the doorbell. an older woman opens the door and dongpyo just knows: it’ll be a piece of cake for her to let us in. “can I help you?” the woman looks at the two of you and dongpyo begins the story. 

“and so, it would be really helpful of you if you guys can help us out. I know it’s probably too much to ask but I was wondering if you could give us shelter, just for tonight. I don’t want my eunji to freeze to death tonight. even if you just let her sleep here, I’d be grateful for that.” you interject, “no, ilseong, I won’t stay here without you,” and your eyes start to water. the woman, watching this scene unfold in front of her lets out a sound of pity. “I’ll explain everything to my husband later but for now, come in, both of you. I’ll bring out some of my kids’ spare clothing, and my maid will take you to a guest room.” and she lets you into the house. seconds later, a stout woman appears in front of you, before motioning to the stairs, “right this way, please.” you follow her up the stairs and she leads you to one of many rooms in the hallway. “you two may stay here tonight. I will come back if mrs. chan needs me to. until then, please let me know if you need anything.” she bids her farewell and leaves you two in a room. you and dongpyo will share a room, and a bed, tonight. you attempt to keep any mature thoughts out of your head, but it crosses your mind anyway and your breath hitches just thinking about it. sensing your discomfort, dongpyo says, “I’ll sleep on the floor if you’re uncomfortable,” but you cut him off, “no, it’s alright, it’s all an act anyway, right?” dongpyo winces at your choice of words, and quickly sets up. “well, we have no time to waste, I’ll freshen up in the bathroom, you can change here.” you two silently changed out of your clothes, and by the time you were ready, the maid was back. “mrs. chan invites you down for dinner, mr. chan is also here.” you two follow her down the stairs and you walk into a dining room with an older man sitting on one end and the woman from earlier at the other end. “eunji, ilseong, please take a seat. I’ve explained the situation to my husband.” the man then speaks up, “I will help find you a job, young man.” dongpyo beamed, “oh, thank you so much, sir. I knew I could count on you,” the man eyed the two of you for a bit, his gaze lingering on dongpyo a little more analytically. “yes, well, that’s my job.” you eat dinner and the maid then walks you back to the room. the hours tick on by and when you guys are sure everyone’s asleep, the two of you get up and dongpyo sets up the computer, before popping in his bluetooth earpiece, and gloves, along with the bugs and cameras. “you know what to do,” dongpyo tells you and you nod, “don’t worry, just place your first camera so I can connect and keep an eye.” dongpyo gives you a thumbs up and heads out of the room, quietly. he’s placing cameras and bugs in strategic areas, and you, on the bed and watching the laptop screen, pout at the thought that your training has gone to waste because you didn’t end up handling this part. but, you become alarmed as you see some movement through one of the cameras, and it’s not dongpyo. it’s the minister. “dongpyo, come in!” you whisper-shout and dongpyo gets into a corner. “what?” “he’s coming up here, hurry!” the panic is increasing, your heart is racing, and the doorknob begins to rattle, when in comes dongpyo. “he’s not too far, hurry in!” he shuts the door quietly and beelines over to you, moving things that will blow your cover and hiding it. the laptop is moved away from you, and swiftly, dongpyo sits on your lap. alarmed, your eyes widen and dongpyo’s hands cradle your cheeks, “do you trust me?” with your eyes boring into his own, you nod, “of course,” and with that, he inhales quickly and kisses up, catching you completely off-guard. then, you start relaxing into the kiss and kiss back with fervor, hands flying to grip his shoulders. as dongpyo nibbles on your bottom lip, suddenly the door opens, revealing the minister, now shocked at the scene in front of him. you both pull away, and dongpyo shoots up, “oh, sir! I’m so sorry,” he shakes his head, and puts his hands up in defense, “I apologize, I should’ve knocked. I thought I heard noises, but I must’ve been hallucinating. I’m sorry, uh, carry on then,” and sheepishly, he leaves the room, shutting the door.

you sigh and rest your head on the backboard. “I, uh, got most of the cameras up. the important areas, anyway. and the bugs, too, so, we’re done.” dongpyo stutters out. your breathing is heavy, but you softly say, “dongpyo,” and he looks up to see you patting on the spot in front of you on the bed. he complies and shuffled over to sit cross-legged. “hey, look at me.” “I can’t,” dongpyo’s never been this...vulnerable, you think. “you can, you didn’t do anything wrong.” he looks up at you and you swear, you see the smallest tear forming just along his lash line. you rest your hands over his and clutch them, “tell me what’s wrong.” all it took was one second before he completely shattered. dongpyo started crying, telling you everything and anything. “...it’s always been so hard for me to trust people, but then I met you, y/n, and you’ve given me a whole new purpose to this job. I have always held everything in, and after meeting you, I feel like all the pressure that’s been building up is all released.” he wipes his eyes and looks up to find you, tears streaming down your face and a smile on your mouth. “why are you crying?” “I’m just... overwhelmed. I was so worried about you, dongpyo, you don’t understand.” you sniff, using the hem of your shirt to dry your face. “I really like you, dongpyo. you are more than what you show the world, and I have seen it. you’re a true diamond in the rough, and I have never been more lucky for making a choice that I did. you are amazing, dongpyo, in every way. don’t hold anything back. the people that messed with you once can honestly suck it, they didn’t deserve your time. cherish the people who have your back now: seungwoo, the rest of the team and me.” and with that, you pull him in for a hug and squeeze him tight, and he returns the hug with just as much power. “thank you, y/n. thank you so much.” he whispers into your ear and you pull away to leave kisses on his cheeks. “you’re absolutely welcome, my dongpyo.” because from that moment on, he was your dongpyo and that was a fact.

a/n: that’s all for dongpyo…(btw he and y/n made it back safe and sound) who do you choose next? didn’t expect dongpyo? who then? let me know in the comments!

[unfortunate-stranger-losers]

Right-Side Up AU, Part Three: It’s the End of the World {AO3} {tumblr} {Part One} {Part Two}

Chapter Nine → When Blue Meets Yellow

Joyce hugged herself as they got out of the squad car, the rain pouring down on them. “Is there a reason you brought me here instead of one of your deputies?” 

Hopper shut the car door, sighing as they walked up to the front porch. “This isn’t an ‘official’ police investigation, Joyce.” 

“So you bring a civilian into it?” 

Hopper gave her a careful look, as they stepped onto the porch. “You weren’t this upset last visit.” 

“We’re going to be late home, the kids’ll be worried.” 

Hopper sighed. “They were fine yesterday.” 

“Every day’s different.” Joyce hugged herself. “The smallest thing can change a day from good to bad. We could get back there and they’re all fine, or we could get back there and Will’s locked himself up in his room again. I just… don’t like being away for long.” 

Hopper paused outside Ms Driscoll’s door, and gave a small nod. “Honestly… I know the girls don’t want me to worry, but everytime Max decides to walk somewhere alone, or El is home alone…” 

“And with this… magnets and rats thing…” Joyce sighed, as they reached the door. She knocked, and waited a moment. “It’s just… it’s like this’ll keep happening in Hawkins over and over.” 

Hopper opened his mouth to ask something, but just as he brought up the courage, Joyce knocked again and said, “She’s taking a while.” She knocked once more, narrowing her eyes in concern. “Ms Driscoll?” she called. “It’s us again, we have some… questions?” No answer. “Do you think she’s out?” 

“She’s an eighty year old woman, and it’s pouring.” Hopper said. “Where else would she be?” 

Joyce paused, and then she tried the door. It swung open, unlocked. 

“Well, shit.” she said. 

Hopper carefully pushed her a little behind him, and stepped inside. “Joyce, stay behind me.” 

“Well…” Joyce sighed, as they stepped inside. “This isn’t the scariest thing that’s happened, is it?” 

Hopper shot her a glare, and she shot him an I’m trying to lighten the mood because, due to our streak of luck, we’re likely about to die look. 

A roar of thunder sounded and Joyce called, “Ms Driscoll?” 

“Ms Driscoll, it’s Chief Jim Hopper!” 

They turned a bend into another room, and the two heard her clock ticking, almost as if it was getting louder and louder. Joyce was the one who spotted the cellar door swinging open, and she stepped forward, glancing down the stairs. “Ms Driscoll?” 

“Joyce! Joyce, don’t just go down there!” 

“Then come down with m-” 

Joyce reached the bottom of the stairs, and instantly shut up, because she felt like the wind was knocked out of her. 

Ms Driscoll was there, eating fertilizer. 

The first thing Joyce was able to say, as Hopper rushed down after her, was “Fuck.” 

“What do we do about Max?” 

El and Mike were leaning on each other, one distraught and the other exhausted and distraught, so Lucas felt like that meant he was in charge for the moment. He stood in front of them, bouncing his leg and trying not to panic. They’d heard muffled yelling, and then El just said Max ran off before collapsing beside Mike. It wasn’t much to go on, and considering what had happened the last time she ran off on her own… 

“I…” El shuddered. “I… I know she doesn’t want to see me- see us- right now, so we- and we need to find Heather- but- what happens if she’s alone? Maybe we should split up.” 

“No.” Lucas shook his head, before sitting beside El and reaching out to put a hand on her knee. “No, no splitting up. If… if we do something, we do it together.” 

“But Max is alone.” 

Lucas shut his eyes, remembering the arcade day. He hadn’t let her go alone… and then he’d messed up, he’d made her mad at him, because they were dealing with this ‘Billy’ thing… 

“Where would she go?” 

“I- the arcade?” El guessed, trying to think. “The park? Her…” her eyes widened and she shivered. “The Cabin.” 

“Where she got exorcized?” 

“She… she might…” El bit her lip. 

Lucas turned towards Mike, moving his hand to his knee instead. “Mike? Where was Heather?” 

Mike shut his eyes, still crying, but he said, “There was a house. Red door. 1438.” 

Lucas turned to El. “Do you know where that is? You know Hawkins.” 

El considered. “I think that sounds like this one house we used to avoid trick-or-treating, cause the whole street was full of stuck-up…” she shut her eyes and shivered. 

“Is it close? To the Cabin?” 

“Uh, close enough to the woods-” 

“Then we can do both.” Lucas said. “Give Max some time to herself, and then go get her.” 

“I don’t…” 

“We need to know what’s wrong with Heather,” Lucas said, moving his hand back to her, “But we need to help Max. We can do both, right? And we don’t even have to split up.” El finally nodded, and Lucas smiled a little, trying to encourage them. “See? We can figure it out. Like we always do.” 

“Like… like we always do.” El nodded. She squeezed Mike’s hand, and then reluctantly let it go, glancing at the ground. “Like we always do. If we bike over now, we should make it in a few minutes.” 

“Mom will kill us.” Will signed to Dustin. 

Dustin glanced at him and signed back, “We’ll make an excuse. Think of one.” 

They’d learned sign language only a little after the Gate’s closure; Max had become worried about what would happen if she couldn’t make noise and thus couldn’t use morse code, but still needed to communicate, and Dustin had dug into the library to find sign language books. It wasn’t ideal, considering they had nobody fluent in sign language to practice with and so they weren’t entirely sure they had it right, but at least they had some basics down to shoot at each other- simple conversation, some names, and useful words like gate, monster, control and run. It was very useful when they couldn’t use morse, or when they were, for instance, on a roof in the pouring rain trying to spy on Russians. 

Honestly, Will and Dustin had expected that they’d never have to spy on Russian agents again, once they’d escaped the Lab. But here they were, and Robin had only brought two raincoats, so Dustin gave one to Will as he and Steve tried to look through the rain, soaking them wet. Dustin peered through his binoculars- a Christmas gift from El and Max- and Robin called, “Look for Imperial Panda and Koffman’s Shoes!” 

Dustin finally managed to focus his vision, and he said, “With whistling guy! On the wheels!” 

“Stroller?” Will guessed. 

“Cart.” Steve said. “What do you think’s in there?” 

“Chemical weapons?” Robin shrugged. 

Dustin and Will shared an uneasy glance, and then Dustin looked through the binoculars again, and said, “Oh, Steve, they have a shitton of guns.” 

“So we bring in Mike?” Will asked. 

“No, no, we’re not bringing in Mike to fight guys with guns.” Steve said. “Way too much of a stressor.” 

“That’s your main problem with that plan?” Robin gaped. 

“Hold on.” Dustin looked closer. “The guard just used a keycard to unlock a big door.” 

“What’s in that?” Robin asked. 

“More boxes.” 

“Let me see it.” Steve grabbed the binoculars, but Dustin pulled back. 

“No! No, I’m good-” 

“Don’t fight!” Will said. 

“Let me see!” 

“Steve, just let me-” 

Will threw his hands over his ears, just as Steve and Dustin dropped the binoculars, and they clanged against the roof. 

“Shit!” Steve shouted, and he, Robin and Dustin whipped around, ducking under the wall. Dustin noticed Will hadn’t yet moved- perhaps due to his hands blocking the sound, and he grabbed his hand, dragging him down with them as they heard shouts from beneath. Terrified for a moment that they’d been spotted, Dustin gripped onto Will’s arm, burying his head in his shoulder. 

Will, for his part, shut his eyes and tried to think. If the guards made it to the roof and cornered them… Mike and Lucas had the offensive powers, and they were probably still at home with El and Max. Steve and Robin didn’t have weapons, and none of them were very good at fighting- well, maybe Robin could be, but Will really had no idea what she could and couldn’t do. 

If worse came to worst… 

Will usually didn’t try to remember that time in Chicago, when they were in the apartment. He loved Kali, and Wilder, and all the gang, and he missed the hell out of them, but… but… 

“Papa is gone! Papa is gone! No! No! No! No!” 

He’d screamed, and thrown out his hand, and the aura around that man, that man that had hurt Kali and Mike and was telling him he wasn’t safe anymore, that the other experiments weren’t safe anymore, and had never been, that everything was crumbling… that man had screamed. His aura had shrunk, collapsing in on itself, and Will had done it, Will had done something to his… his life, his spirit, his soul. He was hurting him, killing him, all with a flick of the wrist. 

It was horrifying. He couldn’t do it, he couldn’t even think of doing it. 

But if those people came up, with their guns, and tried to hurt Robin, and Steve, and Dustin… his Dustin… his friends… 

He remembered when Mike had been willing to kill Ray, for hurting Kali, for scaring Will, and only barely stopped. That had terrified him. It still did. But it sunk in right there, that if that yelling got closer, if push came to shove… 

“We gotta run.” Will felt a hand on his shoulder- Steve’s hand, as the older boy shook him. “Hurry, go.” 

Will opened his eyes, glancing over, just in time to see Dustin’s face go a bit red as he released his friend’s arm. Steve and Robin pulled them up and pushed them to the door that led to the staircase, rushing them down. As they ran, still sopping wet, Robin said, “Well, we found our Russians!” 

“We have to get those packages. See what’s in them.” Dustin said, glancing back at Steve. 

“How about we figure that out when there aren’t angry spies trying to find the source of that noise?” Robin said, and pushed them all ahead a bit faster.

 Joyce bounced her leg as she stood at the phone, nerves flaring inside her. 

Answer. Answer, answer, answer… 

Finally, she heard a click, and then her oldest son’s voice. “Hello?” 

“Jonathan!” 

“Mom? Mom, we-” 

“Jonathan, there’s an emergency, I can’t be home. We’re- we’re at the hospital-” 

“The hospital?” 

“Neither of us are hurt! Me and Hopper are fine! But we’re- listen, we’re investigating something-” 

“Mom!” 

“We’ll be home late, tell Will-” 

“Mom, Nancy’s hurt!” 

Joyce froze. “What?” 

There was a bit of a pause, and then Jonathan sighed and said, “Considering our history, this is probably connected but, well, we almost got murdered today. When can you get back?” 

Joyce shut her eyes, and then said, “Hold on a minute.” She covered part of the phone, turned towards Hopper, who was talking to someone at the desk, and called, “Hop!” When he turned, she said, “Yeah, it’s happening again.” 

“Goddamnit.”