#seeing the colours now on the phone i am a bit off with the background

[mitamicah]

Genderflag!Jere 🥹🏳️‍⚧️

Redraw of my own picture from Berlin 10.16.23

[juliluvhz]

how much pink?

warnings :: mcbling reader, fem reader, pink

you were sat in your pink desk chair, spinning around with a pen in your mouth whilst your loud music blasted throughout your room, a song by avril lavigne playing

you picked up your phone off of your desk, your fingers gliding over the pink gemstones placed on your phone with a picture of you and Peter stuck in the middle from a few months ago. you paused your music, the quietness seeming louder than your music for a second. You clicked in peters contact, ringing him

it rang about 4 times before Peter picked up

“Hey pretty, you okay?”peter said between deep breaths and the wind in the background, overlapping his voice, you could tell he had been swinging around in his stupid spidey suit

“yes, I am. are you okay Pete? how long have you been out? your gonna get a cold you should go home soon”

you replied, getting up from your chair and opening your pink curtains, looking out of your window, opening it a little bit to let some air into the room

“I’m actually near your house, does your mom mind if I swing by? no pun intended”

he replied, I rolled my eyes at what he had said, smiling a little “my mom isn’t home , come through my window though just incase”

I answered him, opening my window a little more for him

“okay, I’m here” he said, even though he was indeed no where in your sight

“no your-

you were cut off by the exact boy swinging right through your window, landing on his feet

“not” I finished my sentence, hanging up the phone and placing it back in its space on my desk

Peter took off his mask, taking a proper look around your room in disbelief. this was the first time Peter had ever been in your room, as when you 2 hung out it would usually be at his house since may loved to have you round

“what?”

you said to him. his eyes flicked from your pink bed covered in pillows and stuffed animals, tje posters in your room, the carpets, the curtains, your speaker, the desk, laptop, mouse, keyboard, pens, bags, everything

“jeez, how much pink?” he said, finally facing you like you were mad

“I love pink, you should see my wardobe”

you replied, sitting on your bed, pulling the boy down with you

“the pink is disturbing me”

he replied as if he was allergic to a colour, you threw your blanket over his head to which he quickly reacting to by throwing it off his body

“you such a drama queen” you giggled at him, kissing the top of his head, the shimmery pink lipgloss you wore lingering there for a second, he pulled away from you and wiped it off his head. you giggled a little before pulling him back, kissing him everywhere, his lips, nose, cheeks, forehead, neck, you name it

he pulled back, making a gagging sound

“now I’m covered in your pink lipgloss”

he whined, not even bothering to wipe it off

“atleast you smell like strawberries!”

you smiled at him happily, kissing his lips one more time, cupping his cheeks and squeezing them lightly

“im Never gonna look at pink the same way again”

✩°｡⋆⸜ 🎧✮🎸⋆⭒˚｡⋆☆⋆｡𖦹°‧★

how fun

anywhizzle, first post yayay! i Take requests if you liked this 🙀⭐️

[morporkian-cryptid]

I’ve finally been able to watch the Lupin III kabuki play, so y’all get a second round of me nerding out, lucky you! (You can go watch it right now, it only costs $30 and you can see it however many times you want until August 18th!)

For context: in December of last year, the Kabuki-za theater in Tokyo put on a kabuki adaptation of Lupin the Third.

Following the success of the kabuki play, the company decided to live-stream it in several countries, and make the recording available on-demand for one week.

So yesterday I finally watched the play myself, already having a general idea of the plot and knowing what to expect. Which did nothing to prevent me from going full fangirl on the phone with my sister (who was watching it with me). I have a special interest on Lupin III, and a special interest on premodern Japan and traditional Japanese arts (which is entirely Goemon’s fault btw); what was I supposed to do? Not spend 3 hours losing my entire shit and stimming hard enough for my hands to fall off? Unrealistic tbh.

As a general note, I could not possibly be more impressed at this adaptation.

You have to understand that kabuki is, historically, a popular form of theater, created by and for the masses. It evolved from travelling performers and prostitutes’ dances, was developed in the red light districts, and was attended by poor people, merchants and samurais alike. It has always been bold, colourful, bombastic, dramatic as hell, with as much focus on situational humour and on epic fights and dramatic tales.

And that makes it a perfect media to adapt Lupin the Third into. The unserious, self-derisive tone of Lupin III fits great into kabuki humour, the over-the-top expressions and cartoonish disregard for the laws of physics translate perfectly in choreographed dance-fights, dramatic poses and exaggerated grimaces, the mix of what-the-fuck-esque “are the writers on crack” plots and of genuine emotional scenes and high-stakes fights is shared by many many well-loved historical kabuki plays. The core elements of a Traditional Lupin Plot don’t get in the way of the kabuki art form, and the traditional kabuki conventions don’t limit the very unique identity of Lupin III as a franchise.  

With what little I know about kabuki as an art form (I had watched two plays and done a bit of research before this), it is obvious that a lot of work went into fitting Lupin III into the clear codes of a traditional theater form, and with everything I know about the anime, all the characters are their same old selves, banter and mannerisms and all, and the plot wouldn’t feel out of place in a TV special. The creation of this play clearly had to involve both kabuki experts and writers who love Lupin III, it is obvious from start to finish how much importance was given to both of these facets, and I am genuinely amazed at how well these two groups worked together to make everything work so perfectly. It’s almost as if Lupin III as a franchise was made to be adapted into kabuki. And I wouldn’t be surprised to learn that MP-sensei had used kabuki as an inspiration.

THIS CONTAINS (minor) SPOILERS! Read at your own risks ^^ If you’ve already seen the play, I give cultural and historical background for some scenes.

If you are familiar with Goemon Ishikawa’s background as a character, you’ve probably heard of the kabuki play about his illustrious ancestor, Sanmon Gosan No Kiri . A very famous scene from that play, the Nanzenji Sanmon (Nanzen Temple Gate) scene, is reenacted in the Lupin III play: Goemon appears at the balcony of the temple gate, reciting the famous line from Sanmon Gosan no Kiri. (I have been to that exact temple when I visited Kyoto, climbed up to the balcony on that exact gate, and recited that exact line. I then proceeded to spend half an hour trying to locate the temple graveyard where Goemon Ishikawa is buried. I found it and it was closed.)

I had been warned by Aime who had seen the play live, but I was still entirely unprepared for the fact that THE FUCKING TEMPLE GATE ROSE OUT OF THE STAGE TO REVEAL LUPIN STANDING UNDER IT. Practical special effects in kabuki are absolutely incredible and super creative, and most of them have existed since the Edo era.

Speaking of special effects, there are several revolving stages (the light play in the revolving stages!!! Holy shit!!!!), people coming out of the ground, and Lupin fucking flies off into the ceiling at some point.

In this play, Lupin and Jigen are just starting out as thieves, whereas Goemon is already well known as the greatest thief of his generation. Hence why, for a change, this time it’s Lupin who is constantly trying to find excuses to throw hands with Goemon, as opposed to how it usually goes in the anime.

Lupin’s expressions are PURE GOLD. Kataoka Ainosuke is a fucking genius actor who perfectly nailed Lupin’s “insufferable cartoon monkey” vibe. EVEN HIS VOICE IS PERFECT!!!!!! The video allows for close-ups on his expressions that the live play did not, so I’m lucky to have been able to watch this version.

Speaking of expressions, I must make a small aside to explain that dramatic facial expressions, bombastic poses and colorful costumes are a staple of kabuki (in the same way that subtle shifts of light on masks to represent different emotions are a staple of No theatre). That is the reason Jigen doesn’t wear his signature hat in the play: hiding his face would defeat the entire purpose of a kabuki adaptation and spoil the actor’s performance. I think the costume designers found a very elegant work-around by giving him bangs that almost look like the brim of a hat. (He also carries a straw hat in his hand in the first scene, and occasionally holds it up above his head)

I already made a whole post to nerd out about the incredible costume designs and how they managed to translate the anime designs and Western style of clothing of the characters into traditional Japanese stage costumes, so I won’t do it here again, but HOLY SHIT those costumes are incredibly well thought out, with such a deep attention to detail, and Lupin’s especially blew my mind. 11/10.

Lupin and Goemon started threatening to throw hands, upon which Fujiko appeared, said something along the lines of “I am a beautiful woman, please stop fighting, for my sake”, after which Lupin and Goemon agreed to put off their fight and go their separate way. Several scenes later, Lupin and Goemon finally have their showdown (which I will detail later); it is eventually interrupted by Jigen… who repeats Fujiko’s word’s verbatim, “Please stop fighting, for my sake”, to which Lupin and Goemon reply, I shit you not, “Yes Jigen, we will stop, for you.” I had to take a minute to yell into a pillow about the parallels between Lupin/Fujiko and Lupin/Jigen.

Also, WE’VE GOT ANOTHER FRIGGIN JIGEN EX!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I think?? unclear. The dude's like, 60 years old.

The showdown!!! The showdown at the waterfall!!!!! First off, the fact that there is an Actual Honest To God Fountain On Stage is still blowing my fucking mind. This is apparently something that has existed in kabuki SINCE THE EDO ERA. Western theater could never. Second of all, not only is there an actual fucking waterfall onstage, the actors GO INTO IT. LUPIN AND GOEMON FOUGHT IN THE WATER. ENDED UP DRENCHED TO THE BONES. ONSTAGE.

The duel scene was prefaced by a shamisen player and a singer reciting a poetic description of the upcoming fight (featuring dragons and cherry blossoms), explaining how epic it was and how the swords clashed etc etc. Then the curtain opens and you get Lupin and Goemon who, yes, have a very dramatic sword fight (like I said, kabuki and bombastic poses and dramatic faces. INCREDIBLE.); they eventually both lose their weapons and devolve into a fist fight, until they finally end up in the waterfall and start splashing water at each other. I love these absolute idiots so much.

After a few minutes, the fight is interrupted by Jigen, and you can just feel the bone-deep tired babysitter energy emanating from him, you can hear how loud he’s thinking “alright boys you’ve had your fun, time to go back to being mature adults, can we go steal things now?”

Also, the fight scenes. Let’s talk about the fight scenes. Kabuki is a type of theater that emerged from dance, and the fight scenes really reflect that – the characters mostly don’t touch, instead they leap around the stage and gesture at each other, but even the stylized movements really translate well what’s happening. THERE WERE CHARACTERS DOING BACKFLIPS ONSTAGE!!! REPEATEDLY!!! Meanwhile Lupin’s just vaguely dodging blows and gesturing away at his opponents. The backflips are incredibly impressive, and also you really get the sense that the Random Antagonists are giving their all in this fight and have to call on all their fighting abilities to take on Lupin, while Lupin simply Does Not Give A Shit and just dodges every blow effortlessly. (picture his no-handed fight with the kidnapper in Part 6 – The Last Bullet and you’ll have a good vision of what I’m talking about.)

Lupin and Jigen STEAL GOEMON. I mean this entirely literally. They drug him, shove him in a box, and make off with the box. With Goemon inside. THEY STOLE A WHOLE-ASS SAMURAI. I LOVE THEM SO MUCH!!!!!!!

MAMO

GREEN RAISIN MAN IS HERE

NO ONE TOLD ME GREEN RAISIN MAN WOULD BE HERE

HE BREAKS THE FOURTH WALL TO EXPLAIN KABUKI CONVENTIONS TO THE AUDIENCE DURING INTERMISSION

M A M O

Also fourth wall breaking happens on occasions, Lupin tells Jigen he’ll take him to see a kabuki play (which happens to be the other play scheduled at that theater), and Jigen says his favourite kabuki actor is Kataoka Ainosuke, to which Lupin (played by Kataoka Ainosuke) replies “oh I hate him.”

(btw this is somewhat historically accurate. Kabuki was invented in the Edo era, so after the time period this play takes place in; anachronism aside, kabuki actors were the tabloid celebrities of their time, trend setters that people tried to emulate, and the subjects of woodblock prints that fans would collect and trade. So Lupin and Jigen discussing their favourite kabuki actors is entirely believable.)

ALL THE MUSIC THEMES PLAYED ON TRADITIONAL INSTRUMENTS. POLICE CHASE SCENE PLAYED TO THE SOUND OF ZENIGATA MARCH ON THE SHAMISEN. LOVE SQUALL ON THE SHAKUHACHI. I NEED THE OST OF THIS PLAY GIVE IT TO ME

There were people in the audience doing Shouts From The Great Beyond!!

Oh and there are aliens. And robots. And alien robots. I realize I forgot to mention this. The play takes place in the 1600s and Goemon’s girlfriend is an alien robot. I could not make this up if I tried. I love this stupid franchise so fucking much ❤

Zenigata throws a giant coin directly at Lupin’s face

Lupin Zenigata impersonation

Both Jigen and Goemon get tied up and I tried very hard not to find this hot (I failed)

Oh and at one point Goemon ends up in a fundoshi and nothing else. With his butt on full display. Onstage. No matter if it’s an anime or a theater play, Goemon-chan always ends up being Mr Fanservice XD

“My girlfriend turned into a sword.” “That’s rough, buddy.”

Fujiko mentioned stealing the Kusanagi (legendary sword from the god Susanoo and one of the three imperial regalia of Japan), and Goemon immediately went “I NEED IT” and fucking legged it, not waiting for the others. Upon which Lupin remarked “Wow, that guy really likes swords.” I fucking love this gigantic nerd. Goemon my beloved <3

There’s one scene where Lupin and Jigen run into Fujiko as she’s participating in an oiran procession through the red light district, Lupin recognizes her and immediately goes “Heeeyyyyyy Fujiko-chaaaaan!!!!! 😃” and you can just see on Fujiko’s face the words “Oh gods no NOT HIM AGAIN” writing themselves in big bold golden letters while she attempts to keep a straight face. Absolutely amazing XD

Goemon and Itohoshi. I am so soft for them. Dear lord they are adorable and they did not deserve all that shit. Please just let them be happy TT (“Gomen” WHAT DO YOU MEAN “GOMEN” JUST STAB ME WITH A SWORD IT WOULD BE LESS PAINFUL)

I don’t know how to explain how cool and funny Zenigata gets, he has his awesome badass moments, and he also gets played like a fiddle by Lupin, and from the way he is played you get the whole “this guy is a bumbling idiot (affectionate)” vibe but also he gets scarily competent at times. And you can see his underwear like half of the time.

Goemon has a resting bitch face the whole way through. AS HE SHOULD

The scene at the end, where all five main characters appear in front of the sea with blue kimonos and paper umbrellas, and introduce themselves, will be recognized by all long-time Lupin fans as a reference to the Red Jacket double episode “Kooki Kabuki” (aka The Mysterious Gang of Five). As it turns out, that scene and in fact the whole double episode was a reference to a kabuki play called “Shiranami Gonin Otoko” (Five Men of the White Waves). According to Wikipedia, “The play is perhaps most famous for the speeches made by Kozō and his compatriots when they dramatically remove their disguises and reveal their true identities.” (I’ve never watched that play, but a recording is available on the same website as the Lupin III kabuki play, so I might watch it soon.)

Please look at the designs on their kimonos on that scene. They’re so cool!!!! Lupin has a rose, a European flower that also features on his rapier (he is the only character to have a European sword rather than a katana). Fujiko has wisteria, which is called fuji in Japanese. Jigen has a kiseru pipe with plumes of smoke and a crescent moon. Goemon has a dragon because he is a Mighty Warrior. And Zenigata has zeni coins and HANDCUFFS ON A STRING!!!! THE AMOUNT OF ATTENTION TO DETAILS IN THE FUCKING COSTUME DESIGNS!!!!!!!!

To my (mild) disappointment, in this version of the scene, Jigen doesn’t describe himself as “onnagirai” like he did in the anime. For those who haven’t seen that Twitter thread floating around on Tumblr, “onnagirai” or “woman hater” is (allegedly) an old Edo-era slang term associated to kabuki and used to designate homosexual men. Yes, Jigen actually called himself “onnagirai”, out-loud, on screen, in a recreation of a kabuki scene, in 1977. (I couldn’t find any reliable source explaining the link between “onnagirai” and homosexuality in five minutes of googling, so take it with a grain of salt, but at least Wikipedia mentions the term and sources it from a 1997 book on homosexuality under the Tokugawa regime.)

All in all an incredible experience, 100/10 would tie up the whole fandom and sit them in front of the screen to watch this play whether they want it or not. Huge huge huge kudos and my eternal thanks to all the people who worked on making this adaptation come to life, they did an incredible job and it is clear from start to finish that this was made by people who love kabuki and who love Lupin the Third.

[izicodes]

Revamp Old Webpages | #1

Monday 16th October 2023

As I mentioned before, I found my old projects over on replit and then transferred them to my GitHub! I transferred 12 projects and now I am going through each one and seeing how I can revamp them! I don't want to lose their original touch entirely but how can I make the code better a bit kind of thing~!

Up first is my project 'Alpha-Pink-Login-Form' which was the very first project out of them all! I didn't change too much from it but added some JavaScript to replaces the other 2 html files I had and just used one!

Link to project: live page | github repo ♡

🛠️ Issues

✘ I had extra HTML files for each popup I wanted e.g. sign-up, login and forgot password ✘ Not responsive on phones ✘ Unnecessary things in the head tag that could be imported in CSS ✘ Unnecessary things in the body tag as well ✘ The CSS is a mess and could condense down a lot

🏆 Fixes

✔ Only one html file used ✔ Used JavaScript to load the previous pages I had before ✔ Responsive on other devices and not going off screen ✔ Used off-black as normal black was not fitting with my colour scheme ✔ Added a box-shadow to separate from the background more + effect ✔ Deleted all the unwanted elements and code overall - HTML and CSS code ✔ Fixed the stuff in the head tag

⤷ ♡ my shop ○ my mini website ○ pinned ○ navigation ♡

[love-fireflysong]

Well howdy there! Sorry about missing last week, but I had run into a problem I like to call 'the idea is good but my execution and writing of it is fucking dogshit holy crap (and thus maybe the idea is not so good after all)' the last couple of weeks 😣 So I had not been writing the next part of OCTCRCBC like I should have been lol. So I spent the last couple of hours today trying to salvage what I had by starting to completely rewrite everything I had written down already into a very different story structure than I had started with. Thankfully it seems to have helped a bit and I'm a substantially more happy with what I have now then I did previously! Small victories!

Anyways, here's a little something from that new bit I worked on!

Looking back, Ashley would not have been able to tell you what the dream was even about. Only that she remembers not being thrilled to be awakened from whatever it had been by her phone ringing. Fumbling for the loudly ringing and vibrating piece of tech on her bedside table as she groaned, wondering who the hell would even be calling at this time of the morning. Especially on a school day. Her alarm hadn't even gone off yet, and according to the time wouldn't be going off for another three hours or so! So the almost tinny sound of Josh's voice that replied when she answered with a bleary and confused hello did not improve her mood in the slightest. "Oh fuck, were you still sleeping?" "I mean not anymore thanks to you, you dick," she mumbled out as she did her best to sink deeper under her covers. "What in the world could possibly be so important that you needed to call me this early?" The pause on the other ends make Ashley think for just a moment that the call has dropped or that Josh realized just how much of a dick he was being calling her at almost four in the morning, but it's a false hope. "Early? What the fuck are you—wait. Oh fuck. Ash, you don't even know what time it is, do you?" Ashley is ready to shoot back that if anyone doesn't know what time it is it's clearly him, but then her brain seemingly finally starts to join her in this unwanted realm of wakefulness. Remembering that in all her years of knowing Josh (all three of them at this point), that he has never once woken up before her. That so many late nights spent binging horror movie after horror movie means that if he wouldn't be moving until well past noon if he could help it. And that while the bright red numbers on her alarm clock do spell out 3:52 AM, the fact that they keep blinking in and out at her at a consistent rate is cluing her in that maybe it's not quite as early as she thinks it is.

And as a surprise bonus: I started up sewing again! 🥳🥳🥳🥳 Dropped it like a year ago (not long after I moved to my apartment in fact) and I couldn't even tell you why. But I for one am glad to have finally picked it up again! (Even if it means that every one who sees these updates will now hate me again asdkljaskldsadlj) Anyways, here's what the a combined ~12 hours of sewing looks like. Got all the black background done so you can *sorta* see the outlines on some of the critters on this page (bonus points to anyone who can actually tell what any of them are even gonna be, the already coloured ones on the borders don't count lol)!

[quietlyimplode]

leave everything but your bones behind

Whumptober 2022: day 31 - you can rest now

Warnings: none I can think of (but if there anything please let me know).

Word Count: 2.6k (gif not mine)

Summary: Natasha becomes unwell and only the Red Room can fix her. The choice is die or go back to the very place that made her.

A/N: my goodness, look how far we’ve come team.

There have been some people that have been instrumental in making my writers heart sing with their thoughts and comments. I want to thank you properly from the bottom of my heart, but that might have to wait til tomorrow.

I am quite glad this is done as it’s just over 55000 words. I don’t think I’ve written anything this long, and in six weeks, (needless to say all mistakes are my own) it’s been a journey.

Thank you all for sticking with it if you have, or reading parts or commented or liked it. We have reached, the end. <3

Main Masterlist

Whumptober Masterlist

———-

Three months later

Natasha closes her book, the ending somewhat satisfactory. She focuses on the feeling of the sand beneath her, and the sound of the waves of the sea below.

She digs her toes in further, glancing idly at her phone.

4pm.

They have two hours before they arrive.

She should go help Clint.

Taking one last glance of the empty beach, she smiles softly to herself and picks up the book.

Clint had shooed her out around midday telling her to go finish her book and get the last bit of peace before the others arrived.

She’s laughed as he pushed her out the door, the sun bright, and the day perfect to relax.

Natasha wipes her feet at the door, dusting them off and smelling the cookies through the door, before she even opens it.

“You made cookies?” she calls, entering the house.

It’s not only that, he’s cleaned the house.

Clint rounds the corner, a smile on his face as he sees her.

“I made cookies,” he smiles, “the ones you like with the icing.”

She follows him into the kitchen seeing the brightly coloured cookies cooling on the bench.

Natasha hugs him, feeling more comfortable with touch now than she had when they first arrived. She’s able to offer it, receive it and sometimes even seeks it out.

The progress is praised, but it makes her feel more human, to have made it to this point.

No longer flinching as he kisses the side of her head, she beelines for the cookies, pulling out of his touch.

“How long til they get here?” he asks, looking at his phone.

Natasha shrugs, lost in a memory of the deliciousness of the cookie, the first time she had them.

“You okay?”

She hums, mouth full.

“You remember when you first baked these?” she mumbles.

Clint picks up another cookie that’s shaped like captain’s shield, and bites down on it.

“The first week we got here?” he asks.

She nods, “yeah, it was like the first food I enjoyed in so long.”

He looks at her strangely.

“I didn't know that,” he confesses.

Chewing thoughtfully, she wonders just how much to tell him.

“I don’t think I’d slept in like almost three days, and hardly eaten anything and you made them. The smell broke me out of some panic attacks so much so that I wanted to taste them.”

She pauses.

“So I did. And then I ate another. And I forgot that some food in your stomach could make some of the ugliness go away.”

He looks contemplative, “you went outside the next day?”

Natasha nods, remembering the first step out the door being hard, but the sea had drawn her in.

“It gave me energy to face the day, in a way that I hadn’t been able to.”

He looks at the cookie in his hand.

“Well shit, maybe I should be cooking these more often.”

Laughing lightly, she grabs another and nods.

“Magical cookies you have here.”

They putt about the house, music on in the background, readying the bedrooms for the soon to arrive guests.

.

Tony arrives early. Entering the house he bursts in without knocking, talking loudly.

“You’d better come help me, the car is full, and I come with food and a whole bunch of toys.”

Clint is first to see him, clasping hands and hugging in delight at the sight of his friend he’s only been talking to on the phone.

“Hey man,” he smiles.

“It’s good to see you.”

Tony hands him a basket of strawberries and then gestures to the car.

“Come help me.”

Clint frowns, “we said not not bring anything.”

Tony laughs.

“Yeah sure, and you think I’d listen?”

The answer is flippant but Clint feels like Tony does everything in abundance, why should this be any different?

Natasha appears, and laughs at them both, carrying a variety of fruit up to their chins.

“We said not to bring anything.”

Tony carries his keys in his mouth as he answers.

“Go help,” comes the muffled reply, and Natasha dutifully heads to his convertible.

Her breath catches when she sees the box of Russian candy.

He’d remembered.

She picks it up, the box fairly light, and hugs it close to her body.

Natasha looks into the car, not seeing anything else to bring in, but hears the roar of Steve’s bike coming up the drive.

Deciding to wait to greet him, Tony and Clint come back out to see what’s held her up, and all three wait.

Steve’s hair is longer than she remembers and for some reason it makes a breath catch in her throat about just how long she’s been away. How long this has taken her, still taking her to heal; to get over this.

But she swallows it down and greets him with a hug as well.

“Hey,” he says, hanging onto her a little longer and a little harder than she’s used to.

“Hey,” she replies.

“Don’t leave me in the tower with Tony again, okay?”

He says it with a tone of seriousness and mirth but she understands the underlying sentiment.

Steve has lost so many people in his life, but in ways they’ve just disappeared or he has.

She nods, grinning, “you guys are bunking together in the same room, you know?”

Tony groans, overhearing the conversation.

“Why didn’t you take me up on the offer for the bigger house on the hill?”

Clint hugs Steve too, taking his bag from his bike and leading the way in.

“Because that’s not what we needed,” he replies with a flick of his hand.

Steve takes in the cottage and all the considerations in it, built perfectly for two spies. Up high enough for Clint, smaller windows for Natasha, multiple exits and he’s sure he’s not seeing everything.

She nudges him.

“What are you thinking about?”

Steve covers his thoughts.

“When does Bruce get here?”

Tony answers readily, and Steve knows he’s been keeping a close eye on everyone from afar.

“He’s coming from an island I bought him. He’ll probably be here tonight.”

Clint nods and opens the back door up, the smell of the sea air permeating through. He shows the two men around whilst Natasha sits in the kitchen, waiting for their return.

.

He catches her alone in the kitchen, bringing in the glasses that have held wine, spirits and vodka. Taking them from him, she rinses them out, and he grabs a tea towel to dry them.

“Thanks,” she nods.

Tony hands them back to her to put away.

“How are you?” he asks, softly, quietly like the secret can stay between them.

“And don’t give me the bullshit response that you gave the others that things were hard but now they’re better.”

He pauses.

“I know you.”

His piercing stare makes her drop her gaze.

“I know you.”

She nods. He does.

Sometimes she thinks they’re cut from the same cloth and although lives two separate lives, there’s similarities that she loves they share; a darkness that not everyone understands.

“How’s Liho?”

He stares, frustrated at her non answer.

“She’s fine, she’s with Pepper, they’ve got a bond. Did you know she likes being on a lead outside?”

Natasha laughs at that, something she would have never have thought of doing with a stray cat, would be to train it to go on a lead.

He waits her out.

“I don’t know,” she says finally.

“I think I’m okay, but then little things will happen and I won’t be. It was bad that first month. I can’t even tell you what happened, Clint probably can.”

Natasha looks at him as a slight realisation dawns.

“Thank you, for taking care of him, whilst I couldn’t. I know it was you calling and making sure he was okay here.”

Tony waves her off.

“It been getting better, I’m not there yet. I don’t think I’m ready… for a lot of things. There are things that… still hold strong memories, but I’m working on it. I’m working through it.”

She laughs.

“It’s a daily job.”

Tony smiles with her.

“You’re so bored aren’t you?”

Natasha laughs again.

“So much.”

“And the therapist?”

“She’s been so patient. I think I’m her full time job.”

Offering Tony a drink, she sits down at the table next to him.

“Clint’s going now too,” she mentions, “sometimes together, which I think helps.”

“I’ve been seeing mine,” he confesses.

“Seeing you, like that…I think it brought up some things for me.”

They’re quite, hearing Steve, Clint and Bruce talk loudly in the other room.

“Steve’s been going too.”

Tony shrugs.

“I guess we all have a lot of baggage to work through.”

“I think so.”

She clinks her glass with his, and notices Clint at the door.

He still hasn’t been able to leave her for long periods, calling it separation anxiety, but she knows that the fear that she’s going to leave still holds strong.

“You like the therapist?” she calls.

Clint nods, “you guys coming back.”

Tony is first to stand, grabbing his drink and nudging Natasha as they walk back together.

“I’ll help you with the boredom thing.”

She eyes him, pursing her lips and smirking.

“Get it past Clint first and we’ll talk.”

.

There’s a slight heaviness that settles on her.

She watches the others talk and laugh and can’t help but feel a bit removed, her mind wandering and creating scenarios that she reframed consciously.

They’re here out of pity and curiosity, a part of her says, but she knows it’s not true. They wouldn’t have come out, not here, if they rudely didn’t want to.

Tony wouldn’t have brought her candy, Steve wouldn’t be making plans with her, and the thing that makes her smile, Bruce wouldn’t have come and brought them flowers from his island.

Claiming he didn’t know what to bring, when they told him not to bring anything, he’d turned up with an array of beautiful flowers she couldn’t stop looking at.

“What do you think, Nat?” Clint asks, touching her hand gently, but she hasn’t been listening.

He covers quickly, seeing the confusion pass her face.

“Sweet or sour candy? Steve thinks that sweet candy is the best but Tony contends that sour is, you know my opinion.”

“And I prefer savory, over either,” Bruce comments.

Natasha gives a shrug and comments that she doesn’t mind either option.

“But,” she clarifies, “I’ll always take the sweeter option.”

Clint and Steve look smug as Tony pouts and Bruce cracks up.

Glancing at the time, she realizes it’s just past 1am.

No good thoughts happen past midnight, and it’s likely she needs to go to bed.

Yawning, she stands.

“Sorry boys, I think I need to sleep.”

They nod, standing as well.

“No no, stay, you know where your rooms are?”

Clint throws a pillow at Steve.

“If your old brain can remember where I said,” he goads.

“Hey! Technically he’s older,” Steve exclaims, throwing it to Tony.

“Lies! He’s a year older than me,” Tony growls, throwing it to Bruce.

She can’t help but smile by their antics, but still, she knows if she has any chance at sleep, she needs to go now.

“Goodnight boys, play nice,” she departs, giving them a nod as she heads for her bedroom.

She’d forgotten how exhausting being around people was. Even when it’s people that she loves and likes spending time with.

Quickly brushing her teeth, swallowing the medication and washing her face, she climbs into the cold bed, curls in on herself.

Everything is okay, she rehearses.

Everyone is safe.

Tomorrow will be a good day.

And she hopes like hell she’s not wrong.

.

“How is she really?” Steve asks, Natasha’s lithe form now not in view.

Clint sighs, knowing the question was coming. They’d all been in various stages of communication after they’d left, Tony checking in the most, Steve a close second and Bruce doing what he can.

He’d kept them updated as much as he could, but how do you tell someone over the phone that someone they love is drowning, and the only lifeline they had was time and space?

“Better,” is the word he decides on, feeling comfortable with it as soon as he says it.

“Lots of things are helping. She wouldn’t have agreed for you to come if she wasn’t in a space to see people.”

He looks to Tony.

“You know she wouldn’t.”

“So… so she just…” Steve sighs and rubs his face, the same way Tony usually does.

“We send her back to Russia, she gets tortured, we rescue her and then she goes looking for them to finish them off… then you two just disappear here for over three months, and she’s just ‘better’?”

Clint feels anger at the oversimplified version of events and the work they’ve done to get here. For Natasha to be better.

“No,” he frowns.

“That’s not it, that’s not…”

He forces himself to take a breath.

“She’s worked hard on getting better, talked to the therapist daily, worked on sleep and talking through things.”

It’s only then he realises Steve has manipulated him.

“We are doing better. We are. It’s just that it takes time and it’s hard.”

His voice peters off.

“It’s hard,” he whispers.

Bruce hands him a cookie and he takes it in thanks.

“She seems better,” he says, “than when I last saw her.”

“And she’s talking more,” Tony adds.

“And she’s better at concentrating and not getting… stuck? I think?” Steve comments.

It’s nice, having them realize that there have been changes, sometimes he’s too close to see any change is happening; sometimes he knows intimately what those changes are.

“Thanks for coming.”

The words are slightly forlorn.

“She’s been looking forward to seeing you all… I have too. I hope you have some fun here, even if it is under.. these circumstances.”

Bruce is first to talk.

“We’re already having fun, Clint, being together, being a team, having parts of us that are more heavy than others, that doesn’t change things. There can still be laughter even if it feels dark.”

“Yeah,” Tony agrees. “I mean look at us.”

“Fossil.”

“Green man.”

“Metal man.”

Clint can’t help but smile.

“Yeah,” he replies.

“I guess we’re all a little fucked, right?”

Tony laughs.

“I’ll drink to that.”

.

She’s still awake as he slithers into bed, breath toothpaste fresh as she curls into him.

“Did they find their way to their beds?” she whispers.

He doesn’t even ask her why she’s still up. He doesn’t have to.

“Yeah,” he laughs, “Tony and Steve aren’t so happy they’re bunking together.”

She smiles in the dark.

“It’s late Nat,” Clint states, the clock reading 3am.

“You’re one to talk.”

“Did they ask about her?”

“Jace?”

“No, but I think Tony has an update for you.”

“Okay, I have one for him too.”

She closes her eyes, breath slow.

“He said he put Liho on a lead.”

Clint laughs.

“How did that go?”

She smiles, eyes still closed imagining Liho hating every moment.

“Apparently not bad.”

The silence doesn’t last long.

“Not tired?”

Natasha takes a deep breath.

“I think it just feels peaceful, and I don’t know what to do with that. I want to live in it whilst it’s here.”

She hears him huff out a breath.

“You can rest now?”

Natasha hugs him close, kissing the bottom of his chin and rests her head on his chest.

“Yeah,” she breathes.

“I can rest.”

.

[chanshoesunite]

24 Days of CHRISMAS: Day 7

Content info: slice of life, bang chan x fem!reader, corporate!chan, corporate!reader, talking on the phone for hours, getting along, growing feels

Word count: 1160

Warnings: just a comforting read

5pm.

It’s a Wednesday afternoon, almost evening, and you’re still working on a work presentation you are due to hold via Zoom on Friday. You are on the creative team, working for a record company, and the newest designs for upcoming album releases need to be confirmed by your superiors. While you always love the creative aspect of the task – designing the lyrics booklets, discussing colour schemes and the likes – it is the presentation aspect you dread. Nothing quite like potentially having your work torn apart by your superiors in front of your teammates. Especially since one of them, Chan, has been your secret crush for a few months now. He works in music production, so you don’t actually interact that much, but seeing him in the office is enough to make your heart flutter. His caramel-coloured hair, his large hands, his dimpled smile, his Australian accent… There’s nothing that’s not to love about your co-worker.

You shake your head. The designs are solid, no, stunning, and if they don’t love them, it is not a reflection of you as an individual.

Your phone rings just then, the standard iPhone ringtone sounding in your ears via your Bluetooth earphones. You check the display and almost drop the phone. It’s Chan!

You wait for a few beats. You can’t just answer, can you?

You decide that you are a grown ass professional woman who can pick up her phone when an acquaintance from work calls. “Hello?”

“Hi, YN, it’s Chan. I hope it’s okay to call you? Am I disturbing you?” His deep voice resonates through the earphones, giving you little butterflies.

“No, it’s fine. What’s up?” you ask, trying to sound smooth and nonchalant and sexy at the same time, but still probably coming off as a bit awkward.

You can hear him sigh through the line. “I had a meeting with the boss today and it SUCKED. And I thought, you know, you can relate. Since it’s your turn on Friday.”

You get up, walk over to your comfy reading chair and curl up. “Tell me.”

5:15 pm.

“He said WHAT?” You sit up straighter in your chair, shocked by Chan’s retelling of what seems to have been a disastrous meeting. “Your mixing was-“

“-the worst he’s ever heard, yup,” Chan confirms again, his voice a mixture of gloomy and amused. “The fucking nerve of him. I am so fucking talented.”

“You are!” you quickly confirm, maybe too quicky? Chan is silent for a beat. “Thanks,” he says, his voice soft. “That means a lot from someone who creates wonderful art for the music we make.”

It’s your turn to blush, but you’re not having any of it. “So, what happened then?”

5:45pm.

“When I joined, JYP wasn’t in charge yet,” Chan recounts, and you can hear him doing something in the background, maybe fixing himself something to drink. “We had this other director. I think he was even worse, though.” He seems to be taking a sip of something. “Where did you work before? You joined last February, right?”

Huh. So… he HAS been paying attention to you? Interesting. “I did. I was in advertising before, but I kind of felt like… I don’t know, letting capitalism win or something?” Chan chuckles at that. “Not that we’re not making money here – you know what I mean, right?”

“Yeah,” he agrees softly. “I do.”

6:20pm.

“I cannot believe that THAT was your first live concert,” you laugh, simultaneously ordering some sushi, because you can’t really be bothered to start cooking and in truth, you don’t want to stop talking to Chan. “NICKELBACK?! That’s hella embarrassing, Christopher.” About half an hour ago, Chan told you his full name, and there is no going back now.

There are some whiny noises coming through the phone. “Oh, come on,” he complains. “I was young and got the ticket as a gift, okay? No need to be mean, YNnie!” Maybe you imagine both of you pausing for a second at the nickname, but it feels natural, as if he’s done it a hundred times. “Plus, I bet you went to see some cheesy one hit wonder act in 2008 or something.”

You snort with laughter, and normally you would feel self-conscious about the unflattering noise, but it's not like that with Chan. It's easy, like breathing, like smiling. Thinking about that, you continue shutting your laptop and lying down on your couch. “That’s one secret I’ll never tell,” you say in your best Gossip Girl voice.

Chan grumbles, then asks: “Did you just lie down?”

“I did.”

He seems to hesitate. “I’m not keeping you from anything, am I? Or… Anyone?”

You huff a little laugh. “No, just me, trying to procrastinate finishing that stupid presentation.”

“I see. I should let you get back to that, right?”

You sit up so fast your head is spinning a little bit. “No, please, Chan,” you almost beg, “If you go now, I need to work.”

His giggle is positively endearing. “Okay then, I’ll tell you the story of my first meeting with JYP…”

7pm.

The doorbell rings. Your sushi! “Hold on,” you tell Chan as you jog over to the door to let in the driver and receive your takeout.

“What did you order?” Chan asks as you get back to him. “You were so polite to that guy, YNnie, that’s kind of cute.”

You blush, busying yourself with preparing a plate and chopsticks. “Maki and sushi. Treat yourself, am I right?”

Your co-worker agrees. “Is this the moment where you let me go?”

You shrug before remembering he can’t see that. “I mean. Do you want to keep me company over the phone while I eat?”

Chan ponders that. “My pizza should arrive any minute. How about we take a bathroom break and I call you right back?”

You smile to yourself. “It’s a date,” you say before you can help yourself.

Chan is silent for a second. “It isn’t. But it could be. In person. If you wanted. Like… How about Friday night?”

You can’t believe this is happening. Your mouth is agape with shock, and you hurry to answer. “Sure. I’d love that.” Oh no, maybe love is too strong a word? “I mean, I’d like that. You know what I mean.”

“I do.”

You are both silent for a moment in which you realise that you are going on a date with Christopher Chan Bang in 48 hours. Also, those silences between you - how are they so comfortable? It's amazing.

“And you’re still going to call me back in a few minutes?”

“I am,” he confirms. “We have a date to plan.”

You smile to yourself. “I guess we do.”

“So,” he says.

“So,” you agree.

“I’ll call you right back,” he promises, before the line goes dead.

And while you dance around your living room in excitement, he keeps his promise – and it will be the first of many.

~Day 8~

[monty-glasses-roxy]

Also I am curious about carrying over the damage, because that means Monty’s been cut in half, Freddy’s decapitated and had his knees broken, Chica had her vocal cords removed as well as a broken off beak, and Roxy’s eyes have been ripped out. That seems a bit much lol

Maybe it’s like toned down and then it heals?

The damage is carrying over, but it's not in the way you're suggesting here.

These changes aren't one to one because a creature of flesh and blood can't be walking around with giant ass holes in their chest. So uhhh yeah that's not a one to one thing that's happening here. I'm not erasing the damage either, it's just carrying over in a less literal sense than you're thinking.

Some context: While I haven't decided exactly where everyone is at the start of Meteors, anyone that is online, has had the repairs necessary to keep them online. Eddie did this at Cassie's insistence and because it gave him something to do while he supervised her in the Plex lobby when they visited. What's important to note though, is that the damage is still very much there, it's just important background to some of this. They're animatronics, their physical bodies are endlessly fixable to them and when they aren't that makes them anxious, so yeah, repairs of any kind were sought out. The human equivalent would be a lack of access to a first aid kit when they really fucking need one, but it's specifically not threatening enough to start making phone calls.

How it carries over, is based on the animatronic and several factors that aren't that relevant, but to explain how the damage is being carried over maybe it's just... better if I give you an example?

Roxy had basically super powered eyesight, had that forcibly taken from her, was not immediately repaired, angrily wants it back, was blind for an extremely dangerous situation, and then given shoddy eyes to replace the super power for her own reasons. She's got very little casing left, barely any of her mane and tail, but still sees herself as she should be whilst Cassie looks at her in the VANNI mask.

When she changed, the damage is applied to what she feels she should look like. The damage to her eyes, and the subsequent replacement, is now abysmal eyesight and awful light sensitivity that needs highly specialised eyewear to help her with, and to be able to wear given she's a canine. The missing mane and tail is translates to her hair and fur respectively being thinned out, scruffy and uneven, but this is something that will fix itself with time and self care. The damaged body shell is what I was wondering about when I made the post you're referring to. Once changed, it appears as extensive scarring, and as time goes on and as Roxy heals, the fur grows over them in a different colour. The scars are still there of course, it's just their visibility that changed. Some take longer than others, some are already growing over when she's changed, and some don't grow over for years, if ever.

This kind of logic extends to the others as well, and how that transfers over depends on what their physical body and their perception of that physical body looks like. None of them are cured or anything in the change, and all of them retain some lasting physical changes specifically from what happened to them. The general idea isn't to 'tone it down' it's translate what the damages mean to the animatronics, into what the injuries mean to the changed bodies. Which of course, is going to range drastically between them.

But yeah, I have my reasonings for all the scarring and other damages and stuff if you're interested in the specifics. And uhh hopefully this covers what I'm going for with damage carry over? Maybe? I'm tired so I hope so.

[slutforsfender]

𝐟𝐢𝐯𝐞 - 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝𝐧'𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐢𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭, 𝐬𝐚𝐦 𝐟𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫

𝐒𝐚𝐦

I was currently sitting at our dining table, replying to some emails on my laptop with one of my mam's famous brews. Since I found out Arabella is back yesterday, I spent the whole day dwelling on our teen years but decided it was best to distract myself instead with work.

Her beauty however hadn't left my mind. As well as the memory of her voice, laughter, sarcasm and just everything. I wonder if it had all changed over the ten years.

"Sam pet you wouldn't mind popping to the co-op for a few bits for us, would ya?" My mam asks, walking into the kitchen.

"Of course not mam," I say, finishing off my last email.

"Oh great dear, I've already written a list. It's on the cupboard in the hall so don't forget to pick it up before you leave" She says.

"I'll go get ready now," I say, standing up from the table and leaving the room but not without placing a kiss on her cheek.

I run upstairs to my childhood bedroom, not even daring to think about the memories to do with her in here. I grab my black jeans swapping them for the joggers I was already wearing before attempting to fix my messy hair.

Once I was ready, I go back downstairs to grab my keys, wallet and pull on my adidas. My mam obviously had to remind me of the list and to put it in my pocket.

The drive there was the same as usual, music playing in the background as the rain pounds against the glass windows. I pull into the car park and make sure I have everything before running into the shop.

I grab a basket and pull the list out, glancing at the items. I make my way around the shop slowly, making sure I had the right things to avoid getting a slap around the head from my mam. I checked the list once again before heading toward the scanning area. I look up and look away and repeat my actions once again. My eyes weren't tricking me. She was there, scanning her shopping, and sure enough, the only other scanning area available was the one next to her.

As I approach the scanning area, she notices me and makes sure to look away as fast as she saw me. We both lift our heads up and glance at each other as I scan my first item.

Those green eyes definitely had not changed. The brown flecks mixed with the green emerald background being enough to make my heart flutter and my stomach do a million backflips.

Suddenly I was that sixteen-year-old boy again that saw the colour drift away from them as I spoke my poison.

We both awkwardly looked away and sped up our scanning, no longer feeling like taking our time. She finishes a moment or two before me and leaves as fast as she possibly can out of the small shop.

I walk outside with my shopping to see her in the car. Her head against the headrest as she exhales before turning the keys and making her way home. I sigh at the sudden aching feeling in my heart. It was all real. She was here, it hadn't all been a stupid dream.

And god did her beauty always leave me breathless.

I get home and help my mam put the shopping away without saying a word, being too scared it would all spill out my mouth and the guilt would consume me even more. She didn't even try to get me to talk, knowing almost instantly I had seen her.

I get back into my room and fall onto the bed while exhaling. I stare up at the ceiling, remembering the way I layed here that night.

My phone buzzed away with texts from my mates saying well done or that they had seen her crying on Phoebe's shoulder at the bus stop. I went along with all the texts as if I hadn't just made the biggest, stupidest mistake of my whole teenage life and potentially my whole life.

Dean, however, was different from the rest of my friends.

I don't understand why you did it. I am your best friend so obviously, I support you and I'm here for you but I'm also so pissed at you. That girl loved you, you dragged her along. She put up with your mates' stupid comments, the bullying getting worse for her and you just left her in the middle of a math class. Fender, you messed up lad.

This guilt had laid on my heart for far too long, I couldn't even imagine how she felt if the hurt had stayed. Who am I kidding that breakup was twelve years ago, she's over it.

𝐀𝐫𝐚𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐚

I just ranted my heart out to poor Phoebe over facetime while pacing around my room. It suddenly hit me while I lay on my bed, this is why I didn't come back. It wasn't home anymore, it was a reminder of the hurt I carried every day. The foolishness I carried for so many years around this town. The words everyone said but I ignored them. Now being back I just felt like that teenager again who just needed to leave.

I had seen him. Him. The boy who left me heartbroken, embarrassed, and stupid. The boy had left me with trauma that still comes back like a devil and bites me every once in a while. And those stupid blue eyes that for a year were so pure, my safety. I could look into his eyes and know exactly whether I could trust him until that day when I realised they had been lying for the past year.

Soon as I got off the bus, I walked so fast to my home. People stared as I walked around them without a small smile like usual. Soon as I got in, I muttered a hi to my grandparents and made a b-line for my room. I threw my things down, peeling off my jacket and blazer. I couldn't even make it to my bed without falling to the floor, against the bed frame.

My hand clutched my mouth to stop the noise from escaping. Tears streaming faster than any river or ocean possible. My other hand was placed on my heart at the physical severe aching pain like a heart attack in my chest. My body shaking like a child that has fallen because of a seizure. All of this over a boy.

A boy who never loved me. A boy who lied. A boy who was secretly laughing and smirking when his friends encouraged the insecurities in my mind. A boy who didn't even want to hold my hand in public. A boy who didn't listen to my words. A boy who never should have said I was pretty.

That pain had never left my heart. It was always there like a ghost on my heart, faint. But when I saw his blonde messy hair and those blue orbs, it was back louder than ever.

----

hi! a lil return from me. normal people fans may recognise a similarity in this chapter a little bit. i love you all, thank you for your messages over the past month - ash x

[misterradio]

okay here are my renfield 2023 thoughts [peace sign] you have been spoiler warned.... and long-post-warned.....

okay first off this is the first movie i have watched in a theatre in years and it was really fun ::-) i do have a headache now though. there werent a lot of people in the theatre and apparently at some point someone came in just to have a muttered conversation in his phone and left? RUDE! also the seats were very comfy.

anyways here are some actual movie thoughts:

the set design and lighting was so cool ESPECIALLY for dracula's lair with the eerie lighting around the blood-bag throne. so cool!! i liked renfield's house which was very much the opposite where it was very colourful. him finding his own modern sense of style was a neat detail.

did not care for the cops. didnt even really care for the crime ring plot. actually i didnt really feel invested in any of the characters even though i feel i shouldve... i watched this movie bc i wanted to see how it went and that i did! i wish i could have had stronger positive feelings.

my brother said that it was a very "modern movie" and i have to agree... i've been watching a lot of various older movies in general, this one definitely had a very different vibe. maybe im just not familiar with the genre? it just had like... modern humour / sensibilities... i dont knoowwww

re; the last two points: a lot of this movie was focusing on analyzing renfield and draculas relationship, but it used very clinical language to describe everything, so it did a lot more talking about the idea of an abusive relationship than really making me feel like that's what was happening ??!?!??!!?? also they were really throwing the concept of narcisists under the bus.

i liked the music during the credits but i have to admit i didnt think about the music during the movie. the credits in general were also cool they had really neat visuals ::-)

F--K COPS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! what else can i say.

one review i read said the gore was over the top and played for comedy aand they were RIGHT i was actually quite shocked at first how much gore there was. it wasnt even good most of the time but that was kind of making it funnier.

it was fun and good in a way that a lighthearted action comedy splatter movie would be good. do not expect emotional depth? (which seems like it wouldve been an important factor to get strong in this movie?) also remember this is following the concept of the 1931 movie not the book lol. i dont think you need to know either of them to enjoy this movie but the background knowledge is nice.

i wish i could see a dracula (book) adaptation where the characters are intact and also renfield is actually 59 years old... he is so young all the time please age this frickin guy

----------

le more thoughts i am adding on after thinkin on it more....

i didnt think of it while the movie was going but they never quoted dracula ever. bit sad. i would have been delighted by any book references (besides the obvious). the most they do is have a characters father be named 'morris quincy' (like quincy morris from the original novel).

how does dracula exist in this universe? ppl seem to acknowledge familiarity with him, but is it as a fictional character thru a book, or a mythological figure, etc..?

i said this in another post but, i would have liked to SEE renfields rocky relationship rather than having it be stated for the audience via narration... i also would love to know how renfield went from the wacky ~insane~ guy in the 1931 movie (which they acknowledge renfield in the asylum here!) to being a regular plain guy in the present. how did he change so much.... was he delusional or did dracula make his delusions real......

also tumblr was dropped by name. in this movie. and i have to say. it was actually funny.

they should have had nick cage look gorey and gross more often. i liked his look when he like had his skin on his face just barely on there. so cool.

[pandemoniumskey]

Songbird - Andy Biersack x OC

The Masterlist

Heyo Everyone, this story is hella long just warning you all now. It has never been posted anywhere, but I already have a few chapters written that need to be edited. 

I hope everyone enjoys this fanfic from my favourite band of all time. 

Love you all,

Pandemonium

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

Chapter One: Songbird

It was a warm day, which was odd for fall in Canada and Max sat in the small coffee shop bored out of her mind. The music the little shop was playing was soft in the background but she recognized it as rock. A genre of which she loved dearly. 

She drank the hot chocolate quietly as she tapped her feet along to the unfamiliar rhythm. It was catchy and that she loved. She hadn’t realized how lost she had gotten into the song until she heard a deep chuckle. 

Looking up, she saw an absolutely gorgeous man. His hair was black and styled to be swept to one side, his jaw was angular and his eyes were a striking blue colour. She could feel her heart pounding as her eyes roved over the tattoos she could clearly see poking out of the collar of his leather jacket. She was mesmerized by him. He looked familiar. Very familiar and she couldn’t place where she saw him.

He cleared his throat and smiled, “Like that song?” She nodded, “Yeah, I don’t know the name of it or who it’s by, but it’s amazing. I’m going to have to get on YouTube later and figure it out.”

Max was surprised her voice hadn’t failed her at that moment and that she was able to get out a clear sentence and not sound like a complete idiot in front of such a beautiful man. 

“The song’s called Ribcage by Andy Black,” he said with a smile. Even his smile was gorgeous. If people could melt, she was sure she would be a puddle on the floor by now. “Oh, thanks. I’ll have to write that down.”

He nodded as she added the song to a note on her phone. “Now I have to check out the artist of this song, I hope all his other songs are as good as this one.”

“Let’s hope so,” he said with a smile. “Are you here alone, or are you waiting for someone?” 

“Oh, I’m alone. I just got off work and needed to unwind a bit, people are so stressful at times and it’s nice to be alone,” Max said pushing an annoying lock of blonde curls out of her face. 

“Does that mean you would like me to go?” He asked the smile hadn’t left his face. And now Max was struggling for words, “no you don’t have to… I didn’t mean it like that… I just… other people… like the ones I work for and live with...  people…. You are more than welcome to sit down.”

She swore under her breath as he gave a chuckle and sat down in the seat opposite hers. “What do you do for a living?” 

“I‘m a housekeeper and aspiring author and the guests at the hotel, as much as I love helping people out, can be such a pain in the ass sometimes.” She looked at him and continued, “Sometimes it’s the rooms that are disasters, other times they are taking things off my cart and not letting me know. Then there are times where I am stopped several times a day by people asking for something or other. Then I go home and it’s my landlord bitching at me for this or my neighbour complaining about that and I just never get any peace and quiet unless I come here.”

Once she realized she was ranting to a man she didn’t even know the name of she stopped. “Oh my God, I‘m so sorry, I don’t even know your name and I’m dumping all of this on you.”

He chuckled again and his deep voice reverberated through her body sending sweet tinglings across everything, “my name is Andy.” Again, something about him was familiar and she knew she would likely be kicking herself later for not knowing what it was at that moment. 

She smiled and held out her hand, “Well, hello Andy, like the singer of that song just now, my name is Max and it’s a pleasure to meet you.” 

He grabbed her hand in a firm grip and gave it a solid shake, even touching him was short-circuiting her brain. She looked at the tattoos poking out of his leather sleeve and thought of the ones that covered her body. Though clearly not as much as his. 

He grinned, “pass me your phone?” She was confused. “Why?”

“I’m giving you my number, I’m in town for a few weeks and I would like to hang out with you again if that’s okay with you?”

She nodded her head aggressively, a wild yes. Of course, she would want to hang out with such an attractive nice guy like him. Who wouldn’t? So, she handed him her phone with a contact add screen ready for him to go. 

He typed in his name and number and handed the phone back to her. “All right, I’ll just send you a quick text with my name so you have my number too.” She said, sending him a quick text. 

His phone pinged, “oh, let’s see who messaged me.” He smiled and opened his phone to the text she had just sent him, “Oh. it’s this beautiful woman I met today named Max.”

She was definitely on overload now. He called her beautiful and, of course, she did what she normally did in situations like that, “I’m not beautiful.” She denied the compliment. 

“Sure you are, maybe you just don’t see it,” he said and smiled kindly at her. That’s when her phone went off. It was blaring Black Veil Brides and Andy smirked. With a sigh, she looked at who was calling and gave Andy an apologetic smile before answering. 

“Auntie Max,” a tiny voice came through on the other end. Her best friend’s daughter always called her Auntie, after all the two friends were as close as sisters. “

“Yes, Allie?” She looked at Andy who was now absentmindedly fiddling with his phone. 

“Are you coming for dinner tonight? Mommy is making ribs and wants you to come over.” The tiny females voice pleaded with her. There was no denying the special place this little girl held in her heart. 

“I’ll be over in 20 minutes. I am just going to say goodbye to a new friend of mine,” she said and Andy looked up at the sudden mention of his presence. 

The little girl agreed and hung up before she could say goodbye. 

Max turned to Andy and chuckled, “looks like I was voluntold to go to my best friend’s house for dinner. God Tessa’s daughter is an amazing kid, but she can for sure be a handful at times.”

“I can understand that one, I have my friend’s son that loves to call me and invite me over. I often tell him I can’t, sadly, because work has me travelling around a lot. I’m usually never home,” she kept getting lost in his voice. 

“I can understand that, not everyone can stay home, often it’s just not for them,” Max smiled and stood up. She casually held out her hand to him and said, “It was nice meeting you, Andy. I’ll see you around. I’m off the next couple of days so you don’t have to worry about my schedule or anything.”

He took it and shook it. That beautiful smile was back. “See you around then. It was also nice meeting you, Max.”

That is when she left glancing back every so often to see him finishing up his coffee. She got in her car and headed to her friend’s house for her famous ribs. It was a short ride, but she was lost in her thoughts about the incredible man she just met. 

Also, the song was stuck in her mind as well. It wasn’t like she would forget either any time soon. 

She pulled into the driveway and walked into Tessa’s house without knocking. They did it to each other all the time so she wasn’t bothered much with knocking anymore. 

She found her friend in the kitchen with little Allie sitting eagerly at the table. 

“So Auntie,” Allie said before she could even say ‘hi’, “who’s this new friend of yours?”

Tessa turned away from the stove and sat down, “Yeah I want to hear this too.”

Max gave a small sigh and ran a hand through her curls, she hadn't removed her jacket yet. “His name is Andy and he helped me with a song that I was listening to on the radio.” 

She described how the event unfolded and by the end, she was a blushing mess, “you haven’t even described what he looks like yet and you are blushing like mad, was he that good looking?”

She nods, “before I tell you what he looks like, let’s listen to the song, I’m curious to see what the music video looks like.”

They nod in agreement and she types in the song, freezing in her tracks at the face that pops up. “OH. MY. GOD!!! THAT’S HIM!!!! I MET HIM!”

My god was she in shock at that moment. Tessa looked at Max as she malfunctioned before their eyes. “Are you sure that’s him?” 

She nodded the recognition finally catching up to her, it was Andy Biersack from her favourite band Black Veil Brides... Now she felt stupid. “That’s him. I would know him anywhere. Hold up, I’m going to call him.”

Tessa got all excited at the thought as Max brought the phone to her ear.

“Hello,” Andy’s deep voice rang out from the other end. 

“When were you going to tell me that you were Andy Black? This beautiful hot man I saw for Ribcage looks an awful lot like you.”

Tessa smacks a hand against her forehead and Allie giggles. Andy also chuckles, “You called me a beautiful hot man… should I say that you are a beautiful woman like I did earlier or are you going to deny it again?”

“You didn’t answer my question,” you put the phone on speaker. “When were you going to tell me you were Andy Black?”

“I was waiting for you to find out,” he said softly. “I don’t always like the star treatment, I liked being treated like a normal human being for 20 minutes. I don’t want people to feel like they need to tiptoe around me all the time.” 

“Oh, that makes sense,” Max said. “Well guess what?”

“What?”

“Your human like me and you are human like everyone else I know, I won’t treat you any different because you’re famous,” you had a hand on your hip as the smile came to your face. 

An exhale came across the speaker, “you have no idea what that means to me.” He said quietly and you smiled. Before you could say another word, Allie spoke up. “Can he come to dinner too? Auntie can pick him up?”

Tessa chuckles and nods her head, “he can come if he wants to. You’re safe here Mr. Black.”

“It’s Biersack,” he said and you could hear the smile in his voice. “Black is just a stage name. And I would love to come over, I just need a little help getting there.”

“Which hotel are you at? I can come get you and bring you here,” you said, already grabbing your keys.

“The Sunshine,” he said and Max burst into laughter. “What’s so funny?”

“That’s where she works,” Allie said. 

“I’ll be there in 10 minutes. Be ready Mr. Biersack,” she said smiling while hanging up the phone and saying her quick goodbyes. She stuffed the phone in her pocket and began to make her way back to the hotel. 

He was waiting at the front doors when she got there. She pulled up in front of him and unlocked the door. He was quick to get in and she smiled. 

“Well it’s nice to see you again, Andy” she giggled and began driving again. 

“It’s nice seeing you again too.”

Again she nearly melted when his voice sounded. The ride was quiet but comfortable and again she pulled into her friend’s driveway. 

“I’m back,” she said walking in with Andy in tow. She had a hand clamped around his wrist as she pulled him through the door. “And I have a gorgeous man with me!”

Allie came running into the room with Tessa and jumped into his arms, “hi, my Auntie likes you.” 

So blunt. Then again, she kept calling him every compliment in the book. Max smacked a hand on her forehead as he grins, “oh does she now?” The child nodded and Max hid her face in her hands, “my lord, Allie!” she moaned out as Andy put the girl on the floor again. 

“The ribs are almost ready,” Tessa said, “Max, will you be making your famous rice dish? I looked up the recipe and I have everything you need.”

“See, I knew that’s why you wanted me over. You’re just using me for my wicked cooking skills, eh?” She had a big grin on her face as she made her way towards the kitchen. She loved joking around with these people, “come, Andy, let’s show these simpletons what epicness tastes like.”

He smirks and follows the woman as she finally takes her jacket off and drapes it across the back of the chair. It revealed her curvy form and the tattoos that snaked up and down her arms. She heard an inhale behind her and she turned to look at Andy. He was just placing his jacket on the chair as well. Her eyes wandered the tattoos he had sported himself.

“Love your tattoos,” he said weakly as he looked at her. She would take those compliments. “Thanks, love yours too. Batman? Good choice of movies, who doesn’t love action movies.”

He smiles, “do I see another Batman fan?” She nodded as she made her way to the table with all the ingredients. Max surveyed them and saw the instant rice. “Hey, Tess? I thought you said you had all the ingredients?” 

She popped her head into the room and looked innocently over to the two standing at the table. “This is instant, it needs long-grain.” 

“Well… maybe I didn’t have all the ingredients. Will this rice work, to you know, speed up the process a bit?” 

Max thought a moment, maybe it would work out to cut the timing down. She nodded, “I think I can work with this.” Tessa clapped her hands together and left the room.  

Max quickly turned her attention to the black haired male beside her. 

“All right, would you like to help me?” He nods and makes his way over to her. She smiles as he gets closer, she hands him the onion, “cut this?” 

He thought a moment, looking as though he would die knowing what was coming. The onions loved to insult people and cause sadden tears to leave their victims eyes, eventually, he reluctantly nodded, the task was small enough, but it reduced time for her. Thank god it was green, it’s insults were the least harmful.

She busied herself by getting the chicken stock, salt, saffron and cayenne pepper to a boil. She always added a few more spices to the mix, but she wouldn’t tell her special recipe.  

They got to talking and she found out an incredible deal about him. He was taking a small break from Black Veil Brides to start a solo career as Andy Black.  

“I’m such an idiot you know that right?” he looked over at her confused. 

“Why?” his voice was filled with confusion as well. 

“I love Black Veil Brides, how did I not know it was you,” she said. “Maybe I didn’t recognize you with so little war paint.” she giggled. He chuckled as well and they moved into the next topic in question. 

Her mind kind of wandered when the topic of bullying came up remembering the hell she went through at home and at school.

“Max?” she blinked, she spaced out. “Huh? Oh shit I’m sorry, you’ll learn that I space out a lot.”

“It’s all good, I was trying to say what do we need to do next?” She thought of all the chopped onions and quickly added them to the frying pan with the butter. She had found herself adding chopped red and green pepper. “What’s next?”

She thought a moment, thinking about what possibly needed to be done next. 

“You can prepare the pan for the rice to be added into it. All you have to do is coat it with oil so the pan doesn’t stick.”

He grabbed a piece of wax paper and was working on it in a flash, once he was done, he left the room letting her know her was going to find the bathroom and talk to Tessa so he could thank her for letting him come over. 

She let him know it was okay, though she told him she had to stay so the rice didn’t boil over and so she could put it into the pan.

Once he left the room, Max turned on some music to make the time pass. She was glad that Tessa let her have free reign of the house. Otherwise, she would likely go crazy.

Panic! At The Disco blared as she absentmindedly sang along to Don’t Threaten Me With a Good Time. Her hips swayed in a little dance as she finished what she was doing, not realizing that Andy had come back into the room and was watching her. At this point, the pan was in the oven on its last legs and she was cleaning up the mess she and Andy made of the table. 

“Your voice is amazing, I’m officially calling you songbird,” she jumped and turned to look at him. “NEVER EVER TELL ANYONE I CAN SING OR I’LL STRING YOU UP BY YOUR TOES AND HANG YOU FROM THE CEILING!!!!!” She cried out not even caring that he had nicknamed her.

He smirked as he came closer, “so I can call you songbird?”

“I…. uh… ye-yes?...” she stuttered at how close he was to her. 

Allie burst into the room, “I heard shouting! Is everything okay?” She had her arms spread wide and she looked ready to pounce, Max laughed as she saw the alarmed look on Andy’s face. She was quick in letting her know she had been caught singing by the singer and all was good. 

She blinked, got out of her stance and shrugged. She left the room as quick as she had entered and Max laughed again. “I told you she was a handful.” 

“For a moment, that child terrified me. I thought death was awaiting me,” he said before finally smiling again. The rice was finally ready and Max turned to take it out of the oven, “I wouldn’t let that happen, I promise” 

She felt fiercely protective of him suddenly, “can you go tell the others dinner is ready?”

He nodded and left the room once again. As she waited for him to get them, she calmed her beating heart. She hadn’t felt like this ever, she ran a shaking hand through her hair and sighed. 

What had she gotten herself into?

[migilini]

Not So Secret Anymore - Charlie Gillespie

summary: It’s hard to hide a relationship from the public, particually when both work on the same show.

words: 2.5k

warnings: fluff

a/n: not my fave but i still somehow like it.

Requests are open :)

MASTERLIST

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

September

"When do we have our first interview?" you asked the boy whose head was in your lap. He looked up from his phone and your eyes locked with his green ones "Hmm, my calendar says in about 30 minutes."

You groaned at that and stopped playing with Charlie's hair which earned you a grunt and whine from him. "Sorry babe but I think I have to go, so I still have time to get ready and set up." You muttered and gave him a small kiss on his brown hair.

"Uhh fine." The weight lifted from your legs, you stood up and before you knew it you were thrown over his shoulder. Laughing, you slapped his butt and back repeatedly. "Babe! I mean it" you tried to press out between giggles, "we both decided to keep us a secret." He sat you down on the kitchen isle and cornered your body in between his arms, standing right in front of you, you're back hitting the kitchen cabinet.

"I know... come back later?" he asked and tilted his head, looking at you with big puppy eyes. "You know it." After a swift kiss, or rather a little make out session, you were on your way back to your own appartement. Just in time to change your top and put on a lip-gloss before opening your laptop and joining the interview.

"Hello everybody! I'm here with the cast of Netflix' Julie and the Phantoms that came out on Thursday. How are you guys?" the interviewer asked and smiled into the camera of his laptop. The whole cast chirped in with a good, great, or amazing.

"That's fantastic!" he clapped his hands "Now, Jeremy, how would you describe your Character and the show in general?"

"It's a show about ghosts from 1995 who come back 25 years later and join a band with Julie who didn't sing a note after her mother died. Reggie, the character that I play, is one of those ghosts and he is a loveable himbo. Did I use that word correctly Maddie?"

Maddie smiled and the interviewer changed the topic "Madison and y/n, birds have told me that this was your first ever acting job is that right?"

You nodded and signaled Maddie to speak first "Yes, and it was both amazing and traumatizing! I was so nervous, but the crew really helped to calm me down, especially y/n who just was in the same position as me, so we freaked out together most of the time." She smiled and the interviewer waited for you to answer. "Except, Maddie had a least some acting training at school, that's why she is the best. I more or less walked into the whole situation." You said laughing.

"I love this story." Jeremy exclaimed, making you slightly blush at his words.

"Would you be so kind and tell us?" the interviewer questioned and smiled at your little nod.

"Yes, yes of course. Well, I was on vacation with one of my good friends from back home..."

"She means Germany." Owen interrupted with a smile on his lips. "Yes, Owen. Thank you for adding important details. Anyways, we saw that there was an Open Audition nearby and though why not? We don't have anything to lose or to do on that particular day. And here I am, my friend sadly didn't get in."

"That really is an amazing story, I can see why Jeremy likes it so much. So, Charlie how would you describe y/n's and Luke's characters, she wasn't supposed to be in the script and was later added in right?" Charlie quirked up at the mention of your name and stated proudly. "Indeed, she impressed Kenny so much that he wrote a character just for her. He thought that Sunset Curve, the band name before we died, needed a female to handle their chaos or well... at least tries to. Y/N plays Allie, who against common speculation isn't any of the boys' love interest which is a very nice turn of events. She and Luke bud head a lot because Luke only thinks about music and the band and she tries hard to make him take breaks every now and then." 

A lovesick smile sat on your face while you listened to your boyfriend of nearly a year, once you realized your expression you quickly shook it off. Hiding this relationship was definitely going to be harder than expected.

The Interviewer asked some more questions before the last and dreaded question was thrown your way. "So, most of your fans are wondering if any of you guys are in a relationship." You and Charlie had discussed a million times before what you guys would say in such a moment, the two of you shared a look.

Jeremy's eyes switched from Charlie's box on his screen to y/n's before answering "I have a lovely wife! The rest of us are happily single, right guys?"

"100%" Maddie added, while Owen only shrugged, his dog conveniently jumping into his lap.

"How about the other two?" he eyed up the last remaining.

"Very single" Charlie laughed, and you agreed "Totally."

As time went on it was harder and harder for the two of you to hide the relationship, as you two spent nearly every day together and therefore did the same activities. Particularly after your social media accounts have gained over a million followers and people started to ship actors and tv show characters. But you two loved the little secret bubble you've created, there was no pressure to take good pictures together, or to post stories, to be asked a thousand questions about your relationship and no hate towards any of you.

December

It has been 4 months since the show released and the hype it got definitely was way more than you ever expected. It blew your mind. Currently, you are on Charlie and yours one-year anniversary / Christmas / good deeds vacation. Charlie and you found a good mix, that made you both happy, between chilling and doing adventurous things.

It was Christmas eve and Maddie wanted to do a 'guess the song Christmas Edition' with the main cast. Eagerly you agreed and hurried from the beach, where Charlie currently took the quiz at the bar you both sat on just minutes before, to your shared bedroom. You shot Maddie a quick text that you were 'out of the relationship zone' and ready when she was ready.

"Helloooo. How did the others do?"

"Not the worst but I still have faith in you to win this. ARE YOU READY?" she screamed the last part.

“I’m going to read you the lyrics of a christmas song and you have to guess the next line. There are certain cards that give one point and others give two. Whoever has the most points at the end…”

“Hopefully get your earrings” you asked with a sly smile and your shoulders raised.

Maddie laughed but shook her head “Sadly, no. I haven't figured out the price yet, but I for sure will! I like your backdrop by the way.” she added and you quickly looked behind you. You sat crisscrossed on the hotel room floor, you used the coffee table and a water bottle as a phonestand and used a white checkered wall as a background to try and hide the fact that you didn't sit in your living room.

January

“This should be the last box.” you cheered into the empty hall and shut the front door with a light push from your hip. Charlie popped his head out of the bedroom and walked over to, dropping his head on your shoulder in exhaustion. Nothing was set up, boxes stood randomly all over the apartment, the fridge stood there still empty and a lonely mattress covered the bedroom floor.

“The walls look a bit bare don't you think?” you said about a week later, standing in the middle of the now a bit furnished living room. Strong arms sneaked their way around your waist and a head dropped on your shoulder.

“Hmm… you're right. What do you have in mind?” Charlie said and turned you around so you were facing him. He smiled at the spark in your eyes “I was thinking, a yellow akzent wall with random secondhand pictures and some pictures of us, all in frames of course. So it's gonna have this homey and creative atmosphere.” You rambled on for a while longer, telling him where you think his instruments could go, the pillows you saw online and thought they worked perfect with the colour of the couch. Charlie just stared at you, a dumb smile on his lips with his arms around you.

“Do you not like it?” you noticed that he hasn't talked for a while and got worried. “I love it. We could live in a dumpster for all I care, as long as I have you by my side.” You fake gaged at his romantic words and gave him a kiss.

The first time people got really suspicious was the time you accidentally walked in on a live he had on Instagram. He sat in front of his instruments, phone propped up before him. You thought that he was already finished but you were wrong.

“Do you think this…” you walked into the room, a shirt in your hand that you just took out of the dryer and lost your words the moment you saw him sitting in front of his phone. He looked at you with wide eyes, his brain clearly searching for a good excuse. 

“Is that y/n?” he read outloud from the chat, gesturing you do sit next to him. “Yes it's her! We’re hanging out and she helped me with my washing because I somehow still don't know how to do it.” he laughed nervously, his hand grabbing yours out of the frame.

“He promised me food and I live really close by, so I thought I'll help this poor man out.”

May

Looking back at this moment now, you and Charlie weren't sure why you just didn't come clean. You didn't mean to hide the relationship this long, it just kinda happened and at one point it just got too awkward to tell. It was fairly easy to hide most of the time, you didn't most that much on instagram and Charlie only showed parts of his daily life.

The easiest was the time you filmed JATP Season 2. You were expected to hang out and live together. Back in 2019 you already lived with Owen and Charlie. This time poor Owen had to live with a couple instead of just two friends. (You were already dating for a while back then but didn't tell the cast, to not make a fuss.)

It wasn't like the fans didn't suspect a thing, especially after Owen posted a video of you two fooling around. 

Everybody sat outside, enjoying the everwarming sun on their skin. Half of the cast was already in costume just waiting for the break to end. In typical Allie (your character) fashion you wore an overall with a tight tank top underneath, your makeup stood out from the others with the heavy blush, freckles and black eyeliner. 

Charlie, in his Luke wardrobe, thought that it was funny to stand in front of you to shield you from the sun.

"Stop that" you whined and tried to shove him away, which was harder than you thought considering he stood before you and you sat on a bench.

"Make me." He flirted and stood even wider before you, puffing out his chest. Raising an unimpressed eyebrow, you stole his beany with a swift motion. His expresion quickly changed from cocky to shocked, snickering was heard from Maddie who was used to this type of behaviour.

"Ups… heavy wind blows in the shadows." You explained nonchalantly and pulled the beany on your head, sticking your tongue out at your boyfriend.

"Oh it's on my lady" he growled "I'm giving you a three second advantage. One…" your eyes widened and your heart rate picked up. "Two…" you got up and scanned the place internally making a good running line. "Th-.." you began sprinting across the lot. You heard the laughing from your castmates behind you as you and Charlie ran in circles. 

Unfortunately, he was still fitter and faster than you and about a minute into the running he had you thrown over his shoulder.

"Surrender!" he screamed as you tried to wiggle out of his grip.

"Never!" You screamed back and wiggled even harder.

"Surrender or i'll have to tickle you" he warned and those were the last words Owen was able to film before a producer yelled that the break was finished.

February

“Baby, if I would believe this News Article, you have a secret girlfriend, but it's not me.” you showed him your phone screen.

“I’m not cheating on you. I would never, i'd die rather than…” his frantic expression made you snort. “I know. Oh my god! People saw you with Lia.” you held his hands comfortably.

“Lia as in your best friend Lia?”

“The one and only. People noticed the hickeys... At least they’re getting closer now. So are we still on for the masterplan? You by instruments and I'm gonna sit in the bedroom?" He nodded and smiled at the sight of your equally plastered neck. 

Eventually, before you even were able to execute the as you'd like to say 'masterplan' your relationship got outed. I mean it was time, the two of you getting lazier with the hiding as time went by. 

Fans noticed that you wore a lot of Charlie's things and that you and him always seemed to be at the same place at the same time. It was actually one of your lives that spilled the secret. 

"That's a really nice akzent wall" you read outloud from the chat "oh thank you! It was a long process to get all the pictures but it was actually Charlie's idea to not only have pictures but also plane tickets, date memories and so on hung up on that wall. It really makes it homey. I think to get that wall this crowded it took us...what? About well since we moved in…" you didn't even realise what you said you just babbled and then it was out.

"Charlie actually is home! I could call him. Babe! Come here for a sec- oh my god!" Your hands flew up to your mouth in realizion. 

From that moment on you were public and your social media exploded once again. However the two of you were happy to finally show each other off.

[violetsoju]

airport

kuroo tetsurou · fluff · 2.2k

warning: slight suggestive theme, mild language, characters are aged-up

a/n: did i write this on impulse because i still can’t believe i was actually in this situation? maybe. did i write this as a manifestation of having a kuroo to bitch about and assure me? maybe too. did i get more encouraged to write this after reading a discussion in a server on bra sizes and brand recommendations a few days ago? maybe three.

“Kuroo, I’m serious. Stop laughing.”

A distinct cackling laughter from the speaker of your phone fills the four walls of your bathroom, along with a lazy lopsided grin flashing on the screen that’s perched on the wall mounted shelf next to the sink.  

“But you’re making it so hard not to! Plus, you’re supposed to brush your teeth for two minutes, not talk and brush your teeth at the same time for two minutes.” Kuroo reasons, laughter turning into soft chuckles.

“Sorry babe, but I didn’t catch anything you said just now because you sounded like a fish blubbing underwater, except you’re blubbing white foam instead of bubbles.”

He finds it hard not to grin like a fool at your figure from his side of the screen, hands on your hips with a toothbrush stuffed in your puffed-up cheeks, hair pushed back with an elmo headband that he finds ugly yet cute because of the two ridiculously huge eyes dangling on top.

You mumble something yet inaudible while wiping away the drool of toothpaste dripping down the side of your mouth, a small pout dotting your lips.

“Rinse up and tell me from the top again once you’re done, alright?” Kuroo sighs, shaking his head adoringly as he manages to make out a ‘fine’ out of the string of muffled sounds from you.

And do you listen to him completely? Of course not. So he rests his left cheek on his palms, humming to the bits of information you try to squeeze in without accidentally swallowing tap water while cleansing your face.

The white tiles in the background shift to cream walls shakily, along with the shuffling sounds of room slippers against the wooden flooring. “Then as we were walking towards the karaoke place, I somehow fell behind the rest and ended up beside him. And guess what happened?”

“He confessed to you?” He jokes, oblivious to where this is heading, yet.

“God, I’d rather that happen.” You take a seat in front of your study desk filled with skincare products tucked on the side, placing your phone against the wall. “Instead, he called out to me, which I turn to him and find him looking at my boobs, saying ‘oh, its nothing’,”

Kuroo visibly flinches a little, eyebrows furrowed in disgust, eyes widening slightly, like he just tasted a sip of milk that has gone bad. “Excuse me?”

“He was looking at my boobs, Kuroo. My boobs. Shamelessly. Saying ‘oh, its nothing’. What the heck?” You mentally thank yourself for not opening the cover of the toner in your hand, to save the mess you would have made from all the expressive hand gestures.

“And you were wearing your usual tank top, right?” He smacks his lips together, as if trying to get rid of the bad aftertaste.

“Yeah, the usual square neck rib knit tank top that I always wear.” He tilts his head to the side, eyebrows knitted in confusion. Your wardrobe of tops flashing through his head. “The one that you don’t understand why I own a several pieces in different colours. That one.” A long ‘oh’ resonates through the speakers, the particular top emerging from the sea of clothing.

Kuroo processes the image for a few seconds. “That’s not revealing at all.”

“Exactly! It’s like the most basic thing? There’s tons of girls out there who wear the similar thing as me too.” You tap your toner onto your face with your hands. “And I was even wearing a jacket on top of it? It’s not like I was fully exposed or something. But even if I didn’t have my jacket on, I don’t see how it’s taken as a sign to stare brazenly like that. I wear whatever the heck I want to make myself feel and look good, not for someone else to ogle at, unable to keep their raging hormones in check.”

He hums in agreement. “What did you do or say to him then?”

“Honestly, I don’t know what made me so pissed at that moment either.” You sigh, reaching out for your wash-off mugwort mask. “I snapped at him, telling him that when he talks to girls, he should be looking at them in the eye, not at their boobs.”  

“That’s my girl.” Kuroo flashes his signature cheshire-grin. “What did he say then?”

Your lips purse together, recalling the situation. “I don’t think he even heard me. Partly because you know how I rush through words like I’m rapping when I’m mad.”

“Told you to apply for that rap competition show on tv.”

“Kuroo.” Your glare earns an apology and light-hearted chuckles. “Another reason why I don’t think he heard me was because he actually had the balls to sit next to me during the karaoke session.” His eyebrows arch at the statement. “To which I dragged Mizuki to sit next to me and he got pushed to the side with the other guys.”

He huffs through his nose with a tinge of frustration, fingers running through his dishevelled hair. “How old is he again?”

“20, I think. But still, that’s no excuse for being so disrespectful towards girls and women. He’s already a full-grown adult for crying out loud.” You set the timer to 15 minutes on your phone, shuffling to your bed. “Out of all the boys I’ve met that are of his age or back when we were his age, I’ve never met such a disrespectful guy. In this area of discussion, I mean.”

“You mean you haven’t met such a horny monkey before.” Kuroo summarises. You snort at his remark, making yourself comfortable under the covers while waiting for the mask to work its magic.

“So you’re mad that he looked at your boobs.”

You place your phone between your folded knees, slouching against the bed frame. “Of course I am. It’s a violation against my body. How the fuck does he think he’s entitled to look at someone blatantly like that? Imagine someone staring at your dick like its nothing.”

The stupid cocky smirk appears on screen again. “Not gonna lie, but I would be proud. Or amused.”

“Freak.” You scoff, scrunching your nose at his reply.

His amber eyes gleam under the dim lights through the screen. “You sure you’re not mad at anything else?” He prods, not letting you off the hook.

“I guess I’m so mad because I never expected this to happen to me. I mean, look at me. What’s there to look at when I’m basically as flat as an airport?” You gesture to your breasts, ignoring his ‘you’re exaggerating’ interjection. “I would understand if he was staring at someone voluptuous or well-blossomed. But what’s the point of staring at a wall so flat there’s no cracks or dents in between?”

Kuroo’s sharp yet soft features settle into a knowing look. “So there is something else that you’re mad at.”

You narrow your eyes at him. “That is?”

“You’re upset that your boobs are small.”

Your eyes take a 360-degree turn, huffing exasperatedly. “I’m not. I’m happy with the way they are.”

“No, you’re not.”

“Yes, I am.”

“You’re not.”

“I am.”

His firm discerning expression in the 10-second-long stare off has you heaving a long sigh in defeat. “I mean, there are times which I wish they would be just a little bigger…” You hesitantly admit, biting the inside of your lips. “So I don’t have to rely on push-up bras that much. And they would look nicer in wireless bras… Or in deep v neck cuts… Or plunge dresses…”

“Babe, they’re perfect with the way they are now.” Kuroo’s words doesn’t come out as pity or consolation; it’s filled with raw honesty and sincerity.

You glance down at the soft flesh beneath your oversized t-shirt that once belonged to Kuroo. “I know, but sometimes you can’t help but want more, right?”

“I understand, it’s natural.” He nods in acknowledgment. “But we have to be grateful with what we have, don’t we?”

A soft smile tugs the corner of his lips at the sight of your pout. “You’re right. Why did I get myself so worked up just because of one horny monkey when I have such an amazing and supportive boyfriend?” His lips curl up with a little more pride at you remembering and reusing his little remark.

“At your service, always. And ever ready to chase off any horny monkeys in sight.” He places his hands to his eyebrows as a salute dramatically, earning a hearty laugh from you.

“Question time. On the bright side, don’t you save more on bras because they require lesser fabric than bigger sizes? Less fabric, less production cost?”

“If only it were like that, Kuroo. You know what, we’re going bra shopping for our next date.”

“May I be granted the honour of choosing the fine piece of garment?” He places his hand over his right chest.

You hold onto your imaginary ruffled dress in the air, dropping into a mid-curtsy. “If I have the honourable chance to be blessed by your gracious kindness to pay for it, be my guest.”

“Of course, m’lady.” He bows curtly, giving you a flirtatious wink.

You giggle at his sappiness. “Okay my turn. Aren’t you jealous that you don’t have the chance to hold them like other boyfriends do for their busty girlfriends when their boobs swell and get sore during their periods?”

He shrugs like it’s no big deal, but the glint in his eyes says otherwise. “It’s not like that’s the only time I get to touch them.” He wiggles his eyebrows at you suggestively.

“Pervert.” You gasp, covering your breasts with your arms.  

The timer on your phone beeps, signaling it’s time for you to wash off your mask.

“Didn’t take you to be a boob person. Thought you were more of a butt person.” You place your phone back on the wall mounted shelf in the bathroom, turning on the tap water to run.

“I’m neither. Because I’m a you person, your person. A person that loves you as a whole, not by parts.” You swear you can see him giving you that smug grin of his with your face submerged with water, washing off the remaining residue.

“You know, maybe God deliberately blessed you with a lesser amount in this aspect.”  His voice echoes through the speakers.

You reach out to your face towel hanging next to the sink and place gentle pats on your face. “And why is that?”

“Because God knew that you’d be unstoppable if you were blessed in all aspects. I mean, look at you. You’re already slaying it despite your fun-sized boobs.”

You nearly choke on your own saliva from the fits of laughter at his comment. “What the hell, Kuroo. No one calls a C cup and below fun-sized.”

“If people call those below the height of 160cm fun-sized, I don’t see why I can’t do the same with breast sizes.” He reasons with a nonchalant face.

“Fine, fun-sized boobs they are.” You give in, switching off the bathroom lights. “Your drop-dead gorgeous kick-ass girlfriend has fun-sized boobs.”

“And I love it. That’s what makes her special too.” He adds, face full-on smitten with love.

“Shut up, cheesy conman.” You chuckle softly, your face a mirror image of his.

“Well, you chose one yourself. No refunds.” The coolness of your moisturizer helps soothe the warmth blossoming across your cheeks, but not the warmth spreading throughout your chest like a cosy fireplace on a cold winter day.

【☾】

Zero and one digits flash on the top right of the screen, signalling it’s way past your bedtime. You’ve been on the phone with Kuroo for close to two hours, no wonder you feel yourself drifting to sleep each second. Kuroo senses it too, from the way your eyes twitch and lose focus.

“Alright, last question before we wrap up for today. When are you hanging out with them again?” He asks, stifling a yawn.  

You let out a yawn as well, stretching your arm over your head, popping a few bones. “I don’t know, but I may skip if he’s tagging along.”

“Nope, we’re going together. Me and you.” Kuroo states matter-of-factly with droopy eyes.

You rub your eyes that has been lidded with sleep. “What if you’re busy on that day like today?”

“Then I’ll just clear my schedule for the day. Gotta show the lil boy who owns this airport.” His deep voice croaking through the speakers of your phone.

“Airport?” You question, confused at his statement, wondering if sleep has started to take over your sense of hearing.

“Airport.” He gestures at his tiddies sleepily.

“Kuroo…” Your distressed groan doesn’t stop him from his babble.

“Gotta show to him that it’s a private one too, not some public area that’s available to any common folk like him. Right, babe?”

a/n: in Chinese, there’s a saying of calling flat chested girls or girls with small boobs as 飞机场, which means airport because the airport runway is flat. so it’s like one’s chest is so flat that it can run the plane lmao. all sizes are precious, don’t get me wrong. this is purely for entertainment purposes

shoutout to @moonboohoo​ for being my irl Mizuki that day ily ❤️

[jayankles]

The Culmination: Endgame

Pairing: Sebastian Stan x Reader

Word Count: 2362

Summary: Y/N doesn’t feel so good and it’s not like her to not answer the phone to Sebastian. He was right to send over Josie, Y/N’s friend, over to find out what’s wrong.

Warnings: Angst, Implied Smut, Fluff

Written for: @anyfandomangstbingo​ | @anyfandomfluffbingo​ | @anyfandomgoesbingo​ 

Squares Filled:  Sick fic | first time | “I really don’t like doing this over the phone”

A/N - Blake Lively is not a representation of the reader; it’s just for the dress. And the other beautiful woman is exactly who I pictured for Josie.

Feedback is gold and appreciated

Of course, you were sick today. The day that Sebastian had told you that he was to take a day at the gym then spend it with Don. You knew that when you woke up this morning it wasn’t going to be a good day, the cold sheets a little foreshadowing of how your day would have gone. The little guttural feeling you had punching you in the gut right now, it had you on the floor, bent over the toilet seat with your head in the bowl.

You felt awful. Unable to move, unless it was your throat spasming. Definitely the worst day so far, you couldn’t move and when you finally were able to move at all you felt like a robot. Not a good look.

You decided that it was time to head back to bed, none of your food would stay down so you made yourself a bottle of water and stumbled into bed with a bucket in your hand, ready to put the bucket on the floor beside your bed.

Pulling at the covers, you curled up under them and took a swig of your drink. Tears rolled down your face as you felt the pain grow stronger, you rubbed your stomach in hopes it would make you feel better; it didn’t.

All you could do was pray that you would fall asleep to not feel this pain anymore. Sleep evaded you. The pain is all there is that you feel. You threw up another three times before you finally succumbed to the pleasures of sleep. Rattling of keys had been the object that had drawn you out of your few moments of slumber. You didn’t dare move though, there was no point, you couldn’t move anyway.

“Y/N! Y/N, where are you?” It took you a minute to realise that it was your friend, Josie, shouting your name in hopes of finding you. “Y/N, Whe- There you are. What are you still doing in bed? Oh...”

She looked as if she sighed out a breath of relief before she retracted, covering her mouth and nose with her hand. Inhaling the stench of the room, she quickly ran out of there, returning with air freshener, spraying it around you to make her feel better.

“You need a bath, babe. Stay here and I’ll run you one. Of course you’re going to stay here, you poor thing.” Josie rambled, you stopped her before she could go on for another hour.

“Jo, pour some lavender in there. Love you.”

Freshly out of the bath after thirty minutes, you were wrapped up in Sebastian’s bathrobe, a reminder that he was home as it still smelt like him. “I hate feeling like this. It sucks. But I feel better already.”

Josie softly smiled at you, pity in her eyes. “Must have been that nap you took but I know it sucks. Could you imagine Seb with this kinda illness, though? It would be 100% worse just because it’s man flu.”

“Thank you for being here.” You said, taking a seat on the couch. “What are you doing here anyway?”

“Seb called, said he tried texting and video chatting you but you wouldn’t pick up. I guess he was right to have me come over and check on you.”

“He’s such a cutie.” You groaned as you walked, the bath only slightly relieving some of the pain.

“I know. It makes me wanna barf… not like you, though. That shit is nasty, no, thank you, ma’am.” She tutted through a pinched nose, reminding of just how gross you felt and smelt not even a mere hour ago.

“You’re a pleasure as always, Jo. Always so kind to me, when I feel like shit. Thank you.”

She shrugged knowingly, a smirk on her face as she reached forward for the remote, finding a music channel and turning it down a little so it faded into the background becoming nothing but white noise. “So do you know what brought this on? Eat some bad food?”

“I don’t think so, otherwise Seb would feel the same way right?”

“Well you aren’t pooping as well as being sick so this isn’t a viral or bacterial thing. You’re not burning up? No severe migraines?” She asked and you only had one answer.

“Nope. And no, my appendix hasn’t burst because I’ve already had it out.” You said, becoming tired again as you let out a yawn.

“Well, I think I might need to slip out for a little bit.”

“Why? Where are you going? I thought you were going to take care of me?”

“I am. I’m just gonna head to the store and grab you some stuff to make tomato soup. I’ll be twenty minutes tops.” Josie was true to her word, never taking more than the twenty minutes she promised. Putting the bag of groceries on the counter, Josie pulls out the contents, revealing the ingredients she offered to get for you but you could tell that there was something else in the bag.

“What’s in there?”

Josie was fidgety, her fingers twiddling together. “I need you to keep an open mind because I think I know why you’re grossly throwing up.”

“Hit me. I wanna know how I can feel better right now.”

“It’s a good thing that you’re sitting down because…” She paused, making a face that she knew you weren’t going to like. “Because I think you’re pregnant.” her face unchanging as she pulled out the pregnancy test.

Then it hit you. 

No.No.No. Fuck!

Hands dancing.

Tongues twining.

Passion blooming.

It was everything you could have asked for when he was away but now that Sebastian was back, you couldn’t keep your hands off of him. You covered every area of the apartment possible.

Oh crap.

“Fuck!”

“Yes you did.” Josie laughed at her own joke, the reaction not quite the same on your end.

“Oh god, Sebastian is going to kill me. He’s never going to want to talk to me. Why was I so stupid? Oh, I’m never gonna hear from him again. I’ll be kicked out. I’ll be a single mother. I’m gonna have to live with you and if I have this baby, you’re gonna hate me, then you’re gonna kick me out too. ”

Josie scoffed at you, helping you scurf back your hair away from your face, making you look into her wide eyes. “First of all, chill. I gotchu, you know I gotchu forever. Sebastian isn’t like that, but if he is you will never see him again and that is a promise and maybe a little bit of a threat. He’ll deserve it if he hurts you so. Just be my alibi if anything ever happens. Just go take the test. Negative? You’re just sick. Positive? You call Sebastian and you talk to him like an adult.”

“Why are you always right? Don’t you ever get sick of it?” You huffed before you smiled at her, squeezing at her hand after taking the small handful of the pregnancy test boxes back to the bathroom.

Five minutes passed and you were holding the peed on sticks in your hand, four out of five of them being positive. “I think I need to call Sebastian, and a doctor.”

After making an appointment with the doctor, you took a deep breath and pressed the button to call Sebastian. He picks up the call pretty quickly and you are not surprised.

“Y/N! Finally! Are you okay? What happened?”

“Hey bubba. I’m fine, just a little sickness. But I really don’t like doing this over the phone. When are you coming home. We need to talk.”

Two months later.

It was the night of the premiere of Avengers: Endgame and you couldn’t be more thrilled for the success that the Marvel Franchise had. It was 10 years of absolute lovable craziness. Thank you, Stan Lee.

You had no idea that you would be here on the aptly coloured, purple carpet with Sebastian after all you would have thought that you would still be with him after the whole pregnancy fiasco but the two of you were able to talk things through. Things were thrown, voices were raised, and tears were shed but still after all of that, Sebastian made the executive decision to calm the two of you down. The stress was no good for anyone at this point. You were both going to be parents; it’s what was established.

The two of you walked hand in hand, palms sweating as the cameras flashed, and photographers called out to each and every star that was involved in the production of Endgame. The culmination of the whole franchise was just so surreal, the fact that it was ending with a bang both made you swell with pride but it also made you a tad emotional because this collection of amazing characters wouldn’t continue but the legacy they left would. And that was what mattered.

“Sebastian! Y/N! Over here!” You heard from one of the interviewers, looking beautiful in her outfit, Sebastian rubbed his thumb across your knuckles, you were going to be okay. He was right there with you and you had done this a few times before. He was there for you.

“Hi.” “Hello. You and Sebastian answered at the same time, making the interviewer laugh.

“Wait, I remember you. I bought you a soup in a thermos and Tom gave you his jacket. I see we got lucky with good weather today, huh?” You said, smiling at her.

“Yes. You remember me?!” The woman turned to the camera looking right into the lens of it. “Guys, I’m fangirling so hard right now. Ah!”

Once the woman got her fangirling out of the way, she moved onto the interview, trying to get any information that she could before the movie premiered. Sebastian took over that one, telling her that there was no way that they were allowed to say anything about the movie other than he was dust.

“Now we’ve got that movie non gossip out of the way. Are you okay to talk freely about your pregnancy?”

You looked to Sebastian, it was his decision just as much as it was yours, you knew that Sebastian wanted to keep his private life separate from his professional acting career. “It’s okay, honey. Go ahead.”

“I think you’re good to go.”

“Thank you. I must say that you do look stunning in that dress.” She gushed, you thanked her, hiding your face a little. You loved this dress, the nude under layer and the little white and purple flowers that scattered across your dress, your bump barely visible through your dress.

“How far along are you?”

“Well, we’re in the first week of the second trimester. So I’m a little more confident when telling you that.”

“That’s amazing. Was the pregnancy planned at all?”

You made a face, sucking in a little air, looking to Sebastian for a little light to be shed on the situation. “Not at all. It was Y/N’s friend that actually realised that her morning sickness wasn’t her having the flu. She felt absolutely awful that morning, it was enough to know that it was bad when I tried to call her and I didn’t get an answer.

“We had our issues, you know, we didn’t know what to do, we're new at this. But I think that it’s important to know that you don’t abandon your family.” Sebastian softly smiled at you, subconsciously putting a hand on your slowly growing stomach. “I guess that is what this franchise is about though, right? It’s about family and- and looking out for one another. Everybody’s got a somebody here and I love that.”

“And Thanos, fucks it all up and snaps his goddamn fingers.” The three of you and the cameraman began to laugh at your little outburst about the mad, purple titan. “God, I can’t wait for the premiere tonight but I’m scared. For everybody. But especially for me, you know, I’m an emotional person anyway, add a hormonal woman to the mix and a whole lot of angst. Get my ice cream and tissues ready, because I’m coming for you, Thanos.”

“I heard that!”

“Love you, Josh. For the record, Josh is a nice guy, the character he plays is a big old sack of balls and I have no idea how he does it so convincingly.” Lovingly, you made eyes at Seb. “But it’s just like my Sebastian, a dark hydra assassin but in reality he’s a big ball of sunshine and goofiness. And I love him for it.”

“This is- this is what gets me.” The interviewer leaned in a little as Sebastian’s voice dropped to a slight whisper. “I know that she is going to be the best mom for our child because Y/N loves everything and everyone and that is a great quality to have but she’s also caring and matches my goofy side but her sass outweighs mine of course, no one can beat that.”

“Aww, he’s making me cry already. Seb,” you whined. “My makeup.”

“Well that's it folks.” The woman spoke, telling the audience that this was one of the cutest interviews that she had ever taken, that she could die happy and quickly saying congratulations before the two of you were whisked away to walk the carpet again and pose for pictures.

“You’re way too good to me, you know that right?” You said to Seb as you admired the sky blue suit he was wearing over his plain white tee. “I never even got to tell them that this baby will have the hottest dad in the world as well as the sweetest man. Thank you for being my baby daddy.”

Unbeknownst to you, the cameras had caught every single moment the two of you shared. The kisses you shared together, were now shared with the world, all over social media. At this point you didn’t care, you only cared about the man in front of you and the baby growing in your stomach. And this god damn movie!

Feedback is gold and appreciated

[sheeple]

Itchy sweaters | 5: Office visits

PHOTO NOT MINE. THIS IS ALL FICTION. Genre(s): CEO!au / arranged marriage!au / Fashion designer!au Fandom(s): MCU Pairing(s): CEO!Bucky Barnes x fashion designer!reader Summary: Love comes in unexpected places and in many forms, everybody knows that but we often forget it. It can come as enjoyment in your job, brunch with friends, gifts, or an arranged marriage. Warning(s): Age-gap [Masterlist] [Mini masterlist]

I stare with trembling hands at my phone, double-checking the address that James send me. I am one hundred per cent sure this is the right address because of the glass plaque drilled into the wall next to the door.

With a shaky sigh, I pull open the door and step into the building. The lobby is very white with light wood details. A giant white marble counter sits in the middle of two glass doors.

"Can I help you?", asks the woman behind it, pulling my attention towards her. She looks at me with raised eyebrows.

"I am here to deliver something to Mr James Barnes. He knows I am stopping by." I give the lady a polite smile.

The woman nods, her eyes focussed on her computer screen. "Miss (Y/l/n)?" I give her a slight nod. "His office is on the twelfth floor. The signs show you the way."

I thank her, walking towards she has pointed. With a push on the up button, the doors open and I step into the elevator, pressing the right floor. A generic song plays softly in the background as pings indicate every floor I pass.

It's not soon before the doors glide open on the twelfth floor and I get out. This floor is just the same as the lobby; very white with light wood. But now, there are little pops of colour.

While I nervously chew on my bottom lip, my eyes scan around for any 'signs' the front desk lady spoke about. Instead of signs, I find a door with J.B. Barnes on it. I look one last time around to see if I missed something before I walk over to the door.

I lift my right hand a knock on the door two times. I begin to panic mentally. Should I have knocked more times? Or harder maybe?

But, before I can knock again, I hear a muffled, "come in!", from the other side. I push the door open slightly and peek my head through the crack. 

James stands up from his chair as he sees me, but my eyes fall on another man in his office. He looks at me with a slightly annoyed expression as I enter James' office, closing the door behind me.

"I am so sorry, did I come at an unfortunate timing?", I ask, feeling guilty. It looks like the two were in a meeting.

"No!", says James quickly, making me cringe a bit at his volume. "Not at all! Sam, this is (Y/n), my..."

"Fiancé", I say with a small forced smile, not really comfortable with the taste of the word in my mouth. I stretch out my arm for Sam to shake. "Nice to meet you." 

"Sam Wilson, the pleasure is all mine. I didn't know that you got engaged, Buck. Or even had a girlfriend in general." Sam throws James a teasing glance. 

James rolls his eyes, practically shoving Sam out of his office. "I like to keep my personal life prived, Wilson." 

Sam throws one last snarky remark that gets cuts off by James closing the door on his arse, pulling the blinds down.

"Sorry about that", he chuckles awkwardly, scratching the back of his neck with his metal arm. 

This is actually the first time I noticed James' prosthetic arm. It may be the fact that it is very high-tech and moves as any normal arm would. The prosthetic is made of metal plates that move and shift around with every movement he makes. It's quite impressive. I just know that Shuri would love to look and study it.

James notices that my attention is on his prosthetic arm. He quickly hides it by rolling down the sleeves of his blouse.

I immediately feel bad, and I start to sputter out apologies. "Please... it was rude of me to stare. I shouldn't have. If it makes you feel any better, this is the first time I noticed it!" My face heats up while I squeeze my eyes shut. 

Good job (Y/n). Such a great way to make the guy feel better over the fact that you just flat out stared at him. 

My mind quickly improvises as I reach into my tote bag to grab the Tupplewear with the cinnamon rolls in it. "I am sorry. I brought you the best looking rolls I made."

I practically shove the plastic container in his hands, looking everywhere except him. Gosh, how to fuck something up.

James opens the Tubblewear lid and peaks inside. "They look really good! Do you want one?" He places the plastic container on his desk, looking around for a plate.

"Oh no, I just ate. It's all for you." I shake my head profusely. 

After a moment of me looking around James' office and the man himself looking for a plate, he speaks up. "If you feel uncomfortable... you don't have to tell anyone that we're engaged." James takes a step closer to me and takes my hand softly in his.

I look at James' hand and how large it is compared to mine. "I... no. We have to call it what it is." I give him a slight smile, squeezing his hand.

My phone rings and I grab it out of my bag. It's Wanda. I give James an apologetic smile before answering. "Yellow."

"(Y/n) bad news. The venue in Chicago just called, they have to forward the show with a month and a half." 

A groan escapes my lips. I close my eyes and tilt my head backwards. "Fan-fucking-tastic. Okay, I am on my way back and I will call them."

Wanda hums. "Not in the car."

I roll my eyes playfully. "Okay, mom. I will call them once I get back to the office. Better?", I ask sarcastically.

"I'll see you back at the office", she says before ending the call with a laugh.

"Everything okay?", asks James worried.

"Yeah, no. The venue in Chicago wants to advance the show by a month and a half. Great, like we aren't already in trouble with the planning", I grumble, pulling the straps of my bag over my shoulder.

"That sounds rather serious. If I can help in any way or form, just let me know, okay?" He smiles at me and I nod.

"I'll keep it in mind. See you later and enjoy the cinnamon rolls." I give James a quick hug and rush out of his office. 

This is just fantastic. We are already delayed with a handful of design because someone ─ cough Lizzy cough ─ has sent their final sketches way too late.

With just a short drive of only twenty minutes, I am back at the atelier and already rushing into my office, Wanda hot on my heels. She slams the door shut while I dial the venue, putting it on speaker.

"Chicago national museum, Gebra speaking."

"(Y/n) (Y/l/n) of Aeon. You called my office, something about the date of the fashion show?" I take place in my chair, trying to keep my calm.

"Ah yes, miss (Y/l/n). We have to inform you that our planning hasn't been the most tidied and planned your show and the opening of an exhibition in the same week. We are very sorry."

I massage my temples. "You know that this brings everything we planned in jeopardy? If you told this two month ago, it wouldn't be a problem."

"We know miss (Y/l/n), and our sincerest apologies. If we knew, we called much earlier. But the college that usually oversees the planning has come back from their pregnancy leave."

Wanda looks at me with wide eyes. "That's no excuse", she whispers angrily.

"That still isn't a good enough excuse to suddenly changing the date. Is there no room to push the date slightly back, maybe half a month?", I argue. Please work, please work.

The woman on the other side of the line sighs. "That can't happen, sadly. We really need that month and a half to prepare the museum for the exhibition. But you could also seek another venue..."

My mouth falls open, and Wanda gasps. Did she just do that?

"No, it's fine. We'll make it work. Have a nice day." I end the call quickly. 

"That whole call was so useless!", screeches Wanda, running a hand through her hair in frustration. "How are we going to finish the whole line on time?"

I turn my chair to the windows behind me, peering out of them. "There is nothing to it. I have to tell the designers and sewers the news." 

Wanda and I walk out of the office. I scrape my throat, trying to get the attention of everyone in the atelier.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I have some unfortunate news to tell you", I begin as everybody stops what they're doing. "The venue in Chicago called with the message that the show as been pushed forwards a month and a half."

 An angry murmur goes around the room. I meet Pietro's eyes from across the room, silently asking if it's true. I nod slightly, biting my bottom lip.

"But this won't hold us down. I am not going to lie, there will be long days ahead for us. Endless hours of cutting fabrics, sewing, and pinning. Probably some mental breakdowns." My little joke earns me a couple of chuckles.

"I am not going to say that you can leave if you aren't ready for that, because we need every pair of hands we can get. So, I advise you to get a good night sleep tonight." With one last look around the room with a sad smile, I turn back around towards my office.

I close the door after me before anyone else and lock the door. I let myself fall on my chair, putting my hands in my hair. How are we going to finish in time? 

[futurewriter2000]

Little Secrets - pt. 2

A/N: I couldn't found a perfect gif. Okay?! But this is the closest I could get. Plus, I really have to go to the bathroom, so this is the quickest gif I could find. I also spent three days writing this because I had about thousands of scenes in my head but I had to write only one. I love it. Hope yall love it too <3

XX

All five of you have been sitting at the table; your father, James, Sirius, you and your mother, who had just brought some tea.

Sirius has been smiling at you. You had been smiling at him but not because you had pleasantly enjoyed his sudden appearance, though he was a quite fit young man, but because it was all so amusing.

"So you have a sister?" Sirius turned his head to James, quirking an eyebrow.

"Yes..." James smiled awkwardly. "My younger sister, (Y/N)."

"That you had never mentioned." you grit your teeth a little and raised an eyebrow.

"Why haven't you, son?" asked your father, meanwhile your mother went to get Sirius some warm clothes.

"...it... didn't come in conversation..." James shrugged.

Both you and Sirius let out a laugh, exchanging a familiar look, as if the two of you were old friends already.

"Does anybody in Hogwarts know that you have a sister?" you asked, getting more stiff and angry, though you pretty much knew the answer. "I mean, some purebloods surely have to know." your tone started to get louder, causing James to sink in his chair. "Or was the fact that you have a Squib sister put shame to your popular reputation?" you stood up from your chair, glaring at your brother and seeing his friend stare at you with wide eyes.

You were a Squib?

You ignored his expression and made your way up-stairs, going off to bed. You didn't cry and you didn't yell. You weren't really sad to cry or angry to yell... you were just confused. That's all.

---

A few days passed and you didn't much talk to James. You avoided him, called a few friends and went into town with them. They were all mostly Muggles and you didn't mind that. You kept your secret life separate but you did tell them that your brother was keeping you as some sort of secret from his friends and the only explanation you had was that he was some sort of ashamed of you.

"That's rubbish, Pea."

That's what your friends called you. A nickname from the first day of school all those years ago, there was a little accident with peas at lunch. Everybody called you Pea since then. Everybody except your family.

"Than what other explanation is there?" you started to get frustrated, digging your head into your hands. "I just don't understand!"

"Why don't you just ask him?"

"I did. He's determined to avoid the topic." you drank your coffee and threw yourself back.

"And his friend?" she raised one of her eyebrows.

"Sirius."

"Sirius. What a name..." she started to tease you. "Is he cute?"

"He is." you smiled a bit. "Quite fit."

"Uff! What does he look like?"

"Well, he's tall, a bit shorter than Jamie but he's got a gorgeous face. Like if Aphrodite had a son with Kleopatra, he'd be the product of them."

"Hell, that good looking?" she rolled her eyes, thinking you were being your usual sarcastic self.

But you weren't. He was literally beautiful. "Okay, look. I am not in love with the guy. I just have eyes and my eyes love pretty things. He is one of those pretty things."

"Objectifying now, are we?" she continued to tease.

"You know what I meant."

"What about Alissa?" she asked, wiggling her eyebrows and causing you to sink in your chair.

"What about Alissa?" you smiled sheepeshly.

"I saw the way she hugged you in front of school."

"Yeah but I don't know if she's into... you know..."

"Girls?"

"Yes! It's so hard to tell. I mean, she gives me so many signs-"

"There you go. She likes you."

"- but then she also ignores me at times. Like this hot-and-cold energy."

"Oh." your friend frowned at the sight and slumped her shoulders. "How about we go to a party tonight? You and me-"

"And?"

"Some friends." she grinned.

"Whiskey?" you grinned as well, feeling so much lighter at the proposition.

"There has to be whiskey. If not, we're leaving."

"Okay, let me just call mum. Tell her, I'm going to be a tad late." you winked at her and ran to the payphone at the back of the cafe. You spun the number and waited.

Your family loved the phone. Being a wizard, the communication usually fell through the letters but since you lived with one foot in the Muggle world, the discovery of the payphone has made you overly-excited as well as your parents. The communication was much faster and you could always call your home whenever you needed.

"Hello?" there was a foreign voice that only seemed to belong to one person in that house.

"Sirius? Is that you?"

"What kind of sorcery is this?!" he shouted into the phone. "Who is this!?"

"Sirius, it's (Y/N)."

"Oh! James' little secret sister."

"Yeah, that one." you rolled your eyes.

"Are you stuck in there?"

"Where?"

"In this tiny box? Do I have to call your mum to get you out?"

"Sirius, this is a phone."

"Oh! I've heard of those. It's a Muggle thing." he let out a laugh. "Foolish little thing. When you can just write something and poof it to someone's way."

"Well, I can't really poof it, can't I?" you smiled as you heard him gulp on the other side.

"Uh... sorry... I forgot."

"It's fine." you giggled, letting him know you are not offended from his reckless words. "Can you get mum anyway?"

"Why?"

"Because I have to tell her I'm going to come home late today."

"Oh." you could see him leaning on the wall and smirking at the idea. "Where are you off to?"

"Only a friend's house.

"A-ha." he doubted. "Friend's house." he continued to speak in a mocking tone. "Am I-"

"Oh, you've discovered the phone." you heard James in the background, laughing. "Who is it?"

"This thing is magnificent, Prongs. I can talk to her like she's here, though she's not in this tiny little box.... is she?" he whispered the last part, covering the phone.

"It's (y/n)? Is she still mad at me?" he leaned on the phone. "Stop being such a stubborn little arse and get over it!" he shouted, meanwhile you rolled your eyes.

"She says she's staying at a friend's house?" said Sirius.

"No, she's not." James laughed. "Her friend, Mandy, lives with her uncle who doesn't approve of (y/n) what-so-ever. She's going to a party."

"Am not!" you shouted through the phone, clearly lying. "I'm not going to Mandy's... I'm going to Zoe's."

"Zoe? I thought she goes to Greece during the summer."

"She's staying this summer. Broke a leg."

"Broke a leg my arse!" James shouted.

"Can we come too?" you heard Sirius through the phone.

"Maybe next time. I don't think I can manage James' face without punching it yet." you shrugged.

"Can I come then?"

"Oi! Don't be a prick."

"What?! It's a party!"

"Just tell mum I'm coming home late and that-" and with that the call got cut. You looked at it with surprise and then just shrugged. "They got the message."

---

You had come home, not drunk, not tipsy... just a little dazed. You wished you were wasted but a memory of you not being able to walk a few years ago due to some heavy home-made Scottish Whiskey, you had decided that getting wasted wasn't worth it.

You put your shoes away carefully and quietly before going to the kitchen. A simple walk home sobered you up. You could walk normally, feel lighter on your feet but wanting to collapse into your bed as soon as possible. Though you were starving, so the fridge was the first stop. Toast, mayo, baloney and cheese.

"Mmmmmm." you rolled your eyes back from the delicious flavor in your mouth, almost melting as it filled your stomach. When your eyes rolled back to the sandwich you felt like you saw a spark of light from the corner of your eye. You glanced back up and saw a familiar figure standing on the porch.

He was leaning over the fence, mind deep in thought, eyes far in the distance. Brushing your hands on your pants, you opened the door from the porch and peeked out.

"Peek a boo." you said casually but he didn't budge, only turned back calmly.

He gave you a soft smile and moved a little to give you space. "How was the party?" he said as he flickered the cigarette away, shutting up the grasshoppers.

"Eh." you shrugged, mimicking his position. "Wasn't really a party, more like a friendly gathering."

"Bummer."

"Not really." you laughed. "There were all these random people, Muggles as you call them and I knew three or four of them. People kept leaving and coming, random people that I know from school but never really hung out with them, you know?" you looked at him and he smiled, listening on. "And I did talk and flirt with this guy, who kept coming onto me but all the time I kept observing others and by the end of the night, when I came home, there was only one person on my mind and it wasn't that guy- that random, thought quite charming and nice guy- but it was this girl from school with pretty bluish-greenish-brownish eyes."

"All three colours?" he laughed.

"They change colour a lot, okay?" you laughed. "But it's not even the colour, more like the way she looks at me- like she's in love with me but I don't know if she's in love with me because one day she's all for it and another moment she's ignoring me. It's so frustrating."

"So you like girls?"

"More or so. I don't mind guys either."

"Which one do you prefer?" he asked from curiosity.

Though it wasn't one of your favorite questions to hear, you still replied casually. "It's not the matter of preference, more like the matter of which I fall in love with. Guys are simple. They think simple and there's no secret meaning behind their words. You know when they want to snog you or shag you or when they want something serious or not serious. Simple."

"And girls are not simple?" he laughed.

"Oh, girls are so complicated!" you groaned. "Not all of them of course. Not me." you laughed and he chuckled as well.

"Not you?"

"No. I don't like to complicate things just because of how my last girl did."

"Your ex?"

"Not really an ex. It was an odd situation but listen up to this." you started to get more comfortable. "She and me have been writing to each other- she was a tough nut to crack to be honest. I was breaking the ice with that girl for like a year and a half. She was hot and cold with me. I never knew what she meant. One day she was giving me hints she was into me, another times she was completely ignoring me."

"Is this the same girl you talked about before?"

"No-" you stopped, thinking back a little. "Though it is a similar situation, isn't it?" you asked him, meanwhile he laughed.

"I think so."

"Hm... I'll get back to that thought." you pinned the realisation down and continued with the story. "Okay, so she was finally starting to open up to me- also she was tall and dark and gorgeous green eyes, super hot- I can't leave that out."

"No, you can't."

"She was getting to open up, telling me stuff about her family, her friends, which classmates she hated and I was getting excited because LOOKIE THAT! SHE MIGHT TAKE A FANCY IN ME." you said over-excitedly, throwing your hands in the air before your face and your hands fell back down. "And then I see her hugging a boy in the hall and suddenly they're both dating."

"Oh, bummer!" He laughed. "She was straight."

"Oh, hell no." you laughed. "That girl was definitely not straight but her parents were, so-"

"Oh, makes sense."

"Perfectly good sense. She's studying to become a lawyer."

"A lawyer?"

"Yes, a lawyer."

"Bet her parents are happy."

"Over the moon, I suppose."

"And you?"

"Eh. I moved on from her a long time ago. To be honest, I just liked the chase." you let out another laugh and he rolled his eyes.

"Really?"

"I always love a little chase or runner dynamic."

"So you're the chaser?"

"Or the runner, depends which one I'm feeling. Today was more like a runner but when I play the runner, they really give up easily, you know?"

"I actually do know." he shook his head a bit, pulled out another cigarette and lit it up. "Does James know?"

"He does but not about... you know... them. He just knows about it."

"What do you mean?" he started to laugh again. You were funny. He liked funny girls and from the way you reacted to James' little secret, he thought you'd be just like the others but you were so simple and funny with a tad of mystery in your eyes.

"He only knows bits of it."

"Bits of it?" he quirked an eyebrow. "I thought the two of you tell each other everything."

"Clearly not." you rolled your eyes and dropped your head back. "I'm a secret."

"A pretty secret." he blurted out before he could help himself. Noticing what he had said as he had watched you drop your head back, your hair flowing in mid air and your eyes focused on the distance, he really couldn't keep it in. James kept you a secret. A pretty little secret and he never understood why. He had known him for so long and he hadn't mentioned you once in all those years. Did Peter know? Or Remus? Or did really nobody know that James Potter really had a younger sister, who had no magical abilities.

"You think I'm pretty?" you smirked, quirking an eyebrow yourself.

He let out an embarrassed laugh and looked away just before his eyes locked with yours again, the blue that is bright in the day, now dark, almost black in the night. "I have eyes, (y/n). It's just a mere observation."

"Oh." you laughed as well, jumping down from the fence and putting your hand on his shoulder. "Than as a mere observation, I can say that you are extremely hot." you put your hand on his cheek and tapped it a few times just before you made your way to your bed. "Goodnight, Sirius Black."

He watched you walk away with his cheeks burning red. Bold, daunting- you were. Similar in a way with how James acted but he had to admit that you seemed quite more of an adventure than James. It sounded ignorant to say that. You were new, something hidden, now on the surface where he can marvel at you. He felt just a little bit more excited than the day he met James. Such a thrill, knowing that he has all the summer getting to spend with you.