#staring contest that causes you physical harm

[mintasa]

FALLEN ANGEL ~ CHAPTER 3

Pairing: Yang Jeongin x OC

Genre: Supernatural AU, slow burn, more will be added later

Warnings: Blood, cursing

Word count: 3,3k

Synopsis: The world is a harsh place. Especially for young girls trying to make a living. A young waitress was never afraid of the dark until mysterious vile creatures started crawling out of it. How can she stop them, and who is willing to help her figure out the secrets that had been kept from her for years?

Note: So I did decide to make a second story; this one is not nearly as planned out as the first one, and new chapters will probably take time to come out. It is a work of fiction, although it may not fit the criteria of a traditional fanfic (I physically cannot write in the second-person narrative). Therefore, English is not my first language, and while I'm pretty fluent, I still make grammar errors, so apologies in advance.

Wattpad link Chapter list

Daniella was in deep slumber when she got woken up by Lucky barking at God knows what. She turns on her other side not suspecting much. The dog is a troublemaker but she's already too attached to drop him at the shelter. Daniella groggily rubs her eyes and then hears an unexpected doorbell ring.

It's strange. Nobody visits her, at least not without her prior knowledge. She approaches the door quietly to peek through the hole. There's a guy.

He smiles as if noticing the girl's presence even through the closed door. He waves at Daniella, proving the girl's theory. "I came with peace. Open the door," the guy calls out.

Daniella, however, doesn't believe the guy for a second, and runs off to grab a knife from the kitchen. It takes her courage to approach the door, not knowing when the guy might attack. "Who are you?"

The guy smirks. "I'm a demon," he tilts his head in a sassy manner. "A nice one, usually, but you're really trying my patience."

Daniella's entire body shakes at the reveal. She expected those words but was hopeful. The guy looked nothing like the monsters that had attacked her earlier. He doesn't barge in as well. What is he waiting for?

There's a warm breath against the girl's neck. "It's not nice to keep the guests waiting," the demon clicks his tongue, right in the girl's ear. Daniella turns towards him instantly, pointing her kitchen knife at the demon, who, with a flick of a hand, sends the weapon to stick into the nearest wall. "That's not nice either."

Lucky hears the unfamiliar voice and comes out of the bedroom barking, with a flick of a hand, he is pushed back, and the bedroom door shuts, locking the dog away. Now it's just her and the demon having a staring contest.

Daniella backs away slowly, but the guy stands still. He doesn't look like he is going to attempt a chase, he doesn't look like he is after her at all but she shouldn't let her guard off. "Why are you here?"

The demon only laughs at how startled the girl is and instead looks around. "Relax. I don't bite. Unless you want me to," he comments. The demon is acting shamelessly and the flabbergasted expression on the girl's face makes him laugh. "I'm just kidding, really."

The demon sits down on the couch, letting the girl scan the sharp-featured man in the living room. He didn't attempt to kill her, so she must be safe, at least for a while. "You didn't answer me."

The demon pouts. "As lovely as you are, I actually need to talk to your guardian, though he should keep a better eye on you," the guy sighs. "Sit down. Let's chat."

Daniella warily sits next to the demon, keeping a sensible amount of space between them. "Why do you need him?"

"He is hard to reach, and a little birdie told me he has been doing a terrible job at being a guardian," the demon explains.

Daniella doesn't rush to agree with the demon. Sure, the fallen angel seems to be not too keen on the girl, but he had saved her. He does his job, although not without causing some harm beforehand. "He helped me during the attacks of those creatures," Daniella mutters, her words even surprising her. Is she really defending the angel?

"Those creatures are low-class demons, and you're sitting on your cheap couch with a demon who could rip your guts out. He is doing a terrible job," the demon comments. So he is one of those creatures lurking in the dark, the creatures are demons just like him.

"But you won't rip out my guts right?"

The demon scoffs. "Believe me or not, I have better stuff to do. We don't necessarily terrorize humans, the upper class at least."

"So the lower class does terrorize people," Daniella rather states than asks. She knows the answer just needs confirmation and possibly more information. Anything she can get is useful at this point, the angel is providing her nothing to catch onto.

"Yes, those scums don't care as long as they feel any kind of satisfaction," the demon nods. He's spiteful; clearly, the classes do not get along. Demons don't get along with other demons, noted.

"How do the classes work?"

"Well, some of us demons are more human than others. Although we have similarities as well. We all feed on desire, but the lower class has primal urges. They pop child after child and bring chaos to the mortal word. They Are like parasites," the guy explains.

The ones she met being considered animalistic makes sense. One bit her after all and another snarled. They have a purpose, but then what does the upper class do? "What do you do then?"

"I'm a demon; I live up to my name. I punish the ones that deserve it and also keep track of the demonic activity in the mortal world," he pauses. "You've encountered quite a few lower-class demons."

"I did."

The demon stares at the girl critically, as if trying to see something in her but struggling. "That left the entire underworld curious."

"How so?"

The guy hesitates. Secrets once again. What could they possibly say so bad that her mortal brain wouldn't comprehend? "You shouldn't be able to communicate with them. Mortals can only see demons when overtaken by huge desire, any strong emotion can lead to that, but you see them all the time," the guy explains.

The demon had been more helpful than her guardian angel at this point. Is that guy an angel, though? Can he call himself that?

"Then why can I?"

"We are trying to figure it out," the demon sighs.

Suddenly the door of Daniella's apartment swings open, revealing a familiar fallen angel. He enters with a gush of wind, eyeing the demon who is carelessly spread on the couch. He does look angry but annoyed? most definitely.

"Jeongin! Long time no see," the demon smirks.

Jeongin, as Daniella had just learnt, doesn't look entertained. "Why are you here, Minho?"

Minho scowls. "Is that how you're going to treat an old friend?"

"Are we really friends?"

The demon completely ignores the question. He turns to the girl, causing the fallen angel to look at her as well. "I actually need to talk to you about your little mortal over here," he points at daniella. "You should keep a better eye on her."

"I am doing that?"

"Barely,do better, she's an angel, and the underworld seems to dig that," Minho smugly chimes at the vague answer of the angel.

Jeongin lets out a huff of air. He is pissed, but not pissed enough to cause a scene. The pair of guys seem to be on decent terms. "You're in no place to tell me what to do," Jeongin scoffs. "Keep your kind in check."

Minho lets his face drop. "Keep my kind in check? Really? The underworld is the kingdom of chaos. There are no rules," he argues. He stands up to look the fallen angel in the eye, and Daniella is caught up in the entire mess as a spectator.

Jeongin doesn't let himself be intimidated; he stands firm facing the demon. "There are rules in the mortal world."

Minho once again flops on the couch. "I know but the demon population is huge; we cannot keep track of every single one." The guy complains.

"Sounds like your problem," the fallen angel shoots right back.

Minho laughs once again. "My problem? When your mortal is involved?” He laughs dryly. "There's something special about her."

Daniella would have never imagined a demon calling her special, but it is surely a welcome surprise from the pits of hell. She could get used to compliments.

The fallen angel however does not resist ruining the moment. "She's not special."

"She sees more than she should," the demon points out. Apparently Daniella shouldn't see demons, but there is one sitting on her couch and arguing with her guardian angel. Interesting turn of events.

"Is it really that surprising? Maybe it has something to do with me being her guardian."

the angel could be the one causing Daniella problems just because he did something bad. The girl is liking him less and less with each word. If he is the cause of her problem she is about to fire him. She will make it possible somehow.

Minho nods. "Maybe, but you need to keep her safe-"

"I know my responsibilities," the angel cuts Minho in the middle of a sentence. Rude.

"Then you also know what's on the line," the demon mumbles. Now Daniella is confused, it is as if they're speaking a different language. What's on the line?

"You do not need to remind me."

***

The guys leave one after another, leaving Daniella with her extremely irritated dog. The demon had treated him like a rag doll. Dragged him across the room and locked him in the bedroom.

She gets why the dog is still uneasy. The atmosphere the supernatural left behind is thick. She has no clue how to move on with her life, and neither of the boys provided her any tips. Does she need garlick to scare the demons away?

There's a knock, but this time when Daniella checks, it is just the owner of the apartment complex. Daniella opens the door wide, but the woman doesn't let herself in. "Come to tell you I'm raising the rent," the woman announces.

Raising? Daniella can barely pay the current one, and losing money would mean no bike any time soon. "What? Why?"

"There's one less person to pay the bills, yet the house requires the same amount of care. You'll need to cover the missing part of the budget," the woman explains. She is banking on the fact that the elderly woman died to rob the other people in the complex. Daniella in particular because she's scared of the thugs living in the complex.

"I do not have that amount of money," the girl mumbles.

"Too bad. Bills won't pay themselves or you can always move out," the woman suggests.

Moving out is not an option. The apartment was the best she could get with her limited budget. It's not in good shape, but other apartments were too expensive. "I'll get the money," the girl sighs, letting her head hang.

"You better."

***

In order to keep her apartment, Daniella will have to somehow lower her cost of living. So no more coffee. She will have to lower the water and electricity bills as well. She will do anything that will provide her with some extra money. Maybe she should get a second job as well? But no one is probably gonna hire her, she's lucky to have the current one.

A car stops by the girl, and a window rolls down. "Are you seriously still walking alone in the dark?" The angel comments as he follows the girl with his car. Him again as if the things cannot get worse.

"I need to get to work," the girl answers, only quickening her pace. She does not have time for small talk. She needs to get to work. To earn money. Life isn't easy but she is forced to live it.

Jeongin still follows. "I can drive you. Get in," the guy prompts.

Daniella, however, is not interested in charity. Hand me down clothes was all she saw for her entire life, and even now she thrifts stuff. She does not need anybody's help. "I have legs, thanks," she smiles fakely at the fallen angel.

"You're incredibly frustrating, you know that?”

"Rich coming from you," the girl answers smugly.

The fallen angel groans, still following her closely. "Get in the car," he almost pleads. The desperation sounds good coming from him. The power is in her hands for once.

"No."

The guy shakes his head in disapproval. "Don't act like a child."

"Don't tell me what to do," Daniella snaps right back. She's tired of people controlling her. Telling her what to do. What not to do. Being watched. She just wants to live a normal life, without worrying about people robbing her of the fun.

The guy grits his teeth. "You have three seconds to get in the car," he mumbles. It's somewhat of a threat or at least Daniella considers his words a threat.

Frankly, she doesn't care a bit. "Not happening," she scoffs.

Jeongin suddenly snaps his fingers, and it starts pouring out of nowhere. The cold shower of rain gets the girl drenched almost immediately. Her body tenses from both the cold water and the anger. "Seriously?"

"What?" The guy shrugs as Daniella continues to stare at him, and he looks around. "The weather does not seem that nice, huh?"

"I cant fucking stand you," Daniella groans, reaching for the handle of the car door. She was defeated.

***

"Not the scene I expected to find you at," Daniella hears a snarky voice. The demon. Minho.

His presence isn't unwelcome but she's not glad to see him either. He's the messenger of bad news. Daniella quietly approaches the guy sitting by the bar. "What are you doing here?"

A girl brushes a hand over Minho's back suggestively. She can see him. Daniella isn't talking to an empty chair. The demon notices Daniella calculating. "What is it?"

"Didn't you say demons should be invisible to humans?"

Minho takes a swing at whatever drink he had previously ordered. Jisung must have served him, Daniella doesn't remember serving him. "Oh, that. The upper-class demons can make themselves visible," he explains briefly. Another piece of information to her blank page of paper.

"You didn't answer me," the girl mumbles, not satisfied by the answer. He ignored her first question by answering the second.

"I feel like Jeongin is a bit distant and you need a mentor," the guy mutters. He pats the chair next to him. "Sit down for a second and ask me whatever you want to know."

Daniella has many questions, but she is wary of believing the demon. He's a demon; after all, he could be trying to manipulate her. "Why do I need a guardian?" The first question is the same the angel refused to answer.

Minho sighs. "Darling, it's not you that needs surveillance; it's him that needs to take responsibility," the demon answers.

"How is that fair? If he wasn't my guardian, I wouldn't have an army of demons after me," the girl sulks. She doesn't get why she has to suffer when it's her guardian who did something wrong.

"The world isn't a fair place if you hadn't noticed," the guy murmurs.

"I know, but it doesn't make sense. What did he do?" The girl wonders for what feels like the hundredth time. She wants to know who Jeongin is and who she is dealing with.

Minho sighs. "That I cannot answer. What happened was between him and the creator. Unless Jeongin tells you there's no way of finding out," he explains, leaving the girl unsatisfied. She has to know what the angel did because, without the truth, not even the guy can be trusted.

"Then how do you know everything else?"

"Observation," Minho shrugs. The guy stands up abruptly. "My duties are waiting; hopefully I didn't scare you too much. I tend to be a bit eccentric at times." He smiles warmly this time. Without an annoying smirk taunting his sharp features.

***

She comes back home only to drift into a deep slumber, hoping she can sleep through any storm. Or rather wake up from the nightmare she had been stuck in. Angels and demons are fun as long as they're mythological.

"Hello," the same boy that talked to her a while ago mutters. The girl ignores him completely. His mom was rude, and she was told to not interact with those like him. He sits down next to the girl.

"What do you want?" The girl is forced to talk after the boy doesn’t get the hint that she wants to be left alone.

"Nothing," he smiles brightly.

"Then you can go," the girl scrunches her eyebrows in confusion. Why would the boy approach her if he doesn't need anything?

"You seem like you need a friend," the boy protests. He lets his legs swing as he looks away from the girl.

Daniella would love to spend her days with more than the woman's company, but she's worried. Worried about what happened the last time. "What about your mom?"

"We are good as long as she doesn't find out," the boy whispers. He jumps off the bench and extends the girl a chubby little hand. "Let's go."

"Go where?" The girl hesitantly takes his hand.

"To play. Isn't it boring to come here and sit on a bench?"

"What if your mom sees?" The girl worries once again, but lets the boy drag her along. The woman was not nice to her, and her caretaker told her not to associate with people like him because they would never let her into their circle, but the boy is more than willing.

"She won't," the boy's eyes glisten at the girl.

"Fine," she mumbles, accepting her destiny and giving the boy a chance.

They get to the tree house and climb up the ladder. It's just the two of them sealed away from the other kids. Or rather the world. "Why are you here?"

The question confuses the girl completely. "What do you mean?"

"My mom said you are from the mortal world," the boy explains, leaving the girl to register the new information. She doesn't understand anything he's telling her. She's not from here?

"Mortal world? What is that?"

"It's a place where people like you live," the boy explains briefly. He doesn't look like he knows much about the topic either. They're just two clueless kids.

People like her? There are others like her? The woman never mentioned that she just told Daniella she was special. "Where is that place?" The little girl wonders.

The boy shrugs. "I don't know exactly; I've never been there." He admits.

The girl sulks. "Why are you telling me this then?"

"I felt like you would like to know.”

Silence.

"Do you think my parents are there?" The girl questions. Now that her eyes are opened, she needs to explore the possibilities.

The boy shrugs once again. "They must be."

So the woman had lied to her about who she was. What else did she lie about? Or rather kept from the girl? "How can you get to the mortal world?"

"I don't know," the boy mumbles, "I am not allowed to go until I'm older."

The girl nods. The boy's parents are strict with him as much as her caretaker is with her. With the boy's help or without, she needs to see people like her. She wants to be welcome somewhere, and clearly, in this world, there's no place for her. People look at her weirdly and they whisper when they see her.

"Are you really planning to go there?" The boy questions, and the girl nods. "I've heard bad things about that place."

"I am," Daniella answers; she doesn't care. She isn't planning to stay; she just needs to see if that place is real. If other people like her exist. She wants to explore without her caregiver holding her back.

The woman lied. The woman Daniella trusts lied to her. She isn't sure the boy isn’t lying to her as well, but the woman always keeps stuff to herself. She doesn't answer the girls' questions. She lies.

"Meet me here the next time you come," the boy proposes. "I'll try to figure out how to get there."

The little girl nods briefly. There's no way for Daniella to assess any information, but the boy seems to have freedom. He may be useful, and he is nice to her. He doesn't keep his distance from the girl like other kids do. She likes him.

[msftsn]

@tragedicn : “how long has it been since someone hugged you?” touchstarved : rosalyne & artyom

❛ i don't think i've ever been hugged. ❜

the admission is quiet, glassy eyes looking past rosalyne at the ground, watching as the raindrops splatter against the asphalt. somewhere in the back of his mind he thinks they'll be dangerous if they turn into ice thanks to the snezhnayan cold, especially as they will end up covered in a fresh layer of snow once the rain had ceased. it's funny, the last time he's felt so out of it he was dying, succumbing to wounds inflicted by his own brother. instead, now, he is forcibly reminded that he broke his own vow of not causing harm to others in his post-mortem; having just ended up killing an entire group of bandits ready to descend upon an innocent village. his vision clouded by red the second he sensed they would not hesitate to cause harm to the children there. their blood clings to whatever he calls skin now, his physical form kept manifested despite the empty look on his face. all he hears is the rain, the wind howling through the trees. or so he wants to say. yet somehow rosalynes voice managed to cut through the void in his mind, makes his gaze just barely dart up to focus on her for the fraction of a second before he returns to his staring contest with the ground. he wanted it to be over already. wanted to be able to escape this life of his that seemed more like a lie than anything. he couldn't even keep his promises. if he had to remain alive he just wanted to live a peaceful life, far away, maybe with some cows or sheeps. a simple life that he had been denied by his fate. but he can't. doing so would betray the only people that remained in his life, would mean betraying the archon he had dedicated his life and death to. meant leaving behind the woman he loved. he'd rather die again and again than do that.

even with her strength he barely reacts when she pulls him into a hug, holding him as though he was someone precious. as if he deserved that. it felt warm, he noted even in the stupor he was in; her flames at work, he suspects, even with that damn delusion at work. o, how he wishes he could take that thing and throw it away into the damn ocean. it's caused rosalyne so much pain, even if it kept her flames at bay. but just like everything it seemed the things they both needed were always the very things that made them miserable. his arms hang limp at his side even when his vision glows faintly, his manifested body cooling down to create a balance between their temperatures. the buzzing in his ears deafens him to whatever she might be saying, if she's saying anything at all. but at least he manages to lift his arms, wraps them around her as his hold tightens as if he is terrified she will vanish like all of the things and people he's loved if he lets go. he rests his chin atop her head, glad he's chosen to manifest into a taller form so she can't see the haunted, desperate way his face contorts. thinking back on it perhaps it could count as hugging when feliks clung to his legs. or when rosalyne herself steadied him when he was exhausted. his hands grips tighten, clinging onto her as if she is the only thing keeping him anchored to this land, this world. his voice is quiet, desperate and unsteady when he speaks again, unable to consider the words before they leave him.

❛ i want to ask you to run away from all this with me. but that's selfish, isn't it? i don't want to do that to you. i love you too much to ask that much of you. ❜

[whereareroo]

THE GOOD OLD DAYS

WF THOUGHTS (7/11/24).

Are you sick of technology? I am.

I wish that we could return to the good ol’ days before cell phones, tablets, and smart phones. Life was so much better:

• You could drive in your car and not be bothered by calls.

• People weren’t getting killed in traffic accidents caused by texting or cell phone calls.

• You could eat meals in peace without interruption.

• We had fewer social misfits. People knew how to interact face-to-face. People didn’t isolate themselves by sitting alone to stare at a screen and push buttons.

• People had longer attention spans, and a greater ability to focus. Studies have proven that constant scrolling impedes normal brain function.

• We had more privacy.

• We weren’t swamped with misinformation and false information.

• In public settings, we weren’t bombarded by the noise of someone talking on their phone.

• People weren’t constantly stressed out by calls and other communications about work.

• Folks weren’t constantly posing for photos and bombarding others with their photos.

• The pace of life was slower, less chaotic, and more enjoyable.

I’ll give you a break and end my list right there. I could keep going. I sincerely believe that in many ways life was better before the technological boom. We didn’t feel like we were missing anything. We had plenty of communication. We had plenty of information. Life was good. Do you think I’m crazy?

Even in the old days, we had beauty pageants. The big ones were Miss America and Miss Universe. I always thought that the pageants were despicable events. They seemed cruel. These young women had to prance around as if they were show horses up for auction. Physical beauty was the only thing that really mattered. To make the show seem less exploitative, the women were forced to endure a talent competition and a short interview. Most of them had no talent and no ability to engage in an interview. Of course, they weren’t there to exhibit their talent or interview skills.

I thought that technology was supposed to bring us into a better world. I was wrong. I think that “Artificial Intelligence” is particularly harmful and dangerous. This morning I was disgusted to read about the crowning of the first “Miss AI.” Yes, technology has brought us a beauty pageant full of female contestants who are entirely AI-generated. Doesn’t that make you sick? Isn’t technology wonderful?

There were 1,500 contestants in the first AI beauty pageant. The “women” were created by computer programmers. The programmers created and dressed their own beauty queens. The fake women displayed themselves, gave speeches, and answered questions. Isn’t this disturbing? Isn’t this a terrible idea? Real beauty pageants are bad enough. Does the world really need a beauty pageant that features fake women? It just strikes me as very wrong on multiple levels. It’s technology run amok. What’s next?

Beware of technology. We like new stuff. We need to remember that new stuff isn’t necessarily good stuff.

[maplecornia]

Chapter 4

𝔴𝔬𝔯𝔡 𝔠𝔬𝔲𝔫𝔱: 3.06K

𝔤𝔢𝔫𝔯𝔢: romance | slice of life | fluff | angst | bts x female!reader | ot7

𝔰𝔲𝔪𝔪𝔞𝔯𝔶: You watched them from the sidelines ever since you were a young teenage girl. Now you’re grown up, they’ve returned after 2 long years and everything has changed. What happens when you pull back the mask and find the darkness within? What happens when you see that they’re broken?

𝔞/𝔫: this one is literally just revolving around one of the BTS members. i don't really have much else to say other than HYUNJIN'S BACK and I'm crying.

𝔴𝔞𝔯𝔫𝔦𝔫𝔤𝔰: cliffhangers | angst | fluff | slight mentions of self hatred | depression | mental health illness | self harm | occurs in the year 2024 | set in a timeline where BTS went to the military together | slight language

tags: @kookaine | @fangirl125reader | @kookiebbyxx | @taradevonne

Kim Namjoon never imagined he would lose his assistant.

JaeJin was a great worker and a great friend. He loved music and expressed it through his very soul, his every move whenever he danced or helped Namjoon produce a song. Namjoon smiles as his hand hovers over the soundboard.

In the back of his mind, he remembers the days spent here ever since Jaejin was promoted to his assistant. He remembers the first time he met his dear friend, how nervous Jaejin looked, unspoken excitement reverberating off of him in waves.

As Namjoon pushes up the volume on the soundboard, he thinks back to the moments spent as Jae learned how to be his assistant, as Namjoon taught him as much as he could. How what started as respect turned into a mutual friendship, and later, a brotherhood.

Though Namjoon is sad to see JaeJin go, he is happy to see his dream accomplished. He will miss Jae's smile, his laugh, and his good heart, but he knows that just because Jaejin is taking a different path doesn't mean they will cease to be friends.

As soon as Joon finishes a part of his song, he sighs, pulling away from the board and whipping out his phone.

He doesn’t know why he started thinking about him all of a sudden, he was one of the first people to know that Jae was leaving. Besides, he would see him soon, it’s not like Jaejin leaving for a couple of months means that he won’t ever see him again.

Standing, RM walks out of the room, leaving Suga to continue by himself.

He's lucky that Yoongi has his headphones on. If he caught Namjoon slacking he wouldn't get off easy. Carefully, RM exits the room, shutting the door softly behind him as he leans against the wall next to the door to the studio. Turning his phone on, he checks the time, his heart thumping slightly.

8:30 am.

Perhaps the reason his mind is so full of nostalgic memories is that he’s been waiting since last night to meet his new manager.

Jaejin said that his replacement should show up around this time, but he hasn't given much information other than that. Namjoon pockets his phone and heads down the hallway towards the front lobby.

Staff members pass by him, some working for TxT, others for the new girl group they put together about 3 years ago, and even more for the new boy group that BigHit began putting together in 2020.

Namjoon finds their presence surreal.

The members of BTS's staff have been around ever since their debut, and even more, have joined the crew over the years. These staff members will no doubt do the same for their groups, maybe stick around till the very end.

If anyone asked Namjoon's opinion, he would say it was the staff that had to do the real work. And all from behind the scenes. They are the ones who help them put on a great show. They are the ones who tutor them, provide for them, allow them to create their vision, their masterpiece. They are the stitches behind the fabric.

To Namjoon, BTS is just the face. The whole idea of them, of their message, was created through everyone's effort. Including ARMY, including their staff, including BTS themselves.

Losing one of their members would be like trying to fill a hole that cannot be filled.

Perhaps that's why Namjoon is so worried about Jaejin's replacement.

No one can truly replace him.

Namjoon never wanted a new manager.

There was a reason he chose Jaejin out of all the others, a reason he turned a backup dancer into his manager. He needs someone with the same passion, the same grit, the same determination that he has. Jaejin had that, and more. He was able to keep up with Namjoon’s crazy schedule, his unhealthy habits, his tendency to overwork himself.

Normally it was Suga trying to keep up with him, trying to help him, trying to do the best for him, but when he met Jaejin, he found exactly what he needed in a manager.

Will his replacement be able to do the same?

Entering the lobby, he knocks on the counter, where a receptionist is taking a call. She looks up at his knock and he smiles at her, receiving the usual smile back and a slight blush on her cheeks.

After a moment of their little staring contest, Namjoon grows impatient. He indicates silently that he’s waiting to speak with her and her eyes widen in realization. She nods sheepishly at his signal, holding up one finger to signify to him that she'll talk to him in a second. He complies, settling in as she continues her call, faintly aware of Kim Namjoon behind her.

Namjoon is never sure how to feel about these types of things.

People recognizing him in the street, others noticing him even with a disguise, he doesn't know what to do with the attention.

Why didn't people pay attention to him before? When he didn't have all the makeup, the money, and the influence? Are they looking at him because they appreciate who he is as a person?

Or because he is Kim Namjoon?

RM of BTS.

Putting the thought out of his mind, he turns his back to the receptionist, unlocking his phone, and opening the chat with Jaejin. He doesn't see any sign of his replacement, but then again, how would Namjoon know what she looks like?

Hey

YOUNG APPRENTICE- oh hi, what’s up hyung?

When was your replacement supposed to be here again?

YOUNG APPRENTICE- ummmmm, 8:00 am or so, why?

RM pulls away from his phone, looking around for any sign of a girl who looks lost or out of place in the lobby. Every time Jaejin talked about this so-called friend, he referred to them as a “she” so the only thing Namjoon knows about this new manager is the fact that she’s female.

Sadly, as he desperately scours the lobby, there's no sign of anyone there that fits the description. The one girl who was waiting in the waiting area has just been called aside and led to a meeting room. Namjoon, a little worried, bites his lip before a buzz in his hands causes him to glance at his phone.

YOUNG APPRENTICE- Namjoon?

Yeah?

I’m sorry it’s just….she’s not here yet

YOUNG APPRENTICE- WHAT

Namjoon rolls his eyes playfully at Jae's reaction before walking out of the lobby. If she's not here, there's no need to hang around, and it doesn't seem as though the receptionist is paying much attention anyway.

As he leaves, the receptionist stares after him almost hopelessly, Namjoon oblivious to the longing gaze.

He glances at his phone once more maneuvering his way through the hallways of the building.

YOUNG APPRENTICE- are you sure?

YOUNG APPRENTICE- I'm gonna murder her

Well I can’t know for sure

Could I have a picture or maybe a name?

YOUNG APPRENTICE- I never gave you one?

Not to my knowledge

YOUNG APPRENTICE- oh I am so sorry hyung! Her name is Lin Yen and just give me a minute and I'll find you a picture

"Lin...Yen...." Namjoon murmurs, pondering it in his mind.

"Just who exactly are you?" he whispers, putting the phone down once more as he comes to a stop in a corner of the hallway.

Yen...he repeats in his mind, playing around with it, trying to see how it sounds on his tongue, how it feels circling in his thoughts, how it plays on his voice.

It's a beautiful name, one he hasn't heard often, and for some reason, he feels as though it's foreign. Another vibration from his phone jolts him out of his pondering thoughts, and he looks down at the screen, immediately bursting out laughing.

Jaejin has sent the picture of you, but it's not just any picture.

It's a picture of you eating salad.

But that's not what makes it so funny.

You and Jaejin are at a Korean BBQ in the picture, and you hold the signature salad bowl up to your face, your chopsticks hooked around an enormous bite. You're shoving the bite into your mouth, your cheeks puffed up like chipmunks, your eyes wide and nose pinched.

Your expression, your face, the fact that you're attempting to shove a huge bite into your mouth, everything about the picture is hilarious, and Namjoon can't stop looking at it.

He can't stop looking at you.

Now he is sure that you are a foreigner, with that complexion and your facial features. You aren't necessarily tall, but not super short either. Then again, Namjoon doesn't think that Park Jimin is short, so what does he know?

One thing is for sure, though…

You are beautiful.

And it’s not only the physical things that make you beautiful, though they are a contributing factor.

It’s the personality.

The charisma that exuberates off of you, managing to touch him most charmingly through a mere photo. The way you smile, how it lights up your eyes. The blush of your cheeks, and even the color of your hair. Everything about you has captured his attention, and he can't look away.

His smile doesn't want to fade, so he covers his face with his hand, leaning against the wall. No doubt he looks like an idiot, but he doesn't care.

You have that gift.

The natural gift of familiarity when you are less than strangers.

And it has surprised him. The cool, calm, professional, wise Namjoon wouldn't have thought that such a thing could reach his heart...and yet he can't stop smiling.

"Namjoon."

Startled, the smile fading just as quickly as it began, Namjoon jumps, his phone slipping out of his grip. Frantic, and a bit embarrassed, he fumbles to catch it before it falls, but to no avail.

He watches in hopeless despair as the phone hits the ground with a sickening thud, the screen immediately cracking at the impact of the harsh tiled floor.

Namjoon lets out a groan, while a slender, pale hand reaches out and picks it up. Wincing, he glances to his side.

Where Min Yoongi holds his phone in between his fingers as though it were a dirty piece of trash; looking unamused. Glaring at him with a stare as cold as ice, he drops it into RM’s hands before folding his arms across his chest. Namjoon rolls his eyes at his luck, sighing inwardly.

He doesn't look too happy.

"Hey, Yoongi, I--"

"Yes, please explain, Kim Namjoon." Yoongi drawls, his voice monotone and sending shivers down Namjoon’s spine. Almost shamefully, Namjoon turns off his phone and slides it back into his pocket, avoiding that icy stare.

"You're supposed to be helping, yet you left for what? To laugh at memes? Now is not the time to be fooling around with Jackson for heaven's sakes!” Though Yoongi doesn’t raise his voice, the severity of his tone is enough to make it seem as though he has and Namjoon has to restrain himself from visibly flinching away from him. After a moment of silence, Suga sighs, rubbing his temple with frustration. “Why are you so distracted today?"

Joon has been asking himself the same question.

"For one thing, they weren't memes and I wasn’t talking to Jackson. It was a picture of Jaejin's replacement. I was trying to see if she's arrived yet." He explains, a bit indignantly, before walking away towards the studio once more, hoping to escape the conversation.

He should have remembered that nothing escapes Yoongi.

"And did she?" Suga follows Namjoon, managing to walk fast enough to catch up with him and yet still look nonchalant and unbothered. RM sighs at the question, speeding up his pace, as he notices the studio door in the distance.

Jumping at the opportunity, Namjoon makes a break for the door, Yoongi calling after him in surprise. He reaches it, leaving Suga behind in the dust. Opening the door he sinks into a chair as though it were a refuge from the uncomfortable situation he found himself in. As Yoongi comes to a stop in front of the door, Namjoon acts as though he were there the entire time.

"Do you need something?" he asks innocently, and Yoongi rolls his eyes, walking in and closing the door behind him before settling into a chair of his own.

"Yes. I need you to focus on this project. This is important, and is nowhere near done if it's going to be our next title track." He murmurs, immediately setting to work, his mouse echoing in the silence. Biting his bottom lip in guilt, RM turns back to his phone, frowning a bit at the sight of the cracked screen.

Yoongi is right, Namjoon knows this.

They dedicated this day to work on BTS’s new title song.

Namjoon especially wanted Yoongi to produce it because of his incredible skill and work ethic. He practically begged him to take time off from his other projects to work on this with him, Yoongi is sacrificing a lot of his time just to be here.

Namjoon knows how important time can be.

It doesn’t help matters considering how this song is so essential to their comeback album. Promotion is still far off, but it doesn't change the circumstances. ARMY waited for them for so long to come back to them, it’s only fair that they give them the most groundbreaking album they can.

But RM can't focus.

And it’s for such a stupid reason.

Just because Jaejin is gone doesn't mean the world will fall apart.

He knows this, it's just...

Namjoon smiles a bit bitterly, turning back to the booth as he resumes his work once more.

"She wasn't there." Suga turns to Namjoon at the sound of his voice. Namjoon notices but doesn't pay any mind, continuing to play with the soundboard, creating his type of spell, his sort of magic. "In response to your question."

Yoongi doesn't respond, waiting for Namjoon to finish. That's the way he is, sometimes RM can’t finish a thought in one sentence and it takes him a moment to piece things together, what with everything else running through that expansive mind of his. Suga knows when to wait, when to stay silent, and allow RM a chance to tell him everything he needs to.

He's no stranger to listening to people, especially when it comes to Namjoon.

Sometimes, Joon just needs to let something out without anyone saying anything, and Yoongi won't say anything unless he feels it's necessary. He’ll listen, and be there for anyone to lean on, able to offer them the emotional support they need to carry on.

"I'm sorry, I guess I'm a little nervous to meet her." After a moment, Yoongi responds to him, his soft voice carrying across the room in a comforting murmur.

"What's the big deal? If she's professional, she'll be perfect. I'm sure there's nothing to be worried about." He reassures him. RM nods, trying to concentrate once more, and put the thought of your arrival to the back of his mind.

Maybe Yoongi is right, maybe there is nothing to be worried about.

However, Namjoon can't help but think that your arrival will change their lives.

And who knows if it'll be for the better?

𝔫𝔬𝔱𝔢: how are you guys liking Jaejin now? lol

chapter 5 here

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[eddiemunsonssoulmate]

Feel the shiver down your spine

Pairing: JJ x Reader x Rafe

Word Count: 6.4k

Summary: A party at the Cameron mansion. Lots of alcohol. One second you make out with JJ, the next second Rafe is pressed against your back. You give into the temptation of those two handsome boys.

Warnings: Smut, porn, lemon, descriptions of having sex, call it whatever you like.

Available on: AO3

A/N: This is basically just PWP. Like for real. It’s straight up filth but I couldn’t resist to write a threesome with Rafe and JJ with the reader in the middle. They’re just too handsome ugh. This goes out to all the thirsty people like me or people who never knew they needed this until now. Enjoy!

Three is a charm Two is not the same I don't see the harm So are you game?

“Another one," you said as you slammed down the shot glass for the fourth time and JJ was laughing at you, filling it up again.

Today was going to be your night, you could feel it. It wasn’t every day that you were invited to a Kook party and no one killed each other within five minutes.

The Cameron's place was filled with people left and right, mostly Kooks of course but Sarah had invited the Pogues too. John B had been her boyfriend for a while, so she didn’t want to leave you guys out. She also had become one of your best friends as you had grown up together.

Kook life wasn’t easy and it didn’t take long for you and another childhood friend, Kie, to join the Pogues on their adventures. John B, JJ and Pope had become like a family to you.

Ward and his wife were in the Bahamas so the kids had the house to their own. Rafe hadn’t been very excited when Sarah had announced she was going to invite the Pogues during breakfast with you where he had just walked in. He had made a scene but you had been able to calm him down.

He liked you and you knew. You two grew up together too and as a child he had always protected you from some mean kids that were picking on you because you might be a Kook but not as rich as other Kooks. You never won any of those stupid competitions they held. Who had the prettier hair, who had the prettier clothes, stupid things like that. Rafe had always stood up for you and you were really grateful.

It was a shame that you grew apart as you got older. You wanted to get away from Kook life and he wanted to embrace it, make his father proud but somehow got into that dark void of drugs and alcohol. You’d drink and do weed too but not heavy stuff like he did. He had become aggressive and you would not have any of his bullshit, so you stopped seeing each other.

But whenever you came over to see Sarah and he was there, you’d see the longing in his eyes. Maybe you’d have given him a chance if he hadn’t turned out to be such an ass. Maybe you would give him a chance if he turned his ways around and became a good guy, clean of his addiction. You would even help him if he was ready but it didn’t look like he was right now.

You threw another shot down and felt the slight burn in the back of your throat, your head spinning a little already.

“Enough for the princess?” JJ asked and grinned but you just gave him a challenging look.

JJ was your current...well. You didn’t even know how to call it. He had amazed you since the first time you had met and it seemed to be the other way around too as he was constantly flirting with you. He flirted with Kie and some tourists too but it was different between you two. He made you feel special and gave you some kind of affection that you had missed your whole life.

He was like a storm that had washed over you, taking you with him full force. He was handsome, flirty and had a dangerous edge to him. You were pretty sure he even brought the gun here for ‘protection’ how he always called it.

“Can’t get enough,” you said with a hoarse voice and for a moment it sounded like you actually meant him.

JJ looked at your face, then your lips while licking his own, pouring you and himself another glass which you downed in an instant.

“Come on,” you said and grabbed his hand, your body tingling with a need you didn’t need to satisfy until now. Your head was filled with thoughts and pictures flashing before your inner eyes and you just needed him to touch you. The haze in your head stopped you from thinking too much like you always did.

You let your feelings take over and they were telling you to give into JJ. Something you had wanted for a while now.

When you were away from the middle of the crowd you pressed your lips against his, kissing him hard and running a hand through his hair. He was surprised but kissed you back quickly, taking a step forward and pushing you against the back of the wall, causing you to moan.

“I’m not sure where this came from but I like it,” he mumbled against your lips when you both stopped briefly to get some air and you chuckled before he kissed you again.

His lips felt soft against yours and the taste was intoxicating, you wanted more, more, more.

Your hand in his hair gripped it a little tighter and pushed you closer to him while his hands were grabbing your waist, holding you in place as you were swaying a little from all the alcohol you had in your body.

When you opened your eyes briefly and could look over his shoulder, you looked right into Rafe’s eyes. He was looking directly at you and his jaw was clenching, you could see anger and hurt. You didn’t want him to hurt but there was nothing you could do about it. For a moment you felt bad but he turned around and walked away, you didn’t think he’d be the one of all people catching you here.

“What’s wrong?” JJ whispered as he started to place kisses along your neck, biting slightly.

“Nothing, let’s find a room. Wouldn’t want people to watch us,” you chuckled and he nodded. 

Normal people would carefully walk up the stairs now but you two? You just kept kissing all along the way, his hands groping you, one of your hands in his hair still while the other one was rattling at some door knobs, checking if one was open.

The mansion had a lot of rooms, one of them must be open even though Sarah would always very carefully lock them, just in case.

Bingo! A door opened and you and JJ literally stumbled inside before he closed the door with his foot. He threw you down the bed in the darkness.

“What the actual fuck?!” A shocked voice exclaimed and you shot out of bed to see Rafe at the other end of the room, turning on the light. He must have been sitting in his chair by the window in the absolute darkness. “Get the fuck out of my room.”

Well, this was a shitty situation now.

Rafe came closer to you and was up in JJ’s face already, pushing him slightly.

“Okay chill, Kook,” JJ growled and held his hand out for you to take it but you just swallowed hard when you could see the hurt in Rafe’s eyes. He had probably come here after he had seen you making out. His hair was a little longer than usual and was hanging in his face for once. It seemed like he had been running his hand through it a lot within the last few minutes and didn’t care about his look right now.

“Wait,” you said and tried to step between them before they would actually start fighting. You had no desire for someone to get physically hurt in here.

“What? Why?” Rafe growled and it made you rub your legs together, that dangerous tone that was in his voice making your breath hitch a little.

“You both like me, right?” you asked while an idea was forming in your head, one that could either end as the best time of your life or with someone dead in a ditch.

Both boys nodded and JJ clenched his jaw while Rafe crossed his arms over his chest but both were glaring at each other as if it was some kind of contest, the one who stared longer liked you more.

You swallowed and placed a hand on each chest which caused them to both give you a confused look.

“How about we share the bed for tonight? The three of us?” you offered and Rafe huffed angrily.

“I’m not sharing my bed with a Pogue, he can go,” he grumbled and JJ nodded.

“I want you and only you,” JJ said and was about to take a step back but he grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled him closer.

“You’re not supposed to share it with each other. Just with me. At the same time. Take care of me, please?” You used the sweetest voice you could muster up and it actually got some tension out of the boys next to you. “I want you both.”

You had no idea where all of this was coming from but you wanted them, both, at the same time.  You wanted them both to take you like there was no tomorrow. Maybe it was the alcohol in your body that was making you more blunt than usual but maybe it was something that you’ve wanted all along. You couldn’t really say.

Given their hate for each other you were also pretty sure they’d try to compete against each other, who was pleasing you better, who was the better lover. For one night, you’d let this happen.

“Fine,” Rafe said first and let out a sigh, trying to give you a soft smile. You nodded at him and looked over at JJ whose shirt you still had in your grip.

“I’m not excited about it,” he mumbled but you turned fully to him, pulling him close and placing a kiss on his lips.

“Just take care of me, baby. Don’t even mind him,” you whispered against his lips and there was no way he could resist that. You had total control over him as he was just as intoxicated with the alcohol as he was with you.

While you kissed JJ, Rafe came up behind you and pressed his body against your backside, placing kisses along your neck and sucking softly at the exposed skin he could find there. His hands were sliding under your shirt and up to your breasts, massaging them lightly through the fabric of your bra.

JJ kissed you back and deepened the kiss when he noticed Rafe’s hand wandering, putting his hand on your hips to push you back into the other boy behind you.

You could prominently feel both their bulges pressing in your front and back and it caused you to moan softly against JJ’s lips.

Rafe pulled back briefly to pull his shirt off before grabbing your arms and turning you around to him, throwing a brief glare towards JJ who had been claiming all of you so far.

“Hi,” you whispered and he grinned at you before pressing his lips against yours, kissing so differently than JJ did. You heard clothes rustling in the background and JJ was probably shirtless by now.

His rough hands tugged at your shirt and Rafe stopped kissing you for a moment while the both boys pulled your shirt over your head, throwing it carelessly into the corner of the room.

The air was thick between you and you loved every second on it. Both boys reached for your breasts now, pulling your bra down so each of them could grope one breasts, massaging them in a different rhythm and it was driving you insane.

“Fuck,” you moaned and they grinned at you. JJ sank down to his knees and started to work your pants down while Rafe took one of your nipples into his mouth while he kept groping the free breast, switching up between them until he sucked on them so much that they were bright red and standing to attention.

“Beautiful,” he murmured against your skin and you were about to reply but got cut off with a moan on your own because JJ had just started to lick between your wet folds, your pants and panties are your ankles now. Rafe had to hold you steady or you might have given in this moment.

JJ’s tongue was swirling around your clit and it made your hips buck into him, trying to get more but you knew he was just teasing you right now, there was no way you’d be already getting a release. Knowing both of them, they’d make you wait.

“Shit, she’s so wet already,” JJ said and looked up at you and you bit your bottom lip. There was no hiding, you were enjoying this to no end. He kept licking and looking straight into your eyes, making you blush. You reached forward to run a hand through his messy hair while Rafe was still busy with your nipples, pulling, biting and tugging on them.

You didn’t know where left and right was for a moment, it was too much and too little at the same time. So much heat and pleasure all at once, you had never experienced anything like this.

JJ got back up and pulled you into another kiss so you could taste yourself on his lips. You’ve never tasted yourself before but on his lips it tasted like heaven. Rafe went on to play with your butthole a little, massaging the tight ring. It caused a shiver to run through your body.

Before they could continue you sank down on your knees, placing a hand against each bulge and pressing against them through the shorts.

“God,” Rafe breathed and you chuckled slightly.

“I don’t think he should be watching this,” you replied and pulled their shorts down with a swift movement, leaving both boys bare next to you.

You took JJ’s dick in your hand, moving up and down while you leaned over to take Rafe in your mouth. They threw their heads back with a moan and you got them to buck into you at the same time.

It wouldn’t just be them taking care of you, you wanted to take care of them too.

Rafe’s dick was swelling up even more in your mouth, you literally felt it grow with every second but JJ’s length wasn’t shy in your hand either.

You quickly switched it up and they both let you do it how you pleased, trying not to touch you too much or to get too much out of it already. The night would be a long one.

“To the bed, now,” JJ demanded and Rafe nodded in agreement. It was a rare sight to see them agree on something.

Rafe went ahead and pulled you with him, falling back on his bed with you on top of him. You kissed him briefly before crawling down a little more so you could take his length back into your mouth.

“This feels so good,” he moaned and bucked his hips up a little, making him go even deeper. You were also using one of your hands to help cover everything, he was too big for only your mouth.

JJ was now behind you, kicking his shorts and shoes away before taking the hem of your pants in his hands, pulling them down slowly and you stepped out of them. You wiggled your ass in response and moaned softly against Rafe’s dick when you got a slap on your ass from JJ.

You took his member deeper into your mouth and held his hips down so he would stop moving. Rafe looked down at you and you winked at him while swirling his tongue around his dick and making him moan in the process. You could feel him tremble under your touch and you used your free hand to play with his balls a little bit. He was rock hard by now and you already imagined how that would feel inside of you.

JJ fondled your ass, squeezing and spreading the butt cheeks, looking at the hole he’d love to push into. He spit on it and used a finger to run it over your hole, only teasing as if he wanted to make his way inside but didn’t. His fingers instead found your wetness once more, already dripping down the insides of your legs now and he chuckled.

“You’re dying to have us all over you, don’t you?” he said and his voice was pure sex, so rough and hot.

“Yes,” you moaned around Rafe’s dick and the boy under you put a hand in your hair, bucking up his hips against the failed attempt to hold them down.

“Louder,” Rafe said and you moaned loudly when JJ pushed one finger inside of your folds, feeling one of his rings pressed against your heat. The sensation was driving you nuts, the cold metal meeting your hot flesh and it was almost too much already.

“Yes!” you said louder and were really grateful that there was loud music going on downstairs. This was a thing between the three of you, your dirty little secret.

His finger was moving in and out of you a few times before he added another, stretching you even wider. You had seen their dicks, you needed the preparation but god damn you would kill to be filled up right now.

The whole movement was driving you insane, the rings causing you to shiver and feel heat at the same time. Rafe held your hair and almost took complete control, pumpeding into your mouth, hitting the back of your throat, making you gag.

“How much do you want us in you?” Rafe asked with a hoarse voice and you could taste the precum on the tip of his dick. Your eyes were locked once again and the way his hair fell was so beautiful.

“He asked you a question, princess,” JJ said and slapped your ass with his free hand while adding a third finger. Another moan left your lips before you pulled away from Rafe’s dick, simply using your hand and the applied salvia to stroke him for now.

“I need it. So much. Both of you. Please!” you begged and both boys looked at each other, agreeing on an unspoken truce. This was about you.

JJ pulled his three fingers out and used the wetness to rub your clit a couple of times. A whine left your lips, your body was so hot you felt like you were going to explode.

Rafe opened his bedtime drawer and fumbled a little before he pulled out a box with condoms. He threw one at JJ and used the grip in your hair to pull you up to him before he kissed you hard. The both of you moaned while the other boy put the condom on, thankfully it was just about the right size.

“Give her back,” JJ growled but he didn’t sound aggressive, more playful. Rafe let go of your hair and you crawled back a little, feeling JJ’s hand on your hips soon.

He leaned over you so his muscular chest was pressed against your back and he bit your earlobe. “Beg for me,” he whispered and you shivered.

“I want you inside of me,” you whined and pushed your ass back at him, feeling his hard dick press against your entrance but he wasn’t pushing in.

“Did that sound convincing to you?” JJ asked Rafe and the other boy shook his head with a laugh while changing position so he was kneeling in front of you. 

“Not really, maybe try again, sweetheart, let us hear how naughty you are,” he mumbled and grabbed your hair again so you looked up at him. He smiled down at you and nodded.

“Please JJ, just fuck me already!” you begged and way louder than before. They liked to tease you and it was the best thing ever.

With those words, JJ pulled back and pushed inside of your. You were wet enough that you didn’t even need any lubrication. As soon as you felt the tip push in, you moaned loudly, hands gripping the sheets and Rafe used that moment to push his dick back inside of your mouth. You kept moaning as JJ made his way inside, sending vibrations down Rafe’s dick. The grip around your hair only got stronger the longer you did this.

You were completely at their mercy now and there was no other place where you wanted to be.

JJ stopped for a moment when he was inside of you, letting you adjust but then started to pump in and out of you, moving you up and down Rafe’s dick in the process, impaling you on his hard length. You could barely breathe or concentrate on what you were doing.

“Such a good girl,” Rafe moaned as he still held your hair while kneeling in front of you. “You’re so good at sucking cock.” The praise made you proud and even hotter at the same time.

The boy behind you pumped into you a few more times before he also got up on the bed, switching the angle a little so he was able to lean over your back again, using one hand on the bed to hold his body up, the other was now wrapped around your body as he fucked you relentlessly.

“Fuck, I’m close,” you said after a moment of getting fucked in the back and sucking in the front and you almost didn’t notice as it was just so much at once.

“Don’t come yet”, JJ said behind you and you whined, about to protest but Rafe pushed his hips forward, hitting the back of your throat with his dick once more.

“Only when we allow it,” he added and it was a weird dynamic between the two but they were keen on pleasing you.

“Please, I need to come!” you sobbed in frustration, no idea if you were even able to hold it back or not. You were fighting those feelings but your body wouldn’t listen for long. 

It felt like an eternity before JJ pinched your nipple and was biting your neck, leaving a mark. “Come for us, princess.”

It didn’t even take a second longer and you were moaning with the thrust he gave you, mouth opening wide around Rafe’s dick and both of them pulled out of you at almost the same time.

You literally collapsed in JJ’s arm and he let you down gently, giving you a moment to breathe. Your whole body was shaking and you heard that sweet ringing in your ears while the blood was rushing through your body.

Both boys were stroking their dicks above you know while you had your eyes closed, trying to catch a breath. Rafe leaned forward to massage your butt, getting some tension out of your body and you appreciated it. You never had a fuck like that and you were already craving more.

“You’re doing such a great job,” Rafe said as he was leaning above you, placing a kiss on your sweaty back while JJ had already a hand back at your cunt, ghosting above your hot fold with his cold rings. You wanted to try and push your lower half against the bed to get a little bit of friction but Rafe slapped your ass.

“Stop that,” he growled and you swallowed hard, obeying him. You liked it when they had this dangerous, sexy tone in their voice. It made you weak in their hands and they could probably do anything with you right now as long as you kept getting their dicks.

“Back up, princess,” JJ said and pinched your clit, causing you to move to all fours as Rafe was laying down with his back flat on the bed, also wearing a condom now. You haven’t even noticed that he put it on.

“Sit,” Rafe demanded and patted his lap, it was a simple demand you were happy to follow. You crawled up his body until you were able to kiss him and then leaned back, sitting on his thighs first. 

JJ got rid of his condom in the meanwhile and he got up to stand on the bed next to you. It was the perfect height as you were able to grab his dick in your hands, stroking it softly. His hard member was pulsating in your hand and you could tell both boys had a hard time holding back.

Rafe held his dick in his hand and slapped it on your clit a few times, the slapping sound like music in your ears.

“Take me in, sweetheart,”  Rafe mumbled and you looked away from JJ’s dick for a moment before sliding down on Rafe’s member, a moan leaving your mouth. He was similar size to JJ’s and yet felt so differently inside of you. Your walls were clamping around him and welcoming him as he threw his head back, savoring the sensation.

You started to move your hip in a rolling motion trying to place your legs right somehow. It was awkward as you’ve never done this before but it only took a few moments to get used to. Looking at Rafe’s face you knew you were doing something right.

“Eyes over here,” JJ said and took your chin in his hand, turning your head towards his length which he held in his other hand. He slapped it slightly against your cheek and lips until you opened your mouth so he could push inside.

You sucked him while riding Rafe’s dick and the pleasure was already starting to build up inside of you again. The things these two were doing to you and the way they made you feel was a whole other level of wicked.

Rafe reached forward to take your breasts in his hands, groping them. “Such nice tits,” he said with a chuckle and pinched both of your nipples at the same time, rolling them between his thumbs. You moaned around JJ, the vibration causing him to buck his hips to the back of your throat.

“You’re quite the naughty girl,” JJ said and took a handful of your hair, holding you in place when he started to move his hips, pushing himself in and out of your mouth. Normally you’d be offended by such words but right now you didn’t want to be anything else.

Rafe slapped your left breast, then the right one before groping them again, the movements of your hips already going erratic. It was exhausting but you didn’t want to stop at the same time because it was feeling way too good.

JJ pulled out of you and moved your head with the help of your hair closer to his balls. You knew what he wanted so you got started, licking them, taking them in your mouth, fondling them with your lips and tongue. He moaned your name briefly, his breathing going heavy and you looked up at him while taking his balls in your mouth.

“Fuck, that’s so hot”, he mumbled and took his dick in his hand once more, slapping it against your face. You grinned at him and gave him a wink about to take his member back into your mouth but a sudden touch at your clit was stopping you.

“Shit,” you moaned and looked down to Rafe who started to rub your clit. It already felt like it was on fire without touching it and he was only making it worse. His rough fingers had picked up some of the wetness dripping out of you and down on his dick, now slowly spreading it across your clit. “Please, don’t stop!”

Rafe grinned and only started to rub faster, noticing how your movement almost stopped, simply enjoying the touch and sensation he was causing inside of you. JJ tapped your cheek with his dick again and you took him in once more, salvia dripping down your chin a little by now.

After a while your legs got really tired from the position and Rafe nodded at you without saying a thing, spreading you apart above him so you had both of your feet on the bed now instead of kneeling above him.

He held your hips as he started to push inside you, the room once more filled with your moans as he was hitting a whole other angle now, hitting deeper than before, hitting all the sweet spots inside of you.

You gripped the sheets beneath you and breathed heavily around JJ’s dick until he pulled out, patting your cheek briefly before kissing you deeply. Your tongues were clashing against each other and Rafe slowed down a bit, watching you kiss JJ.

JJ broke the kiss and leaned forward, causing Rafe to speed up again. He kissed your nipples and sucked on them while one of his hands reached down to your clit, slapping it a few times, making sure his cold rings were making contact with your hot folds once again.

You were sure you’d be hoarse tomorrow from all the moaning but you couldn’t resist letting out those noises of pleasure and the boys were for sure enjoying it too. You loved when they were talking to you, moaning or grunting, you could listen to a horny boy all day long as it was just beautiful when they were vocal in bed.

“I have a question for you, princess,” JJ suddenly said as he pulled back, placing a hand on your back and pushing you forward a little so leaning over Rafe now. “You said you want us both. At the same time. Do you still stand with that?”

You swallowed when his calloused fingers ran over your butt and stopped at your hole. He wanted to get in there and you were about to agree. You’ve been doing that to yourself during a couple of lonely nights but you’ve always wondered what it would feel like to be stretched by a real dick, feeling it pulsate in that tightness.

“Yes,” you mumbled weakly at first but Rafe pinched your nipple, raising an eyebrow at you. “Yes! I want you to fill me up at the same time. Stretch me out, please! I'm begging you!”

“Good girl”, Rafe whispered and pulled you down into a kiss while JJ slapped your ass again. 

Rafe reached over to his nightstand again, taking out a bottle of lube and handing it JJ without breaking the kiss. His tongue slipped inside of you, exploring around.

You hear the bottle squeeze and soon enough felt the cold lube hit your heated skin. A shiver ran through your body but you caught yourself quickly as Rafe was distracting you, his thrusts not fast now but strong. He was hitting you deep with every push and pulled out teasingly slow.

JJ on the other hand started to massage your pink hole until he was able to slip his pinky inside, moving it in and out. Together with the thrusts of Rafe this was already making you drip even more, the wetness spreading all over Rafe’s dick, down your thighs, on his balls and probably the bed too.

You were really trying to hold together, not ready for yet another orgasm but you were so close from the double touch you were getting.

Rafe lifted himself up a little so he could suck at your nipples and JJ switched his fingers up, from small to big, always widening you just a little bit more. You bit your bottom lip to stop yourself from moaning too loud, just whining instead.

“Relax, baby”, JJ said and pushed in two fingers as deep as possible, stretching you even wider. It was the hand without the rings and you were quite glad that sensation wasn’t added. You were almost ready to come from just his voice.

“Fuck my ass already, JJ. I want to feel you both inside of me. I can't take this anymore,” you begged on your own now, not being able to take this any longer. You had to be filled before you were exploding from all the lust inside of you.

“You can beg so sweet,” Rafe chuckled and bit your nipple a little bit before he leaned back down on the bed. “I think we should give her what she wants.”

“I’m not sure,” JJ mused and tipped with a finger from his free hand against his chest.

“JJ, baby, please,” you whined and he chuckled but nodded. 

Rafe stopped to push into you for a moment and you felt JJ’s dick with a new condom at your widened back entrance. You swallowed and mentally prepared yourself to be claimed by him.

And boy did he claim you. The tip of his dick was pressing in slowly and carefully but it made you almost scream, not in pain but in pleasure. Rafe was stroking your breasts to soothe you and your breathing got heavier.

“So good, don’t stop,” you moaned and JJ pushed in even further until he was completely inside of you once again.

“That's our good girl,” JJ whispered as he leaned forward, changing the angle a bit. You wanted to say something but just couldn’t, the feeling of being filled from both ends so overwhelming you could barely think a single thought.

Rafe grabbed your hair and pulled you down to him, kissing you while JJ started to move. You could feel both their dicks moving inside of you even though Rafe barely moved, JJ doing all the work at the moment.

You had tears in your eyes from the feeling, it was driving you to madness. Rafe threw you a look of concern but you simply shook your head, it was fine, it was good, it couldn’t be better right now.

This is what you had wanted, you had craved this.

JJ moved a little faster and you moaned loudly, starting to shake.

“I think she’s coming again,” Rafe said with a chuckle and pressed another soft kiss to your lips. “Come around our cocks,” he demanded and those words threw you over the edge, causing your second orgasm.

Your walls clenched around him and he moaned too, a few praises falling from his lips while JJ just kept thrusting inside of you.

“Not done with you yet, princess, keep going,” he whispered close to your ear and you whined.

“I don’t-,” you were fumbling for words, your brain so foggy, “I can’t-”

“Shhh,” JJ said with a calm voice behind you. “Do it for us.”

That was all he needed to say, your confidence back. You only had your second orgasm but the way he was thrusting inside of you and Rafe now also started to move his hips properly already building up a third ogasm.

They both moved in synch, giving you what you wanted and your hands were giving our, your arms tired so you simply dropped your head to Rafe’s chest for now, letting them use you how they please. You were trapped between them and you didn’t mind for a single second.

Your body was sweaty, so was Rafe’s and you were pretty sure JJ was even sweatier, doing most of the work in the back.

They only give you a moment before JJ wraps a hand around your throat, pulling you back. It wasn’t a strong grip, it was more of a guide to show you where he wanted you. Rafe leaned forward in the same movement as you leaned back, your hands back on the bed to support you.

Rafe’s mouth was back on your nipples while pushing inside of you and JJ held you in place by the throat, your head thrown back a little, looking up at him.

“Take me harder. Faster. Make me scream,” you begged them and they both would happily agree to such a dirty request.

Only now they really started to take you, you couldn’t form a right thought anymore. Rafe was thrusting inside you from below, strong and deep strokes while JJ got a more erratic movement in your ass, way faster but less hard. The mix between the both made you scream as your third orgasm washed over you.

JJ let go of your throat and you slumped against Rafe’s chest but they didn’t stop

“On me,” you whimpered out before they could cum into their condoms. “I want to feel it on me.”

The boys looked at each other before pulling out of you at the same time, rolling you on the bed so your back was on the sheets and you were facing them.

They took their condoms off and stroked their dicks but it didn’t take long for them to come all over you, painting you with their semen. It mostly hit your belly and your breasts and you smiled at them, not able to say a word, just trying to breathe for now.

They both collapsed on the bed, one on either side of you and the sweaty, thick air lay above you in silence for a long while.

“That was amazing,” Rafe whispered into the dark and you chuckled.

“Yeah, you’ve felt like heaven, (y/n),” JJ said and looked over at you and you gave him back a smile.

“I hope you know this was a one time thing,” you said and tried to sound sternly but couldn't keep the giggle inside. You weren’t sure if you were even still so intoxicated by the alcohol or if this was the bliss of someone who just had the best sex of their life.

“Totally,” both boys agreed at the same time and you giggled even more. Now you just hoped no one had heard or looked for you as you had probably been gone for quite a while.

One, two, three Not only you and me Got one eighty degrees And I'm caught in between

[razorblade180]

Twin Snowflakes 26: Preparation

[part 1 of 2]

TSF pt25 here! <-

“THANK YOU, PEOPLE OF MANTLE!” Summer yelled, shredding each note of her personal favorite songs. One after another she played to her heart's fill. Each song was more aggressive and brimming with vigor than the last. Summer would’ve played till dawn if she had her way but neither her body or promise to her brother would allow that. It wasn’t time to leave yet but she needed a break.

Summer begrudgingly got herself to get off the stage to let others perform. Their music wasn’t terrible by any means but the other musicians could easily stand to have more practice. A rave audience isn’t hard to please however, so the crowd ate up the talent all the same. A little insulting to her own performance but eh, this wasn’t an actual contest. Summer was happy enough blowing off steam and listening to the beats from behind the stage. Not even she could deny the beats and tempo. Her hips couldn’t help but sway!

From the corner of her eye she could make out a familiar figure keeping an eye on her. “Did Nick tell you to keep an eye on me, Eliza?”

“Not really.” She walked over and poured herself a cup of water. “I was training in the area.”

“Are you saying he had nothing to do with you being here?”

“Oh no, that would be a lie. You know Nick, always negotiating. He really knows how to persuade a person. I wouldn’t be surprised if he could sell a heater to someone living in Vacou. Anyways, he didn’t ask me to stalk you or anything like that. He knew where I’d be and told me if I could swing by for a spell. No harm in that.”

Summer smiled. “Funny. That sounded like you were defending him. Don’t want me getting upset with my own brother?”

“Shut up. It would be a pain if I caused unnecessary controversy in a household. Need I remind you that you both have duties to the school that require your full attention? Frankly I’m glad I arrived. I don’t go to your concerts so my opinion of your performance skills was limited.” Eliza sipped her water, giving Summer’s attire and overall attitude a once over. “Where’s all this when you're getting harassed in the halls?”

“That’s...school is different.”

“Pfft, yeah okay.”

“It is!” Summer said, defensively crossing her arms.

Eliza watched the girl's face soften into the meek and reserved Summer she was used to. To think that’s all it took to shut her down. “I swear you and your brother don’t have a consistent bone in your body. Whatever the case, I don’t really care much as long as you bring your best effort to rehearsal and the live performance.”

Summer squinted. “Not the actual tournament?”

“Hey I don’t participate in the duos. You can bomb that for all I care. But you know, Nick is counting on you to pull your weight. Also it would be pretty annoying if you lost to Max and his asshole know-it-all, Darren. Gods know he’d talk about it until graduation.”

“Was the fight that happened in the school bad?”

Eliza shrugged, “Can’t say. Wasn’t there. He’s always been a thorn to me though so I don’t doubt he made things ugly. He was very rude to Veronica in the principal’s office as well. An act I find inexcusable.”

Summer couldn’t help but roll her eyes. “Look I know you admire her and all that jazz, but I’d bet she didn’t help the situation.”

“My views on her have nothing to do with it!” Eliza huffed. “I would think you off people would be sympathetic to a person like her.”

Summer leaned against a wall. “Call me jaded, but Veronica has a habit of bringing out the worst in people.”

Eliza frowned. “You know her better than I. Tell me, is she the type to lie about being harassed?”

Summer didn’t have to think long, especially after learning more about her in the forest. Then there was Veronica’s sketch journal. Summer still couldn’t make sense of all the scratched out pages. On top of that, Blake’s request made Summer even more uncertain. “No. Veronica’s a piece of work, but she isn’t a liar. She might actually be too honest if you asked me. I’ve never had to deal with Darren personally but Nick’s not a fan by any means.” Summer bit her bottom lip. She couldn’t believe it, did she just defend Veronica’s qualities!? It was only fair. Veronica did almost end up a frozen husk.

“Well it’s good to know we can all agree on at least one thing without fail. So not to rush you but how long are you planning on staying in a place like this?” Eliza asked, watching all the party animals.

“Haha, not your type of crowd?”

“The crowd is fine. I can handle a little noise and rowdiness, but it is technically a school night. I- ah! Summer!?” The girl had taken Eliza by the hand and started pulling her to the dance floor.

“If you keep bringing up assignments 24/7 then all you’re gonna look like is a stick in the mud. Live a little. School sucks!”

“School is important!” Eliza protested.

Summer grabbed Eliza’s other hand and started making them sway side to side, back and forth. The blood rushing to Eliza’s cheeks made Summer giggle. “Awww you know you dig it. I’ll make a deal. Cut loose with me for a few songs and I’ll gladly let you dance me right out the front door. Show me that colorguard rhythm!”

Eliza watched the petite girl actively laugh without reservation. Summer jokingly shimmied towards her and swayed her hips, getting lost in the music. Just how much did this girl go out to rave? She looked like she belonged here! The beat got more intense by the moment with no sign of stopping. With her pride in check, Eliza began to sway steadily, getting into the music.

Summer’s eyes lit up. “Aye!”

“Two songs and then we’re out of here.”

“Works for me! Show me what ya got!” Summer turned up the heat by dragging Eliza deeper into the chaos. She might not be as persuasive as Nick, but Eliza quickly found out Summer was definitely more pushy. Forget the tournament. Eliza was beginning to think they’ll beat her at everything!

xxxxx

“This is crazy. How did I not know about this!?” Nick said, walking down the rainy sidewalk.

Veronica smirked as she held Nick’s hand, allowing rain to pass right through them. “Why would you? I barely have any reason to use my semblance; let alone in the more complex ways.”

“You don’t use it when making clothes?”

“Haha, I’m not entirely sure how it would help. Unless I wanna get out of my clothes and into something new in an instant. Not a real trick to show others. Unless…” she blushed at her lewd teasing, refusing to finish the punchline. “Never mind.”

“Okay?” He had a feeling he knew where that was going but chose not to pull that grenade pin. “Speaking of clothes, that brings up a question. Why aren’t our clothes falling off now?”

“Control. Anything I touch can phase like me. My clothes are touching me, so are you. I can keep it strictly to myself though with control and timing. I can also start it and end it on any spot on my body; which is why we aren’t falling through the street.”

“That sounds hard.”

“Little bit. Really flexing my semblance like a muscle right now. Still, I’ve done harder, like not breaking surface tension.”

Nick did a double take. Did he hear that right? “Surface tension? Like...for water?”

Veronica nodded. “Yeah that’s the one. Well I’m not actually walking on water. It’s more of me beginning to fall through the water with my semblance, and shutting it off quick enough to push me back up just above the surface. Took a lot of practice but I got it most of the time. Waves suck.”

“Don’t you burn through your aura quickly?”

“Well it’s like flicking a switch on and off. Also I’m quick about it; not to mention not fighting anything in the water. I’m bound to fuck up them.”

“Still sounds like an extremely large amount of work and multitasking. You got real talent. I’d get a headache.”

“Says the king of multitasking.” Veronica chuckled, “It’s less thinking and more of reaction; knowing how to feel the shifts to the things connecting you.”

Her explanation was interesting. Veronica had an understanding of her semblance to a complex level though she didn’t fight. And here was Nick, struggling with a candle exercise for a semblance that didn’t interact with physics or molecules. “A reaction huh? Maybe I should try that more often? It might help with-”

“Valerie.”

“What? No my-” His hand was squeezed a little before being brought up to point towards the Schnee gate. Nick’s eyes went wide. Valerie stood by it with her mother’s car, staring just as surprised. “Oh…” Nick said.

The three stood quietly, not prepared in the slightest. Valerie was the most shocked. She was prepared for an awkward conversation with Nick by the door. Not catching him outside in a suit; next to Veronica. Nora, who was in the car, wanted to take initiative but found her lips tucking themselves in.

“Oh boy. Maybe convincing Val to see him was a bad move on my part.” She thought. Ren was gonna have a field day whenever Nora got back home.

Done with the shock, Veronica finally spoke. “Umm I can give you two a minute, if you need it?” All the events that happened tonight made her feel very pleased. Veronica did not want to taint those moments and knew it would be for the best to remove herself from this before she said anything...emotional. She turned to Nick and smiled awkwardly. “I’ll see you inside?”

Nick could only blink while he thought about it. Veronica was a bit quicker to the draw though. “No, no, it’s...clearly you two are in the middle of something. I was just leaving anyways” Val said, a hint of irritation and even a bit of sarcasm crept into her voice. It might not have been that big of a deal but for some reason it made Nick tense up.

“This is only happening because of you.” He said instinctively, catching everyone off guard. “I don’t see how you can be upset about a thing you caused. I did invite you originally.”

“Don’t see how that has to do with anything.” Valerie lied, clearly offended. “You can do what you want.I only came here to-”

“It’s always your terms.” He interjected, grumbling a bit. “You tell me you want space and we’ll see each other at the tournament, but then show when you feel like talking. If I did that you’d be pissed.”

“Hey! I came here to try and smooth things over.”

“Yeah well maybe I don’t want things smoothed over right now? I...I have nothing to say to you right now. We’ll talk at the tournament.”

Valerie let out a subtle gasp. Her brows furrowed and she bit down on her lip harder than she meant to. “Forget it. If you wanna be made then be made. Tournament it is.” Valerie didn’t waste another breath, getting back into the car so it can drive off.”

Veronica was in disbelief. Did that really just happen? In now way did she think the conversation was going to be good, but she at least thought there was going to be one. She might’ve thought this best if it wasn’t for Nick visibly sulking next to her as he started walking her up to the manor. The solemn look on his face did nothing but make her feel bad. Not to mention a little guilty.

“Hey...I know this is a dumb question but are you okay? If I influenced that in any way during dinner, that wasn’t really...what I mean is...”

“I know, and don’t worry. That wasn’t me being caught up in my emotions. I just really want to think about all of this for at least a couple days. Besides, I made a deal with Eliza. I might not keep it if Valerie tries patching things up.”

“You’re plotting on her? That’s...wow. Now I know for sure that you’re pissed.”

Nick rubber the back of neck. “For once I think I’ll get greedy, act the way I want. Does that make sense?”

“Make sense? It’s my language. Fair warning, your best quality is that heart of yours.” She poked his chest. “Keep it safe, or I’ll be the one getting greedy by knocking the optimism back into ya.”

“Oh is that right? Haha, maybe try praying to me first, then I really know you must mean business!” He teases.

Veronica gave a playful shove. “Like I’d know how to start one? I think I’ll stick with the tough love approach.”

“Tough love huh?” Nick opened the front door. His eyes never left the girl as she walked in, seemingly content. Veronica eventually looked back at him and gave a head tilt.

She blinked, “What?”

“Nothing.” He chuckled. Nick was starting to think that just maybe, he understood Veronica’s choices and beliefs a little more than he used to. If he learned anything from tonight it was just how differently they saw the world around them. “Well I guess this is the end of our date. Didn’t go as planned but I’ll admit it, I really liked spending alone time with you.” He said, rubbing the back of his head.

Veronica couldn’t stop herself from letting out an anxious chuckle.“Hehehe, what’s with the sweet talk all of a sudden? Trying to butter me up?”

“No, just being honest with myself. A date should end as well as possible.” Nick stepped towards Veronica and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. Eager to not let this moment linger, Nick swiftly left for Summer’s room to see if she was back. Without thinking about it tonight, Nick had left two girls red and speechless. One of them standing in the main hall with a smile growing wide; while the other watched the rain fall during a quiet ride home, frustrated and jaw clenched.

Nora took care to drive slowly. Getting home quickly would only mean Valerie would march to her room. Nora let out a sigh. “Whether it’s me or your father, one of us is gonna make you talk about this. So-”

“What’s there to talk about? I’m upset and he’s upset, because we want different things. So we’re taking a break. Simple as that.” Valerie leaned against the cold glass.

“And what is it exactly that you want?” Nora asked. She was given no answer. Not that she was expecting one. “I love you, but if you don’t know the answer yourself then how can you expect Nick to not upset you? Life is like any sport you play. Gotta know the rules if you wanna do well. Only way to figure that out is knowing yourself.”

“I know myself pretty well.” Valerie huffed.

“Really?” Nora dragged out. “So tell me, do you like Nick, romantically?”

“No.” She said instinctively.

If Val could see Nora’s face then she would’ve been upset that she was rolling her eyes, not believing her daughter. “Okay, but just so you know, taking a break is not what most friends say about another.”

Valerie’s eyes widened. She turned to her mother to see her focused on the road like she hadn’t said a word. Val went back to looking at the window. “Good to know.” Valerie controlled the urge to huff. Talking to Ren might’ve been less painful.

xxxx

Nick walked into Summer’s room to find it sisterless and a little cold. “Guess she’s not home yet.” He closed the door behind him as he went further in. Nick made sure to keep the light off but turned on the heater. A cold room was the last thing this night needed. His chill hadn’t kicked in all this time so Nick had no real reason to worry about Shiva, yet his nerves would feel better actually seeing Summer come home safely. Pulling up a chair to sit in may have been a bit much but he did it anyway. Overbearing or not, Shiva would never be a subject he’d take lightly. Not like he had in the past when he was younger, naive of the danger that thing had. He could his body ache at the thought of it. Pain fades and the body heals, but it also remembers. Not like he needed a reminder. Not when the memories rear their ugliness often in his dreams.

A scroll rang loudly, bringing Nick out of the dark thoughts. He reached in his pocket to see it was in fact Summer who was calling.He wasted no time answering. “Where are you? I thought you’d be back by now?”

“That didn’t sound like hello.” Summer grumbled. “Relax, I'm close by. I actually called to ask for a favor. You’re home right?”

“Yes?”

“Cool. Can you open my window?

Nick walked over to her window and opened it. In the distance he could spot his sister and Eliza outside the gate from the right side. “Done. What-”

“How’d you do that so fast? Were you already in my room!? You aren’t snooping are you!?” She yelled.

“Quiet before you get caught. No, I wasn’t snooping. Pretty sure whatever secrets this room holds is one that would scar me. Though I’m curious about your journal, wherever you hid this time. Perhap under your nightstand?”

“Do you really want to rummage around a young woman's nightstand?” Summer could hear her brother let out an overtop gagging noise. “Grow up.”

“Say it to my face. You better hurry before I decide to close this and watch you hit the glass like a pigeon.”

“Fine, ya baby.” Summer hung up. “Thanks for walking me home, as well as helping me stay dry.” She looked up to see the small dome of water floating over her from Eliza’s magic.

“Exactly what was the plan if I had said no or not shown up at all?”

“Glyphs aren’t just for platforming and dust ya know? Not that it matters. I knew I’d see you tonight.”

Eliza scoffed, “Tah! That confident in your predictions about your brother?”

“Well yes, but that’s not it. It’s not a secret you practice at the pier. It’s also terrible luck on your part you almost shot a captain with a bolt of lightning. One time.”

“W-What!? B-but how would-”

“Is it a Marigold thing to be attracted to my family like a magnet? That captain is my cousin. He says your aim could use work. Bye!” Summer made glyphs to trampoline over the gate and platform through the air and through her window.”

Eliza couldn’t believe it. Why was this her life!? It had to be a joke. Atlas or Mantle, you’re bound to be in Schnee territory. It would’ve been fine if she wasn’t practicing moves to fight one! Now she needed a new training spot. Who knows what they might now. “Damnit, now Nick’s offer is even more to my best interest!”

“Sup bro. How was your date?” The rock n’ roll twin kicked off her shoes and took the black wig off before falling backwards onto her bed.

“Well Valerie was at the front awhile ago.”

Summer sat up. “Okay, that’s not what I expected. Did I miss a fight? No wait, I’m pretty sure I’d hear Veronica scream bloody murder because there’s no way her dress would stay flaw-” her rambling was cut short when Nick suddenly sat beside her and fell on her lap. “Woah. Hey, are you still sick!?”

“No, just tired. The past week has been a little...draining. To be honest I don’t think I even have the energy to shower right now.”

“Well you probably smell better than me right now so I’m not complaining.”

“How was the rave?”

“Fun. Got Eliza to dance a little. The crowd worshipped my performance.” She chuckled.

“What did you sing?”

“Nothing special. A few Linkin Park songs; an experimental original. Oscar thought it would be a good idea to take a few of my journal entries and vent it out through music.”

“Hmm, anything you’ll share to your actual fan base, or me?”

Summer looked at her ceiling to let out a composed sigh. “I don’t think I’m quite ready, or the song for that matter. It and myself are...a work in progress. Sorry.”

“It’s okay. Just know your fans think you can’t do wrong and there’s no world where I won’t support you. Family and all that.”

“Love you too.” Summer patted his head. “Sorry if I’ve been causing you trouble. Well, more than usual. Tomorrow is a new day.”

“That’s the spirit. Push yourself but not too hard. That’s my territory. Speaking of which, I’ve been racking my brain with ideas. You can talk to Shiva in that headspace whenever you like right?” He felt her hand stop. Nick looked up to see Summer look apprehensive.

“I can...but it’s not a thing I look to do. Plus tonight has been good. I really don’t want that to-”

“Summer, do you trust me?”

Nick’s words were calm and real. Summer didn’t know what he had in mind. It wasn’t like Nick to invite danger. Her eyes looked to the floor to the orange glow of her heater. Like usual it appeared that her brother had already taken strides for her and everyone’s sake. Just how far would he go, ever making herself feel like she’s at a stand still? Maybe tomorrow could start today. Just a little bit.

“What’s this idea of yours?” She said cautiously.

“Nothing too crazy. You’re just gonna take a page out of Veronica’s playbook.”

xxxxx

You would think a person would know what goes on in their head. Unfortunately, that’s hardly ever the case. Summer never got a full understanding of what went on upstairs in her mind. Then again that would only make sense. She was in therapy after all. Though no amount of emotional talking could explain why her headspace imagery was inconsistent at times. A void of nothingness, her own room, those were the usual shapes that took place. However, this time she found herself back at the frozen lake. Going back and triggering an episode must’ve left a lasting impression. At least her trauma brought variety. The only separation from the real place was the ice ceiling and a distinct lack of cold nipping at her skin. Her psyche though, it was definitely feeling something.

She began walking through the white hell of her own making until she found her target, Shiva. The being was skating across the lake like how Summer once did. “Shiva.” Summer called out.

The woman of ice and snow looked over, surprised. She stopped right in the middle of the lake. “Well, well, well, come to properly thank me? You’d be in a grimm’s stomach by now if it wasn’t for me. You and that idiot girl. Tell me, is she in pain from our encounter?”

“I’m not here to thank you or chitchat.” Summer bluntly stated. “This is an in and out thing.”

“I’ll take that as a no then? Pity. I wouldn’t mind seeing her cry and despair. I bet her tears are uglier than yours. Though I'll say that this look you have going on isn’t gross. Honestly it helps to see you better in this place. You’re always so pale when you’re talking to me. Afraid I might hurt you?” A smirk spread across her face. “Oh I do hate you so.”

“Feeling is mutual. I came here to tell you that from this point on things are gonna change.”

“Pfft, heard that before. You’re all talk.”

“Am I?” Summer reached her hand out. Right before her eyes, the shape of a shovel formed. Hiding her surprise, she focused on Shiva’s own shock. “My mind, my rules. If I can subconsciously make this hell then I can shape it to an extent. Summer tossed the shovel at Shiva for her to catch. “Keep that safe for me.” Summer’s body began to slowly fade from this space.

“And what exactly is this for?”

“Your grave. Feel free to dig it yourself.” Her final words before disappearing completely while witnessing a smug smirk vanish before her eyes. Right as she faded, Summer could hear one last remark.

“We’ll see who buries who.”

Summer opened her eyes to find herself back in her room. Good, she hadn’t moved an inch. “Well I’ve thoroughly pissed her off, but it actually felt good to be the one harassing her. Thank Ni- huh?” Summer failed to realize she’s been talking to herself. Nick was fast asleep already! “Unbelievable. What if I would’ve messed up?”

“Zzzzzz.”

“Quite the convincing answer.” Summer returned to rubbing his head. He felt a little warm but nothing serious. Taking breaks needed to be at the top of his list from now on. Only way that would happen is if things weren’t hectic. It was time to step up. “I’ll do right by you. I promise. Just...give me a little more time.”

Her eyes became heavy. It appears the day’s events weighed on her more than she realized. Both twins fell into slumber there for the entire night, finally getting some rest.

[iyatsumu]

ABYSS; SHOTO TODOROKI

Genre: Fluff, Angst

Word Count: 2.9K

Trigger Warning: Mentions of blood and abuse

Author’s Note: Hello everyone! It’s been so long since I last updated the blog but I’ve been so busy with classes and moving into a new house that I simply couldn’t squeeze this into the schedule. But I have a Shoto fic for you all. This is a repost because I realized there were too many confusions in the story. Also, in this story, Shigaraki will be a tad bit older prolly around his early 40s. Enjoy and please remember to take care of yourselves!

"When will you get it together Shoto? Stop making a fool out of me and my name!" You were all too familiar with the booming voice on the other side of the door. Knocking on the door, you pushed it slightly to reveal a man who was surrounded with flames of fire, his back facing you. In front of him was a boy with dual-colored hair. His head was hung low as his father whipped his head back to look at you. "I'm very sorry to interrupt, but Sir Aizawa is looking for Todoroki." You said, trying your best not to sound nervous. As much as you'd love to deny it, Endeavor's presence always seemed to shake you to your bones. Endeavor turned towards Todoroki once more and sent him one last glare before leaving the room. As soon as the door slammed shut, you looked at Shoto. He was frowning, rage was evident in his eyes as he stood up and glared at you. "What?" He asks, venom lacing in his voice. "Don't give me that attitude Todoroki. Your hatred is not towards me but instead to your father, and I didn't come here to save you from his stupid lecture. Sir Aizawa is requesting your presence in his office." You said and threw a shirt at him. 

You turned around and directed your attention at the burnt marks on his wall, probably caused by his outbursts whenever his father comes around to threaten him. Endeavor and his hunger for being the best always drags him into Todoroki's room to scold him whenever he loses to Bakugo or Midoriya. The rivalry between the three most powerful students in your grade started during the first year of high school. You had just transferred midway through the school year with a recommendation from a number of Pro Heroes whom your mother worked for. In the span of 6 months, you had managed to climb into the high ranks of the year level with your outstanding performance in academics. As for the field of physical traits and using your quirks, you tried to stay in the sidelines. Doing just the bare minimum in order to avoid getting in between the rivalry of the three boys. Despite trying to hide your quirk, the teachers and some students like your close friends such as Momo and Uraraka, admit that your quirk is very powerful, even on par with 75% of the Pro Heroes in the country. However, you never let it get to you and you had always tried your best to keep it down, afraid of exposing your true identity, and possibly putting your friends and other people at risk. "I'm done. What does Sir Aizawa need?" You turned to face Todoroki who was now fully changed into something more casual and cleaner. He stood up and both of you exited his dorm room. "Not sure, he simply told me to get you from your room and we had to head to his office." You said and walked alongside Todoroki in silence. --- "Ryota, Todoroki. Take a seat." Your teacher, Sir Aizawa instructed as he walked over to his table. You and Todoroki made yourself comfortable on the plush sofa of his office. "I called you both here because as your teacher, I thought the two of you would be best suited to represent our class in the upcoming competition to be held a few weeks from now. The event is for a pair, male and female, of each class per year level to compete with other pairs. The B class has decided on Itsuka Kendo and Neito Monoma. I understand that you might be confused as to why I have decided on both of you. I have no doubt that Midoriya and Bakugo have potentials to win, however it is dangerous to put Midoriya out for he still has no control over his power and Bakugo's competitiveness could harm other contestants and without a doubt, also his partner. Todoroki, I trust that you can control the limit of your quirk and Ryota, I want you to showcase your quirk." Shit. "Is there no one else that could substitute me as Todoroki's pair?" You asked and Aizawa stood from his seat. He knew how you felt about your quirk and he had expected you to decline the idea. However, majority of the teachers have seen only glimpses of your power and they asked Aizawa to let you on the field some time. "I would've paired Todoroki with Yaoyorozu. But she insisted that you would be far more suitable compared to her." He said, patting your back. "So, what do you say? Are you both okay with this?" "Yeah." Todoroki answered dryly. He had never seen a good glimpse of your quirk, and this was a good chance to understand it and see how powerful you really were. Todoroki always had a hunch that you were far more powerful than what you seem to be. He admired the control you had over your quirk, how you were able to manipulate it to hide its destructiveness. No ordinary person would get into UA with multiple recommendations from Pro Heroes. Aizawa turned to look at you, hoping for you to accept the idea. You sighed and stood up, "Fine, but I am not missing classes just to train." You spoke. "Both of you will have special schedules wherein you are excused from hero training, just for this competition." Aizawa said and with that you nodded. "Now, with that aside, make sure to train well and you may now leave." He said and ushered both you and Todoroki out of his office. You huffed the moment the door was closed, and turned to head into your dorm room. "Hey where are you going?" Todoroki asked, following behind you. "It's Saturday, I'm going to my room and sleeping. Good bye." You said and continued walking. "Sleeping? Aren't you going back home or doing anything else?" He asked, still set on following you. "My mom won't be home until Wednesday, so I have no reason to be home and no, I am taking this moment to isolate myself from Bakugo's booming voice and hopefully from you as well." You turned and smiled sarcastically at him. "Your mom is Maki Ryota, right? The well-known researcher who studies quirks and how to manipulate them." He asked and you stopped walking to face him. "Yes. Look Shoto, I really need to rest so if you would, please leave me alone." You said and left him standing at the hallway. --- "Todoroki, Ryota. Get changed into your training uniform and proceed to the training grounds." Aizawa's voice rang through the speakers inside the classroom. Bakugo's eyes widened and sat up straight on his seat, clearly curious as to why you and Todoroki had training. "Training? For what?" He asked, his gruff voice did nothing to hide the curiosity in his tone. "Shoto and Y/N will represent our class in the Year 2 Duo Competition." Momo said and Bakugo slammed his hands on his desk, igniting explosions from his palm and fingers. "Ha? Why Half n' Half and the brat?" He shouted, Todoroki shook his head and grabbed his uniform from his bag. "Your attitude towards this proves Sir Aizawa's point as to why you were not chosen." You said and was about to walk out when Bakugo shot out a blast of his quirk towards your way. Feeling the heat coming towards you, your hand extended out and opened up a black hole with purple linings that sucked in Bakugo's explosion and the hole dispersed into nothing once more. Everyone was shocked at the situation that unfolded in front of them. No one had been able to withstand Bakugo's explosions without stumbling back, and with such quick reflexes. "Holy shit. Who knew Y/N could be so manly?" Kirishima yelled in awe as he fisted his arms in the air. "Damn you, you brat!" Bakugo shouted and sent an even bigger blow towards you. Before you could react, a huge shard of ice appeared in front of you. You glared at the boy who was beside you, an annoyed look played on his face. "Enough of these childish games, let's go Y/N." He said and dragged you out of the classroom. "When you get back here, let's duel Y/N. Fucking brat!" Bakugo's voice echoed through the hallway as Todoroki kept his tight grip on your arm. "Hey let go, your fingers are cold, it's causing bruises on my skin!" You writhe and Todoroki finally let go. You rub the bruised arm and glare at him. "Why do you even try to fight with him?" He asked, and places his hand on your arm once again. He regulates the temperature of his finger, the heat kissing the pain away from your skin. "I don't. I was simply stating a fact and defended myself after he tried to blow me up." You answered as both of you entered the training ground. In the middle of the cemented ground was Aizawa and Present Mic. "Welcome youngsters into your first training, we will try our best to shape you into your best selves before your competition. Are you both ready?" Present Mic greets, using his quirk to enhance the volume of his voice. "We're supposed to do what exactly?" You asked and Present Mic laughs at your question. "We know both of you are more than ready, so you and Todoroki will try to defeat me and Aizawa." He said and you stare at Todoroki in shock. "Start!" You were startled when Present Mic announced and suddenly Aizawa's binding cloth unwrapped around him and made its way towards you. You jumped out of place and landed a few meters away from Todoroki who already set a barrier of ice which protected him from Present Mic's voice. "That won't do! Present Mic's quirk can shatter even your ice." You told Todoroki and pulled him out of the way. "How do we avoid Present Mic's quirk and be out of sight of Eraser Head?" He asked, trying his best to keep composure. You scratched your head and peeked out from another barrier Todoroki created. "This is going to take a toll on my body but fuck it." You said and grabbed his hand. You created a big hole that was enough for both of you to pass through and shoved Todoroki into the hole. "Where are we?" He asked and you raised your arm to feel the air. Both of you were in darkness, pure nothingness.   "Welcome to Abyss, this is my quirk." You said and pulled him along, continuing to walk around in the darkness. "Abyss? I thought your quirk was sucking up powers?" Todoroki asked. "No, my quirk is somewhat like a portal that leads you to a different dimension. I pushed us in here because this was the only way to escape Present Mic's quirk. In order to counter his voice, you must be layers apart. Now I need to locate Sir Aizawa and pull him down here." You said, feeling around the darkness. "What good will that do us if you pull him down here?" Todoroki asked stumbling on his feet. "In Abyss, your quirks are rendered unusable. Only I can use my quirk in Abyss." You explained and halted at a certain point. "Here, I can feel Sir Aizawa's presence just above this point." You said and concentrated in creating another hole underneath Aizawa's feet. "Wait, even if we pull him down here, he still has his binding cloth." Todoroki grabs your hand before you could fully create a hole. "Great fucking job Shoto Todoroki. Now Sir Aizawa is aware of the hole I created and is moving away." You huffed and wandered around again. "It's not my fault you are being reckless Y/N." He defends and follows behind you. "You may think that, but there's much more Abyss has to offer other than being a quirk nullifying dimension. Now stop fucking getting in the way and just trust me." You snapped and stopped midway. "I have no choice but to make the ground a huge hole." You said and sat down, concentrating on your plan. After a few seconds, Present Mic and Aizawa dropped into Abyss, clearly confused at the foreign place. Present Mic, being unable to use his quirk, could be heard calling out to Aizawa from the distance. A white cloth seemed to extend forward and wrapped around Todoroki's leg before getting dragged away. Before Todoroki could be within Aizawa's reach, a slash came and tore the binding cloth. "What the hell?!" Aizawa shouted in disbelief and tried to come forward again with another cloth. The slashing came one after another and soon enough, Aizawa was exhausted. "Let's get out of here Todoroki." You grabbed him and opened a hole that led back to the training grounds. "What about Eraser Head and Present Mic?" Todoroki asked the moment you both landed back on the training ground. You sat down and touched your hands on the ground. "What are you doing?" He asked. "What I meant by my previous statement, is that Abyss can be controlled by me. I can alter whatever happens inside the dimension, an example is sending troops from abyss to attack the people who are trapped in it. I could also blow the place up." And with that, Present Mic and Aizawa appeared back on the training grounds with burnt marks all over their bodies. You smiled and walked towards them. "Are we done now?" You asked and Aizawa groaned. "Well done students. You may now rest up and be back for your afternoon classes." Aizawa said and stood up to exit the training ground, his arm resting on his bruised stomach. --- "Another failure Shoto! How could you lose to a low-ranking Pro Hero? And a girl protected you? This is not how I raised you. I didn't raise a failure who relied on a girl for protection!" Once again, you could hear Endeavor scold Todoroki in the corner of a hallway, isolated from other students and teachers. You had just gotten out of the bathroom to wash your face after your training, and the rumors of your training with Todoroki spread across the school and Pro Heroes quickly. As soon as Endeavor heard that he was not able to do much against Present Mic and Eraser Head, he immediately made his way to UA and give his son another stupid lecture. You didn't want to get in the way of their conversation but you really had to get to class. Hanging your head low, you tried to walk past them, but oh was the world mad at you. "You're the girl who beat Eraser Head and Present Mic huh?" Endeavor says, his voice deep enough to drown you. You stopped in your tracks and turned to look at him and nod. "You lost to this girl right here Shoto? What a disgrace!" He fisted his arm and tried to land a punch on Todoroki but your reflexes were far quicker and you caught his fist in your arm. "Oh, what is this? Look Shoto, a girl trying to defend you? Pathetic." He tried to apply more force into his fist but you didn't waver and gripped his fist. You could see the fabric of his gloves turning into ash. Endeavor thought that this was similar to someone's quirk. Tomura Shigaraki's Decay. "It seems that the rumors were true. You are the daughter of an abomination, Tomura Shigaraki's child. Y/N Shigaraki. Your mother fell in love with a damn villain and had you." You shook at his words and activated Abyss, his hand getting sucked into the dark dimension. You manipulated Decay on your foot and kicked Endeavor, causing him to stumble away and an evident bruise on his stomach. Your Decay was something a little different to your father's, whereas you could manipulate it to work on different parts of your body that could make contact with someone else. Grabbing Todoroki's arm, you pulled him out of the training grounds and away from his damn father. "I don't need your pity or your help." Todoroki said and pulled away from you. You stared at him in disbelief and scoffed. "My father was right. I am a failure for having someone like you protect me." He spat and you felt tears prick your eyes. This was the reason why you never wanted to show your quirks to anyone. Chances of them finding out that you were Tomura Shigaraki's daughter would stir trouble. No one would ever want to be friends with someone whose father was a murderer and villain. "And I was wrong to think that saving you from your father was a good idea. Both of you are alike, fucking jerks." You said and left him standing in the hallway. You walked quickly into your room, trying to ease the burned skin caused by Endeavor's fist surrounded with fire. A droplet of blood escaped your mouth as the after effects of Abyss chased after you. Todoroki was just like everyone else. He was a jerk whose pride was far more important than his emotions and friends. You were foolish to even think that you could be a good pair to represent the class in the competition. You hated him. Very much. As you bled out in your room, a certain someone was left motionless in the hallways. Tears stung his eyes as he realized his mistake. As you tried frantically to ease the burnt skin on your arm and wiping away the blood from your lips, Todoroki tried his best to compose himself and apologize. But he knew that by doing so, you still wouldn’t forgive him. May luck simply be on his side during the competition.

[alexandrinav0605]

Talking to Strangers

Multi-Chapter 1/? LINK TO AO3

Penny Parker knew many things, one of them being that the foster system was shit. She also knew her social worker was stupid and useless doing her job, but nobody care, right?

After losing all her family and ending in foster care, Penny founds herself on mandatory group therapy, with some unusual companions. ----- TW: Mentions of rape (not graphic), Violence (not graphic, but mentions of the way of murder), Child Abuse.

English is not my first language, therefore, I'm not from US and I do not know how the foster system works, as well as group therapy.

-----

Penny didn’t know why she was there. Actually, she knew, but she didn’t understand it. When her social worker told her that group therapy would be needed, Penny thought she was joking. In which way talking about how shitty her life was to a group of strangers would help her? To be honest talking didn’t do anything, but this wasn’t really for her. Apparently, the government was forced to take care of all the children on the system that have been harmed because of their incompetence, not only physically but mentally. As it turns out there are many children that were harmed. The people in charge were surprised, I wasn’t. Most people fostering kids only do it for the money, and it was rare if they treated their foster kid correctly. Out of the 5 houses she had been, Penny was treated decently in only one and it was the bare minimum. Of course, there wasn’t money, they never had, so group therapy was cheaper, unhelpful, but cheaper, and that was all they care about.

She didn’t care, neither private therapy nor group therapy helped, talking in general didn’t help. No one understand what she was feeling. Her twin, Peter, did, but he was on her backpack, just ashes inside a cheap container. That was another thing of the many that existed in which Penny and her social worker disagree, her twin brother´s ashes being with her all the time. In reality Penny knew it wasn’t healthy, that she should let go and that her brother wasn’t really there, but it was hard. She was there when their foster father throw Peter to the wall, hitting Peter’s head. The noise alerted their neighbors, and they called the police, but it was late, Peter was already dead. She was placed in another home, with a man called Skip. That was something she could be glad about, Peter never had to live with that monster. Healthy or not, a year later she was still grieving, after all she was only 15 and she wasn’t in the mood to be order around by the person that had placed them in that house to begin with. It wasn’t like her life had to many healthy things anyway.

Entering the building, she wished she could run and pretend like she had attended, but she remembered the look of her social worker and her little warning that they will write who had attended. She wasn’t in the mood to endure a lecture, so she decided to go and ignore everything and everyone, how hard can it be?

As it turns out, very difficult. When she found the room where her group was supposed to be, the last people she hoped to find was the freaking Avengers. Everyone started at her while she made her way to the center of the room, and she felt uncomfortable. A part of her was jumping because she was in the same room as Tony Stark and Bruce Banner, that have always been her and Peter’s favorite scientist, but that was just in the inside, because that was the little part of her innocent that had managed to survive everything life had thrown at her.

What was worse was the man that turn out to be their mediator. The man in particular was someone she already knew and not a friendly one. He annoy her mainly because he liked to tell her who she should see the bright side. Well guess what asshole there is no good side.

“Hi, I’m Tyler and I will be your mediator while you are in this therapy program.” If glares could kill the man would be dead, but that didn’t stop him of talking. “So, as you may see we have a group that know each other and a person that doesn’t know anyone, personally of course.” He smiled at his bad joke and Penny just made an annoyed sound that got everyone’s attention. “Basic information we will see each other every Wednesday at the same hour in this same classroom. If you are wondering why of all things you are in the company of the Avengers,” He directed this to Penny. “We are required a minimum of 10 people per group and as you can see the Avengers are only 9, so using the resent stipulation of the government regarding the foster system, we thought it would be great to allow a child to meet the Avengers He looked around probably hoping for a reaction; the Avengers were indifferent, and Penny was straight up annoyed.

He made a long pause waiting for someone to say something, he was about to continue when Penny talked.

“Don’t you think that is dumb to make a child met the Avengers when they are talking about their problems and when said child is talking about his own problems not to mention how disrespectful it is for them to do so” Her tone was indifferent and bore, but her eyes reflected every emotion, anger being the main one, this man really annoyed her.

The Avengers and Tyler look at her surprised, and a little irritated in Tyler’s case. By now Tyler was used to her replications, so he just ignored it.

“I thought it may be nice to present yourselves and say why we are here before we do any other dynamic, Penny, why don’t you begin?” He looked around and began explaining why he knew her name. “Penny and I know each other from my days at the foster system.”

“I have many reasons why I don’t want to present myself the main want is that I think is kind of incoherent to begin with me, also unfair because it will lead to an unbalance position of information with me having less information about them as they already know each other, now I’m not saying I should go last because then it would be unfair for them” She smile at the end trying to appear innocent.

Tony Stork look amused as well as Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes. Captain Rogers has an annoyed expression on his face that probably had to do with the fact that he was a soldier who always followed orders, and her clear disdain for authority unnerve him. She didn’t care, she stopped caring a time ago.

Deciding against confrontation, Tyler asks for voluntaries. Being the leader he thinks he is, Captain Rogers offer to go first. The presentation was brief, he said his name and something about wanting to get over his dead ex-girlfriend and form a bond with his team. He was followed by Bucky Barens with something about HYDRA, and a certain Sam Wilson being a guilt survivor. Wanda Maximoff was something like a guilt and anger survivor, although Penny didn’t know if that even existed, if it did Wanda Maximoff was definitely one of them.

Natasha Romanoff was probably as reserved if not more than Penny was, the only thing Penny could gather was that that woman had a past even more dark that hers. Bruce Banner definitely had problems with his other self. Then it was Penny´s turn.

“I’m Penny Parker, I’m 15 years old” How much she hated this. “And I’m here because the people in charge rather put money in their pockets instead of helping me solve the problem their shitty system cause in the first place” When she finish, she look at Tyler, daring him to say something to her.  

“Penelope,” Damn complete name. “Not here, please.” Tyler was definitely trying to do anything to keep appearances.

“Then where? At least here I have a public that can see how much bullshit the foster system is.” Penny was getting really tired of his hypocrisy now.

Tyler send her a look and Penny couldn’t feel worse. She knew how delicate her situation was right now, one misstep and she will be sent to a special group house for mentally unstable people, and she didn’t want that. People always called her smart, so using that so called intelligence she shut her mouth.

The session continued with Tony Stark and his enormous guilt complex hide by a god complex, followed by Thor and all his death family. Finally, there was Clint Barton, who said that he wanted to fix the relationship with his team members, but he couldn’t hide anything for Penny, he wanted to be here as much as Penny wanted, most of them look miserably, not that Penny blame them.

“Alright, now that we know each other,” Penny didn’t know how Tyler could be so infuriating. “I want to make a dynamic that consist of saying what would you do if you could do anything you want.” He stroll his gaze around the room. “Now, we do have one rule that is: It needs to be something realistic, many of you are trying to deal with grief, so I don’t want things like bringing back your love ones.”

As Penny didn’t know who to keep her mouth close, she speak: “How about killing Tyler?” Seeing his alarming expression, along with the Avengers was amusing, but she added “Don’t worry Tyler I’m not talking about you.”

“We cannot wish for someone’s death” His warning look didn’t stop her.

“Boohoo, I wanted to give Mr. Preachy a taste of his own medicine” As always, her voice revealed nothing besides amusement and sarcasm, but her eyes gave everything someone needed to know she was serious.

Tyler was definitely tired of her antics. Penny couldn’t care less. He let it go and began with someone else; Penny didn’t pay attention, too concentrated in returning the looks that Natasha Romanoff was sending her. When it was Romanoff’s turn, she broke the staring contest to answer. Finally, it was Penny’s turn, although she wanted nothing more than to say murder Skip or Mr. and Mrs. Preachy, she went for something more normal.

“I want to go back to London” Everyone stared at her, surprise written all over their faces. “Not the famous London, but the outskirt, where there are all the neighborhoods.” She wasn’t kidding; she misses London, since she put a foot in this place. “Also, their foster system is much better.” She couldn’t stop being the little shit she is, right?

“Well, I was hoping something less materialistic, so tell me, why London?” Because she wanted to, ass. She was about to say that, but decided against it, be smart.

“It isn’t materialistic, Tyler.” Sarcasm was definitely a copping mechanism. “If you had bother to look at my file, you would know that I’m from London, if it wasn’t obvious enough by my accent” And it was true, although she hadn’t been in London for 10 years, she still had a British accent. Peter die with his accent as well, she wondered if she will ever loss it.

Tyler mumbled a quiet thanks, and after some words Penny didn’t listen, he gave them permission to leave. Gathering her things, Penny waited for everyone to leave before she leave herself. Outside the building she heard some words.

“I just don’t understand why she has to be so rude, the guy did nothing wrong. And what was that thing of wishing to kill someone about, what was his name?” Penny recognized the voice from the videos of detention.

“Mr. Preachy.” That was Natasha Romanoff.

“Leave the kid alone, capsicle, you don’t know what happened between them.” Penny thought that at least an Avenger had a little bit of brain.

She cleared her throat, making jump everyone, except Black Widow, who blinked. Penny began her show to teach something to Captain I Know Everything.

“Oh, how lucky I catch the Avengers, my brother is a fan of yours” She tried to sound amiable and she succeed.

Rogers talk first, clearly knowing she had heard him. “Well, we can sigh something for your brother if you want” Captain certainly was trying, bad for him.

“Actually, he is right here” Penny tuck out the container that guarded her brother’s ages, please to see the alarming looks in the Avengers. “Poor thing didn’t know what hit him. Well, he knew, a wall and Mr. Preachy’s fist” She pause looking directly in the eyes at Steve Rogers, waiting for him to say something, but all she got was a small Oh.

Turning to Dr. Banner she began talking. “Dr. Banner is a pleasure to meet you. My brother and I were always fans of your paper about Gamma radiation, we read ai when we were 10. “Dr. Banner seemed surprised. “Really? I’m happy you like it.”

Penny giggle a little, putting her brother back in her backpack. “Pleasure to meet you” She look at Captain Rogers. “Most of you.” With that she turned around hearing a sound like hitting someone and a low Auch.

[crispycrimebrulee]

Chrollo x Reader: ~Heart of Hermes~

Part 2: Between You & I, We Share the Same Name

Touching down in Yorknew City after a long flight was almost a miracle, seeing as the turbulence always made you uneasy. You’d slept most of the plane ride, trying to manifest good luck and fool proof plans for your journey ahead. It was late into the night already, and the silent, ethereal feeling of the airport as you wandered through the halls alone made you feel like you almost shouldn’t be there. No music, barely a soul running about, not hustle and bustle; just you and whatever secrets Yorknew City’s airport held. 

Stepping out from the airport, you were greeted with that sweet summer air and you sighed. An image of that gray eyed man flashed in your mind, and you scowled. You’d only seen him a few times, but the secrets he clearly kept behind his eyes were alluring, and your desire to know what they were only grew with every passing day. It wasn’t him or his looks, per se, (although you couldn’t deny he was strikingly attractive) but he had an air about him that called to you, like a siren calls a sailor to his demise. He called you to yours, seeking a knowledge that would undoubtedly harm you. But like a fool, you would fall into that harm all too willingly, because as they say, curiosity killed the cat. Resilient as you were, on the flip side, satisfaction would bring you back. If you crossed paths with him, you’d go along with it, but for now, you needed a cab and to get to your hotel room. 

Hailing a cab, you gave him your destination as you settled into the back of the car, checking the time and making small talk. You’d entered the heart of the city and you took in the view: gentle but inviting lights all around, staggeringly tall buildings and a feeling of ambition sat in the air, making you feel like this next job would be eventful and successful. You’d zoned out, admiring the city until you heard the cab driver snapping and calling out to you, asking for payment. You paid and stepped out of the cab, grabbing your things and watching the cab driver peel out from where he left you. 

You checked in, and made your way to your room, to which you sank into the bed promptly. You had some scouting to do tomorrow, but for now, you needed to collect yourself, maybe even get a drink. You laid there for a few minutes before dragging yourself up and looking at the scrolls again, making sense of the routes and passageways in the museum, taking into account any secrets in the building that could make your job easier or harder. Your mind felt numb after 20 minutes, the layout of the museum making your head feel heavy with boredom. You put the scroll down and tucked them away under the bed for safe keeping. Getting up, you left your room in search of a drink. 

Stepping back outside into the city, you walked down the streets in search of a bar. There was a low hum of city business going about, as well as the general city noise, and it was almost calming, hearing the city's unique music travel through the air. Upon reaching a bar, you stepped inside. It had a bit of a lo-fi aesthetic to it; neon lights yet still particularly dark. There were a handful of people there, low conversation and clinking glasses. You sat down and ordered a drink, looking around and taking in your surroundings. The bartender placed your drink down, and you nodded a thank you, taking the drink and swirling it a bit. You pulled out your phone to check the area map to see what part of the city you were in, and how close you were to the auction house. Sitting there casually sipping your drink, you stopped mid sip, for that disconcertingly similar aura seemed to have found you again. You felt it floating around your head, and you glanced to your right, trying to pinpoint the oh-so-familiar man in question. He wasn’t there, so turning to your left, slowly, you nearly spat out your drink. There he was, seated right next to you, with a vodka-cran in his hand, a book in the other. Clearly a look of shock was smeared all over your face, as he chuckled and stuck out his hand.

“I must’ve startled you. I apologize.” he said, his voice low and almost silky.

You looked at his hand and then back at him, slowly nodding your head in acknowledgement. 

He raised an eyebrow and his hand retreated, seemingly to his dismay.

“Why are you following me?” you asked, keeping your eye on him whilst finishing off your drink.

“I’m not. Simply a familiar face” he replied, a sly smile on his face, clearly lying through his teeth.

You made a face, your lip curling upward and you squinted at him, nearly insulted that he’d lie so casually. 

You paid the bartender and shuffled out of the bar, trying to get away from the avid follower. Turning the corner, you walked into an alarmingly menacing group of people; 4 people and they looked like trouble. One with sleek black hair down to his back, and concerningly vacant eyes. A short girl, with short hair and glasses, locking eyes with you. A quite small one next to the man with long hair was in a traditional japanese kimono with short hair, almost hiding behind the taller one. Another relatively short one with an umbrella, half his face covered with a turtleneck-like outfit. This was going to be a problem. You turned, only to be face to face with the gray eyed man, almost looking a little bashful. 

He stuck out his hand again, a soft smile forming on his lips. 

You put your hands on your hips and cocked your head to the side, pursing your lips and giving him a glare.

“I suppose we got off on the wrong foot. My name is Chr-” he started.

“I don’t give a shit.” you retorted, cutting him off and waving your hand, walking around him.

You can tell he was taken aback without being able to see his face, and the group that was behind you was shocked too. You could hear the mans and the group's footsteps behind yours as you walked off, and he caught up to you rather quickly.

“Hey now, that's quite rude.”, he huffed, looking at you, “Allow me to reconcile whatever I’ve done?”

You rolled your eyes and stopped, giving him a dead look. 

“Make your case.” you deadpanned, glancing at the group beside him.

“I’m Chrollo Luicilfer” he finally got out, sticking his hand out once again.

“I’m not shaking your hand.” you replied, looking at it with a slight look of disgust. 

He took it back with a light laugh.

“Alright, I believe that’s fair. Now, it seems you think I’ve been following you-” he stated.

“That’s an understatement and a lie.” you cut him off once again., “Frankly I’m not interested in whatever it is you have to tell me, Chrollo. Goodnight.”

You walked off, feeling everyone's eyes on you. You knew you’d be seeing them all again while you were here. You couldn’t really tell why or how, but they’d show up again, so he had time to make his case.

The morning came with a slight feeling of guilt and a stiff neck. Propping yourself up on your elbows, you slowly blinked, your head still gripped with sleep. The stiff neck wasn’t too much of a concern; that can always be sorted out with a warm shower and some stretching, but the guilt? You knew where that was coming from: your encounter with Lucilfer the night before. You’d been particularly snarky towards him, not allowing him to make his case, as you’d stated that night. To be fair, he had been following you, and you weren’t too fond of the fact that he lied about it. But again, as you had also thought, you’d see him again. 

Crawling out of bed, you checked to make sure your scrolls and all the items you collected over the days were still in your room. Seeing they were still there, you made your way over to your suitcase and picked out an outfit for the day. A white dress shirt and some tan colored bottoms, with white shoes to match. You left just the first 3 buttons of the shirt undone. You set your outfit with a gold chain, and did a little twirl for yourself in the mirror. You grabbed a backpack and made your way to the auction house in the city in order to scope it out. It was some ways away but you’d make it work, and you could use the walk. The city in the morning felt like any other city: loud and full of usual business and massive, leaving one to feel small, realizing that you’re one of many itty bitty pieces in an almost infinite puzzle. 

You rounded a corner and made your way down another street, noting the alleyways and landmarks along the way as escape routes and hideouts if you found yourself stuck in a pinch during the night of your escapade. As if on cue, you felt eyes on you, but not Lucifer's eyes this time. This aura felt eerie and unattached as well as most definitely unhinged. Not making it obvious, you tried to see if the person in question was in your peripherals by any chance, to perhaps gauge how to deal with them. As you kept walking, albeit on high alert, the person and their aura passed you: the man with the long black hair, and he was staring a hole into your very being, his lifeless eyes clearly gaging you, rather than you to him. You locked eyes with him, and he stared back, unwavering. Looking at him soon made you feel like keeping eye contact was dangerous, as if he was reading your thoughts just by keeping up this staring contest. Soon, he looked away and walked faster, leaving you in slight confusion. Clearly he had gathered something from you, physical or not. You searched the light crowd for him, but he’d vanished, aura and all. You finally showed up at the auction house. There was no way you’d be able to get inside without a ticket, and it wouldn’t be open until there was an auction. You peeked around the sides of the building, checking for vents like you did for the Minerva Museum. There seemed to be cameras on every square inch of the building, causing your to furrow your brows in exasperation. It wouldn’t be too much of a problem, controlling the cameras, but it was a bit of a pain, having so many cameras around. There was a vent, but it was much too small for you, or anyone else to fit in. Sure, you could send in your rollers, but to what end? Again, you couldn’t use the vents. You pondered over this for some time before your thoughts drifted to Chrollo and you rolled your eyes at yourself for letting yourself get carried away with a stranger. Peering up, the top of the building was staggeringly high, and you couldn’t be bothered to scale it. Thinking back to how it would only open for auctions and most likely mafia business, you figured, you might as well make like you’re attending the auction, which probably should’ve been your first thought. Originally, you planned to sneak in a different way, without having to dress up for the auction, but now dressing up seemed inevitable. Feeling the rollers in your pocket yet again, you took them out and tossed them into the vent, just to at least get a look at what you’d be walking through. Leaning against the side of the building, you fiddled the balls around the vent, finding the exit through another vent after around 10 minutes. The building was surprisingly busy on the inside; staff running around seemingly to prepare for the auction in the next 2 days. Running the balls along the wall, careful to stop and try to be unnoticeable, you nearly crawled out of your own skin upon seeing a familiar face dressed up like staff: the short man who had been wearing a turtleneck like outfit was standing with a blond man, and they were both extremely out of place in your opinion. They’re scouting the place out as well you thought, studying them from your rollers. You made note not to follow them, but you did observe them walking around, carrying supplies and being somewhat of a help to other staff members. You continued on in a different direction, looking for where the vault might be. 

You had rounded a few corners before finding yourself in a long hallway with a computer operated door by the looks of it. In the peripheral of the roller, the same two men from earlier showed up at the door with some other staff. They were carrying some seemingly expensive items, and they unlocked the door with a slew of passwords and checks. Slipping in through the quickly closing crack of the door, the roller caught sight of what you were looking for: the vault. A huge vault, several feet high, and you could already tell it was several feet thick. There were no vents in the area, so venting in and out would be out of the question. You watched one of the staff members open the vault and take the items from the other staff and the two non-staff and place them in the vault. The staff member turned and motioned for the others to follow suit in leaving, leaving the vault door to close on its own. You quickly maneuvered your rollers to get inside, making it in before it sealed. Turning on the little night vision aspect on your rollers, you nearly fell over with just how full (and large) the vault was. The vault was massive, and most of it was full of interesting and dazzling items from around the world. You tilted the rollers upward trying to see if by some miracle, there was a vent in the ceiling that could potentially lead to the roof, allowing for a rooftop entrance (to which then you wouldn’t mind having to scale the building). There was no vent, to which at this point, you could see that essentially walking through the front door would be the only option. You left your roller in there, seeing as it had no way out until the staff came back, so you rolled it into a corner, and let it sit there for when you eventually would be in the vault as well. 

You made your way to leave the building, seeing as you’d been there for 20 minutes or so. You felt eyes on you once again, letting out a loud exasperated sigh, thinking about how you were being watched at all times at this rate, and you angrily scanned the area for who it was this time. In the distance, in some shrubbery, was the man with the long hair, and a blonde in a green tracksuit, seemingly Gucci. The man in the tracksuit whistled, a wolf whistle in fact, and you couldn't keep yourself from gagging at the less than awful notion of what the whistle was for. You spun on your heels and walked off to the nearest cafe, feeling the two men hot on your trail. Stepping inside, you joined the line, trying to keep your composure. You felt their presence even stronger now, but they aren't behind you. You peeked out the windows of the shop to see them standing there, apparently being scolded by Chrollo. You watched them as you made your way up the line and ordered your drinking, being wary of the men watching you from the outside. Soon leaving the shop, you passed, avoiding eye contact with them as best as possible. You felt all three of them watching you, and you did everything in your power to not lose your mind with the creepiness factor. You looked back, and locked eyes with Chrollo, and even though it was a good distance away, you felt him studying you, trying to read you and figure you out. You slowly averted your gaze and you walked on, preparing yourself for the adventure to come.

September 1st. The night of nights. You wore a black satin full body piece, and some diamond accessories to match. You wore decent and classy boots, both practical and tactical. Although fancy looking, it was also a tactical outfit in general, allowing you to look stunning yet ready to set things straight if need be. You looked at yourself in the mirror and put on your best face. You carried two small knives in your boots and your rollers, and a small handbag, and walked out of your hotel room, ready to snag a gem.

Approaching the auction building, you took a deep breath, seeing as your nerves were particularly jumpy at this point. Not like there was a reason, you’ve pulled similar stunts before. Maybe it was the thought that another massacre would occur, or that you would undoubtedly come face to face with Chrollo again. You sighed and made your way inside the auction house, wary as ever.

Upon entering, the place felt busy and excited, staff running from one end to another, important public figures scattered about and chatting with each other, the lively hum of conversation filling the air. As much as you wanted to see everything happening, you had work to do. By ‘work to do’, it meant finding a staff member who either had the proper access cards for the pre-vault door, or managing to get in there without one. The chances that the staff wouldn’t have their eyes on their card at all times would be highly unlikely, so the chances of getting one would be slim. The auctioning part of the auction hadn’t started yet, so you had some time to get in the vault to take what you needed and leave. This was like any of your other missions, get in, get what you want, get out and go home. Maybe stay for the festivities if you were particularly bored. You took a glass of champagne from one of the servers that were milling about and casually walked around, offering fake smiles and the occasional glass raise to individuals you passed by. You rounded the corner during your stroll through the many hallways and nearly choked on your champagne. There was the door again, the giant metal computer operated one at the end of the hallway, and you could barely keep your excitement within you. You looked around casually, as to make sure you didn't look too suspicious, and you noted three cameras and smiled a little. You walked back out of the hallway, but not completely, as you had a little nen work to do that required you to be near. A slight downside to your nen was having to guess which metal a particular something was made of, and having to wait 10 minutes before opting to control another type of metal. However, in the years of the ultimate guessing game, you’ve gotten pretty good at guessing metals, since there are only a handful. Subtly sticking your hand out, you tried your luck at steel, focusing to cause the cameras to move. The camera’s didn’t move, but both the security door and the vault door rattled violently. Well that’s luck at its finest, you suppose. The camera’s would be a bit of a problem, seeing as they would see you if you walked further into the hallway. You thought, for a moment, about just saying to hell with it and walking under the camera’s, because it’s not like there's any information in the world about you, you’re a ghost after all. As if by grace, the lights all shut down, and you nearly screamed thank you out loud. Still in the mindset of controlling steel, you opened the security door and rushed in, approaching the vault door. Still controlling steel, you worked the gears inside the large metal door to open, regardless of proper passwords and codes. The lights were flickering, but nevermind that. The door opened just enough for you to squeeze in (you could feel the weight of the door after all, no matter how much control you had over it) and let it quietly shut behind you. Letting your eyes adjust to the dark, you put your hand on your hips in triumph and did a bit of a victory shimmy. Step one of your wonderful plan was complete! Grabbing your phone as a (very crude, might I add) flashlight, you searched around the pile of riches in the vault. During your search, you suddenly hear cheering and loud applause, and the lights in the vault turned on. The auction has started, apparently, so you were quickly about to run out of time. You quickly scurried about, picking up swords, weapons, eyes, body parts, pots and jars of liquids and dirt, boxes that ominously rattled and binders of sheet music, passing by delicate books and small dolls whilst looking for your precious Heart of Hermes. It seemed to be 20 minutes of searching before you laid your eyes on a clear box with a small black cushion inside in the corner of the room. You couldn’t keep the small gasp from escaping you, your lip trembling in excitement and a general overflow of emotions. You’d read very little about the Heart of Hermes, and you’d only seen pictures of what an Alexandrite gem looked like, but oh. Oh was this gem far more beautiful than you could’ve ever imagined. You picked it up gently, running your fingers over the glass box, admiring the green and purple hue of the gem in the light. Time and whatever your full mission was didn’t even seem to matter anymore, you were absolutely enthralled by the gem and the secrets it would soon unlock. The lights flickered once again, and went out, the cries of shock and the general darkness snapping you out of your euphoric admiration. You heard footsteps coming towards the vault, and you scurried further into the corner, climbing on top of a rather large crate, close to the ceiling almost. The cries of shock you’d heard earlier quickly turned into cries of fear and panic, and you could hear wild footsteps running about, almost in the sense of trying to get away. Something was happening, once again. Another massacre? Maybe...but now was not the time to get caught up in thinking, seeing as someone was clearly trying to break open the vault door. Almost deafening hammering sounds for at least 5 minutes, until they all but stopped. One particularly large hit sent the door flying off its hinges, and you bit your lip to keep from yelping. Your eyes already adjusted to the darkness, now being aided by the slight hue of the emergency lights, your heart sank to your toes upon seeing who was standing in the doorway.

Chrollo Lucilfer.

Now wait just a goddamn minute. He’s here...for what? Was he like you? Did he come to steal things as well? Your mind was going at a million miles a minute, and you shoved the small box with the Heart of Hermes into your boot, careful not to make too much noise atop the crate. 

As Chrollo walked in, a rather large group of people followed in, and you rolled your eyes. An entire entourage just to steal things, meanwhile you were doing it alone. A show off if ever there was one. You spotted the man with the long hair almost immediately, and you could swear he spotted you as well, seeing as he turned towards you.

What luck, y/n. He goddamn did.

He raised his hand and pointed directly at you, ceasing to break eye contact.

“Someone’s in here, Chrollo.” he deadpanned, your ears almost melting from how uninterested he sounded. Rough company, it seemed.

“Oh? A human prize amongst everything else here?” he murmured walking towards the snitch who pointed you out. 

The blond man in the track walked over to them as well, and pointed a flashlight towards you, and almost shrieked in excitement.

“It’s them! The hot one from the other day!” he exclaimed, and then quickly tried to take up a more cool and suave composure. 

You rolled your eyes far and long enough, almost to the point where they’d get stuck in the back of your skull if you did it any further. 

“Rapunzel over here is a snitch it seems…” you hissed, glaring at the man with the long hair.

The other blonde, not in a tracksuit, snickered at your remark. 

“What are you doing here.” the Rapunzel wannabe asked plainly.

You raised your eyebrow at the seemingly ridiculous question.

“Seeing the Pope.”, you sneered, squinting at him “What does it look like I’m doing?”

“The Pope isn’t here.” he replied, cocking his head to the side.

You nearly fell off the crate with how the comment went so far over his head.

“I’m stealing things. I’m going to assume you’re stealing things as well. You’re in a vault, I’m in a vault, we’re all in a vault that we shouldn’t be in, two plus two is four, it all makes sense.” you said, sitting up right and making yourself comfortable on top the crate. 

“Who are you.” he asked.

“I’m a thief. Who are you?” you replied, ignoring the depth of his own question.

Before the man could answer, Chrollo answered for him.

“The Phantom Troupe.” Chrollo proclaimed, a smile forming on his lips.

Oh. You slightly realized the situation you were in at this point. You felt silly not realizing who they were beforehand.

“Chrollo, you've been chasing some criminal this whole time?” a woman with pink hair chimed in, making a disgusted face.

“Uh everyone here is a criminal. You guys aren’t exactly special either in the criminal regard.” you said, raising an eyebrow at her.

“We are The Phantom Troupe. The infamous Troupe. We are special.” she quipped, her lip curled upward.

“You have a title. That’s about it. Society still thinks you’re a bunch of deranged, unhinged kleptomaniacs, and they regard me as the same, so we’re all the same brand of criminal in this room and outside of it.” you said with a sigh, getting disinterested in whatever they had to say.

The pink haired girl rolled her eyes and opened her mouth to come back at you when the man with the long hair spoke up.

“Get down from the crate.”, Rapunzel 2.0 demanded.

You put your hands on your knees and wiggled, leaning forward.

“No.” you smiled, retorting simply. 

“I will take you down myself.” He said, slowly approaching you.

“Touch me and I’ll make you bald.” you declared, pulling out one of your knives. 

Chrollo gently grabbed the man's arm, pulling him back. You couldn’t tell if it was for your safety or the safety of the man's hair. 

“Well, it’s wonderful to see you again so soon. Do you think this time I can have your name?” Chrollo asked, almost kindly, “I gave you mine after all.”

You sighed, because in some sort of fairness, he was right.

“Y/N”

“And a last name, y/n?” Chrollo asked again, leaning forward.

“Don’t push it.” you said, resting your head on your fist.

He chuckled, and put up his hand as if to surrender. 

“Well, what have you picked from this bounty in the vault? May I see it?” he said, sauntering over to you.

“Absolutely not.” you replied, locking eyes with him.

“Well then I don’t believe I can let you have it, y/n.” he said with a sigh, stopping some feet away from the crate.

“That’s not the code of thieves you know.” you sang, smiling a little.

The entire group looked at you, to with your shock, a collective look of perplexion, Chrollo included. However, Chrollo also seemed to be quite amused.

“And what is the rule of thieves, dear y/n?” he asked, bringing his fingers to his lip, studying you.

“Finders keepers. That’s literally how this works. I found it, so it’s mine now.” you said, trying to keep yourself from giggling. This was proving to be quite fun.

Chrollo let out a small laugh and nodded a little considering your response. 

However, that was quickly over as the long haired man materialized next to you, gripping your arm and pulling you down from the crate and holding your back against his chest, practically lifting you off the ground. Chrollo came over and began to pat you down quite thoroughly.

“Jeez if you’re going to do all that at least buy me dinner first…” you whispered, feeling his hands in some unsavory (or savory?) places on your body.

He glanced up at you, smiling a little.

“Then allow me to take you to dinner, y/n.” he cooed, seemingly admiring your face.

You squinted at him. Jokes just seem to pass over these peoples heads like planes.

“I’d rather be dead and 6 feet under than go to dinner with a stalker.” you spat, rolling your eyes and wiggling against the taller man.

“Alright then.” he sighed, turning away.

Panic quietly set in in you, and you began to scan the room. Plenty of swords, most from periods of time when iron was the main type of metal in usage.

“Can I at least say my last words?” you asked, looking at Chrollo.

He turned and smiled, giving you a confident nod. You grinned in return, unable to hide the absolute mischief behind the smile. He waved at the man holding you to set you down and you wiggled a bit, making yourself comfortable.

“Iron!” you yelled, raising your hands.

Considerably, a lot more things in the vault were made of iron than you previously suspected, because a multitude of objects sprung up and flew up haphazardly and flew about while hitting various members. An iron helmet smacked the man behind you in the face, clearly taking him by surprise as he fell over. Taking your chance, you took off running. The look on Chrollo’s face was of slight shock as you bolted out of the room. Turning your head slightly, you were now being chased by the people who weren’t hit by various iron objects. Rounding the corner you nearly fell over yourself as you came to a halt: the police, essentially an entire task force, was milling around the building, clearly called to the attack. Wonderful. Turning to run down a different hallway, an absolutely massive man rounded the corner, and you nearly crashed into him, he looked at you, and then past you, seeing what were obviously his comrades at the end of the hallway. Before they could point out that you were escaping, you ran past him just as the task force opened fire. 

Booking it down the hallway, you arrived at the stairs, nearly falling down them trying to get out of the place. Safely getting down the stairs, you turned again, seeing Chrollo at the top of the stairs, with an almost hungry look in his eyes. He made no movement to go after you, and he stopped the Troupe from going after you as well. 

That look, that I’m-going-to-see-you-again look was twinkling in his eye and you smiled as you ran out the door into the night.

[inkribbon796]

What a Beautiful Wedding Ch. 3: More TV Listings, Nothing to See Here

Summary: Friday TV Guide Listings:

6:00 (PST) Manhunter (CC)—Game

(2) (3) (12)

Contestants compete to hunt down Dream ( :) ) and try to win for various prizes.

Tour de Force (CC)—Drama

(6) (16) (24)

Singer-performer Nate (Nathan Sharp) and his band of supernatural investigators battle against various paranormal threats including the enigmatic Big Q (Quackity) and his casino mafia.

The Grand Convergence (CC)—Drama-Action

When a group of scientists give life to artificial intelligence, things begin to fly wildly out of control.

(2) (6) (18)

A/N: WARNING for android death, it is temporary but it is there.

And now he’s more TV Listings for your enjoyment. But ignore them, we’ll get to them later.

7:00 (PST) Movie (CC)—Sci-fi-Drama

“Space with Markiplier.” Marc Iplier.

(2)

Movie (CC)—Fantasy

“The Antarctic Empire.” Technoblade, Philza.

(6)

Chapters: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8

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CHANNEL 6

//////~~~~//////~~~~//////~~~~//////

[Camera cuts to Badboy Halo who is sitting for an interview]

“Well,” Bad smiled. “Everyone knows that Dream the only thing Dream cares about more than himself is George.”

[CUT to Bad setting up a box and rope trap with a headshot of George inside]

“Yeah,” Bad smile grew even bigger as he surveyed his world. “I think I got this.”

As if Dream had been watching and listening in, and he was, he tagged Bad in the back with a foam rock and knocked him to the side as he ran past.

//////~~~~//////~~~~//////~~~~//////

CHANNEL 24

//////~~~~//////~~~~//////~~~~//////

“Boys, boys,” Big Q smiled as Nate and Phantom were dragged in front of the mob boss by Sam and Purpled. “I thought we were done with all this.”

“Maybe if you weren’t causing trouble we would be,” Nate spat as he and Phantom shrugged off the people dragging him in. “Where’s Mad and Mare, you sick sadist.”

“Oh gentlemen,” Big Q grinned. “I haven’t done anything to them. Haven’t even touched a hair on their heads.”

“Bull,” Phantom told him, the vampire’s eyes turning red in anger. “You’ve got five seconds—”

“Easy now, big guy,” Big Q pulled out a thin stake of wood twisted from long wild rose stalks. “Let’s not get too hasty. I’ve got a job for you boys.”

“What is it?” Nate asked hesitantly. Even thinking about taking a job from Big Q made his skin crawl.

“Well, you see,” Big Q smiled as one of his associates, Fundy, raced in with a white fox right behind him to hand the individual some papers. “Oh thanks, kid.”

Fundy smiled brightly as Big Q looked back at them. “There’s this little group that’s been causing trouble for me for a while now and—”

//////~~~~//////~~~~//////~~~~//////

CHANNEL 2

//////~~~~//////~~~~//////~~~~//////

“Well I didn’t suspect this would happen!” The Director spat at Google.

“Well maybe you should have stopped at making the first one!” Google spat in return.

//////~~~~//////~~~~//////~~~~//////

//////~~~~//////~~~~//////~~~~//////

Outside the bubbles, as the light and rubble cleared enough for the heroes that hadn’t been snatched up by the bubbles, were standing in the ruins of the gazebo. Each of the bubbles was at least the size of a house, the biggest were the size of a five-story building.

“The fuck was that?” Silver shouted. He was standing with J.J and Jackie.

“Silver!” Oliver was running over to them with Mini’s drive. “I can’t contact Bing!”

“You okay?” Silver asked, flying over. Mini came out of his drive and looked around frantically.

“Yes but Bing is off our network, along with the other Googles,” Oliver told them.

“That’s probably because none of ‘em[1] have any type of service or connection.” Someone was calling down to them from the top of the ruins of the gazebo. He was in a white hoodie and was looking down at them.

“Great,” Jackie spat as he braced for a fight. Two other people emerged from seemingly nowhere, someone with a red and white cameo mask, and a woman who had roses physically growing out of her hair. “We’re busy.”

“Name’s Punz,” the man in a white hoodie gestured to himself. “These are Ponk and Hannah.”

“We’re fookin’[2] busy,” Jackie spat. “What part ‘a that didn’t yeh Servers fooks get?”[3]

Punz sighed and rolled his eyes, “Well normally I don’t care what you chumps do, unless I’m paid to care. But my paycheck just got sucked into one of those bubbles and I want to get him back out.”

“Who, Dream?” Silver asked. “How long has he been here?”

Punz sighed. “Some of us happened to be in the area. Most of us are still in the Serve though. But Dream and the others who were nearby during the ceremony got grabbed.”

“How many?” Silver asked, looking at the bubbles.

“About half of us, if you include Techno and Phil, and Dream does,” Punz told him. “Okay, look, I don’t care about your team, the issue is that Dream pays me, and I like having a job so I’m going to drag him back out so he can keep wiring me money. Besides, my brother’s in there.”

“Okay so we’ll start tryin’ ta pop those fookers,”[4] Jackie decided, Silver flew up to try and get inside the closest bubble but it just bounced him back.

“Ponk,” Punz called out.

“I’m no Skeppy,” Ponk said, a book appearing in hand, “but I can make do. ‘Sides[5], Foolish is in there somewhere.”

J.J walked over to Ponk to look at the book, his pocket watch in hand as he anchored himself in a spot to start turning back time if he needed it.

The mute hero was signing to Ponk as the mage was starting to cast spells. “Hmmmm~ That one?” Ponk asked and J.J nodded.

“Who’d you find?” Punz asked, looking at the bubble.

“Don’t know, but there are four people in there,” Ponk said. “It’s not the smallest but it’s already weakening.”

Oliver seemed to realize something. “Wait, Host gave me something right before the wedding.”

“So he did think somethin’[6] was happenin’[7],” Jackie frowned.

The yellow android pulled out a box and opened it to see a note and the blue solid state drive that they had seen a couple months ago helping to power a generator with Logan’s soul inside.

On the note read:

Replace Bing’s drive with this. The bubbles are little small realities. Target weaker ones to make the stronger bubbles pop.

“That’s not good,” Oliver told them, his voice sounding rattled. “Why would Bing need his drive replaced?”

“What does his drive do?” Silver asked.

“Bing’s central drive is like a human brain, it can’t just be switched out and I don’t know what’s in this thing.”

“So let’s find Bing and figure out what’s wrong,” Silver told him.

“Okay,” Ponk spoke up. “I think I can get it open but I don’t know what’s going to happen when we get in there.

Hannah circles her hand and the ground turned into a massive rose as Ponk and J.J opened up the bubble. It didn’t pop, but it was open just long enough for them to jump in.

//////~~~~//////~~~~//////~~~~//////

CHANNEL 2

//////~~~~//////~~~~//////~~~~//////

It was a dark, neon-lit city that looked like Egoton. But the group appeared in some official-looking military room.

Google was arguing with the Director with Red and Green right behind him.

“Oliver?” Green gasped in surprise. “You’re alive?”

Google rushed over to Mini and forced a power down and stowed his drive away.

“Where’s Bing?” Oliver asked.

“This cretin factory reset Bing!” Google glared at the Director.

Oliver looked at them in horror.

“What?” Oliver took a step back.

“Yeh[8] what?!” Jackie spat in an absolute fury. “He was a person! Yeh[8] killed him.”

“He was a faulty computer program who wasn’t even doing his job,” the General snapped.

Google hit his limit and shot the Director right between the eyes. All the organic beings in the room startled and yelled in surprise.

“What did you do?” Silver stared at him in horror.

“That was for what he did to Bing!” Google snarled.

Oliver pulled out the drive he’d been given from the Host, “The Host gave me this, he told me to replace Bing’s drive with it.”

“Why? What’s on it?” Google demanded.

“I don’t know, but if Bing’s already been reset then it couldn’t harm him anymore than the humans already have.” Oliver was desperate, frantic.

“Let’s just find him,” Silver said, glancing down at the Director and he realized he wasn’t sure if the man was real or not.

Fortunately, the group didn’t have to go far because Bing came to them. Or at least what was left of him. It was Bing as he normally looked, minus the dark sunglasses, his eyes a glowing, angry orange. His usual stance was far more upright and tense, and any humor was gone.

“Bing?” Oliver whispered fearfully.

“Memesis Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and Delta,” Bing said in a fully robotic tone, his usual way of speaking was also gone, “you will submit yourself for a factory reset or be terminated.”

Silver looked around the room, it was too enclosed, there were too many people. When the Google androids didn’t do what Bing wanted he moved to attack them, Google moving in front of Oliver to protect him.

Jackie tried to race in to help and was barely fast enough to avoid getting his leg crushed by the malevolent android.

Silver was trying to keep Bing off of Jackie or anyone else more breakable but he realized something with grim certainty: Bing was going to start killing people.

Silver flew back to get some distance and speed and then snapped forward in an instant the bubble popped and they were back on the ground where they had all started. Bing’s mechanical body arced and jolted as Silver held the mangled and destroyed remains of Bing’s central drive in his hand.

“No!” Google shouted in horror, everyone just staring at Silver in horror. The android raced forward, aiming to crush Silver’s neck in his hands but Silver flew out of the way.

“We have a replacement drive,” Silver reminded him. “I wouldn’t have done that if we didn’t have that drive.”

“I don’t know what’s on that!” Google roared, pulling out lazers and trying to murder Silver.

Oliver came behind Google and began looking Bing over, a look of panic and fear on his face.

“He was still physically there, if that drive doesn’t contain his personality there’s no way to rebuild him,” Google snarled.

“The rest of his core is intact,” Oliver announced, “we just need to fix some wires.”

Google stopped and looked back at Oliver, trying to not look at Bing’s remains. “Fine, try it.”

Then the android glared at Silver, “If this doesn’t work, Silver, I will destroy every atom of your body.”

“Right,” Silver told him but still kept his distance.

“The only thing this world had going for it was that Bing loved it,” Google told him as he knelt down next to Oliver who was frantically trying to repair the frayed wires and crushed metal.

Google pulled out the drive and just stared at it. His nanites helped to print and construct materials.

Jackie raced over to Silver, keeping an eye on Google. “We need ta[9] find Logic,” Jackie told Silver, “maybe if we do he can help—”

At that moment, there was a little sound and Bing’s little orange accent lights came online and everyone braced for another attack but after a couple more minutes, Bing got up and looked around.

“Googs? What are— Where am I?” Bing looked confused, his voice back to normal, before he looked alarmed as he checked the day’s date. “The drive?”

Google began to fret over Oliver, “Do you have any faulty programs? Glitches? Did that drive have any malware attached to it?”

“I’m running a diagnostic right now, dude,” Bing told him. “Give me a minute.”

“So what was the deal with that drive, thought Logic would have broken that thing?” Silver asked.

“Dunno,”[10] Bing shrugged. “Host had me use that drive that Spade trapped Lo in, said I would need ta[9] make a backup of myself an’[11] that it had enough room. Guess he was right. Might need ta[9] be filled on everything that happened for the past couple ‘a[12] months.”

Ponk and J.J tore open another bubble, a rumbling shock rippled out towards the other bubbles.

“Show time!” Punz called out.

“Bing is staying with me,” Google ordered. “And if you can find Logic I want him here too.”

“Yeah, havin’[13] all the brainiacs together is prolly[14] fer[15] the best,” Jackie agreed.

“Let’s go!” Punz said and Hannah began to construct another rose to jettison them up, making Silver and Jackie race after them as they jumped into another bubble.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Accessibility Translations:

1. them

2. fucking

3. What part of that didn’t you Servers fucks get?

4. Okay so we’ll start trying to pop those fuckers

5. Besides

6. something

7. happening

8. You

9. to

10. I don’t know

11. and

12. of

13. having

14. probably

15. for

[tenglows]

Could I request # 8 and enemies to lovers with fluff with Ten from the prompts? Thank you💛 Tried to send one yday, but i think it got cut after hi hi 😅

[ 8: kiss me again and you’ll see ] i loved this so much i got a little bit carried away and made it kind of long. i'm sorry jsjd

the prompts

you were one of the best bakers in town. one of them, not the actual best. although you believed you deserved to be the only one with that title.

you had never considered yourself a competitive person until you met ten. the town’ sweetheart who for your misfortune, owned the other most claimed bakery.

for a while, you did take the cake for making the best pastries and desserts. you had always loved cooking, and having your store filled with your satisfied neighbors every day was all you could ever ask for. you lived in a small town too, so acclamation flew fast and soon there was not a single villager that wasn’t obsessed with your patisserie.

that lasted until there was a new baker in town. it was never a drastic popularity loss that caused your shop being completely empty and your sales crashing down, but you were totally sharing the praise that was previously merely yours with ten’ stupid sweet eyes.

therefore, it was an understanding that you hadn’t stepped out of your kitchen ever since the town mayor announced the yearly municipal contest. it consisted on the food professionals exhibiting their specialities, people trying everything so at the end of the day, they could vote who was their favorite.

every year in a row you had been given the medal of the bakery position, but for the first time in your life you now had your doubts. could you really win against ten?

hibernating in your kitchen resulted in you going over your recipes, modifying everything a hundred times until you found the perfect design. your friends and family adored you, but you were honestly driving them a little nuts, filling their mouths with cakes every second and asking which they liked better. only for you to not listen to their thoughts and start another recipe from scratch.

it was almost midnight when you were convinced you had finally figured the exact and right amount of ingredients you needed to make the winning cake. you wrote it down so you wouldn’t forget, on the roughed notebook that had the instructions of all the supposedly winning cakes.

after frantically opening the fridge, you almost broke down to tears when you couldn’t find anymore eggs. how could you have ran out of eggs???

you glanced at the clock before storming out of your house, running to the small market down the street. everything was closed now, but you knew old patty kept her store open until midnight.

“hi patty” you sighed and sprant inside, heading to the egg’s shelf.

there was no one in sight until, of course, in front of you, there was ten. holding the last egg carton.

you looked daggers at him. trying to step back so you wouldn’t end up physically harming him.

“ten” you spoke slowly, containing yourself from exploding. “i really need those eggs”

“i need them too, y/n. this is simply a matter of who got here first”

he smiled at you, almost looking nice, and left you there.

when you got back to your place you were a mess. you pulled your hair while you screamed all the words you would like to say to ten. his comment had annoyed you more than you could explain. if it truly was a matter of who got there first, this had always been your town. he was the intruder, the one who got here last. hence, he should have given you the eggs.

you were doodling on your journal when there was a knock on the door. you furrowed your eyebrows, wondering who of the people you knew would show up at one in the morning.

seeing ten with a basket full of eggs was an image you couldn’t wrap your mind around when you opened the door.

“these are better than the ones at the market”

“where are they from?”

“from my chickens. i raise and take care of them myself, i assure you won’t find better eggs than these ones”

you looked at him distrustfully, still not taking the box from his hands.

“why are you being nice to me?”

ten ignored your question and looked around your house, solely what he could observe from your doorstep, since it didn’t seem you would let him in.

he beamed sincerely at you when he noticed all the various cakes spreaded around your furniture.

“don’t be too hard on yourself, y/n” you didn’t know what to say, specially because those were the words you needed to hear at this time of pure self-criticism.

“hey, the cake of yours that is white chocolate mousse with lemon cream inside is mind blowing. totally contest worthy. i think it was called blanc?”

that comment took you aback.

“when on earth have you bought one of my cakes?” you didn’t recall the boy ever coming to your shop, you would probably have kicked him out if he had.

“my mom got it for her birthday” he shrugged and put the basket on your door mat. “goodnight, y/n”

ten walked away after that, and now you were staring at the eggs in your kitchen counter. you had never seen ones so fresh since forever, they were in impeccable condition.

you shook your head and stored them in the fridge. you couldn’t accept help from the competition, that was just plain weak.

you got ready for bed and reminded yourself to get eggs at patty’s first thing in the morning. you also crossed out “blanc!!!! winning cake!!!!! (for real this time)” from the notebook.

it was finally the day from the contest, the town had been beautifully adorned, garlands hanging from the food stands.

you were currently at your stall, serving people the cake with a big smile even though you were a nervous wreck. you had barely left your spot to try the other delicious stuff that was going around.

“i see you settled on that one. it must be delicious. can i try?”

ten spoke softly with a smile on his lips. like he always had.

“just so you know, i had already made up my mind before you came by” you cut a piece and passed it to him.

of course you didn’t trust ten’s recommendation to go for that exact cake. what if he was planning to do the same and then accuse you of plagiarism? you never knew. but after asking around and confirming that he had prepared a chocolate cake, you were safe.

“mm, this is great. seriously. really tasty and the right amount of sweet”

“thank you”

ten arched his eyebrows at that.

“what did you say?”

“thank you” you repeated a little louder, still mumbling, not wanting him to actually hear you.

“wow, the y/n thanking me?? her archenemy???? must be my lucky day”

you couldn't help but giggle. the truth was that ten wasn't a bad person or anything for that matter. he was actually really nice and sweet, maybe that was made you hate him even more.

“did you use my eggs?”

“not really”

“what, why?”

“i wasn't sure if you had poisoned them”

you spoke in such serious and confident tone now it was his turn to burst into laughter.

“you really think i would modify my chickens just so i could give you poisoned eggs”

“better safe than sorry”

“you are something else” you wondered how he never appeared without a smile. it was like his signature. but you kinda didn't mind it today.

“do you want to try mine?”

you nodded and he guided you towards his stand. the cake was delightful, and you became aware that you had never actually tried ten's cooking before.

suddenly, you heard the mayor's voice through a megaphone saying they would announce the winner soon. ten and you went together to the town square, before parting ways to your respective friends. he didn't leave without wishing you luck first.

your mom wrapped her arms around you as the winning names were told. the bakery category was left for last, and your nails were suffering the effect of your nerves.

“and the winner for this years best baker goes to...”

you shut your eyes.

“y/n!!!!”

your family and friends cheered noisier than everyone else, but your eyes glowed when seeing the entire reunited town applauding and complimenting you. all that energy and hard work had reaped its fruits and it made you more than happy. you only wished you could have enjoyed the process a bit more, after all, you loved baking and you loved this town. you shouldn't need much more.

you were thanking someone when you saw ten making his way towards you. he waited aside for you to finish, a radiant smile on his face.

“congrats”

“thanks a lot, ten. your cake was great as well”

the boy moved closer and fixed his eyes on yours. your arms shivered. you had never let him be this close to you, and you could sense he was testing the waters by the way he hesitated sluggishly.

honestly, you weren't even conscious of your surroundings when ten kissed you. this was a scenario you had never given thought to before, but it didn't bother you, not one bit. you liked it, his lips on top of yours. his mouth was so warm from all the smiles he gifted.

he pulled away and looked at you once again. he had expected you to run away, scream at him, hell, maybe even punch him, but you didn't. you just stayed there, beautiful as ever. and he thanked all the gods above for that.

“here, i made you a congratulations cupcake. i always knew you would win” you hadn't noted he had an arm behind his back, which was now handing you a cupcake with flawless buttercream icing.

“how can i know this is not poisoned?”

ten eyed you before taking a bite out the pastry, watching you as he did, humming in satisfaction.

“there's only one way to find out. kiss me again and you’ll see”.

[asgardianthot]

Flesh And Bones - Part 6

Soulmate AU

Series Masterlist

Words: 2129

A/N: I’m actually so excited to post the next few chapters? All of your comments are insanely, ubelievably nice, I appreciate you taking the time to say how much you’re enjoying the fic so so much. So I just can’t wait to give y’all what you want lol hope I can deliver

The melodic beep that announced opening of elevator doors was immediately followed by the thud of boots on the floor. Both Wanda and Bucky were walking rather fast, in direction to the parked quinjet. An alarm had set off all around the tower, informing the Avengers of an important mission that required speed and immediate action, so the pair had seen themselves forced to end a heart-to-heart conversation in order to work for a living.

Wanda had accompanied the soldier as he changed into fighting gear, mainly to make sure he wouldn’t bail on the team. She knew Bucky would do anything to avoid Sam at the moment, for that was his instinct, no matter how many times Sam stated that wasn’t what he wanted. So Maximoff had stood inside Bucky’s room while he complained and ranted and groaned, more focused on words than on sliding the black cargo pants up his legs.

As soon as the cool air of the heliport hit Bucky’s face, he stopped in his tracks.

“I can’t go.” He said loud enough to be heard.

The young woman turned to face him with an expression of utter disbelief.

“Bucky.” She let out, beginning to prepare a reprimand; they had just agreed that something like that was exactly what he wasn’t going to do, “What are you talking about?”

However, he looked a little frozen, and sounded like it too, considering he didn’t even respond to the question. It wasn’t necessary, though, for Wanda knew exactly what was going on, and therefore she walked back to him, less upset, to grab Bucky’s hand softly.

“You can’t just not go.” She reminded him in a much sweeter, but still stern tone, “We need you. This is your job. You can do this.”

The reassuring words helped Bucky swallow and nod. Yet, the knot in his stomach wasn’t going away.

“What if-?”

“What if you kiss on the quinjet?” Wanda interrupted him, causing him to give her a death glare; she simply rolled her eyes, “On the way to a mission.” She continued mocking him, shaking her head, “I doubt it.”

“Wanda-“

“You don’t even have to talk. Just do your job. Get out of the tower.”

The last push turned into a rather helpful observation, since Bucky didn’t actually go out much, especially the last few weeks; perhaps a good ole’ mission would be optimal.

“Come on, you can sit with me and hold my hand.” She went back to a joking and mildly patronizing tone.

The second the both of them took their seats next to each other, the last man walked inside the quinjet. With the wings-backpack and all, Sam made an appearance right before the doors shut. Bucky took in his image as he looked up from fastening his seat belt.

“All set.” Natasha announced from the driver’s seat.

There was a powerful staring contest going down between Bucky and Sam, which ultimately made Wanda extremely uncomfortable, whereas Steve pretended he didn’t even notice. It felt as if observing something they weren’t supposed to.

-

During the actual mission, though, the question of how uncomfortable it would be to fight alongside each other set place. As soon as they broke into that subterranean warehouse, the team was welcomed by shooting hostiles. It took their full concentration to take them out, but the only way in which they were outgunned was literally. Talent and stamina-wise, on the contrary, this could have just been a regular tuesday night.

Unfortunately, the easiness and triumph met an end in Sam’s case, as a sharp and painful feeling pressured his arm. He moaned out in pain, believing to have been shot, but as he glanced down, there was no sign of harm. In fact, it didn’t feel like a bullet had entered his skin, at all, but rather as if it was bounced off.

His mind went to the first explanation.

"Barnes, you okay?" he spoke through the earcomm.

Expecting to hear a lamenting response, he was surprised to receive a perfectly normal voice tone.

"Yeah, why?" Bucky answered nonchalantly.

Thus, he glanced back down at his arm. Along with reflecting on the fact it had felt like a bullet had bounced off his skin, as if his skin was made of unbreakable material, he also processed which arm hurt. It was his left arm. The metal arm.

He shouldn’t even be feeling it.

Before he could keep thinking about it, another shot of pain hit him. Another imaginary bullet.

"Agh!” he yelled and managed to reach his earpiece, “Stop, I can feel it, the arm, I feel it!"

There was a short pause before the exclamation made any sort of sense to Bucky.

"Your left arm?" he confirmed with confusion.

Sam snapped like the brunette had taken minutes to reply, "Yes, stop doing what you're doing!"

Nevertheless, the physical shock that came with trying to cope with this new information distracted Barnes, to the extent where he stopped being alert towards the hostiles. He had already stopped two bullets with his bionic arm, and the next one could come at any second, yet the realization that Sam might even sense the metallic limb in the slightest had him frozen, a big question mark all over his face.

The sudden distraction made it possible for a hostile to come charging at him, a fist fight imminent, and before he could foresee it, Barnes was falling over the rails of a stairway. That was when his body, once again, proceeded in the only way he had been taught: he reached out with the most powerful piece of armory he had, his left arm, grabbed a hold of the rail and held his entire weight on the rail, effectively and painfully avoiding a fall.

This third time, Sam wasn't capable of keeping his focus. The tear in his shoulder caused him to lose his flight, and so he went into protection mode, wrapping himself in his big metal wings, which eased his body when it collided on the concrete floor.

On his part, the brunette was safe on the ground, where he elbowed a man in the face in order to appropriate his shotgun. With a few last shots, the floor in which they stood was clear or hostiles, and the entrance to the building, clear.

"We're going in." Steve dictated through the communicators.

Sam groaned as he tried to collect himself from the ground.

"Coming." He managed to croak out.

Unfortunately, his efforts were met by a good ole' Captain Rogers scolding, "No, you and Bucky figure whatever you have to figure out." He said seriously.

"What?" Barnes pressed his fingers to his ears so to be heard, and convey his offense.

"You're distracted and distracting the team." Rogers shot back as he and the two women ran towards the building, "You're not helping. Stay back."

The remaining pair was left to their silence, one that lasted a few seconds. The bond wasn't their fault, but he was right about the fact that a team couldn't sustain itself with two members of it constantly avoiding each other. The bickering, they could stand, but the amount of tension and quiet coming from them both lately was damaging to entire operations.

Bucky reached where Sam was taking advantage of being ditched to catch his breath. The former spy offered him a hand, but Wilson declined by ignoring him and sitting up all by himself.

"I didn't know you could feel this arm." Bucky said in a tone that wasn't easy to decipher.

His face still contorted a little bit with the feeling of beaten muscles.

"Do you feel it?" he asked as if he was being personally attacked by the fact, and then watched as Barnes bit the inside of his cheek, "It's sentient. Like, that- that sentient." He was met by a shameful nod, "And you still use it as a shield? Are you insane? You didn't even complain."

Eventually, Bucky swallowed the guilt and just shrugged.

" 's how I was trained."

"But it hurts." Sam raised his voice, still in disbelief.

"What do you want me to say?" he replied in a way that they both knew an argument was coming their way, "I can treat it as something other than a weapon, but at the end of the day, when I'm being shot at, that's what it is. A weapon."

Instead of being distant, though, Bucky offered his hand again. This time, Sam took it and stood up on his feet with the man's help.

He let out a frustrated puff of air.

"See? This is the kind of shit I'm talking about." The Falcon shook his head and proceeded to elevate the tone of the conversation, "You give zero fucks about your well-being! And that means you give zero fucks about mine! Do I just gotta accept that you're a masochist?"

Bucky frowned with anger like a tantrum child, "I'm not!"

"You fight like one!"

"Well, it's all I know!" His voice roared through the entire warehouse and echoed as he unloaded all bottled up feelings in one sentence; It brought sepulchral silence between them, until he spoke through his frown, "It's how they trained me."

As a matter of fact, Bucky didn't remember what it felt like to not be like that. He couldn't remember his old self. He remembered the past Steve, his family, his relationships with others, among many other things that could fill up a personality, but he couldn't remember what it felt like to be Sergeant James Buchanan Barnes, chippy sport. That wasn't coded into his system. The instinct of using his own body as a weapon was.

Consequentially, Sam felt like crap.

And he would have been open about it and apologized immediately if it hadn't been for the shooters. The click of guns made them snap back into the situation, and once again, Bucky was about to demonstrate that same instinct they were discussing, up close, by raising his arm to shield the bullets, but Sam turned his wings as a barrier and protected both of them. No need for Bucky to use his arm as a shield. Inside the little cocoon of metal wings, Barnes looked at Sam.

"I got ya." Sam panted, and by you, Barnes knew he meant us.

The veteran glanced at the gun in Bucky's hand, to which the latter was proactive enough to get it ready and fire at the incomers with incredible speed.

-

After that mission, Bucky wasn't really speaking to anyone. He had showed himself adamant even to a chat with Wanda. After all, during the altercation with Sam, he had been accused of fair things.

Luckily, it didn't stop Sam from trying. He knocked on Bucky's door the next day.

"Can I come in?" he spoke loudly from behind the wall.

"I'm busy," was heard from inside the room in a monotone.

Wilson simply nodded to himself, defeated. He turned around, fully intending to accept Bucky's isolation, but in a matter of seconds, he decided to push a little bit. He opened the door, only to find a pair of puffy eyes. Bucky's face was wet and partially swollen. He was crying.

He stared at the man standing in front of his door and thought about what he wished he had the strength to say out loud.

Hug me, you moron, come and hold me.

Yet he knew, unfortunately, that even if Sam could feel every bump and wound on his skin, he couldn't feel the ache in his chest. It didn't work that way.

So he sniffed and faked an embarrassed, amused face. A fake one.

"Told you I was busy." He joked.

Wilson swallowed hard and glanced down with guilt.

"Sorry. I'll come back later."

As he left and shut the door behind him, he sensed his own chest hurt. It didn't feel right to see Bucky like that.

On his part, Barnes crawled under his sheets and shut his eyes, wishing he could sleep forever.

When he woke up from his depression nap, there was a chair notoriously standing in front of his bed, where a box of donuts had been deposited. The brunette rubbed the sleep of his eyes before abandoning his bed to open the cardboard box, and finding a note inside of it:

"I'm sorry for yelling. You make me wanna yell sometimes, but it's not your fault. You're not a masochist, and this isn't unfair for me. It never was. I really don't want you to go. Take your time and when you're ready, come talk to me. In the meantime, the donuts will keep coming."

Bucky allowed a smile to take over his face before stuffing his face with the sugary treats.

[thetoffeefox]

It is bloody and raw, but I swear it is sweet [Timid! Reader X Vergil]

Oh, my goodness it feels like forever since I last wrote for my Timid!Reader x Vergil series. Not to mention I felt bad that I have not been working on my requests. Which I apologize for. However, I’m hoping that I if I get some personal writing out of the way it will inspire me to write the requests that are sitting in my Inbox right now. The chapters will start being all over the place here from now on, as I am writing in whatever comes to me first rather than try to stay set to a specific timeline. If you adore this series, you can find it on Ao3 HERE. As always, I will also post chapters here since I consider them one-shots. 

What’s this Vergil seems to be confused about how he is feeling about our dear reader? Why oh why would that be? This idea has been floating around in my mind for a while and honestly since I started this series. I wanted to give it to you guys as a way to say sorry for not working on requests. 

The title is from the song Angel of Small Death & The Codeine Scene By: Hozier

      It was odd the feeling that was festering in him. It was something he hadn’t felt in a very long time and it was hard to identify what it was. All he knew was that he was not pleased with his younger brother, no scratch that. Displeased was putting it lightly, Vergil was enraged with him. What the absolute hell was his brother thinking when he told you that you were ready to hunt demons? Yes, you were with Nero but his son's habit of adding flare and taunting his enemies was a reckless habit of his that could very well cause you to get hurt. He stops his train of thinking as his brows furrow at that thought. What does he care if you get hurt? It would be your own fault not Nero’s not even Dante’s but the thought of you getting hurt made the pit in his stomach grow. What was this blasted feeling?! Why was he experiencing it?! Growling he stands suddenly from the chair he was sitting in on the patio. He came here hoping the silence and the gentle atmosphere would allow him to read, but he scanned the same page in his book for the past twenty minutes as he tried to discern the emotions swirling around inside of him. Vergil’s gaze moves to your laptop that was sitting on the small table next to the chair that you frequented. Many afternoons you would sit here in the same room with him. He couldn’t understand you, it was infuriating and baffling. There you would sit so interested in his company and presence. Your stare and gaze on him feeling like fire on his skin although you normally had a softness to you. However, if he so much looked at you the wrong way, your heart skyrocketed and you paled a little. Then there was the smell you would give off it was akin to fear...nervousness maybe? Sighing he sets his book down heading to the small kitchen, tea was something he always went to when he couldn’t fully understand and process the emotions that were going through him. His trip to the kitchen comes to a halt when he notices Dante texting away on his cell phone. Recalling the distaste he threw towards his younger brother only a few hours ago. Both men had been working hard to appease Nero with their arguing, not that they would ever admit that to him. So when things got tense and a breaking point was just beneath the surface both stayed quiet and opted to act like the other didn’t exist. As Vergil watched the teapot mindlessly he couldn’t help but glance at the clock on the wall. It’s been seven hours, they should be back by now. Another aggravated sigh leaves him as he shifts leaning against the island. What the hell is this feeling?! The sound of the door opening and laughter snaps both men out of their thoughts. 

“Oh, come on, it wasn’t that bad! I thought it was a good look for the damn thing.” You stated, referring to the Hell Caina whose face you half way blew off.

“Hey anyone home!?” Nero shouts out coming into the kitchen with you behind him.

The both of you pause to see Dante and Vergil looking at you two. Then again, anyone would look at the both of you because of the ash, blood, and guts you were covered in. Vergil’s stare made you stand in place as a blush crept up your cheeks, thank god you were covered in demon blood and most likely already flushed from your hunt. You clear your throat trying to calm your increasing heart rate but it seems to snap Dante out of his shocked stare and a moment later he belted out a laugh clutching his stomach. “By God you weren’t lying when you said you were ready to get messy little girl.”  It takes a minute to break your gaze from his and you give Dante the cheesiest grin you could manage. Vergil can’t help but stand there and look at you. You needed a shower, neigh you needed to be sprayed down five times over and doused in bleach to probably get clean and his son also needed it. That grin though, something about it made his heart flutter but, the nervous coil that had wound itself up so tight in his stomach slowly undone itself and weight he didn’t know he was carrying seemed to lift off of him. None of the blood on you was yours it was all demon. His gaze goes back to your face though, there was a look in your eyes he had never seen on you before, it was new to him and it made another surge of emotions run through him. It choked him up and again it felt like his heart rate fluttered. It was a look he knew well he and his brother mirrored it plenty of times over the years when they fought each other or had fought a real challenge. It was a high from the adrenaline of putting yourself in danger to kill a demon. It was the high of a successful hunt and he dare not admit it to anyone. He in some ways didn’t want to admit it to himself but it was a good look on you. After what happened a month ago at the local library regarding your ex-lover Vergil was irritated by you again. It was not how it was when he initially started to get to know you, but it was there. When you had hidden yourself away in your room and forego your training with Dante was when it started to kick in. How on earth were you going to kill a demon if you couldn’t handle a single human man? Be it to say Nero had quickly picked up on his irritation and both father and son had came to blows for the first time since his return from hell. Nero, like he was with Kyrie was fiercely protective of you. Vergil was no physical threat to you, but a threat to your dignity. Dante had even thrown a few quips at him and it was the last one he threw that stung. You of all people should know what trauma does to a person. The tramua of being turned into Nelo Angelo was far different from what you had expeirenced and he had wanted to argue that, but if he did then he would be admitting weakness. Admitting his faults and weakness’s wasn’t something Vergil was capable of and he had grown in strides to learn that certain things such as family, friends, and emotions did not make him weak. They made him stronger, but admitting that he was weak at certain point and had suffered harm without a scar to show was something he just couldn’t get over. It was this thought that lead him back to his original opinion which was that at first, when he learned you were training to fight and kill demons he thought you were insane. He thought you were in over your head. Time progressed though and Vergil soon found you were serious and determined to go through with it. The several hours he spent training you and helping you to hone your skills was insane. Dante eventually took the reigns back from him because frankly, he was being too hard on you. His training was wearing you down rather than helping you. Then again if anything it helped your stamina when he pushed you past your limits and then some. All of it paid off in the end and he could see that now. The feelings that had been present in him for the past year were gone and all it took was this moment. This moment to see that you were indeed in your element and comfortable with the horrors and terrors of the world, but it still didn’t answer the question. What was it that he was feeling? Unaware of Nero’s eyes on him his brow furrows as he picks his brain and tries to analyze and run over every moment spent with you. “Well, I’m gonna take a shower, because of ladies first!” You chirp bolting away before Nero could contest. He laughs and starts to tell Dante how the hunt went and midway it is then he noticed his uncle wasn’t paying attention to a single word he was saying and instead of looking at his father who was so unaware of now not only his brother’s stare but his sons. Dante cracks a grin. “See brother told you she was ready, you didn’t need to worry about her after all.” Vergil stiffens as that word seems to hit him in the gut. Worry. Worried? HE was worried? Was he worried about your safety? Yes, he amended...Yes, indeed he was. Even though you had a fire in you that seemed to be incapable of being extinguished you were human. Suciptle to harm and pervious to death. The thought that he was worried about you makes him halt all thinking because it made him ask another question. Why would I be worried about her? He feels his brow furrow as both Nero and Dante’s gaze seems to burn into him and it makes his skin crawl. Looking up he catches his brother looking at him like a cat that got the canary. It was irritating more irritating than the emotions swirling in him. It was as if his brother knew something that he didn’t, which was absurd because Vergil knew himself better than anyone else. Still, the glint in his younger brothers eyes was finally pushing him over the edge. Weeks of taking deep breaths and trying to be “an adult” as Nero had put it that clearly wasn’t enough to curb his demonic temper. Weeks of bottled up headbutting rose to the surface and there was no stopping it. Nero felt what was like a wave of energy go over him and the sound something whizzing in the air. Not even a second later Dante was on the ground clutching his abdomen as one of Vergil’s summon swords stuck out of his back. It had impaled him through and through. Before Nero could make a comment his father walked away leaving Dante on the ground laughing his ass off as blood pooled on the floor.

“Seriously, man?! Kyrie will be home soon!” He exclaimed throwing his hands in the air.

“Come on you have to admit it’s funny that he doesn’t even realize it.” Dante laughed as the summon sword disappeared.

“Right now all I’m thinking about is you cleaning up this mess. So do it.” Nero hissed throwing a washcloth and cleaner at him.

Dante watched as Nero walked away shaking his head while grumbling about going to go find his dad. Picking up the rag and cleaner he smirked again. Vergil, may be his older brother and in some ways more intelligent than him, but lord could he be dense at times.

[umccall71]

Chapter 14

Characters:Prince Liam x (mc) Lady Saige

Rating:Mature Content includes profanity, sexual content,talks about depression.

Word Count:2226

Disclaimer: All characters used are sole property of Pixelberry. I am simply borrowing them for entertainment.

Summary:After a summer of a Lifetime Prince Liam thought he could have it all. He was carefree, free, and sharing time with the woman of his dreams. When life as easy a balancing act between love and duty, he realizes his truths are lies, wrong is right, and decisions do have consequences.Lady Saige never imagined she would be one of his consequences. When an act of utter horror throws her world into a tailspin.

Warning: This series contains subject matter of depression and hopelessness .The story may trigger certain individuals. Please be advised. If your reading this series you are acknowledging you are at least 18 +.

A/N: Sorry for the long delay . Things have been hectic. I had to take some time to focus on my health. Thanks for understanding and your patience.

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Liam and Saige spent the next two weeks managing coronation preparations,talks of their what happens next, and building expectations for their future. Liam spent long days at the palace with every possible noble schmoozing the new king to be. Every moment that he had a free minute he would send Saige a thoughtful, fun, flirty text.Liam was falling into his new role smoothly, but the mere glimpse of Constantine in his path sent his blood boiling . He fought the urge to want to strangle his father daily. It was count down to the coronation and the exit of the former king and queen. Liam sat in the dark study with the drapes drawn pouring over upcoming trade agreements and his speech to the council upon being crowned king. He heard a tap at the door ,when he saw it open presumptively by Regina and Constantine.

“Liam, it has been impossible to get a minute to speak to you about this foolish notion of us leaving the palace. That … that's just unheard of in Cordonian history. The king father and queen reside at the palace even with the change in power, ``she waves the thought off. “ You will need our guidance in selecting a future queen. Surely you have thought this through with the upcoming social season?”she looked on quizzically.

He squeezed his eyes closed , rubbed his temple, and stood walking over to the bar cart. Liam poured himself a finger of scotch before taking a deep breath to attempt a civil reaction to the woman that had been a mother figure to him since he lost his own. “Regina...did he not tell you there is no need for a social season, I am with Saige and she will rule beside me”, his words are interrupted by a maniacal chuckle.

“Surely you wouldn’t think that some girl from America would be a representation to our people of Cordonia? Liam...she's a ..a commoner, she spat with such disdain and as if the words left a sour taste on her tongue. “Your first true decision after being crowned will be choosing your bride. Don't worry, we will help you make the right choice to lead with you,”

Liam slammed the tumbler down on the desk almost shattering it. “I don't need any guidance with my marriage, nor my decisions as king…. Regina”,he responded through a clenched jaw. “Saige is not some passing fancy.. Or did your husband not share that with you? She will be my better half as we decide together the next chapter in Cordonian history”, he conveyed almost as if he had to convince her she was worthy, “father sees her potential ...don't you?”

Constantine gulped loudly,adjusting his collar uncomfortably considering his next words, “Liam, what Regina means is…”,he is cut off by Regina.”I know exactly what I meant Connie,'' she sneered.”This girl is not suitable to be in contention for a suitor. You are surrounded by a wealth of the finest women Cordonia has to offer.”

“You make them sound like contestants in national dog show competition to be judged…”he snarked. “Why do you seem surprised by what will happen leading up to the events of the coronation? This has all been explained to Constantine...including your departure from the palace, `` Liam stared daggers at his father as he spoke to Regina.

“Liam! Do not be crass… show some respect for your father!”,she barked ...appalled by his words.

“Respect is a commodity in short supply when it comes to father… he has lost mine”, his nostrils flared , liam fought to control his breathing and anger. “I have a lot of work to do, so if you two would show yourselves out….”he trailed off .Liam sat back down in his chair, reached for his phone and stared at his lock screen picture...his bride, Saige. There was something so calming just looking into her eyes, even if it were just her picture. He thought to the moment she would walk through the doors of the palace and consider this her home. He also knew as long as Constantine was there … there was no chance in hell this would become a reality for them.

Regina and Constantine started walking toward the door, but suddenly she stopped and glanced at Liam perplexed by his demeanor. “Something has changed in you Liam. I remember you were the one that was always on your best behavior. We could count on you to do what you were told, ``she tapped her chin with her well manicured french tipped nails.

Liam wouldn’t look up at them as he sent a quick text to Saige.”I will be there soon my love. I missed you all day.” He smiled briefly before hitting send. “Your husband can shed some light on what has caused the shift in my manners and demeanor. When he learns to show respect for others.. Perhaps someone will give him respect in return, ``he responded through gritted teeth.

“Come along Constantine… we know when we’re not wanted”,she huffed our the door clacking her stilettos against the marbled floors down the hall until the sound faded.Constantine glances back contemplating if he should try to get through to his youngest son, “Liam...I hope that one day you’ll understand I meant no harm , but you can have true lady beside you on coronation night.”

Liam bit his bottom lip until he tasted the mercurial salty drops of his blood in his mouth. Every thought in him wanted to thrash his father for yet again disrespecting the woman he loves.. his wife… his Saige.Liam fought the anger coursing through his veins, fighting the urge to end Constantine where where he stands… but he chose to adjust him suit coat, straighten his stack of papers, adjust his cuff links before walking out the door passed his father…. silently. Liam knee he couldn’t keep fighting every minute to convince Constantine that Saige was perfect for him. He thought as he jogged down the stairs, “luckily we won’t have to deal with this backwards elitist attitude much longer.” Liam climbed into the back of his suv as bastien drove him back to Lythikos. He thumbed through his camera roll, viewing the countless candid shots he’d collected of himself with Saige. To see her genuinely smile and seem so light… so free was true happiness to him. “Bastien… I need you and several members of the royal guard to make certain the staff pack up the former king and queen and deliver their belongings to the empty duchy furthest from the palace. They will try to stall hoping I’ll change my mind, but my resolve is unwavering. I need make sure that Saige can explore the palace without bumping into the man that tried to rape her without any sense of remorse.” Bastien nodded in the rear view mirror, “yes sir.”

A short time later they arrived and Liam bolted out of the car and bid Bastien good night. “ Thank you for everything Bas… I won’t forget it.”Liam slowly opened the front door … walked softly up the staircase.. and eased into his and Saige’s bedroom. He toed quietly out of his shoes careful not to startle her if she were asleep . He smiled as he started toward the bathroom to shower before he was pulled from his thoughts by the sound of Saige talking in her sleep, frantically pleading with someone telling them no.. he saw her features tense and scared.

“Please don’t… don’t take our baby… we love him .. please I can’t lose him !Noooooo!” She cried out in a piercing shrill anguish. Liam saw the tears escaping her closed eyes. He made his way over to her and pulled her body into his chest .. holding her as if he were her anchor. He whispered near her ear, “ Saige… baby I’m here… I’ve got you. No one is going to take you away from us… never again. Love.. please wake up”,he pleaded. She slowly began opening her eyes, trying to piece together where she was and who was with her in that moment.Her body shook in horror for what seemed like an eternity

Her voice spoke sounding so small, “ Liam?”

“Yes love...I’m here.. I’m here with you.please tell me what has you do frightened?”, his eyes searched hers for answers, for recognition.

She shook her her , willing the nightmare away. Feeling that if she spoke it out loud it would manifest into her reality.” Saige wrapped her arms around her arms as Liam held onto her body.She wouldn’t stop shaking .., reliving the dream in her wake state.

Saige began to sob again while Liam held her close. Something so paralyzing about her dream. She contemplated telling Liam she feared losing their child at the hands of his father. She knew he was already holding it together by a thin strand. Liam became physically angry every time his father’s name was mentioned. Saige knew that her being attacked by Constantine wasn’t Liam’s fault… although she blamed him briefly.Saige didn’t want to jeopardize Liam in his ascension to the crown. He was born to be the leader and the man he is today… but only if nothing stumbles his path.

Liam’s soft hands held her face and seemed to register that she was truly frightened. “Love… what has you so terrified in your sleep? We promised to protect each other… let me protect you...please.”The room grew silent.. a pin drop could be heard. The palpable pain could be cut with a knife.He knew she wasn’t herself in that moment, but he afforded her the chance to open up to him in her own time. He wasn’t letting the nightmare go, but he felt trying to force her to speak in that moment would be detrimental to her health… her mental stability. He was so proud in the time he’s watched Saige come from that room in the in treatment center to where she had been recently with her new therapist. He wondered what could have triggered her to slip into this dark place.

“Saige… you know I love you with all of my heart.. I want you and our family that we are anticipating”, he gently stroked her arms that were freezing in light of her having been wrapped up. She flinched at the mention of their family. “What’s wrong love… you can tell me anything.. you know that right?”

She paused as she considered what to say… how much to say… wondered would he understand. “ Liam… I don’t know if.. if we should be thinking about a baby “, she sniffed back the tears.” Maybe, you might decide you don’t want to have a family with me.. perhaps there’s some socialite that would be better suited to be the mother to royalty.”

Liam tensed up at hearing her spewing this doubt about her being a mother to his child. “ Saige… you know that I only want you… in my heart .. you are the only woman I need. I couldn’t fathom another carrying and giving birth to my child… our child.”She saw his blue eyes glistening as he tried to control his tears. Not even in passing would he consider not having Saige as his bride and the mother of his children.

She sat up in his arms and then stood .. Saige walked to the balcony doors and opened them to feel the cool breeze on her damp skin. “Liam, what if I get pregnant and then someone takes them from me.. from us? To go through nine months and have that child stolen…”,she trailed off. Saige stares out into the darkness of the lythikos night sky.

Liam strolled over and enveloped her small frame in his arms.. he draped his arms around her.. swallowing her into him. “ Love… where is this coming from ? You were so excited st the possibility of us .. of us trying to get pregnant”, he whispered. “What’s changed? I know you’ve been talking to Dr. Ashton, but what changed to have you thinking I would be better off with someone else as the mother of my child?”

Saige leaned back into him.. collecting her thoughts… “ Liam… I’m tired all the time, I’m emotional, I’m … I’m “, she farted into the room and grabbed her phone. Saige started frantically sliding through her apps until she came to the one that tracked her … her cycle. “It has to be nerves, there’s no way this soon”, she mumbled searching for dates on a calendar.

“Saige.. what is it? What are looking for? Your scaring me a little. Are you alright?”, worry etched on his face. He reached for her when he noticed the calendar she was looking into fearful. Saige .. do you.. do you not feel well? Are you alright?

She dropped her phone to the floor, covering her face in disbelief .. “ this isn’t real. Liam … Liam I’m late… what if this means?”Saige ran to the bathroom and ran cold water over her face . Liam followed behind grabbing a towel and wet it with a cool water . He led her to the side of the tub placing the towel on the back of her neck. “Saige… do you… think you might be pregnant?”

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[kadtherine]

Your daughter's dead. This is not your daughter. I'm not your girl anymore.

Voices and words echoed in Bill's mind, each trying to be louder than the other. Each trying to convince him of something he didn't want to believe. Ted had told him that his daughter was dead and yet, here she stood. Paul had told him that she wasn't his daughter but then again, Paul had also told him that he wasn't at fault when he clearly was – thisisyourfaulthisisyourfaulthisisyourfault. Bill was vaguely aware that the singing had stopped, that Paul had a hand wrapped around his forearm and that the rifle Professor Hidgens had given them was in Alice's hands.

Judging by the way his grasp tightened, Paul had noticed it too. Bill's gaze drifted from the weapon to Alice, the latter staring back at him with dull eyes. He swallowed around the lump in his throat as he stared back into her green, seemingly lifeless, eyes – your daughter's dead – and tried not to let his panic show. He didn't grimace at her lack of hesitation as Alice lifted the rifle at eye-level without flinching. He didn't move when Paul tried to drag him back, his pleas falling on deaf ears. Instead, he focused on his daughter and the fact that she hadn't shot either of them.

Bill didn't really know what to expect apart from the singing. Both Sam and Charlotte had gleefully toyed with them before being shot by Hidgens. Unlike them, Alice was eerily quiet and silent. Bill found himself thanking God that none of her organs had been ripped out, her body intact – at least, for what he could see. Alice seemed frozen in a trance and Bill didn't know how to get through her– this is your fault. There were only a few things a night out to see Mamma Mia could fix.

There were fewer things they could do in a week per month – did you know that I wanted to live with you – and there wasn't much he knew about his daughter.  This is not your daughter, Paul's words echoed in his mind, this isn't your daughter. Would Bill even be able to know the difference? After all, he had already missed a lot. Bill rubbed his nose, pushing back tears as he allowed Paul to drag him back, eyes still fixed on Alice. That was when he saw it. He saw Alice blink.

Bill saw Alice blink and was reminded of a headstrong little girl refusing to lose staring contests to whomever she locked eyes with. He remembered her green eyes lighting up whenever she'd win, bouncing on the ball of her feet and giggling. You lost, she'd say, twirling in her flowing skirts, I remained the undefeated champion. He saw Alice blink and tell himself that his daughter  was still there. You lost, Bill thought, a small smile forming on his face, she remained the undefeated champion.

Bill dug his feet into the floor, halting Paul as he tried to pry his fingers off his arm. The latter turned around with a frown when Bill went to take a step forward.  

“Bill, what are you doing? We gotta go-”

Bill shook off his hand and took another step forward. “No, I'm not going anywhere without my daughter.”

“Bill, come on-”

“We crossed this entire town with the intention of saving Alice,” he interrupted again, turning around to meet Paul's eyes. Paul stared back at him, his brow furrowed and gaze drifting back to Alice every two seconds. Bill sighed, squeezing his shoulder. “Now, I can't thank you enough for coming with me and I'll totally understand if you decided to go back . But I'm not leaving my daughter.”

Not again, the thought went unheard and yet, the words seemed to echo around the room. Clearing his throat, Bill gave Paul's shoulder a squeeze before he let his hand slide off. To his surprise – and relief -  he didn't walk away, nor did he try to grab and drag him away again. Instead, Paul's gaze focused on something behind Bill. Or rather, someone. Letting out a breath, Bill slowly turned on his heels, his eyes locking on Alice.

“Alice,” he licked his lips, raising his hands to show that he meant no harm, “I know you're in there and I know you're mad-”

“She's gone,” Alice retorted, her tone flat as she clicked off the safety, “you were too late. As always.”

Gritting his teeth, Bill leveled a glare at her. “I'm not talking to you,” he spat, “I'm talking to my daughter. You lost, by the way,” he added as an after-thought.

The corner of his mouth twitched up in a half-smile when he saw her roll her eyes, her fingers twitching around the rifle. There it was. A familiar emotion that wasn't indifference or blatant ignorance. Billy allowed himself to hope and took a couple steps toward Alice, vaguely aware of Paul following him.

“You haven't shot any of us, either,” Bill said, hoping he sounded more confident that he felt. He swallowed a cry of pain when Paul elbowed his side.

Alice tilted her head to the side. “That could be arranged.”

“You haven't shot any of us,” he repeated, slowly closing the distance, “you could've shot us at any moment but you didn't. Something's keeping you from doing it. Someone  who's much stronger than you. Much stronger than me. Which is why you chose her, right?” Bill shrugged, “I mean, why wouldn't you?”

Bill noticed her white knuckles, her bent knees and clenched jaw. He noticed more about his daughter in the last five minutes than he had in the last five years. The opportunity was here and he'd be damned if he didn't do anything about it.

“Alice, sweetheart; I know you're in there. I know you're mad at me. You've got every right to be mad, cause I fucked up. I fucked up hard and you might never forgive me for. I'm not asking for your forgiveness,” Bill felt the back of his eyes burn and swallowed a wave of tears, “I don't have the right to ask you for anything. I just need you to know that I see you. I see you as the strong, smart and stubborn young woman that you are. And I know that you're too stubborn to let some kind of alien force take control of your body. I know you can fight it. After all, you're the undefeated champion.”

The barrel of the rifle was pointed to his chest, way too close for comfort. Bill didn't pay it much mind – there wasn't much he could if Alice decided to fire – and instead, focused on the small crease between her eyebrows and the anguish shining in her eyes. Her mouth contorted from a smirk to a grimace, to a snarl. She shook her head, muttering under her breath. As if talking to her self. Bill heard her take a sharp inhale of air, her head bent down. He tentatively reached out a hand and laid it on the weapon, lowering it so the barrel was facing the floor.

Alice collapsed on the floor when he went to touch her shoulder.

Both Bill and Paul knelt in front of her, the latter keeping his distance while he reached for the rifle. Alice's breath came out in shaky exhales, her fingers pulling at her hair as she rocked back and forth. Billy went to brush her hair out of her face before he thought better of it and retrated his hand.

“Alice? Alice, if you can hear me, you need to calm down, babe.”

She shook her head, her body trembling with sobs. “I can't-”

“Yeah, you can,” Paul intervened, sliding next to him, weapon slung over his shoulder. “You're breathing away too quickly, you're gonna black out if you don't calm down.”

Usually, Bill would've berated Paul for his bluntness but sensitivity didn't seem to be appropriate for that particular situation. Without thinking, he took one of Alice's hands in his and placed into on his chest, taking exaggerate breaths. Next to him, Paul began to do the same, surely hoping that Alice would mimic them. Her hand clenched around the fabric of his shirt and Bill had to fight the urge to flinch back

“It won't go away,” she whimpered, gasping for air. She looked up, green eyes wide and shining with unshed tears. “It won't go, it won't leave me alone. I can't get it to leave me alone.”

Bill's heart broke as he listened to her cry. He covered her hand with his and squeezed. “Yes, you can, Alice. Come on, babe. I need you to breathe. In,” Bill took an exaggerated gulp of air, holding it in ten seconds before slowly pushing it out of his nose, “And out. Feel how my chest is rising? Yeah? Come on, your turn: in...and out.”

Alice closed her eyes, her head falling forward, and Bill felt his heart drop at his seemingly unconscious daughter. He gave her hand a squeeze, letting out a quiet sob of relief when she squeezed back. Bill could hear her mumble to herself, frowning when he noticed that her eyes weren’t fully closed but staring at the hand resting on her lap. Following her gaze, Bill realized that she was counting on trembling fingers before inhaling.

“That’s it, Alice. You’re doing great.”

Her brow furrowed, Alice blinked at her hand, counting backward before she breathed out. Clenching her hand into a fist, she looked back up to meet Bill’s gaze. He braced himself as she blinked a couple of times, afraid he’d see the same blankness as before. To his relief, they were not. Much to his concern, they were red and one pupil was bigger than the other. While they were no physical sign of injury, Bill hadn’t worried about the possibility of her having a concussion. Which, from the look of it, was extremely probable.  

Alice slowly pulled her hand from his grasp and cradled it to her chest, her eyes narrowed in confusion. “Dad?”

“Hey, kiddo,” Bill cleared his throat, running a hand over his face. “How are you feelin’?

“My head is killing me,” Alice muttered, “I’m tired too. Is that Uncle Paul?”

Bill and Paul exchanged a look, the latter nodding. “Yeah. He helped me get here.”

“Did you eat, drink anything?” Paul asked, “That’s how they got the customers at Beanie’s. Put some of that weird blue shit in their coffee,” he added when met with Bill’s confused look.

Alice shook her head before she groaned, a grimace on her face. “I don’t think so, I can’t rememb-” she suddenly gasped, causing both men to flinch back. Her eyes widened, gaze darting from Bill to Paul, as she pushed herself backward until her back hit the hall. “You shouldn’t be here. You need to go, it’s not safe. For either of you.”

Bill thought she saw her gaze linger on Paul before she focused on her attention on her fingers, as if anticipating another panic attack. Holding out a hand behind him, Bill slowly slid on the floor, grimacing when Alice flinched back, the back of her head hitting the wall. As she looked up at him with teary, scared eyes, Bill felt his heart break once more.

“We shouldn’t be there, none of us,” he corrected, his tone not leaving any room for discussion. “And I’m not leaving you. Not again.”

Sniffing, Alice wiped a tear with the back of her hand. Bill reached forward and brushed her hair out of her face, smiling when she didn’t flinch back. Alice went to open her mouth before her eyes widened, her jaw clenching. She covered her mouth with both of her hands, dry heaving. She, at least, had the decency to wait until Paul had pulled him back by the collar before throwing up the side. They both watched, in disgust and horror, as Alice emptied the contains of her stomach on the floor. Bill almost started to dry heave as well when he saw her pull a familiar blue golb out of her mouth.

He tried not to stare at the bright atrocity as he placed his arms under Alice’s armpits and dragged her backward, the latter coughing out yellow bile. Bill wrapped his arms around Alice, his chin resting on his head and her hands wrapped around his forearms. He watched, weary, Paul walk toward the small glob.

“Paul,” Bill hissed, frowning when Paul jumped at the sound of his name, as if snapping out of a trance.

He looked back at the two and let out a weak chuckle. “Sorry. I guess that,” he pointed to the blob with the rifle, “explains a lot of stuff,” he cleared his throat, “Come on, we should get out of here before they realize something’s wrong.”

Swinging the rifle behind his back, Paul walked to the door and cracked it. He put his foot in the doorway and slipped out of the room, looking down the hall.

“Okay, coast’s clear,” Paul announced, “we need to move.”

Nodding, Bill got up to his feet, dragging Alice up. She winced at the sudden movement, her head falling against his shoulder. It took one look at her to know that she wouldn't be able to take more than two steps out before she'd faint. Bill placed one arm behind her back and another under her knees, cradling her to his chest. He felt a lump from his throat when Alice wrapped both of her arms around her neck.

Bill cleared his throat and looked up at Paul. “Let's get the fuck out of here."

[seromreven]

title: songbird.

pairings: cynthia lennon/female!reader, (kinda) | cynthia lennon/john lennon, (former).

summary: it’s 1968 and the aftermath of John and Cynthia Lennon’s divorce. You’re her best friend through many years; staying at her house to support her and her son through this hard time.

author’s note: hard feels time, y’all.

---

The rain beat hard and fast against the wooden roof of the house known as Kenwood. It was early August but you could easily be fooled by the weather into thinking it was late autumn as the wind and rain knocked hard against the windows of the old house.

You were there visiting your good friend Cynthia in a show of support as she went through a tough and unjust divorce from her musician husband John Lennon. And, by God, did she need it. It was destroying her emotionally and physically as she yet again laid flat on her stomach, crying her heart out, on the large queen bed that she once shared with her so beloved husband.

You were out in the large garden, out in the pouring rain, with her young son Julian. Trying to distract him from the drama and the depressive state of his mother. He was five and was well aware of the situation so as much as you wanted to distract him from all that went on; it was far too late. He had, when you first told him to dress up and go outside, asked you if it was because his mother was crying again. It broke your heart and there was nothing you could say to it but put on your coat and boots in demure silence.

You had known Cynthia long before John had entered the picture. Long before Julian and The Beatles. And you had loved her for just as long. Not as a sister or as a friend; as your best friend. You loved her as something more. Something you never had found the ability to give a name to. You were sure it was more than platonic. Something bordering on romantic, but it had never been confessed. Never something even slightly hinted at. You didn’t want to risk the relationship you had with her. And it definitely couldn’t be brought up now in the mess of a situation John had left her in.

Oh, you could kill him. How he dared to do this to her! Cheating on her with who knows how many women over the years and then all that culminating in bringing in some abstract concept artist into their marital bed while she was on a vacation he sent her on! The gall of the man!

And, oh, you had made your feelings very known when he once showed up unannounced with his new lover at the apartment you stayed at with Cynthia in London. They no longer liked Kenwood, it being too solitary or some bullshit, and wanted to stay there instead. You told him to stick where the sun wouldn’t shine and then some but was quickly ushered away by Ringo Starr, the actual owner of the aforementioned apartment.

Cynthia was fine with it as she had come to miss Kenwood in the time she had stayed in London. But the sight of him and that Yoko Ono had sent her back into a spiral she had otherwise slowly been crawling out of.

So, here you were, in the rain, hopping around in puddles with Julian and the white terrier dog that you shared with Cyn. He seemed content enough at the moment. Pearls of the wonderful laughter of children getting caught in the wind as he kicked and splashed water and mud into the air. Mickey, your West Highland White Terrier, barking along as it rolled around on the wet grass, much to your dismay.

After a long while, you had no way to keep track of how long, you were getting pretty wet. And exhausted from all the running around. Telling Julian so; you forced the young boy inside and gave him the chore of drying up Mickey as you went to boil water for a nice cup of tea for the both of you.

Setting Julian down at the kitchen table; you told him to wait for you there with a set of crayons and a colouring book as you went upstairs to check on his mother.

Cynthia had been quiet the entire time you had been back inside and you had assumed she must have fallen asleep in the aftermath of her fit of sorrow. And so it seemed as you entered the room to fit her gently snoring with her head resting on her arms in what looked to be a rather uncomfortable position. There would be nothing you could do to help her out of the future soreness without waking her up so you resigned yourself to pull over a thin quilt gently and quietly made your way back down to Julian.

Julian was sitting in deep concentration as he drew into the big book with a yellow crayon held fast unto in a tiny fist as it went well beyond the lines of the drawings. You had given him a glass of milk as he was yet to have any interest or taste for tea. His feet swung back and forth from the high seat, narrowly hitting Mickey on the ground who seemed to have no interest in moving out of the way.

You hummed along to the radio that was playing at a low volume as you watched Julian colouring the various pictures of animals and plants. None of the colours fitted the real-life counterparts and the sight of it made you miss the creativity and innocent of childhood in contrast to the sharp and sudden swings and responsibilities of adulthood. You sipped slow sips from your mug as time went by in your watching of Julian. No talking was done as you were quite sure he had completely forgotten you in his enthrallment of the drawings.

If one good thing had come out of Cynthia’s involvement with John; it had been Julian. You loved him as if he was family of your own, which he practically was. You had been around him since his birth. Been around him more then his father had, due to his tight schedule of touring and recording and sleeping around.

No! You refused to get angry again. Angry at the thought of a man that wasn’t even present. Angry at the harm and emotional torment he had caused not only his wife but his son!

Your knuckles were turning white around the grip you had on your mug as you shimmered silently in anger, hoping it would go unnoticed by the young boy next to you. But, fortunately, you were distracted from your sullen thoughts at the sound of a motor roaring and stopping right outside on the road belonging Kenwood.

You went to the window and looked out, mug still in hand, and immediately recognised the car. It belonged to none other than Paul McCartney; a man you otherwise hadn’t seen in a while. You watched him go up the stone pathway leading to the house until he reached the main door and knocked.

Julian’s head shot up from his intense staring contest with the picture of a gorilla and he looked eagerly back and forth between you and the door.

“Julian, it’s uncle Paulie coming to see you!”

You laughed as the young boy jumped down the chair with a great big grin on his face and rushed to the front door. You heard the familiar laughter of Paul as you made your way to the entrance. His arms were in a tight embrace around Julian who was carrying in his arms as he was closing the door behind him; talking and laughing with the kid as he did so.

Julian was animatedly talking about his day, waving his arms around as he described the rain and the animals in his book and how he had played around with Mickey in the garden and how he had painted the tiny dog brown with the mud. Just like in his book!

Paul could only nod to you in greeting as he went into the living room with the boy in his arms, still talking and laughing. You followed along after you had cast a single glance up the stairs towards the room Cynthia were sleeping in. You hoped desperately she was staying undisturbed as sleep had been something she severely needed.

You sat down quietly in an armchair facing the sofa where Julian was still talking. It seemed the conversation had gone from his day to the socks he was wearing. It was a pair he had gotten for his birthday by your parents (they were, in a way, adoptive grandparents of his. Something John had never liked) and they were decorated with small giraffes in bright colours. It was the only pair he ever wanted to wear, though you had the misfortune of crushing his dreams every time they needed a wash.

The moment you had the change; you told Julian to go play with his toys as you needed to have a ‘grown-up’ chat with his uncle. He didn’t seem to mind as he quickly nodded and rushed to his various spinning tops and variants of wooden toys your father had made for him.

Paul looked at you, curious and with his brows raised as he leaned forward to sit closer to you as you said in a hushed voice; wanting to avoid Julian overhearing.

“Cyn’s finally sleeping,” you said with some relief as you glanced towards the entrance hall where the staircase proudly stood. He nodded in thought with the slight mutterings of ‘good’.

Paul hadn’t been a rare presence in the house. Often visiting and checking up on the three of you when his schedule allowed it. He hadn’t deemed the divorce as an end to his friendship with either of you and for that, you were beyond grateful. You needed the extra company for when your feelings for Cynthia and your rage for John (who she still held deep feelings for) became too overpowering. He had become your confidant. And, in a moment of weakness, you had confided in him the feelings you harboured for Cynthia. He hadn’t shunned you. Hadn’t cursed you out for the things you felt for the other woman. He had seemed, in a way, understanding of your situation. Though he hadn’t said so.

Paul got you out of your thoughts (again) when he said; “I wrote a song. For Jules. To cheer him up, y’know.”

“A song?” you asked with a raised brow. Not all too surprising considering who he was. But it still took you by surprise as it was a gesture you hadn’t expected.

He nodded; clearly excited about his musical feat; “it’s not finished yet but it’s… good, if I do say so myself. Did it all on me own,” he said with a wink and you laughed. Though you didn’t admit to it; you were quite excited to hear the song. Especially if it was meant for dear Julian.

You had a long line of questions ready to be asked concerning him, the song, the bastard John, when you overheard the small tapping of feet from the floor above you. You looked up, for some reason thinking that would serve you as a guide as to what was making the noise. Quickly glancing back to Paul, you realised what or whom it was; you stood up with a sigh.

“I’ll go check on her,” and you quickly left to make the journey of the stairs. You whispered her name as you entered the bedroom and saw her staring blankly at the wall where they once had hung a portrait of her and John. It’s current location you didn’t know. It had been long gone once you had finally arrived at Kenwood weeks ago.

She didn’t seem to notice your appearance, though you had called out to her. She didn’t stir or look away from the wall and you were about to leave again when a gentle voice asked you something you hadn’t expected; “lay with me.”

You halted in your steps and swore that your heart stopped beating. Had you heard correctly? You turned and closed the quietly behind you as you looked at her, feeling very confused as you looked at her from your place against the door.

She finally looked to you, tears in her eyes. Her cheeks already a bright pink from her earlier crying.

“I mean nothing improper. I just… miss having arms around me. To hold me.”

You nodded and slowly made your way over to her. Your hard was beating fast as you neared her and the world felt like it was starting to spin. So it was a good thing you laid down on the soft bed, atop the covers. She turned on the bed and with her slender hands, guided yours to hold her gently. With a small whimper and sigh; she leaned against your chest with her hands still on yours.

It didn’t take long before you felt yourself relax and both of your breathing slowed down. You felt her warm breath on your skin through your thin summer shirt which was quickly followed by her calm snoring. And though you knew it was but a momentary event; something that had been followed by pain and unjust suffering, you wanted it to last eternally. This serene, peaceful, moment that so rarely came around these recent years.

You figured you would eventually be missed downstairs but, oh, how you couldn’t give a damn as Cynthia held tight unto your fingers as she finally got the rest she desired.