#stumbling into the tent to apologize while swearing just. amazing

[safyresky]

My love for Ashton is IMMEASURABLE

[come-on-shitty-boys]

//singing hamilton headcannons//

Characters: Bokuto Koutarou/Akaashi Keiji/Kuroo Tetsurou

Request: Hey! HEY! HEY!!! In honor of Hamilton coming out, could you do hcs of Bokuto, Akaashi, and whoever else finding their s/o singing a song from Hamilton and gets all flustered from hearing it?? Thanks!! I love your writing!! 🏐🤍

Warnings: some mild swearing, but mainly just fluff.

Word Count: 1.3K (~430 a piece)

Notes:  I may or may not have spent a solid TWO HOURS singing and crying to this soundtrack because Hamilton really does hit me a lot harder than other musicals. 

*Links to each song can be found by clicking on the character’s name!*

Bokuto Koutarou:

He’s heard you sing before.  I mean, you were a car singer, a shower singer, you sang while you cleaned the apartment.  If there was music, you were JAMMING.

But this was different?? Usually you were really goofy, singing to make him laugh or to just have fun.  So, when he came home from volleyball practice to this? 

Call him a simp.

You were singing sweetly along to the lyrics of “Helpless” as you busied yourself making lunch for the two of you for when he got home.  You were adding the vibratos in all the right spots, changing notes to better fit your vocal range, adding your own little flair with some extra riffs.

You just so happened to turn around to grab something and caught him staring at you from the doorway, but you just smiled, continuing to sing along to the music coming through your headphones as you made your way over to him

When you wrap your arms around his neck and you look up at him, singing, “Look into your eyes and the sky’s the limit, I’m helpless”

He has such a warm smile on his face as he places his hands on your hips, dancing with you throughout the tiny kitchen of the apartment shit i’m so soft just thinking about that

You switch between a sweet waltz to just goofily swinging his arms and making silly faces as you sing Alexander’s part. Only to immediately pull yourself flush against him when it’s back to Eliza

Bokuto’s just so soft for this moment, spinning your around with you singing to him.  Honestly, if he could just stay here?  He would be perfectly happy for the rest of life, the bright smile on your face being etched into him memory

You just looked so beautiful??  Honestly, how could he not be completely and utterly in love with you when your eyes were just so full of adoration everytime you would sing the chorus to him

You placed a chaste kiss to his lips at the end of the song, burying your head in his neck for a few moments.

“That was beautiful,” he whispered and there was a little kiss to your temple

But then you nearly rammed your head into his jaw as you quickly shot away from him, shouting, “This is my favorite!” as the next song began to play

Akaashi Keiji:

I just would like to start by saying that Akaashi definitely knows almost every word of this soundtrack

So when he started to get ready for work and walked past the bathroom to you blaring Hamilton, he was ready to jump in.

But then he just?? Had to take a second?? And stand outside the door in literal amazement as you nail every single word to Lafayette's rap in “Guns and Ships” ??  You could rap? Since W H E N?

Akaashi was so caught off guard, but also??

It was low-key kind of hot?  Something about you being able to spit every single lyric to the song without dropping a beat?  It made his cheeks grow warm

But lemme tell you just how embarrassed this boy got when you opened the door, your hair and make-up done for your own day at work, to catch him standing there

Oh, his face? Tomato.  He was convinced that you were about to chide him for being a creep for standing outside of the bathroom with his ear pressed to the door.

But then he saw the blush turn your ears pink as you realized that he definitely heard you and the two of you just kind of awkwardly staring at each other for a solid fifteen seconds before he just goes:

“That was really cool.”

And your face lights up, because you had been working on getting that song down for awhile now, so hearing the praise escape your boyfriend’s lips?  It filled you with this new sense of pride.

He’s going to ask you to play the soundtrack the rest of the morning so he can have one or two cabinet battles with you while he helps you make breakfast.

Akaashi always lets you be Hamilton during your little stand-offs and I promise the two of you are up in each other’s faces, going IN to try to sell your defense.

When the two of you actually sit down to watch it?  Bold of you to assume that it’s going to be a quiet showing.  You’re both screaming the lyrics at one another

Your neighbors definitely came knocking on your day to ask you both to keep it down

Kuroo Tetsurou:

Insert one (1) very concerned fiance when he heard your spiteful words coming from the bedroom when he got home

What was this about letters? “I thought you were mine?” What the hell was that supposed to mean?  He was literally marrying you, of course he was yours?  Why were you hoping that he burned?  That was a little violent.

This poor man was convinced that you were about to call off the engagement, throw the ring in his face, and walk out.  You sounded so upset? And mad? But he didn’t even know what he did!

Kuroo stood outside in the living room, trying to figure out what he should say.  How was he going to convince you to stay with him if he didn’t even know what he was meant to be apologizing for?

He’s panic-calling Kenma, seeing if he knows anything about you wanting to end things.  And Kenma is just so confused because Kuroo is stumbling over his words and he’s talking so stupidly fast that Kenma had no clue what he was talking about.  

But, Kuroo is about to have a meltdown, so Kenma doesn’t even get a chance to ask him to explain himself again.  

Your fiance did eventually stop talking long enough to hear the soft carry of the sounds of your words and just-

Oh.  You were singing.

Oh. You were singing.

Tetsurou informs Kenma that he’ll call him back not even bothering to mention that you were singing and not vocalizing your desires to break things off.  Kuroo really tentatively pushes the door to the bedroom open, trying to hear better.

He had never heard it before and he’s kind of upset that you’ve never let him hear you sing because you were really good?  You were showing off your vocal discipline as you held out an especially long, steady note, easily transitioning to the faster lyrics of “Burn”

You were literally doing work on your laptop, not even fully paying attention to your vocals and yet?  You sounded incredible.  

When your voice ceased and your mood immediately shifted as the next song came on, Kuroo let out a low whistle, making you jump at the sudden audience, your cheeks turning a slight pink as you stare doe-eyed at him.

“That was really incredible, kitten.  But, I have to say, you almost gave me a heart attack.”

But, he comes to sit with you on the bed, taking one of your headphones so he can listen along with you. 

Poor boy walked right into “Blow Us All Away” and “Stay Alive (Reprise)” catch him muttering ‘bro’ in quiet anguish, high-key SAD

[savedbybangtan]

Not Delulu (1)

Summary: You always hated women who dated kpop idols and are so glad that your ultimate bias, Kim Namjoon, has never disappointed you by being involved in such a scandal. You swear you’re not a delusional fan who doesn’t want him to be happy. You truly just want what’s best for him.

                 Apparently, He just wants whats best for you, too <3.

3,197 words

Chapter warning tags: mild invasion of privacy?

 Part One

Fingering through wistful fabrications of reality is my favourite hobby. Who knew time travelling was so easy? With a simple turn of a page, - something that takes mere nanoseconds - I can transcend dimensions and look into the past while reading the lines of a page. The only problem with reading books is that when you travel through time and space, your body is still in the present, operating on some badly programmed autopilot mode. As your eyes scan the books, other body parts mindless wander if you do not pay attention. Hence, you shouldn’t read as you walk.

However, as you walk through the aisle in this nook of your local bookstore, busily scanning the shelves for a particular new stock, you realise that not everyone had gotten this memo of the faulty autopilot mode.

A hard, large object seemed to be hurled at you, making you stumble to the floor. Your shoulder took most of the impact of the collision, but there was no other damage done. Your fall was broken by the shelves you grabbed onto during your descent.

“Wh-What,” a raspy voice from above turns about confused. He must have been the hard, large object. His oversized, grey hoodie is low on his head. His white hair conceals his face even more.

A book is opened in his hand. The same exact book that you were dying to get your ,hands on. You try to grab onto the floor to get up and that is when this tall figure looming over you finally notices your presence. “Oh!…” He grabs onto your forearm to help you up and you allow him to.

Somehow, he lost his footing, so when you brace yourself on him, he ends up falling too. The book he already had, the few in his other hand, and an entire row on the shelf he bumped into are now on the ground.

“Shit!,” you exclaim. “I’m so sorry.” You frantically begin picking up the books. You really didn’t have time for this. Your shift will soon start. You were only supposed to be in here for a few minutes, but not only did you spend about 10 minutes looking into the tiny store for the title, but now you’ve made a mess.

“No, I’m sorry. It’s not your fault. I lost my footing,” he admits shyly, but obviously upset.

His voice…It can’t be…

“I was the reason you fell in the first place.” He squeezes his eyes shut and shakes his head as he picks up the books quickly, not even bothering to organise them. “I wasn’t looking at where I was going.” You both simultaneously reach for the final book on the floor, another psychology book. You only knew it was a psychology book because you had that exact title sitting on your desk home. He adds it to the little pile of books he wanted to buy. “I apologise.”

You were sure now. You realise he is the love of your life, your idol, your ultimate bias – Kim Namjoon, RM of BTS. You recognise that low, deep, sultry, raspy, sexy voice from anywhere.

Don’t scream. Don’t get weird. Don’t scream. Don’t get weird.

It must be annoying when people get weird so DON’T get weird.

“I-It’s okay! I don’t blame you… Youuu… were reading Into the Spine by Montgomery.” Shit, why were you stumbling on your words so much? Be normal. “I understand. I’m actually looking for that same book. Just tell me where you got it and its all forgiven.” While you spoke softly, you straightened your work uniform.

“Sure,” he smiles politely. “They’re by the entrance since they’re new.”

“T-T-T-T-T-They are?” Shit, why are you stuttering after realising it was Joonie- Namjoon. It might be weird to be called a nickname by people you don’t know. He’s a celebrity so he might be used to it though… You realise, even with his black face mask on, he was smiling awkwardly at you.

“Yeah. You must have missed them when you came in.” He grabs your arm and it feels as if a lightning bolt hit your body. If you moved or jerked, he hadn’t noticed because he continues to lead you to the table near the entrance where the stacks of copies were.

You blush profusely, but he takes this as you being embarrassed for missing something so obvious. Act normal. “I must have been so excited to just get this book I made a beeline straight to the nonfiction section.” You laugh nervously.

“I don’t blame you,” he mimics the first words you say to him. “Montgomery? Great author. I can’t wait to see what he has to say now about ‘brain power’,” Namjoon laughs. “He might go a bit overboard with his imagination, but he sure knows how to put things into perspective.”

“Yes! Everyone I talk to tell me that he’s a quack and says they don’t understand why I read this word vomit, but this guy is a genius!” You laugh, getting comfortable.

Namjoon just stares at you for a while. He nods. You can feel the conversation ending but didn’t want to let it go.

“Uhh… That book,” you point at the other book in his hand that you recognised earlier. “It’s good. Be prepared for some of the remarks in that one!”

Namjoon follows your eyes to see what you were talking about and throws his head back in laughter when he realizes. “Yes! It was a wild ride from cover to cover. I have my own copy at home, but I am getting this one for a friend.”

“Oh my God! Then, have you read Going into the Lamp? Oh my God, when she drowns her sister! I don’t know why she thought it was a good idea to include that in the book!”

Namjoon just looks at you with his eyes slightly widened. “I… I’m actually reading it now… I didn’t reach that part, yet.”

You accidently spoiled the book for him. “I’m SO sorry. First, I bump into you, and now I’m giving out spoilers you didn’t ask for. Please, forgive me,” you drawl with your head down.

He tuts and you want to crawl into a hole and hide. “What am I going to do with you? You’re so bad… Tell you what, have lunch with me and I’ll forgive you…”

What?!

You snap your head to look at his face and see mischief in his eyes. You decide to play along. “Sigh, I guess that’s the least I can do.” Fuck work. You are not passing up the opportunity to eat with your earthly god.

You pay for your book quickly and meet him by the door.

“Where do you want to eat?” You ask.

“I’m actually not familiar with this area. You tell me what’s good.”

He likes Korean food, meat to be particular. You should know this after watching every interview that includes in about twenty times over. There’s a little restaurant just a few blocks from there that you know he would love. You often had lunch there thinking about how much he would love it.

You spoke about books and theories about them on your way to the restaurant, feet falling into step together, but getting out of sync once in a while due to his long legs.

It was so natural. Sometimes, you forget that he was a normal human being.

The scent as you approach the building has your stomach growling and you do not miss the way his pupils dilate when he smells it too. In there was quiet and not crowded, as usual. It sucks for the owners, but that’s why you love this place. It was often empty. Honestly, if not for their deliveries, they would be out of business. You both go to the counter and order. It takes a while since this was his first time there. Your card is in your hand the entire time he speaks, but when he finishes, he gives them his card.

“Wait! I thought this was me apologizing, that I was buying you lunch.” You hold onto his card to stop the server from taking it. Three people were now grabbing onto it and looking at each other in confusion. You offer your card that was in your next hand and the server looks at Namjoon for permission, as if she wasn’t listening to you. He shakes his head.

“I only wanted company. I planned on eating alone,” you further your argument. “At least let me pay half.”

Someone coughs behind you. There are about two other people waiting their turn, looking angrily at the two of you. He takes the opportunity of you being distracted to give his card to the cashier again.

Because you were holding up the line, you just let him win.

Namjoon grabs a seat in the corner, facing away from the windows and door. He makes sure his hoodie is secure over his head as he huddles into himself. You realise he is doing this to avoid being caught.

Caught!

Shit. Shit. Shit.

He can get in trouble for this! It finally dawns on you that it looks like you’re on a date. Who do you think you are to even sit across his excellence? It would not be fair to the rest of his stans.

But, its not like you’re like other girls. You don’t want him just because he’s cute. No, your bond is much stronger than any other. You would take care of him. Heal him.

You don’t deserve a Namjoon, but he deserves a you.

You worship him.

Imagine the headlines if Dispatch sees this. Finally, everyone will know for good that Namjoon is yours. You wouldn’t mind if the world found out and misinterpreted the scene.

You’re snapped out of your thoughts by food being placed in front of you. Namjoon pulls down his mask to his chin, but his face was still obscured by his bangs.

How long were you sitting across from him imagining these crazy things? You say an expletive in your heart and play it off. “Uwaah, no matter how many times I come here, I’m still amazed by the food. I promise you will love it. I’ve been eating here ever since I started working in this area.”

“It looks great.” He takes a tentative bite into the beef. His eyes light up and a sense of pride washes over you. You knew your man. His shoulders move into a little dance absentmindedly.

You’re endeared by his actions so you sit and admire him eating. Namjoon stops when he realizes how quiet you’re being. He coughs to clear his throat. “So…” he ventures embarrassed. “What made you get into Psychological fiction?”

“I always loved reading. I guess I just realized I liked reading these books more. I think Kafka was the pivot that made me go deeper.”

“It’s the same for me actually.” Namjoon went on to explain how he started reading about psychology, which led to a conversation about both of your favourite authors, reads, stores, forums, clubs, etc. The food was long gone but the refill of their beers are full.

You practically scream at the story he tells where a friend of his thought he was reading erotic novellas the entire time. “It was really so embarrassing. We were in public and really said, ‘don’t you read about romance and sex all the time. Tell me what I should do to be more sensitive.’ I wanted to die on the spot.” He slumps further into his seat to express this, but he is smiling brightly looking at you laugh so hard it looked painful.

“Hey, I never got your name,” he points out mid-chuckle. “I don’t think I asked before, but I’m K-“

“Kim Namjoon,” you finish his introduction for him for him. “Sorry, I’m not gonna sit here and act like I didn’t recognize you. I’m army and I know my bias from his voice. Also, I’m ____.” You look up at him worriedly. Its true. You didn’t have it in you to lie by letting him introduce himself.

Namjoon is caught off guard and goes red. “You’re lying about me being your bias I’m sure. You don’t have to do that,” he flusters.

You open a compartment of your phone case revealing his photocard, “I keep it there to look at whenever I feel unmotivated or insignificant. Your words during lives really helped me with my anxiety. I even watch videos of you at the end of concerts to hear what you have to say. It really pumps me up,” you express with your body.

This shocks him visibly. “Don’t look at me like I’m lying. You really helped me a lot when I was trying to study for college entrance exams, and when I failed and found that I didn’t make it to my top, and only, choice. I didn’t apply anywhere else and decided to work part time and follow my dreams, like you sort of did.”

“Either way, I’m glad BTS could have done that for you.”

“Me too. My parents were hella mad, especially since they thought I should have been a doctor or lawyer just because I got good grades in high school. I don’t care too much about what they think, though. Most great people’s parents didn’t approve what they did. I mean, look at Pip from Great Expectations.”

“I don’t think there is one single happy person out there who does what their parents wanted them to,” Namjoon agrees.

“Like in the great words of Aristo-“ you begin, but get cut off by a loud ringing in your pocket. “Oh, I’m sorry,” you whisper as you scramble to answer it.

Embarrassingly enough, it was your boss and you were sure that Namjoon could hear what is being screamed at you even though your phone was not on speaker. He looks at you in wonder as you try to explain to her that you will be coming soon and how you were running late. A particular jab concerning your coworker’s incompetence to handle yours and her own work, especially when you couldn’t handle your own station, has Namjoon railing over in laughter.

“Yes, ma’am. I will be there in a few minutes! I’m sorry ag-“ the dial tone sounds before you can even finish your sentence. Dejected, you could not help the pout as you lift your eyes to take your one last good look at your obsession. “I’m sorry, Joon, I was only supposed to stop to the bookstore for five minutes. I had work after.”

“Do what you have to do.” He looks at you sympathetically. “You’re such a bad girl. This would make you,” he checks his watch beneath his hoodie, “an entire hour late.”

You both get up to clear the table. “Thank you for lunch again.”

“Thank you for coming with me,” he retorts.

You walk outside the store together, but had to walk opposite directions. This is when Namjoon realises that he wont ever see her again. Unless…

He spins around and grabs you wrist. “Um…” He can’t speak with her looking at him like that. “Can I… have your number?”

He spoke so quietly, you wonder if you have heard correctly, or if it was the wind playing tricks on you. His hand is surely on yours, and he is certainly looking at you, but you still are in a rush.

Grabbing a napkin and pen from your pocket, you quickly jot your name and number down. “Hey, you can just put it in my phone.”

You shake your head. “Sorry, I’m in a rush and I do not want to mess this up.” You always make such terrible typos on the regular. You don’t trust yourself to input the correct the number when youre filled with adrenaline. You shove the napkin to his chest which he grabs for. “I’ll talk to you later,” you ask, unsure. Not waiting for his response, you begin to sprint into the direction of your job.

Namjoon stood there staring after you for a few heavy heart beats. You were perfect. From the arch of your brow as you hung onto every word he enunciated to the sloppily tied tennis on your feet that did not shaking once during your conversation.

He holds the number out to admire your handwriting. It was so neat, cute even. He brings the napkin up to his nose to see if he can smell even a little of you on it. Of course, with his mask on, he was not able to smell much of everything. As he pulls it down to appreciate the napkin more, a white van that had passed him rather quickly slammed brakes and was now reversing towards him.

He scanned the area and notices someone just across the street from him filing him with a smartphone.

His identity is well hidden today. So he does not feel threatened by the filming. He is afraid of the man coming out of the van with a huge, high tech camera.

He shoves the napkin he cherished so ardently before in his back pocket and makes a run for it.

Or so he thinks.

The napkin flutters to the ground slowly, heavily contrasting the speed that Namjoon ran away.

Later that evening, he rummages through his clothes. He strips to his boxers, standing in the middle of his apartment with a blank stare. Your number is nowhere to be found. He had no way to speak to you. His last interaction with you will have been his last interaction with you.

Tears fall down his cheeks proudly when he realizes this.

He takes a few deep breaths. This is not over.

You mentioned that you worked in the area. He will just have to go back there and look for you.

You wore a black golf shirt, leggings, vans, a black sports bra (from what he can tell by the print through your top), probably a thong (since there were no pantylines shown as you walked), and…

And…

His erection stood proudly looking up at him.

He let his mind get carried away thinking about you. Trying to focus again, he fights through his memories to figure out which store’s workers wore black shirts with no logos or crests.

Nowhere.

That’s it – nowhere he’s been. Meaning it’s a store he had no purpose for, and judging the direction in which you ran, it had to have been that local shop. Namjoon searched Google maps street view for a few minutes before he finds the only place that can be where you worked.

He smiles proudly. All was not lost.

Fucking creep! Stop following me! Namjoon’s ex’s voice rang through his head.

“Will it be creepy if I show up on her job? She never told me where she worked…” he thinks aloud to himself.

Namjoon opens his phone again, but this time to find your work phone number. He calls the number provided, but since it was 10:34pm, he can assume that the small tailor shop was closed.

Tomorrow.

A/n:

I hope there weren’t too many mistakes! I originally made an outline for this months ago as a joke, but as I wrote it, I realised that it was kinda deep lol. satirical even.

Also, fics are so hard to find on tumblr, but I feel like theyre so good here! I use ao3 to search for authors and follow their tumblr if they have one. I think I’m gonna start cross publishing. 

[lokiandbuckyaremine]

The One I Left Behind

Prompt: Can I request 1 on the prompt list for Loki and the plot involving reader having not told Loki that he had a son/daughter so when they meet up a few years after having broken up he is shocked to see he has a child he never knew about and wants to connect with

1. I should have told you a long time ago...

Summary: After having a stressful relationship with Loki, the two of you decide to call it off. You both love each other very much, but the stress of him traveling between worlds and never seeing one another has caused you both to fight all the time. When you move out, you’re not the only one that ends up leaving him behind....

Pairings: Loki x Reader

Warnings: Pretty angsty between the reader and Loki, some swearing, stress/anxiety between both, but VERY fluffy in the end.

Another night alone. Wide awake in your Asgardian bed, you start to wonder if he ever missed you as much as you did him. Every day it was the same routine: get up, see if Heimdall had any messages for you from Loki, spend the entire day alone (longing to hear his velvet voice), and go to bed. It was as if Loki made his missions more important than you, but you were wrong, right?

You had fallen in love with Loki when he stumbled to Midgard with his brother, when they were in search of Odin’s location. Knowing of his episode in New York, you couldn’t help but feel that deep down Loki was just a broken person that needed to be loved. And that’s just what you did to him. A few dates here and many nights together, you fell madly in love with the god and soon enough you left your life on Midgard. He made you his world and did everything in his power to make you feel loved, welcomed, and appreciated. But ever since his father’s death, nearly losing his brother, and turmoil in Asgard, Loki changed his focus to killing everyone that was a threat so he could protect his realm. 

Staring up at the ceiling, you couldn’t help but begin to miss your life on Earth. The friends you left behind, the family you never said goodbye to, and the life that you were beginning to per-fect. BUT you fell in love the most amazing man ever...how could you leave that behind? Thoughts were driving you crazy and kept you from falling into your slumber. You thought back to the first night you spent at Asgard, and also couldn’t fall asleep. Loki pulled you close in his arms and massaged you head, while humming a tune his mom used to hum when he was a boy. He held you, like you were his most prized possession. Oh how you missed his touch and comfort.

The stirring thoughts in your head were interrupted by a creak in your bedroom. “Loki? Is that you?” Seeing nothing but darkness in your shared room, you sat up, squinting to see if there was someone in the room. “Yes, I am here, my love.” His soft, velvet voice filled the room and you couldn’t help but get butterflies in your stomach. Smiling softly, you sank back into the bed and pulled the covers over your body. After a few moments, the other side of the bed became occupied with the man you deeply loved but couldn’t help but feel estranged from. He sighed and tugged at the covers that were on your body. “Come here, love. I’ve missed you.” A small tear streamed down your cheek and you tried to hold back a sniffle. When Loki heard your soft sniff, he sat up quickly. “Y/N, what’s wrong, baby?” 

You rolled over and ignored his question, fearing what might come out of your mouth. He turned on his lamp, and sat up in bed rubbing your shoulder lightly. “Y/N, my princess, you have to tell me what’s going on. C’mon, I’ve had a long day and ---” You sat up quickly and turned your body in anger. “It’s always about YOU! Everything lately has been about YOU! Every day I have waited for a message, something from the man I love. I have spent countless days alone in this palace AND in this bed. I haven’t slept, I haven’t eaten, I haven’t felt good in the mornings or during the day, my migraines have been kicking up again, should I continue?” With your harsh tone, Loki furrowed his eyebrows in slight hurt and bowed his head. “Loki, I don’t even know who you are anymore. You come into our room expecting me to cuddle and make love with you, but you have not ONCE reached out or asked if I have been ok all by myself. Look, I know you want to help your brother and protect Asgard, but you can’t keep dragging me along through this question of if I mean something to you or not?”

His head snapped to your attention. “What do you mean you don’t mean something to me? I have given you EVERYTHING here. A nice room, nice clothes, fine dining, and a better life than the shitty one you and your mortal friends were living on Midgard!!!” He spat at you with every word, and this only fueled your anger. “Well excuse me for wanting my boyfriend more than material shit. If you’re not in the spotlight, you don’t give a DAMN about ANYONE! I am sick of the emotional manipulation, and going to bed every night wondering if my boyfriend is safe or even in this fucking realm. You can keep your precious room and clothes, God of Mischief, consider me one less thing you have to worry about.”

Grabbing the few things you had on your nightstand, you rushed out of the room in immense hurt and anger. Pacing down the hallway, you closed your eyes quickly, blinking back the burning tears. You knew Loki was following you, but at the moment you could care less. An immense pain in your lower stomach began to form, and you ignored it thinking it was just from the stress of the fight. “Y/N!! Wait! Don’t go!” Brushing back his pleas, you reached the Bifrost. Seeing Heimdall’s worried face only made you cry more. “What is wrong, my dear one?” Sobbing and brushing away your messy hair, you pleaded “Just take me home, please. I can’t be here anymore. I’ll write or call or something, just please take me to Midgard.” 

He nodded sadly, “As you wish, y/n.” Turning his sword, you were taken away by the glowing light and soon enough you landed on the vacant street you had left 2 years ago. Leaving Loki behind seemed like a nightmare, but you had to convince yourself that this was the real him. Clutching your stomach in pain again, you stumbled to your house and breathed in the abandoned scent of your kitchen. It felt good to be home, despite how hurt you were. As you tried to gather the events that happened all too quickly, you couldn’t ignore the pain and cramps you were feeling anymore, so you checked your phone to see what date it was. 3 weeks late... You ran your fingers through your hair and slid down on the floor. ‘Oh shit...’, was all you could think at the moment. You were going to be a mama...

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

5 years later....

“Dalton, honey! You left your coloring book on the floor again!” You called out to your son, who was busy in his room making Lego statues. “Coming, mommy!” Your gorgeous lil boy came running down the hallway, and gathered his things. You walked over to him and crossed your arms. “Baby, what did I tell you about leaving that on the floor? It could get ruined.” Dalton rocked back and forth on his feet in shame, and looked down at the floor. “I’m sowwy, mommy. No more.” You couldn’t help but giggle at his boyish charm, and scooped him up in your arms. Blowing kisses on his stomach, he fell into a giggling mess. “Apology accepted, now go get cleaned up for dinner. It’s Mac and Cheese night!” He squealed as you put him down and effortlessly ran to the bathroom.

He sure reminded you of Loki. Dalton might’ve had your hair and charm, but he had Loki’s eyes, smile, and his mischievous ways. It pained you to think that your son would grow up without his father. Part of you still missed that handsome and sexy man, but the other part couldn’t get over the immense hurt he caused you. Picking up your phone to see if you had any missed messages, you noticed one lone text from a number that you didn’t recognize. 

“Meet me outside at the strike of 7. You know where I’ll be.”

Loki. How did he get your number? Did he know? Why was he here? Your heart started racing and your palms became sweaty and shaky, much like the anxiety attacks you felt all those years ago. You looked at your phone...6:58. You had two minutes. Dalton came running down the hallway and stopped in front of you. “Mommy, why are you crying?” Noticing your worried state, you brushed away the tears and faked a smile. “I’m ok, baby. Why don’t you go clean up your Legos so you can watch a show before bed? Mommy needs to step outside for a minute.” 

He shrugged and trotted off to his room. Trying to compose yourself, you smoothed your shirt and took a quick glance of yourself in the living room mirror. Good enough, it wasn’t like you were trying to impress. Opening the front door you stepped outside tentatively. “You’re late.” You jumped at the sound of the voice and noticed Loki sitting in his favorite chair on your front deck. “And you’re early. I still have one minute.” He smirked and got up. Damn did he look good. His hair was a bit longer, and he was dressed in and all black number. HIs muscles were tightly bound to his shirt and caused you to slightly gawk at the sight. “It’s good to see you, y/n.” You scoffed and rolled your eyes. “Wish I could say the same. Are you really here or is this one of your illusions?” 

His mouth curved in his signature smile and he walked over to you, reaching his hands out to you. “I’m here, love.” A few moments passed and all you could do was stare at one another. It’s been 5 years since your blowout, and neither of you knew where to begin. You looked away from him, staring into the street with teary eyes. “How did you find me?” He relaxed and motioned for you both to sit down on the swing. “I haven’t kept my eye off of you since you left. Well, Heimdall and I haven’t. When I went to go check up on you a few years back, he told me that you were ok but weren’t alone. Thinking it was another man or something, I got jealous and didn’t bother to check on you because I couldn’t deal with the great loss I was experiencing. But Heimdall corrected me, when he said....I had a son.” He shifted uncomfortably.

You looked over to him and could see the true hurt in his eyes. You never saw this side of Loki, and began to wonder if the years apart really did change him. You chewed on your lip and looked into your lap. Noticing your lack of response, he sighed. “What’s his name?” You smiled softly. “Dalton. And he IS my whole world, Loki. Nothing else.” His face drained and he began to tear up himself. “Why didn’t you tell me, love? You know that no matter what we were going through, I still loved you and would want to be there for my son.” You chuckled sarcastically and looked over to him. “How could I have told you, when you couldn’t even make time for me? You were not ready to be a father, let alone my husband. I wanted to protect him from the pain YOU caused me. I couldn’t stand the fact of my son having a temporary father.”

He nodded. Deep down Loki knew you were right, and he wanted to make things right. This was his chance. “Does he even know about me? Not that I would expect him to, knowing the pain I caused you.” You looked back into the house, and nodded. “He knows OF you, but I told him the truth: You left me.” Thinking Loki would snap back at you for this, you began to cry softly. Instead he reached over and grabbed your hand. “Y/N, love, please listen to me. I messed up, badly. You were right. There was just so much going on in Asgard and the realms that I saw it as my opportunity to play hero and boost myself. Knowing my past, you should know that proving myself has always been my top goal. But not to the extent of losing my MOST amazing gift in the process, and THAT is where I messed up. The day you left, I was an absolute wreck. I spent close to a year in my room driving myself mad thinking of you living your life here on Midgard, forgetting about the amazing romance we shared.” He paused and squeezed your hand. “Y/N, I’m not asking you to forgive the way I treated you, which was wrong. But I AM asking you to give me a chance to be a better boyfriend and father. I love you both so much and I want to make it right.”

Tears were pouring down your face. You couldn’t help but feel happy that he was coming around and was back to the Loki that you fell in love with. Smiling up at him, you scooched closer to cup his face. “I should have told you a long time ago, but I was just so hurt with the way you treated me. We could’ve made it right together. Loki, I love you SO much and I want you to be Dalton’s father. Of course I want you back, you never left my heart.” 

Loki grinned wide and closed the gap with a kiss. His lips felt soft against yours, and the way he licked your bottom lip made your stomach flip. You opened your mouth slightly to let his tongue enter as it got tangled with yours. Oh how you missed kisses like this. Pulling apart breathlessly, you both stared into each other. “Y/N, the love of my life, will you do the great honor in being Mrs. Laufeyson and staying with me for life?” You smirked and cupped his face. “I thought you’d never ask.”

Things finally felt right. Dalton would grow up with his father and you had your handsome Asgardian back. You might’ve been the one that he left behind, but you are certainly the one who he is never EVER going to leave again.

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

A/N: AHHHHH! Sorry this was so long, but I got really carried away! Haha! PLEASE LIKE, REBLOG, and COMMENT, as always my loves

Tag List (Open): @jobean12-blog @littlenerdgirl16 @jokesonjess @jewels2876 @mashtons-dirtbag @hernameiswhatt @ballyhoobarnes @lauxeyson @thiddlestoff @thatbitchsaidhi @marvelous-heroimagines @iamwarrenspeace @violentlybarnes @moondancewrites @toddneilanderperry @mizz-kraziii @lovelybones81 @thinemineours @godohammers @buckywhoops @thatfangirl16​ @thummbelina​ @notyourtypicalrose

[immortalbarnes]

A Cabin For Two | Chapter 3: You’ll Never Know

Bucky Barnes x Reader

summary: Sam visits for  dinner, and you tell the story of how you and Bucky met.

warnings: SMUT! (you can skip it without missing anything), mild swearing and violence

A/N: sorry this is so late, but this is a pretty long one

***bold italicized indicates flashback

masterlist

Sam came over for dinner tonight, and brought an amazing potato salad. You and Bucky tried out a new chicken pot pie recipe, and even though you may have left it in the oven for a little too long because you were dancing to your Dick Haymes vinyl record, it was spectacular. The three of you, and Alpine when he jumped on the table, conversed for the night, then retired to your leather couch with some glasses of wine. The alcohol has no effect on you and your lover, but the feeling of normalcy made you happy enough.

“You know what I just realized,” Sam suddenly changes the subject, “I’ve never heard the story of how you two met. I mean I know it was during the war overseas, but I never got the details. Was Bucky a player back in the day?” His head bobs from left to right as he says player.

“He was!” You laugh.

“No way!” Sam leans forward in surprise, “Bucky had game?”

“I did,” Bucky chuckles, his arm resting behind you on the back of your leather sectional, “Before I got drafted, I was always dragging Steve on a double date. I thought the same charm would work on Y/N.”

“But it didn’t.” You interject, causing Sam to snort.

“Okay, okay, please start from the beginning.” Sam practically begs.

“Okay, well, we met overseas when I was working under Cap for the Howling Commandos.”

…

“Thank you for your hard work, Agent Y/N. Get some rest, you deserve it.” The general thanked you at the end of your meeting. You were a spy working for the Allies, and had just finished a mission gathering intel in a small town housing Hydra soldiers. You were in a camp stationed somewhere in Austria.

“Thank you, General, though I must admit I never get much sleep in those tents.” You joke.

“Well maybe you’d enjoy visiting with our special guests, The Howling Commandos.”

“Captain America’s boys? To what do we owe the pleasure of their visit to?”

“Well, Agent, your mission helped us gather intel on the whereabouts of Zola, so they’ll be staying with us for the next week until a train carrying the man comes through the mountains.”

“Glad to know my mission was to help such a cause,” You smile, and at that the general leaves to attend to more work. As for you, you had free time until your next mission, so you travel to the medical tent to visit one of the nurses you’ve befriended at this camp, Linda.

“Well, looky here! Agent Y/N is back! I was starting to think those Hydra fat-heads actually gotcha this time!” Linda exclaims as you enter the large awning.

“Good to see you too, Linda,” You laugh, “How’s it going?”

“Pretty swell until those Howling Commandos came in the other night. That Bucky fella won’t stop flirting with my ladies.”

“The nerve on him! As a soldier, he should know he shouldn’t be flirting with the staff.”

“Nevermind about him, tell me about your mission!”

You and Linda sat on a cot and you began to tell her everything you were allowed to, from the small village you stayed in to the base you infiltrated, even mentioning a part where you almost got captured, but thankfully you were able to charm your way out of that.

Just as you were finishing your story, a man and a nurse walked into the tent. The man, tall and muscular with clean cut brunette hair, had his arm around the girl’s waist and she was giggling at something he must’ve said.

“Mary! You’re late to your shift!” Linda snapped as she saw the duo walk in.

“Oh, Linda, don’t snap your cap! The tent’s empty!” Mary replied.

“Sorry for keeping her, ma’am, it won’t happen again.” The man apologized half-heartedly.

“Zip it, Barnes, I don’t care if you’re Captain America’s right hand man, you need to quit sneaking around with my girls! We got enough diseases flying through this camp, we don’t need you spreading something new.”

The man, who you now realized was the infamous Bucky Barnes, rolled his eyes with a smirk, kissed Mary on the cheek, and left the tent. Mary began to speak, but was quickly silenced by Linda’s harsh tone.

“I don’t want to hear it! You got tools to clean, so you better get to it!” She ordered, Mary meekly nodded and rushed to work, “What a creep, that must be the third girl he’s run off with, and they haven’t been here half a week!”

“Men like that make me wanna chuck.” You agreed.

…

“Damn, Buck, you were a tiger!” Sam laughed as you finished recalling your first encounter with your now lover.

You look over at Bucky, who was as red as a tomato, “I think she’s exaggerating a little.” He muttered.

“I remember every detail like the back of my hand.” You smirked, taking a sip of the ineffective alcohol.

…

Later that same night, you were in the mess hall, eating whatever muck the cooks said was dinner. At every camp you’ve been shipped to, you’ve always found friends among the soldiers. Even though you had your fair share of whistles and catcalls, there seemed to always be a nice group of men who saw you as their equal. Here it was Richard, David, and Charles. Richard and David were brothers, and Charles was their friend from school; they all enlisted together as soon as David, the youngest, turned 18.

Charles was in the middle of retelling the other night when Richard got too drunk off Astrian alcohol and got his tongue stuck on the flagpole in the middle of camp when a fifth person joined the group directly to your right. All heads at the table turned to see one Bucky Barnes.

“Sergeant, to what do we owe this honor to?” Charles said mockingly, while the Howling Commandos were national heroes, most soldiers just saw them as overrated.

“Couldn’t help but notice the dame sitting with you boys,” He said, turning to you, “Why aren’t you sitting with the other nurses, pretty lady?”

“Because she’s not a nurse,” David spoke up, even though he was the youngest of the bunch, he had no trouble defending any of you, “She’s a spy, and way out of your league.”

“I apologize for my assumptions,” Bucky says with a smirk, “Why don’t you let me make it up to you in my tent tonight.”

David was about to speak up again, but you butted in, “Sorry, Sergeant, but I’m not another one of your call-girls. So, you can knock off now.”

Bucky then leans his elbow on the wooden table, resting his head on his knuckle, and pouts, “You’re a tough one, Miss…”

“Agent L/N,” you correct, at this point there’s steam coming out of you, “Thank you, Barnes, but I’m not interested. I’m too focused on getting in and out of Hydra bases, as for you, you needed America’s Golden Boy to rescue you from one, so my friend here is right when he said I’m out of your league.” Tired of his harassment, you begin to stand and walk away, but he quickly follows suit and grabs your wrist pulling you around. Instinctively, you ball up your fist and hit him square on the jaw. Startled by the sudden action, he stumbles back and falls on the table.

At this point, everyone in the area is staring. Calmly you flip your hair behind your shoulder and turn to leave the mess hall. Exiting, you see none other than the Captain himself running over to check on his best friend, mouthing a sorry as he sees you.

…

“You PUNCHED him!?” Sam injects once more as you retell, “How did you even make eye contact with her after she knocked you INTO A TABLE!”

“Let’s just say that you don’t treat women anything like you did back then.” Bucky says, ashamed of his past self.

“Don’t worry, Sam, he made it up to me later that night.” You smirk.

…

Long after the incident, you were in your tent trying to fall asleep. Being the only non-nurse in the camp at the moment, you were blessed to have one to yourself, but as you mentioned before you always had trouble resting.

Trying to clear your head, you decide to exit the tent and take a walk in the chilly Austrian night. You immediately smell smoke and turn to see the faint glow of a fire not too far away. In search of the warmth, and maybe some company, you sneak your way to the source of the heat. Once you approach the fire, you are met with the back of Bucky Barnes once again.

“Can’t sleep either?” You inquire, slightly startling the man.

“Always been a light sleeper, and I can’t stop thinking about how rude I was to you earlier. Sorry about that, ma’am. I wanted to find you and apologize, but Steve advised that you needed to be alone.”

“Apology accepted, Barnes,” You sit down next to him and take in the warmth of the fire, “But I have to ask why you thought that was appropriate.”

“Honestly, I don’t know how else to approach a woman. Especially someone way out of my league, like your buddy said.”

“You didn’t leave a good impression in the first place when you walked in the med tent with your third nurse of the week adorning your side.”

“You were there!?” He says, shocked, “Oh, hell, Y/N, I didn’t know that was you with Linda! I’m so sorry! I thought you were still on your mission.”

“My mission? How’d you know about that?”

“Peggy Carter told us about your mission finding Zola, and when she showed me and the boys your picture, I swear I’ve never seen a prettier lady in all my life.” He admitted, throwing you off guard.

“Wow, Bucky, I’m flattered, but your plan was to sleep around with the nurses until I returned? Not a good first impression?”

His eyes went wide. “Sleep around? No, no, Y/N, I swear I haven’t done anything with those ladies! They’re the ones chasing me!” He pauses for a moment, “but I guess that’s the reputation I’ve been building for myself. But the truth is, Y/N, ever since Peggy told us about you, I haven’t even looked at another woman. You’re my dream gal.”

You stare intently in his blue eyes looking for any hint of charm. Maybe this was just a game to get in your skirt? As the crackling fire reflected in his eyes, all you could see was the truth.

…

“That is so cute!!” Sam interrupts, “Please tell me this is when you two fell in love.”

“Let me finish!” You scold playfully.

…

“Bucky… You’ve been waiting for me?” You say, finally taking in all his breathtaking features: his strong jaw, broad shoulders, perfect pink lips.

“How could  I not be? You’re strong, independent, gorgeous, and don’t fall at my feet like any other girl. What else could I want?”

Speechless, you just stare at him in awe, his baby blues returning the gesture. You stay like this for what feels like light years, until he finally speaks up again,

“May I kiss you, Y/N?”

“Please.”

And just like that, his lips are on yours. It’s passionate and hungry, like he’s been starved for days. You quickly return the emotions, melting in his touch. The fire was burning out, but you still felt sparks fly through you as your lips mend together. His large hands embrace you, his left on your cheek, the warm sensation of his skin on yours, and his right on your hip. Your arms snake around his neck and you feel his short hair prick at your wrists.

Out of air, you both pull back and rest your foreheads on one another, breathing hard as you notice there’s a huge smile plastered on his face when you sit back.

“You are the most dynamite gal I’ve ever met.”

“You’re not too bad yourself, Barnes.” You say through heavy breaths. He chuckles at your snark.

“Totally worth the knuckle sandwich I got earlier.” he jokes.

“Sorry about that.”

“Nah, I deserved it.”

“How about you let me make it up to ya?” You wink.

“What do you have in mind?”

“I’m thinking we put out this fire and go back to my tent.”

Hurriedly, you put out the remaining embers and lead him to your secluded tent. After making sure your neighbors were sound asleep, you practically ripped open your tent trying to get in, Bucky following suit.

As soon as he entered, he was on top of you, his lips claiming yours once more, and his arms on either side of you. Like before, this kiss was deep and passionate, but you felt something else within. Lust, perhaps?

“Wait, Bucky,” You suddenly tense up, pushing him off of you, “How do I know any of this is real? How do I know I’m not just another skirt?”

“Y/N, darling, for the past month since I first heard about ya, every girl that’s even talked to me made me wish it was you. You’re everything I want and more, doll, let me prove it to ya.” There’s a sadness in his eyes, like he’s hurt that you’d even think that. That look is everything you need to believe him.

With that reassurance, you climb up and straddle his lap, your hands going to his hair as you lean down and kiss him once more. His warm hands travel straight to your hips as he deepens the kiss, asking permission into your mouth, to which you eagerly accept.

His tongue explores your mouth with a passion, and you moan into it. Suddenly, you’re gasping for air once more and pull back. He practically growls at the sight of you, lipstick smeared and blouse wrinkled.

“Please doll, let me make love to ya, I’m begging ya.” His brooklyn accent peaking out as he talks in a low tone.

“Please do, Sergeant.” You pant.

As soon as those words leave your mouth, his eyes practically go black. He carefully lays you down and begins to undo the latches on his royal blue uniform jacket. As soon as his toned chest is revealed, he begins to work the buttons of your blouse, separating the front to expose your nude bra; next to go is your skirt, and you’re in nothing but your undergarments.

“Golly, doll, you are perfection.” He whispers in awe, he leans down to kiss your cleavage and begins to move lower and lower towards your underwear before going back up to his starting point between your breasts. Your hands reach down and start to fumble with the belt of his uniform pants. Noticing your struggle, he sits up to start to work the buckles undone and shimmies out of his muted green cargo pants and underwear

You had only an instant to take him in, thick thighs, toned calves, and a thick cock. Suddenly he was hovering over you once more, his hands expertly undoing your bra latches.

“You must have had practice.” You mock, receiving a shy chuckle from him.

He discards your bra, and you decide to handle your bottoms, quickly sliding them off and having them join the rest of your clothes. Now it’s his turn to admire you.

“Just when I thought this couldn’t get any better. Y/N Y/L/N, you are a goddess.” He praises you, a small blush reddening your cheeks. You just now noticed the slickness between your legs.

“Buc-”

“James, that’s my real name.”

“James, please take me.”

“Anything for you, doll.”

He lines himself up with your entrance and slowly pushes in, making eye contact with you the entire time, his warm hands cradling your face. Your lips form a small ‘O’ as you feel him fill you up.

“J-James…” You quietly moan.

“Oh, Y/N, babydoll.” He whispers, slowly moving in and out of you. You’ve been with your fair share of men, but nothing could even come close to comparing to the feeling of James inside you.

He begins to pick up the pace, and his left hand travels down and instantly finds your clit. He begins to rub soft circles in time with the rhythm he is slamming into you. You’re on cloud nine. Eyes never leaving each other, his blue orbs leaving you in a daze.

Suddenly, you’re snapped out by the coil in your lower stomach tightening, signalling that you’re close to release.

“God, James, I’m so close.” And with that he picks up the pace, harshly slamming in and out while adding more pressure to your nub to bring out your orgasm.

“C’mon, doll, let it go for me.”

And with that, a wave of electricity, nothing like you’ve ever felt before, rushes through you. He continues to move within you to help you ride out your orgasm, both of you heavily panting.

Next thing you know, you feel him release inside of you. His hot white coating your insides.

“Oh, fuck, I’m so sorry.” He stutters, pulling out, “I couldn’t help my-”

“It’s fine,” you interject, “Thank you. Th-that was amazing, James.” You never saw yourself having kids, but now you could only see yourself starting a family with him.

All of a sudden, you were overwhelmed with the feeling of harsh cold, for coming out of your sexual haze, you realize that you’re stark naked with only a thin tent protecting you from the Austrian winter. You begin to shiver, and Bucky instinctively rushes to get you back into clothing and under a blanket. After you’re both dressed once more, he begins to get up and leave.

“Ja- uhm, Bucky, where are you going?”

“Back to my tent?”

“Stay please.”

“I never thought you’d say that.”

You invite him under your blanket and rest your head on his chest, his muscular arms enveloping you in even more warmth.

“Is it too early to say I love you?” He asks after a moment of silence.

“Not after all of that.” You joke.

“Well, Y/N, I love you.”

“I love you too, James.”

You always had trouble sleeping in tents, but that night you fell asleep instantly.

…

“You said I love you after you fucked in a tent!?” Sam pipes up, shocked, “That fast?”

“Well it was the 40’s, Sam, there wasn’t a ton of dating and getting to know each other. It was more like settle down quickly and start a family.” Bucky explains, “And that night, there was an unexplainable feeling there. I think we both felt it.” He looks intently at you, locking eyes, and you nod in agreement.

“How long did this go on?” Sam asks, even more interested.

“About a week,” You sigh, “We snuck around without most of the soldiers knowing. The only people we told were Steve, Linda, Richard, David, and Charles. My friends were a little iffy about it after those first couple of incidences, but when they saw us together they quickly supported it.”

“Steve knew how obsessed with her I was, so he was there for us from the beginning.” Bucky adds.

“About a week later, The Howling Commandos were sent on the train mission, the one I gathered intel for, and that was when Bucky fell and got captured by Hydra again. Steve and the guys returned and broke the news to me, and I lost it…”

…

It wasn’t too long until the group returned from the train. You didn’t care much about the outcome of the mission, for Bucky was your main concern.

Once you heard the news of their return, you ventured into the main tent to see the Commandos and the generals… but no Bucky.

You made eye contact with Steve, and his face instantly dropped, scaring you.

“Steve? How did the mission go? Where’s Bucky?”

He grabs your shoulder and pulls you outside back into the freezing cold,

“We failed the mission. On the train we were ambushed by a soldier with major blasters, and he shot Bucky off the train. He fell into a ravine, and we couldn’t find his body… So we can only assume he died.”

No, it can’t be true. Pain hit your entire body as your eyes began to water, and suddenly, you were gasping for air. Steve grabbed you to keep you steady.

“No, Steve, please tell me you’re joking, please, PLEASE.” You were practically begging,

“I’m sorry, Y/N. Sergeant Barnes is dead.”

“NO! NO HE’S NOT! NOT MY BUCKY!” You screamed between jagged breaths.

“What’s going on here!?” A general demands as he exits the tent.

“He’s… gone…” You say quietly, trying to gather yourself.

“Agent Y/L/N? Did you and Sergeant Barnes have a fling?” The general asks.

“He was the love of my life!” You wretch, “We were supposed to start a family!”

“Y/N, you’ll be okay… We can get through this… He was my best friend.” Steve tries to calm you down.

“No, Steve, you don’t understand!” You grab his broad shoulders as your wild eyes meet his, “I’m pregnant.”

[fortheloveoffanfic]

Festival

Keanu Reeves x Reader (requested)

Their band finished their final set for the evening and left the stage with excited attendants still applauding and cheering. Keanu smiled, as he pulled the strap of his guitar over his head, pleased that the audience had been so enthusiastic. “Drinks guys?” One of their bandmates, Robert suggested. 

Their other bandmate, Bret just shrugged and nodded and Keanu agreed, “Sure.” In the background, Keanu could hear the announcer introducing the next performance, and though he didn’t quite get the name over the loud cheering, he could see stage hands preparing. For a minute, he lingered at his spot behind the partition that separated them form the stage, though he was broken out of his daydream by a friendly slap on his back and his friend suggesting that he snap out of it and help them clear out. “Yeah okay,” He mumbled, shaking himself out of it, picking up his guitar case and a couple other bags, “I’ll meet you guys back at the dressing room.” 

Keanu finished gathering his stuff and turned to leave when a familiar guitar riff began, soon complemented by the sound a couple other electric guitars and drums. He knew this song, maybe. Then he heard it, her voice. Low, raspy and sultry at first before growing louder. He did know the song, he had heard it on the radio several times, had heard her name in passing, though he had never seen her.

Y/n stood on the center of the stage, pulling the microphone out of the stand and walking around energetically, encouraging the crowd to sing along. Keanu dropped the bags on the floor, entranced by her spunky disposition. Stuffing his hands into his pockets, he inched closer to get a better look at the woman. She was the ideal punk rock princess, dressed in a red plaid mini skirt, paired with a cropped leather jacket and knee high boots with silver embellishments. He couldn’t really see her face since they were more than twenty feet apart, but he could tell she was smiling.

Y/n’s energetic demeanor coupled with her enchanting voice not only captured the attention of her audience, encouraging them to jump up, hands in the air, singing along, but also Keanu who stood there with a wide grin plastered on his face, entranced.

As her first song first song came to a close, Y/n took a couple minutes to engage with the audience, taking a seat the edge of the stage before another upbeat tune began and she started signing again. Y/n’s set was finished after three more songs and soon she was walking towards him, head still turned towards the crowd, waving and smiling. She was getting closer, and finally, he could really see her, her face shone with the faintest sheen of exertion though the hint of dark make up still perfectly intact. She wasn’t even paying Keanu the slightest bit of attention. Still he was staring as she quickly got closer and closer, dumfounded by the beauty that was approaching.

Then it happened. She was looking behind her not seeing him, Keanu was standing there, a speechless, stupefied mess and Y/n stumbled straight into him. Keanu tripped backwards, grapping her arms to stop her from falling as he desperately tried to regain his footing. “Shit!” She exclaimed surprised and he swore that it was the best the word ever sounded, “I’m so sorry, I didn’t see you there.”

They both stood up right, avoiding the embarrassment of crashing to the floor but Keanu’s fingers lingered around her upper arms and he stared at her for a hot minute. Or five. “No, I-that-” He stammered, not really knowing what to say, “That was my fault.” He finally blurted out, “I shouldn’t have been standing there, I saw you coming and I didn’t budge and then you know...” Finally, he realized that his hands were still on her and he immediately dropped them to his side, stuffing them into the pocket of his jeans.

Y/n scrunched up her nose and squinted her eyes, “So you just wanted me to look like an idiot? Is that how you get your chicks?” Y/n rolled her eyes and Keanu’s mouth fell open. Silently, he kicked himself for making the worst first impression ever. The embarrassment started to set in and he really started to feel terrible when Y/n burst out laughing, “Oh my god! You thought I was serious,” She laughed, “I was just messing with you.”

Keanu breathed out a sigh of relief disguised as a nervous laugh, “You really had me there,” He shook his head, trying to rid himself of the nerves, conjuring up a shy smile.

“Wait,” Y/n stepped back tilting her head as if trying to get a better look at him, “Johnny Utah!” She covered her mouth, and to some extant, a growing blush, “I mean...um,” It was Y/n’s turn to stutter, “Keanu Reeves! I knew you looked familiar.” She was never one to get star struck, but hopefully she could be spared this moment. Clearing her throat, “Sorry about that, and for not recognizing you.”

“It‘s fine.” He reassured her, “You were great out there,” Keanu pointed to the stage that was already being readied for the next performer. “Amazing actually.”

Y/n’s blush returned, this time a shade deeper, “Thanks. You play bass for Dogstar right? I loved your set.”

“Thanks,” Keanu smiled looking down at the ground. Trying to sum up at least an ounce of courage, Keanu paused for a minute. He knew he told his friends that he would meet them for drinks, but certainly after half hour Bret and Robert had given up on waiting on him. Besides, he might only have one chance to ask Y/n out, if he didn’t take it, that would be like slapping the universe in the face, right? Finally, he took a deep breath and just let the words tumble out of his mouth. “Do you wanna grab a drink?” 

“Straight to the point huh?” Y/n smirked, “I like a guy who can just go for it. And, it just so happens that entertaining thousands of drunk people can make one parched.”

Their smiles grew, “Well, shall we?” Keanu gestured to the metal staircase that led to the ground.

Before they started walking, Y/n looped her arm in his and he looked down at her fondly, “We shall.” 

Keanu led Y/n down the stairs and throw the thick crowd of attendants towards the tent which served as a bar. It took a while to weave through other, mostly drunk, festival goers, but eventually they got to the counter. His hand hovered close to her back and as he ordered them two beers, and voice from the opposing side called out to him, “Keanu!” The man yelled and he scanned the bar for the source. Keanu!” The man called again, and this time Keanu spotted Bret across the tent, saluting him with his glass while Robert gave him two thumbs up. Though they were far away, he could swear they were mouthing the words ‘she’s hot’.

“Those are your bandmates right?” Y/n turned to him, her gaze questioning before nodding to Robert and Bret. 

“Uh, yeah. Sorry about that.” He laughed shyly.

Y/n laughed, waving his apology, “Its fine.” The bartender brought over their drinks and Y/n took a short swing from her bottle then asked, “Do you want to go over and say hi?”

Keanu started leading Y/n towards the exit, “It might be better if we don’t.” He laughed lightly. When they finally made it out, he surveyed the crowd, looking for an empty bench, “Wanna go somewhere....quieter?”

“Is that poor code for lonelier?” Y/n raised an amused eyebrow and this time Keanu could tell she was just pulling his leg. “I’d love too.”

They walked for a while, and the sun sunk lower and lower into the horizon. Before long, they had found themselves in the back where all the tour trucks and trailers were parked. There were no benches or plastic chairs like before, so they settled for a grassy patch under a street lamp, looking towards the mostly empty vehicles. “Quite the view huh?” Y/n giggled pointing her bottle towards the filled park. Some of the tucks were painted with the logos of various bands and others were plain colors.

“Magnificent really.” Keanu returned her sarcasm with matched glee. “ I like you.” He said simply after a couple minutes of silence.

“We met, like, an hour ago,” Y/n chuckled, but then, “I like you too.” She sighed contently, taking a sip, “You’re different somehow. I don’t feel like you’re talking me just so you can get in my pants.”

“You’re wearing a skirt.” He joked. Then silently cursed himself for making such a bad joke. 

“That I am.” Y/n mused.

They remained quiet for a while, the silence being more comfortable than awkward. “So....” Keanu asked, wanting to start a conversation but not knowing how. He tilted his head to regard her, features illuminated by the orange light of the setting sun. He thought she looked perfect, like the cover of a magazine or like someone was about to take the most perfect picture. Then for reasons beyond him, Keanu reached out, his fingers barely ghosting over her cheek. It was like he was watching her on stage again, feeling like he was being drawn towards her, like close wasn’t close enough. 

Y/n smiled, shy and sweet, “So?” She whispered, the word barely audible. “What are you doing?” She giggled quietly. 

Keanu shook his head. He didn't even know what he was doing. “I don’t know.” Instead of a sarcastic remark, Y/n just smiled in response, leaning into his palm feeling his fingers against her face. “You’re beautiful.” He finally managed.

She had heard those words so many times. And she was pretty self assured, but the words had never felt truer until he spoke them. “Thanks.” Her smile grew and she discreetly scooted closer, placing the bottle next to his on the grass. 

Keanu’s hand lingered on Y/n cheek and she blushed. His touch was tender and warm. Using his thumb, he traced her bottom lip and Y/n’s eyes flicked between his dark brown gaze to his lips. “Can I kiss you?” He asked quietly, scared that she might say no.

“I might be offended if you didn’t” Y/n smiled. Their faces drew closer together and soon Y/n could feel Keanu’s warm breath on her face. His free hand moved to tangle in her hair and hers traveled to cup his face. Their lips ghosted each other, both shy at first, though eventually their lips melded together in a series of sweet kisses. 

Sweet turned to passionate and Y/n tried to get closer, pressing her hand in to the cool grass, knocking down their bottles. Keanu grabbed fistfuls of the fabric of her jacket but soon resolved to slipping his hands beneath it, trying to pull Y/n into his lap. Clumsily, Y/n gave in to his unspoken plea, scampering to straddle him, pushing Keanu into a laying position, his t-shirt soaking up the spilled beer of the grass. Wrapping his arms around her, Keanu desperately tried to close whatever space remained between them and Y/n moaned into his mouth.

For a while, the world around them disappeared, until a the street lap above them suddenly powered on, bathing them in a bright white light, just as a very annoyed security guard behind them cleared his throat. They sprang apart in a surprised daze, awkwardly dusting themselves off. “I should go, the rest of my band is probably waiting for me,” Y/n smiled shyly. “But I’d like to pick this up. You should call me sometime.” Hurriedly, Y/n scribbled her number on Keanu’s arm, using a pen she found in her jacket.

“I’ll call you.” He smiled widely, still giddy.

“I hope so.” Y/n stood and he did too.

“Okay.” Keanu giggled, feeling like a infatuated teenager.

They stood like that for a while, savoring the final moments together, the last ones until they met again “Okay.” Y/n finally said, kissing him on the side of his lips, “I look forward to it.” With that, she walked off towards the vehicles, occasionally looking back at him until they couldn’t see each other again.

Keanu lingered there for a minute before gathering their bottles and heading back to change his t-shirt and regroup with his bandmates, thoughts of Y/n racing through his mind, anticipating the moment he could call her. 

[hookedonseavey]

Haunted House - Daniel Seavey

summary: main character is friends with the band and their girlfriends, they all decide to go to a haunted house. main character hates haunted houses. daniel helps her out, feelings are caught. nothin but fluff and banter, honestly.

word count: 2.7k

warnings: none. maybe one swear word?

a/n: Hey y’all! Here’s the first of a few requests I got last week from a list of prompts. I figured in honor of spooky season I’d make them go through a haunted house lol. Full disclosure, I’ve never actually gone through a real haunted house, so my apologies if this is super unrealistic. I’m pretty happy with how it turned out though, hope you guys enjoy it!

prompts: "I like the way your hand fits in mine" and  "Could you hold my hand?"

We waded through the throngs of people to the line leading up to the haunted house, our group's laughter lost in the sea of chatter. I looked up at the imposing building and tried to swallow my fear. The boys were joking around with each other ahead of us girls: Christina, Tate, and Gabbie were commiserating about their boyfriends. They were all seemingly unbothered by the looming threat of being harassed by zombies swinging chainsaws. I knew they were just actors, but still. I hated haunted houses. And like an idiot, I let myself be talked into coming along.

"I love haunted houses. They scare the shit out of me but Corbyn gets to act like the big, protective boyfriend. It's hilarious," Christina explained.

"They don't scare me at all, I think they're corny as hell. But Jack likes them, so, you know…" Gabbie chimed in.

Zach's voice traveled back to us. "C'mon guys, why're we doing this?" he asked, trying to cover his own nerves with his typical air of confidence.

"Because it's fun," Daniel said matter-of-factly, tossing his arm around Zach's shoulders. "Unless you're too scared," he teased.

"Daniel, be nice…" I chided.

He turned around to face me and started walking backwards. "Or what?" he challenged, smirking mischievously.

"Or I'll have to punish you…" I said with a grin, a chorus of 'ooh's and catcalls coming from the other boys.

"Tread lightly, my friend…" Corbyn said, slapping Daniel's back.

"She would never hurt me, she loves me too much," he said, shooting me a wink over his shoulder that caused butterflies to erupt in my stomach. Trying to ignore them, I stuck out my tongue as Daniel turned back around to walk forward again. Daniel and I were definitely the closest friends within the group. We'd gotten along the best ever since Christina introduced me to the boys earlier in the year; we understood each other in a way that was almost intuitive. And yeah, maybe I had a little bit of a crush on him. How could I not? He was the sweetest guy I'd probably ever met, he was an amazing musician, and he was gorgeous. The complete package. But I had no idea if the feelings were mutual. Dani and I were flirty with each other, but always in jest. I didn't think Daniel meant any of it, and I certainly never meant any of it at first… But then it started to mean something. I couldn't bring myself to stop or say anything, though: our friendship was too good to risk messing up.

"You'll be fine, Zach, just stick with me. I'll protect you," Jack said, bringing my attention back to the imminent danger and drawing laughter from the others. Zach rolled his eyes and adjusted his jacket.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. If I get attacked by a zombie, I'm taking you down with me," Zach said to Jack, meriting himself a slug in the arm. By that point, we'd almost reached the entrance gate, and I felt my stomach bottom out as I looked ahead and saw flashing strobe lights that briefly illuminated a man missing half his jaw. Subconsciously I stepped away from the group, fiddling anxiously with the hem of my sweater. As the rest of the group moved up in the line, Daniel looked around and noticed I was hanging back. He weaved around the others and came to stand in front of me.

"Hey, you okay? You look a little pale," he asked quietly, instinctively reaching out to hold me by the elbow. 

"Yeah, I just… Forgot how much I hated these things," I said with a half-hearted laugh.

"Oh," he said, at first a little unsure of what to say. "Well, do you want one of us to wait out here with you? Zach would probably be willing to sit this one out. Or I'd be happy to stay with you," he suggested, those big blue eyes looking down at me, round and imploring.

I shook my head. "No no, I don't want any of you to have to wait for me, this is supposed to be fun. And you were so excited for this, I'm not gonna make you do that."

He shrugged, the ends of his lips turning up into an impish smile. "You aren't making me do anything, I'd be staying out here of my own free will," he said. "Someone's gotta protect you from those zombies, right?" His thumb had started moving gently back and forth on the inside of my elbow. I tried to suppress the shiver that arose from his touch and shook my head again. I really didn't want to make Daniel sit this out despite his insistence to the contrary. Something about what he'd just said seemed to stick in my mind. Someone's gotta protect you from those zombies… I had an idea, a way for me to go through the house that might make it survivable. I gulped.

"Could… Could you hold my hand? Like, while we go through?"

He blinked down at me, seemingly surprised by my request. "Yeah, of course," he said, sliding his hand from my elbow to my hand, intertwining his fingers with mine. He looked down where our hands were joined and adjusted his fingers a little, extending and flexing them a few times before they closed a final time to envelop my hand in a reassuring warmth. He cleared his throat. "You ready?" he asked. I nodded, mentally scolding myself for having such sweaty palms, but Daniel didn't seem to mind as we rejoined the others and walked through the gate towards the door of the building. As we entered, my grip on Daniel's hand tightened and my heart started beating way too hard to be healthy.

Daniel leaned down so his lips were right next to my ear. "If it gets to be too much, just tell me and we'll get you out of here," he murmured, squeezing my hand gently as the vibration of his voice brought goosebumps to the surface of my skin. I nodded as we all huddled into the center of the first pitch black room, nervous laughter filling the air for a few seconds only to fade into a terse silence. A single light flicked on, shining into the corner to expose a zombie slouched against the wall in the corner. Christina and Tate squealed as he slowly looked up at all of us, lurching forward with a groan. Zach and I both jumped while Daniel, Jonah, Tate, Jack, and Gabbie were all smiling and laughing, and Christina and Corbyn had their arms around in each other, looking like they couldn't decide if they were scared or having fun. I was marveling at how most of them didn't seem as scared as I felt when, without warning, another zombie jumped from the dark in the opposite corner, grabbing my and Daniel's shoulders with his decaying hands. I shrieked, recoiling into Daniel as everyone jumped and stumbled haphazardly into the hallway in a panic. Another zombie jumped out from behind a corner, screaming with his arms reached out towards us like giant claws. Yells and screams filled the hall as we skirted by him.

"I hate this I hate this I hate this," I repeated over and over, and Daniel tucked my arm through his as he pulled us to the front of the group as we all entered another dark room that appeared to be a dead end with no door.

"It's okay, they're just actors."

"I know that, but - " Before I could finish my thought, a metal door in the corner was kicked open, slamming into the wall with a bang like a gunshot. Standing behind it was the guy I'd seen from the line who was missing half of his jaw. I screamed again, reaching the hand that wasn't already in Daniel's grasp to grip at his shirt front. Zach pushed past Daniel and I and made a beeline for the door.

"I'm done, let's get out of here!" he yelled back at the group, eliciting a round of laughter from the ones who were still somehow enjoying themselves. Despite the laughs, a consensus seemed to have been reached by all of us that we needed to get out as quickly as possible. We moved from room to room, each new scare sending me retreating further into Daniel's side until I was practically hugging him with my face buried in his shoulder, my nose filling with the scent of his cologne and focusing on the comforting feeling of his hand in mine as I tried to block out my surroundings. As unpleasant as this was, I was beyond thankful that Daniel was willing to be my human shield. My feelings about him certainly didn't help my situation, though. By the time we got to the last room, I wasn't sure if my heart was pounding because of the scares or because of Daniel's proximity.

When we finally made it out and walked into the open courtyard behind the house, I felt like my heart was trying to escape from behind my sternum. The operators of the house were serving hot cider and cookies under tents in the brisk autumn air. Zach was already waiting for us, sitting on a haybale next to a scarecrow with his head hanging between his knees. He looked up when he heard the boys' voices.

"Took you losers long enough," he scolded, standing up slowly and walking towards us.

"Hey man, all you had to do was stick with me, but you didn't listen. It's your own fault," Jack teased.

"No way bro, you're insane. There's something wrong with you if you think that's fun."

"I, personally, had a great time," Tate said, slipping her arm around Jonah's waist as he laughed, shaking his head at her.

"Wow, yeah, that was… A blast, for sure," Christina said sarcastically. "But I'm ready for cider," she said, looping her arm through Corbyn's and pulling him towards the tents. The others followed suit, with Daniel and I bringing up the rear.

"Hey, you made it out alive," Daniel said lowly, squeezing my hand.

I took a shaky breath. "That's debatable."

Daniel chuckled. "I think Zach was more scared than you were, honestly."

I rolled my eyes. "He's a drama queen." It was at that point I realized Daniel had made no attempt to remove his hand from mine, and I became entirely too concerned with whether or not I should try to take my hand away or if I should just leave it and see what he did. I decided on the latter as we reached the front of the line for cider, taking a paper cup in my free hand and silently sending up a 'thank you' that I now had something else to focus on.

"Where'd the others go?" Daniel asked as he pulled me along behind him back out into the courtyard. I looked around and saw Christina under a different tent where they were selling t-shirts with the phrase 'I SURVIVED' emblazoned across the front. My eyes quickly found the rest of the group under the same tent, laughing as they looked through all the haunted house merch.

"They're over there," I said, nodding towards the tent. Daniel followed my gaze and nodded, the two of us falling in stride together as we made our way over to the others. He chuckled when he noticed the t-shirts, using our joined hands to point towards a rack of them.

"You need one of those," he teased, gently elbowing me in the ribs.

"Shut up," I retorted, smirking in spite of myself. When we reached the tent, Christina looked over at the two of us from the other side of a t-shirt rack with a cocked eyebrow and a knowing smirk. Confused by her expression, I made my way around to her side of the rack with Daniel trailing behind me as he joked around with Jonah and Corbyn.

"It's about damn time you two figured it out," Christina intoned once I was within earshot.

I blinked. "What, me and Daniel?" I asked in a hushed tone.

"No, George Clooney," she snarked. "Yes, Daniel. That boy hasn't been able to shut up about you for months."

"What?" I asked dumbly, looking over my shoulder to watch him laughing with the others with his nose all crinkled up. My stomach did a backflip at seeing him so happy. "No way."

"You think all that flirting was just for fun?"

"Honestly… Yeah."

Christina groaned. "You're clueless. He's obsessed with you, girl. Talk to him and see for yourself, doesn't look like he'll be leaving your side anytime soon," she prodded, playfully shoving me in Daniel's direction. I bumped into his shoulder and the two of us went stumbling, our hands finally breaking apart as Daniel reached out to keep me from falling.

"You okay? What happened?" he asked, still laughing a little from something one of the boys had said.

"Yeah I'm good, it's too crowded in here," I said pointedly, glaring at Christina.

"Can we go sit for a minute?"

"Yeah, sure," he said, replacing his hand in mine without preamble and walking out from under the tent to sit on an unoccupied haybale. "You sure you okay? You seem nervous…" Daniel said, making my heart jump into my throat.

"Yeah, I'm good. Adrenaline rush, I guess," I tried to make the excuse sound more convincing than it felt.

Daniel cleared his throat and started to pick at a hole in the knee of his black jeans. "I, uh… I'm glad you went through with us. I felt better with you there."

I looked over at him, cocking an eyebrow. "You didn't seem scared at all."

"Well, yeah, I wasn't scared, but I just… I liked having you there, I guess." His gaze shifted from his ripped jeans to where our hands rested between us, and he slowly started brushing his thumb across my knuckles, sending a tingle up my arm. Oh my God.

I blinked a few times, any words I wanted to say feeling caught in my throat. Finally, I found my voice. "Thanks for holding my hand. It helped."

He looked over at me, his eyes wide and a cute little smile resting on his lips. "Yeah?"

I laughed breathlessly. "Yeah, it was nice. Someone had to protect me from those zombies," I kidded, squeezing his hand in a return of the gesture he'd made so many times already that night. Then there was a moment of silence that seemed to stretch into a little piece of forever, the two of us, watching as his thumb moved over my knuckles.

"I like the way your hand fits in mine," he said, just loud enough for me to hear.

It felt like the air had been knocked out of my lungs. After double and triple checking with myself that I'd heard him right, I spoke up quietly. "Me too." Is this really happening?

"I mean, look at this," he said, bringing our joined hands up between our faces as his demeanor changed to be more playful again. "Our fingers fit together perfectly. And our palms line up…" he trailed off, spreading out his fingers. I did the same, holding my hand against his much larger one. "Crazy. We need to hold hands more often," he said sweetly, as if were discussing something as simple as going out to eat at a certain restaurant or visiting our parents. I giggled at his candor.

"I agree," I said, slipping my fingers between his again, warmth radiating out through my hand and down my arm, infiltrating my chest where my heart had finally calmed down. Feels good. Our eyes met and something felt different. A good kind of different; exciting. "Hopefully not at any more haunted houses, though," I said jokingly.

Daniel laughed. "We can hold hands wherever you want, honey, just say the word," he said, bringing the back of my hand to his lips and causing heat to rise in my cheeks. And at that moment I couldn't think of another time where I had felt so happy.

The ending feels lame but it’s what I got for you. Hope this is close to what you wanted, nonny! Thanks for the request!

[jflashandclash]

Traitors of Olympus IV: Fall of the Sun

Twenty-Seven: Axel

Organic Situational Awareness

(or: The Wrong Time for Pride)

           Jack went from sinister to hysterical within one breath. Axel could imagine his surrogate father shift from a generalized glance, to narrowing in on him. This usually preceded an embarrassing story. Instead of an embarrassing story, Jack came near a sob. “My boy! Axel, my boy! We saw her, we saw my wonderful Flynn! That militaristic bitch-god of war, and Flynn’s fashionist ice cleft of a mother—they have her!  They have my amazing Flynn!”

           Axel clenched his teeth. He didn’t consider that Jack must have gone through the Princess Andromeda on the way down here. It would have destroyed the maniac to see Flynn and do nothing to help her.

           If Euna could hear Jack’s rambling, she gave no indication.

           Thalia snapped out of her surprise first. “Euna!” she called over Jack’s continued ramblings about the Ballad of Descent and Snack Breaks. The latter, something Axel’s stomach said they should have taken more of.

           “Wait,” Reyna whispered.

           Before she or Axel could grab Thalia’s arm, the huntress stepped forward.

           Axel could imagine Reyna’s complaint later, Don’t any of you know how to formulate a plan? I would have better luck attacking Russia in winter!

           Axel didn’t dare step after Thalia. A closer proximity to Kronos’ scythe might cloud his already foggy thoughts. He had never heard, had never felt, the Leonis Caput helm, itself, scream. It sent a jolt of terror through him. Pax had been through so much; Axel trembled to think of what might be happening topside to make the helm itself worry.

           At least everyone had heard the helm make that noise. That was new. He didn’t want to tell the others, “Oh, normally my helmet just talks in my head.” Out of the people here, only Reyna might have the slightest idea of what that meant, and he really rather she didn’t.

           When he tested the proximity to Backbiter, leaning towards Euna, reaching a hand out after Thalia, his mind sharpened. The Leonis Caput’s internal panic softened in the presence of its commander.

           It helped him comprehend what happened next.

           Thalia slid her bow onto the back, briskly closing the distance between she and Euna. “Hey, Euna, I’m talking to you! I didn’t swim through a river of blood—”

           Something made a crunch under Thalia’s boot when she was about five feet from Euna.

           “Wrong step, huntress!” Jack taunted.

           Axel had enough time to realize that Jack must not have been able to make out Thalia’s features in the dark, else her moniker would have been something much less polite and something that would incur a reprimanding from Axel since he’d grown to like Thalia.[1]

           Several small somethings exploded from the dirt at Thalia’s feet.

           “Styx!” was all she got out before those things wrapped around her and dragged her to the ground.

           A small burst of electricity temporarily freed the huntress, so she could fumble an arm out, before the snake-like forms entrapped her again. Within a breath, she was cocooned on the floor. The cocoon rocked slightly, emitting the occasional muffled swearwords. The swearing, at least, meant she could breathe.  Vines, Axel realized. Hopefully not poisonous ones this time.

           Calex took a step backwards in dismay.

           Reyna fingered her knife. Axel felt like he could sense Reyna calculate how dangerous Euna was and the quickest way to take her down.

           Euna’s head twitched. She glanced over her shoulder at the organically and all-natural, mummified Lieutenant of Artemis. “Hm?” she said, reaching up to pull something from her ear. Plants curled out of her hair and towards them, like they were tiny, environmentally-friendly radar guns. Her eyes looked like absent pits of blackness, similar to the cliff’s edge.

           Maybe Axel shouldn’t have felt it, but pride lifted his stomach. Euna had listened and learned. “Now that is a way to deal with a lack of situational awareness,” he muttered.

           Reyna shot him a look, then her eyes glanced from Thalia to the daughter of Demeter.

           “Oh,” Euna said, like they stumbled upon each other outside an ice cream shop. “Hi Calex, Axel, Praetor chick.”

           Calex gave her an uncomfortable wave and slung his bow over his back. His eyes darted from Thalia, back to Euna.

           Axel nodded his head to her. Then, he registered her shirt was torn open and immediately adverted his gaze. He wanted to scold Calex, but the Brit wasn’t reacting like he’d noticed her tattered state. For a bewildering moment, Axel had to wonder if Calex secretly saw everyone naked all the time. He could imagine Calex’s explanation now, “It’s an Eros thing.”

           Reyna frowned at Euna. “Daughter of Demeter, we came here to talk, as friends and allies. That—” She gestured to the squirming cocoon. “—is a friend.”

           “She’s safer in there,” Euna said, the comment indicating she knew Thalia’s exact identity. “Jack droned on a lot about things he’d like to do to some of the people he doesn’t like. I’ll need him singing soon and, until I no longer need him alive or can focus on shutting him up, she’ll be safer in there.”

           “Euna said she’ll let me keep my tongue if I’m a good boy,” Jack said. The pride with which he said it indicated that he thought he’d earned the appendage.

           “Or,” Calex said, his voice trembling, “We could toss that mad bloke’s head over the side of the cliff there, and we can head topside, out of this nightmare.”

           Axel needed to know how she would respond. He made a mental note to apologize to Euna later and glanced up at her face.

           She shook her head. “No. Jack said you’d come—”

           “Lucky, prophetic guess,” Jack hummed.

           “—and I need your help. Well, really Calex’s help, I think. Though, the two of you are supposed to be here.”

           Calex pressed his lips together in concern.

           Reyna clenched her fist.

           Looking at Euna, something was very clear: she didn’t need saving. Axel wasn’t sure she needed them at all. He puffed up his cheeks and popped them, exhaling deeply. He’d feared she had died in the Labyrinth, and they’d find her corpse. This was no corpse. This wasn’t the Euna he’d first met on the quest to Howe Cavern to save Rachel Elizabeth Dare, but this was still Euna.

           Judging by her resolve—the way she’d casually trapped a girl she had a crush on—Axel knew what was about to happen next. He glanced at the Leonis Caput helm latched to Calex’s belt. The imperial golden gleam made him nauseous still, but he’d need to don it. His eyes trailed to the scythe at Euna’s side.

           Hello Lieutenant, came the cold greeting of Kronos.

           He tried not to flinch and to focus on the tension unfolding before him.

           “Euna, we are here to help you,” Reyna said. Axel got the feeling he and Reyna shared another flaw: they weren’t great at gentle negotiation. “Put Saturn’s scythe down and the Plague Bringer’s head. Leave them here. We can travel back to the surface world. Our other friends up there are in danger. They need our help.”

           Euna looked annoyed.

           As Axel suspected, the daughter of Demeter had probably zoned out while Reyna was talking and just realized she was expected to respond.

           “Euna…” Calex said.

           Euna’s eyes flashed over to him, then returned to Reyna. “You don’t want me taking a piece of Kaos,” she said. “Backbiter told me.” Euna shrugged. “I’m going to kill your gods, Praetor. I can the others in a bit, but it would be dumb not to do this first.”

           “I’m a protector of New Rome. I can’t let you do that if your intention is to kill the gods,” Reyna said. She took a step forward. Reyna was at a major strategic disadvantage and she knew it.  Euna brought a small army of plants with her, and they didn’t know where else Euna had planted—Pax would laugh at that one—traps.

           Axel grabbed Reyna’s wrist.

           “And I can’t let you stop her,” he said.

           With his other hand, he withdrew his gladius and tossed it to the side. As he’d learned before, the blade wouldn’t help him in a fight against the daughter of war.

           Reyna’s glare was icy. “Axel,” she said. Her muscles tensed under his grip.

           “Mate?” Calex asked warily.

           Axel flicked out the stiletto attached to his wrist: a Mayan weapon, one he hoped the Roman goddess wouldn’t be able to influence or control, especially in the depths of Tartarus. Knife to stiletto: a very intimate fight.

           “What did the gods just do to my little brother?” Axel asked. Tears threatened to choke him when he thought about Pax pinned to The Princess Andromeda’s deck, withering in pain, sobbing, and screaming at Ares, unable to do anything as Axel—his protector, his older brother—lifted Pax’s head up to execute him. The way Pax quieted to spare Axel’s feelings, like getting his own dagger shoved into his throat was no biggie. The way Axel let all of his pride crumble, begging to be Aphrodite’s sex slave in exchange for his brother’s life, only to plea to apathetic ears.

           “I was too weak to dethrone an unjust tyrant,” Axel said, his voice trembling. “If I think someone is stronger than me, strong enough to succeed at bringing justice to the world where I failed, I have no other option but to help that person.”

           “Thanks, Axel,” Euna said, though Axel couldn’t look to see her expression now. “I really don’t want to have to kill the praetor. I know you like her and stuff.”

           By now, his and Reyna’s arms trembled as Axel tried to hold her wrist in place and she tried to withdraw. He thought about their time in the tent, about how she’d almost stabbed him through the heart. He wondered if this would be it, if they’d never get to “spar” again.

           “Attempting to tear off a piece of Kaos could kill her,” Reyna said through gritted teeth.

           Axel didn’t turn away from Reyna when he raised his voice to ask, “Euna, do you accept this could possibly kill you?”

           “Duh,” she muttered dully. For a faint moment, he could imagine Joey scolding her sister for stealing the little sister’s typical response.

           Despite everything, it made him smile.

           Reyna twisted her wrist, breaking his grip.

           She shoved him off.

           Axel took a step backwards, closer to Calex. He kept his stiletto in a defensive position.

           Calex flinched away. “Axel, have you gone mental?!”

           Quite the contrast, Axel felt uncanny clarity. He reached backwards, grabbed the Leonis Caput helm, and slit the tethering off Calex’s bag.

           “Sorry. I’ll be needing this,” Axel said.

           This was the one place they, the Leonis Caput and Axel, might be able to beat Reyna: in Tartarus, away from her mother’s realm, with his master’s blade so close.

           Reyna’s dark gaze flicked from him, to Calex, to Euna. Strands of hair had escaped her braid. Some stuck to her face with the dried blood from the river. Some was caught in the updraft, fluttering around like her purple cloak. Despite all of that, she still looked beautiful. However, with the nothingness behind her, Reyna looked smaller and less prepared than she usually did.

           She had nowhere to go. Strange to be cornered in the middle of an open abyss.

           Reyna exhaled and narrowed her gaze. “Calex, go get Euna,” Reyna said. Axel could see the tension run through her body as she prepared for an attack. They had battled and danced so often, he and the Leonis Caput could practically sense her wind up for a lunge.

           “Yes, Calex,” Axel said, feeling a slight grin tug on his lips as he lifted the Leonis Caput helm back to his face. “Go to the Sickle Wielder.”

 Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed! :D Shit’s getting real!

Footnote:

[1] Definitely still views her as someone who betrayed Luke. Eh, what’s a best friend to do?

[gwynne-fics]

Pictures

born to love

“Are you sure it is okay for Director Lee to be inside the Forge?” Se-Na worried her lower lip between her teeth as Bo-Na changed into her jumpsuit inside his office. Chan-Young looked up from his bellows and tilted his head. Se-Na blushed and fiddled with her eyepatch. Bo-Na had asked Yoo Rachel to design and make something for his female employees because she noticed they didn’t feel pretty because of their injuries. Se-Na was now her biggest fan. “I worry about her ankles swelling and her overheating. She’s going into her eighth month.”

Chan-Young didn’t dismiss it. Bo-Na woke up this morning and complained about being uncomfortable for the first time since her morning sickness. She was technically at thirty-five weeks so it stood to reason she would get uncomfortable towards the end.

Bo-Na came out of his office and his eyebrows went up because she’d unzipped the jumpsuit to just under her breasts and put her hair into a messy bun. Her cheeks were pink and flushed and she had this waddle. He found it incredibly adorable.

She came up to him with a cranky smile and he kissed her cheek. “I can bring this home and show you. You didn’t have to come all the way here.”

“I’m on maternity leave but I don’t want to sit at home and be bored. I like being with you.” Bo-Na put on her hard hat and took his hand. They walked over to his workstation where he’d set up the glass mobile he’d made for their baby. He put on his gloves and slowly twirled it around for her.

Bo-Na gasped when he lifted it up to the light source he was considering. “You made little horses and bears and stars! That is amazing, yeobo!”

Chan-Young grinned. He enjoyed impressing her. “I read an article that pointed out infants liked light and movement and shapes even before they could really see. I know I’m going to have difficulty holding them so I wanted to make something they can associate with me.”

“I love it!” She clapped her hands and then all the blood left her face as she looked down at her stomach. He caught her arm when she stumbled against his work table. “Oh no,” she whispered. “Can’t you wait five more weeks? I don’t think you’re finished cooking, little one.”

“Bo-Na?”

She smiled brightly through grit teeth. “I think my water just broke. That was super gross.”

Chan-Young pulled out his phone to call a cab and called for his best Forge worker. “We have two orders I was supposed to fill today. You and Jung-Ho are going to need to finish them up. The plans are over there.” He gestured to a drawer and pulled out his keys for it. “Tell Se-Na she’s going to need to help Bo-Na back into her clothes.”

“Not you?” Bo-Na actually pouted.

“I’m going to seize up once I leave the heat of the Forge. I can get you back to my office but it always takes me a few minutes. I’m sorry.” Bo-Na touched his hand and then kissed his cheek before she winced. He counted that as the first contraction before wrapping arm around her waist and helping her cross the room. “Who should I text to meet us at the hospital?”

“Rachel. Eun-Sang and Young-Do are doing the hostile takeover. They need their brains focused on that. Besides, we don’t know how long this is going to take. My mother was in labor with Hyun-Jin for two days. My other mother said I barely held off long enough on that beach for my parents to find her. Rachel’s only took a few hours.”

Bo-Na’s biological mother. He knew that they spent lunches together every few days. Park Eun-Mi sent him a very lovely card apologizing for unintentionally hurting him. It came with a cupcake and feelings he didn’t know how to reconcile so he ignored it for the most part because he refused to let Bo-Na’s abilities become a feature of their marriage. He’d made his choice. He loved her. But he was the happiest when it was just them.

Bo-Na was the best demigod he knew. Her morals and ethics were hard won and he saw how dedicated she was to making sure his love was his own. It was not easy but they worked on it together. Like they would with their baby.

He knew Bo-Na was worried about his feelings towards President Lee. But he also had a lifetime to prove to her that he didn’t hold her abilities against her. He had patience.

“Let’s assume you’re like your biological mother and rush.” He kissed her forehead when he passed her off to Se-Na. She had his street clothes and he dangerous changed inside the Forge because he would move faster in the heat.

It turned out they didn’t need a cab. Bo-Na’s driver and car were still in the parking lot. He had already figured out the fastest way to their hospital. The next contraction came five minutes later. They got to the hospital and Bo-Na was taken immediately to delivery. Whereupon they discovered a problem.

The nurses wanted to stick him into scrubs and he knew that just wasn’t possible. “I wear a specially lined suit. Unless you have silk scrubs--”

“I do.” Yoo Rachel interrupted what would be the start of an argument. She held up a sealed bag that looked identical to the bag the nurse was trying to give him. “Bo-Na needs you to hold her hand and we discussed it. President Yoon will need help from a nurse familiar with death dealer injuries.”

“Yes, of course. I see the barcode. This way, President Yoon.”

Chan-Young gave Rachel a look as she walked with him. “President?”

“You own your company. You are a president. If they think you are wealthier than you are, that only benefits you. If this goes well, Bo-Na will donate the money.” They parted ways at the locker rooms and Chan-Young changed as quickly as he could into the sterile, silk scrubs, before he was led into the delivery room.

“I’m leaking,” she said plaintively as he came to hold her hand. “I’m sorry. Is Rachel here?”

“She’ll be here soon.” He suddenly understood the reason why Bo-Na had invited her friend to be a part of their child’s birth. Yoo Rachel was the only person Bo-Na knew who could cut away her power from unsuspecting humans who would want to spend every hour of their hospital stay serving her. Bo-Na insisted that he couldn’t feel the difference when it came to the effects of her power but he swear he could simply because his injury stopped existing in his mind.

Chan-Young made sure to keep his eyes lowered but he refused to let go of her hand as she went from fully dilated to pushing within a minute. He said soothing words and tried not to cry as tears ran down her cheeks. He felt the brush of Rachel’s fingers against the back of his neck while she silently went around the room and did the same to the nurses and doctor.

In less than an hour, there were tiny little cries as Bo-Na collapsed against the birthing table. After quickly cleaning the little girl, there was a moment before the nurse hesitated to bring Bo-Na their child. Chan-Young felt fiercely protective but he didn’t have his cane.

Thankfully, Rachel went up to the woman and took the new baby from her and firmly said, “This is not your child. This is Lee Bo-Na’s child. You must give her to her mother.”

Without a second look, Rachel brought his daughter to them, and Chan-Young just started crying. She was soft and small and beautiful. He wanted to hold her but his arms weren’t stable enough outside the Forge. “I thought we could name her Eun-Hee,” Bo-Na said with a glowing smile. “Chan-Young? Yeobo?”

He tentatively touched Eun-Hee’s cheek with a single finger. He didn’t know how he could’ve been afraid of such a perfect little baby. She had his eyes.

“How whammied am I?” He tried to joke through his tears.

“Not at all,” Bo-Na said and sounded surprised. He looked up to see Yoo Rachel nodding her agreement.

“All of that love is you, President Yoon. It looks like this baby girl was born to all the love she needs.”

[spxderman-s]

the one that got away

requested: nah, this one is all me xx 

pairings: tom holland x reader 

word count: 3.2k yikes i got carried away again

warnings: swearing, there’s some pg-13 smut, mentions of alcohol 

a/n: yo this is so relieving to finally post something i’ve been working on for weeks and weeks. if anyone has been active, i’ve been going through a really tough funk in my writing and this is the first one i’ve posted in a hot minute. so enjoy lovelies!! 

You deserved this vacation.

Working non-stop for the last three months had completely drained you. So you repeated those words in your mind as you got onto the plane, checked into the resort, and fell upon the giant, lush queen bed--complete with gourmet chocolates waiting for you on the pillow.

Yes, you splurged a little bit on the suite. But damn it, you deserved it! As you ordered room service that first night, drank an entire bottle of wine while watching late reruns of Friends, you felt the weight of working so much slowly lessen from your shoulders, and you drifted into the enormous bathroom to soak in the likewise clawfoot bathtub. Carrying your last glass of wine with you, you ran the water, and sighed in satisfaction as you sank into the heated water.

Yes, you definitely deserved this vacation.

“Can I get a martini?” you asked the bartender politely over the noise of the booming bass oozing from the speakers all around you, resting your hands on the edge of the bar. You had meandered your way down to the lobby, exploring, and came across this small pub tucked next to a bright, wild club. The edge of the bar led into the section of the room that was full of people dancing, purple light cascading over the mass. A DJ sat at a turntable in front of all of them, shouting incoherent words in a mic, trying to be heard over the sound of the music.

Dancing was never your thing. Your eyes wandered along the length of the bar, bouncing from face to face; girls with their friends that traveled in packs, men who held craft beers and sported man buns, women who looked a little old to be partying but partied anyway--and had the time of their life doing it. Everyone seemed to be here with someone, except you.

“One martini,” you heard the bartender say, and you graciously accepted the drink and sipped it slowly, lost within people-watching.

“By yourself?” he asked, cleaning glasses.

You nodded with a polite smile. “I needed a getaway, you know? It’s only for a week.”

“Well,” he said with a wink, “welcome--and have the time of your life: you only live once, remember?”

You grinned at the familiar catchphrase, and lifted your drink in a salute. “Cheers to that.”

Someone pushed into the bar beside you, a little too close for comfort, almost causing you to spill some of the martini. You frowned, and scooted out of their way as they ordered two shots of tequila--chilled.

Paying them no mind, you went back to sipping the drink and scrolling through your phone’s feed. You finished the last of it in a large gulp, and pushed the glass away from you, tucking a few bills underneath it. As you prepared to leave, the person who invaded your space beside you let out a frustrated groan.

“Shit, where did Haz go?” he said, leaning back from the bar, seemingly looking for someone named “Haz”. “I bought that sod a shot of tequila and he’s not even here to drink it.”

British, you noted after he spoke. You only saw the back of his head, which included a mop of unruly, velvet curls that matched the shade of chocolate. He was wearing a plain black shirt that hugged his muscles just right, along with dark blue jeans that gave a spectacular view of his….assets. You found yourself raising an eyebrow with interest at this handsome stranger in front of you.

The stranger cursed again and turned back to face the bar, and the two shots in front of him. With a sigh, he picked one of them up and tossed it back with ease, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he swallowed--followed by a hiss from the burn. When he reached out to pick up the other one, his gaze caught your own, and you averted your stare with embarrassment.

“The way you’re looking at this tequila makes me think you want one of your own,” he smirked, turning to face you and leaning an elbow upon the edge of the bar.

Red crept into your cheeks as you shook your head. “Sorry--I’m not really a fan of tequila,” you apologized, raising your voice above the music.

“Neither am I,” he laughed, handing you the shot. “Honestly, it’s rubbish--you wouldn’t make me drink another one, would you?”

You reached out tentatively and took the shot glass from his hand, feeling the heat radiate from his fingers. The glass felt cool, and before you could stop yourself, you tossed the tequila back quickly--sucking in air after the burn hit your throat. “I don’t think I’ll ever be a fan of that stuff,” you admitted, pushing the glass away from you with a disgusted expression.

The handsome stranger laughed again, and you got a better look at his features. A strong, chiseled jaw tensed and relaxed as he talked, with deep set brown eyes that crinkled at the edges. So he really like to laugh.

“What’s a beaut like you doing in a place like this?” his voice lilted with his accent. The compliment sent a surge of confidence through you, along with another heated blush into your cheeks.

“Vacationing,” you replied, keeping it vague.

“Vacationing,” he repeated, and smiled. “Me too.”

“What do you do?” you asked, tilting your head.

“Me?” he said, pointing to himself. “I’m an actor--not to brag about my work, but you might have seen me in a few things.”

You searched his face again, and he did look somewhat familiar, but you couldn’t place a name to him. You confusion must have been evident, because he looked genuinely surprised.

“I’m Tom Holland,” he confessed, grinning. “The new Spider-Man?”

It suddenly dawned on you. “Holy shit,” you cried, slapping a hand to your forehead. “I--I’m so sorry I didn’t recognize you--that’s….this, this is amazing!” You ran a hand through your hair sheepishly. “I’m [Y/N].”

He laughed again, and ducked his head shyly. “I will admit--I didn’t think someone as pretty as you would know who I was.”

Damn, this guy was smooth--and he was playing all the right cards. Don’t go getting attached, your brain warned you, and you silently agreed. This was just a weekend’s vacation--nothing more.

“Do you wanna dance?” came his voice, breaking you out of his thoughts. Your eyes darted to the dance floor behind the two of you, and you wanted to say no--dancing was not your thing. But something in you just couldn’t resist, and you found yourself nodding, his hand finding yours, and suddenly the two of you were in the middle of the dance floor, moving to the rhythmic beats and feeling nothing but each other, and the heavy bass fluctuating through the room.

Hours later, the two of you were laughing and stumbling down your hallway before stopping in front of your door. Your feet were killing you, but you were on a cloud that you never wanted to come down from.

“Lemme just get my key card,” you giggled, fumbling around in your clutch. Tom steadied you with a hand on your exposed shoulder, and you felt every single nerve ending in your body responding to his touch. All you wanted to do was take him into your hotel room, have those hands all over you, and--

“I should get going,” he spoke low, leaning closer to you so you could hear him. “Darling, I would love to stay and….chat, but you’re truly a lovely girl, and I don’t want to push this night too far.”

Your hand paused in front of the key slot, looking at him with furrowed brows. After a second, you gave a smile, and nodded. “You’re right….I had a lot of fun tonight.”

“Me too, love,” he replied, reaching out and running a finger through a loose curl framing your face. He looked like he wanted to say something else, but decided otherwise. “Maybe I’ll see you around while we’re both here?”

“Sounds good,” you murmured, your gaze dropping to his lips, and back up to his eyes.

He had a knowing expression on his face and chuckled as you unlocked your door. Sliding inside, you gave him one last look before closing it and collapsing with exhaustion against the other side. A euphoric glow was emanating off of you as you kicked off your heels, set your clutch down at the counter, and shed your dress and jewelry.

As you climbed into bed, barely able to turn the lights off before you completely passed out, your last thought was of Tom, and how the glorifying burn for him in your chest warmed you all the way to your toes.

Your eyes opened groggily as you slowly woke up, feeling the effects from dancing last night in your sore muscles. Rolling over to look at the clock on the nightstand beside you, you were stunned to see that it read almost one in the afternoon. While it felt glorious to sleep in for once, you didn’t want to waste any time on your vacation. Sitting up and stretching, you yawned and rubbed your eyes, thinking you were in desperate need for coffee.

You padded barefoot across the suite and into the kitchen, pushing the buttons on the coffee machine, and stood there tiredly--wearing nothing but an oversized T-shirt. While you poured the coffee into a mug, you thought about what you wanted to do that day: laze around the suite, lay by the pool, or maybe do some retail therapy.

You sipped your coffee and picked up your phone, scrolling through the pictures last night. Surprisingly, you took a lot of them. Or--you zoomed in on a few, looking closer--it looked like Tom commandeered your phone for most of the photos. You smiled at how happy you looked in the one you paused on. He was holding the phone out to get both of you in the slightly blurry picture, the purple and red and blue LED lights coloring your faces as you were tucked underneath his free arm, your hand on his chest, the two of you grinning like two peas in a pod.

A loud knock suddenly sounded from your door, making you jump and nearly drop your phone and your cup of coffee. Glancing down at the state of your dress, you shrugged and moved to look into the peephole: a rush of excitement dancing through you as you saw the familiar mop of brown curls.

You opened the door, but kept the chain lock in place. Peeking through the crack, you gave him a mischievous grin. “Do you have the room service I ordered?”

Tom shoved his hands in his pockets. “I hate being the bearer of bad news,” he started, before matching your grin. “--but I don’t have your room service.”  

“In that case,” you joked, teasing him by pretending to close the door on him. “What brings you back this way?”

“I had to see you again.”

That sent another jolt of electricity down your spine. You closed it quickly and unlatched the chain lock to let him in. Standing aside as he walked by you, he let out a low whistle at the sight of your large suite.

“Fancy,” he remarked before turning around to face you. His eyes quickly dipped to your bare legs, back up to your face, clearing his throat. “Ah--what were your plans today?”

“I was thinking about doing some shopping, maybe take a trip down to the pool,” you answered nonchalantly, picking up your mug of coffee. “You?”

“Whatever you’re doing,” he smiled, running a hand through his tresses. “If--if that’s alright.”

God, he looked good today, you thought to yourself. He wore another pair of dark jeans, but with a black polo to go with it--the edges of the sleeves rolled up once, and his collar unbuttoned just low enough you could see a beat of sweat appearing in the hollow of his throat.

“Let me go take a quick shower,” you said, setting down your mug. As you walked towards your separate room, you motioned to the giant TV and the snacks at the bar. “Help yourself--don’t be afraid to make yourself at home.” You could feel his eyes on you as you walked away from him, and an excited, suppressed smile graced your features as you hurriedly closed the door to get ready.

“God, look at that ring,” you sighed, your breath fogging up the glass window of the jewelry shop. A beautifully crafted opal ring sat nestled in deep maroon velvet, screaming your name. But you absolutely knew it was way out of your budget. “I’d sell my kidney for it. Do you know how much they go for on the black market?”

Tom leaned in beside you, nodding in approval of the ring. “How much do kidneys go for on the black market?”

“Almost two hundred thousand dollars,” you replied. “Don’t ask me how I know that.”

Tom laughed, moving away from the window and his hand slipped into yours. “I adore you already.”

A tinge of pink touched your cheeks at his comment. You noticed that whenever you were near him, you were completely at ease--everything felt natural. Looking at him now, something twinged in your heart, something comforting and deep. But you knew that you two would go your separate ways at the end of the weekend--you couldn’t get any more attached than you already were.

But God, you wanted to kiss him. You wanted to do more than kiss him. You wanted him to touch you, hold you, caress every inch of your body with his lips that you were sure tasted like divinity.

“You alright?” he asked, pulling you out of your sinful thoughts.

“Yeah, yeah,” you gave an apologetic smile. 

He hummed, pulling you in closer and draping his arm over your shoulders. “Do you want to go back to your room and relax?”

“Only if you go with me,” you murmured as the two of you walked back towards the elevators.

“How could I possibly resist that demand?” his voice dripping with charm, his breath tickling your ear.

Once you reached your hotel room again, digging your key card out of your bag, you felt a delicate touch on your cheek. Your hands stilled, your eyes raising to meet his, and his finger traveled across your cheek, over your parted lips, and stopped with his thumb resting against your chin.

“You are truly beautiful,” he breathed, blinking lazily. “I don’t think I ever want this day to end.”

The corners of your mouth lifted in a smile and you pushed open your door, ushering him inside. Closing it behind you, you couldn’t contain yourself anymore as you stared at him standing before you, his eyes glazed with lust as they swept over you. His Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed, clearing his throat. “So--,” he started, but you didn’t let him finish. In one swift movement, you were wrapped in his strong, warm arms, lips pressed fervently against his own in a passionate need to get even closer to him. He kissed you with such zealous enthusiasm that you were momentarily taken aback, his hands sliding down your body and gripping your ass. Your fingers carded through his thick curls, fighting for breath, slipping your tongue in between his teeth.

Before you knew it, he had lifted you up and carried you into your bedroom, placing you delicately but firmly onto the white sheets. Breaking the kiss for a moment, he hovered over you, and his voice was low and lustful when he spoke.

“This is what you want?”

You nodded silently, and his dipped his head to kiss you again--slower, gentler. There was something much deeper residing behind it. The flame that had been building in your chest from the moment you saw him in the bar flared the brightest it had ever been, warming you to your toes once again, and you fell into a rebirth of infinity with this man you had just met, but somehow felt like you had known all your life.

Something woke you from a drowsy sleep, and you blinked your eyes groggily as you rolled to your side--to find an empty bed. Glancing at the clock, it read almost two in the morning. You rubbed your eyes to wake yourself up, sitting up and holding the blanket to your bare chest, looking around the room. Lights from the kitchen illuminated the dark bedroom, and you slipped out of the bed and pulled on one of the hotel robes.

“Tom?” you called out quietly, voice raspy from sleep.

There was no answer. You entered the kitchen, peeking around the corner towards the bathroom: both empty.

A little hurt, you searched around for a note or something from him, and found one sitting on the kitchen counter by the phone. Walking over to it, a sinking feeling settling into your chest, you picked up the note and scanned the scribbled words.

Darling,

You are truly magnificent.

-Tom

There was a tiny velvet box sitting beside the note, and your fingers trembled as you lifted the lid to it. Within sat the graceful opal ring you had fallen in love with, and as you slid it from the satin lining, your cheeks were wet with tears.

Why are you crying? The voice in your head was relentless. It was only a fling.

Wasn’t it?

Your heart weighed heavy in your chest as you handed your ID to the woman behind the counter to check your bag onto your plane. After a few scans and some beeps, she handed it back to you, along with your boarding pass. Signaling for your bag, you hefted it upon the scale and she tagged it accordingly.

Your eyes wandered around you, focusing on the entrance into the airport. You swallowed the lump in your throat, and averted your eyes from the sliding doors. Quit looking, you scolded yourself in your mind. 

“Have a nice flight,” the attendant said warmly, gesturing for you to move out of the way for the next customer. Fighting back tears, you made your way up the escalator to find your gate, your hand mindlessly moving to fiddle with the opal ring sitting on your middle finger. A pang of unwelcome sadness hit you in the chest, and you took a deep breath to calm yourself. It was a little goodbye gift, something to remind you of him.

As you sank into a leather seat at your gate, you leaned back and closed your eyes, listening to the bustle of people around you, the voices on the intercom, and the distance sounds of aircraft. Maybe he’ll come running to you, like they do in the movies.

Time passed slowly, you tried to drown out your thoughts by focusing on anything but him. However, you kept playing with the ring on your finger, feeling his tender kisses still leaving tingles on your lips, up until the attendant called for boarding onto your flight. As you stood in line, holding your pass, you felt the burn of tears in your eyes as it became absolute that you were most likely never going to see or hear from Tom again. You handed your pass to the attendant, and before you entered the bridge to the plane, you gave one last look over your shoulder--but instead of tears falling as you didn't see his familiar face, a glimmer of a smile graced your features as you decided to dwell on the happy memories of one of the best weekends of your life.

tagging: @tronnoristheotp @nedthegay @i-saved-me @theweirdowithablogo @skymoonandstardust @timemngmtoptimisationproblems @thumper-darling @holywinchesterness @grabyourpolaroidandmyhand @ketterdame @tonight-couldbeforgettable @dimplesandcutesmiles @terrashrone @leorai-lemony-lewa @yoinkpeter @spider-boo-5 @elizzabeth21 @multi-parker @rvrdxle @gaiasambuci @bisexualmomfriend @1022bridgetp @erule @tommysdarlin @penguinlover-7 @dangerousluv1 @stephie-senpai 

[roggling]

The Proposal [Kidge AU] Part 3

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5

The next morning, there was complete silence, the only noise coming from Katie's quiet snores. Keith's limbs were splayed out on the whole floor and his shirt was lifted up, showing a few his sculpted abs. Katie, however, was sleeping completely still in the exact position she fell asleep in. There was complete peace... until Keith's phone rang.

The obnoxious, high-pitched ring of his phone caused Keith to wake up immediately, shooting up from his spot on the floor. Keith sat up from the floor and squinted from the sudden light. Once he heard the phone ring a second time, he stumbled up to his feet and tried to find it. He extended his arms through the dresser, throwing everything all over the floor. Keith froze when he heard the loud crash of things falling all over the floor and winced when the phone rang again.

Keith glanced at Katie and whispered, "Psst. Katherine." Katie rolled over at the mention of her name but was still half-asleep. Keith tried again, "Psst! Katherine! Katherine!" Katie only hummed in response and Keith stumbled towards her, knocking some things down again.

Keith bent down right next to Katie's face and whispered, "Where's my phone?"

Katie rolled her eyes and mumbled, "Satchel. Right pocket."

Keith turned and looked for his black leather satchel, finding it in the corner of the room. He stumbled his way there again, making Katie groan and roll around the bed. Keith finally made it and grabbed his phone, answering it immediately.

"Hello? Hello. Hello!" Keith mumbled out his words, while simultaneously dropping their bags all over the place as he struggled to stand up, "Gutierrez! Hey! Are you there?" Katie sighed deeply, dragging a pillow to her head and covering her ears with it as Keith continued to speak loudly on the phone.

"Are you there? Crap. Hello? I have horrible service!" Keith struggled to put on some shoes and was walking around on tip-toes, trying to not get such cold feet from the freezing wood floor. "Give me just-"

Katie, at that point, was done and threw a pillow at Keith's head, "I swear to sh*t... IF YOU DON'T SHUT UP THIS VERY SECOND..." Keith then got the memo and tip-toed out of the room whispering, "Hold on just a second."

Keith shut the door quickly and tip-toed down the stairs, simultaneously talking to Gutierrez, "Listen, Anthony, I know you're nervous and I'm sorry you feel that I pressured you into doing CNN, but... Of course, I want you to be happy." Keith rolled his eyes at the immature engineer but continued tip-toeing to the backyard and whispering on the phone, "Anthony. Anthony. Calm down, alright? I can call them. I can cancel. It's fine."

Suddenly, a blur of red caught Keith's attention but, he ignored it for now. As he continued reassuring Anthony, the red blur started getting closer and hissing. Keith glared at the cat, "Sit! Sit." The cat did as tell and Keith kept glaring at it, "No! Not you, Anthony. Uh- I actually think it would be a mistake to back out." Suddenly, the cat walked right in front of Keith and stopped right at his feet but Keith continued talking.

"Because... Anthony, your work is genius and people deserve to know about this scientific endeavor that you helped achieve and who better to explain it than the person who designed it?"

Suddenly, Keith heard a screech and he looked to a nearby tree. There perched was an eagle with its eye on the cat. Keith stared at the eagle for a while, then at the cat. "Yes, Anthony. And your work was really incredible and without you, space exploration will never be the... same." Suddenly, the eagle started flying, circling around Keith, which caught his attention.

"I know you can do this Anthony." The eagle suddenly started getting closer and closer to Keith, but then he realized... it's after the cat.

"Anthony, I believe in you- Give me the cat!" The eagle swooped in and picked up the cat in its talons and started flying away. "Anthony, hold on a second. Just a sec- Give me the damn cat!"

Keith started running around with his hands in the air. Keith then threw his phone at the eagle, which actually hit the huge bird and it dropped Red. Keith ran with his arms extended and caught the cat in his arms. Keith breathed a sigh of relief and ran for his phone, "Anthony, yeah. I'm here. I just want you to think this through and when you make up your mind, call me back." Keith looked up and saw the eagle flying towards them, "What the hell?!"

"No, Anthony, everything's alright. Just think it over." Keith started sounding out of breath, especially because he kept trying to run away from the eagle, "Don't hesitate to call me." Keith started ducking since the eagle was so close, "My phone's on all the time!" Keith then raised his hand out of reflex and suddenly felt his hand empty.

Immediately, Keith looked at his hand, which no longer held his phone, and then looked back up to the eagle, who now had his phone in its talons. "What the sh*t? Give me my phone!" Keith started running after it and had an idea, "Take the cat! Give me my phone and take the stupid cat!"

Keith then started running around with his hands up in the air, holding up the small kitten to the sky. "Come on! I just need my phone back!"

"Uh... what the hell are you doing?" Keith froze in his spot and turned around to see Katie wearing a gray hoodie and burgundy top topped off with a smirk. "The-It- The eagle came and tried to take Red. Then I saved him. Then it came back and took my phone." Katie furrowed her eyebrows and stared at Keith quizzically, "Are you drunk?" Keith shook his head and responded, "What? No! I'm serious. That stupid bird took my phone and Anthony's calling me on that phone!"

Katie rolled her eyes, "Relax. We'll order another phone. Same number. We'll go into town tomorrow and get it." Katie reassured Keith and he visibly calmed down, "Really? Oh... alright." Keith looked down at the cat, "Well, you go then." He let go of the feline and sighed in relief, "I...hate...cats."

Katie chuckled and put her hands in her hoodie's outside pockets, "You have to go get ready." Keith groaned, "For what?" Katie looked back to the house, "You're going into town with Matt and the guys. They say they have a big surprise for you." Keith groaned again, "I'm not going."

"Yes, you are."

"No, I'm not."

"Yes."

"No!"

"You're going."

"Katherine! I don't want to go!"

Katie turned and saw that Shiro and Matt were watching them, "Now, come on Keith, I don't want them to think we're fighting. Give me a hug." Keith kept talking and arguing, "I don't want to hug you." Katie rolled her eyes and wrapped her arms around his neck, "Of course you do, my hugs are amazing." Keith grumbled but hugged her anyways, his arms wrapping around her waist. Katie smiled, "See isn't that nice?"

Keith smirked and slid his hand lower, sneaking patting Katie's bum, smirking as he responded, "Very nice." Katie tightened her hold on Keith's neck and whispered in his ear, "If you touch my *ss one more time, I will castrate you in your sleep." Immediately, Keith lifted his hands to Katie's waist, hearing laughter pour out from the inside of the house. Soon enough, the two pulled apart and stood there awkwardly with Katie breaking the silence, "We clear on that?" Keith nodded and Katie smiled and grabbed his cheek, "Good."

Suddenly, Keith felt a small yet harsh tap on his cheek. Katie just slapped him. Keith chuckled and turned around to see Katie walking back towards the house.

Once the guys were gone, Katie had the house all to herself and she LOVED IT. But, unfortunately, she got a text from her father saying that he wanted to see her. She begrudgingly got up to her feet and trudged outside, where her father was playing golf. She watched as he failed to get a golf ball to a little island that held the green, but every time he struck the golf ball, it would land in the waters in between him and his goal.

"You wanted to see me?" Katie asked as she approached her father, who stopped his game and leaned on the club as he began, "Uh-your mother is a little peeved at me. I wasn't the most gracious of hosts yesterday. I guess I was in shock finding out that you're getting married. Especially since we didn't even know you were dating. The point is..." Sam looked his daughter in the eye and extended his hand, "I owe you an apology." Katie looked at the house tentatively, "Apology accepted."

Katie turned around and grabbed a golf club to join her father while listening to him, "I don't like that Keith guy. Seems too uptight." Katie shook her head, preparing herself for what her father was going to say, "I just can't believe you would marry the guy you've hated for the past five years." Katie shrugged, "Despite all that's happened, he's always been fair."

Sam shook his head in disappointment, "Well, I guess I don't have a say in the matter and I can't stop it. I'm happy for you Katie. I really am. If you're happy, that's all that matters."

Katie nodded and smiled at her father, "Thanks, dad."

"There's also the topic of my retirement. And I still need an heir-" Katie closed her eyes and breathed in deeply, knowing where this conversation was going, "We've already discussed this dad."

"Yeah, well, I'd like to discuss this again," Katie looked down to the ground, allowing her father to continue, "Katie, you are heading down a tough and rigorous path. There has never been a female Commander and-"

"-And that's exactly why I want to do this. There are hundreds of women who deserve to see a woman in the high ranks. I am willing to be judged. I don't care."

"I do care!" Her father screamed out, causing Katie to jump, "I've seen women try to do what you're doing, Katie. The world gobbled them up and spit them out mercilessly. I can't let you waste another five years chasing after a dream. It's impossible for any woman-"

"No, you just think it's impossible for me." Katie deadpanned, glaring at her father, and continued, "I'm sorry dad, alright. I'm sorry that you don't have the daughter you've been wanting. One that wanted to carry the family business. One who would marry someone you approve of, but it's not me. I know it's strange to you: my dream to become a space engineer, a Commander. But it's all that I've been dreaming of my entire life, despite what you want me to. And what I've been doing these past five years all lead up to a promotion, believe it or not. So I haven't been wasting my time. It makes me happy, reading all those prints and manuals. You understand?"

Sam drooped his head low, "If that's what makes you happy, Pigeon, then I have nothing to say." Katie scoffed, "Well, that's a first. And by the way... apology not accepted." Katie threw the golf club to the floor and walked back to the house, having found a new rage towards her father.

Back in town, Keith, Shiro, Matt, and Lance were all in a bar bonding over beers. "Man, we couldn't let you leave without taking you here," Shiro said, draping an arm over his little brother while taking a sip of his beer. All the other men agreed and Keith looked around nervously, having no idea what was going on.

"Hope you're ready for your surprise 'cuz she's almost coming," Matt said, excited for whatever they planned for Keith. Lance rolled his eyes and gagged, "It's my sister you guys." Matt shrugged, "Your sister's hot." Lance ignored the other men as the lights dimmed, Matt and Shiro whooping while Lance just watched the stage with interest.

Soon enough the curtains opened to show the same waitress that stared at Keith continuously last night, Natalia. Lance whooped loudly for his sister and screamed, "Whooo! You go, Natalia. That's my sister!" Natalia smiled at her brother as she scanned the audience, her eyes landing on Keith specifically, making him slightly uncomfortable.

Natalia turned to the crowd for a while to say, "Ladies and Gentlemen, I heard there was a groom in the house!" Natalia yelled excitedly, making the crowd clap wildly.

Natalia turned to look at Keith specifically, "This one's for you, hot stuff."

Natalia smiled to the DJ and he winked at her, starting the song.

Come on over in my direction

So thankful for that it's such a blessing, yeah

Turn every situation into heaven, yeah

Lance whooped once his sister started singing in a brotherly way and glared at her when she started winking at guys. Natalia laughed and started dancing innocently to the song as she sang.

My sunrise on the darkest day

Got me feelin' some kind of way

Make me wanna savor every moment

Slowly, slowly

Natalia then locked eyes with Keith, who looked to Shiro, looking at him with a desperate plea to get out. Honestly, he thought Natalia's crush on him was cute, but he didn't like going to places where other people dance on you, it made him feel uncomfortable. He also felt untrue to Katie, especially since she didn't know there was at the moment.

Suddenly, when Keith turned his head again, he found himself face to face with Natalia as she continued singing.

You fit me, tailor-made love

how you put it on

Got the only key know how to turn it on

It was going to be a long night.

As Natalia began with the Spanish part of the song, Natalia went over to Matt and started singing for him. At that moment, Keith took advantage of it and he ran outside, taking in a deep breath of fresh air. He could hear the door shut and he thanked God that he could get out before the song got too... frisky.

Suddenly, he heard the door open again and he could hear a voice join him, "Hey! There you are. How you holding up?" Keith turned and found Lance coming in and joining him by the railing to view the sea. Keith nodded and stammered, "Fine. Fine. I'm great." Lance smiled and took a swig of his beer.

Keith turned to look at him and he could tell why Katie dated him. He was attractive physically and seemed like a great guy. Suddenly, Lance turned and began, "Thanks for what you did back there."

Keith, completely confused, turned around and looked inside the bar, where Natalia was dancing on Matt, "In there? What did I do?"

Lance chuckled, "You left before my sister could do anything frisky. Thank you for not making me see that." Keith nodded in realization, "Oh! That! Yeah. To be honest I don't like being stripped on by girls in front of their family members." Lance laughed and took another swig, "And I guess you're not the type who likes to go to clubs when they're with a girl." Lance stated as he looked towards Keith, smiling.

Keith froze and shook his head, "No. I don't, actually." Lance clapped his back, "You're a good guy, Keith. Good to know Katie found someone who respects her the way she deserves." Lance looked down to the floor sadly, taking another swig from his beer.

Keith turned to look at the tanned man and moved his overgrown bangs out of his face, daring to ask Lance the question he's been dying to ask, "You two were pretty serious, huh?"

Lance turned and looked at Keith, and sighed, "Well, I mean, we dated in high school and all through college, but we were kids." Lance reasoned and Keith could have sworn that Lance had some regret deep in his eyes and asked, "But you guys called it off because of..."

Lance sighed and decided to just tell Keith as he continued, "Uh... well the night before we graduated school, I proposed... but then Katie..." Lance sighed and closed his eyes as if it still hurt to talk about it so Keith finished for him, "She said no."

Lance nodded but continued, "I mean. I don't blame her. We both wanted completely different things in life. She wanted to go to Texas and become a Commander. I wanted to stay here and open my own bakery. This is my home. I didn't want to give it up. So I realized that if we weren't willing to sacrifice something we both really care about to be with the other, then we don't actually love the other nor were we meant for each other." Lance sighed and looked at Keith with a smile, "You're really a lucky guy Keith. Katie's the best and I can tell you two really love each other. I originally came here to see if we could try again, but when I saw how happy she was with you... I-I finally learned to move on."

Keith nodded and immediately felt bad. Here he was taking away an amazing girl from an amazing guy for his selfish needs. He should have just been deported rather than taking a girl away from the guy she deserved.

"Well," Lance started, interrupting Keith's thought process, "cheers to you guys." Suddenly, Lance handed Keith a brand new beer, which Keith took happily and opened it. He clinked his bottle with Lance and took a sip.

Suddenly, the door opened and the two men looked inside, Lance gasping dramatically when he saw a man getting too close to his sister, "Whoa there, pal! Keep those slimy hands off my sister!"

Keith chuckled at Lance as he ran out and Keith stayed outside sipping his beer in contemplation.

Keith, Shiro, and Matt all walked down the dock joking about Natalia's excitement until they all saw Katie hacking at a downed tree with an axe.

"Oh no," Matt said as he got closer and closer to the house.

Keith walked faster to catch up to Matt, "What? What's she doing?"

Matt started walking faster to the house while Shiro stayed behind with Keith, "Something's up. It's best to leave her alone. Come on."

When Keith walked in, he saw Matt and Sam fighting loudly and despite his desperate want to hear their conversation, Keith let them have their privacy and went upstairs to shower.

After a few minutes of the sweet, warm water, Keith turned the water off and looked around for a towel, finding one conveniently right next to the shower. He happily dried himself while humming 'Despacito' in his head, silently cursing the guys for making that stupid song stuck in his head.

All of a sudden, Keith heard a purr and he almost tripped, "Ah!" Keith jumped back in the shower, wetting his just dried feet once again.

"What the hell?" Keith exclaimed as he hid from the red kitten, he bent down and glared at the cat, "How did you even get in here?" The cat merely looked at Keith with its big hazel eyes and tried to touch Keith with its paws, but Keith jumped back before it could touch him and Keith landed in the shower with a loud thud and he groaned.

Outside at the very same time, Katie walked in the room with her music blasting through her headphones, not taking any notice of Keith in the bathroom. Katie bent down to her suitcase and some clothes for her to change it.

At one point, she could have sworn she heard a thud and she froze, listening to see if the sound continued, but after listening for a few seconds, she concluded that nothing was going on and she started taking her top off.

Back inside the bathroom, Keith managed to get Red to sit on the bathroom mat and he tied his towel securely around his waist.

Slowly, Keith bent down and grabbed the ends of the mat and swiftly moved it to the other side of the bathroom and he quickly opened the door, got out, and closed the door again. He pressed his back to the door and closed his eyes in relief, sighing contentedly. But when he opened his eyes, he saw something he never thought he would.

Katie half-naked.

Suddenly, she turned around too and the two of them froze and allowed their eyes to swiftly scan over the other's body before screaming.

"Oh My God!" Keith was the first to scream before Katie let out a loud squeal, scaring Keith into screaming again. Both of them ran to opposite ends of the room, but on the way the bumped into each other, the both of them landing on the floor, Katie on top of Keith.

Again it was a scream fest once they looked into the other's eyes. Katie, this time, screamed, "Why are you wet?!" She struggled to get up and she grabbed a towel, wrapping it around her as Keith tried to get up without showing anything while simultaneously screaming, "Why are you in your underwear?!"

Keith finally got up and stared at Katie in disbelief once she was finally dressed, "Explain yourself!" Katie furrowed her eyebrows, "Explain myself?"

Keith nodded, "Yes, explain yourself." Both of them were panting from the moments before and, if they weren't currently freaking out, they would have been laughing right now. Katie started explaining while trying to calm her heartbeat, "I was changing!"

Keith widened his eyes, "What? You didn't hear me?"

Katie was frantically speaking with her free hand as the other grabbed her towel that was covering the privates, "I was listening to... What are you even doing home?! Then you just jump me out of nowhere? What's that?"

Keith widened his eyes in embarrassment and began explaining himself, "I didn't mean to jump you! Your cat was attacking me so I ran and I ran into you!"

Katie then calmed down and looked around, "What is it with you and this cat?" Keith shook his head, "You know what? Just go! Take a shower, you stink."

Katie shrugged and made a face, "Fine. Fine. Nice tattoo by the way."

Keith unconsciously grabbed the back of his neck, feeling for the patch of skin he knows contains the tattoo. Once Katie opened the door to the bathroom, Red came out quickly and Keith pointed at it, "See? Did you see that?"

Katie dramatically pointed at it, "Oh my God! Did you see the size of claws on that thing? Barely made it out with my life, there." Katie closed the door on Keith while wearing a sarcastic face, immediately leaning on it the second she closed it to think about what just happened.

She couldn't help but think how cute he looked with pink cheeks nor how sculpted his abs looked. She could feel her cheeks burn and shook her head. What are you doing, Katie? Falling in love with your boss? No way.

But unbeknownst to Katie, Keith was feeling the same way.

After the two were dressed for the night and tucked in bed she could hear Keith whisper, "So... naked." Katie rolled her eyes, "Can we not talk about that?" Keith shrugged, "Just sayin'."

Katie exhaled again and closed her eyes to sleep when she heard Keith ask, "So... what's the deal with you and your father?"

Katie clicked her tongue with the roof of her mouth, "Ooh, I'm sorry. That question is not in the binder."

Keith rolled his eyes and continued, "Oh, really? I thought you were the one that said we needed to learn all this-"

"-Not about that I didn't."

"But if the guy asks us-"

"Not about that, Keith! Good night."

Keith sighed, realizing that he took it too far. Katie laid in bed staring at the ceiling and cleared her throat.

Suddenly, Keith's voice spoke up again, "I like the Hallmark Channel." Katie furrowed her eyebrows, "What?"

Keith continued, "I actually quite enjoy it. I took ballet till I was twelve. My first concert was the Black Eyed Peas. I think Sandra Bullock is sexy. I don't like flowers because they remind me of funerals. Never watched 'That's So Raven'. I read the Giver series near Christmas Time, it reminds me of my childhood. Have never slept with anyone in my life. And I went to the bathroom and punched a wall after fighting with Lotor. And the-the bird tattoos? They're swallows. Got them when I was 17... after my parents died. Stupid." Keith cleared his throat trying to choke back tears from remembering his parents.

Katie just laid on her bed, contemplating what Keith said. Keith, now getting nervous because Katie wasn't responding, asked, "You-You still there?" Katie nodded, forgetting that he can't actually see her, then responded softly, "I'm here. Just processing." Keith breathed in deeply, not believing that he just admitted all of that with someone. He playing hundreds of different ways Katie could respond in his head, so when she opened her mouth to speak, he was listening with all ears.

"You really haven't slept with anyone? Ever?" Keith threw his arms up in the air, "Oh my God. Out of all that, that's all you got?" Katie laughed, "No! I'm just surprised." Keith chuckled, "What? You thought your old boss was a player?"

Katie rolled her eyes, "No, I mean, you got the looks and everything. I figured you had lots of girls on your arm." Keith shrugged, "I wasn't raised that way. After my parents died, Shiro acted like my father since he was 23 by the time they were gone. He's never slept with a girl and as a teen, I asked him if it was because he could never get one." Katie chuckled at that and so did Keith, "But he simply said that what makes a marriage special is that you commit yourself completely to them. That your whole self, your whole body is for them only and to not be shared outside of your marriage. I guess those words always stuck with me."

Katie nodded and added, "I was raised like that too, you know. I've never slept with a man." Keith lifted his neck to try to get a peek at Katie, "Not even Lance?" Katie laughed and shook her head, "No, Keith. Not even Lance. Don't worry, you're the only one who has ever seen me in my underwear. Well, besides Allura and my mom."

Keith chuckled, "Well, that makes me feel so special." The two of them started laughing uncontrollably until they fell into a comfortable silence, "Um... Keith?"

Keith smiled, "Yeah?"

"Who are the Black Eyed Peas?"

Keith's jaw dropped and he gasped, "You know the guys that were like 'Pump it! Louder! Pump it! Louder! Pump it! Louder!'" Keith started singing, whisper-shouting whenever he said 'Louder!'

Katie shook her head then laughed, confusing Keith, "What?" Katie continued laughing until she choked out, "I know who they are. I just wanted to hear you sing something." Keith chuckled along with her until he decided to get the guts to tell her what he's been wanting to since that afternoon, "Katie?"

"Yeah?"

"Please don't take this the wrong way."

"...Okay?"

"You are a very beautiful woman."

Katie blushed immediately at Keith's words, inhaling deeply and smiling in her head. Then, she wanted to be silly and began in a very masculine voice, "'Pump it!'"

To her surprise, Keith actually continued after her as he whisper-shouted, "'Louder!'" The two continued that sequence until it was Katie's turn to 'rap'.

"Niggas wanna hate on us (who) Niggas can be envious us (who) And I know why they hatin' on us (why) 'Cause that's so fabulous (what) I'm a be real on us (c'mon) Nobody got nuttin' on us (no) Girls be all on us, from London back down to the US (s, s)

We rockin' it (contagious) Monkey Business (outrageous) Just confess your girl admits that we the shit

F-R-E-S-H (fresh) D-E-F, that's right we def (rock) We definite B-E-P, we rappin' it"

Suddenly Keith stood up and pretended that his hand is a microphone and started dancing as he sang to Katie, "'Com'n baby, just pump it!" Katie would have kept going with the song if it weren't for Keith making weird faces as he sang, making her laugh the whole time.

Dude wanna hate on us Dude need'a ease on up Dude wanna act on up But dude get shut like Flava shut Chicks say, she ain't down But chick backstage when we in town

Keith winked at Katie, who only shook her head as she kept laughing. Keith was painfully aware of how stupid he was acting, but if it made Katie laugh... it was worth it.

She like man on drunk She wanna hit n' run Yeah, that's the speed That's what we do That's who we be B-L-A-C-K-E-Y-E-D-P to the E, then the A to the S When we play you shake your *ss Shake it, shake it, shake it girl Make sure you don't break it, girl Cause we gonna

Katie threw a pillow at Keith, which he caught, and the two fell laughing at their dorkiness.

The two fell asleep with smiles on their faces.

[metahuman-misadventures]

Team Flash/Reader  - Only When Chased - Part 1

Only When Chased

-A series of short silly fics in the life of a reluctant speedster-

Rated T for some swearing.

I’ve been sick the last few days, and this happened.  I just really really liked the idea of a speedster muttering the last line of the fic.  Everything else was just filler.  Tentative plans to write more in this series.  Possible relationship in the future.  Everyone’s available!  WHO KNOWS?   

Timeline: Mid Season 1

Today's Random Reader Name is Nellie Ryan (or Nells).

The first time it happened, you were working at your friend's family-owned bookstore for the summer.  You needed the money, she needed the help.   Yeah, the two of you probably spent more time goofing off than actually working, but it was fun and relaxing.  

You were stamping the inside covers of secondhand textbooks with the store logo when the unmistakable screeching of tires interrupted your 'Best of the 80's' station.  As you looked up from the counter, the high-pitched squeal slowed until it was just a loud low hum.  

“What the hell, Frannie?”   You asked, glancing over to your friend.  She didn't respond.  In fact she didn't even move.  You waved a hand in front of her face, but nothing seemed to register.  With just a slight bit of panic you looked around and realized that all the customers were frozen in a similar state.  Well, all two of them.

A flutter of fear wound it's way into your chest and you stumbled over to the window to look outside.  No one was moving.  You seemed to be the only one that was even aware of what was going on.  It was still early in the day so not many people were on the street, but what really caught your attention was the light blue sedan that looked like it had just taken the corner at much too fast of a speed, and the young girl on the skateboard less than 10 feet in front of the car.  

Not even sure what propelled you forward, you raced out of the bookstore and grabbed the kid, yanking her back onto the sidewalk and setting her down out of harm's way. There was a buzzing in your head and you backed up against the glass window of the store and put your hands over your ears.  In a sudden rush and a flash of light, time seemed to catch up to you and suddenly things were happening.

A woman was screaming, the tires started squealing again.  There was a sick crunch as the skateboard shattered under the weight of the car and then the car was gone and the few people out and about were crowding around the young girl trying to figure out what had happened.

In a haze you wandered back into the store where Frannie was staring at you in alarm and getting up from her stool.  “Dude, I swear to god I was just talking to you and you were gone.  What the hell? What's going on outside??”

“I don't know.”  You mumbled, as the red-headed girl ran past you to see what the commotion outside was all about.  

It was all Frannie could talk about for days, 'omg how weird was that?', 'y'know so many strange things around the city lately, like that red blur?'   

You didn't know what to think about that.  Frannie found a blog that had all these mentions of the red streak, but you didn't know how to tell her that whatever that thing was, it wasn't what had saved the girl outside the store.

The second time it happened was in the middle of karaoke night when a fight broke out between two young women who both wanted to sing the same Adele song.  As time slowed once again, you looked past them to see the pretty blonde girl at the counter glancing over at the catfight, and the respectable looking man next to her dropping a small white tablet into her drink.

“Oh hell no.” You mumbled to yourself and walked over to the bar.  The guy never even knew what hit him.

And so it went.  You saw something going on, you tried to fix it.  For the most part you were successful.  You didn't really consider yourself a hero, although Frannie did as soon as you let her in on your little secret.  She tried to come up with a superhero name for you, but you put a stop to it once she decided that “Streaker Girl” sounded great.   You thought it sounded more like someone who got arrested at a 1987 World Series game.

The day things changed was the day you went into Jitters for a pre-sidewalk-book-sale caffeine pick me up.  As you waited in line there was shouting, an angry man yelling at another equally angry man, and then suddenly there was a knife.  With a roll of the eyes and groaning to yourself “It's not even 7:00am, assholes...”, you rubbed the side of your face in annoyance and made your way over to the men now frozen in place and pried the blade away from the larger of the two guys.  “I just wanted a butterscotch latte, guys.  One extra shot.  Is that too much to ask?”  You grumbled loudly and searched the men, confiscating two more knives and one small hammer. “What the hell?”  You waved the hammer in the face of the guy with a dragon tattoo on the back of his head.  “Why do you have this?  Who brings a hammer to a knife fight, honestly?  This is mine now.”  

Slipping the weapons into your purse, you turned to make your way back to the line, pulling up short when you saw the man in the red suit watching you with a confused, but slightly amused smile on his face.  He hadn't been there before.

“Hi?” You grimaced and hugged your purse a little tighter to your side. “I just... um... I didn't want them to hurt anyone?”

“You're the one I've been trying to find?”  The way he said it, you weren't really sure if he was asking you, or himself.

“Um... okay?”  You finally said, hoping maybe he'd just leave.  If this guy was that red blur from the blog, and seriously how many guys in red suits could there possibly be wondering around the city, then he probably wasn't going to hurt you.  He helped people.  

“I mean... you're a speedster.  You're the one who's been helping people over in the historic district.”  He stepped toward you, hands up in a placating manner.  

“I'm a what?”   You were so confused.  Speedster?  No, time just slowed down around you sometimes.  

“A speedster.  Like me.”  He seemed very sure of what he was talking about... but then again... skintight red suit and a mask... possibly not entirely stable.   When Frannie suggested that you wear a mask and a costume you'd laughed for nearly a minute straight and then only stopped because you were having trouble breathing.

“I think you have me confused with someone else.”

“Okay.” He said decisively.  “There's a lot to explain.  Why don't you come with me?”

The man in red grabbed your hand and pulled you out of the coffee shop, moving so fast it made your head spin.  It was all you could do to keep up, and you cried out sadly as Jitters quickly faded from sight “But my latte!”  

-

“Um.... I was on a treadmill at the gym.”  You thought back to the night S.T.A.R. Labs tried to wipe Central City off the face of the map.  “I was trying to watch Dancing with the Stars, and some bitch on the elliptical kept trying to change it to House Hunters .  Like, seriously?  I was there first.  And who the hell cares about housing prices in Kansas unless you're moving there?  And by the way, that is NOT how you use an elliptical.  Your ass does not need to sway that much.  It's a cardio machine, not a stripper pole.  And besides, Ricky is gay and he wasn't even looking in her direction so it was a waste of her ti-”

The man sitting in the wheelchair cleared his throat quietly and you stopped and glanced over.  Of course you knew who Dr. Harrison Wells was; you'd have to have been living under a rock to not.  The edges of his mouth were quirked up in a not-quite smile and he looked sort of like an exasperated adult trying not to lose his shit with a over-exuberant child.  But hello, you'd just been basically kidnapped, albeit politely, and you were just a tad intimidated and nervous babbling was something you were amazing it.      

“Sorry.”  You continued, chagrined.  “Um... the windows blew out, and I got zapped by the treadmill when the wave hit.  It threw me halfway across the room and I woke up in the hospital two weeks later.”

“Only two weeks?”  The man in red sounded surprised and he traded looks with Dr. Wells and the young woman standing next to him.  

“Yeah, just enough time to miss my cousin's wedding, which was the whole reason I was at the gym.  Trying to lose that last five pounds to fit into the bridesmaid dress.”  You shrugged and bit your lip while idly playing with the sleeves of your shirt.  “Look, I don't want to be rude, but how long is this going to take?  I really need to text my friend and let her know how late I'm going to be for work...” Glancing at your watch you knew you still had almost an hour before the store opened for the day, but there was a lot of prep work you'd normally be helping with already.  

The man in red had the decency to look abashed and he gave you a weak smile.  “Oh yeah, sorry about just grabbing you like that.”

“Yes, and don't think we won't be having a discussion about that later.” Dr. Wells gave the masked man a meaningful look, then turned his gaze back to you.  “Our apologies, Ms. Ryan.  We'll try not to keep you very long.  ”

The woman that had been introduced as Dr. Snow smiled and reached out to you.  “I'd like to run some tests, if you don't mind.  Just some blood work and a few other things.  It shouldn't take more than an hour.”  

“Yeah, okay.”  You looked nervously between the three of them not really sure that you could say no.  Wells nodded to Dr. Snow and she led you toward one of the smaller rooms off to the side.

“Oh, and I'll find you some clothes to change into before we test your speed.  Running in a skirt isn't the easiest.”  She smiled at you and gestured for you to sit up on the hospital style bed that you were suddenly very wary of.  They wouldn't have it unless it got used, and why it got used you didn't want to know.

“I'm sorry, test my what?”

“Your speed.  So we can get a baseline of your abilities.  Don't worry it won't hurt.  We'll just hook you up with some monitors, get you on the treadmill and then have you run as fast as you can.”  She smiled and shrugged like it was no big deal.

...Running... on a treadmill... in front of everyone.  “Is there any other way?” You asked.

“To test your speed?”  Dr. Snow raised an eyebrow.  “Not really.  Is there a problem with that?”

You groaned and rubbed your face with one hand.  “No...  I just really really hate running...”

fini, for now