#today: yesterday someone asked me if I wanted to walk around my city and get food/drinks so I guess we are doing that

[visdiefje]

In a freak coincidence I'm meeting friends from Bumble for the first time three days in a row

[wolverigrl]

The first date

Hugh Jackman x reader (actress)

!Disclaimer! I made some small changes in the last parts! The movie they made is a fictional one about Lady Deadpool. Everything takes place in 2015. Y/n is in her late 20s. Blake and Ryan got married long before and I changed the ages of their and Hugh's kids so it would fit more!

Warnings: none, only some swearing here and there and a bit fluff, not proofread!!

Enjoy!

Previous part

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The early morning breeze was cool as I jogged through Central Park, the soft hum of the city waking up in the background. The familiar rhythm of my footsteps against the pavement was oddly comforting, almost like a meditation. I pulled my black baseball cap lower, shielding my eyes from the rising sun, and zipped up my running jacket a bit more. My leggings clung comfortably to my legs, and I felt grounded, my mind clear, my body moving with ease.

Jogging here had become part of my routine, a way to escape for a moment. The quiet mornings felt like a reset. As I slowed my pace and started walking toward the park exit, my breathing still steady, I noticed two people approaching from the side, their faces lighting up in recognition.

"Excuse me... are you y/n?" the guy asked, his voice a little shaky with excitement.

I smiled softly, adjusting my cap. "Yeah, that’s me."

The girl next to him looked at me with wide eyes, already fumbling for her phone. "Oh my God, we are big fans! Can we take a picture with you?"

I chuckled, nodding. "Of course, let’s do it."

We huddled together, her phone snapping a few pictures. The guy, who looked like he was around his early twenties, lingered for a moment longer, hesitating before speaking.

“You probably hear this all the time." he began, "but you really inspired me. I’ve always wanted to act, but I didn’t have the courage to pursue it. Seeing you do what you love gave me the push I needed so I just joined a local theater group."

For a moment, his words hung in the air, and I felt a rush of warmth. It wasn't every day someone said something so meaningful.

"That’s amazing! I’m so glad I could inspire you. Keep at it, okay? It’s tough, but if it’s your passion, it’s always worth it."

He nodded, his face full of excitement and we hugged each other as a goodbye. As they walked away, I called out, “You made my day! Love you guys!” Their faces lit up even more, and I couldn't help but feel grateful for moments like this.

This encounter left me with a good feeling, and as I walked back home, I couldn’t help but feel lighter. Connecting with people like that reminded me why I started this journey in the first place.

Back in my apartment, I kicked off my shoes and collapsed onto the couch. My mind wandered to everything that had happened over the past few days—work, interviews, photoshoots—but one thing stuck out more than the rest: Hugh. I had been thinking about him more than usual, and after yesterday’s intense moment, it was hard not to.

Still, before I let my thoughts drift too far, I got got into the bathroom for a quick refreshing shower. After that I changed into a comfy office look, grabbed my phone and dialed my parents. I hadn’t caught up with them in a while, and I missed hearing their voices.

“Y/n! Pumpkin! How’s our superstar?” my mom’s voice greeted me on the other end.

I smiled, sinking into the cushions. "Super busy, as usual. But everything’s going well. I'll have a meeting with the team today. lots of interviews coming up."

We chatted for a while about my schedule, how they were doing, and the usual family updates. I purposely avoided mentioning anything about Hugh. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to tell them, but I wasn’t ready for that conversation yet. Not when things between us were still so undefined.

After saying goodbye, I got up to get ready for my meeting at the office. As I was applying a bit of makeup, my phone buzzed on the counter. Hugh’s name appeared on the screen.

HUGH: Good morning, beautiful❤️ How's your day starting?

I couldn’t help but smile as I typed back, already feeling my heart speed up a little.

Y/N: Good morning handsome🥰 Doing pretty good so far. Just came back from my morning run. How about yours?

Almost immediately, his reply came through.

HUGH: I still don’t know how you can enjoy running😅 Mine's good too. Picked coffee with a friend and now we're at his house already working.

Y/N: Maybe you're just getting old?👀

HUGH: Why so mean? Did you trip on your run?

I snapped a quick selfie in the mirror with my tongue out and send it to him.

Y/N: I'm not mean. It was a legitimate question. I'm heading to the office now! Wish me luck!😘

HUGH: Looking great as always! And good luck, though you don’t need it. You always kill it sweetheart😘

A moment later, another message appeared, this time with a photo of Hugh, standing in what looked like an unfinished house. He was wearing a tight-fitting shirt, his arms slightly dusted with sawdust, his hair messy in a way that only made him look better. I paused, biting my lip. He looked really good. And my mind, much to my frustration, flashed back to that kiss.

Y/N: Somebody pls call the fire department🔥

HUGH: Lady, stop exaggerating😂

I chuckled, shaking my head. There was something so annoyingly attractive about how casual he was, even when he looked like that. After a few more texts, I realized I had to leave or I’d be late.

The management office was buzzing with energy when I arrived, as usual. I greeted everyone warmly, settling into the meeting room where we began discussing upcoming interviews and events. Everything was going smoothly, just the usual PR talk—until one of the managers, Sam, leaned forward with a more serious expression.

“So, we’ve been thinking,” he began. “The buzz around you and Hugh has been great for both of your images. The movie’s coming out soon, and the fan speculation has been... let’s just say, active”

I nodded slowly, already sensing where this was going.

“We think it would be smart to keep that momentum going." Sam continued. “Even after the release of the movie, we want you two to keep up the appearance of having something going on. Publicly, deny it in interviews, of course. But tease the people a bit more. Keep them guessing.”

I blinked, processing what he was saying. "So, you want us to pretend we’re together, but not really confirm anything?"

Sam nodded. "Exactly. It’ll keep the public engaged, and your fanbases will stay hooked. It’s good for both of you."

The idea sat heavy in my chest. I could see why they wanted it—it made sense from a PR standpoint—but the thought of turning something personal into a game made me uneasy. What if it messed things up between Hugh and me? What if it turned whatever we were trying to figure out into a spectacle?

“I’ll talk to Hugh about it." I said carefully. “And I think it’s best if you reach out to his team as well, just to make sure we’re all on the same page.”

Sam smiled, satisfied. "Good call. Let us know what you both decide."

They nodded, and we moved on to other topics. I was particularly excited when they mentioned a potential collaboration with a fashion brand. Modeling for a brand had always been a dream, and eagerly agreed.

After sorting out some paperwork, I left the office, my mind still swirling with everything we discussed. As I stepped outside, my phone rang. It was Chris.

"Hey!" he greeted me. "I'm in New York earlier than planned. Are you free?"

Of course, I agreed, and we arranged to meet up at his hotel. Soon, we were stroling through the city together, talking about everything from movies to work. Even though my phone buzzed several times, I ignored it, wanting to be fully present with Chris.

After a while, Chris turned to me with a grin. "So, about those rumors with you and Hugh... anything you want to share?" I felt my stomach twist. Lying to I Chris didn't sit right with me, but Hugh and I had agreed that only Ryan and Blake knew about us. So, I gave him the standard answer.

"We’re just friends,” I said, not quite meeting his eyes. “You know how the rumors go. Our Managers want us to play along because it looks good. That’s all.”

Chris raised an eyebrow, clearly not convinced but letting it slide. “If you say so.”

Then, with a sudden shift in tone, he said, “Actually... I’ve been meaning to tell you. I met someone.”

I blinked, surprised. "What? When?"

“Not too long ago. Her name’s Alba. She’s incredible—smart, sweet, talented and down-to-earth. We’ve been spending a lot of time together lately.”

As Chris spoke, his eyes lit up, and I could tell he was smitten. I felt a surge of happiness for him, pulling him into a tight hug. “Chris, that’s amazing! I’m so happy for you.”

He smiled, clearly touched by my excitement, and we spent the rest of the afternoon wandering around the city, talking about Alba, his family and how things were going. Eventually, I had the idea to skip the pub and order takeout instead. Chris agreed, but only on one condition.

"We have to watch a Disney movie!" He said with eyes sparkling with mischief.

"Deal!" I laughed.

After heading back to my place, we posted a photo of us together on Instagram, and as expected, the comments looded in.

>>ginainabottle: Where's Hugh?😭<<

>>markix69: Y/n always with the dilfs. QUEEN💯<<

>>teddy1xoxo: How is it living my dream?❤️😭<<

I finally checked my messages and saw a few from Hugh.

HUGH: Have fun tonight😘

HUGH: Meeting up already?

HUGH: Everything okay?

Guilt twisted in my stomach and I quickly called him.

"Hey.." I said softly when he picked up. "I'm so sorry I didn't respond earlier. I was just... you know how it is... We've been talking non-stop."

"Y/n it's fine." Hugh replied, but there was something off in his tone. "What've you two been up to?"

I told him everything--how we spend the day walking around, catching up and now were getting ready for a movie night.

"Chris is still here, actually." I added. "We're about to watch The Little Mermaid."

There was a pause before Hugh spoke again, and I could swear there was a hint of something... maybe jealousy? But I brushed it off.

"I miss you." he said, his voice softer now.

"I miss you too." I replied, smiling at he thought of seeing him soon.

"Oh, by the way." I added remembering the management's idea. "My team suggested we tease the fans a bit more online. Even after the movie releases."

Hugh chuckled. "Yeah, we can play around with it. Deny everything but drop a few hints. But what do you think?"

I bit my lip, thinking back to the conversation with my team. "I'm not sure, honestly. I don't want the media or public pressure to affect what we're building between us, you know? But if you're okay with it, maybe we should continue."

Hugh chuckled, the tension easing from his voice. "Like a soft launch, huh? So, we hint at things but never really confirm it?"

"Exactly." I said, smiling at the idea now that it was being said out loud. "We can have fun with it. But still deny things if people ask outright."

"Deal," he said, his tone light again. "Let's tease them a little, but keep the mystery alive."

We both laughed at the absurdity of it, and the playful tone of the conversation helped ease my earlier guilt. Then, Hugh's voice turned a bit more serious, though stillwarm. "By the way... how about gym and breakfast tomorrow? Just the two of us?"

I hesitated, not out of uncertainty but because of how much I wanted it. "Like... our first real date?" I asked, grinning into the phone.

"Yep. Our first official date." he confirmed, the excitement in his voice clear.

"Then, it's a yes!" I said, feeling butterflies stir in my stomach at the hought. "Where should we meet?

We hashed out the details and after a few more minutes of casual banter, we finally said our goodbyes, both of us feeling lighter.

As soon as I hung up, I turned to find Chris giving me a curious look from the couch. "So. first date, huh?" he teased, raising an eyebrow.

I sighed, knowing I couldn't hide it anymore. "Yeah, fine. You got me," I admitted, plopping down beside him. "Hugh and I... there's something going on. But we're keeping it quiet for now. Chris grinned, clearly happy for me. "I had a feeling. And honestly? I'm happy for you. Hugh's a good guy He was always super nice when I had the chance talking to him."

"Thanks, Chris. It's just complicated, you know? With the media and all."

"Yeah, I get it." He said with a knowing nod. "But if anyone can handle it, it's you." He then smirked, his teasing side coming back. "So are you guys gonna do a soft launch like the rest of us normal people, or something more dramatic?"

I squealed and shoving his arm. "What the heck?! He mentioned a soft launch too! What are you? Telepathic?!" And we both bursted into laughter.

We calmed down and shifted our focus back to The Little Mermaid. Chris singing along to Part of Your World with exaggerated enthusiasm. It wasn't long before he dozed off, his head lolling back against the couch. I smiled fondly at him, his mouth slightly open, snoring softly. The day had been a whirlwind of emotions, but it was nice to end it with someone I trusted so much.

Grabbing my phone,I snapped a quick picture of Chris, chuckling to myself as I did and quickly posted the photo to Instagram with the caption:

>>y/n instagram: Disney and chill with my favorite co-star🧜🏻‍♂️<<

The comments poured in almost instantly, but I ignored the notifications, setting my phone on the coffee table and grabbing a blanket to drape over Chris. After making sure he was comfortable, I turned off the lights, heading to my bedroom. I slipped under the covers, the events of the day replaying in my mind. Hugh, Chris, the PR idea and the upcoming date.

The next morning, I woke up to the sound of Chris moving around the apartment. I got up and changed into comfy clothes as I walked into the living room where he was packing up his things, looking like the human version of a Disney prince as usual. As I stretched and rubbed my eyes, he glanced over at me with a soft smile.

“Morning, sleepyhead." he teased, zipping up his jacket. “I’ve got a meeting downtown, but I didn’t want to leave without saying goodbye.”

I sat up and gave him a playful wave. “Didn’t want me to think you snuck out, huh?”

“Exactly. I’m not that kind of guy,” he joked, slinging his bag over his shoulder. Then his tone softened. “Hey, keep me updated on the Hugh situation, okay? I’m curious how things go. And don’t forget to tell me about that first date.”

I smiled, the warmth of his support making me feel even more confident. “I will. Thanks, Chris.”

He leaned down and gave me a quick hug and a peck on the cheek. “See you soon, y/n. And don’t forget, I’m always just a text away if you need me.”

“Will do. Good luck with your meeting!”

With a final wave, he headed out the door, leaving me alone with my thoughts—and a mess of nerves about my first official date with Hugh later that morning. I had no idea what to expect, but I hoped it wouldn’t turn into a disaster.

After Chris left, I freshened up, threw on my workout clothes, and made my way to the gym where Hugh and I had agreed to meet. This wasn’t just a casual workout—it was our first date, so I kinda did a big deal out of it.

When I arrived, Hugh was already there, looking ridiculously good in his gym gear. He waved me over with that easygoing smile that never failed to make my heart race.

“You ready?” he asked smiling down at me.

“I was born ready!" With this Hugh opened the door and let me go in first.

We started with some light cardio to warm up, and things were going smoothly—until we hit the weight section again. I’d watched Hugh easily lift a set of dumbbells like they were made of air, and, in a moment of misplaced confidence, I thought 'Why not?'. I grabbed a barbell and decided to push myself a bit further than usual. The first few reps went okay, but as I tried to push the barbell up again, my arms started to shake. I tried to power through it, but I quickly realized I had overestimated my strength. Just as the weight became too much, Hugh was beside me in an instant. “Need some help there?” he asked, amusement dancing in his eyes. I tried to save face. “I’ve got it, just—just give me a second…” Before I could protest further, he gently but firmly took hold of the barbell, lifting it with ease and placing it back on the rack.

"Yeah, you totally had that under control." he teased, his smile widening. “Okay, maybe I overdid it a little." I admitted, feeling the heat rising in my cheeks.

"No shame in asking for help." he said, giving me a playful nudge. “Just don’t hurt yourself trying to keep up with me.”

I playfully groaned and lightly slapped his chest. He just laughed, pulling me tighter against him, his arms wrapping around my waist. I looked up at him, grinning, my gaze lingering on his lips for a beat too long.

“Do you need a kiss to forget that little mishap?” he teased, moving his face closer, eyes sparkling with mischief.

I smirked, voice dropping to a whisper, “Oh, I’ll need more than one to forget that.”

Before he could respond, I closed the gap between us, pulling him in with my arms wrapped around his neck. My fingers tangled in his messy, sweat-damp hair as our kiss deepened, the heat between us rising instantly. He brushed his tongue over my bottom lip, and I parted my lips, welcoming him further. His hands gripped me firmly at the waist, keeping me pressed tightly against him, while my hands couldn’t stay still, roaming over his broad shoulders and chest. Every nerve in my body felt like it was on fire, completely overtaken by the moment, the world around us fading away.

I didn’t even realize when my hands slipped under his shirt, fingertips grazing his warm skin. But just as quickly as the moment ignited, Hugh pulled back, breathless, his forehead resting against mine.

“We’re only on our first date,” he murmured, his voice thick with amusement, a crooked smile playing on his lips. “I haven’t even given you flowers yet.”

I chuckled softly, my head still spinning, and nodded. “You’re right. We said we wouldn’t rush things… and, well, making out in a public gym might be pushing it. I don’t think our management would be too thrilled if the media caught wind of this.”

Hugh laughed, loosening his hold on me, though his hands lingered for a moment longer. “Yeah, I can already hear the headlines.”

Reluctantly, we stepped back from each other, both grinning, but still feeling that magnetic pull between us.

After that little incident, we wrapped up the workout, and I offered to cook us breakfast back at my place. It was the least I could do after Hugh saved me from total humiliation. But as soon as I started cooking, I realized maybe that wasn't the best idea.

The eggs burned almost immediately, the toast was so hard you could break a tooth on it, and I somehow managed to get pancake batter all over the counter.

Hugh stood nearby, watching the chaos unfold with a mix of amusement and concern.

"I swear, I'm usually better at this." I said, desperately trying to salvage something from the mess. Hugh laughed, leaning against the counter. "Better at lifting weights or cooking?"

"Oh shut up!" I laughed and tossed a burnt piece of toast at him, which he dodged easily.

"You sure you don't want me to handle this?" he asked, his voice filled with amusement.

"Hugh, I already said no. I'm perfectly capable." I said defensively, though the evidence clearly suggested otherwise.

"You keep telling yourself that." he teased.

I flipped another pancake, only to see it land halfway off the pan.

I let out a dramatic sigh, slumping my shoulders in mock defeat. Hugh chuckled and wrapped his arms around me from behind, pressing a quick kiss to my neck. The warmth of his lips and the slight scratch of his beard sent a shiver down my spine, goosebumps rising instantly. I turned my head towards him, and with a soft smile, he said, "Looks like the universe is giving you a day off from cooking. Let’s clean up and eat at the café instead."

Eventually, we gave up on my culinary attempt and decided to head downtown to the next café. We settled into a cozy corner table, ordering some coffee and toast. As the food arrived, I couldn't help but laugh.

"At least this can't go wrong, right?" joked, gesturing to the perfectly normal-looking plate in front of us. Hugh raised an eyebrow. "I wouldn't be so sure. With us, anything's possible."

I pretended to look horrified. "Don't jinx it!"

He chuckled, taking a sip of his coffee. "So, What do you think of our first date so far?"

I paused, meeting his eyes.

Hugh leaned back smiling. "Well I've gotta say, it's been pretty great so far."

I chuckled, feeling the warmth spread through me. "I agree. Disaster-prone, but definitely memorable."

We spent the rest of breakfast chatting, laughing about the little mishaps from the past couple of hours, and just enjoying each other's company. It, again, felt easy and natural, even with the nerves of a first date hanging in the air.

As we finished up, Hugh reached under the table for my hand and squeezed it gently, giving me a soft look that made my heart skip a beat. "You know, I'm really glad we do this."

"Me too, Hugh." Iadmitted, feeling the same.

Later that afternoon, Hugh and I met up with Ryan for an interview promoting the movie, which finally releases tomorrow. It was just the three of us sitting in a comfortable setup, no live audience, just cameras, and a quiet room. I always looked forward to interviews with Ryan—he had a way of making everything fun and unpredictable.

The interviewer greeted us friendly with a firm handshake and began with the usual questions about the film after introducing us to the already recording camera.

"So, y/n, how did it feel stepping into the shoes of Lady Deadpool?”

I smiled, leaning forward slightly. “Honestly, it was a dream. She’s such a chaotic, yet deeply emotional character. Playing her meant getting to do some wild action scenes while also diving into her personal struggles. Plus, I got to wear a lot of leather.”

Ryan jumped in, grinning. “And kick some serious butt. Let’s not forget that.”

The interviewer nodded and turned to Hugh. “And how about you, Hugh? Wolverine is such an iconic character. How was it returning to the role?”

Hugh smiled, looking relaxed. “It’s always an honor to play Wolverine. This time around, the dynamic with Deadpool—and Lady Deadpool—added a whole new level of fun. The banter, the action sequences, it all just felt... electric.”

Ryan leaned in dramatically. “But let’s be honest. It was terrible. We all hated each other on set!"

Hugh, the interviewer and I bursted into laughter as Ryan continued, completely straight-faced. "No, seriously, it was a nightmare. Every day was a battle I'm surprised we even finished the movie."

"I mean, you were pretty hard to work with.: I teased, leaning into the joke.

Ryan shrugged dramatically. "I do my best to bring chaos wherever I go."

The interviewer then introduced a fun segment: Fan questions pulled from Twitter. “Alright, we’ve got some tweets here from fans. Let’s see what they want to know.”

He read the first tweet aloud. “@MarvelFanGirl asks: ‘What was the funniest moment on set?’ "

Ryan immediately jumped in. “Oh, I’ve got this. There was actually a pretty intense kiss scene between y/n and Hugh in the original cut of the film, but - spoiler alert - it got cut because the film was running too long. Marvel classics." Hugh chuckled, already shaking his head in amusement.

"And I swear by the mother of my children, Blake Ellender Lively!" he dramatically paused. "They just kept going after the director's cut! The crew didn't know if they were still in the scene or... well, if it was method acting, if you know what I mean."

At this point the interviewer started laughing uncontrollably and held his hand in front of his mouth.

I laughed, hiding my face in my hands. “Why do you always bring that up?”

“Because it’s comedy gold!” Ryan laughed, clearly enjoying himself.

"Don't listen to him, Hugh said, grinning. "He's just upset he didn't get a kiss scene."

"Eeeexactly!" Ryan exclaimed, pointing at Hugh. "Where's Deadpool's kiss scene, huh? It's an outrage!"

Even the crew behind the cameras started laughing and the interviewer moved on with the questions, still giggling.

"Ryan, if you could switch roles with anyone in the cast, who would it be?" asked the interviewer.

Without missing a beat, Ryan replied.

"Y/n, hands down. She got the sexiest costume, the coolest weapons, and she gets to kick more butt than anyone else. Plus, let's not forget--she gets to kiss Hugh."

I groaned, shaking my head while Hugh laughed. "You're never going to let that go, are you?"

"Never!" Ryan said with a grin.

The next tweet came in, and the interviewer read it out. “@WolverineLover asks: ‘If Wolverine and Lady Deadpool had their own spin-off movie, what would it be about?’”

Hugh pretended to think seriously. “I imagine it would be about trying to stop Lady Deadpool from blowing up everything in sight.”

I shot him a mock-offended look. “Hey, Lady Deadpool isn’t that destructive.”

Ryan snorted. “Oh please, she’d turn the whole thing into a circus. Wolverine would just be there for damage control.”

We all laughed as we moved on to the next question. “@DeadpoolRocks asks: ‘Ryan, how much of Deadpool is actually you?’ "

Ryan grinned, leaning back in his chair. “Oh, about 90%, I’d say. The other 10% is just me trying to look cooler than I actually am.”

As the interview wrapped up, we exchanged a few more lighthearted jabs, and I couldn’t help but feel how much fun we had together. Ryan and Hugh had a way of making every moment a little less serious and a lot more entertaining.

“Alright." Ryan said, standing up as the cameras shut off. “Who’s ready for round two tomorrow?”

I moaned, already dreading whatever he had in store. “I’m not sure my dignity can handle it.”

Hugh laughed, wrapping an arm around my shoulders as we walked out. “Don’t worry, I’ll be there to save you. Again.”

“Let’s just hope there are no weights involved this time,” I quipped.

After the interview, we walked off stage, and Ryan clapped Hugh on the back.

"Man, I'm still disappointed they cut the kiss scene. We were all waiting for the slow-motion sparks."

Hugh just laughed, shaking his head. "Yeah, I'm sure that's why the audience would come to watch the movie. For that."

Ryan wagged his finger. "Don't underestimate the power of romance, Jackman. Fans live for that!"

I shot both of them a look, trying to keep a straight face. "As long as no one mentions the breakfast disaster, I'll consider this interview a win."

Ryan blinked, clearly intrigued. "What breakfast disaster?"

Hugh grinned mischievously, but before he could spill, I put my hand over his mouth in protest. "Nope! Not happening. What happens in the kitchen stays in the kitchen."

Ryan raised his eyebrows, clearly enjoying my embarrassment. "Im going to get that story out of one of you. Just wait!"

"Ha! You wish!" I called over my shoulder, heading out of the studio with them.

Eventually, we split off, with Ryan going in one direction, and Hugh and I in another, after we said our goodbyes.

Hugh opened the passenger door for me so that I could get in. After my little "Thank you", he closed the door with a smile and sat down on the other side. "My place or yours?"

I kissed his cheek. "Let's go to your place."

With that, Hugh drove off, placing his hand on my thigh as he drove.

Smiling, I looked out of the window and stroked the back of his hand with my thumb. What a day.

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@spectorrrhgf @tinawantstobeadoll @appetencyfortacos @weskerussy @kellyxo1 @larkkyoris @shukirschtein14 @corvusmorte @carefree-flowerchild

Next part

Sorry if it's not proofread! Struggled with a migraine today but still wanted to finish this part. But I tried my best! And I hope I didn't confuse anybody with the small changes.

[the-broken-truth]

JJK: The Body-Snatcher's Daughter [PLATONIC YANDERE] [FEMALE READER] [PART 1]

Summary: [Name] [Surname] had always been aware of her power, but she never acted upon it or embraced it. She lived her life as a typical teenage girl, going to school, hanging out with friends, and even looking for a part-time job to earn extra money. However, for the past few weeks, she had been feeling as though someone was watching her, and she had caught sight of a familiar face in the crowd. What will happen when she encounters that face during a lunch outing on a Saturday afternoon?

Broken: I don't know everything about Jujutsu Kaisen, so please bear with me.

[Tokyo - Kawasaki City: The [Surname] Estate]

"Here is your allowance." [Name's] Father called out to his daughter before she headed out the door, holding some bills out to her. She looked at the bills before looking into her father's eyes.

"Dad, I have a part-time job and I already got paid yesterday. I don't need an allowance anymore." [Name] explained to her father as she adjusted her satchel around her shoulder.

"I know you have a part-time job, but, I think it would be best if you had a little bit of extra spending money for your outings. After all, you never know if you might see something you want or run into your friends & you decide to treat them to lunch or shopping." Her father smiled at her, causing [Name] to exhale before taking the money, pulling her wallet out of her satchel, placing the additional money inside, and returning it to her satchel before looking at her father's face; he knew what he was doing when he smiled like that, he knew that she couldn't resist his requests when he smiled like that.

"You can be very manipulative when you want to be, Dad." [Name] exhaled, causing her father to chuckle at his daughter's words.

"Only for the best reasons, My Black Pearl." [Name's] Father smiled before his face turned serious before peering into his daughter's black eyes from behind his glasses, "Can you feel anything nearby?"

"No, sir. I'm not picking up on any strange auras today. There are some weaker ones in the city, but none of them are hostile at the moment. I think it will be safe for me to head out." [Name] explained with a serious glare.

"Are you currently repressing your aura?" Her Father asked her, causing his daughter to nod.

"Yes. I've been keeping it repressed for about 3 Days; my aura is constantly getting stronger but I have been able to hide the signature it radiates. No one is going to attack me... Again." [Name] said while looking at the ground before exhaling and turning back to face her father, "Did you hear from Mom, yet?"

"Your Mother is going to be returning in a week; you know how serious she is with her work, but she did swear that she was going to be back in time for your birthday." Her Father smiled.

"She really works too hard... I wish she would take a break sometimes." [Name] exhaled but her father waved her off with a smile on his face, dismissing her concern.

"I've been trying to convince her since we got married...so that's not gonna happen anytime soon." Her Father smiled.

"True..." [Name] turned on her heel and walked towards the door, "See you later, Dad. I have my phone and power bank on me. Call me if you need anything.".

"Have fun, Dear." He called out as she opened the door, stepped outside, and closed it behind her before going to complete his own work.

As [Name] knew that her father had returned to his office to finish his work, she pulled out the key from her pocket and locked the door. Her family lived in the forest, about 5 miles away from the city. The wall surrounding her family's estate and the tall trees of the forest that surrounded her childhood home, greeted her as she turned around. To reach the city, [Name] had to take the bus. Fortunately, there was a bus stop right outside the path that led to the main road.

[Name] placed her hands in her pockets before walking out of the estate, through the forest via the stone path, and to the bus stop before sitting down on the stone bench as before pulled her phone out of her pocket, and scrolled through it mindlessly as she waited for the bus to arrive.

That's when a familiar ping went through her mind, causing her to look up from her phone and start looking around her; she could feel that someone was watching her, but all she could see was the forest, bushes, and road. A frown came to her face as her keen ears picked up on the sound of the bus coming. She looked around one more time before reaching into her jacket pocket to retrieve her bus card just as the massive form of transportation stopped in front of her, and opened its doors to allow her on. She entered the bus, paid for her trip, and sat in the first free seat she could find; unable to shake the feeling that someone was watching her.

[Location Change: Kawasaki City]

The sound of multiple shoes hitting the concrete sidewalks combined with the rolling tires on the main road filled [Name's] ears as she walked down the sidewalk with her black eyes forward and her hands secured in the pockets of her jacket; it was a rather chilly afternoon, regardless of the high-noon sun.

Thanks to her mindless scrolling, she learned that the nearby Tech Shop was making a bundle deal with some of their more desired parts with a 50% discount with the purchase of 30,845 Yen ($200 - If my math is correct) or more; she has been meaning to update her drawing tablet and computer for a while now, no time like the present.

[Name] headed to the Tech Shop and flagged down an employee to aid her; she was looking for new equipment and the bundle mentioned. She ended up spending over 77,113 Yen ($500 - Once again, if my math is correct) as she picked her new tablet in her satchel; making sure to purchase a 3-Year Protection Plan on all her parts. She walked out of the shop and pulled out her wallet, she noticed she had 3084.53 Yen ($20) to spend on lunch and decided to get something quick. She noticed her favorite burger place was across the street and used the crosswalk to cross the street, but that feeling had returned: Someone was watching her. She pretended not to notice and started scanning the crowd for anyone who seemed out of place to her when her eyes landed on something...familiar.

A man was standing on the other side of the street, dressed in a black suit with a high collar. His hair was long and black with a high bun in the back; the only thing that seemed out of place to him was the scar going across his forehead, it reminded her of stitching for some reason.

What's more: This man was looking at her and she confirmed this when the smirk on his face grew the moment their eyes met; he wanted her to know that he was watching her. She narrowed her eyes at him before turning her gaze to look ahead as she made it to the other end of the street and turn away from him to head into the burger place.

[Name] placed her order and paid the cashier for a simple large cheeseburger meal with a [Favorite Drink] with 3 cookies on the side. The cashier gave her a receipt and she stood off to the side until her number was called. She took her food and walked to a nearby booth with 2 seats that were out of the way since everywhere else was taken; it was lunch hour after all. She unwrapped her burger and was about to take about bite when a voice called out to her from directly in front of her.

"That looks delicious."

[Name's] Black Eyes looked away from her burger and locked eyes with him - the man who was watching her earlier and it was that same feeling; she had been feeling it for a week.

"Can I help you with something?" [Name] asked in a calm but clearly annoyed voice.

"Yes. You can stop suppressing your power from me; it's getting rather hard to find you since you are getting so good at concealing your Cursed Energy from me." The man said, his head resting on the fist he had against his cheek while that arm's elbow was resting on the table.

"Cursed Energy? What the hell are you talking about?" [Name] asked with a raised eyebrow but the man chuckled at her words.

"I'm sure you don't know what it's called, but I know that you are aware of your power; you have so much of it and you've become adapted to concealing it to prevent people like me from finding you. However, I know you can feel it; you know who I am... Don't you, [Name]?" He asked with a smile on his face and a 'tender' look in his eyes.

"You're the one who has been following me for weeks." [Name] answered and, once again, he smiled at her with a chuckle.

"Able to detect my Cursed Energy from everyone else's already? You're more advanced than I thought you would be at this age. Then again... I shouldn't expect anything less from my own daughter." He said, making [Name's] eyes get wide.

"What did you say?" [Name] hissed out.

"You heard me. How else would I know your name and this is the first time we talked?" He questioned with a head tilt before stating, "I'm the one who named you."

"Just... Just who the hell are you?" [Name] questioned, trying to keep her calm and not draw attention to herself.

"I am the JuJitsu Sorcerer, Kenjaku. In your case, I am your 3rd Parent. You can call me 'Father' if you want." He smiled at her, expecting her to freak out and ask him questions.

She was silent for a moment before she spoke, "Are you on drugs or something?"

"Pardon?" Kenjaku asked with wide eyes, surprised at what she just said," I don't think that's how you should speak to your own father, [Name]." Kenjaku said.

"Yeah. You're on drugs." With that, [Name] rewrapped her burger and walked over to the counter, got a takeout bag, and placed her food inside before taking her drink and leaving the burger place; leaving a very shocked JuJitsu Sorcerer sitting at the table.

"Kids these days... No respect for their elders." Kenjaku said before standing up and leaving as well, but he couldn't find [Name] anywhere, "She's fast."

[END]

[rafesslxt]

🐰 secret bunny⎥rafe cameron

part 2 ⎥"bunny 🐰"

「 ✦ 𝐇𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐚 𝐥𝐨𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐤𝐞𝐞𝐩, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐛𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐛𝐮𝐧𝐧𝐲 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞.✦ 」

summary: A Costume Party? Rafe as Ghostface? Where can I sign? Both of them see each other for the first time again, which brings up some old memories.

word count : 3k

warning: sexual tension, language, ghostface!rafe, alcohol, best friends brother, making out, seven minutes in heaven - game, touching, English is not my first language

Scarlett's POV:

Full of anticipation, I walked through the city in hope of finding a good costume. After I woke up, Sarah called me and apologized for Topper's behavior where I told her that I was also a little bit ashamed of JJ's actions.

She asked me if I would like to come earlier and get ready together. Of course I agreed. She recommended a store in town where they sell costumes, which I was now standing in front of.

I went in and had a look around. I didn't want anything too flashy but still something that would be recognizable. I found myself standing in front of a bunny costume. It consisted of a headband with big fluffy ears, a furry nose and a flower for the bottom.

I paid for it and left the store. I quickly called a cab to take me to Sarah's.

When I arrived, I looked at the Cameron's estate. Now that I was older, I realized for the first time how huge Tanny Hill actually was. I walked slowly through the front garden, which was bigger than John B's entire home. Sometimes I wondered how fair this world really was. Why can Sarah and I live in big houses and John B and JJ live in small huts and have to fend for themselves?

I rang the doorbell and waited a moment before it opened and two arms wrapped around my waist. "Wheezie! How big you've gotten!" I looked down in amazement and looked at Sarah's little sister. "Sarah is upstairs in her room waiting for you. I'll be in the kitchen if you need me." "Thank you." I smiled at her before going upstairs to Sarah's room. Everything felt so familiar but so strange at the same time. As a child, I had never thought about what happens when I wasn't in outer banks.

But now, especially after last night, I wondered more and more what I had missed.

I opened the first door in the hallway. " Hey Sarah." I smiled at her as she came towards me. " Hey." She hugged me tightly and exhaled deeply. " Sorry again for the mess yesterday. This is not how I had imagined our reunion." " It's all right. As I said, JJ wasn't entirely innocent either." " How is John B? Is everything all right with him?" " Yes, a black eye and a few bruises. Nothing he can't get over." " Good good." She nodded. " So? Did you find a costume?"

I unpacked my things, including my costume, and showed her my options. " Hmm.. the pink satin dress would look super cute together with the bunny ears. "

"Yes, that was my favorite too. I think I'll leave out the nose though." We laughed and held them in front of each other's faces.

" Who is actually coming to the party?" " Pretty much everyone. I just hope everything stays a bit more peaceful today than yesterday. " She sighed and put on her costume. She had a headband with a halo on it and big white angel wings that she put on over a short white dress. We got ready for the party together, put on our make-up and styled our hair. I left mine down with my natural waves. 

I was putting on my lipstick when Sarah came into the room and spun around. "And? How do I look?" She looked really great. Almost like an real angel.

" Fantastic. If you weren't with Topper, I'd almost say you were taking someone home with you tonight. " Her cheeks flushed and she looked into the mirror. "You know that feeling when something just doesn't feel right? Like it shouldn't be."

I stood up slowly and stepped behind her. " Are you thinking about Topper?" I asked cautiously. " She shrugged her shoulders. " You know, I've only been in one relationship so far, but what I do know is that the right one never makes you doubt whether he's the right one or not.", I told her.

"He tries so hard, but I always have the feeling that it's more about appearances. The most important thing is that we look good together and show up everywhere together. I don't know if that's what love is supposed to feel like." Without wanting to tell her anything wrong, I hugged her from behind and rested my head on her shoulder. "I have a feeling you already know the answer to that."

2 hours later

The first guests arrived an hour ago and the house was getting fuller by the minute. After we'd finished, Sarah and I decorated the house and got everything ready. She took care of the snacks and I took care of the drinks. Sarah took Wheezie to a friend of her's.

Like us, most of the guests had masks on or were wearing light make-up.

The party went great. Sarah introduced me to a few of her friends and I caught up with some old faces. " Hey Scar I know you probably don't like Topper very much now, but he's just coming through the door." she whispered to me before he stood next to us with Kelce. He kissed her and pulled her close to him. He was wearing a black costume with some blood and 2 small horns on his head. Kelce next to him was dressed as a vampire. "Ah, good and evil I presume?" I pointed between Topper and Sarah, whereupon Sarah looked sheepishly at Topper. "Yes, we wanted to be recognizable as a couple," Topper said, hugging Sarah from the side. 

"The most important thing is that we look good together and show up everywhere together. I don't know if this is what love is supposed to feel like." Sarah's words replayed in my head.

"So, did you bring any of your friends with you?" Topper asked me, looking down at me cocky. " Why? Do you want to die again?" I knew I was going a bit too far, but if there was one thing I didn't like, it was arrogance. Whether it was wrong or right of JJ to hold a gun to Topper's head was one thing. But running your mouth the next day after almost wetting your pants is beyond crazy to me.

" Excuse me?!" He was visibly angry and took a step towards me, letting go of Sarah. " Topper..." Sarah intervened but I also took a step towards him. "No, that's okay Sarah. He's welcome to learn that even a girl can beat his ass up." I could see the red color rising in his face. " Oh yeah? How about we- " before he could continue, he was interrupted by a male voice.

" Hey hey hey, why don't we all calm down first?" Someone said with a foreign voice, dressed as ghostface. He was wearing black jeans, a black shirt and the mask. He put his hand on Topper's shoulder, where I immediately noticed the golden rings on his fingers. They looked familiar but I just couldn't think of who they belonged to.

"How about you two lovebirds and Kelce get out of here and I'll take care of our little bunny?" He let go of Topper and put an arm around my shoulders. " Ra-" " Like I said, I'll take care of it," he emphasized again.

They just nodded and disappeared. Sarah turned around and whispered "I'm sorry" to me. "So that's how you greet old friends in the Outer Banks, huh?" I turned my attention to Ghostface next to me. " Old friends? I don't know when I've ever been friends with Topper," I said, walking along with him. He walked me out of the house, into the garden, where only a few people were standing to smoke or talk.

We sat down on a bench with a table in front of it and a tarp over it. His arm was still around my shoulders, so he pulled me closer and whispered in my ear, "Maybe not with Topper, but I would have thought my greeting would be a little sweeter." His voice was deep and somewhat muffled by the mask. Nevertheless, goose bumps formed all over my body. "Why should I greet a stranger?" "Am I? Am I a stranger?" He confused me more and more. "Who the hell are you?" " Oh bunny, I didn't think you would forget your first kiss so quickly."

My first ki- "Rafe?!" I looked at him, startled, and pulled the mask off his face. " Did you miss me?" There was a big grin on his lips as he scanned my shoked face. "I almost didn't recognize you when you were standing next to my sister last night. " " You were there last night too?" " Yes, but not long enough to see the fight. "

I didn't know what to say. He was the first person in a long time to leave me speechless. I also had no idea what he wanted from me. " What do you want from me?" I asked straight out.

He pulled me closer again and looked down at me. His eyes were always to fall in love with. Wait. Pull yourself together Scar. It's still Rafe. I took a closer look at his face and quickly realized how grown up he had become. He was incredibly handsome and only now did I realize how good he smelled. I looked into my cup and thought about how much I had to drink.

"Why do I have to want something? Isn't it possible that I just want to chat with you and find out how you are?" I've always been good at reading people and I knew straight away that he was lying and wanted something. "I'm fine Rafey, how are you?" I started to grin because I knew how much he hated it when I used to call him like that. He rolled his eyes and straightened up a little. "Now that you're here, I couldn't be feeling better, bunny. And I see you're just as cheeky as you've been for the last few years."

"Hmm, I'm beginning to think you've missed me," I replied. He softly put his hand on my knee, brushed his fingers over my skin and looked me in the eyes. Why couldn't I move? Why did his gaze captivate me so much? He lowered his head to the level of mine until his lips were right next to my ear again. " Would that be so bad? The last time I saw you, you were 14 and you just got your first kiss from me. " I tried to look away as my cheeks got hot but he took my chin between his fingers and turned my head around. " How 'bout trying again? You can't imagine how much better I am now."

His hot breath bounced against my skin. I bit my lower lip and tried to breathe normal. "Why so shy now hm?" he whispered. "Or didn't you like our first kiss as much as I did?"

We all sat in a big circle and waited excited until Chalsey had finished with the notes. After what felt like an eternity, she came into the room and placed an empty bottle in the middle of our round. "The rules are simple. Everyone takes a piece of paper from the bowl and reads out loud what it says, then spins the bottle and has to do what it says with the person the bottle is pointing at."

I was 14 at the time, as were most of the others in the room. The oldest were 16.

Linda next to me pulled a piece of paper out of the bowl first. She unfolded it and read out loud "kiss". A chorus went around the room as everyone waited to see who the bottle would land on. She crumpled up the scrap of paper again and put it back before taking the bottle in her hand, spinning it vigorously and waiting tensely. The bottle slowed down and stopped at... Kelce. Everyone looked up at the two of them and cheered.

Linda stood up shy and walked over to Kelce, who was sitting nervous in an armchair. His boys pushed him towards Linda. He stood up and slowly approached her face. When their lips touched, everyone started cheering and whistling again. They both sat back in their seats and looked sheepishly at each other.

"Scar, it's your turn." Chalsey said, holding out the bowl of notes to me. Excitedly, I took one out and opened it carefully. There it was and I couldn't believe my eyes. "Tell us, what did you get?" Sarah, who was sitting opposite me, asked me excited. "7 minutes in heaven."

My heart was beating incredibly fast as I took the bottle and spun it. I hoped it wouldn't be someone I didn't like. The bottle slowed down and my heart beat faster by the second. It stopped and my gaze followed the direction it was pointing at. Now my heart dropped in my pants. "Uuuhhh" everyone started giggling and whispering. Rafe. The bottle stopped at Rafe.

"My brother? Ew!" Sarah looked at her brother in disgust and shook her head. " You can use the wardrobe at the end of the hall. There are usually only umbrellas in there. We both stood up and walked towards each other. Rafe took my hand and pulled me behind him to the closet. He opened the door and let me in first. It wasn't really big, so I was slightly pressed against Rafe's torso as he got into the closet and closed the door.

Some light fell in through the crack in the closet and I could see Rafe's face. "Hi." I said shy. "Hey." He smiled a little and carefully put both hands on my hips. " We don't have to do this if you-" " No no no- I mean- it's okay Rafe. I'm not a kid anymore." The truth was, I'd always had a little crush on Rafe. I knew he was Sarah's brother, but I couldn't help it. Besides, I was sure he saw me as nothing more than his little sister's girlfriend. And I was only a year younger than Rafe.

I didn't want him to think I was a little girl who was scared, so I placed my hands on his chest. I could feel his heart beating fast under my palms. Was he nervous? His face moved closer to mine until I could feel his breath against my lips. " Have you ever kissed anyone?" I shook my head. " No." A smile formed on his lips before he brushed them against mine.

My heart felt like I was about to have a heart attack. "You smell good." Rafe whispered and looked me straight in the eyes. I got goosebumps as his grip on my hips tightened. "You too."

His lips finally touched mine and he closed the distance between us. He placed a hand on my cheek and stroked it with his thumb. His lips were soft and he tasted of the popcorn we all ate earlier. His second hand slowly stroked my stomach, which was exposed by my crop top. It startled me briefly, causing my mouth to open slightly. Rafe took his chance and ran the tip of his tongue over my bottomlip and then into my mouth.

I didn't know what to do so I did the same as he did, whereupon his grip on my cheek tightened a little and he pressed his body against mine. He let go of my lips and breathed just as quickly as I did. "You're a really good kisser," he moaned.

Out of breath, I could hardly answer and just nodded shyly. "Hey! Seven minutes are up!" Chalsey's voice rang out from behind the wardrope. "Too bad you're going home tomorrow," Rafe whispered in my ear and kissed my cheek.

I snapped out of my thoughts when Rafe stroke my cheek. " I think you did." he smiled and looked at me. "My question is still open though, what do you really want from me?" His eyebrows furrowed and his expression became a little more irritated. "Bunny, I told you I don't want to -" "Hey! Get your slimy hands off her!" I jerked my head to the side. " JJ?" Now I was the one who was irritated. "What are you doing here?" " I wanted to talk to you, to find out how you're doing. We haven't spoken all day." Rafe stood up next to me and looked at JJ. "Are you surprised she doesn't want to talk to you after you put a gun to Topper's head yesterday?" "You stay out of this Rafe!"

I stood up and put a hand on Rafe's chest to hold him back. "Rafe, please go inside. I'll sort it out." " Are you sure?" I nodded and smiled at him briefly. " Okay, I'll be inside if you need me." " Thanks, Rafe." He went inside and left me and JJ alone.

"JJ...what were you thinking?" I sat back down on the bench. "I don't know. I just saw him almost drown John B and then, well... that was the first thing that came to my mind." "Why did you even have a fucking gun on you?" " It's a long story but John B and I found it a a few weeks ago." I shook my head and eyed him. I could tell he was really sorry, but that didn't really change anything for now.

" JJ, I'll be home tomorrow or tonight. I'll write to let you know. But please go now." He sighed but listened to me." Love you, Scar. See you later." "Love you too, JJ." I watched him leave the property and then went back inside myself.

" Scar! Is everything all right? I'm so sorry I left you alone with Rafe, it was so stupid of me." I smiled and looked at my hands. " It's all right. He wasn't that bad to be honest." " Wow. Are you sure we're talking about the same person?" " Uhm, Sarah.. can I sleep here tonight?" " Yes, of course. When the party's over, we'll make ourselves comfortable and it'll be just like old times." I could tell she was happy and I hoped she was right.

At least one thing was going to be like it used to be. _

thank you so much for reading, let me know If you want part 3

xoxo Sarah

Secret Bunny Masterlist

[laundrybiscuits]

Hawkins all lit up for Christmas is like something out of a postcard. It’s been a warm winter, which means big fat snowflakes piling up in fluffy drifts all over town, and string lights have been going up along every street and building to make the whole town look like a gingerbread fantasy.

Steve remembers it feeling a lot more magical when he was a kid, back when he didn’t have to shovel his car out of the drive or worry about winter tires. They don’t salt the back ways early enough in Hawkins, so on days like this, it always takes him longer to drive to work, going slow and cautious down the main roads, trapped in the Hawkins version of a traffic jam as everyone else does the exact same thing as him.

When he finally gets to the print shop, Donna McCorkle’s waving enthusiastically at him from the parking lot.

“Steven, honey! I’m so glad to see you out and about. I heard—” she leans in and whispers in a way that might actually be more conspicuous than yelling at the top of her lungs. “I heard about you and Laura. Sweetie, I’m so sorry, we all really thought you two would be taking a little stroll down the aisle by spring.”

“Thanks, Mrs. McCorkle,” Steve says. “I’m okay, honest. Just wasn’t meant to be, I guess.”

Jerry nods in greeting as Steve gets in and hangs up his winter coat. “Heya, Harrington. You’re six minutes late.”

“Sorry, boss,” grunts Steve, scraping off his boots.

“S’fine. Considering the circumstances and all. Just don’t get too hung up on her, eh, son? Can’t let some woman get you down. That’s no way for a man to live.”

“Right,” Steve says. “I’m okay, honest. Wasn’t meant to be.”

He shoves his lunch in the minifridge and heads out to his desk to check his messages.

———

He gets beers with Hopper after work. As soon as he slides into the booth, Hop raises a knowing eyebrow and snorts. “Folks around town been up your ass about the thing with Laura today?”

Steve groans. “Don’t even know how it got around so fast. We broke it off just yesterday, and I sure as hell didn’t tell anyone.”

Hopper nudges a bowl of peanuts his way. “Ah, you know how Hawkins is. People just want to see you doing well, kid.”

“People just need to mind their own damn business.”

Hopper’s face creases into a wry smile. The lines around his eyes seem to be getting deeper by the week. “They go a little overboard, sure. But come on, it’s nice knowing people care, ain’t it?”

“Sure.” Steve takes a long gulp of beer. “Nice.”

———

“I’m just—tired, Robbie,” he sighs into the phone. “Feels like I can’t walk down the street without running into someone trying to talk to me about the breakup.”

“It’s been coming for a while though, right? I mean, you’ve been talking about how you weren’t sure about her for a while. Like, actually way too long. Like this definitely should’ve happened six months ago.”

“I know, I know. But we were together for over a year, and it was…I dunno, nice. Easy. Felt like the thing to do. People are gonna start back up asking why I’m not married yet, ‘cause everyone else around here seems to be.”

Robin’s laugh crackles down the line, tinny and familiar. He presses the receiver tight against his face like it’ll bring Robin closer.

“Miss the hell out of you, Buckley. Can’t wait until you get back for Christmas.”

“Actually…” Even through the shitty line, he can tell Robin sounds a little nervous. “I was thinking. Well, me and Eddie were thinking. My folks aren’t going to be in Hawkins this year, they’re visiting my aunts in Vermont, and…we’ve got some friends here who are planning to just stay in the city for the holidays. So. What would you think, hypothetically, about coming here instead of me going there? It could be fun! You’ve only visited like twice, and you haven’t visited at all since I moved in with Eddie. You should come see our place, it’s pretty great.”

It’s true, he hasn’t made the trip out for a while. Robin and Eddie had been talking about moving in together for years, and last spring they’d finally found a place they liked. Steve had offered to drive up and help them move in, but their move-in date was Laura’s cousin’s wedding weekend, so that hadn’t worked out. And then it had just been easy to let his summer and fall get away from him, and just see Robin when she came back to Hawkins, because Eddie never comes back to Hawkins at all if he can help it.

Steve’s not avoiding Eddie. Of course he's not. There’s no reason for him to avoid Eddie, because the thing about Eddie is that there’s not a thing. There’s never been a thing.

But the lack-of-thing, the space where a thing could maybe have been, is something that’s followed Steve around for the last six years or so whether he likes it or not.

It’s not like he thinks about it every day, or anything like that. It’s just that—there was a moment, maybe, back in ‘87. He’d been smoking with Eddie outside in the miserable freeze of February. The grimy slush around them had been half-liquid in a way that was going to be trouble in the morning, after it'd had a chance to freeze over.

“If I asked,” Eddie had said, eyes fixed on the distant gray skies. “Would you come with me?”

Steve hadn’t had an answer, then. He’d thought he’d known, by that point, all the different ways he could be afraid, so it took him a second to recognize the feeling clawing its way up his ribcage and quickening his pulse. His tongue had felt thick and useless in his mouth.

Eddie’d just nodded once in a matter-of-fact way, and crushed his cigarette butt beneath the scuffed toe of his boot. “Don’t worry your pretty head about it, Harrington. I won’t ask.”

And then a week later he’d been gone. So it’s not like there was anything at all, not ever.

“Steve?” Robin’s voice is still kind of nervous. “What do you think? We’d both really love to see you.”

“Okay,” says Steve. “Sure. I’ll visit you guys for Christmas. Why the hell not?”

(continued here)

[onceuponapuffin]

Fanatic Intervention Part 11!!

Okay so I had Life being Life, then a bit of Writer's Block (sort of), then a bit of a hangover, BUT I GOT IT DONE. So here we go.

Beginning || Previous || Next

************

When you wake up the next morning, you once again find Anathema sitting at the large dining table surrounded by her books and tools. This time, though, Aziraphale and Crowley are with her. Aziraphale has his tiny glasses on and is flipping through a book, a cup of tea next to him, no doubt cold. Crowley is on his phone, and you can hear the sound effects of Candy Crush from here. He has a mug in front of him too, but it’s steaming and smells of coffee.

“Good morning,” Anathema says to you.

“Morning!” You respond, heading into the kitchen. Here, you can see that someone has bought a box of bagels, and you help yourself to one and make a coffee before returning to the dining room and having a seat across from Anathema.

“So,” You say, taking a bite out of your bagel (dear Reader, I personally am imagining just eating it like a donut because I can), “How are the readings coming?”

“Well,” Anathema starts, “I got some vague vibrations yesterday and I have a theory.”

“Oh?”

“The vibrations were very faint, mind you, but I think they were coming from the southwest. So I’m going to try going to that edge of the city today and try again. With any luck I’ll have a better idea of where we’re traveling to by tomorrow.”

“Awesome!” You reply

“Thanks! Aziraphale is going to go with me.”

“And I am not,” Crowley says definitively. You smirk behind your coffee mug.

“Still sulking over yesterday, are we?” You ask him, trying your best to imitate his eyebrow.

“No. It just sounds boring.”

“Well we could hang out today,” You suggest brightly. Crowley makes a noise that is non-committal and mono-syllabic. “I’ll take that as a yes!”

“That sounds like a splendid idea,” Aziraphale offers in place of Crowley, “Perhaps you can find us a car to rent. I have a feeling that we will be leaving the city soon, and we won’t want to be walking will we?” He chuckles to himself, and you nod in agreement.

“Perfect,” You say with a smile as you finish off your breakfast.

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

“So!” You start casually as the pair of you wander down the street, “What mischief are we going to get up to? Are we gluing coins to the sidewalk? Are we going to find someplace busy and just walk REALLY slowly? Take up both sides of the escalator? Oh! We could ride the bus and request every stop without ever getting off!”

Crowley stops walking and looks at you. His eyebrow has practically merged with his hairline.

“Is that what you lot think I do?”

“Well, uh...basically yes,” You reply uncertainly. Just as you’re starting to wonder if you should be re-evaluating everything you know about how Crowley operates, he smirks with a satisfied hum.

“Good. Glad to know my finer talents are appreciated somewhere.”

Oh he has no idea. You decide not to inflate his ego too far. Yet.

“So what do you want to do?”

Crowley produces a bag of frozen peas from nowhere. A light bulb goes off in your brain.

“Oh! Ducks!”

“Ducks.”

And so you head for Central Park.

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

Finding the ducks doesn’t take too long. Neither does emptying the bag of frozen peas. In the end, you both find a bench and have a seat. It feels strangely like you’re filling in for Aziraphale.

“So what happened yesterday with Anathema?” You ask after a while.

“I have no idea what you mean,” he replies, shifting around on the bench. Alright, enough of this. You turn to stare at him.

“What do I mean, okay. I mean that you spent two days running around like an unsupervised kid, spend one afternoon with Anathema, and suddenly when I literally give you permission to be a mischievous shit, all you want to do is feed the ducks.”

It almost looks like he’s chewing on something. Words maybe, you figure. Maybe he feels that if he chews them enough, they’ll come out easier. He must realize it doesn’t work like that because after a few seconds he answers your question.

“She may have mentioned that my having too much fun might bring the Metatron back around. Back to Aziraphale. Especially since he didn’t seem to have much trouble finding you in Heathrow. He probably knows where we are.”

Oh. That’s actually a fair point. You take a minute and think about it.

“Yeah, he probably does, but I don’t think he’s going to try anything just yet. I mean, his tactics are straight out of the Fairytale Villain Playbook. So he’s probably going to hold back for a bit to see if I start to crack and then go back to him.”

“Book Girl still has a point, though. Don’t wanna bring him out before we have to.”

“Okay,” You pause for a minute, considering the obvious compromise that Crowley doesn’t seem to have touched on yet. But then again, sometimes you just need someone to give you permission – even if it’s something you already know. “So how about we don’t have too much fun, but we have just a little bit of fun. Like we go souvenir shopping and buy a t shirt with small change. Keep stuff in moderation, yeah?”

“Hm,” Crowley leans back farther if that’s even possible, considering your proposition. “I do somewhat fancy one of those I Heart NY shirts.”

“Same actually. Did you create those by any chance? Just curious.”

His smile is toothy and smug. Instead of answering, he lifts himself off the bench.

“Come on then, Reader,” he says, “Let’s buy some souvenirs.”

“Reader?” You answer, getting up and following him.

“Well what else am I gonna call you? You keep talking about how much you read and I already have Book Girl. Need to keep all you straight somehow don’t I?”

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

Not very long afterwards, you find yourself wandering around the city again, this time sporting I Heart NY merch and cheap star-shaped sunglasses. Crowley has swapped out his normal shades for a pair of shutter shades. A couple of times now you’ve had to grab his arm to keep him from walking into poles. And once, he nearly sauntered his way down a flight of stairs that he was certain had come out of nowhere. He still hasn’t switched back to his normal sunglasses.

“Okay what about Monopoly?” You ask him.

“Nope. That was an American who made that I think. No idea who it even was.”

“Mario Kart?”

Crowley snorts. “No.”

“What about fake pockets?”

“If anyone asks, yes. But otherwise, actually, no.”

“What about...multi-level marketing schemes?”

“I…what? No. But I definitely told Hell that I did.”

“Okay well then what did you actually invent?”

Crowley stops and looks at you through those ridiculous shutter shades. He smirks like the Cheshire Cat as he answers.

“As little as physically possible.”

“So you did basically nothing, and just took credit for everything?”

“YuP.” He pops the plosive at the end with a self-satisfied head-waggle.

“Brilliant.”

“Thank you. It’s nice to talk to someone who gets it.”

“It really is, isn’t it?” You turn and give him a hug. Sometimes, you just need to hug your demon.

“Ngk. What’s this?” He’s clearly uncomfortable, so you let go. He doesn’t say anything else about the hug, but he buys you an ice cream.

And he pays with pennies.

----------

The hotel room is quiet when you both return. After a quick search, you find that Aziraphale and Anathema aren’t back yet. That’s not...a great sign. But you’re determined not to panic.

“I’ll order some room service. You want anything?”

“Nah, I’ll wait.”

So he’s worried too. Alright. You place your order and turn on the tv. You try to care about the Big Bang Theory reruns, but you can’t relax just yet. Both of you sit in quiet tension until the door finally opens to Anathema and Aziraphale. Their moods are joyful, and you feel the dark cloud just lift away.

“Hey guys,” You say, “I just ordered some room service. I wasn’t sure when you two were coming back.”

“Oh!” Aziraphale practically sings, “I’ll get the menus. I’m certain they won’t mind adding on to the order.” He leaves the room. Anathema’s face is bright.

“I found out where we need to go. Did you find us a car?”

Oh. Whoops.

❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ 🖤

Beginning || Previous || Next

[brittlebarbie]

The other woman|| tasm!peter x fem!reader

authors note: I didn’t know what to name this story until Lana del Rey played in my headphones. I’m sorry if this is really bad because I was just daydreaming about this lol. Also this is my first fanfic!! Yay!!

Warnings:angst,fighting,cheating,other bad relationship things💀

Word count: 1.1k (original is 1,080)

…

Peter has been acting really weird lately. He barely visited you at night or checked up on you. You thought he was focusing on protecting the city.

But no. He’s been seeing someone else.

Gwen Stacy. Your childhood best friend.

You obviously didn’t know. Yet…

*at school*

You see Peter talking to Gwen a lot. Oh great, they’re becoming friends! Right? you pushed those thoughts away when you walk up to Peter who was at his locker.

“Hey Pete!” You exclaimed. He replied bluntly and dry like as if you were texting. “hey.” He’s been acting like this for a month. Acting very dry, and bored.

“Uhm, so I was wondering if you would like to go somewhere with me today?” You asked. “Can’t.. sorry.” Peter closes his locker and he faces you. His face all bruised.

“Are you okay? Why didn’t you come to my window to get patched up?” You face changed from happy to worried.

“I’m fine babe, i patched up myself. I thought you were sleeping.” Peter lied. He was actually going to Gwen to get patched.

You were the only person that knew his secret. Well now your not the only one.

You go to your class and you see Peter and Gwen talking.

Again.

You pushed that one thought away and sat where you usually sit. The bell rang and class had started.

You notice Peter look at Gwen a lot and not at you. I mean you only get a few glances but his eyes were stuck on Gwen.

Your stupid self did it again. Pushed the thought away and continued to pay attention to class.

*timeskip where school was over and you’re in your room.*

Peter didn’t come to your window. Didn’t even swing by for a second. You saw him swing by, but he passed your apartment window. Maybe he was chasing after someone but they were running the direction where your apartment was?

You turned on the TV and watched some shows. Oh you wish you didn’t turn on the tv. You saw the news flash. “Who’s Spider-Man’s girlfriend?” With a picture of Gwen and Peter kissing. Well spider man. But still. You cant believe what you saw. You turned off the TV immediately and bursted out crying.

*tap tap tap*

“hey- wait, are you okay?” Peter said. He kept on tapping on your window. You were so mad that you rushed to your window “fuck off.” You close your window and locked it. You closed the curtain and you sat on your bed. Staring at the closed window.

“What? Hey open your curtain! Hello?? Are you there??” Peter questioned. You didn’t want to hear him anymore. You got up and opened the door and slammed it shut while exiting your room. You made sure Peter heard it. You were crying so much. Good thing your parents weren’t home.

You knew it. He likes Gwen. He likes her more. The other woman. The other fucking woman. Your his side piece then.

*time skip to the next day*

You didn’t want to get up. You wanted to stay in your room forever. But you had to get up.

Once you got up, you opened your curtains. To see the sun blazing in your face. Such a beautiful sun but on a bad day. You got ready but didn’t even bother looking nice. Your boyfriend had eyes on someone else.

You plugged in your headphones onto your phone and you went to school.

*at school*

You were casually walking to your first class until you heard a familiar voice behind you.

“Hey! Wait!” It was Peter. You didn’t bother turning around.

He stepped in-front of you. You and him were facing each other now.

“Why did you close the window on me yesterday?”

“Why did you even bother coming?”

Peter notices how puffy your face was from crying all night but he decided to ignore it.

“What?” “Anyways im actually free today, do you wanna hang out?” Peter continued acting like he doesn’t know anything.

“No, I’m busy today.” You sarcastically said.

“But your always free.. why aren’t you today?”

“Why? Why? Because I don’t want to fucking see you!” You tried to walk past him but he grabs you arm.

“What? Why are you acting like this? Whats wrong?” Peter said.

You were so mad. He knew what’s wrong. He is lying.

“you know what you did. You didn’t even think of me? Huh?” You yank you arm out of his grasp.

You walked passed him and continued going to class.

He was confused for a second until it clicked in his head.

Oh shit.

now, you are in class. Trying to push away the thoughts on what just happened. Trying so hard not to cry right now. The thing is, Peter is in your first period class. He sits diagonally behind you. A piece of paper bumped into your shoe. You picked it up and opened it.

“baby, please forgive me. It’s not what it looks like. Please please please! I’ll explain everything I promise. Just forgive me! :(”

You scoff. Ripped the paper into pieces and continued to listen to the teacher.

once class ended you dashed out the door. Not waiting for Peter. Why would you wait for him anyway? You’re so mad at him.

“Baby! Wait! Shit.” Peter was trying to catch up with you but you were too fast. It’s like you were running but you were just speed walking.

He eventually catch up with you and pulled you into a empty class room. “I’m sorry, babe please.”

“Now your talking to me? I’ve been trying to talk to you for weeks! All you have been doing is being dry all the damn time. And everytime I ask to go somewhere with you, you always say oh I’m busy!!”

“I’m sorry.”

“Is that all you gotta say? You’re fucking cheating on me with Gwen! My own best friend! Did you even think about me when you kissed her?”

“I did! I didn’t-“ you interrupted Peter.

“Save it Peter. You love her more. And I’m guessing you went to her when your hurt. So she knows who you are. I can’t believe this.” You said.

“Baby, I don’t love her more I love you!” He gets down on his knees and starts begging. Tears swelled up in his eyes but you felt no empathy.

“Please forgive me. Please I’ll make it up to you, I’ll take you out just please!” Peter begs.

You look down at him and you scoff. “Really? It’s been a month since you ditched me. That has hurt me enough.” You back up and you head towards the door. Before you leave you look over your shoulder. Peter is still on his knees but he’s looking down at the floor. “Whatever your saying is bullshit. Go back to Gwen because we are done.” You grab the door handle and left slamming the door again. Peter knows now that he really fucked up.

…

To be continued?

Comment down below to be in a tag list!

love y’all I hope you enjoyed this 🕸️🕷️💞

[green-kat331]

My Friend Spider-man

Pt 2: Opportunity

(Spider-man x reader)

Warnings: None

Pt 1

A new day has begun.

The sun is shining, and the horns of New york traffic are blaring through your balcony glass doors. Lazily, you detangle yourself from your blankets and push off the mattress for a nice refreshing shower before your roommate could wake up and steal all of the warm water for himself.  

You sit in the shower, letting the water run down your back. As you sat in the tub, you got to thinking about how you would go about scoring that interview. You were stumped, nothing came to mind…Unless—

BANG BANG BANG!!!

Sudden bangs break your thoughts. 

“Yo! Are you alive in there? If you are, hurry up I gotta get going. - And don’t you steal all the hot water!” Your roommate Mikey shouts into the thin bathroom door. 

“Shut up, I’ll be out in a sec!” You shout back reaching for the shower handle and shutting it off. 

After a rushed routine, you exit the bathroom already glaring at the man in front of you. 

“Geez finally” He huffs, towel and his clothes under his arm. 

“Can’t you shower at your girlfriend’s place?” You ask as he pushed past you. But he slams the door in your face not even bothering to respond. 

Quickly you get dressed in your most professional outfit. Readying your bag and notepad you made sure to also bring an audio recorder just in case. A ping from your phone grabs your attention. It was Peter.

Peter: Sorry, Can’t meet up with you today got busy. :( 

A heavy sigh leaves your lips when you read the first few words. Peter just always seemed to get busy at the worst moments possible.

You: That’s fine. say hi to Aunt May for me 

Peter: Will do. Sorry again.

Shaking your head you stuff your phone into your pocket, grabbed a quick breakfast, and went out into the city streets. 

You tapped your pen on your chin, looking over your notes on how to grab the Spider’s attention. 

You contemplated jumping into traffic but that was too risky. 

Getting robbed was an option though there was no way you could properly set that up and turn it into an opportunity without getting flustered. 

Maybe standing on the roof of a building… but he might get the wrong idea.

“Hmm…” You hummed to yourself. How the hell does Peter do it? Always at the right spot at the right time you supposed. 

The right spot…

You stop in your tracks and looked over to an alley similar to the one from yesterday.

A smirk appeared on your face as you walked into the entrance “Just a holler and you’ll come swinging right spider-man? Well… We’ll see how true to your word you actually are.” You say and placed yourself right in the middle of the alley grabbing your notepad a pen and activating the audio recorder before abandoning the bag. 

Quickly you scan the area to make sure it’s free of people.

“AAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!! SPIDER-MAN!!! HELP!! HELP ME!!!”

You shout using every breath of air you could store in your lungs. The enclosed space made the screams echo back to you, you tried your best to make the plea as realistic as possible. People that walked past shot you strange looks making you feel slightly embarrassed. After a few seconds, You tapped your foot impatiently “Guess not–.” 

“Y’now, when I said give me a holler. I mean when there’s a real emergency” The voice behind you made you scream and turn around. 

“Holy shit you actually did!” 

The famous hero looks around the alley spotting your bag and the audio recorder on top of it. He shakes his head and turns it off. 

“Ma’am I respect the dedication to your work, but I don’t think this is how you get an interview. Someone else might—” 

He stopped suddenly, you took out your notepad and pen and walked towards him more.

“I would like just a few minutes Spider-man, just a few questions. I won’t be long. I swear.” 

“...”

When you were met with silence your shoulders drop. “I’m sorry. It’s just You’ve inspired so many including myself and I just wanted to—” 

Suddenly Spider-man grabbed your arms and pulled you with him into the air. At the same time a log arm smashed into nearby buildings and large pieces of gravel fell into the alley you were just standing in. 

You gasped and yelped clinging onto the hero, arms tightly wrapped around his neck. As he swung around the giant metal arm grabbed his leg and pulled him along with you in the complete opposite direction. Everything was so fast and blurry, quickly you felt him protect your head as his back smashed into a building. He stuck to the wall while holding your waist. He crawled around the building, there was a ledge and he set you down on it. 

“I’ll come back, just stay here.” you nod at his words but your ears rang and your mind was cloudy making everything dizzy, not even noticing when he jumped off the ledge. You forced yourself to not look down. 

You sat as close to the wall as possible hugging your legs. Heavily breathing and struggling to keep up with your rapid heartbeat.

—

After what felt like hours you no longer heard crashing and banging, the sound of gravel faded away and the shaking stopped. You look around for any sign of the web-slinging hero, you huddle into yourself keeping all your limbs as far from the edge as possible. 

Slowly you see Spider-man lower down in front of you, hanging on his web. He steps onto the same ledge as you and waits. There is silence between you two, he reaches his hand out. 

“Come on, I’ll take you home.” You just sit. The fear in your stomach doesn’t allow you to move even an inch

Slowly he crouches in front of you “Hey, You can trust me alright?” His words were gentle as he held his arm out for you. 

Finally, you grab his hand and he carries you off and around the city. Occasionally you point out what direction to go in and in no time your balcony was visible.

“Now… When you want a real interview, be sure to call me like a normal person.” He says gently placing you down on your balcony.

You were dazed and slowly released him from your bear hug, though to him it must not have felt like anything. You smiled up at him. “but…I-I don’t have your number.” 

“That’s right, so maybe you should give me yours.” He responds.

 You couldn’t see his face but you just knew he was smirking under his mask. “Smooth.” You chuckle and pull out your notepad again to write your number and quickly hand it to him. He tucks it into his sleeve and salutes you goodbye, shooting a web. 

“Until next time miss reporter.” 

“Yeah…Until next time, spider-man”

With that, he jumps off your balcony and swings away. You watch as he turns and flips in the air until finally, he’s out of your view. You squealed in excitement and jumped up and down, rushing into your room to open your computer and begin writing. 

'Spider-man Saves City From Doc Ock.'

No no no...

That’s way too basic. Everyone knows he’s a hero, despite some other opinions. Everyone knows he’s done so many good deeds. People need to know him, people need to know the person behind the mask. You need more information.

Ping

You glance at your phone.

Peter: (____)!! Oh my gosh did you see the news? Are you okay? Where are you right now?

You: Yeah I’m okay Doc Ock just attacked out of nowhere, Luckily Spider-man made it there on time. He saved me, Peter. Again

Peter: That’s good! Meet me at the diner just wanna check up on you.

You: I thought you were busy. 

Peter: My Schedule, just cleared up :)

You laughed at his message, He’s always been so sweet, even during high school and that really strange point during senior year. You dismiss the thought and were about to leave your apartment again before realizing your clothes were all dirty and messed up. You huffed in frustration and quickly got changed and out the doors. 

You saw people crowding around destroyed buildings, construction workers were at the sites and TV news reporters were also gathered around. You walked passed as quickly as you could but a reporter caught up with you “Excuse me, ma’am. You are the woman who was saved by Spider-man this morning is that right?” The woman says walking with you, her Camera man following close in front “I.. um” 

“How would you say Spider-man knew how to defeat Doctor Ock?”

“I- I don’t know, I didn’t ask him. Listen I really gotta go.” You say quickening your speed, She tries but decides not to keep following you. 

At last, you make it to the diner scanning for your friend. He waves you over. You were shocked to see a bandage covering his cheek and forehead. You ran over to him.

“Oh my gosh, Peter are you okay?” You asked holding his face to examine it. 

He smiles and rubs the back of his head. “Yeah I’m fine, I just so happen to have been at the scene the same time the attack happened. Don’t worry, okay?”

“You were there?” You asked sitting across from him

“Yeah, just running a few errands for Aunt May when suddenly the building was smashed through, I was hit but nothing serious.” His story made you worry more. His eyebrows furrowed then he turned and grabbed his bag. “Anyways amongst all the chaos, I managed to take these.” He says and pulled out some sheets of picture paper. 

He lays out the photos on the table, you stared in awe at the pictures. One was of Spider-man in the middle of battle, Doc Ock’s metal arm wrapped around his waist and another in Spiderman’s arms. 

Some others were of Spiderman swinging around the city. 

And the last one was of the Spider carrying civilians in the air protecting the two from the villain close by, one of Doc Ocks arms was in the shot. Every detail was captured in the image. How the civilians clung to the hero's arms. His chest logo was also visible in the shot. The perfect image. It made you wonder how it was possible for an image to be captured. 

“Oh, Petey these are amazing!… How you manage to be at both the right place and the wrong place at the same time will never cease to surprise me.” You say messing with his wavey brown hair.

He lowered his head shyly.

After you two got lunch Peter offered to walk you home and you gladly accepted. 

You walked together speaking about random things and reminiscing about your history together. He has been your closest friend since middle school, through thick and thin he has been the most constant person in your life. Eventually, the topic got back to Spiderman. “You get any luck on the interview yet?” 

This made you pause and stare at the ground nervously 

“Well… uh…I mean I had something planned but it didn’t really go as i wanted.”

“Huh, is that right?” he laughs 

“Yep, I had everything completely under control—” You say walking into the road but before you even had time to realize what was happening, the back of your shirt was grabbed and you were pulled back and fell to the concrete. Blaring horns speed past you and the driver shouts in your direction. You stare shocked. this is the third time you’ve almost died and it hasn’t even been 24 hours. 

You look up at Peter who held a concerned expression. 

“I uh. Think I might still be a bit dizzy from the events this morning.” You admit, Peter shakes his head in disbelief and helps you up “Nice reflexes by the way, since when could you do that?” You ask brushing yourself off.  

“Uhh….That doesn’t matter let's just get you home before you actually die,” Peter says and wraps an arm around you protectively and you both walk huddled together.

—

You make it to your apartment without losing your life. 

You sight when you finally make it through the door and walk into your room to flop on your bad. 

Ping

You hum in annoyance at the new message. 

Sluggishly you pull out your phone and look at the contact. 

Unknown Number: 

I think I’m ready for that interview now. 

A simple message. No context was needed for who the sender was. 

You stare 

And stare 

And stare… 

10 minutes

You have been staring at the message on your phone for 10 whole minutes. Everything wasn’t real to you because if it was then that meant that Spiderman. The Spiderman just agreed to an interview with you. 

Jittery butterflies scattered in your stomach. Just think, Spider-man sitting beside you answering question after question, answer after answer until finally, you have all the material you need to make the best report in your career. You'll be generously rewarded and celebrated for sharing all that you know on the vigilante. 

And so will he. The city will shine a different light on the red and blue hero. 

You'll make sure of that.

[getblackout503]

So chapter 5 it’s a bit shorter mainly because it’s a set up for the next two chapters, but enjoy nonetheless

———————————————————————————————

Grey was just waking up in her bed, Zora had carried her there after she had fallen asleep. And now she laid there not knowing what to do now, she hadn’t received a new mission yet and typically most of her time would be used for said missions, but not today apparently. So now Grey had nothing to do, well except relive what happened yesterday, which is the last thing she wanted to do, yesterday was the worst day of her life, she’s was at least lucky Zenon didn’t even see her but even then she was terrified to leave her room, out of fear he would be waiting to steal her again and force her to do his bidding, she shuddered at that thought, never again she told herself, never again will she be someone else’s property, never again will she be someone else’s plaything, never again will she be…herself.

She was so weak in her past, always being pushed around by others, she hated herself for that and she still does now, if she wasn’t as weak back then, then just maybe she wouldn’t be in that situation, and as she went deeper into her hateful thoughts she was brought out of them by a knock at the door, ‘was I expecting someone?’ She asked herself before getting up slowly from her bed and heading to the door. Opening it she wondered who would visit her this early in the morning.

“Hey girl!” Grey was greeted by her superior. Vanessa enoteca, known for her desired body, and questionable drinking habits.

“Vanessa?”

“Hey what did I tell you? Call me big sis” Vanessa told her Coworker who just blushed.

“N-Not this again, please no vanessa” Grey said hiding her face.

“Aww so cute” Vanessa proceeded to walk into Grey’s hotel room, and only now did Grey see the unopened wine bottle Vanessa brought with her.

“Um Vanessa, what is that for?”

“This? Well obviously for us, silly little grey”

“Um, Vanessa not to be rude, but isn’t it a bit early for wine?”

“Of course not!”

“Vanessa it’s not a good idea to drink so early in the morning”

“Oh come one Grey, have some fun once in a while”

“Vanessa, I’m serious, we can't drink now, and I don’t want to drink” After Grey said that Vanessa’s face softened.

“It’s about yesterday isn’t it?” She asked Grey, who just stayed quiet giving Vanessa her answer. “Okay, give big sis a hug and let it all out” She held her arms open for the blue haired girl, who reluctantly agreed and told her almost everything, still not telling her who the person from her past was, but Vanessa never asked, knowing that it was a topic Grey didn’t like talking about, she also knew that one day Grey would tell them when she was ready. But right now Grey needed a friend to take care of her, that’s why she was here.

Vanessa had Grey lay her head on her lap to comfort the poor girl, as she almost broke down, all the while Vanessa rubbed her head to comfort her, ever since Vanessa met Grey she always considered her someone who could use a friend to talk too, luckily the organization was filled with good people, each one accepting Grey for who she is, And Vanessa wanted nothing less than to be there for Grey in her time of need and to make her happy once again, that’s why she was visiting her today, but how do you cheer someone up who is terrified of her past, well Vanessa had one solution, not the best but it’s all she had.

“How about a shopping trip, just you and me, girl time!”

“W-What?”

“You heard me, now change!” She practically made the blue hair get changed before they made their way to the clover city strip malls.

The clover mall

Grey never really like the clover strip mall, not because it was a terrible place, more so she didn’t like being around too many people, especially since she was now afraid of seeing more people from her past, but luck for her it was summer time, which gave her a great excuse to wear a hat and sunglasses to hide her appearance, and while she my not like huge crowds, she did enjoy the fact that she was hanging out with one of her friends, her and Vanessa were walking around looking at different stores and kiosks, Vanessa even tried to get Grey to enter a bikini shop but Grey refused to out of embarrassment, soon they went to an ice cream shop where Grey got a strawberry flavored ice cream as Vanessa got a raspberry flavored and now they were sitting in a bench overlooking the mall.

“So? Are you having fun?” Vanessa asked as they finished up their ice creams.

“Well, yes actually, this has been fun, thank you Vanessa”

“No problem my little Grey” she hugged the girl. “Now off to the Build a bear, I’ve been meaning to get a plush for a while”

“Aren’t we a bit old to go to build a bear?” Grey asked, causing Vanessa to gasp comically.

“Of course not dear! Why, Finral got me one last week when he went to my place for alone time” She laughed with a sly look on her face.

“Oh?” Grey took a second to process the pink haired lady’s word. “Oh” she blushed now realizing what she meant.

“Haha don’t worry dear we just watched a movie” She then got up. “Now off we good honey”

“Okay Vanessa”

Both girls walked towards the shop, and Grey couldn’t help but admire Vanessa, she was so confident with herself, her body, and how she presented herself, she’s everything Grey wanted to be, and if Grey was being honest, she would say she may have some feelings for Vanessa but not enough to make her actually fall in love with her, well sort of, don’t get Grey wrong she does like Vanessa, but her feelings for Gauche are much stronger than her feelings for Vanessa will ever be, still that didn’t mean she didn’t have her moments, like the bikini shop, while Grey was embarrassed about trying on bikinis in front of Vanessa, she was also hella nervous to see Vanessa in one, she didn’t think her heart could of handled it, and for some reason she had a hunch that Vanessa knew the effects she had on her, but Vanessa also knew that Grey needed someone who would care for her, and meet her needs. Sure Vanessa loved and cared for Grey, But she wasn’t the right person for Grey, though it did hurt Vanessa knowing she and Grey would never act on their feelings for one another. She always told herself that no matter what she will always have Grey in her life no matter where their paths lead them.

Shaking her head out of that thought, Vanessa and Grey saw that they were approaching Build A Bear, getting closer they began discussing what bear each one of them should get, but due to the fact they were distracted they weren’t paying attention to the small child running also not aware of the two women in front of her, and before any of them knew it, the small and Grey collided sending them both to the ground.

“Ow!”

“Ow!” both girls cried.

“Marie!” A familiar voice hit Vanessa and Grey’s ear, causing Grey to get nervous and look up to see her coworker and crush standing over her and kneeling to meet his sister. “Don’t run off like that, you could have gotten hurt, not to mention you ran into-” He looked up and saw Grey and Vanessa who was helping her up. “Grey, Vanessa?”

“G-Gauche”

“Heya Gauche” They greeted him, and Marie stared at both women, specifically Grey, with how she and her brother reacted to seeing one another, and before she could even think about it, Marie asked.

“Will you be my sister?”

[nrdmssgs]

Darker matters (part 3)

Masterlist Previous part Next part

Angst Pairing: Nikolai x Olga 'Zhar' Samoilova Summary: The fall of Chimeras commander Warnings: Swearing, inaccurate description of military operations.

Author's note: This is a sequel to A heart full of pity. Thanks: My very important people: @homicidal-slvt, @sofasoap and @gamergirlbonestaskforce141riot. And a very special thanks to @pale-elysium for the unbelievably beautiful things and words shared.

In the first hours, all sounds around her are drowned out by an unbearable noise in her ears. Olga doesn’t hear Iskras worried voice, doesn’t respond to the calls of the rest of the team. 

Deafening white noise, measured hissing. 

Zhar doesn’t remember how she declares the operation completed, how she gets to the city, finds the secret flat, that Chimera members use as a hideout, when they are in need of one. 

She locks the door and slowly crawls deep into the dark, dusty hallway, only to hide in a corner and scream of horror and powerlessness taking over her body and mind. A strange feeling of déjà vu comes over her: this is not the first time, it hurts so much, not the first time, she feels paralyzed. But no matter, how hard she tries - Olga can't remember, what triggered those emotions for the first time in her life. 

Zhar tries her best to count hours, spent alone in silence, in a dark cold flat with tightly curtained windows. Her anxiousness grows, her instincts beg her to get up, gather all her strength, all Chimera soldiers and declare a war. But Olga knows better. If Nikolai is still alive, any rash step of hers could end his life. So she clutches her teeth, suppresses the guttural howl escaping from the chest, and waits.

***

It seems like the tense silence in Nikolais office doesn't bother Krueger at all. 

“So, anyone has any hiring companies worth of interest on their minds?” One after another, uncomprehending and indignant gazes rise up at him.

“What, I'm supposed to sit tight and mourn our boss, like a good widow? You need that - you go to Zhar, since that joke of a commander decided to not do any-fucking-else.” Iskra turns back to Krueger, ready to put him in his place, but her eyes dart to the entrance and widen. 

“If I'm not mistaken, you all have active contracts…” Olgas voice is hoarse and cold. She flies into the room and walks past soldiers without even turning around. “Yegor - Prague won’t clear itself up. Syd, Kruger - your plane to ‘point 52’ leaves in an hour, so I don’t know what the hell you forgot here. Iskra, you should have returned home yesterday.”

Everybody sit still, not quite understanding, what's going on, while Zhar roams through papers on Nikolais desk. She pauses and looks up on them for the first time. Her face is gray, tired eyes with a dull reddish haze give away her desperate need of sleep.

“Excuse me, did I give any of you a fucking day off today?” Zhar hisses. “Nikolai may not be in this room, but that doesn't mean, you can sit here and relax! Get up and go get angry, Chimeras!”

One by one, every other member except Iskra leaves the room. Staying with Zhar may not be her safest option for now, but Iskra doesn't care.

“Is he alive? Anyone contacted you?” 

Instead of an answer, Olga pulls the recorder from her pocket and places it on the table.

“Those scums even organized a message delivery right to my door.”

Iskra hesitates for a moment, but then turns the device on and presses play button. The message recorded there makes her feel sick. From the very start, when an unfamiliar male voice addresses to Zhar, asking if her back is still rotting, to him proceeding to explain, what is going to happen to her and Nikolai now. 

“I know, you want your friend back. After all, who else would be so merciful to have you every night, yeah? I feel generous today, Olga: you can have that sack of shit back in one piece on one condition. You seem like someone who loves a good show. All that bloody circus you and your comrade brought to my town, after I made a very clear point to stop fucking around my territory…”

Iskra looks up at Zhar and her heart sinks: Olga silently moves her lips, echoing every word coming from the recorder. Apparently she had listened to the message countless times and already knew it by heart.

The recording goes on. “So show it is then: it will be your best one, and I'll make sure, that Nikolai enjoys every single minute of it. You'll take the Chimera and tear it apart. I want every contract turned down, every member deceased, every line of funding dried out. I'm giving you creative freedom here, you piece of meat. And if the thought comes to your mind to call your old friend Price for help, Nikolai will regret that he was not strangled on his first evening with us. Chop-chop, Lieutenant.”

For the next few minutes, the office falls into a deafening silence. Zhar froze, hovering over some documents, scattered on the table. 

“Olya my yego vytashchim... Nikolai zhiv, znachit my yego vytashchim.*” Iskra tries to reach out for Zhars shoulder, but she escapes that friendly gesture.

“I will get him back.” Zhar takes a pencil and starts frantically underlining something in one document. “Keeping you close to myself would mean to draw a big fat target on your backs. So you do your jobs: contracts as usual.”

“And you? Olga, neither I nor others will let you go after Nik alone. Whoever has him - has a network of informants wide enough to find, where you were these days. And they are trying to get Chimera beheaded!”

Olga finally straightens her back, exhales, trying to calm down trembling fingers. “Don't worry - I'm not giving them head of Chimera on a plate. The only way to get our commander back is to start growing the company right now.”

***

The following weeks passed agonizingly slowly. Iskra rarely interacted with the rest of the company at their base. It didn't make her life easier as well, that Zhar prohibited sharing the fact of Nikolais disappearance with anyone, including even Farah. 

On the outside, Chimera was prospering as never before: contracts, funding and agents incoming almost daily. But Iskra knew the cost too well: Olgas slow agony, her eyes, losing light with every next day, her body failing her in return for not sleeping and eating properly, her thoughts, all centering around one goal. In the rare moments, when Zhar came to fetch something from the base, her appearance and behavior frightened Iskra.

“Give me the names of possible contractors - I'll go find them myself. You need to rest!” Iskra saw for so many times, how Nik used to take a part of Olgas work and force her to go sleep, yet it seemed to work only with him. Zhar didn't even think to let anyone help her, she was too afraid of losing people.

“I'm fine, I just need to collect a few things.” She isn't about to pause, even for an hour, before she takes back, what was hers. 

Every time it was ‘a few more things’, ‘more intel’, ‘more people’. Every night Zhar felt, she was on the edge of breaking down, but something unkind, inhuman made her go on. It wasn't love or hope, it felt like a hungry, raging fire consuming her body and mind. 

***

Nikolai doesn't react to someone entering his cell. He knows too well to waste energy, when each visit could end up with a beating. An echo of approaching footsteps and the lingering creak with which a heavy chair was pushed towards his mattress don't bother him either. He lays there, folding his arms across his chest, staring at the gray ceiling. Nikolai knows his visitor too well to start speaking first. 

“You know, I start regretting getting you - not her. If it was that stupid cunt laying on your place right now - you'd have already brought a fucking army here. But Olga is no fun - she's good only for hiding and feeling sorry for herself.” The man speaking makes a pause, hoping that Nikolai would answer. But he gets only an indifferent look from his captive, so he has to go on.

“It's been almost a year, since I started taking care of her, you know? She nosed in my business, so my friends and I gave her a clue on how can she live long a sleep sound. A clue so big, she needed her entire back and good half of ass to learn the lesson. Now she lost her boyfriend, so I reached out again and explained, how to get him back. I thought, by this time, she'd learn how to listen, when she's spoken to. Two weeks pass, and she didn't even try to move in a right direction.” Nik bites his cheek, so as not to inadvertently smile after hearing that.

“Talk to me, tovarishch. I know, you fucking love a good conversation.” The man sitting on a chair is losing patience. Nikolai looks to his side briefly, not even moving his head.

“What is there more to say, when you already told everything?” Nik sighs, as if he is sincerely pitying his opponent. “Zhar slapped your face so hard with that operation - it still hurts. And you could win yourself a quick and easy death, but you felt fancy and chose her as your gravedigger instead of me. With each next day, you only realize it more, how deeply fucked you are. So you crawl to me to cry on my shoulder.”

Nikolai is sure, they'll start beating him, so he relaxes and lets himself a small grin. But his captor starts laughing.

“You merry son of a bitch. You Russians are all so bloody funny, when you are on the verge of dying. You know, that actually gives me an idea…” The man laughs so loud, it becomes annoying. “How about we send your girl a helping hand? I know this fella, they'll find so much in common pretty fast. She'll find him… pretty amusing.”

Nikolai doesn't like, how light-hearted his opponent voice sounds, when he has thrown that last phrase, leaving a room, where they kept Nik for the last few weeks.

***

Olga knows: sooner or later it must happen. Her time runs out, every new piece of intel on her enemies, makes her understand, the fight is going to be unfair and painful. 

Last year, when Price sent her and Nikolai to that ill-fated mission, she crossed too many paths. At some point, a revenge must find her. She was hoping, it will all resolve quickly: one bullet in her skull. But instead they took Nikolai, leaving her nothing, but terror, circling her mind.

Not taking an incredible difficulty with which she managed to obtain every bit of information and win over a new fighter to her side into account, things weren’t going so bad for her. Up to this day.

This informant was especially valuable: he could give away the location of the enemy base where they were holding Nik. She left the station and immediately called him: the meeting was to take place in a back alley. Olga freezes when a fire truck, then an ambulance, pulls out onto the road she was walking along. She quickens her pace and soon starts running. 

Her exhausted body resists, but she stubbornly continues to run. It is only after seeing a massive plume of smoke pouring out of a car parked at their meeting point that Zhar stops. Someone's invisible eyes saw her right now, someone knew about her plans, someone's hands were ready to squeeze around her throat.

Olya my yego vytashchim... Nikolai zhiv, znachit my yego vytashchim. - Olga (diminutive form), we'll get him... Nikolai is alive, so we will definitely get him back.

Next part

[gracegootee]

A Young Plumber's Heart - Chapter 2

Wattpad link

Previous

It was the next morning and Grace set up the tables before the cafe opened. Even though she didn't start her shift until the afternoon, she offered to work the morning shift and help her friend Ava set up the cafe. She looked out the window of the beautiful city of Brooklyn, New York, as she thought about that talk with Luigi about the date yesterday. Never in her life did she think she would get asked out. She smiled at the thought and her friend, Ava, cleared her throat, startling her.

Ava laughed.

"Sorry, didn't mean to startle you from daydreaming... So...are you nervous about your date with the guy who stopped by with his brother yesterday?"

Grace slightly blushed at the question. "A-A little bit..." she started fiddling with her hands as her legs shook and she sat at the table to calm herself.

Ava sat next to her and took Grace's hands gently.

"Hey, hon. I know that you had it hard when talking to guys back then and hanging out with them and mostly people in general but this could be your one and only chance to find a good guy like him...you got this."

Grace smiled at her friend. "Thanks, Ava."

"No sweat, girl. Now come on. We better finish setting up before the other baristas get here to get last-minute things done before we open."

An hour passed since the cafe opened and Grace looked up from taking an order from someone and saw Luigi come in with flowers in his hand. He wore khaki pants, a nice green sweatshirt, a white polo t-shirt underneath, and a red scarf. He glanced around and saw Grace. He smiled and waved shyly. Grace waved back with a gentle but shy smile.

Ava walked past Grace and gestured for her friend to sit with Luigi at the table closest to the window.

They both sat at the table and smiled. Luigi took a deep breath and started the conversation.

"So. Some weather today, huh?"

Grace laughed. "Yeah, spring may have just started but man, the weather is still a bit chilly."

They laughed and talked for at least an hour.

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

"Running your own business sounds so exciting!" said Grace. Eating her last bite of pancakes.

Luigi nodded in agreement. "Sure is! Mario's hoping our business goes well. We have a script planned out for our commercial, but one small problem..." he scratched the back of his head "We don't have a camera person or a video editor."

That's when Ava overheard the conversation and walked in.

"Grace is a great editor and Joe and his brother over there are great with filming! They run their own YouTube channel where they go on trips every other weekend to do animal documentaries."

Grace smiled. "Yeah. I'd be more than happy to help you and Mario put your commercial together."

" And hey," said Ava. "Grace told me yesterday before closing the cafe for the day that you need to air your commercial on TV, right?"

Luigi nodded.

"Well," continued Ava. "I talked to my mom about it and she okayed it. But of course, the company she works at has to approve it first before putting it out to the public."

Luigi smiled. "That sounds great! I can put a word in and let my brother know! He'll be excited to hear that!"

Grace smiled as Luigi checked his watch to see the time.

"Well, it was great talking to you, Grace. I had a great time this morning."

Grace nodded and slightly blushed. "Yeah, me too."

Luigi scratched the back of his head and shuffled his feet. ""We should do this again sometim-" He blushed red and stammered. "I-If you like! I don't want to pressure you or anything! I just uh-"

Grace laughed. "I'd like that, Luigi."

Lu smiled and they both gave each other a hug. He waved as he walked out with a coffee for his brother and headed off back home.

Grace smiled, holding the flowers in her hands to smell them, and thought about the charm in his blue eyes and voice. She could tell her heart was telling her that this could be the start of a new and amazing chapter in her life.

[boyswanna-be-her]

Let me preface this by saying that I'm recounting all of this kind of mundane shit about BFR for myself because guaranteed I'm going to be trying to understand/recap this narrative while im lonely in colorado. And honestly I know it's gonna be easy for me to forget details and second-guess shit that feels so obvious to me in the moment. So if you don't want a blow by blow of this absolutely PG romantic relationship, just skip this one for now.

Today was really nice and the first day in a little while where I haven't had anything pressing to do. It was pouring at the clinic today--has been all week. Yesterday I sat in my front seat w BFR and we smoked a joint together and made fun of the one wet protester until the rain passed. Great morning.

We had lunch together at one of my favorite taco spots in my old neighborhood, and then we had to walk back to the thai place where we ate dinner the night before bc they'd left their sunglasses behind. We went to a coffee shop for a while where they patiently waited for me to be done with a working meeting on my laptop. Then we took a walk in the park in between rain. It was just seamless, idk. There's no question that we'll go do the next thing together. When the rain wouldn't let up at the park, I suggested we go to one of my fave places in the city, and I drove us to a giant used bookstore that was a few miles away.

I didn't realize until we got there that they'd never been before!! I try to take everyone I can there if they're from out of town, and it is ABSOLUTELY my favorite place to both take a new date and have a special date with an established partner. I don't feel guilty about taking basically everyone I've ever dated there--a good date is a good date. There's a lot of built-in conversation to be had and it's easier than a bar and free to wander around. We accidentally killed an enormous amount of time there, and we shot the shit about 20th century history which is my jam, so amazing to talk abt it w someone who can hang, READS, and doesn't have anything to prove in terms of static knowledge recall.

We hung out for a little while but they had yoga and I wanted to head home so we split up after that and it felt... weird? Like it always feels like there's this last step we are missing to our goodbyes. They forced a hug one time when we were saying goodbye from the clinic, but it was really early on and RIGHT when I was coming to terms with being attracted to them (like second time seeing them after having the realization) which means I was in ultra robot mode, and also assumed it was one-sided and they were just trying to be nice. Like I literally think I did a one arm side hug and they were so dejected they never tried again. Now we're weeks later and it feels weird that we're not kissing goodnight or something.

But I had the evening to myself and finally broke down and talked to someone from my real life about them. He was very affirming that I'm not insane, and just recapping the timeline to someone made it make more sense in my mind. I didn't even have to present half of my evidence for my friend to say yeah, that's going in A Direction. I just second guess it all for a variety of reasons, but for example when I screenshotted a text and sent it as evidence that I feel like they text me like a coworker sometimes, my friend pointed out that nobody in the history of neutral coworkers has ever crafted such a long and careful text. Which. Touche.

This morning we were back out at the clinic bright and early. My friend was supposed to join us but she couldn't at the last minute. Instead she dropped into the chat and asked if someone could fill in for her. If I didn't feel like we were already attracting attention (spoiler: we are), i would've REALLY preferred to jump in and say "noooo worries, no third wheel needed please." But we are getting a little visible. So I didn't. And BFR's friend jumped in to take my friend's place volunteering with us.

I ended up being really happy the friend was there though! The two of us are more like a couple when there IS a third person there, although the vibe can be a lot to navigate sometimes and I often have to shut down and take some time to myself. It wasn't unwelcome to have him there though. It makes the vibe between me & bfr more apparent, pronounced, whatever. We already have such a shorthand in common which 😍 wrow, communication fluency.

I invited his friend to lunch with us, and he accepted, and it was fun--I took them to my favorite Greek place which is legit like three blocks from the clinic.

Friend went on his way, the two of us moved to the next location: their favorite spot to work. I also love this location bc you can watch the afternoon rain and vape furiously on the porch without getting wet. Like I said, today was the first day in a while where neither of us had much to do in the way of work. They have been threatening to inflict their favorite board game on me for a while now, and it finally happened today. I am notoriously uninterested in board games (more like bored games amiright) but the combo of my biggest fan being excited to teach/compliment me on how AMAZING i am at it (rofl lying but ok) and the inherent fun of the game meant that I, uh, had a lot of fun, unfortunately.

We did two REALLY close rounds, and in the second game they almost fully missed a work call they had at 7:00 (I remembered bc i am insane but I also didn't mention it until 6:50 bc I thought maybe they were goofing on me and pretending like they'd lost track of time). Turns out they had been planning on muting and barely looking at the meeting anyway bc they didn't wanna stop playing--which is flattering but I'm also like "[Redacted], i already very much want the best for you, INCLUDING not becoming completely codependent and risking your living bc im so charming and fun" so there was a lot of me pausing the play and asking about the meeting.

By the time that was over, we were already butting up against the time we were supposed to meet their friends to lift tonight. We hadn't eaten dinner but they offered to feed me at their place which was perfect. We went straight back and holy shit their homemade leftovers were delicious.

Their friends came on time to lift and the first thing out of the mouth of the one who knows me better was "you and [redacted] have really been spending a lot of time together huh?" The two of us made eye contact and kinda laughed and BFR said "yep" and both made the 😬 face and the friend wouldn't let it go and repeated "you guys spend all day together now..." and my 😬 face couldn't get any more intense and he said "all day... today..." i said "yep we're pretty codependent." (I'd made the same not-joke yesterday when I was very truly pointing out that I don't remember what to do with my alone time anymore, and they not-jokingly replied "yeah we've ruined each other." Which like. At least we're aware.) Only later did I realize that BFR mustve been talking to the friend about it bc I definitely wasn't and there was no public talk about it in our shared discord so 👀 bitch i see u chatting in private abt me.

Lifting was incredible as always. Their friends who are a decade younger than us and sometimes join us, sometimes don't, really crack me up and I have such a good rapport with one of the guys that I think I lift better with him around (the one who was giving us a hard time tonight). He dishes out the abuse I give him while lifting, which I love. Between him and bfr, I feel like a fucking all-star lifter in that little garage gym. They talk positively about my form when they don't even realize I can hear them. Even so, BFR will not hesitate to call me out when a lift looks bad or I need a cue.

So yeah. It's nice. Hanging out at their place, being fed, getting let in on a LOT more inner details than I got in the first months of knowing them. That's all lovely. I always try to text them and let them know when I've had a lot of fun with them, and that's just basically turned into a nightly check-in. On Sunday, I got a very coworkery (imo) message from them about enjoying our time together, thanking me for my "wonderful company," thanking me for spending so much time together, thanking me for attending so many events with them, and saying that they are "definitely down to keep hanging out in the future." At the time I felt like "that's a weirdly formal way to put all this" but getting home to tonight's much more neurotic message made it make more sense (along w the feedback from a trusted friend who makes good points). Like it was a careful message because they are being exceedingly careful with me. They know some of my more obvious damage (all the psychic sucking chest wounds are hard to ignore after a few weeks of learning about me, and i've been going out of my way to be quite "warts and all" with them). They value our time together A LOT. And the more that I understand our similarities, the more I know that they're also likely really fucking scared to endanger the chemistry of this friendship by introducing ANY other dynamic.

Im finally getting to the end here. Tumblr will probably eat this entry. I'm posting it before a full edit--RIP anyone parsing this.

But the message that I came home to tonight was FINALLY a little more vulnerable, and essentially said that if I want to spend LESS time with them, I'm going to have to tell them that straight up, and that that'll be ok, but if so they need to lnow because this is the amount of time they want to spend with me (all of it), and they don't anticipate that changing.

So! Guess I'll puke and die now! Literally spent five minutes last night considering how I could smuggle them to Colorado with me. Also I haven't had anywhere to put this but since this is an all-bfr all the time blog now, we are going to go on a trip together to chicago in August! There's an actual reason to go other than lovefest vacation (pretty much a work trip for them that I've been asked to tag along for) but as we are actually finalizing the trip plans, it definitely feels more than a little bit like we are going on a lovefest vacation. Which is all the more reason why it would be great to not be hella conspicuous (even though it's a little fun being hella conspicuous).

Like I didn't need another human to come validate my existence, but I *did* need to meet someone who could threaten the idea that I'm ready to die alone. It's nice. It's all nice!! I'm definitely not crying and throwing up!!!

[onlyonetifosi]

I belong with you

-> What happens if he sees his schoold best friend again?

-> Word Count: 965

->Author note: my first fic I hope you like it <3 English is not my first language so sorry for mistakes

Daniel Ricciardo, F1 driver, was strugling with himself. He knew that he was in love with his best friend,

He had actually kept these feelings inside himself for many years. Now Daniel had to make a decision, to tell you or not.

He decided to go for a walk in Perth, your home place, one of the most beautiful cities in the world, at least for him.

Daniel lived in Monaco, and he spent most of the time there, but he was in Perth for the weekend in summer break.

He was in the park you always went in your teen years and spent hours laughing and been 2 best friends idiots. He was lot in his toughts when something or someone broke them.

"Daniel, how are you? It is a long time I haven't seen you around here."- You told him when he sat in the bench you were.

"Ah, I've been very busy, you know, races. I came back a little to get used to the time change," Daniel told him.

"That sounds hard. But congratulations on crossing the wins record of Formula 1. It is a hard job but it is the one you love, the one you have been training for. It is just that can keep the rest of us in good terms, huh?"-you said, putting a lighthearted smile on his face.

It had been a long time you didn't see your old friend, but it did not felt like it. It felt like you kept talking like it was yesterday you did something and laughed at it.

"How have you been? What are you doing?"Daniel asked you.

"I have been great, I'm working in my mum's company. And what about you? How have you been? I missed you Dan." You told him, laughing at the memories and pictures of when you were younger and ran away from home to go with your dad to see Danny karting and to some of his european competitions . Daniel also laughed and told you about his latest races. When you guy's had been talking for a few hours you looked at the time and saw that it was really late. "I have to go, I'm sorry Dan." You said as you gave him a hug goodbye and left towards your house.

When you arrived, you threw yoursel in your bed and remember all your memories together.

-Fuck, I'm in love with him- you realised but told yourself to stop thinking of him. You tried to sleep but found yourself thinking about him all night long, so you decided to get up and text Daniel. You started with a "Hey Dan, I miss our talks today."

He replied back almost immediately and you guys talked for a few hours until you finally fell asleep. You had been best friends since you were kids and always stuck together. Daniel had always secretly been in love with you, but never said anything as he didn't want to ruin your friendship. But now, things were different. You had both grown up and things had changed between you. There was now a spark of something more and Daniel knew that he couldn't ignore his feelings any longer. He loved you and wanted to be with you, but was scared of what might happen if he told you. Would things change between you? Would you still be friends? Daniel didn't know what to do, but he knew that he had to tell you how he felt. He was scared, but it was time to take the plunge and tell you the truth.

He finally decided that it was better to tell you how he felt and risk everything, rather than living with the regret of never having told you. st places in the world to think. As he walked along the beach, he thought about how everything started between you two.

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

The following day he told you to come over to his house, where you had been so many times inyour childhood.

-Come with me- You were hesitant but you nodded and followed him over to the side of the room.

"What's up?" you asked. Daniel took a deep breath, steeling himself for what he was about to say. "I need to tell you something," he began. "And I'm really scared about it."

You could see the fear in his eyes and you instantly knew what he was going to say. You had always known that Daniel had feelings for you, but you never said anything as you didn't want to ruin your friendship. But now, things were different. You had both grown up and things had changed between you. There was now a spark of something more and you knew that you couldn't ignore your feelings any longer.

You loved Daniel and wanted to be with him, but were scared of what might happen if you told him. Would things change between you? Would you still be friends? You didn't know what to do, but you knew that you had to tell Daniel how you felt.

You were scared, but it was time to take the plunge and tell him the truth. "I love you, Daniel," you blurted out. "I'm in love with you." Daniel's eyes widened in shock as he stared at you. He hadn't expected you to say those words, but they were exactly what he had wanted to hear. He quickly wrapped his arms around you and pulled you into a hug. "I love you too," he whispered into your ear. "I've been in love with you for so long." friends since you were kids and always stuck together. Daniel had always secretly been in love with you, but never said anything as he didn't want to ruin your friendship.

"Baby i belong with you"

[lovesosweeet]

better left unsaid // cth

chapter forty seven

in which orion has leukemia, and calum doesn’t know.

calum hood x fem!oc

read other chapters // read on AO3

TW FOR THIS CHAPTER: BLOOD, VOMITING (sorry i forgot this at first)

january 23, 2019 madrid, spain orion

I wake up to an empty bed and laughter from across the room. Confused, I rub at my eyes and brush my messy hair out of my face while I lift my head from the pillow to see what time it is. 

It’s 11:00. 

I fell asleep yesterday after we got to the hotel at 4 pm. How did I sleep so long? Why didn’t Calum wake me? Where is he? 

I slowly crawl out of the comfortable bed, looking around the room for my boyfriend, and find him leaning against the wall while Paula and Lucia sip from coffee cups on the couch. When I’m standing, I wave at the three of them. They all smile at me with genuine happiness that I can’t say I myself can feel yet today. How can I have slept for so long and still be so tired?

I’m always tired.

“Buenos! Oh my god, you’re here!” Paula says, standing from the couch and running up to hug me. 

Sleepily, I hug her back, trying to smile. 

“Hi, it’s so good to see you,” I say. I’m quieter than I probably should be. 

She lets go of me and lets Lucia give me a hug too. 

“Cómo estás?” Lucia asks.

I try not to wince. “Oh, uh, okay.” I smile with closed lips and nod, stepping back from the girls and heading to lean against Calum for support while we chat. 

“I’m sorry, I tried to wake you last night but you didn’t even flinch. I figured you could use the sleep,” Calum says, his arms wide open for me to walk into. 

Silently, I nod, melting into him and feeling better instantly. 

“Are you hungry? Maybe we could go get food at Puerta del Sol?” Paula asks, smiling her painfully perfect smile. 

“Sure, I could eat,” I lie. I’m not hungry at all. “Don’t guys mind if I shower really quick?” 

They all promise me it’s fine and that they’ll just keep chatting. I grab a pair of jeans and a sweater from my suitcase before I retreat to the bathroom. With everyone waiting, I do my best to be quick and not focus on the nausea that creeps in as I stand in the shower. Once I’m relatively clean, I dry off and throw the clothes on.

I haven’t worn jeans in months, and that’s very obvious with the way these should probably be worn with a belt that I do not have. There are inches of excess fabric at the waist. My baggy sweater thankfully covers the waistband, so I just hope that no one notices that my clothes don’t fit me anymore. I’m a fraction of who I once was.

I plaster on my smile before I head back out to face the three people whom I should feel okay to be myself around, but, these days, who I am isn’t someone anyone wants to be around. 

We head out and I don’t really pay attention to anything. Calum guides me while he holds my hand, and I robotically trod alongside him. My stomach is cramping and I feel like whatever minor remnants of food are left inside of me are right at the top of my throat. Any sudden movement and I’ll be throwing up all over the sidewalk.

Madrid looks the same as it used to, but it feels different. 

I’m different.

We sit down at a small metal table at one of the near-tourist-traps in Puerta del Sol. None of us expect the food to be great. What matters at this place is the location, surrounded by the bustle of the city and being in the heart of Madrid. Here, it feels like we’re in the center of the universe, with people from all over the world sharing this space that so many others have walked before.

Everyone orders coffee, including me, but when it comes to food, I skip out. Calum looks at me with immense concern and he squeezes my hand under the table, but I can’t look at him, even though I feel his eyes on me. I don’t trust my stomach to not reject any solid food I consume, and I really don’t want to vomit while I’m here with Paula and Lucia.

I don’t even feel like I’m here. My body is here, but my brain is just floating somewhere, and I don’t even know where. It’s an unsettling feeling. 

The others are talking about New York. Paula was accepted to the graduate program at NYU she was hoping for, so Calum is giving them a ton of recommendations of things to do and places to go and even remembers the name of some bartender at a bar that he goes to each time they visit.

“I’ll shoot him a message later, Lucia. I’m sure he’d be happy to have a bilingual bartender on his team,” Calum says. He sets a reminder for later today. 

“Really? You don’t have to, Cal, I feel bad asking,” Lucia tries to argue, but Calum just shrugs. 

“Happy to help,” he says with another shrug. “What’s the point of having all these connections if I don’t use them?” 

I then realize that Paula has been staring at me. I raise my eyebrows at her to silently ask ‘what?’

You okay? She mouths to me.

I try to smile and nod at her subtly, trying my best to not attract Calum or Lucia’s attention. 

“What’s the plan for after this?” I ask, avoiding Paula asking me more questions. 

“I was thinking the botanical garden? If you’re feeling up for walking,” Calum says, returning his attention to me and squeezing my leg under the table. 

“Sounds perfect,” I say. 

We finish drinking our coffees and the others eat what’s left of their food before paying the bill. While we walk, I’m back to wearing my mask and so are the others. I feel bad expecting the girls to do it, but they promised that it was no big deal if it meant they could spend more time with me. I find myself shivering in the January cold while we walk, so Calum takes the beanie off his head and slides it onto mine without me even asking. He also holds my hand inside the kangaroo pocket on his hoodie. 

My stomach continues to churn during the entire walk, and I’m grateful that the mask on my face helps hide my expression that, at this point, is probably something like a grimace. It takes a lot of self-control not to crush Calum’s hand in mine, but luckily I don’t think he notices. My hand that’s not holding his is balled into a fist, my fingernails digging into my palm. 

When we finally get to our destination, I excuse myself to the restroom while the others grab our tickets. I feel so much relief when I’m finally bent over the toilet bowl, and, on cue, my stomach contracts and empties what minimal contents were sitting in it. 

I look into the bowl and get the urge to vomit again once I see what’s in it. It’s mostly coffee, but not entirely. The only logical explanation for the bright red swirling in the toilet is blood. I just threw up blood. 

My head gets hazy and the room starts spinning. I have to rest my face against the coolness of the toilet seat to refrain from fainting. My breathing is loud, and the sounds of me gagging have no doubt caught the attention of anyone else in the bathroom. When I feel enough strength to stand again, I wipe my mouth with toilet paper and replace my mask over my face. 

There’s an older woman waiting for me outside the stall, concern written all over her face. “¿Estás bien? ¿Acabas de vomitar? ¿Necesitas algo, o alguien?” 

I stare at her. All I can do is stare. Why can’t I remember what half of those words mean? I don’t know what she said and I don’t know what to say. I speak Spanish. Maybe not perfectly, but I should know what this woman just said to me. 

“Bien,” I end up saying. It’s the one word other than gracias that pops up in my brain. 

Why can’t I remember Spanish? 

In a daze, I stumble out of the bathroom and end up running straight into another person that’s walking in.

“Seriously,” I mumble to myself, trying to remain standing, but I’m wobbly.

The other person grabs my arms and helps steady me, and when I can lift my head enough to see their face, I realize it’s Paula. 

“Woah, O, are you okay? You’re so pale,” she says, still supporting me while I try to regain my balance and strength. 

“Yeah, yeah, I’m fine,” I breathe out. It takes everything in me not to lean into her and relax, but I manage to mostly stand on my own. “May need to sit down for a bit.” 

“Cal!” She yells, and I sigh. I have to pass this off as just being tired. I can’t ruin our day. I can’t ruin our trip. 

Calum appears behind her in seconds, and before I know it, he’s throwing my arm over his shoulders and holding up half my weight himself. 

“I got you, baby,” he whispers quietly enough that no one else would be able to hear. 

“There’s a bench over here,” Paula says.

Calum guides me to the bench and helps me take a seat. He crouches down in front of me, and I hate the look on his face. He’s terrified. He’s nearly holding back tears. I can’t tell him I just threw up. I can’t tell him I just threw up blood.

“Here, I brought you a protein shake in case anything like this happened.” Lucia holds a carton in front of me that looks like some kind of chocolate concoction.

I want to push it away. I want to say I don’t need it. I don’t want to need to drink a protein shake. 

But I do need it, so I take it. 

“Do you need anything? Water? What can I do?” Calum asks gently. He’s still kneeling in front of me and looking at me with concern and care.

I shake my head, pulling my mask down and unscrewing the lid on the drink. I gulp it down quickly, doing my best to fight the urge to gag while I drink. The acidic burn of whatever was in my stomach is still clawing at my throat and makes this drink taste disgusting. “All good. Just need a sec.” 

Calum stays in front of me and watches me closely while I drink. Lucia is standing a few feet off to the side, giving me space, but I’m not sure where Paula went. 

When the carton is empty, I set it next to me and wipe my mouth with the back of my hand. I force a smile. 

“Did you get the tickets?” I ask. I look back and forth between Calum and Lucia. 

Cal nods. He reaches into his hoodie pocket and pulls out four tickets to show me proof. “Are you feeling okay enough to go in? We don’t have to, if you need to go back to the hotel.” 

I make my fake smile bigger. “No, I’m fine. We should go in.” 

“We can come back tomorrow,” Paula says, reappearing with a bottle of water in her hands. She sits next to me and swaps it for my empty protein shake. “I just asked.”

I just shake my head quickly. “Guys, no. It’s okay, just give me a few minutes. I’m fine.”

None of them seem convinced and start communicating nonverbally. They don’t believe me, but I don’t think any of them want to be the one to say we should leave. They don’t want that title of being the one who makes me rest like I need to. 

“Seriously, I’m fine. I should’ve just eaten some tortilla at the restaurant. Sorry to be such a pain in the ass,” I say as convincingly as I can. I sip from the water Paula brought over. 

“O, you just—” Paula starts.

“Paula, I’m fine.”

I stand up then, and take a gamble on possibly passing out, but thankfully, I remain steady. I take another long drink from the water bottle before I put my mask back on. Calum protectively follows suit and stands with me, reaching a hand out to help me stay balanced, but I don’t need it. At least, I’m trying my hardest not to need it. 

“If you’re sure, Orion, we can go in,” Calum says. His eyes search my face for any sign of uncertainty. Even though my mouth is covered now, I smile and hope it reaches my eyes. 

I take his hand in mine once more and drag him toward the entrance, once more doing my best to ignore my immense fatigue and resurfacing nausea.

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[munchy-munch]

Aconitum - Meeting the Avengers Pt. 2

This one was a little short, but I'm going to make it up in the next chapter. Get ready for a day with the boys😉 and some angst😈.

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Aconitum. What a beautiful flower. Vibrant in color and full in its bell shape. But aconitum is more than what it appears. A symbol of caution for what dangers exist as you come closer. A deadly beauty by nature. It's not it's fault. That's how it was made. That's how you were made. You are their perfect little creation. A beauty, drawing in all sorts, but a deadly little flower, killing with only a kiss. It's your nature, and you can't help it. But a question you should ask yourself is, will the flower wither away in hydra's grasps, or will someone come and save the flower, giving it all the nurturing, it needs to blossom as it was supposed to?

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I woke up to a bright light in my eye. Once Bruce showed me to my room yesterday, I knocked out on the floor in front of the window. 

The window had an amazing view. People were walking around long after the sun went down. I watched the city for hours, I think. I can’t wait for nighttime! Then I can experience that calmness again and again and again. 

I sat up and stretched. I looked around my room. Bruce said I had a closet with clothes I could use. 

“Where could that be,” I asked myself. 

“Can I be of assistance,” a voice asked. It was familiar. 

“You’re Friday,” I asked. 

“I am. I can tell you where your closet is Mr. l/n.”

“Just y/n please,” I asked. 

“Of course, y/n. The closet is across the room and around the corner. You will see a set of doors. That’s where your clothes are,” Friday said. 

“Thank you,” I told her ?

“You’re welcome y/n,” Friday said before it all went quiet again. 

I walked to where I was told, and there I found my closet. I opened the doors only to find a small room filled with clothes. Surely this isn’t all for me? But Bruce did say I was free to what was in the closet. So, I made my way inside. I looked through the closet for longer than probably needed. I just needed to find something that felt like me, and for a while none of them felt like me, until I came across a couple articles of clothing in the back corner. This felt like me, so I threw them on and left my closet.

“I’m not too sure on what I should do today, but the kitchen is a great start.” So, I made my way out of my room and traced my steps towards the kitchen. I actually found my way without needing Friday to help me. 

But I wasn’t alone in the kitchen. There was a red man sitting beside a red-haired woman who was eating something. That sight alone made me hungry. The pair turned around at the same time due to my entrance. It was a bit eerie. 

“You must be y/n. I am Vision, pleasure to meet you,” the man called Vision said. I walked up towards the counter they were sitting at. 

“I’m not interrupting am I,” I asked. 

“No, please, take a seat,” Vision said. I grabbed something random. It said bacon on it. I’m not really sure what bacon is, but it might taste good. I sat down next to the woman and ripped open the packaging. 

“Sweetie, you can’t eat it like that,” the woman said. 

“Like what?”

“You have to cook it first, or you can get sick,” she said. Cook it? I hadn’t thought about that. 

The woman stood from her backless chair and took the package. She went behind the counter and began cooking. And when she did, the smells from the cooking food were amazing. 

“Does it always smell like that,” I asked the woman. She looked up at me and laughed a little. 

“If you cook it right. And my name is Wanda,” the woman, Wanda, said. How did she-.

“I can read thoughts when I want to, now eat,” Wanda said, placing a plate in front of me. 

I grabbed a piece of bacon and bit into it. Forget pop tarts, bacon is my new favorite food. I began to rush through the food I was given, only to stop when I heard more chuckling. I looked up to see Vision and Wanda looking at me with amusement.

“If you rush while eating, you won’t be able to enjoy the food as much.” 

“Is that true,” I asked aloud. Wanda nodded and I looked down at my plate. 

I picked up a piece and slowly bit into it. This time I could feel the flavors of the bacon drenching my tongue. The aroma of the bacon wafted into my nose as I ate. And as I ate more, I relaxed. I don’t need to rush. I really don’t. I repeated to myself. Taking the time to absorb the food was much better than practically swallowing it whole. I get to taste everything, and it feels like I have more food. 

I sat there in content silence as Wanda and Vision talked among themselves. I watched as Wanda would look around while talking, but Vision’s eyes never left her form for even a moment. He must really like Wanda to be looking at her for so long. 

It wasn’t long before Wanda and Vision excused themselves. Something about meeting with her brother.

“I don’t mind. It’s not like I want to be alone, but people have things to do other than to entertain me,” I said to no one. 

“I could explore the building some more. I’m sure there’s stuff to do other than just…work stuff?”

I got up and threw away my plate. Better to not contaminate anything, or anyone, with something I can’t control…yet. Bruce said they were looking into that. I have faith in him. I walked out of the kitchen and back into the hallway. I thought about going to another floor, but it’s probably best for me to stay on the floor I’m on. 

I continued walking around the floor until I passed a room. I heard laughter and bickering on the other side. I shouldn’t pry, but I don’t remember one of those voices. The other one sounds like Bucky. I mentally prepared myself before the door opened on its own. I looked into the room and saw a lot of machines. 

I walked in, forgetting my purpose as I looked over the different machines with awe. 

“I’ve never seen anything like this before,” I said out loud. 

“It was a first for us too, but you’ll get used to it,” a voice said. I turned to see a man with blonde hair looking into my eyes. I tensed in surprise. 

“Didn’t mean to startle you. I’m Steve,” he said, holding out his hand. I looked down at his hand before looking over to Bucky who was looking at me with a small smile on his face. 

“Nice to meet you, Steve, I’m y/n…” I said trailing off before I spoke again, “I can’t shake your hand,” I said. Steve took a moment to process that before he lowered his hand and smiled. 

“Sorry about that. Force of habit. Have you met Bucky,” Steve said, pulling Bucky forward. 

“I have. He was watching me for Bruce a day or two ago,” I said, pulling my eyes away from the men. 

“You said, “It was a first for us too,” what did you mean,” I asked, looking back at the men, both standing in front of me. 

“We’re originally from the 40’s,” Steve said. 

“40s,” I asked. 

“The 1940s. Almost 90 years ago,” Bucky said, finally speaking up. I liked his voice, not to say I didn’t like Steve’s voice. But Bucky’s voice stood out to me. 

“But you look so young to be in your 90s.” It didn’t make any sense. Do some people not age like normal? Maybe this is a new kind of human that I haven’t seen before. 

“Well, we’re actually in our 100s, but it’s a long story,” Bucky said, shutting down that end of the conversation. We were all silent for a moment before Steve spoke up.

“How have you been adjusting so far? I know the team can be a bit much at times, but they’re great people,” he said. 

“Well, I haven’t gotten much time to spend with anyone, but they’ve all been really nice,” I told the men. This feels awkward. I looked between the two men and opened my mouth, but as I did Steve spoke up again. 

“How about you spend the day with us? It beats spending the day to yourself, well, unless that’s what you want to do. Then, go for that. I just wanted to-” I cut him off. 

“I’d be glad to spend the day with you two, if I’m not a bother,” I added. Steve’s smile spread throughout his entire face. He wrapped a tight arm around Bucky. Bucky didn’t seem the most comfortable, but then again, not much expression was shown on his face to begin with. 

“So, what’s first,” I asked. 

[deepautumncolors]

Boundaries

I think I'm finally getting better at saying no, which has taken me a very long time to learn how to do. It has always been a challenge for me.

I've known my dad's friend since I was born, and he's had three cats since 2014. I go over to his house to feed them and clean the litter boxes whenever he goes out of town... until now. When he asked me if I could do that from the 24th-28th, I decided it was time for me to retire from taking care of his cats. I took this whole week off from work and I haven’t had a week off since this same time last year, so I was really looking forward to my vacation. And I just didn't want to spend it worrying about his cats and driving to his house almost every day (two of the days being Christmas Eve and Christmas Day). I don't live right in the city anymore like I used to, and I don't need the extra cash anymore like I used to. I would have been driving into town once a day just for that. Not to mention, his house is very small and cramped as it is, plus he happens to be a pack rat - so there is stuff EVERYWHERE and there's not a lot of room to move around. I also have my own cats to take care of now. Things are just different than they used to be.

And so, I said no. Well actually, I said, "I'm sorry, next week doesn't work for me. I hope you can find someone." I didn't lie, I didn't make up an excuse or give a reason, I just told the truth and wished him well. I felt bad, but I just really didn't want to do it. So I didn't. I don't know who else he ended up asking, but I hope everything worked out (and that he asks that person again next time).

The other thing is that my coworkers in my department like to play the lottery, so we take turns buying tickets for the whole group. There are 14 of us, so someone gets $14 of quick picks when the jackpot gets really big. We don't have an official order that people go in, it's more like whoever hasn't gone in a while does it if they can. I can't remember the last time I bought them, so I figured my turn was coming up soon. Today they asked me if I could get them for tomorrow's drawing, but I don't live right in the city like I mentioned before and I didn't have any plans to go out. So I replied, "Can I do it next time? I'm staying home all day today." If they had asked me yesterday, I would have grabbed them when I went out to do other things. Sorry people, I'm not leaving the house for no other reason besides that when odds are we're just going to lose anyway. I've always done it the other times they asked me to and I've always been agreeable to everything they've asked of me, so I think I'm allowed to skip it just this once.

I don't know if I'm actually getting more assertive or if I just don't feel like doing certain things anymore because I'm getting older or if it's a combination of both, but I'm proud of myself for knowing my boundaries and being able to say no. If you don't, people will walk all over you. You might disappoint or inconvenience the other person/people for a while, but they'll get over it. Sometimes it's okay to be selfish when it comes to your mental health. I'm glad I'm ending 2023 on this note of asking for what I want, and I hope I'll still be able to do that when it's necessary throughout 2024!