#why does blur always make certain things look so fuzzy… anyways. them <3< /div> Explore tagged Tumblr posts

[cheaploafs]

It is always morally correct to steal your lover away from talon duties, trust me.

Close up under cut <3

[jinmukangwrites]

Hi Jin! Since you are looking for some DC hc what's your opinion on Flash? Honestly I like his character and his interaction with other heros, esp. Batman. I like to hc that sometimes Flash says/does something so deep and profound completely accidently but it shocks and touches others and they see him in renewed light. If you don't feel like Flash, what about some grandpa Alfred and his horde of superhero grandkids? xD Just some options for you, have fun and thank you for your amazing writing!

So I... don't reallllly have much experience writing for Flash or the Justice League in general? I based Flash's characterization off from what I remember from watching various cartoons and from pannels I've happened across over the years. I need to read his comics. He's such a dork. Anyway, sorry this took a million years DF, hopefully this is sorta what you were wanting <3

Also if you're wondering when exactly this takes place, just know I am constantly rejecting canon and substituting my own 😤

-o-o-o-o-

When Dick was nine years old, he wanted to join Bruce on a Justice League mission.

Bruce—being the clear-headed, calculative, newly foster father that he was—panicked and said he couldn't go on an official League mission until he was twenty-five years old... which is what Bruce was at the time. When Dick tried to argue back, well, Bruce pulled some strings—meaning he glared at the other League members until they agreed—and made it official.

No one under twenty-five would join an official Justice League mission.

Bruce wishes now he set the bar higher and told the young man to just deal with it. Because Dick is twenty-six now, and that's all Bruce can think about as Batman punches his way through an alien spaceship. Twenty-six, somewhere on this ship where Bruce can't see him with a different team comprising of newer members—not because he's untrained, but because there's no one else Bruce would trust to keep the newer recruits alive.

Meanwhile, Batman and other original powerful members of the League fight their way towards the leader of these attacking aliens. The mothership is large, practically a maze, and filled with soldier creatures with no individual agency to note. They're not an Apokolips level threat, but it would still be preferable to stop them before they enter the solar system.

Batman stops in his tracks, slamming his back against the wall to avoid getting blasted by an enemy soldier around the corner. Then, after a beat, he jumps out and launches a baterang at the attacker and takes them down with a few well placed jabs. There's the sound of something creaking violently somewhere behind him, probably Superman or Wonder Woman deciding doors are too tedious to find and the walls are weak enough for them to just plow through.

Which is why Batman is paired with none other than Flash for the moment. Despite his abilities, he can't go vibrating through walls whenever he finds it quicker to do so. He needs to save his strength; which means he's in the same boat as Batman, finding tedious doorways and navigating winding corridor filled with flashing red lights and steaming pipelines.

There's the sound of a blaster loading up to his right where he didn't notice another soldier hiding in the shadows. He just manages to pull up his cape in an attempt to lessen the damage when there's a blur of red and a flash of yellow lightning, the alien goes flying against the wall with a snap, falling limply to the ground.

"You good, B?" Flash asks, stopping in front of Batman with a grin. His voice is light, a little joking. Batman rolls his eyes. "I mean, it's a good thing I was here, It's not normally me who's doing the saving for destracted teammates."

"Let's move," he replies before moving on.

Behind him, he hears Flash sigh dramatically. "Good talk."

They move further into the ship, the blue glow of a fuzzy, half-detailed map hovering from Batman's wrist computer. Flash is a constant chatter behind him, which only serves to remind Batman further of a certain talkative, pun-slinging acrobat somewhere on the other side of the ship, taking down the ship's main controls.

Then, suddenly, the holographic map glitches violently like an old corrupted silent film as the entire ship jolts. A large boom crashes through the air, creaking pipes and tilting the entire gravitational system, causing Batman and Flash to throw their bodies towards the nearest wall as the ship struggles to realign itself.

Batman keeps his grip firm while Bruce keeps his eyes on the map, his stomach dropping when he sees a flashing red dot appear near the ship's main control room.

Nightwing...

"What was that?!" Flash wheezes as the gravity returns to something similar to what it should be, but it's shaky now, like one wrong move and everything will be sent spinning.

"Something exploded in the control room," Batman growls, pushing all thoughts that don't involve the alien leader and finding said alien leader out of his head.

"'Wing's on the other side," Flash says, his voice suddenly devoid of his constant joking and light tone. "You think they're oka-"

"We need to finish this."

And Batman is moving before Flash can argue. He doesn't say he's sure they're fine, or we should turn back, or let me attempt communications; he just moves forward because the mission is important. The world is important.

Whatever trouble the other's have gotten into... he is positive they can handle it.

Then, just moments later, they run into more trouble. Only this time, it's not just one or two mindless soldiers, but a whole group of them. Immediately, Batman launches himself into battle, cape fluttering behind him like an omen, using the shadows between the flashing lights to his advantage. He can hear the static of a speedster's energy all around him as Flash winds between bolts of enemy fire. Batman pushes his companion to the back of his mind, throwing his fist out into slam the door deformed jaw of an attacker.

The ship jolts again, along with the floor beneath him. He grunts as he's thrown into the wall, the explosion sounding like it came from the same area as before. Everything's sideways now: the ship, the gravity, his train of thought. He just manages to grab at clawing hands as an alien jumps on top of him, snarl in its lips and teeth dripping with drool.

The alien screeches, it's taloned feet digging into the Kevlar over his stomach, practically doing it's damnest to gut him open. Batman growls, his stomach twisting as the ship's gravity tries to fix itself once again, causing Batman and the alien to go rumbling from the wall into the floor. Batman grunts as he crashes through a branch of pipeline, landing harshly on the ground and sucking in a breath as his ribs scream at new bruises.

What is going on over there?!

And he doesn't even have a chance to think more into it, because he realizes he's been laying on the ground, worrying, when he should have noticed the alien finding it's bearings and scrambling forward with a scream to attempt to pin him down again.

He bunches up, preparing himself to defend himself at last moment, before there's Flash, once again, coming in at the perfect time. Flash slams the alien into the wall, it's skull making a terrible thunk noise, before it slides to the ground unconscious.

Batman pushes himself to his feet, his ribs throbbing, and opens his mouth to command they keep going, but Flash—in the blink in an eye—ends up right in front of Batman, his mouth twisted in a rare frown.

"What is wrong with you," Flash demands, grabbing into the clasps of Batman's cape and holding Batman in front of him so he can effective snarl in the other man's face. "I was joking before, about you being destracted, but now I think you actually are."

"I'm not destracted," Batman growls back, moving to shove Flash off of him, but the Flash doesn't back down. He tightens his grasp and glares.

"You are. You're destracted and worried for Nightwing because you're a dad-"

"We have a mission to finish-"

"The mission is a failure if you die, Bruce! I can't watch them be told you've died again!"

Everything goes still, nothing but the flashing lights and creaking pipes exists while Barry clutches the clasps of Bruce's cape and breathes hard. Barry swallows roughly, and then gives Bruce a narrowed look.

"When will you realize that?" He asks, sounding close to hysterical. "That your self preservation is worth more than the world to them?"

And Bruce remembers Wally, and Bart, and Iris, and their plans to have kids and find a better house with a bigger lawn. Bruce takes a deep breath and lets Batman take the backseat.

"What do I do?"

Relief flashes through Barry's face. He lets go of Bruce's cape and a smile twitches in his lips. "Go find him. Check on him. Get yourself un-destracted."

"What about you?" Bruce asks, and Barry shrugs, looking way too relaxed now. Like a weight is off his shoulders. Like he can really run now.

"I'm sure Oli is around here somewhere. I'll meet up with him." Barry looks Bruce right in the eye. "We'll finish the mission, it'll be a done in a flash. Just go make sure your kid is okay first."

And for once, Bruce doesn't groan at the pun or argue the phrase his kid. He just nods and turns back the way he came, his legs pumping, to make sure his kid is okay, which he should have remembered in the first place was always the mission. Always the top priority.

He'll have to thank Barry later... and send Iris some flowers.

[myloveofwords]

Do You Believe?

Original Imagine: hi! I love your writing! it’s absolutely amazing! I was wondering if I could have a one shot request where the reader gets critically injured bc Barry wasn’t fast enough to save her. super angsty and sad? thank you! @zbvbble (Sorry it took so long Sweetie! hope you enjoy, cuz it almost killed me!)

Reader Gender: Female

Word Count: 2,000

Warnings: ANGST. SO MUCH ANGST. UH. OH MY GOD. I’M SO SORRY.

Author: Contrygal7

                                                     * * * * *

If I didn’t believe in you.

The words cut deep into your head, the first thought of the day and recalling fights hurt. This isn’t the first time you’ve heard those words, though. Of course the first time wasn’t nearly as depressing.

No.

The first time it was warm. A fuzzy kinda warm that slowly seeps its way into your bones almost as if its igniting your entire body in a tantalizingly slow burn. The early morning sunshine, the whole world cascaded in a pink tint, as it fell lazily over the small bedroom in your even smaller studio apartment that you currently shared with your full time boyfriend part time superhero, Barry Allen.

The whole day seemed to reflect your mood, everything a stupid, can’t possibly be real kinda happy. Then you heard it, you’d heard it before of course, but singing in the shower was one thing… This was something different all together.

♪ If I didn’t believe in you♪

♪We’d never have gotten this far. ♪

♪If I didn’t believe in you♪

♪And all of the ten thousand women you are. ♪

He was actually singing. Like he sounded like he knew what the hell he was doing, now your boyfriend was many things. Goofy. Cute. Adorable. A super dork. Charismatic as hell when he wanted to be. But a singer? It just didn’t seem like it was actually him.

… Until he accidentally dropped this solid one liner into the air in front of him.

“Maybe I should just ask her… Nah. No. It’s too soon. Yeah. It’s wayyyyyyy to soon. But is it? Seven months? Maybe. I mean, ugh. I don’t know. I mean I know it’s what I want. But is it what she wants?”

Elevated heart rate, which Barry can hear, or sense or whatever the fuck he does. He turns around faster than your eyes can see, but living with a speedster you we’re used to it.

His deep blue eyes seemed to mirror your own terror as the two of you stood in the bright sunny kitchen, the tension palpable. You could feel his anxiety from across the small room as he too loudly asked “Coffee? You need coffee. I need coffee. I think we both need coffee. I’ll…”

Barry was gone and back in seconds two coffee cups from CC Jitters. You smile sweetly at his terror filled face as a single hand cups his cheek “Thank you sweetheart. Did you have something you wanted to ask me?”

His eyes screamed yes, but somehow he kept his dorkiness to a minimum as he, as slowly as a speedster can, dropped down on one knee. His big puppy dog eyes are what sealed the deal, he opened the small black velvet box in his hands. You looked down, catching glimpse of the shiny red bone shaped dog tag nestled inside.

BUT back to present day … Barry had left this morning with out a single noise.

You woke to a dark room and cold sheets. Glancing quickly at the alarm the 5:13 there glared at you with bright green neon. The world around you seemed to darken, you didn’t like fighting with Barry but sometimes he was just so stubborn.

The fight seemed to cycle and cycle thought your head. You overthought everything said and remembered everything. It was torture, sitting alone in a bed meant for two. Cold and alone. A single tear fell from your cheek as the words said came into razor focus:

“WEll, I’m sorry Barry! I’m sorry I can’t be everything that you want me to be! I’m sorry I’m not a doctor like Caitlin, or a superstar reporter like Iris! Shit Barry.“

"Who said anything about Caitlin or Iris?”

“And you’re never home! You’re always with everyone else but me. You leave me for days, sometimes weeks at a time with no explanation.”

“I have responsibilities (Y/N)! I can’t be here every time you have a feeling!”

“Like you’d know anything about me feelings, Barry. You’re never home. You’re always gallivanting around the city, fighting bad guys and ignoring ME!”

“I do NOT ignore you (Y/N).”

“Well you certainly don’t pay attention.“

"And when am I suppose to do that (Y/N)? The three hours I get to sleep at night? Or maybe you’d like the thirty minutes before hand when I eat before I pass out. Oh! Or maybe you’d like the eight hours when I’M AT WORK EVERYDAY.”

“OR you could come home before the goddamn crack of dawn. Or when you do come home, you always find some kind of excuse to leave yet again!“

The click of paws on the floor snapped you from your memory so you figured Flash, the lovable dalmatian that you and Barry adopted together, needed to go outside.

Without hesitation you stumbled your way through the dark gathering Flash’s leash and your shoes before hustling him outside.

The air was cold and wet. The rain fell around you, chilling you to the bone. You didn’t see anything until it was too late. The sweet smell filled your nostrils and the last thing you remember is the cool sensation against your face as you feel into the darkness.

                                           * Barry’s P.O.V *

I should have went back this morning. I should have went home and crawled into bed, held her close and never left. My neck is sore from sleeping on the couch at the lab, my body aches from lack of sleep, and my head is spinning in regrets.

I should just go home now. Call the captain, tell him I need a personal day. Pick up some flowers and some pizza from that place in Gotham she loves so much. Meet her back at the apartment and lay in bed all day.

Hell, she’s never going to say yes to marrying me if I keep treating her like this. My hand instantly goes to cup the diamond ring in my coat pocket. I shake my head as I realize that I’d been carrying it around since the second month we’d started dating.

She is my everything. I have to make this up to her.

I take out my phone and begin to execute my brilliant plan, until my phone lights up and Cisco’s name pops up. Damn it.

”Cisco, whatever it is let Wally handle it. I can–“

"Barry. It’s (Y/N).”

I was in Star Labs before the call ended.

“What’s happening Cisco?”

“The Meta-finder got something. It’s him Barry. And he’s got (Y/N).”

“How long?”

“I don’t know. Neighbors place her walking Flash at 5, and he just popped up on my radar. We have no account of his whereabouts for in between.”

“That’s 3 hours Cisco.”

“Yeah, man. It’s bad. Want me to call Oliver?”

“No.”

I didn’t finish my sentence. I left her alone. Scared. In the middle of a fight. And now I may never get to see her smile again. I suited up and headed face first into a hurricane.  

                                                 * * * * *

You woke with a throbbing in the back of your head. Your stomach growled causing you to slump forward, you realized your hands were bound behind you. You shuffled forward trying to regain some kind of bearing, and that’s when you heard him.

“Comfy?”

“What the fuck do you want?”

“Oh I think we both know the answer to that question.”

“Well your not going to get it. He’s not coming.”

“Oh but he is.”

“Oh, but he’s not. Asshole.”

“Uh oh. Trouble in paradise?”

You tilted away from him, hoping to terminate any and all conversation which worked. For a whole half a second.

“It doesn’t matter anyway. He won’t get here in time.”

“I’m not taking the bait, asshole.”

“What is it with you and that word?”

“OH I’m sorry. Douche bag. There’s another word for ya.”

“What does Mr. Allen see in you anyway?”

Your eyes widened and you were thankful you’d turned your body away. How in the hell did he know? Your head began to throb again and you cried out.

The last thing you remember is Barry’s face as the darkness slowly took over. You stumbled over the words as they left your mouth. You didn’t know if he could hear them or not, but they needed to be said.

“I believe in you, Barry Allen.”

Your eyes closed slowly and your breathing soon followed. Everything blurred together. Then black.

                                        * Barry’s P.O.V *

I saw the light leave her eyes and I cried out. I don’t remember much after that. Caitlin says it could have been that my body was moving faster than my brain could keep up with. Wells says it could have been too traumatic and I’ve blocked it out. I don’t know. I don’t really care.

All I know is she’s in a hospital bed, on life support and I’m still breathing. I haven’t figured out the how or the why yet.

Another tear falls down my face. It seems like that’s all I do now. Cry.

I feel nothing, I feel empty. I don’t eat. I don’t sleep. I just sit here and stare down at the love of my life. And pray that she will wake up.

Her last words bring a sharp pain to my chest.

I believe in you, Barry Allen.

Why? Her last words, she had to have known they were going to be, yet… She didn’t cry out for help. She didn’t try and plead for her life. She didn’t scream at the top of her lungs…

She told me exactly what I needed to hear. A single phrase and I felt I could take on the world. A conclusion of words that made me feel invisible. A solid string of syllables that connected the two of us in a way I didn’t even realize she was capable of.

A single memory came into mind. One with white curtains and yellow sunshine. Dirty dishes and happy times.

♪ If I didn’t believe in you. ♪

♪ We’d never have gotten this far. ♪

I took her hand into my own, feeling the warmth and smiling down at her.

♪ If I didn’t believe in you. ♪

♪ And all of the ten thousand women you are. ♪

I laughed slightly remembering how she hated when I sang that part to her. Part of me hoped it would piss her off enough she’d wake up.

♪ If I didn’t think you could do ♪

♪ Anything you ever wanted to ♪

♪ If I wasn’t certain that you’d come through somehow ♪

♪ The fact of the matter is, (Y/N). ♪

♪ I wouldn’t be sitting here now. ♪

She never once moved. I watched as the machine assisted her with each and every breath. The rise and fall of her chest and the sudden stillness of her seemed to be too much all at once.

I raised my hand to my face, feeling the sobs begin to tear through my body. I walked over to the machine and with a trembling hand, flipped all the necessary switches.

I watched though tear filled eyes as the machine took her final breath for her. Her eyes never once opening.

21:17

The clock taunted me beside me. I swear I could feel my soul leave my body.

I listened to the tantalizing beeping of the heart rate monitor.

Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep.

I listened closer as it begin to flat line signaling the end of her life.

BEEEEEEEEEEEPPPPPPPPPPPPPP.

Silence. It filled the room. Filled my head, my heart. Everything. There is no moving on from this kind of pain.

This is it.

The end.

Beep.

.  .  .  .  . Then again… Maybe not.

[myroyalshyness-blog1]

Falling for You

Note: this is just a single part of a dream I had. I lived out over three months of life in that dream and here is a section of it. I found out that there were two new students at school all because I am a major klutz. Being me, I drop everything, all the time. So I'm walking into the auditorium and have a couple papers in my hands, and of course I trip and throw my papers everywhere the whole time thinking "shit, I know I'm going to hit the ground with this one, there's no saving myself now". But then I feel a warm body on me, (I know what you're thinking, cliché right?) and I thought to myself "did I hit my head on the ground? I don't remember landing? Why am I so warm? I can't even see." I move my hands to see where I am and I feel arms, I am so confused. They release me from their grasp and I realize I am looking at someone's chest. I finally look up and see someone I've never seen before. He has a genuine look of concern on his face due to me almost face planting for no reason. And then I hear a slight chuckle that they try to cover with a fake cough. I glance behind this mysterious newcomer and find someone who looks to be slightly older than the first but is clearly related to him. He stalks towards me reaching out with his hands and I start to back away but then realize he had picked up the papers I threw everywhere. I whisper a thanks to him still a little peeved that he laughed. The one who had caught me glares at the other and finally turns back to me. "Hi, I'm Taylor, and this is my older brother Austin, and who might you be?" "Uh...I'm Alex(glances at the ground)....th-thanks...Taylor...f-for ya know, catching me" I stammered. He says "No problem, I knew some pretty girl here would fall for me but I didn't think it would be so literal." I just stare at him for a few seconds so I can process and then I nervously laugh a little. But then I soon realize that we are standing in the middle of the aisle and start to move away. He catches me by the shoulder and asks if we could sit together since they don't know anyone besides me and he also says that he wants to make sure that I don't fall for anyone else. (Ha ha very clever right?)I search for any sign of help from my friends but they are already in their seats and are watching me like this is a scene from a movie. Obviously not getting help from them, so I just say okay and we sit in the back together with me in between the two brothers. Awkward me can't even focus on whatever is going on in the auditorium now because of Taylor and Austin, but mainly Taylor. Did I mention these two were beautiful creatures? Because they were. They weren't "perfect" but they had what I would call adorable flaws. Now, they were both beautiful but Taylor was more my type than Austin. Taylor was tall with dark chocolate hair and eyes the color of the sea. He had this gorgeously impish smile and one cute dimple right beside it. His brother, Austin, was more rugged. He was all sharp angles and he had a fierce yet calming look to him. His eyes said sarcastic but his body said fighter. Sitting between these two beautiful creatures made me feel awesome and yet also made me feel a bit frumpy. Awesome because here I was sitting next to my hot savior and his rugged brother and frumpy because, well, who could sit next to these beautiful people and not feel a little self conscious? For the first twenty minutes(at least I think, time got a little fuzzy during this) none of us said anything, Taylor would steal glances at me, (and I at him of course, just with more secrecy) and then have an "eye conversation" with his brother. After those very awkward twenty-ish minutes Austin decided to do something to break the ice. He chose to do one of those cliché fake yawns and stretch his arm behind me. So far Taylor hadn't noticed and neither did I since I am always oblivious. I only noticed when he actually put his arm on me and pulled me over and leaned my head on his should and whispered "Taylor doesn't have to be the only one you fall for today." Being me, I couldn't even form a coherent sentence and just sat there stunned. Taylor finally noticed and looked hard at his brother and growled "knock it off, don't even pretend you're her type." I finally find my voice and retort " and who are you to say who is or is not my type? I literally just met you. Please, do go on, tell me more about me since you know so much already." (Apparently with my voice came back all my sass and sarcasm.) "wow, she has a voice AND a personality, I like her." Says Austin to his brother. Taylor looks a little stunned by what I said, he obviously hadn't expected me to reply like that. He finally found his own words and said, " I might not know you now, but I would love to get the chance to." And then there's me, once again at a loss for words. (I guess I should mention at this point that I have never dated, or had someone interested in me so of course I have no idea what to say) thank goodness I don't have to think of anything because they release us from the auditorium. Or at least that's what I was hoping, but of course, he calls my name before I have the chance to run away and asks me to meet him at locker 274 after school. I reluctantly agree because it's the least I could do considering he saved me from a possible broken nose earlier. His face lights up and he smiles that adorable smile and walks out before I can. Austin is just standing behind me smirking. I ask "and what do you think is so funny?" His reply still had me seething throughout the rest of the day. "Oh, just this sudden infatuation he has for you(I'm confused because I apparently missed all those "subtle" hints which goes back to me being oblivious). He does this at every school we have been to and it never lasts long. She always ruins it. You are just going to be another screwup that's going to jack around with him and I refuse to let it happen." Things had gotten serious real fast. I had just met these people and I was already confused, angry, and giddy all at the same time. God, what was happening to me? The rest of the day was a blur, I ignored my friends for the most part because I wasn't sure I wanted to talk to them about earlier even though they all wanted to know. Finally 3:20 rolls around and I rush to my locker. I think to myself "maybe I won't meet him. It's not like I actually have to, right?" But then I remember what his brother had said. He doesn't even know me and just assumed I would mess with his brothers feelings, and then I realized that if I didn't meet Taylor then I would be doing exactly that, I would prove Austin right. No way in hell was I going to do that. I make my way to his locker but then pause. Some blonde is talking to him. She is what you would call "popular" which basically means she is a size two with layers of makeup that weigh more than she does. She is fake laughing and probably trying to ask him out. "Why am I nervous? Is this jealousy? Why the hell am I jealous? It's not like we are dating, I don't even know him." I am about to walk away until he looks up and sees me standing there. He can tell that I am debating what to do so he decides for me. He completely blows off this blonde(which she isn't happy about) and closes the gap between us. "Um...hello" I say slowly. (Looks nervously to the ground, avoiding eye contact) "hi, I didn't think you were going to show up, but I'm really glad you did, I wanted to talk to you without my brother around." I choke out the words, "oh? Uh what about?" He says,"I wanted to talk about you, or rather have you tell me about yourself." Unsure about what to say I just look around and say nothing. He continues, " I think you look like an interesting person and I want to get to know you, is that okay? And you're also adorable, but that's just an added bonus(proceeds with another adorable laugh). So I want to set up a time for us to talk to each other, one on one, in a non-school setting." I'm currently amazed and stutter "you...want to go...on a date? With me? Are you sure? Why not the blonde, she clearly liked you and wanted you to ask her out." "She was boring, there are thousands of fake people like her everywhere, I want someone real, someone like you" (the last part of his sentence was quieter than the rest, but I happened to catch it.) At this point in time I'm certain I am turning about fifty shades of red right now due to the compliments. I hate compliments, they fluster me and leave me without words. He cocks his head and is looking at me. "Did I say something wrong?" He asks. "Uh no, it's just that no one has ever really taken this kind of interest in me before" I say. He states "that is ridiculous, I don't even know you yet and I already think you are amazing." After a few more awkward exchanges(well awkward on my part anyway) he decides that he is going to take me to the park that day whether I said yes or no. He grabs me by the hand and pulls me along beside him, I am currently helpless to escape after being bombarded by those compliments. Before I know it we are in his car traveling towards the park. Silence fills the car. Thank god it's only a couple minutes until we arrive. We get a parking spot and he asks me not to move. I sit there dazed and confused while he gets out of the car. I watch as he walks around the front of the car and I can't help but think " oh my god, he isn't going to do what I think he is" he gets to my side of the car ("oh god, he is isn't he?") and opens the door. I move to get out. Huge mistake. I go too fast and realize too late that I didn't unbuckle my seatbelt. I am soon jerked back into my seat with such sudden force that I momentarily forget where I am and what I'm doing.("why am I such a klutz?") "Oh god, are you okay?" He asks with a bit of urgency. "Yeah, I think so, I guess I'm just a little...nervous" I say. He reaches across me and unbuckles my seatbelt for me(great, another awkward moment, like I need more of those today) and helps me out of the car making sure I don't have anymore painful accidents. We stroll around the park for a bit and like we agreed, we talked. He starts off by asking me a question that I hate when people ask me. He asks why I don't like compliments. I mumble, "I don't know, I just never have." Well he apparently didn't accept that as an answer because he asked me again. I decide it would be easier if I just explained it instead of repeatedly not answering. So I explained that, " I don't like compliments because I don't think I deserve them. They could be completely simple and yet I don't want them. They make me feel awkward and leave me with nothing left to say. I am known for my witty retorts and yet when someone compliments me I am left blank. I don't like that feeling. Even though someone may mean well by saying something nice it doesn't even seem true. Why would someone compliment me? Look at me. I am bland." Through this small rant I didn't not look at him because I didn't want to see the judging look in his eyes that people always give me when I explain this. I never want to explain it anymore because people always judged me by it and then some would even claim I was fishing for compliments by saying that I don't deserve them. Once I was done explaining I looked to where he should have been walking next to me but I didn't see him. I turned around and saw that he had stopped about six steps ago and was just looking at me. I thought, "here it comes, the judging look and the eventual disinterest." But that isn't what happened. He slowly looks up at me and says, " I'm sorry that you feel that way. I'm not trying to embarrass you when I compliment you, I just wanted you to know upfront what I thought. That's just the kind of person I am. If you don't like it though, I can adjust. I promise I won't make you feel flustered by my compliments even if I do feel that you honestly deserve all of them and more." Now me, I never feel bad for anyone. I've always been told I have no emotions. That I was a robot. Cold hearted and cruel. But I felt a twinge of what I believed to be guilt. Is it possible that I felt bad about not wanting to let him compliment me? In what world does that even make sense? All I can manage to say is, " I don't want you to think you have to change your personality to talk with me. I may not enjoy the way they make me feel, but I'm not telling you that you can't give me compliments." The rest of our conversation was easier. What's your favorite food? Movie? What's your family like? Your friends? Basic questions that people ask each other when they are getting to know each other. Out of nowhere he stops in the middle of the path. He pulls me over to a bench and asks me if I will wait here for a moment. Confused I agree to wait. I watch as he walks away about twenty feet to a tree. He looks angry. He starts talking and I realize that if I hone my hearing then I can hear what he is saying and who he is talking to.(A look of shock strikes my face)It's Austin. Taylor asks him what he is doing here following us. Austin starts to yell at Taylor asking him what the hell he is doing here with that girl(me). He says that he only came here to see why he wasn't at home, he was worried so he tracked Taylor here. Austin exclaims that I am a waste of Taylor's time. He reminds him of the past schools. Past relationships. How they were all mistakes and how I would break his heart as well. "She isn't like the others. She is different. Alex is smart, witty, awkward, and all other kinds of interesting. I think she is going to be good for me. And this is none of your business anyway! Go back home." At this point he shoves his brother and it escalates from there. It turns into a wrestling match and I realize I need to stop them before someone gets hurt. I rush over and pull one of them off the other. Of course it was Austin that I had grabbed and he quickly shakes me off of him of steps away. I then help Taylor up and glare and Austin. "What are you even doing here? Why are you picking a fight?" I ask while acting like I hadn't been listening in. He shouts, "It's none of you're damn business, why don't you go and screw with someone else instead of my brother?" This is the last straw for me. I was tired of being polite to this douche bag. You don't cuss at me and get away with it. I took two quick steps towards him and before he could even register what was happening I slapped him right across the face and asked, "Do you have anymore questions or opinions you would like to state? Because let me just point out that if you ever cuss at me again I'll do more than just slap you next time. And another thing, who your brother hangs out with is seriously none of YOUR damn business. So why don't you go home and leave us alone." He audibly growls at me but also has a look of trepidation in his eyes. I angrily stomp off in the opposite direction and go back and sit on the bench. I don't even bother to look up to see if he left yet. I was only there alone for about thirty seconds(it felt like longer though because I was fuming) before I heard a little rustling right next to me. I finally look up and have a murderous look in my eye because I assume it is Austin coming back to say something stupid, but it isn't him. Taylor is sitting on the ground by my feet instead of on the bench. He is looking up at me with a sense of awe, embarrassment, and also a bit of fear. My harsh mood mellows out and I slide off the bench to sit by him. He says, "I'm sorry about what my brother said, he really is a good person, but he has become super protective of me over the past few years." He apologizes a few more times and I tell him he has nothing to apologize for. He goes on to tell me about his past relationships and how they ended. It's no wonder his brother doesn't trust me. Those girls were all cheaters, liars, and fakes. I told Taylor that it made me happy that he thought I was different from them. Afterwards we just sat there on the ground, not saying anything. Just enjoying each other's company. Eventually, he stood up and held out his hand to help me up. I decided to accept it, but then neither of us let go. We just walked back to the car hand in hand, equally oblivious. He drove me home and said he would see me at school tomorrow. We said our goodbyes and parted ways. The next day guess who's face was the first I got to see? Freaking Austin. As I was walking out my front door that morning to go to school, a car pulls up in my driveway. I stand there confused for a second and then make my way to the driver side. Someone steps out and it takes me a second to register who it is. The douche bag that thought it was okay to cuss at me. Immediately my temper flares up and I get ready to say a few nasty things to him, but he simply puts up his hands in a sign of surrender. I pause and choke back what I was about to say. He looks me in the eyes and steps forward until he is about an arms length always from me. "I'm sorry about yesterday, all of it. What I said at the school and at the park was wrong of me. I shouldn't make assumptions about someone that I don't even know. Can we start over? Please? It would mean a lot to me if you said yes. I don't enjoy being rude to people, especially girls with enough guts to break up a fight like that and then slap someone.(he chuckles slightly)" stunned by what is happening, I say, " I won't apologize for slapping you, but I don't blame you for making assumptions. Taylor told me about the others and what they did. I understand how you feel. We can start over, but that promise I made at the park still stands. If you ever talk to me like that again I'll do more than slap you." He just gazes appreciatively/respectfully at me and nods his head in agreement. With no more talk of that needed, he asks me if I would like a ride to school. I decide that it is the first step towards him being nicer to me, so I accept. And it turns out that he is actually a lot like me. We enjoy the same music, and he even likes anime. He is like the male incarnation of me. So we end up riding all the way to school together, ranting about our favorite anime the whole way. Once we are there and parked he tells me that I should go back to locker 274 right now and wait for Taylor. Astounded that he would even want me meeting with his brother I feel the need to ask why. His reply was, "it would make Taylor really happy if you were there when he got to school, it would make him feel like you do want to hang out with him. I figured me telling you to go there would be the only way since you are basically the queen of awkward." " Wow, thanks friend" I said with a bit a sarcasm but I also meant it. Five minutes later, here I am standing at his locker wondering what is going on with my life. Two gorgeous guys fall into my hands. One of them seems to like me for some reason that I can't figure out,("and I think I might like him too" says my deep subconscious) and his older brother had hated me but now seems to like me as well. When I imagine that things couldn't possibly get any weirder I feel a hard tap on my shoulder. I turn around and see that preppy blonde from the other day. She introduced herself as Kenzie. Immediately all she wanted to ask about was, who would have thought, Taylor. "What did you guys talk about yesterday?" "Where did you go?" "Are you like boyfriend and girlfriend now?" "Did you hold hands already?" Now I am not one for divulging things to people without reason. However this time I made an exception. I put on my best "bitch in love face" and told her we had an amazing time walking through the park, hand in hand, sharing jokes and enjoying each other's time(adding small details here and there of course). Then I went on to explain how we both enjoyed ourselves so much that we couldn't wait to do it again, that we had already set up another date for today at the movies. She scoffs at me and basically just looks pissed and jealous at the same time. We glare at each other for a few seconds, me with a smile and her with a look of doom. Then someone steps up behind me and says "Well hey there pretty lady." (Of course they couldn't be talking to me so I just wait for Kenzie to reply.) "Excuse me Katie, I believe this beautiful creature has been awaiting my arrival."(the name Katie sounded forced which led me to believe he said the wrong name on purpose) He then proceeds to grab me by the hand from behind and spin me into his embrace(man this guy is cliché). "Katie" stomps off and I stand there awkwardly. (did I mention I generally hate hugs?) Since he didn't seem too keen to release me I (somewhat robotically) place my arms around him. He whispers in my ear "I'm glad you were here to meet me this morning, but I was unaware we had made plans for a movie already." At this I push off of him, turn a strawberry red, and start to mumble about how I was just trying to make that girl mad and didn't mean to be so presumptuous. Taylor just gracefully tucks his thumb under my chin and tips my face up so that we could lock eyes. He whispers, "If you'll have me, I'd love to go see a movie with you for real." I realize that I would actually love to watch a movie with him, but I decide to put my own twist on it. I tell him, " How about we both pick out one movie, and then watch them together? You can tell a lot about someone from what movies they pick out." A genuine smile spreads across his face and he exclaims that it is a great idea. I can't help but return the smile, his is just so contagious. While we are grinning at each other like a couple of goobers we hear the final bell ring and I start to leave. I turn back to him and tell him we should have lunch together today. He smile grows impossibly large at this and he nods his head to me and turns to leave. With an almost giddy feeling, I make it through the first four classes of my day fairly easily considering they are generally torture. The bell rings to release us to lunch and I go to my locker to put my books up. As I rummage through my bag at my locker, someone sneaks up behind me, puts their hands on my shoulders and scares the shit out of me.(most people are aware that I reflexively/accidentally punch or slap whomever chooses to sneak up on me from behind, apparently they were not) I swing back my fist and smack them right in the middle of their torso. Apparently it wasn't one of the usual skinny twigs that do this because all I hit was solid muscle. I turn around cradling my hand and am shocked to see that it is in fact Austin behind me. He snickers and ask if I usually go around punching people, and then with a more serious tone, asks me if I actually did hurt my hand because I did hit him pretty hard. I had forgotten all about my hand because I was too busy catching my breath from that scare. I finally look down at it and realize it is shaking entirely too much for even my usual amount and is bright red where I had hit him with it. Austin's face turns serious and he pulls my hand into the light so he can look at it. He gingerly prods it and watches me as I wince each time. Austin grabs my other hand and tells me to follow him(which doesn't need to be said considering he is pulling me anyway). Instead of taking me to the nurses office like any normal person would, he takes us both into the boys bathroom where he proceeds to run cold water on my hand and tells me we are going to hold it here for five or ten minutes so it doesn't swell. He immediately apologizes for scaring me like that and says he didn't know I was going to punch him at all let alone that hard. I laugh a clear and genuine laugh and tell him he's fine. "You didn't do anything wrong, a lot of guys do that to me, I just swung a little too hard this time" he just looks at me and smirks, "So then a lot guys just go around touching you huh? Wow, didn't know you were like that, ha ha." I blush and then play punch him with my good hand and go on to say, "Oh yeah, they are always surprising me and grabbing me from behind." We just look at each other for a moment and then can't help ourselves and bust out laughing, him leaning on a sink and me doubled over almost unable to stand. He leans over and helps me regain my footing and then looks at me and asks, "You are the most awkward person I've ever met, you can't handle compliments, you are a klutz, and private conversations are difficult for you, and yet here you are in the boys bathroom and that doesn't faze you in the least? How can you stand next to unfamiliar urinals and crack jokes like you're in your bedroom?" All I can think of to reply is, "Oh, I don't know, it doesn't really bother me, it's not like I'm doing anything personal or serious in here, I'm just soothing my hand and cracking jokes with a friend." Amazed he just nods his head and looks like he understands. Unaware of how much time has passed since we had went into the bathroom, he decides to check my hand. He tells me it won't swell but it will most likely bruise pretty bad. I just snort and say, "I could have lightly tapped you and still bruised it, I bruise WAY too easily." I then exclaim "oh shit! I was supposed to have lunch with your brother, oh hell, I don't even know where he usually eats lunch." I'm currently laughing but also worried that Taylor will think I stood him up. Austin just chuckles and tells me he will take me to his brothers usual spot. We half walk and half jog to where we will find Taylor because we had apparently been in the bathroom together for almost 25 minutes which means we only had about 15 minutes left for lunch. Thank god his usual spot wasn't that far away otherwise we would have never made it. We race to his spot(which just so happens to be underneath my favorite tree on the entire school grounds, it has beautiful pink flowers all across its branches) and we find him casually waiting for us. When he sees me cradling my hand and Austin next to me, he assumes something bad happened considering how long it had taken us to arrive. Taylor stands up and pulls me away from his brother and asks what Austin did. Trying (and failing) to not bust out in more laughter I tell him Austin didn't do anything wrong except scare the shit out of me and then go on to explain what transpired in the bathroom with Austin tuning in to add little bits that I either hadn't noticed or didn't remember. Soon after Taylor started laughing with us. By the time we finished laughing at ourselves it was time to go back inside. We all started back in together, actually enjoying each other's company. Then Austin took off to his next class and it was just Taylor and I. Taylor went ahead and walked me to math. When we got to the room, he leaned real close and whispered "Don't forget to pick out a movie, I'll come pick you up at 5 tonight." And then he just walks off. Being me, I had already decided what movie to pick. I was going to bring "The Hot Chick" because that movie is hilarious and weird which is basically what I am. So off I go through the last of my classes, and hurrying home just waiting to grab my movie. A few hours later Taylor is knocking on my door, waiting for me to come outside. We hop in his car and then at the same time we're both just like "so what movie did you pick??" We look at each other and just start cracking up because it was so in synch. After we're done laughing I say what I picked and he just looks at me. His face slowly spreads into this huge cheesy grin and he's just like "I LOVE that movie, it's so fun to watch." He then gets serious and he says, "please tell me you like Harry Potter" and I just reply "uh duh? Only losers don't like Harry Potter. I even have a favorite one of the whole series." He tells me that he does too and it's the one he picked out to watch today. So to see how in synch we actually are, I have him say his at the same time as me. I count down and then at the same time you just hear "Prisoner of Azkaban" and it's literally the greatest moment ever. We just feel our connection growing with each thing we learn about each other. We have some casual movie conversation the rest of the way to his house. We finally arrive and are just so stoked to go watch some great movies together. We pop some popcorn and then decide to watch it in Taylor's room since Austin is out in the living room watching something. We'll be laying on the bed together, and of course, little ole me can't stand being that close to people. Plop me down that close to someone and I just become hyper aware of every single breath I take, every breath they take, every slight movement. And then there's Taylor whose whole purpose at that moment might as well have to been to sit as close as possible to me. I didn't want to be rude and just shove away from him but I also wanted to enjoy my night. Well I knew there were certain ways I could manage to be that close to a person and not have an anxiety attack so I just maneuvered myself as best I could and got comfy (The position was basically just us sitting up, legs stretched out, my arm behind the small of his back and my head tipped on his shoulder, and his arm around my shoulder; a pretty basic position, but about all I could do). It was still awkward for me but I eventually stopped fussing about it and got sucked into "The Hot Chick". We were cracking up; me wheezing and unable to breathe, him with a crystal clear genuine laugh. It was amazing. By the time the movie was over my ribs hurt from laughing at the movie, and at each other. Well he gets up to switch out the movies and my first thought was basically "fuck it, I can't sit up like this anymore, I need to lay down and actually be comfortable." So I get under the covers, fluff up the pillows, mentally prepare myself for him to lay super close to me like I know he will, and settle myself in for the next movie. Well, he walks back and takes one look at me and chuckles. I'm currently covered up to my chin in blankets, have stolen all of the pillows except one, and looked like I owned the place. I sheepishly look back at him and say that this is how I get comfy. He laughs again and says, "it's fine, it just gives me an excuse to lay extra close to you." He then LITERALLY hops into the bed, nearly landing on me, and wiggles his way under the blanket. At this point, we are both laying on our sides facing each other. Very awkward to say the least. So I turn myself so I'm flat on my back and not looking directly at him, of course he then feels the need to move and decides to put one of his arms underneath me and one over the top and lock them together on the other side. (I feel like I'm suffocating.) I stiffen and look at him and I guess I had this weird look in my eyes because he looks concerned. So instead of explaining anything I force a laugh and say "I can't see over your arm if you put it there, I won't be able to watch the movie." So he just moves his top arm without questioning me and then I could finally breathe. I didn't feel like I was trapped. The movie starts and we don't really talk during this one, which was apparently not a good decision. I had no idea how tired I was, and I was so comfortable, and so warm. Well, not knowing what was about to happen, I shifted onto my side and rested my head on his chest so I could still see the movie. I fell asleep within twenty minutes of turning that direction. Now, most people in this situation would perhaps wake up the girl whenever the movie ended. Well not him. He decided to just keep laying there with me asleep in his arms. I woke up many hours later, it was probably about 2:30am. I looked around to see what was going on because I really couldn't move. I had somehow ended up moving in my sleep to where my head was now in the crook of his neck and one of my arms behind his head and the other splayed out across his chest. He had one hand still underneath my side and the other was resting on my arm. At this point, I really want to move because I'm literally touching all over him and it's freaking me out, but he is asleep and looks so peaceful that I don't want to wake him up and ruin it. Well my good side takes over and basically tells me to get over the touching thing and let him sleep, so I manage. I'm now unable to go back to sleep so I just lay there and look at him. I observe the curves of his face. The lines from laughing. The adorable dimple. But then something overtakes his face. His eyebrows scrunch together and his eyes are squeezed shut tight. He went from peaceful dream to horrific nightmare so fast. I quickly started shaking him and saying his name, finally managing to wake him up. His eyes are wet with tears when he wakes up and he looks utterly defeated. I have no idea what to do and he didn't look like he wanted to talk about it, so I make my move to leave. I start to sit up but he grabs me by the hand and pulls me back down and whispers "please don't leave me. I don't think I can go back to sleep if you leave me. Please. Just stay, for me." The look in his eyes shows me that at that moment he actually needs someone, and I need to be that someone. I nod and tell him I'll stay. So we just lay like that, together, until we both eventually drift off to sleep again. :TO BE CONTINUED: