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deltas-writing-corner · 3 years

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Tsukumo Yuki relationship headcanons

Fandom: Jujutsu Kaisen

Pairing: Tsukumo Yuki x reader

Author note: Tsukomo Yuki is the reason I love woman and she can crush me between her thighs send tweet

Warnings: Potential manga spoilers (?) | Mentions of s*x, but nothing too blatantly explicit. I would still prefer it if minors did not interact with this post in any way.

Yuki always asks the people she meets what type of woman they like. If someone were to ask that same question back to her, she’ll most certainly utter back your name as if it were an obvious response.

What’s not to love about you? You’re cute. You make her laugh. You cook for her because heaven knows she can't if her life depended on it. Most importantly, you keep her company due to the lack of curses she’s ever sent to exorcise. Traveling the world is fun and all, but it’s even more fun with you by her side!

You’re not a sorcerer. You can’t even see curses. Yuki is a childhood friend of yours and has kept you in the loop regarding the world of jujutsu sorcery since she started integrating into it. She thinks it’s important for you to know that someone like you, a non-curse user who has no control over the curse energy you create, should know what exactly your negative emotions can lead to. It’s not to make you feel bad or pin blame on you in any way. It’s her way of protecting you beyond physical means as well as a way of showing you that she places a great deal of trust in you regarding the nature of her line of work and her true goals.

Because she rejects the methods of the higher-ups and her ideology is more along the lines of putting an end to the creation of curses permanently instead of letting them manifest and dealing with them when they start causing profound trouble, you’re often the one that has to listen to all her new, sometimes overreaching, hypotheses now and then. You may even take part in her research, but she would never put you in any sort of harm! At least, not unless you give her the okay to. Be warned, if you give your blessing to be her little lab rat she’s prone to get carried away with her methods. Speak up if she’s doing something outrageous or if she’s making you uncomfortable. Otherwise, you might end up in some precarious situations.

As mentioned previously, Yuki isn’t sent out on missions that often, if ever. She instead chooses to travel in and out of the country, for the sake of her research as well as for the pleasure of it. Since she’s one of three, later four, special grade sorcerers her salary is rather tremendous. Unfortunately, her travels outside Japan are “unauthorized” and sometimes her funds get frozen by the higher-ups. Her quick solution to the matter is to fly back, take on a mission or two to get her funds unfrozen (and into your account because you’re her partner-in-crime) or even take on a mission to earn some more funds, and then you and her are right back to traveling the world again.

During one of these money replenishing heists, she met a kid that she took a particular interest in and wanted to mentor, Aoi Todo. It’s hard for most people to spark her interest to the extent Todo did, so you happily supported her endeavors and even met with her young pupil a few times throughout the years. Her methods of training are a bit....extreme, to put it lightly. You understand that holding back her punches will only hinder Todo’s progress instead of allowing him the ability to improve and push past his limits, but you can’t help but flinch over the large scar that marks his face whenever you briefly meet up with him.

Todo is eccentric, but so is Yuki. Perhaps not idol obsessed like Todo, but seeing the way he takes great care of his appearance and flaunts his body (during a battle even), he’s a near-identical clone of Yuki. She knows that she’s good-looking, and she will always flaunt this fact to anyone with working eyes, even you! Does it work every single time? Yes. Yes, it does.

Honestly, how can it not? She’s tall. She has a great butt. She drives a motorcycle. Her tight biker pants are your Achilles heels and she knows it. Sometimes she’ll wear them around the house just to flaunt her curves and other bodily goods, even if it’s the middle of the summer, the AC is broken and the pants are made of stuffy leather material. If it gets your face all heated up, she'll wear it.

The compliments she gets from strangers are nice and all, but it’s your reactions she truly cares about. You’ve been by her side through it all. You're still sticking with her even despite the fact that she’s constantly moving around and living a somewhat free-spirited lifestyle. You genuinely support and help her when almost everyone else has rejected her methods and ideals and brush her off as some lazy, outrageous-thinking woman. Really, you stole this woman’s heart just by letting her be herself, a lazy, outrageous-thinking woman.

Yuki is indeed lazy, to the point it sometimes affects you and your shared apartment is left in a week-long accumulated mess. I’m talking clothes strewed about and spilling out the already full laundry basket, sink filled with dirty dishes, houseplant half dead due to insufficient watering, and little dusty bunnies in the corner of the room. Whenever you try to get around to getting your living space in order, she always drags you back to the bed with her either to nap some more or for a quick round of sex that leads to more napping. Eventually, you have to beat her with a pillow and threaten her with no sex for a certain period of time to get her to back off, which always works without fail.

If you really hold the “no sex until...” ultimatum over her head long enough, she’ll even pitch in and help you clean. But to be honest she kinda sucks at it so it’s sometimes better to just have her sit on the sidelines while you do all the work. She’ll jokingly suggest you clean with just an apron on (because she’s a freak like that), but you haven’t taken her up on the suggestion just yet. It’s mostly because you’ll use the “naked apron” method to further insinuate her punishment if your usual threat begins to lose its potency (because you are also a freak like that).

She’s a bad sleeping partner. Not only does she hog all the blankets and pillows, but she even stretches out her limbs over the entire bed. This usually leaves you curled up in a corner shivering your ass off until you either fall asleep via exhaustion or move to the couch. If you go to the couch, she’s 99.9% likely to wake up and join you shortly after, where she’s less of a hassle to deal with because of the limited space.

She’s a great big spoon, which is actually one of the ways you later use to solve her troublesome habits as once she latches onto you, she will not let go the rest of the evening. Unfortunately, she also snores terribly loud, but it’s nothing earbuds can’t fix.

Some might think she sleeps in something flattering, maybe even a bit scanty. That couldn’t be any further from the truth. Her pj’s are decades-old shirts and gym shorts that she never got around to getting rid of. If not that, she’ll sleep completely naked and she doesn’t care if someone walks in on her with the covers off. She’ll only ever wear lingerie or other promiscuous pieces of clothing if she has intentions of getting between your legs and rocking your world for the rest of the night.

I think it goes without saying that she looks great in lace, but as hot as she may look, she really likes seeing you dressed up in something risque as well.

If you’re female, she sometimes likes to wear matching lingerie sets with you, but her favorite material to see you in is leather, especially those harness-styled sets that squeeze your flesh all around.

If you’re male, she’s a complete sucker for a man in a clean-cut, custom-tailored suit and will take it off as soon as you put it on. Hope you don’t mind losing a button or two, because she will pop them off for sure when she rips your dress shirt off of you.

To all my gender-neutral folks, It’s never too late to whip out that naked apron I mentioned earlier! Or a leather jacket. Everyone looks great in a leather jacket!

Yuki’s diet is fucking terrible. You’re a decent cook, but despite this, all she ever seems to want is greasy take-out food that makes you wonder how the hell she’s still so fit after witnessing her down three chicken burritos in one sitting. Even when the two of you are abroad and are able to try out different types of cuisines not so readily available in Japan, she’ll still want to go out to a fast food joint that you can easily find everywhere. You’ve tried to get her to branch out of her comfort zone and eat somewhat healthier alternatives of her favorite foods, but so far you’ve gotten mixed results.

In summary: Yuki is a pretty outgoing person and sometimes can be a bit of a hassle to deal with, but she’s clearly ambitious and moves to the tune of her own beat. Her goal of finding and effectively eliminating the source of all curses is a testament to the fact that she wants to save future generations from having to carry the burden sorcerers have been carrying for thousands of years. Her goals are not only for the sake of the people who will come after her, but also for the sake of her future with you. You’re someone she genuinely cares for and wishes to spend the rest of her life with, evident by the numerous times she’s come clean to you about her fears of you dying when she isn't around to protect you or of her dying and leaving you behind to mourn during late-night pillow talks in hotels or in your shared home. A future where you and her can travel the world and truly take in and enjoy the sights and wonders instead of searching for an answer to one of the world’s greatest phenomenon is a future worth fighting for, even if she’s met with some pushback or the end goal seems like nothing more than a pipedream at times. So long as you’re there with her to see her research bear fruit, she’ll keep testing and coming up with new methods to eliminate curses permanently, no matter the extremes her research takes her to.

#jujutsu kaisen #jujutsu kaisen x reader #jujutsu kaisen headcanons #jjk x reader #yuki tsukumo #tsukumo yuki #jjk #writing #reader insert #gender neutral reader #female reader #male reader #jjk headcanons #minors dni

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carriagelamp · 3 years

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Weirdly enough, I often find myself reading less in the summer, since I have more time than I do during the rest of the year to do other things. Also artfight has been eating up more than a bit of my free time! But here’s a collection a graphic novels I sat around on the hammock reading, and some novels I finished up...

(Everyone go read All Systems Red, holy crow guys)

A Whale of the Wild

The “sequel” to A Wolf Called Wander, though it doesn’t actually connect to the previous novel except in the stylistic/thematic sense. A Whale of the Wild is very much a standalone novel. And a pretty decent one! Personally, I think I liked Wolf more, but this one was a pleasant, informative read, with just the right amount of crushing dread sprinkled in. It’s about a young orca called Vega who is learning to become a new wayfinder for her pod but who still has a lot to learn, especially in an ocean that is becoming increasingly hostile to orcas and the other sealife that live alongside humans. When a devastating earthquake hits, Vega and her little brother find themselves separated from their family, lost in a now horrifyingly unfamiliar environment, and fighting starvation as the salmon that sustain them become more and more unreliable. It’s a desperate fight for survival as they search for food and their missing family. This book is written for a middle grade level, and does a really good job of putting the current environmental crisis into an animal’s perspective while giving the readers something to hope for.

The Adventure Zone: The Crystal Kingdom

Every July I eagerly anticipate the next Adventure Zone graphic novel. This one is for their fourth arc, The Crystal Kingdom, in which Magnus, Taako, and Merle respond to a SOS from a floating laboratory that is gradually being consumed by crystals and which threatens the entire world should it fall into the ocean. Carey Pietsch’s art continues to be absolutely fantastic, so beautifully and hilariously expressive, and this one delivers some great Merle moments, lots of Carey Fangbattle, and, of course, Kravtiz. Kravitz, my beloved…

Anyway, I obviously always recommend these. If you’ve never gotten into The Adventure Zone, I totally recommend either trying these graphic novels — or even better, just go listen to the podcast because it really is both hilarious and creates a shockingly good and heart-wrenching story by the end.

All Systems Red

I’ve seen The Murderbot Diaries on my dash occasionally, and it always looked interesting, but a friend’s recommendation finally compelled me to read the first novella of the series. And holy shit y’all. Absolutely the best book I’ve read this month, it’s amazing. Mind-blowingly good. Also, if you’re like me and want a good audiobook, it’s a nice three-hour listen, very chill!

Anyway, All Systems Red is about a Security Unit, an artificially created being that’s part-organic part-mechanical and all-company-owned-and-controlled. However, self-named “Murderbot” has managed to hack into the system that suppresses its own will, and is now coasting along, doing the least amount of work its job requires not to be noticed, while preferring to spend all its time watching the hours and hours of soap operas it has downloaded into its brain. And it’s a tolerable if somewhat dull life, until the science team that it's currently rented to is attacked and the whole mission goes pear-shaped. Suddenly Murderbot has to scramble to keep its humans alive… while its humans scramble with the realization that their “SecUnit” isn’t actually a mindless robot like they had all believed...

This story is both gripping and hilariously funny. Murderbot has such a unique voice and perspective and it’s an absolute pleasure to follow its story. I reallly need to read the next book...

Asterix and the Banquet

A classic. I was startled when I realized I hadn’t actually read this Asterix story… but hell I’m not gonna complain, it lets me read one of the originals for the first time again! In this Asterix volume, the Indomitable Gauls and the Romans end up arranging a bet — the Romans intend to keep them under siege, trapped in their village, while Asterix is confident that he can easily evade them… and will prove it by going on a tour around all of Gaul, collecting iconic foods from each region in order to return and put on a fine banquet. So we get a fantastic adventure in which Asterix and Obelix run all over the country, pursued the whole way, while making cheerful stops at the various eateries along the way. Also the first book Dogmatix shows up in! All around, a wonderful read, fun like all the best Asterix comics are.

Beauty Pop v4

A less impressive graphic novel. The first Beauty Pop is one of my guilty pleasure manga because… it really is pretty stupid but in the best possible ways. I mean, the whole thing is framed around hairstyling battles, like a shojo sports manga without the sports. It’s bonkers. Unfortunately, the series does not really manage to hold up, and it really begins to feel repetitive and dragging as it continues… as a lot of series like this do. *shrug* Unsurprising but still kinda disappointing I suppose. The building three-way romantic tension is mildly interesting if for no other reason than the main character Does Not Notice and Does Not Care about any of it, which is amusing and refreshing.

FRNCK v5

Now this series only gets better and better as it goes. This is the first book of the second arc, and somehow the danger just seems to be ramping up and up and up. The cavefamily have lost their home… as well as Léonard and Gargouille. Heartbroken, shocked, and angry, Franck is the one who ends up shouldering the blame for their presumed deaths as the others mourn. Things only get worse when Franck finds himself separated from the family, and in the territory of another tribe, this one hostile and cannibalistic...

Haikyuu v5

I continue to read this series because it continues to be charming… though it is beginning to feel, maybe, just a little repetitive. Kind of an inevitability with sports manga. But so far it continues to be good enough to overcome that. I’m not sure what I can say about this series that I haven’t already, so I’ll simply say it continues to be one of the most impressive sports manga I’ve read, and the author does a fantastic job of creating engaging characters, fleshed out teams, and really compelling relationships. I do genuinely adore all the main members of Crows, along with a number of characters from the rival teams as well. And of course it has some kickass volleyball scenes that are just drawn so dramatically they can’t help but take your breath away a little.

M*A*S*H Goes To Maine

Meh. The original book of the series was actually quite good in my opinion. This one… considerably less so. The first part I enjoyed more, since it was about Hawkeye, Trapper, Duke, and Oliver Jones trying to set up the FinestKind Clinic and Fishmarket in Crabapple Cove (which… is just the best premise I could have ever asked for). However, the book spends most of its time describing the quirky lives and times of other people living in the area and I… just… don’t care. It was funny at times but… I just don’t care. I wanted to hear more about the main cast. Also I found this book felt more racist and misogynistic than the first which also put me off :/ Wouldn’t bother if I were you. Go read the first book instead, or better yet just watch the TV show which is an obvious banger.

My Heart’s in the Highlands

I have had this on my “currently reading” list for so long but I’m officially giving up. It’s a really good book in theory but my god I can’t get over the pacing.

It’s about Lady Jane, a woman studying medicine in Edinburgh in 1888, and who suddenly finds herself back in the Highlands in the 13th century. Lost and confused, Jane is now at the mercy Clan Donald’s hospitality while she tries to adjust to this new world and hunts for her broken time machine. Fortunately, this hospitality include a burgeoning friendship with a red-haired warrior woman, Ainslie nic Dòmhnaill, who opens Jane’s eyes to the way the world could be.

Listen. It drives me nuts. This book should be completely up my alley, it has everything I like — IT HAS ALL OF ITS HISTORICAL FOOTNOTES CITED AT THE BACK, LITTLE EXTRA DETAILS ABOUT EVERY CHAPTER. THAT’S MY SHIT RIGHT THERE. DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH I LIKE BEING ABLE TO GO OVER HISTORICAL DETAILS?? AND WELL RESEARCHED FOOTNOTES?? And yet it doesn’t. Fucking. Work for me. It has a kickass Scottish warrior lady as a love interest! It has a badass lady doctor! It has fish-out-of-water culture shock! But it also has a completely meandering plot, no sense of building tension, and a romance that just happens out of nowhere and feels completely unearned and uninteresting.

I would genuinely just rather read Outlander again, which I know has its own host of problems, but at least Outlander felt exciting and interesting and tense and funny. The romance built in fits and starts, it was complicated, and kept me interested. That book had me hooked (and has me hooked every time I reread it) whereas this book I’ve been sadly picking at for months like its a plate of overcooked spinach. This felt like an attempt at a queer, historically accurate knockoff which I would normally be super into but which just could not stick the landing.

Moomin on the Riviera

My first time actually reading anything from the Moomin canon. I have zero idea how to feel about it! It certainly is as feral as I’ve heard described! Overall, I think I enjoyed it but it sure made me feel strange emotions I didn’t know existed. I’m not even going to try to describe it. Read it if you want a batshit insane anti-capitalist comic.

Surviving the City

This was good in some areas, less good in others. It had a very interesting indigenous perspective on life in the modern city, the foster system, and The Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women issue, which I’ve never seen handled in a book before. Something about the pacing did not completely click with me and I found myself getting easily distracted, but it’s definitely worth the read just to experience it and look at the issues it deals with through the characters’ (and author’s) eyes. It did give me a lot to think about and wrestle with, which is sometimes the best thing a book can give you.

Torchwood: Pack Animals

A really fun read, more so than I had ever expected! If you like Torchwood and want more stories about the team before everything goes to shit, this is perfect for that. It includes the entire cast, an interest mystery to be unravelled, lots of slavering monsters, Rhys being really wonderful and sweet (which I didn’t know I wanted until I read this book), and all the humour I expect from Torchwood. I had to send a lot of quotes to my long-suffering girlfriend who a) does not watch this show but b) needs to tolerate it because I find it too funny to keep to myself. It was good enough to make me go out another book of the series since this was the only one my library carried.

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notsoinnocentlittleangel · 2 years

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🍐🍉🍌🍊🍓🥝

Fruity Symbols

🍐 : how intelligent is my muse overall? are they smarter than the average person, or less than? are they primarily self-taught, or did they acquire most of their knowledge in school? are they more street smart or book smart?

Joanna has decent intelligence in certain areas. She has good survival instincts when it comes to dealing with other people, although this is tempered somewhat by her tendency to react without thinking things through. She’s linguistically talented and can pick up languages quickly. Her grades in school suffered as she turned rebellious and got in trouble in high school, but she usually still did well in English and Spanish. While she has a certain rough way of speaking that shows she’s not the most educated person, she has a certain way with using words that can be a little surprising. Overall though, she’s not great at most school subjects. She has some ability to fix things due to her time working on cars, but it does depend on what it is. She’s much better at learning things by doing than having them outright taught to her.

🍉 : which of the four seasons suits my muse best, and why?

Probably spring. She likes flowers, it’s when a lot of animals come out in greater numbers, the temperature’s usually more comfortable. But then there are also allergies...

🍌 : is my muse inclined to help others, or will they only do it when it benefits them, if at all? what makes them this way? has it ever gotten them into trouble, or inconvenienced them?

Joanna has a soft spot for young kids and the elderly, and will usually go out of her way to help them. She’ll also go out of her way to help out anyone she’s close to, out of a sense of loyalty. She’ll usually help someone she thinks really needs it. She’ll help other women who’ve run into trouble with either other women or especially men, as she often has been one of the only women around a bunch of men in her life, but it can depend on the situation. Generally, Joanna hates it when anyone abuses power, no matter who it is. And it has got her in trouble at times.

🍊 : does my muse desire romance? is it something they would actively seek out, or prefer to happen more ‘ naturally? ’ what is their love life like? do they have any exes or past flings, or crushes?

Joanna really wants to get married and have kids one day. She was married once, soon after high school, and it was not a good marriage. She doesn’t really think it’s going to happen for her, but is hopeful. She’s typically been in short relationships since then. One side of her backstory has her in a longer relationship with another one of my characters, as Joanna started out solely as a girlfriend/ex-girlfriend who got more development because I got interested. If I was writing them in a book, they’d probably end up together, but that’s not usually the case for RP.

🍓 : how is my muse typically seen by others? does it ring true to who they really are? does their reputation matter to them?

Joanna has a reputation as either a wild or a “bad girl” type, caused by sometimes acting reckless, so it’s justified to a point. People often get a bad impression because she’s not usually shy about her thoughts and often surprises people with how direct and blunt she can be.

🥝 : does my muse have any ‘ unusual ’ habits, interests, and / or talents? do they hide it, or are they proud of it?

Her interest in cars is often seen as unusual since she’s a woman. Pointing this out to her will result in annoyance, amusement, or having her spouting off at you, depending on her mood and exactly how someone expresses the view.

For people who know her, Joanna’s interest in romantic stories and movies can often come as a surprise, because Joanna doesn’t give off the vibe of a woman into that kind of thing. This is perhaps the one aspect of her life she tends to hide-- you have to be very close to her for her to willingly allow you to know this about her, as it’s one of the very few things she’s embarrassed about people finding out.

#About

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yaku-soba · 3 years

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we’re planets in orbit, and i’m okay with this collision course

༶•┈┈ general m.list

༶•┈┈ amanai kanoka x f!reader | pining, angst, eventual fluff

tags/warnings: swear words, best friends to one-sided sapphic pining to astronaut analogies to lovers, author brings back the space metaphors for another round of what is happening, lots of pining, the lyrics to space oddity

word count: 3.2k

a/n: may i humbly suggest you listen to love you forever by takayan while reading this </3

synopsis: If Kanoka’s oxygen, and loving her is the vast expanse of space, you’re the astronaut setting herself adrift with a single oxygen tank and equally copious amounts of hope and resignation.

Or: loving Kanoka will end in heartbreak. You might as well be greedy about how it happens.

»»------------- ------------- ------------- ¤ ------------- ------------- -------------««

“Kanoka-chan!” The both of you look up from your lunchboxes to see your class president waving at your best friend. There’s an excited flush high on her cheeks, the same shade as the neck of the boy who’s hovering nervously outside your classroom.

Ah, you think a little forlornly, as Kanoka shoots you an apologetic smile and a murmured promise of be back soon, trying not to look at the way her skirt sweeps the back of her thighs, just shy of the back of her knees.

“Another one?” You hear someone say.

“I wish she’d leave some for the rest of us,” another girl jokes, and you pick disinterestedly at the last of the tuna in your lunch.

Kanoka likes tuna. I’ll give it to her when she comes back, you tell yourself, as if you don’t already know how this will turn out.

You wait five, ten minutes. She doesn’t come back. One of your friends - Aika - takes Kanoka’s seat in front of you, pushing her closed lunchbox to the side as she leans over the table to whisper in your ear that that was the captain of the baseball team, isn’t he just dreamy?

“Yeah,” you say, because that’s what you’ve heard everyone else say, “didn’t they go to nationals last year?”

Predictably, Aika swoons. “He did,” she sighs, resting her chin in her hands, casting a longing glance at the closed door of your classroom, “it’s really too bad that Kanoka-chan’s going to turn him down.”

You hum, feigning interest. Your eyes drift to the wooden door too, and you can’t help but wonder where Kanoka’s taken him. Nonchalantly, you add, “Yeah, she’s hung up on her childhood crush, isn’t she?”

Aika wails into her palms. “A waste,” she mutters, “he’s not even in this school.”

Privately, you can’t help but agree. What a waste.

A glance at the clock tells you it’s been fifteen minutes since Kanoka had left with the boy with the tan skin and the big hands and the sunshine smile.

You eat the tuna.

Kanoka slides back into class a sliver of a second before the bell that signals the end of lunch rings, smiling sheepishly.

»»------------- ------------- ------------- ¤ ------------- ------------- -------------««

It’s lunch again, and this time, you’re on the roof.

“What happened with Seiji-kun?” Kaori asks.

Ah, the baseball captain. You try not to grimace. Seiji’s nice, after all - you used to sit next to him, in middle school. He’s sweet and kind and everything a girl who isn’t you would love in a boyfriend.

Except you don’t want a boyfriend. You just want Kanoka.

Aika scoffs, digging somewhat vehemently into her bento. “She turned him down,” she eyes Kanoka the way a housecat eyes mice, “like every other guy who’s confessed.”

“Sorry, Aika-chan,” your best friend apologizes, embarrassed and sincere, and it grates uncomfortably on your nerves.

“You don’t have to apologize,” the words are out of your mouth before you can think twice, “it’s totally up to you, you know, whoever you date. Or don’t.” You don’t look up from your lunch while you’re saying this, and belatedly, you hope that the edge to your voice is imagined, that you don’t sound as bitter as you feel.

“It’s fine,” Kanoka is quick to reassure after a moment of painful silence, and all it does is make you feel worse. Stop apologizing, you want to tell her, it makes me want to kiss you to shut you up.

“No,” Aika says, “Y/n’s right.” She sighs, and a pair of chopsticks come into view, dropping a cherry tomato in your lunchbox. “I was just hungry for gossip.” There’s a hint of playfulness in her tone, and you can’t help but feel relieved, even as it sears disgust deep in your stomach.

(You’re always so selfish.)

Kaori laughs. “I guess it’s good for his ego to be turned down every once in a while,” she giggles, and the last of the tension is broken. “Besides, all Kanoka needs is us, right?”

“Of course,” Kanoka replies, smiling that smile of hers - the one that makes your fingers go weak till you can’t pop the lid off a can, the one that you’ve had a crush on since middle school - and it’s what you wanted but not enough and it hurts so damn much.

All you’ve ever wanted is Kanoka.

»»------------- ------------- ------------- ¤ ------------- ------------- -------------««

The next time another boy calls Kanoka out of class - because of course someone does - you’ve got tuna in your lunchbox again.

Aika and Kaori plop onto the seats next to and in front of you, throwing around names and giggling the way they always do when there’s a confession.

“Kanoka-chan’s really popular, isn’t she,” Aika says enviously, and out of the corner of your eye, you see Kaori reach over to pat her on the shoulder.

“A real heartbreaker,” she agrees, and you’re foolish enough to hope that that’s the end of that. You try not to stare back when they turn to you expectantly, cautiously picking up an egg roll, feeling like a rat before a snake, deer before a lioness. Maybe if you move slowly and carefully enough, they’ll lose interest.

No such luck. “Though she’s nothing like Y/n-chan,” Aika says, “at least Kanoka-chan’s nice about her rejections.”

You frown. “I’m nice about it too,” you mumble defensively, fending off Kaori’s chopsticks when they attempt to sneak away an eggroll.

“Sorry,” Aika intones flatly, “I’m not interested.” Kaori breaks into laughter at her impression, and you scowl into your bento.

“You’re insufferable,” you complain, depositing your tuna into Aika’s lunchbox anyway.

“Is that what you said to Hirata-kun from 2-8 last week?” Kaori asks sweetly, and you stick your tongue out at her in retaliation.

Aika sighs, flopping back in her seat dramatically. “Really, the two of you could have any guy you wanted. Your popularity is wasted on you.”

You force a smile on your face. I never said I wanted a guy, you want to say, all I’ve ever wanted is Kanoka. “It’s not my fault I’m good at everything,” you tease, “maybe if you’d pair up with Kanoka and I more often in gym, you’d learn to keep up.”

“But the two of you are always so intense,” Kaori whines, “everything’s a competition with you two.”

“I hate you,” Aika adds, but there’s no real heat behind it. “You get everything - didn’t you weasel your way out of detention just yesterday?”

Chewing on the last of your lunch, you look up just in time to see Kanoka sliding the door to your class open. “Fujimura-sensei has a soft spot for me,” you say in explanation.

And isn’t that the truth - the whole, terrible, painful truth. You’re decent with your grades and competitive in gym; and everything that everyone else had wanted, like popularity and confessions from the guys in the sports clubs, you’ve gotten.

Of course it's fitting that the one thing you really want, the one person you’ve every wanted a confession from, is the one you absolutely can’t, will never have.

All you’ve ever wanted is Kanoka. It makes sense that she’s the only thing you’ll never have.

»»------------- ------------- ------------- ¤ ------------- ------------- -------------««

There is no way that this will end in anything less than heartbreak. You've always known this, since that precise moment in middle school when you’d realized that other girls don’t always want to run their hands down the sides of their other girl friends, don’t stay awake at night wondering what their lips feel like, the way you do when you think of Kanoka.

And you think of Kanoka a lot.

It’s not just about the way her hair shines beneath the sunlight streaming in from the classroom windows, or the way her face glows from the inside out like a miniature sun when she smiles, or that one week in your first year of high school when she’d hit a sudden growth spurt and the school skirts a size bigger than her old ones were out of stock.

It’s about the way she likes to chew with all her food on one side of her mouth, like a hamster. It’s the way she looks on the court, focused and hungry for the victory you’re always sure she’d get. It’s the way she says your name, all soft and excited, the way your hands brush on the walk home like two planets on a collision course, the way you think you could hear her talk in a language you don’t understand and never get bored.

You could look at her forever and still find yourself breathless, like an astronaut floating in space with an empty oxygen tank. And, well, isn’t that just terrible?

There’s a movie you’d watched once, with Kanoka warm along your entire left side as you’d cuddled on her couch, like a furnace, like phantom warmth the seconds before eternal sleep in the midst of a blizzard. The astronaut had been trapped on a ship without fuel, the oxygen levels low. And maybe it didn’t matter whether he’d stayed on the ship or floated out into space with the single oxygen tank left - he’d die anyway, and he knew it. In the end, he’d chosen to die out in space, looking at the world he’d died to see, and it hadn’t been sad so much as it had been admirable.

Kanoka makes you feel like that astronaut must have felt, in those final few seconds.

You have a crush on your best friend, and she’s in love with someone else. There’s no way this will end in anything less than heartbreak, but really, all you are is a satellite in orbit around Kanoka, and even though you know that you’ve set yourself up on a collision course, you don’t think you’re able to pull away.

You’re going to have your heart broken either way, you remember realizing as Kanoka falls asleep on your shoulder and the credits roll - you might as well be greedy about the way it happens.

»»------------- ------------- ------------- ¤ ------------- ------------- -------------««

When Kanoka calls you at night, while she’s away for the Spring High tournament, it’s about that childhood crush of hers from elementary school.

“Tanaka-kun likes someone else,” is the first thing she says when you pick up, and even with the crackling static you can tell that she’s on the verge of tears. “I was so stupid,” your best friend says, and you really, really, want to say me too, that makes two of us, “it’s been years, I should be happy he even remembers me.”

You let her sniffle into the phone for a while. Sometimes she just needs to get it out of her system, and you’ve known her for long enough now to know that this is one of those times.

“You know,” you say once the frequency of the sniffling decreases, and you have a sudden, disjointed thought that this feels a little like that one english song - Ground Control to Major Tom; can you hear me, Major Tom? “Kanoka-chan, didn’t you go to nationals for something else?”

Maybe it’s the wrong thing to say. But you’ve never been one to baby others.

“Yeah,” Kanoka says into the receiver after a moment, and her voice sounds a lot steadier now, less like she’s floating in space, “I went to win.”

You hum into the phone, and lying on the bed on your back like this, you can kind of see the stars in the night sky if you crane your neck to peer out the window by your bed.

You end the call a while after that. She’s got a match tomorrow, after all, and she needs her sleep.

You let your phone loll out of your hand and onto the sheets. Fumbling blindly, you manage to lift the blinds up a little further.

The stars look very different today, for here am I sitting in a tin can far above the world, you mouth the lyrics, and something in you aches to the beat of the dial at the end of a call, planet Earth is blue and there's nothing I can do.

You watch Kanoka play on live television the next day. She’s amazing, as she always is, and you wish you were there in the stands.

Though I'm past one hundred thousand miles, I'm feeling very still, and I think my spaceship knows which way to go.

You and Kanoka have always been planets in orbit, and you’ve convinced yourself that you’re okay with the collision course you’re on.

It’s not, you and Kanoka have always been planets in orbit, but you’ve convinced yourself that you’re okay with the collision course you’re on. It’s and, and that makes all the difference.

»»------------- ------------- ------------- ¤ ------------- ------------- -------------««

“Remember that movie we watched in middle school? About the astronaut with no oxygen?” The question slips out of your mouth before you can think twice. You have an odd sense of deja vu.

Kanoka hums, chewing her tuna onigiri thoughtfully. You indulge yourself by allowing your eyes to trace the slope of her neck and the line of her jaw, outlined by the fading orange of the sunset. “Yeah,” she says after a moment, “it was really sad.”

Yeah, it’s sad. What’s sadder is that it’s happening to you on a daily basis.

Instead, you say, “I was thinking of doing my art assignment on that,” and you really don’t know why you’d even brought this up in the first place.

“That’s so cool,” Kanoka tells you earnestly, and you fight the urge to brush off the grain of rice stuck on her chin. Looking is fine, looking is all you’ll allow yourself. “Though I still don’t really understand why he’d choose to drift into space. Wouldn’t he have lived longer if he’d waited in the ship?”

You try not to smile to bitterly as you answer, “I guess he figured that if he was going to die either way, looking into space the way he’d wanted to was a pretty good way to go.”

Kanoka frowns. “He could have done that from inside the ship,” she argues, and you really, really, should not feel this defensive.

“It’s different,” you insist, and your chest aches the way it had when you’d nearly drowned in the pool in elementary school, all out of oxygen, “kind of like go big or go home, you know?”

You can tell she doesn’t know. But you do, and it hurts.

“Still, maybe someone would have come if he’d stayed in the ship.”

“Yeah, maybe,” you accede, “but then he wouldn’t have had such a pretty view when he’d died. Because he was going to die anyway - no ship would have gotten there that fast.” You don’t know why you’re still on this topic, why you’d brought this up in the first place. It’s like you’re masochistic or something.

“You don’t know that for sure,” your best friend says softly, an expression that feels oddly familiar and yet entirely alien on her face, and suddenly you feel like you’ve missed something, stumbled unknowingly into a whole other conversation.

“But I do,” you say carefully, realizing belatedly that sometime in the past five minutes, you’ve both slowed to a stop. The streets are empty except for you and the best friend you have a crush for.

(You’re not in love with Kanoka. You can’t be in love with someone who doesn’t love you back. It’s a childish distinction to make, like between and and but, but it’s the only thing standing between you and the cold, oxygen-less expanse of space, and despite all your bravado you never really expected the collision to be this soon.)

Kanoka reaches out hesitantly to touch your hand, brings it up so that your fingers are as hopelessly intertwined as the hope and resignation you’ve carried since middle school. Her onigiri is gone. You wonder if it had taken the surrounding oxygen with it.

“Y/n,” she says nervously, and you hate yourself for hoping. You wonder when the last time she’d said your name without honorifics was.

You realize that this is the first time.

“Y/n,” your best friend repeats, tongue darting out to wet her lips, and it’s such a small, miniscule action - you would have missed it if you weren’t so horribly fixated on everything Kanoka - but it draws your eyes to her lips, and once it happens, you can’t look away. Caught in orbit.

And you’re so, so tired. Astronauts have to go through rigorous training to prepare them for space, but you’ve never had that. All you’ve had is a best friend who is as kind as she is tall and as pretty as she is loving.

And fuck it, you think a little hysterically, you’ve liked her for so long, and maybe this will mess your entire friendship up but you’ve liked her for so long, and maybe it will do you good to hear her rejection for what it is. Maybe it’d give you the closure you need to move on, and smile the next time a boy calls her out of class to give her snacks or a volleyball or a letter. Maybe, maybe, maybe.

(Maybe she would feel the same.

Maybe you could be in love with-)

When it looks like Kanoka isn’t going to say anything else, you do, before you lose your nerve and your mind with it. Maybe you’ve already lost it. All you are is a collection of maybe-s, now.

“Kanoka,” you yank your gaze from her lips to her eyes, large, and the love in your chest swells and swells like a supernova, “I like you. I really, really like you, and it’s terrible, and I’m-” You choke a little, “I’m sorry. I wish we wouldn’t change.”

There’s a horrible, horrible, moment when you feel like the astronaut must have felt as he let go of the cord to the ship, as he set himself adrift in the vast coffin of space. Then-

“Y/n,” and her hands are tender around yours, her skin soft like the bruised fruit of your heart, “what if we could?”

“What?” You’re lost, you’re drifting, and your lungs aren’t getting the oxygen they need.

“We could change,” your best friend says patiently, and you let yourself pretend that the red on her cheeks is a blush and not the shade of the waning sun, “because I like you too.”

Your oxygen tank runs dry. It rattles the way your heart shudders in the age of your chest, a tin can.

“Oh,” you say, and then you take a breath. “Oh,” you say again, in a tone of realization this time, and then you’re moving closer and Kanoka is too, until your noses brush like satellites and your lips meet like planets. Collision.

When you finally part for more than a few brief seconds for air, you smile. “I was always okay with this collision course,” you say into the crook of Kanoka’s neck.

“What?” You feel her try to pull away in confusion, and you allow her to, just to pull her back to you with a hand on her collar. You smile into her lips, “Nothing. Just thinking about magnetism.”

»»------------- ------------- ------------- ¤ ------------- ------------- -------------««

a/n: one day i will stop self-inserting myself into my wlw fics. today is not that day.

do lmk what you thought abt this :”) i feel kinda rusty hhh but also i am on a self-imposed quest to spread wlw angst fics <33

taglist: feel free to drop me a dm/ask to be added!

#haikyuu x reader #amanai kanoka x reader #haikyuucreations #amanai kanoka #kyouka writes

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escxpiism · 3 years

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( olivia holt, 23, she/her ) * hey, i’m looking for the office of ALICE ADAMS. they’re the EMPLOYEE who’s known around the office as THE MASK if that helps ? not to be a gossip, but i’ve heard that they’re ADAPTABLE but JADED, is that true ? i also heard that they’re the one who CATFISHED DAVID HASSELHOFF. anyways, here’s the coffee they ordered.

hi y’all !! i’m may ( 21 // est // she/her ) and i am super super pumped to be here !! i’m also very much writing this against my better judgment ya girl’s running on four hours of sleep and has the option to sleep more but......... is not tired ?? so i do apologize if my mind is secretly tired and makes this intro,,,, even worse than it would be fahouedn. on with the show !! anyway anyway!! feel free to like this if u wld like 2 plot and i will hit u up!!

( also, for some vibes if you so choose to read, here’s the link to her playlist ! )

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

QUICK FACTS:

full name: alice audrey adams

date of birth: october 26th, 1997

*will not perfectly reflect the zodiac big three below because that’s.... math.

zodiac big three: scorpio sun, virgo moon, taurus rising

gender & pronouns: cis woman & she/her

sexual orientation: bisexual

education: ged, bachelor’s degree in film — pratt institute

enneagram: 4w3

mbti: enfp

temperament: sanguine-melancholic

label: the mask

various inspirations: “nutshell” - alice in chains, “santa monica” - everclear, “polly” - nirvana, “jennifer’s body” - hole, “creep” - stone temple pilots, kate wallis ( cruel summer - shhhh ), heather davis ( crazy ex-girlfriend ), satana hellstrom ( marvel comics ), bojack horseman - without the amount of problematic ego ( bojack horseman ), eddie huang ( fresh off the boat ), the great britney spears evolution ( temporarily stopping at circus era )

BACKSTORY:

triggers in order: toxic family dynamic, grooming (nothing super in-depth), kidnapping (? like it was ‘willing’ but no. see next trigger for why), toxic “relationship” (and 11yr age gap w/ a 16y/o we hate it), straight-up captivity, very brief mention of suicide + heroin (very!)

*would like to quickly preface that this isn’t just Dark for the sake of being r/im14andthisisdeep but that’s for a later time **(also! i have markers for where the grooming + Super Dark parts begin and end! -- also, the Super Dark part is all very public knowledge. had articles. media frenzy. first thing that comes up if you google her name) *** also. if u need it then a tl;dr is below this section hfkldsa

alice audrey adams was born to the type of family that names all of their children alliterative names ( however, they sadly didn’t get their own kardashian-style show )... alexis adams (working name, utp if taken as a wc)... alfie allison adams (working name, utp if taken as a wc)... born to anna adams and allen adams... we hate it here.

as u can see... all of the kids were basically named after allen... they all had ‘al’ names.... extremely confusing

plot-twist: THAT’S the darkest part

the adams were very concerned with public image. as a family in the upper echelon, they simply had to be! a narcissist father, a distant mother, put in competition with her siblings — there was no truly healthy dynamic in the household. but they looked good. they went to church every sunday, a ‘wwjd’ sticker on the back of her mother’s car. they did just enough activities and took just enough trips together to get the image across. they threw parties. they attended parties. they were the picture perfect american family — they even had two cats in the yard! life used to be so hard!

of course, in reality, this all left ms alice quite the lonely gal. but don’t worry! she didn’t turn to hedonism! lord no! instead, she turned to other people. a lot of friendships — couldn’t tell if they were real or #fortheclout — but at a point, did it matter?

grooming tw: it all came to a screeching halt when she met luke johnson, the son of their neighbors. he came back from california to georgia to visit family, care for his ailing father. oh, he was a good man! sure, he was ‘somewhat’ older than her — 27 when she was 16 — but he was such a good, handsome young man! and they were all still calling him young man, after all.

alice ‘began’ a torrid affair with luke after about a month into his visit. although she saw no immediate wrong in it, he insisted she keep it a secret ‘for the time being’ — which really just made it all the more exciting! he made all the storm clouds that hovered disappear.

one day, the levee broke for alice (still figuring out what exactly happened because i don’t wanna go too dark since this is already extremely dark, but trust that it had something to do with her parents and was just enough to push her over the edge). convinced luke was the only safe person, she turned to him. knowing their small community would catch on and essentially exile him, he took that opportunity to convince her to go back to santa monica with him where they could ‘start anew’ after his father’s death.

there are a few details i plan on adding regarding like. how legality playing into it. but i may just reserve those for an official bio lhakfsdfj

**BEGINNING OF SUPER DARK** for a while, there was the question of whether they should consider it a kidnapping or not. she went with him willingly, but she was still underage (and… you know, that age difference… the power dynamic... gross y’all). the adams insisted that it was (bc it basically was lbr) — primarily because it would make them look far better — but the community still questioned the logistics and legalities of it all… ugh. did the police really wanna deal with that? ugh.

in any case, on the other side of us america, autumn was nearing. alice would have the very occasional inquiry over how school would work (very occasional! don’t worry, luke!), over the logistics of her new life… and, after receiving multiple calls from various friends (in addition to her siblings) that sounded genuine, began wondering… if she’d made the right choice. questions about him.

when she began bringing up the idea of going back — at least for the school year!! — he would continuously remind her that she was not old enough to buy herself a plane ticket (and he was not about to do that). she also couldn’t rent a car yet (and he certainly wouldn’t let her take (one of) his car(s)!). but most importantly? he loved her. and she loved him. (what a creep!)

so, for a hot second, it seemed like she was stuck. damn legalities!! damn love!! you know, until she texted her older sister back with all of the problems that only being 16... and “in love”.... caused. her sister offered to fly down, buy her a plane ticket, and fly back with her.

when luke saw this (with all the unrestricted access to her phone he had so he could block, delete, and manipulate as he pleased), he confronted her. things went awry. she wound up in his budding wine cellar (which he soon emptied, of course… those merlots :( ….). he messaged back and, as her, said it was actually all good!! luke had figured out the logistics and she could call whenever she wanted!!

and those calls became frequent! because she would pick up when luke held it up to her! because she was pretty sure luke would kill her if she didn’t!

she wasn’t sure how long it was until she was officially Found. it took what was ruled a suicide by luke, a shot to the head and heroin in his system, to finally get any authority’s attention. all she knew was that she went to santa monica in mid june and she stopped seeing regular daylight by late july. so some time in august to some time in april… **END OF SUPER DARK + GROOMING**

she was returned to georgia shortly after and everything was different. from herself to her friends. but everything was also the same. from her room to her family. it was all… teasing. she began going to therapy, but she really sucked at it?? so she just let her therapist rely on various articles that covered the event. because it had been a media circus. good enough, amirite??

she didn’t have the will or patience to put on that peppy facade she’d had before, but there were still a few things she found a smidge of joy in. music (although her taste had… slightly altered and wow! it’d been almost a year since she’d picked up that bass!), videography… just those small things, you know??

for the first half of the ~ 2014 fall semester ~, she attempted actual school. really was not working out. with, for probably the first and only time, her parents’ approval and understanding, she dropped out and studied for a ged -- shorter and self-led -- instead.

she passed with a pretty decent grade... but it’s been argued that she really shouldn’t have gotten into pratt institute (she was at least realistic and didn’t apply to, like… cornell), but she did. national news helps.

while in the concrete jungle where dreams are made of, she learned of masters. she submitted an application as a joke — because her grades sucked!!!!! — but guess who got a job?? oh, she could pretend it was because her selected portfolio was actually genuinely good… but, man… we all know…

fun fact: my uncle applied to harvard as a joke. some twenty-five years later, we still haven’t heard back :\

she… continues to suck. like… she kinda wants the place to eventually burn down?? figuratively speaking (or is it…) but ya, for all the monopolizing she has seen turn people Evil?? but the hell can she do about it… just gotta make sure she keeps her in-house videographer job… maybe she can do something about it when she like… is capable. fuaihoelwdjkn

she sees an in-house therapist and i’d say ‘good for her,’ but it was mandated l m a o

doesn’t talk about herself all that much!! but that might not matter for some people, yk?? ugh journalism <3

y’all im so bad at ending intros.

TL;DR:

(consult above trigger list): bright kid in a super rich and toxic family because obviously. everything they did was just to look good <3 also they all had ‘a’ names which is the biggest tragedy of all :( ‘fell in love’ when she was 16ys/o with a 27y/o who was visiting to care for his father in his final days. had a torrid affair. creep. creep (luke) basically made her ‘fall in love.’ she thought creep was the only safe person at one point and creep was like ‘wanna go back 2 santa monica w me?’ and she was like ‘yes.’ and everyone was like ‘was this kidnapping... we cant tell....’ then he became even more possessive when she started questioning him and some logistics. when she finally found a way she could go back to georgia for a spell, he was like ‘no u can go in my wine cellar btw i will be taking all of the wine out.’ he kept her there from august to april and... only reason he didnt keep keeping her was bc he was Caught so. back to georgia where the devil went down. everything was Worse. even the things that were the same. but hey, the sob story that landed her in the news plenty of times got her into a college she shouldn’t have gotten into and gave her a leg-up in a joke application for a job at masters (in-house videographer). really bad at doing her work but like... fuck the man i guess??

PERSONALITY + HEADCANONS:

has no time for Fake Nice (which, as a born southerner, she’s really good at sniffing out!). has no time for arrogance. kind of makes her at odds with the nyc upper class...

on that note, still got a lil bit of some georgia twang

she lets herself indulge in various vices, but has left a previous hedonist status. weed and alcohol are still pretty common, but everything else is kept at arm’s length.

also, while on that topic, she Does Not drink wine. being trapped in a cellar... kinda makes u averse. like. literally despises it. will go on autopilot and make it KNOWN if offered wine.

also ALSO while on that topic, after looking it up and seeing she fits the new york city requirements, she has a medical marijuana card <3 the one good thing, if u ask her, to come out of therapy/psychiatry <3 will not show it off unless absolutely NECESSARY bc then it gets personal or <3 will lie about why and say it’s like for epilepsy or sumn unless ur rolfe but <3 she has it <3

at odds with herself. enjoys the company of others, definitely has a history of being an extrovert, but has become very selective with the company she keeps.

VERY private person! has had enough public standing!

...has occasionally used her story to advance her tho bc it’s her national newsworthy tragic story and she can exploit it if she wants <3

when good charlotte said “i don’t wanna be in love”?? she felt that. her last ‘relationship’ ruined that for her <3 save her <3

used to be really into pop! bc pop is fun! she loved some britney (i mean... she still does... how can u not!)! but. her taste has changed drastically. rarely listens to pop. has traded britney for like.... hole and the like.

her parents didn’t use this as the basis for her name but,, 2 me,,, she’s named alice for a reason <3 gotta luv alice in chains <3

y’all i found a youtube comment on a video called ‘nirvana - half the man i used to be’ (the song was, in fact, ‘creep’ by stone temple pilots) and it’s <3 her music taste <3 click here for it <3

the above said, dresses like she’s in seattle in the early 90s.

her rumor is true btw she DID catfish david hasselhoff and she will proudly tell u. it’s her best accomplishment.

completely stopped talking to her parents and got cut-off a while back ago so now she’s livin like the Prols

which is how a rich kid one of my profs once advised referred to his classmates.... hilarity ensues.

the above in mind, her parents say she’s testing the waters as a ‘normal person’ to save face. they can’t have anyone knowing their family isn’t perfect <3

she has a pet turtle whom she named “dr. turtle,” although he’s constantly referred to as “doc” or “the doc.” he has his own youtube channel and tiktok account.

she has a wall full of evidence that courtney love did not kill kurt cobain... it makes sense, believe me.

became a vegetarian...... partially because it was different from her original life and a way to control something, partially because this commercial made her feel SO BAD.

literally her default mode is stoned like... a totally sober alice is rarer than a nessie sighting

when she was 18, before she could ‘hold her liquor’ as well as she can now, she got a lil too drunk and now has a portrait tattoo of courtney love on her forearm. but it was done well at least!!

kind of ironic considering her career, but RARELY posts on any social media site except twitter. after the media circus in 2014 and All Eyes On Her, she’s just..... so tired...... of ppl seeing her face and being like ‘omg ur that wine cellar bitch!’

(drugs tw) has become more and more Addicted to playing around with fate. j chill on a ledge, talkin to some pals, but deciding it’s a good idea to swing her legs on the wrong side of ledge? totally! mixing a lot of alcohol with opioids which she is not accustomed to? DEF!! (end tw)

more to come!!

CONNECTION IDEAS:

i have two (2) queued up!! but while we wait for them to post, i’ll just… link them over here: 1, 2

muse u <3 the other half of her subplot from the main <3

her older sister!

her younger sibling!

some of the basics!! you know: close pal, roommate, drug buddies (but she gotta hit them up), fwb, ons, frenemies, enemy

ppl who recognize her from the 2014 luke johnson articles and have either brought it up or,,,,,,, act Awkward™

cld be fun 2 just have like. a jam bud. someone who plays any instrument and they j. jam sometimes.

ppl she sells. some of her medical marijuana to. bc yk what weed may be legal in nyc now but,,,, she’s still found a way to be broke she will accept anything. and also it just became legalized THIS YEAR so!!

i have a budding wc page @ https://escxpiism.tumblr.com/wcs (and when i say budding, i MEAN budding) so feel free 2 check it out!!

more to come!!

#masters.intro #alice | intro !#this took me like....... 2hrs 2 write so i do indeed think my mind is fooling me and actually lagging behind.

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trashcankitty12 · 3 years

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Tecna Headcanons

Tecna Mode, the Guardian Fairy of Zenith would like to make your acquaintance.

She’s a tad sassy, a bit of a show-off when it comes to her projects, and a video game expert.

(All headcanons are for my main au verses, “Balance/New Company of Light” and “Left”.)

-Tecna tends to be reserved in her emotions, but just as her family knows, her friends (and Timmy) quickly learned that Tecna can be rather affectionate when she feels safe and loved.

-As a Zenithian, Tecna has an easier time learning new technological systems and how to rewire electronics.

-She also tends to be able to see at night. Not better than nocturnal animals, but better than most Magical Dimension people.

-Tecna is also somewhat immune to being electrocuted. Somewhat. (Lightning attacks by storm harpies and Stormy aside, electricity doesn’t bother her. In fact it sort of wakes her up.)

-Tecna is really close to her parents, partially due to her being an only child, partially due to her curious nature putting her in the middle of her parents’ work because she was determined to help.

-(She didn’t necessarily want to be an only child, and her parents had wanted another… But Magnethia had had a hard enough time getting and staying pregnant, that they felt Tecna was more than enough.)

-Tecna may have been a bit of a spoiled child… Her parents made sure to get her the latest technology when it came out, and they gave her her own workspace when she got older.

-As close as she was to both of her parents, she’s closest to her mother. Magnethia loves having Tecna help out at her and Electronio’s workshop. They have created many new gadgets and gizmos together, including specialized robots to do household chores. (Which is why Tecna has no idea how ‘obsolete’ cleaning tech like brooms and vacuums and mops work.)

-Because of Zenith’s climate, most animals and plants do not live/thrive there. So Tecna has had minimal contact with non-robotic plants and animals. Which led to quite a shock when she came to Alfea and saw all the greenery and the birds. (And Kiko and Flora’s plants.)

-Tecna, as a Zenithian, isn’t as bothered by the cold climates as other people would be. In fact, it’s the heat that bothers her.

-Which is why she’s not a fan of the beach. She doesn’t mind going and hanging out with her friends, but the heat and the sand and weird feeling of the ocean just sort of… Bugs her. (Which is why she stays more on the actual beach and wears specialized shoes to keep sand away from her feet.)

-Tecna has a major sweet tooth and has ‘borrowed’ from Stella’s secret stash of chocolates before. (Please don’t tell Stella…)

-She doesn’t like veggie meals much. It’s the textures and slight tangy tastes that turn her away from them. (And as a Zenithian, she doesn’t need them as much.)

-Physically speaking, she’s not in the best shape. She’s like… Bare minimum shape to pass Griselda’s and Real Avalon’s classes. (She’s decent enough at running away and decent at feats of climbing, but trying to be acrobatic or trying to physically fight with her fists or feet is difficult without her winx/fairy forms).

-She’s not a strong swimmer either. But Layla has helped her get to be decent enough that she can make it to her destination without getting herself hurt or drowned.

-Layla has also helped Tecna get better at dancing, which has in turn helped Tecna with her rhythm and dance video games. (Take that Rubis!)

-Tecna is extremely competitive when it comes to games. Video or board or card games with Tecna can lead to arguments and a smug Zenithian fairy. (Bloom even brought some from Earth to try and trip Tecna up… Monopoly and Uno are no longer allowed on Alfea’s school grounds. Thanks, guys.)

-She may not have the best grades at Alfea, but it’s not her fault… Well, not entirely. Okay so she could stand to study more… But her projects just need a little more tweaking. (Please Ms. Faragonda, understand.)

-Tecna doesn’t have the best handwriting… But her typing skills are out of this world.

-Tecna doesn’t have a big appetite, but when she’s hungry, just hand over the plate. (She doesn’t just get hungry, she gets hangry.)

-Everything has to have a place. Tecna’s workshops/workrooms may be messy and unorganized due to everything always being used, but her actual room and desk? Spotless. Everything put away neatly. (And she tries not to look over to Musa’s side of the room when they were still sharing a dorm. That’s not her mess or her side, it’s not her problem.)

-Tecna is sort of a mom friend. But she’s the sort of mom friend who will be telling you why what you did was stupid while she’s bandaging you up. (“Dammit Layla, I told you this would happen. Why did you think you could jump from that height without your wings?” “Musa bet I couldn’t do it.” “Why do I even bother?”)

-(Yes, Tecna has swearing problem. But only around friends or on her own. She tries to tone it down around parents or those who are in charge.)

-Digit, despite being just as big a gamer and tech guru as Tecna is, is also more in touch with her emotions (thanks to having roomed with Amore for so long). Which is great, because Digit helps Tecna naturally learn more about her own emotions without pushing or pressing. (And damn does it feel good to see Tecna and Timmy being more open with each other.)

-Tecna is unabashedly an anime fan. (Or at least, the Magical Dimension’s version of anime.) And she loves comics. (Which shocked her when Stella showed her her own collection. They may have a few get-togethers just to talk about their favorite comics now.)

-Tecna first transformed at 12, after trying to protect a younger cousin from an incoming snowstorm they had gotten lost in. Thankfully it helped her boost her power to signal for her mother and aunt.

-At Alfea, Tecna is part of the STEM club, anime club, robotics, and gaming club. Thanks to her and a few other Zenithian fairies, Alfea’s robotics club finally beat out Red Fountain’s.

-Speaking of Red Fountain… Tecna may have borrowed Timmy’s badge to enter into Red Fountain’s weaponry.

-(She was always curious about how Red Fountain’s weapons and ships worked, and the best way to figure that out is to take it apart and put it back together… She may have even upgraded a few things… Please don’t tell Saladin.)

-Tecna didn’t thrive as well as she claimed while in Omega. She just didn’t want her friends to feel guilty about not coming for her sooner.

-She understood why it took so long. And it was lucky that she was used to Zenith’s frigid temperatures. But it just… She did her best.

-She had to fight like hell most days, trying to keep herself alive and safe.

-And once she was back at Alfea… She had nightmares. (Which she logged into her tablet to try and help herself with later.)

-Eventually, during spring break, she went home and talked it all out with her parents. They had a hard time letting her go back to Alfea after that, but they knew they couldn’t keep Tecna from her education or from her friends.

-(The nightmares eventually faded a bit. But they still haunt her from time to time.)

-Before the whole Earth mission, Tecna and Timmy were one of the first couples to move in-together without any of the other members of their teams.

-They got an apartment on Zenith near their university. (They still go to their classes, though they take them mostly online these days. And they still keep the apartment, though it’s mostly a glorified work space now.)

-Tecna surprisingly gets along really well with Riven. They help each other with their respective partners and they like to build and work on projects together. (And play video games. They’re both super competitive and watching them go at it is like watching a train wreck. It’s awful but you can’t look away.)

-Tecna finds Flora to be the hardest to converge with. Their personalities and feelings on different issues tend to clash and it makes it difficult to meld together.

-Surprisingly, Tecna finds Stella to be the easiest to converge with. It’s like they just complement each other on a new wavelength.

-Tecna didn’t have any interest in music until rooming with Musa. After a few months into their rooming situation, she asked if Musa would teach her how to play an instrument because she felt it’d be cool to come up with her own soundtrack (for a video game project she’s been working on since she was like 12). Musa got Tecna a keyboard and the rest is history.

-She doesn’t get emotional about a lot of things, keeping a cool and level head to focus on facts is a Zenithian trait after all, but when someone messes with her projects or belittles her work or comes after the people she loves? You’re gonna get fucked, and not in the good way. (She has a real temper when she blows up, and people tend to get electrocuted.)

-Once they started their Earth mission, Tecna had to mentally fight herself every day to not upgrade or complain about Earth tech. (“Bloom… How the fuck do these people live like this?!” “Tecna…” “Please. Just one computer. Let me upgrade one computer.” “People will notice and we have to keep a low profile.” “Dammit Bloom!”)

-Tecna has several projects going on any given day, and since dating Timmy and having been bonded to Digit, they’ve been included in helping her with them.

-Most are gadget-based projects, things that girls need immediately or things that can help them. Some are robotics or engineering/vehicle based. But the one she’s the most proud of is the video game she’s still working on. (It’s almost done and she hopes to be able to publish it soon! Maybe sooner than expected since she’s got backing from Sky, Stella, and Layla.)

-Tecna’s main goal, after all this craziness with being a Winx Girl is over, is to take over her parents’ business and to further the Mode Brand of tech. (And maybe even expand into the video game departments. Depending on how her video game goes when she finally releases it.)

#winx club #winx club au #winx club headcanons #winx club tecna #winx tecna #winx tecna headcanons #guardian fairy of zenith #tech guru

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catboymingi · 4 years

Text

the dragon’s appearance - veninder chap. 4

navi/masterlist

story masterlist

pairing: mingi x reader

genre: somewhat crack, a little angst, fluff (FLUFF in caps); eventual best friends to lovers

word count: 7.1k

warnings: slight language

a/n: i’m back on my bullshit and also making y/n’s background way more specific than it has to be but it's about the ~storybuilding~. also i am running out of lyrics to summarise the chapters with :(( recycling?

hun er gal, hun er syg, den pige - that girl’s crazy, she’s sick

mingi didn’t even need to ask who this was, the way she spoke up telling him all he needed to know. and if there had been any doubt, feeling you tense up next to him immediately after hearing her voice was confirmation that it was one of the girls that had dared to call themselves your friends despite how they treated you. he was, in all honesty, fuming at her audacity, but this wasn’t about him, it was about you and resolving the situation as quickly and easily as possible. so instead of giving in to his emotions he replied, voice raised just enough to guarantee the professor would hear him: “oh i’m so sorry, i didn’t know there was fixed seating! i just don’t know anyone but y/n, so i thought it’d be okay, sorry again!”

now it was the girl’s turn to fume, and even though you still refused to look up from your papers you could imagine how the steam was shooting out of her ears when the professor told him that it was okay, that seating was free and that he could stay right where he was. she left, sending him a look that could kill, but he didn’t care. this wasn’t his issue - he’d be able to deal with whatever she’d have planned for him. he was just worried about you, because even though she’d left to sit at the other end of the class by now you were still tense, staring at your desk as if you weren’t even really there. the redhead placed a hand on your knee, squeezing gently to comfort you and let you know he was there, that you’d be okay as long as he was there, but before he could say some reassuring words the professor started speaking, and he knew he had to be on his best behaviour because he wasn’t actually enrolled in this class. so he just squeezed again before listening intently to whatever was going on right now. he didn’t actually understand much, but when he saw that you still seemed so taken aback that you didn’t even seem to have realised that class already started he began writing down every single word the professor said, sometimes having to guess just what exactly the word was when it was some scientific term, but trying his best.

it took you a little while to snap out of the state of shock your ex-friend had caused you, and when you did you realised you had no idea what was even going on. your eyes turned to mingi, who was taking notes as if his life depended on it, and who, when he noticed you’d returned to the here and now, moved his arm slightly so you could see what he’d written down and hopefully catch up enough with the topic to participate from now on. your eyes widened when you realised he’d taken your notes for you and was still doing so right now until he could be sure you’d actually be able to decently concentrate, and now it was you who squeezed his knee, an act of thankfulness, before you shuffled a little closer to get at least a rough overview of the topic of this class.

his notes were taken meticulously; you were certain he’d written down every single word the professor said simply because he couldn’t tell whether or not something was important or not. and these notes managed to get you back on track after maybe a minute or two of reading through them and listening to what was going on right now, and another minute later you were able to be your usual, question-filled self. mingi still didn’t exactly understand much of what you were discussing, but he felt like you had a much more straightforward way to talk about concepts, which didn’t make your points any less valid, though. you weren’t dumbing down anything, you just left out the unnecessarily elitist terms that he knew were so common in academia, so even he felt like he got a rough grasp of what was going on. it didn’t take much to see that you were a teacher’s favourite, and rightfully so - you brought up a lot of concerns, different points of view on what had just been talked about, and even to him, someone that had no idea about the topic, it was clear that you had a very diverse way of looking at the problem or topic and actually thought a lot about what you learned rather than just learning it by heart to pass the course. you seemed excited, interested, fully immersed in the topic, and it was through these discussions that he found out that you spoke at least three languages well enough to offer a different perspective on sociolinguistics based on their cultures and how the cultural norms found realisation in the respective language. he wasn’t sure if this was the average for this course, though, and he was the only odd one out, or if you were actually extraordinarily skilled in the language department. though it didn’t matter much to him, because either way he felt like you were a genius and he was a mere peasant watching two experts talk. not that he minded - this wasn’t his major, so of course he wouldn’t be able to engage in the same kinds of discussions as students who’d studied this for roughly a year already. he was just very impressed.

before you knew it (and before he knew it, which was maybe more surprising) class was over, and the redhead gave you the notes he’d taken for you earlier since he wouldn’t need them anyway.

“thank you so much for that”, you told him, smiling shyly because you were still kind of embarrassed that he’d had to take notes for you.

“i just hope they help” was all he replied, because it wasn’t a big deal to him at all. when you packed your things he noticed that the girl from earlier was staring at you, and to prevent you from looking around to see if she was he put his arm around you, guiding you out of the classroom like that while distracting you by asking just how many languages you even spoke.

“depends on how you see it?” not the reply he’d expected - you could speak a language but not speak it by matter of definition? it was probably a language major thing.

“give me the biggest number you can with a definition that makes you happy”, he told you, because he wanted to be impressed. not that three languages wasn’t already impressive, but you’d made it sound like there was more, and he was curious to find out more about that.

“if we count just being conversational, and we also count classical languages… like, eight? though my parents are immigrants so that doesn’t really count, because two of those eight i didn’t really have to learn, we speak them at home. three, actually, now that i think about it. i was the only kid in first grade that barely even spoke korean.” you laughed at the memory, but mingi looked at you wide-eyed.

“which ones do you speak?”

“finnish and swedish from home - my father is finnish, we moved here because he got a job at the embassy. and my mother is finnish as well, but with swedish as her first language, and she made it a hobby to annoy my father by speaking swedish with me when she was plotting something. then english, korean, i took japanese in high school but i think everyone did? some classical chinese because there was no way i’d be able to figure out hanja without that, latin from my mother because she thought it was important for whatever reason, and german just for fun. how about you?” and even though he was a little embarrassed about his in comparison depressingly low amount of languages spoken he told you, because you seemed excited to know, because he could tell languages were a big passion of yours.

“korean, obviously, and english, and i took some chinese in high school but wasn’t the best, so i’m pretty sure i forgot most of it.”

“is there any you’d really like to learn?”

he furrowed his brows at that question. was there? it wasn’t something he’d thought about, and now he was desperately searching his brain for any language he’d ever been interested in even when it wasn’t mandatory. you noticed his expression, though, and chuckled a little.

“it’s fine if there isn’t, you don’t have to make one up.”

“sorry. how about you?”

“there’s too many”, you laughed, “i’d learn all of them if i could, and i’m trying my best to actually at least start with that. but if i have to pick just one… maybe russian? or arabic? i’ve been interested in french, too. and spanish. this is too hard!” you were whining, unable to pick just one, and mingi thought it was adorable. he was grinning like some kind of idiot because he’d managed to distract you, to seemingly entirely remove the fear from your mind at least for now. you were either smiling or pouting, your eyes wide and excited, and he felt like he’d gotten to know you a lot better just through this conversation already.

when you arrived at the table the other boys were already sitting at for lunch you were still talking about languages, rambling on about your childhood and how weird it was to realise that on top of the three languages you were already frequently speaking with your parents there was a whole other language that everyone else spoke and that, while you could understand it, you had no idea how to speak. he was just listening, sometimes humming in acknowledgment, sometimes commenting or asking about a story, but mainly happy to hear about your experiences, and you were so immersed in the conversation that you didn’t want to stop, because he actually seemed to care about what you were saying.

“hey!” was the only acknowledgment anyone that wasn’t mingi got before you resumed your story.

“when they taught us about hanja, i thought i was going to die. hangeul was already so hard to write because everything is so small and then the new characters were even smaller!” the boy nodded in either acknowledgment or agreement, you weren’t sure, but it didn’t matter all too much to you, anyway.

“how is hangeul small?”, jongho asked; your comment had apparently piqued his interest.

“you put so many sounds into where a single letter goes in latin script!” you sounded so exasperated, but the others didn’t have the context of you not having grown up with korean as your first language yet, so they didn’t understand where the problem was. to them, hangeul was the regular character size and it seemed like it didn’t even occur to them that it might have caused problems for you.

“she speaks eight languages!”, the giant next to you offered as an explanation, and while it didn’t exactly clear up your distress about the korean script it did make it a little more understandable, considering how most languages (that they knew of) did offer a little more space for their sounds or letters.

“my mother read to me in swedish, and my parents taught me how to read and write swedish and finnish before i ever even realised that there’s more than one alphabet”, you clarified further, and now it seemed like a lightbulb had been lit above the boys’ heads.

“you’re not korean?”

“technically i am? i have dual citizenship. but my parents aren’t born here, if that’s what you meant.” the faces around you all bore the same expression of surprise at the information they just got, six ‘o’ shaped mouths and six pairs of wide eyes looking at you.

“say something funny!”

“jokin hassu. or något roligt, in swedish.” their eyes got even wider and san asked you what you’d just said.

“something funny?”

“yeah, but what does it mean?” it seemed like he was impatient, not realising that ‘something funny’ was in fact the translation of what you’d said.

“it means ‘something funny’. that’s the translation”, you grinned. “i didn’t know what else to say, so i just translated it.”

now oohs and aahs could be heard from around you, and they soon gave you sentence after sentence to translate, watching you as if you were an interactive tv programme.

seonghwa put an end to the fun when he reminded them that you hadn’t even started eating yet, and everyone started apologising immediately, but you just waved it off. it was nice to get to speak the languages you grew up with again, because you certainly didn’t do so with your parents, with whom you barely had any contact anymore at all. but now you should probably eat, if the growl in your stomach was a sign to go by - you could always do this again later.

“how was class?”, hongjoong asked with a slight hint of worry in his voice while you were eating, but he was surprised when you smiled at him without even the slightest hint of any negative emotion.

“it was good! though mingi really saved my butt.” you sounded a little embarrassed, and reasonably so - everyone was once more looking at you wide-eyed.

“you went to class with her?” it seemed like it was impossible for wooyoung to control his volume when he was excited or surprised, so he was near yelling the question at mingi, who by now seemed equally embarrassed as you.

“yeah. it was kinda fun, actually.” now the number of surprised eyes staring at him increased by another pair, because you hadn’t expected him to actually like your class when he didn’t even understand the topic.

“she’s a teachers’ favourite”, he then informed the others teasingly, and you playfully hit his arm.

“i’m not!” you genuinely didn’t think you were. you just asked questions when you wanted an elaboration, and participated in discussions when the professor started them. but you weren’t trying to make the teacher like you by acting a certain way; you were just genuinely interested in the topic, and it was hard for you to shut up when you got so invested in something.

“she is”, the redhead said in an exaggeratedly conspiratorial way, “and she’s a genius, too.”

now you yelped out his name - you didn’t like it when people praised you like this, because you didn’t feel like you deserved it and because it made you a little uncomfortable, made you feel like you were now expected to live up to the impression others had of you even when you couldn’t. but those feelings quickly subsided at his next words, being replaced with a mixture of shock and disbelief.

“do you think you could teach me the basics so i could take that class as extra credits?”

“you’re joking.” you absolutely would not believe that he meant it, no way. he had no reason to mean it. sitting in a class where he didn’t have any idea about what’s going on while you all but ignored him in order to talk with the professor couldn’t possibly have been nice enough for him to want to do that weekly.

“it’s your choice, obviously, but i think it’d be fun.” a smile accompanied his words, a smile that wiped out any doubt you’d had.

“i can try? no promises that i’m a good teacher, though.” and while you appreciated the bright grin you got in response the boy appreciated his friends’ reactions a lot less.

he felt his phone buzz and saw it was a message in their private group chat, from yunho.

[saint bernard]: someones WHIPPED

and everyone was quick to agree, which awakened the carnal urge to commit a crime in mingi, a crime that would reduce the amount of people in ‘hyung hate club’ to him and you only. he stopped himself before any blood was flowing, though, both because crimes are illegal and because he didn’t want you to witness that. but no promises could be made for when they were home alone, no one there to witness and frame him.

“put your phones away, it’s rude”, he ordered in a desperate attempt to get them to stop grinning at each other the way they were now before you’d notice anything, and because his attempt was a success he considered maybe leaving them alive. maybe.

the rest of lunch break was spent joking around and teasing each other, and ended with mingi asking you to text him the room where you’d have your last class so he could pick you up. and even though you were still anxious about being in class by yourself, with the people that obviously wanted to ruin your life, the fact that your first class had gone so well reassured you a little, making you feel like maybe it’d be okay for the rest of the day as well.

and it was, surprisingly. you were shot angry glares and had insults whispered at you in passing, but nothing bigger than that happened, maybe owed to mingi’s obvious protective attitude earlier. while they knew they’d easily be able to take on you, the giant was a whole other question. he hadn’t seemed intimidated at all, calm and collected, so they couldn’t even turn his reaction around on him. and the new situation required a new approach, which meant that they’d have to cut you some slack until that new approach had been developed. you knew this, too, knew that the current somewhat peaceful situation was a mere side effect of them having to adjust to the change in circumstances, but that didn’t mean you couldn’t enjoy it while it lasted. you were very aware of the fact that this could all too soon be over again.

still, you managed to enjoy the rest of your classes as well, and when you left the room after the last one had ended and saw a certain redhead waiting for you, as he’d promised, you smiled at him, and first when you saw his shoulders drop a little did you notice that he’d been nervous as well. but at least for now there was no need to, you were okay and nothing had happened. you still wanted to get away from the girls as soon as possible, though, so as soon as you’d said hi to him you took off, him following you quietly until you’d left the building.

“you’re okay?” it had seemed like you were when you came out of class, but your quick exit had sparked some worry in him again.

“a little anxious”, you let him know, “but nothing happened. it’s more being scared that something will happen.”

he nodded in understanding, wrapping his arm around you without thinking much about it and once more somewhat embarrassed when he noticed what he’d just done, but you just moved a step closer to him so it’d be more comfortable for him. then, you sighed, but he decided to ignore it, not sure if you wanted to talk about whatever had caused that sigh. when you sighed a second and a third time, however, each time louder than the last, he decided to ask.

“what’s up?” the way it sounded like the worry had sneaked its way back into his voice had you feeling a little guilty, seeing how there wasn’t actually anything up. you just wanted to tease him.

“you’re just so unfairly tall, i feel like i’m your arm rest.”

since this wasn’t at all the reply he’d expected it took him a moment to fully realise what you’d said, but when he did he started laughing before walking on with his knees somewhat bent, reducing not only his height but also his speed. now you were laughing as well, enjoying his awkward crouching walk more than you maybe should.

“i really hope you appreciate this”, he interrupted your laughter, “because this does kind of hurt my thighs.” you didn’t stop laughing at this, but you crouched down a little as well now, readjusting his arm on your shoulders before pulling him up with you when you stood up straight again.

“maybe i’ll just have to start wearing platforms again instead”, you thought out loud, your laughing faded into a grin now. then, changing the topic entirely, you asked: "do you actually want to join my class? you'd have to catch up with a lot."

“if you’re willing to waste all your time helping me try to catch up?”

“if you’re ready for me to never shut up ever?” this wasn’t an exaggeration; you’d annoyed the girls more than once by studying with them and being way more immersed in the topic than them, even though you all shared similar majors and the class was relevant to all of you. so you couldn’t help being scared that he’d get annoyed with you as well, seeing how this class wasn’t even relevant to him, and you tried to test the waters by joking like this. but he grinned at you, saying that worst case he’d just feed you fruit loops to buy him a few seconds of silence.

“no but the more you talk the more i learn, that’s how it works, right?”

“mm, maybe? i haven’t tried teaching anyone yet, so we’ll have to see”, you admitted a little anxiously. you’d be happy if you managed to help him catch up enough to join the class, but you weren’t exactly confident in your teaching abilities.

“wanna start today?” mingi’d noticed that you were almost at the train station now, so if he wanted to spend the evening studying with you he’d have to ask before you got in your trains going opposite directions.

“i can’t offer you any decent dinner, though. i forgot to get groceries this week so the options are limited to toast, fruit loops, and instant ramen. in case that makes you change your mind.” you wanted to tell him now before he got disappointed by how little you had to offer even as a host, and because if you told him now it’d be less embarrassing to reveal your pathetically empty cupboards when you were at your place.

and he could tell that you were a little embarrassed about the apparent lack of food choices, so he tried to cheer you up.

“is it even a study session without instant ramen?” he genuinely meant it, too - studying and instant food kind of belonged together, the instant food being an important part of what made a study session feel like a real study session. it was about the vibes, not the nutrition.

“okay”, you laughed, then added: “next time we can go somewhere else, too, i just obviously don’t have all my materials with me right now.”

“your place is fine”, he was quick to reassure you. if anything, he was worried that you might feel awkward about having him there again. it wasn’t exactly like you were close, though it sometimes felt that way to him and he had to remind himself that you’d only met half a week ago.

you were once more being prevented from paying for your own ticket by mingi, who’d already paid when you just got your wallet out, and you scoffed at him playfully.

“you know i can pay for myself, right?”

“but i’m being a gentleman.” and with that, he considered this discussion done.

severe buzzing from your phone startled you when you were sitting next to the redhead on the train, because you’d forgotten you’d just muted the girl chat for 24 hours rather than fully leaving it, and your 24 hours were up now. it was as active as ever, and though it seemed like the current topic was unrelated to you just the thought of still being in this kind of space with them made you feel sick with anxiety. but you were too scared to leave the chat, so instead you just stared at your screen.

“it’s them again?” of course he noticed. you just nodded, leaning against him in exhaustion with him gently rubbing your arm.

“we have a group chat and i want to leave, but i can’t.” it was absolutely stupid to feel this way, you knew it was, because what was scaring you wasn’t no longer being in the group chat, it was the act of pressing the little ‘leave group’ button with your own finger.

“you can’t leave or you can’t not be in it?” he surprised you with how he actually seemed to understand your struggle, the very important distinction between the conscious act of leaving and the passive state of not being in the chat.

“i can’t leave. this is our stop.”

he didn’t reply when you left the train, but once you’d started walking towards your dorm he asked you: “do you think i could leave for you? would that work?” you told him you didn’t know, because you really didn’t and you also didn’t really want to think about this at all right now. you wanted to be home, in your bed, with instant ramen and focusing on nothing but how to make mingi understand, remember and internalise the basics of sociolinguistics. it was an act of escapism, definitely, but sometimes you just needed to pretend your problems didn’t exist until you were ready to deal with them.

the rest of the walk was spent in silence, though not uncomfortably so. you both seemed to be in your own thoughts, arms brushing against each other every now and then as if to remind each other that you were still there, even when you weren’t talking. it was nice to know that you didn’t have to talk when you were spending time with mingi, that just being near each other was already enough sometimes.

and just this being silent with each other was what managed to in a way comfort you enough for you to be able to fully concentrate on your materials once you’d reached your place, asking him whether he wanted to eat first or study first as you unlocked the door.

“let’s start with studying, and when i feel like my head’s exploding we’ll eat?”

“deal. make yourself comfortable, i’ll hunt for all my notes.” and with that said you proceeded to ignore the giant that had now settled on your bed in favour of groaning and sighing while you tried to gather all the relevant material from the last year, a task made more difficult because he most likely didn’t have any linguistic background, so you also went through your notes from other courses to find those that had the basic linguistic terms explained on them, because there was no use telling him about phoneme variations if he didn’t know what a phoneme was, and you wanted to be sure to give a 100% right definition.

once you’d found everything you needed you sat down next to him, now trying to divide the notes by topic so you’d have a better overview over what you had to teach him and how much it’d be. he whined quietly next to you at the sheer amount of paper you’d spread on the bed - how was he going to learn all of that?

“we’ll start easy”, you laughed out at his desperate expression. “you can pick the topic that seems most interesting to you, and we’ll start with that.”

then you listed the topics available, along with a short summary or explanation of just what was hidden behind a term like chronolect, which he decided to go with because he thought that might be easiest to a total beginner, because he obviously knew how people of different ages talked, right?

not right. he soon found everything to be much more complicated than it sounded, but he was determined to learn, and you really appreciated how hard he was trying. you knew it had to be hard for him, but he didn’t seem to want to even take a break until he understood, and it was actually you who told him it was time to eat.

“i didn’t think it would be so hard when we’ve barely even started yet”, he groaned while you were waiting for the food to be done, and before you could stop yourself a ‘that’s what she said’ escaped your lips, which made mingi look at you in shock before he burst out laughing.

“i didn’t know that’s what you were thinking about while i was trying to learn!”, he said in feigned indignation, and you hit his arm playfully as you pretended to be equally as scandalised by his implication as he was by yours.

“i don’t know if my memory is giving up on me here, but wasn’t it you who asked me to spend the night together? twice?”

you heard him gasp loudly in reply and grinned at his expression.

“i didn’t know you’d use that against me!” there was a mixture of shock and hurt in his voice, though very obviously playful, and you immediately started apologising in an exaggerated manner, pleading him to please forgive you for your careless words. and even though he tried to stay serious the pout on your face and the fact that you looked like the pleading face emoji made that impossible, stern expression turning into a small smile turning into a grin turning into laughing with his mouth wide open and head thrown back in a matter of seconds. and then you were lost, too, joining in and laughing until your stomach hurt and the instant ramen demanded your attention.

when you found him looking through the notes you’d used for studying by himself it surprised you, though in a positive way. you were glad to see that he at least seemed to have caught a genuine interest for the subject now, glad to see that he was eager to learn. still, you asked him to please move the notes away so you could eat without the risk of them getting dirty and, consequently, unusable. he did as requested and you sat down next to him as soon as you’d handed him his plate - past experience had taught you that shuffling to comfortably sit on the bed when you had an open container in both hands was a very bad idea.

the two of you ate in silence and went back to studying right after, and it was first when you heard thundering outside that you realised how much time had passed. it was fully dark now, heavy rain hitting the window and lightning lighting up the sky every now and then. neither of you looked pleased at the weather, though mingi a lot less so, considering he was the one that somehow had to get home. and it really didn’t seem like the rain would stop anytime soon.

“i’m gonna be so soaked when i get home”, he whined out, making you feel sorry for him because he was right, not even a minute outside in this weather would have him drenched to the bones.

“you can stay over if it’s still like this in an hour”, you offered, not thinking much about it, your main thought being less about him staying with you specifically and more about him not having to go out when it would most likely result in him getting sick. you came to regret your offer when he looked at you with a teasing glint in his eyes, though.

“so now you’re asking me to stay the night? when you called me out for having improper thoughts earlier because i’d offered you the same?”

you rolled your eyes in reply, grabbing his wrist and attempting to drag him out of your bed.

“you know what, forget it, if you get pneumonia that’s not my problem.” at your threat the redhead did a 180 on his behaviour, now begging you the way a little child begged for an extension on their bedtime, except he was begging you to not send him out into the cruel, unrelenting, cold harsh wind. and even though you pretended to be considering doing so you knew that if he actually wanted to he could most definitely spend the night. it was just fun to tease him back.

“fine”, you finally gave in, “you can stay. but behave!”

he sighed in relief (as if there’d ever been any doubt about that), promising you he’d be on his best behaviour, and, as if to prove it, went to do the dishes for you. you knew you wouldn’t be able to stop him because he was at least half a head taller than you and without a doubt much stronger, but it was still worth a try. you should have known it’d barely even bother him, though, pulling on his shirt and trying to drag him back towards the bed, to no avail. he walked on as if he couldn’t even tell that you were trying to move him with every ounce of strength you had in your body, but the grin on his face told you that he knew, and that he was enjoying this too much for your liking. you decided to let him get away with it either way, this once, because truth be told you hated doing the dishes, hated the sensory hell it proved itself to be, time and time again.

you watched him ‘be on his best behaviour’, trying to come up with a way to prevent the situation from turning awkward should the weather not magically turn around, but the only thing your brain could come up with was watching a movie; that’d have to do then. he didn’t seem displeased with the suggestion, finishing washing up quickly and once again sprinkling some water onto your face.

“‘best behaviour’ my ass”, you huffed under your breath, but of course mingi heard you, sending you a smile that with a lot of benevolence could be interpreted as apologetic, but if you were feeling unrelenting might also be a teasing one. he was on your bed and patting the space next to him as is this were his place, though, before you had a chance to threaten him with kicking him out again, and, even though you would deny it if anyone were to claim it, the way he looked so comfortable and somewhat domestic made you a little soft. not very, but just enough to let his teasing slip as you settled next to him.

that position was soon neglected in favour of you sitting between his legs as you found that that was more comfortable for watching a movie. one of you had been complaining no matter where you’d placed the laptop before, because it always gave the one that wasn’t currently complaining a better view. but when you were sitting like this you could just place it right in front of you, and because your friend was so tall he could easily rest his chin on your shoulder without it being uncomfortable at all, and now you both were able to decently see.

you hadn’t decided on a movie yet, though, scrolling the ‘popular right now’ section to get any kind of idea. there was one that seemed interesting enough, kind of dramatic (which was needed because you were not about to watch a romcom with the unfairly attractive redhead pressed against your back like that), and you clicked on it to see the preview since it had sparked your curiosity. as soon as you saw the description you noticed it was a horror movie, though, trying to exit out before anything scary would actually appear on screen.

you succeeded, but your frantic clicking had confused the boy behind you - your netflix was set to finnish, so he didn’t actually understand the caption, but when you told him you’d accidentally chosen a horror movie’s preview rather than a regular dramatic movie he sighed out in relief.

“thank fuck you closed that.”

“not a fan of horror movies either, hm?” you weren’t trying to tease him, and the question sounded like more of an observation. you absolutely hated horror movies, with every fibre of your being, hated the jumpscares and the gore and how you wouldn’t be able to sleep without light for at least a week after. so you found yourself relieved when he told you that he’d have to have his eyes pried open forcefully if someone wanted him to watch one, because at least this way you could be sure he’d never suggest watching one, nor would he make fun of you for being scared.

your thoughts were momentarily guided in a whole other direction though when your partner in being a coward leaned forward, chest pressed even closer to your back and also forcing you to basically fold yourself in the middle underneath his weight as he pointed towards a section title he would in no way be able to pronounce.

“choose from that one.” it was the kids’ movies section, but you had no objections. it was neither a romcom nor a horror movie, the only two genres that were a hard no for you right now. still, you found it hard to do as asked because the way he was leaning forward had your chest almost pressed against your legs and greatly limited your arms’ moving range.

“it’d be easier if you weren’t crushing me”, you whined out, trying to get him to lean back by pressing against him with your back, and with a surprised ‘oh!’ he did lean back, finally giving you room to move again.

“let’s see”, you hummed out, now scrolling the kids’ movies section. you didn’t really know which one to pick, though - kids’ movies weren’t really your usual kind of movie, so it wasn’t like you had a go-to favourite. it seemed like mingi noticed, because he decided to interrupt your aimless scrolling by speaking up, surprising you with his question.

“is there anything you watched as a child? something that’s not korean.”

you didn’t need to think long about this - the moomins immediately shot to your mind, something you’d watched up and down as a child.

“i’m not sure if they’ve ever been dubbed to korean, though”, you informed him, “but i can see?” and without waiting for his reply you abandoned netflix in favour of google, where you hoped that your phonetic interpretation of how moomin would be spelled using hangeul was at least close enough for the search engine to do the rest for you.

you were both glad and somewhat astonished when you did actually get results for your search, clicking on the first video that seemed about as long as you remembered the movie to be and leaning back against the taller one’s chest as you felt nostalgia wash over you. and it was the actual movie, though not dubbed - someone had added korean subtitles, and the finnish speech only made your nostalgia stronger. you were comfortable, head leaning against mingi and his arms around your waist because that was the least awkward place for them to be, underneath your blanket in the dim light coming from your laptop, warm and cosy and, before you knew it, lulled to sleep by the comfortingly familiar sounds of your childhood.

the red-haired male didn’t even notice that you’d fallen asleep, thinking that you were simply just as immersed in the movie as he was, until he tried to tell you that he needed the bathroom and you didn’t reply. peeking over to your face he saw that your eyes were closed and your mouth slightly ajar, and a fond smile made its way onto his face. still, his bladder wouldn’t let him not wake you up, and he felt incredibly guilty when he had to disturb your slumber.

“sorry, but i got big girl business to do”, he told you quietly, and even though you were slightly annoyed at being woken up you laughed at the memory of how that was the first thing you’d heard from him, that his business was big girl business. you paused the movie and shuffled to let him get up, but before he went to the bathroom he asked: “do you want to go to sleep now or finish the movie?”

your heart said movie but your other heart, the one that regularly had you give in to your body’s wicked desires (such as an entire bag of crisps in a single second) said sleep, and once more that heart won. you mumbled out a sleep and he smiled at you, telling you to get ready while he was in the bathroom, then.

getting into your pyjamas was an act in and of itself, because you absolutely did not want to move at all. you did it, though, forcing yourself into the admittedly much softer fabric before plopping right back onto your bed.

when the boy returned (once more shirtless, and you weren’t sure if that was to your dismay or your delight) he would’ve guessed you hadn’t even moved, had it not been for the fact you were wearing something else than when he’d left you. the laptop was closed now, though, placed in the empty space underneath your bed so stepping on it would be avoided even if someone had to get up during the night in a half-awake state.

you shuffled to make room for him as he made his way towards the bed slowly, room lit only by the street lamps outside now. he laid down next to you, looking at you for a moment before the drowsiness-induced desire for cuddles and warmth won over the embarrassment that would have securely prevented a less tired mingi from saying what he said next.

“can i hug you?”

and because you were at least equally sleepy and in need of a warm embrace you just ‘mhm’ed in confirmation, resulting in both a long arm and an even longer leg wrapped around you immediately after. you turned to your back because it was slightly uncomfortable like this, laying on your side facing him, and he didn’t waste a single second before he placed his head on your shoulder, the arm on that side holding on to him now, too. you felt warm and cosy (and soft at the thought of the giant cuddled up to your much smaller frame like this) and it didn’t take long for you to fall asleep again, once more unnoticed by mingi, who had almost immediately fallen asleep as well.

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artificialqueens · 4 years

Text

End of the Day (Crystal x Gigi) - Ashley

A/N: The plan was simple. All Crystal had to do was pretend to be her twin for one week: sit silently in seminars, only leave her room for her basic necessities and stick closely to the set of rules she was left with. Only the rule that stated she “mustn’t bother the bitch from downstairs” became a lot harder for Crystal to follow once she had laid eyes on Gigi Goode.

Hope you guys like this!! Think of it as Breakfast at Tiffany’s meets She’s the Man only at a Russell Group where there’s a stereotype around every corner. Sending infinite thank you’s to Meggie for being a fab beta. p.s thanks so much for all the lovely feedback for Everything Has Changed (I could have cried reading some of it)…xoxo Ashley.

“No way.” Crystal dropped the pencil she toyed with, a laugh squeaking out of her throat at her sister’s audacity.

“It’s only a week,” she pleaded over the phone, the voice that had convinced Crystal to do stupid things since they were children making its reappearance.

“You seriously want me to pretend to be you just so you can jet off to Majorca to see that creep?”

“Yes!” Elle ignored Crystal’s clear disdain. “That is exactly what I want. We used to do it all the time in school.”

“You’re crazy, actually insane.”

Crystal was used to her sister’s wild antics, but this plot may have been a step too far.

“But you love me.”

“I hate you.”

“It’s not like you have any plans.” Elle held no hesitation in poking the bear - the boundaries between the two twins almost non-existent.

“I have Depop orders actually,” Crystal snapped back, a tiny part of resentment that her sister was attending one of the best universities in the country whilst she was sitting at home making jewellery rising inside of her body but not quite breaking the surface.

“£200.”

Crystal stopped in her tracks - now she was listening.

“It won’t work anyway, people will notice!”

“They won’t. I don’t speak to anyone in my college anyway and my course friends won’t say anything, just stay in bed all day once you’ve been to my seminars. I’ll even give you my Disney+ password.”

A hint of worry rose in Crystal’s mind; she wondered how her more outgoing other half had managed to go to university and not make friends in her accommodation. Where Crystal was shy and nervous throughout the entirety of her education, Elle had never been afraid to put herself out there, always surrounded by one group of pretty girls or another. “So what am I supposed to do in these seminars then? It’s not like I have an extensive knowledge of anthropology is it?”

“All you have to do is sign in and sit there pretending to type - they don’t even pick on you I swear. And it’s the last week before we break up so everyone will be really chill.”

“£300,” Crystal responded, the idea of escaping the four walls of her bedroom whilst making three months of her usual income beginning to tempt her, cursing internally at how easily convinced she was.

“I can’t give you £300.” Crystal could hear that her sister was talking through a grin despite not being able to see her face, the grin that meant she’d won.

“Well, you can’t go to Majorca then.”

“Three hundred pounds it is,” Elle agreed. “But you better get me a decent Christmas present.”

“Deal,” Crystal responded, knowing she had already purchased her sister’s gift two months prior. “Now, tell me absolutely everything I need to know about collegiate life.”

“It’s a good job. I knew you’d say yes and already planned this part out.” Elle beamed, proud at her ability to convince her timid younger-by-ten-minutes sister to do almost anything.

***

If secondary school was supposed to be a jungle of cliques, then Elle’s college may as well have been the Amazon rainforest.

Walking through the incredibly hard to find dining hall for breakfast, Crystal could make out almost every university stereotype she could think of, each confined to their own special hold.

From the druggies to the athletes, to the Oxbridge rejects, to the girls who borrowed daddy’s credit card - they were all there and thriving. A small part of Crystal wanted to go and sit with who she decided were the artsy girls despite knowing her sister wouldn’t be caught dead doing so.

Trying not to draw attention to herself, she kept her head down as she made it to the front of the queue, Elle’s clear step-by-step of how she approached meals playing through her head on repeat, the weeks of planning for this moment all coming into play.

Only at that moment, she panicked, the child’s paint by numbers that were her instructions started to turn into a set of IKEA diagrams without captions in her brain. Wishing she’d stuck to eating a pot noodle in her sister’s room, Crystal’s body froze in a state of fear after dolloping a ladle of baked beans onto her toast. A tonne (or maybe ten tonnes) of bricks smacked her right between the eyes. She knew she wouldn’t be able to pull this off. The lack of self-confidence she always battled with ran thick through her veins, her thoughts turning to ways she could go home and return to the comfort of her hometown, willing to sacrifice her sister’s already flagged attendance and the three hundred pounds to be watching Bake Off with her mam in the kitchen.

It almost happened in slow motion, time losing its speed as the boy behind her walked into Crystal’s back, propelling her tray forward onto an unsuspecting blonde. An unsuspecting blonde who seemed the opposite of dumb.

“What the fuck?” She snapped her head around to Crystal, thick brows furrowed and pink lips pursed.

“I’m sorr-” Crystal started, beating herself up internally at how she had managed to do the exact opposite of laying low despite being only one night into her weeklong mission.

“This won’t come out!” The girl started turning her neck frantically to the back of her shirt, the white satin stained bright orange.

Her mouth opening but no words coming out, Crystal didn’t have a chance to apologise again before the girl had a swarm of minions dabbing her back with tissues.

“It’ll be okay, G.” One of them took her hand. Crystal wanted to burst out in tears like she usually did at the smallest sign of conflict, pinching the skin on the back of her hand and looking at the white ceiling lights to stop herself.

“So long as people look where they’re going.” The girl, G, cast a terrifying yet beautiful scowl in Crystal’s direction before sauntering away.

So much for laying low, she sighed before leaving the queue herself, her body tingling as if she’d hit her funny bone over a dozen times. The girl’s stare still imprinted in the back of her eyes.

Having narrowly avoided a panic attack, Crystal thought hard about her old coping mechanisms and tried her best to remain positive as she did after these situations, sitting down at an empty table and giving herself a pat on the back that she had at least passed as Elle without any doubts, ready to take the rest of her day by storm (also known as sitting in silence and occasionally nodding her head as a bunch of middle ages men discuss human evolution and diversity).

***

Having achieved three B grades by the end of sixth form and the award for ‘most creative’ in their final assembly, Crystal always thought of herself as somewhat intelligent and capable of living in the real world despite her decision not to go to university like her sister.

Yet there she stood, her face in a scowl and her fist in a ball, completely and utterly perplexed by the laundry system.

After sleeping in her sister’s dirty sheets the night before, she had arrived back to the college with hopes of resting her head on a pillow that wasn’t mascara stained and washing her face with a flannel sans toothpaste blobs (which was basic hygiene in Crystal’s opinion, but she hadn’t expected anything more from her twin). Only those dreams were temporarily dashed as she spent an entire thirty minutes pressing buttons and swiping the card Elle had left her manically against an aged machine.

Thirty-six internet searches and two desperate phone calls to her sister later, Crystal was beaming at the sheets swirling around, not a care in the world at how much of a psychopath she would look to anyone entering the room, the stress she had previously faced in getting the machine to work inducing her to stay and wait for the clothes to wash instead of leaving them like normal practice.

Elle had seemed happy on the phone, gushing to Crystal about how tanned she’d gotten in such a short space of time and how delicious all the food was - Crystal shutting her down quickly by reminding her that such a tan would only alert their mother to the fact she’d spent a week abroad visiting the sleazy holiday rep she’d fallen in love with that summer rather than in the brown-bricked, straight from a horror movie, sixties’ style complex that Crystal was currently residing in.

Crystal made a mental note to text her mam later and tell her how much she was enjoying her time “visiting her sister” - knowing fine well that talking to her on the phone would probably cause her to crumble and confess their scheme.

She had always been a family orientated person, always choosing a night in the house watching movies over playing out with friends, crying buckets the day her sister moved out and started a new chapter of her life without her. It was clear her mother wanted her to get out into the world, knowing she was capable of more than selling jewellery online, but unlike her sister, Crystal wasn’t quite ready to leave her home yet, needing that extra push to get her feet moving that just hadn’t come her way yet.

She figured that spending a week pretending to be her sister may actually be a good start.

Lost away with her head in the clouds like usual, Crystal was snapped back to surface level as her phone chimed to signal the end of the cycle, only to find herself even more frustrated when she realised that no dryers were free.

Today really hadn’t been her day.

She personally blamed the lack of lucky necklace around her neck (Elle telling her specifically during their planning stages that she would never wear such a monstrosity and Crystal following suit despite knowing it was only entrenched in their rules because her sister thought it was ugly). Her secret superstitious side kicking in, she thanked herself for bringing some of her jewellery making gadgets with her, figuring she’d have to make her own version of it, for now, it wasn’t as if she had any better way to spend her evening.

Seeing a dryer with two minutes left until it timed out, Crystal figured she’d simply wait until it had been emptied to use it, allowing her brain to return back to Pinterest for a short period of time.

But ten minutes passed and no one came to empty the machine.

She glanced at the other piles of clothes that lay on top of the machines, figuring it was normal to remove other people’s when none were free, the thought of her sheets staying wet and crinkled making her feel uneasy.

Opening the dryer, she was hit immediately by a waft of lavender, reassuring herself that it was okay to move the clothes and feeling almost proud of herself for making a leap the old Crystal would have ran from in fear of awkwardness.

Being her most careful, she picked the clothes one by one and started to fold them, her brain subconsciously admiring the mystery tartan-wearer’s sense of fashion and wishing she had the confidence to wear some of the outfits. That was when her hands met a satin blouse, a familiar satin blouse with an orange tinge on its white back.

Before she had time to process that the clothes she was moving belonged to the pretty girl from breakfast, Crystal’s train of thought was interrupted by the devil herself.

“Admiring your handiwork?” She strutted over and snatched the shirt back from Crystal’s hands.

Crystal couldn’t quite place her accent but she knew it was Southern. Her overactive imagination hearing the girl whisper dirty thoughts to her in that posh voice without being able to stop herself.

Oh, fuck.

“I’m sorry.” Crystal turned to her, not even attempting to act like anything other than the soft wimp she was inside. “I didn’t mean to.”

Crystal looked into the girl’s eyes, almost seeing her melt a little before her.

She felt the tension between them, dense and heavy in the air.

“It’s fine,” the blonde responded, losing the passive-aggressive tone she’d carried beforehand but still not sounding entirely sincere as she began to throw her clothes into her hamper.

Crystal couldn’t help but gawk a little as she began to strut away, her body swishing like a model’s as she made her way out of the room, pausing for a second at the door.

“Can you do me a favour, though?” the girl called back to Crystal.

‘I think I’d give both of my kidneys to you’ Crystal thought. Only it instead came out as an awkwardly stuttered, “Erm, sure.”

“Turn your music down, please.” She shot a sarcastic smile in Crystal’s direction. Crystal felt it burrow straight through her chest cavity and into her fast-beating heart. “I know that anthropology may be a bit simpler than most degrees, but some of us really struggle to work when all they can hear is your shit music directly above them.”

Her mouth dropping open to catch flies as the girl left the room for good, a pang of realisation hit Crystal.

Opening her phone and flicking through the dramatic guide to her sister’s university life that was now saved at the top of her notes, she found what she’d been looking for:

“12. DO NOT, under any circumstances, bother the bitch downstairs.”

Too late, Crystal thought to herself, wondering how many more of her sister’s rules she would have broken by the end of the week.

***

Crystal would be lying if she said she hadn’t been watching out for the blonde that week, whose name she had figured out (after an intensive Facebook stalking session) to be Gigi.

Yes, she was lying low, not leaving Elle’s room other than for seminars and to eat - but that didn’t stop her from taking stolen glances at the girl across the dining hall or walking up that second flight of stairs to the room just a fraction slower than she did the first flight.

Three days at university and she’d somehow turned back into a fourteen-year-old girl fantasising about the most popular girl in the class.

Except this time, the popular girl didn’t even know her real name.

She felt like Tracy from Hairspray - one look and she could hear the wedding bells playing in the back of her head.

But at the same time, Crystal knew what was at stake - leaving their interactions to intense eye contact and mumbled “excuse mes,” knowing that even speaking to Gigi again could blow her entire cover.

Yet, she somehow managed to do exactly that on Wednesday night. Or, technically, the early hours of Thursday morning.

At first, Crystal tried to ignore the argument below her, drowning out their voices with her headphones (partly because she felt like she was intruding and partly because listening to people screaming at each other, like a lot of things, made her cry). However, as the war below was still awaiting a cease-fire, snippets of conversation slid their way into the room.

“Why do you have to do this on every night out?”

“I just want what’s best for you.”

“You don’t know what’s best for me.”

She could hear the pain in Gigi’s voice heighten right before her door slammed, Crystal wincing in bed at the sound.

Expecting to hear male footsteps stomp away, Crystal was surprised to instead hear lighter ones, making their way up the stairs and past her landing, a muffled sob travelling through her door.

Looking out of the window, she squinted in the dark until she saw the red glow of a cigarette from their fire escape, the hum of an unfamiliar tune making its way through the thin walls.

She knew it was a risk, but it was one that Crystal couldn’t help but take when she thought of the beautiful girl from the laundry room freezing in the cold.

Grabbing her sister’s spare dressing gown, she made her way onto the landing, taking a deep breath before going out onto the fire escape.

Logic and speech pushed to the back part of her mind, Crystal simply made her way over to the other girl and sat down beside her, placing the dressing gown over her slim shoulders.

Even in the dark, she could see how perfect Gigi was.

The mole on the side of her cheek.

The soft pout on her lips.

Despite the mascara smudged down her face and her eyes stinging red, Crystal thought she looked like an angel.

“Hi,” Gigi spoke to her, dropping the cigarette she smoked on the floor and pressing it out with her trainers.

“Hi,” Crystal spoke back, unsure of what to say to the girl, blood rushing through her at a rate of knots, nervous filling her body and bursting through her head like she was some sort of human kettle.

“I guess you know what I mean about the music now.”

“Yeah.” Crystal nodded in the dark. “It’s noted.”

“I’m sorry about Karl…” Gigi trailed off, taking some time before speaking again. “He just gets like that sometimes when he’s had a drink. I know he doesn’t mean it. I guess you know that.”

Unsure of who Karl was, or why she was supposed to know that, Crystal began to feel like she was drowning. Only instead of jumping on the next lifeboat, she swam down deeper for Gigi.

A part of her was afraid, afraid she’d read the aura surrounding the other girl so wrong, afraid that Karl was her boyfriend.

“Mmhmm,” Crystal responded, maybe a bit more high pitched than she naturally would have.

“Don’t get me wrong, he’s my best friend. But sometimes a part of me thinks that he just doesn’t have any idea who I really am if you get me.”

Crystal couldn’t have understood any better at that moment.

All she wanted to do was tell her. To tell her how hard it was when everyone expected you to be the same as another person. How awful it felt when they never knew the real you, only a shell of the more outgoing sister.

Only she couldn’t, so she did the next best thing and placed her hand on the girl’s forearm, instantly getting a shock at how cold she felt.

“Do you wanna go inside? We can make hot chocolate,” she suggested, noting how Gigi’s body relaxed under her touch.

“He’s still in my room.” Gigi rolled her eyes. “I just can’t deal with him right now, it needs to be left for the morning.”

“You can stay in mine,” Crystal asked, squeezing her grip ever so slightly.

What was she doing?

This wasn’t part of the plan.

And it was certainly breaking some of the rules.

Potentially all of them combined.

This was a bad idea. A very bad idea.

But nothing filled her with greater relief then when Gigi finally responded: “If you don’t mind, thank you.”

***

At first, she felt awkward as she let Gigi into the room, especially considering the fact it wasn’t hers. But after two hot chocolates each she had felt the most comfortable and at peace as she had since masquerading as her sister.

She watched as Gigi’s eyes made their way around the room, a kid in a sweetie shop, gawking at the treasures around her.

“What’s that?” she spoke between sips, pointing towards Crystal’s craft box that had been haphazardly set up on her sister’s desk.

“Oh.” Crystal went to pick it up, a flutter of warmth rushing through her at the thought of someone, let alone Gigi, being interested in her jewellery. “Just some bits and bobs I make.”

“These are so cool.” Gigi held a pair of scarlet earrings up and examined them closer, her mouth opening slightly as she focused. “Like the ones you had in the other day.”

Crystal’s face turned a deeper red than the earrings, the thought of Gigi remembering what she wore sending shivers down her spine - her head telling her heart on an auto loop that no matter what she thought about Gigi, all of Gigi’s returned thoughts were instead about Elle.

“Yeah,” she choked out, nipping her skin to bring herself back to reality.

“You should sell these!” Gigi gasped as she rooted through more of Crystal’s collection. “I sell the clothes I make on Depop, we’d make a great team.”

Crystal didn’t get a chance to respond. She was too busy picking the pieces of her exploding heart from the carpet and trying to put it back together again.

“In fact.” Gigi grabbed her phone and began to search.

Crystal decided that her thinking face was even cuter than her regular face.

She was in deep. Too deep.

“I think I follow an account that does stuff like this, let me think, something to do with crystals…”

Way, way too deep.

“I’m feeling a bit tired.” Crystal blurted awkwardly, getting mad at her mother for never placing her in acting lessons as a child, ready for the inevitable week that she’d have to pretend to be her twin sister or else she’d be kicked out of university and murdered by their family. Seeing the almost defeated look on Gigi’s face, she tried again. “But you can show me in the morning?”

“I’d love that.” Gigi smiled.

Crystal wanted to rewind time just to hear that sentence again. She wouldn’t be too greedy, she’d only listen to it one more time. Two at a push.

Making sure to go into the en suite as Gigi got changed, Crystal returned to find her in bed, already asleep, her hair a sprawl of honey against the pink pillows.

She waited a second before turning off the light and getting into bed beside her, something about lying next Gigi sending Crystal into a sleepy haze despite the way her heart had been beating so fast just moments before.

She could hear Gigi breathing, snoring just a little, finding her own breathing starting to sync along.

Sleep was only minutes away from taking over her body when she heard it, the muffled cry coming from the other side of the bed.

“No.” She heard Gigi mumble as she tossed from one side to the other. “Don’t go.”

Crystal placed a reassuring hand on her arm without thought. “Are you alright?”

Gigi woke startled, her eyes beaming at Crystal like a young deer caught in the middle of the road.

“I’m fine.” She realised her surroundings and threw the quilt to one side, moving her body down to the bottom end of the bed. “I best be off.”

“Hey.” Crystal sat up, flicking the lamp on by her bedside. “It’s alright, we can-”

But before she could finish, Gigi was gone. Nothing more than the faint smell of lavender on the pillows and the dark ring of hot chocolate in the bottom of her sister’s mug.

***

Making her way back into the college that evening, Crystal waited by the entrance for a few moments, wondering if she could manage to get to Elle’s room without passing the drinks and shenanigans that were currently taking place in front of her, wondering if she could manage to make it without passing Gigi, more precisely.

Tesco carrier bags full to the brim of every comfort food she could gorge on (salami, cheese, salt and vinegar crisps and three different bars of dairy milk to be precise) as she watched her sister’s Disney+ alone, Crystal concluded that the coast was clear and made her way to the bottom of her stairs without passing Gigi.

The words of the note she had posted under Elle’s door the day beforehand were still dancing around Crystal’s mind like a puzzle that even Professor Layton couldn’t solve:

“Elle, please forgive me for this morning. I don’t know what happens when I get like that..we’re all having drinks at around 8 tomorrow if you wanna join? - Gigi.”

As much as she longed to join Gigi for a drink, Crystal knew that she couldn’t. She’d already put too much on the line, allowed herself to get too close, too emotionally invested. A short text from Elle asking if everything was okay scared her straight, there was too much at stake. Yes, she wanted more than anything to be the one who comforted Gigi the next time she had a nightmare, to make jewellery for her and kiss her forehead whenever she looked stressed. But family meant everything to her, and she knew if anyone were to find out what they’d done, the consequences wouldn’t be worth it.

About to make her way up the stairs, Crystal felt a tap on her shoulder.

“Let me help with those,” the boy motioned to her bags, his voice familiar.

With dark hair slicked back, and skin the colour of caramel, it took Crystal a second to realise where she knew the boy from, remembering his face next to Gigi’s in their corner of the dining hall.

“I’m fine, they’re not heavy.” Crystal tried to walk away but was stopped by his voice, yet again.

“Are you sure you don’t want me to come help? It’s been a little while, Elle.” He grinned, a smirk in his eyes that Crystal couldn’t quite trace.

“I’m sorry, I’ll have to catch up with you later,” Crystal responded, trying to remain calm on the outside as her insides reached peak panic mode, her brain mentally scanning her notes for anything mentioning this boy. Her search found no results.

“Oh I get it,” he laughed. “It’s one of your games. Sure, you wanna catch up later.”

That’s when the realisation hit Crystal. Her sister was having sex with this boy. And she completely failed to mention it.

Trying to think of something to say, a heavy silence lingered between them. Broken by a familiar tone that managed to scare her half to death and turn her on at the same time.

“Karl.” Gigi shook her head as she made her way down the staircase, carrying what looked like a sippy cup of vodka red bull in her hands. “Do you mind not trying to shag every girl in college for five seconds?”

“I’ll see you later, Elle.” He muttered before strutting away with Gigi, Crystal making out the word ‘cockblock’ in their hushed conversation as they left.

She knew that Elle didn’t tell her everything.

Just because they were twins they didn’t have to know every detail of each other’s lives, even though they spoke every day. Crystal always knew that. But a part of her heart stung at the thought of her sister not even telling her about a boy she was sleeping with. Is that how far apart they’d grown since Elle came to uni?

Fighting back tears, she made her way up the stairs and tried to call her sister. She knew she was being silly; a part of her had just thought she’d know when her sister was sleeping with someone. So many questions ran through her mind. Was Elle safe? Did she love him? Why didn’t anyone know?

She tried to call again, no answer.

Gigi must have known, Crystal figured - slotting together their interaction the night before with the one they’d just had. Is that why Elle didn’t like her? Why they weren’t friends? Why she’d told Crystal to avoid her?

She answered on the fifth call.

“Hey, babe, I really can’t talk right now.”

Crystal ignored her sister’s words, dropping her shopping outside the door and moving out onto the fire escape, the cold breeze hitting her face harshly.

“Who’s Karl?”

“Oh.” She heard her other half’s surprise, she could see the look on her face, high definition in Crystal’s mind. “I told you not to speak to people, for fuck sake, Crystal.”

“Who’s Karl?”

“I can’t speak about this now.” Her tone lowered, clearly someone else was in her company.

“Who’s Karl?” Crystal asked again, not even stopping to think about how dramatic she was being.

Only her sister had hung up before she could get an answer.

Crystal didn’t know how long she’d been out there when she heard the door open, she didn’t even know if she was still crying or not.

“Hi,” Gigi spoke, almost a whisper, as she approached her. “We gotta stop meeting like this, hey?”

Crystal watched Gigi’s face drop a little at the sight of her, looking hurt the second she got close enough to see her tears.

“Yeah, I-” Crystal started but was swiftly interrupted.

Normally in films, it happened after a moment.

The pair would talk, get deep about their issues, reach a comforting solution then sit for a moment in an all-knowing silence.

Then they’d look into each other’s eyes, letting them flicker down once or twice before meeting again, that lock not leaving until they were shut.

Next came the strand of hair, pushed away and tucked neatly behind the ear.

Finally, the kiss, slow at first then growing in passion.

Only Gigi had no patience.

It took Crystal a second to react, to realise what was happening, to press her lips back against Gigi’s, to race her hand through the other girl’s hair.

It was unexpected.

Yet it felt nothing but natural.

And right.

“I’m sorry.” Gigi pulled away, pausing to bite her tongue between her teeth, a nervous side of her appearing that Crystal had not yet seen. “I know that’s like the last thing you’re meant to do when someone’s upset but, I don’t know, you just looked so sad and-”

This time Crystal wasn’t going to let her finish.

She felt Gigi’s hands wipe the stray tears from her face before moving right down her body to her waist. Moving her body closer so she was almost straddling the other girl, Gigi pulled away for just a second to let out a breath.

Crystal moved her hands round to Gigi’s back, further and further down until she was granted a nod of permission, letting them slide over the silky fabric of her skirt.

Before Crystal knew it she was being pushed back to the ground, Gigi’s long and beautiful body towering over her, as she got to her knees and began to kiss Crystal all over.

Gently, methodically, slowly.

Crystal’s mind was carried away, far from reality and refusing to take away from the moment in front of her.

“I knew you wanted me.” She felt Gigi’s breath tickle her ear, sending hot flushes down her entire body, reaching her hands out to touch the other girl’s breasts.

“Fuck, Elle.” Gigi grinned, flicking a switch in Crystal’s body as she pushed herself backwards away from her touch.

She’d almost forgotten that part.

Looking at the other girl’s confused face, she was lost for words, pulling the strap of her vest top back in its place. She knew she couldn’t do it anymore, she couldn’t keep lying. She would have let Gigi sleep with her thinking that she was someone else. She’d become a monster. She had to tell the truth.

“What the fuck?” A voice came from the door behind them, Karl’s confused face flicking between the pair of them. “Is this a joke?”

“Shit,” Gigi muttered and stood up, but Crystal was frozen in place, her hands and feet turning numb with anxiety, the sky around them warping in time. “I can explain.”

Crystal watched as Gigi chased her friend back into the building, listening to her tell him she was sorry and she just got carried away. Listening to Karl ask if that was why she’d told him to stop sleeping with her. Listening to Gigi explain that it wasn’t it, that something had just changed recently. Listening to her life crumble around her.

And then she heard nothing at all.

Even when she knocked on Gigi’s door later that night, ready to give her the explanation she needed, Crystal heard nothing at all - eventually giving in and retreating to the cave of Elle’s room, with no plans to leave it until their train pulled in at the station.

***

Looking up at the hideous brown bricks in front of her, Elle Barge never thought she’d be so relieved to see the college in her life.

One day earlier than she was supposed to return, she hoped that Crystal would forgive her for withholding some of the stuff she’d been doing at university, thinking that they could have one fun night together before getting the train home the next day, giving at least a hint of truth to their family when they arrived back.

Besides, her holiday romance meet-up hadn’t exactly gone the way she had planned when she accidentally met up with his wife. Hence her early departure.

She figured she’d just have to chalk this one up to being a good story to tell, throwing away her sadness at the thought of having a best-selling novel about her awful love life someday.

Heck, she’d probably already have half of it written with just stories about Karl.

Walking up the stairs to her room, she rolled her eyes at the sight in front of her.

One thing she certainly had not missed was Gigi Goode braying on her door to tell her to turn her music down.

Surely, Crystal wasn’t irritating her, Elle thought to herself. The only music Crystal ever played was One Direction and she hardly blasted it.

“Ahem.” Elle coughed loudly enough for Crystal to hear from inside the room, praying she’d understand with her magic twin sense not to come out (also quickly texting her not to incase the magic twin sense failed them. Elle did not want a repeat of that time in year nine when Jackie Cox asked if they could read each other’s minds).

“Hey.” Gigi turned to face her, a strange look on her face that Elle couldn’t quite decode. Tension started to seep through the stained carpet and up the walls like lava.

“Hi?” Elle raised an eyebrow to her, more of a question than a greeting.

“I’m sorry for ignoring you before,” Gigi started, nodding her head as she got into the rhythm of her speech. “I was just scared and I didn’t know how to say it but I can now. Please just listen and wait ‘til I’m done, I have to explain.”

Minefields began exploding inside Elle’s brain.

She simply nodded.

“I’ve been fucked over in the past. And it still scares me today. You know the other night? That was it, I haven’t felt myself get close to anyone in a while. And I know it’s bad because of Karl and I’m a shitty friend to him but honestly, I think that this is something bigger than that, cause I’ve not felt it for a while. And I think you feel it too. Look, I’m really shit at this but something changed this week, I saw you in this light I’d never caught you in. I might sound mad but I think that I need you.”

Looking back at the girl in front of her with dismay, Elle spoke back the only three words that rang through her brain at that moment.

“What the fuck.”

And then her door opened, her sister’s face peeking out around the corner, clad in the same expression she used to have whenever she’d spilt juice on the carpet or smashed plate. Her hair matted and eyes puffy, Elle immediately moved to her side.

And then Gigi uttered the three words as well - only adding a “fucking” in there too for good measure.

Killing the silence that lingered for some time, Crystal spoke the fastest sentence Elle had ever heard all in one breath: “I’ve been pretending to be my sister so she could go get fucked by a Spanish guy.”

“Wow.” Elle looked back and forth between the pair, recognising a glint in her sister’s eyes that was certainly not there before.

Crystal prepared herself and walked up to Gigi, placing her hand on her arm. “I wanted to tell you so bad. I was going to but then Karl came and everything got messy. I know you probably can’t forgive me, but I saw that bigger thing too and I let myself get carried away in it.”

Gigi looked between the pair and raised a hand to her mouth, letting out a hearty laugh.

“Please don’t tell anyone,” Elle pleaded, fear rising inside her.

Silence filled the landing again, the twins standing sheepishly as they gave time for Gigi to process.

“If I’m honest I think I’m less confused now.” Gigi turned to face Crystal and grinned, showing an emotion Elle didn’t think the Barbie doll was even capable of showing. “This makes a lot more sense.”

Elle watched as her sister grinned back, seeing the genuine happiness on her face and throwing away all thoughts about whether or not she’d get in trouble.

“I think I might just be able to forgive you.” Gigi looked her up and down, pouting her lips in a joking manner. “If you let me take you out so we can talk this through over dinner?”

“Yes,” Crystal responded without hesitation.

“But first, could you tell me your name?”

“Crystal.” Elle watched as her sister reached out and shook the other girl’s hand, proud of the growth in confidence she could see - happy to see the return of the happy-go-lucky Crystal who wasn’t too scared to try anything new that she knew as a child.

“Crystal,” Gigi repeated, smiling to herself. “So Crystal, do you go to uni or just hang around at other people’s?”

“Maybe next year.” Crystal smiled back a sense of optimism in her voice. “Are we going for this dinner or what?”

Although it took her a minute to take in what she’d seen, a strange feeling inside of her as she waved her sister goodbye for a date with her bitchy downstairs neighbour, Elle couldn’t help but think that her disaster vacation had all happened for a good reason. In fact, she found herself almost shedding a tear as she heard her sister laughing at something Gigi said on their way downstairs, figuring that she might just see more of her sister than usual next term (and being nothing but happy about it).

#rpdr fanfiction #crystal methyd #gigi goode #crygi #angst #lesbian au #university au #end of the day #ashley #concrit welcome #submission #s12 #college au

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bethpeaches123 · 4 years

Text

Oh, it’s you.

So I had an idea rolling around in my brain for a little while, and then a real-life situation presented itself that was eerily similar to this, and instead of acting on it in real life, I’m acting on it in fanfiction form. Because it’s less risky, ha. Here’s some enemies to friends to luvers. I’ve also posted it on AO3 for your reading pleasure. :) Enjoy! I would love some feedback too!

“Thanks,” said Katniss Everdeen briskly to the Uber driver in the front seat of the red Corolla. He grunted his acknowledgement in response as her hand grasped the door handle and pushed the rear passenger-side door open, swinging her slender legs out onto the sidewalk. She leaned back into the car and grabbed the bottle of wine off the seat, then ducked out and straightened up, slamming the car door closed as it drove off.

Turning to face the towering brick townhouse belonging to her cousin Gale and her childhood best friend Madge, Katniss squared her shoulders and took a deep breath.

“You don’t have to stay all night. Just a couple of hours,” she muttered to herself. “That’s like…four half-hours. Or...six twenty-minute periods…or 12 ten-minute chunks…or…anyway, whatever. Just do it. It’s Madge’s birthday, she wants you to be here, just suck it up.”

The night wind suddenly swelled, a gust whooshing past her, stirring up a pile of dead brown leaves around her feet that had fallen from the maple tree on their tiny front lawn. She realized with a start that she probably looks a little crazy to any onlookers, standing on the sidewalk in front of a picturesque townhouse after dark, staring up at it and muttering irritatedly to herself.

She huffed and rolled her eyes. “You’ve gotta get out more, you’re losing it being alone in that apartment all the time,” she muttered again, before stopping and shaking her head. You’re doing it again; quit talking to yourself already and just go inside, she thought.

She adjusted the crossbody strap of her clutch (the bright gold colour was out of character for her, but it was a gift from her sister and the nicest purse she owned) and curled the loose strands of dark chocolate hair that had slipped free from her side braid behind her ears. Smoothing her forest green shirt dress down over her slim frame, she tweaked the braided brown leather belt around her waist and absently brushed a piece of lint from the right thigh of her black tights, glancing down at her camel-coloured heeled booties.

She wasn’t entirely sure of the dress code of the evening, but at twenty-five, they were still at that age of being grownups, but not totally grownups, if that made sense; they were old enough to legally drink the copious amounts of liquor they downed at one of Gale and Madge’s house parties, but they were still young enough to thankfully not feel the full force of a crippling hangover the next day.

Hopefully this looks okay, she thought. Who are you trying to impress anyway? Stop. Stalling, she grumbled internally.

Irritated was her mood of the night and the night was only just beginning.

Clutching the bottle of wine with the golden bow on the neck, she pulled open the wrought-iron gate and proceeded up the short staircase to the house.

Leaning over and pressing the doorbell off to the right of the heavy black door, she glanced up at the night sky over her left shoulder and her eyes flickered to the wind blowing in the trees again. It was a warm night for the end of October – so warm she’d left her jacket at home and opted for just the long-sleeved dress. It wasn’t like she was walking anywhere. She’d take an Uber home later.

Katniss could hear the sounds of an upbeat indie tune floating through the open living room bay window off to the left. Her eyes flicked back to the front just in time to hear a voice on the other side of the door, where it swung open to reveal the guest of honour for the evening.

“Katniss! Hey! God, I’m so glad you’re here – Gale was wondering when you were going to show. Now maybe he’ll finally shut up,” said Madge, her smile spreading across her face and reaching her arms out to hug her best friend.

“Sorry I’m late,” said Katniss sheepishly, squeezing her back. “Carl the Uber driver wasn’t as prompt as the app said he’d be. He won’t be getting five stars from me tonight.”

Madge’s grin grew. “No matter – you’re here now, that’s what counts,” replied the pretty blonde. Her eyes softened as she looked at her old friend, hesitating. “How are you doing? How’s…everything? After…everything last week?”

“I’m okay. Really. It’s getting better every day.” Katniss said, quietly. She really didn’t want to go into details right here, right now. Or ever. The evening was supposed to be a happy occasion, for Madge. Katniss didn’t want to get into the depressing details of the collapse of her relationship with her long-time boyfriend Darius a few weeks before and the messy division of their things when he moved out of their shared apartment.

“Good, I’m glad to hear that...listen, I know it’s not the time or place, so I won’t pry, but please, let’s go for coffee again this week. You can bitch all you want about how much of a douchebag he is, and I’ll happily reassure you how you’re so much better without him,” said the birthday girl wryly.

“Deal,” replied Katniss, a small smile on her lips. “Here – this is for you,” holding up the bottle of Nova 7 that she knew Madge loved. “I know technically I should’ve gotten you champagne for your champagne birthday, but I thought you’d like this more.”

“Oh my God you’re my favourite person, you know that, right?” squealed Madge. “I mean, besides Gale, but whatever – where did you get this?! I’ve been trying all the liquor stores around town and they said they haven’t gotten a shipment in ages!”

“I had it specially ordered from their website! I’m glad you’re happy – I love you, but I’m never going through that hassle again. Customs are a bitch,” grimaced Katniss. Getting the white wine shipped from Canada seemed a bit much, but 25 was a big birthday and Madge had been Katniss’s best friend ever since they’d been paired together in Mr. Heffernan’s English Lit class in sixth grade. She deserved to be on the receiving end of a splurge.

“Well, you and I are going to drink this together tonight – no one else gets a drop,” beamed Madge. “Come on, I’ll stick it in the back of the fridge so no one can get at it before we do.”

She stepped over the threshold into the front porch and started to toe off her booties when Madge glanced down and stopped her. “No, no, leave them on, they’re part of your whole outfit. You look really good tonight, by the way,” she said, appraisingly. “I mean, not that you don’t usually, but, y’know, dresses are kinda rare for you. I’m babbling. Ignore me. It’s the wine. Come get a glass or three and start drinking with me please,” pleaded Madge as she turned back towards the kitchen down the hall and spotted her new husband. “Gale! Gale, Katniss is here! Get her a glass of Riesling, ASAP!”

“Hey Catnip! Good to see you – finally,” smirked Gale as he strode down the front hall towards them, but Katniss could see gentle concern in his eyes. He didn’t think you’d show, she thought to herself. She mentally huffed at her cousin.

“Obviously I’m here, it’s not like I’d miss my best friend’s birthday,” she said, somewhat shortly.

“Oh – of course not, I know that, I j-just...anyway, I’m glad you’re here. There’s a taco dip with your name on it so I hope you came hungry,” her older cousin stammered, glancing at his wife for reinforcement.

Both he and Madge seemed a little on edge at her presence, like they were afraid anything they’d say would set her off in some way. She knew they were only worried about her since the breakup, but it still irritated her to think that their shared glances probably meant they’d been talking about her before she’d shown up. Katniss hated being the centre of anyone’s attention or gossip.

It’s not gossip; they’re concerned about you because they love you, Prim’s voice popped in her head. Her younger sister was always her voice of reason and regularly called her out when she got in her own head and complained about people being interested in her personal life. With Prim on the other side of the country in medical school at Stanford though, she wasn’t here in person to call her out. But Katniss knew her as well as she knew herself, and knew it was exactly what Prim would say in this situation.

Steeling herself and wiping the scowl off her face, Katniss offered Gale a small, embarrassed smile and said, “I was really hoping you’d make your famous taco dip. I skipped dinner specifically for it.”

A flicker of relief passed over his face and Gale turned and gestured for her to follow him towards the dining room down the hall as Madge returned to the living room filled with guests. “I even covered it in extra shredded old cheddar, your favourite,” he grinned.

“Mmmm, hell yes. Where are the chips? I’m digging in right away,” she said eagerly, following behind him.

As they bypassed the living room and entered the dining room, she glanced back towards the front of the house and scanned the crowd. There was already a decent number of people here, some faces she recognized like old college pals Rue, Thom and Thresh, but others she’d never seen before. Gale’s work friends, probably, she thought absently.

“Is Joanna coming?” Katniss asked, turning her attention back towards the spread of food. “I haven’t talked to her all week. I meant to text her earlier, but I forgot.”

“Yep, she said she’s coming by once she’s finished at the office. Some big case she’s working on or something,” Gale replied. “Let me get you that Riesling, I’ll be right back,” as he turned towards the kitchen, leaving her to focus on the food. Grabbing a plate from the stack off to the left, she started piling taco dip onto it, her mouth watering in anticipation.

“Yeesh, Everdeen – leave some for the rest of us, why don’t you?” drawled a familiar voice.

Oh no. Not him, she groaned inwardly, the flush of annoyance rising up her neck and spreading across her face. She stiffened as she heard him chuckle softly and reluctantly turned to face the speaker.

“Oh, it’s you. Hello Peeta,” she said politely. “I didn’t know you were coming.”

“Why? Obviously I’d come to celebrate Madge. Besides, would you have stayed home and not graced us with your presence had you’d known?” Peeta smirked.

“Hmm, something like that,” she replied, pursing her lips before continuing reluctantly. “How are you? How are Delly and Connor? He must be, what, three now?” enquiring after his wife and son.

“…Yeah, he’s three now. Three and a half, actually, as he’ll tell you. Time flies when you’re having fun,” Peeta replied grimly, averting his eyes from her face. Confused at his response, Katniss was saved from having to reply by Gale appearing to their sides with her glass of wine.

“One Riesling for the lady. Hey Peeta, what can I get you? Beer? Liquor? Something to wipe that sour expression off your face?” asked Gale, wryly.

“Beer is fine, thanks Gale,” the wavy-haired blond replied. “I have to have something that’ll help wash down this taco dip, if Katniss doesn’t eat it all first.”

Katniss scowled at him. “Chill out, Mellark, there’s plenty there. I barely took any,” she retorted. Grabbing her plate and piling on a handful of nacho chips quickly, she turned and carried the plate and her glass of wine away from the irritating man before he could respond. Fuck, he’s such a dick, she stewed. Why does he have to be related to Madge?

Peeta Mellark and Madge Undersee-Hawthorne were indeed cousins, but he was also a former classmate of theirs from junior high and high school. It wasn’t like he and Katniss were friends though – they couldn’t have been further from that. Complete opposites throughout their early days, Peeta was a popular jock who seemed to get along with everyone. Everyone except quiet, kept-to-herself Katniss.

She had no idea why he never warmed to her – she’d sometimes catch him staring at her across the classroom or in the hallways, but he rarely spoke to her throughout their academic careers. She’d usually shoot him a puzzled look in return, because that’s exactly what he did to her – puzzled her.

Stupid Peeta Mellark. Why did he have to be here? And where was his wife, Delly? Katniss hadn’t laid eyes on the blonde bitch yet, but she was sure she’d know when she entered the room because the temperature would probably drop to below freezing, just like Delly’s chilly demeanour.

Katniss was never friends with Peeta, but she never understood what he saw in Delly. What was the title of that book she’d seen in Barnes & Noble one time? Why Men Marry Bitches? Maybe someone should’ve picked up a copy for Peeta Mellark because he could use some psychoanalysis as to why he married someone so horrible. Though, considering what she’d heard about the elder Mrs. Mellark while in school, maybe someone should pick up a book called Why Men Marry Their Mothers for him instead.

She moved through the crowd towards Rue and Thresh, when a flash of short brown hair caught her eye in the main hallway. “Jo! In here!” she waved to the petite brunette in a black pencil skirt and crisp white collared shirt. Johanna was her and Madge’s former college roommate-turned-other-best-friend who was currently kicking ass working at the hottest law firm in the city. She was fresh out of law school and had to article for a year before she could pass the bar and be a full lawyer, but the partners at her firm were already so impressed by her drive and her no-holds-barred attitude, they’d already offered her a position once she’d passed the bar in a few months’ time.

“Hey Kitty-cat, how goes it?” said Johanna, snaking her arm around Katniss’ shoulders in a side hug. “Ooh, gimmie that, I earned a big drink after the freakin’ day I’ve had,” pulling the glass of wine from her friend’s hand and taking a big gulp, then grimacing. “Ugh, never mind, I forgot you like girly drinks. I need something harder tonight.”

“Wine is sophisticated, thank you very much. Rough day?” Katniss asked sympathetically, taking the glass back and swallowing a mouthful of the cold, sweet liquid.

“Fuck me, it was brutal. This lawsuit is gonna be the death of me and I’m not even a lawyer yet,” Johanna groaned. “If I have to read through one more brief, I’m gonna stab my eyeballs out and shove them down the managing partner’s throat.”

“Graphic, but okay, sure,” winced Katniss. Jo was never one to hold back with her…colourful language. “Here comes Gale – give him your drink order, he’ll get you sorted.”

“Hey Jo, want a whiskey?” asked Gale as he approached, sizing up the brunette’s irritated expression.

“You read my mind, Hawthorne. Make it a triple? Or will we all judge me?” Jo drawled, glancing at her friends.

“Nah, the night is young. We’re celebrating!” Gale grinned. “ice, right?”

“Yep, thanks. So, Kitty, how are you? Finally feeling free of that douche canoe, Darius? Jesus, I’m so glad that’s finally over. You were way too good for him.”

“I can always count on you to not mince words. Jesus,” Katniss shot back. She knew Johanna hadn’t been Darius’s biggest fan, but now that they were broken up, she didn’t hold back on voicing her dislike of him.

“Well, at least you didn’t marry him. Divorces are messy. Though, you would’ve had me as your lawyer and I would’ve milked that fucker for everything he had, so maybe it’s a bit of a loss. I would’ve enjoyed that,” smirked Jo.

“God, you’re unbelievable,” sighed Katniss, but she said it with a small smile. Even though her bark was bad, Jo’s bite wasn’t. Katniss knew it was her friend’s way of showing concern and care for her.

“Whatever, you know you love me. Hey, is that Peeta? I saw his bitchy wife when I came in but didn’t see him,” Johanna said, gazing towards the dining room.

“Ugh, yes. What a tool. I was barely in the room when he started harassing me about taking too much taco dip. I’m pretty sure every one of our friends knows that taco dip was made with me in mind – Gale knows it’s my favourite.” Katniss grumbled.

“Well, maybe he needs a reminder. You can tell him yourself, because he’s headed this way.”

“Ugh, fuck me.” Katniss groaned, her eyes rolling back into her head.

“Sorry Everdeen, I’m a married man,” smirked Peeta, coming up behind her, a bottle of Stella Artois in his grasp.

Katniss flushed at his response, while Johanna smiled blandly at the young man. “I wonder for how much longer,” she muttered under her breath so that only Katniss could hear. Katniss’s brow furrowed at the comment, but brushed it off. Odd.

“Ah, Peeta. Everyone’s favourite prick,” smirked Johanna as she raised her voice, her eyes flicking between Katniss and the tall, brawny blond.

Katniss snorted. “What a lovely description, Jo. Very flattering.”

Peeta shot Katniss an irritated look before turning back to Johanna. “Nice to see you too, Jo. How’s life at your hot shot firm? Madge tells me your bosses love you.”

“Yeah, I think it’s more so that they’re afraid of me. Which I’m fine with. Men need intimidation a lot more than they realize.” Johanna replied, smugly.

“Well, you’ve got that covered then,” Katniss piped up.

“Speaking of intimidating women, Mellark, where’s your wife? Still got your balls in a vise or what?”

“Jo! Jesus.” Katniss blurted, her eyes wide and flickering to Peeta to gage his reaction. She didn’t like Peeta, but she also didn’t like awkward conversations about people’s relationships. Or any kind of conversation about relationships.

Peeta stiffened slightly at Joanna’s remark and drew his mouth in a thin line. “She’s over there talking to some co-worker of Gale’s. She’s fine.”

“Really? That’s not what Madge sa-,”

“Jo, I think Gale is waving at you – he’s got your whiskey,” Katniss interrupted. If there was one thing that could shut Johanna up, it was the promise of liquor.

“Finally, be right back,” Johanna threw over her shoulder as she strode towards Gale in the dining room.

Peeta glanced at Katniss, a slight frown on his face, which she ignored. She was eager to move away from the subject of his wife. “How’s Connor? How old did you say he was again?” she asked, nervously. She realized too late that by drawing Johanna’s attention to Gale and her drink, she was leaving herself alone with the person she despised the most at the party. Great. Just when I thought I’d escaped him, I land myself in another conversation with him. Good one, Everdeen.

“…Um…he’s three and a half…what was Johanna talking about? What did Madge say about Delly?”

Katniss pulled her bottom lip between her teeth and chewed on it, stalling. “Oh, nothing. She just…she said Delly seemed a little off lately, that’s all. I think she was concerned.”

Peeta snorted. “Concerned. Sure she was. You’re a terrible liar, Everdeen,” he said, bitterly.

Katniss glanced at him again, thinking awkwardly about the conversation she’d had with Madge the week before. Madge had made a passing comment to her and Jo about Delly being bitchier than usual and said Peeta seemed withdrawn and moody. It wasn’t really Delly she was concerned about; it was her cousin. Peeta wasn’t a bitter person. But ever since he and Delly married a few months before Connor’s birth, almost four years ago, they’d all seen a shift in him. He was friendly to everyone (except Katniss, of course) but there was an edge to him that hadn’t been there before. It seemed to be getting more and more pronounced as time went on.

Why do you care if he’s out of sorts? She didn’t, really. She was just curious. Even though he wasn’t nice to her, he was generally nice to everyone else, so to see him so bitter confused Katniss. Not that she cared, though. Because she didn’t. Really.

“Yeah, well, ask her yourself then. Excuse me, I need a refill.” Katniss said shortly, turning and leaving him alone for the second time that night.

_________________________________

The night wore on, with Katniss managing to avoid Peeta for the most part, sticking to chatting with Johanna or Madge or one of their other college friends. When she noticed Madge’s wine glass empty at the same time as hers as they were both pleasantly buzzed, she said, smiling, “what do you think, Mrs. Hawthorne? Time to crack open the Nova?”

“Excellent idea, Ms. Everdeen. Would you do the honours?” beamed Madge, her eyes a little glassy by now. The two of them made their way to the kitchen, where a few other people were already gathered, chatting. Katniss pulled open the refrigerator door and poked her head in, searching for the bottle of imported wine, but didn’t see it.

“Where’d you put it, Madge? Did you forget to put it in?” she asked.

“No, it’s in there, I swear – you know I love it super cold.” Madge replied breezily.

“What are you looking for?” asked another voice.

“A bottle of wine I brought for Madge– ” started Katniss, turning around and stopping, her eyes on Peeta Mellark.

And the bottle of Nova 7.

The empty bottle of Nova 7.

“…what the fuck. Are you KIDDING me right now? Did you open and DRINK that?!” Katniss screeched. “Are you actually kidding me?? Fuck you, Mellark!! Do you know what I went through to get that for her?!” She could feel hot tears forming in her eyes, catching her off guard.

Peeta had started to smirk, but when he saw her face, he faltered and his mouth dropped open slightly. “I didn’t–I thought–Gale said there was white wine in–we didn’t–” he stammered, his eyes darting to his wife’s, then back to Katniss's. Katniss hadn’t noticed Delly off to the side, her hand clutching an almost empty wine glass.

“What’s the big deal, it’s just a bottle of wine, there’s plenty here,” said the blonde woman testily as she rolled her eyes. “Personally, I never saw the appeal of Canadian wines. There are so many better brands from Australia or Spain. Canada’s not even that foreign; they’re like, right next door.”

Madge groaned and launched into Delly and Peeta, shouting about the importance of the special birthday gift to the oblivious couple. Katniss tuned her out as she could feel the heat rising in her neck up through her face. She was already having a shitty day moping over Darius and didn’t even want to come to the party in the first place; she definitely didn’t want to have to deal with stupid Peeta Mellark and his stupid bitch wife; and the only thing she’d been looking forward to was sharing the bottle with her best friend.

And the two of them had ruined it.

She had to get out of there before the tears spilled over and she embarrassed herself in front of them. She turned on her heel and stormed out of the room without a backwards glance.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

#katniss everdeen #Peeta Mellark #everlark fanfiction #everlark fanfic #enemies to lovers

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peterstanslizzie · 4 years

Text

Re-watching Lizzie Mcguire: Episode 2.6 (The Rise and Fall of the Kate Empire)

A baby kitten is born every time Kate smiles

- It’s lunchtime and the students of Hillridge Junior High have flocked to the school courtyard to eat their lunch. However, Lizzie, Gordo and Miranda got there a bit too late and they are struggling to find seats.The only 3 seats available are at Kate and Claire’s table (which was actually their usual table) but due to obvious reasons, they hesitate to sit with them.

- However, Gordo is sick of eating his baloney in the grass and wants to take a stand against the cheerleaders and their ‘no mixing with outsiders’ policy. Things start out promising but moments later, all three of them end up eating in the grass.

I wish they showed what Kate and Claire did or say to them that caused them to back away.

- The cheerleaders are then seen practicing their routine led by Kate and our main trio have no other choice but to watch them. As Lizzie is watching them perform, she expresses her disdain for Kate and wishes that she would be knocked off her pedestal. Well, be careful what you wish for Lizzie because it might just come true and just like that...we get this moment:

Claire, the new Queen Bee Cheerleader

- After the opening credits, we find out that Kate had dislocated her shoulder and won’t be able to do cheerleading for about a month. Whilst Gordo and Miranda are somewhat thrilled about it, Lizzie feels slightly bad for Kate because she didn’t want her to get hurt. I’m not surprised since Kate and Lizzie did share that one bonding moment together in Season 1. So, she already knows there’s good inside of her.

- We then see Kate arriving at the cheerleaders’ lunch table but Claire and the rest of her so-called ‘friends’ are giving her a weird look. Claire rudely tells Kate that she’s not allowed to sit at their table since her shoulder got dislocated and can’t be a cheerleader anymore. She’s giving such Gretchen Wieners “You can’t sit with us” vibes. But seriously, this really shows me that Claire and the other girls are such bad friends because they are willing to turn their back against their own kind for no good reason. Especially Claire; Why would she treat her best friend like that? That’s really evil.

- I thought Kate was going to stand up for herself but no, she just leaves without fighting back. And look at her! She’s eating alone on the grass...I feel bad for her and so does Lizzie.

- Life for Lizzie and her friends under Claire’s rule or should I say, iron fist is miserable. Not only is she forcing people who’s not popular to not walk in the same hallway as her, she’s also making everyone eat lunch in the grass. She’s way worse than Kate, that’s for sure.

- Fun fact: The Lizzie Mcguire novel titled ‘The Rise and Fall of the Kate Empire’ that was based on this episode actually included Claire telling our main trio that they’re not allowed to walk in that hallway because she deemed it to be a “cheerleaders-only hallway”. She also tells them to go to the ‘dork-hallway’ instead, which where the next scene takes place.

Mission ‘Re-popularize Kate’

- Kate is seen struggling to carry her books and Lizzie approaches her to help. Lizzie also apologizes to Kate about everything that has happened to her recently. Lizzie doesn’t have to feel weird about being nice to her; They’re definitely friends deep down still.

- After school, Lizzie tells her friends that they should try to make Kate popular again so that they don’t have to deal with Claire being the school’s Queen Bee anymore. But of course, it’s clear Lizzie really wants to help her only because she feels sorry for her. After some initial hesitation, Gordo and Miranda are onboard with Lizzie’s new mission.

- For stage one of their plan, they first try to spread a rumor about Kate’s aunt being a famous cheerleader for the Lakers, which backfires on them because it made Kate seem even more desperate to become popular again. With Plan B, they sit with Kate in the grass and ask her what they can do to help her so that she can get her friends back again.

- Hmm, how about not giving two cents about her fake friends? They are horrible for just dumping her like that. Time to move on, I say. Anyways, Kate laments about not being able to do any cheerleading stunts with just one arm but I love how Lizzie is recommending her some stunts she can do since she did do Rhythmic Gymnastics in the 7th grade. I like this callback.

- Another fun fact: The novel also included Lizzie revealing to Kate that they were the ones who spread that rumor about her aunt.

Aww look at her; She really appreciates Lizzie for being willing to help her. Also, I’m living for Miranda calling Claire a witch lmao.

- Things shift over to a montage of Lizzie teaching Kate how to do one-handed stunts and Kate picks it up pretty quickly. After practice, Kate acts like she isn’t grateful for them helping her, which of course, is all a front since she wants to maintain her tough exterior in front of other people. Oh, and this moment was really awkward but funny to watch:

Basically, Gordo thought that Kate was going to thank him for helping her but it turns out that he was just sitting on her sweater lol.

The Moment Of Truth

- During cheer practice, Kate confronts Claire and challenges her to a cheer competition, to which she agrees to do. Kate goes first and she does amazingly well. But I can’t help but notice that it’s clearly a stunt double in Kate/Ashlie’s place lol.

Kate ends her routine with an aerial cartwheel and that amazes everyone in the audience, including Lizzie, Gordo and Miranda.

- Claire’s up next and...

She does an EPIC FAIL. The sound effects made it even funnier. Poor thing ended up hurting her wrist. But that’s karma for ya Claire.

- And just like that, Kate regains her status as head cheerleader with Claire being down for the count.

- Fast forward a few days later, Claire is seen with an arm sling and she’s seen eating lunch alone (as deserved btw). Kate sees her and walks up to her, with Lizzie, Miranda and Gordo thinking she’s probably going to make fun of her.

- But look at this! Kate is actually being nice to her and is welcoming Claire to sit with them despite having fractured her wrist. She’s trying to set a new precedent by not treating her friends like dirt, unlike Claire and I’m so here for that.

B-Plot: Matt and the Doorbell

This is honestly really adorable lol

- Matt reveals to his parents that he will be starring in his school’s play this year but he will only have one line to say, which is probably Matt’s most iconic line from the entire show and that is “Ah, the doorbell. I’ll get that”. Despite this, Matt thinks he is a big star of the play and without him, the play would be ruined.

- I think Lanny doesn’t seem to be down with Matt’s diva or should I say divo behavior. But at least he’s showing his support and helping him run through his one and only line lol.

- Gradually, throughout the episode, Matt’s behavior stars to get out of hand (as usual); First, he demands his mom, Jo to remove the chocolate chips from the trail mix she prepared for him and later, he asks her to turn down the lights in the living room for him. He’s even starting to boss Lanny around.

- It’s actually gotten so bad that both Jo and Sam are willing to ground him after the play for treating the people around him like dirt. After hearing about the news of his grounding, Matt gets upset to the point where he loses his voice from trying to talk back to them. And just like that, they decide to retract his sentencing because losing his voice is good enough punishment. Umm, shouldn’t they be more concerned about his health though lol?

- Anyways, towards the end of the episode, Matt is bed-ridden and he also apologizes to his mom and Lanny for being a jerk to them. Because Matt isn’t able to do the play anymore, Lanny volunteers to take his place. I wonder how he’s going to say the line since we NEVER hear him speak. Lol! I guess that’s the joke huh?

Overall Thoughts

- It’s pretty clear that the A-plot and the B-plot of this episode both share the same lesson of learning how to not treat your friends like dirt with Matt apologizing to his mom and Lanny for his diva behavior and with Kate learning not to treat people badly despite having been treated badly herself by those same people.

- This episode definitely has elements of the season 1 episode, “Lizzie and Kate’s Excellent Adventure” where we see Lizzie and Kate getting along well. I just wish that this episode ended with them actually becoming friends again because clearly, they were always meant to be friends. Like, they seriously need to stop playing it up in public that they dislike each other. That smile they gave each other in the end was all the hint they needed in order to realize that them hating on each other is stupid. And with Claire, I just hope she learned her lesson and realizes that Kate is a true friend. This episode also makes me realize that she is such a bad influence on Kate. Hopefully things will change with Claire.

- Matt’s storyline was pretty decent actually; It really shows me that he can take responsibility and apologize to the people he’s offended. His scenes didn’t distract me from the main plot and I hope it continues this way in the episodes to come.

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benhardyisdaddy · 5 years

Text

Unexpected

MASTERLIST

(hope whoever requested this likes it <3 also ben looks soft and cute in this pic, i cant rn)

Word Count: 4,326

WARNING: underage drinking, unwanted pregnancy angst

One week before Summer vacation’s over and you’re officially a senior. Eighteen looked good on you and you were so determined to do amazing in school - like always - and earn your way into an Ivy League. It was a huge dream of yours and you wouldn’t let anything get in that way.

“What do you mean you’re not going to Will’s party tonight? You promised!”

You were laying on your bed with your phone to your ear. Your best friend Ben is on the other line with a pathetically sad voice.

“Will’s thrown an end of summer part since we were in second grade! We always go together! You can’t bail on me now!”

You just sigh as you roll over onto your belly and close your eyes.

“Ben, it’s just that I want a clear head before we go back. This is the year of y/n, okay? I don’t want anything to ruin this.”

“So a silly party might ruin your reputation and acceptance into college?” he asks with a dramatic voice.

You roll your eyes again.

“This is serious to me, Ben! I’ve worked hard to get where I’m at.”

“Don’t have to rub it in.” he says softly, causing your heart to break a bit.

Ben still hasn’t gotten any acceptance letters to colleges he had applied for this Summer and it was bumming him out badly. You could tell.

“What time do you want to leave?” you ask with a slight smile as you change the topic.

You can hear Ben slightly gasp and can practically hear the smile on his face.

“Is that you saying that you’ll go!?” he asks loudly.

“Yes. I’ll go with you to Will's silly party! Pick me up around eight?”

Ben looks at the clock and realizes that’s only thirty minutes from now. He smiles and nods, even though you can’t see it.

“Eight it is.”

***

The idea didn’t seem so bad to you after you got yourself all ready. It was your senior year after all. This would be your last end of Summer party with your friends. You wanted to get dolled up and look nice for the occasion… Or possibly look nice for Aaron - your crush. You know he’ll be there so you mentally thank Ben for making you say yes.

You’re waiting downstairs in your living when there’s a honk just outside. You know it’s Ben. You say goodbye to your parents as you rush off. Ben’s in the driver's seat with a big goofy grin on his face. You hurry to the car and slide in.

“You look fancy.” he says in a purr like voice.

You roll your eyes and lightly blush.

“For Aaaaaron?” he asks, drawing out his name.

You reach over and shove his arm playfully, causing him to laugh out loud.

“What’s wrong with just wanting to look nice, huh!?”

You both talk about anything and everything as you drive to the party. It’s located out by the docks on the lake like every year. That meant swimming, bonfires and god knows what else. You both finally arrive as he parks the car. You jump out and look around at the swarm of kids that were here. Your knew everyone that was here, but it felt odd seeing them after a year of being absent for Summer. It was nice to see familiar faces. You scan around and spot Aaron and your heart jumps. He’s near a table with all kinds of drinks on them - including alcohol. It was a party after all.

“Want a drink?” asks Ben as if he’s read your mind.

“Please!”

He nods and walks away towards the table. You slowly follow behind him with your eyes on Aaron. He’s smiling and laughing with one of his friends as you stare at him with actual heart eyes. You’re closer to the table when Aaron looks over and spots you. He smiles big and waves. It catches you off guard as you stand up straight and awkwardly wave back. He definitely caught you staring. Your face burned as you walk up more.

“How was your Summer break?” asks Aaron as he walks up and brings you in for a hug.

You’re frozen as he leans away with that sweet smile still plastered on his face.

“Oh,” you say fast, realizing you need to speak. “It was awesome! Thanks. How, uh, how was yours?”

Aaron shrugs and continues smiling as Ben turns from the table and stops as he watches you two. He knows about your feelings towards Aaron and doesn’t want to ruin the moment for you. Ben sips on his drink as he just stands back and observes.

“Wasn’t too bad actually.” says Aaron. “Missed my science buddy though.” he teases as he talks about you.

You giggle and move a piece of hair behind your hair - your way too obvious way of flirting.

“Well, maybe we’ll have that class again this yea-”

Before you can finish, Clara, the popular girl in school, walks up and wraps her arms around Aaron’s waist all while leaning up and kissing him. Your smile falls fast as you watch their intimate moment. You look away and feel your heart break. Ben watches you as he lowers the cup, his heart breaking for you as well. You’re looking around awkwardly as you rub your arm. Aaron and Clara look to you as her face falls.

“Can we help you?” she asks rudely.

Aaron speaks up in defense.

“No, babe, I was talking to y/n about how I missed my science buddy. She use to let me copy her stuff all the time.” he laughs out.

Oh, you think to yourself. That’s why you missed me.

“Hey, y/n!” calls out Ben to rescue you.

He walks up and you watch as Clara eyes him up and down, a smile on her face. He doesn’t pay her any attention as he’s only focused on you.

“Here’s your drink. Let’s go by the fire.” he says quickly before grabbing your hand and leading you away.

You follow him without a fight. You were thankful for the save. The two of you walk until you spot a giant log sitting by the huge campfire. You sit down and down your drink in an instant. Ben gets back up and steals a bottle of liquor for you two to share. You’re staring at the fire as your head starts buzzing.

“Thank you.” you say quietly.

Ben knows what you’re referring to. He reaches over and wraps an arm around your shoulder as he pulls you close to him. He kisses your head and rests his on it for a moment.

“Anytime.” he says back, causing you to smile.

You lean away to drink some more. You’re staring over at Aaron and watching as him and Clara hang all over each other. They look so happy and it made you sick.

“Why would he want her?” you ask. “She’s the rudest human I’ve ever met.”

“Agreed.” says Ben with a mouth full of booze.

You just shake your head and down another drink. It was starting to mess with your head and you were actually kind of happy. You needed to let loose for a bit. Let go of all of your stress before the actual stress even begins.

“Wanna dance?” asks Ben randomly as he watches a big group of kids dancing like crazy on a gravely patch to the right of you.

You watch them for a moment before smiling and standing up. You wobble for a moment, but catch yourself.

“After you,” you say to him.

The two of you hurry up and begin dancing like crazy. Ben’s holding your hand and twirls you around as you laugh. He does some silly dance moves that make you cry from laughter. When the song’s over, you both return back to your seat. But as you sit down, you both miss the log at the same time and land on your butts. You’re drunk as you both lean against one another and laugh hard. You continue to sit on the ground as you sip on your drink some more.

“I’m really drunk.” you confess to Ben.

He laughs and nods.

“Me too.”

You look back over to Aaron and frown.

“She’s so lucky.” you say. “I bet he’s so good in bed.”

Ben chokes on his drink as he coughs, making you look at him fast.

“What!?” you ask.

“Innocent y/n talking about a guy in bed. I’m surprised.”

You roll your eyes at him.

“I’m not as innocent as you think, Ben.”

He raises a brow to you.

“Oh really? Do you even know what a sex is?”

“A sex!?” you ask as you laugh hard.

“Yes! A sex!” he laughs out.

“For your information,” you slur. “There’s a lot that you don’t know about me. Especially me with sex.”

Ben’s actually shocked by that. His face falls and his mouth closes.

“You’ve…?” he asks.

You nod proudly.

“Of course I have. Have you…?”

“Yeah, of course.” he laughs. “Just a bit shocked by yours.”

You look back to Aaron and frown once more.

“I just bet he’s so good.”

“Jesus, y/n. There’s other men out there that are decent at sex ya know. I bet he’s shit.”

“Oh really?” you ask. “Are you good in bed, Benjamin?”

“Actually,” he says smugly. “I’m quite freaking fantastic.”

You’re taken aback by his bluntness.

“Oh…” is all you can say.

“That’s what you need though,” he says taking a swig. “A good shag. You’ve probably been deprived all Summer.”

Honestly, he was right. You’ve been so focused on school and your studies this Summer that you failed to do anything remotely fun.

“But, you know, I didn’t have any all Summer either. So, ya know, it’s just an idea… Maybe,”

You lean away and raise a brow at him with a somewhat twisted face.

“Ben, are you trying to say what I think you’re saying?” you ask a bit loud.

He just looks around and then back at you.

“...Maybe…”

***

Ben slowly moved his car down the dirt road that it was parked on. The car was far away from anybody as you straddled his lap in the back seat. Your lips were pressed together in a hot and messy kiss. His hands roamed your body as you grind into him.

“Just to be clear,” you say pulling away. “I don’t like you like this, okay?”

“Ditto.” he says fast, trying to go back to kissing you.

“We’re just doing this because we’re super drunk and turned on. And because I have angry sexual frustrations over Aaron that I need to release. Got it?”

“Got it, but if you say his name again, I’m gonna have to leave.”

You both laugh as you shake your head and resume your kissing. The car windows were fogged up and you were so happy that no one was able to look inside and see what the two of you were doing.

***

2 Weeks Later

School had started back up and you were thrilled about how well you were already doing. You and Ben had practically every class together, besides first hour. Last year, you had none, so you were happy. It was time for lunch as you both made your way to the cafeteria. Surprisingly, you weren’t hungry. You opted for a drink instead and sat next to Ben as you both talked about anything and everything, but today Ben decided to bring up another topic.

“We never really spoke about what happened that night…” he lingers.

Your eyes go wide as you look around fast, hoping no one could hear you.

“Ben!” you scold. “What is there to talk about? We were drunk and just bored.”

“I know, but I didn’t want this to be weird or anything.”

“Nothing’s weird.” you smile. “You’re still my best friend and that’s all.”

That relieved Ben as you both enjoy your lunch break with laughter about what had happened that day so far.

***

2 Weeks Later

You had woken up that Tuesday morning with horrible nausea. You weren’t running a fever, but you felt like you had the flu. You were constantly in the bathroom as you released everything you ate the day before. You felt horrible. Your mom decided that you needed to go get checked out at the hospital and she’d go with you.

It felt like forever in the waiting room before your name was called. You were taken back to a room where you had to get dressed in a hospital gown. After checking you and drawing blood, your doctor was there.

“Heard we’re not feeling good today.” she says sweetly as she checks your chart.

“Yeah, I’ve had the worst nausea ever. It just keeps hitting out of the blue.”

She’s quiet as she studies the paper and then speaks.

“Tell me, y/n, when was your last period?”

You sit there and think for a moment before your heart jumps.

“I, uh,” you look to your mom as she watches you closely, a confused look on her face when you linger. “I guess I’m sort of late for it.” you say quietly.

Your mother swallows hard and leans back in her chair. The doctor looks to you and then to her.

“Mrs. y/l/n, do you mind if I speak to y/n alone real quick. She’s considered an adult now and I just need to ask her a few more questions by herself.” she says with a smile.

Your mom nods and looks to you with a half sad smile. She reaches over and grabs your hand for a moment before standing up and exiting the room. Once she’s gone, the doctor turns to face you.

“Alright, mom’s gone so now I can ask you some questions. Are you sexually active?” she asks.

You shake your head no fast but then stop. You remember Ben instantly and your stomach twisted.

“No… Well, once, but…” you trail off.

The doctor just watches you as she nods and stands up.

“We’re gonna take another sample of blood real fast and I’ll go tell mom that she can come back in.”

All you can do is nod as she leaves the room. What was happening!? They can’t actually think that you might be pregnant… Right? Your mother comes back in and says nothing as she sits down and stares at the floor. A nurse walks in and hurries to draw some more of your blood. You’re told that it’ll take a bit for them to get the results… And they did.

And you were pregnant.

***

You’re sat in the passenger side as your mother drives back home. You’ve just been told you were going to have a baby and it felt like a bad dream. You stared out the window until she finally speaks up.

“I tell you the same thing over and over, y/n, always wear protection! I was your age once, I know what it’s like to have urges. I don’t care what you do, I just needed you to do that one thing and you didn’t.”

Tears well up in your eyes as you look over and watch her speak. She doesn’t look angry, she doesn’t even sound angry. Just disappointed, which was somehow worse.

“I was seventeen when I had you,” she says finally looking over at you. “Was I too young? Yes. Do I regret it at all? Absolutely not. I’d do it again in a heartbeat, it’s just… It’s just that I didn’t want you to miss out on things like I did.”

“I don’t have to.” you barely whisper.

Your mother looks over and she understands what you’re referring to. She looks back to the road and nods.

“I think that’s something you should probably talk to the father about. Speaking of the father… Do I even want to know who it is, because when you’re father finds out…” she lingers off as she sighs about the moment you have to tell your father.

You take in a deep breath and look down at your hands.

“Ben.” you barely whisper.

Your mom’s head flies to look at you, her eyes wide.

“I’m sorry, who?” she asks.

“Ben…” you say once more.

“Ben?! Your best friend Ben!? The same Ben that you use to take bubble baths with when you were two!?”

All you can do is nod. Your mother looks back to the road and just shrugs.

“In an odd way I’m actually a bit relieved that it wasn’t that Anthony kid from your school.”

“Aaron, mom.” you correct her.

She rolls her eyes at his name.

“His name can be whatever - doesn’t make him less of an idiot.”

That comment makes both of you laugh and some stress falls off your shoulders. But she’s right… You need to tell Ben.

***

“Ya know, being asked to meet in the park after dinner really makes me think you’re going to murder me.” teases Ben as he jogs up to you.

You’re sat on a swing as you gently go back and forth. You didn’t laugh at his dumb joke which made him a bit worried.

“Hey, what’s wrong?” he asks as he sits on the swing beside you.

You can’t look him in the eyes as you stare down at your feet.

“I went to the hospital today.” you say quietly.

“Shit, are you okay!?” he asks worried.

“I’m… I’m fine.” you tell him. “I just found out something that I need to tell you and I don’t want you to get angry at me for it. Okay?”

You finally look to him and your eyes are watery. He was beyond worried.

“Okay.” he whispers.

You take in a deep breath and close your eyes.

“I’m pregnant.”

You open them to watch as Ben’s face goes pale. He’s staring at you as you wave your hand in front of his face.

“Ben?” you ask, causing him to come back to reality.

“Is it mine?” he asks fast.

You’re offended by that questions as your face twists up and you stand fast.

“Yeah, Ben, because I sleep with so many people!” you shout as you begin walking away fast.

He jumps up from the swing and yells out to you before gently grabbing your arm to stop you.

“I didn’t mean it like that and you know it. I’m sorry! I’m just… I’m just trying to process all of this, okay? I wasn’t expecting that. At all. I don’t even know what to say.”

You realize that he was still in shock as you look down and nod your head. You wrap your arms around yourself as he watches you.

“I - we - can’t raise a baby right now. I have college to look forward to. I wanted to talk to you about adoption and-”

“Adoption?” he asks confused.

“Yeah? I can’t give up my dreams because of one dumb mistake we made, Ben.”

Ben sarcastically laughs as he takes a step backwards.

“Your dreams? You see, yn, that’s so typical of you to always be thinking of yourself.”

You’re taken aback by his harsh statement as your eyes narrow.

“Thinking of myself?! Ben, this is Ivy League we’re talking about! You can go to a community college whenever you want, but mine’s a big deal!”

You knew that was a mistake to say whenever the words slipped from your mouth. Ben laughs and raises his eyebrows as you close your eyes and sigh.

“I’m sorry, Ben. That’s not what I meant, okay? I’m sorry.”

“No, it’s fine. I’m gonna go and not get in your way of whatever it is you want. As long as you reach the top, right? Because my opinion on this doesn’t matter.”

He turns around and begins walking away as you shout out for him to stop, but he doesn’t. That didn’t go as you planned.

***

3 Months Pregnant

“Ben, I have my first ultrasound appointment today and I really want you to be there. I know we’ve been distant lately, but I could really use you there by my side. Please?”

You hang up the phone as your mom walks into the living room with your coat.

“Didn’t answer?” she asks sadly.

You just shake your head as you wipe away a tear and stand up to leave. You were nervous for your appointment. The drive wasn’t long until you get there. You’re taken back to a room and lay down on a bed. You lift your shirt up and expose your slightly swollen belly. Your mom smiles at the sight as you look around at all of the odd machinery in the room. There’s a knock at the door and in walks your doctor.

“Ready to see your baby?” she asks sweetly as she sits down on a small chair in front of a screen.

As she’s rubbing a weird green jelly on your stomach, there’s a loud knock at the door. You all look to it as it opens up and in walks Ben. He looks out of breath as he just awkwardly smiles and looks to you. You’re shocked to see him as you grin and sit up slightly.

“You came.” you whisper.

“I wouldn’t miss this for the world.” he replies.

He walks over and greets your mom with a hug as he places a chair near you and sits. The two of you sadly smile at one another and by the look in his eyes, he’s telling you that he’s sorry. You hold out your hand for him to take, symbolizing that you were too. He takes it as the two of you watch the tiny screen light up.

“There it is.” says the nurse showing you the tiny face.

Your heart swells as you quietly cry to yourself. You look over and watch as Ben’s eyes are blood red and he’s crying too, along with your mom.

“It’s so tiny.” you whisper, looking back to the screen.

“I can’t believe that’s our baby.” whispers Ben, a sweet smile on his face.

The way he was looking at it made something in your head start turning. It made your heart swell up and something felt different.

***

6 Months Pregnant

“Is it odd to have a baby shower when we’re giving her up for adoption?” asks Ben a bit sad as he places pink plates on a table.

Your mom looks over to you and gives you a knowing smile as you look back to Ben.

“Ben,” you start as he looks over to you. “I’ve been thinking about things a lot lately. College will always be there for me when I’m ready to go, but this,” you say as you place your hands on your bump. “This whole parent thing seems much more rewarding than that, so…” you linger, causing Ben to understand what you’re trying to say.

He steps towards you fast with his eyes wide and a serious look on his face.

“Are you saying what I think you’re saying!?” he asks fast.

All you can do is bite your lip and nod. Ben’s face broke into a huge grin as he reaches forward and hugs you.

“You have no idea how happy that makes me.” he whispers against you.

You wrap your arms around him and nuzzle your face into the crook of his neck.

“Me too.” you whisper back.

***

9 Months Pregnant

“Breathe, it’s okay. You’re doing so great. Just breathe.”

You’re in a hospital bed as contractions hit you hard. Your water had broken while Ben was moving some of his stuff into your room for the arrival of the baby. It was a week early and you weren’t expecting it. Ben and your mom were in the room with you as he held your hand and allowed you to squeeze it as hard as you want.

“You’re doing so good.” he whispers as he rubs your back with his free hand.

“I don’t want her to think she was a mistake!” you yell out randomly, causing your mom and Ben to look at each other confused.

“Why would she think that?” he asks.

“Because her parents aren’t even in love! We’re two best friends having a baby and I don’t want her to hate us for that! I don’t want it to feel like a broken home!”

Ben laughs softly as he feels bad for you thinking that.

“Hey, no! It’s not like we’ve gotten a divorce or broke up. There’s not going to be any split holidays or separate birthday parties, okay? She’s being born into a family that loves her more than she’ll ever know. Understand? Yeah, we’re not the typical ‘fall in love and have a baby’ scenario, but we do love each other and she’ll always see that.”

You’re looking up to Ben as you cry hard at what he’s saying. You nod your head and feel a million times better already.

“Thank you for that.” you whisper just before another contraction hits.

Your rooms door opens up and in walks the doctor as she puts on some gloves.

“Alright, who’s ready to have a baby?”

***

1 Hour Later

You’re laying in the bed with Ben at your side. Your mom had ran out to grab some food as you both admire your beautiful baby girl.

“She has your eyes.” you tell him.

“Well she has your lips.” he says with a smile.

“I can’t believe we created something this beautiful.” you whisper as she begins squirming around and makes the sweetest little noise.

You both scrunch your faces and ‘awww’ at it. You look over to Ben and smile.

“I’m glad she’s ours.” you admit. “This is a way better feeling than receiving an acceptance letter.”

Ben laughs softly as he kisses your head.

“I can agree with you on that.”

Tag List: @sonic-volcano @bella28 @queengavemeasheerheartattack @sj-thefan

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#benhardyxreader #ben hardy #benhardy #benhardyisdaddy #dad!benhardy #benhardyxy/n #unexpected #pregnancy #pregnant!y/n #mom!y/n #angst #29 #fic #borhap

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grimmseye · 4 years

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A Bird in the Hand: Chapter Four

Read on Ao3 here!

Rating: T

Fandom: Critical Role

Relationships: Mollymauk Tealeaf/Essek Thelyss, Mollymauk Tealeaf/Essek Thelyss/Caleb Widogast (eventual)

Chapter Characters: Mollymauk Tealeaf, Essek Thelyss

Chapter Tags/Warnings: Molly Rez, Amnesiac Mollymauk, Oh My God They Were Roommates, Bath Scene, Nonsexual Nudity, Graphic violence,

This fic now contains spoilers up to Episode 97: The Fancy and the Fooled

— — —

His job was one that weighed heavy on his shoulders. The mantle he wore sometimes felt like a manifestation of that, in the way that it shrouded him, hid him, forced his posture stiff and heavy. But if there was something Essek could appreciate, it was the authority he was granted. A simple word and the guards were moving to do his bidding without pausing to question. This was what Essek built for himself. Regardless of his mother’s position, he was the one who had come to stand at the Bright Queen’s side.

What he retrieved were the blades that those at the Shadowspire failed to turn over. Mollymauk’s swords were made from carnival glass, curving blades that hooked towards the tips. Essek turned them over, uncertain just how well such material performed as a weapon. They looked more gaudy than effective, though they had to have gotten Mollymauk across the wastes. The glinting colors broke where dried blood still lined their edges, as though to prove it.

As he sheathed the blades, Essek turned to the guard who had produced them, saying, “Additionally, I would like to speak with those who were involved in Mollymauk Tealeaf’s arrest.”

Again, it was a bow and obedience without question. Essek did not fancy himself to be a leader, but respect was pleasant. Being able to work without intervention was quite pleasant.

He knew better than to expect instantaneous results, and yet luck must have been on his side for this day. When the guard returned it was with two others flanking her. A pair of male drow, one stocky, the other standing taller than Essek. They greeted him with respect, but the tilt of their ears betrayed nerves. “Shadowhand,” began the taller of the two, his voice gruff. “What do you require of us?”

Essek let his eyes drag over each of them, slow and precise. Each second delayed had them winding tighter. “You are the guards who detained and arrested Mollymauk Tealeaf, yes?” He asked. “The purple tiefling, charged with breaking and entering.”

The two exchanged looks before the taller answered, “Yes, sir. That is correct.”

“Then I would like to issue a warning.” Essek did not cast a spell. He only pulled magic under his skin, let the air weigh down and compress in their lungs. A warning, as stated. A promise. A threat. “I was informed of the excess force you used while detaining the tiefling.”

Quicker than expected, they broke. The shorter of the two burst out, “He was armed — There have been attacks — ”

“And I cannot imagine the threat he posed, laying in the street while you kicked his ribs in,” Essek drawls back. He peers down through his eyelashes, a coldly neutral expression that was far more dangerous than blatant anger.

Neither of them spoke. Good. Essek let his magic dissipate, the pressure easing as he turned to drift back through the halls with swords in hand.

He hailed a cab back through the city, spending the time ritual casting over the swords. Neither showed so much as a drop of magic — just gloss and color shaved down to a fine edge. It was suitable for Mollymauk Tealeaf.

They stopped outside of the Tranquil Falls Spa, Essek handing over a tip before stepping out to make for the doors. He didn’t frequent these places, only found it through asking about. The polished stone walls promised a lavish treatment, and the prices swore them to it. He’d redacted the numbers as he translated it for Mollymauk, listing out the services offered. Massages, with oils or hot stones, facials, body scrubs and moisturizers, nail treatments, hair waxing, just to name a few .

Mollymauk had asked about massages with a happy ending and it had taken Essek a moment of confusion and then embarrassment before he’d assured him no, they did not provide such services here. Molly ended up picking a package deal and kissed Essek’s cheek in thanks.

He drifted to the front desk, saying, “Is Mister Tealeaf finished?” That spot on his cheek was warm, again. His lips had been somewhat chapped, which didn’t seem befitting of the tiefling one bit. He would probably appreciate access to the same paints and glitter that Essek used to decorate his own face for presentation purposes, only Mollymauk did it for the art and enjoyment, wholly for himself and the satisfaction of drawing every eye on the street.

“He is enjoying our spa for the time being,” the receptionist answered. “Would you care to join him?”

“Yes, thank you,” Essek answered, distracted. He didn’t realize what he’d said until she was beckoning to him, and his voice caught in his throat before he could pull it back. This would be another handful of gold out of his pocket.

He was given a soft towel and a robe and shown to a room with tall ceilings, the walls framed by pillars. A waterfall poured into a steaming, rectangular pool, one far too large for its singular occupant. Mollymauk looked like a cat in a sunbeam: completely bare, elbows on the edges of the pool, head tilted up and eyes shut in obvious enjoyment.

They opened, finding Essek as the receptionist said, “Enjoy your stay,” and bowed out of the room.

“Mister Thelyss,” Mollymauk called. He could hear the smirk in his voice, echoing amid the sound of running water. “This place is lovely. I’ve decided to forgive you for all past transgressions.”

“How… generous.” Essek found a bench to set the towel on, and then the sheathed blades, and then sat himself down beside them. He pulled a book out of the air, opening it at a marked page. Sticking around felt awkward, but leaving after only a minute inside would be worse. Though, who knew what the receptionist thought of him joining Mollymauk here, in private, after receiving an affectionate display. Enjoy your stay. Had there been an odd emphasis there, a too-sharp curve to her smile?

A splash of water caught his eye, making him startle as he found Mollymauk pressing himself up with his palms flat on the pool’s edge. Layers of thin scars drew paths for the water to run down his skin, down to the trail of dark hair running from his belly button, the rest hidden by the tile. He stared longer than he should before snapping his gaze up to meet Mollymauk’s.

“Are you going to get in the pool, or are you going to sit there like a creep?” Molly asked. His tail swept up, sending an arc of droplets over the pool’s edge.

“A creep,” Essek repeated. He frowned as he said, “I am not —”

“Sitting around in the corner while I enjoy my bath? My friend, you look like a grade-A creep right now.” He spoke with all his teeth. Even the premolars held jagged points, Essek noted with some fascination. He hadn’t encountered many tieflings before.

The truth was, Essek’s presence made things uncomfortable. All in or all out were his only options.

“You know, hot water is great for tension,” Mollymauk notes, pushing himself back to drift deeper into the pool. “And no offense, my friend, but you embody tension.”

Essek drew himself up to protest. Then he became acutely aware of the stiffness in every muscle, and slowly let himself unwind. “I am not tense,” he said, which was true as of that moment. Mollymauk scoffed. “But. Given that I have already sentenced myself to payment… perhaps I will dip my toes in.”

It gave him an abrupt, vivid flashback to being in the Nein’s home, the tree roots overhead, ears perked to catch snatches of conversation. That was where he’d first heard the name Mollymauk. What would he have done, had he not gone against his better judgement, walked away and never learned and then found this prisoner who had tried to break into their home.

Something unforgivable, he was certain. Though he wasn’t sure how much deeper he could dig his own grave. At least the current pit could still be filled.

He unclasped his mantle, folding it neatly on the bench. His fingers strayed to the hem of his shirt, pausing as he looked to Mollymauk — and found him turned politely around. It was surprisingly tactful. He slipped his shirt over his head, making sure the tiefling didn’t turn as he slid pants down his legs and left himself completely bare.

It was amazing just how naked he could feel, when there was someone else to see him. Usually so hidden, he couldn’t say what prompted him to walk to the edge of the spa and lower himself into steaming water. Maybe he was getting reckless, with the peace talks looming so near. That was unwise. That was dangerous.

He’d already crossed this particular line, though.

“Are you decent?” Molly asked.

Essek looked down. The water and steam obscured enough. “Yes,” he said, after a beat.

Mollymauk sat himself down on a step jutting out from the wall. He looked to Essek, not taking stock, but more of just a quizzical expression. “Are you still doing your floating thing in the water?”

Essek dropped an inch. His feet touched the tile.

Mollymauk’s cackling echoed through the room.

Against all expectations, Mollymauk did not spend the time pestering him with inane comments and crude jokes. Didn’t give him so much as a lascivious smirk, even when he caught Essek’s eyes on him — on places they likely shouldn’t be.

There was the guilt, again, deeper than before. Caleb had been unexpected, an attraction he’d been willing to entertain until it festered . Until it wasn’t just a keen mind and a handsome face he was appreciating, but the dimple when he smiled, the soft tenor of his voice, the passion bright behind his eyes. When he realized, he knew it was time to pull back, as guilt reared its head and gnawed at his organs and made affection a precursor to nausea. And now it turned out he couldn’t even stay loyal in his infatuation.

They slipped out of the spa, Essek retrieving his towel with a cantrip before he stood while Mollymauk had no shame in hoisting himself out on display for an audience of one. If it was intentional, or if the tiefling genuinely didn’t care about being nude, he could not determine.

With a towel around Mollymauk’s waist and all but Essek’s mantle adorned again, he handed over the swords. Molly slid one from its sheath, a smile lighting his face. “Oh, that’s so much better,” he breathed, drawing the other in hand. “I feel naked without these, you know?”

Essek’s eyes flicked over the low-hanging towel. “That must be terrible for you.”

“Oh, you know what I mean.” Mollymauk snorted as he adjusted his grip on each sword and gave one a toss. Essek moved back, watching as it spun once, twice, and landed neatly in Mollymauk’s waiting hand. “Very nice.”

There was something artful to it, as he tested their weight in each hand, spinning the blades and easing in and out of various poses. It was akin to a performance, as though he were showing this off for Essek to see, deliberate in each tension of muscle as it pulled at bone. Distracted as he was, he barely registered as Mollymauk slid leisurely towards him, lifting one blade so its tip pointed to Essek’s sternum, the other tipped over his shoulder and behind his back. And that was absolutely a pose, muscles stretched, chest swelling with each slow, deep breath, hair still wet and dripping across his shoulders.

Essek could almost feel his head spin. What did Mollymauk want from him?

“You hold those well,” he noted.

“Do you work with swords?” Molly asked, sounding like he expected the answer to be no.

“I received some training,” Essek said. “Enough that I can wield them proficiently. But I am not a swordsman like yourself.”

“Maybe I can show you a few things, then.” His smile was broad and easy. It sounded like an offer for something else.

Essek cleared his throat. “Perhaps,” he said, looking away. “You should get dressed. There are a few more stops to make before we head back.”

Mollymauk’s chuckle burned his ears as the tiefling changed into clean, dry clothes. The two of them exited together, Essek reluctantly handing over the gold he owed. If word of this got around — Shadowhand Essek in the baths with a nameless tiefling — gods, if the Nein heard, what would they think of him, taking advantage — as though that were the worst thing they could learn about him.

The clock indicated they were somewhere in the mid-afternoon as they pushed through the doors and back to the streets of Rosohna. The market square was a more lively place, the lights strung in shifting colors and voices all battling to be heard above the rest as one merchant after the next vied for the customers’ attention.

Mollymauk dragged him to a strawberry stand, of all things. Essek would eventually have to put a stop to all this gift-giving, especially when the rest of the Nein felt so entitled to his magic, the last thing he needed was for them to ask for money as well. But strawberries were copper out of his pocket, and it made Mollymauk’s tail curl in a way that had to mean delight.

The moment was short-lived, as red painted his vision.

He saw it, a sudden lurch in the crowd. The gnoll’s jaws were splashed with crimson, a macabre cousin to the strawberry juice on Mollymauk’s lips. Essek could hear flesh squelch and then the crunch, and half a man's arm was severed from his body. The first scream tore through the market.

Essek’s hand dipped into a pocket, finding a marble before he froze. Too many people. He’d kill a dozen civilians —

Mollymauk broke from his side. Essek shouted, but he was gone, darting into the scattered crowd. Essek snarled to himself, finding a piece of iron as he gave chase. His eyes darted back and forth. One — three — seven people, all suddenly on the attack, all gnolls. He didn’t have time for questions. He could make sense of it later. Now, he counted out five bodies, pressed the iron against his palm as he traced out the sigils to hold.

Four locked in place, wild-eyed and fangs bared, and their targets scrambled for safety. The fifth, the first to attack with a severed arm still clutched in her jaws, swung her head for Essek and snarled.

And then she yelped as Mollymauk appeared and sliced into her face. The first swing dragged a cut across her snout, the second knocked the arm free. She shrieked and lunged for him, teeth fastening into Mollymauk’s arm and blood pushing between her teeth, the claws of one hand digging into his side as he forced the other back.

Essek dragged runes into the air, these ones burning black. The gnoll released Mollymauk as she howled, skin withering, rupturing, blood spurting from a hundred breaks in her flesh. Mollymauk didn’t take the out. He seized his freedom to cut into her abdomen with one blade, making to come down with the second as the gnoll shook herself and snapped forward —

Essek’s “No!” was lost under a gurgling cry. Her teeth caught Molly’s neck, clamping tight and squeezing . The market was almost cleared, now, two bodies falling under two more gnolls, a third fleeing. That was enough for him.

He scooped a cool, black sphere into his hand, and opened a black hole in the middle of the square. It swelled out, a mass of void consuming the space around it, hovering just where he knew it wouldn’t pull Mollymauk into its jaws. It was instantaneous, there-and-then-not. The darkness shrank into nothing. Two of the underlings had survived, the rest crumpled and broken. The escaping drow had gotten caught in the crossfire, but in the mangled state their body was in, no one would know it was his spell that killed them.

And he’d failed to get the gnoll off of Mollymauk. A cold, boiling rage curled up Essek’s spine. The force of it had just been enough to wrench the gnoll’s head back, letting Mollymauk tumble forward to flee. She gave chase, leapt for his back and put him on the ground. Molly writhed underneath her, twisting around to jam his blades into her stomach. One of them sank deep, its point sticking out the other side as the gnoll’s snarling twisted into a wail. The other she caught, seizing his wrist and slamming it to the ground as her jaws parted wide.

Her jaws snapped shut, inches away from his face. There was a beat before she reared back, clawing at her own eyes. Mollymauk kicked her away, eyes finding Essek and darting back for him as the gnoll scrabbled at her face.

“You — idiot —” Essek seethed, taking in the amount of blood coating the tiefling, soaking through his new clothes, down his back, from his eyes. He shouldn’t be standing.

One of his swords was glowing, Essek realized, belated. Distracted for that moment, he watched as Molly’s eyes widened and then overfilled with blood, pouring down his face like tears. A tug to his mantle was what alerted him to the two surviving underlings. As one recovered from their failed swing, blood seeping into the fur at the corners of their eyes, the other lunged. Essek flinched away from teeth, only for the sting of a blade to catch his arm.

“Mollymauk,” he snapped, grabbing the tiefling by the arm, pulling him along as they circled the gnolls. Step by step until — there. Essek wrenched a piece of crystal to his lips, releasing Molly to write ice and death into the air, and blew. His breath spiraled out in a blizzard, ice flaring out in a cone to engulf their two aggressors. When the winter faded, it left two frozen statues, held in a moment of agony forever.

But he hadn’t gotten the leader. She was there in an instant, grabbing at Essek and tearing into him . He barely felt the teeth clamp into his waist, or the talons raking down his thigh. It was furious indignation that burned him, Essek biting out, “How dare you,” in hissed undercommon as he pulled darkness into his hand to stab it down into her back.

And missed.

The gnoll released him just for the second it took to go for his throat. He heard Molly roaring his name, couldn’t process the sound amid the sensation of his bones creaking in her jaws. Unable to reach his components, he gasped a word and vanished, reappearing on his knees and cloaked in silvery mist, clutching his bloodied arm.

His head snapped up as he remembered Mollymauk, and he found him tearing the gnoll to shreds. Both his swords were coated in magic, one shedding a burning light and the other sharpened by ice. One cut nearly removed her arm from her torso, the second sent it to the ground in a bloody spray. His teeth were bared, white stained crimson, like he’d gone and taken a bite in his rage.

As she staggered back, gushing blood, eyes darting for an escape — Mollymauk surged forward. He was suddenly ethereal, a ghost pushing through her to cleave into her back, again and again and again . And at last, the gnoll’s eyes went glassy. She gasped once and then collapsed, the final body to fall.

Then Mollymauk buckled as well. Essek was too far to catch him, could only dart forward and drop to his knees beside him. The tiefling was still breathing, eyes still open, but the amount of blood he was losing — he wouldn’t survive much longer.

“Hold on,” Essek breathed, grabbing his hand and pulling them both away, leaving the emptied, bloodied square behind.

#essek thelyss #mollymauk tealeaf #essek #mollymauk #shadowmauk #shadowwidowmauk #widomauk #cr #cr fic #my writing

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strawbrymilkshake · 5 years

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smoking is bad for you, you know

Dad!Reigen Week 2019 Day 3: Sports || Lessons

AO3 Description: Ritsu, eventually, learns to trust Reigen. (4.7k words)

Ritsu trusts his instincts.

It’s only been quite recently since he learned what instincts even are, but he knows himself and he knows he’s usually right. So, when Shigeo introduces him to his new master, Ritsu knows what to think about this man based on how he first feels.

“Hi, Ritsu,” Reigen smiles. He crouches down to be on eye level with him. “Shigeo didn’t tell me he had a brother.”

Ritsu doesn’t like Reigen.

“Ritsu’s in the grade below me,” Shigeo tells Reigen. “He’s ten and really cool.”

“Oh, awesome,” Reigen says. He turns to Ritsu. “Do you have psychic powers like your brother?”

“Ritsu doesn’t have psychic powers,” Shigeo says.

There’s something bristling within Ritsu when Shigeo says that, but he can’t tell what. He would have been happy to tell Reigen that himself.

“Oh, that’s a shame,” Reigen says.

Ritsu really doesn’t like Reigen.

“You’re a psychic?” Ritsu asks.

Reigen nods, the movement natural.

Ritsu looks away.

“Master’s the greatest psychic,” Shigeo tells Ritsu. “The greatest ever.”

“Of the twenty first century,” Reigen corrects, and stands up. “I’m the greatest psychic of the twenty first century.”

Ritsu really doesn’t like Reigen.

Nobody talks for a few seconds, and Ritsu is okay with that. Shigeo’s busy looking at Reigen in awe, and Ritsu is busy mentally cursing out the inherent injustice that comes with being alive.

Why should this guy get psychic powers, when Ritsu’s been trying his whole life, and gets none? What makes him so special? Is he an older brother too? Maybe younger siblings just don’t get them. And what makes him so great, anyway?

The more he questions Reigen the more he doesn’t like him. Ritsu doesn’t know what it is — Reigen’s too tall, Shigeo likes him too much, and he kind of smells a bit, too. It’s a little…familiar? But Ritsu can’t place it — and his face falls into a scowl as Reigen looks down at them. It’s his instincts, he reminds himself, he doesn’t need to have a reason. He just doesn’t like Reigen.

Still, no one has said anything since Reigen has proclaimed his greatness — there’s no way he’s actually the greatest psychic of the twenty first century, anyway, if anything, Ritsu thinks his brother should hold that title — and he doesn’t see the point in being here any longer if nothing else is going to happen. He doesn’t want Shigeo to think that he’s getting bored or anything, though, so he just glares up at Reigen instead, hoping to leave the strange man as soon as possible.

Reigen looks between the two of them.

“Has anyone ever told you guys that you look the same?”

Ritsu’s heard it before — from teachers, strangers, friends at school. It wasn’t even all that uncommon when people mistook him and his brother for twins. They both nod.

Reigen lets out a small laugh. “You two must get along well, huh?”

Ritsu nods.

Later, when they’re at home and Ritsu has all but forgotten about his meeting with Reigen, Shigeo tentatively asks him what he thinks of his master.

Ritsu looks at Shigeo. He can’t tell what he’s thinking, or what he wants Ritsu to say.

“I think he’s cool,” he lies.

—-—-—

Ritsu doesn’t see Shigeo all that much anymore.

He often walks to school alone, which, granted, is because of his own decision to join the student council, so that one’s on him. But even then, before he entered middle school, afternoons at home were a little quiet and dragging without his brother around, and they still pretty much are — the house is just him and his parents. It doesn’t feel empty, per se, but Shigeo’s absence from the house is far too noticeable.

Ritsu’s more than used to it by now. Now, afternoons where Shigeo comes straight home from school can leave the house a little crowded; Ritsu thinks of it as a chance to get closer to his brother from all the days they’ve missed. The few off days where, walking home, Ritsu and his brother take up twice as much space on the sidewalk, he thinks of as quality bonding time.

But still, for the trailing end of elementary school, and now as he begins planting his roots in middle school, Shigeo is becoming less and less of a constant in his life.

“I miss you,” he tells his brother, suddenly one day, not sure where it comes from. “I feel like I haven’t seen you in ages.”

“Oh,” is all that Shigeo dignifies it with at first. Then, a pause, a consideration, then: “Sorry, I didn’t notice.”

“It’s okay,” Ritsu finds himself saying.

“I’m always at Master’s,” Shigeo explains, even though they both already know it. “You don’t really like him, do you?”

Ritsu blinks for a second, not sure where this is coming from. Sure, he wouldn’t mind blaming Reigen for the slow drifting apart of him and his brother, but it’s a little weird to him that Shigeo is basically offering him that on a plate. He chooses his words carefully.

“I don’t think our personalities mesh well.”

Shigeo nods, satisfied.

And for all Ritsu knows, that could really be it. He never really dedicates much time to thinking about Reigen, or thinking about how much he doesn’t like Reigen — deciding from the get-go to avoid him was really enough. But Ritsu likes to think of himself as somewhat dignified and respectful. Incompatible personalities is a bit of a lame excuse to justify not getting along with somebody — he’s more mature than that.

Ritsu suspects it’s something to do with the fact that Reigen reeks of being inauthentic. Not necessarily in his personality — for all that Ritsu is concerned, Reigen is damn near an open book when it comes to that — but Ritsu has not once believed that this man is in possession of psychic powers. He can’t sense it, he doesn’t have any powers of his own, but he’s lived with Shigeo his whole life. He knows what espers are like. And besides that, Ritsu knows what it’s like to live a whole life without psychic powers, and he can see that in Reigen. He relies on his brother just a little too much.

Ritsu hasn’t discussed any of these thoughts with Shigeo, mostly because he has no idea how to bring it up. He knows, also, just how much Shigeo likes Reigen, how important a place he holds in his brother’s mind, and he knows better than to go about calling the man Shigeo trusts most untrustworthy. There’d be hell to pay.

As worried as he is about Shigeo’s reaction, though, somewhere in the back of his mind Ritsu wonders if it would be better to tell his brother upfront that Reigen doesn’t have psychic powers. It would be better than letting it play out and reaching a point that could have been avoided if Shigeo knew, right? Reigen can’t protect Shigeo if something goes wrong, and Reigen can’t protect himself if something goes seriously wrong, and that’s the last thing Ritsu wants, right?

He doesn’t want either of them to get hurt, right?

Right?

Right, yes, of course he doesn’t want either of them to get hurt — it’s not something to dwell on, how obvious it is. There’s no way in hell he’d want either of them to be anything other than healthy and sound in mind and body; as much as Ritsu would prefer to avoid Reigen, he’s still a decent person who doesn’t want to see him get hurt. And Shigeo is his brother. Of course Ritsu cares about him.

And despite that, Ritsu still hesitates to tell him. He doesn’t think too much about why.

The conversation between the two reaches a natural resting point, and they’re both comfortable in the silence. Faintly, from their dad’s room, the smell of cigarette smoke gently wafts between them.

Shigeo scrunches his nose up. They never really talk about their dad’s smoking habits — the most mention it gains is a quick, understanding look between the two brothers. So Ritsu isn’t sure what overtakes him now.

“I wish he’d quit.”

Shigeo nods in understanding. It’s something they both feel, but have refrained from saying out loud before. Ritsu is noticing that — most of their conversations go unsaid. He supposes it can’t be helped, with their opposing schedules and all.

“We should tell him to quit,” Ritsu suggests when Shigeo doesn’t continue the conversation. “He’ll listen to us, right?”

Shigeo considers it for a second. “It’s Dad," is all he says. Ritsu understands.

“Well, we can ask Mum and she can tell him to quit.” Shigeo still doesn’t look sure. “They have to start listening to us eventually, right? We’re not kids anymore; we should have a say in family matters.”

Shigeo cocks his head to one side. “You only just graduated elementary school.”

“Exactly. We’re growing up.”

Shigeo hesitates for a second. “Well…if you want to ask Mum then you do it. She won’t like it if I’m the one who asks her.”

Ritsu nods. “Fine. I’ll ask her.” He hesitates. “I’ll…do it later, though.”

“…Okay.”

—-—-—

Ritsu needs to learn to stand up to his brother. He ponders this frankly terrifying concept for not the first time in his life as he stands, arms crossed over his chest, at the front desk of the Spirits and Such Consultation Office. Shigeo’s been out sick with the flu all week. Reigen needs someone to do some actual work around here.

“Stop glaring at me like that,” Reigen tells him.

“I’m not glaring at you.” He wouldn’t be in this situation if he’d just told Shigeo how much he really, really does not like Reigen. And yet, here he is. Here they are.

Reigen exhales through his nose. “Is it gonna be like this the whole time?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Okay.” Reigen stands up from his seat and starts walking over to Ritsu’s side of the desk.

Before he can say anything, Ritsu speaks up. “I mean, come on. This isn’t going to be fun for either of us. We both know you would have much preferred it if my brother had gotten Hanazawa or someone to fill in.”

Reigen stops in his tracks. “When did I ever say that? Do you think I don’t like you?”

Ritsu doesn’t have much of an answer, aside from a non-committal shrug.

Reigen blinks for a second, as if shocked. “Well, I do. You’re a good kid.” He walks past Ritsu, grabbing something from a bookcase. “You’re a fine replacement for your brother.”

Ritsu’s heart drops, and he feels his jaw clench impossibly tight. He’s pretty sure he stops breathing for a few seconds, and his nails are digging into his skin. He stands, a statue in the office, and it’s only when he hears Reigen continue to mill about that the tension in his body drops. He takes a few breaths.

“Do you know what I think is funny?” he asks Reigen, turning to him.

Reigen’s got some kind of folder full of paperwork in his hands, and an expression like he’s not used to this much amount of talking. He doesn’t particularly look like he wants Ritsu to continue, either.

“If my brother thinks that you have psychic powers,” he continues anyway, “then he should have no reason to get me to fill in for him.”

Reigen is still looking at Ritsu unimpressed, but he hesitates slightly in his movements.

“Do you think he trusts you?”

Reigen doesn’t say anything, doesn’t move for some moments. It’s a stalemate of sorts.

Just when Ritsu is about to break into a really quite polite smile, Reigen drops the folder into his hands. Ritsu startles slightly, trying not to drop it.

“Of course Mob trusts me.”

Reigen doesn’t expand upon that any further before he walks back around to take his seat at the desk. Ritsu is busy looking at the paperwork that Reigen oh so kindly handed over, not even really taking it in as he flicks through the pages. He looks to Reigen for an explanation.

“You know the work Mob does here isn’t limited to his psychic powers, right?” He’s pulled out his laptop, giving it more focus than he is to Ritsu. “I give him work experience. He learns how to deal with customers. Hell, he may have even picked up a thing or two about how to successfully run a business.”

Did you teach him about self-aggrandising, too? Ritsu thinks.

“Get to work on sorting those. When you’re done, I’ll give you something else to do.”

Ritsu can’t help but think that Reigen just wants him to sit down and shut up. Gingerly, he takes a seat at the side desk of the office, watching Reigen do his ‘work’ from the side of his eye.

He doesn’t tell Reigen when he’s done with the menial task, instead opting to think on how he should go about organising his pay for today. He supposes putting up with Reigen won’t be all that bad if he gets some compensation. He sits there for a minute or two, not really bothering to hide the fact that he’s doing nothing, and before long he realises that the clicking of Reigen’s keyboard has quieted some time ago.

He waits for Reigen to speak up.

“So… Are you and your brother close?”

Ritsu sighs.

“Hey!” Reigen exclaims. “I’m trying to make conversation, here!”

Ritsu turns to look at him. He looks more frantic than anything. “Do you…” He trails off, trying to look past Reigen’s weirdness. “Do you really care?”

That sets him off. “I don’t know what makes you think that I don’t!” He throws his hands down on either side of his laptop. “Did I do something? Did I say something wrong that I don’t remember?”

“You’re asking me why I don’t…” Ritsu trails off again, for whatever reason unable to say out loud that he doesn’t like Reigen. “You really want to know?” He scoffs. “Well, for one, you’re not exactly the best influence on my brother.”

Reigen blinks, processing the information. “Oh, right,” he says. “This is about your brother.”

“Don’t talk to me about my brother.”

“…You brought him up, though…”

The conversation sort of stutters and skids to a halt. Ritsu knows that he’s not being the most tolerable person right now, and that Reigen doesn’t entirely deserve this out of nowhere — but if he wants an explanation, he’s going to get one.

“It’s not just about my brother,” Ritsu says. “You’re also just…really shady.”

Reigen doesn’t seem fazed. That seems to be enough evidence to Ritsu — if Reigen doesn’t bat an eye at being called shady, then he’s been called it enough times over the years by enough different people that it must hold some ground. And in all that time, did he never once work to combat it? Did he never put in effort to not give off the worst vibes he could when he meets someone? There must be something inherent to them, Ritsu reasons. Reigen is a fundamentally shady person, and he’s right not to trust him.

Slowly, Reigen’s expression shifts to expectant, and Ritsu realises he hasn’t offered much more than that one statement. The seconds tick by, and as Reigen and Ritsu stare silently at each other, he finds his brain scrambling for what next to say, frantic to build his impromptu case against Reigen.

Except, wait, shouldn’t he know what he doesn’t like about him? He’s been avoiding him all these years; he should know the reason behind it.

And then, a revelation; Ritsu works to keep the epiphany internal, to not show his mind on his face as he realises it. He avoids Reigen at every chance he can get, so much so that he hasn’t even put thought into what he doesn’t like about him — he knows there’s something, obviously, and the actual fact of not knowing the reason behind his avoidance isn’t really his most pressing issue right now — it’s the fact that he’s backed himself into a corner where he has to admit that.

“Nothing you do seems genuine,” he says quickly, hoping Reigen won’t pick up on the non-explanation.

Reigen still looks expectant.

Ritsu clicks his tongue. “I don’t know,” he hesitates, again, searching for what to say, “you clearly don’t have psychic powers. I don’t know how you did what you did at the Claw base, but… Well, if you do have psychic powers, then you’re using them wrong.”

Reigen leans back in his chair, crossing his arms.

Ritsu could get into some serious trouble for this, but he continues regardless. “You’re always so flippant about everything, like exorcising spirits is just some fun side-gig to you, and…” He doesn’t know why he’s still talking. He looks around the office. There are some tacky figures dotted about, questionable books on the shelves, the (frankly) shoddy paperwork in front of him, an ashtray across the room from him. It’s good enough for him. “This place is hardly a professional business, you smoke, your handwriting could be better…”

Ritsu blinks, suddenly aware of his words. It’s all kind of nonsense at this point. “Oh. I’m sorry.” Reigen still looks unaffected, both by the words and the apology. It’s just a matter of formality, anyway. “That was pretty rude of me to say, huh?” he continues regardless.

Reigen shrugs. “I asked for it.”

That isn’t necessarily the response that Ritsu wants, but he’s not sure anything Reigen could have said would have satisfied him.

Reigen throws his head back over his chair, apparently taking in what Ritsu said. After a moment or two has passed, he locks eyes with Ritsu again.

“I don’t smoke.”

“What?” Ritsu furrows his brow. “Yes, you do.”

Reigen shakes his head. “Nope.”

Faintly, from somewhere in the back of Ritsu’s head, a memory from a while ago — it would be about three years, now — wafts through his mind. “Yes, you do,” he repeats. “I remember — the first time I met you. Pretty much the only thing I actually remember from meeting you. You reeked of cigarettes.”

Reigen doesn’t respond for a second. Then, “That’s the only thing you remember from meeting me? It wasn’t that long ago, was it?”

“I try not to remember our meetings.”

“…Okay… It must have been a really bad first impression, then.”

“Something like that.”

“Well, anyway, I quit. A couple of years ago, I think.”

Ritsu points to the ashtray on the other side of the room. “What’s that, then?”

Reigen follows his gesture. “That’s for customers. Sometimes they smoke in here, I only smoke at home.”

Ritsu scoffs. “So, in other words, you didn’t quit. You do smoke.”

“Ah, well—” Reigen fumbles for a bit, and Ritsu is interested to see how he pulls himself out of this one. “I don’t smoke here. That’s what I meant when I said I quit.”

“…Uh-huh.”

“Look, I—!” He stutters. “I don’t smoke around Mob, that’s something, right? He asked me not to, so I don’t. I’ve hardly smoked since then, so it’s basically quitting.”

Ritsu’s positive that that’s not how it works, but his mind is a little preoccupied at the moment. “Wait, what? My brother asked you to quit?”

“Yeah, when he was younger. I mean, I get it, it must have been annoying to be around.” Ritsu bites back a remark about how it’s not the only annoying thing about him. “And besides, I’d been meaning to quit anyway. I guess that was just the push I needed.” Reigen looks at Ritsu. “What, is there something wrong with that?”

“What? Oh, no. It’s just…” Something overtakes him for a second — it’s not confusion exactly, but it’s something akin to it. “Well, our dad smokes.”

Reigen cocks his head to the side, not replying but waiting for Ritsu to continue.

And for some reason, he does. “Neither of us have really talked to him about it.”

Reigen nods. “Ah, yeah. Both of my parents smoked. Still do, actually. I just picked up the habit.” He leans forward, resting his arms on his desk. “Don’t smoke, Ritsu.”

“Yeah, I know not to smoke.” He sighs, picking back up on his train of thought. “I don’t know, I guess it’s kind of weird to me that my brother would actually speak up to you about it.”

“It is?”

The words are practically flowing out of him at this point, a steady waterfall of vented frustrations. “I mean, our dad’s smoked our whole lives; I thought he— I mean, I guess we just accepted it.”

Reigen leans back on his chair again, bringing his hands together behind his head. He takes a long, slow breath. “Mob’s been changing a lot recently, underneath all our noses.”

“Oh.” Ritsu looks down.

The room’s changed. He doesn’t feel closer or further away from Reigen, but the distance between them is different, somehow. Like one of them’s floated higher and the other’s drifted downwards, or they’ve each changed colours and the lighting of the scene’s all off. He feels further away from himself.

“What are we talking about?” he asks.

“Um, smoking?”

“No, I mean… Why am I saying this to you?”

“What do you mean?”

Now, what is the best method for telling someone ‘I don’t like talking to you and the fact that I’ve talked to you as much as I already have talked to you makes me like you even less’ without saying those exact words? Ritsu suffices with rolling his eyes.

“Reigen, you know what I mean. I…” He’s not sure what overcame him during the course of this conversation that convinced him it would be a good idea to open up to Reigen — like, seriously, Reigen? Reigen? Really? Opening up to him? — but whatever the reason, he’s there now. And he can’t exactly back out without awkwardly cutting the conversation off. “Look, I don’t talk about this stuff to anyone. I haven’t even talked to my brother about this. I shouldn’t be talking about this to you.”

“I think that means that you’re warming up to me, Ritsu. Have you finally learnt to trust me?”

Ritsu actually recoils at the thought. “Uh, no.” Reigen looks almost exasperated, leaning forward in his chair.

Ritsu looks away from him. None of this makes any sense. He doesn’t feel confused, but something close to it, he’s not uncomfortable, but it’s almost there. He should have told Shigeo that he didn’t want to come.

“Oh, wait,” he speaks up after a moment or two of silence, “I know what’s happening now.” He looks back at Reigen.

“You do?”

“Oh, my god,” he whispers under his breath. It all makes sense now. Why the room feels different, why he had a heel-turn change of heart, why he can’t make sense of his own thoughts — it’s all coming together. He brings his hands to his temples, protecting either side of his head. “Do you have telepathy!?”

“What? No!” Ritsu continues to cover his temples, convinced at this turn of situation. Reigen rolls his eyes. “I’m not telepathic, Ritsu. I have no idea what you’re thinking. I didn’t make you open up to me, that was something you decided on your own.” Ritsu still isn’t relenting. Reigen sighs. “You know that’s okay, right? It’s okay to talk to me differently than you’re used to. And that…you talked to me about this before your brother. Things like that happen sometimes.”

Ritsu slowly lowers his hands, crossing his arms. He takes a sharp inhale. “Okay, dude. I get it. You’re cool, or whatever, and…I’ll try not to avoid you anymore. I won’t insult you, either, okay? Let’s just work the rest of this day—”

“No, Ritsu, look,” Reigen cuts him off. He breathes deeply. “In all seriousness, I know you don’t like me. I know I’m not your favourite person in the world. And when it comes down to it, that’s perfectly fine; who you do and don’t like is entirely your business, and more often than not, it’s something that can’t really be helped.

"But you’re gonna learn this one day — or, hell, why not learn it right now? No time like the present, right? — it’s a fact of life that you might not like someone, but you still have to work to get along. And sometimes, it’s not even that bad. Sometimes, you realise you were wrong about them. That happens more than I’d like, actually.

“And sometimes, I know it’s humiliating, trust me, but people you don’t like will have opinions that make sense, or good points that will change you, and you pretty much just have to learn how to navigate people. And how you fit in between them.”

Ritsu hates to admit it, but Reigen’s actually making sense. Maybe it’s a little over-generalised, or a little far out of Ritsu’s scope of caring, but he doesn’t get the urge to completely tune out Reigen’s voice.

“And, also,” Reigen continues, and Ritsu knows that he’s slowly coming to grips with Reigen actually having meaningful advice, but he’s pushing it a little right now, “I know it’s not entirely my place, but you should learn to trust your brother more.”

“Excuse me?”

“All that stuff about me not being a good influence on him, or how you didn’t expect him to tell me to stop smoking — you know Mob’s his own person, right? If I was really such a bad guy, don’t you think he’d pick up on it?”

Ritsu feels like the air in his gut has been completely punched out of him. However slowly he was coming around on Reigen before, he’s now had the rug pulled out from underneath him, and the hard smack of the ground is stinging his conscious.

Reigen is completely right. How on earth did this happen?

Has he really not been trusting Shigeo? Since he got his psychic powers, Ritsu thought that any of the conflict between them had all but faded away, and they can now relate to each other through common goals, through similar ideals. How is it that Reigen can understand Shigeo better than his own brother can? Is Ritsu at fault for this?

It makes sense, though, Ritsu reasons; Reigen is older, he knows more about people and he spends enough time around Shigeo. Maybe Ritsu can take some cues from him.

Awakening his psychic powers always seemed like a reset button for Ritsu, like that point in his life was where everything turned on its head. He got the powers he always wanted, and now he never has to succumb to his brotherly envy again. But, maybe he’s simplifying it too much. There’s more to his relationship with his brother than their psychic powers, and there’s more to himself than whether or not he has powers — there always has been. That much should be obvious to him, so shouldn’t he grant the same point of view to his brother? Shigeo’s more than just the greatest psychic — he is not his powers. He’s his own person, and if Reigen is right about him changing so much so recently, then Ritsu’s really got nothing to worry about.

“Ugh,” Ritsu scoffs, the weight of his realisation finally taking hold on his shoulders. “You’re right.” He sits up straighter, looking around the room. It doesn’t feel any different to before, just the way that he fits into it has changed. He looks back to Reigen, and sighs. “So, how am I getting paid for this, anyway?”

Reigen thinks for a second. “What’s your favourite food?”

“Um…I like tofu. And boiled pork.”

Reigen nods, storing the information away. “Let’s see what we can get you after this, okay?”

“Wait, really?” Reigen would really be willing to buy food for him, even when he’s been adverse to him this whole time?

“Of course. Just make sure you don’t tank my business today, and we’ll get something afterwards.”

Ritsu blinks. Yeah, he definitely should learn to trust Shigeo more. His master is pretty alright.

“Thank you.”

#mp100 #mob psycho 100 #dadreigenweek2019 #ritsu kageyama #reigen arataka #smoking tw #cigarettes tw #my writing #this turned out WAY longer than i meant it to but. i mean what else did i expect from me #also idk if this is confusing or anything but just for clarity the timeline in this fic is:#10-11yr old kageyamas -> 13-14 pre series -> 13-14 post ritsu getting powers but pre end of series

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bygosscarmine · 5 years

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LOVE SHIFTS SHAPE

Sky High: Magenta x Ethan, post-canon

a multi-chapter reunion story, in continuity with Love, Unspoken

Magenta is dreading the reunion in a mild "I'm in a successful band that has nothing to do with my powers" sort of a way, but she looks forward to seeing the friends she's kept up with at the party.

Then, for a second she doesn't recognize Ethan in his adult form, and things long forgotten (like her break-up with Zach) feel all too relevant again.

Chapter One: For A Limited Time Only

Coming down into Baltimore, Magenta stared from the plane at the citylights glinting off the water. Cars ran through the urban landscape in their binary directions, mapping its arteries in red and white cells. It had been some time since she’d flown into this airport, even longer since she’d done it alone. Strange how that made her on edge. The jolts of landing from a flight usually gave her a thrill, but today it felt just like being shoved around in a crowd after a long day.

The airplane finally stopped moving, and soon the passengers heard the bing of permission to remove their seatbelts. Magenta hadn't flown business class, since she couldn't exactly write off a trip home, so she had to wait for the many rows ahead of her to clear. Even when it was almost her turn to leave the plane, she was forced to lean uncomfortably on the back of her seat, stooped, as the people in front of her wrestled large bags from overhead bins.

She turned her cellphone back on while she waited and saw a message directed at her in the messaging group with her high school friends. When's your flight arrive?

Just now, she replied.

Someone asked, When will you leave?

Day after the party.

It felt weird to not to be going home--but not all bad. It was one less thing to dread, though she'd get a lecture from her mother eventually. She was dreading the reunion enough.

The rental car kiosk was thankfully not over-run at this time of night, so she got a car without too much delay and drove to her hotel. In the pull-through lane in front of the lobby, she handed over her car with luggage to a valet, taking only the disreputably worn-in messenger bag with her wallet and phone that had accompanied her into the plane cabin as well. As she walked into the lobby a middle-aged man with the distinctive style of a traveling businessperson was complaining to a clerk, though he spared a moment's attention to giving her a critical look.

Apparently women in smokey eye-makeup and torn jeans didn't fit his image of the Royana establishment.

"Yeah," he said, in that exasperated tone conveying he felt he was being really patient, "I really feel like I should get an upgrade, every other location I've been to has a free shuttle from the airport."

"I'll see what I can do, sir," said the junior clerk, while glancing into the side-office.

The senior staff-member who emerged at this moment saw Magenta and said, "Ah! Ms. Notani. Welcome. We have your Premier Suite ready for you. Just give me a moment to activate your key."

"Certainly," said Magenta. "And please upgrade this gentleman's suite as one of my guests. Thank you."

The man looked flabbergasted (and not necessarily pleased) but Magenta just took her key-card and headed toward the elevators.

She was only in a split second of the advertisement featuring Kitt, the frontwoman of her band The Wastelanders, but the members all had Ambassador status with this hotel. It was nice; if she had to stay in a hotel in her own hometown, it was at least a ritzy one. Her luggage was brought up only moments after she arrived, with a complimentary cheeseboard from room service. It had been a while since she'd given cheese a hard look, but with reunion looming old memories were being dredged from the deeps. There had been a few months in school when pranking her with cheese had been a thing. She'd found it in her locker, left on her usual seats in class, and even (she suspected some of the meaner upperclassman of this one) written over her gym shirt with the kind that sprayed from a can.

Well, she couldn't let them get into her head already. She ate some of the goat feta on the rosemary crackers, and put the rest in the fridge.

She spent the next day pretending to catch up on her correspondence. Somehow she kept getting sidetracked into checking into one of the particularly dumb games on her phone instead. She gave up around three in the afternoon, and started to get ready though it was four hours before the event started. And she wasn’t getting dressed in something that required several hours to dress, either. The coded phrase for the reunion had been business casual, but Magenta didn’t believe in this barren subset of style and owned nothing resembling it. She’d be wearing some of the cigarette jeans the stylist for their tour had talked her into buying which ended up too tight for a night of jumping around on stage, and a blouse she’d picked up before her flight. It looked too dressy for her, so she figured it would work.

She zipped herself into the boots Kitt called "Maj's wingmen" and confronted herself in the mirror. “Am I going to have to get a warm-up drink?” she asked herself. “No, if I’m buzzed when I show up they’ll assume rock star cliches about me.”

It seemed ridiculous she was anxious. It wasn't like this was a group of strangers. Layla would be there. They regularly hung out when Magenta was in town—moreso now Layla lived with Warren, who had a decent living room for video game nights. Dorm apartments were only almost big enough to live in.

She struck out for the hotel bar, but ordered an espresso macchiato instead of liquor. A different kind of buzz would have to do.

There had been debate among the reunion committee, apparently, about having it in the Sky High gym. But aside from the fact that their first dance in the gym had been crashed by a villain, and afterward never felt quite the same to them again, there was the issue of getting a group of adults onto a shuttle in a timely manner. So instead the party was being held at a banquet hall. Because there were some security-risk people in their number, like Stronghold, it was a banquet hall in a government building where they could hire a few bouncers and be fairly assured that any intruder would at least be seen entering, and hopefully heard.

It also meant approaching the place felt a little like walking up to a bank. It looked fancy but not particularly welcoming.

Once she'd followed a couple she didn't recognize from behind to the actual banquet room, though, the crowd was a little less overpolished. Stronghold himself was apparently watching the entrance like a hawk. He bounded over to shake Magenta’s hand with a big grin, and then decide they should hug instead. He was wearing one of the signature Stronghold-color sweatshirts (where did he get those? Were they special made? She had never wondered about this until now) and carpenter jeans that surely were no longer being sold in stores.

“It’s so good to see you. How have you been? A band, right? You’re in a pretty big band! How is that?”

This kind of clueless greeting would be more annoying if Will weren't so incredibly sincere. He was owning that he hadn't been paying close attention, but that now, in this moment, he was interested in hearing more. She knew they'd be cut off before she said anything significant, but that he'd remember anything she did manage to say.

"Yeah, we've been touring most of this year. Feel like we're really building a good fanbase that shares a lot with each other, not just people who come to our concerts, now."

"That's awesome. Must feel great to kind of connect people. Oh, hey, have you talked to Freya? She's just back from teaching violin in Poland! As a cover for her other work, of course. You guys should talk!"

Magenta felt like this was the kind of tenuous connection neither she nor Freya would value the way Will thought they might, but she didn't resist. When reintroduced by Will, it became clear that he had heard about as much from Freya of her life as he had from Magenta. Magenta recognized her as the ice-power girl who had been held back to their grade after the second half of her sophomore year had been dedicated to recovering from a concussion and reconstructive surgery after a particularly poorly thought-out gym activity. Though Freya was a classical musician working as a superhero and Magenta was just a rock bassist, after a few awkward exchanges they discovered a shared a passion for the same fantasy thriller TV shows. They talked vampire casting aesthetics until Freya's old best friend arrived and pulled her away to get drinks.

Magenta both wanted a drink and wanted to not get tipsy around people so soon. Why was Layla not here yet? She was usually timely. Maybe she had tried to convince Warren to come--a losing proposition. There were few things Warren hated more than school functions, and one of those things was making nice at a stilted party. This was both of those things. Love blinded people, so Layla still tried to talk him into stuff he didn't want. As far as Magenta could tell, Warren got his way when he cared about something enough, but a lot of the time he was happy to do whatever Layla cared about.

Magenta had always really gotten Warren's antisocial bit. She'd just never had the balls to go hard-mode with it the way he did.

As she was trying to judge what circle it would pain her least to linger her way into when she heard an unfamiliar voice behind her say, "Hey Maj, how's it going?"

For a second (later she couldn't say why) she looked into the smiling face without recognition. Finally, though, logic suggested that a black young man in this somewhat white-washed crowd could only be one person. This took a split-second only, then she was ashamed. It was the overall expression of his face that confounded her most--by graduation he'd been already considerably taller and socially graceful. This man, though, had self-awareness.

"Hey!" she said, as if she hadn't missed her beat. "Please tell me the rumors are true and the cash bar isn't too far from here."

"I think it's true, but I cannot confirm," Ethan said, "I don't drink anywhere there are so many supers all together."

"That seems wise," she said.

#Magenta #Sky High #fanfiction #moodboard #Ethan #Magenta x Ethan #fanfic

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emeraldwaves · 5 years

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Title: Dance With Me (It Won’t Kill Ya) Epilogue FINAL CHAPTER Pairing: Kacchako (side Todomomo, side Kirimina) Dance/College AU Rating: E Word Count: 2,182 Read on Ao3 Summary: When Bakugou damages university property, he’s forced to take dance lessons with the best dance student at the school, Uraraka. There’s no way he’ll actually enjoy learning to dance though… right?

Absolutely not…

Thanks to @its-love-u-asshole and @miqitten for reading this!

"Katsuki!" Uraraka hissed, her fingers curled in her own hair. "I can't get it!" she whispered, her knees bouncing as she struggled with the small hair clip.

Rolling his eyes, he made his way to her and gently pulled the rose clip from her hair. His hand gently brushed the brown pieces back and he clipped it into place. "There you go, idiot."

She giggled, and stood on her toes, giving him a small kiss. "Thank you, Katsuki. Do you need help with your tie?"

He didn't, but something about the idea of her tying it for him made him blush. "Go ahead," he said. Her fingers held the tie in place, wrapping it around as she tied it tight, smiling as she did.

"Are you nervous?" she asked.

Glancing out at the stage, Bakugou couldn't see the audience, not with the bright lights. He wasn't nervous though, not at all. Uraraka was going to be there, and when they were together, they were absolutely unstoppable.

What he didn't like was knowing Kirishima, Kaminari, Sero and the rest of his rugby idiot friends were all sitting in the audience.

"No," he said, turning back to look at her.

"I hope you're ready," Todoroki hummed, adjusting the cuffs on his shirt. "This reflects all of our work for the semester."

"Shouto, I'm sure Bakugou-san will do fine," Momo said, gently hitting her boyfriend.

"Oi, Half and Half, shut your damn mouth or I'll make sure to sabotage you and your grade only," he snarled as quietly as he could. Currently, people were performing, and it would probably be frowned upon if he was just yelling backstage. He didn't give two shits about Todoroki, but the last thing he wanted to do was get Uraraka in trouble.

"Ah yes, I'm so concerned," Todoroki sighed.

"Don't provoke him on purpose Shouto," Momo said softly. Instead, she brushed by the two boys and took Uraraka's hands. "Thank you, Ochako-chan, for creating this dance and so many this semester. I know how hard you've worked for yourself, Bakugou-san... and Shouto and I," she smiled, pulling her friend into a hug. "I'm so happy to be showcasing your work tonight."

"O-Of course Momo-chan!" she giggled softly, hugging her back. "You and Todoroki-kun deserve the best choreography. You deserved your amazing waltz win!"

"We couldn't have done it without you," Todoroki nodded.

"Thanks you guys," she smiled.

"Let's all have a good performance tonight!" Momo smiled, looking at them.

"Yes, of course!" Uraraka said, bowing her head to them.

"Up next we have a dance from choreographer Uraraka Ochako! She will be dancing with her partner, someone from a separate department, Bakugou Katsuki, as well as Todoroki Shouto and Yaoyorozu Momo from our department." Their teacher started clapping after her introduction, welcoming them all onto the stage. Bakugou could hear Kirishima's loud hollering coming from the audience. It pissed him off, he wished his stupid friends had never found out about this.

It was the last place Bakugou ever expected to find himself; standing atop the dance department stage, holding hands with Uraraka Ochako.

But dammit if he didn't love her. He would stand on any fucking stage if it made it her happy.

Uraraka turned her gaze to him, her lips pulling into a smile. She stood next to him, hand wrapped in his. On the other side of her he could see Todoroki and Momo standing in the same starting pose, and he waited for the upbeat music to start.

Bakugou was by no means good at dance yet, but he had sure as hell gotten better. They'd spent the past few weeks working on this end of the semester performance, and though it was a different style than he was used to, he had caught on decently quick. Of course, it was slightly annoying that next to Todoroki he was probably going to look like a damn scrub, but Uraraka was happy, so he couldn't exactly complain.

The upbeat pop song began, and Uraraka swayed her hips, twirling into Bakugou as he dipped her down, leaning in closer. She was already smiling her goofy smile she always had when they danced together. Even when he asked her to stop distracting him with all her faces, she said she couldn't help but laugh.

Dancing with him made her so happy.

He wrapped his arm around her waist, and they began to follow Todoroki and Momo in a circle around stage. Uraraka would swish her hips, twirling out from him as she held her hand out, the heels of her shoes clacking against the ground. Bakugou took her hips and gripped her tight, lifting her up as he spun, setting her back down on the floor.

They moved rapidly through the movements, Bakugou taking her across the stage. It felt like a blur. The way their bodies moved closely together, her hips brushing against his own. It was so different from the competition, the lights shining in their faces. The only other people there were Todoroki and Momo, so they were surrounded by far less people, giving them space to move.

It was... fun. He loved seeing how happy she looked.

He spun her away from him, and she swayed her hips from side to side, the material of the skirt brushing across her upper thighs. He knew he shouldn't get distracted.

And yet, that was what Uraraka was best at. Distracting him.

The music picked up and she turned to him, reaching her hand out. He stepped forward, swaying his own hips from side to side before yanking her back and dipping her down. She placed her hand on his shoulder and they moved backwards, while Todoroki and Momo moved in the opposite direction, the group swapping positions. Bakugou picked Uraraka up, and spun her again.

From across the room, he could see Todoroki holding Momo up as they both slid into their final pose. The boys had their legs pushed out and the girls were pressed against them, arms wrapped around their necks. Bakugou was convinced he would someday be better than Todoroki. He would make Uraraka shine as best as he damn well could.

The entire audience erupted in a cheer; Kirishima and Kaminari yelling so loud the people in front of them were probably fucking deaf.

They stepped forward, taking a bow before running off the stage. Uraraka immediately tackled Bakugou with a hug. "We did it! That was amazing!"

"It did go well," Todoroki nodded and Momo pressed her lips to his cheek.

"It was amazing, Ochako-chan!"

"Yeah, yeah," Bakugou snorted, and pressed his lips to Uraraka’s. "Stop making such cute faces."

"I-I can't help it!" she giggled.

"We were happy to see Uraraka Ochako have the chance to show off her amazing partner choreography! She's shown exceptional growth over this semester and we're happy to see where she progresses in her coming time here. Up next..." The teacher continued to introduce the students, the performance flowing by extremely fast, especially after the adrenaline of their own.

After a final bow with all the students, Bakugou and Uraraka made their way to the lobby, where they were bombarded by friends.

"BAKUGOU!" Kaminari cheered, dashing forward to wrap his arms around his neck. He was quickly followed by Kirishima and Sero, who also pulled him into a hug.

"That was amazing, my bro! Who would've guessed you're a really talented dancer?!" Kirishima said.

"Oi..." Bakugou grumbled, especially when Kirishima rustled his hair which he'd taken forever to get somewhat flat.

"You really clean up nice my man," Kirishima smirked.

"Well, Todoroki was still better, but man, you were way better than I thought you'd be," Kaminari said.

"Do you have a death wish, Sparky?!" Bakugou hissed, glaring when Todoroki smirked in his direction. Of course the Half and Half idiot had heard.

"Ochako-chan!" Mina giggled, nuzzling her cheeks against Uraraka's. "You were so good! You always look so beautiful when you dance, but tonight you seemed genuinely so happy! It was incredible!" she said, hugging her so tight.

"Thanks Mina," she said. "I really am so happy!" She pulled her teeth across her lip, smiling at Bakugou.

"Y'know," Kirishima began, hooking his arm around Mina's shoulder, pulling his girlfriend close. "We were convinced that after you guys lost the competition, Bakugou was going to quit. You know how much he hates losing."

"Oi!" Bakugou growled.

"We did get an honorable mention!" Uraraka giggled. "They liked our performance, but technically we just weren't there yet."

"Right, but when you didn't place, I thought for sure he was gonna be too pissed to ever dance again," Kirishima teased.

Mina rolled her eyes. "But I told Eiji-kun, Bakugou's love for you is too strong-"

"OI-!"

"Kacchan!" Deku's voice cut through the crowd. Bakugou whipped his head towards the mess of green hair and his nerdy blue-haired sidekick.

"Deku-kun! Iida-kun!" Uraraka smiled.

"Excellent job as always," Iida said, bowing to her. "You two work very well together as a team!"

"'Course we fucking do!" Bakugou snapped.

"I'm really proud of how far you've come, Kacchan!" Deku smiled and Bakugou seriously wanted to punch his face in. "I'm happy to see you're such a good partner to Uraraka-san!"

"OI! No one asked you, fuckin' nerd," he hissed. "But of course I'm a good partner." He glared at the two boys.

"After all those study sessions, it's just... nice to see you looking happy," Deku smiled.

"Shut up..." he grumbled, giving Deku a single nod. "Let's go." Bakugou hissed and grabbed Uraraka's hand, yanking her away from the group.

"Katsuki!" she gasped, stumbling after him.

"B-Bakugou?! Where are you going!?" Kirishima yelled.

"I gotta talk to my girl in private, leave me the fuck alone!" he snapped.

"Bye Uraraka-san!" Deku waved, laughing at the two.

"We’ll see you guys at the after party!" she waved back, pulling her jacket tighter as they stepped outside. Winter was in full swing, snow covering the ground. Light snowflakes gently fell from the sky, decorating the earth with the frozen substance.

Their feet crunched against the snow as they walked in silence.

"I fuckin' hate the cold," he grumbled.

Uraraka couldn't help but giggle as she wrapped her arm through his, her hand leaning on his arm. "Then why are we outside?"

"It's only going to be for a minute okay?!" he snapped, and lead her back towards the gazebo.

Her cheeks flushed when she realized that was their destination. The gazebo was the place where they kissed for the first time.

"Katsuki... why are we-"

He paused, stepping under the cover of the gazebo, unhooking their arms. "I wanted... I wanted to fuckin..." He walked to the edge of the gazebo, looking out over the small lake. He ran his hand down his face and turned back to her.

"I wanted to thank you," he muttered.

"Wh-What?" she gasped, surprised by the gratitude laced in his voice.

"For... I dunno all this shit," he said, gesturing his arm out. "You fucking taught me all this shit even when I was a dick to you, and then... even though we lost, I just wanna get fucking better so we can win next time... so you can be fuckin' happy."

She couldn't help but chuckle softly, stepping forward to take his hands. "I was happy losing," she said. "But we'll win! We'll keep practicing together and eventually we're going to win."

"I want to be fucking unstoppable with you," he said, cupping her cheeks. He pulled their lips together and she melted into his warmth. His lips gently pressed against her own and she wrapped her arms around his waist. "I love you, Ochako."

She hated that she was starting to cry, but she was so overwhelmed by him actually saying these words again; she still couldn't believe it was real. A few tears slipped down her cheeks and she quickly brushed them away.

"Oi... why are you crying..." He wanted her to make the faces she always made when they danced; glowing, happy smiles which made her face look like an angel's.

"I-I just... I'm sorry! You know I cry when I get really happy!" she said. "I just... I want you to be my partner. Next semester too... for... forever!"

"I thought we decided this. I better be your fucking partner for forever!" he snapped, kissing her again. "If you replaced me now, I'd be fucking pissed. Besides we have to do better than fucking Half and Half and Ponytail!"

"I know, I know," she giggled, standing on her toes to kiss him again. "I love you, Katsuki."

She stepped back from him, smiling so bright, the snow sparkling against the cold night sky. She reached out her hand, holding her palm towards him. "Will you dance with me?" she asked.

His red eyes fell to her hand and he grabbed her, pulling her body close to his as he wrapped his arm around her waist. He never wanted to let her go.

"Fuckin' always."

#kacchako #uraraka ochako #bakugou katsuki #BNHA #boku no hero academia #dance AU #dance with me #ITS OVER!#IM SO SAD!

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