#you are so precious and if they knew anything about you they would've treasured you so much

[pinkslaystation]

König und Prinz: Meine Entführer

toxic! König x Reader - [King and Prince: My kidnappers] Your attempts to run away with your son fails, and your husband confronts you. Seems like he's really influencing your little one. Word Count: 2.8k This is intended to be a oneshot :P SHOUT OUT GOOGLE TRANSLATE, RLY CARRIED THIS FIC

The picture of your husband and father of your child of 10 years, with his arm slung around another woman, really was the pinnacle of your disappointment for the man.

The house, once decorated with handcrafted creations by you and your son, Leon, whom König had frequently nicknamed 'mein kleiner König' [my little king] and 'mein kleiner Prinz' [my little prince] was now all packed away, stored in numerous duffel bags and small cabin suitcases.

"Mama, wohin gehen wir?" [where are we going?]

"Your grandparents." You huff.

It's not like König was cheating on you. He really wasn't. He loved you too much for that. But the constant nagging and the berating on your side truly stressed you to a point where you heavily questioned your relationship.

"Take all your belonging Leon, dunno if we're coming back in a while..."

"Und Papa? [and papa?] Do we need to pack his clothes too?" He aks innocently, peering up at you from down below.

He was a smart boy, your son, though he was barely 7 years old, and already at an outstanding height of nearly 140 cm, there was no doubt that he was König's son.

"No." You halt your movements, thinking of an excuse, "His clothes are already there."

Leon nods. He may be 7, but he's not stupid, and he's upset that you think so little of him. It's apparent that he's closer to his father than to you, and although you're grateful to have such a loving family, you can't help but feel a spike of jealousy whenever your Leon visibly preferred your husband over you.

Like his school's sports day, when you and König had cheered him on as he raced to the finishing line quicker than his classmates. It was an easy win, I mean look at him.

As he crosses the finishing line, he rushes to the both of you, and although you're standing in front of König, with your arms wide open to hold your son, he only just makes a beeline, straight to his father, jumping to press his face into König's chest.

It's little things like this that makes you wonder if your son even recognises you as a parent equal to his beloved father.

The drive to your parent's house was long and awkward, with Leon making small remarks like when his father was going to be there, and what his father was doing at that very moment, and why his father wasn't with you guys that very moment.

"Busy with his bitch I presume..." You mumble under your breath, and you know that if König had heard you, he would've pulled you aside and scolded you for using such foul language around his precious son.

The bond was mutual it seems.

"Mama, papa is calling you." Leon mentions, grabbing at your phone.

"Disconnect." You bark.

"But mama, what if it's wichtig." [important]

"Leon. I said, disconnect it."

He hesitates but eventually listens, hanging up König's call. It's the 5th one of the car ride.

The phone vibrates once more.

Kö: meine liebe, wo bist du??? [my love, where are you???]

Kö: schätze [treasure]

Kö: where are your clothes??

Kö: where's everything???

Kö: where's my son.

Kö: Hör auf, mich zu verarschen [stop fucking with me]

Leon looks outside the window, debating whether to tell you about the spam of texts you're receiving, but he ultimately chooses to stay silent. I mean, you don't need to know.

On the other hand, König is shaking with fear. He never met to be near that woman. I mean she didn't mean anything to him, he barely knew her name!

She was just his senior, and he had to do what he did for that promotion in the ranks...schätze, you would understand, ja?

The moment he enters your home, the eerie silence spooks him, considering he's used to being tackled almost instantly by his wife and little one. Instead, he's faced with the empty walls and cupboards. You were even petty enough to take the TV remote with you, so he was restricted from watching from the newly bought TV.

He calls out your name numerous times, then your son's, running up and down the 3 story house. You two were nowhere in sight, and the lack of clothes from the wardrobes confirmed that his two favourite people had left him

He checks his phone to see a message from you.

Schnucki: hallo papa, wo bist du? Schnucki: it's leon papa :-D

It's his son!

Kö: mein kleiner prinz, wo ist deine mutter? [my little prince, where is your mother?]

"What's happening Leon?" You ask your son, your eyes only darting quickly to your son by the passenger seat, who's squinting and tapping away at your phone now.

"...Just watching Cocomelon, mama."

"Boy, your father told you, you're too old for that show..." You mumble once again, and your son mentally notes that he's going to inform his father about all this mumbling that seems to get on both on their nerves now.

Schnucki: we're going on a trip, where are you papa?

König scoffs, "A trip?", he's going to have to discipline this attitude out of you when he finally gets his hands on you. You should know, König plans all these 'trips', your little self isn't as efficient as he is.

Kö: i'm on my way. remind me where we are going again? Schnucki: an Ihre Schwiegereltern [to your in-laws]

König's rushing to his Jeep when he hears this. This reminds him of the previous time you had run off to your parents with his son. 2 years ago, when Leon had just turned 5, König had suggested that you quit your full-time job so you be a stay at home wife for him and his son. You could home school Leon, but also look after the home with all this new time on your hands.

Of course, you laughed in his face. A Bachelor's degree, a Master's and constant slaving away within a male-dominated industry, just to become a housewife? After a fight ensues, you run for your parents with your infant glued to your hip.

And it's happening all over again.

König starts the car, the journey to his in-laws was about 2 hours by car, a little over 1 if you're speeding. He makes sure to shoot a text to his son whilst driving.

Kö: coming. what can you see around you prinz?

Leon looks out of the window, recognising the area to be one where him and his parents would often frequent to. He sees the Wendy's where he spent his 6th birthday at, with his father munching away at his and Leon's burger in front of him. He cried hard that day.

Schnucki: i see wendys :-D and there's a park, and a field, and a roundabout and a traffic jam Kö: coming

König knows where you are, just half an hour away from your home, you're not too far, and he knows if he speeds quick enough, he can catch up to you soon enough.

But he knows that's not good enough. He needs to teach you a lesson this time for running away for what felt like the 10th time, though it was just the 2nd.

"Mama, why are you mad at papa?"

Leon breaks the silence after 25 minutes. He can't sit here any longer knowing you're this upset at his father.

You stay silent. To be frank, you don't know what the exact reason was.

It was König's behaviour first, the way you'd tell him to clean up after himself and him not listening to you. Sometimes it was him forgetting date night just to watch Austrian movies with his son at home, even if you have them once in 3 months.

The breaking point was for sure when he mentioned a possible promotion at his job at Kortac, him running home and pressing wet kisses all over your's and Leon's face.

He warned you that one of the higher-ups was quite touchy with him, though he'd reminded her he was married with a son multiple times, though pulling his ring finger multiples times. He truly was so proud of you for fulfilling his wish for a family.

Somewhere down the line, it got mistranslated, and at the ranking ceremony, he gets promoted by his superior, with her (unprofessionally, might I add) pressing a kiss against his cheek when he had bent down to receive a new badge.

Though he was shocked, he had to suppress his disgust behind his eyes through his mask, and fake a smile for the camera, which unfortunately captured his arm sitting uncomfortably around her waist.

"Your father's getting bored of me." You say nonchalantly, to your son.

Leon scrunches his face. He's used to coming downstairs in the morning to seeing his parents smooching away, or walking in front of his parents, only to look behind to see their fingers intertwined, with a warm red colour flushed against both their cheeks.

There's no way his father was getting bored, in fact the other way round was more plausible.

"Nein." He defends his father. [no.]

"Nein?" You peer at him, still weary of the cars surrounding you.

"Papa ist verliebt in dich, why can't you see that?" [papa is in love with you]

Leon senses slight hesitation in your answer, and he glimpses at your downturn eyebrows.

"If he's so in love with me, why does he not listen to me..." You state plainly.

The phone vibrates in his hand, silent enough for you not to hear, and his attention turns to the unread messages from his father.

Kö: Prinz, do see a petrol bunk?

Leon looks out the window.

Schnucki: Ja

König thinks to himself, trying to pinpoint your exact location, now that his car is closer to yours.

Kö: tu mir einen gefallen [do me a favour] is the fuel light on?

Leon looks at the beeping petrol light.

Schnucki: Ja Kö: Gut. [good] Tell your mother to fill the tank, I'll meet you at the gas station. Don't tell your mother. Schnucki: was ist, wenn du nicht rechtzeitig kommst? [what if you don't come in time?] Kö: then stall her.

"You need to fill in the tank, mama."

You look at the fuel light beeping, humming in agreement. You wonder how your son even knows what the tank light is, let alone how he realised it was on in the first place.

After driving into the petrol station, and parking by a pump, you fill your car up. As you're about to make a quick trip to the shops to pay for the petrol, your son pops his head out of the open window.

"Can I come? I want a Schokoladentafel [chocolate bar]."

It's about 10:30 P.M. when you make your way to the empty till, ringing the bell on the counter to alert a worker. The gas station was dimly lit, with no one inside, no even by the pumps. You question whether the gas station was even open.

"Where are these people..." You grumble to no one in particular. You begin to look at the close to empty trays of chocolate bars and small packets of crisps

"Keine Ahnung [no clue]." Leon replies, holding your hand in one, his other hand still gripping at the open messages on your phone.

Schnucki: We're here papa, und du? [and you?] Kö: Ich sehe dich [I see you].

Leon giggles to himself, he's finally going to see his father!

"Where's the damn cashier..." You groan, spamming the counter bell now.

"Looking for me?" You hear a voice behind you.

Leon let's go of your hand.

"Jesus, dude finally. Can me and my son pay already, we're alread-mHmMmHPh-"

Before you realise what's happening, a wet cloth is pressed against your mouth and nose, a large hand supporting the back of your head as you falter on your feet.

"Leon..." You eyes close completely and you faint against a chest musky chest. König smiles, finally having his beloved in his arms, gripping your backside and hoisting you up to his left shoulder, where you rest, motionless.

Leon on the other hand, as if witnessing his mother being drugged in front of him was the most normal thing in the world for a 7 year old to see, was jumping against his father side.

"Papa! Pick me up too!"

König chuckles, lifting his son and carrying him on his right flexed bicep, before snatching a few sweets and walking out of the deserted gas station. He hands one to his son, rubbing his mask against his little one.

"alles für meinen Sohn." [anything for my son]

By the time you wake up, the room was dark and it's difficult for you to differentiate whether it was the same day or the next morning. You turn to find your son, only to find that you can't move a muscle.

Ropes are tied around your waist, arms and legs, so any sort of movement was completely restricted, and you're kneeling on the cold smooth floor, bruising your skin. The ropes aren't tied expertly, so you know it's not the work of your husband, whom you're aware was a professional at the art of knots, given his career.

"Meine Blume..." [my flower]

You squint at the sudden voice. Your ears are mildly ringing so the voice is slightly distorted.

"Papa! She's awake..." A second voice, resembling your son's.

A light is shone in your face, and you put your head down, avoiding the light.

"Leon? K...König?" You're not in the same clothes, having been changed into a black sweatshirt and joggers.

"Schnucki...." [sweetie pie] It's König, you recognise the nickname through your phone contacts, "Why do you keep trying to separate this family?"

You're shocked by his words, separate?

"Why must you take my son away from me?" He demands now, his voice getting louder.

You look up to the figure, slowly adjusting to the light, it's König, with Leon still sitting on his biceps.

"Are the ropes too tight, mama?" Your son interupts.

You look down at the tight ropes, ripping at your skin under your clothes.

"Yes...König, what is this? Let me go...Let go of my son..." You can barely speak, the effects of the drugs stlll present in your system

Leon smiles at you, his dimples poking through, "Gut, I tied them on you!"

You blink at your son. They're working together?

"König- König, what are you making my son do-" you cough, and Leon leaps down from König's arms and hugs your head.

"Mama, aren't you proud of me? We can finally be a family together! You don't have to be mad at Papa, I forgave him alre-"

"That's not how it works!" You scream, interrupting Leon.

"Don't you dare shout at him."

You jolt, as König seethes at you, leaning towards you. "If you're going to be mad at someone, be mad at me. Don't drag Prinz into this."

You laugh nervously, "Me? I'm dragging him into this? Are you listening to yourself Kö? You made Leon tie me up- THAT'S NOT NORMA-"

Leon stops you, "Prinz."

"Leon...Prinz..." You try reasoning with him, he seems like the only sane person in the room, which is worrying given that he's only 7.

"Prinz. König und Prinz." König firms, crossing his arms and standing, dominating you physically.

"König, why -cough- are you doing this?"

He laughs, "Schatz, why must you run from me?"

"You and that lady-"

"Nothing happened between them." Prinz interrupts. You cough, looking at Leon Prinz.

"You told my son?"

"He's my son, not a stranger."

"And me? You think it's normal to kidnap your wi-"

"Like you tried to kidnap my son?"

A pause lingers in the air.

"That's not kidnapping.." You reply defensively, "We were visiting my parents..."

"Don't lie, mama..." Prinz shakes his head, disappointingly. "Papa plans all the trips, you know this."

This kid... You think to yourself.

"I'm sorry...okay. It won't happen again..."

Your husband and his sidekick stare down at you, waiting for you to stop beating around the bush.

"You can...can let me go now..."

"No." You can't tell who said that, your son or your husband.

"You'll sit here and think about what you did-"

"-trying to separate this family-"

"-how dare you-"

"-who do you think you are-"

The light turns off now, and your eyes fail to adjust to the rapid light changes, clenching them tightly to rid yourself of the blaring pain in your head. You can't tell who's speaking and the sudden thought of failing as a mother flashes through your head.

"Kön...my head...my son-"

You hit the floor, head first, laying in front of König and Prinz.

There's a silence between the father-son duo.

"Next time, I'll tie the knots better, papa."

König ruffles his head, "Gut gemacht." [good job.]

König, I volunteer 🙋🏽‍♀️🙋🏽‍♀️🙋🏽‍♀️🙋🏽‍♀️🙋🏽‍♀️ lemme know you're interested to be tagged in my future posts! tags -> @lilliumrorum, @kxtz3, @poohkie90, @rainlovesyou12, @restrictionsapply-blog, @lunamoonbby, @nigthmar3moon, @thychuvaluswife, @itsnourm, @bubusi11, @chessecakelover, @owkittie, @cheomain, @corvusmorte, @k4es, @mandythemint, @copiasratscheese, @yyiikes, @funkyysho3es

[amaiaqt]

ㅤㅤㅤㅤミㅤyour number 1 fanㅤ⋆ ｡˚ㅤ♡ ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤhow do they reward you for a personal milestone ? ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤaether, heizou, kazuha, kaeya !

first post of my 200 special ! to my dear mutuals, hope these don't disappoint !

@kaeyxs @https-heizou @papiliotao @lovevivi444 @mikacynth @kazumist

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ｡ﾟ ⊹ㅤaether !

he'll admit, he doesn't fully get it, but he's so proud of you ! "nice one love ! so, so proud of you~!"

he knows well how big it is for you, as you take pride in this being something you love to do. so to see you overjoyed over something like this, he can't help but share the joyous energy with you

he wants to give you something, even just something small, to make this all the more rewarding for you — especially if it's something you put utmost effort into. however you want it, he'll give it to you. you want to go on a simple romantic date ? of course, his treat !

he wants you to feel rewarded for even the simplest efforts, and along with a milestone, that while he personally doesn't get, he will celebrate with you just to drown himself more in the priceless smile of yours

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ｡ﾟ ⊹ㅤshikanoin heizou !

now heizou, heizou gets it ! he's watched how you pull all-nighters for this, so he of all people know how special it could be to you. plus, he admires your dedication to it, for it reminds him of his own focus on his work

"well deserved baby," he cups your face in his hands. "so very proud of you~" he pauses to kiss all over your face between each word. his smile grows and matches with his bright lime colored eyes as your hands caress his that remained on both sides of your face

he'll ask if you'd like anything special, but no matter your answer, he will get you something. be it a simple stroll with your hands intertwined or a visit to some place you've mentioned in the past, he wouldn't mind — he just hopes whatever he does organize for you would be to your standards

it's precious to him, that particular sparkle in your eyes when you get excited, he treasures it dearly. so even for the simplest accomplishments, as long as they're a big deal to you, as long as your eyes shine that way, he's ready to celebrate it with you !

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ｡ﾟ ⊹ㅤkaedehara kazuha !ㅤ

oh ? his dearest ? reaching a small yet special milestone ? this calls for a celebration !

"i always told you you'd get far," he smiles softly as he hugs you, humming to the vibration in his chest from your cheery giggles. "you're ready to go even farther." he compliments, playing with your hair as you lay on him now, still heartily rambling about your expectations

watching the way you waved your hands around in a messy, excited manner, the way you'd stop yourself in the middle of your almost incoherent sentences, only to continue on with self reassurance. he found it so endearing, and knew from that point you deserved a little reward

he sits up a bit, pressing his forehead against your own as he lost himself in your eyes, successfully making you pause from your speech as you stared at mesmerizing cherry eyes that stared at yours. he cupped your face with his right hand and closed his eyes, meeting his lips with yours

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ｡ﾟ ⊹ㅤkaeya ! ㅤ

he just got up from a nap, stretching, only for the plush of the sofa he was snoring away on 2 minutes ago to cushion his fall as you pounced on him with distinct excitement. a good morning would've sufficed, but he's not complaining

at first he thinks you were just in the mood to be clingy and affectionate, so he parted his lips to tease you lovingly for it, but pauses when you proudly announced, "i got a milestone, kae !" you sat up in his lap with stars in your eyes and pride in your voice

he replaces his originally, supposed to be, teasing tone with a confused yet encouraging one. "really now ?" he tilts his head up at you, urging you to say more — because, he would hit himself with his own hard punch before he admits aloud, he didn't know exactly what you were referring to, and with the hint of expectance in your voice, he thought you figured he did

"well.. it's kind of personal, and maybe embarrassing," you scratch the back of your neck, "but forget that !! it's a milestone kae ! don't i deserve some reward ?" he chuckles, wrapping his arms around your waist and pulling you down to lay on him, kissing your temple. "congratulations, love."

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ© amaiaqt, 2023 ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ ㅤㅤㅤㅤdo not plagiarize !

[lunehong]

Black Pirates | Four

Modern era robin hood ATEEZ X Undercover spy fem OC

ship : ??? X OC

Genre : slowburn, angst, fluff, enemies to lovers

Synopsis : "The world may be unfair but it does not stop us from changing our own fate." Kang Sohyun tries to investigate a group of bandits who are causing havoc in all of Korea. As she gets into close contact with them, her view of them slowly starts to change. "Why do people even hate you?" "If we worried about what people thought of us, we would've all been in a slump of despair by now." 

Warnings : none

A/n : If anyone wants to be added to the taglist let me know !

Masterlist , Prologue , Chapter one , Chapter two , Chapter three

CHAPTER 4

The bells on the door chimed signalling the arrival of new customers. The person at the counter looked up to see his two regular customers - Sohyun and Jongho. They took their usual seat by the window, looking exhausted as if they ran a marathon. Sohyun noticed the slightly confused look on the guy's face and waved at him while gesturing that they were fine.

The person at the counter, 'Song' as everyone called him, was the owner of their very frequently visited restaurant, Treasure Cuisine.

He had ivory black hair, sharp eyes, a long nose and plump pink lips that made him look very defined and cute at the same time. His face reminded Sohyun of Toothless from 'How To Train Your Dragon'. Song was a very friendly and nice guy who had always taken care of her and Jongho whenever they dropped by and gave them company while they had their meals as well.

The bells jingled and two guys entered the restaurant. They speed-walked towards the counter without wasting any time. One of them was an ebony black-haired man who wore a pair of round specs and had a surgical face mask on.

The other guy had grape purple hair with well defined facial features. He also had a prominent jawline and very wide and buff shoulders.

"Hyung, when are we going to the HQ today?" The guy with the mask spoke up.

"Captain is still caught up at the museum. He'll come by when he's done and we'll take the van. Where are Golden and Fixon? 

"They are on their way here. Wait, where is Rocky?" 

The black-haired receptionist flicked his gaze towards the window seat. 

"Oh! He's with his girlfriend again?" He sneered. 

"Yah! Sa-  no,  Shadow. Stop it. I really don’t know what your problem is, when she doesn’t know anything and is just a good friend of his."

The grape haired guy rolled his eyes and proceeded to occupy a seat while the ebony black-haired sighed and followed him. 

The bells chimed again revealing two very tall, brooding guys - one had soft blonde hair, high cheekbones and a gentle demeanour while the other had fiery red hair, a defined jawline and wore glasses. They nodded at Song and chose their seats.

The ivory black-haired man was scrolling through his phone out of boredom when Sohyun and Jongho approached him.

"Song! Hey, how's it going?"

"Same old, same old, Sohyun-ah! Have you two ordered yet?"

"Yeah, we ordered already!"

"Great! So, how's college?" Song asked and they naturally fell into a conversation about their lives.

"By the way, do you know what happened today? This dimwit here, had the audacity to think that I am a member of the Black Pirates." 

Sohyun scoffed while Jongho looked at the ceiling, suddenly finding it very interesting to look at.

In the corner seat, the blonde haired choked on his water but it went unnoticed by Sohyun.

"Yah, Jongho-yah! How could you think that? Sohyun is one of the kindest and most precious people I know of! How could you ever think she'd be a vicious bandit like the Black Pirates? No wonder Sohyun calls you a dimwit." exclaimed Song, in a chastising manner.

Jongho ignored his words and rolled his eyes at them.

Sohyun changed the topic and the three of them chatted away, which was something the black-haired was grateful for, as he was feeling bored earlier.

"The food is ready! I knew it was you two since it's your usual order." A guy with dark brown hair and blonde details underneath came out from the kitchen area, wearing a plastic hat and apron. He had high cheekbones and his eyes vanished into crescents, as he was greeting his favourite customers with a huge grin on his face. He was the head chef at Treasure Cuisine and was very good at his job.

"Yeon? What the heck? Don't you have other orders to attend to?" Song inquired the oreo haired chef.

"No, Hyung. I'm done for today, and before you speak, I did not slack off either." said Yeon, with a pout.

"Would you two return to your seats or eat here on the counter?" Song asked Sohyun.

Sohyun looked at Jongho and he shrugged.

"Well, the counter doesn't sound too bad, even though I usually sit near the window. Set it here today, I want to gossip with you two while eating."

"Two? Do I not exist anymore?" Jongho asked the girl with a pout.

"Uhh, who are you again?" 

While they were eating and teasing each other, the bells chimed for the umpteenth time. A man with a chequered shirt and brown coloured trousers entered the restaurant.

 He had a thick moustache and unkempt black hair. At first glance, He looked like a very ordinary man but Sohyun couldn't seem to look away. She felt as if the man had a very prominent air of authority oozing out of him. His eyes were a unique shade - a mix of hazel and grey. He did look like any average man in his late thirties, but Sohyun just couldn’t shake the unsettling feeling away, as she kept on observing him.

The man who was speaking to Song, felt someone's eyes on him. He looked through the corner of his eye, catching the girl sitting on the counter staring at him. The girl immediately diverted her gaze to her plate making him smirk before he continued his conversation with the ivory black-haired.

"We have to get going. Did Facade pack something for me? I'm starving."

"Yeah, he did. He always does. Anyways, what do we do about..."

Song pointed subtly at Sohyun.

"Let her finish and leave the restaurant. Then you can close it up and we'll leave. We can wait till that much, it's not a big deal. I'll go sit."

"At least you didn't sneer at her like our Shadow over there" 

"He's just wary of strangers, Mars. It's not like he would harm an innocent without a motive. So, relax."

Song or 'Mars' nodded at him while the man found a seat and poured himself a glass of water.

Soon, Sohyun and Jongho were done with their meals. Jongho paid their bills (Yes, he lost the race) and they headed out. 

"So... see you next week then!"

"Okay, Hyun-ah! Enjoy your weekend. Bye!"

Sohyun walked away and when she was out of sight, Jongho went back into the restaurant.

"Yunho, start the van. We have important things to discuss today. Are everyone seated?"

He heard faint mutters of "Yes"

The man with the chequered shirt who was sitting at the front seat beside 'Yunho', took off his wig to let his hazel hued mullet out and carefully tugged at his faux moustache to prevent redness in his skin. 

"The wig and moustache itch so much, you have no idea! It feels liberating to finally take them off."

The guys at the back laugh at it. 

"Hyung, you looked like a homeless old man in that fit. How do they even let you work in the museum when you dress up like that?"

"Aish, what to do boys... I'm that skilled. So, they would never have the audacity to fire me." The now mulleted man winked at the guys sitting at the back making them snicker and shake their heads.

As they were talking and laughing in the van, the shocked glances from a certain someone standing on the pavement went completely unnoticed by the guy with the mullet.

That certain someone was none other than,

 Kang Sohyun.

Next chapter

Tags : @wooyoos @jwnghyuns @starillusion13

[iheartchv]

Raffle prize for @anacosio

can you do female(5 “2” 156 lbs(chubby)(introvert)+Ralph 2014/2016 version, something intimate/birthday related. Smut if you can. Thank you 🥰

Alrighty, I hope you enjoy it, and happy belated birthday hun 🎉💖 Sorry for taking so long, ive been so burned out by work 😫 i dont know how many times ive rewritten this whole thing >×<

Will contain: smut/18+ stuff. YOUVE BEEN WARNED. Everyone is 18+

Birthday Wish

BAYVERSE RAPH x F! READER

*1 year ago*

The turtle gang planned a birthday party for you... well, it was Mikey's idea...but partly Raph's. He had been dating you for a long while and wanted to do something for you. He figured since your birthday was coming up, why not throw a surprise party. He already thought of a present for you....

❤🐢

"Happy Birthday, Y/n!" Everyone said in unison. In the lair there was decorations and food spread on one of those big folding tables. April and Donnie chipped in for the decorations and the food. Of course Vern and Casey helped with some of the expenses, too.

"Aw, thanks guys.~" You hugged everyone. Raph wasnt one for PDA, you knew that, but you would've liked a nice big hug from Big Red. He kept that for your private moments together.

Raph wrapped his arm around your shoulders, pulling you in for a side hug. The feeling of his hard muscled and pebbled skin against you made the blood rush to your cheeks. "Happy birthday, doll." he said with a side smile.

"Th-thanks, Raph." you replied with a sweet smile. He leaned down to your ear and whispered,"I've got a surprise for you when the party's over." Chills of desire ran up your spine at the tone of his voice.

After the party was over, Raph was going to drive you home. He let you ride with him on his motorcycle, holding onto the edges of his shell. Street lights zipped by in a flash. You always felt so free when you were with Raph.

He parked into the dark alleyway underneath the fire escape of your apartment complex. He hopped off the red motor bike and helped you down. You crossed your arms. "So, whats the big surprise?" The smirk he gave you made your tummy fill with butterflies.

"You'll see"

He started climbing up the fire escape, telling you to follow him. You couldn't help but admire how fast he was despite him being so... big... and muscled... Your blood rushed hotly to your cheeks as thoughts of Raph made you a bit flustered.

Raph waited on the edge top of the building to pull you up. What you saw really surprised you! There were blankets and pillows galore that made a very comfy looking nest. There was also a cooler that held two of (preferred drinks) and some snacks. (Donnie suggested this idea ever since Raph told him that he had a crush on you)

"Ohh~ Raph" Your heart melted. It was rare Raph would do anything so sweet.

"Do ya like it? I hope it isnt too corny or anything."

"I love it"

You wrapped your arms around (well, almost all the way around) his torso and laid your head on his plastron. His massive arms wrapped around you, too, enveloping you in his embrace. And even as you both laid under the stars, he still held you like the most precious treasure in the world.

*1 year later*

"Remember that, Raph?"

"Yeah, you were gorgeous that night. You're still gorgeous."

Raph sweetly kissed your lips, causing your heart to pound. He scooted closer to you, pulling you flush against his hard frame. When he slowly pulled away from you, you both looked up at the midnight sky. The rooftop above your apartment since then had become your private spot (because it was easy for you to get back home if need be).

A shooting star passed by. Sure it seemed childish, but you closed your eyes and made a wish. You wanted Raphael... that was it, you just wanted him. You wanted to be joined as one with him. The dreams you've had of Raph making love to you was the best thing to happen to you. But you were still insecure about your body when it came to things of a sexual manner, even though Raph told you over and over your were the most beautiful woman to ever come into his life.

"What'd you wish for, baby?" he asked, curling his arm around you.

"That we'll always be together."

He softly chuckled as he nuzzled his nose in your hair, kissing the top of your head. "I wouldnt want it any other way."

"Well... that's only half of what I want..."

"Okay, well, what do ya want, princess?"

You wanted to tell him but your mouth couldn't move. Your eyes told him something different, though. His hands held your face so gently, his thumbs randomly rubbing across your now rosy cheeks.

"What is it? Ya can tell me anything."

Images of Raph on top of you and ravaging your body made you blush even redder. You closed your eyes, breathed in a deep breath, and then replied as you met his eyes, "You." You paused. "I've wanted you for so long but I... I didn't think you'd ever want me in that way..." Your eyes trailed away from his as you told him about your insecurities, feeling embaressed, ashamed.

"Y/n..."

He titled your chin up to make you look into his eyes again. The softness and warmth you saw in his face made your heart beat faster and your bones feel like jello. He tucked strands of stray hair behind your ear.

"Ya don't understand the effect you have on me. Everything about you drives me crazy. Just the thought of you makes my day so much better... I love ya, and if that's what ya want tonight, I'll give it to ya, sweetheart."

He kissed you again with the same tenderness as before. He pulled your curvy body flush against his. His hands only ventured where you felt most comfortable with. His touch ignited a flame within you. You softly moaned as his tongue begged for entrance, and opening your mouth his tongue danced with yours, tasting you. You suddenly felt lightheaded; your breath had been taken away.

Inch by slow inch, he stripped you of your clothing, worshipping every womanly part of you. From your breasts he traveled down to the apex of your thighs, leaving feather light touches. "Raph~~~" you'd whimper and mewl as pleasure took hold of you. Your hands held onto the blanket as Raph continued his ministrations. He made you feel so good that even your wet dreams couldn't compare.

"Yeah, just relax, baby. Let me take care of you..."

His voice was like honey. You shivered and moaned again as his mouth kissed your nether lips and slipped his tongue in between your wet folds. You squirmed and groaned louder as a knot tightened in your lower belly. You were desperate, you need to have release from all this pleasure, and he was helping you through it all.

"Cum, baby girl. I've got ya~"

Sometime later, he made you cum while crying out his name as you rode your high. He marveled at the sight of you, your body flushed and glowing underneath the light of the moon. He held you as you calmed down, caressing your head and down your back. He wanted more, but he'd wait for you to recover. He waited this long, he can wait a little more longer...

[lilallama]

Okay so I was wondering how would Jeongguk and the other clubs would react to y/n somehow finding out he was their childhood friend? Like they looked through a photo album or sm (Btw I love your blog 💜)

a/n: I might do a 'what's in my bag' post with all the cc members. Also, the occult, drama and martial arts clubs aren't officially open, but I still decided to include them here.

I also have a new idea for Jk. His charackter will stay mostly the same, but I thought about an explanation why he is the way he is. With that I mean his impulsive behaviour, lack of remorse, temper tantrums, general disregard of other people, etc. Remember to please correct me if I say anything false!

I picture he has ASPD, or antisocial personality disorder. That doesn't mean that he doesn't like people or is shy, but that he feels little to no empathy towards the people around him. He has bad temper, acts impulsively and often irrationally, has violent outbursts, disregards other people's safety as well as his own, acts agressive and irresponsible, repeatedly broke the law and most of all, feels no remorse for anything. There's a lot more to it, but you get the gist. His father has the same thing, he inherited it. That means his genes are naturally vulnerable to that disorder, but how he was treated as a child was the trigger to develop it himself.

None of the clubs know that Jeongguk and Y/n were actually childhood friends. Jeongguk knows that Y/n forgot, but instead of reminding them he just blames their parents. It hasn't crossed his mind that he could just, you know, talk with Y/n. Like a normal person. The reason why he hasn't told the others is that they would probably take his precious memories away from him. According to club rule 3 ("All information concerning Y/n must immediately be reported to the club leader.") and rule 4 ("Every Y/n souvenir officially belongs to all club members and will not be kept for personal use.") Jeongguk already broke not one but two rules! That would mean he'd be punished, and he's not too eager to give up his box. He keeps a box underneath his bed. It's filled with photos of Y/n, old pictures they drew together, their first lost teeth, strands of their hair in small ziptie-bags (one strand from kindergarden, one from middle school and one from highschool), their old notebook full of doodles and secret conversations they'd have during class, his new notebook in whixh he wrote down everything about Y/n (all their passwords, address, their friends address' and names, who they've talked to etc.), their middle school diary and, of course, the pair of keys that they dropped (in his mind they're officially his now. The neighbour's even think he's Y/n's boyfriend). He's not going to give all these treasures up.

But if they somehow did find out, oh boy! Firstly, it's unlikely that they would've found out throgh a photo album, since Y/n's parents weren't so fond of Jeongguk and he never brought Y/n anywhere close to his parents. If they'd find his secret box, he'd get punished for withholding information. But let's say, they find out because Y/n found an old class picture from kindergarden and showed Hoseok. Then Y/n realised, that little boy who was clinging to them looked awfully familiar. They knew he was their best friend, until they moved. So they began to think; dark fluffy hair, big doe eyes, that recognisable smile, that bad temper and violent outbursts that contradicted with his softness towards them- Oh shit! That's Jeongguk! The boy who's dad was a serial killer, the next killer-to-be, that's why their parents didn't want him around them. Immediately they shared their thought with Hoseok who froze. His cheery smile turning stiff as he clenched his first, hoping Y/n wouldn't know. That little fucking brat. No way he forgot that, he just didn't want to tell them anything.

But after hearing they haven't really talked since they were five, he calmed down a bit. The club would bombard him with questions, asking what they were like back then. They definitely wanted to see pictures, but he'd deny that he has any. Their parents wanted to 'sabotage their love', he was never interested in his parents and they were both too young own an actual camera. The club let's it slide since it's pretty plausible.

If Y/n would not initiate anything with Jeongguk, everything would continue as before. But if they would try to spend more time with Jeongguk, the other members would start hogging Jeongguk. As much as they don't want to spend more time together than necessary, they couldn't just invite themselves to a hangout that Y/n planned. That would be against the club rules ("No member can initiate any activities with Y/n, except for the leader.") They also aren't allowed to deny Y/n's requests, but it wasn't Jeongguk denying their request, the other members just lied and dragged him away, literally.

For the other clubs, the skate and newspaper club wouldn't really care. The gardening club already knew because 1) they're fucking super spies (not literally yet) and 2) Chaeyoung was in the same class as them (in kindergarden, elementary school, middle school abd now high school, but Y/n never noticed her). The art club would fid it so cool. Both of them were best friends, they want to be Y/n's best friends too! The drama club would do a whole background check on Jeongguk, abd then never let Y/n near him because he fucking beat up people. The kam club would be shocked that that brat forced poor, innocent Y/n to be his friend. But as long as Y/n doesn't initiate anything, they won't either. The martial arts club would probably feel like keeping Jk farther away from Y/n now. What if he takes advantage of them, or puts them in danger! The occult club guaranteed already knew, they know everything. Breefly considered cursing Jk, but decided against it. More effort than it's worth.

[admiringlove]

OMG SAM CONGRATS!!! here's my request, hope ya have fun writing it <33

don't worry if you notice i'm gone; i never meant to stay but i know you won't miss me long, i'll be forgotten in a day. -e.h.

make it without you.

don't worry if you notice i'm gone; i never meant to stay but i know you won't miss me long, i'll be forgotten in a day.

— e.h.

it was the start of his greatest fear. 

the final year of the high-school, memories becoming more are more like a treasure with each passing day. whether it be playing volleyball, or spending time with his friends, or with you. he doesn't regret his loss against his junior in the end, after all, deciding to let it go for now(and that he'll be getting kageyama back on national television one day, as he had said to you as you laughed at him for being immature).

he hates himself for what he's going to do to you at the end of the year. his brown, guilty eyes give away everything to you. even if his face is filled up with white little lies about your future together, his eyes always gave it away. he knows that you know as well, that deep inside, you're hurting but you refuse to show. you refuse to be anything less than brave, that too, all for him. he thinks you're selfless; the way you never break down whenever he talks about his hopes and dreams makes him think that maybe you're the most benevolent person he knows after all.

the way you were on his mind every single night. so he called you at two in the morning on a few weekdays, and you sneaked out of your window just to meet him at the swing set at a nearby park(which was where you'd first met, and although oikawa doesn't like admitting it, it brought him solace to sit there once again and talk to you without anyone else present). you smile at him the same all throughout the year. there are so many ways you do, and only a few are portrayed with your lips. there are times you smile with the lilt of your voice or an unexpected pep in your stride—and he knows it's fake, how can he not? there are times you smile with your choice of words or the way you pause to hear a bird sing, saying how it's pretty to spend time like this with him. 'precious time', as you'd called it.

he knows your roads are going to take you in different directions. it's not like he's unaware, it's just that he's scared. oikawa tо̄ru is scared of facing the impending doom of reality that waits for him just at the end of the school year; a camp for training in argentina, and if he does well(which he hated that he knew he will), then he gets to be on the team. he cried the day the letter arrived in his mailbox, eyes quivering as he jumped from joy and wrapped his friends in his arms as they hollered like moronic fools—until he saw you. you stood there just a few feet away, the prettiest smile on your lips, albeit it didn't quite reach your eyes. your eyes were glassy as time slowed down, his friends jumping and dancing out of joy around him in his living room as you simply stood there, perfectly still as your eyes locked with his. you bit your lip harshly as he swiftly got past his friends and engulfed you in a hug, whispering "i love you" into your ear as he tried to hide the fact that everything was going to change for just a bit longer. 

the year passed by faster than he would've liked. it was his last week, and he spent the limited time he had left wisely, or so he thought. he made sure to stay out with you and the others until seven each day, keeping the rest of the time for his family. dinners were spent arguing over who gets the last piece of meat with his nephew and late nights were spent talking about mindless things about his childhood with his sister. 

as the dreaded day to leave came nearer and nearer, his heart somehow grew calmer and calmer. he was confused, to say the least. he was sad all this time. he regretted accepting the offer the whole time, then why was it that now of all times, he felt as relaxed as he could ever be? he tried to make himself repent again. he recollected every memory of you that he could muster up; all those times he'd sneak out of his house after stealing a bottle of wine from his elder sister's stash to drink it with you at the park, all those times where the two of you talked about your futures like you had a clue, all those kisses that felt too short, all those hugs that felt a little incomplete flooded his mind. but not once did he feel guilt.

he cursed himself as he placed his suitcases into the trunk of mattsun's car(well, it was his father's, but he usually drove it around instead). you sat in the passenger seat as makki and iwa-chan piled in the back, squishing tо̄ru in the middle. there was definitely tension in the air—everyone except you kept talking so he didn't notice. but he did anyway, he noticed the way you hid your eyes from him. he noticed the way your fake smiles lasted for only a millisecond this time, he noticed the way you looked out of the window aimlessly instead of smiling when iwaizumi mocked tо̄ru about his spanish speaking skills. he laughed along with the others though, not wanting to ruin the moment. 

the airport was here, and there was no turning back now. all of them hugged him together, and then they left you there to talk to him. you couldn't do anything but stare at the ground for a few minutes, and all he could do was look at you. he wanted you to say something, to stop him, or just ask him to stay for a few more days; he would've been fine with anything, really. he just wanted to hear something. a reason to stay, perhaps.

"tо̄ru," you’d whispered, and the words still rung in oikawa tо̄ru's mind like the ghost of your shell, "don't give up, okay?"

he knew you weren't talking about yourself that day. because as soon as he steps into the plane and sits in his seat, his eyes break. his heart breaks, and so does his resolve.

hi sara !! so i saw your second ask about oikawa or childe and chose oikawa :) thank you for participating in my event for 1k! if anyone else wants to do so, here’s the event masterlist for the rules!

© all works belong to admiringlove on tumblr. plagiarism is strictly prohibited.

[lyjikyu]

FOREHEAD KISS ✿ 박정우

we love shy jeongwoo in this house (ಡ ͜ ʖ ಡ) cringy? corny? cheesy? whatever you pick on those three, it basically describes this ㅠㅠㅜ

hours, it had been hours since you decided to study with jeongwoo and all you've done was solve 6 problems and the rest well..were full of watching youtube videos and laughing at some of them. who said this was a good idea again?

"jeongwoo we need to study, now" you demand pushing the boy – who was laying his head comfortably on your lap, away from you carefully. he whines as he sits up and throws his phone on the bed. "y/n I don't want to. plus you said that earlier aswell but we ended up watching another documentary about wolves" he cries while swaying his body from right to left aggressively. was he trying to throw a tantrum? well it clearly didn't look pleasant to your eyes.

you give him a sour look before telling him to deal with it or else "were gonna fail park jeongwoo." he knew that you saying his full name meant serious business. so he stops being stubborn and moves right next to you. this time studying went well...except for the fact that you were both really exhausted.

"y/n?" he calls. you turn your head to look at him laying his head on the table and his cheeks looking extra squishy. if you didn't have much control towards yourself then you would've attacked him right on spot, but you knew better.

"yes? what do you want? are you hungry? " he shakes his head no and holds your hand. "can you do me a favor and copy what im doing right now?" his request was ridiculous but who were you to refuse such an offer from him when he's looking so gosh darn adorable and precious.

you lay your head next to his while facing him. "okay now what?" you furrow your eyebrows. he giggles while brushing away the strands of hair that were covering your eyes. he leans in closer and closer until the space between the both of you was basically non-existant. you have to admit, you were feeling quite flustered and felt like you just a ran a marathon with how fast the way your heart was beating. "im not gonna do anything ..im just gonna" he mouths before kissing your forehead.

after what happened, the two of you were quick to sit up and look away from each other. what made him do that? why was he suddenly acting that way? he had never done something like that before! "jeongwoo?" you spoke timidly and he replies with a faint yes.

"that's the first time you gave me a kiss"

"shut up y/n.."

forgive me for I have been experiencing lack of motivations and ideas the past few days ( ･ั﹏･ั)🙏🏼. n e ways I hope everyone loved it !! and I wish everyone a good time ( ꈍᴗꈍ) <3

TREASURE MASTERLIST

[peachyteez]

death’s grip ≫ DAY FIVE, YES.

the tiger hybrid managed to escape from south korea’s top illegal hybird ring fights. of course, they didn’t let him go so easily. losing his chasers in a forest, covered in blood—his and others’—he decided to accept his fate of death from his wounds until a female and two other hybrids managed to take him from death’s grip.

PART OF THE HEAVEN SERIES.

✧ taglist: @defsoul15, @jaeminbluee, @joongiebug, @sunsethw4, @t-tbinnie, @chanyeolol, @danibookmarks, @hello-its-ya-boi, @murralyn, @alienmashup, @panini, @moon8894, @koasworld, @taetae123094, @luv3rxcha, @treasure-hwa, @etherealbyeol, @hwaseongzzz, @lovely-sanie, @orbitiiny, @deep-ocean-dweller, @babydolljo, @ms-starlight

can’t be tagged: @yoongisleftboob

feel free to let me know if you would like to be added to the list! :)

✧ notes: perhaps i kinda teared up while typing this up...

✧ WARNINGS: mentions of killing, death, and blood

back。| next。

“what do you mean, you know?” jiyu asked. she definitely isn’t expecting the news this early in the morning.

“they told me yesterday,” hongjoong explained. “how i almost...died.”

jiyu didn’t say anything, only letting out a small sigh before dryly chuckling. “that would explain why they were so nice yesterday at home.” she did find it strange how seonghwa and yunho were so behaving and nice when they came home the previous evening. 

sensing her shift in mood, hongjoong worried that they had upset her and that the two could end up getting punished because of him. “wait, please don’t punish them—”

jiyu’s eyes widened at his words and she put her hands up in front of her. “woah, woah, woah, it’s okay, hongjoong. i’m not mad nor am i going to punish them,” she reassured. she softly smiled. “they didn't do anything wrong. i was actually trying to find a way and time to tell you without upsetting you, but i guess they beat me to that.”

hongjoong shifted his gaze out to the window. “you, know...they helped me open my eyes a little,” he meekly admitted. intrigued by his words, jiyu took a seat on the chair next to the bed. “i don’t know what they went through, but they seemed to have put their faith in you. i’ll be honest, at first, i didn’t know why—why trust humans again when all they’ve done is inflict both mental and physical pain on you? but...they seemed so earnest to defend you when i asked why you never told me i almost died.”

jiyu intently listened.

“and surprisingly enough, i couldn’t be mad at you for keeping that from me. even though i thought you were trying to defend my former owners by keeping my potential death a secret. i think deep down, i had unconsciously given you my trust a long time ago. i was just too prideful to admit or acknowledge it.”

jiyu licked her lips before carefully explaining her intentions. “you had just woken up a few days ago and i didn't want to suddenly drop the bomb on you that you were literally teetering between life and death. you could’ve gotten too emotional to think rationally and hurt yourself and others on accident...that’s why i kept it,” she slowly reached up and gently rested her hand on his head. he didn't flinch away. “but i guess, in a way, i was trying to defend humans, too. it would’ve been hypocritical of me to tell you that you almost died from humans when i’ve been telling you that there’s good ones out there,” she wryly smiled. 

“but never forget. i always had your well-being in mind, hongjoong. i never had reasons to hurt or go against you.”

hearing her confession, along with relief, hongjoong felt a small tug of guilt in his gut. he never told her who he was or where he came from. his presence in her life could be a danger, yet he never said anything. 

he took a deep breath before looking into her eyes. “i used to be part of an illegal hybrid ring fighting group.”

jiyu’s eyes widened again. searching his face for any signs of a joke, she found none. but she did notice his hesitance on continuing. “you don’t have to—”

“no...i think you should know,” he insisted before taking a deep breath. “i was part of the...blood pirates.”

jiyu could’ve sworn she almost fainted right there and then. blood pirates? that one illegal organization that never got caught? the one that illegally collected hybrids for their fights? she had so many questions. how did he escape? where were the blood pirates based?

hongjoong told her everything. “my parents were also part of the blood pirates. but there was a catch...i had to kill them as my final test for my training. i had to kill them...or they would kill all three of us.”

jiyu gasped in horror. hongjoong took a deep breath and continued. “after that, i locked all my emotions away. i lost touch with myself and i just...killed. i killed one after the other with no remorse. i thought that’s how life worked—only the strongest could survive, and that’s how i managed to survive for the past who knows how many years,” his ears drooped in sadness at recalling such chilling memories. “i hated it. the chanting and cheers of the crowd, the look of my opponent’s face right before the life slipped out of their eyes, how my hands were stained red after—” his voice broke with emotion. peering over at his face, jiyu realized he was holding in his sobs.

“i didn’t want to kill them...” he whimpered, staring down at his hands. hands that had once been stained with the blood of his opponents as he fought for his life. “i just fought to live. to see the sunrise the next day. but then i remember that they couldn’t; they couldn’t see the sunrise like i could. they weren't in the basement with me anymore. instead,  they come back in my dreams, and i hear their voices haunting me. i’m a monster. a killer.”

listening to hongjoong and watching him bring his knees up to his chest as he cried, her heart broke. no one should have to go through that. no one should have to fight just to see the next day...no hybrid should ever have to live in fear and constantly think that today might be their last. nor should they ever have to think they were a monster.

before he could react, she stood up and wrapped her arms around him. she rested her chin on his head and comfortingly pat his shoulder. she couldn’t see his face, but she knew he must’ve been surprised with how he had tensed up. 

“you’re not a monster, hongjoong. you did what you had to do to live. anyone would've done that,” she reassured. “it’s in our nature to do whatever it takes to survive. life’s precious, you only get one chance. and i’m sure your...opponents knew, too. it’s not your fault, hongjoong. you’re not a monster or a killer. the guilt you feel for having to take their life—that just shows that you have a heart, feelings,” she peered down at his glossy eyes. “have you ever considered that they might’ve come back to watch over you? rather than haunt you?”

by that point, even jiyu was crying. crying at the thought of how the tiger hybrid had endured so much pain by himself. he had no one by his side to help him. the other hybrids with him had the same goal. to live. befriending each other would’ve made them too emotionally attached to each other to kill. 

feeling her tears land on his cheek, it only prompted his unshed ones to fall. he buried his head in her neck and cried. cried out all of the tears he had for the ones he killed, cried out the despair and hopelessness he’s felt ever since he was old enough to process the world around him. but most importantly, cried at the thought of being finally being safe and away from the bloody, heartless world he came from. 

she held him close. despite being an adult, he seemed so small, so childlike as he hugged her and cried. rocking him from side-to-side, she ran her fingers gently through his hair and whispered comforting words to him. “they’re in a better place, joong. i promise. they’re free from the pain.”

feeling his body shake in her arms from his sobs, it took every ounce of strength for her to not sob along with him. she had to stay strong. she had to keep him grounded. a while had passed; hongjoong’s cries filling the room with jiyu comforting him.

she suddenly stopped combing through his hair. “would you like to come home with me?” 

hongjoong pulled away from her at the question. “w-what?” he sniffled. 

she grabbed a tissue from the nightstand and gently dabbed his tears away. “i know it’s sudden...but would you like to come live with us three?” she asked. “i’m not forcing you to, it’s a hundred percent your decision. i just realized you don’t have anywhere to go after you’re discharged here.”

hongjoong blinked, slowly processing her offer. his heart raced with happiness. he wanted nothing more than to spend his days in her safe presence, to spend his days getting to know seonghwa and yunho. but deep down, he felt something holding him back. 

“b-but the blood p-pirates...” he managed to stutter out. he was terrified of what could happen if they found him again. he didn’t want to endanger three innocent people just because he was selfish and wanted to experience heaven for a while longer.

“don’t worry about them. if they ever show up, i have a lot of connections,” she smiled, a mysterious hint to it. hongjoong grew curious. connections? what kind? who was she?

“besides, if you were alone in the forest that day, they probably presumed you were dead,” she reasoned. “bottom line is...you’ll be safe with me, hongjoong. with us; me, seonghwa, and yunho. i swear on my life. so...what’s your answer?”

hongjoong stared deep into her eyes, trying to find signs of uncertainty—heck, he was even waiting for her to say it was a joke and that she would never adopt him for who he was. but she didn't. she stared back; an unwavering and determined expression. she was dead serious. 

was he ready to start a new life? was he ready to leave his old life behind and start again from scratch with a new family? does he deserve this second chance after all the lives he’s taken?

suddenly, a little voice, as clear as day, rang next to his ear. yes. all of a sudden, it was like every fiber of his being and soul was pushing him to accept. feeling a slight breeze blow past him, he felt at ease. maybe jiyu was right; they were watching out for him, looking over him despite their tragic ending by his own hands. 

“hm, where did that breeze come from?” jiyu frowned, seeing that the window was still closed. she looked back down to the hybrid on the bed in front of her before smiling and extending her hand towards him. “so? will you join us?”

with his ears perking up with a newfound burst of energy and his tail waving around with anticipation at his new future, he slowly reached out with his own hand and clasped her’s. “yes.”

she grinned. “well, seonghwa and yunho will definitely be excited as i am about you joining our family.”

[dreamingyouth]

[Darth Maul x Bookworm!Reader] Part 4 - Little things

Hello ! Are you new here ? Be sure to check the other parts below :

- Part 1

- Part 2

- Part 3

- Part 4 : You're here !

- Part 5

Words count : 2200

Warnings : none

Inspired by this lovely ask, thank you again anon ! ❤

You were never great with goodbyes.

The sky was clear, two fluffy clouds taking bets on which would be the fastest to reach the horizon under the warm autumn sun. The blue infinity above your head appeared to you like a never-ending sea. Would you ever be able to sail and explore the unknown lands? You couldn't know. At least, it left you dreamy; you found magic in how it changed color, azure blending gradually with soft shades of pink and orange as the day came to an end. The sight was incredibly beautiful and yet was only an introduction, waiting for the night to take over with its countless shining stars illuminating a dark blue, almost black canvas.

The trees around you seemed to be inspired by it, the bright green of their leaves slowly changing to a set of warm colors- yellow, orange, red, brown, every one of them pleasing the eye as if it was looking at a master's painting. They were full of life, though: the wind was playing with the branches and inviting the leaves in a joyful dance, some of them slowly falling to the ground in a last curtsey.

This was a setting you could admire forever without getting bored. You were lucky enough to live on a planet blessed with seasons, each of them lovely in their own way; but what you were most grateful for was the male in front of you, his hands gently holding yours while you kept your forehead against his. It became a little habit of yours to do this before parting every night: you would close your eyes and enjoy the silence around you, faces close enough to touch softly and let you appreciate each other's presence one last time.

At times you would exchange the sweetest kiss, at times a longing gaze would be enough; not once was it easy to part and leave, even though you both knew you would see each other again the following day. Sometimes you wanted to tell him how you desired to keep him by your side, not having to be separated even for just one night. Would he think of you as a clingy person? Would it bother him? He probably needed his space just like you did, maybe even had secrets you never knew of.

"Maul...

- Yes, angel?"

You smiled. Hushed whispers murmured against your lover's lips was something you treasured preciously, just as much as the charming nicknames he came up with from time to time. The intimacy you both shared bloomed from the smallest things: it was all in quiet words and little touches, thoughtful gifts, the warmth of a loving embrace. You felt lucky, not only to have this but to have this with him: to many, he might look scary or threatening, his appearance more the one of a devil than one of an angel. And yet... You somehow managed to bring out the softest side of him, one you guessed no one has ever seen before you. Probably no one would even think of him having such gentleness and care in his heart. His vulnerability was a secret you kept dearly, and it made you feel special.

"There's... this book that will be out tomorrow, and I wondered if you would accompany me to the bookstore. Maybe we could meet in front of it? And spend the day together?"

Your innocent request and your soft voice made him smile fondly, though you noticed a hint of playfulness in his eyes as he spoke.

"So, you're asking me out on dates now, hm?

- What? I- No, I just- I just thought it could be nice to spend time together-"

He chuckled. His question made you embarrassed, your face heating up a little as you tried to justify yourself, looking to the side. This caused you to involuntarily expose your neck to him, which he obviously noticed; and to cut your rambling, he placed a long, tender kiss on your skin, his strong arms wrapping around your waist to hold you close. It caught you by surprise and you stopped rambling, your fingers getting a hold of his dark clothes while he murmured in your ear.

"I never said it bothered me."

He was playing with you, and you both knew it. You didn't mind, though: it was a part of him you loved, after all, and you wouldn't exchange it for anything else in the galaxy.

"Oh..."

Your lips stretched with a smile, embarrassment leaving your face with every second passing by as it was replaced with nothing but affection for the Dathomirian. He lifted his head up to lock his intense gaze with yours, which you probably enjoyed for a little too long before moving again. Your digits slowly traveled up, leaving the soft fabric of his tunic to brush against the tattooed skin on his neck, tracing the intricate designs on their way up to his sharp jaw. You could feel him slightly shivering under your touch and imagined such a gentle contact was something he wasn't used to. Maybe he never experienced it at all- yet he allowed you, blindly trusting you as you explored higher, palms finally cupping his cheeks before pulling him into a sweet kiss.

"Meet me there, then... and don't be late!

- You're one to talk."

His words made you laugh. He never forgot.

After exchanging a few words over the last details, you reluctantly let go of him, hands sliding down his arms to his hands and holding them as long as you could before you had to part and go home. This would be the first time meeting him anywhere else than under your tree or at home. Not to mention, this was your first real date, too. This was new, and it would feel a bit scary if you went with anyone but him; but you trusted him as he trusted you, and quite honestly, it felt like you could face anything coming your way if Maul was by your side.

***

You had been expecting this moment since the second you woke up. You made sure you looked your absolute best: your favorite clothes on, your face washed and fresh, you checked once more your bag and found that, for the third time, everything you've been planning to take with you was there.

You were going on a date.

You were going on a date with Maul.

Your excitement and slight nervousness met as you glanced at the clock on your wall, begging the hands to move faster until they indicated the time you were waiting for to leave your home. You didn't waste more time, your bag thrown over your shoulder as you rushed to your front door; you locked in a heartbeat before running on the path leading to the nearest city, each of your steps leading you closer to the one you loved.

As you approached the street where you were supposed to meet, you stopped. Your chest rose and fell in a quick pace, betraying your excited rush; he couldn't see you like this. He would mock you again, wouldn't he?

After catching your breath, you finally turned the corner of the street and walked to the bookstore. You could see him waiting in front of it. As usual, he was there before you, which you noticed was something he liked; after all, not once did you have to wait for him to appear, except this one time when he returned with the sun setting.

"Looks like my date arrived."

He welcomed you with a little smirk, his playful remark bringing a smile to your face. His hood was up, covering his horns and toning down the red tattoos on his face; it didn't hide them though, and you were grateful you could still admire the symmetrical designs they traced on his skin. They fascinated you from day one.

"Sorry I kept you waiting!

- I arrived merely minutes ago. You don't have to apologize for anything."

His arms, previously crossed, moved as he took off one of his black gloves to reach for your face. Slowly caressing your cheek, he took a good look at you; and as much as you were embarrassed about him touching you so tenderly in public, you loved feeling his fingers on your skin and allowed yourself to get lost in his flaming eyes for a moment.

"You look lovely today."

The truth was, he wasn't used to giving compliments. He barely got any from his master, and never got the opportunity to do so himself; learning about the enemy -the Jedi- and training hard day after day left little time to socialize. Not that there was anyone to socialize with in the first place. It came almost naturally with you, however, and your happiness was enough of an excuse for him to try.

His hand slid down your arm to hold your hand, his grasp a little more possessive than usual now that there were people around. You both made your way into the bookstore; you knew it by heart now, and it wasn't long before you were standing in front of the right section. Your gaze moved along the spines of the numerous books available, looking for the one you wanted before spotting it on the highest shelf. Letting go of the Dathomirian's hand for a second, you stood on tip-toe, eager digits reaching out to try and catch the copy above your head; yet it was too high, and you were struggling.

"It seems like someone needs help, hm?

- Maul !"

You turned around, only to find your lover looking at you with an amused expression, his strong arms crossed over his chest. You couldn't come up with anything more to say. How could you? He was right.

He took some steps forward as his soft chuckle reached your ears, his warm hand settling on your waist before he pressed a kiss to your temple.

"It's alright to be short, love. It's cute on you."

You could tell these weren't words he used often, and it only made them more precious. Focused on the sweet encouragements he offered you, you didn't notice him reaching up to grab the book you were longing for until he gave it to you, another kiss landing on your forehead; only then you went to pay, Maul's arm still around your waist and holding you close. You sure were a strange pair: he was dark and intimidating, but you were happy and full of life. It seemed like the two of you weren't meant to get along at all, yet you did, and more closely than you would've ever expected.

"You were waiting for this for a long time."

It was an affirmation, not a question; given how he knew you by now, you weren't surprised in the slightest by him being so confident.

"Yes... I feel lucky we're able to get it here. I was afraid it would only be available on other planets, if I'm honest.

- You know I would've gotten it for you if you asked.

- I know... but I didn't want to bother you."

You looked up with a small smile, your gaze lingering on his red and black skin before meeting with his eyes. You were grateful to have him. You were aware of how some people changed their path not to cross his, aware of the wary looks he would get from others. But you... you knew. You knew there was more to him than scary appearances and threatening glares, you knew there was a well-hidden vulnerability waiting for the right person to come and reveal it.

And you were so glad to be this person.

"Let's go home."

His words brought you back to reality. Without saying anything, he paid for your book, adding a beautiful bookmark to it before leading you out. Not once did he let go of your hand, his steps fast but adjusted to your own speed.

"You didn't have to. I feel like you're spoiling me more than I deserve."

He stopped. You were out of the city by now and on your way back to your house, the comfort of being alone with your loved one enough to bring you warmth on this autumn afternoon. He turned to you, his fingers lacing with yours gently as he brought his free hand to your face.

"I don't. I'd give you the galaxy if you asked me to."

Your gaze softened, and a fond smile spread on your lips. There was no way you could deny how sincere he was, given how it was perfectly conveyed by his tender words; you moved closer, your own free hand mirroring his as it rested on his cheek- not before pushing his hood down, revealing his majestic crown of horns to you.

"I know."

Your voice down to a murmur, you tilted your head up to press your lips against his, the taste intoxicating and getting you more addicted as days went by. But how could this be wrong? He was yours.

"I love you, Maul."

And you were his.

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

I don’t know what to feel about this one. Some parts I like, others not so much... I was very busy this week and I’m visiting family this weekend, but I still wanted you to have this new part ❤ I hope you’ll still like it ! As always, if you like this series and want to be tagged for part 5, please let me know !

Tags : @maulieber​, @gooseyhouse​, @gczanetti1​, @noiralei​, @catsnkooks​, @brilliantbutbatty​, @mother-0f-monsters​, @farmelcarmel​

[ladybugg1235]

Amralime Wake up

Thorin x reader

Hello lovelys so this thought came to me a bit of a long drabble it's not perfect might suck idk lol but I based it off my own hard Labor and birth experience as mine was a bit deadly.

it's bit of angst and death and life experiences some and seeing loved ones on the other side some fluff ect hope you like sorry about any mistakes punctuations please let me know what you think. my writing skills are not the best but I'm trying to perfect them lol thank you so much :)

On the count of three i need you to push y/n ! Bare down on your bottom now push!! That a girl !! Push!!!

You bared down as hard as you could your screams the only sounds piercing the room and echoing down the halls of erebor

While others in the company paced the room

Bofur was at your left and dwalin on your right( getting sick in the process ) whispering words of comfort as you squeezed their hands tight in between each push. "You got this lass"

They took the best care of you making sure you had what you need you were family and knowing Thorin would want nothing more but the very best for his loves.

You begged him not go even tho you knew it was a useless battle he was going and you knew he had too you remember that day like it was yesterday

(Flashback

Its been seven months since erebor was taken back seven months since you lost the love of your life ? if it wasn't for the company you wouldn't know where you be.

Thorin... your one ..there was never a moment you didn't think of him always going back to that last moment together

Dragon sickness was finnaly broken he approached his kin with hope of forgiveness in his eyes and asked to follow him one last time.

As everyone suited up you silently walked up behind him happy that your Thorin was back but sad as you knew what will come next. You needed to tell him you may never get the chance..

Finding your voice you said"I know you must go As you should but , I need you to come back ".... "We need you to come back" he turns to face you with a look of astonishment.

"We?" He said as he approached you his eyes wide as your hand trailed to your stomach. "We" you said "I tried to tell you but the time was never right".

"Armalime" he said. As he layed his forehead against yours his hands resting on your stomach "your not upset are you ?" "No my love quite the opposite I couldn't be more happy".

" Ghivashith , I'm so sorry I wasn't there for you like I should of been- it doesn't matter ,your here and your you I just have a bad feeling.." You sighed feeling defeated.

"Armalime", "I can't make any promises".. he paused and he said something you would treasure forever.

Men lananubukhs menu y/n menu tessu de Re amnad hikhthuzl April menu [ I love you y\n you are everything to me I will always love you ]

he crouched down on one knee his eyes and hand on your tummy "and you bunnanunê " ( my tiny treasure) "hikthuzul" (always)

He kissed your belly as tears streamed down your face your hands in his hair as he embraced your middle a memory embedded your heart forever. (End of flashback)

"One more push y\n !!" One more scream escape your lips then the most beautiful sound filled the air "It's a girl!!" I can't believe it !! Oin said

You couldn't believe it a girl something so rare in dwarves. So you heard.

she was perfect oin place her in your arms a set a familiar blue eyes with a full head of dark wavey hair looking right back at you. Beautiful

Bofur was by your side his eyes glisting

"Oh by my beard She's a gem !! Perfect and oh Mahal!! she a replica of her adad she even has his nose" he chucked as he continued on admiring the now new heir of durin.

"Hello bunnanunê" you whispered weakly as more congratulations filled the air but a sudden chill hit you the air going out of your lungs the room began to spine as you begin to drift in and out of concousnes.

darkness started to take over then a voice called out to you

"Armalime, wake up" you new that voice anywhere you open your eyes and there he was just as you remembered. Thorin.

"Thorin is it really you ?" "Where am I?" You looked around it was so bright you couldn't tell where you where but yet a feeling of peace washed over you.

A hand lift you to you feet. Thorin

"Its really you I missed you so much"

"And I you my sweet armalime" he pressed His lips to yours tears streamed down your face you were home.

"Hey auntie" "kili ? Fili"? you turned and found your self being embraced by the two brothers. Giggles and snickers filled the air as you embraced the durin princes.

"I can't believe it Your all here together?" "Wait a minute" then it dawned on you "am I dead?"

"No Gheveshel but your not far from it you have to wake up there's still time"

"Thorin no I "- "yes you can and you will do this, for me , for our daughter she needs you. You are strong it's not your time.. not yet." "I need you to live"

You knew he was right as much as you wanted to stay you knew you couldn't your heart was so heavy feeling torn in two.

You could hear the faint sounds of frantic voices circling around you but above all else you could hear the piercing cries of your daughter

My heart hurts ...

Sighing he Pressed his forehead to yours "She's calling for you" He push a lock of hair behind your ear cradling your face "Do not despair my love, it's not goodbye I'll be waiting for you Gimlelul ( my brightest star) I couldn't be more proud she's perfect let my bunnanunê know her adad loves her very much".

"And us too !!" The princes said in union you turned to faced them. "Take care of our little cousin your gonna have Your hands full if she's anything like us " fili said with mischievous grin. "Agreed brother agreed kili added.

Thorin chucked as he pulled you back into his embrace one last time

"Even so you will make a fine adma armalime I love you both so very much" with one last scorching kiss his voiced echoed "Wake up!!"

As your eyes fluttered open a few familiar faces came to view "she ok!!! ""She's coming around !!" Y/n can you hear me you gave a quite a scare lass" "Where is she" ? you said

" I think you need- No I'm fine please..? let me see her "oin sighed in defeat.

In the the far corner of the room you can see dwalin cradling your tiny jewel the company circling around him with looks of awe and wonder on there faces ..even tears.

He walked over to you and placed the sweet bundle in your arms coos and little gurgles escaping her lips.

she looked up at you with those beautiful blue eyes her tiny hands grasping your finger she was perfect.

"Hello my little one I'm your adma your adad wanted me to tell you he loves you so much he couldn't be more happier you are his most precious bunnanunê "

" And of course your cousins they send their love too" I promise you many stories of them to come " you chuckled as you twirl your finger in her tiny hand her eyes wide and bright watching you intently like she was listing to every word .

"Ye did well lass she's a right beauty she is"... Thorin would've been proud" you looked up at the gruff Warrior and smile "Thank you dwalin " "yes that he is a very proud adad"

He smile back "Have ye thought of a name? " you pondered a minute as the company gathered around you.

As you looked at your sweet bunnanunê her bright blue gems gazing back into your e/c ones you heard a familiar baritone voice echoed a name ..... you smiled

"Sapphire"

"The brightest gem in erebor"

[lizzybeth1986]

Nuestra Familia (RCD MC: Astrid)

Book: Red Carpet Diaries

Rating: G

Pairing: Astrid-centric, minor Seth x Astrid

Summary: Astrid realises she doesn't know her family as well she had thought. Minor crossover with The Freshman/The Sophomore/The Junior.

Author's Note: This is a bit late for MC Appreciation Week, but I figured I'd put it out there anyway. This is my origin story for Astrid Ortega, my second RCD MC, who is involved with Seth. There's a cameo of one character from TF/TS/TJ in the end and I have a feeling you folks have already figured out who it is 😅 I used (of course) the "crossover" prompt from this list for my fic. I'm tagging @choices-mc-rules, in case they would still like to reblog this.

Translations:

Nuestra familia - "our family" in Spanish.

Chanclas - slippers/flip-flops

Tres leches cake - Typically a very moist chiffon cake soaked in a mixture of evaporated milk, condensed milk and heavy cream. Tres leches literally means "three milks".

Abuela - one of the terms used for ‘grandmother’ in Spanish.

Ita - Short for Abuelita, also used for grandmothers. Astrid calls her grandmother the former, her mom Teresa calls her grandmother the latter.

Manda Huevos - Can mean a lot of things according to context, but generally used to express a range of emotions, such as annoyance, disappointment, contempt or disbelief. In this context, Teresa means “it's not fair”.

If I've gotten anything wrong in terms of references, please do tell me, and I'll definitely fix it in the fic.

“One more foot inside my kitchen and it'll be my chanclas for you later.”

Teresa Ortega said these words to her daughter Astrid, in the same tone one would use to offer a guest some tea.

It wasn't that her mom didn't allow her kids to help with the cooking. She did. Salome was too young to do much but set the table yet but Astrid (and her big sister Letitia, whenever she was home) often pitched in to help with the meal.

But heaven help anyone who tried to help Mom with her tres leches cake.

This recipe was from Mom's Ita’s faded little diary, passed down to her by her mother on the condition that she would learn its recipes off by heart. It was her pride and joy, Mom would often say. Her baby before her actual babies came along.

And today it was even more essential Mom get this cake right. Astrid's abuela was visiting, and ever since Astrid's mother insisted on naming her Astrid (“She’s already named my first and last - at least leave the middle one to me!”) she could do nothing right.

Perhaps it would've been easier to handle if Dad wasn't Abuela's only son, if Mom had someone she could jointly ignore Abuela with, if they had cousins they could play with while the adults sorted out their issues. Or perhaps not. Still, it would have been nice to know.

“Easy, mom, I'm not going to touch your precious cake,” Astrid said, grinning, “Lemme demolish it at lunch instead.”

She'd be lying if she said she wasn't tempted, though. She could get the scent of baked cake wafting in all the way from her bedroom, and her mother was already starting to combine Carnation milk, condensed milk and 1/4th of a cup of heavy cream into a thin, but somewhat creamy, mixture.

Mom raised her eyebrows. “Why are you here, then?”

Astrid felt the muscles around her neck tense up, but schooled her face to a look of injured innocence. “What, can't I just want to talk to my mom once in a while?”

She craned her neck a little further behind Astrid, a tiny frown beginning to form between her brows. “What's that you're holding behind your back?”

Ding! The cake was ready now, just in time for soaking. Astrid let out a sigh of relief. She wanted Mom to see this wedding card, yes - it was why she came to the kitchen in the first place - but now was probably not the time for questions. Questions about family or about secrets. Not when she knew how important it was for her mother to get her weekend cakes right.

“Family” was always a big deal around the Ortega table. Dad was his mother's only child, and Mom’s parents passed on long before any of them were ever born. Her father was as annoyed by Abuela's antics as her mother was, but it never stopped him from having her visit every Sunday because “she's the only family we have left”.

It was as if he needed her to keep himself rooted, as if without her he would be floating aimlessly, no aim or identity, taking his wife and children down that path with him. Abuela knew this. By God, did she know this.

Or so I thought, Astrid said to herself, gripping the wedding card tightly and creating new creases where the word Ortega was written.

Mom was gritting her teeth now, carefully pouring the three-milk mixture over the cake and muttering to herself. “One more word about dry cake this time and I'll give her soggy toast, I swear I will.”

Astrid would have stood up last week and said something to Abuela, if only Mom would let her. It was probably a good thing Leticia wasn't around, she'd fire shots at Abuela for less. She was protective over all of them and often in the heat of the moment she'd forget she’d be landing them all in further trouble.

She was still muttering. “Wants chiffon cake. Screams bloody murder if I use box mix. What, Teresa, looking for shortcuts again?” Mom's voice was raised in an accurately nasal imitation of Abuela's voice. It was almost like she'd forgotten Astrid was there. “Then I make it from scratch like she wants. Then it's Oh Teresa this is so dry oh Teresa it tastes like sawdust. Why else do you think I use box mix, eh? You want it from scratch and you want moist. ¡Manda Huevos!”

The diatribe kept Mom occupied while she finished pouring, so Astrid kept silent. Mom needed this. This wasn't something she can say in front of Letitia (resulting in another Sunday screaming match) or Dad (what would he do?) or Salome (no way would the kid ever take Salome, language! seriously again). Mom needed someone to have her back, no matter how silently or secretly. And that someone had better be her.

“If only Linda had stayed…”

Astrid froze. “What did you say?”

Mom looked up, blinked twice, then stiffened. “Nothing. Nothing.”

Silently, Astrid handed over the card she'd been holding, all this time. She found it while searching for her dad's treasured García Lorca poetry collection, hidden between a page that exalted love and a page that mourned loss.

Mom took it from her, her eyes widening as she read the words.

LINDA ORTEGA

and

DOMINIC SANDOVAL

request the honour of your company at their wedding.

“Dad always told us he was all Abuela has, right,” Astrid said, “The only Ortega for miles around."

Mom answered by busying herself with more activity than ever. Keeping the soaked cake in the fridge. Pouring the remaining milk mixture into two glasses. Washing her hands. Washing the dishes.

“I'll do that for you,” Astrid took a plate from Mom's hands, “Just talk to me.” She grabbed a sponge and dish washing soap, cleaning vigorously. “All this time, Dad's been telling us Abuela's the only family he has, Mom. Like, he has no one else. Like, we have no sisters or brothers besides the three of us. Was he lying?”

“You're wrong,” Mom said, her voice suddenly sounding sharper, harder, “Abuela's the only family he has left. Your father didn't lie.”

“Just omitted the truth, yeah,” Astrid wished she knew how she felt about this. Right now there was so much she was feeling that she didn't exactly know where to begin. “There's no “together with our parents” above their names either. Not like yours’.”

Mom sighed, picked the card up, then held up two glasses of milk-mixture in front of her. “Take one and give the other to your sister. I have a lot of work to do.”

On any other day, Astrid would have grabbed that glass and relished its creaminess, wiping the milk-moustache off her mouth with a flourish. But today no amount of sweetness was going to take away that weird metallic taste in the roof of her mouth.

“I'm not done asking about this,” Astrid said, scowling, “to you or to Dad. If I have aunts and cousins out there, that's something I wanna know.”

Astrid did try in the weeks to come. But she never saw the wedding card again, and neither Mom or Dad ever responded when she raised the topic again. Still. It felt nice to dream.

Every time Abuela made a snide remark at lunch, she imagined her cousins there. A snarky younger girl who’d make smartass comments. A strong boy her age who’d shut Abuela up with just a glare. A nice aunt who’d take Mom's mind off all this nonsense. It didn't help much, but it felt nice.

It felt nice knowing she had company out there. Somewhere.

--

6 years later.

“Donuts, Iowa?” Seth’s eyes were gleaming at the prospect. He was more a bag-of-chips kinda guy most days, but he also liked having massive sugar rushes before a comedy gig.

“As long as the insides of six of those are practically spilling over with fruit jam, I'm game,” she said, standing on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek. It felt exhilarating, freeing. She hadn't felt this normal in a while - normal enough to kiss her boyfriend without worrying about paparazzo jumping out from a bush. There was a guy in a leather jacket she didn't recognize - three blocks across - looking at her like he wanted to talk, but not in a way that made her feel unsafe.

That was the nice thing about Northbridge. People looked, sure, but they were less likely to make you feel like an exhibit from a zoo.

“Wait here, yeah?” Seth said, planting a kiss on the lips instead, “I'll be back before you can finish spelling “OHIO” with your arms.”

Astrid laughed. Seth said the most Ohio things sometimes. Neither of them had had this much fun since she was offered a lead role in Tender Nothings, which was why Seth always jumped at a chance to take up gigs in Northbridge, and why he always offered to take Astrid along when she was free.

The guy from before stepped forward a few minutes after Seth entered the donut shop. The summer heat must have been too much for him - his leather jacket was now slung over his shoulders. “Um, hello. Astrid Ortega?”

He stood with his hands in his pockets, mouth pursed into a thin line, a tiny curl slipping carelessly from his hair and resting on his forehead. She caught a peek at the tail end of a bird tattoo (Owl? The tail looked pointy) on his left arm.

“Yeah,” Astrid said, wondering whether it was her or Seth he wanted to talk to, “but I don't know what your name is.”

“ Zigmund. Zig for short,” he replied, looking behind him from time to time, “My sister Lucy’s a big fan. Asked me to help her get an autograph from you.”

“Is she here?”

“Yeah. But she doesn't want to come out. She's shy.”

Ah. So that was the cherry-red blur barely hidden by that building. She learned long ago that no matter how friendly you appeared, your image would precede you and intimidate people anyway. Autographs were great, but somehow she didn't want to stop at just that.

“Would she come out now if I asked?” she gave him her sunniest smile, “Tell her I won't bite.”

Zig hesitated, then nodded. Astrid watched him walk to the other building, move his hands expressively as he tried to convince his sister to join him (from that angle he almost looks like Letitia, Astrid thought), and return with a curly-haired, starry-eyed teenage girl.

“H-hey,” she said, then blushed, clearly embarrassed by her nervousness. Silently, she hands over her autograph book. She keeps her eyes studiously away from Astrid's face. “I, um, I like mystery films, and I really, really liked Tender Nothings.”

A girl after my own heart. “Maybe you'll like Sunset Boulevard, then,” she said, smiling.

Astrid could have just signed and left it at that, but there was something about these two. Something about the way they stood together, or exchanged glances, or something, that reminded her of home. Which was silly. But it didn’t change the fact that she wanted to leave a good impression on them.

“What would you like to be when you grow up, Lucy?”

Lucy didn't miss a beat. “Ballet dancer. Like my brother.”

Astrid smiled, particularly at the look the girl gave Zig. Yes, she could see on second glance that even though some people would say he didn't have the body of a dancer, he held himself with a certain grace, a certain lightness that belied a stronger core. Hit by a sudden rush of inspiration, she quickly scribbled a little note to go with her signature, and asked Lucy to read it.

To Lucy and Zig, future (hopefully!) best ballet dancing duo in America. Be sure to save me a seat when you folks get famous. Love Always, Astrid.

“Wowwww,” Lucy whispered. Zig suppressed his smile, trying not to let how he felt show, and failed. A corner of his mouth lifted upwards, revealing an almost-invisible dimple.

The two left before Seth brought his box of donuts,but they thanked her at least thrice as they walked away.

“Wait till I tell Mom about this,” Astrid overheard Lucy tell her brother as they left, “I told you she'd be really, really nice.”

“You did,” there was a note of indulgence in Zig's voice.

"Ortegas all around the world. Wherever we're from, we're nice.”

Had Seth come out a moment later, Astrid would have probably walked up to them and asked. Perhaps asked them where they were from and their parents’ names.

But Seth was here, with donuts, and there was never a moment she could take her eyes off either.

“Do you know those two?” Seth asked her, passing her a tres leches cake donut that was claimed to be one of their best, “They looked familiar.”

“”No,” Astrid replied, closing her eyes in bliss. Mmmm. The treat was taking her back to Des Moines, back to home, back to her mother's little kitchen. “But I wouldn't mind meeting them again.”

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