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ddarker-dreams · 4 years

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That last ask got me thinking! How would the bucci gang react to meeting SR reader's family? Not all of them but like a visiting grandparent(who is likely very unaware their precious grandchild is working with the mob to pay off awful debts-which reader would like to keep that way), but like who's falling all over themselves to impress said relative, who would be subtly trying to get their blessing to date reader, what shenanigans would reader the gang go to keep this person in the dark??

ohhh what an interesting situation!!! some of them would definitely handle it better than others...

Here’s the general concept! Reader’s grandparents are coming to pay their granddaughter a visit in Naples, under the impression she’s been studying there the past few years. Reader has asked some of the members of her team to further validate her story. I imagine everyone as trying to actively court Reader to some extent during this. :’)))

Bruno Bucciarati;

Bruno is a revered member of the community. Any of the troublesome details of his Passione involvements would be lost in translation, so you figured he’s a safe bet. He’s also the member who is most familiar with your situation. While he speaks under the pretense of being professional, he would love to have that connection with your family for... any future possibilities. Marriage possibilities.

He spots you in a mild state of panic, and boasting the compassionate heart he has, is led to ask if you want to talk to him about it. When you explain that some of your foreign family is coming to visit, he can immediately read between the lines. You need to play this part perfectly. He’ll offer to accompany you on one of his less busier days, willing to do whatever it is that’d help.

The language barrier doesn’t matter too much! Bruno is still a gentlemen. Opening doors for them, pulling out their chairs, offering to pay for any of your meals... he’s very kind. Your grandparents are going to be quite fond of him by the end of your day together. All according to his plan.

Unfortunately for you, Bruno is going to be offering lots of praise that he fully expects you to translate. It’s a bit embarrassing how genuine he’s being. Speaking about how hard a worker you are, how nothing gets in your way, stuff like that. Your face is on fire as you translate the heartfelt compliments. You end up toning them down a bit for your sake.

“[First] is one of the most reliable people I know. You should take pride in having helped bring up someone like her. I promise I’ll continue to look after her, you have nothing to worry about.”

“Ahh... Bucciarati, do I really need to tell them that...?”

Giorno Giovanna;

He speaks some English! Giorno did well in his classes at school, so he can understand the basics. Having a knowledge of multiple languages in his position is also a benefit, so he never fully stopped studying it. Though he’d prefer not to mess up any of the pronunciation in front of you. He’ll be practicing in secret as not to embarrass himself, and definitely thinks this is a great opportunity to get closer to you. It’s a shame he can’t take full advantage of it, but he’s going to try to.

Giorno hasn’t really had any positive family interactions, but he’s still good with people. Unfortunately, in his new position, he’s extremely busy. He still tries to make time for you when he can, but won’t be able to hang out with the three of you as much as he’d like to. He does find the time to come to the airport with you, under the pretense that a lot of shady business goes on there. He wouldn’t want your family being scammed. Don’t ask how he knows about this...

The entire car ride to their hotel will be filled with pleasant conversation. Giorno is a natural at reading the room, and backs your story up to perfection. Any potential discrepancies are covered up with ease. He came in for a clean save at least once or twice when you made a mistake, and you couldn’t thank him enough after.

Giorno isn’t going to want to pry into your personal life, but would be highly amused over any stories they tell him. Even though it’s only a forty minute drive, he enjoyed his time a lot more than he expected to, learning some new things about you in the process. You’re a bit frazzled over the person who is technically your boss (even if he’s not big on formalities...) knowing about your embarrassing childhood stories. He finds it endearing. :’)

He’s gonna bring it up afterwards during a casual discussion, sporting a little devious smile.

“So, [First], do you want to tell me about that time you got stuck in a swing set again? It seems quite unlike you.”

“God... I can’t believe they told you that. I was hoping you wouldn’t understand it well.”

Guido Mista;

Oh no.

You’re going to have to explain to him that a few changes will need to occur if he is to meet your grandparents. For one, he needs to take a shower. Two, he needs something that at least covers his midriff. If there conditions are met, you’ll allow it. He is not missing out on this opportunity to win you over, so he’s surprisingly amiable to these conditions, ready to do his best to make a good impression. You’ve never see him so agreeable.

You do have to keep reminding him of the story that you’re sticking to. Mista makes a few mistakes here and there, but manages to laugh it off. Since you’re going to be translating a majority of his sentences it’s not a big deal. That doesn’t mean he won’t at least try to say a few words in English... results varying.

The most difficult part is trying to ignore the Pistols, who are swarming around in excitement. They keep speaking to your grandparents like they can hear them. Asking for embarrassing stories, to know about your past partners, or for any cute childhood photos of you. Mista struggles to keep a composed look when all this is happening.

“Say, [First]. Your grandparents... they aren’t Stand users, are they?”

“No, Mista. My grandparents aren’t Stand users.”

To be honest, you weren’t too sure if Mista tagging along for some sightseeing would be the best idea. It goes a lot better than you expected. Some of his comments that you translate actually get your grandparents laughing! What a miracle, he’s gonna be grinning ear to ear. Mista is just a lovable guy.

He is going to 100% try and sneak in a question about your relationship status when you’re not paying attention. Mista has to make sure you’re still on the market. B)

Pannacotta Fugo;

He’s actually your go to for this situation. It couldn’t be a better setup. Fugo is intelligent, can speak English the most fluently out of everyone in your team, and would be a big help for sightseeing. As soon as he heard about your grandparents visiting, he knew it was only a matter of time until you came to him for help. At first, he was intent on politely turning you down, but god... how can he? You’re too cute, looking at him like that, saying you need his help. Fuck, he’s so whipped for you lmao.

Fugo is the most anxious about it. What if your grandparents don’t like him? What if he accidentally says something offensive? Or even worse, what if he blows your cover, and you hate him forever? He’s gonna being shutting himself in his room, refreshing his English nonstop. You have to admire his dedication.

When the time finally comes, it goes a lot smoother than he anticipated. There’s no humiliating himself in front of you like he feared. Fugo is a bit stiff at first, but with your help, begins to ease up. He’s an amazing tour guide! Fugo knows the best places to go, what times they’ll be busy, the historical and cultural significance of every place, etc. When he starts talking about trivia you can tell he’s in his element.

It’s going so well. That is, until your grandma says you have such a nice boyfriend. Fugo’s entire face goes beet red. If only.

“A-ah, Mrs. [Last], we’re not dating, actually.”

“We aren’t, but... you’re right. Fugo is amazing, isn’t he? There’s nothing he can’t do. I appreciate him a lot.”

On that day, Pannacotta Fugo’s soul ascended. He legitimately cannot stop thinking about this. For you, his crush of many years, to compliment him so genuinely? Fugo.exe has stopped responding .

Narancia Ghirga;

He kinda invites himself along? Narancia is giving himself a bunch of pep talks, thinking of all the things he can say. His train of thought is that if he speaks English well, it’ll impress you! There’s nothing he wants more in this world than for you to think he’s cool and reliable. The problem is that most of his knowledge of English is only from music. So he’s more familiar with vulgarities than anything else.

You’re understandably hesitant to allow Narancia to tag along. Then he makes the solid point to you that Aerosmith’s radar would come in handy, detecting any potential threats. Narancia is going to be sporting the brightest smile when you concede and say he can come with you, practically vibrating with excitement. He promises that you won’t regret picking him.

The place he picks to go is a local pizzeria. In his opinion, the pizza you’ve spoken of back home is an insult to humanity. Naples style is the only way to go. He insists on letting your grandparents try “real” pizza, as opposed to whatever your country has.

Narancia reminiscences about a lot of your past stories together. Nothing that has incriminating undertones, just casual stuff from your years of knowing one another. You’re almost surprised by how he’s remembered all of this. He can’t help it, any time spent with you has been forever imprinted into his mind.

“So, there was this one time we spent hours looking for [First]’s lost wallet. Come to find out that she just left it in the glove department after we spent the entire evening searching for it. And then--”

“Narancia, do you have to bring that up? It’s so embarrassing...”

Leone Abbacchio;

You’re going to have to pull out some incredible arguments to get him to come along with you. He’s going to say no before you even get the chance to ask, already sensing what it is you’re going to say. So be ready to break out some Ace Attorney level stuff or it’s no dice. He’s already offering special treatment by even letting you try to convince him, anyone else would’ve been shooed away. He has a big soft spot for you :’)...

The most you’ll get him to agree to is one dinner. That’s it. Abbacchio has a lot of baggage with him, and doesn’t think highly of himself. To be honest he’s wondering why you’re even relying on him here. It’s strange, since he appreciates the trust you must have for him, but also doesn’t think it’s deserved.

He cleans up well. Abbacchio is going to take this occasion very seriously. For most of the dinner he listens to you speaking, rarely offering input unless he finds it necessary. When he does speak he’s more polite than you’ve ever heard him though. You almost wondered if it was Abbacchio who was speaking, and not some imposter. So he is capable of having manners when he wants to...

He’ll also pay for the dinner, much to your surprise. Will insist on it even. Abbacchio tells you to let them order whatever desserts/wine they want. He’s pulling all the stops to make a good impression.

“Abba, you really didn’t have to do all that. Please at least let me reimburse some of it.”

“Would you stop bringing it up already...? They’re your family, so it’s only natural I’d take care of them.”

Trish Una;

As the only non Passione member on this list, Trish is an excellent choice! Her singing career is really starting to take off. Your family will find her to be impressive. You’ll have to think of a story for how the two of you are familiar with one another. You can’t very well say you used to be her bodyguard protecting her from assassins lmao.

Since she needs to travel a lot to different venues for her career, Trish’s English is steadily improving. She’ll normally text you for help if anything is particularly challenging. The biggest challenge would be aligning your schedules together, at the same time they’re visiting. Trish has a way of making time for you.

One of the things Trish loves to do is give gifts from her travels. So she’ll show up with some little souvenirs for them. It’s a very heartfelt gesture that they appreciate, and she even gives you a gift or two. The queen of good impressions.

Throughout the years, Trish has managed to gather a sizeable collection of selfies from when you’ve spent time together. At some of her albums release parties, trips to the beach, the times you’ve travelled together. She’s going to have a lot of fun going through her hundreds of photos of you and showing them.

“Trish, you almost need a SD card for all of these. Just how many pictures of us do you have?”

“Oh, this is just the beginning, [First]. I have a whole other album of when we went to Milan last spring.”

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ladykissingfish · 3 years

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A Date with an Angel // Part Four // Zetsu and Kisame

Zetsu

“Oh — God —“, Konan gasps, panting and holding her sides. She had thought she was in better shape than this, but ... “Do you want to stop and rest for a bit?” Konan nods, feeling mildly embarrassed as she sits gingerly on a log. When Konan had been a young girl, going for walks through the woods had been one of her favorite activities. Quiet, fresh air, surrounded by birds and butterflies and flowers ... so when Zetsu asked her if she wanted to go on a “relaxing hike”, she’d agreed right away. But apparently she and Zetsu differed greatly on their ideas of what “relaxing” meant, because this was intense. The park Zetsu took her to had a variety of winding trails, and the one they were traveling up now was probably the steepest of them all, going up many deep hills and crevices. Konan was glad she’d brought more than one bottle of water in her small backpack; here she was opening her third one. “How are you not even winded?”, she asked him, as she slugged down the icy coolness. Zetsu merely smiles and takes a drink of his own water. “I do this all the time. For the stuff Nagato has us all doing, there’s really no better way to stay in shape.” Konan has to agree with that, but even without the walking, Zetsu is probably the healthiest person in the house ... and also, possibly, the strangest. He came and went at all hours of the day and night, and the others referred to him as “the spy”. He always had intel on people that Nagato was interested in, and he was a master problem solver, often resolving issues before they even had a chance to become one. He seemed to be the closest to Obito, and the two would spend hours playing chess against each other. Konan rests on her log and stares out at the scenery below, when Zetsu’s voice comes to her from the stillness: “He was a good man.” “Who?” “Yahiko.” Konan turns her head towards him, surprised. “Did you know him??” Zetsu nods. “Yeah. Met him a few times back when Nagato was putting this group together. Nagato — he was always trying to convince your boyfriend to join up. But Yahiko, you know all this just wasn’t his thing. Very peaceful guy. Talked about you so damn much I felt Iike I already knew you on the day I met you.” Konan smiled at that, then stood up. “You know he loved this too. Going for long hikes, I mean. Always tried to get me to go with. Wonder if he’d be proud of me right now — or pissed.” Zetsu laughs at that and puts his hand on Konan’s shoulder, saying, reassuringly, “Proud. Always proud.” The two continue their hike (Konan finds it a bit easier now that she’s rested and more hydrated) and they come across a small pond surrounded by flowers. “Oh!” Konan exclaims, and quickly draws her sketch book out of her pack. “I have to draw those flowers!” Zetsu looked at her, surprised. “I thought you only did Origami? I didn’t know you could draw, too.” “It’s both, kind of. I sketch out flowers that I like so I can try to fold them at home later.” When she’s done, the sun has gotten a bit lower in the sky than either had anticipated, so that hurry back to the entrance of the trails. They get there just as the sun sinks beneath the horizon, and Zetsu, taking hold of Konan’s arm, tells her to look up. She does and gasps; out in the open, and completely free from the lights of the city, the sky is flooded with what seems like millions of gold-silver sparkles. “I never knew there were so many,” Konan says in an awed voice, her eyes eating up her face. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything so beautiful in my entire life.” Zetsu just smiles, and takes the opportunity to gently kiss her forehead as he tells her, “The sky is pretty ... but you put it to shame, Konan.” They make light conversation on the car ride home, but Konan’s sleepiness from so much physical exertion catches up to her, and she’s knocked out before they pull in the driveway. Zetsu lifts her out and carries her into the house and to her room, where he gently lays her on top of her covers, before turning off her light and closing the door.

Kisame

“You don’t have to do this.” “I know that; but I don’t mind.” “You don’t think it’s embarrassing?” Kisame shook his head. “How is spending time in the water with a beautiful woman in anyway embarrassing?” Konan sighed and focused on kicking again. It was the next day, and early that morning Kisame had knocked on her door, asking her to accompany him to “his favorite place in the world.” It shouldn’t have been surprising where they ended up; Kisame was one of the most outgoing, talkative members of the house, and one of the first things he and Konan had a conversation about were the many shiny trophies that lined his room shelves. “Swim Team,” he’d said, proudly, when she asked. I joined freshman year in high school, and was captain by junior year. We went to all the tournaments; came in first 4 times in two years.” Today was rather lovely; after watching the stars with Zetsu the night before, seeing the sun come up over the waters at the beach with Kisame was very poetic. Kisame was prepared; he’d brought them towels, sunscreen, magazines, and abundant supply of drinks and snacks. While it was early, it was too chilly to even think about going in the water, but the day very quickly warmed up to the point where Kisame was stripping off his shirt and diving into the water. Konan was genuinely surprised that a man as big as Kisame, as solid and muscular, could be so smooth and graceful in the water. “You don’t want to join me?”, he’d asked, after coming up for the umpteenth time. “The water isn’t really that cold. It’s quite refreshing.” But Konan shook her head and explained, sheepishly, that she’d never learned how to swim. Kisame’s immediate response had been “Let me teach you,” and, although Konan had her misgivings, she allowed Kisame to take her hand and guide her into the water. They started off with very basic exercises, such as Kisame holding her up while she kicked and paddled, and then he explained about balance and breathing and body weight, and “If you feel yourself going under, don’t panic. Work to pull yourself back up. Fight. And you don’t have to worry, because I’ll be right here to help you.” Eventually Konan feels confident enough to swim out a ways from Kisame, and although her head is briefly pulled under the waves she takes his advice, stays calm, and fights her way out from under. Kisame pats her shoulder when she gets back to him, congratulating her. “See? Easy as pie, right?” “It’s easy when you have a great teacher.” The two take a break from the water to eat and bask in the sun. “This must be what heaven feels like,” Konan comments, turning towards where Kisame is laying on his towel beside her. Can I ask you something?” “Yeah?” “You’re so ... big, you know? I would have thought a big guy like you would be a football player, or hockey, or something like that. Why swimming?” “I guess ... because my dad was a swimmer, too,” he answers, sitting up. “It was something, maybe the ONLY something, we bonded over, right? If you think I have a lot of trophies you should see his; he’s got a whole wall of awards from junior high, high school, and college.” Konan nods, going quiet for a bit before saying, “I don’t remember my dad that well. He died when I was four. Mom ... I guess that’s why I like origami such much, because she was a sketch artist. Her specialty was flowers. My drawings are okay but folding is better. Makes sense. Is that how you feel about swimming? It just makes sense to you?” He nods, and the two spend the next half hour in a companionable quiet. Before they leave for the day, they have a lot more fun. They join on opposing sides of a children’s volleyball game, then the kids join Konan in burying Kisame up to his neck in sand. They swim a bit more, Kisame helps Konan collect seashells — before long they’re both tired, and head back home. When they get to the front door, Konan hugs Kisame (and Kisame has to bend quite a ways for her to reach him, and kisses his cheek. “I had a great day with you, Kisame.” He blushes, then asks timidly, if she’s not VERY tired, if she wants to watch a

movie with him in the living room. She agrees, and Kisame makes them popcorn and pops in The Waterboy, which he claims is his favorite movie “of all time, ever.” Halfway through the flick Itachi emerges from his room and joins them, and the three have a pleasant evening with each other.

#the akatsuki #a date with an angel #first date #konan akatsuki #konan #zetsu #kisame hoshigaki #kisakona #zetkona

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bossbex · 3 years

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5x06 Reaction

JARCHIE!!! I missed their interactions so much... like honestly in S4 they barely spoke. I’m loving the “roommates” dynamic.

Ok the kevin/fangs/toni apartment(?) is... amazing!!

I love how they hired actual teenagers (or close to it) to play the high school kids... since all the “teachers” were playing high school students, what, 3 episodes ago??

Ok mechanic Betty is SO HOT

DORITOS I AM CRYING AT THIS PRODUCT PLACEMENT

Veronica’s taking over the Blue Velvet!!! Why not reuse that set lmao

Thoughts on this initial barchie interaction:

I’ve seen all the discourse about it seeming like Archie doesn’t care about Betty’s problems, or not taking them seriously, and people comparing Archie’s “oof - that sucks” to jughead’s “white noise” speech in 1x08 (which I thought was cringy AF and I even liked b*ghead at the time) and here’s what I’ll say:

His “oof - that sucks” comment as MATCHING Betty’s tone - she says it kind of matter of factly and with a bit of an eyeroll, she does NOT seem very upset about it, and she is a grown ass adult who DOESN’T need Archie’s condolences in that moment - and Archie knows that.

She then brings up Polly, and Archie ASKS A FOLLOW UP QUESTION: “didn’t your mom say she does this? Takes off for a couple of days” which shows that he is referring to a previous conversation about this - they’ve BEEN talking about it and he DOES care (not to mention they showed that he had texted her about Polly at the end of the last episode)

She says she’s trying not to panic - because she knows this is something Polly does and may not actually be in danger - SO HE OFFERS A DISTRACTION during a time when she is basically asking for one, and then SHE COMES UP WITH THE IDEA OF WHERE TO GO HAVE SEX

Anyway I have argued with enough people on twitter about this lol.. I feel strongly. Also, this scene was super cute and both Archie and Betty look so good in it.

I love Tabitha. Smart, enterprising, witty... I’m all for the Jugitha pairing. (seriously though, is a ship name decided for them? I’ve seen Tabhead and Jabitha as well, lol.

Uhhhhh ok this car sex scene? It somehow feels even more explicit than the shower scene?? The moaning and breathing?? HOW DARE THESE STONEWALL KIDS INTERRUPT THIS

LMAO NIGHT JOGGING

Is it just me or is Sheriff Keller looking really hot? Silver fox??

I have to note that Archie’s hair colour looks SO BAD in this whole episode but especially this football scene with the Reggie confrontation. It’s like, almost burgundy? But somehow bright orange at the same time? I hate it.

Ok Cole is absolutely nailing this “down on his luck, beaten down” adult Jughead. His character is funny all the sudden?? I love that he kept the money in the tip jar like OF COURSE

Ok Chad coming into Veronica’s class HE’S THE WORST!!! And then SITTING AT THE BACK I HATE HIM SO MUCH FOR THIS

Alright, now we have another scene that has people talking, which is where Archie meets Chad. My thoughts:

Archie clearly sizes up Chad. I mean, he dated Veronica for 3-ish years (in the show’s timeline) so yeah, it’s normal to meet your ex’s new partner and size them up. It read more like “he thinks Chads a douche” as opposed to “he’s jealous of Chad because he wants to be with V”.

They show makes a point of showing Betty’s reaction to them meeting. THIS SHOT IS NOT RANDOM. Yes, I’m sure the show will go there, she’ll get jealous of V at some point. Betty thinking that Archie is jealous of Chad is not the same as Archie actually being jealous of Chad.

I kind of loved how Chad just jumps in here to join in the karaoke night - he didn’t redeem himself from the previous scene where he SAT IN THE BACK OF HER CLASS WHILE SHE WORKED but I like how they’re not playing him completely evil

Next scene: BETTY AND TONI ARE TALKING!!! I REPEAT!!! BETTY AND TONI ARE TALKING!!! Seriously, it’s so refreshing that they’re actually letting all kinds of new dynamics and character interactions happen this season.

Also, NEDSLIST!!!! THIS SHOW!!!!

I am living for Cheryl being completely beautiful whilst yelling at construction workers.

So like... she actually doesn’t have that much money. She couldn’t really afford the donation for the school... I kind of wish that once she says “I can’t afford it” people would like, not keep pushing? I’m looking at you Toni, whom I absolutely adore, I just wish the writers didn’t make it like Cheryl’s being squeezed dry. I get that it’s needed for plot purposes but I don’t love it.

Kevin and Betty are friends again!!! Love it!!!

Karaoke night thoughts:

At no point is Jughead hanging out or interacting with the rest of the group. He stays separate from them - with Tabitha, which I appreciate, but I am just noting this because I’m sure it was done purposefully.

“She probably forgot it’s Gekko now” uhhhh didn’t Toni announce V as “Veronica Gekko” in the last episode?? LOL THE SHADE

I love Veronica’s voice

Ok so Chad actually comes off so great in this scene?? I guess this is part of his manipulation - come off as such a great guy in front of all her friends to get them to like him?

Jughead’s reaction to the duet is so me every time I’ve watched people do karaoke lmao

During the “or do you need more? Is there something else you’re searching for” they cut to Archie’s and Betty’s reaction. Archie is not thinking about V in that moment.

I am not seeing one iota of jealousy from Archie. He looks genuinely happy for them.

This Chad and Veronica bed scene makes me uncomfortable. But I’m glad they’re showing their softer moments!

The Archie/football recruitment sequence... Chad in the back of Veronica’s classroom again??? HOW IS THIS HAPPENING I HATE THIS!! Also, this is another scene where Chad looks jealous of Archie... not the other way around.

Britta!!! I love her. And I feel like the writers inserted her in specifically for Britta Lundin, former Riverdale writer and acclaimed author (read her book Ship It, seriously, it’s so good), and I love that. BUT THE WAY ARCHIE LOOKS AT BETTY IN THIS SCENE IS THAT EVEN LEGAL

We get the first glimpse Toni’s “Operation Bring Cheryl Out Of Hiding” plan here, when Archie asks her for funding for the football team and says its earmarked for something else (hmmmmmmm... this plan has been in the works for a while... and I’m here for it)

Ok. This scene where Archie goes to ask Cheryl for money is... a mess. My first reaction is that it was so OOC for Archie to bring up Jason in that way. Then I got to thinking... Archie probably would want to honour his dad in that way and was genuinely suggesting that as something that might actually be helpful to her, as opposed to purposely trying to manipulate her. He knows what it’s like to lose a family member, he just didn’t realize that Cheryl doesn’t grieve in the same way. The boy doesn’t have a malicious bone in his body. Anyway, now he’s been banished from Thornhill! But don’t we see him (and everyone) there in a bts photo from possibly 5x08? Isn’t that at Thornhill? Will this be addressed or will the writers just forget it ever happened?

I love Betty and Kevin investigating together. It’s so refreshing.

Ok this place Jughead is going to is legit the creepiest shit I’ve ever seen. I am having trouble making myself care about this “Mothmen” plot??

Betty’s “Straight to the Point” interrogation style is actually effective in this truck stop stakeout scene.

Alice again with her wine... I wonder if there will actually be an “Alice is an alcoholic” storyline or is the wine just part of her personality now?

Ok like it’s so inappropriate for a teacher to be wearing an HBIC shirt BUT I AM HERE FOR THIS DRAMATIC VIXENS HALLWAY WALK!! And Toni is correct, Cheer is a sport so sit down, Archie. Notably Toni adds in “not even Cheryl managed to do that” - I’m thinking she new Ms. Bell would be eavesdropping ;)

WHY IS THIS PORTAIT OF JASON WORTH SO MUCH??

Is this Minerva character going to be important?? I keep seeing people talking about how she and Cheryl are going to hook up but is that just because she’s a female character who interacts with Cheryl? I’m not seeing it yet but hey, it’s Riverdale.

JUGHEAD BRINGING UP THE EPIC HIGHS AND LOWS OF HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL I SCREAMED

Seriously though, since we know Jughead wasn’t there when Archie said that, there’s two options: Either Archie told him he said it, or (my preferable theory) Archie used to just SAY THAT REGULARLY and has said it in front of Jug lmao.

Chad again seems legit supportive when she tells him about her jewelry store plan?? THEY’RE SO UP AND DOWN!!!

Ok, so Betty is an FBI agent (trainee, whatever) and she JUST NOW THOUGHT OF TRACING POLLY’S CELL PHONE

This scene... when Veronica finds out Chad has been talking to Hiram behind her back... this is where she decides she’s done with Chad.

Another scene with Archie - I am still getting zero vibes that he’s into Veronica? And zero vibes that Veronica’s into Archie? It makes complete sense that Veronica would want to help the bulldogs. Chad is a total dick here and is definitely threatened by Archie... again, not the other way around. Side note: Chad, if threatened by Archie, is a TOTAL IDIOT for suggesting Archie renovates the Pembrooke - like, he’s going to be working? All the time? Where Veronica is staying? And probably taking his shirt off because he’s sweaty from all the working?? WHYYYYY WOULD CHAD ENCOURAGE THIS

This little flirty scene between Jughead and Tabitha (and it’s the first that I would say has any flirty undertones whatsoever) is pretty cute.

THIS BARCHIE PORCH SCENE I HAVE THOUGHTS

The fact that people are suggesting Betty showed up there because she wanted to talk to Jughead is SENDINNNNGGGGGG

Let’s be clear, she only asked about Jughead so she could make sure he wasn’t home so that she could bone Archie. There is no other interpretation for this.

THIS IS THE BEST BARCHIE KISS TO DATE

They are playing the song from the porch scene in the pilot... DON’T TELL ME BARCHIE IS MEANINGLESS WHEN THEY ARE USING THIS SONG

I think the fact that this is the first time they had sex and we didn’t see it is meaningful - they are showing that the relationship is deepening and they are more than “just sex”

As Betty leaves, Archie looks like he wants to reach out for her and then stops himself - he is definitely falling hard and he’s afraid Betty isn’t feeling the same way

Ok, Cheryl is straight up wearing lingerie in Toni’s office!!! And the red lipstick is back - notably, throughout the entire show, she has worn the red lipstick as a kind of shield - she never has it for her “vulnerable” scenes. Seems like that is still happening. AND this is where we see Boss Toni’s plan come into fruition - she started up the vixens and MADE SURE CHERYL FOUND OUT ABOUT IT because she knew that was the one thing that would make Cheryl come out of her Thornhill hiding spot. Well played, Toni.

Archie and Veronica announcing the bulldog funding... again, I’m not seeing ANY “romantic/attraction” vibes here? He does react when she says her last name is Lodge again but like, anyone would?

MS. BELL YOU GOSSIP I’M OK WITH YOU REPORTING TO CHERYL BUT I DRAW THE LINE AT HIRAM

Is Reggie... filing his nails? Lmao

I really hope Polly isn’t dead?? Like I very much want a Polly redemption story!!

Sooooo I guess Archie and Jughead are both going to die in this fire? Lol... well... they’re main characters so I’m sure they’re good.

I’m doooone for this week! So far really enjoying the timejump? Obviously because of barchie but also, everyone is just - better.

Well this turned out to be a novel. If you made it this far, thanks for reading :)

#riverdale #barchie #riverdale thoughts #riverdale 5x06 #5x06 #riverdale season 5

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some-cookie-crumbz · 3 years

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Passing of the Torch

Passing of the Torch Fandom: My Hero Academia Pairing: TodoMomo Summary: TodoMomo Positivity Week Day 4 Prompt Fill: An evening is spent where the Todoroki and Yaoyorozu families finally have the chance to meet and get more familiar with one another. And Shoto gets the sinking feeling that his girlfriend’s father may not be his biggest fan. Standard Disclaimer: If you read and enjoy this, please give it a like/ reblog so I know if I should write more.

Shoto took a deep breath as they approached the upscale barbeque restaurant, feeling unusually nervous. He was normally a rather composed sort but this situation was not something he had ever been faced with before. After a year of dating, the time had finally come for him to finally meet Momo’s parents and, in turn, for his family to meet Momo proper. Natsuo and Fuyumi had had plenty of run-ins with his girlfriend before they were dating and even since, but this was going to be the first time they’d be having a meal together. It was also to be the first time his Mom and Father would be meeting her under the proper terms of being his girlfriend.

“Relax, Shoto,” Mom’s voice giggled softly in his ear, causing him to jump and glance at her. She giggled and reached out to gently smooth his bangs back out of his face. “If you don’t breathe a bit, they’ll be able to see how tense you are the moment we walk in.”

“Yeah, Sho!” Natuso agreed as he came up on his other side, grey eyes twinkling in mirth. “I mean, so long as you don’t spill tea all over them, I doubt you could make a worse first impression than Keigo did.”

“I heard you insulted Nezumi-San’s older sister the first time you met her family,” Fuyumi chirped behind them, leaning a bit closer to her own fiancee as she spoke. The blonde man flashed Natsuo a smug smirk, clearly unashamed to let Fuyumi fight his battle for him.

Natsuo puffed his cheeks out. “I’m starting to think that there’s a problem with you and my girlfriend getting along so well,”

“If you ever gather enough courage to ask for her hand,” Father chimed in flatly from his position beside Fuyumi, “shouldn’t that be a good thing?”

Natsu looked like he had some snarky retort ready but a quick snap from Mom silenced them both. “Mind your manners, boys. Tonight is very important to Shoto and I do not want either of you ruining this for him,” she said evenly, smiling as both men dipped their heads and let out grumbled agreements. Shoto himself let out a small, relieved breath and silently thanked whatever greater forces were at work for Mom.

Upon entering and offering their name, they were whisked away to the back of the restaurant. There was a spacious booth area in the back, where three figures were already settled in. Momo was easy to spot, with what could only be her parents settled in beside her. Her mother and she had many similarities, he noticed, in the curve of jaw, shape of cheeks and jet black hair. Her mother’s eyes, however, were a striking orange hue and more narrowed, the shape reminding him a bit of an almond. To her other side was a frail, pale man with dark purple hair. His eyes were a perfect match to Momo’s in both shape and hue, watching her as she shared some story with a softness that left him a little shaken. Her mother perked up and blinked. “Ah, Todorokis, I see you’ve made it in one piece,” she said, carefully moving out of her seat to greet them properly. “I am Yaoyorozu Miran, Momo’s mother, and this is my husband and her father, Umeo.”

Umeo squirmed his way out, his movements slow, but righted himself with his cane as they went through introductions. As he and Shoto shook hands, his grip tightened a surprising bit. When he stole a glance up at the older man, the look in his eyes was unreadable and his smile cryptic. For a moment, all of Shoto’s worst fears pushed to the forefront of his mind again, panicked that he’d already somehow gotten off on the wrong foot.He was snapped out of it as he was ushered into the booth, Mom insisting that he and Momo sit next to each other. He resolved himself to try and redeem himself for whatever transgression he’d committed against Yaoyorozu-Sama.

Which, as it turned out, was near impossible.

Yaoyorosu-San ended up taking the spot beside Momo, with Yaoyorozu-Sama taking the seat on her other side, placing him at the far end of the table. There wasn’t an extraordinary amount of space between them, but it was a bit difficult. He tried a handful of times to strike up conversation with him, only to have his words drowned out by some large proclamation by Keigo or a inquiry regarding business ventures from Yaoyorozu-San to Father. Momo took his hand under the table, giving a small reassuring smile when he turned to face her. He let himself relax and get swept up in a conversation about a recent mall trip she’d made with Jirou and Uraraka.

When he was paying attention again, their food was being delivered and he noticed Yaoyorozu-Sama staring him down, expression blank. A knot settled itself in the pit of his stomach.

As they ate, he tried a handful more times to speak with his girlfriend’s father between conversations with her, but the man seemed to be outright ignoring him. Instead, when he saw Shoto opening his mouth, he would direct his attention to a different Todoroki. He would ask Fuyumi about her work as a school teacher, or what he was to be his specialized area once he completed med school. He even prompted Father about a discussion regarding the changes to Pro Heroics in the time between their high school years and the modern era, which seemed to take over the rest of their meal time.

While they awaited the checks, Shoto excused himself to the restroom. He splashed a bit of water on his face, using his right side to chill it up and help refresh himself. He stared at his own reflection and tried to mull over what, exactly, he could have done to perturb the older man so terribly. Did he think that the fact they were only meeting after Shoto and Momo had been together a year was a bad sign? He’d heard that normally introduction happened a few months sooner than they had done, but it didn’t seem to be such a large issue to warrant being ignored. Or perhaps he was concerned based strictly on Shoto’s family name alone? The Todoroki family certainly didn’t have the most pristine reputation around. But his being a Todoroki didn’t seem to bother Yaoyorozu-San.

But it wasn’t Yaoyorozu-San that worried him. He knew from what Momo herself said that she was closer to her father than her mother. Yaoyorozu-Sama’s opinion, he reasoned, would therefore be the one that could make or break their relationship. He shook his head and headed out, telling himself that the likelihood of Momo breaking up with him just because her father did not completely approve was slim to none.

But that didn’t stop him from following after than man when he saw him stepping outside while everyone else tended to the check.

The other man was leaning against the wall beside the restaurant when Shoto stepped outside, his eyes closed. He steeled his nerves as he walked over. “Yaoyorozu-Sama,” he said.

The other perked up, blinking at him in clear surprise. “Ah, Shoto-Sama! I didn’t realize you had come outside as well,”

“I want to apologize,” Shoto said while quickly bowing, “if I have said or done anything to offend you this evening. It was not my intention and, if told how I stepped out of line, promise to never do so again.”

A small chuckle came from the older man. Shoto tilted his head to peek at him through his bangs. The other man was covering his mouth to try and muffle the laughs escaping him, a gesture he’d seen Momo imitate multiple times. “I’m sorry, Shoto-Sama,” he said, clearly his throat and letting his hand fall away. Any sense of mystery in his expression was completely dissipated, revealing only genuine amusement. “Please rise. You’ve done nothing to offend myself or Mikan.”

He blinked as he stood back up at his full height. “I do not understand. If I haven’t crossed a line, why did you seem to be ignoring and dodging me when I attempted to speak with you?”

Yaoyorozu-Sama smiled. “Because I wanted to observe how you interacted with my daughter as opposed to how you would address me,” he said simply.

Shoto blinked a few times before tilting his head at him. “I don’t understand,”

“If you’ll be kind enough to humor an old man, Shoto-Sama,” he hummed, his gaze shifting to the stars above, “allow me to explain. If there is something I observed frequently in my youth, it was the idea of presenting oneself in a specific light for a specific audience. When speaking from the lens of Pro Heroics, it makes sense. One must be attractive to the public to have any level of true success. But… When it comes to courtship and romance, I saw this frequently as well. I saw peers pretend to be someone they were not in front of their partner’s families, just in hopes of impressing them. I decided, then, that I wanted my opinion to be based on who my Momochi’s partner was when they were with her. Because… That is what is truly important, especially if you intend to be with her for the foreseeable future. The person you are towards my daughter will forever be more important than who you try to be to me.”

“The foreseeable future?”

“You two are young. There could come a day where one of you wakes up and realizes that the love is gone between you,” he said patiently. He let his gaze turn away from the stars to Shoto, still smiling but his eyes bright with conviction. “I am asking you, as her father, that if that day comes you be a real man about it and walk away as gently as you can. To be honest and upfront, to not play games. And if it is she who decides to end it, let her go with grace and dignity, in a way deserving of the kind of love you claim to hold for her.”

The request caught him off guard. The idea of someday being with someone else? FInding a partner other than Momo? He took a deep breath as he tried to sort out the thoughts in his head to something cohesive. “I do not see such a day ever occurring. The only partner I can ever see by my side is Momo. A future we are not facing together, as a team, is impossible for me to envision. However… I promise to fulfill this request, if such a day should ever come to pass,” he said, squaring his shoulders and holding the other’s eye the whole time he spoke.

Grey eyes gleamed before he chuckled, closing his eyes as he nodded. “Thank you for your honestly and promise, Shoto-Sama,”

He nodded. “Though, in the spirit of honesty, if I may say one thing, Yaoyorozu-Sama?”

“Of course,”

“I feel as if there were better ways to accomplish your goal without spending most of the evening ignoring me, thus leading me to believe I had somehow started out with making a bad impression with you,”

That got a hearty laugh out of the other man. “My, you don’t hold you back, do you? How charming to see that level of honesty from a man so young!” His laughter only lasted a bit before he started coughing, pulling a handkerchief from his coat pocket and coughing into it. “Forgive me. I’m afraid I fall into coughing fits much easier than I did in my younger years.”

He opened his mouth to tell him there was no need to apologize when Momo appeared beside them with a worried frown. “Father, are you okay? Are you pushing yourself too hard again?”

Yaoyorozu-Sama flashed her a bright smile and shook his head. “Not at all, Momochi. Shoto-Sama just said something incredibly clever,”

She visibly relaxed. “I am glad that the two of you are getting along, though I would appreciate you stay close to Mother or I if you need help,”

“Of course, darling,” he hummed, taking one of her hands in his own. He stroked the top of her hand gently before offering it to Shoto. “Now, why don’t you two go on ahead while this old timer catches up with the grown ups again?”

There was no hesitation as Shoto took Momo’s hand in his own, offering a small smile to her father. “Thank you for your time, Yaoyorozu-Sama,” The older man smiled and tipped his head before moving past. Without needing to say it, Shoto knew what this gesture had meant.

He squeezed Momo’s hand gently at the inquisitive look she flashed him, choosing to leave it at that for now.

#My Hero Academia #TodoMomo #Yaoyorozu Momo #Todoroki Shoto #TodoMomo Positivity Week #my fics #I wanted an excuse to do more stuff with Umeo and Mikan and the Todosibs #So I seized it #Loosely connects to previous days #But works just fine on it's on so no link

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vs-redemption · 3 years

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Crime is Common. Logic is Rare. (Ch.26)

Chapter Twenty-six: Dabi (HawksxGN!Reader)

From Cindy: My intention was to never have Dabi in this story, but now he’s here. lol He wanted to add a bit of spice.

Plot summary: As a quirk geneticist, you never really imagined yourself getting involved in hero work. Of course, you never imagined catching the eye of a pro hero either. What starts as a great career opportunity turns into a relationship built upon mutual secrets and trust.

Warnings:

⚠️This story contains spoilers from the manga.

⚠️Some events and plot points have been altered from the original manga

Tag List: @gayforkeigo @marshmallow-witch @redflannel @toyo-shiro @elsasshole @astronomyturtle @iambashfulperson @omiwashere

Next Chapter : Chapter Guide

Returning to work and getting back into a routine after having a vacation was always a little difficult. That was especially true when you worked for a mad doctor who created super villains in the basement of an otherwise mediocre municipal hospital. But after reconnecting with friends from your hometown and having some much needed quality time with your boyfriend, you were feeling refreshed and ready to face the last stretch of your dangerous journey. The spark of cautious optimism was stomped out almost immediately when you stepped into the hospital lobby and saw the expression on Dr. Garaki’s face as he greeted you.

“What’s wrong?” you ask before any pleasantries can be exchanged. A list of worst case scenarios begins to compile in your brain as the doctor tries to force the smile on his face to appear more genuine. If something urgent had popped up, you knew he would have gotten in touch with you, so it was hard to predict the situation you were coming back to. You couldn’t discuss anything about Shigaraki in the main hospital though, so you’d have to endure the suspense until both of you were safely out of sight in the underground lab.

“You look well rested,” Garaki comments as you make your way to the secret elevator. Your nervous jitters made the walk seem much longer than usual. “I guess taking a few days off was a good idea.”

“I appreciate you giving me the time,” you tell him since it remained to be seen whether taking a break from your duties had been a good idea or not.

“We’ll be having a guest in the lab today,” the doctor finally reveals a sliver of information after all your personal belongings had been put in a locker and he’d run a metal detector over you to check for bugs. You were used to this process by now, but the knowledge that you’d be meeting what you assumed was going to be another villain made you feel incredibly uncomfortable. You couldn’t imagine what more the villains could need you for, unless something horrible had happened to Shigaraki while you were away and it was time to face the consequences. It made no sense for them to kill you there in the hospital though, so you did your best to keep your fears and imagination in check.

You summon as much confidence and courage as you can as Dr. Garaki finally takes you into the lab where your mysterious visitor was waiting, but you can’t help but falter for the second time that day when you come face to face with a man with charcoal black hair, intense sapphire blue eyes, and skin covered in horribly discolored burn scars. The scent of burnt flesh wafts through the air, making your eyes water and stomach churn.

“So, you’re the little scientist I’ve been hearing so much about,” he approaches you slowly like a predator, the sound of his boots on the cold cement floor making him that much more intimidating. His voice comes out slow and gravelly, the complete opposite of Shigaraki’s anxious, whiny timbre.

“And you’re Dabi,” you reply, trying to match his level of lazy calmness. Shigaraki’s reckless need for destruction was terrifying to be sure, but the calculating way Dabi met your eyes made you feel like he was peering right into the deepest parts of your mind where everything you’d been trying to keep secret was hidden.

“Sorry for springing him on you like this,” The doctor speaks up, still with a tense look on his face. “I just thought meeting him here would be preferable to his original plan to wait and jump out from a dark alley.” You scrunch up your nose at the image while sending an incredulous look at the villain.

“Charming,” you deadpan and Dabi rolls his eyes.

“I don’t see what the problem is,” he replies flatly while lifting a hand to pick at one of the many shiny silver staples on his face that seemed to be serving the purpose of holding his damaged skin together. “If you’re working with the PLF, it shouldn’t matter when or where I show up.”

“PLF?” You feign ignorance and Dabi curls his lip in annoyance. He wasn’t going to get you to screw up that easily. Hawks had told you about the whole “quirk liberation” movement, but you weren’t supposed to know that the League of Villains had joined forces with the devoted followers of that ideology. Dabi took another aggressive step forward, but you held your ground.

“If you’re willing to help Shigaraki,” he reasons, “I think you can afford me the same curtesy since he and I are on the same side.”

“I think that depends a great deal on what you need from me,” you say boldly “Because I don’t recall ever claiming to be on anyone’s side.” You hated how close Dabi was standing to you. You knew he had a powerful fire quirk, even without the uncomfortable waves of heat radiating from his skin. You felt a small pang of sympathy knowing that the burns covering his body were a result of the destructive blue flames he’d been born with. One day, you hoped your research would prevent anyone from falling victim to their own biology the way he had. Dabi had only himself to blame, however, for choosing to use his quirk to take the lives of others. Like Shigaraki, he had plenty of blood on his hands.

“I need you to tell me everything you know about that giant chicken your dating,” Dabi says simply, a challenging look in his eyes. You shake your head and take the chance to move away and get him out of your personal bubble.

“Nope,” you reject him right away. “I won’t do that.”

“Why? There’s no way you actually love him,” a dry laugh escapes from Dabi’s lips. “He’s a hero isn’t he? You’re already betraying him by helping Shigaraki.”

“First of all, how I feel about Hawks is none of your business,” you cross your arms over your chest. “Second, helping your creepy boss and the doctor is beneficial to my career. Divulging secrets about my boyfriend is only beneficial to you. I’d get nothing out of it.”

“Are you trying to make an enemy out of me?” Dabi asks, his voice coming out casual despite the threat of his words.

“No,” you shake your head, “but I’m not trying to make an ally out of you either. If you want to go after Hawks, I’m not going to oppose you. In fact, I’ll even point you in the right direction. If you can find someone from the Hero Commission to terrorize, I bet you’d learn a whole lot of juicy tidbits.”

“It’d be easier to learn them from you,” Dabi sniffs, his increasing irritation was becoming palpable. The tension in the air, not to mention the suffocating heat of his quirk seemed to grow thicker by the second.

“As Shigaraki liked to tell me, there are still a lot of things I don’t know about my boyfriend,” you confess. “But I know enough about him to realize he wouldn’t put up with as much of the commission’s crap as he does if they didn’t have something to hold over him. I’m sure you could figure out what that is if you were motivated enough.” Dabi moves to step into your personal space again, his hooded eyes widening in anger, but the doctor jumps back into the conversation.

“If we could wrap this up soon, I’d appreciate it,” he puts up his hands as a sign of neutrality before looking at you. “There��s a lot I wanted to get done today, and I need help your help administering the next dose of Shigaraki’s serum.” Dabi ignores Garaki completely and continues to stare you down.

“You really think you’ll be able to continue riding the fence from the position you’re in?” he asks menacingly. “You’re worse than the heroes if you stand for nothing.” You eye Dabi for a moment, wondering once again what horrible circumstances life had to throw at someone for them to end up so dark and hateful.

“I’m sure that your motivations, whatever they may be, are valid,” You tell him. “I know Shigaraki mentioned a few of his concerns about our flawed hero society to me before, and some of what he said actually made sense.” You pause to see what Dabi would say, but he remained silent.

“Look,” You continue with a shrug. “I don’t fault any of you for standing up for what you believe and pushing for change. It’s just your methods that I can’t get onboard with. That’s why I can stand aside and let it happen without feeling obligated to get involved myself.”

“And you’ve made your position on this matter clear from the very beginning” The doctor backs you up. You weren’t going to mistake his words for some kind of allegiance though. He had only allowed you into his lab because he needed your quirk and expertise to complete his Shigaraki project. None of these people would ever trust you completely, and you could never trust them.

“You might come to regret this conversation in the future,” Dabi says with an ominous tone that sent a shiver up your spine. “Bad things tend to happen to people who waste my time.” You wanted to tell him that he had been the one to waste his own time, but thought better of it since you knew from watching the news that he had no problems with making good on his threats.

Before things could escalate further, Dr. Garaki sent Dabi through the hidden tunnel that led to the second lab so that you two could finally get to work on Shigaraki. Once the door was shut, the doctor apologized for the villain’s rudeness but then carried on like normal. He filled you in on Shigaraki’s progress over the days you’d been gone, and helped you administer the next dose of the serum. Shigaraki still had some intense reactions to his DNA being modified, but the severity seemed to be decreasing along with the frequency. You wanted to worry more about the outcome of the procedure, but now you had a second danger looming over your head in the form of Dabi.

#keigo takami x reader #hawks x reader #bnha x reader #mha x reader #Keigo Takami #Hawks #bnha #mha #Cindy's Writing

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samwrights · 4 years

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Competition

Heyooo~ so I felt that this request wouldn’t be done justice if it were written in a bullet format, so I decided to spice it up a little. We’re doing a little third person drabble that doesn’t veer too far from my actual writing style—hope you guys enjoy something a little more refreshing(?).

Iwaizumi Hajime remembers the day Kyoutani Kentarou mutely declared him as a rival. Many had assumed the rivalry was birthed from the sheer strength that the senior boasted after nearly annihilating his junior in every form of physical strength and competition.

Running.

Baseball.

Arm wrestling, even, as moot as it was.

Their rivalry had nothing to do with each other—it was evident in the way that Kyoutani at least listened to his senior, as opposed to others—but it had everything to do with the student council Vice President.

Iwaizumi was fortunate enough to meet her a year prior to Kyoutani enrolling at Aoba Johsai, with the two of them being in the same grade. At the time, she was often in and out of all of the first year classrooms, making sure to share announcements and plans that the student council had for the school. It was weird—maybe, disorienting was a better word—to see her as the then treasurer for the club.

For a private school such as Aoba Johsai, the student council was typically comprised of the most prim and proper of students—the Seijoh elite. Charismatic, visionary leaders is what they were. And yet, the treasurer was something different. A class of her own, even. She often wore a thick, black choker around her neck, a single pendant in the shape of a spade adorning the velvet, along with a plethora of bangles on both wrists despite them bordering a dress code penalty.

She didn’t care.

She knew of all the right things to say to keep her out of trouble, to inspire the masses, and above all else, to make many fall victim to her charm. Though, Iwaizumi would argue that the last sentence was a bit of a stretch, as it implied that her charm was merely counterfeit. He learned throughout the year that the treasurer was just very her, and that was all he wanted.

So genuine, so caring, so passionate about what she did, it was a wonder Iwaizumi Hajime didn’t get down on one knee and propose to her right then and there. He would have, had the two been in a real relationship, rather than this not-so-shallow form of unrequited adoration.

That was the best way to describe it.

Those menial interactions from first year only progressed to fuel his fantasies of her in his second year when she reprised her role as treasurer. She’d become more bold, more innovative over the course of a year and Iwaizumi often found himself daydreaming of the girl.

It was in this year that Kyoutani had come face to face with the treasurer. Now adding both first and second year classrooms to her rounds for announcing club activities that involved school-wide participation, the treasurer learned immediately that Kyoutani Kentarou did not like being approached.

All she did was hand him a flier, one he ripped straight from her manicured fingers, with a smile on her face as she introduced herself. She didn’t cower or recoil from the force of the paper being torn away from her; if anything, her grin only grew more.

In Kyoutani’s mind, she presented herself in a way that boasted that the treasurer did not fear confrontation or challenge, much like himself. It was a confidence that seeped through the pores in her skin, only adding to the beauty she radiated that he refused to admit to anyone but himself.

When he first joins the volleyball club at Aoba Johsai is when he notices the way that her and Iwaizumi Hajime speak to each other. With familiarity, with kindness, with adoration. It makes Kyoutani sick to his stomach, tying his intestines into knots so tight, he feels like he’s going to hurl.

He does when goes home for the evening.

Seeing the pretty treasurer engaged in such a conversation with such a bland suitor, he reasons there has to be a reason why she’s talking to Iwaizumi of all people.

And so, prompts the first time the junior challenges his senior. Then the second, then the third, until Kyoutani can finally admit to himself that maybe Iwaizumi is just more of a man than he is. Maybe that was why the treasurer—sorry, Vice President, now—looked at the ace with such comfort, such ease.

With such love.

And yet the ace was too stupid to realize she returned his feelings. It was the reason that Kyoutani felt he had a chance with her, why he felt he deserved a chance to impress her. Because of this idiot that has bested him time and time again that can’t even recognize that she loves him too, then Iwaizumi Hajime was not worthy of her.

It was why Kyoutani Kentarou would never stop trying to prove he was better than his senior, why he would never stop competing for her.

Haikyuu!! Tag List

@hihiq @tamcitrus @yourlocalmemedumpster @90s-belladonna @basicallyberry

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freddiesaysalright · 4 years

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The Most Dramatic Season Ever - Week 2

Summary: It’s your time now! You are ABC’s new Bachelorette and this is your journey! All these men (including our fav BoRhap boys and then some) are competing for your heart! Will you find love? Will you get engaged at the end? Or will you end up heartbroken? Find out, on the most dramatic season ever!

Word Count: 6.7k

Tag List: @psychosupernatural @someone-get-a-medic, @bensrhapsody, @deakyclicks, @crazylittlethingcalledobsession, @minigranger, @crazyweirdocalledfriday, @the-moving-finger-writes, @assembledherethevolunteers, @rose-writes-prose, @queenlover05, @moon-stars-soul, @danadeacon, @deacyblues, @thesundrop, @cupidben, @lostlittlenerd, @delilahmay39, @mazzellodeaky, @queenmylovely, @loveandbeloved29, @free-pool-trash, @fairestkillerqueenofall, @local-troubled-writer, @babyalienfairy, @littlecarowrites, @allthethingsicant, @im-an-adult-ish If you’d like to be added, let me know!

A/N: Happy Valentine’s Day, y’all! Here’s my gift to you! I know you’ve been waiting a while for it and for that, I apologize lol. Hope you enjoy :D

Warning(s): None :)

Night 1 Week 1

Week 2 here we go!!!

As the next week began, you were still feeling hopeful. You were excited about the dates this week, and you knew who you wanted more from. Truly, this whole group of men had your attention. They were all so sweet and appeared to be completely committed to getting to know you. That brought you comfort, since your worst fear was getting to the end of this only to find yourself in love or engaged to someone who wasn’t genuine.

The guys were feeling similarly hopeful. However, Luke was rubbing everyone the wrong way. Even guys who didn’t really talk to him much were annoyed by his antics. He was always talking about how this was basically a done deal, and that he was going to be your husband. So, the whole house tended to avoid him.

As they all waited for a date card, he started again.

“It’s gotta be my name,” he said, rubbing his hands together. “Just gotta be.”

Ben rolled his eyes. “You don’t know that, Luke.”

“I know how she feels about me,” Luke argued. “And how strong our connection is.”

“But you’re assuming her connections with the rest of us aren’t as strong,” Allen pointed out.

“Yeah, I am,” Luke said. “Because I know that for a fact.”

“How can you know that, dude?” interjected John Paul Jones. “You’re not there for every other conversation.”

“I just do,” Luke said. “I know in my heart that she’s gonna be my wife.”

A few of the other men began to bristle at his words, but didn’t speak up.

“Just ignore this, guys,” said Wells. “Let it go.”

There was a knock at the door. Eager to escape this conversation with Luke, Gwilym got up to answer it. He took the date card back into the living room.

“Alright, let’s see what it is,” he said, waving it around before tearing it open.

All eyes were on Gwilym as he read the card to himself first.

“It’s a one on one,” he said, and the group took a collective breath. “Ben. I want our love to take off. Love, Y/N.”

Gwil handed the card to its lucky recipient, and it took everything in Ben’s power to not smash that paper right into Luke’s smug face. He read your name over and over, and his heart raced. That always seemed to be the effect you had on him.

“Well, guys, I guess I better go get ready,” he said, getting to his feet.

He ignored Luke’s glowering all the way to his room.

You arrived at the mansion to retrieve Ben, much to the delight of the rest of the men. They all rushed to hug you before you would have to go. You sat on the couch to talk to them for a moment while Ben was still getting ready.

“So, how is everyone?” you asked as you squeezed between Gwilym and Rami. “Doing alright?”

They sort of murmured back at you and you understood. Not everyone got along in the house and you assumed that was happening here too. There were plenty of girls you were not super fond of when you were competing on The Bachelor. You wondered if this would seep into the group date or the cocktail party. Drama was a quick way to take up time, which was too precious to waste talking about other people. But, if someone there was being false, you wanted to know. It was a difficult position to be in.

Then, Ben emerged from his room. You beamed at him as he helped you to your feet.

“Are you ready to go?” you asked.

“I’m always ready for time with you,” he replied.

You flushed a little and then started toward the door. You bid the rest of the men one last goodbye before finally leaving and heading out for your date.

Rami: It always sucks to see her go out with someone else. When she walked in, I felt like, ‘Oh! There’s my girlfriend!’ So, it’s hard to know she’s on a date with Ben. Ben’s a great guy, but I still wish it were me instead, y’know? Although...part of me is just glad it’s not Luke.

You and Ben were driven out to an airport where there was a helicopter waiting for you. You loved flying, so you were thrilled by the idea. You squealed happily and jumped into Ben’s arms.

“Yes!” you cried. “I’ve never been in a helicopter before!”

“Really?” he returned. “It’s loads of fun!”

You ran forward excitedly and got ready. The crew placed a set of headphones and mic on you so you two would be able to talk to each other throughout. Then, you and Ben sat by the edge and waited for take off.

It rose slowly into the air, and you gripped Ben’s hand a little tighter. It felt uneasy, as opposed to a plane, which you were used to. The thrill of this new thing, with a man you were very interested in, made your stomach turn like you were on a roller coaster and about to drop down that first hill.

The sight of Los Angeles as you soared above it was amazing. You could see so much. The buildings, the nature around the city, everything! As the pilot headed south, you saw the coast and the cliffside shore lines.

“It’s beautiful,” Ben said in awe beside you.

You looked at him. “It really is.”

He moved your mics to the side and leaned in to kiss you softly.

“You’re even more beautiful,” he whispered into you.

Your smile prevented him from kissing you again.

“Thank you,” you said sweetly.

He pecked your cheek and you giggled.

The ride was really incredible. You got to see California like you never really had before, and Ben just seemed like the perfect person to share it with. You landed on a remote cliffside field, where a blanket was laid out with a bottle of champagne on ice. Ben helped you onto the ground and together you walked to take a seat and talk for a little bit.

“That was really cool,” he said as he poured each of a glass of the crisp, refreshing beverage.

“It was,” you agreed. “I’m glad you were with me.”

“Thanks for the invite,” he replied.

You leaned over this time and kissed him. His lips were so warm and pillowy. You could have kissed him forever.

“So, what made you want to try this experience?” you asked. “The whole Bachelorette thing?”

“Honestly, a friend suggested it to me,” he told you. “I’m about ready to retire from rugby, and I want to settle down and have a fresh start. When I saw your picture, I thought my heart might stop beating.”

You frowned a little. It seemed Ben was pretty caught up in your looks.

“What else about me intrigued you?” you pressed. “What made you confident that this could work?”

“I didn’t watch the whole season you were on,” he admitted. “But from what I saw, I gathered that you’re kind, smart, and generous. And you’re ready for the same things I want. Marriage. A family. Making a home - a life - together.”

A smile slowly crept back onto your lips. “I like that answer.”

“What made you go on the Bachelor?” he asked.

You looked out over the water and considered this. None of the other men had asked you that yet.

“Well, I knew I was ready to settle down,” you said. “This process is like speed dating on steroids, y’know? But I know I’m ready to be married. So, this seemed like a good path for me. It didn’t work out with Peter, obviously, but I’m still hopeful.”

“Don’t take this the wrong way,” he said. “But I’m so glad it didn’t work out with him. You’re amazing, and I’m so thrilled that I’m getting the chance to get to know you.”

“You’re so sweet, Ben,” you said.

Once again, he kissed you. There was more passion behind this kiss than the previous ones. You coiled your arms around his neck and pulled him in closer. He grinned into you and yanked you onto his lap. You giggled for a split second before planting your mouth firmly back onto his. The feel of the ocean breeze, the quaintness of where you were, and the warmth of Ben’s body had your mind going cloudy. The only thing really in focus was Ben. You could safely say that he was one of your strongest connections.

After your little picnic, you climbed back into the helicopter to return to the city for the evening portion of the date. As you prepared for it, you thought about your day with Ben and how grateful you were for him. But, you still had a lot of questions for him. You needed to know more about his past and figure out if this was truly something he was ready for.

You met up outside an art gallery. You went in where your dinner set up was waiting. Ben helped you out of your jacket and pulled your chair out for you before taking a seat himself. You shared a small toast before sipping your drinks. You took a deep breath.

“Can I ask you something?” you wondered.

“Yeah, anything,” he answered.

“Tell me about your love life thus far,” you said. “Like, when’s the last time you were in love?”

Ben swallowed and looked at you. “Um...never. I’ve never been in love before.”

A chill went through you. Your mouth fell slightly agape as you looked at him.

“W...what?”

“I know it’s odd for someone my age, but it just hasn’t happened yet,” he went on. “I’ve never told a woman that I love her. Because I’ve never felt that way about someone.”

You blinked. Your mind scrambled for words, but none came to you. This was a shock you weren’t expecting. You had no idea how to follow up either.

“I…” you trailed off. “Really?”

“Really.”

You tried to read his face, but his mouth was turned down just slightly in a way that told you he was becoming defensive.

“Don’t shut down on me,” you said. “I’m just surprised.”

He sighed heavily. “I know. It’s a weird thing to admit and I’m feeling a bit...I dunno...judged.”

“Oh my God, Ben, I’m not judging you, I swear,” you said. “I’m just trying to process this because it kind of scares me.”

His brow furrowed. “Why does it scare you?”

“Because!” you cried. “Most people only know they’re in love because they’ve felt it before. Or something like it. What if we get further into this and you realize this isn’t what you expected? What if you realize it after we’re engaged? What if...what if you discover you want something more?”

His whole demeanor softened as he took your hand.

“Hey,” he said gently. “Listen to me. I’ve never been in love, it’s true. But I’ve always believed that it’s because I was only meant to love one person. One great love for all my life. Something more? What could anyone want more than that?”

With his free hand, he cupped your cheek. You closed your eyes to the contact. His skin was warm and soft.

“Who could ever want more...than you?” he said.

Your eyes opened and met his. His words eased your heart. All fear dissipated as you held his gaze. Something in his eyes showed you how much he meant everything he said.

“This seems totally crazy,” he said. “But I could definitely see myself falling in love with you. It’s not hard for me. The picture is there. I just need more time with you for my heart to catch up with my head.”

You chuckled a little and blinked back the tears of worry that had welled up in your eyes. You blinked and one spilled out. Luckily, Ben’s thumb was right there to catch it.

“C’mere,” he said, and he tugged you onto his lap again, draping your legs over his.

He kissed your temple. You beamed at him. Then, you reached across the table and picked up the rose. You held it between your chest and his.

“Today was really great,” you said. “Getting to see LA like that and then just...talking to you. I feel like every moment we spend together is building something special. And for you to tell me what you did, and assure me after I had reservations, that was a sign of a great partner.”

He smiled at you.

“So Ben,” you said. ��Will you accept this rose?”

“Always,” he replied.

You pinned it to his chest and he grinned at you. Sometimes, you were so caught up in Ben’s eyes that you didn’t notice his smile. You noticed it now, and it struck you as something sweet and charming. It was boyish, but calm. You liked it. But, you just had to ruin it by kissing him again. Thankfully, he didn’t seem to mind.

After rewarding him the rose, you moved to another part of the art gallery. There, stood a singer and band, all waiting for you and Ben. They began to play as you walked in and he immediately spun you into his arms. You swayed together to the slow tempo of the song. You felt really secure there, wrapped up in him. As unsure as you were about his experience with love, you felt like he was capable of being exactly the man you needed in your life. He was strong but sensitive. Kind but honest. Handsome but humble. As you danced with him, you saw yourself with Ben for years to come. Hopefully even forever.

Ben: I feel amazing! It was great opening up to her and just being honest with each other. Those real conversations I think are so important in building a relationship. And yeah, I’ve never been in love before but I think I’m starting to get there with Y/N. I really can see her as my wife.

Back at the house, a date card arrived. It was a group date for all the remaining men. A few huffs were heard at there not being a second one on one. But, when Rami read out the card, there were more questions than anything.

“Let’s see if you can score,” Rami read. “Love, Y/N.”

“What on Earth does that mean?” Gwilym wondered.

“I’m guessing it’s sports related,” said Wells. “Which doesn’t bode well for me.”

Wells was quite slimmer than most of the guys, especially compared to guys like Ben and Kenny who were both athletes. Even so, he was as excited as the rest of them to see you.

Then, the door opened. All eyes turned to see if it was Ben, or a producer coming to take his bags. Almost everyone cheered as Ben came through, rose on his jacket. Joe was the first one to reach him and mussed his hair as congratulations.

“Yeah, Ben!” Joe cheered. “How’d it go, man?”

Ben flushed under all the attention, but his smile never faltered.

“It went well,” he said. “We talked a lot, I got vulnerable, and I felt like it was a step in the right direction for us.”

“Alright, that’s awesome,” Rami said, clapping Ben on the back.

“Did anyone else get a one on one?” Ben asked.

“No, we’re all going on a group date tomorrow,” Gwilym said. “Got the whole place to yourself, mate.”

“Oh, I’m gonna be so bored,” Ben joked.

He joined the group and also tried to speculate what the date could be. He thought that something athletic was likely, but which sport they could all play was a mystery. He wished them all the best of luck though before going to bed. The rest of them followed shortly after.

The next day, the men all gathered onto a luxurious bus and headed into the heart of Los Angeles. They stopped outside a football stadium. There, they saw you, looking absolutely adorable in a cheerleading uniform that was a soft, bright pink. As they pulled up and started climbing off the bus, you waved your pom-poms at them.

“Hi, guys!” you greeted as they all gathered in front of you. “I have a super fun date planned for today, and it’s a great way for all of you to get some energy out after being cooped up at the house. So, let’s go in!”

They all agreed and followed you into the stadium, where you were led them onto the field. There stood a large black man in his NFL jersey. He tossed a football from one of his massive hands to the other and smiled kindly at you and the men.

“What’s up, everybody?” he greeted.

A few of the guys were smiling widely, so they were clearly fans. They returned his greeting with a few polite “hellos” before waiting for someone to explain.

“Some of y’all may know this guy,” you said. “But for those that don’t, this is Thomas Davis. He’s a linebacker for the LA Chargers.”

“Fellas, I’ve been married for many years, so I know that marriage takes work, commitment, and - most importantly - heart,” Thomas began. “Just like the game. So what we’re gonna do today is play a game of football to show Y/N here that you’ve got what it takes. The winning team gets her all to themselves tonight. The losing team goes back to the mansion for the rest of the day.”

“The stakes are high, you guys,” you said.

“Y/N has already divided you into two teams, the red team and the blue team,” Thomas added. “The red team is: Joe, Rami, Gwilym, Taron, Allen, Richard, Wells, and Mike. The blue team is: Eric, Kenny, Jared, Jordan, John Paul Jones, Chad, Luke, and John. Your jerseys and equipment are waiting for you in the locker room.”

Gwilym: I’m nervous, honestly. I’ve never watched or played American football before. I haven’t got a clue how it works. And all of us European guys are on the same team, so we might just be f***ed.

Richard: I actually love American football. I’ve seen a few games in London and had a great time. I’ve never played before, though.

As the red team all started suiting up, Mike and Joe took charge.

“Alright,” Mike said. “I know that some of y’all don’t have any idea how this game works, so I’m gonna break it down for you.”

He explained the basics of the game and what each of them could do to play well.

“We’ve got all the small guys on our team,” said Joe. “So we’re gonna have to go with a passing game since most of us probably can’t get past Kenny.”

Kenny was a professional wrestler, so making tackles would not be difficult for him.

“Are we gonna play one on one?” Rami asked.

“I think that’s best,” Mike said. “Don’t worry, I can take Kenny. Wells, you cover John. He’s the smallest on their side, and you’ve got the best shot with him. Richard, I want you on Jordan. He’s a male model, so he doesn’t wanna get hit. Gwil, you gotta cover Eric since you’ve got the height. Joe, you stay on JPJ. Rami, you’re on Jared. Taron, with Chad.”

Allen sighed heavily.

“That leaves me with Luke,” he said.

“You got this, Allen,” Joe said. “We believe in you.”

Allen laughed a little and then they all headed out. When they returned to the field, you were chatting animatedly with Thomas Davis, but turned to smile when you saw them approach.

“Did you come up with a team name?” you asked.

“Flamin’ Hot Cheetos,” Mike and Joe said in unison, though it clearly wasn’t planned, since they gasped at each other before high-fiving with delight.

You looked at the blue team. “What’s your team name?”

“Blue Steel,” answered Kenny, and then shot his best fierce look in the other team’s direction.

“Alright, we’re gonna have the coin toss,” Thomas said. “Y/N, who’s the home team, and who’s visiting?”

You looked at the teams and considered it.

“Hmmm,” you said. “Since Rami’s from LA, the Flamin’ Hot Cheetos are the home team.”

“Okay, who are the captains?” Thomas asked.

The Flamin’ Hot Cheetos pushed Joe forward, while Blue Steel sent Kenny.

“Joe, what do you call?” Thomas went on. “Rose or ring?”

“Ring,” Joe said.

“Okay, here we go.”

Thomas flipped the custom coin and everyone watched it twirl in the air before landing on rose.

“Alright,” Thomas said. “Blue Steel wins the coin toss. You want the ball or will you defer?”

“We want the ball,” said Kenny with a smirk.

“Let’s get started,” Thomas replied.

“Alright, good luck, guys!” you called as you backed away to the sidelines.

They all got in place on the line of scrimmage. Jordan was serving as quarterback, with Kenny, Chad, and Luke in the center for his protection. Kenny hiked the ball, and as soon as it was snapped, the men collided. Jordan faked a hand off to Eric, who ran toward the outside, but in reality, Jordan stepped back. Jared took off through the middle, dodged Rami, and ran to get open. Jordan threw, and Jared caught the pass. Rami quickly arrived to tackle him before he could get any yards after the catch. The play was over.

However, Luke had already gone too far. As he and Allen struggled at the line, he grabbed Allen’s facemask and yanked it to the side. Thomas, who was serving as ref, had missed it, and therefore didn’t call a penalty. You, on the other hand, did see it. You admired Allen for not saying anything, but you decided to keep your eye on the situation when you could.

They lined up for the second down. In this play, Richard managed to get around Chad and tackle Jordan for a sack, setting Blue Steel back five yards. When Richard got up, he smiled and winked at you, making you blush as you cheered.

The game went on, and Blue Steel had a good drive, but weren’t able to score in the end. The ball went to Flamin’ Hot Cheetos. Taron served as quarterback now, and on the first down, passed it to Richard for another first down. For the next play, Taron faked a hand off to Allen. Luke charged at Allen and tackled him hard, while the ball actually went to Joe, who ran it all the way for a touchdown. Luke, angered at his team for losing, kneed Allen in the chest before getting to his feet.

Allen let out a sharp “oof!” as Luke’s knee slammed into him. It knocked the breath out of him and he took longer to stand up. He looked out to see if anyone had noticed. A few of the guys had, but you were talking to Thomas again as the guys regrouped. Taron jogged over and helped Allen to his feet. That’s when you saw that something was off. Your brow furrowed.

Your eyes found Allen’s and you shot him a questioning look. He just shook his head and got back in place. You looked over at Luke, who was laughing at something with Chad.

Allen: I’m not really sure what Luke’s f***ing problem is, but from the beginning of the game, he was very aggressive with me. I know he’s kind of an angry guy, but this is something else. It’s a lighthearted game and he’s acting like it’s his life on the line or something.

For the rest of the game, you noticed that Luke was particularly aggressive. Since Allen was his match up, Allen took the brunt of it, though Taron took some hits as well as Luke tried to sack him. It was enough to make you question if he really was a nice guy or not. True, winning meant more time with you, but this was only the beginning of the journey. Luke would have many opportunities to speak with you, even if his team didn’t win today. He was taking it far too seriously.

The game went on, and in the last minute, Allen scored the winning touchdown.

“Alright!” you cheered. “Go Flamin’ Hot Cheetos!”

Just as you started out to congratulate them, Luke came tearing into the endzone and tackled Allen once more. They skidded across the turf together. Allen struggled against Luke’s weight, but couldn’t shake him off. Finally, Luke stood up, and he looked about ready to spit on Allen. Thankfully, you arrived and got Allen to his feet.

“Allen!” you cried. “Are you alright?”

“Fine,” he said, catching his breath. “I’m fine.”

“Are you sure?” you fretted. “I’m so sorry!”

“It’s not your fault, darlin’,” he said kindly.

You took his helmet off and kissed his cheek. Then you rounded on Luke.

“Hey!” you yelled. “The play was over! What were you thinking?!”

“I - wait - Y/N!” he sputtered. “I was just running and couldn’t stop myself.”

“Are you serious?” you shot back. “I saw you, Luke, you were at least ten yards away. That’s plenty of time to stop.”

“I didn’t mean to!” he insisted.

You rolled your eyes. “Oh my God, we all saw it! You’ve been roughing Allen up all day, which can maybe be passed off as the game, but that was completely out of line.”

“I’m sorry,” he said, reaching for your hand, but you snatched it away.

“I’m not the one you need to apologize to,” you snapped.

Luke sighed and hung his head before looking at Allen.

“I’m sorry, man,” he said.

“S’alright,” Allen returned, though his tone made you wonder if he meant it.

“You can go wait on the bus while I say bye to everyone else,” you said sharply.

“Y/N, I -” Luke began.

“Go!” you cut across him.

Fuming, he jogged off the field.

Joe: Honestly, seeing Y/N yell at Luke like that was one of the sexiest things I’ve ever seen.

You gave the rest of Blue Steel hugs before they left the stadium. You were sorry to see some of them go, since you liked a lot of those men, but you were looking forward to your evening with the winners.

Everyone cleaned up for the night, and you met them at a warehouse that was converted into a bar. It had multiple levels, and even a small, rooftop patio. It was a cool little place that you were excited to spend time in with these guys. As you all piled onto the couch, you made a small toast. Then, you turned to Allen.

“Allen, can we talk first?” you asked.

“Absolutely,” he agreed.

You took his hand and led him off to a more private area. You took a seat together and you gave his hand a squeeze.

“Thanks for being such a good sport today,” you said. “You didn’t complain one time even though Luke was totally abusing you.”

“I’m not a very angry person, so I tried not to let it get to me,” he said. “Besides, we won in the end. That’s what’s important.”

“I’m glad you see it that way,” you told him.

“Look, I’m not here to worry about Luke or anyone else, really,” he said. “I like you, and that’s what I want to focus on.”

You smiled. “I like you too.”

“Gimme a kiss, love,” he smirked.

“You got it,” you replied and leaned in to press your lips to his.

You kissed him for what felt like hours. You could easily get lost in his lips. The way Allen kissed you was unique - although all the men were distinctive in their style. Allen was laid back and smooth, like his personality as well. It always made you feel so at ease.

You chatted for a bit longer before Joe came to get you next. You gave Allen a quick hug and then followed Joe up to the rooftop. It was chillier up there, so Joe wrapped you up in his arms. He pressed a kiss to your temple.

“Hey,” he whispered.

“Hey,” you returned.

“I’ve missed you,” he said.

“I’ve missed you too, Joe,” you replied. “So much.”

“How are you feeling after today?” he asked. “I know you were frustrated there at the end.”

“I’m okay,” you assured him. “I like Luke, but he showed me a side of him that really concerns me.”

“Violence?” he questioned.

You nodded. Tears were already welling up in your eyes. You inhaled deeply and tried to keep them back, but one slid out anyway.

“What’s got you upset?” Joe asked.

You took a deep breath. “I...I had an ex that was physically abusive,” you admitted. You had no idea why you were spilling this to Joe. This was something you rarely told anyone. In fact, you had not even told Peter when you were competing for him on The Bachelor. “So, it really upsets me to see men act that way. I got so angry because I got scared.”

Joe’s expression softened. A deep pity moved into his beautiful eyes and he held you close to him again.

“I’m so sorry, Y/N,” he said. “No one deserves to go through that. Especially not someone as wonderful as you are.”

“Thank you,” you sniffled.

“I hope you feel safe now,” he said.

“I do,” you said, burying your face in his chest. “Especially with someone so wonderful.”

He rubbed your back and stood in silence with you for a few moments. Joe was as comfortable as your own family. Not that you thought of him in a familial sense. Your attraction to him was definitely romantic. He was just a solid person that you could rely on. When he kissed you on the forehead, you nearly melted.

“You’re impressive,” he said.

You looked up at him. “So are you. Thanks for being so sweet to me.”

He kissed you properly now, but it was still soft. You really did feel safe with Joe. Safer than you had felt in a long time. You had absolutely no regrets about sharing that bit of vulnerability with him.

You talked for a few minutes more before Richard pulled you next. You went with him back downstairs to a cozy corner with a fireplace. You were excited to talk to him because he had played so well during the game.

“Hey, you were incredible today,” you told him as you took a seat. “Who knew a Scottish guy could play some good ol’ American football?”

He chuckled. “I actually like American football. I had a great time today.”

“And you played well,” you said. “You sacked Jordan a few times, and that was no easy thing, getting past guys like Chad and Kenny.”

“Well, I was sort of trying to impress my girl,” he teased. “Looks like it worked.”

You smiled. ��I am very impressed.”

You paused to take a sip of your wine. “Where does your confidence come from?”

“My confidence?” he questioned.

“Yeah,” you said. “You’re always like, kind of cool and suave about stuff. Where did you get that?”

“Okay, first off, I’d never describe myself as suave,” he laughed. “But honestly, it’s not something I always had.”

“Tell me more,” you said.

“I got sort of bullied as a kid,” he told you. “I wasn’t into things a lot of the other boys were. Like, I loved theater and dance. I could participate in a lot of sports, but that wasn’t my passion, and I was sort of different because of it.”

“I’m sorry,” you said, taking his hand. “That’s terrible.”

“It made me who I am today,” he said. “I learned to embrace what I liked and what made me different. And I found people who supported me. My family was the most supportive and it’s because of them that I regained my confidence.”

“I love that,” you said. “Are you still close with your family?”

“Very,” he said. “My parents and sisters are my whole world. My nieces and nephews are as well. I love them so much my heart feels like it might explode.”

You chuckled and grinned. “So, you like children?”

“Oh, yeah,” he said. “I can’t wait to have my own some day.”

You gazed at him for a moment before claiming his lips with your own. You felt his confidence in how he kissed you as well. It made sense. That man knew what he was doing. His lips moved in wonderful harmony with yours, and he ended things with a soft nip to your bottom lip. You gasped a little and felt your face get hot.

“You’re so cute,” he said, and then pecked your cheek.

“You’re so amazing,” you replied, still a bit breathless.

After Richard, you spent some time with Gwilym. You had a fun conversation with him and again you felt that hopeful feeling that you associated with him. Then you got to see Taron, and you reminisced on your Disney date a little bit before telling him he was a wonderful quarterback. Not long after, Rami stole some time with you as well. As the shortest guy there, you told him how impressed you were that he held his own on the field. The night wound down, and you got a few minutes with Mike and Wells as well before it was time to hand out the rose.

You picked it up off the table, and looked at it for a moment. For the first time, you weren’t totally sure who you wanted to give it to. Allen was one choice because he had been through the most that day. Richard was another since he opened up to you. Then there was Joe, whose time had been brief, but so meaningful.

“This is a tough choice,” you said. “You were all so great today.”

You felt their eyes flickering between your face and the rose in your hand.

“But I want to give this to someone who moved our relationship forward,” you went on. “Someone who I learned more about today. So, Richard, will you accept this rose?”

He smiled that perfect smile of his and accepted it as you pinned it onto his chest. You kissed his cheek and then stood up to bid them all goodnight.

“I’ll see you for the cocktail party,” you said. “Goodnight, everyone!”

You waved and then departed. As you and the men went to bed that night, everyone thought about the connections they had. It was becoming steadily more serious, and this rose ceremony would put the number of men at almost half of where you started.

The next day, the men were having breakfast when Chris Harrison walked into the mansion. They greeted him nicely, but they were nervous. Chris usually meant something crazy was about to happen.

“I hope you’re all having a good morning,” he began. “I stopped by to tell you that Y/N has decided to cancel the cocktail party tonight.”

A few gasps were heard.

“She said she knows what she wants, and she wants to go straight into the rose ceremony,” Chris went on. “So, I’ll see you all there tonight. Good luck, guys.”

With that, he departed. A tense silence hung in the room. The only ones feeling really secure were Richard and Ben because they had roses already. Luke sighed.

“I really needed that time with her tonight,” he said. “I needed to explain myself.”

“We all wanted that time with her,” said Jordan.

“I know, but I needed to talk about the game,” Luke insisted.

“She saw what happened,” Allen said irritably. “What more did you want to say?”

“I wanted her to understand!” Luke cried. “That’s not who I am!”

“Isn’t it?” Taron interjected. “Then why’d you do it?”

Luke groaned. “You guys don’t understand. This is something between me and Y/N.”

“It’s not though, since it involves Allen,” said Ben.

“Shut up, dude, you weren’t even there,” Luke retorted.

With that, he got up and stormed into his room. They all heard the door slam shut.

That night, you arrived at the mansion and you were ready to face the men. You felt good about your decision to cancel the cocktail party, but you were sure the men were worried, especially those who didn’t have extra time with you on the date. But, you had to focus on your journey.

“Hi, guys,” you said. “Sorry about the cocktail party. I just...I know where my heart is and I need to follow it. I hope you can understand.”

A few of them nodded to you in return, but most of them shifted on their feet. It was time to begin. You picked up the first rose and scanned the group.

“Joe,” you said, and he hurried to you. “Joe, will you accept this rose?”

“I will,” he breathed.

You picked up the next one.

“Rami,” you called, and he approached. “Rami, will you accept this rose?”

“Of course,” he replied.

You picked up another as Rami returned to his spot.

“Gwilym,” you said.

He smiled at you as he walked up.

“Gwilym, will you accept this rose?”

“Always.”

You continued on. You called Taron, Wells, Mike, Kenny, Jared, Jordan, and John Paul Jones. There were two roses left. The remaining men were Allen, Luke, Chad, Eric, and John.

You picked up the next rose.

“Allen,” you called.

He clutched his chest with relief as he walked to you.

“Allen,” you said with a smile. “Will you accept this rose?”

“I will.”

He returned to his place. Chris emerged and stood beside you.

“Y/N, gentlemen,” he said. “This is the final rose tonight.”

Taron: I’m hoping this means Luke is leaving. He’s just...not right in the head. I mean, really, there’s something sort of unhinged about him.

You picked up the last rose and gazed out at the men, heart pounding. You knew who this rose was going to, but you were beginning to doubt yourself. Then you looked at him and felt that gut feeling that there was more to him.

“Luke,” you said.

You noticed a few men close their eyes or shake their heads. You hoped they would understand. Luke walked forward, relief all over his face, and he smiled at you.

“I don’t know what came over you this week,” you said. “But I feel that there’s goodness in you. That’s what I need to see. I hope you use your time here to prove to me who you really are.”

“I will, I promise,” he said.

“Good,” you replied. “Luke, will you accept this rose?”

“Of course, thank you,” he returned.

He pulled you in for a hug and kissed your cheek before returning to his spot. Chris came out again.

“Chad, Eric, John,” he said. “I’m sorry. Take a moment, say your goodbyes.”

Eric finished with the other men first and approached you.

“Good luck, Y/N,” he said. “I hope you find what you’re looking for.”

“Thank you so much,” you replied.

You hugged him tightly and whispered goodbye before he left the mansion.

John came over to you next.

“I’m sorry it didn’t work out,” he said. “But you have a great group of guys here.”

“I’m glad to hear that,” you said. “Thank you, John.”

He gave your hand a gentle squeeze before he too left.

Chad was last and he hugged you before he said anything. As he was pulling away, he stopped to whisper in your ear.

“Be careful with Luke,” he warned you. “Protect your heart, okay?”

“I will,” you said. “Thank you, Chad.”

He pressed his lips swiftly to your cheek and then swept out of the room. You looked around at the remaining men, and a new surge of hope was upon you. Chris got a champagne toast going.

“Y/N, you want to tell them the big news?” he asked.

“Sure,” you replied with a grin. “So, even though you’ve all got roses, you still have to pack your bags.”

You saw their confused glances.

“Because we are leaving this mansion and heading for Asheville, North Carolina!”

They cheered as you toasted.

“So the next time I see y’all, we’ll be in the Appalachian Mountains,” you said. “Good night, guys! I can’t wait!”

They all wished you goodnight in return as you left. You couldn’t wait to see what Asheville had in store for you and your boyfriends.

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louistomlinsoncouk · 5 years

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Q&A: Louis Tomlinson On 'Kill My Mind,' Taylor Swift, Oasis And More

Louis Tomlinson released his invigorating new single, the indie-rock leaning "Kill My Mind," this past week. The song has become an instant hit, earning raves from his massive fan base and critics.

When I spoke to him by phone this past Friday morning as he was leaving rehearsal for an upcoming show in Madrid, Spain, he said, "With this song I feel like I'm finally comfortable musically."

As a fan who grew up on bands like Oasis and the criminally underrated British band James, both of whom were featured on Tomlinson's recent playlist of "Kill My Mind," influences, Tomlinson is very excited to explore his rock side.

I spoke with Tomlinson about what led to the new direction musically, the love he still has for One Direction fans, why he admires Taylor Swift's social media skills and Liam Gallagher's rock star attitude and more.

Steve Baltin: How gratifying has the response to "Kill My Mind" been?

Louis Tomlinson: I think for anyone who works creatively it's always important to take risks and get out of your comfort zone a little bit. But, for me, with this song I feel like I'm finally really comfortable musically. I think I played around with a few different sounds on my previous singles. And I think I really found my home now. Before I was kind of making music that I think I assumed was the music I was supposed to make as opposed to just following my heart and doing what I love. I feel really comfortable and really confident in this song.

Baltin: It's comfortable for you, but for the fans it is still a little new. So that's what I meant about the response being gratifying.

Tomlinson: Yeah, you're right. It's taking a risk I suppose with the fan base. But I think also where I'm lucky and what my fans have reacted to is they see how comfortable I am and how natural this is for ne. And I think they feed into that. The reaction has been absolutely incredible, it has been amazing. I feel great about the whole process.

Baltin: Do you feel like you are more comfortable in general as you get older and that is extending to music?

Tomlinson: Yeah, and I think as you grow up you're more confident and use your experience and trust yourself really. I think in this process it was important for me to trust myself cause when I first played the song for the record labels they were probably a little bit shocked, when I say record labels I mean my American label and UK label, but very excited. I think it's very important to push the boundaries and it makes me feel a lot better.

Baltin: Do you feel like this is the direction you want to grow musically?

Tomlinson: It's definitely taught me a lot and the reaction being so great, like the playlist I uploaded, this is a lot of my inspiration and a lot of my influences. I think this is probably the biggest statement off the album.I wrote this song with the deliberate intention of feeling a little bit shocking and exciting.

Baltin: Is "Kill My Mind" indicative or does it set the tone for the rest of the album?

Tomlinson: Definitely, I did a long of songwriting over the last two to three years and I've worked with a lot of different people. I wrote three or four songs with Jamie Hartman, who's obviously on "Kill My Mind." And that was the first of that bunch and it made the songwriting after that a lot easier. One thing I did just want to mention is on the sonics of the song, other songs I released were really emotionally heavy. It was a great song for me and I needed to get it off my chest, but that's also kind of what made me excited also about the sound of "Kill My Mind" and the album kind of following on from that. It feels exciting, fun and nostalgic as opposed to being too emotionally heavy cause I didn't want to be defined as an artist who writes sad songs. That's now what I want to be.

Baltin: But every great artist has that diversity, from Elton John to the Stones, they have that range of sad songs and rock tracks. Who are those artists that inspire you for their evolution and range?

Tomlinson: It's a good question because sometimes in music, I'm not gonna mention any names, you get those bands that follow the radio trends. You lose a bit of identity and who they are as artists. If I think about my favorite band ever, Oasis, and I think about Liam Gallagher, I think it's almost as impressive he's retained such a strong and well-known sound, but still makes it different enough and exciting enough. People have been listening to Liam Gallagher for however many years and still they're interested.

Baltin: I have interviewed Liam multiple times and part of what makes him so special as an artist is he just doesn't give a damn.

Tomlinson: No he don't (laughs). It's refreshing.

Baltin: Going back to the playlist, James for example is a band I love. It's interesting because it often takes time when making a record to gain perspective on what a song or record is about. Did you feel all these influences right away or did it take a minute to hear them?

Tomlinson: I think that playlist, when I put it together, it was kind of a combination of general inspiration to me across my life and also specific to that song. But where I'm from in England, the North of England, that band sound was very prominent anywhere. And it's something that I've always loved and is a little bit different to your average One Direction fan's music choice. I've made some other playlists as well. It's really amazing for me for fans of mine who haven't heard someone like a Sam Fender, unbelievable, and just to get that moment of me sharing what I love listening to music and them giving their feedback is really nice.

Baltin: What would be the coolest thing you could hear someone say about these songs you turned them on to?

Tomlinson: For me, I'm big on lyrics and I suppose that's why I mentioned Sam Fender, I think he is a fantastic lyricist. And if there's a song or a lyric or something that I resonate with and then I get feedback from the fans that they also like that, it makes us feel even more connected and even more on the same page. And social media in general, obviously that is a massive conversation and there are of course pros and cons and everyone can be on social media less. But the amazing thing for me is it gives me a chance to have a real, genuine, direct relationship with my fans. I know that I wouldn't feel as close to my fans without social media. What is great when Taylor Swift, and she is f**king amazing with her fans, does these listening parties and brings fans to the house, the involvement of the fans is never ending. Nobody knows better than these people. So I'm always looking for clever and different ways to involve them and feel like they're included in the whole creative.

Baltin: Talk about how bringing this song to the stage excites you and also invigorates other older songs as well.

Tomlinson: Yeah, and that I have trouble with, putting a set list together because there are certain songs that fans gravitate to. I feel like, especially with my earlier couple of songs, like the Steve Aoki song, I love the song and it was a great song for me at the time, but musically it feels so different to where I'm at with "Kill My Mind" that we actually did completely strip that and start again and made a bit of an indie-pop version of it, my version of it. So it fits more in line with the rest of the stuff.

Baltin: What songs are you excited to bring to the stage and see how people respond to them?

Tomlinson: Well "Kill My Mind" obviously, I'm very excited to do that live. It's a song that naturally leans to a good live show. So that's an obvious one. But I think there are a couple of, on the album in general, songs that are written with fans in mind. So a little bit more sentimental songs and those are always special moments where, like you say, I can make eye contact with people in the first few rows and I can watch their brains thinking about the lyrics and how it relates to them.

#louis tomlinson #kill my mind promo #kmm: forbes #wow #08sep19

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dailytomlinson · 5 years