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phantasmagoric-acquaintance · 3 years

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who said anything about marriage

[read it here or on ao3]

Barry was nervous.

That was nothing new. Barry was nervous most of the time. But Barry hadn’t been nervous around Lup in decades.

There were so many things that could go wrong. For one, he could lose the ring. For the millionth time in the past half hour, he patted the outside of his jacket pocket. He felt the little box and exhaled quietly.

He could screw up the plan. They’d already made it to the restaurant on time, thank the Gods. But what if they missed the gondola ride? He’d booked the damned thing in advance, and if the rules he’d read online were any indication, the company didn’t give latecomers a whole lot of leeway. He could pop the question on the streets next to the canal, he supposed, but that was unromantic. Plus, he’d pre-paid so much for the ride.

And what if he fell? He’d made himself sick the night before reading articles about mistakes to avoid on a gondola. He knew not to try to stand, but what if he forgot? He could tip the boat and soak them both.

“Um, babe?”

Lup’s voice brought Barry out of his anxious reverie, and he remembered he’d been pouring a glass of wine, which was now very close to overflowing. “Aah!” He hastily righted the bottle, hitting the mouth against the overfilled glass in the process and very nearly knocking it over.

Lup snickered, eyes glinting with amusement. “You are a wreck,” she said as she lifted her own wine glass to her lips. There wasn’t a hint of malice in her voice or in her expression. Barry remembered that he’d probably embarrassed himself in front of her thousands of times, and she still loved him. As the waiter came by to take their orders, Barry felt himself relaxing.

That calm moment was short-lived.

When the waiter turned away from their table, Lup propped her elbows up on the table and rested her chin on her palms. “Hey, Bear?”

“Mm-hm?” Barry vocalized, sipping from his comically full wine glass.

“When are we gonna get married?”

Barry sputtered, spitting a little wine back into his glass and trying not to choke on the rest of it. “Huh?!?” Had she figured out his plan? She was clever, and he wasn’t the best at keeping secrets, but he thought he’d done a good job of keeping it from her. He’d known better, too, than to tell anyone expect Taako. Did she get it out of him?

She raised an eyebrow. “Well, don’t freak out or anything. It’s just, you know, we’ve been together for, like, I don’t know, an entire human lifespan?” She shifted her chin so that it rested only on her left palm and reached for her glass with her free hand. “I mean, we’re pretty much already married. I just thought, I dunno, maybe we should make it official.”

If Barry had been thinking, he might’ve told her “Yes! Gods, yes!” right then and there. He might’ve pulled out the ring and said, “Funny you should ask, I was thinking the same thing!” If he had been thinking, he might have realized that this moment, right here in the restaurant, was the perfect opportunity to do what he’d set out to do this evening.

But Barry wasn’t thinking. Barry was panicking.

“M-marriage? Who said anything about marriage?”

Lup set her left arm back down on the table. “Huh? Nobody said anything about it. Or, I guess I did.” She looked down at her glass and swirled it around a bit. “Geez, Barry, I wouldn’t have brought it up if I knew it’d make you all, like, panicky and sweaty and shit.”

“I-I’m not panicky and sweaty.” He was very obviously both of these things. It was this moment that the waiter came by, awkwardly setting their plates in front of them and hurrying off, sensing that whatever was happening here, it was definitely not something he wanted to be privy to any longer than necessary. “Y-you just caught me off guard, that’s all. Marriage is, you know, a big word.”

“Well, sure.” Lup picked up a fork and began swirling it in her pasta. “But, like, haven’t you thought about it before?” She lifted the fork to her mouth.

“Thought about marrying you?” Barry was drenched in sweat now.

“Mm-hm,” Lup managed through a mouthful of linguini.

“Well, no, I mean, why would I?”

This was absolutely, positively, the wrong thing to say. It might have been the worst possible thing Barry could’ve said, and he’d said it, and he couldn't take it back.

Lup swallowed her food hard and gaped at him. “Fucking excuse me?”

“Uhh…” He took a long sip of his wine.

“What do you mean, ‘Why would I?’?”

The pressure was on now, and Barry tended to falter under pressure. “I just, I mean, marriage is, it’s such a long-term commitment, you know? It, uh, ties you down and stuff.”

Lup’s eyes went even wider. “Barry, what are you trying to say?” she asked softly.

Barry threw his hands up. “Nothing! I- nothing! Just, you’re such a, a free spirit, I, uh, wouldn’t wanna… hold you back?”

She deflated, and he knew he’d dug himself deeper. “Yeah, okay.” She put her elbow back on the table, making a fist with her left hand and resting her cheekbone on her knuckles, and looked down at her plate.

Silence. Barry cut off a bit of his salmon and ate it. “Mmm!” he hummed exaggeratedly. “The salmon is amazing! How’s your food?”

Lup pushed her noodles around on her plate, not looking up. “It’s fine. Fantastic.”

They stayed like that for a while, him slowly eating his food and watching her, her only taking small occasional bites and refusing to look anywhere but her plate.

“Um, are… are you ready for the check?” Barry asked after some time.

“Hm? Oh, yeah. Whenever.” Lup stood. “Just, like, excuse me for a minute first.” She walked quickly towards the restroom.

When the door closed behind her, Barry sighed and sunk his face into his hands. He didn’t have the slightest idea how he was going to recover. “Fuck,” he breathed into his hands.

After a minute, Barry heard the sound of footsteps, distinct from the clicking of Lup’s heels, approach the table. “Barold.”

He lifted his head to see Taako, still in his full chef’s uniform, glaring at him, arms crossed. Fuck, he was really in trouble now. “Hi, Taako.” In retrospect, maybe it was a mistake to have this dinner at Lup’s brother’s restaurant. It had seemed like a sweet idea at the time. Taako had only recently gotten comfortable cooking for large crowds again, and he and Lup made efforts to support him when they could.

Taako leveled a glare at Barry. “One of my little birdies has just informed me that she saw my sister run crying into the bathroom. Would you, dear customer, mind telling me why that is?”

Barry exhaled, long and slow. “I beefed it, Taako.”

“You beefed it? What does that mean, exactly?”

“Okay, she brought up marriage out of nowhere and it threw me off and I didn’t want to spoil the proposal and I panicked and maybe I said some things I didn’t mean.”

“Such as…?”

“Such as… ‘I’ve never thought about marrying you,’ and ‘Marriage ties people down’…”

“Oh, good Gods. All because you didn’t wanna spoil some dumb overly romantic surprise?”

Barry flushed. “Well, when you put it like that…”

Taako pinched the bridge of his nose. “Barry, I don’t know how you’re going to do it, but if you know what’s good for you, you’re going to have this fixed by the end of tonight.”

Barry grimaced. “I-I’ll try.”

“You’ve also wasted my food.” Taako nodded at Lup’s mostly-untouched plate and tossed a leather check holder onto the table. “And if I find any fire damage in my bathroom, I’m charging you for that, too.” With that, Taako turned and strode back into the kitchen.

By the time Lup came out of the bathroom, Barry’s credit card had already been returned to him and he was signing the receipt. He looked up at her and tried not to wince when he noticed the mascara tracks marking paths down her cheeks from her puffy eyes. “Ready to go?”

“Mm.” She still wouldn’t look at him. He led her outside, and she leaned against the building, hugging herself and staring into space, eyes unfocused.

Barry stood next to her uneasily. “Uh, I’m going to… call the taxi now?”

“Mm-hm.”

Barry didn’t reach for his phone. Another uncomfortable silence passed.

Then, he sighed. “Okay, I-I didn’t wanna do it like this, but…”

Barry knelt down, pulled the ring box out of his pocket, and flipped it open.

Lup finally turned to face him now, stunned. “Wh-what-?”

He blushed and began rambling. “I had this whole evening planned, and there was supposed to be a gondola ride, that’s where we were supposed to go next, and I was going to ask you there, but then you brought up marriage and I panicked and I put my fucking foot in my mouth. It was so dumb, I’m so sorry I said all that shit, I didn’t mean any of it, I just really wanted it to be a surprise. Gods, I was so fucking dumb, of course I wanna marry you, if you’ll still have m-“

Lup bent down, grabbed Barry’s face, and kissed him hard.

Barry felt all the tension in his body melt away. He shut the ring box and held it securely in one hand. He brought the other up to sweep Lup’s hair behind her ear and held it there, against her cheek.

When Lup pulled away, she rested her forehead against his. “You’re a fucking wreck, baby.”

He chuckled. She was crying again and, Barry realized, so was he. “I know.”

She beamed. “We’ll work on it together, fiancé.” She gave him a quick peck on the lips. “I can’t believe you did all that for a fucking gondola ride, though. I mean, no offense, dear, but I’m kinda glad we didn’t do that.”

He grimaced. “Well, about that, I paid a lot of money for it, and there’s still time…”

Lup pouted. “Do we have to? I’d rather go home.” She kissed the corner of his mouth. “I’ll make it up to you,” she breathed.

Barry smiled. “Yeah, okay. You’ve convinced me.”

“Perfect!” Lup stood up, smirked, and held out her left hand. “Now gimme that rock!”

Taako lifted his phone off the bedside table and squinted at his notifications.

Lulu: Missed Call

Lulu: Voicemail

Remembering the scene at his restaurant the night before, he inhaled sharply and unlocked his phone. There are two ways that situation could’ve played out, he thought. He navigated to his voicemailbox and pressed play on the most recent message.

“Ugh, it’s so annoying how you’re never awake when I have news. I have big fucking news, by the way, so I’m gonna be really pissed at you if you don’t call me back within the next, like, two hours. Okay, later.”

Taako smiled. It was a relief to hear her sound so chipper. It meant this news of hers was definitely good, and it meant that Taako didn’t have to fight Barold. He sat up, rubbed the dust out of his eyes, and called his sister.

#taz #the adventure zone #taz balance #the adventure zone balance #blupjeans #barry bluejeans #lup #lup taaco #this is a couple months old but I really liked it at the time i wrote it #i hope its still good im kinda scared to think about it too hard #reese inspired me to write this in the first place i remember #i think she asked me a very simple like ''how would they get engaged after s&s do you think'' and i wrote her like a paragraph

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heliads · 3 years

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Breaking Promises

When Julie has to suddenly drop out of a Julie and the Phantoms performance, the role of lead singer falls to her best friend Y/N, as she’s the only other person who can make the boys visible to the world. When Y/N seems betrayed by this, it falls to Luke to figure out why the girl he’s been crushing on seems so hurt.

masterlist

Luke is bent over his guitar, fingers mindlessly strumming the strings. He’s supposed to be tuning the instrument, he knows that, but every time he tries to set himself up for some small task he can’t help but start trying to figure out another song. It’s like he can find music in everything, and sometimes, the call to come up with another few chord variations is too hard to ignore. Especially now, when he should have finished tuning his guitar ten minutes ago.

Well, it’s not like he has a whole lot to do anyway. The different members of Julie and the Phantoms (minus Julie herself) are strewn about the studio. Reggie is lying on a couch, staring up at the ceiling. Alex, for some reason, is trying to figure out if he can walk all the way around the room without his feet touching the floor once. His gaze is laser-sharp as he focuses, arms held out for balance as he carefully steps from ottoman to couch cushion.

Luke frowns over at him, attention finally broken from the guitar. “You know, walking on the rug does still count as having your feet touch the ground.” Alex holds up a warning finger. “Actually, the rules are that you can’t touch the floor itself. The rug is not the ground, so I’m fine.” Another voice rings out from across the room. “That’s a lie and you know it. Rugs have never been safe.” Alex folds his arms over his chest. “I’ve been playing The Floor is Lava for decades longer than you, Y/N, so I think I’d know.”

Y/N, however, is undaunted by this. “You can’t pull the age thing on me if you’re wrong. The lava would soak through any rug. It’s an obvious fact.” Alex makes a face at her. “I’m still right about this. Luke, back me up.” Luke shakes his head, unable to hide a grin. “Sorry, Alex. Y/N’s right. Rugs are totally out of bounds.” Alex shoots him a sour look. “Somehow I’m not surprised that you’d pick her side.” Luke’s mouth falls open as Reggie bursts out in laughter. “What is that supposed to mean?”

Y/N’s smiling now as well. “It means that he’s still jealous that we’re right. Pay it no attention.” She turns back towards the notebook in her hands, leaving Alex with the opportunity to look meaningfully between her and Luke. Luke shoots him a glare, which just makes Alex’s grin even broader. Sometimes, Luke wishes he wasn’t in a band with such idiots.

Luke’s irritation begins to fade away when he looks back at Y/N. Her hand is strewn across her lap as she studies her scrawled chemistry notes, fingers tapping out a rhythm on the go. It’s strange- Y/N seems like the perfect person for music. She always knows the beat to a song, and she seems to walk, talk, and breathe melodies just like Luke. Even now, when she’s focusing on her homework, she’s still coming up with drum beats on the fly. It’s astonishing.

Yet every time Luke asks Y/N about music, she always changes the subject. It’s never interested her, she claims, or she has always left that to Julie and Flynn, her two best friends. Those excuses don’t make sense, though- Luke’s been to Y/N’s house before and she’s got piles of sheet music stacked up in the corners, and dusty instrument cases hidden in the attic. Y/N has definitely had a history in music, Luke just can’t figure out why she’s hiding it.

Music isn’t the only mystery lingering around Y/N L/N. She isn’t a ghost, yet she can still see Luke, Alex, and Reggie as if they were all lifers. Luke remembers when they first met- Y/N had been Julie’s best friend, and so she had been inevitably dragged over to the studio to hear the boys perform and prove that Julie wasn’t crazy, just like what happened to Flynn. Unlike Flynn, however, Y/N’s eyes had caught on the boys from the second she walked through the door, even before they had started playing music.

She had greeted them with no problem, and then her easygoing smile had started to fade when she saw the looks of utter confusion on Luke and his friends. A wave of troubled realization crested over her eyes when Julie explained that they were ghosts, as if she knew exactly why she could suddenly see them. Julie had been confused as well, and then she had turned to Y/N with a look of thunderstruck understanding.

“You can see them because of-” Her voice had cut off and Y/N had nodded quietly. “Yes.” The girls hadn’t said anything more, but Luke can still see the silent sadness that wrapped around both Y/N and Julie before they hurriedly changed conversations. They were clearly hiding something, but Luke doesn’t know what it could possibly be. They haven’t brought it up again, and they seem keen on hiding any possible reasons as to why Y/N has no problems seeing ghosts.

After a couple of minutes, Julie bursts through the door of the studio, out of breath from running to them. She stands in the doorway for a second, looking distinctly panicked. “You guys remember the gig we have planned in a couple of days?” Luke nods, along with the rest of his band. How could he not? It’s a fairly big show, at a premier jazz club. It’s no Orpheum, but it’ll give them some excellent street cred that the band could use to get even bigger.

Julie closes the studio doors behind her, and walks over to the assembled band. “We have a problem.” Y/N’s forehead creases, and she starts to rise out of her chair. “Here, I’ll let you guys talk this over in private.” Yet Julie shakes her head, gesturing for Y/N to sit back down. “Actually, I’m afraid you have to be here for this.” Y/N sits back down, looking troubled. Luke can’t blame her- Julie’s gaze keeps flickering over to her friend with a distinctly guilty expression.

Julie steeples her fingers in front of her. “Something came up with my family and I can’t make it to the show. I know the performance is a big deal, but I can’t miss this thing with my family. The only problem is that the jazz club has a strict policy on band cancellations, and we’ve already missed the window for backing out. We have to perform, but there’s no way I can make it in time.” Luke’s gaze falls. How are they supposed to play if they don’t have Julie? Without her, nobody will be able to see them.

Julie squares her shoulders, as if readying herself for a hardship. “We have to have someone performing with the boys so they can be seen and the club won’t think we’re backing out on them. I’m sorry, Y/N, but it has to be you.” Instantly, Y/N’s gaze drops. “What are you talking about?” Julie holds up her hands as if to defend herself from an attack. “I know how it sounds, but hear me out. You have an incredible voice, and you already know the boys better than anybody else.”

Luke looks over at Y/N, and is surprised to see that she looks distinctly unhappy. Angry, even. Reggie, on the other hand, does not seem to have picked this up. He beams over at her. “Y/N, I didn’t know you could sing! This is going to be so good!” Y/N glares over at Julie. “Judging by the fact that the boys don’t know about this, I’m assuming that this was all your idea. You want me to sing in a band in front of a large audience? Why not ask Flynn, or even Carrie? She would be better for this.”

Julie winces. “I know how you feel, but it’s our only option. The boys have to perform with someone who can see them so they can be visible to the audience. It has to be you.” If looks could kill, Julie would be as dead as Luke. Y/N’s voice is slow and cold. “You know what this means to me. You know exactly what this means to me, and you’re still asking me to do this. I can’t believe you.”

Julie starts to speak again, but Y/N holds up a hand. “Don’t worry, I’ll do it. After all, the future of this band is far more important than any of your friends, isn’t it? I know the songs, I’ll be ready. That’s what you really care about.” Y/N stands up, looking down at Julie with an expression of utter loathing. “When you didn’t want to make music because of your mom, I was there. I understood. But the rules only apply to you, don’t they? I will never forgive you for this.” With that, she walks swiftly out of the study, muttering something about needing to be alone.

Luke looks from the slamming door to Julie. “What was that about?” Julie looks sick to her stomach. “I never should have asked her to do this. She’s right, it was a bad idea.” Alex shakes his head, confused. “I don’t understand. What’s wrong with Y/N having to perform?” Julie just sighs. “It’s personal. If she doesn’t tell you, I don’t think I should either. I’ve already upset her too much.”

Luke gets up slowly. “I’m going to go talk to her.” Before Julie can say a word to stop him, Luke is already poofing out of the studio. He can see Y/N’s figure disappearing around one corner, then two. He follows her slowly, and feels a dull surprise creep over him when he realizes that she is heading towards the cemetery. What could possibly be waiting for her there?

Something in the back of Luke’s head is telling him that this is too personal, and he’s about to witness a scene that was not meant for his own eyes to see. Something else tells him that Luke needs to see this to understand Y/N, and to learn how to fix whatever problem has just split her friendship with Julie down the middle. So, Luke continues to shadow Y/N’s footsteps, always just behind a tree or out of sight when she looks back. He has a feeling that if he is sighted or makes a sound, Y/N will back down from whatever she is about to do.

Eventually Y/N stops moving, and kneels beside a gravestone. It seems fairly recent, not chipped away and eroded like the others. Luke peers closer at the stone and realizes that it’s inscribed with a girl’s name, and the last name is L/N. Also, the death date occurred about a year ago. All of a sudden, Luke realizes who Y/N is visiting. Could this be her sister, a sister that died? Is that why she’s so upset?

Luke’s thoughts stop churning for a second when he realizes that Y/N is speaking quietly to the stone. “Hi. It’s me again. I just had to come here because-” Her voice drops off and she takes a second to collect herself before she begins speaking once more. “I need to apologize. You know that band I’ve talked about before? The one that’s made up of my friends? Well, they have this performance coming up in a few days, and they need me to sing with them because they’re ghosts and I’m one of the only people who can see them. I know how it sounds and everything, but I have no choice-”

Y/N’s eyes widen and she stops speaking. There, standing a few inches in front of her, is a girl. She looks only a couple of years older than Y/N, and even without the inscription on the headstone Luke can tell that this is Y/N’s sister. He can see it in her eyes, the shape of her face. However, unlike Y/N, this girl has a distinctive scowl that never seems to leave her expression, not even for a second. Y/N seems startled at the sight of her sister. “You’re here? I thought-”

Y/N’s sister cuts her off. “What, you thought I wouldn’t be here and so you’d feel okay with pretending everything is fine? We had a promise, don’t you remember? If I have to die and never play music again, you have to uphold the bargain. That’s how it works.” The girl starts walking forward, and Y/N scrambles backwards out of her way. “It wasn’t my choice- I didn’t want to- I have to be there! I tried to argue but there’s no way out of it.” The girl clicks her tongue in disappointment. “I hoped that you would try a little harder. Aren’t you supposed to be keeping my memory? Well, I can think of another way to keep the promise.”

Luke’s head snaps up as he realizes what the girl is about to do. Just before the sister’s arm reaches Y/N, he has poofed into existence in between them, stopping the blow just before it lands. Y/N stares at him. “Luke? Where did you come from?” Luke flashes her an apologetic smile. “I was trying to find you so I could figure out why you were so upset. I think I get it now, though.” Y/N’s sister huffs an irritated sigh. “Look at you, a friend to the rescue. This doesn’t concern you. The promise is between us.”

Luke shakes his head. “You don’t get to hurt her. Not like this, not in the promise. I want you to leave her alone. Only come back when you’re ready to apologize or treat her better.” Y/N’s sister scoffs. “And why would I do that?” Luke’s gaze grows steely. “Because I have friends who can make you. Have you ever heard of Caleb Covington? He knows me, and if I needed something I know he’d show up.” Y/N’s sister’s gaze falters. “You’re in touch with Caleb?” Luke nods. “I take it you know him?”

The girl looks terrified. “Any ghost who’s anybody knows about Caleb.” Her gaze cuts over to Y/N. “I’ll stop, I swear it. Sing with them. I don’t care. Just don’t set Caleb on my trail.” Luke squares his shoulders. “I won’t unless I have to.” Y/N’s sister fixes him with one last look, then poofs out again, leaving Luke and Y/N alone. Luke offers Y/N a hand, which she takes. She’s shaking slightly, which twists Luke’s heart like a knife. She glances over at him, confused.

“Wait, why did you bring up Caleb? I thought he hated you guys. You talked about him like he was a friend.” Luke spread his hands. “She doesn’t have to know that. I mean, all I really said is that Caleb knows who I am, and he does.” Y/N laughs incredulously. “You were bluffing that whole time? Even I believed you.” The two of them walk out of the cemetery, and only after they’re out on the sunlit sidewalk does Luke finally turn to Y/N once more.

“Was your sister the reason you didn’t want to perform with us at the club?” Y/N sighs. “Yes. We were closer than anything, and we had a little gig going as a joint act. We sang and wrote music together. We had plans of being this great band, and then she died one night in an accident.” Y/N stifles a broken laugh. “When I saw her again, I thought I was hallucinating. Then she broke my window and I realized she was actually there, albeit in ghost form. She made me promise that I would never perform again, because it wouldn’t be fair to her memory. Some part of me knew it wasn’t right, but I was afraid of her, I guess.”

Luke sees the doubt beginning to creep back onto Y/N’s face, and he wraps an arm around her shoulders, pulling her close. “It wasn’t right at all. That promise wasn’t something she could ask of you. That’s not dedication to music, that’s just her controlling her. A real musician would want you to move on and grow. I mean, we all hate Bobby because he stole our songs, not because he kept performing. I mean, I’m proud of him for doing so well, even though he tried to write us out of history. The issue isn’t with you singing, I promise.”

Y/N looks up at him, and Luke feels lost in her gaze. “Thank you for having my back. I know I shouldn’t have blown up at Julie, but I was so upset that she would make me perform that I guess I just lost it.” Luke frowns. “Julie knew about the promise?” Y/N nods. “I dropped out of music class and she wanted to know why. I told her that my sister had died and she didn’t want me to perform anymore, but not about the ghost stuff. Obviously.” A slight smile begins to creep onto her face. “Honestly, I’m excited about performing. I haven’t sung in front of people in a long time.”

Luke returns her smile. “I’m excited to hear you. To be honest, I’ve been hoping to hear you perform for a while.” Y/N’s brow furrows. “You knew I did music?” Luke shrugs. “I knew music was important to you so I took a guess. I know you’ll be amazing.” Y/N laughs. “How do you know that?” Luke leans down to press a kiss to her cheek. “I just have a feeling.”

#luke patterson #luke patterson imagines #luke patterson x reader #luke patterson oneshot #jatp #jatp imagines #jatp x reader #jatp oneshot #jatp luke #jatp luke imagines #jatp luke x reader #jatp luke oneshot #julie and the phantoms #julie and the phantoms luke #julie and the phantoms imagines #julie and the phantoms oneshot

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lihikainanea · 3 years

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This is a long angsty thought I had so I apologize: Bill and Tiger on vacation with friends and this is the first one with a few new editions to the group. Tiger gets along with all of them, but one night the girl reveals she wants to get with Bill. While Tiger gets a flare of jealousy, the calming waves and shining moon makes her feel a little more vulnerable than normal. She plays it cool, but she can’t help noticing how this girl is nice, she’s a solid friend from what Tiger can tell. She bottles up her emotions from the conversation, going straight to bed without texting or visiting Bill’s room. He’s slightly worried, of course, but just figured she got wasted. She had given him a key to her room so he walked in late to get some lovin, but she’s asleep. He sees the tears on her face, still wet and he knows somethings wrong. She wakes up from his stare and she loses it. He tries being stern with her, but he knew it was really bad when that didn’t work. She sadly tells him and he doesn’t say it’s dumb or that she’s overthinking. He just kisses her, plain stupid, grabbing her face and pulling her onto him. “Every time I look at you, kid. Every single time I look for you specifically and that won’t change.” He says, the warmth in her chest makes her head spin, and she smiles which he returns. “Plus, she spent the night with another guy hear yesterday, she was probably just a little vacation lovesick, just like another girl I know” He says, pinching her bottom. (Okay I’m done, but when she feels up to it he definitely fucks her so good she’s speechless and has to keep repeating that she’s his.)

Ohhhh sweet nani, the thoughts you have given me.

Thank you.

I love it when tiger just kind of gets all up in her head about this thing she has going with Bill, because goddamn if that ain't relatable eh? My friends and I talk about this a lot, about the differences in the way men and women approach dating or hell, even hitting on someone. And we have come to one main conclusion: men will almost always approach and hit on someone WAY the fuck out of their league, and women seldom will.

I don't know about ya'll, but when I see an insanely attractive guy I just like...shut down. I stare at my feet. I mumble. I blush. I want the ground to open up and swallow me whole--and the last thing on my mind is "yo, I'mma hit on this tall drink of water." Like, I would literally rather pull my own teeth out than hit on a guy that is so ridiculously attractive and so COMPLETELY OUT OF MY LEAGUE.

But dudes? Dudes will see a solid 10 walking down the street and think "Thank god I'm a fucking 14 because that bish is mine." It's actually incredible. Like, it's a scientific phenomenon.

For all the confidence that us women lack, the wrong men seem to have absorbed it all by fucking osmosis.

Fascinating.

ANYWAY. I'll bet tiger feels like that a lot. Bill is just...he's so much, you know? On the surface level there's his insane good looks, his height, the fact that he's a rich motherfucker, and he's famous. All of that weighs on tiger's mind, yes, but then she's even worse off because she knows what's underneath too. A kind, gentle mammoth of a man, the most empathic person she has ever met, someone who is incredibly sensitive and who takes such good care of her, worries over her, tries every day to make her happy. And tiger just...tiger will never understand how she got so lucky.

But then alright, it's time for another friend vacation and this time there are a few new additions. People try not to make a big deal out of it but somehow there always is just a slight check in with Bill--nobody does it outright because god Bill would be mortified and so would everyone else, but there is definitely a few mentions of new people joining the vacation and it gives Bill a chance to back out if he's not comfortable with the idea.

And maybe tiger really does genuinely hit it off with one of the girls. She's a real firecracker, and the exact type of person that tiger respects. She's funny, she's pretty as all hell, she's not afraid to make a bit of a fool of herself to make everyone laugh. This girl eats like a trucker and swears like a sailor, and tiger thinks she's good people. So much so that one night maybe the boys go off and do their own thing, macho bonding or some shit, and tiger and this girl grab some drinks and have some good girl bonding time.

But then it happens. A few drinks in, it happens. And this girl absolutely isn't trying any in vino veritas bullshit, this is really just the first opportunity she's had to drill a little deeper.

"So what's his deal?" she asks. Tiger blinks, sips her drink.

"Who's deal?" she replies. But tiger knows exactly who.

"Bill," she says, "Is he single?"

"Oh, uh," tiger knocks back another big sip of her drink, "...Yeah. Yeah he's single."

Because what is she supposed to say? No, he's taken? Then that would lead to questions about why he's on this vacation alone.

The girl gets a devious smirk, steeples her fingers together--and tiger just wants to hit something, because goddamn this girl is cute. Adorable, even. And when she gives a little whoop and a dorky fistpump, tiger feels her stomach drop to the floor--not because she's after Bill, no no, even worse--because she's actually just so perfect for him.

"Diiiiiiibs," the girl says, "Man I've been eyeing that tall drink of water all trip."

"Ha, yeah," tiger stammers awkwardly and downs the rest of her drink, "He's a handsome one."

"Are you cool with it?" the girl asks, and actually places a concerned hand on tiger's knee, "I don't want to...come between anything. If there is anything." Dis bitch is cute as a button and kind. Fuck.

Tiger gives a casual shrug.

"Why wouldn't I be cool with it?" she says, "I....don't have any claim to him."

"Would it be weird for you?"

"Go for it," she mumbles.

And tiger wants to tell this girl to back off, that Bill is claimed, and that Bill is being claimed every goddamn night of this vacation to the point where his back jammed on him again and tiger had to ice it down this morning. But she can't say any of that--and in true tiger fashion, she just gets a little sad about it. Anger and ferocious defensiveness for Bill would be her first reaction if this girl was a real fucking idiot, but god she's just....she's so nice.

"Okay, okay okay okay," the girl smoothes her hair down, starts to look real serious, "Help a bitch out. What should I do?"

And poor tiger, tiger has to sit there the whole night while this girl actually schemes to get her claws into Bill. And tiger is almost forced to help.

She retreats back to her own room that night, nauseated, sad, and with raw emotions bubbling to the surface. And bless your heart sweet nani, bless your heart for knowing mine so well--because the shining moon absolutely gets to her, the call of the crashing waves. Tiger sits out on her balcony for a bit but she just cries. Just lets it all overwhelm her, lets herself feel every emotion she tried to reel in that night as she helped give a girl tips on how to get Bill. And when she's too exhausted, when it's all just too much--she goes to bed. She misses the text messages from Bill--doesn't even look at her phone, actually. Just curls up in Sad Girl form, all balled in on herself, and falls asleep.

And Bill thinks it's pretty strange that she's not responding, and it's even more strange that she didn't let herself into his room which they had agreed would be their place of rendezvous that night. So instead, he does a quick check of the hallways and then Pink Panther's his lanky ass against the wall before deftly swiping his key card in her door and opening it.

And that's exactly how he finds her, cheeks still wet, her own thumb in her mouth, all curled in on herself. Concerned, he traces a gentle finger down her cheek and she stirs.

"Tiger," he crouches down to be eye level with her, "What's wrong?"

She blinks sleepily, bristles a little, and swipes at her cheeks.

"Nothing," she croaks. Her throat is dry from crying, and she winces.

He doesn't say anything. Just brushes his thumbs across her cheeks, keeping her face in his hands.

"Tiger," he says sternly, "We have rules."

"Yellow," she says immediately, "I don't...I don't want--"

"Okay," he soothes, running his hands up her arms, "We won't. But tiger, can you tell me what's wrong?"

"Bill, it's nothing. Let's just go to sleep."

But like, she's cracking. There are fresh tears rolling down her cheeks now, and Bill knows she needs to let something out.

"It's me kid," he says softly, "You can tell me anything."

And like, tiger cracks. It opens the floodgates. She tells him everything--the entire conversation, every little detail of it. When she works herself up too much at some points, when he starts to hear a wheeze in her breath, he puts a steadying hand on her knee to help ground her. But she lets it all out--every detail, everything this girl said about him, everything tiger told her. She's full on crying again by the end, but Bill just listens. He listens, and he waits.

And you know what I love here, nani? God it's so important. Bill doesn't tell her she's nuts. Doesn't tell her she's foolish for ever thinking he wanted anyone but her. Because that's not what will get through to her. Instead, just like he always does--he loves her and reassures her in the way that she needs, in the way that she can recognize in that moment.

He waits as she pauses, waits to see if she'll continue, but she doesn't.

"Are you done?" he asks quietly. She nods.

"Can I say something now?" he ducks to catch her gaze, and she nods again. He pulls her into his lap.

"Tiger, it's you," he says simply, "It's you kid. Only, and always."

She sniffles, and he kisses her nose.

"Everybody else can try as much as they want. They can give it their best shot. It won't matter," he continues, "It's you, kid."

Ugh, my fucking heart. It gives her the reassurance that she needs. And listen, over the next few days, Bill finds little ways to reinforce that. Maybe this girl does take a shot at him--and he politely, gently shoots her down. Maybe when tiger is feeling ready for it, man he gives it to her so good that she has to stay in bed the next day, because she's walking funny. It's his secret glances, his small winks, his hand on her knee under the table, rising just a liiiiiiiittle high under the safety of the dark night club.

It's everything she needs, in the way that she needs it.

this ask was a gift nani, thank you.

#bill skarsgard #bill skarsgard drabble #BFF!Bill #vacation bill

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meetmebehindthemall13 · 4 years

Text

FOLKLORE IS NOT AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL, IT’S NOT ABOUT HER! IT’S FROM MADE UP CHARACTERS POVs!1!1!1!

Ok. Sure Jan!

In this essay I will explain why I think it’s quite the opposite. For the record I don’t think there has ever been a more personal, emotionally transparent and intimate album.

The 1

- Lyrical reference to ME! “I never leave well enough alone”

- TIWWCHNT aesthetics (Roaring twenties, jumping in pool from the trampoline, feeling so Gatsby for that whole year).

- Curiously associated to “the 1”, Big Sur highway or the Subway Line in NYC

Cardigan

- Reference to High Line in the West Village. Because when it’s like 10 minutes from Franklin Street or Charles Street, MUST be about other people right?

- Once in 20 lifetimes, 20 is almost the new 13 lately.

- “Loves me like I’m brand new” CIWYW vibes/main concept

The last great American dynasty

- Explicit parallels between Rebekah’s life and Taylor’s and the way the neighbors judged both of them. The parties, loud women, pack bitch friends.

- Interesting St. Louis reference

- Interesting “wedding was charming if a little gauche” (gauche defintion by dictionary.com: lacking social grace, sensitivity, or acuteness; awkward; crude; tactless) ...........ring any bell?

Exile

- I’m just going to leave these here and not even gonna waist my time explaining

My tears recochet

- Obvious reference to BMR, SBX2

- Very suspicious at the diamond ring but I’ll give it the benefit of the doubt

Mirrorball

- On the pressure that the desire to always be liked, appreciated, validated, approved by others please watch Miss Americana.

- On the pressure of double standards in the music industry for women, her words: “Be new to us, be young to us—but only in a new way and only the way we want. Reinvent yourself but only in a way that we find to be equally comforting and a challenge for you. Live out a narrative that we find interesting enough to entertain us, but not so crazy that it makes us uncomfortable. This is probably one of my last opportunities as an artist to grasp on to that kind of success, so I don't know. As I'm reaching 30, I want to work really hard, um, while society is still tolerating me being successful."

Seven

- Chilhood memories in Pennsylvania under her, are there still beautiful things?

- Won’t comment on braids like a pattern or the hide in the closet lines.

August

- Guest starring the recurring theme of hiding and keeping things secret, let’s make it a regular character because it’s here to stay.

- Will you call when you’re back at school. CAN name of someone who was attending school while having a relationship with Taylor. But won’t.

This is me trying

- Pulling car off the road to the lookout. Now there’s some suggestive photo reference for this line. Google it: Taylor Swift Big Sur

- “It's hard to be anywhere these days when all I want is you. You're a flashback in a film reel on the one screen in my town.” I’m sure everybody has to live with the face of their ex lover on screens all over your town, especially when the city screams their name. Very common.

Illicit affairs

- “You showed me colors you know I can’t see with anyone else” AND “you taught me a secret language I can’t speak with anyone else” sound very autobiographical but I will give this the benefit of the doubt as well.

- “And you know damn well for you I would ruin myself” is the big sister of “And baby, for you, I would fall from grace just to touch your face”, fight me on that.

Invisible string

- Centennial park in Nashville.

- Bad blood, Yogurt shop.

- Thread of gold.

- Blues and then purple-pink skies.

- Dive bar reference. Dive bar where you at.

Mad woman

- SBX2

- Cannons firing at a yatch. Sure it’s a fictional Betty here talking.

- Witch hunt makes yet another appearance.

Epiphany

- This actually is too personal for the whole world.

Betty

- Wondering if Betty’s garden has a gate you could sneak through.

- Inez and James, Blake and Ryan’s daughters. BOTH female. But sure take only what you need from Taylor’s personal life inspiration.

Peace

- So the person who’s writing is convinced that danger and troubles are always going to come to them and their lover because of their very identity, because of who they are and who they represent. Archer anyone? “Who could ever leave me baby but who could stay”.

- Robbers to the east. Clowns to the West (capitalized).

- Your brother as my brother.

- Love for show and dying for the same love in secret.

Hoax

- My best laid plan....“I am an architect I’m drawing up the plans”

- “You knew the hero died so what's the movie for?” Is “And all of my hero died all alone”‘s cousin. Study that family tree.

- “You know I left a part of me back in New York”

- Your faithless love is the only hoax I believe in. Either you feel this or you don’t. I don’t make the rules.

#taylor swift #taylor #folklore #betty #illicit affairs #the 1 #cardigan #august #seven #hoax #peace #exile #mirrorball #last great american dynasty #this is me trying #kaylor #gaylorswift #gaylor

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katsukisbimbo · 4 years

Text

DDAENG

✯ pairing: hawks x reader

✯ genre: FLUFFYYDS!!

✯ summary: fan! hawks meeting his newly debuted idol crush y/n at a fansign!

✯wordcount: 2.1k+

✯warning: just swearing and hawks being thirsty <3

✯ note: this literallt came to me because i was trying to turn @hoodtoshi into a bts stan (lowkey succeeded) and i was jus like yea, thirsty hawks

-ˏ͛⑅　‧̥̥͙‧̥̥ ̥ ̮ ̥ ⊹ ‧̫‧ ⊹ ̥ ̮ ̥ ‧̥̥‧̥̥͙　⑅ˏ͛--ˏ͛⑅　‧̥̥͙‧̥̥ ̥ ̮ ̥ ⊹ ‧̫‧ ⊹ ̥ ̮ ̥ ‧̥̥‧̥̥͙　⑅ˏ͛--ˏ͛⑅　‧̥̥͙‧̥̥

- you were nervous

- this was your first fan meet after all,, but you were still nervous

- you were only 19 and had already debuted!!

- that didn’t happen to just anyone!!

- you worked super hard to get to where you are today!! everyone knew that!!

- you sighed as your make-up artist continued to paint your lips a dark red colour

- you honestly didn’t look like yourself, but this was to keep up the whole idol image i guess

- “jinhee, how many people are outside? i’m sure only two people came to see me..” you pouted, resulting in your make-up artist to smack your cheek lightly

- “dOn’t say that you dummy! i’m sure a lot of people came to see you!” she scolded, wiping off the excess makeup on a towel

- “now get out, you’re done”

- “i don’t wanna”

- she raised a newspaper and flexed, ready to beat the fuck out of you if she heard another whisper of self-deprecation from you

- “fine! i’m going!” you grumbled, pouting at oncoming soreness of your feet from your heels

- why did idols have to wear heels anyway?

- okay no, you knew why, but sTill!! they sucked!

- you smiled as you saw the buffet table

- one little snack wouldn’t hurt

- >:)

- “keigo stop fuckign puSHING”

- “im so EXCITED!! i’m meeting THE y/n you SLUTBAG!!” keigo yelled as he shook his companion

- dabi sometimes questioned why he was still friends with keigo

- “i SEE that you asshole”

- keigo took this opportunity to punch dabi in the arm, causing dabi to retaliate, causing kEigo to retaliate, causing dAb-

- okay so

- “i’ve been in love with her ever since she debuted!! and she debuted ALONE!! a whole solo artist!! the talent!! the beauty!! i’m in love!!”

- dabi raised a brow at his friend

- “didn’t you tweet about wanting to ‘put a baby inside of her’?”

- keigo felt his cheeks heat up at the possibility of you seeing his indecent tweets about you

- what if you had seen? what if you think he’s a creep? what if you already hated him??

- keigo felt his anxiety creep onto his shoulders as he continued to overthink, not realizing that they were already next to go in

- ruh roh raggy

- keigo didn’t know anything BUT anxiety

- rip keigo we’ll miss you big daddy :,(

- “please come in, please don’t shout”

- whO was shouting?? nobody was shouting

- keigo wasn’t gonna shout

- as keigo was about to shout, he felt himself be silenced by his partner

- all keigo could feel was betrayal

- “calm down you hot dog, you’re going to TALK to her in person jfc. you can tell her how much you want to father her children then”

- it was almost time and you were STILL at the food table

- you saw a small intern approach you with an uneasy look on her face

- she was for sure about to reprimand you

- “m-ms. y/n,, we have to go now!” she stuttered

- she was sO! cute you just couldn’t say no

- so you decided to just sneak a few bags of chips under your skirt before smiling and quickly following her

- you made your way to the stage, peeking behind the curtains

- you saw a huge crowd of people, mostly males, but one man who sat near the front caught your eye

- he had bright yellow eyes with matching blond hair, even wearing some eyeliner

- the unknown male looked absolutely delectable

- he made you bark a little tbh

- you took a deep breath before you were pushed by your manager on the stage, cheers suddenly reaching your ears as your fans confessed their love for you

- quit shamelessly might you add

- you blushed as you watched the cute blond-haired man cup his hands around his mouth and yell—

- “I LOVE YOU Y/N! IM YOUR NUMBER ONE FAN!” he yelled, gaining the attention of everyone in the room

- soon everyone started to yell that they were your biggest fan and that the blond man could never even compare

- but the man had nothing but a satisfied smirk plastered on his handsome face

- did he enjoy starting riots?

- you sat on the chair, placing your hands on top of the table

- this was a small table ngl

- luckily there was a sheet on the table, hiding your nervously bouncing legs

- just imagine watching a fancam of you bouncing your leg

- people would still thirst for that

- anyway

- “thank you guys for coming! i’m so excited to meet you all!” you started, smiling at the large number of people

- “you guys can ask me questions or some things? i don’t know?” you laughed, feeling slightly awkward

- you didn’t know how to be a person

- “can you do a dance for us!!” a young boy, about the age of 7 yelled, jumping up and down in front of his seat

- “what dance?” you queried, raising your brow in curiosity

- “move by taemin!!” he cheered, immediately dancing

- you laughed at his adorable actions

- you were totally gonna dance for him!

- you got up as the music started to play in the background, moving to the side of the table and sensually moving to the beat while the audience watched intently

- you carefully moved your hips, hitting all the right beats

- this wasn’t any different than dancing in front of the camera people, plus you had to get used to an audience

- it also wasn’t any different from how you had to dance to kpop songs from when you were younger for your family!!

- (no, literally. the amount of times i had to dance to 2NE1’s i am the best, girls generation’s gee, and wonder girls’ nobody. the dances are engraved in my head. 6 year old giri had to dance or else)

- as the song faded out, you held your pose before bowing, smiling at the little boy who continued to hype you up

- “holy fuck.. dabi that was hot” hawks whispered, tightening his grip around his friends sleeve

- “jeez kei, ease up a bit” dabi complained, prying his friends hand off of him

- “oh my god she’s such a great dancer, do you think she’ll like me if i learn how to dance too?” he questioned, grabbing his friend by the front of his shirt, pissing dabi off once more

- “no. not if you don’t stop being a fuckinf weirdo”

- hawks pouted

- dabi grinned

- how cruel

- “does anyone else have a request?”

- “WAP!!” a number of people yelled, resulting in your face heating up

- how would they suggest such a lewd dance!

- especially when there were children here!

- “haha! that doesn’t seem very appropriate!” you laughed it off, trying your best to mask your uncomfortableness

- hopefully this would end soon

- “no! can you dance to gashina please!” a girl yelled, catching your attention

- hm, gashina was actually a very good suggestion

- you could do this! you could be as great as sunmi!

- okay maybe no. sunmi was a god <3

- you did the routine, catching the eyes and the hearts of the audience

- “fuck i think i’m in love dabi” hawks whined, clutching his chest

- he had a lovesick expression plastered on his face

- he was totally whipped for you, no doubt about it

- before you knew it, it was time for the fans to have a minute to speak to you and for them to get their albums signed!

- you had recently debuted with your album, dawn in tokyo

- you had taken inspiration from the time where you had left your hotel at dawn and walked around the streets of tokyo, sitting near a bridge and writing lyrics for some of the songs in the album

- hence the name of the album

- most of your album was written in japan

- hawks felt himself get more excited as he came closer to you, holding tightly to the fabric of his friends jacket, which wouldn’t surely gotten him slapped if you weren’t so near

- before he knew it, he was already next in line, dabi already sitting in front of your figure while holding your soft, delicate looking hand in his large ugly ones

- this made hawks’ chest bubble with jealousy

- >:(

- sure, you had a large fan base, but it still hurt to see people touch you the way he wanted to

- it was now his turn, he walked up the stairs with his wobbly knees, wanting to just sit and be near you

- he knew that you would be able to calm his nerves, or make him spontaneously combust

- “hey! i’m y/n! nice to meet you!” you smiled, out-stretching your hand to him, offering to place your hand in his own

- he swiftly, but gently grasped your hand, before placing it on his cheek, letting you hold the soft chub of his cheek

- no fan had been this brave to do this. it was quite surprising to be honest

- he wasn’t breaking any rules so you decided to fuck it and go with it

- you placed both your hands on his cheeks, slightly squishing them together, causing him to adorably pout

- “dash not nishe” he mumbled, brows furrowing

- you laughed before letting go of his face, bringing your hands back to your side of the table

- “you’re so cute! can i sign your album for you?” you smiled, tilting your head to the side

- hawks just..dieded

- mans said peace out

- your beauty was incomprehensible

- phew, he had to get his shit together! he was trying to impress u! he wanted to be the mc in a wattpad story

- we all wanna be y/n

- anywayss

- “sure dove! u can make it out to keigo, u can put your number in it too ;)” he winked

- KDNDHSK

- DID HE—

- DID HE JUST ASK FOR YOUR NUMBER

- LIKE—

- nobody:

- y/n: i’m not gon do it girl.. i’m just thinking about it

- “ah! sorry cutie! i’m not allowed to share my number :333”

- you tried to laugh as you died inside

- he smiled, before placing a kiss on your fingertips

- “don’t worry dove,i respect that” he winked

- BARK BARK

- “i have some gifts for you!” he announced, placing the huge paper bag on top of the table

- he first pulled out your favourite snack before handing it to you

- how did he get these??

- omg

- then, he brought out a bottle of perfume, and a new song writing notebook!

- this was great!!

- “oh my gosh! keigo! you’re too sweet” you cooed,

- this was a lot

- “i also have something else.. would you wear this flower crown for me and do some fan-service?” he queried

- of course you would!

- you nodded before placing the flower crown on top of your head

- “what do you want me to say?”

- “say.. i’ll be a good dove for hawks. is that okay?” he smirked, tracing small circles into the palm of your hands

- w-wHAT

- was this legal

- your managers were literally ignoring you—

- “o-oh! sure! uhm-“

- god you were going to regret this

- “i-i’ll be a good dove for hawks!” you whimpered, showing off your practiced aegyo

- “ahhh! my heart!” he gasped, dramatically clutching his chest

- “excuse me, we need the next fan to come up” you manager tapped the both of your arms

- you nodded before smiling at hawks and waving goodbye

- you were going to miss him :((

- ig it just wasn’t meant to be

- the night you had gotten home, you decided to go through your gifts

- you were particularly interested in the gift you had gotten from the blond man

- it was really sweet of him to get you a notebook

- the moment you had opened it, you had noticed that something was written on the first page

- ‘xxx-xxx-xxxx call me pretty girl <3’

- he was a bold onealright

- you were contemplating on actually calling him

- he could leak your number!

- well, you could just wait for him to speak

- fuck it

- you dialed the number on your phone and waited as it rang

- “hello?”

- “i-is this keigo?”

- “hey dove, i’m glad you called”

- y/n: i did it :33

529 notes · View notes

writtenbynightlock · 3 years

Note

Hey,, I’m kinda new to requesting so I hope I’m doing it right🤠,, um but n e ways- could you do something like the reader has an obvious crush on oikawa, so like reader is always following him and confessing every two seconds like “yeah I still like you😎.” But like oikawa is always rejecting readers advances. However, reader just keeps going and not giving up and determined to get him to like her- but one day oikawa says something rude and readers like “well shit fine👩‍🦯” and just leaves him alone,, and at first he was happy that reader isn’t bothering him but he lowkey misses them and then he sees reader doing the same thing they did with him but with someone else (you can chose the character) and so he starts to get jealous because“you wanted him first.” And yeah angst but with happy ending if that’s cool?? Sorry it’s long- you don’t have to do it if you don’t want to. :)) Love your writing as well! 😌💅🏼

First

ft. oikawa tooru

genre: angst, fluff

Note: Requests are open 💌

A/N: hi! I really find this request really exciting and fun to write because i really find Oikawa’s personality quite childish and stubborn but he’s adorable for it. Thank you for this ♥️ sorry for the long wait though. I’ve been really busy with school works. Distance learning is hard :(

Masterlist | Rules

Oikawa Tooru.

A man full of wit and charm. His dark, chocolate-brown hair and eyes could make anyone melt with just a gaze --- with his smiles and winks that makes girls surround him in an instant. His flirtatious nature makes him popular among females.

Apparently, you were one of them. What makes you different from the others was your boldness. You weren’t ashamed of showing your fondness towards the volleyball captain/setter of the boy’s volleyball team. In fact, whenever you get the opportunity to run into him at school, you would always greet him with a big and sincere smile on your face. In the library. In the cafeteria. In the campus field. You would never miss the opportunity to tell him that you admire him and how great he is in volleyball.

“Oikawa-san! Best of luck in practice today. I know you’ll do great.”

You say cheerfully as you happen to run into him in the lockers. The setter jumped by your sudden presence but he regains his composure and forces a smile, giving you a wave.

“Oh, (Y-N)-chan. Are you heading home?”

“Yup I am.”

“Okay have a safe walk back home.”

“You too!” you say, a lovesick smile on your face as he wished for your safety, feeling all giddy inside and feeling the your face heating up — totally fallen over heels of Oikawa Tooru’s charms.

Before walking away, you winked at Oikawa --- a teasing smile on your face, “i still like you, you know.”

Your sudden boldness sometimes makes Oikawa flustered. He doesn’t like it. It was supposed to be the whole other way around. Turning away from each other, you went towards the exit of the school campus while Oikawa was heading towards the gym, an annoyed scoff escaped his lips as you were finally nowhere in sight.

“Oi. What’s wrong with your face?” asks the Aoba Johsai ace, seeing his bestfriend having an irritated look on his face with his eyebrows furrowed and a pout forming on his lips.

“She’s so annoying, Iwa-chan!”

“Who?”

“(Y/N)!”

“Really? Cause’ to me, you like getting the attention.”

“That was before. Now, it’s getting really annoying!”

“What did she say to you this time?”

“She confessed to me yet again and wished me good luck in practice.”

“Yeah she’s real annoying~” says Iwaizumi sarcastically, slapping Oikawa’s back with an annoyed huff.

“Ow, Iwa-chan! Why did you hit me?!”

“Because you’re an idiot!”

It was just a normal school day, minding your own business while heading to the library to study for a test.

As you were busy scanning your notebook, you suddenly bumped into someone, making you drop your notebook and stop in your tracks. As you look up, you see Oikawa who crinkled his nose and pursed his lips as he saw you.

“Oikawa-san! I’m so sorry.”

“Try to pay attention next time!”

Your eyes widen, a bit taken aback by his tone towards you. Usually, Oikawa would address you in his sweet tone but today just seemed different. You are aware that what you’re doing is quite annoying but you just can’t help it. You like the guy too much.

“Are you okay, Oikawa-san? Did i hurt you somewhere?” You say as you worriedly look at his figure, wondering if you hit him.

“Could you just stop following me everywhere?! You are so annoying! I am never going to date you! It’s bad enough that there are girls following me like a bunch of lovesick puppies. Don’t even add to it!” says Oikawa with a glare straight into your eyes that sent shivers to your spine --- somehow a bit threatened and scared. You somehow stay glued to your spot — your mind processing to what just happened.

“Aren’t you gonna say something?!” says Oikawa, giving you a look of anticipation. With a sigh, you look up at him and sent him the same level of intensity in your gaze.

“How do you expect me to reply to that right away?! You want to play it that way? Fine! First of all, I don’t follow you everywhere. We practically go to the same school! There’s a huge possibility of us bumping into each other. Second, i'm sorry if you find me really annoying but I just can’t help it! Is it so wrong to acknowledge your presence?! Even though I know for a fact that you won’t date me, I just at least wanted for us to be friends.”

Oikawa stares at you while clenching his jaw when he saw your eyes getting watery. He never meant for you to cry. He never wanted for a girl to cry.

“But since you told me your feelings, I’ll not bother you anymore. Goodbye.”

You say with so much anger in your chest. It was all too sudden. It hurt. It definitely hurt. Maybe it was time for you to move on. You’ll never ever capture the heart of your long time crush, Oikawa Tooru.

Few weeks has passed ever since the incident happened between you and Oikawa. You try not to let his chocolate brown eyes fill in your mind with his sweet smiles that could just make anyone’s day.

A guy from your year has taken an interest in you for a while now and seeing how you were not catching Oikawa’s attention anymore, he took this as an opportunity to ask you out.

You said yes but not for the motive of returning his feelings. You just said yes because there was no harm in it and you want to know him more --- taking this as a chance to fully move on from Oikawa. Everywhere you go, the guy is always with you. It was not that bad hanging out with him. He knows to keep your conversations alive.

Oikawa Tooru has been having a blast with the first couple of days, finally free but as days pass by, he felt a little empty. On a random practice session, Oikawa seem to aggressively serve the ball than usual, making Iwaizumi raise his eyebrows.

“What’s wrong with you now?”

Silence.

“Whatever. Practice is over, shittykawa. Help me clean up.”

With a huff, Oikawa stopped and picked up the balls and folded the net while Iwaizumi mops the floor, along with Matsukawa and Hanamaki.

As Matsukawa and Hanamaki look at each other as Oikawa seemed to have a troubled look on his face, the two of them gave each other knowing looks

“Hey. You remember that girl, (L/N), right?”

“Oh yeah the cute one in our year?”

“What about her?” asks Iwaizumi who caught on the set up while Oikawa froze in his spot with the net folded in his arms, not facing them but listening closely to their conversation.

“Did you know she got asked out by that soccer player? Heard he’s the most popular athlete in the prefecture.”

Oikawa scoffs as if he heard the world’s funniest joke ever.

“What’s that, Oikawa?”

“Soccer players my ass. All they do is kick balls!”

“Yeah? Well we slap em’ hard!”

Iwaizumi, Hanamaki and Matsukawa laughs at their captain, giving each other knowing looks. Oikawa, all angry and felt like the world was against him, grabs his gym bag before heading to the showers to cool off. He misses your presence. It was weird because who would’ve thought your advances would make Oikawa Tooru crave more for it.

Too angry at his friends, Oikawa decided to go home alone, his eyes set on the skies painted with orange as the sun sets. His gaze suddenly lands on your figure as you were walking all alone in the streets --- the way you innocently made tiny skips in your step.

Wanting some answers, Oikawa ran towards you and grabs you by the arm, making you shout and hit him in the head with your school bag --- thinking that it was a kidnapper or snatcher.

“Ow! That hurt!”

“Oikawa?!”

Your eyes widen as the person in front of you was the one you tried avoiding and moving on from these past few weeks. Oikawa held his head as he rubbed the spot you hit him.

“Does it hurt that bad?” you ask with a worried tone as you walk up towards him and examined his head, patting it softly making Oikawa quickly jerk away from you, a surprised expression on his face with his face beet red.

“Yes it hurts real bad, (Y/N)-chan”

Oikawa didn’t know what went through him as he coos at you, wanting to be taken care of by you.

Letting out a sigh, you gently tug on Oikawa’s jacket before gesturing to the convenience store nearby.

“Come with me. I’ll buy you an ice pack” you say before leading the way, with Oikawa following you.

Paying the cashier, you went outside and sat down beside Oikawa, giving him the ice pack to which he thanked you for before silence ensues the both of you --- awkwardness filling in the air.

“I’m sorry, Oikawa. You could’ve just called my name. I thought you were a snatcher for goodness sake.”

“I was just--- pulling you away from the sidewalk. A car almost hit you!”

Blinking a few times, you stared at the setter who just wanted to be swallowed whole by the ground --- too embarrassed.

“Oikawa, there were no cars passing by.”

The sudden sound of the ice pack getting smashed on the table and the feeling of his icy cold hands on yours made you shudder and squeal in your seat. Oikawa looked at you in the eyes that was just so different from before that made your heart skip a beat and turn your face as red as a tomato.

“Why are you hanging out with that soccer player, (Y/N)-chan?!”

“Um, because he asked me out and i said yes?”

“Do you even like him?”

“Well, i mean he’s not bad to hang out with-”

“But you wanted me first!”

The two of you froze in your spot. Oikawa couldn’t believe he just said that. It made him sound so desperate. You couldn’t believe what he just said. You were so confused but it didn’t fail to make your heart to beat loudly in your chest.

“W-what do you mean, Oikawa?”

Oikawa closed his eyes shut before tightening his hold on your hand, “say it, (Y/N)-chan.”

“Oikawa, I don’t understand-”

“Do you still like me, (Y/N)-chan? I miss it --- so much.”

Your eyes widened and saw Oikawa’s eyes getting watery. Alarmed, you quickly let go of his hands and cupped his face, caressing his cheeks.

“You miss the attention I give you? You know I meant every word when I said I like you, Oikawa. You’re really making this difficult for me.”

“I miss you, (Y/N)-chan.”

You can’t believe what’s currently happening. You felt like you were on cloud nine.

“Does this mean that-”

“Yes! I like you, (Y/N)-chan. Leave that soccer bastard and be with me.”

Caressing his cheek, you wipe a few tears away before giving him a soft smile.

“That soccer dude and I were never really official, Oikawa. Don’t cry, please.”

Before you could even grab a tissue from your bag, Oikawa wrapped his arms around you and hugged your figure, burying his face on your neck.

“I still like you too, Oikawa.”

Funny how things seem to take a turn when you were usually the one who would make a move first but this time, it was Oikawa with genuine returned feelings.

“Good. You’re mine.”

As Oikawa slightly pulled away, Oikawa kisses your forehead before resting his chin on the top of your head, rubbing your back that sent millions of butterflies to your stomach.

“I’ve got practice tomorrow. Make sure to watch me, princess.”

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alwaysmychoices · 3 years

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Landry Olsen Finding Out About Ethan and f!MC (Charlie) - Headcanon

for a long time, I’ve been meaning to make a fic about Landry finding out about Ethan and MC, and after reading @utterlyinevitable‘s amazing HC, I was encouraged and inspired to finally write my HC out. Her characterization was incredible - truly wanted to punch Landry.

Also, for me, MC is Charlie. I kept writing Charlie by accident, so MC is just Charlie now.

It had been 10 years since Landry Olsen moved to Boston – and 7 years since he left.

Landry Olsen finished his residency at Mass Kenmore successfully but quietly. He did well but never distinguished himself. He was, at best, an upper middle candidate – good but never as good as the greats who walked the hall beside him.

Never as good as Charlie.

Charlie ended her residency at the helm of Edenbrook with a permanent position on the bolstered diagnostics team. Within a month of her completed residency, she had dozens of research offers, job opportunities, and even a handful of speaking invitations. She was the face of medicine.

It wasn’t fair, of course.

She was just lucky. She caught all the right breaks.

She didn’t work for it like Landry did.

At 29, Landry took a job in Chicago, determined to make a name for himself.

He worked hard. He did research. He stayed late, missing big events and dates. He neglected everything but his work. He was his job.

He wasn’t always the best. Sometimes, a star protégé would step in and outshine him, and he grit his teeth through every second. Usually, he tried to win favor by staying later that night or taking on bigger and better cases. Occasionally, he dipped back into old habits of sabotage, but he promised himself it would be the last time.

He earned his place. He earned this career. Hell, he deserved more!

It wasn’t his fault that he had missed all the biggest breaks.

Landry didn’t like being back in Boston – too many bad memories of disappointment and disgust.

He wanted to limit his time in Boston as much as possible. He was here for a conference, and as soon as it was over, he would be on a plane back to Chicago.

But he couldn’t help himself.

He had to see Edenbrook.

It looked… the same.

Even with a new sign and a new name, it was the same place.

A place of disappointment – of regret.

As Landry bought a cup of coffee from a nearby bodega, he imagined running into Charlie. He wondered what she looked like. He wondered if she still hated him.

Landry tried his hardest to stay away from the rumors about Charlie.

When he worked at Mass Kenmore, they were inescapable. She was magic back then. She cured a senator, survived a deadly bioweapon, and saved the hospital while she was at it. She even earned Ethan Ramsey’s friendship in the process.

Landry knew the rumors about them. According to all the best informants, they were always together, curing unknown diseases and steering medicine’s future. Occasionally, Landry heard hints of affection on Dr. Ramsey’s side. Once, he heard that she had been seen carpooling to work in the early hours of the morning.

As much as Landry wanted to know everything, he gagged when he heard about their partnership.

Landry should have been Ethan’s partner, not her.

And their friendship? Disgusting. Unethical, even. He never paid much mind to the rumors of romance. He knew Dr. Ramsey would never break so many rules. Nonetheless, Landry hated hearing about it.

But did any of that matter now?

It had been 7 years.

With a twinge of satisfaction, Landry liked to think that Charlie’s magic had worn off. A magical intern wasn’t a magical attending.

Maybe she ran out of luck.

As Landry walked the familiar path from Edenbrook to the nearest train station, he let himself daydream about Charlie struggling like he did. It made him feel more accomplished and self-assured.

It was during these musings that Landry Olsen saw Dr. Ramsey, his idol, for the first time in nearly a decade.

Ethan Ramsey sat outside at a nearby coffee shop, a medical journal in one hand and espresso in the other. He was older now, probably close to 50. His hair had greyed, and he wore a pair of glasses on his nose.

Landry lost his breath.

Even after Landry left Edenbrook, Ethan had been Landry’s hero. Landry read all of his research, even if he hated occasionally seeing Charlie’s name next to his under the title.

And Landry wanted to talk to him.

He wasn’t sure what exactly he wanted to say.

All he really knew was that he needed to clear his name. He needed to prove to Dr. Ramsey that, despite his transgressions during his intern year, he was a successful, competent doctor. He wasn’t just a dumb kid who jeopardized a whole hospital for his vengeance.

He imagined approaching Dr. Ramsey with a respectful yet cordial greeting. Maybe Ethan would remember him. Maybe Ethan would invite him to sit so they could discuss his career. Perhaps Landry could convince Ethan to join his latest research venture.

Maybe, after all this time, Landry could still make a good impression.

Maybe, one day, he could be Dr. Ramsey’s right-hand man.

Landry jammed the crosswalk button frantically, hoping to get to Ethan Ramsey as soon as possible.

Then, he saw her.

Charlie.

She looked the same, just a little older.

And with her, she carried two children. The first, a girl, was old enough to walk alongside her mother. She looked exactly like Charlie, same hair and same nose. The little girl giggled the entire time, making the small boy in the stroller laugh with glee.

Charlie had a… family.

Landry hesitated at the crosswalk and stared as the small family crossed his path.

He was so busy being astonished that Charlie had children that he missed all the clues.

Well, that was until the little girl broke free of Charlie’s grip and ran across the sidewalk a screaming, “Daddy!”

She ran to Ethan.

Ethan left his chair and kneeled on the sidewalk just in time to catch his daughter as she flew into his arms. Ethan exclaimed something about how happy he was to see his little Lori, and he spun the little girl around to make her laugh.

That’s… his daughter, Landry felt frozen.

Charlie followed her daughter, chastising her for running away from her in such a busy place. She approached Ethan with ease. She stood next to him like it was the most natural thing in the world.

And then…

And then, she kissed him.

Landry watched from across the street.

Ethan accepted the tender kiss happily before greeting the baby in the stroller, who cooed his approval.

When Ethan put Lori down, he wrapped his free arm around Charlie’s waist and pulled her close.

They were…

They’re together, Landry realized.

Now, he could see the glitter of their wedding bands and the comfort they shared in each other’s arms. Ethan whispered something to make Charlie laugh.

They settled into the café chairs and kept a close eye on their children.

Ethan held Charlie’s hand across the table.

They were happy.

Landry felt a rush of shock and horror.

How could they be romantically involved?

Was that why Charlie did so well? Had Dr. Ramsey really just favored her because he hoped to secure her affection? Had Charlie just gotten ahead because she was willing to pursue her boss? How many ethical lines had they crossed?

Had they exchanged favors in exchange for Charlie’s burgeoning success?

Landry fumed.

He had to work his ass off, and all this time, Charlie got the easy route because a respected diagnostician wanted to father her children.

Landry hated them. He hated the entire system that let them exist. He hated that they got to win and be happy.

Everything clicked together in the worst of ways.

He wanted to confront them. He wanted to tell them precisely what they did wrong and what it had cost him.

He imagined how they would react. They wouldn’t understand. They would think he was crazy and vindictive. Walking away, he would seem like he was wrong when he was really the injured party. Later that night, while Landry was alone in a hotel room, the couple would probably talk about him at dinner, sharing complaints and theories about his behavior.

They would be on each other’s side, and Landry would be alone.

In fact, Ethan would always be on Charlie’s side…

Landry paused, watching as the crowd around him peacefully crossed the road. He didn’t join them.

Because Dr. Ramsey picked a side.

No matter what Landry did, Dr. Ramsey would never be his friend. He would never honor Landry with accolades or collaboration.

To Dr. Ramsey, Landry was just the asshole who betrayed his wife nearly a decade ago. At best, he was a forgotten memory. At worst, he was a representation of disappointment and pain.

Landry might look at Dr. Ramsey as a hero, but Ethan looked at Landry like he was a rat.

The streetlights changed, and the crosswalk closed to Landry. Across the street, the innocent family ordered two coffees and a hot chocolate for their young daughter, who was now in her mother’s lap and scribbling in a coloring book.

They had no idea Landry Olsen watched them, and they had no idea when he looked away and left.

And wasn’t that better?

If Landry Olsen was always going to be the rat, he might as well be a rat out of sight.

He couldn’t stomach watching Ethan’s eyes widen with recognition and then harden with hatred. He couldn’t fathom being his idol’s enemy.

It’s what he deserved.

Deep down, beyond all his whining and entitlement, he knew that they were right about him.

He was just a mediocre doctor bullying someone else for being better than him. But he hid it well. Strangers never suspected him, and he was so skilled that he even fooled himself.

But he still knew… In those quiet moments when he reflected on his mistakes, he knew.

Landry Olsen was a rat – and a lonely, hated one, at that.

Permanent Tag List

@schnitzelbutterfingers @curiousconch @starrystarrytrouble @jessirosebud @lucy-268 @aestheticartsx @eramsey28 @macy-ray85 @octobereighth @queencarb @claredal424 @mercury84choices @drariellevalentine @wonderwithrobin @honeyandsunfl0wers @iemcpbchoices @queenbirbs @stateofgracious @kalogh @paulfwesley @canigetanawwjunk @blossomanarchy @lion-ess24 @hopefulmoonobject @caroldxnvxrs @senseofduties @chasingrobbie @rookieoh @delaytheinevitable @mooons-isabelle @blueishccfinds xxxxxxxx04

#open heart #ethan ramsey #landry olsen #choices #choices stories you play #pixelberry #ethan ramsey x mc

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nerdythebard · 3 years

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#9: Sypha Belnades [Castlevania]

Happy Castlevania Day, everyone!

We continue our little special with everybody's favourite Speaker, a self-proclaimed enemy of God, and all-around nerd – Sypha Belnades. Wielding magic, knowledge, and somehow keeping Trevor and Alucard in check, it's going to be fun to have her in your D&D game.

Next Time: ...I mean, y'all know who is left. The Cool Whip Man cometh!

So, what do we need to start shooting some spells (besides a lovely Spanish accent)?

Big Brain Time: Sypha is a Speaker, a collector of knowledge, and a walking library with expertise ranging from magic, history, and probably anything you can think of. And even more, because "we know all the words".

A Song of Ice & Fire: These two seems to be Sypha's weapons of choice. We've seen her do other feats of sorcery, but it's usually fire bolts or ice walls we see the most.

Limber! Loose! Rubber Goose!: Sypha doesn't wear any armour and is able to keep up with Trevor and Alucard, both obviously Dexterity-based fighters. If we can't give her some Hit Points, we'll make sure she can avoid danger.

---

Sypha is a Human (hooray, our first Human!) and her magic prowess gives us a good excuse to make her a Variant Human. We get a +1 to two abilities of our choice, let's pick Intelligence and Constitution. We also know Common and one other language, and we get to pick one skill proficiency, let's get Investigation. Variant Humans can also get one feat from the start; War Caster is a great idea for any spellcaster who finds themselves in the heat of battle. We have an advantage on Constitution saving throw to maintain our concentration, we can use somatic components of the spell with just one hand, and when we get to make an attack of opportunity, we can cast a spell instead of making a melee attack.

For Sypha's background, I don't think we can do anything but Sage. We're smart, we've been studying history and arcane arts our entire life, and therefore we get proficiency with Arcana and History. We get to learn two languages of our choice, and we get the Researcher feature; we have a rough idea where a piece of information we're looking for could be located, whether it's a library, archive, or somebody's residence.

ABILITY SCORES

It goes without saying that Intelligence goes first here, we need the smarts for the spells. Next up is Dexterity, we are good enough to keep up with both Trevor and Alucard, and not get easily surprised by night creatures. Constitution is next, every spellcaster needs those precious Hit Points.

Wisdom is next, we're much more the book-smart type, but we've certainly picked up some street-smarts while travelling with our whole clan. Follow that up with Charisma, it's a little lower than I would like it to be, but we occasionally get to make Trevor do what we want to. Finally, we'll be dumping Strength.

CLASS

I think nobody will be surprised if I say this is a pure build. We're going Wizard start-to-finish.

Wizards are the squishiest of squishy bois in D&D, as their Hit Dice is a d6. We start with [6 + our Constitution modifier] Hit Points and no proficiencies with any armour type. We are, however, proficient with daggers, darts, slings, quarterstaffs, and light crossbows. Our saving throws are, of course, Intelligence and Wisdom, and we get to pick two class skills; let's get Insight (to better spot shady activities in towns we visit) and Religion (God may hate us, but you know what they say - know thy enemy).

Level 1 - We start with Arcane Recovery, which is a useful trick to recover spell slots. Once per day, when we finish a short rest, we can refill our expended spell slots. The combined level of the spell slots must be equal to or less than half of our Wizard level... which means for a while we'll be only recovering 1st-level spells...

Since we're a Wizard, we start off with Spellcasting. We know cantrips, ritual casting, and regular spells. Intelligence is our spellcasting ability, and we learn two new spells each time we level up. We start this arcane jamboree with three cantrips:

Fire Bolt lets us hurl a mote of fire at one target. Simple. Effective. On a successful hit, the enemy takes 1d10 fire damage (damage increases as we level up).

Ray of Frost is similar, the basic ice spell. On a successful hit, the target takes 1d8 cold damage (scales with level), and its speed is reduced by 10 feet until the start of our next turn.

Shocking Grasp sends a jolt of electricity through one target we touch. If a target wears armour made of metal, we make the attack roll with advantage. On a successful hit, the target takes 1d8 lightning damage (scales with level) and cannot take reactions until the start of its next turn.

Wizards start with two 1st-level spell slots and six 1st-level spells:

Burning Hands creates a 15-foot cone of fire. All creatures within range have to make a Dexterity saving throw, or take 3d6 fire damage (half damage on a successful save).

Detect Magic lasts for 10 minutes (concentration) and shows us all magical effects within 30 feet of us. We see the magic as colourful aura around objects or people, and we can distinguish which type of magic the effect belongs to (we cannot identify the spell itself).

Frost Fingers creates blasts of cold coming from our fingertips. Each creature within a 15-foot cone must make a Constitution saving throw, or take 2d8 cold damage (half damage on a successful save).

Ice Knife creates a shard of ice that we can throw at one target, dealing 1d10 cold damage on a successful hit. Hit or miss, the shard then explodes, forcing every creature within 5 feet of it to make a Dexterity saving throw, or take 2d6 cold damage.

Mage Armour makes our defence better. Touching a willing creature (or ourselves), we create a layer of magical protection that makes the AC [13 + Dexterity modifier] for 8 hours.

Shield is used as a reaction when we're being hit. The spell adds +5 to our AC until the start of our next turn.

Level 2 - It is here that we pick our subclass, our Arcane Tradition, and since Sypha is such a powerful necromancer, I think it's only natural to–

Yeah, we're obviously picking School of Evocation, as it's the one focusing on the elements. Everything that burns, freezes, and shocks are here, and we need all of it.

We start this subclass with Evocation Savant, which halves our time and gold needed to copy evocation-type spells into our spellbook. I know Speakers don't believe in the written word, but Sypha always valued books, so she would probably have one in D&D.

Sculpt Spells lets us protect our allies from our own spells if they happen to be in their range. When we cast an evocation spell, we can select a number of creatures we can see equal to [1 + the spell's level], make them automatically succeed on a saving throw (if required), and take no damage at all.

For this level's spells:

Feather Fall protects us and our allies from taking fall damage. We choose up to five creatures within 60 feet of us and slow down their descent rate to 60 feet per round for 1 minute. If the creature lands before the spell end, it takes no damage.

Jump triples the jump distance of a creature we touch for 1 minute.

Level 3 - At this level, we get no new class features, but we do unlock 2nd-level spell slots:

Agnazzar's Scorcher creates a 30 feet long and 5 feet wide line of fire, emanating from us in the direction we choose. Each creature within the line must make a Dexterity saving throw or take 3d8 fire damage (half damage on a successful one).

Gust of Wind makes a strong line of wind (60 feet long, 10 feet wide) blast from us in the direction we choose. Creatures that start their turn in the line must make a Strength saving throw or be pushed 15 feet away from us. As a bonus action, on each of our turns, we can change the direction of the wind.

Level 4 - We get our first Ability Score Improvement. Rule of thumb for any Wizard player: maxing out your Intelligence should be your priority, therefore we're putting +2 to our Intelligence now.

We also get a new cantrip: Dancing Lights create up to four globules of light, floating in the air. We can move them around, and they last up to 1 minute (concentration). The lights can also combine into a Medium-sized glowing humanoid, for purposes of distraction.

We get two more spells:

Scorching Ray creates three bolts of fire, which we can hurl at up to three targets. We make an attack roll for each bolt. On a hit, the target takes 2d6 fire damage.

Snilloc's Snowball Swarm forms a flurry of snowball-like projectiles in a point of our choice within 90 feet from us. Each creature within a 5-foot-radius sphere from the point must make a Dexterity saving throw, or take 3d6 cold damage (half damage on a successful save).

Level 5 - We don't get any new class features here, but we do unlock 3rd-level spells:

Dispel Magic ends any spell of 3rd-level or lower. If a spell is of 4th-level or higher, we must roll a check for our casting ability (DC = 10 + the spell's level). If we use a spell slot of 4th-level or higher, the spell ends automatically, provided the spell slot's level matches or is greater than the spell's.

Fireball is a no-brainer, we had to pick it. Select a point within 150 feet from us. Each creature in a 20-foot-radius sphere must make a Dexterity saving throw, or take 8d6 fire damage (half damage on a successful save).

Level 6 - We get our first subclass upgrade, Potent Cantrip. If a creature makes a saving throw against our cantrips, they instead take half of the damage. Unfortunately, it's not helpful to us yet. Let's take some more spells:

Fly gives a willing creature flying speed of 60 feet for the duration (10 minutes, concentration). When the spell ends, the target starts falling. We can target more than one creature if we use spell slots of 4th-level or higher.

Lightning Bolt fires off a bolt of electricity in a 100 feet long and 5 feet wide line. Each creature in the line must make a Dexterity saving throw, or take 8d6 lightning damage (half as much on a successful save).

Level 7 - Time to unlock 4th-level spell slots:

Control Water lets us manipulate a body of water within 300 feet of us. The spell lasts for 10 minutes (concentration) and we get to select from four different effects (Flood, Part Water, Redirect Flow, and Whirlpool); we can use our action on our turn to change the effect or repeat it.

Wall of Fire creates, well... a wall of fire within 120 feet from us. The wall can be up to 60 feet long, 20 feet high, and 1 foot thick. It lasts for 1 minute (concentration). We can select which way the heat from the fire is facing. When the wall is forming, creatures in its way must make a Dexterity saving throw, or take 5d8 fire damage (half damage on a successful save).

Level 8 - Time for another ASI. As per the rule of thumb, we need to cap our Intelligence ASAP. So, let's put +2 into it right now. As for our spells at this level:

Dimension Door creates a small spatial opening, which teleports us up to 500 feet in a direction of our choice we can visualize or describe. We can carry objects with us, as long as they don't go over our carrying capacity, and we can bring one willing creature with us.

Ice Storm creates a localized hailstorm in a 20-foot-radius, 40-foot-high cylinder at a point within 300 feet of us. Each creature in the cylinder must make a Dexterity saving throw, or take 2d8 bludgeoning damage and 4d6 cold damage (half damage on a successful save). Hailstones turn the area into difficult terrain until the end of our next turn.

Level 9 - Nothing new class-wise. We unlock 5th-level spells:

Cone of Cold creates a 60-foot cone of biting cold. Each creature within its range must make a Constitution saving throw, or take 8d8 cold damage (half damage on a successful save). Creatures killed by this spell become frozen statues.

Hold Monster forces a Wisdom saving throw on one non-humanoid creature within 90 feet of us, and inflicts paralysis on a failed save. It lasts for 1 minute (concentration), but the held creature can keep making saving throws at the end of each of its turn to shake off the effect.

Level 10 - Halfway through the build, and we get another subclass upgrade. Empowered Evocation lets us add our Intelligence modifier to one damage roll of every evocation spell we cast. Since most of our repertoire is evocation-type spells, we now have a huge damage boost. For spells that create multiple projectiles (e.g. Scorching Ray), we add our Intelligence modifier only to one projectile.

We also get our final cantrip of this build: Frostbite makes numbing cold appear on one target's skin; they have to make a Constitution saving throw, or suffer 1d6 cold damage and have a disadvantage on the next weapon roll they make before the end of their next turn. Because of our Potent Cantrip feature, this spell always deals damage.

For this level's spells:

Counterspell... yes, I know it's 3rd-level, but we really do need it. Sypha is powerful enough to shut down Dracula's magic. It works similarly to Dispel Magic, but this time it's a reaction to somebody casting a spell, instead of a pre-established magical effect.

Immolation chooses one target within 90 feet of us and deals 8d6 fire damage, provided they fail their Dexterity saving throw (half damage on a successful save). On a failed save, the target is also set on fire for the spell's duration (1 minute, concentration). They shed bright light in a 30-foot radius and must keep making Dexterity saving throws at the end of each of their turns, or take 4d6 fire damage. On a successful save, the spell ends. The fire is magical and cannot be extinguished by non-magical means.

Level 11 - We unlock 6th-level spells here:

Chain Lightning creates an arc of electricity, which hits one target within 150 feet from us. It then splits into three bolts, which hit three closest creatures within 30 feet of the original target. All targets must make a Dexterity saving throw, or take 10d8 lightning damage (half damage on a successful save).

Disintegrate works in a similar manner to Dispel Magic or Counterspell... except it's much more lethal. The spell targets a creature, an object, or a magical effect (such as a barrier made via the Wall of Force spell). A targeted creature must make a Dexterity saving throw, or take 10d6+40 force damage. If their Hit Points are reduced to 0, the target is disintegrated to dust and cannot be brought back, unless via the True Resurrection or Wish spells.

Level 12 - Time for another ASI! Since our Intelligence is already maxed out, let's get our two points into Constitution, for those Hit Points we desperately need.

We get two more 6th-level spells:

Otiluke's Freezing Sphere is basically the ice version of Fireball. It creates a small ice ball in a point within 300 feet from us, which then explodes in a 60-feet-radius sphere. Each creature within the area must make a Constitution saving throw, or take 10d6 cold damage (half damage on a successful save). We can also use the ice ball to freeze a body of water up to 6 feet deep and 30 feet square.

Wall of Ice does exactly what it says on the packaging. It creates ten 10x10 ice panels, which we can shape as we wish as long as the panels touch one another. Each panel as the AC of 12 and 30 Hit Points, and even if they're destroyed, they leave freezing air in their place. Creatures moving through the air must make a Constitution saving throw, or take 5d6 cold damage (half damage on a successful save).

Level 13 - Once again, we get no class features, but we do unlock 7th-level spells:

Delayed Blast Fireball is the hand grenade option we need. We can select a point within 150 feet from us and plant a Fireball spell to be activated after 1 minute or if our concentration is broken. The spell creates a fiery explosion within a 20-feet-radius sphere, with the base damage of 12d6 fire. If by the end of our turn, the spell is not detonated, the damage increases by 1d6 each turn.

Prismatic Spray creates eight colourful lights and sends them out in a 60-foot cone. Each creature within range must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, we roll a 1d8 and decide which colour hits the creature. We have a choice between 10d6 elemental damage, blindness, paralysis, or two effects at once.

Level 14 - Here we get our final subclass upgrade, Overchannel. Once per long rest, when we cast a spell of level 1 through 5, we can decide to deal the maximum amount of damage that spell allows. If we choose to use this feature again before finishing a long rest, we suffer 2d12 necrotic damage per every level of the spell. Each time we use it after the second, the necrotic damage increases by 1d12.

We continue with 7th-level spells:

Teleport instantly teleports us and up to eight willing creatures (or one object) to any location we specify, depending on the degree of familiarity we have with it. The certain success is if there is a permanent Teleportation Circle in the location we want to appear, or if we have something associated with the location.

Whirlwind creates a violent wind storm in a point we can see within 300 feet of us. The whirlwind is a 10-foot-radius, 30-foot-high cylinder. Until the spell ends (1 minute, concentration), we can use our Action to move the whirlwind up to 30 feet in any direction. Creatures that begin their turn in a whirlwind must make a Dexterity saving throw, or take 10d6 bludgeoning damage (half damage on a successful save). In addition, a Large or smaller creature must make a Strength saving throw or be restrained inside the vortex.

Level 15 - Time for 8th-level spells:

Antipathy/Sympathy works as a repellent or... whatever the... opposite of a repellent... is. Attractor? It draws or pushes from us creatures of our specification for 10 days.

Control Weather changes weather patterns in 5 mile radius from us for up to 8 hours (concentration). We must be outdoors when performing the spell, and we can select precipitation, temperature, and the state of winds.

Level 16 - For this ASI this time, we'll put two points into Dexterity.

As for this level's spells:

Incendiary Cloud creates a 20-foot-radius sphere of smoke and embers in a point within 150 feet of us. When the cloud appears, creatures inside it must make a Dexterity saving throw, or take 10d8 fire damage (half damage on a successful save). The same saving throw must be made by a creature who enters the cloud, or who ends its turn there.

Power Word: Stun work on creatures with 150 Hit Points of fewer and stuns them instantly. All those months of travel with Trevor turned us into quite a sailor-mouth, even night creatures are shocked.

Level 17 - Since Wizards are the Apex of the Arcane, we unlock the most powerful spells in the game right here!

Foresight gives a creature we touch a limited ability to see into the future for 8 hours. For that duration, the target cannot be surprised, and has an advantage on all rolls (attack, skill checks, and saving throws). Additionally, other creatures have a disadvantage against the target on all rolls for the duration.

Imprisonment requires a lot of materials, but it creates a permanent magical confinement that holds a one creature that fails its Wisdom saving throw. The imprisoned creature is being kept in suspended animation, and no Divination-type spell can locate it.

Level 18 - Here we get the Spell Mastery feature. It lets us choose one 1st-level spell and one 2nd-level spell, and cast them at will, without the need to burn a spell slot. Shield and Scorching Ray would be my picks.

Meanwhile, in the 9th-level spell section:

Gate is a portal spell, which creates two linked portals; one in front of us (within 60 feet), other in a location on another plane of existence. It lasts for 1 minute (concentration). We could also name a creature we know is on another plane, and yank it through the portal to our current location (for example, a certain Vampire Lord from Hell).

Meteor Swarm makes it rain fire from above. Choosing a spot within 1 mile, lets us cover a 40-foot-radius sphere in Goodness Gracious Great Balls of Fire! Each creature within the sphere must make a Dexterity saving throw, or take 20d6 fire damage and 20d6 bludgeoning damage (half damage on a successful save).

Level 19 - For our final ASI, we increase our Constitution.

As for the spells:

Prismatic Wall creates an opaque wall 90 feet long, 30 feet high, and 1 inch thick. The wall sheds bright light for 100 feet and a dim light for additional 100. Creatures within 20 feet of the wall must make a Constitution saving throw, or be blinded for 1 minute. The wall is composed of seven layers, each with different properties that affect creatures attempting to pass through it (see: Prismatic Spray for comparison).

Invulnerability makes you immune to all damage for 10 minutes (concentration).

Level 20 - Our capstone is the Signature Spell feature. We choose two 3rd-level spells, and make it so we always have them prepared. We can cast them once per short or long rest without burning a spell slot. Fireball is an obvious choice, and let's add either Dispel Magic or Counterspell. Both provide good support.

For our final spells:

Blade of Disaster creates a planar rift shaped like a blade. When we summon it, we can make two melee attacks on creatures or objects within 5 feet of the blade. On a successful hit, the target takes 4d12 force damage. This spell scores a critical hit when rolling 18, 19, or 20. On a critical hit, the blade deals extra 8d12 force damage. Think of the weird glass-like blades from Doctor Strange

Wish... Yes, we're getting Wish. Why wouldn't you get Wish? If used safely, it's the ultimate spell. It replicates the effect of any spell of 8th-level or lower, no need for material components or class affiliation. Alternatively, it can do... well, anything you desire, but keep in mind if it's used for something else than replicating a spell effect, there is a 33% you'll never cast it again.

---

And that is it. Sypha Belnades, the Avatar Speaker Magician. Let's see what we've got:

First of all, we've got damage. Damage on top of damage on top of more damage. We're very battlefield-oriented spellcaster. Unfortunately, most of our spells are fire and cold, two very common resistances or immunities. We have a lot of concentration spells, so we need to pick what we want to do. With 131 Hit Points on average, we're also squishy. Luckily, with Shield as our at will spell, we do have a pretty good AC.

---

And that is it! Join me next time, for the last member of the Castlevania OT3!

- Nerdy out!

#d&d #dnd #d&d 5e #dungeons and dragons #castlevania #castlevania season 4 #sypha belnades #sypha #character building #wizard #school of evocation

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ramblyimagines · 3 years

Text

New Year’s kisses!

With -> Aizawa, Mic, Hawks, Midnight, Ms. Joke and Fatgum! After such a crappy year, let’s give the pros some love!

Nemuri Kayama (Midnight)

Nemuri LOVES New Year’s celebrations!!! She loves getting all dressed up and going to the club but that’s obviously not happening this year

So instead, she’ll get all dressed up to stay home! And insist that you do too! She’ll be right there by your side the entire time to chat or gossip and compliment you every five seconds while you pick out your outfit and do your hair

She isn’t the best cook in the world but she can make a few dishes that are just...so warm. You can taste the love she put into cooking them! But tonight she isn’t feeling like a fancy dinner. So she whips up a huge bowl of ramen with thick chunks of pork thrown in as well as veggies! And of course some eggs!

You can’t help but laugh when you sit to eat together cause...holy cow! Neither of you can eat that much!! Looks like you’ll have leftovers for lunch tomorrow! And the day after!

She takes it upon herself to put a towel around your shoulders to act as a bib so you don’t spill food down the front of you. She’ll tease you about it as if she isn’t wearing one too “Awww look at you! So cuuuteee! Like a big baby!”

Neither of you pick up after dinner besides putting the leftovers in the fridge for later. The dishes can wait! You’ve got each other all to yourselves...might as well make the most of it.

You dance together, hands all over each other, unable to resist the urge...You’re kissing long before the countdown begins :0

She puts a finger against your lips, pausing to smile at the firework display visible from your apartment “Looks like we missed it. Oh well, you’re not going anywhere anyway. Happy new year, honey”

You’ll get plenty of kisses to make up for it! And much more :0 You’ll return the favor too of course! She deserves it :’)

Cont...

Shouta Aizawa (Eraserhead)

Shouta managed to get the night off so despite it being a holiday, he’s not wasting this opportunity to rest

He’ll order some really shitty takeout and have a movie marathon! He lets you pick the movies and konks out halfway through the first one

If you really want him to stay up he will but is it really that important to stay up? Just set an alarm for 11:55pm and call it good!

Being the persuasive little shit he is, he’ll probably get you to curl up and nap with him. I mean...it’s hard to resist when he’s so warm and his hugs are so inviting

You turn the tv down and set the channel to where the countdown would be later tonight so you can rest together

Sure enough, your alarm goes off just as planned! You gently shake him awake so you can watch the last pre-countdown performance of the night together

You count down along with the announcer and once it hits zero, Shouta smiles :) he pulls you down for a lazy, tired kiss, his hands running up and down your back ‘Happy new year...can we go to bed now? It’s so late...’ Of course you can’t say no to that handsome face

Emi Fukukado (Ms. Joke)

Emi has been planning this for awhile!! She bought party poppers, silly hats, board games, noise makers- all kinds of stuff to make your night together special!

She keeps the countdown channel on all day long, watching the speeches and performances from celebrities “Ooo!!! I didn’t know they were performing!!! So cool!!”

Her eyes light up as she watches, practically bouncing in her seat while crushing your hand in her grip

You eat tons of popcorn and candy while playing charades, Twister and Mario Kart on her Switch. Some other games she brings out are tough to play with two people but eventually, you guys just make up your own rules! It’s more fun that way!

She jumps for joy when the countdown starts! She gets her party popper ready and fixes your hat “Here we go!!! TEN! NINE! EIGHT!-“

You both pop your confetti poppers and laugh as it rains down on you. She grabs you and dips you with a grin “Here comes your kiss, sweetheart!” Your silly, giggly kiss slowly melts into a warm, loving one

“I’m so happy that I got to spend this year with you! I wouldn’t wanna be with anyone else. Let’s kick 2021’s ass together, what do you say?”

Hizashi Yamada (Present Mic)

Hizashi is beyond excited to be spending New Years with you! He’s got all kinds of snacks dumped out into big ol’ bowls and soda in champagne glasses since he isn’t exactly the biggest fan of alcohol

His hair is down and the ‘Present Mic’ facade is gone for the night so you’ve really got Hizashi all to yourself :)

He has a whole playlist made of songs you guys enjoyed together throughout the year! He frequently pauses songs to reminisce with you ‘OH! Remember when we went to the beach and that kid totally face planted in the sand? This song was playing!’ He remembers these moments so clearly just cause he associates then with songs! There’s plenty of moments that he loves to remember

You two don’t tune into the countdown or the pre-countdown performances or speeches. Instead, you play Guitar Hero!! It gets so competitive that you find yourselves sweaty and out of breath by the end of the final game before you realize ‘oh shit! Thirty seconds to midnight!’

You fumble with the remote and just barely make it! “5...4...3...2...1! HAPPY NEW YEAR!”

Hizashi whoops and yells, pulling you into a sweaty hug ‘WOHOO!! This is gonna be our year babe I just know it!’

Before you can even get a word out he smushes your lips together. It isn’t exactly romantic or anything but you two are smiling and giggling like idiots anyways :)

Now that you’ve caught your breath...How about Guitar Hero round two? He’s not gonna go easy on ya this time!

Taishiro Toyomitsu (Fatgum)

Boy oh boy! You’re in for a fun night!!

Instead of staying in the whole day, you’ll be running all over the city together to pick up food from different restaurants so you can have a bit of everything together back at home! It’s mostly appetizers and little desserts :)

Back at home, you share your dinner while looking at pictures on your phones. Tai gets so excited when talking about his interns and coworkers. Looking back through these photos shows him how much they’ve improved in just a year! Wow!

He’ll also pull up horrible pictures of you just to mess around “What!? I like this one! Oh don’t give me that look- I’m not gonna delete it!!”

Once it starts getting dark you’ll curl up on the couch to flip through channels, maybe settling on a movie or crappy soap opera to watch until it’s time for the countdown

People are setting off fireworks before it even hits midnignt so the two of you make your way outside to watch from your balcony. Tai looks especially handsome all lit up under the colorful lights...He thinks the same about you too

That’s where you have your midnight kiss too, under the fireworks while people celebrate in the streets below. You can’t stay out there too long though! It’s cold!

Eventually you tumble back inside to dive back under your warm blankets on the sofa, hugging each other close

You don’t even know what time it is when you fall asleep but you’ll wake up in the morning to a super sore neck and Tai drooling on your shirt as he lays on you... Better take a picture as revenge for earlier! >:)

Keigo Takami (Hawks)

Keigo got stuck on patrol but that won’t stop him from coming home to celebrate anyway!

You get frequent texts from him letting you know where in the city he is. He’s desperate to get home cause you’re his one and only New Years kiss!!

You’re home alone until 11:30pm rolls around. You left the window for your shared apartment open so he could get in but you weren’t expecting him to fly full speed through the window!!

He nearly collides with the wall, quickly righting himself and throwing his arms up in the air triumphantly “Look what I got! Just for us, chickadee!” ...It’s a bucket of KFC. It is a tradition after all!

Keigo insists you sit while he fixes you a plate. You two usually don’t eat in the livingroom but tonight can be an exception!

He’s still in his hero costume, his feathers are disheveled from flying and there’s a smudge of dirt on his cheek. Not to mention, he’s absolutely tearing into a chicken breast. Wow...you really are in love, huh?

When you two are done with your feast, he clings onto you, resting his head on your shoulder while his wings curl around you “Sooooo....What was your favorite thing you did this year?”

“That’s a tough one. I got to spend so much time with you so...I’d say every day was my favorite!” And just like that you broke the poor guy :( he starts crying and kisses your cheek. He can’t help it!! He’s an emotional guy :( “Birdie :( I didn’t expect you to say thaaaatttt :(“

For the countdown, you sway side to side together with content smiles. Your New Years kiss is soft and sweet, a little short lived but oh well. You’ll get plenty more kisses later

You wipe the dirt and grease off of his face for him before he leaves again! And a playful slap on the ass for good luck ;)

“Hey!! Knock it off!” He’ll get you back when he comes back home :0

#everyone’s hoppin on the New Years kiss train right now #but that’s a-ok!!#we all need a hug and a kiss rn :’)#mha #bnha #nemuri kayama #hizashi yamada #shouta aizawa #emi fukukado #keigo takami #taishiro toyomitsu #fatgum #Hawks #midnight #present mic #eraserhead #I am so bad at tagging bruh ALSJAKKAKA

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letfatewritethewords · 3 years

Text

I process things with art. I process with written words in the hopes that one day it can be spoken without my voice shaking. This week has been one for the books.. and I decided to share. This is long, but I want to remember what I’m learning.. how I’m processing.. if you decide to read, thank you. If not, this will still be here as a reminder of my progress every year.

I always tell people that there was no reason for my name, but it’s a lie. I’m named after Samantha on BeWitched. My grandfather loved that show and suggested it when my mother couldn’t decide. I was born in early September and that makes me a Virgo. Astrology is one of my favorite things. There’s something extraordinary about the idea that we’re connected to the universe by the positioning of the stars. Sometimes it’s so vague.. but other times, it’s right on the nose and my horoscopes will make me cry. Speaking of that, I’m an empath and a 2. When I’m unhealthy, I’m a 4 and If you know what any of that means, I’d love to talk to you more about it. Winter is my favorite season. Fall is a close second. I love the snow and how muted everything is. I like the quiet, the beauty. Sometimes, the light from the sun will shimmer off a fresh coat of snow on the ground. It is absolutely blinding, but I’d still stare, and when the snow fell at night, I’d watch it under the street light across from my house and it felt like time stood still. When I was little, I would lay in the yard full of snow, alone, in my puffy suite, until my fingers and toes would go numb from the cold, listening to the silence, but the best part of those days was going back into my grandparents house and warming up with hot coco made on the stove, wrapping myself in a soft blanket and watching old movies with my grandfather. To me, the Winter is magical. My love languages are Quality Time and Acts of Service. I’m an introvert but I love people. I like to observe, I like to really understand how the mind works and Im eager to help. I thrive in controlled chaos. I like puzzles, I love music, I like crafts, I like to fix things because grandpa always taught me that nothing is to broken to fix. Nothing. No one.

This is the light. This is the part of me that I give willingly to anyone I meet. I wear it on my sleeve. It’s only the light. Until the last 2 years.. this was all I could give of myself because I’ve always been scared of the dark.

The darkest part of me lasted 8 years, my rock bottom lasted 4.5, but as a whole it’s taken up almost 12 years of my life. Sometimes I worry that all I'm ever going to be is this thing that happened to me. That this will define me for the rest of my life and I need to remind myself that I’m a person that can live separate from an event.

I went to the police station this week, I filled out more forms. I’ve filled out so many forms over the last 2 years. For an emergency restraining order this time. For Florida this time. I knew it would eventually follow me here but typhus felt too soon. The clerk called me brave. I smile and thank them every time but I never know how to respond to that. She has no idea how weak it feels and I mean.. how could she. This is the right choice, the obvious choice, the smart choice. In a different situation, it’s one of the many steps I’d be urging someone else to take. In all the chaos, all the hurt, in all the anger and sadness.. it always circles back to “I loved him”. I did. I wanted to fix him. I wanted to see him grow and heal and if I loved him hard enough for the both of us, it would’ve evened out eventually… right?

I failed.

He was always who he was, but I was young and naive and ready to fix the whole world. When I was 18 and we were free, I would’ve told you he saved me. Now that I’m in my 30’s… and he’s in prison and I’m in limbo.. I don’t know what I’d tell you. He didn’t save me, but he didn’t destroy me either. I had every opportunity to tap out and give up.. but I grew into a person I might not have been if I never met him.

Am I angry? All of the time.

Am I scared? Yes.

I see things more clearly now though. People talk about how you never know someone’s story, and that’s because we are experts at playing pretend like we have it all figured out until we’re alone and have to face truest selves. The facade is the hardest thing to give up. Some people saw through mine and there are others, who have built their own, that never will. I share posts about what I’ve learned, how I see people, how I’ve try to treat people with grace and teach children with love and patience in hopes that a little of that sinks into whoever it reaches, but I very rarely show the journey. Partly because I know the details are gruesome and that’s not for everyone, but mostly because I’m scared.

How will you see me?

What will you think?

I’m learning that I’m not this big awful thing that happened to me. I was never anyone’s property and I’m not chained to it anymore. I was very much lied to and manipulated and hurt long enough that it flipped onto me and I carried it without missing a step. I wanted to love him so much that I would heal him. Instead, he “loved” me so much it almost killed me, and he did call it love. Enough times that he re-defined it and I didn’t use that word for a very long time in any meaningful situation. He, for better or for worse, drastically changed the trajectory of my life.

But it’s ok.

I’m wounded but I’m healing. I’m lonely, but I’m learning how to slowly welcome more people in and step out of my comfort zone. If I’m being honest, I’m relearning a lot of things, including how to exist in a world where I have room to make mistakes and fail. I can say or do the wrong thing and be gently corrected for it by my people and move on … sans violence. There are no words for amount of relief I feel because of that truth.

Is it over? No.

He was sentenced to 7 years last year and every year around mid July early August there is an opportunity to apply for an appeal based on his behavior, which will always be immaculate because he is not as tough as he thinks he is. This means that if he applies and it goes to trial, I’m also notified and have to reappear, show any new evidence, and reexplain why he needs to stay there for the safety of others and myself. Telling my story once a year on a whim to a room full of strangers, always men, so they can decide my fate, as well as the fate of this “upstanding young man with a good head on his shoulders” (actual words used during my initial rape/domestic abuse trial against him), was never what I imagined finally turning him in would look like. I really never thought that after everything, his sentence wouldn’t even be as long as our relationship. The original sentence was 5 years. After he got out on a Governor Cuomo Covid related prison loophole and broke his parole almost immediately, he was sentenced to another 2 on top of that. He has 6 left. We talk about how flawed our system is, but really seeing it is a different kind of punch. Women aren’t believed. There’s a reason so many of these crimes go unreported, and why so many women die at the hands of angry men. The hoops you have to jump through are miles high and on fire, and when you and the advocate show up armed only with your truth, your tears and a little evidence from one night at a bar when he got to drunk and forgot he was in public, it’s very easy for a judge to rule on the softer side. Because, as you all know, we’d never want to ruin a wealthy mans life unless there’s cold, hard, reason to.

Seeing his face when they read out his sentence, after years of terror, was satisfying to say the least and if I hadn’t been so numb to get through the hearing, I would’ve enjoyed it more. I will never forget going to a trusted friends house after that hearing and being completely overwhelmed with all of the emotions. Relief, guilt, sadness, anger, happiness, fear.. so many I couldn’t express.. all at once because the novocain wears off and numb isn’t forever and I fell asleep with their dog after a lot of crying. I’d be lying though if I said that 18 year old in me didn’t feel a loss. I grew up with incredible grandparents that did amazing things in teaching me how to love people and be a good human, but no one can protect us from everything. I also grew up with a mother who fights demons of her own and never had the capacity to love two kids. In a situation like that, someone becomes the punching bag. I became the punching bag and desperately looked for ways out, an opportunity to run.. and I ran right into him, who accepted me with open arms for the first time in my young, very inexperienced life.. and I followed him blindly and he was my whole world. Until I was 27, I didn’t have a guide. By the grace of God I landed into a community in Florida that slowly helped me realize my worth.

So.. what now.

How do we fix what our parents and past broke?

How do you reparent yourself?

The mental health journey is proving to be my biggest struggle yet. There’s no more outside factors, it’s just me and the lies that have fed me for years and altered how I think and feel and understand the world. I can feel myself frustrating people I’ve let close to me. I feel myself getting nervous and pushing people away. Sometimes I can catch it and regroup, other times that nasty little voice is too loud and I’m exhausted. My goodness though, how cool is it to learn so much about yourself? I know I have the capacity to love that broken part of me eventually, but it’s still hard to face. Getting to learn and understand the reason behind your actions is terrifyingly amazing. I am proud of this journey. Even when I don’t always come up on top. It’s hard to see the progress while you’re in it, but laying it all out like this.. I can safely say I’m never going to be that 18 year old girl ever again. Some days this journey looks different, some days the darkness wins, because healing isn’t linear. Sometimes it’s one step forward, 2 steps back… but nothing is too broken to fix.. and I will never call that darkness home again.

#lonliness #abuse survivor #survivor #domestic violent relationships #domestic violence #processing

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artificialqueens · 3 years

Text

Galactica, Chapter 72 (Group Fic) - TheDane/Veronica

A/N: Click here if you’re looking for previous chapters (or here if you’d rather read on AO3). 💫

Previously: Miss Fame and Raja appeared on morning TV, and Miss Fame was visibly irritated with Courtney.

This Chapter: Violet stresses, Sutan orders some dinner, Katya chills, Raven preens, and Courtney’s Day From Hell continues.

***

“Courtney!” Miss Fame’s voice was sharp, sharper than usual. “Do you ever use your head? Or do you just go through life without a shred of critical thinking?”

It was fairly obvious that it was a rhetorical question, so Courtney kept her mouth shut, wondering what had gone wrong, what mess she’d have to clean up now.

“Hello?!?!”

“I’m sorry, Miss, I-” Courtney picked up her bags, prepared to head into the building. She looked at the cab driver, wondering if she should attempt to get a receipt for her expense report or just say fuck it. Jaida was pretty forgiving with petty cash records if the ride was less than fifty dollars.

“Do you know what happened when I got dressed for the investor lunch, Courtney? Thank god Raja was here, she’s the one who spotted it!”

Courtney pushed the door to the cab closed with her hip, trying to follow Miss Fame’s thought process, her heavy purse slung over one shoulder and laptop bag over the other.

“Spotted…?”

“A rip! There was a rip in the seam of the dress! Is that how you wanted me to show up? Looking like an absolute disaster?!”

“I-” Courtney scrambled into the lobby as quickly as she could to avoid the drizzling rain, glancing for a moment at the elevators before deciding that getting cut off wasn’t worth the risk. She opened the door to the stairwell and began trudging up, cursing the heels she’d chosen today and wondering if it would be too awful and unsanitary to just take them off and go barefoot.

“Next time you pick something up, you need to use your brain and your eyes and check the garment! Always check everything! Don’t trust anyone, do you hear me?!”

“Yes, Miss.”

“These kinds of careless mistakes are unacceptable. You’re not new anymore, you’ve been here for months. Violet isn’t around to protect you, you have to think, think!”

“Yes, Miss-”

“Luckily for you, I had my outfit from the show this morning, so it wasn’t an absolute disaster but if this ever happens again, I won’t be forgiving.”

“I understand, Miss.”

“This meeting better go flawlessly. I simply cannot take more incompetence today!”

“Yes, Miss-”

“That’s all.”

And with that, the phone clicked off. Courtney sighed, sagging against the banister before continuing on her way. Luckily, she hadn’t climbed too many flights, so she could still catch the elevator before she turned entirely into a sweaty, disheveled mess.

***

Violet heard her phone vibrate, and she looked down on the floor, her bag carefully placed under her desk. She abandoned her computer, several tabs with pictures from past Met balls open, and reached for her phone, messages from Sutan ticking in.

SUTAN: Any thoughts on dinner?

SUTAN: I could go for italian

SUTAN: I know a place that has a great fettuccine al salmone that I think you’ll like

Violet read the messages, a smile on her lips. Sutan was probably stuck in traffic or watching a presentation somewhere, her boyfriend often texting her like this when he was bored.

VIOLET: That sounds good

SUTAN: Great! I’ll order. Bottle of red too.

SUTAN: Feeling like dessert? Raja texted that she’s picking up Dominique Ansel for her and Raven and I’m jealous. The Italian place has a fantastic torta tenerina

SUTAN: It’s a chocolate cake if you haven’t had it

SUTAN: It’ll be just like our second date ;-)

Violet felt an instant blush rise in her cheeks, the memory of falling off the couch hitting her like a freight train. Sutan had been so kind about it, the man just laughing when Violet had messed everything up. She knew she was insanely lucky that Sutan was so calm and collected, that he rolled with the punches and took most things with a grain of salt, but she couldn’t help but worry if he was too relaxed.

Violet had meant to push it aside, to stop thinking about it, but Maxwell’s words from yesterday were still playing around in her head, the small comment about her sex life with Sutan starting an avalanche of worries.

Because Maxwell was wrong.

Violet did not, in fact, suck Sutan’s dick. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to, wasn’t that she found it gross or unappealing, it had just never… happened.

She didn’t know how she’d bring it up, what she’d say or what she’d do, but she knew that she wanted to talk to Sutan about it, and make sure that everything was okay.

VIOLET: Can’t wait

***

“Hey, Court, how are you?” Jaida asked, entering the conference room, holding up a flash drive with their investor presentation.

“Jaida! Oh thank god, is that the final?” Courtney asked, shifting from one foot to the other. She stood next to Shawn from IT, who was crouched over the projector.

“It is, it is...at least until Miss Fame texts me with another round of helpful suggestions,” Jaida said with a grin, and Courtney closed her eyes briefly.

“Don’t even joke about that,” she warned.

Jaida handed over the flash drive, giving her shoulder a reassuring squeeze. Poor thing looked very much on the edge, her little face screwed up anxiously, a crease in her brow where no one her age should have one.

“It’ll be okay, I promise. And I’m gonna stay here with you until it looks perfect.”

“Thank you,” Courtney said, her face softening into a grateful smile. “I know how to handle all the refreshments and stuff, but we don’t usually do these kind of multimedia things. I’m so worried that I’m gonna mess it up.”

“You won’t. And anyway, I’ll be right here. I can always tell you to go back a slide.”

“Right...yeah, that’s true.”

“How’s that look?” Shawn asked, and Jaida gave him a thumbs-up.

“Perfecto. Thank you, sir.”

“Alright, great. Court, you need anything else? ‘Cause apparently marketing is having some kind of emergency with their calendars not synching.”

“No, I think I got it,” Courtney said, sounding not at all confident.

“We got it,” Jaida said, sitting down beside her to look at the laptop that controlled the screen. “Why don’t I give you a basic rundown of what I’m gonna say, and then we can even do some rehearsing.”

“Sure!” Courtney said, smiling brightly.

Jaida took her through the whole presentation, then stood up to do a run-through, making sure they worked out a signal for when she was moving to the next slide, and double-checking the investor packets to make sure all the references to page numbers were accurate.

“Alright...I think we’re good. Do you feel better?”

“Yeah, definitely,” Courtney said, standing and walking towards the refreshment table, lining all the drinks up in neat pyramids. “You can take a break, I’m sorry to have kept you so long.”

“It’s no problem,” Jaida said. “But I could use a little breather before they arrive. I’ll be back in 30.”

“Okay. Um, also…”

Jaida turned in the doorway. “Yes?”

“Well...it’s just...um, some people were talking about their bonuses, and my last paycheck was just my regular salary. So I just wasn’t sure how that all worked.”

“Oh.” Jaida sighed to herself. Of course Miss Fame hadn’t filled her in. Dammit. “Well, usually we only give end of year bonuses to people who’ve worked for the company for six months or longer.”

“Oh. Right. Okay, sorry.” Courtney said, looking disappointed but not surprised, and Jaida felt awful.

Courtney’s salary was a pittance--barely enough to be off the street in New York. Jaida knew that, and she knew how much of a difference even a few hundred dollars would have made to her. But Miss Fame had insisted that the rules were there for a reason, and it would be a bad precedent to set to overrule them for her own office. It was pure nonsense--all employee bonuses were at the discretion of the department heads and always had been.

Clearly, Miss Fame had simply not wanted to reward her for whatever reason. At the time, Jaida didn’t think it was worth the headache to push back, but looking at her sad little face, Jaida couldn’t help feeling like maybe she should have.

“But hey,” Jaida said, giving a rueful smile, “It gives you someone to look forward to next year, right?”

“Yeah.” Courtney returned her smile, trying her best to recover. “Sorry to bother you about it.”

“It’s no bother. I’m sorry I didn’t have a better answer for you,” Jaida told her, guilt still eating away at her. “I’ll see you at 3, okay?”

“Okay. Thanks, Jaida.”

***

“And there we go!” Raven looked up from her phone, Juju standing behind her, a big smile on her face. “What do we think?”

Juju held up a mirror, showing Raven the back of her head. She had gotten a keratin treatment, her thick black locks cascading down her back like a silky waterfall, the ends cut ramrod straight, her December touchups going exactly according to plan.

“It looks great,” Raven smiled, running her fingers through her hair, the strands beyond soft to the touch. She always got her hair done by Juju, Raven’s salon visits an excellent opportunity to chat with her best friend without kids around. “Good job.”

“Thanks,” Juju smiled. “I’ll have someone over shortly to fill up your lashes. Can I get you anything?”

“A Pellegrino please.” Raven held up her glass, Juju leaving her to stay in her chair. She didn’t really want the water, a caramel macchiato or a hot cocoa much more weather appropriate, but she had already had her first fitting for Galactica’s closing look, which meant she had to stay true to that size.

Raven looked at herself in her mirror, turning her head side to side, her brows already threaded and perfect. She hadn’t told Sutan, or even Raja, but she had started to get the tiniest botox injections, her day starting off with a visit to the doctor. It was just 5 units here, another 10 there, to make sure her glabellar lines didn’t show up and that her nasalis lines stayed on the side of cute, instead of wrinkly and gross.

Raven pulled some of her hair over her shoulder, twisting her waist to catch the best lighting as she held up her phone, snapping a pic for her Instagram, a grin spreading on her lips at how hot she looked.

***

Courtney flexed her fingers and toes, trying to keep them from going numb. Her brain already felt like mush. They were going into hour three of the investor meeting. At first, she’d found it incredibly interesting, how the new fund they were raising would help with their 2015 growth, allowing them to expand into several Asian markets and open up a whole new stream of revenue. She’d taken a few business classes in college, and while math was never her strong suit, the financial charts and projections were fascinating.

However, after several hours of this, coupled with the fact that she’d been working since 6 am, and the fact that nearly everyone else in the entire company had already left to start their winter vacations, Courtney was slowly losing her interest in, not just the meeting, but the fashion industry period.

She glanced out the window. A flurry of snow was swirling past the window--it would probably melt before it reached the ground, but it made her long to be tucked under a blanket with Bianca. She picked up her personal phone to discreetly check the messages.

BIANCA: Still getting out early?

COURTNEY: We’ll see. :’(

BIANCA: LOL, poor baby. I’m heading home now, tell me when you’re done there.

COURTNEY: I will. Can’t wait to see you...counting the seconds...<3

Courtney sighed softly to herself. The drone of voices was starting to sound surreal to her, like she was under water. She checked the time again, wishing that they would wrap things up. By the sound of it, though, no one was in any hurry to leave. Maybe I’ll die here…

“Courtney!” Miss Fame’s sharp voice cut through her thoughts and she stood up straight, back against the wall.

“Yes Miss?”

The fury in Miss Fame’s eyes told her that she’d missed a cue, and she racked her brain for what it could have been. They were done with the presentation, and she’d laid all the refreshments out, as well as clearing the empty plates and replacing them with clean ones twice already.

Miss Fame glared at her harder, eyes darting to the box near her feet, and she jumped, realizing her mistake. Miss Fame wanted her to hand out the glossy photo books of the history of Galactica that were on standby, just in case. She reached down and pulled a big stack out of the box, then quickly began handing them out.

“If you’ll open your books,” Fame said, going back to the meeting with a charming smile, “You’ll see some photos of our humble beginnings at New York Fashion week, 2002.”

I will definitely die here, Courtney thought, trudging back towards her spot against the wall.

***

Winter break was here, and Katya absolutely loved it. She had slept in, enjoying a slow morning making pancakes in her pajamas, listening to Christmas music and dancing around, since she was completely alone.

Well, not completely, at least not anymore. She couldn’t feel the baby yet, and probably wouldn’t for a few more weeks, the app Trixie had downloaded informing her that she should be able to sense movement from week 20.

Katya took a sip of her hot cocoa, a Hallmark Christmas movie playing on the TV. She had cleaned up the apartment, making sure to get all of the laundry out of the way so everything was nice and tidy for the upcoming vacation.

She picked Pearl’s bomber jacket back up, the scent of her cigarettes clinging to the fabric. She had noticed that there was a tear while checking it, Pearl often forgetting the most random things in her pockets, so she had taken it upon herself to sew it back together.

She knew she didn't need to, but she liked doing things for her friend, the small project perfect for a relaxing day with nothing important on the agenda.

***

“Raja!” Raven couldn’t keep in the shout of happiness as she finally finally heard the front door open and click shut. She rushed to the hallway, making sure not to trip over her dress in her heels. “You’re home!”

“Hey Princess,” Raja smiled, taking off her coat, specks of snow in her long hair, revealing one of her office suits underneath. “You look perfect.”

“Mmh?” Raven grinned, her fiancée’s eyes sweeping over her body, appreciating the brand new outfit she had put on. “You think?”

“I know,” Raja hung her jacket up, and Raven stepped up, wrapping herself in Raja’s arms, a moment of complete peace washing over her.

Raja was home for the holidays, almost two wonderful weeks ahead of them with no work, minimal obligations and parties except New Year’s, all followed by their annual trip to Aspen.

It was Raven’s favorite time of year, for the simple reason that she had Raja’s undivided attention, and that was why she had picked New Year’s Eve as their wedding date. It was a little stressful that she only had about a year left to plan, but she knew that the night would be perfect, no matter what.

“Did you remember dessert?” Raven looked up at Raja, the fact that she was still taller than her even in heels insanely hot.

“Of course I remembered dessert,” Raja grinned, the Dominique Ansel box on the little hallway table, “I got your favorites.”

“I love you,” Raven smiled, getting up on her toes to plant a kiss on Raja’s lips.

“Are you talking to me or the pastries?”

“You,” Raven rolled her eyes, Raja as always teasing her, “...and the pastries.”

***

“So, what are we in the mood for?” Sutan asked. He sat down on the couch, placing the chocolate cake and the two forks on the table before grabbing the remote to turn the TV on. “A Christmas movie?”

He waited for a beat, and then another, no reply coming.

It was normal for Violet to be on the quiet side, common for her to come home from work and need time to unwind and reset before she could be present, his girlfriend not saying much during dinner.

What wasn’t normal was for Violet to ignore him outright, and Sutan couldn’t help but feel worried.

“Violet?” He sat up, looking over at her. She was tapping her fingers against her leg, looking straight ahead, her lip between her teeth. “Is everything okay?”

“Does it bother you that I don’t suck dick?”

“What?” Sutan spluttered, nearly choking on air, the question taking him by complete surprise.

“Does it bother you?” Violet twisted her body, her knees knocking against his as she turned towards him.

“Why are you asking?” Sutan knew it wasn’t what he should focus on, but he hadn’t expected Violet to ask that, hadn’t figured that a sex thing was what had twisted her into a knot, though the direct and blunt approach was exactly her.

“Answer my question.”

“I’m very satisfied with our sex life.” Sutan turned the TV off, commercials in the background not what he needed at the moment. “So no. It doesn’t bother me.” He was being completely sincere, the lack of Violet performing oral not something he had thought about except in brief fantasies here and there.

But it was just that, a fantasy.

A tantalizing and sexy fantasy for sure, but when it came down to it, not getting blow jobs was a miniscule price to pay in exchange for Violet, Sutan much more concerned with making sure that his girlfriend was having a good time, and that she was into what they did in bed.

“I simply assumed you wouldn’t enjoy it.”

“Okay.” Violet bit her lip, and Sutan moved closer, putting his arm on the back of the couch.

“Why are you asking? Is everything okay?”

“Maxwell made a comment at work.” Violet pushed a strand of her hair behind her ear, looking at Sutan’s chest instead of his face.

“And?” Sutan reached out, gently putting his hand on her shoulder.

“I just figured, I never really…” Violet sighed, tugging at the edge of her skirt, Sutan rubbing his thumb up and down. “Offered, and I hadn’t considered…”

“Violet. Good sex, is sex that makes everyone feel good, and I like, no, I love, making you feel good.” Sutan smirked, watching the prettiest blush bloom on Violet’s cheeks, but this time, she didn’t shy away, didn’t look down, instead, she met his gaze straight on, their eyes locking together.

“I want that too. To make you feel good.”

“Is this your way of offering?” Sutan raised an eyebrow, “To experiment with blow jobs I mean.”

“Yes,” Violet nodded. “I think I could enjoy it with you.”

“If you want it,” Sutan smiled. “I want it.”

***

As Courtney helped Miss Fame into her coat, she could feel her will to live come surging back, the end of the day so close now that she could taste it. She’d already brought the many gifts from Miss Fame’s friends and associates downstairs to her car and in a remarkable display of generosity, Miss Fame had even handed Courtney one of the bottles of Veuve to take home herself.

“Merry Christmas, Miss!” Courtney exclaimed happily as she settled back down at her desk to take care of her last few tasks of the year.

“Yes. Make sure that those sketches get to Trixie before you leave. Goodnight.”

“Sure thing!” Courtney called after her, waving as she rounded the corner. The sketches. She knew she had the sketches earlier. Where were they?

She searched the mostly empty surface of her desk, stomach lurching when she realized what must have happened. The cab. She left them in the cab. Her sunny smile dissolved, color draining from Courtney’s face as she realized how absolutely fucked she was.

Miss Fame almost never did her own sketches any more. These were rare and precious; Courtney recalled how angry she’d been earlier in the day at simply the thought of a crease in the pages.

How could Courtney have been so utterly careless?

Original sketches from Miss Fame of Galactica floating around a random NYC taxi was a nightmare. She wracked her brain, trying to remember the cab company, and found her head absolutely empty of any details, devoid of anything that could help.

And of course, she didn’t have a receipt, because she’d been in such a rush to get upstairs, which meant no evidence, nothing to go off of.

She frantically searched for the numbers of any local cab companies and began the tedious task of calling them to track down the priceless unmarked envelope.

Nearly two hours later, throat hoarse from crying, she had to finally admit defeat.

Nobody had seen the envelope, and the chance of her getting a call back with good news was looking slimmer and slimmer as the dispatches closed for the day. She picked up her phone, knowing that she’d be seeing a whole bunch of increasingly concerned messages from Bianca.

There was no way she could face her tonight. Not after she’d fucked up so immensely, done something that was sure to make her boss more furious than she’d ever seen her. There was a small chance that Bianca herself wouldn’t be mad, that she might even be sympathetic--but Courtney knew that she absolutely didn’t deserve that.

Just to be certain, she waited until she was on the subway before responding to her messages, texting a simple ‘I can’t make it’ and then adding ‘I’m so sorry’ before shoving the phone back in her bag and riding the rest of the way to the Bronx with her head in her hands, cursing herself over and over.

#rpdr fanfiction #thedane #veronica #galactica #vitan #bitney #raja x raven #courtney act #miss fame #violet chachki #raja gemini #jaida essence hall #raven #jujubee #bianca del rio #katya zamolodchikova #lesbian au #m/f au #fashion au

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ghostbustermelanieking · 3 years

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oddly specific memories i have of listening to tma

in honor of the finale, and because i am a sentimental asshole, i bring you this potentially uninteresting and completely pointless list. i'm gonna miss this show a lot

half my original reasoning for listening to the podcast was to motivate me to walk on the treadmill. this did not work. but i did it the first time, when i was going through the trailers and anglerfish, and i remember the room where my dad keeps the treadmill is really dark and the spooky chanting sort of freaked me out

after the treadmill, i ended up listening to the bulk of the first four episodes on the couch, and halfway through i let my oldest cat, winnie, who always lived outside (i know, i was very against actually keeping her outside) in the house. and she jumped up on the couch with me, which she literally never did. (she was very grumpy and not super affectionate.) i had that cat since i was five, and she passed last june, and i really miss her. quarantine kind of gave us the opportunity to hang out with her a lot, because we were home so much. so i'm glad these memories are kind of intersected in my mind. (below: a pic i have from that day.)

my friend sarah relistened along with me the first time around, which was extraordinarily sweet of her, and also led to some interesting interactions. for example: she forgot when it was revealed that sasha was dead, so she accidentally spoiled that for me when i asked when the others would find sasha (and i spent all of season 2 just like. anxiously vibrating over this fact). she also made this post, when i was still in like early first half of season 1, and my immediate thought was "oh no martin is dead." i hadnt even MET martin at this point

back in early quarantine, my mom had this rule that we had to do something new every day (to keep away the depression... ha ha). anyways, all i wanted to do in my free time was sit around and listen to tma (and also watch this show i was into on netflix), so i came up with some lame excuses, one of which was "i'll give myself a pedicure." this led to the memory i ultimately associate with mag 56 (trevor herbert 2) being me sitting out on our roof balcony thing, giving myself a horrendous pedicure

another time, my family wanted to go play tennis, and they brought me along and brought a hammock for me to lay in. there was this excess material from the hammock, and the sun was in my eyes, so i ended up pulling it up and over me to block the sun and creating this ridiculous hammock cocoon thing. one of the episodes i listened to that day? "tucked in."

before i ever started the show, my friend sarah stayed with me while i was pet sitting. i remember when she got there, she'd just listened to 150 and was telling me how freaky it was (she was still trying to get me into the show), and she was like "of course we're staying on a CUL DE SAC." (that was also the weekend she watched us for the first time and was very upset because i slept through the whole thing, which is scary when you're staying somewhere by yourselves.) anyways, i spent the whole show waiting for the scary cul de sac episode

while i was listening to the show for the first time, my step-dad (an artist) started painting an EYE on the door downstairs near my bathroom. a fucking EYE. he didn't finish it til i had finished the show. but still weird!!

i binged like 12 episodes in one day to finish season 4, which is not impressive at all, but it's still my personal record. i just remember staying up late in my dark bedroom (til like.... 11 i'm lame and i go to bed early), listening to like 158 & 159 & 160 and just being knocked on my ass by how good it all was... i was SUPER spoiled by this point, through my own fault, and i knew exactly what was coming, but actually experiencing it was nuts

the second week i listened live was 167, where the public release was delayed by a couple hours by accident. i spent like 20 minutes refreshing spotify, thinking it was broken, before going on tumblr and seeing what the deal was. (and 167 remains one of my favorites of s5 because i remember just going "thank god it was worth the wait.")

this one car ride where sarah and i made some of our friends listen to the first three episodes of the show. it was the middle of the night and we were just like blasting down i40 listening to anglerfish and do not open etc

the night the what the ghost episode publicly dropped was the night after my graduation, and i was sleeping out on the couch in the living room so my grandfather could sleep in a bed. it was super dark, and i am a jumpy person, and i Remember being mildly disgusted with myself because the corny sound effects were actually freaking me out. (i think i mightve actually seen something weird that night, maybe, but that's another story.)

the weekend my parents moved me into college, we couldn't get the cable in the house we were staying in, and we were all sitting around doing nothing, so i jokingly suggested starting tma with them, and they were like ok grace. my step-dad promptly fell asleep and my mom zoned out -- which is probably good, she doesn't like horror and she's super claustrophobic, so it's probably better we never got to do not open

my brief roommate in college talked about how she was into those youtube channels where people just read scary stories, so of course i was like try tma out. so she listened to the first episode on her own, and we were out one night, and she started mag 02 while i went into an ice cream place. she was into it (she kept being like open it, ya pussy) and wanted to keep listening while we went home, and even back in our room. i had only been in town for a couple weeks, and barely knew my way around, but i also didn't want to turn the gps on and be interrupted every five seconds. so i tried to find our way back on my own. it took the entirety of mag 03, and into mag 04, before i did it. so now i will forever associate across the street with all those wrong turns i took in a dark, semi unfamiliar city, trying to get back to our college without a gps

the day of the early drop for 179 was the day i moved back home from college -- a five hour drive by myself. i ended up listening to it on the final stretch of the trip, when i was super tired and it was dark and i knew it'd probably be a crazy episode. just me full blasting down i40, drinking an energy drink (which i never do) through a hole punched in the top, listening to daisy's death

186 early dropped the day after initial u.s. election day (when we still didn't know anything). my mom had set up a "watch party" in the living room with these giant air mattresses, and we all sort of spent the day crowded around the TV watching the numbers. not much of a memory, but i remember sitting on that air mattress and listening to martin's monologue in the midst of that messy week

i had a virtual therapy appointment on the day of 187's early drop, and my dad was home, so i drove to an empty parking lot to do the session in some privacy. i was trying to listen to the episode before the session started, so i ended up listening to the last half sitting in my car, in the pouring rain, just staring at my radio in shock (187 remains one of my favorite s5 episodes)

my friend sarah had just come home for winter break the day 189 dropped, and we decided to listen together, just like driving around in circles drinking coffee and listening and speculating on whether or not that was really martin

i started my relisten right after thanksgiving and was just kind of blowing through fast as i could through the whole of december. i had to go back to college to empty out my dorm, and i went to the beach after, and i ended up listening to mag 11 while just like walking around in circles in the tide pools. the closer it got to christmas, the more christmassy i wanted to keep things, so i would like. listen in the mornings and turn on one of those Netflix fireplaces and get all cozy

my other friend went with me on a mini bagel road trip in december, and he was still trying to get caught up, so we listened to mag 169, 170, and 171 on the drive home. (by this point, i was accustomed enough to s5 and smiting scenes to automatically reach for the volume controls when jude perry and jared hopworth died.)

when i relistened to mag 47, i was sitting with my cat beezus. i paused the episode to write this big long meta, so i was in a different headspace when i pressed play again. jon immediately yelled for sasha and i immediately jumped, and beezus gave me a searing glare and just got up and left

i relistened to piecemeal while i was cooking, which i thought was kind of funny and also disgusting

after christmas, i got into the habit of bringing my cat georgia into my room in the mornings, and she'd crawl under the covers with me while i listened to tma

one story i've always liked to tell from my first listen is how when i first listened to the meat arm grinder episode, my dad asked me to help him cook hamburgers later that day and explained how hamburgers are ground up (to my disgust). i hit meat grinder in my relisten and um. you'll never fucking guess what i made for lunch that day

so i had all these arbitrary rules for myself when i started tma last april, and i've broken like all of them. i started listening to tma while virtually working -- you just pull it up on your computer and it works. (i got the life scared out of me when one of my coworkers started talking over the podcast, wondering who it was that had walked into jon's office and why he wasn't reacting and why i didn't remember it.) i also started listening a lot while driving, which led to several long meta posts i wrote being typed up in a parking lot somewhere

i spent the entirety of 194 anxious-cuddling georgia. (i tried to do this for 198 and then didn't have any anxiety to cuddle her over.) i fully plan on doing this for 200, where i am sure i will need it again

my favorite place to listen to tma probably ended up being the roof room at my mom's, and unless something goes awry, this is where i will listen to the finale. (with georgia, of course.)

this list is super uninteresting, like i said, but here it is. i'm gonna miss this show a lot. i can't wait to return to it, later in life, and make all new listening memories in the process

#the magnus archives #personal #food mention tw #pet death tw

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descendantofthesparrow · 4 years

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Multipart Commission work - Harry Hook x reader - A Prince Behind the Pirate - part 12 - letters and conspiracies

@musicarose

“more and more people are rallying for the children of the isle to join us in Auradon” the council was meeting secretly, talking about the recent events of the people of Auradon calling for the children of the isle to be removed and relocated to Auradon“all thanks to your granddaughter Leah”

The ex-queen crossed her arms, glaring at her fellow council members. “it is not my fault that my granddaughters….soulmate” she spat “is a filthy isle pirate boy, trust me, I have plans to get him out of her head, the first being an arranged marriage between Ariels son and (y/n)”

“now how are you going to do that?” Luis scoffed, twirling his white mustache between his fingers “while it's not common knowledge that the pirate and your granddaughter are soulmates if it gets out the whole kingdom would riot for her, you know the consequences of forcefully pulling two souls apart”

Leah waved the old king off, he was a sucker for love and allowed his son to marry a peasant dish maid, he would be no use in the planning of all this. “yes yes whatever, I cannot have a filthy pirate soil my family line, (y/n) needs a prince, one with land and claim to his throne. Jordan will be just fine, with the claim to Atlantica”

The council nodded along with her standing as the “meeting” was dismissed, Luis frowned to himself, he just couldn't condone this behavior…he needed to tell someone.

You sighed, leaning back in your desk chair, blowing your hair out of your eyes. Another stressful day of dealing with Isle affairs, from the food barges to the assholes on the council denying yet ANOTHER transfer request of another 4 VKs.

It had been a long battle but after your stories, along with the cour four and Ben backing you up and their own stories, the people of Auradon were rallying for the removal of the vks from the Isle.

Cinderella herself was voting for the removal of the vks, along with her step-sister Anastasia. Which lead to more people to come on your side, if someone who was raised by a villain was rallying for the vks how bad could they be?

If only your grandmother wasn’t such a bitch and convincing the other council members to keep denying the VK transfer plan. You rolled your neck and got back to business, finishing up another document on the medical barge that was being sent to the isle soon.

A few minutes later a knock sounded at your door, and you turned to look at it for a moment before going back to your work “it's open!”

Audrey stepped through a moment later, a bowl of fruit in her hands “snack break!” you sighed and looked at her, smiling.

“but-“ she tossed a grape at you, pouting.

“no buts, now eat the snackies” you laughed and held your hand out for the bowl, she gave it and a fork to you, spinning around and landing on your bed “sooooo, hows work?”

“pretty good” you shrugged, a mouthful of watermelon “just finishing on a medical document before working on the next barge for fabric”

Audrey hummed and nodded to herself, picking up the tossed leather jacket on your bed, thumbing over the stitched silver hook. “any progress on Harry?”

“no” you groaned, letting your head fall “the council STILL won't approve the plan” Audrey pursed her lips, sucking on her teeth.

“….im really glad I've grown away from grammie, I used to think she knew everything but….shes just-“

“close-minded and thinks about what's best for her and HER line instead of what's best for us and what WE want?” Audrey pointed at you and nodded.

“exactly, shes so demanding and-and god, I wish mom and dad had more of an opportunity to raise us, I never realized that I hardly had a relationship with mom until I actually tried to hang out with her instead of grammie”

You shook your head, it had been hard for Audrey and mom to get their “proper” relationship going, even months later their relationship was slightly strained.

Thankfully for you, you had….not trusted your grandmother since you were a kid and she had grimaced and called a same-sex couple walking down the street “rule-breaking f*gs”…yeah you decided she wasn’t a good role model and mentally disowned her.

When you had told Audrey about it, right around the times she separated herself from Grammie, she had a look of horror on her face, being apart of the LGBTQ community herself, she took it to heart.

To sum it up, you and Audrey had basically disowned your grandmother and decided you deserved better than a homophobic, controlling bitch of a grandmother.

She still tried to control the two of you but 1) since you met Harry and decided that hey, your soulmates a pirate, let's just go crazy and 2) Audrey was done with her bullcrap.

Your dad had almost died from laughing as you both hid from your grandma one day while she visited. But managed to hide it from her as she asked about you, while your grandpa found you and snuck you some food

Your grandfather was always your favorite out of the two grandparents, he never pressured you, never forced his beliefs on you, and just let you be yourselves….and also took you to get junk food.

Big difference from your grandmother, but anyway- back to the main plot.

You swallowed the last bit of fruit and placed it on your desk, going back to working on the medical document.

“shoot I gotta get going, Jane wanted to go get brunch at Tiana's place, see you later!” Audrey jumped up from the bed, ran over to give you a quick kiss on the cheek before she bolted from your room to find jane. “have fun” you muttered distracted, typing out your last paragraph, and hitting the save button, opening up the fabric document next.

Time for another three hours at your desk, just the life of the isle ambassador.

Harry grunted as he set a large barrel full of fish on the ships main deck, groaning as he stood and stretched out his aching muscles. He shook his head, feeling beads of sweat dripping from his scalp and down his forehead. “gods” he muttered “the one day I do work and its gotta be so hot” he slicked back his sweat-soaked hair and turned around, heading back to the barge to collect more food for the crew.

As he walked down the gangplank, his oh so precious little sister CJ came trotting towards him, a white envelope in her hand, waving it about in the air “oh Harry~ a letter from your girlfirend~” she called, skipping over to him and holding out the letter.

Harry tried to grab it but CJ twisted and pulled away the letter, sticking her tongue out playfully “you have to be quick-hey!” Harry picked CJ up and plucked the letter from her hand, dropping her back on her feet, snickering as she hit his shoulder.

“and yeh hav’ ta be quicker than tha’” Harry mocked, ripping open the envelope and taking out the letter, grunting as CJ jumped onto him and climbed to look over his shoulder “yeh rotten little monkey” he muttered, opening the letter and grinning slightly as (y/n)s neat handwriting appeared

-hi Harry~ just wanted to write a quick letter to you. The next barges are medical and fabric and should be at the isle within the week, I need Uma to write up any needs on the blank paper I put along with this letter and give it back to the courier that will be retrieving the returns in three days.

I miss you every day and even though we see each other in our dreams, I still wish I could see you.

-until next time, love- (y/n)

Harry sighed, smiling softly at the letter, thumbing over (y/n)s signature. “gag” CJ stuck her tongue out and walked away “im gonna go hang out with someone who isn’t being a love guppy” Harry rolled his eyes and closed the letter, shoving it in his pocket and taking the envelope and blank paper to Uma

You sighed, finally finishing the last document and sending it to the manager of isle affairs. You spun around in your chair and stood, walking to your bed and flopping down onto the mattress.

“uhhhg” you groaned, grabbing your jacket and pulling it over your head, ready to sleep for 10 hours after your grueling day of filling out paperwork.

Your phone sounded off, and you groaned loudly and sat up, your jacket falling to your lap, leaning over you grabbed your phone from the charger, clicking on the message bubble.

…

….

“WHAT!???!”

-end of part 12-

we are all disappointed at the wedding “short” so heres a x reader for your trouble

permtaglist

@queer-cosette

@sephiralorange

@lunanight2012

@random-thoughts-003

@amorathegamingkitsune

@rintheemolion

@daughter-of-the-stars11

taglist that i forgot to do when originally posted to here!

@thecaptainsgingersnap

@thebookwormfairy

#descendants #Descendents #disney descendants #harry hook #harry hook descendants #harry hook x reader #harry hook imagine #commission #writing commission #prince behind the pirate

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random-imagines-blog · 4 years

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Let Her Go {Emma Frost x Reader}

Requested by: Anonymous Wordcount: 3294 Summary: After getting rejected by someone you thought you loved, you do eventually find all you’re looking for. Song inspiration: Rhapsody in Blue - Gershwin (x)

The music coming from your room did not have a source that most people expected. You had no radio, no record player, and definitely no tape cassette. Nor did you have a television that might have produced the sound. Rather, it was coming from your very pores, the emotions that you were feeling. Manifesting sounds and music was your power, though it was not a very useful one unless the disco was growing dull or you needed to get someone’s attention quickly. Rhapsody in Blue was loud, expressing your emotion to the other ladies in the boarding house that you were living in temporarily. You had your window open, the curtain was fluttering outside of it, having been drawn out by the breeze, and you sat next to it, enjoying the sunshine on your face. It was the first time that you had enjoyed anything in the last month. Since you left your teaching position at Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters.

You sighed as you saw a redhead walking down the street with her dog. Even the flash of that hair color was enough to bring you back to your slump, the song skipping to one of the piano solos to match her steps. You had gotten away from the school so you wouldn’t think of Jean Grey anymore, but everything brought back memories. Damn, how you missed the excitement of the school, and the missions that you were brought on.

You turned away from the window, having seen enough people for the day. Your eyes went towards the empty bottle of vodka that sat near your door, ready to act as a doorstop since the glass was heavy enough. You had promised yourself only one bottle during this hard time. Rejection was tough to deal with, especially from someone you thought perhaps would be your soulmate. Just one bottle, any more would be excessive. Just merely one bottle.

The jazz surrounded you like a hug. If you were in a better mood, you might even dance to it. Instead, you sat alone, traumatized at the idea of being close to another human. It was nearly enough to make you cry.

The air around you grew heavy, like something big was about to happen. You resisted the shudder that went up your spine, and the shiver that threatened to overtake you. You think you’d be used to this by now. There was a knock at the door, and a beautiful, tall and leggy blonde walked in, closing the door behind her. It was her that brought the feeling with her everywhere that she went.

“I don’t need to read your mind to tell how miserable you are,” She said, tossing her bag onto the flowery comforter that covered your bed. She was a vision in white; nearly blindingly so. “Why is it so hot in here all the time? I feel like I’m going to melt.”

Emma Frost, everybody. The person who has been keeping you sane since the whole fiasco. Since you foolishly thought that Jean Grey might be your soulmate and you confessed your love to her, only to be rejected. The only person who didn’t whisper about you behind your back. Or, at least, you haven’t caught her doing it anyway.

“Because I don’t pay enough for air conditioning,” You said, pointing towards the open window, where the breeze was your only source of air. “I mean, if you want to go into my landlady’s mind and convince her to put some units in, I’d be highly grateful.”

“I might,” She said, sitting on the edge of your bed. Her one leg crossed over the other, as cool as a cucumber. “Or you can just come stay with me. I told you - I have the room.”

She had to talk a little bit higher as the music kept floating through you. You kept your mind focused on the clarinet, the piano, the grooves of the song. Because if you didn’t, there was a chance that it might go to something inappropriate.

“And have to deal with this all the time?” You said, meaning the music coming off of you. “You can barely handle it when I’m in a mediocre mood. And don’t even get me started on what I actually sound like in the shower.”

Emma chuckled, going through her purse for her frosty-pink lipgloss and applied it slowly without a mirror. How she made everything look so effortless, you could not understand. “Honey, I always make sure I know what I’m getting into before I make an offer. Especially one that breaks my rule of not getting too close to people. But you need a place with privacy. Your neighbors are sick of your crying at night.”

“Did they tell you that, or are they just thinking it?”

Emma just gave me a knowing look with her big baby blues. You sighed, figuring that it was the latter since they were all too polite to actually complain.

“I can afford this place, you know? Being independent, it feels nice,” You said, wishing you were even able of convincing yourself of that fact. Of course, Emma didn’t buy it.

“You quit your job, and you’re living off of your very meagre savings. And all you do is stare out that tiny little window, trying to see if you can spot her when she comes to town. Y/N, you can do better than that. If you’re really that bothered, you can pay rent at my place. I know how good it feels to be able to give yourself a second chance, and I want to help you with yours. Come on, don’t make me pressure you.”

You knew that she could be in your head and hating where you are within a second. You looked around the dreary room with it’s fake-cheery yellow wallpaper, the window that only opened halfway up, the gingham curtains, the flower bedspread. None of this was actually yours. The only things that were happened to be the clothes that were still in your suitcase. The fact that you haven’t unpacked spoke volumes.

“I hate when you make a point, you know that?”

You found a job close by to where Emma lived. It wasn’t as cushy a job as working at Xavier’s school, but you couldn’t claim that you were in love with any of your co-workers which was a nice change. And admittedly, living with Emma was the best decision that you had ever made.

When you came home after dark, Emma was there with take-out, since neither of you were really the cooking kinda people. She was much too busy and glamorous, while you - you were honestly just a bit lazy after working all day. The only downside was that sometimes her long, blonde hairs could be found on your clothing, since she shed like a damn sheepdog. You teased her about being able to make voodoo dolls of her, and there’s nothing her powers could do about it, which was just enough to get an actual emotion out of her, rather than her perfect expressionless face.

You started noticing more and more about your friend as you spent an increasing amount of time with her. She wore white as if it were going out of style; and it probably was because nobody rocked it as well as she did. You noticed how she shunned most human contact, but stayed close to you. Your pinkie fingers were side by side as you both rested on the couch, watching a movie on her television screen. You noticed that she didn’t use her telepathic ability on you, despite having ample opportunity. She actually took the time to ask your thoughts, or what you wanted. She didn’t invade.

“You look like you’re thinking about something,” Emma said, walking into the room, her white heeled boots clicking against the wooden floors. “It’s not that ginger again, is it?”

“No, actually, I’ve barely thought about her in days,” You admitted. Emma raised an eyebrow, then joined you on the couch, waiting for you to continue to speaking. “I think that what you said when I told you I was leaving the school was right. That it was just an infatuation from seeing her everyday. A crush that I blew out of proportion. So ... thank you. I might not have been able to see reason if it wasn’t for you.”

“Hmm-” The corner of Emma’s lips went up into a half-smile. “You’re welcome. Any other crushes that you want me to ruin for you while I’m at it? That one woman you work with is rather cute. Workplace cute, not model cute, obviously but-”

“No, no, I’m okay,” You said, laughing. It felt so good to laugh again. You were becoming yourself once more, but a stronger version. A more aware version. “How come it’s always about my crushes? You never tell me about yours. Come on, you worked with some pretty attractive people, even if some of them were villains.”

“You think so?” Emma asked, raising an eyebrow. She reached past you to the table where your cup of tea was sitting on a saucer, and helped herself to a sip. “None of them were quite my type.”

“Oh,” You said, a little surprised. “Well, what is your type?”

You didn’t even mind that she was drinking your tea. You were just so curious about why she never opened up about her own love life, and intrigued that she was doing it now.

“Oh, I don’t know. There is one person but ... it would never happen so I’ve decided to stop entertaining the thought.”

“Are they married or something? Because believe me, anyone that would turn you down is a fool. I’ve been living with you for a while now and you haven’t annoyed me yet, that’s a very good sign.”

Emma stayed silent as she thought, and as you watched, she tapped her fingers against the teacup. For once, you wished that you were the telepath so you could figure out what was so hard for her to say aloud.

“Oh come on,” You said, nudging her with your elbow. “Whoever it is, you can tell me. I swear I won’t even tease you for it. Unless it’s Logan, because that man has so much body hair it’s disgusting.”

Emma started to laugh at that, and put the teacup back down on the saucer. “Oh, honey, no,” She shook her head between giggles. “Definitely not Logan.”

“Then it can’t be that bad. Come on....” You bothered and bothered until you knew that you would get her way.

“Fine!” She said, throwing her hands up into the air. “Do you really want to know that bad?” You nodded enthusiastically. You’ve never seen her so nervous about admitting something before. This was not the witty and calm Emma Frost that you knew well. “My type is you, exactly you,” She said, dryly, reaching for the tea cup again but you stopped her by grabbing onto her wrist gently.

“I’m not laughing, if you hadn’t noticed,” You said, turning even more to face her. You let go of her, but she didn’t reach for the tea again. She was just reaching for it as a distraction, something to keep her hands busy as you both processed what had just been said.

“Yeah, I noticed.” Emma said, putting her hands on the knees over her immaculate dress. “But you’re not doing much of anything at the moment, are you?”

“I’m thinking,” You said, crossing your arms in front of you. “What was it you said - infatuation because we see each other every day?”

“I would think that was it, if I hadn’t had feelings for you for about a year before you moved in.” She sighed, uncrossing her legs and just crossed them the other way. “It’s fine, y/n, you’ve been through a lot. That’s why I wasn’t going to say anything. I know you’re not unbreakable and made of diamond, like me.”

“Yeah, well,” You said, trying desperately to think of something to say. “Can your diamond skin do this?”

You focused on the song ‘Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend’ in your head, and it flowed out of you just as easily as if it were a blink or a breath. Marilyn Monroe’s sweet and sultry voice filled the living room, tuning out the television program that was on Emma’s tv. She stared at you, not saying anything until the actual line of ‘Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend’ was sung.

“No, I can’t do that,” She said, getting onto her feet. “But thank you for telling me through song how you feel.”

You realized the connotations of the song, and how Emma had taken it. She was your best friend, but you had essentially just showed her that it was all that she could be. “Can you just wait a second please?” You said, jumping up yourself. “I’m still not laughing, and I’m not ... not upset about it either.”

Emma stopped in her doorframe, leaning against it. How did she make every motion look so graceful? “Good to see you don’t hate me,” She stated.

“I could never, Em!” You protested at the very thought. “How could I ever hate you? You’ve given me everything - my life back, most importantly. I just ... I’m not good at the emotions thing as we both clearly just found out. And I don’t want anything to ever come between us...”

“So nothing is changing despite my big admission, pour the champagne,” Emma said, clearly dripping in sarcasm. “Goddamnit, let me think for a second, alright?” You said, collapsing back on the couch, running your fingers against your scalp in frustration. “This does change things. A lot of things. I just never thought that someone like you would ever like someone like me. You’re so... perfect.”

“But not perfect enough for you to consider,” Emma said, her voice loaded with lack of emotion, which was an emotion in itself. You knew what that tone had meant. That was how you spoke to Jean after she rejected you. How you spoke to everyone, actually. Hiding your emotions was a way to protect yourself.

“Don’t think that way, you know that I care about you,” You pleaded.

“I know,” Emma said, moving a blonde hair out of her face with a quick movement of her head. “I’m not letting it affect anything. If it changes how we are, that’s on you.”

You took a couple of days to think about things. Emma had gone off on a mission of some sort, and you laid around the penthouse apartment, doing next to nothing but worrying about her. Yes, she was made of diamonds when she wanted to be. And yes, she was a telepath and could anticipate any move against her. But that didn’t sooth your mind much. Becoming so close to her over the last couple of weeks and then having the threat of losing her - it put things into perspective.

You jumped up when you heard the door open, reaching for something that could be used as protection. You settled on a lamp, not realizing that it would probably cost you a month’s salary to replace it if you actually broke it.

The room was dark, and you could just see a form moving near the front door. The burglar was being bold, if that’s what it was. You held the lamp up and were about to bring it down on the burglar when the light turned on and revealed it to actually be the person you had been worrying about all this time.

“A lamp, really?” Emma asked, lightly taking the lamp from your hands as you paused to take the sight of her in. “A frying pan would probably be better.”

“I -” You started to stutter before realizing you weren’t even sure what it was you wanted to say. You dropped your arms to your sides, feeling like a sullen child. “I missed you.”

“Did you?” Her tone was cool and collected, as always. “You almost didn’t.” She set the lamp down on the closest table, letting the cord dangle off for now. Her last name suited her well. She felt chilly to the bone tonight.

“I would have kissed it better,” You said, feeling warm enough for the both of you as you admitted that. She arched an eyebrow in your direction, then walked towards the kitchen. You followed her, as silent as you could muster, though you were letting off some sounds without meaning to. Rhapsody in Blue. Always that song.

“And what changed while I was gone?” She asked, pouring herself a large glass of water, and swallowed it down. She looked tired, not as put together as usual. But her attitude didn’t differ from before.

“I had lots of time to think,” You muttered, with her barely able to hear you over the clarinet. “I did miss you. And I worried about you the whole time, even though I know that you had it under control. You always do.”

“That’s the grand conclusion that you came up with? That I’m clearly a badass?” She said, turning the cup around in her hands. You felt your mouth go dry.

“Well, not really - I’ve known that for a long time. The conclusion that I came to, in your words, is that I’d kind of like to change our friendship. Into something more than a friendship.” The song rose into a crescendo, your hopeful feelings taking on a musical charge. You could feel electricity in the air. The hairs on your arm were sticking up. “It took me a lot of time to let Jean go, and then even more for me to make sure that how I feel about you isn’t just ... a rebound. It’s not, I’m positive.”

“Took you long enough,” Emma said with a smirk. “I’ve been able to read you easier than a book, y/n. That’s why I confessed to you when I did. Because I knew that you felt the same way and needed a nudge to say it.” She put the glass into the sink, then approached you. She took your face between her hands, so you were forced to look into her beautiful, blue eyes. “Though I have to ask, why is it always this song?”

“What do you mean?” You asked, leaning more into her hands, craving the touch to be stronger.

“When you dream of me, you play this song. So what’s so special about it?” She questioned you, giving you what you needed by coming even closer, your face still at the mercy of her hands.

“I do?” You asked, suddenly concerned at what other music you might have exuded in your sleep. “I suppose it’s because it covers everything I feel about you. Happiness, hope, anxiety at times.”

“You’re an odd one,” Emma said, letting go of you. You felt colder without her, but she took your hand instead. “Come, sleep with me tonight, play it as my lullaby.”

“If that’s what you really want,” You said, going with her extremely willingly.

#Emma Frost #Emma Frost x reader #Emma Frost oneshot #XMen #XMen oneshot #Marvel #Marvel oneshot #oneshot #request #emmaf

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shingekicornwrites · 4 years

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Agricultural Werewolves, pt 1

Fandom/Tags: Hero Academia, alternate universe/werewolves, mentions of past bullying, Counseling, Bakugou Katsuki Faces Consequences, modern fantasy, unreliable narrator, Katsuki is kind of an asshole please don’t take his commentary as my opinion or truth

Pairings: Bakugou Katsuki/Anger Management Counseling, future Bakugou Katsuki/Kirishima Eijirou, future Midoriya Izuku/Todoroki Shouto

A/N: This is just a fun au full of wholesome farming, but also boys dealing with issues and a whole lot of unhealthy coping mechanisms and attempts to heal. Please enjoy

Not all farmers are werewolves, but many werewolves are farmers. For some reason this fact makes no sense to people who don’t know werewolves. For everyone else it makes perfect sense.

Werewolves have to eat a lot.

As in: the number one drain of money in werewolf houses is filling the cabinets enough to keep all members of the family healthy. Creatures who change shape with regularity, who shift their bodies and have immense strength that burns calories faster than they can blink, have to maintain an intake that allows them to function without their bodies resorting to eating itself. Even werewolves who don’t change all that often, either out of preference or a lack of opportunity, have to eat more than their human peers or suffer symptoms of starvation.

Hence: werewolves are farmers.

It is infinitely easier to exist outside of poverty when werewolves, congregated into their own communities, make the food themselves instead of buying it all at the nearest grocer. They raise and cut the meats themselves. They grow the appropriate fruits and vegetables that balance their diets. They sell the portions according to their needs as opposed to human needs. It only makes sense that they do things this way.

They control the food market. They have space to run to their hearts content without worrying about bothering human neighbors. They make the rules for their communities with the standards they need, instead of standards written by people who don’t understand how they function. Government approved wolf reserves more often become farmland than anything else.

Werewolves are farmers, and statistically they’re more likely to be happy that way.

This statistic does not account for Bakugou Katsuki.

At the moment, he is the furthest thing from happy.

“This place smells like shit.”

Normally he’d be cuffed upside the head for that. Instead his mom just looks at him, with that fucking pity in her eyes that hasn’t left in days, and frowns. Katsuki pointedly doesn’t look back and continues staring out the window at the trees and dust being kicked up by the tires.

“That’s the chicken houses. It is pretty rancid,” she says. Acting like she’s not on her way to get rid of her mess and wash her hands of it. “Ah, there’s the gates. Kind of nostalgic.”

The gate marking the Kiyashi Wolf Reserve is flanked by stone wolves howling at the sky in unison. Their car passes them by with no fanfare and Katsuki growls at the town beyond.

It’s as unimpressive as he thought it’d be. A town in the middle of Fuckoff Nowhere, with nothing to its name and a bunch of people who will die there the same nobodies they were born as. All it has to show are a bunch of old ass buildings for tourists and a stupid shrine. Their car slows down once they pass the gates and Katsuki gets a good, long look at the shitty little storefronts lining the main street. His mom makes some weird noise when she sees them and starts yammering again.

“Oh, I’ve missed this.” She eases up on the gas as the traffic increases, slowing down to turn her head and look at a restaurant that’s filling the car with some kind of greasy meat smell. “That place over there makes the best dango. And there’s this cartilage karaage that’s so delicious—they pile the plate high, too. I forgot how much I missed getting the big portions. City eating just doesn’t give you enough.”

Katsuki huffs, glaring at a group of bumpkin kids who stare at their car as they walk past. “S’at why you left? Got cankles?”

Once again, no cuffing comes. Not even a growl. His mom just frowns with that fucking look again and doesn’t do anything.

“Better business in the bigger towns. Oh my, that store is still there? God, I used to go there every week to blow my paychecks. It looks even nicer than when I left it.”

They pass the shitty little boutique and she smiles at it, taking a left when the main road ends and humming at all the ancient scenery. There’s more old as shit buildings, more little shops and restaurants—more kids staring at their nice car and whispering to each other, which is just fucking great. There’s signs for the local shrine next to fox statues lining the side of the road and Katsuki makes a face at each one as they pass. This whole town looks like it hasn’t had a pulse in decades.

“Do you remember the Midoriyas, hon?” his mom asks as she takes another turn. “They left when you were small, around first grade.”

He thinks back and the memories come to the surface easily. Kindergarten had been spent running around followed by lackeys, catching bugs, making a mess of the local playground, and...huh, right. A face pops back into his mind. Freckles and curls, big green eyes, crying all the goddamn time because he had no spine and didn’t get that he wasn’t wanted around.

“Deku?” the name pops up before he can think too hard about it. Deku. The little snot who yelled too much and probably still wet the bed when he moved away. Useless little Deku.

“That’s not his name,” the hag nags him, jogging him out of the trip through memory lane.

Katsuki scoffs. “It’s what he was.”

“Katsuki,” she starts, finally seeming a little more like herself before she sighs and buries it deep. “Izuku and his mother moved here when they left. Inko’s offered to take you in while you’re here.”

So he’s gonna be under the care of the family with the worlds biggest crybaby? “Great.”

“It is great. You know her, a little. You and Izuku could catch up. Plus, Inko has a little business now. This old ryokan got turned into the local youth hostel, and it’s all under her name now since the old owner retired. It sounds very relaxing. Isn’t that nice?” His mom smiles, like this is actually good news, and it’s disgusting.

“I’m gonna die of boredom,” Katsuki mutters. He looks back out the window and there’s old people with baskets of vegetables just walking next to the road like they want to be hit by a car. Christ this place sucks.

“Don’t say that. This town has a ton of stuff to keep you occupied. You can run around to your hearts content and nothing’ll stop you.”

He lets his head rest against the glass and hopes the vibrations from the shitty road will concuss him. “Wheeee.”

“You’ll like it,” His mom promises. She’d also promised he’d be a winner, and here she is ripping him away from his top school of choice. So he thinks she can take that promise and fucking shove it.

The road gets tinier and the car slows down, with his mom squinting at each building as they pass and muttering under her breath. There are more old people with vegetables and stupid hick kids running around. The car slows to a stop at a break in whatever pathetic excuse for a sidewalk this town has lining its roads, shutting off as the hag smiles at the old ass building next to them.

“There it is,” she breathes.

It looks as shitty as he thought it would. Old, traditional, with weathered wood one good termite away from crumbling and an ancient sign trying to pass for new with a fresh coat of paint slapped on. Small for a ryokan, too, which is probably why it got sold off. There are planters surrounding the front entrance filled with flowers, where a pudgy little figure is hunched over and pulling weeds.

The hag doesn’t hesitate to unbuckle and climb out, shouting over the top of the car. “Inko!”

The pudgy woman turns around and drops the clippers in her hand. Katsuki doesn’t move to get out. He remembers her face. He remembers her taller, presenting snacks and endless bandages for her crybaby son. He remembers seeing her less and less before she was gone altogether. The short, heavy woman he’s looking at how doesn’t resemble her at all. She’s in dirty jeans and flannel, with a handkerchief tied around her head to keep her hair back and rubber boots caked in mud tracking mess all over the walkway.

Damn, Auntie let herself go.

“Mitsuki?” Inko asks, before throwing herself forward to give his mom a running hug. “Oh my—I thought you weren’t due until later!”

“Traffic was a lot lighter than I thought it’d be.” His mom laughs, as if it’s just a stupid social visit and not her dumping her goddamn kid to cover up a mess. “Look at you! You’re radiant! Kiyashi must be treating you well.”

Katsuki resists the urge to double take. His mother is a shit liar.

Inko just smiles. “It’s all the hiking. I had no idea how much fresh air makes you feel better.”

“Oh, I know. I felt like I couldn’t breathe after I left, city air is disgusting.” His mom makes a face. “How are you and the kids doing?”

“Wonderful. Izuku’s out working right now.”

“No foolin? Feels like yesterday he was learning to walk.”

“They grow up so fast.” Inko finally looks over and spots Katsuki slouched in his seat. “Is that Katsuki?”

He growls. She doesn’t even look phased.

“Yep,” his mother nods, then for the first time since this trip started she raises her voice. “Oi! Get out of the car and be sociable!”

He bares his teeth—fuck her, fuck this trip, fuck this stupid hick town—but opens the door. He makes sure to slam it shut. Just because he can. And he wants everyone to know he thinks this whole thing is a pile of shit. Especially the hag, who just glares at him but refuses to yell, even though he knows she wants to.

She always wants to. She always does. This stupid fucking pity game is going to drive him insane, why the hell does she think shutting up is gonna work?

“You’ve gotten so big,” Inko fawns, looking up at him with a big smile. “I bet you barely remember me, huh?”

“He does,” his mother deadpans. There’s a silent threat while Inko isn’t looking to at least greet her, but he responds to that with a sneer that just makes her shake her head. Instead of yelling, once again, she turns her focus to Inko. “Thank you again for this.”

“Oh, it’s no issue at all. The hostel doesn’t just exist for tourism,” Inko deflects. Katsuki looks at the hostel with another critical eye and snorts. Of course it isn’t for tourism. The whole place looks like shit. Tourists who pay for this must be idiots. “Katsuki, dear, I have a room set up for you. It has your name on it so you can go ahead and start loading your things in if you want.”

Finally, an excuse to get out of this. He yanks the car door open and grabs for his first few bags, eager to get away from sight for a few minutes. The women just keep blabbering on about nothing like he’s not even there.

“How’s the boarder?” his mom asks as Katsuki hauls his duffel bag out.

“Oh, he’s doing well. He’s at the shrine now.”

“That’s two working boys, then—“

It’s nothing to load two bags over his shoulders and get away. Leave the biddies to their gossip, he thinks. It’s the only thing they’re good for.

The inside of the hostel is...less shitty. Huh. Maybe that’s how it stayed in business. Katsuki kicks off his shoes and puts on the slippers set out with a scowl, surveying what’s visible past the entryway. The floors are polished wood, the insides done up so that everything looks bright and new. There’s a lounge right next to the entrance that’s been done up to be more teen friendly—a gaming console and a TV, a little fridge with a clear door filled with drinks, and a few bean bag chairs—he bypasses it with a huff and makes his way toward the rooms.

There’s a courtyard. The doors are open, letting him get a good look at the tree and flowers planted to look all pretty. He doesn’t see any people, though.

He passes rooms with no name on them. Empty, empty, empty—how the hell does Auntie keep this place in business? At first it’s nothing. Then it starts getting annoying.

Empty, empty, empty.

Empty.

Motherfucker.

He circles the place twice and can’t find anything. No sign. No name. Just empty rooms in a shitty hostel in a shitty hick town and his own shitty breathing because why the hell has he had to carry the bags for this long?

The next time he finds his way back to the lounge he yells in frustration, kicking a chair. He’s about to ditch the bags and run through the place when he turns just a little too quickly and his duffel bag hits someone in the shoulder.

Katsuki bares his teeth before he can think about it. “Oi! Watch it!”

The stranger stumbles back. It’s some hick kid, in a dirty t-shirt and ratty baseball hat. His arms—thicker than expected for someone shorter than Katsuki is, with a fucked up hand that looks like it’s made of scar tissue—are carrying a wooden box filled to the brim with vegetables and paper wrapped packages that smell like blood and raw meat.

“Sorry about that—“ the stranger steadies himself, hefting the box up and stepping back. He’s too busy making sure nothing from the box is falling to even look at the guy he’s apologizing too, the asshole. “Are you lost?”

“No!” Katsuki barks.

“Well, it’s alright if you are, I just—“ the stranger meets Katsuki’s eyes and his own widen. “...wait.”

Katsuki bristles. Then something starts to churn, in his head. The stranger has big green eyes.

Big green eyes, and freckles. Familiar patterns speckled all over his face. Wild curls are attempting to escape out from under the hat, pasted to his forehead from sweat. If the hat wasn’t on it would be the same wild mass of uncontrollable coils that he remembers.

The last time he saw that face was years ago, out the back of a car as it drove away.

“Kacchan?” Deku asks, bigger and thicker and smelling like wolf in a way he definitely didn’t in first grade.

What the fuck?

#My Hero Academia #Boku No Hero Academia #Bakugou Katsuki #Midoriya Izuku #Hero Academia fic #skell writes #agricultural werewolves au

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