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darkficsyouneveraskedfor · 4 years

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Biggest Fan 3

Part 1 Part 2

Warning: coercion, blackmail, porn, nonconsent sex, cheating, toyplay

🎀🎀🎀

The week that followed was torture. Andy was insatiable. He found reasons to have you in his office; soon enough on your knees beneath the desk. Just a little workday relief, he said. Or when the clock tolled, he’d have you in his car. That was even more uncomfortable as you feared onlookers through the windows. He hadn’t again taken you back to his house.

And after that first week, he seemed distracted. Worse, he was angry. He dropped files on your desk without a word only to text you moments later. ‘Not today’. That was it. No explanations. As much as you were thankful for his retreat, it set you on edge. He was still your boss; your degree, your future career, your life, were all in his hands.

You sat at your desk, the font across the screen blared into your retinas. You leaned back to rub your eyes and as your vision cleared, you glanced over at Andy’s open door. He had his phone in hand, that sinister smirk on his lips. You knew that look. It had been almost two weeks since that very expression had drowned in icy dread.

He looked up from his phone and his gaze met yours. His chest puffed out and he stared back at you. He waved you in with his other hand. You pointed to the case files stacked beside your computer. He shrugged and his smirk disappeared. He pointed at his desk. That was an order.

You got up and grabbed a random file from the stack. An alibi. You held it in front of your chest as you neared his door. You knocked on the frame and he gave his usual, absent, “come in.” He was convincing. You supposed lawyers needed to be great actors. He nodded to the door and you closed it as you entered.

“We need to talk.” He looked at the empty chair across from him. You sat and rested the file on your lap, picking anxiously at the edges. “I’m sorry, baby girl, I know I haven’t had much time.” He began as he leaned on the arm of his chair. “I was just missing you like hell.”

He turned his screen to you and displayed one of your photos. This one was in your bathtub, bubbles barely hiding your nudity. He bit his lip before he blackened the screen and tossed his phone on his desk.

“I understand. Maybe it’s better we don’t--”

“You keep on with that. I thought you were a good girl. A good worker.” He leaned forward and sniffed. “The last thing you want on your performance report is the word ‘combative’. That only works in the courtroom, not in the office.”

“Andy.”

“Mr. Barber.” He purred with a wink. “Remember your first day? I think I prefer ‘sir’ now, baby girl.”

“Mr. Barber, what do you want from me?”

“I want you to relax,” He steepled his hands together over the desk, his fingertips dragged through the short hairs along his chin. “I have good news.”

“Oh?” You blinked and crossed your ankles.

“My wife just left with Jacob. Took him out of town to see her parents. She understands I’m too busy here to take the time off.” He explained. “She’ll be gone all week.”

You were silent. You didn’t need to ask why he was telling you.

“It’ll be good. For us.” He smiled. “She’s been down my neck for the last two weeks. I haven’t been able to get away from her.”

“You think she knows?” You asked softly. “If she did, she could--”

“If she knew, she would say so,” He said. “That’s just who she is and your desk would already be empty.”

You nodded and lowered your chin. You chewed your lip.

“What’s wrong, baby girl?” He asked as he leaned over his desk.

“I don’t want to hurt anyone. Especially your family.” You said.

“You keep this quiet, you keep me happy, and you don’t have to worry about all that.” He coaxed.

You mulled his words. What about your happiness? He really didn’t seem to care about that. You stood and waved the folder at him.

“I’m running behind. I should get back to it.” You said.

“Sure,” He sat back and pushed his legs apart. “Do me a favour before you do.”

You stared at him. He tilted his head.

“You’ve earned a break. Go take a little photo for me.” He winked. “It will get me through the rest of the day.”

“And-- Mr. Barber, I can’t.” You glanced at the door. “I have to get this done.”

“No, you have to listen to me. I’m your boss.” He snarled. “Now, you go on.” He rolled closer to his desk and picked up his phone. “Oh, and uh, wait for me after work. I’ll pick you up in our usual spot.”

“Sir.” You said grimly as you grabbed the door handle.

Was all this worth it? It wasn’t too late to just start over, but you had done so much work already. You were so close. Well, you had known this profession was cutthroat. Swallow your lumps and one day you’d be in the big office making the rules.

🎀

The drive was silent. You could feel Andy looking at you in the rear view at every corner. His hand drifted to your thigh when it wasn’t on the stick. You sat stiffly, staring ahead. You wanted to sink into the seat entirely; become a part of it.

As you entered his house, you felt sick. You looked around at the photos of his family, of the remnants of their departure. A book on the arm of the couch, a game controller on the coffee table. You were intruding.

“Upstairs,” Andy set his briefcase down and took your bag from your shoulder. “I have a surprise.”

“I don’t like being here.” You said.

“You didn’t seem to hate it last time.” His hand went to the small of your back and he nudged you towards the stairs. “What’s the matter? You like the kitchen? We can come back to it.”

You shook your head but stayed silent. You climbed the stairs as he lingered behind you and his hand spread over your ass. He didn’t draw away until you reached the top.

“At the end,” He directed.

You continued on and entered the bedroom at the end of the hall. It smelled like gardenia and him. It was their room. You hesitated and stayed far from the bed. You turned and saw yourself in the round mirror hung on the wall. You had to look away.

You spun around and watched Andy go to the bed. He got down on a knee and reached beneath. He pulled something hidden up in the frame and revealed the long box. It was wrapped in lilac paper. He stood and neared you. He held it out to you.

“I’ve been waiting to give you this,” He said.

You frowned as you searched his face, then your eyes fell to the box. You took it with a numb ‘thanks’, spoken on sheer instinct. He backed away and pulled off his jacket. He slung it over the chair by the window and turned back to you as he tugged on his tie.

“Well, open it! It’s part of the fun.” He untangled his tie and dropped it over his jacket.

You sighed and ran your thumb along a fold of paper. You tore open the wrap and revealed the black box with a plastic window. Inside that, a glittery pink dildo was displayed. You crumpled the paper in your hand as you stared at the toy. Aside from being tacky, it was huge.

“You like it?” He asked as he came closer.

You looked up at him. His brows drew together and you nodded. His lips slanted and he took the box from you.

“How about I get this all ready for you…” He peeled back the seal. “And you get ready for me.” He nodded to your attire. “Get nice and comfy on the bed.”

You nodded again. It was all you could do to keep from running away. He left you and disappeared into the attached bathroom. You listened to a draw glide open and you stepped out of your heels. You shed your blazer and then your striped blouse. You wiggled out of your skirt and Andy reappeared, loading batteries into the toy.

“Panties?” He mused. “When did you start wearing those?”

You ignored him and unclasped your bra. The sooner this was done with, the sooner you could be gone and flagellate your soul with self-loathing.

You tossed away your bra then your panties as Andy watched. You could hear his eager breaths as he beckoned you towards the bed. You sat on the end as he held the toy up.

“I’m sure you can figure it out.” He purred as he shoved it closer. “I just wanna watch, baby girl.”

You took it and looked around. “Do we have to do it in here?”

“Trust me, it’s the most action this room will see for a while.” He brought his hands up to frame your face. “So lay back and relax.” His hands fell to your shoulders and he kneaded them. “You’re so tense. You need it.”

You fell away from him and bounced on your back. You pushed your legs apart as they hung over the edge of the mattress. You reluctantly grazed the tip of the toy along your pelvis. Andy stepped back and let out a sultry hum. You clicked the dildo on and closed your eyes.

You pushed the toy down against your cunt. You wiggled it just a little and found your clit. The soft buzz quickly sent a wave of electricity through you. Your feet arched and you hissed through your teeth. You rubbed the toy back and forth, working yourself up as you tried to forget the man looming around you.

“You think you can fit it all, baby girl?” He asked. “Hmm? You’re so tight.”

You moaned but couldn’t answer. You didn’t want to.

“Why don’t you give it a try?” His voice was low and gritty as he ran his hand up your leg.

You bit your lip and angled the dildo along your folds. Your pussy clenched as you reached your entrance and you paused. He grabbed your hand around the base of the you and he guided the tip inside you. You gasped and he pushed deeper. Your thighs tensed as he released you and grasped your thigh to keep your legs apart.

“Keep going,” He order.

You whined as you drew the toy back and then pushed it back in, even further. His fingers tickled your leg and he lifted your foot up onto the bed to bend your leg completely. Then he raised the other and withdrew.

You whimpered as the dildo sank deeper and your eyes fluttered open. You gulped and his figure moved around the bed.

“That’s it, baby girl.” As he came closer, you saw the phone in his hand, pointed at your body. “Just like that. Look how fucking wet your are.”

“Are you rec--”

He shushed you and put his hand over yours once more. He shoved the toy to its limit and you cried out. He guided it in and out of you, fast and hard. Your voice grew louder and louder as he battered your walls with the silicone.

“Ow, please.”

“Don’t stop.” He growled as he slipped his hand away and pressed his thumb to your clit.

He swirled around your bud and flicked up and down as your hand worked around his. You trembled as your core pulsed and the pressure grew suffocating. His low purrs mingled with your helpless moans and you arched your back as you struggled to keep the toy moving.

You came and felt the gush around the dildo. You writhed and let out a guttural noise as you were awash with pleasure. You panted as he slowly pulled away and you pressed your legs together as you turned onto your side, crushing your hand between your thighs. The toy slowly slipped out of you as you laid, senseless and weak, at the end of the bed.

Andy’s large hand spread over your ass and continued down your thigh, making you quiver. He gripped your hip and pushed until you turned entirely onto your stomach.

“This part is just for me.” He said as he got down behind you and tossed his phone up on the pillow. “You’re mine. All mine.”

#andy barber #dark andy barber x reader #dark!andy barber #dark andy barber #dark!andy barber x reader #andy barber x reader #drabbles #drabble #series #sequel #biggest fan #defending jacob

631 notes · View notes

in-class-daydreams · 4 years

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Blue Star | Oikawa x Reader | Ch.1

- Pairing: Oikawa Tooru x Reader

- Word Count: ~ 3,900

- Genres: Fluff, angst, Ushijima doesn’t know what a meme is

- CW: Mild swearing

- Summary: Sometimes, (Y/N) wonders if it was hard for her father to send her away. To a new prefecture, a new home, a new school. It all just might be worth it when after becoming the (suspiciously knowledgeable) manager of the Aoba Johsai boys’ volleyball club, she meets Oikawa Tooru. Together, they do their best to exorcise demons they thought would never leave. They learn about progress, when to strive for it, and when to accept the realities that cannot be changed.

Chapters: First | Previous | Next

Sweaty and shaking, (Y/N) sat upright in an unfamiliar bed in an unfamiliar room. The walls were eggshell white, bare, pristine as if they had been untouched. There were no souvenirs or personal belongings anywhere, save for a short pyramid of boxes sitting in the corner.

Stiff, unused sheets wrapped around her, nothing like her beloved bed set back home.

‘Oh, that’s right…” she thought, ‘This is home now.’

Her mind flashed back to the busy day before, where she said goodbye to her mother and had the movers bring only some of her belongings to her new apartment so that the space didn’t completely fill up with unpacked boxes.

After some long, deep breaths, (Y/N) turned her attention to the obnoxious noise her phone was making.

The overly bright device read ‘6:20’.

(Y/N) flopped back down on her bed.

She ran a hand down her face, groaning.

“I don’t really need an education, right? I’m still pretty flexible. I could probably drop out and become a stripper, right, Hubble? The club down the street is always trying to hire new people.”

Across the room, the round orange tabby gazed back at her judgmentally.

The teen rolled her eyes at her pet, “Thanks for the support, Hubs.”

Once in the bathroom after a long struggle to drag herself out of bed, (Y/N) rested her weight against the sink. Gently touching the bags under her eyes, she sighed.

“I’ve looked better,” she said to herself, “Hey! Bad kitty!”

She tried to nudge Hubble off the counter, only for the feline to look at her with a look of even lesser interest than she gave frogs or mice.

Realistically, (Y/N) could lift the cat of the counter herself, but honestly, she didn’t have the energy to do so.

Rather than get dressed for school, she sat down on the edge of the custom made bathtub.

Lips pursed, she said to her cat, “Hey, at least you got to come with me, rather than stay home with mom and dad. That’s good.”

Hubble gave her the facial equivalent of crickets chirping.

Snatching her new uniform from its hook, yanking the brown plaid skirt up her thighs, she grumbled to herself, “First I get exiled to a whole new prefecture, and now I’m talking to my cat, who has also decided to be a dick to me, but this is what I needed, right?” she asked sarcastically, “A ‘change of pace.’”

She tucked in the lilac dress shirt far more aggressively than necessary. Her sigh of relief was cut short when she spotted the cream vest and a blazer that she had to wear.

“Why does this stupid uniform have so many damn layers!” she screamed into the empty apartment.

Soon after, her shoulders sagged in resignation. Expertly lacing up the uniform tie, she sighed for the nth time since she woke up. There was no use fighting it any more. This empty, desolate apartment was her new home. Aoba Johsai was her new school. No amount of anger was going to change that.

She recalled the conversation she had with her childhood friend before she left.

“Wakatoshi said to just keep to myself. That’s easy. I can do that. Of course…” she glanced over to the box pyramid on the other side of her bare apartment.

(Y/N) stalked over, picking up the box on top, securely sealed with red duct tape. A scowl marred her already unpleasant expression.

Desperate to get it out of her sight, she shoved the box unceremoniously into her deep bedroom closet, where it (hopefully) would never bother her again.

“It’s kind of weird to get a transfer student in the middle of second year.”

“Maybe one of her parents got a new job or something.”

“What if she’s a delinquent?”

‘You know, it costs you nothing to mind your own freaking business.’

“All right, class, settle down,” the teacher raised her voice just slightly. “This is (L/N) (Y/N). She’s our new transfer student, and she’ll be the boys’ volleyball club manager this year. Make sure you all treat her well. Please have a seat in front of Iwaizumi-san.”

(Y/N) bowed, “Thank you, Yukino-sensei.”

The woman nodded, “Of course. I hope you enjoy your time here at Aoba Johsai.”

(Y/N) slid into the desk in front of a tan, spiky-haired boy who she recognized from middle school, only now it looked like his biceps were about to bust his uniform sleeves. It took her a second to realize who it was.

“Hajime!”

(Y/N) froze, worried they were no longer on a first-name basis, but the teenager just smiled back at her.

“(Y/N)! How’ve you been?”

“Eh, same old, same old. But it looks like you’re doing great! You’ve gotten so much bulkier since middle school! What have they been feeding you?” she said, causing him to laugh and ruffle her hair.

In fear of Yukino-sensei’s wrath, the class stayed relatively quiet. Though, people were stealing glances at her a noticeable amount. In their defense, they had a valid reason. One of the most intimidating students alive was being extremely friendly to an unknown, unheard transfer student. The stares were annoying, but not distractingly so.

The moment the final bell rang, a cluster of students swarmed (Y/N)’s desk.

“(L/N)-san, why did you transfer?”

“Do you have a boyfriend?”

“(L/N)-san, how did you get the manager position?”

Ah, the manager position. That one came up a lot. Honestly, she didn’t see why people were so worked up over it.

She couldn’t exactly ignore her classmates, so she responded in as few words as possible, “I had to,” “No,” “I asked for it.” She kept her answers brief, hoping her fellow students would find the lack of response boring rather than alluring.

“(L/N),” Iwaizumi called out.

Her head immediately snapped to where he was standing by the door.

“You’re our new manager, right? Want me to show you where the gym is?” he asked gruffly.

(Y/N) grabbed her school supplies and practically ran over to Iwazumi, who had a tall brunette boy standing behind him.

“I’d appreciate that, thank you.”

On the walk to the gym, Iwaizumi introduced the brunette, Oikawa, to her.

“I was Iwa-chan’s handsomer, much more popular friend, remember?”

Oh, she definitely remembered him. Was she about to tell him that, though? Not a chance. She pretended to think for a moment, then shook her head.

“I’m sorry, Oikawa-san, that doesn’t ring a bell.” She tilted her head, “Besides, Hajime here is a perfect 10, so I don’t know where this ‘handsomer’ business came from.”

While Oikawa stopped in indignation, (Y/N) walked on as Iwaizumi followed, laughing shamelessly.

“It’s not like you remember me, either,” she added.

Oikawa pouted, “That’s not my fault! I was invested in volleyball, not cute girls.”

(Y/N) ignored him and the three of them walked along the school hallway in silence for a while. (Y/N) did her best to keep her mouth shut, but her curiosity got the better of her.

“Hajime? Do you know why the manager position is so important to people around here?” she asked tentatively.

Iwaizumi barked a laugh, “That’s because--”

“-because I’m on the volleyball team! The manager gets to spend time near me, which is something pretty much everyone around here wants,” Oikawa winked and made his signature peace sign.

He grinned charmingly at (Y/N). Iwaizumi facepalmed. (Y/N) stared back blankly.

“Sure,” she deadpanned.

“Huh? You’re the one that asked!” Oikawa protested.

“She didn’t ask for an egotistical answer like that, Crappykawa,” Iwaizumi growled. He turned to (Y/N) once again, “As annoying and stupid as that answer is, he’s not entirely wrong. He’s really popular for some reason.”

“Weird.”

“I know, right?”

“Hey, don’t gang up on me!”

(Y/N) ducked under Oikawa’s arm into the gym, turning slightly to thank him over her shoulder. The first person to greet her was the short, stout Seijoh head coach.

“Well, if it isn’t (L/N) (Y/N). You have no idea how happy I was to hear you’d be transferring to our school,” Coach Irihata gave the teen a small nod. “Though, I wish it were under different circumstances,” he grimaced.

(Y/N) bowed at him respectfully, “You and I both, Coach. I’ll put all my focus into being your team manager from now on.”

The older man laughed, “I don’t doubt that. Let me introduce you to the team.”

He led her to stand at the edge of the court.

“This here is Mizoguchi, the coach. He’s a bit of a hardass.”

“Are you allowed to be saying these things, Coach?”

“Were you planning on reporting me, (L/N)?”

“Touche.”

Coach Mizoguchi had all the boys line up. The two coaches and (Y/N) walked down the line.

“These are our first-years, Kyoutani, Watari, and Yahaba. Our second years, Matsukawa, Hanamaki, Iwaizumi, Oikawa--”

‘They’re an odd group. Not horrible mismatched, but definitely not inherently interwoven like other teams I’ve seen.’

“We’ll be playing quick, 3-on-3 practice matches so (Y/N) can see what you can do.”

Some of the boys looked surprised, others even leaned over and whispered confused words to each other. At the same time, their new manager felt every drop of blood draining out of her face.

(Y/N) leaned in, “Coach, may I speak to you for a moment?” she whispered frantically.

Irihata allowed her to lead him out of earshot.

“I know I’ve asked a lot of you lately, Coach, but if we could call as little attention to me as possible, I would be eternally grateful. I doubt anyone will say anything, but if we could avoid giving them unnecessary hints, that would be ideal.”

He quirked a brow slightly, “(L/N), this is just a small request. You don’t have to grovel every time you ask something of me.”

(Y/N) fiddled with her track jacket, “I know. You’ve just done so much for me already.”

“So much by your standards, very little by mine. All I had to do was put in a good word for you. You secret’s safe with me, (L/N). Do your best as our manager,” he clapped her on the shoulder before gesturing for her to head back to the courts.

By the time practice was over, the players were all dog-tired and drenched in sweat. Despite the fact that her brain had gone numb from the busy analysis, she felt she had gotten a good grasp of the team’s individual and group abilities, having written mini reports in her notebook about all the players, their habits, and how they work together. Each player’s individual page included a few people they worked especially well with, but (Y/N) noticed that everyone worked especially well with Oikawa. He seemed to bring out the most ability and talent in everyone he set for.

It was unfair, really. Such amazing athletic talent, coupled with fluffy brown curls and a sharp jawline, only to be spoiled by a smug, flippant attitude.

Earlier, she’d made the mistake of letting him catch her staring once. The corners of his lips quirked up slightly, causing her to look away quickly.

(Y/N) changed back into her school uniform and locked up the main gym. Shouldering her bag, she noticed the lights on inside one of the smaller gyms.

She stepped inside to see Oikawa practicing his sets against the wall. He’d taken the time to change out of his sweaty practice gear, but he just changed into clean, dry practice gear.

“Oikawa-san?” she called out.

The setter caught the ball and turned his attention to her, “Ah, (Y/N)-chan! Heading home already?”

She nodded, “Yeah. You’re still going to be practicing for a while?”

A look of annoyance flashed across his face before returning to his usual carefree expression.

“Yes, I will be.”

(Y/N) nodded, taking a few steps in to set the master key on the bleachers, “I’m heading home, so please be sure to lock up when you’re finished.”

Had she stayed just a second longer, she’d have seen the slightly dumbfounded, mostly intrigued look on Oikawa’s face.

“Wakatoshi, I’m having the time of my life!”

“That’s an unexpected response, though I’m happy for you,” Ushijima’s slightly pixelated voice came from (Y/N)’s firepods.

“I’ve been keeping to myself enough where no one bothers me, I get to manage the volleyball team, and I’ve had two whole weeks of fucking peace here. All my hopes and dreams have come true.”

“Well, not all of them--”

“Stuff it, Ushijima, I know,” she grumbled.

A deep chuckle rumbled from his chest, “Sorry, sorry. Have you met Oikawa Tooru yet?”

(Y/N) frowned, dodging a group of boys walking down the hall in the opposite direction.

“Yes,” she said in a small voice.

“Why did you say it so quietly?”

“No reason,” she said just as quietly.

“You find him attractive, don’t you?”

“What? Him? But he’s so-- he’s such a flirt! He always has girls hanging around him and he always looks so pleased with himself. Not to mention he’s a genuinely amazing setter and he’s a considerate captain and--”

“So, you do find him attractive?”

“I mean,” (Y/N) huffed, stopping outside the equipment room door, “Yes.”

“More attractive than Semi?”

“I’d say they’re about the same.”

“Wow. That’s a high compliment coming from you.”

“Isn’t it? But-- Oh, I gotta go, Wakatoshi, I need to fill the water cooler.”

“I’ll talk to you tonight.”

“Later!”

(Y/N) was breathing hard as she carried the water cooler from the equipment room to the gym. She wondered if they could get a wagon or some sort of wheels so she didn’t have to pull a muscle just to fill the cooler every practice. Better yet, maybe just let them die of dehydration so she wouldn’t have to move at all.

Sigh.

No, (Y/N), this isn’t that type of school.

Finally making it to the gym, she took a deep breath and shuffled inside. Almost immediately after she set foot in the gym, all of a sudden, the water cooler had slammed back into her, pouring its icy contents all over her and her uniform.

She fell flat on her ass, rubbing the sore spot on her chin where the plastic had knocked into it.

‘Someone around here wants me to relieve them of both their arms,’ she thought.

“Kyoutani!” she heard Mizoguchi yell, “How did your spike end up all the way over there?”

She didn’t get the chance to hear the first-year’s reply before Coach Irihata kneeled in front of her, the boys crowding around the two of them.

‘No, no. Deep breaths, (Y/N). It was just an accident. Breathe in, breathe out. In, then out.”

Taking a final deep breath, she looked up, smiled sweetly and said, “Don’t worry. It’s just a little water.”

Iwaizumi came up behind her and hauled her up by the armpits, “You alright?”

(Y/N) nodded in affirmation.

Oikawa passed her a large - presumably his - Seijoh BVBC sweater. She fully expected him to say something that would get him smacked by Iwaizumi, but was surprised to see him walk away almost immediately.

Stepping out of the locker room, (Y/N) looked up at the dark evening sky.

“It’s already this dark?” she wondered aloud.

“Yep. It’s that time of the year,” came a voice from behind her.

Oikawa stepped out from the boys’ locker room, hair still damp, and aqua t-shirt clinging to his skin slightly from the moisture.

She stared at him.

He tilted his head. “I do take breaks sometimes, you know,” he said as if he’d read her mind.

“Could’ve had me fooled,” she replied, gathering her composure and making her way towards the front gate.

“See you tomorrow, (Y/N)-chan,” he waved her goodbye.

“See you tomorrow.”

Exiting the school gate, they both turned left, ending up walking the same direction anyway. They chuckled awkwardly.

“Never mind, then,” Oikawa smiled.

“I’m getting on the G-train and going down 6 stops. You?”

“G-train, 8 stops,” he gasped, “(Y/N)-chan, we live so close! We can hang out together every day!” he teased.

(Y/N) huffed, turning away so the brunette couldn’t see her smiling, “We already hang out every day, nerd.”

“How hurtful! I can never spend too much time with you, (Y/N)-chan,” he nudged her playfully with his elbow, letting out a small ‘oof’ when she pushed him back.

They got on the G-train, which was mostly empty around this time of night. Their car held them and two other girls from their school, who seemed to pay them little mind, aside from the occasional glances that were typical in Oikawa’s presence.

The brunette stared down his nose at her, “So. Are you ever gonna tell me why our brand new lady manager has an abnormally thorough knowledge of volleyball?” he questioned.

(Y/N) took a seat across from Oikawa. He made himself comfortable opposite her.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about Oikawa-san,” she said innocently.

Oikawa leaned forward in his seat.

“I saw your notebook. Your notes are way too detailed for anyone less than an expert. Did you or a family member or a friend or whatever play?”

Her gaze turned downcast. The train car was relatively empty, and he seemed genuine enough for her to softly reply, “I used to.”

There are two specific expressions (Y/N) saw the most of in the months following the incident.

One was less common. It was a thinly-veiled smugness, poorly hidden behind feigned sympathy. It was a look that said, “You got exactly what you deserved.”

The second was much more common, and on the days that made her want to lay in bed all day, seeing that expression plastered all around her like wallpaper just made her want to dig into the earth and make a home for herself there forever.

Pity.

It’s the same look every time. Their eyebrows go up, then furrow, finally slanting down as the realization dawns on them. Their mouth will drop open like they plan to say something, but no words come out because what are they supposed to say?

He must have seen the look of anguish on her face, because his expression morphed through each phase of that second type, word for word.

“You don’t play anymore because you won’t or because you--”

A dark shadow crossed her face, “I’d rather not talk about it.”

Oikawa nodded, “Okay.” His pretty brown eyes rolled up to the ceiling in deep thought. “What’s your favorite cake flavor?”

(Y/N) blinked at him confusedly for a moment, then her expression shifted to one of realization, and she gave him a small smile, the most genuine he’d ever seen her wear since she arrived at Aoba Johsai.

“Red velvet!”

“That’s just chocolate with red food coloring.”

(Y/N) gasped loudly, “You take that back!”

Oikawa raised his hands in defense, “I’m sorry, I only speak facts. Is now a bad time to mention I love pineapple on pizza?”

(Y/N)’s jaw dropped, “Are you serious? Do you even have taste buds, pretty boy?”

The taller male laughed and teasingly batted his lashes, “You think I’m pretty, (Y/N)-chan?”

She rolled her eyes, “I don’t know how to tell you this, Oikawa, but everyone thinks you’re pretty. You literally have a fanclub. They bring you homemade cookies on a regular basis.”

He got up from his seat across from her, only to settle down in the seat beside her. They sat there, shoulders against each other’s. Oikawa Tooru smelled like mint and the breeze on a summer night and a little bit of man sweat, but that’s to be expected coming straight from practice. It was a very distracting few seconds.

“But I don’t care about everyone’s opinion, (Y/N)-chan, I want yours.”

(Y/N)’s cheeks buzzed with heat. Ugh, he’s unfairly cute, isn’t he? But! Even if she would never tell him, she remembered him from middle school. He didn’t remember her. A guy like Oikawa was probably flirting with her because she didn’t fall desperately at his feet. She wasn’t going to be a part of that game. Not now, not ever.

At the sound of her stop, she stood and made her way over to the door. Just forcing the blood in her cheeks down through sheer willpower, she said, “I’ll see you in school tomorrow, Oikawa-san.”

Oikawa leaned back in his seat.

“Hey, (Y/N)? You’re not thinking I’m flirting with you because I’m some tail-chasing fuckboy, right? Because if you are,” he quirked a perfect eyebrow at her, “That’s hardly fair, is it?”

‘What? How did he know??’ she internally screamed, ‘He’s right, though. A lot of girls like him, but it’s not like he has a reputation for sleeping around or anything. Even if he did, that’s not for me to judge.”

(Y/N) braced herself against the open train doors. The cool night air blew into the train from behind her, ruffling her uniform skirt. She groaned.

“That smug face you make when you know you’re right? Yeah, I hate it.”

The setter’s hand came up to rest under his chin, “But you do have an opinion about my face?”

“Goodnight, Oikawa.”

“Text me when you get home!”

“I don’t--”

“Ask Iwa-chan for it! Goodnight, (Y/N)-chan!”

The train doors shut, and Oikawa sent her a wink through the glass doors before it departed. The breeze ruffled (Y/N)’s hair. There she stood, staring at the empty tracks. Rooting through her bag, she yanked her phone out and dialed a number.

“Wakatoshi, I’ve been a dumb hoe.”

“(Y/N), I told you you shouldn’t--”

“I shouldn’t belittle myself, even as a joke, I know, I’m sorry, Wakatoshi.”

She could feel him shaking his head in disapproval, “Right. Now, what’s your issue?”

Fingers fiddling with the hem of the borrowed oversized Seijoh sweatshirt, (Y/N) pressed her phone between her ear and shoulder.

“I accidentally made friends.”

Ushijima sighed on the other end of the line, “(Y/N), when I said to keep to yourself, I did not mean you had to become a total recluse. You may not want to hear this from me, but meeting new friends is a good thing.”

(Y/N) slowly shook her head, “They’re pretty popular, though, and the last thing I wanted since coming here was to call attention to myself.”

“You may have gotten some unwanted attention at your old school, but maybe you can start over at Aoba Johsai. If we want the rewards of being loved, we have to submit to the mortifying ordeal of being known.”

“...are you using a meme to give me advice?”

“A what?”

“A meme, Wakatoshi. It’s a joke passed all over the internet. Come on, there’s no way you haven’t seen them, even accidentally.”

“I am unfamiliar with the term. Anyway, I was quoting renowned columnist and cartoonist Tim Kreider. I was trying to make you feel better.”

Though he couldn’t see it, (Y/N) smiled warmly at how hard he was trying to help.

“You did a great job, Wakatoshi. Hey, I just got home, I’ll call you back and we’ll talk all about your day. How’s that?”

“Alright, get inside safely.”

Upon hanging up with Ushijima, (Y/N)’s hand stopped just short of putting her phone away. Perhaps against her better judgement, she reluctantly sent one more text.

[SENT] To: Iwaizumi Hajime-Kun [8:37 pm]

- Admin Mango

#oikawa #oikawa tooru #oikawa tōru #ushijima #Ushijima Wakatoshi #Iwaizumi Hajime #iwaizumi #oikawa x reader #haikyuu!!#haikyu #haikyuu imagines #haikyuu scenarios

119 notes · View notes

tochar · 3 years

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S/S '21 TRENDING OUTFITS FOR THE SEASON

Sun -shining,

Flowers blooming,

Cicadas about to be buzzing, music about to be bumpinG

Summer body loading...

To be honest, I am ready for outside to be open; creating projects, taking trips, and starting a new journey.

I’ve overslept and missed the opportunity to go to the Bazaar Farmers’ Market on 83, sigh. Definitely was about to be my highlight this past weekend. I really wanted @theblacksaucekitchen signature biscuit sandwiches. It’s one of my favorite things to do on Sundays.

This pandemic got us into a little funk. But hopefully, with the season changing, we can lighten up the mood into some cheer and fun.

I am listing the hottest S/S 21 TRENDING OUTFITS FOR THE SEASON!

Let’s get started

FLORAL- FLORAL BUSTIER DRESSES ARE IN! The dress is definitely great for date night with your babe or bubbly brunches with the girls. It’s has a bustier + form-fitting around the bosom and a sweetheart neckline. Most floral bustier dresses are designed with a slit, strapless, airy sleeves, and midi size. My fave thus far on Instagram is the white dress with the small red flowers, and 1/4 above the knee. Stores: Hanifaofficial, The Kemistore, AndreaiyamahHouse of CB, SHEIN, ASOS, Pretty Little Things. ohpolly

MONOCHROMATIC- Monochromatic is different shades + hues of one solid color. The ladies on the gram definitely showing off with the monochromatic power suits, pleated skirts, and blazers in bold and bright colors. Try a periwinkle pleated knee-length skirt + with a lilac or violet blazer, strappy shoes, neutral boaters hat. Shops: H&M, Nordstrom & Rack, EXPRESS

SHEER & MESH: one word-SEXY! Sheer Midi dress reveals all the curves and see-through. BFYNE MIAMI just dropped their collection of mesh dresses for the season- “SPRYNG, WYNTYR, AUTYMN, SYMMUR.” It’s bold, animal print, and colorful. Shop: @bfyne @thefashionaddict

PASTELS- There is no spring without PASTELS. Pastel colors are soft, airy, whimsical. As stated in my previous blog posts, solid and print pastels are in style; lavender, periwinkle, sea-green.

CUT OUT: I love a good cut-out dress! Like the sheer, it’s semi revealing, causal, slim-fit but the skin is exposed under and/ or around the bosom +chest area. Shops: @SHEIN @thefashionaddicts @missguided

BRALETTES + WIDE LEG PANTS: This combo is a cute hipster, tom-boy, bohemian vibe. The fact of the attire is informal yet, flattering, just woo’s me. Most wide-leg pants are pleated, hug the waistline, gaucho, linen, and cotton. The bralettes set the tone of the whole fit; sexy, flossy with an edge. Shops: Urban Outfitters, Marshalls, Free People

There you have it, the latest S/S ‘21 Trending Outfits For The Season!

Until next time!

Char

4 notes · View notes

rulesofthebeneath · 5 years

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rooftop (hbad au)

<AN> Well... y’all asked for it. Also side note: please please please let me know if any of the hindi is wrong. I’ll be providing translations at the end of the fic. I used Romanized text instead of Devanagari script here.

Tagging: @pixelburied @witchiegirl @lorosette @itsbrindleybinch @awkwardalbatros @ravenclawpokegirl25 @lilmissperfectlyimperfect @ajaysbhandari @ylevolenahs @hufflepvnk

</AN>

It had been a few weeks since he and Grace had talked about getting married, and Ajay felt like he was finally ready to ask.

He had taken every single thing into account when he was planning, as a good director had to. Location, check: he was in the elevator on his way to the landlord’s office to talk about getting access to the rooftop. He’d met the man a few times before: he was a verified grump, but Ajay was confident in his ability to persuade the man to his side. Lighting, check: he’d sneakily purchased string lights the other day while Grace had been at rehearsal. Sound, check: portable speakers, courtesy of Lysander back from their Bonnie & Clyde days, and a playlist of all the songs she’d ever texted him about. Costumes, check: he’d ironed out his best button-down and khaki pants for the occasion, something nice but still comfortable and hopefully just casual enough to catch her off guard. And finally, for props: he’d basically cleared the nearest flower kiosk out of lilacs, her favorite, and roses just thrown in for a change of pace.

But the most important prop was in his pants pocket, and he took it out now, running his thumb over the small wooden box. He’d ordered the engagement ring from a small artisan jeweler based in New York, so it hadn’t cost him much to get it delivered. His dad had called when Ajay texted to ask his advice on how much to spend on the ring, and the two had had a long discussion about prices and expectations and finances that left Ajay feeling very secure in his choice. He had found a beautiful ring with a gold band and a few small diamonds surrounding a slightly larger focal diamond. He really loved the style (and the price), and he knew Grace would too. She didn’t wear much fancy jewelry, so he knew she’d want something low-key.

By far the hardest part had been figuring out her ring size, since he still wanted to keep the timing of his plans secret. He’d been lucky enough though, one morning two weeks ago, to find her class ring from college sitting out on their dresser. After a very awkward conversation that definitely left her suspicious, he determined that it did still fit comfortably on her ring finger and was able to discern her ring size.

Finally, the elevator arrived at the first floor, and Ajay quickly walked down the hall and knocked on his landlord’s office. The man, Simon, kept him waiting but eventually opened the door, welcoming him inside with little more than a grunt. Ajay took a seat across from Simon at his desk. Simon stared at him until Ajay realized he was supposed to be speaking.

“What are the rules on rooftop access?”

“No.”

Ajay blinked, but argued back.

“Why not?”

“Because it’s my roof. No.”

Ajay crossed his arms.

“We won’t be loud and I promise we’ll clean up any mess we make.”

“No.”

Ajay narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing Simon’s stony expression. The man could’ve easily thrown Ajay out of his office if he didn’t want to talk to him; Ajay knew from experience that the rudeness wasn’t beneath him. Simon must just be waiting for the right argument.

“I want to do something special for my girlfriend,” Ajay tried, attempting to solve the puzzle.

“And what’s that?” Simon asked, his expression betraying nothing.

Finally, Ajay thought, a weak point.

“Well, Grace and I have been together for almost two years now, and we’re both taking the weekend off to spend time with each other, so-”

Simon cut him off. “You’re going to propose.”

Ajay involuntarily turned red, but cleared his throat. “Yes, I am.”

Simon studied Ajay, and Ajay resisted the urge to fidget as the landlord’s eyes considered him. Finally, Simon spoke again.

“Fine,” he grunted, and Ajay broke into a wide grin. Before Ajay could open his mouth to thank him, though, Simon cut him off.

“But here’s some rules. You can play music for a maximum of thirty minutes between the hours of seven pm and nine pm. You get one warning if it’s too loud, and if it’s still too loud after that I’m kicking you off. And listen, young man, I shouldn’t have to say this, but no funny business on my roof. That’s what you’ve got an apartment for.”

Ajay’s eyes widened at that last statement, but he managed to maintain control of his words.

“Yes, sir. Thank you so much, this means a lot to me.” He thought he saw a hint of a smile from under Simon’s long beard, but he lost it as Simon turned to procure the key to the rooftop access.

“Get it to my dropbox by 9 am tomorrow, or the replacement cost’s coming out of your rent.”

Ajay couldn’t help himself from grinning at the landlord as he pocketed the small key. “Again, thank you so much.”

“Don’t mention it. Now, get out of my office,” Simon said bluntly, and Ajay stood up rapidly to make his exit.

***

Almost five hours later, Grace turned her key in the lock and entered the apartment. She was sweaty from her all-day rehearsal, but very ready to spend a relaxing weekend with her boyfriend.

It had become a bit of a tradition for them, these regularly scheduled “stay-cations” every few months. Between the busy schedules and large time demands of show business, the couple had had to put something in place to make sure that they set enough time aside for each other. It was easier ever since they moved in together, but Grace still loved having a few days just for them every once in a while.

This one was particularly special, because it came almost exactly on their second anniversary. The exact day had been yesterday, but Ajay had been forced to stay late working with a star-studded cast that was giving him hell, and Grace had needed to clock some hours at a dance studio anyways. The show she was rehearsing was notorious for its difficult dance sequences, and as a swing she was expected to know them all. But she had found a deep love for dancing, and even though it was a lot of work she didn’t mind doing it. A job was a job, and a gig as a swing on a long-running Broadway show meant amazing things to come.

It did mean, however, that Ajay was asleep by the time she gave up dancing and crawled into their bed at three am, and that he was long gone for the day when she woke up around lunchtime. Their schedules were grueling, and Grace desperately missed spending time with him.

So naturally, she threw herself into Ajay’s arms as soon as she walked through the door, her dance bag falling to the ground as his arms wrapped around her, holding her to him tightly until he noticed the sweat stench and quickly released her to avoid ruining his clothes. That was when she noticed the wonderful smell emanating from the kitchen.

“You’re my savior,” she proclaimed, pressing a quick kiss to his cheek. “I thought we’d be going out and I’d have to be in front of people.”

“No people,” Ajay reassured her, “just me and you, a delicious dinner, a little Sinatra, and a sky full of stars.”

“How poetic. Wait… a sky full of… oh my god, did you get roof access?”

Grinning, he pulled the key out of his blazer pocket. She gasped.

“How did you get Simon to give you that?”

“That’s a secret,” he teased, smirking. He pressed a light kiss to her nose, then shoved her towards the bathroom. “Now go take a shower, you smell terrible.”

“Thanks,” Grace answered over her shoulder, rolling her eyes lovingly as she entered the bathroom. She washed her sweat away and let her sore muscles relax under the hot spray of the shower, humming some of the lyrics to the musical she’d been rehearsing. The music seemed to be permanently implanted in her head.

When she got out of the shower after fifteen blissful minutes, the towel she wrapped herself in was perfectly warm and dry, like it had just been taken out of the dryer. She made a mental note to thank Ajay for that later. What a thoughtful nerd, she thought fondly, leaving the bathroom and proceeding to her closet to pick out something nice but not too nice to wear. After all, they would be on the roof and she wanted to impress him, but she was too tired to go full formal.

Grace eventually decided on a soft pink shirt and a black skirt, accompanied by her signature knee-high boots. Under them, she wore her fuzziest Cookie Monster socks. She’d take the secret to her grave, but the only reason she liked wearing boots was because she could wear whatever socks she wanted under them. Sometimes a stressful work week needed crazy socks, and she knew Ajay agreed because she’d caught him rifling through her sock drawer on more than one occasion. She quickly dried her hair and did some simple makeup to cover the dark circles under her eyes. She figured she’d be getting more than enough sleep this weekend to make up for them: one of her and Ajay’s favorite things to do together was nap, because neither of them got enough sleep.

She finally emerged from the bedroom to see Ajay packing two plates and two sets of utensils into a large picnic basket that she hadn’t even known they owned. When he saw her, he smiled.

“You look beautiful,” he said, crossing the small kitchen to take her hands in his.

“You always say that,” Grace countered, biting her bottom lip playfully.

“It’s always true.” He turned back to the picnic basket and closed it, then hoisted the handles over his shoulder. “You ready to go?”

“Hell yes,” Grace cheered, “I’ve been wanting to see this roof forever.”

The pair left their apartment, fingers intertwined, to explore what laid beyond the mysterious roof access door.

Once she crossed the threshold, Grace could instantly tell that Ajay had really put some thought into the plans for tonight.

A large, thick, soft-looking blanket was spread out across the center of the flat roof, looking inviting. A small space-heater was set up beside it, because even though it was May the night could still get chilly. Beyond the blanket was a portable speaker—Grace recognized the one Ajay had used in Bonnie & Clyde—and string lights indicating a clear space, possibly for them to dance.

Grace could only squeeze Ajay’s hand in gratitude, recognizing the effort he must have gone through to put everything together. He kissed her temple and led her towards the blanket where they both sat.

“I still want to know how you got Simon to let us up here,” Grace said as she unpacked the food from the basket.

“It’s still a secret, janu.”

Grace rolled her eyes at him lovingly, then lifted the lid of one of the containers.

“Wow, Korean barbecue beef? You know this is my favorite…”

“That’s why I made it,” Ajay said, grinning. “Check the rest of the basket.”

Grace dug out a generous container of rice, a thermos of roasted vegetables (extra peppers but no carrots- he had remembered!), and finally a small box that Grace suspected was full of desserts. She raised an eyebrow at Ajay, who just shrugged and motioned to the box. Grace cautiously opened the box, then lost all semblance of caution when she saw what was inside.

“That’s cinnamon apple turnovers!”

“Yup, homemade this time.”

“Really? You didn’t just run down to the bakery during intermission–”

Ajay cut her off with a long kiss, then pulled back a few inches, their faces still close together.

“No, I made those myself. And I burned half my fingers doing it,” he said in a low voice, making Grace snort with laughter.

“You’re not usually that clumsy,” she noted between laughs. “And you’re a pretty good pastry chef, so what gives?”

Ajay simply hummed, turning away from her to start serving their meal. “My hands might have been shaking,” he admitted.

Grace raised her eyebrows. “How come?”

“That’s a secret, too,” he teased, pausing to give her a wink. Grace’s heartbeat sped up, a warm feeling of comfort and love filling her chest. She leaned forward to wrap her arms around his waist, kissing the nape of his neck as he finished loading a plate with food.

They dug in to the feast, talking and joking around as much as they could while savoring the perfectly marinated barbecue and the fluffiest rice Grace thought she’d ever tasted. Even the vegetables tasted amazing, roasted with olive oil according to Ajay. Grace ate her fill and then some, stealing chunks of the beef off Ajay’s plate to his indignation. He kept her glass filled with a seemingly endless supply of strawberry-flavored sparkling water (Grace had developed an addiction to the stuff, and now it was practically all she would drink) and let her have more than her share of the cinnamon apple turnovers (he had made three just to prepare for her wanting extras).

After the food was all eaten, Grace cleared the dishes into the empty basket while Ajay fiddled with his phone and the speakers, eventually getting them to play Sinatra songs at a volume that they could still hear but that hopefully wouldn’t provoke Simon’s rage. He helped her up and led her over to the little dance floor that he’d set up with the lights, then pulled her in close as they swayed together to the music.

After a few moments of wonderful, beautiful, comfortable silence, Grace spoke back up with the one thing that was on her mind.

“So, are you ever gonna tell me how you really got Simon to give us access?”

Ajay sighed. “I guess you’ll never leave it alone until I do, yeah?”

Grace pulled away slightly, a teasing smile playing on her lips. “Did you sleep with him?” she joked.

“What?!”

“Because if you did, just saying, you could’ve invited me too.”

“Grace, what the actual-”

“Might’ve been fun. But now we’ll never know.”

Ajay rolled his eyes, trying not to give his girlfriend the satisfaction of knowing that her jokes were funny.

“He was actually really easy to convince,” Ajay said, “When I told him what I wanted it for.”

“Oh yeah? What did you tell him?” Grace asked, thinking she knew where he might be going with this. She prayed he couldn’t feel her heart pounding.

“Yeah. Well, first I walked down to his office and I just asked, and he shut me down but didn’t throw me out like he did the last few times we went to ask.”

“Surprise number one,” Grace quipped.

“Tell me about it. So I thought maybe I’d try a practical appeal.”

“Sensible.”

“I told him we’d clean up and we wouldn’t be loud.”

“And?”

“He still said no. But still didn’t make me leave. So I pulled out the greatest weapon in my arsenal.”

“Which was…?”

“An emotional appeal. The man has to have a heart somewhere.”

Grace smiled against Ajay’s shoulder, his arms wrapped even tighter around her. She could feel his heartbeat from where her forehead was nestled in the crook of his neck, and it was fast. She knew exactly where he was going with this, but she couldn’t imagine ruining it for him. She just pressed into his chest more, let him hold her closer as he continued.

“I told him how, eleven years ago, I met the love of my life but I didn’t know it was her. How I loved her, and then lost her, and then found her again so many years later.”

“Awww, Ajay..”

“I told him about how you mean the world to me, and how I want to make every single moment with you as special as it can be. I told him that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you.”

“Did you really say all that to Simon?” Grace tried to blink back tears, overwhelmed by all of Ajay’s beautiful words.

“No. But I implied it with what I did say. I said it was our second anniversary, and that I wanted to do something really special for you. And he said, ‘You’re going to propose,’.”

Grace snuggled in closer to Ajay, the tears in her eyes starting to fall.

“And I said, ‘Yes, I am,’.”

Ajay separated himself from Grace, unwrapping her arms from around his shoulders. Far enough back, he kneeled down where he’d been standing and took out a small wooden box. Grace, unsure what to do, busied herself wiping away her tears. Ajay noticed the action and looked alarmed, but his panic faded when Grace showed him the big smile behind her tears. He grinned back up at her, his own eyes starting to glint with tears.

“Y’know, Grace, I wrote you a speech but I can’t remember a word of it. That’s how much you take my breath away, how you scatter my best-laid plans to the wind.”

Grace choked out a laugh, covering her mouth with one of her hands.

“The gist of it is this: I love you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I want to be your husband, the father of your children, your partner forever. Will you marry me?”

Ajay opened the box, revealing the delicate ring he’d bought her. Grace didn’t think she’d ever seen anything more beautiful in her life than that ring, besides the man who was holding it, and she got distracted watching the dazzle of the string lights as they hit the small diamonds at just the right angle.

Tears falling freely now, Grace nodded rapidly.

“Yes!” she choked out through the tears. She stuck her left hand out and he slid the ring on, then stood up to wrap her in a tight hug once he’d put the box back in his pocket.

“Why are you crying?” he whispered as he ran his hands up and down her back soothingly.

“Why are you crying?” Grace mumbled into his blazer, sniffing. Ajay kissed the top of her head.

“Because I love you, and I get to love you for the rest of my life.”

Grace cried even harder. “Me too.”

***

The next morning, Grace woke up warm and comfortable with Ajay beside her, gently playing with her hair. She shifted, and he turned to face her, cupping her face in his hands.

“I’m sorry, janu, did I wake you up?”

Grace shook her head, her voice a little hoarse from sleep. “No, but even if you did, I think this is the best way to wake up.”

Ajay grinned and leaned down to kiss her. Once he pulled back, he ran a hand through her hair again.

“Well, good morning then, fiancée.”

Grace took in a surprised breath. “Wow, okay, I’m not gonna get used to that one for a while, fiancé,” she teased back, grinning when he blinked in surprise.

“It’s definitely a new one,” he agreed. “Should we get up, then? I’m hungry, and I think there are a few people who might want to hear about our news.”

Grace groaned into Ajay’s chest. “Can we go ahead and argue about who to call first now, and then get food?”

Ajay laughed. “Let’s call your brother first, if that’s alright? We can do that same thing to him as he did to us when he told you about his first kid.”

As Grace laughed, Ajay rolled out of the bed and grabbed a t-shirt. Grace stretched her back and followed suit, picking a pair of white socks with large yellow lemons on them from the drawer.

“You’re so weird,” Ajay laughed.

“Don’t act like you don’t steal my socks,” Grace responded, raising an eyebrow at him. “And anyways, you know I’m weird. That’s why you love me.”

“You’re right. I knew you were weird and I still asked you to marry me. Ignored all the warning signs…” he teased, only stopping when Grace reached back over to the bed and threw a throw pillow at him playfully.

The pair went into their small kitchen. Ajay microwaved the remnants of a takeout meal from the week before, while Grace poured cereal into a bowl.

Her twin brother, James, still lived in Los Angeles, but he and Grace Skyped every week. About a year ago, around the time Grace and Ajay had moved in together, James had called her with a big grin on his face.

“CONGRATULATIONS!” he had yelled almost as soon as she answered the call, laughing at the bewildered look on her face.

“What?”

“I said congratulations!”

“What did I do?”

James had beckoned his wife into the view of the camera. His wife, Alyssa, was hardly holding back her own laughter.

“Congratulations!” she said, making Grace groan in exasperation. At that point, Ajay had come over to investigate.

“Oh, hi Ajay! This kind of applies to you, too,” James had said. Grace and Ajay traded bewildered looks.

“Congratulations on your new niece or nephew,” James had said calmly, his expression barely holding back his happiness. He had waited for the news to sink in, and had laughed when Grace’s eyes went wide and she covered her mouth.

Stirring her cereal, Grace laughed to herself as she remembered that chaotic Skype call. She was so happy her brother had found someone with the same sense of humor as him. Their kid, a little boy they named Gabriel, had been born about six months ago, and Grace had been able to take some time off to go visit the newborn. He was the spitting image of Alyssa, but very loud just like James. Grace had fallen in love with him as soon as she’d seen him.

After breakfast, right at the scheduled time, Grace started a Skype call with James. He picked up quickly, sitting at the breakfast bar with Gabriel in his arms. On Grace’s end, Ajay remained off-camera.

“Hey Grace,” James said. He picked up Gabriel’s little arm to wave at the camera. “Hi Aunt Grace!” he said in a squeaky tone, imitating the baby. Grace giggled.

“Hey, James and Gabe! Is Alyssa there?”

“Yeah, hold on.” James yelled off-camera, and not five seconds later Alyssa walked into the frame.

“Hey, Grace!” she said. “When are you coming down for another visit? We miss you over here.”

“Hopefully pretty soon,” Grace smiled. “In the meantime, I just wanted to offer you guys my congratulations.” She was careful not to let anything on her face give away the news, but she knew it was a futile attempt because her brother knew her way too well to be fooled by a poker face. James raised his eyebrows at her.

“Congratulations? It’s a little late for that, Gabe was born half a year ago.”

“Oh, no, I wasn’t referring to that…” Grace deflected, drumming her fingers on the table and trying not to make eye contact with Ajay, who was trying not to laugh.

“Well, what is it, then?” Maybe it was just the early hour, but James hadn’t quite caught on to the fact that she was messing with him yet. From the way Alyssa’s eyes were narrowed, Grace knew she had guessed what was going on.

“It’s just not every day you get a future brother-in-law,” Grace said, avoiding eye contact with the camera. She couldn’t help the smile that slipped onto her face, especially when James shouted in realization.

“Oh my God, Grace! You guys got engaged?” He started fidgeting excitedly so much that Alyssa took the baby away from him, kissing his temple as she did so.

“Yup.” Ajay popped into the frame, standing behind Grace’s chair with his hands resting on her shoulders. Grace held up the ring for Alyssa to inspect.

“It’s beautiful, nice job!” Alyssa said to Ajay, nodding approvingly. Ajay grinned and kissed the top of Grace’s head. James was still sitting in the corner of the frame, shell-shocked.

“James? You alive?”

James still didn’t move until a plaintive meow sounded off-screen, prompting him to pick up the fluffy orange and white cat. After a second, he turned back to the camera.

“Guys…” he said, sounding a little choked up. “This is amazing.”

“I think so, too,” Grace said, putting a hand over Ajay’s.

“Have you guys thought about dates yet? Locations?” Alyssa asked, her wedding-planner side coming out. She had worked as a wedding planner ever since she’d graduated from UCLA, where she and James had met and started dating.

“We haven’t thought about an exact date yet, but I think we want a long engagement,” Ajay said, referencing the brief conversation he and Grace had had the night before after the emotions of the night got less extreme. “And we want the ceremony to be in California, so it’s easy for all our family to come.”

“I could totally help you guys plan it!” Alyssa said, trying to contain her excitement. “Discount rate, because you’re family.”

“That would be amazing,” Grace said. “We’ll get back to you when we know more. This only happened last night. You guys are actually the first people we called.”

After a brief conversation, a brotherly threat from James, and a silly face from Gabe, the twins ended their Skype call.

“That was exhausting,” Grace said, “Who’s next?”

“The one and only Shruti Bhandari. If we’re lucky, we might be able to catch Mohit too.”’

“I miss that kid,” Grace muttered.

“He misses you, too. I keep telling him he needs to text you more if he misses you so much, but he’s worried he’ll bother you.”

“Nonsense!” Grace shouted. “I always have time for Mo.”

“He’s going to be your brother-in-law,” Ajay pointed out. Grace grinned.

Ajay started the call to his mother, and it didn’t take her more than a few seconds to pick up. After some technical difficulties involving the camera on her computer, Shruti started speaking in rapid-fire Hindi. Grace was able to pick out a few words, enough to know that Shruti was admonishing her son for not asking Grace to marry him yet. Ajay buried his face in his hands.

“Namaste, Shruti. Aap kaisi hain?” Grace asked, hoping she’d got the pronunciation of the phrase correct. Shruti’s eyes widened, and she looked to her son.

“Amma, you know I’ve been teaching her Hindi!” Ajay said, exasperated. Shruti recovered and nodded.

“I’m well, Grace, thank you. How are you?”

“I’m doing great!”

“Well, since you clearly understood my question… Ajay, why haven’t you?”

“Don’t make assumptions, Amma.”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

Ajay grimaced, then picked up Grace’s left hand to show his mom the ring. Shruti gasped.

“He asked last night,” Grace said, a little embarrassed. She put her hand back down, and Ajay wrapped an arm around her.

“I wanted to make it special,” Ajay explained, “And I had a hard time getting our landlord to let me decorate the roof of our building.”

“Oh, betā, I’m so excited for you,” Shruti said, a large smile appearing on her face. “Do you know the date yet? Where are you going to have the ceremony?”

“We don’t know yet, it’s only been a day. Calm down,” Ajay said fondly, and his mom took a deep breath.

“Okay. I’m calm. Tell me about how you proposed!”

Sighing, Ajay told Shruti the story. Not long after, a seventeen-year-old’s voice rang through the kitchen on Shruti’s end of the call.

“Amma? Who are you talking to?”

Ajay grinned. “Mo! Come here.”

“Bhai?” Mohit came rushing into the frame. “Bhai! And Grace! Hi!”

“Hey, Mo!” Grace said. No matter how far apart they were, she loved that kid. “How’s school?”

“Sophomore year, almost over.” Mohit rolled his eyes. “So, how come you called? You never call.”

“I call lots!” Ajay protested, but Shruti took Mohit’s side.

“You would do well to call more. But go on, Ajay, tell him your news.”

Mohit pulled a chair up and sat next to his mom, resting his chin in his hand.

“Grace and I are getting married,” Ajay announced. Mohit cheered.

“Yes! I knew it! I knew it back when you were in high school that you guys were good for each other.”

“We didn’t even know that back then,” Grace joked, “but yes, your brother asked me to marry him last night and I said yes.”

Mohit grinned. “Congratulations. Now, I gotta go meet some friends at the pool, but you’re going to tell me all about it later, Ajay.”

“Will do. See you, Mo.”

Shruti laughed fondly as Mohit ran off. “Well,” she said, “I should probably go too. You guys should come visit soon, okay? I know Grace’s parents would like you to come visit as well.”

“Of course. Main aapse pyaar kartha hoon.”

“Mai bhee aapse pyaar karthee hoon. You too, bahū,” Shruti said, smiling at Grace. Then the call ended.

“What was that last part?” Grace asked, having been caught off-guard by the sudden return to Hindi.

“She said she loves you,” Ajay told Grace, drawing her closer and kissing her forehead gently, “And she called you daughter-in-law.”

“Oh. Wow,” Grace started, incredibly touched. “I think I might start crying again.”

“Oh, don’t. We still have to call your parents, my dad, probably Rosa and Mayleen…”

“Jesus,” Grace groaned.

“Then we should probably make some kind of social media announcement.”

“Nooooo,” Grace groaned. “Can’t we get any time for just us?”

“We have the rest of our lives, janu.”

Translations:

Aap kaisi hain? = How are you?

betā = son

Main aapse pyaar kartha hoon = I love you

#is this technically like #part 15?#possible.#anyways #here it is #ajay bhandari #ajay x mc #choices #playchoices #choices: stories you play #high school story class act #high school story: class act #high school story: class act choices #hssca #hssca fanfic #choices fanfic #hssca fanfiction #my fanfic

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whitefeather79 · 7 years

Text

THE KISSING BOOTH PART 5: A KRISTANNA FANFIC

#kristanna #fanfic #frozen #thekissingbooth #thekissingboothpart5 #modern au

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toastnekohime · 6 years

Text

By The Pulse Of A Heartbeat

Part five of a 2018 Camp NaNoWriMo Yu-Gi-Oh! GX Elementshipping novel. Based on rp’s between myself ( @getyouraoion ) and my amazing, precious Twin’s Jaden ( @kiibx ), By The Pulse Of A Heartbeat tells the story of how Aoi and Jaden met at Duel Academy and formed their incredibly tight friendship, eventually falling into a relationship, and how they handle the various threats thrown at them over their three years of schooling.

There are currently no triggers, but should any arise, they will be tagged.

STILL IN PROGRESS. Please forgive any typos you may find~

Tagging @starisia, as this wouldn’t exist without my wonderful Twin <3

Summary:

Duel Academy is the place to be, the dream school for many kids. Be it through intense studying, duel prep schools, scholarships, or being rich enough to buy their way in, most kids have had their sights set on it for a long time, knowing it to be the perfect place to start towards a career as a professional duelist. Someone has to Dethrone Yugi and take the title of King of Games, and everyone wants a shot!

Except that is, for Aoi Sakazaki.

Falling in love with Duel Monsters when her father bought her several cards in her childhood, she makes the choice to try her hand at the entrance exams, despite having no idea what she wants to do with her life… And just barely squeaks her way in. Her poor exams scores, combined with even poorer grades, land her a solid spot in the Academy’s Slifer Red dorm - The lowest of the low, where students are almost expected to drop out if they don’t advance to Ra Yellow or Obelisk Blue, first.

The rank comes with the rest of the school looking down on them, as well as the worst lodging the furthest distance from the main campus and fewest privileges compared to the other dorms. But it also brings a surprise friend in fellow Slifer student Jaden Yuki, who seems to have absolutely no problem with the hand they’ve been dealt.

It’s not long before Aoi and Jaden find themselves caught up in a whirlwind of an adventure, dealing with exams, classes, ‘evil’ teachers, and somehow still finding enough time to explore the island they now call home. But living on Academy Island isn’t all fun and games; shortly after their schooling begins, things around their home begin to change, and rarely for the better.

Neither friend has any idea what lies in wait for them in the next three years… But is it an adventure they’ll be able to tackle together, or will it end their time at the school - and them - before it’s even begun?

It’s time to put their skills where their mouths are and find out!

It took a day longer than she'd expected to finish her new uniform, but by the third day of classes, she'd swapped out her red skirt for the more familiar comfort of capris, blazer cut into a comfortable vest over a lighter shirt. As nice as her boots had been, it felt so much better to be out of those heels and into a different, flatter pair of calf-high boots. And though the outfit had gotten some stares and mumbles, it, thankfully, hadn't yet gotten her in trouble.

And yet, it wasn't worry of possible trouble that had Aoi outside her room the morning of their first saturday on the island, but the need for air and peace. Her room still stunk of the perfume Mia had used the night before... For such a petite girl, she wore an awful lot of perfume – Enough to drown a cow, never mind the slender teen. It wouldn't have been so bad if the scent was lighter, kinder to the nose, but a heavy dose of lilac and 'sunshine' definitely didn't help.

At least being outside helped ease the headache, the slight breeze coming off the sea more than refreshing. And it was quiet, to boot. Why was it a dorm with so few people still managed to be so loud? Music helped, although there was only so much it could do when the noise tried to drown it out in return.

Birds and waves crashing into the cliff behind the dorm was better for the time being, though she had to admit, she still missed her music—

Wait… That made no sense. Why was it so quiet?

“Last one there's a rotten fish!”

Pushing off the railing, Aoi tilted her head... Just to press herself back against it half a second later with a squeak of surprise, just barely avoiding a collision with a red blur that wasn't so lucky, stumbling over its own boots before finally catching itself. “Hey- Watch where y' go-”

“Hey sorry, I-”

Both comments came to a screeching halt, green-blue meeting long since familiar honey brown. She'd known he had a room on the second floor, but not that it was so close, or that he was even in it as often as it seemed he was... And for that matter, she couldn't even begin to remember where her voice had gone, or why she'd even stopped in the first place. “Y' couldda run m' over.”

Jaden gave a sheepish chuckle in return, scratching the back of his head. “Yeah, sorry 'bout that. Didn't think there was anyone out here. Aren't ya usually in your room?”

“I'm n' sure how y' know that, b' n' today. Smells like a flower exploded.”

“...Flowers can explode?”

“Sniff m' door an' tell m', 'cause I'm pretty sure it's a scracth n' sniff card.”

To her surprise, the brunette laughed, relaxing as quickly as he'd barreled out of his room. Just hearing him laugh helped her relax as well, but the second he actually did step closer and jokingly scratch at the door, she'd taken an even larger step of her own back and away from him – and that was all it took to make him pause and give her a look like she'd just grown another head. “...Did I step on you or somethin'?”

“...N'. Jus'...” Just what? How did she explain she was uncomfortable with strangers? Or even more so with guys, and that he fell into both categories? The better question, though, was why she felt like she could tell him, shooting Syrus a glance as he finally joined them on the balcony. Maybe it was the fact he was still leaning over and inches from sniffing her door, or the dozens of times in the last few days they'd run into each other...

Whatever it was, it was enough to make her shake her head and tug at the tie of one of her pigtails. “I ah... Don't d' good with strangers. Or guys. Or any combination of 'em,”, she finally admitted, watching his confusion turn into a broad grin. Like always, his bright and sunny outlook seemed to make things easier, tugging slowing until she could finally bring her hands down and shove them into her pockets. “Sorry.”

“Hey, I'm not a stranger, I'm a Jaden! Jaden Yuki.”

“...Aoi Sakazaki.”

“See? No strangers here! We're goin' to check out the surf shop on the beach. Up for coming with?”

On one hand, she wanted to tell him no. Despite the introductions, he was still, technically, a stranger, and she had little interest in being any closer.

And yet on the other, there was something about his grin she couldn't say no to. His cheer was infectious, bringing back her smile in just seconds. It had to be better than sitting by a scratch and sniff door she swore was absorbing every bit of the perfume smell as it was, right? “I'm... N' sure...”

This time it was Syrus who smiled, slipping past her – careful not to get too close, something she'd later have to thank him for – and Jaden both for the steps. “It's gonna be an adventure! There's supposed to be a nice beach and the tide's out!”

��S' we could find some crabs?” The words were out before she could stop them, and by the time she realized she was even moving, she was halfway down the staircase, Jaden laughing behind her with his hands behind his head. “I haven't seen any yet. Have y'?”

“Heard frogs,” the brunette chirped, chuckling at the snort he got in reply as he came up to walk beside her, Syrus leading the trio towards the beach. “Nah. We've been all over, but haven't seen crabs yet. Why, you like crabs?”

“Jay... Girls don't like crabs...”

Aoi shook her head, though she knew Syrus couldn't see it or her smile for trying to derail the conversation, lest it get uncomfortable. “Small ones're cute, b' n' my favorites. That's pigs.”

The blunette tripped over his feet, Jaden slapping a hand over his mouth to try and hide the sputters before he broke down laughing. Was it really so surprising she'd like pigs? “Look here, they're cute an' like t' b' pet.”

“That's dogs, Aoi.”

“Pigs t'! Back home we've got a petting zoo with a big potbellied pig. He loves it when people pat him on th' head. Hair kindda reminds m' of another student's, t'...” She had to bite her tongue before Chazz's name came out. In the last few days, she'd run into the Obelisk four or five more times, each meeting falling into nothing but pure insults and sarcasm flung at one another. She'd come to find it fun, even, getting the chance to be as creative as possible while he kept coming back with the reminder she was nothing more than a 'Slifer Slacker'.

But if either of the boys wanted to ask, they made no indication of it, Jaden even catching her attention again with the most nonchalant shrug. “They're not bad. You don't play a pig deck, do ya? Though I bet that'd be somethin' to watch. A farm duel!”

Her next snort quickly turned into a laugh, winning her a look of surprise from both boys. Maybe these boys weren't so bad after all...? “Mm-mm. N' pig decks. I've got... Don't even have a theme, n' that I think 'bout it. Jus' m' favorite an' some backup.”

“Sounds like something fun to duel with! Hey, wanna see how your favorite is against my heroes?” he questioned, surprise quickly fading back into a smile, as always. She wasn't sure there was a second he could be anything but a ball of sunshine – And had they met for real at the exams, she was sure his cheeriness would've driven her crazy. Probably.

But even that wasn't enough to make her agree, head shaking as they followed the well-worn path towards the other side of the island. So he played a hero deck... “N' way, Jaden. Y' would cream m' in a second. I barely made it through th' entrance exams, an' definitely n' interested in getting' beat jus' yet.”

He seemed to take the rejection well, though she didn't miss the glimmer of disappointment in his eyes, hidden behind his usual grin. He was the kid who beat Dr. Crowler, famous among the school for that feat, or so she'd heard; why would she want to let Eria stretch her legs if all that awaited her was a hero punch to the face? And why did she feel the urge to say yes anyway when she knew he'd win in a single turn against her deck?

The brunette rolled his shoulders, the disappointment gone so fast she wondered if she'd imagined it. Either the idea of adventuring around the beach was enough to bring him back from it, or the sunlight was playing tricks on her... Whatever it was, she couldn't stop her own smile from pulling at her lips. “Maybe after I d' some tweakin'...?”

“Now you're talking my language! Need any help with it?”

“Considerin' I wouldn't know where t' start.... B' y' don't hafta.”

“Nah, it's totally fine. What's in your deck now?”

Her footsteps slowed, reaching behind her to flip open the case on her belt and pull her deck free. No more than half a second later, Jaden stopped with her, neither noticing Syrus continuing ahead without them. “Like I said, m' favorite,” she explained, passing the stack of cards to him as they came to a stop. “Eria th' Water Charmer an' Familiar-Possesed Eria. B' th' rest is jus' backup.”

And by the way he practically became the sun while he flipped through them, she could only imagine the plans he had in mind. “You've got a Luster Dragon in here? I've never seen one in person-! And there's an Aussa... Interested in help?”

“Y' really don't hafta-”

“Nope, I don't. But I want to. What's a friend for, right?”

Friend. They'd met all of possibly half an hour ago, and he already saw her a friend. Despite the fact she shouldn't have been surprised, she was, feeling her cheeks flush a bit. Again, if he noticed he didn't make any mention of it, rearranging her cards with Eria on top. “...Y' jus' met m'. How.. How can y' call m' a friend s' easily?”

“What, you need to know people forever to be friends?” His tone was light, lined with the barest hints of laughter. And when he gently took her hand, pressing her deck back into her palm, she couldn't find any reason to jump away from him. The defensive shell usually present whenever she was around others had melted off, leaving her to watch him run ahead a moment later, stop, and wave at her. “C'mon! Sy's already gone ahead!”

He had a point. What harm would there be in trusting him? He'd not given her a reason to keep her distance – yet, anyway – and even offered help... Her urge to keep away from him physically seemed to have fled, too, especially with how she was running ahead with a laugh to nudge his side. “Last one there's a rotten Mystic Tomato?”

Any surprise he'd had in her touch melted into a wicked grin, waiting for her to slide her deck into its case before replying. “More like does the others' homework for a day- and I'm gonna win that bet!” And in a flash he was off, Aoi giving a whine before following suit, quickly blowing past a startled Syrus. “Cheater!”

“Gotta keep up!”

“I plan on it!” she called back, barely three steps behind him with a laugh. Maybe having a friend in the boy wouldn't be so bad- Though she'd have to get used to his excitement, her gaze drifting to the ground under his feet. Jaden Yuki... Oh, how wrong she'd been at the exams. There was nothing weak about him- though he was easy to lose track of, raven ducking under a branch as their race hit the forest.

“Still back there?”

“Trust m', I'm gonna keep up with y' if it's th' last thing I d'!”

#By The Pulse Of A Heartbeat #starisia #kiibx #blackthvnder #Elementshipping #Part Five #Aoi and Jay finally meet for real <3 #I swear they're dorks agh #Precious butts XD #And a massive thank you to masqueradeandalice for helping with this part's proofing TwT <3 I owe you #<3 <3 <3 <3

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ghostietheschrodingergirl · 7 years

Text

Human: The Rescue

After an accident that kills most of her family, Emma has found herself living in a mansion with a large family and a rumored villain, Auden Mendeville. If that wasn’t hard enough for the eight year old, try having malfunctioning supernatural abilities and a voice that no one else can hear.

“Expand the search area!” A man in black uniform yelled.

A young man approached, “Sir, It’s been nearly 4 days. Don’t you think if she was in the streets, we would’ve found her?” He gave the man a knowing look.

“If you’re insisting on checking that house again, you’re gonna have to do it alone. I’m not sending any more men on your wild goose chases.” The man replied, not even looking up from the stack of reports in his hands.

“But Sergeant Brumm, I know she’s-”

“Mr. Brickett.” A stern look from the sergeant cut him off. “If you keep insisting on this and messing with my organized search efforts, I will have to suspend you. Now run along before I put you out.” Sergeant Brumm waved his hand dismissively.

“Yes sir.” Brickett turned and jogged towards the run down brick building on the corner of the street. He was greeted by a dark figure disappearing behind the corner. A white petal signified a Phantom.

“What brings you all the way out here, Phantom?” Brickett announced as he walked through the open doorway. “Don’t you have a city to defend?”

“Jay sent me.” A large figure appeared out of the shadows.

“Isn’t it past the little twerps bedtime?” Brickett snickered, crossing his arms.

“He wasn’t awake.” The young man was immediately silenced.

“So, he’s still having those nightmares?” he dropped his arms and took a few steps closer to the guest.

“Yeah.” the man walked over to a door between the kitchen and the stairs, “I’ve checked this floor, go up and try the rooms again. I’ll get the basement.”

“Roger that, chief.” Brickett saluted as he turned for the stairs.

“And Ray.”

“Hmm?”

“Don’t forget to check the floors.”

Brickett nodded and headed up the stairs. He had searched this house so many times that he basically memorized it. The first door on the left was a small room with a desk and several family portraits hung on the walls. Papers were still stacked neatly on the desk. A thick layer of dust covered everything. Ray picked up a frame that sat on the desk next to a flower vase that had long since been forgotten. Wiping the mass of dust from the glass, revealing a picture of a happy family. A young boy, maybe early teens, stood behind a younger girl with long, brown hair, pulled behind a red headband. She wore white dress with pink and red flowers, hands folded behind her back in innocence. The boy had dark black hair. He looked like Jason… A small baby was wrapped in the boy's arms; bundled in a white blanket, blue eyes staring into the camera.

Behind the children were the man and wife. The woman had black hair, pulled back into a neat bun. She wore a navy blazer and pencil skirt. A white collar stuck out from her tanned skin. Dark brown, eyes smiled at the camera. And behind her was a man. Much larger than all, he wore a lab coat over a suit and tie. Brown hair piled on his head and just touched the thick framed glasses on his face. Mischievous blue eyes stuck out. They matched the baby’s. He smiled a toothless smile.

It made Ray sick to his stomach to look at that man. James Martin. Convicted murderer, child abuser and psychopath. The sick Bastard is going behind bars for a very, very long time.

There was a high pitched sound that pulled Ray out of his thoughts. Silently, he set the frame back on the desk and pulled out his gun. He crept down the long hallway searching for the source.

He heard it again. It sounded like a hiccup. He snuck open the door on the left that was barely hanging off it’s hinges. He scanned the room for, well, anything. The room was a dull grey, torn curtains hung from the barred windows straight ahead. A white bed sat under the windows in the middle of the room. It hadn’t been touched for a while. It was still made up perfectly and didn’t match the rest of the house. The grey blanket made only helped with the blandness. Other than the fact that it was moving, everything was the same.

Wait. Moving?

“Da-hic-Dadd-y,” Ray was shocked. He couldn’t move. The small voice was coming from under the blanket. He had checked under the bed, but never the actual bed itself. “Da…”

Ray forced himself over to the bed. Gun still in hand, he pulled back the blankets, hoping for a ploy. His heart dropped when he saw the ashen faced child that was chained to the bed she cried on. Her had was faced away from him, but he could still see the tears that glistened on her cheeks. Her chest heaved with empty breaths and her body wracked with ragged sobs.

Ray placed a comforting hand on her shoulder to calm her. She stiffened, but didn’t move away. Her head jerked and began to turn, she was trying to look at him. “Da-addy?” The heart-wrenchingly small voice almost broke the young man. He put his gun away and placed a gently hand on her cheek, guiding her gaze to meet his.

Without taking his eyes off her, Ray reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, white device and placed it in his ear. “Phantom,” he called. “Phantom get up here. I’ve got her.”

“No sweetie,” He said “No m-my name is Officer Raymond. Can you tell me your name?” he distracted her while he felt for her pulse. Finding none on her wrist, he moved to her neck.

“Daddy…-s cold…” hazy blue eyes stared up at the ceiling. They jumped around, trying to find something to focus on.

“I know sweetheart. We’re gunna get you outta here, okay?” Ray began working on breaking the cuffs. “We- We’re gunna get you outta here. We’re gunna get you war.. A-and we’re gunna get you food a-and water, and we’re gunna get you all better!” He couldn’t help the shaking in his voice. He was just so filled with rage and sadness that he couldn't help the shaking in his hands or the tears that were pricking at his eyes.

“Don’t cry… daddy…” The small, frail hand that was limp under the heavy shackle suddenly came to life, floating through the iron. Cold fingers made contact with his hot face, wiping at the tears. “It’ll be o-ok… Daddy…”

Dumbstruck, Ray stood there holding the now empty chain, staring into light lilac eyes. The light cast eerie shadows on both faces. The child was floating a few inches above the bed, hands hovering over his face, illuminating the tears.

A light blue streak bled from her nose. It rolled down the side of her cheek and around to the back of her head. It dripped a steady beat onto the bed below. The child's hand moved to feel the cool liquid flowing from her nose. She pulled back her hand and stared at it, unfazed.

She blinked up at Ray. “Don’t let me die again, daddy.”

Unconsciously, he reached out and grabbed the bloody hand. He tried to speak, but found his voice was stuck behind the lump in his throat.

“Don’t worry, Emma. Nothing is going to happen to you.” deep voice took over on the other side of the bed.

With that her eyes slipped shut. While she was still afloat, Ray grabbed the big, grey blanket and wrapped it around her.

“How long have you been standing there?” Ray finally spoke, absently wiping at the blood on Emma’s face.

“Long enough,” Phantom replied.

There was a short silence that lasted forever. The Phantom Knight walked over to look at the child. He took in the yellowing bruise that took up the right of Emma’s neck. The slow rise and fall of her chest. He debated his options.

“So, what do we do?” Ray asked, gesturing to the girl in his arms. “Seeing as to how she’s glowing, levitating, and bleeding, well, god knows what, I’m gunna take a wild guess in saying that we can’t take her to any normal hospital.”

“And she’s an at-risk 'Amber’ child who’s dying.” Phantom finished. “Which means we can’t just take her back to the Hallow”

After thinking for a moment Phantom finally spoke. “I’ll call Parker.” he said.

“Alright.” Phantom receded from the room, climbing the fire escape to the roof.

“Come on Princess, let’s get you fixed up.” Ray held Emma tight in his arms as he ran downstairs. Jumping from the last steps, he burst through the door to the street. “Help! I need some help over here!” he ran deep through the flood of red and blue lights.

The whole ordeal caused quite a scene. A scene that attracted the attention of a certain Mr. Brumm. As he made his way through the crowd of officers and reporters, he caught a glimpse Brickett loading an armful of blankets into one of the Ambulances.

“Well I’ll be damned.”

#my work #original character #original work #original writing #human #ghost girl #child abuse #abuse mention #rescue #phantom

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