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#also i love that adam just has a watch matching his entire outfit
mayajadewrites · 3 months
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suguru geto x fem reader: lucky
roommates to lovers–friends to lovers–slow burn
story synopsis: Suguru Geto is your best friend and roommate. After a year of living together, there have been more than one opportunity to throw away your friendship. The question is, would you get lucky as fall in love for the rest of your days?
ao3
CHAPTER FIVE
slight smut ahead hehe
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🎧🌙🧺📖🕯️🧸🤍
"Pssssst." Shoko poked you with her pen as she made her way to the coffee machine. "How was your date?"
It's Thursday – you've been working all week and haven't had much time to chat with Shoko about your date with Choso.
"It was great. We're going out tomorrow, actually." You smile to yourself as you stir your creamer into your coffee.
You, Nanami, Haibara, Shoko, Satoru, and Choso work in the same office building, but not within the same office. You work in the same office as Nanami and Haibara, which is quiet compared to what Shoko has to deal with with Satoru.
"Yay!! Every time I asked Choso he blushed so I assumed it went well. Aren't you glad I decided to become a match maker?" Shoko pulled a pack of cigarettes out of her pocket.
"I thought you were going to quit." You looked at Shoko with pleading eyes.
"I said I would think about it." Shoko waved goodbye as she made her way outside for her smoke break.
Surprisingly, you haven't seen Choso while you work. To be honest, you didn't want to. You would prefer to be excited when you see him for dates, not assuming you'll see him at work.
Bzzzzzz.
Suguru: I left work early, I have a fever so I'm laying low for the rest of the week. Just incase you're wondering why I'm not hanging out outside my bed.
You frown at the text, your instincts kicking in to take care of Suguru. You wanted to make him soup, make sure his bed is comfortable, give him his medicine – all of it.
You hold yourself back from leaving your own job early. You only have a few hours left before it's time to clock out, you can survive.
You: Okay, I'll make sure to bother you.
Suguru: I was hoping you would play nurse.
A ball of anxiety forms in your stomach as you re-read Suguru's text. The flirty undertones are starting to be a little too much for you since Suguru will not outright say what he's feeling for you.
But you love being flirty.
You: Let me make sure my uniform still fits.
Suguru: I'm not sure your ass fits in that skirt anymore, but I prefer it that way.
You push your phone in your pocket and bring your 2nd coffee of the day to your desk. You cheeks were now a shade of red as you thought about Suguru's texts. Was he acting like this because he's sick? Obviously he's not himself.
You finish up your work for the day and head to the supermarket to pick up ingredients for chicken noodle soup. You also grab Suguru's favorite ice cream, ginger ale, and crackers.
When you arrive home, you knew Suguru would be in his room. His door was open though, which is odd for him. You set the reusable bags down on the counter and make your way to Suguru's room.
He's laying in his bed with his eyes closed, his hair up in a bun with a piece of hair framing his face. He's shirtless, presumably because he's burning up. You watch his throat as his Adam's apple bobs.
You put the back of your hand on his forehead, only for his hand to meet yours. "What a sight to wake up to." He said quietly.
"Your head is warm enough to burn my hand." You bring your hand back to your body, his hand going back on his forehead.
"Really? I didn't know. I just feel like my entire body is the temperature which I assume is of hell." Sarcasm left his lips.
"I'm making you chicken noodle soup. I also got you some snacks and ginger ale."
"Did you remember the nurse outfit?" Suguru smirked before coughing.
"My thighs pop out of the tights, so it's a no go." You laugh, standing up to leave his room.
"You say that like it's a bad thing." Suguru laughs quietly, bringing the covers over his body.
"I'll let you know when the soup is done." You leave Suguru's room to go into yours to change into comfy clothes. You slip on a pair of leggings and an oversized crewneck from your university.
The smells of the spices flood your nostrils as you stir the broth for the soup. Suguru likes his soup a bit more salty, and he loves broth, so you made sure it was up to his standards.
You thought about how helpless he looked when he was in bed. He wasn't the strong Suguru that is your best friend and roommate, he's needy.
You bring a tray to Suguru's room, setting it up with a spoon and a cup for water. Suguru sat up slowly as you set this up for him, his eyes barely opening.
You brought his soup to him, a smiling forming on his face. "I can barely smell, but I know this is my favorite soup." Suguru grabbed his spoon, dipping it in the broth. You watched as his lips formed an 'o', blowing lightly on the spoon. "Sit with me."
You listen, sitting next to him on his bed. Suguru's bed is more than comfy. Your body sinks into it in the best way. Suguru turns on his TV, finding a streaming service and putting on a romcom.
"Since when did you watch romcoms?" You look at Suguru, surprised.
"I don't. But you do, and you're taking care of me." Suguru sipped his soup, leaning back on his pillows.
As you watch the movie with Suguru, your mind daydreams of a life with Suguru. A romantic one.
You would wake up next to him, attaching your lips to his to wake him up. He would hold your face in his large hands, deepening the kiss with his tongue.
Stop it.
You snap out of your daydream to look at Suguru, who's eyes were glued on the TV. You watched as his brown eyes followed the characters, his mouth curving into a smile when the main character said something funny.
"Thank you for the soup. It was perfect."
"Let me clean this up and I'll be out of your hair." You grab the tray, heading for the door.
"Please stay."
Did you hear that right?
"What?" You whip your head around a little too fast.
"I said, please stay." Suguru coughed.
You sigh, bringing the bowl and tray to the kitchen. You pause before turning around to go to Suguru's room. What about Choso.
It's not like he's your boyfriend.
Suguru isn't your boyfriend either.
You bring yourself back to his room, his arm open, making a spot for you.
"I'm sure I'll just make you feel more uncomfortable than you already do. You're heating up."
"Can you stop making excuses. If you think it'll be too hot, then change into less clothes." Suguru groaned, a cough escaping his throat.
You slip into your room to change into a lowcut tank top and sweatshorts, your breath hitching when you look at Suguru again.
Your body mends with his as you join him in bed. His muscular arm wraps around your waist while his face makes a home in between your neck and shoulder.
You tense a bit, goosebumps forming along your skin. Suguru's arm trails down to your thighs, squeezing them gently. You bring your eyes to his, and you're both silent. Suguru's eyes are exploring your expression, trying to read what you're feeling.
He was testing your limits. Would you let him touch your thigh? Would you let him grab your tits? Would you let him kiss you?
The answer to all of those questions is yes. But it shouldn't happen.
You feel Suguru's lips attach to your neck, going from sucking to biting every few seconds. You let out a moan, arching your back slightly.
Suguru's large hands find your chest as he's sucking on your neck, squeezing your breast over your bra. He sneaks his hand under your bra, pinching your nipple between his thumb and pointer finger.
You shouldn't be doing this.
Especially when he's sick.
"Suguru, I –"
"Tell me you don't want this." Suguru looked at you as his lips left your neck. "Tell me you don't feel the same."
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wrestlezon · 1 year
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dynamite 3/22/23 (live)blog containment zone
we started late again...
omg… hospital for the bucks… theyre doing it. theyre progressing the elite story hangman… in the ambulance… omega gets left behind… OOOOO theyre DOIN IT….
[orange + sting & darby vs kip + butcher and the blade]
sheesh lol orange's facepaint :)c kip periwinkle'd his hair kip is cool because i look at him and know exactly what his deal is. he is a my chemical romance tumblrman when i can look at a wrestler and understand what their deal is? thats good mcr tumblrman is not even my thing but i appreciate him having style. and panache i also like his goofy sinister mindgames at orange. i also like that they WORK on orange. he got under his skin! he made orange of all people snap! such a good rivalry kip: yes! the crowd: BOOOOOOO the crowd: yaaaaaay kip: yeah thats more like it!!! sting: 🧍‍♂️ kip: 😰 that was a cute ending! i liked that lmao orange is knighting sting
[video for the pillars 4way]
ooooo theyre finally pulling the trigger on the pillars 4way…
[video for kenny vs vikingo]
whoops i missed this because i was getting a snack. despite whatever the hell is going on on twitter i dont need a video package to enjoy a good match tho
[gunn club vs top flight]
the gunns outfit today? insane unbelievably im having a hard time concentrating on this match because im lost in the bliss of chips + yogurt
oh no… ftr leaves aew if they lose… well. i wont get mad
[backstage with jade & mark sterling]
so fucking funny that mark sterling's letterhead logo is 1) GIANT and 2) FULL BLACK. the printer ink!!!!
[stokely vs hook]
soooo excited for this lmfao stokely pulling the not medically cleared card. AND retiring again just to seal the deal "HE IS SICK!!!" love how the security guard action jumped into the chair stokely screaming quoting 2pac? god. killing him with that chair just holding up stokely!! hook is so strong dead. killed him
oh my god matt hardy encouraging ethan page to avenge stokely This Is How Matt Hardy Can Get Revenge
[adam cole!]
yay adam cole what a face. hes not going to do a heelturn, right? at least not anytime soon i wonder who he is fighting LMAO DANIEL GARCIA… oh my god. his entire capital L Look ok cole is def not gonna do a heelturn if hes up against garcia
[backstage with kenny and don callis]
ooooo theyre doing ittttttt… theres strife… oooo
[moxley vs stu]
uno's mask is soooo shiny get him stu!!!!!!! cool pose on the ropes, moxley lmfao claudio yawning?? whoa what a loose slam by moxley. big flip off the corner by stu!! very cool oooh moxley's counter into bulldog was also cool backpack moxley huh, whats going on with moxley's ear? oh its bandage
lmao yuta "we're off the clock! 🙄"
[backstage with ricky starks]
mad about beefin with juice? yea oh theyre finally gonna fight? on rampage!
[QTV?]
little baby drawing on the cubicle lmao this footage is rj city in the background of this bit too? i thought it was funny he was in the first one like they just took over his office and started being really cringe in there and hes just like 🙄 well ok then
[toni storm vs skye blue]
booo outcasts. yay skye blue whoa that was a swift and snappy suplex thing by toni. that crowd person is loud, whoever they are
nooo dont spraypaint her ! the women's facesquad has appeared riho!! wlilow!!
rampage being on saturday… when i was in 3rd grade i got into an argument with the neighbor boy about wwe not being on whatever day it was supposed to be on and bet him 5 dollars about it. i won and didnt get 5 dollars because thats an astronomical amount in like 90s dollars
[backstage with stu]
oh no stu's arm moxley LMAO i love how the BCC are just backstage rascals now like if you wander around backstage you better watch out because you might get into a lv50 random encounter with the BCC
[kenny vs vikingo]
SON OF KING VIKING lmfao kenny's intro having so much shade in it. that's don callis' doing, right omg that dude's superkick party sign is so extreme kenny oooooooooomegaaaaaaaaaa!!! his theme is sooooooo good. god we havent heard it in so long right? because theyve been coming out to journey this whole time? is this kenny's first solo match back omg! vikingo tope whoa??? implosion hurricarana?? dude has been doing nothing but the sickest of flips no! kenny, no! drop it…. drop it!!! no table! cmon theres no need for this!! lmao he is being so badguy. hair pulling!! this rules. we get to see all the top-tier precision moves because these are insane toptier wrestlers these guys are doing SO MANY apron/off the ring moves right now omg balance: unparalleled ??????????? phoenix splash "you can see it in his eyes! ill intent" now hes just killing a ragdoll "swan-diving reverse hurricanrana!!" my friend is yelling about how we've never seen any of these moves in our lives and yet they have names according to excalibur holy shit a 630 what?? vikingo did like a million rotations lmfao vikingo rolling up and all the way around kenny omega to get him into a pin??? omg you straight up cannot blink in this match kenny won!
OH MY GOSH ITS THE BCC sirens?? HANGMAN STOLE AN AMBULANCE???? what is that. what is his weapon oh its a plank with nails in it. why is it spraypainted black !!!! CALLIS he is such a LIAR!!!!!!!! SNAKE!!!!!!!!! OUGHH!!!! im making an angry wojak face right now
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werewolvesmoved · 3 years
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la knight giving adam cole his credit card as a response to cameron grimes paying kyle o’reilly cash
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Seasons of PD: Season 7: Don’t You Ever Do That Again, You Hear Me? (A Halstead Brothers + Halstead Sister! Imagine)
A/N: There are mentions of B1ack Liv3s M4tter (apparently this ended up in that tag, so I changed the wording, so hopefully it’s not there anymore) in regards to peaceful protests in this. And there are mentions of counter-protesters causing riots. I tried my best to portray this as professionally as possible with Y/N's views, Kevin's views, and Jay's views. I did not try to offend anyone at all and I'm very sorry if I did.
Also, I don't know if one part counts as threat of sexual coercion, but I'm fairly certain that's what it's called, so trigger warning for that.
Your age: 18
Jay's age: 32
Will's age: 34
"I get that it's important to you, but I'm not letting you go!" Jay argued as you stood across from him in a screaming match.
"Why? Because You don't believe the same things as me because you haven't met a bad cop? Because you fought for this country and know people who died for it?" you yelled back.
"Yes, me being a cop and a soldier obviously has something to do with this! But I'm also trying to keep you safe! They turn into riots!"
"You do know that's not the Black Lives Matter protesters who start them, right? They're peaceful. Counter-protesting assholes come and start things to give peaceful protesters a bad image!"
"I don't want you to get hurt if something happens! Tear gas hurts, kid. I don't want you to come home with burning eyes and the possibility of going blind and tell me I'm right. I'm trying to prevent that!"
"I know you are, Jay! I just want you to let me have my own damn opinions and do what I want for once!"
"Has a cop ever hurt you in some way? Pulled you over illegally?" Jay roared.
You wanted to tell him your story about something like that that had happened five weeks ago, two weeks after the infection scare across the entire city, but you couldn't because you knew he'd do something stupid and you didn't want that. "No, but--"
His phone rang, cutting you off. "I'll be there," Jay said quickly. Then, he turned back to you. "I gotta go, caught a case. I'll see you later and we can talk about this. Calmly."
"So, you're saying there's a chance you'll let me go?"
"There's maybe a .001% chance, but sure, believe what you want."
You rolled your eyes and he left. But, as he shut and locked the apartment door, he stopped. "Love you," he whispered. Because, with what he did on the job, he knew that there was the possibility every day of him not coming home to you.
***
When you woke up, you were shocked not to see a text from Jay between 3 and 5 am saying that he wouldn't make it home tonight. He usually made it a priority when on a case to tell you that he wouldn't be coming home so that you wouldn't worry.
But, there was a voicemail from him around 11 pm last night and it was currently 9 am.
You put your phone on speaker and played it.
"Hey, Y/N, I'm sorry about arguing. If you really want to go, I think Kevin has his RDO tomorrow so I can see if he's going if you-- OW!" Then, the line just continued playing, and dragging noises were heard until there was a crash and the line went dead.
"Jay? Jay?" What the hell had happened? You quickly replayed the message to make sure it wasn't an issue with your phone, but when you heard the same exact thing again, you knew something had gone terribly wrong.
You went to dial Hailey's number to ask if she had seen Jay when there was a loud knock on your door. You quickly ran across the apartment and looked out the peephole. You saw Hailey and Adam and quickly flung open the door.
"Hey, Y/N," Adam said as he entered.
"Have you guys seen Jay?" you asked.
You saw Hailey visibly swallow. "Listen," she started, but you cut her off.
"What happened? What's going on? He usually texts me if he's going to be working until the morning and I didn't get a text and I got a voicemail and--" You took a deep, gasping breath.
"What voicemail?" Hailey asked as she placed a hand on your shoulder.
"I- It cut off partway through and he yelled and-- wait, he wasn't with you?"
"No," Hailey answered. "He said he had some personal stuff to take care of when we were at a scene and then took off. Then, he never came back, so we decided to check here to see if he just came home or something happened."
"He never came home." Your eyes widened, finally processing what it meant if he wasn't here and Intelligence couldn't find him. "You're telling me he's missing? Again? Oh, no. This can't be happening, not again. Not after our fight last night. I didn't even tell him what happened or that I loved him or--"
"Y/N, I need you to take a deep breath," Hailey told you and you tried to match her breathing. "His radio might just be dead or something like that." She knew that she was lying, but she was trying to stop you from freaking out. "Can you give me your phone so Adam and I can listen to the voicemail?"
You nodded and handed Adam your phone. He pressed play and you watched as his jaw clenched as he was listening to it.
"Shit," he muttered once he was done. "We need you to come to the district with us. Just for safety."
"Can you give me a minute?" you asked. "I- I'm in my pajamas and I haven't brushed my teeth and--"
"We'll leave in half an hour, okay?" Hailey asked and you nodded. "While you're getting ready, we'll send the voicemail over to Kim and Kev. Jay's gonna be okay."
"How do you know that?" you almost whispered.
"Because Jay's one of the strongest people I know," she answered. But, in reality, she wasn't sure about that. They had no idea where he was and according to the timestamp on that voicemail, it had been a little over ten hours since he sent it. For all they knew, Jay could be out of Chicago right now. Scratch that, he could be out of Illinois.
***
"When did you get this voicemail?" Hank asked as everyone in Intelligence, minus Jay but including you, were in the bullpen and trying to trace where the call came from.
"Around 11 last night, Boss," Adam answered for you.
"Okay. So it's been almost 11 hours," Voight said.
"I need a break, excuse me," you said and quickly excused yourself to the locker room.
You made your way to the locker room and sat down and leaned against the wall. This couldn't be happening again, not after that crazy borderline sociopathic drug dealer kidnapped Jay a few years ago and Erin went in and saved him. This could not be happening again.
You thought back to the fight last night and something your mom would always say when she was in a fight with one of the boys or when you had thrown a temper tantrum and then had to go to bed.
I'll always tell you I love you because when you walk out that door or go to bed, I'll never know if that was the last chance I had to tell you I love you.
God, if you hadn't argued with Jay, maybe you wouldn't be feeling this way. Obviously, you'd be feeling scared and upset because Jay was missing and no one had any idea where he was, but at least you wouldn't feel guilty like you currently did.
You felt guilty about starting that fight in the first place by bringing it up even though you knew what his answer was going to be. You felt guilty about yelling. But most of all, you felt guilty and you regretted not saying love you when he left...because that might've been the last time you'd have been able to tell that to your big brother who had always been there for you...even when he really didn't want to.
Jay's Nokia flip phone buzzed as he walked out of school. It was his mom.
"Hey, Mom," he greeted.
"Jay Halstead, if you answered your phone while you're driving..." she trailed off, trying to think of a good threat.
"Mom, I didn't. I was talking to some friends about going for tacos tonight, so I just walked out of school a minute ago."
"Oh," she said.
"What oh?" Jay asked. "That sounded like a bad oh, Mom."
"Well, I wish I would've known that before a professor called in sick to give an exam to his students and I agreed to pick up the extra hours."
"What are you talking about?"
"I can't bring Y/N to the dentist. And I thought since you weren't busy, you could. I also may or not have promised her that she could go to Build-A-Bear after to get a new outfit for Beary because she's so scared."
"Mom," Jay groaned.
"I know, I'm sorry. But, how about this: you do this for me, and I'll extend your curfew by two hours on Friday and Saturday."
"Three," Jay countered.
"Two." Amelia Halstead stood strong.
"Three."
"Two and a half."
"Deal," Jay agreed.
"Thank you. I'll see you tonight. Love you."
"Love you, too."
***
"No," you whined as Jay told you that you had to leave after he walked you home from school later. "I don't wanna go to the dentist. They scary."
"No, they're not," Jay told you. The doctor was what was scary for him with all the needles for the shots. But, the dentist had never bothered him, even when he was a little kid it had never bothered him.
"No!"
"What if I let you bring Beary into the dentist, would you go then?" Jay practically pleaded.
"And you give me chocolate before we leave?"
"If you promise to grab your toothbrush and brush your teeth in the bathroom at the dentist, then yes, I'll give you some chocolate to eat on the way there." Jay was desperate at this point. He knew he shouldn't be giving you everything you wanted, but what were big brothers with a giant age gap for anyway if not to try and spoil his little sister?
"Okay!" You ran off to go grab Beary and your toothbrush and toothpaste while Jay made his way to a high cabinet in the kitchen and grabbed five squares of Dove milk chocolate, three for you and two for him.
In the car, Jay handed you the cholates and you started eating them while you held Beary close to you, trying to gain some comfort out of your favorite stuffed animal.
***
You gripped Jay's hand as you sat and waited for your name to be called. Beary was held in your other hand and you were squeezing him tight against your chest. You had just brushed your teeth like you promised Jay that you would, but you were still utterly terrified.
"Y/N Halstead?" a dental hygienist came out and asked.
You didn't say a word, just held Jay's hand tighter.
"That's you," Jay said gently and with a smile on his face, trying to make you feel less scared.
"No, not me," you told him as you frantically shook your head.
The dental hygienist squatted down in front of you. "Are you Y/N?" You didn't do anything, but Jay must've nodded to confirm that it was indeed you. "And who's this?" she asked as she shook Beary's paw.
"Beary," you said shyly.
"Well, I'm fairly certain that Beary will be with you the entire time. We even have little sunglasses you and he can wear when we shine the really bright light on you to protect both your little eyes. Does that sound good?"
You turned to Jay. "Me and Beary get sunglasses, Jay Jay!"
"I heard! Do you want me to come back with you?"
You thought for a second. "Please come."
Jay laughed. "Okay." He turned to the dental hygienist. "Is that okay?"
"Perfectly fine."
You stood up and held Jay's hand as you walked back into the dentist to get your six-month check-up on your baby teeth.
***
"That wasn't so bad was it?" Jay asked as the two of you walked out to his car after you finished.
"No!" you said as you shook your head. "I even got a pretty bracelet with Belle on it, see?" you exclaimed as you held your hand out to him to show off your yellow bracelet with a charm that had Belle from Beauty and the Beast on it.
Jay acted all surprised and said it was pretty even though he watched as you had picked it out while he had explained to the secretary how your mom would call to schedule your next appointment in six months.
Jay opened his car and made sure you were buckled in and then got in himself and started driving.
"Do you know where we're going?"
You gasped. You had forgotten you got to go to Build-A-Bear after!
"Build-A-Bear!" you yelled. The volume of that yell would've made Jay wince had he not been driving.
"Yup, that's where we're going."
"I think I'm gonna get Beary some new pajamas," you decided.
"What color?"
You held Beary out in front of you. "What color pjs do you want, Beary?" You brought him up to your ear and nodded as he "told" you what color pajamas he wants. "He said blue!"
"Blue pajamas. I'm pretty sure we can find those."
***
Jay and you walked into Build-A-Bear Workshop at the mall and you were met with children running around. To Jay, this was the definition of hell. Except for you, he was fine with you running around, but he really didn't like all the other kids that he had to be careful not to bump into.
"C'mon, Jay Jay!" you told him as you tugged him along to the pajama section.
He allowed himself to be tugged along by you and then you held up almost every single pair of blue pajamas to Beary to see which one was his favorite. He had decided on a pair of light blue pajamas with stars all over them. There was even a cute little hat with a pom-pom on top to go with the pajamas.
Jay paid and then you left with Beary and his brand-new pajamas. You had plans to have him sleep in those pajamas tonight, too.
Unbeknownst to you, Jay hadn't even really wanted to come. The only reason he brought you was that he got his curfew extended. But to you, it was just another fun afternoon with your big brother.
You were startled out of your daydream when you felt a hand on your shoulder. "Sorry, didn't mean to scare you."
Kevin.
"It's fine. I'm fine," you said quickly.
"No, you're not. And that's okay. Hailey and Voight went to see if Jay's where his phone pinged at."
"We fought," you told him.
"You fought?" Kevin asked as he slid down the wall to sit next to you.
"It was stupid. I should've just agreed with him and maybe I wouldn't be feeling like this."
"Like what?"
"Like utter shit." You sighed and ran a hand through your hair. "We were arguing about the BLM protests that were happening tonight. I wanted to go, but he wouldn't let me. The last thing I did was roll my eyes at him, Kev."
The two of you sat in silence for a few moments while Kevin figured out how to comfort you.
"Maybe talking about it will help. What'd you argue about?"
"Just that I wanted to go and he wouldn't let me because he thinks riots will break out. And you and I both know that's not the BLM protesters, that's the counter-protesters. But, he thinks I'll get hurt. I also think it's because he's a cop, so he feels like I'm protesting him, but I'm not. I'm protesting the system."
Kevin nodded. "I get it. Believe me, I do. I live it every day."
"How do you do it?" you asked. "Be an activist and a cop at the same time?"
"Just try and do the right thing with the information you have. And, explain that you're protesting the system and the bad apples, not the police force as a whole."
"I tried. But Jay doesn't think I have a right to protest because I've never had a bad experience with a cop." Which was a lie, but you weren't ready to talk about that just yet.
"Did he say that exactly?" Kevin asked.
"No, but, he asked me if a cop has ever illegally pulled me over."
Kevin nodded. "I know Jay and I know he would never say that you didn't have the right protest. He fought for that right. He mention anything else?"
"That tear gas hurts."
"I think he just wanted to keep you safe, same thing I'd do for Jordan and Vanessa."
"He sounded like he changed his mind on his voicemail, though. He thought that maybe if you were going, then he'd let me go...at least, that's what it sounded like."
Kevin nodded. "All I can say is that until we found Jay, I'm not going to one. Getting your brother is my first priority and it's the first priority of everyone in this unit."
"My first priority, too."
"Kev!" Adam yelled as he banged on the door. "You in there?"
"Yeah, bro! What's up?" Kevin asked.
"We need you to meet with someone!"
***
The hours passed and with each of them that did, you got more and more nervous for Jay's safety. You guessed that this is how he felt when you asked if you could go to the protest, knowing that he'd constantly be worrying about you until you came home safely.
"Y/N, we gotta go," Trudy said as she entered the bullpen around 9:30 pm that night.
"Why? What's going on?" you asked as you grabbed your phone and started following her.
"They found Jay."
"Is he okay?" you asked quickly.
"Y/N..."
"No! He can't be dead, Trudy! He can't!" you wailed.
"He's not. But, he has been shot."
You froze. Shot. Jay had been shot.
"He's en route to Chicago Med right now."
"Can you- can you bring me there?"
"That's where we're going right now."
***
"Will!" you yelled as you ran into the ED and saw your oldest brother.
You ran right up to him and hugged him, not caring that he almost dropped his iPad he had been using to chart.
"Whoa, Y/N." He set the iPad down. "Hey, I know. But Crockett's operating on him right now and he's one of the best surgeons in the hospital."
"I thought you were better than him. You need to do the surgery, Will. you need to save Jay!"
"Y/N, I know it sucks, but I'm family. As much as I want to operate on him, I can't legally do that."
You paused and looked up at him. His eyes were slightly red, but he hadn't been bawling the way that you had been.
"Dr. Halstead! Incoming!" Maggie yelled.
"What does she mean?" you asked, still hanging onto him. "You're still working?"
"There's been a ten-car pile-up on the highway. I have to. It's my job."
"But Jay's in surgery!" you yelled as you pulled away from him. "These people are more important to you than your own brother?"
"They aren't but--"
"But you're working anyway instead of waiting to find out what happens to him?"
"I can't do anything to help Jay right now. But I can help all these people who are pouring in."
"Dr. Halstead!" Maggie shouted again.
"I'll be up in a few hours, I promise," Will told you.
***
A few hours had passed and it was now past midnight. Jay was still in surgery. Will was sitting next to you, in a spare pair of clothes he had packed instead of his scrubs that were covered in blood, and you were leaning your head on his shoulder, close to being asleep.
That was until Crockett came out and Will jumped up, causing your head to hit the back of the chair.
"Ow," you mumbled.
"Sorry," Will apologized and then turned back to Crockett. "What's the verdict?"
"He lost a lot of blood," Crockett told the two of you.
"But he's gonna pull through, right?" Will asked what the two of you were both thinking.
"We'll be out of blood soon."
"What do you mean out of blood?" Will asked, taking a step toward the surgeon. "There's no way you can be out of blood!"
"With that pile-up, we can. I'd recommend you go and say your goodbyes and pray for a miracle."
Will put his hands on the back of his head and started pacing the room. Your breath caught in your throat. This could not be happening. Jay couldn't die, he just couldn't.
Crockett started to walk back towards the operating room.
"Wait!" you yelled. You didn't know what had taken over you, but at this moment, you'd do anything to save your brother. You rolled up your sleeve. "Take my blood."
"Y/N," was all Will could manage to get out.
"I'm sorry, Y/N, but there's protocol for that. I'd love to let you do it, but--"
"Fuck protocol!" you yelled, all the anger and sadness and anxiety that had built up over the past fifteen hours exploding at this very moment. "Rush my labs. Or don't even get my labs done at all. I haven't had sex, so I don't have any STDs. I don't have any diseases or deficiencies since I moved in with Jay years ago. My blood type's O-neg, so I'm a universal donor. Take my goddamn blood, Crockett!" You didn't care that all that information was out in the open because you were barely processing what you were saying. The only thing you cared about was making sure that your brother was okay.
"Y/N," Will said as he walked up to you and placed a hand on your shoulder.
"Don't touch me! And you sure as hell don't want to tell me to calm down!"
"Y/N," Will started again as he took his hand off your shoulder. "What Crockett's saying is that it's not ethical for him to do this. He could get fired."
"Where's the paperwork?" you asked as you turned back to Crockett. "I'll sign whatever I have to sign to make sure you aren't liable at all, that I'm donating this of my own free will. You can even take double the amount of blood that you normally do since I'm a universal donor. Just get me the paperwork."
Crockett and Will shared a look.
"I'll go get a nurse to get you the paperwork."
"Wait, no, no, no," Will said as he walked closer to Crockett. "You can't be serious about this!"
"She said she'll sign it."
"But, I have to co-sign it since she's a minor. So, no, you are not donating blood, Y/N. You almost passed out when I drew vials of your blood years ago. You know what's gonna happen if we take two units of blood? You are gonna feel like utter shit."
"Last I checked, I'm 18, so I can sign my own paperwork! God, I'm not a fucking child anymore, Will! I can make my own decisions!" you yelled back. "And if I don't do this, Jay will die. He'll die, Will. So, I'm giving him my blood with or without your support."
***
You sat in a chair, the ones that Will had told you about years ago with the big padded bar thing that came down in front of you in case you passed out. Typically, they'd just have you lay down in a bed, but since they were short on beds and Will told them that you had a history of getting dizzy and nauseous during simple blood draws, they had decided to put you here instead.
"Last chance to back out," Will told you as the nurse tied off your arm with a blue rubber tie and started to rub your arm to get the big vein in your left forearm to show.
"Jay's dying. No way in hell am I backing out."
Will sighed. He knew you were doing the right thing, but he also knew that you were going to feel terrible after, and he hated seeing you like that. "Okay," he said. "I'll stay here until they get the needle in you and then I'll get you some juice and cookies."
"Ready?" Monique asked.
"Ready," you confirmed. You turned to Will and squeezed your eyes shut as the needle pierced your vein. You heard the sound of the machine and knew your blood was going in there, but you didn't want to look. Getting your blood drawn, you could watch. But this, this was just too much blood to see, so you looked at Will.
"Doing okay?" he asked a few minutes later.
"Yeah," you answered because that was the absolute truth: you were feeling just fine.
"Okay, I'm gonna go get you some cookies and juice. I'll get an update on Jay while I'm out there, too."
You nodded and he left the room.
This wasn't so bad.
***
Okay, so you were lying to yourself. You were currently in hell. Giving the blood hadn't been an issue, it was how you felt after you were done giving blood.
You were currently sitting in that same chair, drinking some juice that Will had brought you. He told you that there was still no update on Jay, but that they were sending the blood back to him right now. (They had rushed labs on a small vial of blood that Monique took before you started the donation. The results came back while you were giving blood, and since your blood was clean, you could give it to Jay.) But, God, but you felt absolutely awful.
"You doing okay?" Will asked.
You shook your head and then stopped because it made you dizzy and put your head in your hands. "No," you groaned.
He handed you a glass of water. "Drink a bit of this too and then I'll open your pack of cookies."
"Why do you want me to drink water and not juice?" you asked as you closed your eyes and tried to stop the spinning in your head.
"Because, you're sweating, Short Stack. Need you to stay hydrated."
You took a few sips of water and then went back to your juice. Will handed you your pack of chocolate chip cookies and you started to eat them.
"Mhm," you groaned and laid your head down on the padded bar thing in front of you that kept you from falling out of the chair. "I don't feel so good."
You felt hot and cold at the same time and the world seemed to spin every time you lifted your head up. And, those cookies did not sit well with you.
"How do you feel? What hurts?" Will asked, jumping into doctor mode since Monique wasn't around. Will assured her that he could look after you while you recovered from your blood being donated at twice the normal amount.
"I just feel like shit," you told him, not picking up your head.
"You gotta give me some symptoms. Give me some symptoms and then I can help."
"Mhm, fine." You looked up at him and blinked slowly. "I feel hot and cold and sweaty. And I feel dizzy and nauseous."
"Okay. That's either a vasovagal reaction or from your blood pressure being low or from your  heart rate being slowed down."
"What's that reaction thingy?"
"You don't like blood in general, so a nervous system response can happen, which could explain your reactions. But, your BP could also be low, which could explain all this too. And, it's one in the morning and you haven't slept yet, so tiredness could also be a factor."
"Great," you said sarcastically as you remembered the last time your blood pressure was low.
You had taken some of Jay's medication that he had to ward off his PTSD-induced nightmares after you were involved in a shooting at a house party. The one time you took them without sleeping directly after, you felt almost exactly like this...except without the sweatiness. You just mostly felt dizzy. You had called Will, he came over, and then you ended passing out and he had to get you to Med. Then you were admitted and they got your pressure back up. You were also prescribed sleeping pills which had helped immensely.
Will grabbed a blood pressure cuff from a drawer. "Arm," he told you. You held out your arm and he wrapped the cuff around it and pumped the end of it.
You waited as he looked at the gauge on the blood pressure cuff. Will said one number over another number, which meant nothing to you, but must've meant something to him. You raised your eyebrows, hoping he was going to tell you what those numbers meant in non-medical English terms.
"BP's low, which explains most of the symptoms," he told you.
You took another bite of your cookie and washed it down with some juice, but then immediately after started dry heaving.
Will rushed around and then thrust a pink basin under your mouth.
You took a deep breath after you finally stopped dry heaving about thirty seconds later.
"Better?" Will asked. You shook your head. "I'm going to get you an IV of anti-nausea medication."
You were going to argue with him about how he wasn't working, so he probably couldn't get you that. And, you were fairly certain he couldn't prescribe things to family. But, you felt terrible, so you really don't care if Will was being reckless and borderline unethical/illegal right now.
You nodded and then laid your head back down.
When Will came back, he thought you were asleep, but when you heard footsteps, you looked up.
"Alright," he began as he assembled the IV. "Last poke of the day, I promise."
"After this can I take a nap in the on-call room?" you asked as you held your arm out to him once again.
"You know I can't let you do that." Will tied a blue band around your arm and started rubbing it to get a vein in the inside of your elbow. Then, he noticed your pale and sweaty face. "Fine. Hopefully, Goodwin won't fire me after this. But I have a good reason. Turn so you don't see the needle."
You did and closed your eyes. You felt the poke and squeezed your eyes shut, but then it subsided and you felt that weird feeling of the medicine going straight into your veins. God, you hoped this worked.
You hoped Jay would survive because you didn't just go through all that for nothing.
***
You slowly opened your eyes as you felt someone shaking your shoulder. "No," you groaned as you turned to face the other side of the bed.
But then you remembered where you were: the doctors on-call room because Jay had been shot. Maybe it was Will waking you up to tell you--
"Short Stack, wake up. Jay's awake."
That got you wide awake.
You snapped your eyes open, rolled over, and jumped out of bed.
"I take it you're feeling better?" Will asked.
"Sleep helps. Let's go!"
Will quickly led you out of the room and through some hallways and up a few flights of stairs to Jay's recovery room.
He was currently talking to Hailey.
"Jay!" you exclaimed as you burst into the room to see him with a sling and see Hailey helping him with his jacket.
"Hey, Short Stack," he greeted and then turned his attention back to Hailey. "Sorry, what were you saying?"
"Uh, just that I'm glad you're back," she told him. "I'll give you some time with your siblings." She turned her attention to Will. "Oh, and the things you told me to tell Kim to get are in that corner." She pointed to the left front corner of the room. "Bye, guys." She waved and then left.
You gave Jay a huge hug and tried to avoid his arm that was in a sling. "Don't you ever do that again, you hear me?" you told him seriously and then looked up at him with tears in your eyes.
Jay chuckled. "I'll try not to."
"You better do more than try." You went back to leaning your head against his chest as tears soaked his t-shirt.
"Hey, hey, don't cry," he soothed. "I'm okay. I'm fine, Y/N."
"I was so scared. The last thing we would've done was argue. I'm so sorry. I should never have asked to go to those protests. I know you were just trying to protect me--"
"Hey, it's okay for you to have your own opinions and views. It's just gonna take me a while to get used to you being an adult now and not that little sister who would always hold my hand and beg to go to Build-A-Bear."
"Speaking of Build-A-Bear," Will started and then walked over to the corner of the room and picked up two boxes. They were white boxes with dark blue designs on them. You knew those boxes: they were what the workers put new bears in when a kid came and bought one. You let go of Jay. Will peeked into one of the holes. "This one's for you." He handed Jay a box. "And this one's for you." He handed you the other box.
"You got us Build-A-Bears?" you asked as you raised an eyebrow.
"Just open the boxes."
You did and laughed when you saw Beary in the box, dressed in a hospital gown and white little bunny slippers. Your brothers were not kidding when they said they'd get one for you.
Jay laughed as he opened his. His Build-A-Bear was a light blue color and it also had on a hospital gown as well as a sling on one arm. The bear also had on a policeman cap. "Oh, man," Jay said as he continued laughing.
"Press the right paw," Will told him and he did, causing Ruzek's voice to float through the room.
Stop getting kidnapped. Glad you're okay, though.
You started laughing hysterically at this point.
"One more thing," Will said as he walked over to the counter and pulled out a marker and two hospital bracelets. On one he wrote Beary Halstead. "Jay, what are you naming your bear?" Will asked.
"I gotta name it?"
"Um, it's not an it. It's a he or a she...could be a they, too," you said.
"Fine. I gotta name him?"
"Yes," Will told him.
Jay groaned. "Fine. Blue."
"Boo! That's boring," you said.
He groaned again. "Detective Blue. There. Better?"
"Better," you confirmed.
Will wrote Det. Blue Halstead on the other hospital band. Then, he handed Beary's to you and Detective Blue's to Jay.
"I cannot believe you," Jay said.
"I can," Will laughed. "Now put it on him. Just like Y/N's doing with Beary."
Jay reluctantly put it on Detective Blue's arm. But then he realized something. "Wait, why does Beary have a hospital gown if Y/N wasn't in the hospital?"
"Yeah, about that..." you trailed off.
Jay cocked his head to the side. "What did you do this time?"
"Other than save your life, I got nauseous and Will had to give me anti-nausea medication," you explained.
"Wait, back up. You saved my life? How?" Jay asked as he looked between you and Will.
"She essentially cussed at Crockett until she got what she wanted," Will said nonchalantly.
"Which was...?" Jay pried.
"Giving you blood because the hospital was out because of a car accident. If she wouldn't have given you blood..." Will trailed off, not wanting to say the words.
"I'd be dead," Jay practically whispered.
"Yeah," Will confirmed, his voice at about the same volume as Jay's.
Jay felt himself getting choked up as he pulled you in for another hug. "Thank you."
"I know you'd do the same for me."
"In a heartbeat, Short Stack. In a heartbeat."
You stayed like that until Will went ahead and broke the comfortable silence that had fallen over the three of you.
"I hate to break this up, but there's something else I need to tell you guys," Will said.
You and Jay both turned to him and you let yourself out of Jay's embrace. "Which is?" you asked.
"Voight gave Jay two weeks furlough to recover and I talked Goodwin into giving me two weeks vacation--"
"How in the hell did you do that?" Jay asked.
"Let's just say I'm going to be working Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's Eve, and New Year's Day. But that's beside the point. We have two weeks of vacation time."
"You do know I work right?" you asked.
"At a coffee shop, not at a big kid job," Will said. "And, I had Kim and Adam stop in there on their way to get the bears. They explained the situation and your work gave you two weeks off. Adam said he may have had to flash his badge, but that's beside the point."
"And you took vacation because...?" you asked.
"We need to make sure Jay relaxes and there's so many protests-turned-riots happening right now that we should probably get out of here."
"You do know it's not the peaceful protesters starting those, right? It's counter-protesters and other people who are racist bigots and people who decided they have no other choice but to be violent," you said, making your views known once again.
"I'm very much aware, Y/N. But, no matter who started it, people were running from tear gas and burning buildings last night."
"Alright, back on topic," Jay started, not wanting to have another argument like he had two days ago with you. "Where are we going?"
"I figured Wisconsin would be a good choice."
***
"It's my turn to pick the music," you whined as Will looked for another song on your long drive to Wisconsin.
"I'm the oldest, so I get control of it," Will argued.
"No, you've controlled it for the last three hours. I've had to listen to nineties hip-hop for that long. My eardrums are gonna bleed. Please make him give the aux, Jay."
"Dude, just give her the aux, and then she'll be quiet. Remember, she likes early 2000s pop-punk and 2000s stuff in general. We'll probably know most of it."
Will reluctantly handed you the aux. "Thank you. And, just to remind you two, I'm a big fan of Taylor Swift's first few albums and 5 Seconds of Summer."
You clicked play on Take What You Want by One OK Rock featuring 5 Seconds of Summer. You queued up some more songs by 5 Seconds of Summer and two by Taylor Swift, just to mess with your brothers, and then you added songs they would know like All the Small Things by Blink-182, Check Yes, Juliet by We The Kings, Dear Maria, Count Me In by All Time Low, and Ocean Avenue by Yellowcard.
By the time Dear Maria, Count Me In started playing, all three of you were jamming out, which caused Jay to forget to put his blinker on when he changed lanes...and there was a cop right there in the emergency turnaround.
Jay heard and saw the sirens behind him and slowed down. He knew the drill from pulling people over on his days on patrol. Now that he was in Intelligence, he practically just ripped the criminals out of their cars and handcuffed them against the side of their (usually stolen) car.
He got out his license and registration, along with his badge because he did have his service weapon with him. He'd be damned not bringing it with him in this day and age...and sometimes there were coyotes and he and Will didn't know if the old hunting rifle at the cabin that your grandpa used to use even had ammunition in and if there was even any ammunition at the cabin.
Jay rolled down his window as the officer walked up to him.
Your hands started to sweat and your heart started to race as you remembered your last encounter with an officer that you didn't know.
You were driving home from the library late at night after studying for a biology exam. And no, the library wasn't an excuse for going out and partying. You genuinely had gone to the library and had had a great and very focused study session for a few hours.
All of a sudden, you saw flashing lights and heard sirens. You turned down your music. You looked in your rear-view mirror and saw that the cop was right on your tail. He turned off his sirens and then turned them on and off quickly.
You were the one getting pulled over.
You pulled off to the side of the road and then rolled down your window.
"License and registration," the officer told you. He looked young, maybe a rookie.
"What's the problem officer?" you asked. Jay always told you that you had a right to know why you had been pulled over.
"You were going three miles over the speed limit, did you know that?"
"I don't recall how fast I was driving." Jay always told you never to admit to speeding because then you could fight the ticket if you ended up getting one.
"License and registration, please," he repeated.
"Reaching into my glove compartment and moving some CDs to get my registration," you narrated and then handed the registration to the officer. "Reaching over to my passenger seat to grab my purse which has my license in it...unzipping my purse...reaching in for my license." You handed him your license.
He ran your information and then came back to the window. "I'm sorry, Miss, but I have to give you a ticket."
You furrowed your eyebrows. For three miles over the speed limit? No fucking way was this happening.
"Uh," was all you could say.
"But, there is something you can do to get out of this ticket. You help me out, I help you out."
"I- I don't understand," you stuttered.
He looked down and you followed where he was looking and cupping himself with the hand that wasn't holding your license and registration.
"I- I..."
"Or I can just up this speeding ticket to going twenty miles over it. Say there was an open container in the car, too," he said.
You had no idea what to say. You couldn't risk getting your insurance upped and getting a minor in possession charge. You'd never be allowed to drive again!
But, there's no way you'd do this. You couldn't. But he was so much bigger than you that he could hold you down with one hand tied behind his back.
He placed his hand on the door handle. "You have three seconds to make your decision. One...Two..."
"My brother's Jay Halstead! Badge number 51163! His Sergeant's Hank Voight!" Your voice trembled as you yelled that and you were close to tears.
He looked back down at your license. It did say Y/N Halstead on it. He handed you back your license and registration. "Have a nice night."
Then, he walked back to his patrol car, got in, turned off the sirens, and drove off. You were so scared that you didn't even look to see what his last name or badge number was.
Once you had stayed pulled over for a good couple of minutes to make sure that the cop was nowhere in sight, you started driving again. You stopped at a drive-thru and got yourself a chocolate flurry with Oreos. Then, you sat in the parking lot with your hands still shaking and your heart still racing as you ate and started to cry. You cried for almost half an hour and waited there for another fifteen minutes so your eyes wouldn't be as puffy when you got home because you didn't want Jay asking questions.
"Y/N, you good?" Jay asked, taking you out of your thoughts.
"Yeah, yeah," you said quickly...almost too quickly. "Why?"
"Will just asked if you wanted to go back because we missed a song and you didn't answer."
"Yeah, I can do that." You quickly went back to the previous song and tried to sing with as much happiness as you did previously. But, you didn't get the image of that night or the feeling of dread out of your stomach for another hour.
***
You woke up the next morning very well-rested. The boys had taken the loft and the two twin beds that were up there and you got to take your mom and dad's old room because you were the only girl, so they said it was only fair that you got the bedroom.
You heard the dripping of water and got out of bed and then padded down the hall and to the kitchen. Jay was standing there in pajama pants and a t-shirt. (Thank God he wasn't shirtless for once in the morning. Your brothers really needed to learn how to put shirts on when they walked out of their rooms in the morning...and maybe by you telling them to put a shirt on all the time, you training them had finally paid off.) He drummed his fingers on the counter while he waited for the coffee to be done.
"Morning," you said.
He turned around. "Good morning. Shocked you're awake. It's only 8 am."
"And I'm shocked you haven't been up for two hours," you retorted.
"Oh, I've been up for an hour, just been reading upstairs. Will's not up yet, though."
"He always sleeps late when he doesn't have to work though, doesn't he?"
"Pretty much. We've made breakfast plans before and he's missed them because he was sleeping."
The timer went off on the coffee pot, alerting you that it was finished. Jay started to pour his in a tumbler. He held out a tumbler to you. You raised an eyebrow, silently wondering why he wasn't pouring it into a mug.
"I was gonna go for a morning canoe ride. You can come along if you want. Wouldn't want hot coffee spilling all over us," he told you.
"Did you bring creamer?" you asked.
"Irish cream creamer, just for you."
You reached into the fridge and grabbed the creamer.
"So, canoe ride?" Jay asked.
"Sure."
He poured coffee into a tumbler for you and then slid it to you to put your desired amount of creamer in.
***
Twenty minutes later, you were starting out in the canoe. You told Jay there was no way in hell that you'd be doing the rowing. He told you that he could only row with one arm because of his sling, so you'd have to do the other side. Skeptically, you started rowing. Jay told you that you'd be fine, just to follow his instructions.
Fifteen minutes later, when you were out in the middle of the lake, facing the forests of Wisconsin, he stopped.
"Why'd you stop?" you asked.
He picked up his tumbler of coffee off the floor of the canoe. "We need to talk."
"About what?" you asked as you picked up yours as well and held it with both hands.
"About your reaction last night when I got pulled over. You freaked. I need to know why."
"I- I didn't freak. I was just tired," you lied.
"You had quite the amount of energy right before that," he quipped.
"It's nothing."
"Y/N, I'm not letting this go. Is it because of the protests and riots and because of all the media coverage and those few bad apple cops and, I guess the system, that you're seeing that's making you nervous?"
"No, it's not that."
"Then what is it?"
"You're not going to let this go are you?" you asked.
"I will stay in this canoe in the middle of the lake until you tell me what is going on, Y/N Halstead."
"You wouldn't."
Jay shrugged with the arm that wasn't currently in a sling. "Try me."
You sighed. "Just don't be mad that I didn't tell you sooner, okay?"
"I won't. You have my word on that."
"So, a little over a month ago I was driving home from the library..."
***
When you finished, you were in tears. "Did you get a last name? Badge number?" Jay asked as he rubbed circles on your back with his good hand.
You sniffled. "N- No. I'm sorry."
"You have nothing to apologize for. Nothing at all."
"If I wouldn't have said- said your name...He had his hand on my door handle! And he was so much bigger than me. I'm sorry!"
You turned and buried your face in his chest. "Y/N, you have nothing to be sorry for."
"I should've told you right away, though! But you just had that really rough case and I didn't want to put too much on your shoulders and--"
"Y/N, I need you to take a deep breath. You need to breathe. This was not your fault. None of it was."
You calmed your breathing and just sat there, silent tears streaming down your face.
"That's why I wanted to go to the protests," you said after a few minutes. "Because I've actually had a bad experience with a cop."
"Which should've never happened in the first place."
"I was so scared," you whispered.
Jay just hugged you tighter as he thought about how strong his little sister was. You had given blood to save his life even though you knew you'd feel terrible after and you hadn't told him about this horrible cop--which he would kick this cop's ass the minute the got back to Chicago--because you didn't want him to have too much on his plate after that terrible case where he put an innocent man in jail and got him killed...which was the main reason he had been shot.
"When we get back to the cabin, I'll try and call Voight. I don't know if I'll have service, though."
"Why?" you asked.
"I'm gonna have him look up who was on their beat near you that night so he can go interrogate people on my behalf. Probably best he does it and not me." Because Jay knew that the minute he saw that cop, he wouldn't be able to hold himself back.
You nodded.
"Hey, cheer up, kid. We're here for two weeks, away from everything. Away from the city and everything that goes on there. And I can promise you that that cop will get what's coming to him, whether that be losing his job or going to jail or prison."
"Do I have to tell Will? Or can you tell him? I really don't want to talk about this again."
"I can do it," Jay answered. "Speaking of Will, if he's not up when we get back, what do we say we wake him up with some cold lake water?"
"Like dump it on him?" you asked as you widened your eyes. Jay nodded. "No, that's mean. Then he'll have to wait for his sheets to dry out and they'll smell the entire time."
"We have spare sheets and blankets in the closet."
"Fine, let's do it. But just so you know, I'm telling him that it was your idea and I also have a lock on my bedroom door here, which will make it harder for him to sneak in and dump water on me."
"I will be sleeping in your room tonight," Jay joked.
"Nope. It was your idea, so you're gonna have to live with Will's payback."
Those two weeks were filled with laughter, pranks, board games, corn hole, swimming, fishing (well, you read either in the canoe or on the dock while the boys fished), and just spending time with each other. You were glad that Will had the bright idea to take two weeks up here...even though he got drenched in cold lake water the first morning by you and Jay.
A/N: I got a request from @ La_lectrice_33 on wattpad for Y/N going to the dentist, so I hope you liked that little scene! I also got a request from an anon on here about Jay and Will's reactions to her growing up, so I put that in here, too. Thank you for over 23k reads! I won't be posting until this Sunday (August 1) when I start posting AUs for AU-gust. Please remember to like/reblog and comment because I love seeing those like/reblog notifications pop up and love reading your comments and asks! As always, if you would like to be added to my tag list, just tell me and I’ll add you! Finally, like my imagines? Buy me a coffee (only $1 through Paypal and other currencies can be used) here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/Kayela
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atopfourthwall · 3 years
Note
Ive only recently gotten into classic Star Trek so I don't think I can properly answer but what is it specifically about Discovery and recent Star Trek that classic Trek fans hate?
Putting this behind a cut because... it's a lot.
Well, first of all a big rejection of it is just on an aesthetic level. Up until the 2009 movie (which was considered a reboot, even with time travel elements), Star Trek tried to treat the original series and how it was portrayed as pretty sacrosanct. Sure, they might occasionally make jokes about goofier aspects of it and discard some of the stupider stuff (like how in the final episode, penned by Gene Roddenberry himself, that women weren't allowed to Captain starships), but how TOS looked? That's how the 23rd century looked. Buttons and multi-colored outfits and boxy computers and smooth, undetailed ships WAS what was appropriate for the time. When Scotty came back in TNG, they had him on the holodeck and it was the TOS bridge. When DS9 traveled back in time to that era for an episode? They went onto the Enterprise and visited it. When in an Enterprise 2-parter we had a TOS-era ship? It looked like a TOS ship. They even did a 2-parter on Enterprise to explain why Klingons had smooth foreheads when later (and earlier) they didn't. Star Trek up until then cared about maintaining that continuity of appearance. But Discovery is set in the TOS era... but nothing looks like TOS. Even when we got the Enterprise and those uniforms and we saw inside the ship, it was an upgraded form. The only logic I've seen people try to argue about WHY it doesn't look like it actually did was "Well, audiences won't accept something as cheap as TOS being futuristic." Well, then you've got a few responses there: -Don't set in TOS era, then. -That's horseshit, because audiences from the 90s through the 2000s accepted it just fine. Even a piece of dialogue from DS9 explained it perfectly: "I LOVE 23rd century design." It LOOKS cheap, but it was just the aesthetics of the period. And the Enterprise 2-parter it still looked good in HD. Hell, arguably it looked BETTER in HD because they knew how to light it and create mood and its own unique flavor. -It's even more horseshit because people are STILL going back and watching it even today, as indicated by you saying you've started watching it, so clearly it's not that much of a barrier. But what's even more egregious is the TECHNOLOGY. You might be able to accept updated aesthetics if at least matches what was present during the period... and it doesn't. Holographic displays and communication (holodeck technology AT ALL, frankly - it's possible it was there, but TNG seemed pretty adamant that the holodecks were fairly new, very impressive technology), weapons not looking or acting like they traditionally did, Enterprise and Discovery having R2D2-style repair droids that certainly did not exist in TOS, the wrong sound effects being frequently employed, replicator technology for good-looking food instead of food dispensers that gave out marshmallows and cubes, and honestly the tech level shown in Discovery looks just as advanced - if not MORE advanced than seen on TNG 100 years later. And this is a minor thing, but despite the attempt to make the future LOOK futuristic, from a cultural perspective, the future looks... way too damn similar to now. The excessive swearing (it was said in particular in Star Trek 4 that while they certainly did cuss, it was less common and they sure as hell weren't dropping F-bombs), a party on Discovery that looked like a rave (when previously it seemed like the most popular music and culture of the 23rd/24th century was considered fairly high-brow entertainment [classical music, Shakespeare, great works of literature and plays, etc.] - and while you could certainly argue that that snootiness and love of that stuff is a problem with Star Trek and a sign of how sterile and homogenized it is, THAT is the future they presented and a character in Voyager loving some of the goofier parts of 20th century culture like jukeboxes and old sci-fi serials was considered unusual), and just the general way people talk betrays the idea that the writers aren't thinking about how society changes in the future. It's just the modern day, but with cooler technology. But hey, let's set aside the general aesthetics - some people aren't going to mind that and find
ways to handwave away a lot of stuff (even Discovery season 2 TRIED to handwave away stuff like the holographic communications, but did a piss-poor job of it). This brings us to the problem of the WRITING. And the problem with the writing is a big Michael Burnham-shaped indentation. To be clear, I don't mind Michael as a character or her actress - there are interesting aspects to her, centering a Star Trek show around the science officer is a neat idea (though that means you should probably NAME IT AFTER HER and not around the ship, because it suggests this is a standard ensemble group and not JUST her)... but the actual execution is that it feels like the entire universe bends over backwards for HER. She has a unique relationship with a beloved longtime character that is retconned in. She has unique relationships with several important characters to the point where the fate of billions of people hinges on her and the decisions she makes. She is presented as almost always correct about everything, and those that oppose her are often wrong, naïve, or active enemies. Now, this is less of an issue in the third season - but that has its own unique problems - but in the first season, the resolution of two major storylines (mirror universe and the Klingon war) revolves around her and her relationship to the Terran Emperor and Lorca. In season 2, her mother trying to help or save her is the basis of the ENTIRE friggin' plot with time travel and the like, with special knowledge and history having to do with her and everyone ready to abandon their lives for her so she won't be alone when she has to go to the future when arguably they barely know her (the timeline of the show is debatable). Season 3 has a few different problems with her - the first is that she keeps being involved in things that don't concern her (why is she going down to Trill?) and she keeps violating orders. Now, her violating orders is a problem throughout the entirety of Discovery - in fact, it's kind of the instigating factor OF the series. And arguably, other Star Trek characters are guilty of that and they face no consequences, just as she faces none... and yet it's the brazenness with which it happens, and in those other series it's arguable because the series tries to avoid excessive continuity changes for its episodic nature, so the status quo MUST return to normal... but Discovery is pivoted as one of MAJOR continuity, so her lack of consequences (and indeed eventual PROMOTION) is baffling to the point of frustration. Now again, let me be clear here - she is not a bad character in and of herself. Honestly what it shows is that being the science officer on a starship is not where her talents lie. She should be in a position where she has a lot more freedom to act and not in a major command structure... but being in that command structure, what we see in season 3 is that she lacks the discipline, emotional maturity, responsibility, leadership qualities, and general other traits necessary to be a Captain. Only once during season 3 did she display such a quality - putting the safety of the Federation above a friend and colleague... but other times she will happily disobey orders and put herself and others in harm's way, creating potential new problems. Now, again, Star Trek is rife with characters doing that... but usually not the Captains. And, in fact, when this happened once on DS9 with one officer disobeying orders and putting their own personal feelings above the greater responsibility, it was made VERY clear that the incident would mean that they would never be able to command a starship because of the unofficial reprimand. What's even more frustrating about her is that the character is ALWAYS shoved to the forefront so much to the point where we just get sick of her. SHE is the one giving log entries (usually pretty piss-poor ones, at that - very flowery and nonsensical and kind of dumb) and not the Captain. SHE is the one given so much focus and how the plot of the episode affects her. Barely anyone else gets any focus episodes - I STILL can't
remember the names of some of the secondary characters because they're so rarely said, and a PTSD-related plotline in season 3 for one of the secondary characters basically gets resolved OFF-SCREEN. Michael would be fine if we actually had a chance to miss her... but we never do. Arguably one of the best episodes of the show is in season 2, when it focuses on Saru and his people because Michael DOES take a back seat. It's his story and his development and problems relating to him and his people. And even if, again, we forgave the idea of so much focus on her even in plots that aren't about her... she never seems to really change that much. She'll TALK about how she's changed, but I see no real difference in the way she acts (MAYBE season 1 to 2, where in season 1 she was stiffer and more Vulcan-like, but that's it). But hey, let's assume that's not a problem for you - you really, REALLY like Michael and are fine with so much focus on her. Simply put, the writing of the rest of the show... is just kind of dumb. The ship is powered by magic mushrooms that let it teleport everywhere because the universe has super fungus capillaries throughout it that nobody can see and also it's magic and can resurrect the dead. The time travel plot of season 2 doesn't make any sense when you sit down and diagram it. Well-established Trek lore is just kind of sprinkled in, but now in ways that doesn't match what it was before or at least in ways that completely recolor how it's supposed to work, because it needs to serve THIS plot. Everyone remembering a murdererous monster fondly after she leaves because "Hey, she was coooool." The explanation for the big mystery in season 3 is just fricking stupid and one of the two big reasons why I've finally given up on Discovery, because it's just so absurd, doesn't match how anything works, and just feels like the writers giving the middle finger to the audience because they care more about "YOU MUST FEEEEEEL THINGS!" instead of it making sense. And indeed, there is certainly a balance to be made of plot vs. emotion-driven storytelling - some stories are dumb, but are forgivable because the character writing and emotion are so strong that they override how goofy the plot is... but sometimes a plot is just so dumb it overrides anything I'm SUPPOSED to feel. And it would help if I already liked the show, already gave it some benefit of the doubt... but I don't and it hasn't done enough to impress me. A little thing that's a problem with ALL of current modern Trek shows is that whole sprinkling lore thing - I don't think a single episode goes by in ANY current modern Trek series that doesn't have a random reference to classic Trek lore. A name, a line of dialogue, etc. It comes across like the creators don't trust you to enjoy it on its own merits, but want you to like it because "Hey, remember thing? We know about thing! Like us because we mentioned thing!" But hey, I recognize that these are things that other people may not have any problem with or just disagree in general. But for me and my family, these are the big ones that keep us from enjoying it. Hell, my brother and dad still watch it for hatewatching purposes, but I was done after season 3. I gave it plenty of chances to impress me, and while each season MARGINALLY got better as it went along, I'm tired of waiting to actually like it and to stop feeling like it thinks I'm a fucking idiot. If other people still like it, great - it clearly appeals to them in a way that it doesn't appeal to me and they are free to enjoy it. Other people probably have their own issues, but this long, rambly bit is the major stuff for me.
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kikyocoffeevi · 3 years
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✿ taking jjk characters to their first concert ✿
Hcs for Yuji, Megumi, Nobara, Maki, and Yuuta
Hi! This is extremely self indulgent bc i have been dying to go to a concert since the pandemic started and those character playlists on youtube make doing the most basic things with anime characters seem so fun (if that makes sense), so i got to thinking about these guys and if you took them to a concert :) enjoy!
Notice: not proofread/edited (it's 3am sorry) and slightly explicit language
YUJI:
He's so excited please 🥺
You were searching for a date idea for the weekend, and bc you never really plan your guy's dates it was hard for you to come up with something
But lucky you he let it slip that he's never been to a concert when he hears a promotion for one on the radio
You take advantage of this newfound information and immediately purchase tickets for the concert they were advertising
When you tell him that you got tickets he does the fangirl squeal (ifykyk)
And since you've been to a few yourself, he's constantly asking you what to wear, what to bring, etc
Be prepared to hear "should i listen to all their songs before we go?" and "what if someone with big hair is in front of me (T-T)" the whole way there 🤦‍♀️
His excitement doubles when you get to the venue and you have a hard time imagining how the crowd is going to be able to match his energy
He doesn't even know any songs by the band and yet somehow he knows all the words?? It's kinda scary actually 😅
Is very adamant about visiting the merch booth after and wants to buy everything
You have to force him to settle for a poster and ONE t-shirt
But overall he's enjoyable company, and it turns out to be one of your shared favorite dates :) be prepared for more concert dates in the future
MEGUMI:
LMFAOO this poor guy didn't even want to go it was an accident 😭
Megumi told you sometime during your relationship that he'd never been to a concert, and had no intention of ever going to one
BUT because your favorite band was in town during the time of your birthday, he bought two tickets for you and one of your friends (he wanted someone to go with you for safety reasons 🥺)
It was going to be Nobara who used the other ticket, but she got sick the day of, so she called to cancel
Fortunately for you, you still had the other ticket and Megumi had driven you to venue 😈
You can guess what happened after that
After twenty minutes of bargaining, begging, and puppy eyes, he gives in and attends the concert with you
And oh boy, was he stressed the whole time
Has really has no idea why people enjoy concerts—he finds it unnecessary to go and watch people preform songs you can listen to at home 🙄 basically it's too loud and he doesn't like it
But he'll admit he enjoyed the acoustic songs bc they weren't as intense
But then he got startled by the drum solo that followed and yelled "shit" really loudly and some people look at him 😬
Swears off concerts after that (not really though)
NOBARA:
Okay girl was excited af but you already knew that
BUT did you know...she's also low-key nervous??
So you guys were walking around having a chill day off in town, and while walking you see a poster for a band that was playing a show that night and she suggests you guys should go
You decide to purchase tickets at the venue and continue your day in town until the concert starts
You guys get there a little early since you were in the area and you didn't want to risk getting inside late (plus the line was already starting to form)
It's while you're waiting in a line you bring up this would be your fourth concert since you moved to Tokyo and bc you were curious, you ask how many she's been to
Oh man does she dodge the question 🤭
She essentially makes up an exaggerated story about how she's technically been to one with Yuji but it wasn't exactly a concert but it was
She'll pull out her phone to show you proof pictures
Eventually she stops trying and just admits this is her first one but will NOT admit she's nervous
But you can still tell she's not sure what to do so you decide to try your best to help her relax and make the experience memorable
You succeed and she comes out of the venue ecstatic :) but don't tease her about her being nervous or she'll punch you 🙃
MAKI:
Alright call me biased but i find it hard to believe she's NEVER been to a concert
LIKE C'MON you really think she's never gone? I feel that would've been her first date idea for you two 🙄 well anyways
You win a pair of tickets for a show in one of those radio raffle things and ask her if she'd be down to go with you
She's really chill about it and says sure, but at the same time will causally mention that this will be her first concert
And you just look at her with disbelief and who wouldn't okay she's lying
She picks out literally the best outfit imaginable which is a wine red top, black jeans, and a pair of platforms (oh lord please i'd let her step on me with those 😩)
You guys get there and find your seats and immediately she's already fitting in with the crowd effortlessly
Turns out she's actually a really big fan of the band you went to see so she's having the time of her life
And you're thinking to yourself the whole time this could not have been her first concert—not with the way she's getting down in the mosh pit and jumping in perfect sync with the music
At one point she probably ended up crowd surfing
But even though you are both having fun, she keeps her guard up and gives guys dirty looks when they stare at you too long (ugh please i love her sm 😣)
You can definitely expect more dates like this bc thanks to you, she's now a concert addict ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ oh well
YUUTA:
Awe this cutie really enjoyed it but was just too worried for his own good 😔 but no complaints it's adorable
So Yuuta buys a pair of tickets for a show your favorite band is playing just bc he loves you and he knows of your love of concerts
I'm serious like you'll ask why and he'll just say "bc i love you 😊" stop he's so cute
He intentionally got two so you could take a friend bc he didn't want you to go alone 🥺 but to his suprise you ask him to go with you instead
He gets really flustered and doesn't know what to say, and that's when he tells you he doesn't know if he'd be good company since he's never been to a concert
You tell him that it doesn't matter if he's good company or not, you'll just appreciate the fact he's going with you (awe)
And you give him puppy eyes so how could he turn you down now?
Will keep an eye on you at all times and holds on to your shirt so you don't get separated bc he's never been in a venue this big surrounded by so many people
You try to get him to relax and he'll try but it's hard for him to get over the intensity of the atmosphere
But eventually, somewhere halfway through the show, the crowd's energy gets to him and he's totally into it and (almost) entirely stress free
He'll take you to the merch booth after and tell you to pick out anything you want (he's too sweet stop 😖)
On the way home he'll still be buzzed from the crowd's adrenaline, so he'll take you on some late night adventure 😉
Thanks for reading! Likes & reblogs are appreciated ♡
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gyukult · 3 years
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—saccharine
pairing: seokjin x reader word count: 2,319 prompt: seokjin doesn’t believe in love at first sight. so... what’s this feeling that’s churning in the pit of his stomach when he meets you for the first time? warnings: none. minor cursing. fluff attack. a/n: to celebrate my follower milestone! thank you all for supporting and reading my fics, it means a lot to me!
Everyday is a continuous, recurring cycle. 
First, the alarm rings. Then, he slams the snooze button on his phone before resuming into a light sleep for another eight minutes. The annoying horn sings again, and a wash of regret hits from never changing it out of the default, so he finally accepts this by getting up and sliding his feet lazily into a pair of slippers by the side of his bed before making way into the bathroom.
His hair is a mess. But it’s a mess everyday. Life has gone to the point that even brushing his teeth has become a dreadful chore. Shuffling through his bin of hair products, he finds the mousse he consistently loses and finds on repeat and then slaps a boatload of it onto his head.
This is basically a day-in-the-life of Kim Seokjin. Except it’s everyday. It’s never ending. It feels like one of those time loop movies where when he ends his day, it starts back off exactly like it did yesterday. 
To be fair, he can’t complain. He’s got a roof over his head, an apartment all to himself (that means without a roommate), plus a well-paying full time job. It’s hard to whine and cry about how his life seems to have no excitement, other than the occasional meeting with his friends, but contrarily… there’s not much to look forward to.
It’s the same mundane activities. Opening the cabinet above his kitchen counter as he usually does at this time, he grabs his favorite Cheerios. Good starts with happy hearts, as their commercials say, but Seokjin isn’t entirely sure that’s true. 
He’s a “cereal first and milk last” kind of guy. Not that he judges those who do it backwards, but he thinks if anyone does the routine in the opposite order, they might actually be backwards. It’s a condition—he makes it seem, and it’s a rather controversial topic for the guy.
Nonetheless, he enjoys his bowl of breakfast goods. He reads the news on his phone, and when the reminder on his watch dings, Seokjin rushes to put his dishes into the sink and hauls himself down the hall, in direction to his walk-in-closet that evidently is just too big for it being only himself. It’s a constant indication that he’s alone. 
By the time it’s 8:30AM, he’s dressed in his suit and tie, hair slicked back, and has a satchel slung over his shoulder in preparation of yet another day at the office.
But maybe he’d stop by that new place this morning. Change of pace. Maybe it’ll liven up his day and give him something to look forward to. Maybe he’d like it.
The place is around the corner, less than a three minute walk the moment he leaves his apartment building, and if he timed himself, it probably takes longer to leave his home and out of the building. The shop is cute; decor stickers are laid out delicately along the windows, the walls are painted a pretty blush pink, and there’s smiles on all the workers’ faces as if they enjoyed being there.
There’s a smile on your face in particular that captures his attention.
Seokjin is a relatively kind guy, or so he thinks he is. He’s never pinned over girls like those shows he’s seen on TV, but he’s had his fair share of relationships. He’s not shy, but he’s also not outgoing. He has an abundance of friends but only a few are ones he trusts. 
And the girlfriends he had were great but… no one really appreciates his generosity as much as he’d like.
He thinks he’s crazy at this moment, quite frankly, because he doesn’t believe in love at first sight. It’s this theory and idea that writers of a romance genre film and story that people whipped up together to make it seem more appealing to their audiences. But he doesn’t actually think it’s true.
Or is it?
Hair up in a messy bun, there’s a swipe of flour that coats your one cheek, and a smile that dresses your face so beautifully. You’re in a simple outfit that’s a combination of a white tee and blue jeans with the shop’s apron on top, while running around to keep up with all the orders coming through. He has hearts brimming in his pupils and he can’t seem to stop the way his chest tightens the second he lays his eyes on you. Is this what love at first sight is?
Seokjin doesn’t only regret not changing the default ringtone of his alarm this morning. He also regrets not asking for your number.
When he reaches his office, he realizes he forgets to ask for cream and sugar at the bakery. The dark, warm liquid glides down his throat with some difficulty; the bitterness layering his tongue but the memory of you sparks sweetness from within. Who were you? He doesn’t even know you and you’re on his mind like crazy.
Now, Seokjin has seen How I Met Your Mother. He’s watched the nine seasons, totaling out to two-hundred and eight episodes, so needless to say, Seokjin knows what goes on in that show. And ironically, he hates Ted. The guy is a hopeless romantic that thinks every girl he has his eyes on is ‘the one.’ Seokjin refuses to become like Ted, and he would be caught dead replicating those same actions.
Then why the fuck is he caught up on a girl he’s seen once? 
The second time Seokjin comes by the bakery, it’s a hell of a lot less busy. In fact, it’s only three people that man the storefront, rather than the six that he saw the first time he stopped by. He has his fingers crossed behind his back as he waits in the queue patiently, hoping you’d be the one taking his order this time around.
Luck must be on his side because you’re greeting him with those pearly white teeth. “Good morning, nice to see you. What can I get for you today?”
Abort, abort! He can’t talk. He swears that his heart has found its way up into his throat, and he can’t get any words to come out.
You blink. Those gorgeous long lashes brush your cheeks so deftly, and it swells his heart that’s now lodged in the path of his airways. “Sir?”
Seokjin swallows. “Oh—yeah, sorry sorry. Uh, can I get a medium hot coffee? Cream and sugar, please. Forgot to mention that last time and I almost died from the bitterness.” Was that an appropriate comment to make? Did it make you laugh? Or were you offended that he just insulted your workplace’s coffee
He cheers in success on the inside when a soft chuckle escapes from your lips. “Aw, I’m sorry to hear. I guess we should have also done our part and asked if you wanted any. Did you want to order anything else?”
Ah. Was the conversation already ending? But it’s so soon! He barely held the dialogue for a couple seconds, and since he’s got your attention, he can’t let go now. Quickly, his eyes skim the menu and the display case full of baked goods. “Uh, what do you recommend?” He asks, gesturing to the sweets. 
You wave your hand for another coworker to take the next customer’s order. Walking over to the sweets, Seokjin trails over as well, observing your expression. You’ve got your brows furrowed, deep in thought with a quirk of the side of your lips, engrossed with the plentiful of options. “Do you like tarts?”
Seokjin is a regular now. 
Whenever the clock strikes 7:30AM, he’s already in his work attire, hair at its best, and has checked his face in the mirror for the fiftieth time. Then, he’s on route to the corner bakery.
He wants to look good before he meets you. Handsome guy for a pretty girl. It’s only right.
The bells at the front door of the shop ring loudly the moment he enters in, and immediately his ears are filled with that beautiful laugh of yours, but you’re not alone. It’s accompanied by someone else’s, a voice that doesn’t match any of your other coworkers and his jaw clenches at the thought. Who is this male that claims to be the purpose of your giggling with a mop he calls hair on the top of his head?
“Oh!” You beam, lifting up the cup of hot coffee in hand. “Seokjin! Come here, I have a new pastry for you to try, and your daily caffeinated beverage to pair it with. Plus, I want you to meet my friend.”
His name is Taehyung. The freaking guy looks like a model, strutting into the café like it’s his runway, and when his gaze meets Seokjin’s, it makes Seokjin feel small.
Seokjin likes you, if the amount of times he comes in a week is evidence for it. He doesn’t just do that either; he often stirs up a conversation, asks how your day is going so far, and even goes out of his way to remember small details so he can bring it up next time. But he can’t help but wonder—do you have a boyfriend? Are you being kind only because Seokjin is a customer? Or are you normally this sweet as those raspberry filled pastries you set him up with? 
And those questions are only emphasized when Taehyung smiles, extends his hands and offers Seokjin a firm shake. “I’m Taehyung.”
Seokjin’s entire work day has gone to shit. All he could think about was who Taehyung was and why you were so adamant about Seokjin meeting him. 
After taking the last bite of the delicious pastry you packed for him (free of charge, too), it hits him. 
If Seokjin liked you, he should just confess his feelings, no matter what the consequences. Instead of sitting here with his shoulders slouched, eating this treat you gave him with a pout upon his lips, he shouldn’t continue waiting around and feeling sorry for himself anymore. Why would he make himself suffer like this when there’s a way to end this vicious cycle? 
Seokjin concludes that he’s going to confess tonight. 
What Seokjin learns about you is that you are by far not close to his ideal dream girl. 
You’re the “milk first, cereal last” gal, and he believes you’re ass backwards. You like consistency, and your favorite ringtone is the sound of those stupid horns he has for alarms in the morning. You enjoy the first few hours of your day, basking in the routine that you’ve put together yourself, including the one that had recently involved seeing Seokjin’s face. 
And although you’re not his dream girl, you’ve become it.
“I like you,” He finally confesses, a bouquet of flowers in his hands that match the decor stickers plastered on the shop's windows. “Would you… go out with me?”
Seokjin isn’t here in the mornings like he normally is, opting that since this is definitely a change of pace, he might as well go all out. Maybe this will be different. Maybe he’ll be happier.
Stunned, your mouth drops open. You’re stuttering over your own words, practically malfunctioning like a machine. “Wha—Like—what? Like… you like me as in like… a woman? More than a friend? You want to take me out?”
“Uh,” Seokjin scratches behind his ear anxiously. Was his plan backfiring? “Yes? I… like you. As in, I come here in the mornings for coffee, yeah, but I mostly came to see you. I enjoy hearing your laugh, seeing your smiles, and listening to you talk about these pastries like they’re your world and I—“ He pauses, inhaling a sharp breath, “—then you introduced me to this really good looking guy named Taehyung and I didn’t know what my chances were with you anymore, so here I am. Confessing.”
You’re silent. Truthfully, Seokjin’s not feeling good about this. His palms are sweaty, his heart is racing, and you still haven’t said a word and he’s sure that over thirty seconds have already passed by.
“What—“ You start again, quickly stopping yourself with a shake of your head. “Thank god, really.”
The front of Seokjin’s brows dip in confusion. “I’m sorry?”
You laugh, combing your fingers through your loosened locks. “I’ve been trying to tell my coworkers that I had this stupid crush on you since you first came in. You’re such a great listener, you’re handsome, and fun to talk to. They think you’re too good to be true, so they thought you wanted to be my gay best friend. Hence… the Taehyung test.”
“The Taehyung test?” Seokjin reiterates. 
Chewing on your bottom lip, your eyes are swirls of apologies. “He’s cute, right? Either you’d get jealous that a guy like him has my attention and you like me, or you like him and you’re jealous that he’s making me laugh instead of you.”
Seokjin’s shoulders drop in relief. “So… does that mean you’ll go out with me?”
You smile softly. “Of course, Jin.”
He doesn’t think those mundane activities he identified before are boring anymore. No, not with you, they’re not. He doesn’t mind watching you pour milk instead of cereal first in the mornings because he’s glad he gets to be the one who pinches your side teasingly and call you a weirdo. He doesn’t hate the sound of the horns—okay, a lie, he hates it so much, but they’re bearable when you’re around since you don’t hesitate to shut it off the minute it rings, and immediately hop out the bed, without using the snooze button. Brushing his teeth is a delight, especially when he sees your toothbrush sitting in your own designated cup on your side of the sink.
Everyday is a continuous, recurring cycle. 
But Seokjin doesn’t mind those things if it’s done with you. 
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scribblingfangirl · 3 years
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CANDY CANES & SPIDER WEBS | Julie and the Phantoms - Luke Patterson
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not my gif!
.•´¯`•..•´¯`•..•´¯`•..•´¯`•..•´¯`•..•´¯`•..•´¯`•..•´¯`•.
Author’s Note: First things first, let’s not start the scene in reverse but with the mention that: Yes, I am aware that Halloween was a few months ago, but since I’m stuck studying for two upcoming exams and procrastinating on my Billy Russo fic I mindlessly wandered through all of my unfinished and forgotten WIPs and found this one - and it spoke to me! So, I hope you have fun with this little, weird and late Halloween thingy.
word count: ~ 1.2k
summary/prompt: alive!AU (2020) - Luke has to wear a Dirty Candy outfit and gets scared by a fake spider 
warnings: english is not my first language, therefore, typos and long sentences (this was not beta-read), tw: a teeny tiny mention of being puffy (said in a joking manner and later on confirming that she (you) feels amazing in her (your) body) [if that’s inappropriate for many people I will of course take this fic down and/or change it to something else]
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The entire school was decorated. From the halls and classrooms (yes, much to the suffering of a certain brunette lead guitarist, even the music room) down to the cafeteria and the gym. Black cloths were covering the windows, fake spider webs were put up in all sorts of nooks, crannies and corners, bowls with candy could be found all over and the lights were dimmed. The music was so loud the vibrations did not only move the floor but the bones of the students as well. Well… maybe it wasn’t just the volume, but the fact that the music came from a certain band called Julie and the Phantoms and it was almost impossible not to move your body to their tunes. Or maybe they just felt bad for the lead guitarist who was struggling to jump around in his... rather sparkly Halloween costume. 
Earlier during the week, the principal had made an announcement, saying that everybody had to wear at least some sort of Halloween costume to be invited to the schools annual night of terror. Of course, Luke being Luke was not even thinking about the possibility of separating himself from his beloved sleeveless shirts and/or his flannels. Which is why he was very adamant on dressing up as you on Halloween. 
“Going as your significant other is going as someone else as well!” 
“Fine…but only if I get to choose your outfit.”
“Deal.”
Much to his dismay, he seemed to have forgotten that, in contrast to himself, you did not only own band-shirts, flannels and vans, and looked rather dumbfounded when you handed him the mountain of clothes you chose for him.
“That’s…. no. A definite no from me. This sparkles and has sleeves.”
“I’m sorry, what? There must’ve been a miscommunication. Last time I heard you wanted to go to Halloween as your girlfriend… and well, said girlfriend does not walk around like a wanna-be rockstar from the 90s all the time but is also a member of a girl group called Dirty Candy. So, say hello to a wonderful blue glittering crop top and matching see-through blouse! At least you get to keep your sneakers and the colour matches your eyes. Now chop chop! You promised Julie to fit in one last rehearsal before tonight!”
You could've sworn that you heard him mumble “And that’s why you don’t mess with your enemies” before he closed the bathroom door behind him. Five minutes later you were almost crying from laughter.
“I can’t believe it actually fits you, at least more or less!” you giggled, looking him up and down as he twirled uncomfortably in front of the mirror, staring disbelievingly at himself. “Wait… does that mean that I’m puffy or are you just small?”
“Do not worry Y/N. Even though you obviously actually are the Witch you're dressing up to be, I love you the way you are”, he answered quickly, pecked your lips and ran out of your room, hoping to bypass the looks from your parents. “See you tonight! And don’t be too jealous when I make Dirty Candy look good for once!”
You opened your windows and watched him struggle into the car. Before he could drive off you frowned, as you realized that he never actually answered your question. “Hey! Wait! You are small, right?!” But he just dismissively waved out of the car window as he disappeared from your view.
“He called you puffy?” a shocked Fynn shouted at you over the loud music.
“No, I said it as a joke, but he didn’t exactly call himself small” you shouted back. 
"I mean, come on girl! My body is amazing!"
“Nevertheless, that screams for revenge!”
Expectantly you raised your eyebrows and smirked, it was Halloween after all. A night of mischief. “And… oh mighty Flynn. What exactly do you have in mind?”
“Wait and see, wait and see”, she chuckled evilly. “I hope you’re not afraid of spiders.”
An hour later the gym was filled with the steady beat of Flynn's music as she took over as DJ for the rest of the night, while the four band members fled into the safety of the music room.
“They can’t do that! My poor six-string! So broken! So dirty!“ Luke whined as he wiped off the fake blood someone had accidentally spilled onto the guitar when they were pouring it out and smearing it all over the room and windows. 
Alex nodded absentmindedly. “This is a mess… I don’t want to be the cleaning personnel tomorrow. All this, just for one lousy night?”
Reggie threw an arm around his friend and patted his shoulder soothingly. “I’m sorry Willie couldn’t make it tonight, but you know what? Julie and I can be just as fun!” he said, linking his other arm with one of Julie’s and dragging both of them outside, into the corridor leading to the gym.
Turning around to face Luke you let out an exasperated sigh and threw your hands to your hips at the scene in front of you. He was sitting, legs crossed (which worked surprisingly well somehow, considering he was struggling to rock out on stage just a few minutes prior), surrounded by the other guitars and basses inspecting them for more fake blood mishaps. “Really Luke? How come you care more about instruments made out of wood and metal, than about a real, warm and loving person waiting for you?”
He didn’t even look up. “I care about you!”
“You wouldn’t even kill a spider for me, but for your six-string, you would touch real spiderwebs”, you protested, suppressing a giggle, when Luke promptly stood up to take some steps towards you and walked right into some fake ones, moving his arms all over the place to get rid of them. "You look like a blue disco ball."
“I do not and I would for you!” he corrected you, as he finally was able to get rid of the majority of the spiderwebs and made a motion to hug you. “The spiders should know better, anyway. I’m the one with the big hands and feet and they’re the wee ones with all the breakable legs!”
As his arms were almost enveloping you, you quickly put a fake spider onto a piece of spider web on his shoulder that he had missed and pushed him away. “Ew! Don’t touch me, you’re sweaty and... bloody! Go wash away the sweat and the spiderwebs first. And while you’re at it, gently pick up the spider on your shoulder, please? Before you throw my clothes into the cleaner and kill the little wee one with the breakable legs.”
“Sp… spider?” It seemed as if he turned his head in slow motion and when he saw the black thing just slightly outside his peripheral vision, he screamed.
He probably didn’t even think clearly when he started to jump around, frantically patting himself on his shoulders. After a while, he just took off the blouse and crop top, threw them on the ground and started to stomp on it. Breathing heavily he then said: “Did I just scream like a woman?”
“Don’t flatter yourself”, a giggling Flynn said, coming in through the door, followed by Reggie, Julie and Alex who were doubling over at the sight of the topless guitarist. “You might have been wearing the clothes of a woman, yet you still screamed like a little girl.”
Now you couldn’t hold back your laughter anymore either. “Do not worry Luke” you mocked him, “I love you just the way you are. Small and full of fear.”
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wellbafineline · 4 years
Text
Promise?
Harry is needy and you visit him on tour
hellooo this is my entry for ms olivias ( @bfharry ​ ) boyfriendathon, im not entirely sure that anything happens in this but it is just reuniting w harry on tour fluff!!! i used the promt ‘harry’s number 1 groupie is his gf’ & this is my second full fic so pls be nice to me lol but enjoy!!  also here is my other writing 
also the title honestly has nothing to do with the piece i just picked it bc i though that line of dialogue was cute.
& heres livs boyfriendathon masterlist to read everyones entries!!
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It didn't take much convincing for Harry to get you to join him on tour, actually all it’d taken was him to call you after one of his first shows on the North American leg telling you how much he missed you, and how lonely his hotel rooms felt and a couple of days later Jeff was forwarding you the plane tickets and info to meet them in Sacramento for a week of the tour.
It wasn't strange for you to visit harry on tour, but you both normally lasted a few more weeks before you caved and took the week off to go visit him, but a particularly needy harry and late night phone call with him listing all the ways he missed you, even after just a week and a half of being a part was all it took for you to take the 14 hour flight from London. 
You were antsy to see him from the minute that you got in the car at the airport, but it was only increasing as you were walking with a security guard through the corridors of the arena. The security guard points you in the direction of Harry's dressing room as you turn the last corner. You could hear Harry's playlist playing quietly behind the door as you approached and knocked. ‘Jeffrey, said i just need ten minutes and i'd be there’ he shouted through the door ‘try again’ you laughed ‘not Jeffrey’ 
The door quickly flung open as soon as he heard your voice, immediately wrapping you in his arms, resting his chin on top of your head, and you both stayed like that for a minute before he started to squeeze you a bit too tightly. ‘Getting a bit hard to breathe here H’. ‘sorry love’ he loosened his arms a little around you, allowing him to look at you for a second before completely freeing you from his grasp, you looked tired from the long flight from London and your hair was a little wild because you hadn't had the chance to brush it in the rush from the airport to the venue he place a quick kiss on your forehead before letting you go to follow him into the dressing room to get settled.
There was probably an hour before the preparations for the show tonight really started, meaning Lambert would come with the rack of all of Harry's outfits and steal him away from you for him to get dressed and prep to perform but for now you were more than content with the position you were in. Harry had come back from soundcheck earlier and immediately lay on top of you wrapping his arms around your waist and his face pressed into your neck, while your hands were stroking through his brown curls while he sighed contentedly every so often. 
You two stayed like that for the time being until people started to filter in the dressing room and asking for Harry’s attention to put the final details on the show and his outfit for tonight. You gave his hand a squeeze getting his attention to tell him you were going to find Mitch, Sarah and Adam and leave him to get ready for the show. 
•··° • ·*  · · ★ . ✦   * *  .       
The next time you saw Harry was as people were gathering to send him off onto the stage, you could hear the crowd cheering as the venue lights dimmed. ‘Come ‘ere quick’ he said as he pulled you by your hand into his chest ‘Need m’ good luck kiss’ he had the biggest cheesy grin on his face, you couldn't help but indulge him and match his smile. You bring your hand to cup his jaw, giving him a sweet kiss, but quickly pulling away, because you knew Harry and knew how he'd turn your good luck kisses into ‘make out in the venue hallway’ kisses, and you’d had enough teasing from Jeff about that over the years you’d been together. 
•··° • ·*  · · ★ . ✦   * *  .       
You’d made your way back to the dressing room ‘Ew! H you’re all sweaty’ you laughed as his arms tightened around your waist, clearly not listening to your complaints. ‘Missed this though didn’t y’.’ His voice is murmured in your hair with his arms still wrapped around your waist, but loosening so you could walk back for him to pack up and go back to your hotel, he’d said earlier that he wanted ‘his girl all to himself’ on your first night which you couldn't really argue with, being exhausted from the flight. 
•··° • ·*  · · ★ . ✦   * *  .
You were waiting on the plush hotel bed scrolling through your phone, checking social media while you’re waiting for Harry to get out of the shower, he was bound to be exhausted once his post show adrenaline wore off and he said he just wanted to take a quick shower to get clean, but now you were almost certain he’d fallen a sleep under the water.
The shower water turning off is what pulls your attention away from your phone, as you were in the middle of texting back your best friend who was checking that you got there safely. After a moment harry comes out of the bathroom, he was tying the belt of one of the hotel robes as he makes his way over and flops himself on the bed next to you, motioning for you to move over so you were both lying on his side of the bed, your head on his shoulder, and moving the few pieces of wet hair he missed in his hair clip off of his face. 
‘M tired, glad we didn't go out now would have been asleep in the middle of some bar by now’ he murmured into your hair ‘Yeah, better off here’ you agreed, moving so that your leg was thrown over his hip and arm across his middle. 
After a while of laying with each other he started to get restless, still some pent up adrenaline from the show, so you suggest doing the sheet masks you picked up in the airport earlier.  
‘Y’sure your not tired? can do all of this tomorrow?.’ His arms tightened around your waist where you were sat on the bathroom counter putting the facemask on Harry's face. He scrunched up his face as you smoothed out the cold material on his face ‘M’fine just wanna spend some time with you.’ 
A little while after you had finished your facemasks Harry had decided he was hungry, finally crashing from his post show adrenaline and wanting to devour a bowl of fries from room service there was a knock on the door as you reached to put on the next episode of the show that you guys were watching. 
‘it'll be food, I'll get it’ Harry mumbled as he pushed himself up off of the bed to get the door, grabbing his wallet on the way to tip the waiter. He returned a minute later with the tray of food you ordered, setting it down on the bed. 
‘Missed you y’know’ harry starts as you put another chip in your mouth
‘Missed you two H, was only two and a half weeks though’ Harry scoffs ‘What not allowed to miss m’ own girlfriend now?’ You were already laughing as he finished, picking up  a chip to throw at him across the bed. ‘Course not, like knowing you miss me’ you smile at him ‘always love.’ 
After finishing your food Harry’d moved you both back to lay in the bed with his head resting on your chest, his eyes fluttering shut every so often, he was clearly trying to stay awake. ‘S’alright H go to sleep, will still be here tomorrow, got me all week’ you told him, lips pressing a kiss to his hairline as you reached to turn off the TV so you both could get some needed sleep.
‘Y’promise?’
‘Promise.’
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cy-berbyte · 3 years
Text
Giga Brained Cog Bosses HC Hours Feat BG (PART 2)
This one’s gunna include some self indulgent romantic shit cuz I’m a whore!!! LET’S GO:
-The Vice President can sing! I like to imagine that all four bosses can sing, but VP is the one who’s the most blatant about it, aka he’d be the first to bolt at the opportunity to go up on a stage, loving all the eyes on him.
-VP also probably approves of every single jingle that’s composed by Sellbot HQ, and they’re so good at making music that they’ve got it down to a fucking science, where every song they play for a product WILL get stuck in a toon’s head.
-And speaking of catchy songs, here’s my personal voice claim for the Vice President :> !! : https://youtu.be/w_9hkafRBso
-The Sellbot is a very cheeky and charming motherfucker, who loves publicly flirting with his Bodyguard so his crush on her is the most obvious.
-He’s a very affectionate man, and is the cog most into PDA outta the four of them. He will very much let BG sit with him while he works just so she can constantly keep complimenting him, and he’ll compliment the fuck outta them right back, whether there’s someone in front of him or not. In public, he puts up his charming act and reacts confidently to their words, but in a more private setting, the VP can’t help but feel a little flustered himself when BG gently plants kisses all over his two faces.
-Meanwhile, the Cashbot CFO believes that money and luxurious items and trips will surely win The Bodyguard over rather than “embarrassing them to the public with cheap words”.
-When it comes to emotions, however, the CFO is... a goddamn tsundere, not gunna fuckin lie! Like in public he acts like there’s nothing going on with his Bodyguard n him, based on how loud n cold he is at everyone, even to them, especially on bad days when toons are invading the Cashbot HQ. The Bodyguard will compliment him anyways, knowing him, and in public he doesn’t react affectionately. He instead responds with shit like “Of course i’m great with money.” or “You’re goddamn right those toons got what they had comin,” whenever he (or she) manages to Sadden an entire party. But once work’s done for the day, especially on those bad days, the CFO will take every opportunity to summon BG over to him just so they can... “help him relax,” as he puts it.
She knows the CFO has a hard time expressing himself, especially when it comes to love, so she already knows that when this boss says that, he means he just wants to be cuddled n shown lots of love n affection to wind down. And The Bodyguard has lots of fun getting to shower him in affection while the CFO can’t even look at her in the eyes while grumbling to them to keep going. Yes he is embarrassed, yes he is blushing, yes he enjoys it very much anyways.
-The Lawbot CJ is definitely the one out of the four who’s the most subtle about his feelings, and would rather spend his time with his BG having genuinely deep conversations, reading books about the history of lawmaking, and listening to fine, classical music than whatever the fuck the previous two bozos do.
-I absolutely had a voice for him in mind since day 1, and that’s Shere Khan from: https://youtu.be/wh39vNCoq8M
-Of course, Chief Justice is the MOST adamant about keeping himself and his lawbots as pristine and in-line as possible. Disrespecting him absolutely earns anyone a mallet to the fucking head like teachers with rulers KAHFJSHCJJSJDJSJ
-The Bossbot CEO is the type to show his Bodyguard a good time through games. He’ll challenge her whenever he’s in the mood for some fun to golf matches or games of her choosing, and the CEO’s surprised at how much of a quick learner she can be.
-Still, the Bodyguard isn’t the best at everything, including golf, so the CEO will often teach her the best ways to play while getting up close and personal with them. And they Never mind.
-He’s actually the finest dancer out of the four, when he’s got Legs to Use, that is. Like with his gothic music playing, he dances perfectly to the rhythm and often times likes to be a flirty show-off.
-Bosses the other bosses around, even though the other three have no problem talking back to him and sassing his ass.
-Also I have a personal HC that while the bosses DO prefer to roll in style with their treads, when they’re off the clock and want to just kick back(and be an even Bigger threat to toons), they can switch their lower bodies to an optional pair of legs instead of the treads, that way they have more legroom(ha) to move around AND they’ll be too tall for toons to ever throw shit at! That way they can vibe without issue.
-The CEO is commonly the one known for his frequent high-end banquets. However, once a year, all four bosses will gather to the Chief Executive Tower with all their cogs for their most massive, luxurious party yet. Every cog is required to look their absolute best, so you already Know both the cogs and their bosses will be wearing different, fancier outfits while the bosses have been dressed and polished to absolute perfection. Of course no toon has ever managed to crash one of these parties because it’s Literally Every Cog in one area, so the machines have been able to have these annual parties without a hitch or without worry. Even the Chairman makes an appearance at this event, but he always leaves before the night has barely begun, so it’s sort of an unspoken rule amongst the cogs that everyone has to Wait for the Chairman to leave before they can Really have fun.
Yes there will be food and drinks, yes there will be chatting and dancing, yes all four bosses are going to smoke and get wasted out of their minds on this ONE night, and Y E S they’re going to drunkenly sing songs together and play hilarious rounds of poker that end up with CJ passed out on the table, the CFO with wearing shitty lopsided oversized sunglasses arguing with the CEO who’s got an oversized lamp on his head, and the VP straight up eating the fucking chips, laughing his fucking ass off while watching the arguing.
BRIEF BODYGUARD MOMENTS/HCS:
-All four cogs are Very Much Aware that BG has feelings for them after one certain incident, and now all of them Relish, they fucking THRIVE on making BG super flustered. All they have to do is look Directly At Her and make flirty comments and she is MUSH she ME L T S Bodyguard dissolves into a GIGGLY BITCH AND HER FACE GETS SO RED
-BG was only meant to be one out of the four bodyguards, but after An Earlier, Much More Negative incident involving toons, she ended up embodying all four of the suits that were meant to be for four toons total.
-The Bodyguard, when she was still fully a toon, wanted to be a singer, and she still has the pipes for it to this day. So now, whenever a department is doing particularly low and she’s got the time for it, she can boost productivity with her voice and a bit of music.
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astrovian · 3 years
Text
the official ranking of Claude Becker outfits
the official ranking of Daniel Miller outfits here
the official ranking of Adam Price outfits here
all Claude Becker outfits & rankings under the cut
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we all know RA looks good in a suit, blah, blah, blah
after two of these rankings, this outfit is the physical embodiment of a yawn
I do appreciate the patterned tie to change things up a tad even if I’m not into the pattern itself. the intent is there, just not the execution
I will give props to the team for giving Claude a patterned dress shirt here (you have to squint a bit on the second image - more on patterned dress shirts later), but they really should have upped the game a little - change the tie & be less subtle with the shirt pattern
and I ask you, does Claude Becker not strike you as a man who would insist on at least a pocket square with his suits?? dream bigger stylists
3/10
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@whoever stores old movie props if these weren’t disposed of immediately after filming i will pay you for a copy of one of these
putting aside the hilarious social commentary and fucking literal writing on this magazine cover done by some poor prop designer at 2am (”How to starve artists and other capitalist things”, as well as ”Claude Becker rolls up his shirtsleeves and unties his tie and puts on a vest and casually hangs his hands from his pockets” etc.), this is a nice change-up that made me question why we don’t have RA in just a waistcoat and dress shirt more often
also that tie pattern? fab. I love it. that is how to do a patterned tie. I hope we all know RA looks good in a suit, blah, blah, blah is paying attention
that being said, minimal points because we don’t actually see Claude wearing it in real life
4/10
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where, oh where is my polo shirt? oh look, it’s right there
is there any RA character who is not afflicted with a polo shirt? not recently, apparently
I genuinely thought that it was a dress shirt for a moment which had me disappointed at the banality but then that turned into utter devastation as I realised we actually are looking at a long sleeve zip up polo shirt
the draping of the coat? phenomenal and what really brings this entire thing together
the long/three-quarter sleeves? the zip-up rather than buttons? better than one can normally expect from a polo shirt... and then they went and added stripes to the collar and sleeves?? regret
could be a lot worse but could ultimately also not be a polo shirt as well 4.5/10
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could have tried harder during lessons but was a pleasure to have in class
I’m sure you all know my long-sleeve shirt obsession with RA but I made a promise to be honest with myself on these lists. the only feeling this outfit evokes is a ‘eh’
the equivalent of a middle slider 5/10
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the Claude you’d actually have a fun day with
there’s something about RA in a hoody that just bangs. good lord I also have a weakness for those forearms
I also thought for a good moment these were dark jeans, but they disappointingly turn out to be sweatpants? however, it has made me think that we need to see RA in some darker denim shades more often 
this Claude is could have tried harder during lessons but was a pleasure to have in class but with just a little more fun and class to boost it *just* outside of the ‘eh’ zone
5.2/10
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now this is how we do a long-sleeved shirt
I think it’s been fairly well-established by now that loose, long-sleeved RA is my ultimate weakness, so it’s nice to see that Ocean’s 8 is also making a concerted effort to murder me
also Claude’s obsession with sweatpants is giving me life
this is the Claude you make pasta with. and that pasta would be damn tasty, too
5.9/10
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come hither
just-woken-up Claude is made 100x better by the bed head hair and the sleepy gaze
this man needs to get back into bed for a snuggle (preferably with me)
I can’t decide if I’m into the loose boxers or missing the tighter Adam Price undies. either way, it’s definitely not a bad aesthetic. and it reminds me, like dad chic Adam Price, that we don’t get enough of RA in shorts
I feel bad assigning numbers to a a shirtless one BUT Claude does transform into being fully-clothed in this scene so I’m going with it 6.4/10
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you can kiss my hand anytime
the blessing of this film is not only the visual assault of attractive actors from all sides and genders, but it also instigates in me the thought that RA is wearing printed dress shirts and I can’t remember the last time I saw this?? I never even realised how much I need to see a lot more of this kind of look on RA until we were blessed with this vision
look at those lil’ elephants!! adorable. I hope Claude has a closet full of these with different animals on them
this outfit was so good, RA even wore it in his behind-the-scenes interview
7/10 for a printed, suited dream
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the Claude you take home to mom & dad
god, it’s even better without the suit jacket
this is my honest appeal to the powers that may or may not be to put RA in more printed dress shirts
7.6/10
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sometimes I think I should be more ashamed of myself
I feel like I need to preface this one thusly: okay, but like hear me out for real this time
I know this is ultimate hipster white-dude look and RA plays into that character so fantastically with Claude here. I mean just look at his expression. something about this whole look makes me want to simultaneously punch this man in the face and also take him home with me
this is a man who you know is a mistake before you make it, but choose to follow through anyway. he’s that last shot of tequila or the 5th glass of wine. you know you would go for him too. don’t even try to deny it
is the high ranking because of the novelty factor? is it because I’ve never seen RA wear a beanie like that and honestly the infamous running Daniel Miller could take notes? is it because I can’t take anyone who wears a beanie like that seriously?
all we do know is that I also can’t believe this is so high on the list
7.8/10
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the moment we all learned Claude is 100% a bottom
one of the most iconic Claude moments in the film. RA plays the ‘dumb horny idiot’ character so well in this scene
not so into the pinstriped suit jacket but the hoodie peeking out from underneath combined with the thin scarf makes it for me
8/10
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question: how may teeny-weeny scarves does Claude own, exactly?
who could forget the iconic moment when Sandra Bullock nearly shivs RA?
we have another printed dress shirt and I am HERE for it. it even has birds this time!! nice to see that Claude is not just a land mammal sort of man
I will concede that this is the sort of pattern that few men can pull off but RA is making it work and I am living
8.7/10
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I’m not sure I can make a comment on this one that is even remotely appropriate except for “I told you Claude is a bottom”
safety first, buy some proper restraints for the bedroom please Claude/10
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 modern royalty au Thorin
this is the moment that every single Hobbit fan went “hell yeah, now I have the perfect new aesthetic for my modern royalty Hobbit AU” (as an avid lotr/hobbit fan, I am not joking here)
RA looks like royalty here because he should be. please sign my petition to have RA usurp the British Queen
for real though, that baby blue sash is the 1000% perfect added touch to this suit and we love RA in a baby blue. a decent (and clearly successful) effort to match the faux Met Gala theme: European royalty. however, it is also pretty accurate re: the imaginative effort that most men have with altering their Met Gala outfits to fit that year’s theme
we need more RA in ‘modern royal’ roles for the #aesthetic and also so that he can dress like this more often
9.3/10 for a princely (or dare I say kingly?) figure
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James Corden looks so gleeful running after Claude that it makes me happy. I get it, James. I get it
there’s really nothing spectacular about the general outfit here - except for the swagger RA is giving this
pants? shirt? boring, meh
check scarf? a brilliant switch up from Claude’s normal thin scarves. 
the popped coat? now we’re cooking
the sunglasses and wind-ruffled hair that screams “I’m hungover but I still look effortlessly handsome”? delectable
the dogs?? the best set dressing one could ask for
the attitude and ‘I’m too cool for you’ swagger? priceless and what makes this the second-best outfit of the whole film
9.6/10 this man could punch me and I would be grateful
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hot diggity dog, someone get me Claude’s handcuffs
from the front view, it could be argued that this outfit (well, technically it may not really be a separate outfit as it’s the undone version of modern royalty au Thorin), while fairly exceptional, does not first place make
however, someone had the idea to shoot RA from a side angle in this and for that I am eternally in their debt
it’s all about the tease with this one. the glimpse of the suspenders (and holy shit, RA in suspenders was not a look I had thought about before). the way the waist coat hangs off Claude’s chest like that, just enough to make its presence obvious. the cufflinks. the delicate pocket watch chain.
if previous outfits on this list have been all sex and swagger, this is the foreplay. the subtle strip tease.
10/10 
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robin-the-enby · 3 years
Note
Hello there! I hope you are fine. May I have a Black Butler matchup?
So uh I'm 17, INFP, a pisces and a pan. I have short, straight black hair with black-ish big eyes. I have an round face with chubby cheeks even though I'm a bit of the thin side.I have long eyelashes and wear glasses. So basically I have baby face and I don't show my age at all! As for my height I'm 1.70 cm.
For my personality, I'm that mom-friend that every friend group has. Need some painkillers? BAM! Need some pads? Do you need 1 or 50? You are hurt? Don't worry I have an aid kit. Your stomach or head hurts? Honey, don't you worry I have a various kind of herb teas with myself.
If someone needs a shoulder to cry on, that person is me. If somebody hurts my friends I go like "So you are saying that he/she/they broke your heart? Okay give me the names and addresses. Now."I would deal with them and then say "So do I need to break some more faces?" I'm not that violent but if they touch my family and friends.... May God help them.
But I'm actually very kind and smiley. I'm the kind of person who smiles at strangers, hold the door for them, talk with a waiter casually and smile at them as well. I never judge someone for their nationality, skin color, language, sexuality etc. And If I see someone bully another person for these reasons or another one, I stand against the bully and if needed I beat them.
I may seem like an cold and serious person at first meeting but over time I'm the biggest goofball and crackhead you can ever see! Sometimes I'm a bit sarcastic and tease my closest friends a lot- ofc I never offend them. I know what they are insecure about( if they are, WHICH isn't allowed on my watch.- and My friends always tell me that I kinda flirt with them but I never realize and When I actually try to flirt, I can't? But I also know how to be serious as well.
For the hobbies; I love watching anime, literature, myths, listening and observing people, comforting people or just listen their rantings, reading, listening music and singing.... I am not that good at gardening and stuff but sometimes I do this as well...
Thanks a lot in advance and I'm glad I found you blog!😍😘
Hi, I'm doing amazing, thanks for asking! I honestly wish every mom friend out there a very pleasant existence. Don't forget to take care of yourself, huns! I match you with:
Soma
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This dude, omg. He'd declare his love for you the day you two meet.
Of course, at that time he isn't really in love with you (yet), but he definitely wants to spend more time with you.
And oh boy does he spend more time with you. As soon as he finds out where you live, he'd be at your doorstep every day, asking if you wanted to hang out.
If you'd say no, he'd give you the most convincing and iressistible puppy dog eyes that you've ever seen.
This man child is very clingy, but Agni holds him back to an extent, because everybody needs time for themselves.
Btw, Agni is your biggest shipper and fan, you have his infinite blessings from the start.
But as soon as you set some boundaries (and trust me when I say you gotta do it firmly, because he can be a bit thick, if you know what I mean), he'll become the cutest, most selfless boyfriend you've ever had.
Mans is enchanted by your kind and helping personality, but he'd rather if you both got pampered by Agni (who is honestly just really happy for you two so he doesn't mind) than you doing the work.
However, if you're insistent, he'll just sigh and later on brag to everyone (ehmehmCielehmehm) about how kind of a girlfriend he's got and how you're his entire life and he'd give up anything for you if he had to.
Have you ever forgotten to take care of yourself, since you're taking care of others all the time? Well, not anymore! Soma makes sure that if you're adamant on taking care of him and others, you will get taken care of as well!
That said, sometimes he gets jealous of Agni if you spend too much time with him, assuring that he's ok too or anything else. He'd pull you away to do something and act pouty around Agni and the poor khansama has no clue what he did wrong.
Soma plans days off for you two, be it so that you could just be lazy all day and stay in bed or have a picnic or go to a spa.
Sometimes he gets insecure about his personality, worrying that he's "too much" and overwhelming (usually after getting scolded by Ciel).
He'd love if you just cuddled him and reassured him that you won't leave him because he's too loud.
He's very handsy as well, kind of like Lizzy with Ciel, just not as forcefull. He won't yank you around, but he is the master of surprise hugs and suddenly picking you up off the ground.
He's not really a crackhead, but definitely a himbo. So your energies go very well together <3
Agni would tell the both of you stories and myths from India, sing you their songs and Soma would try to teach you some dances if you'd like. If you say yes, he's over the moon! He can't wait to dress you in their national robes, you'll look like a princess that you basically are now.
In return, you can share some myths from your country and get them both familiar with your culture in return.
Soma would just be such a great and fun boyfriend!
I can also see you with: I wanted to say Joker, because I feel like he's also very kind to those around him, but I don't have that good of a grasp on him yet, since I'm in the process of watching Book of circus. But definitely Grell Sutcliff - She loves to get pampered and taken care of. Would love it if you listened to her ramble. But she knows not to just take from someone. I feel like she'd love to spoil you almost as much as she loves to be spoiled. Like, this woman goes all out. Spa days and makeovers and shopping are a must. She'll give you her honest opinions on outfits that would look good on you and trust me, she has a keen eye ;) You just need to remind her sometimes to slow down or calm down a bit, she's very excited since there's finally somebody who gives her the love and attention she deserves <3
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2018shawn · 4 years
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love (sticky) notes
a/n: I forgot I wrote this and I'm clearing out my drafts so here we are why!!! the fuck not!!!.... here is a whole lotta y/n feeling and looking her best SELF n loving herself like we all should as strong independent women. you’re all beautiful 🥺🥰
warnings: alludes to smut, a little swearing, a little fluff, a little happy
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 Tom let himself in, just like you requested, because you were both at that stage now. The stage where you weren’t exclusively each other’s, but exclusively and most definitely were not anyone else’s. It was fun; things going at their own pace, no pressure, no rules, just you and Tom being, well, you and Tom.
“Your Prince Charming has arrived!” Tom shouted, making you aware of his presence. Last thing he wanted after a shitty day doing filming was to be knocked out by you because he’d scared you shitless. He hung his back pack on the hooks you kept by the door, kicking his converse off so they landed next to your very own trusty pair. He smiled; his n hers.
You shook your head to yourself as you continued to change in your room, the door open just enough for his voice to flood through. “Okay well Prince Charming can make himself at home and there’s a beer on the table for you.”
Your shoebox apartment was small enough that you didn’t really need to shout, more so just talk loudly in order for him to hear you. He noted the ice cold Budweiser sat on the coffee table in front of your sofa, condensation dripping from the neck of the bottle. You’d left a sticky note on there, with a simple smiley face and a kiss for no particular reason at all, other than that you loved a sticky note. He slumped into the sofa - he loved your sofa more than his own, it was real cloudy (his words, not yours) - reaching over for the refreshing beverage before kicking his feet up on the table. A warm smile spread across his lips as he peeled off the sticky note. He wanted to wife you, he knew that much.
“How was your day, darling?” He asked, taking a large gulp from the drink, which indicated how his went. He fiddled with the sticky note, pressing it down onto the material of his t shirt, like when you go to the dentist as a kid or you get all your spellings right at school and get rewarded with a sticker; this time, you were his reward.
Small mumbles escaped your lips as you fiddled with your unfamiliar change of clothes in the bedroom. You couldn’t quite get the clasps right and wondered how there were women out there who wore stuff like this on a daily basis. Although you had to admit, so far, so cute. “Yeah, okay I guess. My boss was a jerk again but what’s new.”
Unbeknown to Tom, your foot rested on the bed, one at a time, as you rolled stockings up your legs, letting them snap to your thigh when they were high enough. “You need to tell him to come see me.” He replied, and you knew he was tensing his jaw.
You rolled your eyes, but couldn’t help but feel giddy and warm at the way Tom got jealous and protective over your relationships with you boss, especially when you once let it slip he asked you on a date but you politely declined. “Sure thing,” you laughed, grabbing the last item to complete your outfit, sliding it over your shoulders.
You asked him about his day, and you soon learnt that he couldn’t quite get the scene right, resulting in a hella load of retakes and okay guys, let’s take a minute moments. Glancing over the bedroom one last time before you opened the door fully, you checked everything was in order, no washing or Winnie the Pooh pyjamas laying around. A final walk past the mirror stopped you in your tracks, head snapping to face your reflection. You barely recognised yourself; the nicest underwear you’d bought or even worn in god knows how long adorned your body, colourful floral pattern contrasting against your nude skin. You think you looked nice; you felt nice, and as your mum once told you - who’s gonna love you if you ain’t gonna love yourself. Even though you were queen of putting yourself down and picking at things you didn’t like about yourself, you’d also grown to live with your imperfections. A final brush of your fingers over the light pink, mesh material smoothed out the matching kimono to your set and you swallowed a gulp.  
The door to your bedroom creaked open, and from where you stood you could see his crazy brown hair sticking up from the couch, his head leant back against the head rest. Your living room was pretty much in front of your bedroom door, the kitchen to the right and bathroom to the left. It was nothing special, but it was your little home and you loved it. The back of the sofa faced your bedroom door, Tom only aware that you were entering the room due to your quiet footsteps on the floor.
“... and I swear to god, you know like when you thought you’d be baby Jesus in the nativity but you get given the part of a tree? That was her, she wanted to be in every bloody take!” He sighed, rambling on about some girl in the scenes that was only supposed to be there as an extra.
His eyes were closed as you walked closer to him, legs spread apart and bottle resting on his leg with the support of his hand. You wanted to run straight around and straddle the living daylights out of him, but self control needed to be a thing here. Each of your hands came to his tense shoulders, your fingertips beginning to knead at his strong structure. He hummed in return, a satisfied smile creeping upon his lips, his eyes remaining shut as he enjoyed the relaxing gesture. “You’re nice.” He simply said and you watched how his Adam’s Apple bobbed up and down as he gulped.
A giggle fell from your lips as your hands loosened on his shoulders. He was about to groan at the sudden lack of touch, but was stopped when your hands flately ran from his shoulders and down to his chest. He’d been working out for the filming of the movie and you could feel it, his chest hard beneath the surface of his shirt. You laughed at the sticky note on his chest, avoiding knocking it off as he pulled a pouty face, his lips stretching out for a kiss. Hovering over the top of him, you bent your head down to place a delicate peck on him, so delicate you barely touched at all. Your hands roamed down to his torso, feeling him tense up beneath your touch as your hands ran over each pair of abs. His lips were still stifly pouting, needing a real kiss to be satisfied.
When you were happy his shoulders were less tense and his body a little more relaxed, you let your hands rest in one place. It was ironic really, that you were the one upside down, kissing him, because wasn’t that spider mans job once? Nevertheless, you continued, not entirely sure how to approach an upside down kiss but going with the same approach as normal. Your fingers grabbed at tufts of his T-shirt as your lips came into contact, his hands working their way up above and behind him to lace around the back of your neck. The sound of the billie eilish playlist was nothing but background noise as you loved on each other passionately, the sounds of your lips hard at work filling the quiet space.
He hummed into your lips as your hair fell from behind your head, gliding down and landing across his chest and neck. His face scrunched up, your brown curls tickling his sensitive area as he let a small giggle escape his lips and god, did you think it was the cutest thing in the world.
Standing upright, he pouted at your disappearance, peeking one eye open as he realised he was yet to lay his eyes on you tonight; that was usually the first thing he did. The straighter you stood up, the lower down your body his hands went. Considering he was spider man and billy Elliot, he appeared to not be all that flexible, his hands only just able to grasp the top of your arms.
Tom furrowed his eyebrows at the feel of your clothing, the mesh material feeling foreign to his touch. You stayed at each other’s houses long enough for him to know that you very much prefer a baggy t-shirt to lounge in, to which he had no objections. Mainly because a) they were normally his t-shirts and b) they almost always stopped at the top of your thighs, giving him a pleasant view for his time with you. His hands enveloped around your arms, snaking downwards until they reached your wrists and he began to fiddle with the unfamiliar sleeved embroidery. He could tell the stitching of the flowers were beautiful, but not nearly half as beautiful as you.
You admired his soft touch, watching down at him as he opened his other eye, smiling up at you. “Hey.” He smiled, flashing the movie star smile you fell for months ago. 
A soft giggle escaped your lips as you tucked the front of your hair behind your ear, “Hey.”
He was too busy staring at your face to notice your attire, but when his eyes finally travelled down to your chest, they widened. His lips parted into an o, his chest coming to a halt as his breathing stopped. The bralet you was wearing was a see through mesh, your nipples only covered by the embroidered flowers matching to the ones he’d felt on your sleeves. The pink and green colours complimented you perfectly and he was at a loss for words. He leant forward on the sofa, placing his beer own on the coffee table and you weren’t sure how he didn’t miss, because his eyes didn’t leave your body the entire time. 
Kneeling up onto the sofa, he finally faced you, hands gripping the back of the sofa. “Holy shiiiiiiiit,” he groaned, taking his bottom lip in between his teeth. His eyes began to travel further down your body, not really wanting to move away from your incredibly curved breasts, but eager to see what the rest of you had to offer. Your waist was bare and he continued to the top of your hips, where the matching, delicate suspender belt began to cover your stomach. It flowed down, past your bellybutton and ended just above the top of your thighs. Peeking out from underneath were of course the matching pants and the most unique noise left his lips, something half way between a whimper and a groan. 
He didn’t noticed how his knuckles were turning white as they gripped the sofa because he was scared if he let go, he’d pass out. You let him admire your body, knowing it wasn’t exactly the usual welcome home you’d normally give him. But when his stare started to burn into you and felt more than torturous, you had to say something. “Um... is this ok?” You looked down at yourself then back up to the love eye emoji knelt in front of you. 
“Is it - are you fucking even real?!” He finished speaking with his mouth still open, hanging down and eyes wider than ever apart from the few times he blinked hard, to see if he was imagining things. You laughed, taking it as one of the best compliments you’ve ever received. 
You started walking backwards, getting closer to your bedroom door with a suggestive smirk on your lips, “well, are you coming?” 
And that was all it took for him to climb and stumble over the back of the sofa, nearly throwing himself onto the floor in the process as he chased into your bedroom where he very, very much enjoyed the rest of his evening. 
------
taglist: @imaginashawnns @fallinallincurls
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todorokitops · 4 years
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Todoroki’s hero suit hcs
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Essentially, @nobodyw8s4evr and I talked about how ridiculous his hero suit actually is (both the half ice cyborg version pfffft and the current version) so we came up w some dumb hcs for their creation ;)
Don’t mind the ooc-ness ^^;
//no but like can you imagine the origin story of the first version??? wheeze
enji: [eyebrows furrowed in concern while looking at the bin in shouto’s room, overflowing with crumpled pieces of paper] shouto, why don’t you let me help you put your hero outfit togeth-?
shouto: -FUCK OFF, OLD MAN, IT’S FINE EVERYTHING’S FINE [sobbing while sketching furiously, wiping his tears away with his arm]
shouto: [a few days later] done, finally [sends off the request to the costuming department, completely satisfied]
natsuo: [watches him pull out the suit from the box that came in the mail a week later] ...hey shou, do you accept constructive criticism?
shouto: [already pulling it on, freezing his entire left side and fixing a thick red lens over his left eye] no. no, i do not.
natsuo: [sighs] yeah, i figured that might be the case. well, it was worth a try.
shouto: [scoffing, adamant] what? of course i can
shouto: [scoffing, adamant] what? of course i can
shouto: [looks at the orange juice on the left side of the table]
shouto: [realises he can’t lift his left arm while it’s encased in ice]
shouto: [mumbles, flustered] ...natsu, could- could you pass me the orange juice?
natsuo: [sighs and smirks as he slides it closer to shouto’s right side] sure thing
//natsuo: so... what’s the backpack for?
shouto: i’m not entirely sure, like, ventilation? i just thought it looked cool.
natsuo: [sighs for the 10th time that day] forget i asked
//shouto’s hair is so so cold and wet under the ice, but he absolutely refuses to use his left side to warm himself up, so it’s honestly a torturous few weeks in that ‘suit’ as he shivers every few minutes and scares children with his red eye over and over
it’s literally like
kid: [running up and tapping him from the back] hey there, mister, could you get that ball for us?
shouto: [who literally can’t hear shit bc his left ear is covered with fucking ice, turns around] oh, hello. sorry, say that again?
kid: [screams and runs away]
shouto: [right hand outstretched as they run off bc the left one is still frozen] ...ah
//he has to carry everything on his right side bc the ice spikes get in the way and it’s hell okay? hell.
natsuo: [watches shouto struggle to open the door to his room with his left arm when his right is occupied with carrying a shit ton of things] 
shouto: um. a little help, please?
natsuo: [leans against the doorframe next to him, doing nothing] get rid of that suit, and i will
shouto: wh— what’s wrong with my suit?
natsuo: [narrows his eyes in disbelief]
shouto: ...okay, maybe you’re right
natsuo: [sighs and turns the doorknob for him, pushing the door open] aren’t i always, little bro?
shouto: [shuffles in quietly while natsuo shuts the door behind him]
//a few weeks later, shouto reappears in his new hero suit
(enji: [close to actual tears] for fuck’s sake)
(natsuo: [mentally praying to some deity and contemplating leaving suit design magazines in shouto’s room ‘accidentally’])
//conversely, we also thought about him as a member of the league of villains, trying to pick out his villain costume
tomura: [about to snap] for the love of fuck, it’s been five hours. [turning to dabi] if he takes any longer to choose, i’m fucking dusting him.
dabi: [leaning against the bar, amused] chill out, crusty. go play some video game or something while waiting if your impatient ass can’t stand it.
shouto: [choosing to ignore tomura] [instead lifting up two pieces of clashing fabric to the other lov members in the bar] so this and this... they match, yes?
twice: yes, they go together so well! go for it!
twice: no, what the hell? what’s wrong with you? you have eyes, so fucking use them.
dabi: [smiling fondly] aw, baby bro, don’t you know a single thing about fashion?
mr compress: [sitting at the bar next to them, swirling his drink] oh? that’s big talk coming from someone who doesn’t even know any colours other than black and yes, i’m talking to you too, shigaraki.
tomura: [disgusted] fuck? don’t drag me into this bullshit [turns back to the bar and takes a swig of a bottle of vodka]
himiko: [swings her legs on her barstool, humming in thought] hey, shou-chan! why don’t you just do what i do and wear your school uniform?
shouto: [pauses] oh, i can do that? so i didn’t need to spend five hours on this?
tomura:
tomura: [dusts his bottle of vodka in silent rage]
twice: [squawks] hey, i was gonna drink that after you!
and then, a few days later of debate, heists, murders and plotting...
shouto: [slapping some fabric together, slathering on some black eye shadow and nodding, contented] i think i’ve got it
dabi: [proudly as he pulls him into a headlock and gives him a noogie] now we’re talking! that’s my little brother right there!
kurogiri: [smokepalms as he looks at the black clothing and the black eye shadow, reminiscent of dabi’s under-eye scars] yes... i can see the resemblance
kurogiri: [the corners of his glowing yellow eyes crinkle fondly at them anyway]
And that’s it! Again, thank you so much to @nobodyw8s4evr for making such hilarious hcs w me ^^ I’m only tagging this as ttops hcs so I can find it easily, but really, they’re awesome hehe
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chidoroki · 4 years
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Emma - 63194
So, it’s August 22nd, otherwise known as the best day of the month because we get to celebrate Emma's birthday! I feel like she doesn't get enough credit, especially as a shōnen protagonist, probably because she's just a normal kid compared to others with overwhelming powers/magic/quirks/etc, but I think that just makes her feats all the more interesting and amazing. So, here I am, ready to praise the hell out of everything she's done, what she's capable of, and who she is on her special day.
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(spoilers for the entirety of The Promised Neverland, so if you haven't read/completed the manga yet, consider this your first warning, because I'm literally going from start to finish with this.)
This is gonna be one hell of a long post, so here we go.
- She's one of the smartest kids at Grace Field, alongside Norman and Ray, who all get full scores on the house's daily tests, which is by no means a simple task.
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- This is thanks to her ability to learn things quickly, which she puts to the absolute best use throughout the entire story.
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- She's undoubtedly the most athletic out of the full-score trio, as she can pull off a leap like this with no issue!
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- I gotta give her voice actor credit here because her scream at the end of EP1 is simply fantastic.
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- She noticed the windows in the house were screwed shut, which reinforced the idea that the kids were merely raised like cattle. (Ray was also aware of this, of course.)
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- Suspects the use of tracking devices. (The anime had Norman voicing this realization, so whoever you want to give the credit for this is up to you.)
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- Believe me when I say that her acting skills are top-notch.
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- She's so good that she was able to control her emotions enough and even regulated her pulse to fool Isabella.
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- This! Just all of this. Her crazy ideals, her never-give-up mentality, her ability to stay optimistic and strong despite everything they're up against.. just amazing.
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- She always thinks of her family first. (she honestly rarely cries too, now that I think about it.)
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- By using what she overheard from the demons at the gate and the “blood tests” Isabella once told her about, Emma was able to figure out where the tracking devices were located on her own. (Yeah, Ray knew of this too, but he kept that info to himself.)
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- She then created a situation that allowed her to confirm this and that yes, Isabella is indeed always checking their trackers.
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- It was Emma's idea to train the other children by playing tag. Not only did this help them during the escape, but afterwards as well.
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- Takes advantage of every opportunity to learn. (also, the strength she has!)
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- Amazing learning ability x2 (I'm aware the manga says 10 instead, but still! I bet she could memorize 100 too!)
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- She believes in everyone and makes Norman realize that no one in their family is truly bad and that leaving anyone behind, even the “traitor,” could cost them their life.
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- She called Ray out on his bluff about him actually being willing to help everyone escape.
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- Then confronted Ray about the possibility of him experimenting on the tracking devices of their siblings, thus resulting in their early shipments, which is something Norman didn't even realize, if his surprised expression is anything to go by. (Emma scolds him and hides her anger well, though she only stays mad for like, a minute.)
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- She, along with Gilda, notice Isabella disappear every night after 8pm, leading them to assume the house might contain a secret room. They eventually pinpoint where it's located. (Ray suspects such a room must have existed, but wasn't certain.)
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- Introduces the boys to William Minerva's books and the morse code bookplates they held, which the trio all know how to decode and understand. (I know Phil pointed them out to her originally and manga Ray was also aware of them, surprise, but..) the hunch she had about the two special books being important guides for them turned out to be true later on after the escape.
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- Accepts her mistakes and is quick to apologize when she's wrong.
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- Thank you anime for giving us these wonderful lines.
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- Has her leg broken and yet she doesn't shed one damn tear. (the horrific sound still haunts me.) Ah, might as well also mention this now, but her theme, 63194, is one of the best songs on the soundtrack.
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- Once again caring about others more than herself, as she was ready to destroy her leg/foot even more if it allowed Norman a chance to escape.
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- This absolutely amazing moment right here! Easily one of the best panels of her by far!
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- Used what she heard from Krone and spent two months hiding her emotions and plans from Isabella. Learning ability & best actress x10.
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- Isabella actually believes this. Seriously, someone give Emma an award. Best actress x50.
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- Do y'all know how strong physically, mentally and emotionally this girl must be to cut off her own ear? I know she was in a rush to escape while Isabella was busy with the fire, like she literally had about ten seconds (anime) to remove her tracker, but damn! Not once does she ever cry over it either. May I remind you she's only 11!
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- Stops Ray's suicide attempt by catching the match, thus burning her palms.
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- It was her idea to let the other kids know of the escape, which helped in proceeding with the preparations behind Isabella's back.
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- I love Ray x fire jokes as much as the next person, but we all know who the real pyro is. More props to her voice actor again for the scream that follows!
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- Successfully carried out Norman's plan and escaped Grace Field with 14 other children.
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(post-season one spoilers beyond this point)
- Keeps her cool in dangerous situations, which helps calm down the younger children. Also fairly knowledgeable of the books from Grace Field's library, such as “The Adventures of Ugo,” which came in handy in the demon forest.
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- Remains positive and completely hopeful after learning the truth about the demon world they're living in from Sonju.
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- It only took three days for her to become proficient enough in archery in order to hunt successfully. She apparently also knows how to use a harpoon (ch49) (but I don't think we ever see that, sadly). Learning ability x20.
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- She also didn't panic when she was held at gunpoint. She stayed reasonably calm and forced her way free instead.
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- Didn't even flinch when Yuugo's bullet grazed her cheek.
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- Can she just get a round of applause, please?
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- Emma is just so fearless. Gun to the head? Knife in her face? Doesn't matter. She'll threaten you right back.
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- Kudos to her learning ability yet again x50.
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- Her quick reflexes and accuracy are phenomenal.
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- Of course, cue the talk-no-jutsu skills that every shonen protagonist is undoubtedly skilled with.
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- Even Lewis knows at a first glance that our girl is good. Takes a lot to receive praise from this demon.
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- Offers herself up as bait to lure the poachers away from the other children.
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- Literally cares for anyone, as she helped countless kids she didn't even know during her first hunt at Goldy Pond by keeping them safe.
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- Thanks again to her knowledge of the “The Adventures of Ugo” novel, she was able to locate the memory chip for the pen that contains information about Minerva's supporters, the paths to cross over to the human world, Goldy Pond, The Seven Walls and Project Lambda 7214.
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- The damn skill she has in handling guns in the matter of two weeks is astonishing.. and she's still only 11.
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- Informed the Goldy Pond kids on how to accurately aim for the demon’s center eye, which greatly helped them take out the poacher Nouma.
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- She has the audacity to taunt Lewis right back and I love her for it. She also offered to stay behind in order stall Lewis on her own, despite knowing he's the most dangerous of the poachers.
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- When the talk-no-jutsu towards the crazy demon fails, she summons a wide array of guns against him, because why the hell not, right?
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- She once admitted that she was no good at reading an opponent's moves, but after watching many people in her life who are skilled in such a way (Norman, Ray, Isabella, Krone) and thanks to the knowledge she recently leanred about Goldy Pond, she manages to catch Lewis off guard and electrocute him. Her level of adaptability is wonderful. Learning ability x100.
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- Can we all just take a moment to obsess over Emma's Goldy Pond outfit because it is fucking fantastic! She just looks so damn good! (I owe Demizu my life for this.)
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- Actually manages to get Yuugo to call her by her real name after he was so adamant to no learn them or get attached to the kids.
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- This bright smile adds five years onto my life.
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- She’s the first to notice the disadvantage demons have with regeneration, which ultimately leads to their winning strategy against Lewis.
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- She somehow survives this. (plot-armor, I know, but goddamn!)
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- Now presenting, the exact moment I fell in love with Emma, because holy fucking shit! Not only does she survive getting stabbed like that, but she gets back up and continues fighting! Can I get a big ol' HELL YEAH!!
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- She busts out the pistol with the trick shots she's kept hidden this entire time until the very right moment, effectively taking Lewis by surprise and granting Yuugo a clear shot to his middle eye as the demon stands defenseless against the shower of bullets.
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- Emma's influence over everyone else is so powerful. We see it many times throughout the story, but because of her, they all accept that the impossible is possible, everyone is worth saving, and to never give up. This is especially amazing to witness in scenarios with Ray, since Krone once said that his weakness was that he's "a little quick to give up. He makes a decision fast but abandons other just as quickly."
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- Because of everyone's assistance, they were able to destroy Gold Pond and rescue over 60+ kids, which probably wouldn't have happened if it weren't for Emma presence at the hunting ground in the first place.
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- Not to discredit Ray, because I'm sure he did a fine job of cauterizing Emma's wounds, but she did survive a day and a half with a low blood count. (She was unconscious, sure, but her body didn't give up either.)
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- Finally wakes up from her coma a month later and the first thing she's concerned with is the safety of everyone else.
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- I swear, this girl has a heart of gold, but we knew that already.
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- Doesn't let her missing ear hinder her at all, just adjusts how it would function normally in her daily life.
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- Memorized the many maps found in the shelter's reference room alongside her siblings. Learning ability x125.
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- She's capable of taking out three wild demons in the matter of seconds. Accuracy and speed on point still on point.
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(Ah post-timeskip, just a little over halfway done now.) - Will not hesitate to jump in and save someone, regardless of the danger to herself.
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- No 13 year-old should have this amount of pressure on their shoulders, but I'll be damned, she handles this and so much more well.
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- She pushes aside her own anxieties over losing the shelter, those two boys and possibly Yuugo and Lucas and decides to lift the spirits of everyone else instead.
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- Y'all see this demon? Do you think she cares? Not one bit! All that matters is her family's safety and she'll do anything to preserve that. We stan one reckless girl.
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- Doesn't cry over the deaths of Yuugo and Lucas (at least, I don't think she does? She appears more frustrated here than upset.)
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- She can pick up on how others are feeling, even if they're trying to hide it. (also does so several times to Norman (ch30, 128,153) and even to Yuugo (ch64))
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- Is the first to volunteer to sneak into the mass production farm guarded by demons in order to retrieve the medicine Chris needs.
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- Honey, how are you not screaming for you life right now?
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- Official translation has Hayato saying “The Boss is saying he wants to meet you,” but I feel like this unofficial one here conveys the exchange between Emma and Oliver better. Their large family has children who are older and more experienced as a leader than Emma, but they all choose to follow her.
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- Just a casual reminder of how strong our girl is. (She even beats out Ray and Don in terms of strength too.)
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- I probably only find this impressive because I love my sleep, but she wakes up at 6 in the morning. Always. Without fail. For thirteen years. Then panics the one time she actually oversleeps.
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- She knows every life is precious, no matter who or what they are. Also doesn’t want to follow Norman's civil war plan, which is good, because damn that's a bit extreme. Doing so would only create more fear and hatred.
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- Say it louder.
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- LOUDER!
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- Agrees to go and find out more about The Seven Walls in hopes to stop Norman's plan, despite the many risks. Can she really arrive at TSW? What's actually there? Could she even make a new promise? Will she be able to return afterwards? There's a bunch of unknowns, but that won't stop her. (“Simple?” “It is simple.” That line kills me every time.)
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- TSW proved to be very mentally exhausting but she and Ray did survive all the craziness they faced while trapped there.
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- Due to her unique way of thinking, she managed to remain sane and was able to figure out how TSW worked, which is something even Ray couldn't quite comprehend.
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- Because of that, she was then able to finally meet the bastard demon god.
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- Thus allowing her to..successfully.. make a new promise. (Ahhh)
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- Best actress x500 (damn damn damn!)
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- Honestly, have they practiced this before or is her athleticism just that superior? Either way, she never fails to surprise me.
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- Isn't afraid to speak the truth and put one of her best friends in their place.
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- But manages to (somehow) forgive him, after his plan successfully killed the queen, the demon royals and poisoned the capital city, which forced the nearby demons to degenerate.
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- Her optimism knows no bounds.
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- She & everyone else were able to infiltrate Grace Field which is not only guarded by demons but the Ratri clan as well.
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- Just how? I know your athletic but wow!
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- The woman who shipped out so many of Emma's siblings and broke her leg now holds a gun to her face and yet our girl doesn't look panicked in the slightest. Girl, how are you so brave?! Holy shit. There's no fear in those eyes, only anger.
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- AND she ends up forgiving her! After learning Isabella betrayed Peter and realizing that all the mothers and sisters are also fighting for their freedom, Emma gladly accepts Isabella's assistance. (Best mother daughter moment I've ever seen.)
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- The entire talk-no-jutsu she pulls on Peter in ch172. She's angry, even downright hates the Ratri, but she refuses to get revenge for all the trouble they've caused to her family and friends by killing Peter. She admits the clan's actions can never be forgiven, but she still shows sympathy because she knows they were also suffering due to the world and roles they were born into.
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- We find out that Emma worded the promise perfectly which allows every human raised as food to cross over into the human world. Truly thinking of everyone as per usual.
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- She kept her promise to Phil and came back for him and the rest of the children she had originally left behind at Grace Field.
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- Again, showing no hesitation to save someone she barely knows, even when unarmed.
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- Pretty sure I was in literal tears at this point of the chapter, so kudos to her for making me bawl my eyes out. Aahh, she's just so forgiving and her heart is so big.
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- Best actress x9999 (*screaming internally*)
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- SHE LITERALLY SACRIFICES HER OWN HAPPINESS SO EVERYONE IMPORTANT TO HER CAN LIVE IN PEACE AND BE HAPPY!!
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- She loves her family so deeply that even without her memories, her heart still remembers them. (it makes me cry too, hun, it's okay.)
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- She has a heart literally made of solid gold. Of course she can't refuse the bastard's reward, but still accepts it with a smile on her face knowing that all humans and demons, of the present and future, can now live freely without any fear. She completely ended the tragedy that persisted the last 1,000+ years and changed the world like she set out to do back in ch4. Sweetheart please, you're anything but selfish.
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- She has the most precious family on the planet. Her influence was so strong that they searched endlessly for two years just to see her again, by never giving up or doubting her words back in ch178. They're beyond happy when they do finally find her and are a bunch of sweethearts who accept her no matter what.
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- Ahh, I just really love Emma okay? She's honestly one of the few protagonists I actually enjoy. Happy Birthday again to this all-around amazing girl and I can't wait to see her in action in future anime seasons!!
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(congrats, you've made it to the end. i apologize if i missed any other moment worth mentioning, but yeah, i think this is enough for now.)
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bellatrixobsessed1 · 3 years
Text
The Dragon Egg (Parts 19-25)
Another set of chapters for @secrettunnelatla’s event.
Chapter 19 Leather For Sequin
She should be eating better, should be better hydrated, should bathe more,  should exercise more, should be sleeping better. She finds it harder to do these things at all, much less to an optimal degree. Sleeping is especially hard, having favored doing so on her belly. It helps little that the baby seems to be particularly active when she is trying to sleep with its kicks and squirms. She still can’t get used to it, she doesn’t think she will. It leaves her feel queasier than the morning sickness ever had.
Even if she were as physically comfortable as possible she doesn’t think she’d sleep. Her mind is stuck on Seicho and on all of the articles she has scrolled through during the past few days. Articles that drag her name through the mud and articles that praise Blue Talon for things she should be credited for. She lies awake, staring at the ceiling, hands clasped over her belly. She finds the baby’s foot--or maybe it is a hand--and rubs over the spot, a fruitless attempt to get her to settle down. All the while her mind runs in circles over the headline, ‘Fire’s Reign’s Fire Lord Ozai Denounces Pregnant Daughter’. She didn’t think that he would so publicly condemn her. She should have; he does, afterall, have an image to protect. As if he hasn’t already tarnished it with his binge drinking. She imagines that Zuko is probably getting a good kick out of it. She brings her rubbing to a stop and closes her eyes.
She gets little sleep, but enough of it that she has to be woken by Zhao. She doesn’t know why he bothers, it isn’t as though she will make use of the day. But the man is annoyingly persistent, refusing to leave the living room until she declares that she has to get dressed.
She slips into one of Koemi’s dresses. Eventually she is going to have to pester Zhao to help her buy at least one outfit that suits her aesthetic more, his wife’s attire is absolutely gaudy. Today’s disaster is orange with a sunflower print, which might not have been so horrible if the sunflowers weren’t purple and pink in color. She feels more ridiculous than usual when she emerges into the kitchen.
“I have some good news for you.” Zhao smiles.
“You’re going to take me back to that volcano you hated so much and pitch me into it.” She mumbles.
The man looks horror-stricken. If she weren’t so low she certainly would have laughed.
“I managed to get you a record deal under a new label.”  
“Please tell me that it isn’t Uncle Iroh’s sketchy basement recording studio.”
“It isn’t. It is another label that I work for.”
“And which one is that?”
“WSLSE.”
Apparently her reaction isn’t satisfactory.
“Wan Shi Tong’s Library Of Sound Entertainment.” He clarifies. “You left a good impression on the man. Raava has also been speaking fondly of you.” He slaps a print out onto the table and pushes it to her. “You have been visiting the wrong websites.”
Her brows crinkle. “You have no right to…”
“Monitor my children’s browsing activity?” He asks. “My children still listen to Happy Hei Bai and my wife doesn’t follow music news. That leaves one person who would search up Blue Talon over and over again.”
She folds her arms. “What of it?”
“You’re making yourself miserable.” He pinches the bridge of his nose. “All of this talent is just...confined to a couch.” He pauses. “Which is why I took it upon myself to get you signed to a new label…”
“With what band, Zhao!”
“You’re a soloist now.”
“A soloist?” She sputters.
“You don’t exactly mesh well with people.”
No doubt he had overheard her screeching at Seicho. “And yet, I can’t seem to do without them.”
He chuckles. “That’s where we disagree. You have a divine voice, to have it buried under wailing guitars and pounding drums is a shame. The idea I pitched is to have you go acapella and truly showcase your voice for everything that it is.”
Azula’s face pales. “In other words, there’s no room for error. Mistakes are easily detectable.”
“You aren’t one for mistakes and error.”
She frowns rather deeply and gestures to her bump. Ever the gentleman Zhao tiptoes his way back a statement or two. “You won’t be alone, you’ll have a team of fantastic producers and a very talented manager.”
Azula inhales through her nose.
“I dropped Blue Talent to focus on this new project…”
“Me.” Somehow she manages to frown more deeply still. “You dropped a band with a perfectly flawless trajectory for me. Since when do you take risks?”
“Since I found someone worth placing a bet on.”
“That’s what I am to you, a bet. A product.”
“A child.” Zhao cuts in. “I’ve known you since you were as young as my own little ones.”
She massages the bridge of her nose. “Zhao, Audio of Agni is a battle of the bands.”
His smile falters. “I am working on that.”
“Spirits, Zhao! What’s the point of putting me back  in the studio if--”
“You don’t need Audio of Agni to make it big.” He mutters. “I don’t know what it is with you youths and hinging your entire careers on it. We didn’t have battle of the bands when I got into this industry. The Tui La’s didn’t part-take until the fourth event.”
“Zhao…”
He cuts her off once more, the audacity of the man. “We’re going to make a name for you regardless of Audio of Agni. And we’ll do it on raw talent alone.”
“Acapella artists never do well.”
“Acapella artists seldom do well. Most of them are generic. Their voices don’t stand out without instruments.”
“I’m known for metal music…”
“And you’re capable of ballads and operatics. With this project we’re going to put emphasis on your clean vocals. Once that takes off, we can take more risks--you can try doing acapella with those screaming vocals…”
This time she cuts him off. “What about piercings and tattoos says, ‘acapella and opera artist’?”
“Your vocals don’t have to match your looks. But if you must have it that way, we can swap out some of your piercings for less...bold ones. We can cover the tattoo. Your pregnancy might help with this new image.”
She cringes though she isn’t entirely opposed to a more elegant style of dress; she enjoys the glitz and glimmer every now and again. But, Agni, she can’t pull it off not when she has let herself go like this.
“Your first session will be tomorrow, I’ll send my wife shopping with you, you could use a wardrobe for photoshoots and what not.”
She only agrees so that she won’t have to beg the man to buy her better clothes.
Chapter 20 Dragon Tongue
It is daunting to see one of her monikers in the headlines again. To see it there in a more neutral, speculative light. ‘Blue Talon Vocalist Flies Again as Dragon Tongue’. She wishes that she could feel something other than dread, a growing sense that she is only building up momentum for a mightier, more embarrassing fall than her first one.
The announcement of her new single is daunting. And attempting to record a whole new extended play before Audio of Agni and the birth of her baby is twice that. Hama is adamant that she should be taking it much easier, especially since finding out that her baby might be born with an unusually low weight.
She thinks that she should be taking it slower. And yet she can’t afford anymore slacking. She has already wasted so much time sulking and moping and making a deeper mess of herself.
And so she is in the recording booth again and with new material. Material and lyrics that are so much rawer. So much more painful to sing through. They are confessions of shame and inadequacy. Laments of betrayal. And ballads of loneliness. And she can’t hide any of the pain behind indistinguishable growls or loud guitar shreds. It is all crisp and vivid. Open. Naked. She isn’t sure that she wants to do this anymore. Not when every session brings her closer to tears. Closer to a total meltdown.
Every session reminds her of what she lost. Every session reminds her that what she is doing now is nothing compared to what she could have been doing. Every session reminds her of Mai and TyLee and of Seicho.
And when her mind isn’t ailing, her body is aching. Aching in ways that she hadn’t anticipated. Her feet hurt so bad, they hurt when she is sitting down. Her ankles are swollen--Hama assures her that this is normal. As normal as the persistent ache in her back and the odd nose bleeds and congestion that she gets every now and then. On those congested days, she can’t even work.
On other days she finds herself short of breath. Her growing baby is pushing against her lungs. On those days her voice is so weak and breathy. She records regardless. Perhaps she would have allowed herself a break if Zhao weren’t so adamant that the breathy quality gives her a one of a kind sound. An ethereal sound.
She is inclined to disagree. She just sounds weak and weird. She pushes through, she always pushes through.
She promises herself that, whatever she does, she will not read the critiques of her new work. Her self-esteem is already in tatters. They talk more about her pregnancy and what it is doing to her body than they do her work. In that regard she almost hopes that Dragon Tongue is such a flop that it will eclipse that sort of talk.
It is well into the evening. The studio gets so much quieter in the evening. And in the silence her loneliness is emphasized. She remembers late nights of purposely poor vocals and drinking. Of idle chatter between songs. She remembers the crashing of a drumsets when Chan forgets to watch where he steps. She remembers stupid cover songs when they had time to kill. She remembers laughing. She remembers happiness. She remembers friendship.
Chapter 21 A Phoenix In The Winter
His world is in a perpetual winter. A little is no longer enough. He no longer needs food or love or inspiration. He no longer needs a band. He only needs a white winter and his presents come in pouches and needles.
He is losing his senses; of time, of himself, of everything really. One day is the same as the next and none of them bring him any closer to true stardom. His bursts of artificial energy only result in disjointed lyrics and half-assed ideas.
There is no organization and no real attempt to turn them into full songs. He has missed shows to the point of his tour being cancelled. It is so much money down the drain that even Iroh has turned his head. And when the word ‘rehab’ falls from his lips, Zuko runs. Perhaps not literally, but he hasn’t spoken to his uncle since, snubbing all attempts at conversation.
He is perpetually twitchy and agitated and Iroh makes a mistake. He enters the room, guns blazing, “Zuko, get in the car.” It is firm but not firm enough for him to put the needle down. The man sighs, “alright, nephew…”
The minute his hands take him by the shoulders, he is on the ground and Zuko is standing over him seething. “Don’t tell me what to do! What are you, anyways!? A fat, lazy, washed up rockstar! I don’t need advice from you!” But he does, he needs it more than ever. He yanks Iroh up and drags him to the door. He knows that uncle is holding back. He would be flat on his own ass if he wasn’t.
“Zuko, don’t do this. Let me help you get off of this path.” He hears as the door slams.
He is already too far down this path. His only option is to keep on walking. Walking down his cracked and lonely, frigid path. It is desolate now that drumsets, guitars, and microphones no longer clutter the street. He doesn’t pass many people. It is just he and the snow and it is falling thicker than ever.
Iroh hasn’t dropped him from the label yet, but he isn’t making anything of it and so it comes as no surprise to him when TyLee informs him that she would like to try her hand at the school’s gymnastics squad. He lets her go because she can have something. She can make something of herself.
He is less surprised when Mai declares that she is going to write a few poems or, “maybe just focus on school.”
It is fine with him, he doesn’t want to drag them under with him. And so he sits alone in the dark, huddled in a corner rocking back and forth, enveloped in a drug induced anxiety. A state of panic and paranoia that he can’t seem to stave off.
He is deep into it when his phone rings. “We need to talk.” Says the voice on the other end.
“Not right now, Mai. I can’t talk right now, Mai.”
She exhales long and audibly. “Yeah, that’s just it, Zuko. You never want to talk. You never want to do anything…” she backtracks some. “You only want to do one thing. You’re high right now aren’t you?”
“Yes...no?” He doesn’t remember. He isn’t sure if he is coming down or in the middle of a bad trip. “Mai? Mai, are you there.”
“I was there, Zuko. But I’m not now. Not anymore. I can’t be.” The line goes dead.
Phoenixes aren’t meant for snow. It is no wonder he is dying.
.oOo.
The school has been closed for hours now. The windows are as dark as he feels within. He scales his way up the roof. Up to the place where his hopes were born and discussed. He can practically taste the cigarette smoke, the anticipation, the energy that came with a dream in the making.
In its wake is a stale taste, he will drown it with another. He pops the cap off of his beer and gives it a good chug, music blasts loudly and aggressively through his headphones. He drapes them around his neck so that he may hear the cars below and the wind around him. It rustles his flannel shirt.
It’s a nice night, clear and warm. Spangled by a vast array of stars that he can’t seem to reach no matter how high he climbs, no matter how far he reaches. He lays back, he wishes he could relax but he doesn’t have enough coke in his system for it. He sits up for another good drink and then another until he feels a buzz. He doesn’t have enough bottles to take him any further. He supposes he doesn’t really need the help, he has his own woes and hopelessness to propel him the rest of the way.
He stands up and makes his way to the very edge of the roof. He swings his arms back and forth in preparation. He takes a deep breath, the song drones on. He takes another breath. Swings his arms. He’ll finish the song and that’s it. Then he’ll take flight.
He inhales deeply as the song fades out. His phone buzzes in his pocket. He takes it out, inclined to throw it as hard as he can; at this point, Mai can go fuck herself. But it isn’t Mai’s name that decorates the screen. It isn’t TyLee’s. It isn’t even Iroh’s.
He doesn’t know why, but he picks up the phone. For a moment he only hears breathing, breathing and perhaps sniffling. It takes him a moment to realize what he is hearing, but before he can make anything of it, she speaks, “Zuzu?”
He doesn’t reply.
“Zuzu, I really need someone. I need you.”
Chapter 22 The Dragon & The Phoenix
His chest constricts and he grits his teeth. “I need someone too.”  He turns off his music and kicks the empty bottles, they shatter upon the pavement below. “Where are you?” The line goes dead and a text comes through.
By all means, he shouldn’t be driving, but he climbs behind the wheel of Iroh’s car. Spirits, he hopes that he doesn't wreck it. Iroh is already furious.
Truth be told he hadn't known what to expect. Throughout the drive images flashed through his mind, each of them involving a drunkenly enraged Ozai and Azula huddled in the corner. When he reaches the studio he does fine her in the corner. But she is alone.
Alone and very heavily pregnant. He thinks that he remembers reading about that somewhere but, like many other things, it had slipped his mind. For a moment he thinks that he got the wrong address, he doesn’t recognize her with her belly so big and her expression so tired and defeated.
Even if he did have the wrong address, he wouldn’t have left. He couldn’t have. He can’t remember the last time he had sobered up so abruptly. With fumbling fingers he ties his headphones tightly around her arm just above her wrist.
Her other hand comes to squeeze his own wrist. “You don’t have to, it’s not that deep.” She mumbles softly.
“Not that deep!?”
She doesn’t meet his eyes. “I changed my mind. It’s...it’s really not that deep, I just need a bandage.” She gestures vaguely towards the door. “There’s a first aid kit in the lobby.”
He gets up to leave and hesitates, casting a look back at her.
“Go on, Zuzu. I’m not going to do anything else. I...I don’t want to die.”
He wishes that he could say the same. He comes back with the first aid kit and begins bandaging her wrist only to have her slap his hand away with a curt, “I can do it myself.”
He scoffs, “then what the fuck am I here for?”
She flinches. “Nothing, never mind. You can go.”
He rubs his hands over his face. He hasn’t spoken to her in so long, he’d forgotten how she can be. Even when she’s asking for help she can’t swallow her pride. Even when she’s asking for help she’s intolerable. He almost does leave but he thinks that if he does she might just change her mind a second time. He sighs, “why did you ask me to come here if you don’t want my help?”
She holds her silence until he is on the very edge of frustration. “I want you, Zuzu. I don’t have anyone to talk to.”
“So I’m your last resort?”
She nods. At least he can commend her for her honesty.
“I think that I need to talk to you specifically.”
His brows furrow, “why do you think that?”
“Because you would understand.”
He tilts his head.
“What failure is like.” She elaborates.
He feels as though he has been punched in the gut. “Seriously, you called me here to insult me? I don’t need this shit right now, okay!”
She shakes her head vigorously. “I--no, that’s not what I meant.” She rubs her hands over her face. He cringes at the smear of blood she leaves behind. He doesn’t think that she has noticed. If she has, she doesn’t bother to wipe it away.
“What else can you mean?”
She thinks for a moment, “Empathy. I’m empathizing?”
He has to laugh. He face falls. It is his turn to clarify, “we’re a pathetic duo, aren’t we?”
She nods, “very.”  She wipes the remaining tears from her eyes. “I suppose that it’s the rockstar lifestyle. The parts they don’t talk about…”
“Or it’s the father that raised us.” He grumbles. For once she doesn’t protest this. He wonders just what the man did to her. “What happened? You were doing so good.”
“So were you.” And with a shake of  her head she adds,  “no I wasn’t.”
“Neither was I…” He trails off.
“What happened…” she repeats the question back to him and then she rubs her good hand over her baby bump.
“Right. Yeah. That’ll do it.” He frowns. “Chan’s?”
“How’d you know?”
“He’s a total tool.” Zuko shrugs.
She laughs, a very quiet and sad sort of chuckle but a laugh no less. “What about you, Zuzu. I haven’t heard a thing about From Ashes To Phoenix since…”
“Since I went berserk and got arrested at my own concert? Yeah. Because there hasn’t been a thing to talk about since.”
“Not even one new song?”
“There’s no time for songs when you’re...when you’re…”
“On drugs?” She finishes. “Zuko, what happened to us? How did this happen?”
“It just did, I guess.” He frowns. It is much more complex than that. “Are you still with father, I’m sure that Iroh wouldn’t mind letting you stay with us. He probably needs a break from me.”
“I’m staying with Zhao. He got me a new record deal and…”
And Zuko is once again furious. Even when she’s falling, she’s still on her way up. She still has something going for her. She’s probably still getting good publicity. Hell, even bad publicity can take her far. It’s all about the spotlight and she decided to open her wrists. And with a baby in her belly. Perhaps that is why she changed her mind so quickly. Perhaps it is why she had made her initial decision. The anger passes as quickly as it had come over him. “I’m angry all the time.” He doesn’t mean to cut her off, it just falls from his lips. He hasn’t really gotten a chance to get it out.
“I can tell.” She replies. “It’s in your eyes.” She seems to hum to herself. “But you have Mai,TyLee, and Iroh, right?”
He shakes his head. “They’re all disappointed, mad, both?”
“Everyone, except Zhao--I guess--is angry with me.”
“For being pregnant?”
“For being...unbearable. You don’t even want to be here, Zuzu. I can tell.” “I don’t want to be anywhere, actually. It has nothing to do with you. Really, it doesn’t.” He pauses. “I was about to jump.”
“Why did you change your mind?”
“I was interrupted.”
She nods and then her eyes widen, only briefly, with understanding. “Why didn’t you call me?”
He almost tells her that it is because she is her. Instead he responds, “I didn’t think about it, I guess. Drugs do that.”
She nods again. And then her eyes light up. “You can record things with me! I won’t be alone anymore and you’ll be able to get back on track!”
“I can’t focus on music right now.”
And her face falls again.
“But you can still talk to me. I can go with you to appointments.” He offers.
“What about you?”
“What about me?”
“Can I come with you to rehab?”
He rubs his hands over his face. “I guess. If Uncle is still willing to take me there.”
“He’s uncle. Of course he’ll still take you.”
Chapter 23 Life In The Embers
She feels both better and worse all at once. In a sense it had been liberating to let her emotions flood over, to get them out, to let herself reach the very bottom. There is a sense of calm that follows in its wake. A sense of calm that has compelled her to call Seicho and ask her if she could meet her in the recording studio. Only after the girl had said that she would think about it did Azula send her, her schedule for that week.
At the very least, she can talk to Zuko now. Even if much of their conversation has been getting him through the first stages of withdrawal. Truthfully it was nothing like she had expected.There was no shaking, no vomiting nor sweating. If she didn’t know him she would say that he wasn’t going through withdrawals at all. But she does know him well enough to know that he isn’t himself.
It has been six days since he’d found her with her bleeding wrists and five days since she’d accompanied him to his first rehab visit. Five days since Iroh, for the first time, looked at her with care and trust.  Five days since she realized that she might not be left on her own with this baby. Five days and she is due to check in on Zuzu, if only to intimidate him into keeping on track.
She removes her studio headphones, hangs them up on their designated rack, and exits the recording booth.
“Done for the day?” Zhao asks.
Azula nods, “I promised Zuzu that I would meet him at The Serpant’s Pass Cafe. I’m ahead of schedule anyhow.”
“Very ahead. You’re only a song away from a full setlist.” Zhao agrees. “How about you take the day off. If you’re up for it, I can try to get in touch with a director and we can discuss a music video. It doesn’t have to be fancy…”
“I think that simplicity will work well for this new sound.” Azula agrees. “We’ll talk, Zhao.”
For the first time in a while, she leaves the recording studio with a smile. A smile and a sense that things will come together as they used to. She slips her sunglasses over her eyes and makes her way across the street as hastily and discreetly a possible. People are paying her attention again and it comes in the form of photo op and autograph requests and an occasional paparazzi intrusion. For now she evades their lurking.
She finds Zuko sitting at the corner most table of the cafe’s patio, already well into an appetizer. She slips into her chair only to find that it is not an appetizer at all, but spicy wings. “You started eating without me?”
He shrugs, “want one?”
She shakes her head.
“But you love spicy food.”
“The baby doesn’t.” She frowns.
“Well I already ordered the rest of our food.”  He gestures to the waiter heading for their table with a rather absurd amount of platters. Between her pregnancy and his withdrawal cravings, she and him are a horrid duo in this regard. She thinks to question it only until Zuko begins tearing into his meal.
She rolls her eyes, “don’t be sloppy.” At least she can handle her liberal appetite with poise and grace.
“Don’tell me whadda do.” He grumbles through a mouthful.
She cringes. “Don’t talk with your mouth full.”
He repeats himself. When he finally swallows the rest of his food he asks, “how have you been holding up.”
Azula sighs deeply, “I can’t breathe properly and I’ve had this annoying itch.”
“An itch.”
“On my belly.”
“Is that...normal?”
“Hama, my physician, says that it is. Something about skin expanding and dryness.” Nevermind the technicalities, the results are very mildly agitating. “And you, Zuzu?”
He frowns, “it’s hard Azula. You can’t even imagine.”
“You look better.”
“But I feel...restless and anxious. And depressed--I’m not sure if this is the drugs though.” He pauses. “I’m tired all the time and the nightmares don’t help.”
“What sort of nightmares?”
“They’re intense. Everyone is reminding me that I’m not going to amount to anything. Dad is always there. He...does things to me in these dreams. Worse than the real stuff.”
Azula nods.
“And Mai is there. So is TyLee, but she’s...weird. She contorts in ways that are crazy even for TyLee. I also had a dream that Aang, you remember him, right?”
“The neighbor kid with the big dog who liked to eat glue? I remember him, yeah. Why?”
“In one of my dreams he had these wild powers and there was this comet and Aang had to stop our father from using it to set the whole world on fire.”
Azula blinks, “Zuzu, there are corners of your mind that disturb me.”
He laughs. Admittedly it is nice to hear him laugh and nicer still to know that she has helped him laugh--a far cry from the distress she used to cause him.
“I suppose that I wouldn’t sleep easily either if I was dreaming about the glue kid getting superpowers.”
He laughs again. “Thanks for coming here, Azula. It’s nice to have someone to keep me company while I go through this.”
“Don’t get sappy on me, Zuzu.” She roll her eyes. She knows that if he does and starts hitting the right cords that she’ll probably start weeping, a humiliating mess of chaotic hormones. “I suppose that I share the sentiment.” She taps her fingers nails against the tabletop, they have grown increasingly long as of late. “You should try to get in good graces with Mai and TyLee again.”
“So should you?” He quirks a brow.
“They’re your bandmates and you still have a chance if you get it together. You already have enough material for Audio of Agni, you just need some publicity. Good publicity.” She pauses. “Of course, you’ll need a band first.”
“Azula, I’m still going through withdrawals.”
“All the more reason to do it. You could use a distraction.”
“You’re a distraction.”
“A bigger distraction. I can’t be here all the time, I have doctor appointments and a career to keep on top of. I’ve only just started getting back on front pages…” for good reasons, she nearly adds, “I need to keep my momentum.”
“So you’re choosing your career over me.”
“I’m choosing my well-being, my baby’s well-being. I don’t really have many other options, a successful solo project is my best chance to provide for this baby.”
“Have you considered adoption?”
It comes like a slap to the face, though she doesn’t think that he means it as such. She bites back her initial scathing retort. “I’m not going through all of this discomfort, disowning, and humiliation just to give the baby away. It’s mine. I want her.”
Zuko lifts his hands, “alright, sorry.”  He puts them back down. “I was just really hoping that you’d be here more. I know, I’m surprised too; you’re insensitive and kind of the worst.”
“You’re a funny man, Zuko.” She responds dryly. “I’m not going to abandon you, not when you’re this pathetic. I just think that you should have more support than just me.”
“Do you have any other support?”
“Seicho, hopefully.” She pauses and pushes her final plate aside. “I’d also like to speak with Mai and TyLee again.”  She stands up and pushes her chair in.
“I’ll try to talk to them.”
“Make sure to mention that you’re in rehab and that you know you’re an asshole. The asshole bit is especially necessary with Mai.”
“I’ll call you and let you know how it goes?”
“It better go well.”  She wishes herself the same luck.
.oOo.
Azula looks much better now, happier, healthier, stronger. There is a radiance about her, something subtle but still present. And it is no wonder; she is back in the press again and much of the headlines predict a groundbreaking and unexpected comeback. The boast of a fallen vocalist whose flame is rising again despite it all. Seicho wonders if the girl is even aware.
“Thank you for meeting with me, Seicho, it is nice to see you again.”
Seicho nods. “Sure, Azula.”
Her gait is rather awkward as she walks alongside her. It prompts Seicho to inquire, “are things going well with the baby?”
“Mostly, yes. Hama has a few concerns.”
“You look a lot better.” Seicho remarks.
“Ugg, if only I felt that way.”
It comes to Seicho then, that the girl is breathing quite heavily, “do you need me to slow down.”
Azula nods, “a little bit yes.”
Seicho chuckles and slings her arm over Azula’s shoulders. She wishes that the girl weren’t so endearing, maybe then she could have drawn her resentment out longer. As things are, Azula is quite precious with her semi-clumsy gait and that genteler twinkle in her eyes. “What did you want to talk about?”
“I would like you to consider not being angry with me anymore.”
Seicho bursts out laughing. “Azula, that is the worst peacemaking opener I have ever heard.”
“How am I supposed to do it?”
“‘I’m sorry that I went off on you for no reason’, would be a good way.”
Azula’s cheeks flush. Seicho thinks that hers might be growing pink as well. She’s adorable, unquestionably so. “I...don’t usually...apologize to people.”
“I can tell.”
Her entire face is red now.
“You’re doing pretty alright.
“Does that mean you are considering my proposal? To not be mad at me?”
Seicho rolls her eyes. “Yes, that’s what it means.” That hopeful little smile seals the deal. “You wanna tell me about your new song ideas? This new concept is...different.”
“Do you like it?”
“I think that it suits you well.” Seicho replies. “You have a pretty voice. I didn’t realize that you had that kind of range. The breathing techniques are really bizarre but they sound neat.”
“Oh, those aren’t techniques. That is me suffering while I try to sing with this baby crushing my lungs.” Her eyes go wide for a flicker. “You’ve been listening to my new music?”
“N-no, well, it’s been on the radio so I couldn’t avoid it!”
She shakes her head, “you listened enough to be able to give me a review.”
“Fine, I’ve been listening to your new material. But I was still mad the whole time, okay? I was listening with resentment.”
Chapter 24
With a new digital album release and a highly anticipated music video in the works, Azula is growing confident again though Audio Of Agni still seems to be far out of her reach. If she makes the right moves and if her pregnancy doesn’t spring up any surprises, she might just be able to make it without the competition. It isn’t ideal and it is terribly frustrating, but at least she doesn’t feel so helpless anymore.
Mostly she feels drained and achy. Her sides stitch from time to time and her entire lower body is growing sore from carrying so much extra weight around. She exhales, she isn’t sure how much more of this she can take.  Hama had warned her about the small contractions but they still take her by surprise every time.
They happen now, and when she could really use a break from them. She is just thankful that she is through with recording. From the looks of it, she will have to find a way to shoot the music video mostly sitting or laying. She has passed several ideas onto Zhao, her favorite being a trip to the local theater where she can perch herself on a stool and sing to an empty venue. They can make use of dramatic lighting and add glitter or glow effects electronically. It is simple and will rely on old time Noh theater aesthetics and a stunning costume. She anticipates that the mask will be the most expensive piece. The simpler, one location video will leave plenty of room in the budget for that.
She casts a look at the door. “They’ll be here soon.” Seicho assures her.
“But what if they decide not to come? Mai, TyLee, and I haven’t parted on good terms.” She rubs her hand over her belly.
“You’ve been helping Zuko out so much, you practically saved their band, how mad can they be?”
She isn’t sure that she wants to find out. Not that she has the chance to retract her invitation she hears a knock and climbs to her feet. Her bump lightly knocks against the table as she does so and she curses to herself. “I can get it, you know?”
Azula waves her hand dismissively. “I’m pregnant, not useless.”
.oOo.
Zuko hadn’t realized just how much a few weeks could change a person. Her cheeks are rosier and the bump is bigger still. In spite of it all, her look of prowess and determination has returned. She wears her pride as though it had never slipped from her grasp at all. Frankly, he hadn’t realized that it was truly missing until having seen it returned.
“Oh wow, you’re so big!” TyLee comments,clasps her hands, and holds them to her lips.
Azula’s face, already flushed lightly, grows redder still.
“How far along are you?” TyLee asks.
“Month six.” Azula huffs as she gestures them inside.
“Congratulations?” Mai quirks a brow.
She clears her throat, “thank you.”
He watches her make her way to her seat. She backtracks to fetch her water bottle and semi-clumsily saunters her way back to her seat.
“Still adjusting?” Mai asks.
“Constantly adjusting.” Azula grumbles before taking a drink. She rests her free hand on the bump. “You’re mostly done going through withdrawals, yes, Zuzu?”
He nods. “Sometimes I still really want to use again. Badly. It’s unbearable...it would be if I didn’t…”
“Take my advise and get back into the music industry? Yes, I am aware. You are welcome.” He has to laugh at her audacity, at least these days it is somewhat endearing. “You look a lot better Zuzu. Your eyes don’t have bags that reach to the floor anymore.”
“I don’t know if you’re trying to compliment me or insult me.”
“It’s a compliment, I’m saying that you don’t look like a walking corpse anymore.”  
Somehow, he does feel a sense of pride in that. It is progress. Progress that he has made. Progress that he is still making. And she isn’t the only one who has noted these changes. Azula has certainly changed radically in the past few weeks, but he can’t deny that the changes in him have been just as dramatic even if they are less outwardly perceived. He does feel better about himself; he feels more inspired than ever, more creative and, for a change, it isn’t synthetic. It is all him, his mind, his...brilliance. He thinks that he can consider himself smart, at the very least he can consider himself not dumb.
She pulls out a pen and a sheet of paper. “So let’s start talking about music. I read over some of your new lyrics, they are rather solid they can just use some fine tuning and better penmanship, I don’t know what this is supposed to say.” She gestures to the worst of his chicken scratch.
He finds himself beaming regardless. She had given him a real compliment. He has written something worth singing. He could cry...
“Azula, can we just...be friends again first?” TyLee asks.
Her brows furrow, “you want to be friends again.”
TyLee smiles and nods. “To be honest, I don’t really even remember why we were fighting.”
“Because she kept picking on my boyfriend and working us to exhaustion.” Mai shrugs.
Azula’s expression darkens again.
“To be fair, she’s been working herself to exhaustion.” Zuko steps in.
She shrugs again, “I suppose that I don’t know many other people who work this hard six months in.”
“I have a lot that needs to be accomplished.”
“And you only have until battle of the bands to do it?”
“Solo artists can’t join.” She frowns, only to perk up again when adding, “but I’ve already written a setlist and a few ideas just in case.”
Zuko laughs, “of course you did.”
“Who is this?” TyLee points to Seicho.
She looks up from her phone, “I’m Azula’s girlfriend.”
“You are?” TyLee and Azula ask at once.
Seicho looks at Azula, “I thought that you knew that.”
“Azula is clueless.” Mai rolls her eyes. “You can take her on as many dates as you’d like, you can kiss her several times--”
“I have! Mostly in the recording booth between songs.” She declares.
“--And she still won’t put two and two together until you tell her that you’re dating.”
Seicho drapes her arm over Azula’s shoulder and pulls her closer. Her other hand reaches for Azula’s. “I go with her to her appointments too. I figured that she can pretend like I’m the baby’s father since Chan is an ass.”
“It’s Chan’s?” TyLee gasps. “He said that--”
“He lied. It is easier to make me out to be...dangerously promiscuous.”
“Oh Azula, I’m sorry.”
Azula offers only a dismissive wave. “Enough baby and drama talk. We need to start discussing music before the studio closes for the night. They lock up on Mondays for cleaning.”
.oOo.
All in all the night has been a success on a musical level and on a social level. The departure of Mai and TyLee is such a stark contrast to their last one. They part with an offer to team up with and do vocals for From Ashes To Phoenix should they make it to Audio Of Agni as well as an offer to invite her to game night at Iroh’s.
“I don’t know, card games, potato chips, and a super campy horror movie sound great!” Seicho declares. “Do you think that they’ll be down for basement tattoos?”
“Probably.” Azula answers nonchalantly. “Exactly how do you plan to get this past your parents? The last time I checked, they said that they didn’t want you hanging around some tramp.”
“They’re never home.” She shrugs. “And when they are, they don’t really pay much attention to me. They didn’t even know that I was a tattoo artist until I came home with a sleeve.”
“I see.” She replies. “Am I dropping you off at home or are you coming with me to Zhao’s place?”
“Zhao’s place! He makes a bitchin’ yakitori!”
Chapter 25 A Phone Call
If Iroh has an issue with the blearing music, he keeps it to himself. Azula reaches for another chip. “Hmmm...truth or dare, Azula?” She puts down the chip.
“Dare.”
“You’ve been picking dare all night!” She frowns, putting her hands on her hips.
“What can I say, I’m a daring person.”
“You just don’t want to tell the truth.” Seicho nudges her.
“I dare you to pick truth next time someone asks you to.”
“That’s cheating.”
“Mm mm, it’s not.” TyLee shakes her head, “we didn’t establish that rule when we were establishing the other rules.
“Truth or dare, Mai?”
“Dare.”
TyLee puffs out her cheeks. “You guys never pick truth!”
“I dare you to be the first one to get a tattoo tonight.”
“I’ll get one right now.” Mai shrugs. “I’ve had one on my mind for a while now.”
“Kickass! What can I get for you?” Seicho asks. “You can sketch it out while I get set up.” She leans in to kiss Azula on the forehead before getting up.
“Truth or dare, Zuko?”
He glances at TyLee before choosing dare.
“I dare you to…”
Azula leans over and whispers in her ear.
“I dare you to prank call Zhao.”
He punches Zhao’s number into the landline pinpad. “Hello, is this Zhao?”
Azula, Mai, and TyLee lean over his shoulder.
“Yes, this is Sokka. I am interested in getting a record deal.” He clears his throat. “Sorry, I’m nervous, I’ve never asked for a record deal before. But I have this great concept its...uh…” He looks at Azula. “It’s uh...okay, picture this, seven minutes of dog barks with occasional bursts of that noise you hear when you’ve lost TV signal.” He listens. “No, no! This is a totally serious pitch! I’ve even named the track it’s called, ‘Bark At The Static’ and I think that I’d be great touring with that guy who dresses up as a cabbage and Yodels.”
TyLee snickers.
The line goes dead and Azula sits down to finally have her chip. She dips it into the salsa.
“Okay, truth or truth, Azula?”
She rolls her eyes. “Truth number two.”
“Hmmm, do you miss being in Blue Talon.”
“A little, I suppose. I don’t think that I’d like to go back to them though. They lack integrity.” She scoffs. “They’re using my story to sell the band.”
“Your story?”  Mai asks.
“I wrote about father before I was kicked out of the band.”
“I write about him too.”
“Yes, Zuzu, I’ve been helping you write those songs.”
“Right.”
“Everything’s all set up. You didn’t sketch, did you?”
Mai fishes through her bag, “I did a while ago.” Azula looks it over. It’s a darkly alluring sketch of a hand holding a punctured heart, weeping roses and thorns. “I want it on my left shoulder blade and a simple throwing star on the right one.”  
While Mai gets herself comfortable in Seicho’s makeshift chair, Azula reclains and reads through the newsfeed. Blue Talon is still soaring high as ever, but From Ashes To Phoenix is already garnering heavy attention with their new single announcement. The whole thing was rather sappy story about Zuko’s recent rehab struggles and an apology for acting out on stage. And for herself, Dragon Tongue is finally being praised for her stunning vocals and her soft, divine sound.
Azula is still rather conflicted about how quickly they were to turn from accusing her of pregnancy being obscene and raunchy to them gushing about how a baby on the way is the finishing touch on her new, soothing sound. She supposes that she should be thankful that they are speaking well of her again, regardless of hypocrisy. She wonders if her father is reading these headlines; wonders if her is proud or if he is seething--fuming because she is still rising despite his efforts to snuff her flame.
“What sort of tattoos were the rest of you thinking of getting?”
“I just want a cute little cherry blossom on my pinky!” TyLee answers.
“A broken chain.” Zuko replies. “On my bicep.”
Azula thinks for a moment. “I’ll let you know as soon as I figure it out. I have to wait until after the baby is born.”
“Oh, right!” Seicho replies. “Maybe I can help you design one.”
Her phone vibrates in her hand, the number on the screen is unfamiliar. “Hello?”
“Azula?”
“Yes.”
“This is Raava.”
“Raava!?”
She hears the tattoo gun flick off and four heads turn in her direction.
“You have a gift and it will be heard at Audio Of Agni. I’d like to talk with you about a loophole that I found.”
“What sort of loophole?”
“You have done work with From Ashes To Phoenix, yes?”
“I will be recording with them soon.”
“I am going to extend a formal invitation to From Ashes To Phoenix. Given their cooperation, you will perform two of three songs with them and one solo.”
She hadn’t expected to cry that night, but she does. She feels like a fool crying in front of all of them, but she is so relieved. Relieved and hopeful. She hasn’t lost her dream.
It will be an absolute treat to see the shock and horror radiate off of Blue Talon when she makes her appearance. And a larger treat to show her father that her worth is beyond what he can give her.
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