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#also please forgive me I wrote this very late at night so there's probably a bunch of mistakes
tleeaves · 18 days
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Folks going "WHAT they made a show about the Fallout franchise?? I've been hearing people say Bethesda messed it up, but I haven't watched it myself, so I'm going to trust the word of other people -- some of which also haven't finished watching it" is driving me insane.
Being a hard core fan of something obviously brings with it a lot of passionate feelings when adaptations come into play. Of course, there's going to be people going "but in 8 episodes of the first ever season they made, they didn't explore Theme C or D, didn't introduce factions E and F and G, and because the source company is notorious for its scams, we and everyone else who's a TRUE fan should hate it".
The Amazon Original series Fallout follows the videogame franchise of the same name. It is a labour of love and you can tell by the attention to detail, the writing, the sets, and YES THE THEMES ARGUE WITH THE WALL. It's clearly fan service. I mean, the very characterisation of Lucy is a deadringer for someone playing a Fallout game for the first time. She embodies the innocent player whose expectations drastically change in a game that breaks your heart over and over again. Of course, she's also the vessel through which we explore a lot of themes, but I'll get to that.
There're some folks arguing that the show retcons the games, and I gotta say... for a website practically built on fandom culture, why are we so violently against the idea of someone basing an adaptation on a franchise that so easily lends itself to new and interesting interpretations? But to be frank, a lot of what AO's Fallout is not that new. We have: naive Vault dweller, sexy traumatised ghoul that people who aren't cowards will thirst over, and pathetic guy from a militaristic faction. We also have: total atomic annihilation, and literally in-world references to the games' lore and worldbuilding constantly (the way I was shaking my sister over seeing Grognark the Barbarian, Sugar Bombs, Cram, Stimpaks, and bags of RadAway was ridiculous). Oh, and the Red Rocket?? Best pal Dogmeat? I'm definitely outing myself as specifically a Fallout 4 player, but that's not the point you should be taking away from this.
The details, the references, and the new characters -- this show is practically SCREAMING "hey look, we did this for the fans, we hope you love it as much as we do". Who cares that the characters are new, they still hold the essence of ones we used to know! And they're still interesting, so goddamn bloody interesting. Their arcs mean so much to the story, and they're told in a genuinely intriguing way. This isn't just any videogame adaptation, this was gold. This sits near Netflix's Arcane: League of Legends level in videogame adaptation. Both series create new plots out of familiar worlds.
Of course, those who've done the work have already figured out AO's Fallout is not a retcon anyway. But even if it was, that shouldn't take away from the fact that this show is actually good. Not even just good, it's great.
Were some references a little shoe-horned in to the themes by the end of the show, such as with "War never changes"? Yes, I thought so. But I love how even with a new plot and characters, they're actually still exploring the same themes and staying true to the games. I've seen folks argue otherwise, but I truly disagree. The way capitalism poisons our world, represented primarily through The American Dream and the atomic age of the 45-50s that promoted the nuclear family dynamic -- it's there. If you think it's glorifying it by leaning so heavily into in the adaptation, I feel like you're not seeing it from the right angle. It's like saying Of Mice And Men by John Steinbeck glorifies the American Dream, when both this book and the Fallout franchise are criticisms of it. If you think about it, the post-apocalyptic world of Fallout is a graveyard to the American Dream. This criticism comes from the plots that are built into every Fallout story that I know of. The Vaults are literally constructed to be their own horror story just by their mere existence, what they stand for, what happens in each of them. The whole entire show is about the preservation of the wrong things leading to fucked up worlds and people. The missions of the Vaults are time and again proven to be fruitless, unethical, plain wrong. Lucy is our brainwashed character who believed in the veritable cult she lived in before she found out the truth.
So then consider the Brotherhood of Steel. I really don't think it exists in the story to glorify the military. We see just how much the Brotherhood has brainwashed people like Max (also, anything ominously named something like "the Brotherhood" should raise eyebrows). Personally, I don't like Max, but I am intrigued by his characterisation. I thought the end of his arc was rushed the way he "came good" basically, but [SPOILERS] having him embraced as a knight in the Brotherhood at the end against his will -- finally getting something he always wanted -- and him grimly accepting it from all that we can tell? Him having that destiny forced upon him now that he's swaying? After he defected? If his storyline is meant to be a tragedy, it wouldn't surprise me, because Fallout is rife with tragedies anyway. And a tragedy would also be a criticism of the military. That's what Max's entire arc is. It goes from the microcosm focusing on the cycle of bullying between soldiers to the macro-environment where Max is being forced to continue a cycle of violence against humanity he doesn't want to anymore because a world driven to extremes forces him to choose it to survive (not to mention what a cult and no family would do to his psyche). Let's not forget what the Brotherhood's rules are: humankind is supreme. Mutants, ghouls, synths, and robots are abominations to be hated and destroyed. If you can't draw the parallels to the real world, you need to retake history and literature classes. The Brotherhood is also about preserving the wrong things, like the Vaults (like the Enclave, really). They just came about through different method. The Enclave is capitalism and twisted greed in a world where money barely exists anymore. The Brotherhood is, well, fascism plain and simple.
Are these the only factions in the Fallout franchise? Hell no. But if you're mad about that -- that they're the main ones explored, apart from the NCR -- I think you're missing the point. These themes, these reminders, are highly relevant in the current climate. In fact, I almost think they always will be relevant unless we undergo drastic change. On the surface-level, Fallout seems like the American ideal complete with guns blazing that guys in their basements jerk off to. Under that surface, is a mind-fuck story about almost the entire opposite: it's a deconstruction of American ideals that are held so closely by some, and the way that key notion of freedom gets twisted, and you're shooting a guy in-game because it's more merciful than what the world had in store for him.
I mean, the ghoul's a fucking cowboy from the wild west character he used to play in Hollywood glam and his wife was one of the people who helped blow up America in the name of capitalism and "peace". There are so many layers of this to explore, I'd need several days to try and keep track and go through it all.
The Amazon Prime show is a testament to the Fallout franchise. The message, the themes? They were not messed up or muddled or anything of the sort, in my opinion.
As for Todd Howard, that Bethesda guy, I'm sure there's perfectly valid reasons to hate him. I mean, I've hated people for a lot less valid reasons, and that's valid. We all got our feelings. But the show is about more than just him. My advice is to keep that in mind when you're judging it.
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kquil · 8 months
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Hello, first of all, congratulations for hitting 1k followers! You absolutely deserve it :>>
I was hoping to request for a cupcake 🧁
Some things about myself:
I am a Libra, and currently taking classes to become a Clinical Psychologist, and I have an interest for anything artistic. I have been cosplaying for a year now, and have attended 6 different conventions. I like going out, but I hate people, it's mostly just to hang out with my friends or people I feel comfortable around. But if I am not doing that, I am in the library reading, pressing flowers, writing letters, learning how to play the guitar and sew, painting or making small gifts in my room. If I am not making the gifts, then I saved up enough money to buy something out of my friends' or lover's wishlist. I like spoiling people, and giving them gifts. Since I am not good with my words, I love giving people gifts. I am extremely clingy and talkative, especially around people I am romantically interested in.
I wear mostly black, if it isn't that then I am most likely wearing red. I have a ridiculous shoe collection consisting of platform boots or heels and a load of converse. I have way too many coats and jackets, the majority of them being fake leather. But I am currently learning how to knit, so I can make cardigans for myself and others. My music taste ranges from Taylor Swift to KPOP to Pierce the Veil. I also live in black eyeliner and a vampy red lip, occasionally some fake gems. I am also very extra with my hair styles and accessories, and you can often find me doing others' hair and makeup.
I love wearing my partners' clothes. You can tell which is theirs and mine, unless they have a similar aesthetic to mind. I used to have a very grungy aesthetic clothing wise, but I am trying to shift to a more "fancy vampire". If my partners' shoes are my size, I shall wear them. I am polyamorous(though I haven't had the best experience with some), and I am questioning my sexuality but the closest is Pansexual. And I think that's all- I probably missed out on a few stuff, but I am writing this on the bus to my uni 😭
Again, congratulations and I hope you have a great day or night! :>>
thank you for the congratulations, darling and for requesting a cupcake, i hope you enjoy what i wrote for you and am sorry that it took so long for me to deliver - please forgive me darling! (┳Д┳)
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i ship you with Remus Lupin 
i. the first time remus saw you was when you were in the library reading a book. it was just a passing glance but you caught his eye immediately. It was pretty late in the evening and students were settling down, partaking in their hobbies and most had changed into their casual clothes. your choice of clothing was not what he expected from someone who was the picture of elegance when holding a book. however, that wasn’t what you were doing, no. just as remus sat down at a table across from you, preparing to take out his favourite book, a soft and sweet smile stretches across your face as you pull a thinly pressed and beautifully preserved flower from the pages of your book. around you, your friends awe and praise your beautiful work as he watches you humbly accept their compliments. Your sweet expression, your humble disposition and unusual but pretty style of clothing had remus hooked instantly.
ii. remus’ favourite seat at the library becomes the one that is sat directly opposite you. he’s been called pathetic for his silent pinning of you, not even knowing your name but he knows your sweet face, pretty hairstyles and beautiful beautiful red lips. he often finds himself thinking about whether they taste as sweet as they appear, especially when you smile and laugh with your close group of friends. it’s pretty embarrassing how often you occupy his mind despite not even knowing your name.
iii. remus often groans about how he can approach you without being a creep. he’s already being a bit of a creep by visiting the library whenever you were there and always making sure to sit across from you - if the seat is already taken he grumbles and pouts in another seat, glaring at the occupier of his ideal perch but eventually always being put in a better mood through your antics. remus isn’t a true gryffindor if he can’t even muster up the courage to talk to the one girl he fancies - you - and agonises over any excuse there is until he is given a perfect reason.  
iv. for some time, remus has seen you agonise over a new hobby you have taken up. it’s been a few months and he’s seen you make a great number of small things such as knitted toys, hats, gloves and now you were attempting to make cardigans as winter approaches. with his keen ears he was able to divulge that you wanted to knit personalised cardigans as presents for your friends this coming christmas but couldn’t find a design pretty enough but simple enough to draw inspiration from. 
v. the next time remus walks into the library, he’s wearing a cable knit sweater with intricate details that don’t appear too hard to replicate. as he sits down across from you, he pretends to be occupied with his book and tries his best not to grin too widely when he feels your eyes on him. he’s an avid collector of knitted cardigans and sweaters and he’s never been so grateful for his hobby. you begin knitting with the cutest smile on your face and often look up to study the pattern on remus’ cardigan. the tall brunette is all too happy to oblige in your oogling, he’s been doing it to you for months, afterall, this is the least he could do. remus would often get up to look around for a book that doesn’t exist just so you could observe the pattern on his cardigan better and on all sides. that evening remus couldn’t stop smiling to himself, he fell asleep smiling too.
vi. the next day, remus didn’t wear the same cardigan he had worn previously, just so he could see how you would react. it was quite adorable really… you looked very cute looking up at him periodically, wanting him to notice your pleading gaze and getting more and more desperate as the evening became later and later. he finally decided to give you a break as he was beginning to feel a little guilty and locked eyes with you. he smiles and you smile and he tilts his head as if asking you what was wrong. instead of trying to communicate across the room, you immediately get up make your way over to him. finally, he knows your name
vii. “um… the cardigan you wore yesterday, may i borrow it, please?”, naturally, he asks whatever for, a smile never leaving his face, making your cheeks heat up despite the reassurance and peace his warm expression gives you, “i-...i know this sounds weird but i was using it as inspiration for a pattern that i want to knit…” of course, remus couldn’t say ‘no’, especially when you smiled so brightly to his consent. 
viii. unfortunately, that seemed to be the extent of your interaction and remus was back to square one. at least you were happy…and he can admit that seeing you walk into the library with his cardigan in your arms made his heart want to sing every time. the only thing he plans to focus on is how he plans to act and what he should say when the time eventually comes for you to return his cardigan. you promised that you wouldn’t keep it too long, only for one cardigan so he didn’t have much time to think. 
ix. Before remus knew it, however, you were already handing back his cardigan to him. “Thank you for letting me borrow it,” you chirp happily, which makes a smile break out across his face. he was just panicking over what he should say or do but there’s something about you that makes him feel at ease. he was about to shrug it off when you hand him another cardigan, “here, I hope I got the measurements right,” remus was stunned. you had knitted him a cardigan as thanks, not only that but you created a small and pretty bookmark since he was “always reading books,” 
x. “It’s now or never moony!” sirius shouts from behind him as your brows raise up in surprise. before he could stop himself, the words were already tumbling out of his mouth, “will you please go out with me?!”. to his surprise, you said yes, looking as pretty as ever. maybe, one day, he could finally kiss those pretty red lips of yours. for now, he has to resist every time you steal his massive sweaters walk around in, looking like the prettiest girl to ever exist. he has to resist while you excitedly give him gift after gift after gift for christmas, the majority being handmade by you and personalised to him - he’s never felt such love for a person before. he has to resist while you sit in his lap and do his make up, incredibly close and intimate, so much so that your breath tickles his lips, a sweet seduction. he has to resist until you were comfortable enough to claim his lips yourself one evening, curled up in his arms and dressed in nothing but your underwear and his massive sweater all while he reads his favourite book to you. out of nowhere, you capture his lips and he’s putty in your small, pretty hands.  
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1K MILESTONE EVENT : CLOSED
NAVI.
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jade-of-mourning · 2 months
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hiii so uh I just found ur account but I see you post a decent amount of mako stuff,,,
are you planning on putting any of that on ao3 (finished fics or blurb ideas turned into fics) or is it solely tumblr? and would you possibly mind some short stuff based on some of your posts? idk he’s js my newest hyperfixation and your acc is so coolll :3
-🐌
HI ANON!!!! mako has been in my brain so much for the past few months; i just restrain myself from posting seven times a day and instead, i aggressively brainrot in my discord server with a single person in it. (it's me — i'm the single person)
i've been juggling a couple fics for ao3 on him lately (account, mostly atla writing), though tragically i've been at a bit of a writing block. it's probably from overthinking story structures, but trust that i'll get at least a couple of them out eventually haha. the main one is a post-canon fic called rose beds and gasoline veins at 11.9k as of now, followed by a silly 10-chapter 14-year-old-avatar!mako au called snowglobes don't shake on their own which i've spent some time casually outlining (featuring jinora and asami!). there's a post i spontaneously conjured up that would roughly act as half of the first chapter. i'll post the summary if you're curious lol
i've also got a couple random/short oneshots that i spontaneously wrote and completed, before promptly forgetting that i can post them, so… maybe i'll do that soon. one of them is a slightly different take on mako & bolin's family in ba sing se, on some of their cultural differences and traumas through hot pot (which i might expand into a longer oneshot on ao3 after i finish rose beds). the other one was initially a joke about him (who i like to hc as aro lol) accidentally being a really big fan of sex. it's very vague but it turned out kind of angsty in exploring how mako deliberately gives up control in an attempt to frame himself as his mother rather than the man who killed her (coping fr); it's not really up my usual alley, but i might post it somewhere sometime idk. i didn't ever really flesh it out in my head but i have some inklings for a mako & kai oneshot on forgiving yourself as a kid, a mako & lin beifong oneshot on his recruitment featuring better characterization than that spontaneous shitpost i made, and a half-written expansion of jobs in an actually comprehensible story-ish format focused more on pre-canon backstory of him and bolin. also, last night i kind of accidentally started an essay arguing the case of reading mako as "this is a male female character somehow", but that's a whole other brainrot. my friends think i'm insane for wanting to write an essay for fun :P
thank you so much for stopping by!!! i love to hear that people love this random fictional character too — it makes me really happy especially considering how many people do not love him haha. literally anyone please send me asks about writing or headcanons or brain thoughts and enable me to talk about mako because i can actually talk about mako so much.
and for the record, sorry for responding with so many words oops. i have a lot of thoughts.
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^^ summary for the avatar!mako au that i might never finish but i think it's a really funny mix of crack and seriousness that i would love to write. maybe after i finish my marimba solo!
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skullfck · 1 year
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@unpossession​ SAID:   Dear Hawk,
It’s late at night, you’ve just left (about an hour ago) and I keep wishing that you hadn’t; a letter will have to make up for the loss of your company. I’m still drunk, so please forgive my messy handwriting-
editors note: her handwriting is perfect. neat, girlish swirls for o’s, loopy l’s and perfect polka dots punctuate the i’s. each letter connected by a seemingly effortless swoosh of her pen. black ink barely smudged. she must be shitting him.
-and please also forgive any mushy, gushy talk that might come out of this. By morning I might have come to my senses and decided not to post (mail) this at all, but knowing me I will. I think it’s important to be earnest. When you care about somebody you should say it. Also, apparently I am just a fan of embarrassing myself out of commitment to the bit. Anyway. Feel free to skim read. I’m sure all this is going to be very silly in the light of day.
I tried reading after you left but I was too distracted by the empty space on my sofa where you were sitting, so I moved to that side hoping to fill the void and started to wonder what it’s like to be you. I started trying to take up more space, spread my legs (not like that, perv) in that way that guys always seem to without meaning, broadened my shoulders and slouched a bit. I tried to imagine myself where I was sitting but couldn’t seem to grasp my own face. You’re the first person I’ve had over since I moved in here, I wanted to know if I look happy here. I’ve been trying so hard to make it a place I will be comfortable in my own company. Now it seems I’m just chasing your ghost. Which is something I do. Obviously. I’m trying to stop that, too.
I have this problem where I never feel close enough to people. I wanted to say thank you for carrying me home tonight but it isn’t enough. I feel like I use words so much that they lose all meaning. I like that you don’t use too many even though you know how. I know you know how. I might take a vow of silence or something just to see what it’s like. There I go again, copying you. I’ll try to cut that out now. It’s almost impossible to go back to where I started once I get too into it. Somehow I don’t think I’ll pull it off the way you do.
I hope you’ll come back soon. I’m sorry for the things I said on the walk home. I meant all of it but I didn’t mean to say all of it. Things will be different here, I think. But I said that about New York and I said that about the old apartment and I let things inside and it ruins it all. I get lonely, and it’s not like I go looking for trouble but it seems to find me and swaddle me and make me feel safe in the chaos. I feel like if I lose myself in the dark then i won’t be me, and I’m really sorry, I know you like me and you think I’m sweet but I cannot stand being alone with myself. I’m not
You’re so handsome. I wish you’d stop smiling at me in my head. I wanna make you smile all the time and you’re so stoic most of the time. I was sitting in the bar waving my arms around like an idiot for that bartenders attention but really it was for yours, just to see if I could make you laugh. I made you laugh a lot tonight. Mission accomplished.
I can’t keep a thought straight. This is gonna be such a shit letter. Oh well. I’m gonna see you real soon, probably, and I’ll try not be in need of any carrying next time but I like being close to you, so maybe if you could just pretend I do, that would work out just fine.
With love,
Wednesday’s Child, full of whiskey.
Ps. I still think about that poem you wrote me when I touch myself.       ✠   send a MESSAGE?
The letter rests face-down on his chest, keeping him company during the high. Occasionally, he’ll lift it up and read it again, finding new meaning in every word and reopening a wound he didn’t even know he had. The drugs keep him from crying the same way he did when he first read it, but they can only numb so much. The ache is persistent, unyielding. Sometimes he has to change positions just to breathe. 
He wrote something, too, that night. Came home and scribbled some bullshit out onto a piece of paper that was promptly crumpled up and thrown away. You’re so handsome, I wish you’d stop smiling at me in my head, battling it out with the half-remembered fragment She thinks I’m handsome because / I don’t look her in the eyes too long. He’s so fucking worthless. She never should have sent this to him—she never should have written it. It’s a waste of talent, a waste of feeling, on somebody like him. 
He’s clinging to it like a lifeline, though. He’s wrapping himself up in the words like a warm blanket that still has the smell of somebody long gone. It’s such a human letter, full of human thoughts and ideas, and that innate goodness he always saw in her—so pure and raw and terrifying—bleeds all across the page. 
When he shuts his eyes, he goes back to that night and he doesn’t leave her house. He goes into her bedroom and he throws her on the bed like she’s been wanting him to do, cutting the clothes off her with a knife. When she parts her lips at the feeling of him he whispers into her mouth promise me you won’t let him inside, pinning her wrists above her head with one hand. She whimpers for him but doesn’t say anything so he says it again, growling this time, promise me you won’t fucking let him inside—
He comes to with the phone against his ear. It’s ringing, once, twice—and then she answers, because she never leaves him waiting long. He smiles sleepily. 
          “Hey, baby.”
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emotionalcadaver · 3 months
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Hello! I hope you're having a lovely day/night! 😊 Just had to pop in to show some love for your writing. I stumbled upon your fic, Love Me Where I'm Most Ruined, a lil while back and I'm obsessed??? I flew through it so quickly, I just couldn't stop reading! I apologize for not leaving comments as I went, it's like I was in a trance, just had to keep reading 😭😂😂 I'm also somewhat new-ish to the fandom and interacting kinda gives me anxiety, but I'm working on it lol. I'm gonna do a re read sometime soon and I'll let you know my thoughts, gonna spam you with love probably, your story certainly deserves all the love. 🥰❤️❤️ I also see that you've recently rewritten/edited some parts? As if I needed another excuse to re read this whole fic 🤭 Truly, one of my absolute favorite fics I've read. I love the story you've built and I adore your characters so much. I'm in love with Lucy, for real. Obsessed with her. I also haven't read many fics (if any) that are pro Grace. I think that can be a bit controversial in the peaky fandom?(sadly) But holy shit!! I LOVE how you wrote her whole storyline. You broke my heart tho, but I still loved it! 😂 I didn't intend this ask to be so long, please forgive my rambling! You posted your latest chapter on my birthday and girl. Birthdays aren't always the easiest for me and this one was kinda rough. Honestly, reading your fic was kinda the highlight of my day. An unexpected delight! A little gift you didn't even know you were giving me! I literally squealed in excitement lol! Anyways, I just wanted to say thank you for sharing your stories. Your writing is so, so beautiful and I can't believe your fic doesn't have more notes. Honestly, it's criminal! I'm seeing it pop up on my dash again and I just had to show you some love!! 🥰❤️❤️ Also, it's still Valentine's Day where I am, so I felt all the love was a little fitting. ❤️ I hope this novel of an ask finds you well. 😘❤️
-🦋
Oh my goodness, anon, thank you so, so much! Seriously, my heart is practically bursting right now I just wanna reach through the screen and give you biggest hug! 🥰
It means SO MUCH to me that you've loved Lucy and my fic so much 😭 I have quite a few OCs, but Lucy in particular is very near and dear to my heart, so to hear that you love her so much just makes me so happy.
I would LOVE to hear your thoughts if you do a reread! I don't like to pressure people too much to comment because I understand it can be nerve-wracking, but I promise I am literally the least intimidating person in the world and will be absolutely thrilled to hear what you think!
I did recently do a bit of a rewrite/edit, specifically of Red Right Hand. Nothing too crazy, but I did add a few more scenes with Grace and a few more smut scenes.
Grace is certainly a controversial figure in the fandom. I understand why people dislike her, and I never want to make people feel like they have to like her to read or even enjoy my fics, but at the same time I have a soft spot for her, and my vision for the series always included Grace and polyamory elements, despite it still being primarily Tommy x Lucy focused. I was quite nervous including the poly aspects of the story, and I know it turned a lot of people off to my fics, so I really appreciate your support for that particular part of the story! 🖤
And Happy Birthday! I'm so glad to hear that my fic made your day a little brighter! And Happy Valentine's Day as well! This really is the best gift anyone could have given me today!
I'm so sorry that it's been taking me longer to get updates out! I recently started an internship in January that's taking up more of my time, plus just dealing with a general lack of motivation lately. But I am hoping now that I'm more settled into my internship that I will have more time to write and will be able to get onto a more consistent posting schedule. I have SO MANY things planned for Lucy and Tommy and I hope that you enjoy them!
Again, thank you so, so much for this ask, 🦋! You've absolutely made my day! I am sending all of my love your way! 🖤🖤🖤
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brighteststar707 · 8 months
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1. Fave fic: PHILIA I get very sentimental thinking about it and I've lost count on how many times I reread it
6. Vivid memory: the bench scene with Saeyoung at night with faerie lights strung outside. It's the one where you made a kiss scene SAD (the audacity)
8. Fave thing about your writing: how you build the tension! Your vivid realistic descriptions! The accurate character analysis!
9. Upcoming update that I'm excited for: furious Saeyoung after V's death
10. Question about one of your fics: making this about your fics in general—how do you always manage to get the characters' voices exactly right? I'm amazed by your skill.
I've said it before but I'm so pleased you enjoy Philia so much! It was one of the first fics I wrote where I was really happy with the dialogue I wrote. Jumin and V both have very distinct voices and I worked hard to capture them there, as well as to capture what feel like authentic memories of them as teenagers. Also, writing their friendship as happy and safe in the present day is a form of self-care after all the angst they have to go through in so many routes.
Ooh I can't believe you remember the sad kiss bench! The fairy garden RFA party is one of my fav settings I've written so it's very rewarding to hear that it's memorable for you too.
I'm so excited to write the angry Saeyoung fic and this ask has only motivated me more. Probably not a surprise, but I've really been in a phase lately of wanting to write him expressing all the anger he rightfully has after all the years of terrible treatment he has received. My least favourite thing about mysme in general is how much they favour forgiveness and quiet calm evasions instead of confrontation which would honestly be much healthier. It's probably also bc I'm a person who doesn't find a lot of relief in forgiveness and I'm projecting but isn't that what fic is for?
Reading that you think I get the character voices right is a treat to hear! I spend a lot of time going through old chats and reading fics for characters I'm unsure about and also end up reading my own lines out loud to see if they sound right. To be honest, it's still something that feels like a work in progress.
Also for all the compliments on my writing: thank you thank you thank you, you're always so kind, I will be coming back to this ask whenever I need a pick me up.
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snellyboi · 11 months
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An Email from Someone at the Superhero’s Union, Local 138
Just a fun little thing I wrote up.
To: [email protected] From: [email protected] Subject: RE: Sponsorship request (Hamster and Gretel) - Hello! Forgive me for the late response! Local 138 has many important dates coming up, including SuperPride™, our Q3 Rundown, and SuperCon™ - please understand that even in ideal conditions, sponsorship requests take time to process. I'm also probably not who you expected to answer this email - most often, these requests are handed to Debbie, but with Gretel's age it was seen as a better choice to hand it off to me. Sponsorship claims for supers under 14 require more vetting and union action, hence the delay. With Gretel being no more than 9 years old and her sidekick being a hamster, I find it very important to remind you of Dick Grayson's law - wherein minor supers must be accompanied on rounds, given shorter routes, and can only be on call certain hours of the day. This law begins to taper off at the age of 14, but seeing as she is only 9 years old (and will only just barely make 10 by the required file time) that's currently a while out - consider this, for now, the norm. *It is expected of the sponsor to cover some on call hours,* although there CAN be arrangements made for other cases. Since you also have a full time job in another side of town from her, I have asked another super residing in that side of town (The Tick) to pick up those hours - please let him know if you have any questions - you should be getting an email from him soon. As her sponsor, YOU will be required to accompany Gretel on her evening rounds a majority of the time - her evening rounds only cover the southside of the city (the port to Downtown, terminating at Ellis Street). This accompaniment is required at least 3 nights a week - please email me your preferences. The Tick has expressed preference for Saturday and Sunday, but since you're her primary sponsor I'll defer to you. I am very glad you have decided to sponsor a new member of the Super's Union, Local 138! I've attached a finalization MS-150 Form, which you and Gretel will have to sign with me at the union office - I am in office from 9-5 each day, and am typically open to witness and sign. Thank you so much, Mr. Kent, and I hope you have a wonderful day! -- Norm Roberts, Superheroes' International Union, local 138 Director of Minor Sponsorship and Code Compliance 
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You Said Forever (c.h)
Pairing: Calum Hood x Reader
Requested: Yes!
Summary: Based on the song “Driver’s License” by Olivia Rodrigo. You did everything you could to get over him, you talked to friends, went on long drives and even wrote him a song. Why cant you just let him go?
Warnings: Angst. Language. Mentions of alcohol. Some grammar mistakes? (English is not my first language, I’m sorry)
Word count: 6.7 k
Author’s Note: I’m so excited someone requested this! I highly recommend listening to the song before you read, references are in the text and dialogs. Please remember that Reblogs, Coments, Feedback and Likes are more than welcome and encouraged! You don’t know how much they help me 💕 Hope you like it and Happy reading 🦋
Fic of the week // My Materialist // wanna be part of my tag list?
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@rime-warrior : Hey love! Has anyone requested an imagine for Calum based on the song “Drivers license” by Olivia Rodrigo yet? I think you’re the only one who would be able to do it any justice 😭💕
“I still see your face in the white cars, front yards
Can't drive past the places we used to go to
'Cause I still fucking love you, babe”
You could hear the doorbell ring over the thunderous storm raging outside. It was late, probably closer to midnight than you imagined. Who could possibly be outside right now? especially in this kind of weather?
After four consecutive rings, you decided to get up from your spot on the bed and walk up to the door. It must be something very important for someone to startle you that way.
Once you got closer to the door you could also distinguish some strong bangs coming from the other side accompanied by the endless ringing “Okay, okay! I’m coming!” You called, but whoever was standing opposite to you mustn’t have heard you as they continued to disrupt the peace of a stormy night.
A shiver ran down your spine before you could reach the doorknob, almost like the ghost of a feeling, a warning for you not to open the door. Despite your common sense, you decided to open the door, already being too late to go back.
“Calum?”
He was standing in front of you, completely drenched from head to toes. His breathing was uneven, almost like he ran all the way over here, but his eyes were set on yours, unmoving as you both tried to take each other in.
“Calum-what is?-” Your words got stuck in your mouth as he pushed himself forward, grabbing your face delicately as he clashed his lips with yours.
You felt yourself melt into the kiss, making it everything you ever wished for. You wrapped your arms around his neck and deepened the kiss as you brought him closer to you. He was here, he was finally here with you. It all feels like a dream.
Your alarm clock marked 6 AM when you jumped from your dreams into reality. You should’ve known, everything was too good to be true.
You brought one hand to your face, trying to wipe away the tiredness of your eyes, but you found your cheeks were humid due to tears you didn’t even know you shed through the night, damping your pillow sheets once again.
It was always the same dream: Calum coming back to you. Night after night your mind drifted to another reality where you’d meet again, sometimes it was at a concert, other at the local café of your neighborhood that you used to love so much, but tonight was the first night where he appeared at your house. Which was funny considering that he hasn’t stepped foot in this place for almost a year.
You pushed your thoughts away as you tried to go back to sleep. And you did try, but the tossing and turning made you restless, you cursed your mind as the only thing you could see when you closed your eyes was Calum, standing at your door and asking for a kind of forgiveness you weren’t sure you could give. Although, who were you kidding?
Checking the clock once again you realized it was 20 past 6, still too early to go back to real life, but not too early to start and try to live a little.
Pushing yourself off the bed, you grabbed a big hoodie and some pair of sweatpants before putting on your running shoes and hopping into the bathroom to brush your teeth and clean your face before grabbing your keys and getting out of the house.
You sat on the driver’s seat, just like you did a thousand times, taking a big breath before starting the engine.
“You do know you have a perfectly good car in your driveway, right?”
You smiled at him and greeted him with a hug and a kiss as you climbed into the passenger's seat.
It was your usual morning routine. Ever since you met and he found out you lived nearby the studio he always volunteered to carpool with you. Since then, your mornings were filled with hugs, good coffee and stolen kisses you gave each other as the road to the studio became longer and longer thanks to all the detours you took.
“Hello, Calum. I’m very good, thank you for asking, how are you?”
Calum rolled his eyes and gave you a little peck on your lips “I would’ve been on time if I hadn’t had to pick your ass from the other side of town”
You lightly punched him in the arm “You know you love me” He smiled.
“That I do, darling. But I would love you more if you drove us from time to time”
“You know I don’t have a car!” Calum turned to you and pointed to the classic mustang sitting in front of your house, raising his eyebrows as if to ask if you were stupid “That’s my dad’s car!”
“That he kindly gave to you when he helped you move to LA so you could pursue your dream of becoming the next new sensation of music,” He said mocking a dreamy voice to try imitating you “He said it was yours, so it's yours! And honestly, it’s a pretty cool car if you ask me. A real chick magnet”
You mocked a gag at his old reference of movies from the 50’s “Sexist much?” You both laughed as he started the car and started driving “Anyways, he only gave me the car because mom was threatening to sell it on eBay if he didn’t get rid of it soon enough, so he could still come and get it whenever he wants to” You shrugged.
Calum started sniffing the air, “What?” You asked, sniffing as well in case there was something wrong.
“Do you smell that?” He asked with a concerned face.
“Smell what?”
He leaned closer to you and sniffed harder before whispering “The bullshit”
You scoffed and pushed him back “Haha very funny”
You waited until he stopped laughing, you never told him the truth, well two truths actually.
One: That you enjoyed the drives you had with him, it was a special time for the two of you to be yourselves without anyone to judge. You would laugh, sing, talk for hours as you sat in traffic under the city lights. It was the little moments that matter for the two of you, these were your little moments and you didn’t want to give them up just yet.
It was not easy being in a “relationship” that no one knew about, not even his bandmates, although you knew they were suspecting something. All the sneaking away while amid a recording session, hanging out in each other’s rooms, how adamant he was to carpool with you every day, even when he didn’t need to go to the studio… It was an easy tell, but it was also your private life.
You told yourself that it was for the best, that you shouldn’t mix work and personal life, especially when your personal life included Calum. He was adamant to keep whatever you had out of the public eye “What we have is good” He said, “Why ruin it with labels?” And you agreed, knowing that making everything official could just mess everything up. Calum was your best friend, after all, you would be damn if you lose him.
And for the second truth:
“I don’t know how to drive”
Just in time, the traffic light turned red. Calum turned to you in disbelief “Bluff” You shook your head, not looking at him just yet “Bluff! That can’t be right! Y/N how old are you?”
You shrugged again “I never needed to! I always enjoyed walking plus,” You said nudging your arm on Calum’s “I have the best driver right here!” You pecked his cheek with a kiss and saw how quickly they blushed, making you celebrate this tiny victory inside your head. You loved making him blush, it gave you some kind of security that he felt the same way.
Calum stared at you for a moment too long, making you self-conscious under his eyes. You could tell the gears were running inside his head “What if I teach you how to drive?”
You chuckled “Now I call your bluff”
“I’m serious!” He said, not taking his eyes from you “We have time before the tour starts, and that way you could drive us somewhere for once! You know? Picking me out and going on a date?”
Your eyes were set on him with an alarming tone, a what now? Was he serious? “You would do that for me?” You asked shyly, not wanting to fall into another of his pranks, but he seemed serious enough.
“Of course!” He said with a chuckle that accentuated all his dimples “Let’s get you your driver’s license, Y/N!”
Calum grabbed your hand and intertwined it with his, shaking it as a victory celebration and then placing a kiss on your knuckles. You laughed and reminded him where you were “Eyes on the road, Hood” even though the light was still red, you would rather him not noticing the red that tinted your cheeks and the loud beating of your heart.
You saw how the sun was starting to illuminate the coast as you drove by. Everything was so quiet this early in the morning and you were thankful, you needed this quiet so you could be alone with your thoughts once again. And, just like every day, that just meant you were thinking of Calum.
Could you blame him? Possibly, your friends said you should. But could you live with yourself knowing that you are holding a grudge towards someone who is probably unaware of it? Not in the slightest.
You were never official, not to the public at least, but in your heart, you knew he was the only one who could make you feel like this. He was the only one capable of making you laugh as hard as you did, cry the way that you did, and enjoy yourself to the fullest. You were your best when you were with him and now… How are you now?
Would he care?
You knew he loved you, he said so himself. The only thing you didn’t know was in what way. Did he love you like a lover? or just like a friend who he’d get to kiss and make love to from time to time?
The lump in your throat became stronger as you remember the last moments you had with him and all the promises he couldn’t keep. You tried to distract yourself, crying behind the wheel could be dangerous and you weren’t going to risk your life for him, not yet at least.
You turned on the radio in hopes that it would call your mind, at this point even the commercials would make you feel better if they made you think about anything but him.
“And now, Laurie. We have the hottest single of the year!” Said the radio host with the most cheerful tone a person could mutter this early “This up-and-coming artist debuted this single almost a month ago and it is still top of the charts in almost 34 countries all over the world!”
Now the lump in your throat came back but this time with a knot on your stomach as well. The first time you heard the song play on the radio you felt excited, after all this is why you came to LA in the first place. Yet the feeling became bittersweet in no time.
“My girls, boys, and non-binary folks; if you are in your car right now get ready to sing this at the top of your lungs with all the feelings you could muster and send a fuck you to your ex. This is ‘Driver’s License’ by Y/N L/N”
“I got my driver’s license last week, just like we always -”
You turned off the music and kept driving in silence.
You knew it was a bad idea to release the song you wrote about him. Maybe it was a petty move on your part, but… didn’t you have the right to be petty this time?
Either way is not like people would realize it was about him. It was your little secret, yours and Calum’s if he ever heard it, although you believe that if he did then he would’ve said something to you by now. Yet his silence was similar to the one in your car; deafening and heartbreaking.
“I don’t know Calum,” You said as you stared at your car parked in front of you “Is it safe to do it here?”
Calum was leaning on top of the hood, rolling his eyes at your indecision “Would you rather do it on the PCA?” You shot your eyes at him with a deathly glare, he just chuckled “I promise is okay, this parking lot is big enough and there are no cars left that you could accidentally hit”
You were both standing in the middle of the studio’s parking lot late at night. Calum insisted that this was the day you learned how to drive, so he spent the night at your place and today he drove you in your car, that way there would be no excuses left for you not to do it.
However, you were still hesitant. This was technically your father’s car, his other baby, and if you ever crash it you wouldn't know what you’ll do. Calum noticed your doubt and took a step closer to you, grabbing your hand in his to give you some sort of encouragement.
“Look, babe. It’s okay if you don’t want to do it. I won’t pressure you” He said softly “I just thought this could be fun for the both of us” He smiled “Fun and educational for that matter. But if you’re not ready then we can go home and-”
“I want to do it, Cal,” You said, “I just- I don’t know where to even begin!”
He chuckled and placed a kiss on your forehead, making all the butterflies in your stomach take flight.
“Tell you what,” Calum said confidently “You get behind the wheel and I’ll put us some inspirational music”
He walked back to the car to connect his phone to the speakers “You better put my song first!” You called after him as you walked towards the driver’s seat.
Calum laughed “God, I should’ve never told you that! Now your ego’s off the damn roof!” Soon enough he sat on the passenger’s seat next to you and buckled up.
“Not my fault that you think of me so often you want to put it into song” You teased, leaning in for a kiss that Calum was happy to oblige.
“Yes,” He said mid-kiss “It is completly your fault” Next thing you know ‘Kill My Time’ was playing on the radio, but Calum was not letting go of you just yet.
You wished this moment last forever, you wished every moment with Calum would last forever, but you both needed to breathe at some point “I wish I could kiss you all day long, I swear I could die on your lips and die happy” You said as you pressed your forehead to his, smiling like a fool in love.
“Soon, love,” Calum said as he crashed his lips against yours “Just wait until tour is over and then we’ll have forever to do just that”
You grinned at his words, a few days ago he promised to make your relationship publicly official once he came back from tour, that way you’ll have more time together as a fairly new couple. If he was willing to take that step, then you were more than ready to follow along. You knew you’d give everything for him if you had to and you still won’t regret it. You love him, and that was enough for you.
“Think I’m ready to start,” You said once you pulled away from him for the last time.
Calum nodded and patted his hand on your thigh “Okay, first you have to turn on the engine. Good, then you check all your mirrors and make sure your gear shift is on position-”
“My what?” You asked.
“Your gear shift, you know? The stick in-”
“Oh, you mean the PRNDL? You said, trying your hardest to stay serious, but failing to do so once you saw Calum’s face.
“You couldn't go one day without your references now, could you?” He said in amusing disbelief that had you both laughing.
The lesson was fairly simple, it just consisted of going forwards and on reverse a few times and practicing some turns in circles around the parking lot, and you were proud to say you were getting the hang of it pretty quickly. Calum turned out to be a great instructor with the patience of a god, he never got mad at you or showed that he was scared - even though it was pretty clear that he was, especially when you turned too far and almost hit a lamp post - and you appreciate him for that.
It was almost 2 AM when you decided to call it quits for the day and start back tomorrow. Calum was now behind the wheel driving you to your house so he could pick up his car and drive home.
“Cal?” You said once he parked in your driveway.
“Yes, love?”
“I’m really happy with you” You shyly admitted.
Calum’s heart beamed with love as he pulled you closer for a goodnight kiss “And I’m really happy with you”
You kissed him one more time before jumping out of the car “See you tomorrow!” He called before you watched him drive away.
The sound of a horn woke you up from your daydream memory. You didn’t know the light had just turned green until the car behind you started pounding their button and cursing at you to move.
You watched the white car from the rearview mirror as you drove away, it looked like his, all the white cars did, but you knew he couldn’t be here just yet, not until the tour was done.
A sinking feeling of hopelessness filled your inner thoughts once again. The promises he made faded like the wind in the summer once he stepped on that plane and decided that you were something he had to leave behind. It would’ve been good to know beforehand, that way you wouldn’t have wasted a year by the phone, hoping it would ring and that he’d be on the other line.
You glanced at the car’s clock one more time, it’s already too late to do anything, you’ve been driving around without a destination for hours when it only felt like minutes. Time is something you learn how to lose when you’re alone, minutes become meaningless once you realize there is no one there to share them with you, but it’s late and it was time to head home. You let out a sigh at the realization that your drive-through therapy didn’t work this time.
Deciding to take the long way home, you started to drive through the lesser-known streets of LA, hoping that you’d get lost somewhere and not knowing if anyone would care.
The dreams of running away came flashing down, more of an idea than an afterthought. Yes, you made it in LA, you have a hit song and your dreams are coming true. Why didn’t that feel like enough?
If you were gone, even just for a little bit, would anybody notice? If you just got up in your car and started driving somewhere unknown until the feeling of loneliness faded away. Could you drive your feelings away? Outrun them somehow?
You knew that if Calum could do it then so could you. It was so easy for him to just leave whatever you had behind, to leave you behind and hope that you were okay somehow. If he thought that you were okay then he maybe didn’t know you at all and you are probably better off without him, just like your friends say all the time.
But were you better off without him?
Tears started piling up in the corner of your eyes once again. No, you were not better off without him even though you want to be. And neither you are better off with him, if he ever came back to you, that is.
You swallowed a sob, trying your hardest not to break down again. It was useless, all the tears and all the songs and all the fuck him an attitude that you could muster… What was it for if not to dwell on your pain even more? You are still hurt and he still did not care.
You took a turn on the left, knowing the way like the back of your hand. You knew this path would lead you home, but you also knew it would lead you to his house as well.
The first time you did this was to practice how to find your way to Calum’s home without getting lost. You knew he wasn’t home and he wouldn’t be for many many months, but you wanted to surprise him once he got there, to pick him up and drive him to that date he promised you once he returned. Now, you avoided that road like a plague unless you had days like this, days in which missing him became everything you did, and now passing through his empty house gave you the reality check you desperately needed: He is gone. It also inspired you to write the song, it was a blessing and a curse.
You turned into the familiar street and looked to your right, you counted the houses passing by one, two, three, four… Until you spotted his old porch. Normally, that’s all you did. You would drive through his street and see the house dark and cold as his owner was out of town. But today there was a white car on his driveway.
Your breath got caught in your throat as you recognized the license plate, immediately stepping on the breaks and making the car stopped abruptly in front of the house.
That is his car… But how? You knew that Calum kept his car in Ashton’s place so they could drive up together to the airport every time they had to leave. What is it doing here? Tour didn’t end until a week from today and-
The sudden movement coming from the house pulled you from every rational thought as the front door opened. You held your breath as the person who stole all your sleepless nights came into view.
He was home.
Calum stepped out of his house with a bright smile on his face. His hair was shorter than the last time you’ve seen it, and he was less tanned, a fact that was easily noticeable thanks to the contrast of his leather jacket on his skin. But his dimples were intact as he smiled at whoever was inside the house.
A small figure came behind him, wrapping her arms around his torso as she was laughing at something he said. Her blond hair was falling down her back so elegantly, and her smile was bright as day as she hugged him, you wouldn’t have noticed that in the photos. She looked happy, but what broke you the most is that he looked happy as well.
He was home, but he was home with her.
You knew something was going on, even if there wasn’t anything official from either of them. You weren’t official, too. But seeing them was all the proof you needed to believe it. Believe that it was actually over and neither of you said goodbye.
You bit the inside of your cheek as silent tears started rolling down your face. You wanted to scream, to cry your hearts out, and let the world fuck itself over and over again. But for the love that you had on yourself, you promised that you wouldn't dignify him by making a scene. He didn’t deserve it. He didn’t deserve to know you cared.
With that in mind, you wiped your tears and floored the gas pedal, driving away from the scene.
“Hey!!!!!”
“Guess what?”
“I PASSED THE TEST!”
“I can legally drive on my own now :D!”
Read 19:05
“Calum?”
“Oh, you must be at the concert now, my bad!”
“Let me know when we can FaceTime again! I can’t wait to tell you how it went! I’m so excited we can finally switch places and let me be the one in charge of the road, lol”
Read 23:54
“Is everything alright, Cal?”
Read 04:32
“I miss you”
Read July 19th 14:49
Last week you sent your last text to him and he still hadn’t responded yet. You tossed all night waiting for at least a smoke signal from him. He was gone for two months now and he never missed one of your calls, it was so unlike him, especially when he promised you to call every day he was on tour.
You tried to distract yourself by doing everything you could think of. You watched videos, listened to music, played candy crush over and over again, and still, there was no answer.
You were starting to give up when a notification from Twitter graced your screen, it read: “Calum Hood, bassist from the band 5 Seconds of Summer, seen cozying up with a mysterious girl in a nightclub two nights ago”
You blinked twice and reread the headline, hoping that your eyes were deceiving you.
“The Australian bassist seemed to be catching up with some friends and letting it all loose at a wild night here in London after their sold-out show in the O2 Arena.
Hood was wearing-”
You skipped all that unnecessary information, scrolling down to the bottom where you knew all media kept the real gossip. A bubble of anxiety started forming inside your throat, as your fingers moved over the screen. The atmosphere became heavy while you could hear your heart thundering inside your chest, every little beat it made was hurting you, almost like it was banging your ribcages begging to be set free.
Time stood still as you looked at the pictures, not wanting to believe your eyes as they analyzed every detail of it.
There he was, hugging a blond woman from behind and resting his face on her shoulders just like he used to do with you. Even from the picture, you could tell she was gorgeous. The next picture showed her wrapping her arms around his neck and smiling at him. He had his hands cupping her cheeks, his face denoted a serious expression, but the look in his eyes was fixed on her.
He kissed her in the third picture, his hands still cupping her cheeks. It seemed like he was smiling through the kiss.
The last picture had them sitting on some kind of leather sofa. She was sitting on his lap and his hands were wandering very close to her butt, holding her close to him.
“The fans of the band wasted no time on identifying the mysterious girl. She seems to be the new tour assistant manager of the boys. Let’s hope that work and pleasure don’t get between this beautiful couple #goals<3”
The stream of tears was never-ending. You couldn’t understand what was going on, why Calum hasn’t said anything to you, why-why did he let it happen? Something was not right, and it wasn’t just your breathing getting heavy inside your lungs or your shaky hands as you typed the next text.
“We need to talk, please call me?”
You got no answers that night as you cried yourself to sleep, realizing that you had no one to comfort you cause nobody knew that you two were even together. You were utterly alone.
The next morning you woke up to no text from him, not even a call or a voicemail.
Read 08:45
You forced yourself to finish your nighttime routine. Ever since you came back home you did nothing but cry, but not of sadness, you were crying of anger.
With him being far away it almost didn’t seem real. You allowed yourself to create some sort of fantasy where he would come back to you, to start over where you left off and be together for everyone to see. How foolish.
You thought that he’ll hear your song and he’ll be running back to you to apologize, to ask if you still love him like before. But he won’t, because he is happy without you while you rot in your own pity party.
You grabbed hold onto the counter, trying to hold the tears as everything suddenly became clear as day. All the red flags you ignored were now shining as candy apples. He made a fool of you and didn’t even dignify you with at least some kind of warning or apology. He brought you down and now it was up to you to climb back up and even higher than before.
How could he?
All the memories you held close to your heart were burning in the pyre of your soul. You loved him, you knew you did. But all you meant for him was just a summer fling, something to waste time on before the real thing came along.
But he loved you…
Did he?
He spent entire days and nights next to you. He told you stories no one’s ever heard of. He sang to you to sleep and wrote you the most beautiful poems you’ve ever read. He picked you up every day and stayed with you until it was your time to leave. He made you feel welcome and there was not a day where you didn’t feel safe around his arms. He was your best friend. He taught you how to drive and what it meant to feel something real, something as important as the love you could have for someone. He loved you, he said he did, he promised he did.
Maybe love was not enough for him.
Your mind was divided, fighting over and over and over again about the same thing. Part of you cursed his name while the other part just wanted to be held by him, telling you that it will all be okay. But you couldn't even trust yourself on this one.
The doorbell rang, one, two, three times.
You were not going to answer it. One look in the mirror and you knew you couldn't answer anyone in this state. Your eyes were puffy and red, your cheeks were hollowed from not eating all day. There was nothing you could do to make you look or feel better, so whoever was behind the door will have to find another way to disturb the chaos in your mind.
However, they were persistent. With the ring of the doorbell came a few bangs. It seemed urgent.
You took one last look at yourself before deciding with a sigh to go and open the door. Whoever it was must have a good reason to come banging at your door a little past midnight.
“I’m coming!” You called, voice coming out a little hoarse from crying all night.
A shiver ran down your back and you felt like you were here before, in this exact moment where all your instincts told you to walk away. You decided to ignore them as you gently turned the doorknob and opened the door. Immediately wishing you didn’t.
“Calum?”
He stood in front of you, soaked from head to toe. Hands in the pockets of his jacket, not the leather one, but one more cozy. He was also wearing a pair of sweatpants and part of his hair was stuck on his forehead. You didn’t realize it was raining.
“Can I come in?” He asked, not even a hello.
You debated on whether or not to let him in. Part of you wanted to throw him back into the streets, but a storm was coming - much in the literal and subliminal way, and you didn’t want him to drive in this weather, you still care for him even though you shouldn’t.
With a simple nod, you opened the door wide enough so he could enter the house, a little “thank you” came out of his mouth as he stepped inside for the first time in over a year.
You closed the door and started walking into the kitchen with Calum following you like a stray dog. Your hands were shaking so you hid them behind your back as you slowly wrapped your arms around you in an attempt to comfort you throughout this whole ordeal.
Calum is standing in front of you on the other side of the island. He is not looking at you, but rather he is looking at his feet. You figured he was too scared to be the first one to talk and it broke your heart that he has suddenly become shy around you when you used to tell each other everything. ‘But whose fault is that?’ You thought.
Now you were just two strangers in a room.
“I thought you’d still be on tour,” You said, breaking the silence that has fallen upon you.
Calum looked up and he almost looked thankful that you spoke first “The last two venues canceled at the last minute due to weather conditions,” He said “So we came back earlier than expected”
You nodded and faced the other way. The fact that he was here in your home made your stomach turn and not in a good way. You always thought him coming back was going to be something joyful, but it became more painful as time went by.
“They closed café Mariannete while I was gone” He said, was he really going to talk about that right now? Did he came over here to reminisce about the café you used to have breakfast in?
“I didn’t know. I don’t go there anymore”
More awkward silence came upon you. You both knew he was bullshiting his way into the real conversation he was avoiding to have. He always used to do that and you have forgotten how much you hated it.
“Were you driving by my house today?” He asked and you froze on the spot. You didn’t think that he saw you.
“I was,” You cleared your throat “I was coming back home”
“And you didn’t say hello” It was more a statement than a question.
A sour taste filled your mouth. How dare he? “You were busy enough” You knew it was a petty answer, but what did he expect?
A flash of hurt came through Calum’s eyes as he said nothing in return. He knew you saw him with her, so he had no excuse to push the topic back to you.
The atmosphere was tense as the only thing you could hear was the ticking of the clock and the raindrops falling through your window. There was so much to say and yet none of you were brave enough to muster them.
You had every right to be mad and he had a right to explain himself, but you were not going to be the first one to cave in. Not without hearing from him first.
Eventually, Calum got restless of the silence.
“Your song is amazing,” He said, pleading for an answer that didn’t contain poison in your words “Ashton showed it to us the day it came out”
So he has heard it, you didn’t know if you should be proud or ashamed “Thanks”
“I forgot to congratulate you on your number one”
“You forgot to do a lot of things”
If there was ever a moment where you could give him the chance to redeem himself, this was it.
You saw how Calum shifted his weight from foot to foot, he had his lips pressed in a thin line and you could see how his eyes changed and fell into a deep pit of regret as tears were forming in the corner of his eye.
“I know the song’s about me-” He said.
“How did you figure that out?” You said sarcastically.
“Y/N…” He pleaded, running a hand through his face, but you were having none of that.
“Why did you do it, Calum?”
You needed an answer, something you could hold onto to eventually let go. Calum, however, was almost speechless.
The ticking of the clock became even louder as you counted the seconds until he spoke again. One, two, three…
Ten “I don’t know”
The answer cut right through you as you let a stream of tears roll down your cheek, not lifting your head to look at him in the eyes. It wasn’t what you expected, it was way worse.
Calum noticed your crying and started panicking, spilling every thought he had through his mouth “I-I don’t- I was drunk and she was there with our groups of friends and we were too drunk to even take notice of what was happening and we just kissed and- Y/N, I’m not perfect. We weren’t perfect, we weren’t even official and it was only a kiss and I thought it would be okay but then the tabloids and your message and I just- And she’s a great friend, she didn’t mean any harm but things happened and-” He stammered, unable to connect his thoughts as he desperately tried to fix something so you would stop crying.
“For me it was perfect” You cried “We were perfect in my mind, you made it perfect. God, Calum. Why didn’t you tell me? I spent months in agony trying to figure it out, to make it make sense! I beat myself up over and over again and there you were having the time of your life with a stranger!” Your voice was loud, not enough to yell, but enough to make it clear that you were fuming.
“What are you talking about?!” Calum said matching the tone of your voice “I missed you every fucking day but there was nothing I could do about it! You don’t know shit of what you’re talking about!”
You scoffed “Oh yeah! It surely seemed like you missed me! You never called me once, Calum. Not even to apologize and try to make it better”
“I didn’t know how!” He said, “I was scared that-”
“That I’d hate you?”
“That you’d forgive me,” Calum said in one breath, making you stare in shock “I-I didn’t want you to forgive me, Y/N, cause you deserve so much better. On tour I realized that I wasn’t ready for a relationship, no matter how much you mean to me and I didn’t know how to tell you that so-”
“And are you ready now? That’s why you are with her?” You interrupted, head filled with anger to even think straight.
“I’m not ready to be with either of you!”
The room felt silent once again.
You had no answer to that and you weren’t sure you wanted to hear more from him.
The rain outside your window started to calm down, only droplets of water were left as the memory of the storm that almost was.
Your legs gave out a minute later, sliding you down slowly onto the floor. Calum walked up to you and sat next to you, neither of you saying anything for what it seemed like hours.
“You said you loved me…” You said with a faint voice.
Calum sighed “I did. I do”
“And you love her too?”
He thought about it “I don’t know. I might” You closed your eyes as a tear fell down your cheek “She’s good to me, Y/N. And we really got close but-”
“I know,” You said with a soft sniffle “We weren’t perfect either”
“You do know I love you, right?” He said softly, turning his face towards you “And that everything we had was real. Every minute of it, every word in every song was true and it still is. All was real and it’s still there somewhere. I still want you in my life, Y/N, cause you make it better. I just,” He sighed “I need to figure my shit out”
“Yeah, you do” You said, making him chuckle darkly “But I can’t promise I’ll be here”
“I wouldn’t ask you to”
You sat there in silence for a few more moments, just enjoying each other's company before everything fades away.
“I love you, too” You said in a whisper, hoping that he won’t hear “I still fucking love you”
Calum sighed “I know”
“Guess that you didn’t mean what you wrote on that song about me
‘Cause you said forever now I drive alone past your street”
.
Tags: @iknowyouthinkimbulletproof @mystic-232 @talksoprettyjjx @theshyspy @sarcasticallywitty15 @hoodhoran @flaneurcth h @notinthesameguey @myloverboyash @yeah-and69 @fckingpernico
* if your url is crossed please reach out to me so we can fix it
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dollslayer · 3 years
Text
In the Dark
Bucky Barnes x Vampire!Reader 
Summary: Lonely and bored in your afterlife, or lack thereof, you go home with an unsuspecting stranger, or so you thought.
W/C: 2,906
Warnings: Blood, gore, smut, swearing, breeding kink. 
A/N: I wrote this for @buckyownsmylife ‘s 2k challenge (Congrats and happy very late birthday!! and congrats on 3k too!! 💖). Wanted an alternate take on the breeding kink and wanted a good plot twist and this is what came out lol. If you like it pls reblog and/or let me know!!! P.s. - You can check out some of my other fics if you liked this one! Cheers!
Main Masterlist
Every night was the same for you. The evenings melding together as you tried to keep yourself entertained. No one tells you how boring eternity will be. You expect the loneliness and the challenges of secrecy but no one tells you at some point all things lose their interest. Who’s ever heard of a vampire with depression?
The only thing you had was your almost nightly routine of holding court in your favorite bar. You’d go home with the lucky patron of your choosing, take them to bed, turn them into a snack, glamour them and move on. You had to laugh, 200 years later and you’re still sustaining yourself on the validation of men. Of course, you were able to turn the tables a bit now, having mastered an aura of aloofness and sex appeal. 
So that’s how you find yourself in your usual booth on an unusually quiet Thursday night. You always order a dirty martini but you never drink it. The bartenders know you never drink it but you tip well so they mind their own business. The lights were low and the music was good. The night was young.
A man had approached you earlier but he looked so young and so nervous you weren’t entirely sure you could call him a man. You weren’t even sure if he was 21. He managed to stammer out an offer to buy you a drink but you just smiled and held up your full martini. He immediately turned red and apologized. You had no intentions of taking him home but at the very least you wanted him to have a good night and not overthink himself. So you humoured him and talked for a bit, kissed him on the cheek and sauntered back over to the bar. 
It was nearing midnight when you considered going home, tonight didn’t seem to be proving successful. With a sigh you reached for your wallet when the corner of your eye caught someone moving into the seat next to you. 
“Give me two fingers of Buffalo Trace. Neat. And you can add her drink to my tab.” A confident voice ordered.
You bent to put your wallet back in your purse and when you turned your gaze you let it travel slowly back up to the face that could match such a voice. Strong, thick thighs encased in black jeans, a red henley with the sleeves rolled up to the elbows revealed equally muscled arms and large hands. You could see his pecks through his shirt and felt a smile forming on your face. 
Finally letting yourself take in his face you came upon a chiseled jaw with a 5 o'clock shadow, full lips you longed to kiss and bite, and finally, shocking blue eyes that looked like a Summer storm. You could feel the desire building in you by the second.
You held eye contact and held out your hand. You smirked and gave him your name. 
“James, but you can call me Bucky, if you want.” He said as his warm hand enveloped yours. “Tell me what a beautiful woman like you is doing in a place like this all by her lonesome”.
“Maybe no one here is up to par. Maybe I was just waiting for someone like you to show up.” You countered playfully. 
He smirked in turn. “Well then it’s your lucky night” he said. You turned your bar stool towards him and crossed one leg in front of the other giving him a slight peek of your thighs up your skirt.
You leaned your elbow on the bar and brought yourself closer to him. “So tell me about yourself. You always come into bars this late at night looking for women?” 
“Only if they’re you.” He let out a small laugh. “In all seriousness though, I’m new to the area, moved here for work. Guess I felt a little lonely in a new place and decided to take a walk. Ended up here.”
Your brows pinched a little. You could relate to the loneliness so you felt for him. “Well then maybe you are in the right place.” 
You two talked for maybe an hour, getting physically closer and at one point his hand was on your arm and yours rested just above his knee. The scent of his cologne drew you in closer.
James pulled away to signal for the bartender. As he cashed out you felt disappointment. Was he cutting the night short? If you moved quickly you could probably still go home with him. 
He slapped one hand on the bar as he stood up. You stood too and he put his hand on your lower back, leading you towards the door. Just as you reached the threshold he stopped and faced you.
“So, my place is just around the corner. Care to join me?”
You bit your lip and nodded. You usually prefer to bring them back to yours, never having to chance getting home before sunrise or worrying about being invited in. You felt some connection to him though, two lonely souls looking for company. But also, he was so good looking. 
“Lead the way”.
__________________________
Bucky led you down the steps to his basement apartment and unlocked the door. He opened the door for you but didn’t say anything.
“You’re not gonna invite me in? Some host you are, Bucky.” You quirked your brow and put on a playful smile. 
“Oh forgive me, where are my manners? Won’t you please come in?” he motioned to the door with a flourish, keeping up the joke.
You giggled and nodded as you went in before him. “Much better. I hope your manners in the bedroom are better than that”
He was suddenly behind you, removing your coat he leaned down to whisper in your ear, “Well there’s only one way to find out”. 
He grabbed you by the shoulders and spun you around to pull you into an overpowering kiss. His lips were every bit as soft as you thought they’d be. One hand traveling down your back to rest on your ass and the other came to the back of your head as his mouth was wandering to your neck. 
You let out a moan and threw your head back so he could have better access. Normally you like to be the one in control but this was proving to be an unusual night so you said ‘fuck it’. You let your fingers weave through his hair and latched onto it. You brought his ear closer so he could hear you through your breathy moans. 
“Take me to bed”, you demanded. He brought his forehead to yours and nodded. 
He grabbed you by the hand and led you down the hall. He opened the door and ushered you in while you got a head start on the buttons of your shirt. He snaked his hands underneath your tight skirt to briefly grab your ass before sliding them back out to find the zipper. Down to your underwear he took a step back to take you in completely.
“Fuckin’ gorgeous, doll” He breathed. 
You went for the button on his jeans as he peeled off his shirt. You unzipped him and pulled the jeans down with some resistance from his ass and his muscled thighs. He stepped out of the fabric that pooled around his ankles and stalked towards you. He brought his hands to your waist and felt your smooth skin and brought you into another searing kiss while you walked backwards until your knees hit the bed.
You fell onto the mattress and he fell on top of you and peppered kisses from your face down to your collarbone. His hands were so warm against your cool skin as he moved to rub your clit through your panties. You were squirming in his arms and panting out little mewls. You could feel your panties getting absolutely ruined.
You bucked your hips up to his hands and snagged your fingers in his hair again, giving it a sharp tug of need. He broke your kiss with a chuckle. 
“Don’t you worry, doll. Just wanted to see you sweat.” He said. 
He leaned back on his haunches and motioned for you to lift your hips. He peeled your panties off of you and took a moment to relish in the mess you had made just for him. 
“This all for me? I’m flattered, but I think you can do better than that, sweetheart”, he told you. 
With no warning two fingers glided right into your aching pussy. You sucked in a sharp breath followed by a deep moan as he started moving. You were grinding against his hand and getting a little frustrated as you could almost approach the start of your climax but just his hands weren’t enough. 
“Something wrong, doll?” He asked playfully. He knew damn well what you wanted. 
You huffed. “Eat me out. Please I can’t take it” You whined. Since when did you get so needy with a guy? Since when did you want someone to like you so much? He’s human and he’s a snack he doesn’t even matter.
“Well how could I say no to that?” he asked before he kissed one of your hips. Without any further preamble he latched his mouth onto your clit and sucked. He ate like a starved man, taking you in completely and licking up all your juices while still working you with his hand. 
You were getting louder and more needy in your moans as you came closer to the edge. The grip on his hair got tighter as you guided him in the right place. 
“Fuck. Don’t stop. I’m cumming don’t stop, please please please” You begged as you pushed his face further into your pussy. 
He crooked his fingers just slightly and it was enough to send you over the edge. Intense release triggered that instinctual response in you that brought out your fangs. 
You had to calm down right the fuck now. You still wanted to fuck him before you fed. No human has made you feel this way since you yourself were a human. You pushed his face deeper in still so that he wouldn’t see the change in you. 
A few moments later you’d calmed down enough to retract them and you were pulling him back up to kiss you again. You tasted yourself and you moaned at the hotness of it all. You needed him inside of you. Now.
He kept his mouth on yours as he reached over to his bedside drawer to find a condom but you pulled away from the kiss with a heaving breath. “I’m clean and I’m on the pill,” Not necessarily true but true enough, “please, I just want to feel you. Want you to fuck me full of your cum” you pleaded.
He growled and pulled another moan out of you as he kissed you again and reached to undo the clasp of your bra. He reached down to take off his boxers while he played with your nipples. You looked down and nearly gasped at the size of him. No one you ever brought home had been hung like him. Seeing all the veins sticking out of his hard cock only made you hungrier. 
Suppressing your appetite you reached for him and moved to get him underneath you when he stopped your movements. 
“I wanna be on top, wanna see you writhing underneath me, wanna see your face when I make you cum again, doll.” He said, pushing you back down. He lined up between your folds and eased his way in. 
He sighed as he pushed all the way to your cervix in a slow yet forceful push. He shuddered. “Fuck, doll. Can’t wait to fucking fill you up, make you mine. I wanna see my cum leaking out of you and push it back in. Gonna fuck you so fucking good.” He pulled almost all the way out and slammed back in, eliciting a yelp from you. “So good.”
His pace was slow at first, letting you adjust to him while he adjusted to you. He had been just as wanting as you, when he initially pushed in you could feel his cock twitch and pulse inside you. He wanted this just as bad as you did. 
“Just fucking fuck me already, please” you asked in between moans. 
“You asked for it, doll. Hold on tight.” That was the only warning he gave before he started railing into you at a brutal pace. You were moaning and yelling loudly while he focused all his energy on fucking you as he took in the look on your face. 
The sounds filling the room were a mix of skin slapping against skin, grunts, moans, and groans. The air was sticky with sweat and sex as he reached down to play with your clit. This guy knows what he’s doing. 
“I can’t hold back much longer, doll. Give me what I want. Wanna cum together. Wanna cum all inside your perfect pussy.” He panted out. 
He worked your clit harder, hit your cervix harder, kissed you harder. You let out a cry as you came, triggered his own orgasm. He fucked you through both of your climaxes and you felt his cock empty his cum inside of you. A few final thrusts and his body collapsed onto yours. Cum dripping out of your cunt and onto the mattress.
You were so aroused, no one you took home had done you like this. You still needed him. Your fangs came out with a hiss and you went for the jugular. Bucky grabbed something off the side table so quickly and took it in his hand. With the other he caught your hands above your head and brought down whatever it is that he had been holding onto them. 
You were screaming, your skin was burning, smoking. This was a pain so unique that it brought you into shock. It was a pain you knew. Silver. What are you? Immediate panic waved through you as you tried to kick out from under him, only digging the metal further into your wrists.
You were fucked, you were panicked, and for the first time in maybe a century you were scared. 
“What the fuck?!” You roared as you used all the strength you had to push against him. With a grunt he pulled out of you to get a better angle to hold you down. In that moment of weakness you managed to fling your body weight forward enough to get the metal off of you. 
You felt wild, angry, betrayed. You were about to lunge for him again when he pulled a silver dagger and brought it to your throat. It touched you just barely enough that you could feel the singe. You hissed, trying to stay as still as possible so you wouldn’t burn yourself further. 
“Who the FUCK are you?! What the fuck do you want!?” You were seething with rage. No one gets the drop on you. No one. Bucky may have the upper hand now but he will pay in blood. All of it. 
“I know what you are. I know what you’ve been doing. I belong to a very special group of individuals interested in eradicating your kind.” He said as he pushed the blade further into your neck. 
“So it wasn’t a total lie when I said I moved here for work.” He chuckled at the statement, like you were supposed to be in on the joke too. Go along with him as if he wasn’t about to kill you. 
“What do you want with me? If you know what I’ve been doing you know that I don’t kill my victims. I glamour them and send them on their way. We both win.” You tried to reason.
“I think you could be useful, doll. You’ve already proven you’re definitely good for at least one thing. Look at you, my cum leakin’ out of your pussy like it was made for it”, he said. He sat up a little bit, easing the dagger off of you just a bit. 
“You see, I think you got connections, doll. I think you can help me get to the group of vampires responsible for all the killings in the next city over.” His words were registering with you as you looked around the room for an exit. Sounds like Loki. Maybe Thor but I doubt it.
“And before you go thinkin’ about cutting loose, all my doorknobs are coated in silver and so are all the bars on the window. Perks of living in a basement apartment? I’ve got barred windows and no one lives in the unit above me. No one will hear you scream. No one will come for you.”
You were so utterly fucked in this moment. Maybe you could glamour your way out of this. If you could get him to meet your eye. 
“Go ahead and try anything on me, doll. I’m prepared for any of it. If you can’t give me the information I want then maybe you could give me something else I want.” He pumped his eyebrows as he took in your naked form. 
That was the first and last time you ever got vulnerable with a human. Yup, you were fucked. For now.
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rosachaotic · 3 years
Text
Remember when i said Talbott and Cereza werent over? Yeah.
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I promised yall i would write a continuation of this. For those dont remember that happend, here
Anyways enjoy the fanfic!
Warning: none?? Its more just angst then fluff.(but sorry for my bad english and wording im not very good at writing and I wrote this on mobile)
It's been two months and few days since the big argument Talbott and Cereza had on the hospital wings.
This all happened because Cereza tried to do all the investigation and take down R by herself, but of course that plan failed and it backfired on her very badly. She fought the wizard in white and almost died because of it, losing her consciousness after he ran away, fortunately she was found by Moody who was searching for her after her twin brother said she went missing and was taken to the hospital wings.
She was scolded for it of course, and after that her friends went to visit her. All of her friends were worried for her, especially her twin brother Michael who jumped into her hugging her tight, crying, not realizing her whole body was in pain before he quickly let her go.
After a long chat with her friends and twin brother Talbott got in but he didn't look happy, he asked for everyone to leave him and Cereza alone because he wanted to talk to her, everyone left confused to what was going on.
Outside people could hear both Talbott and Cereza arguing with each other, Talbott was disappointed that Cereza lied to everyone including him about not having any information that could be useful for Circle ot Khanna and that she did is by herself he thought she was dead she could have died because of her reckless decision, Cereza tried to explain herself by saying she thought what she was doing was the right because she wanted to protect everyone which didn't make Talbott feel any less worse but the opposite. Both kept arguing with each other until Talbott storms out of hospital wings not looking at his friend's faces who were waiting outside, Penny tried to stop him but he just ignored her and walked away, once everyone back inside to the hospital they saw Cereza holding back her tears but she did a very job at it once everyone was inside and started crying.
----
Cereza rarely saw Talbott after what happened, she only saw him on the classes they shared but even then he didn't even talk to her, she decided to let it be not wanting to bother Talbott and she thought that this was the end of their relationship. This broke her alot, the happy girl that was always smiling and giggling all the time wasn't there anymore, not only she felt bad for what she did but she thought she lost one of the people she loved the most.
That was until Cereza got a letter in the morning, Andre gave it to her and said "It's from Talbott." She quickly opened the letter and read the paper that said:
"We need to talk. Meet me after dinner in the courtyard."
-Talbott
She thanked Andre for the letter who nodded and said "I hope everything works out for you guys." And left, Cereza also hoped that things would work out but she couldn't help but feel anxious about it. What did he want to talk about after dinner? Why did it have to wait?
"Does he want to end our relationship once and for all?" Cereza thought all day, Cereza knew how to be patient but this waiting was killing her.
During dinner she barely ate anything, Rowen(M!Rowan) was trying to make her eat something but she couldn't.
"You have to eat something, you can't sleep with an empty stomach." Said Rowen, worried for his best friend trying to make her eat. He knew about the letter, Cereza told him about it and he knew how nervous and anxious she was because of it.
"I can't, this wait is killing me.'' Cereza said anxiously.
She then looked around, noticing that Talbott wasn't at the ravenclaw table or at any table of the other houses.
"Did you see Talbott walk in?" Asked Cereza, still looking around, Rowen shook his head.
"No, I didn't, I don't think he is coming for dinner today." Rowen took a bite of his food as he said that.
"Why? Do you know about something??"
"No, no, but...Penny said she didn't see all day, he didn't go to any of his classes." Cereza felt her heart drop, this wasn't like him, he would NEVER miss any class, if there was something Talbott was proud of himself is that he was an excellent student.
"This isn't like him…" Whispered Cereza."I cant, i have to go."
"Wha- B-But dinner time isn't over yet!"
"I'm sorry Rowen, but I have to go."
"...Okay, good luck Cere!"
Cereza nodded and left the great hall running, she opened the big door to the corridor and rushed past the students to the courtyard.
As she got outside she looked around.
There he was, sitting on the tree trunk looking at the stars just like he would when he waited for her for their dates.. Cereza sighed with relief knowing that Talbott was okay...or was he?
She took a deep breath and walked toward him, stopping right before him.
"Hey…" Talbott jumped at hearing Cereza's voice, he was probably so lost in his thoughts that he didn't hear her walk in.
"Oh, Sorry I didn't hear you coming in…" Said Talbott awkwardly.
"Its okay…"
"..."
"Penny said she didn't see you all day, you also didn't come for dinner as well."
"I felt sick all day and I wasn't hungry."
"Oh...I'm sorry, I hope you're better now."
Silence took over, the only sound they heard was the cold night wind, making things kinda awkward. Until Talbott coughed and said
"Sit here with me." He tapped right next to him, Cereza then climbed the tree trunk and sat right next to him.
Again, the awkward silence.
Cereza then looked at the sky, it was a pretty starry night, she could see some shooting stars.
" The night is beautiful tonight isn't it?" Asked Talbott, breaking the silence.
"Yeah. It is beautiful."
"It reminds me of when we used to have our dates here, you would make wishes for the shooting stars."
"Stupid wishes, I know." Cereza giggled at her own stupid self.
"I never thought they were stupid." Said Talbott.
"Even the one where I wished for a giant puffskein?"
Cereza shook her head smiling a little bit and she also noticed Talbott was smiling a little as well, she missed seeing him smile, but they weren't there to watch the stars.
"Hey, if that's your wish, who am i to judge?
"Talbott-"
"Yeah?"
"Listen, I-I know you said you wanted to talk to me in your letter, but I want to say something first." Said Cereza nervously, while staring at the floor.
"...Go ahead."
She took a deep breath and then looked at his warm striking hazel, who met her golden eyes. Then she finally said:
"...I'm sorry."
"...Wha-"
"I'm sorry for what I did, Talbott. It was very dumb of me try to all of that on my own and it was and it was insensitive and bad of me not to tell you guys the information I had about R."
"Cereza-"
"I should have trusted you all to defend yourselves without my help, I shouldn't have lied to you guys about not finding anything."
"Cereza listen-"
"I shouldn't have done that, I could have died and i didn't thought about how you, my family and the rest of our friends would feel about it if I died, you were right when you said things wouldn't get any better if I-"
"CEREZA!"
Cereza jumped at Talbott who raised his voice at her, he gripped her shoulders and made her look at him, his eyes staring at her but he didn't look angry he looked sad.
"Just...listen to me please."
Cereza nodded and whispered "sorry" and let him talk.
"Look...after what happened, i couldn't stop thinking about that night on hospital wings. That night kept playing in my head over and over every time I went to bed...I felt awful"
"Huh-"
"I felt awful, Cereza. After I calmed down I realized what I just did and how I shouldn't have talked to you that way, but it was too late, I was already at my dorm and I couldn't bring myself to come back."
"..."
"I was ashamed."
"Is that the reason why you were avoiding me?"
Talbott nodded, he took a deep breath as if was holding himself to not cry.
"I thought you hated me."
"..."
"So I avoided you and everyone else as well, it was painful."
"Tal I-"
"I should have thought of your feelings, how were you feeling that made you do all of that yourself."
"...You had all the rights to react the way you did, it was a stupid and dangerous decision that I made."
"But I still shouldn't have said those things to you."
"..."
"I let my emotions take over me, my heart dropped when I saw Moody carrying you to the hospital wings....blood all over you and you unconscious and i thought i lost you..."
"..."
"When i heard you were alive, I was so happy and relieved...but when i heard about why you did that when I heard Michael talking to Moody I...I dont know what came over me, i was angry and disappointed"
"...I know-"
"Not only on you, but mostly on myself"
"..W-why? Why were you angry at yourself??"
"Because I thought I failed you, I couldn't protect you, I couldn't be there for you."
"But it wasn't your fault-"
"Let me finish..."
"..."
"But that doesn't excuse what I did, i didnt think about what you were feeling, how you were feeling. Your feelings that made you do this and your feelings after it...I called you selfish but I was even more selfish…"
"Tal…"
Cereza's hand went to Talbott's cheek, who jumped at her touch but then rested his face on her hand holding her hand even more close to his face. He closed his eyes while he felt her warmth on his skin again after so long.
"I'm sorry Cereza, I'm sorry for what I did. I'm sorry for everything."
"I forgive you."
Talbott's eyes quickly opened as he looked at her, he was surprised but it also looked like a heavy weight was lifted off his shoulders. She continued:
"But...do you forgive me as well?"
"Of course I do."
Cereza also felt as if a heavy weight was lifted off her shoulders as well, she smiled as she felt tears run down her face and she had to take off her glasses to clean it.
"I-I thought...I thought you called me to end everything between us." Said Cereza as she cried while she tried to clean her tears off her face. She was shaking a little and her breath was also shaky.
"I would never do that." He whispered. "If anything, I was more afraid of you wanting to break up with me."
Talbott got closer to her and hugged tight on to his body, catching her by surprise.
Cereza returned the tight hug, smiling while tears rolled down her face, Talbott also had tears rolling down his face who tried to hide by hiding his face on her shoulder but his shaky breath and the way he sniffed quietly gave it away he was crying. Cereza's hand went to Talbott's hair and was caressing his hair.
"I thought I was going to lose you." Whispered Talbott, not wanting to let her go.
"I thought the same thing…" Cereza whispered back, kissing his head.
Both of them stopped hugging each other as they cleaned their faces but still kept close, Talbott's hand travelled to Cereza's face and caressed her cheek, his hand was cold as always but Cereza never cared about that, she liked his touch.
They both stared at each other, they both knew it was awkward the way they stared at each other but they did not care, their gazes were filled with intense love.
Talbott kept his hand on Cereza's cheek and kissed her other cheek gently but his face didn't move away, in fact he kept face very close to hers moving only a little to her lips, their noses were touching each other and they could feel their heavy breaths, Cereza closed her eyes as she felt her heartbeat go very fast and her face was red, Talbott heart also felt like it was going to jump from his mouth and even his ears were dark red. He brushed his nose on to hers but then kissed her nose, he caressed her cheek once more smiling, Cereza then opened her eyes and saw his smile and smiled back at him. Both of them giving loving smiles at each other.
"I love you." Said Talbott.
Cereza's hand went to Talbott's face and to his cheek as well, as she sighed and smiled again.
"I love you too, meu amor.'
Talbott's smile grew as he heard again the loving way Cereza called him using her first language, while they didn't have their first kiss yet what matters is that they were both together again.
"Just promise to me that you will be more careful." Said Talbott.
Cereza nodded.
"I will...but, do you promise to never leave my side?" Asked Cereza, Talbott chuckled and said:
"I promise, my sunshine."
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sweetberrysmooch · 3 years
Text
HC: Call This The ‘Can This Man Cook’ Section
(….. I don’t think these men can cook 😔)
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First post pog :D I wrote a majority of these super late at night, so please forgive and let me know of any mistakes you find <3 Also, it’s a little long lol
Characters: Dream, George, SapNap, Badboyhalo, Wilbur, Technoblade, Philza, Quackity, Fundy, Schlatt.
Warnings: None, except for a kinda risqué comment in Philza’s. Oh and I guess there’s mentions of eating meat in case someone wants the warning :3
Song Recommendation: I Love You So- The Walters
Hella fluffy! Hope you enjoy <3
From best to worst:
#1: BadBoyHalo-
Bad is the best at cooking on the server. He is the creme of the crop, absolute top one percent, king shit at cooking.
He can cook, bake, and temper chocolate perfectly, what more could you want?
His favorite to-go recipes are cheesy garlic bread and a special spicy chicken and rice recipe which he typically makes when the boys are over at his house for the night. When he’s with you he goes for something a little smoother, some mulled sweet berry cider with a smoked cod fillet, eaten under the light of candles while you quietly chat about life and your fellow friends. It’s always one of Bad’s most anticipated hangouts, and he’s very careful about planning when it comes to those days.
While he appreciates being complimented on his food or his skills, deep down he wants to have someone to cook and share his knowledge with so the cooking process becomes much richer. He’s cooked for so long and learned so much, but it means nothing if he can’t share it with another person. The moment you come to him and ask him for help on any kind of recipe, he’ll drop almost everything to help you.
Side note; he absolutely carried lunch and dinner for his fellow DTeam members. While Sapnap would mostly take over breakfast, Bad would be hounded by begging puppy looks from these adult men who couldn’t cook and kind of just sigh and get the ‘kiss the cook’ apron ready. It’s not like he hates it or anything, but the endearing factor kinda slips off after a few years of adult men groveling.
(Bad’s hands rest over yours, dwarfing them entirely as he helps you cut the pasta sheet straightly. “There you go!” He encourages, squeezing your hand gently and stepping away, moving back to dice the vegetables on the cutting board next to you. A comfortable silence falls, and with it comes something in Bad’s heart softening. The worries and exhaustion in his mind ease, and he slips into a contented routine of finely chopping and slicing. It’s been a while since he’s felt so calm. There’s nothing that can ruin this- 
The front door slams open. Footsteps walk in and approach the kitchen and you both hear it, 
“Baaaaaaaaad.” Bad cringes, taking a step back.
“Baaaaaaaaaaad, we’re hungry.” Sapnap. 
“Yeah Bad, feeeeeeeed uuuuuuus.” George. 
And then, from around the door frame, a white mask peeks in. Nobody says a word, but you can feel Bad deflate next to you like let go balloon. 
“It’s alright, big guy.” You laugh, grabbing his forearm and leaning up against him. His sad puppy eyes make you smile a little, and you try to reassure him. “We can hang out alone another time. Let’s keep working on the pasta.” He sighs, but still returns your smile. “Yeah, another time.”)
#2: Philza 
Sigh…. he can cook. Not quite as good as Bad can, but better than Quackity. A solid second place. It stems mainly from being so knowledgeable that he just knows and has tried so many different foods, but since he doesn't actually do much cooking, I'm making him a flaky second place.
Doesn’t mind cooking, but doesn’t love doing it either. He’s always focused on so many different things that he’ll forgo eating to keep working on what he’s doing. He mostly cooks for Techno and Ranboo or the few guests (you) they seem to receive. Makes great stew, and even better roasted chicken, is absolutely immaculate when it comes to cooking bird.
He didn’t teach Wilbur or Techno shit! I wish I could say it’s because he wanted to but just couldn’t, but he was literally like “hmm. Im a little busy now, maybe next year” every year!! But, this being said, if you ask him to make something with you or teach you how to cook a particular dish, he will agree to help you. Old age has really mellowed him out, and after certain events, he realizes he needs to stay a bit closer to those he cares about from now on.
He likes sweets well enough, and will always thank you for any gifts you make for him. Along with growing older, he’s had time to lose his pickiness he had in his youth. If he does end up cooking with you, he’ll prefer doing the harder recipes over easy ones. He will lose it laughing if it turns out bad, so don’t worry about any disappointment (his children make up enough of that ^^).
(“Now,” Phil starts, washing his hands quickly as you wait for him next to the cutting board. “Pufferfish needs to be prepared perfectly, or we will die when we eat it. But I don’t need to explain to you how a pufferfish works, now do I?” 
When you shake your head no, he comes up behind you, tarnished wings bound and hair pulled up in a pony tail. 
“The meat of a pufferfish is very delectable, and much better with a glass of wine.” He grins cheekily, “ If this works out well, which I’m sure it will, dinner will be delicious.” 
It falls quiet for a second, and as your hesitantly looking over the fish that may be your last, you gasp when you feel him press up against you back and rest his chin on your shoulder. “Maybe there’ll be other delicious things to eat as well,” He murmurs into you ear, before leaning back and busting out laughing. Your face feels stupidly hot. Dilfza quest activated.)
#3: Quackity-
Quackity:
Quackity can cook. I know!! I’d say he’s like the third best cooker on the list. And he’s not half bad at baking either.
He likes making up stupid bad recipes and trying them out with you, even if at the end of it the one of you up chucks your damned creations the hour after. Despite his reigning need for chaos though, he knows how to make a decent amount of recipes and strives for praise when he’s actually putting forward effort. He’ll arrange little dinner dates (“A handsome man and his very pretty friend, good food made by yours truly, and La Chona, what do you say, baby?”) and will sit there with a 🥺 look on his face until you tell him if you liked it or not.
He tries to act like he’s unaffected by your words, but even a small, “That was really good.” will make him turn red and giggle like a schoolgirl. He tries to play it off, but it’s easy to tell he loves the complements. Will also never tell you anything you make is bad. You are a deity descended upon  minecraft Earth and he is but your prettiest disciple who will uphold your honor and treat you like you should be treated!!!! But he’ll then promptly choose to help you with and guide you into cooking/baking better ^^; He loves you!
As for baking, he really likes making cakes because of how simple they can be. It helps calm him down when he can just slip into bake mode and follow a recipe and make something nice at the end of it. Speaking of, he also has a sweet tooth, but not quite as bad as Techno does. Any sweets or food you make for him is always eaten, and always held in high regard. Will try to entice you into feeding him 👀👀 so watch out.
(He’s doing it again. You try to avoid looking directly at the dopey lovesick smile Quackity has on his face at the moment, but as you lift the fork up, you get a better idea. 
You look at him (to which he seems to melt a little under your gaze), look at the fork, and then back to him, raising the piece of cake up to his lips. His expression turns flabbergasted and his blush deepens. 
He doesn’t seem to believe you for a second, until you nudge the cake close and flash him a smile. Then it’s like a switch has been flicked; he giggles, blushing, and eats the cake right off the fork. He’s gone back to smiling that silly smile again, this time even brighter, but it’s okay. You try to ignore the way your heart speeds up in your chest when he begs you for another piece.)
#4: Schlatt-
Another cooker~! He specializes with formal dinners more than anything else, and adores a good steak.
During his presidency, he didn’t cook very often. Quackity and you had to keep him fed through most of it, and the memory of watching you cook in his kitchen while he looked over work papers at his dining table leaves a mark on him, sealing a new crave for domesticity that he hadn’t ever wanted before.
Sometimes he would cook though. You, Quackity, and Tubbo would all gather around and eat together every once in a blue moon, when Schlatt was sober and calm. It feels tense at the table but also not in a way? Schlatt always seems to be chillest during dinner, a mix of the alcohol wearing off and the emphatic family feel that comes with Tubbo, Quackity, and you surrounding him.
He loves cake! It’s one of the few desserts he’ll eat, but you have to watch him closely or he’ll gorge himself of the treat. Indulge him and invite him to make a cake with you, and it will be one of the most interesting bakes of your life. How Schlatt got three eggs to stick to the ceiling is beyond you, but the look in his eyes tells you he’s completely fucking sober and hamming up his own cluelessness. You probably wouldn’t have even noticed if it weren’t for him hiding all the other eggs around your kitchen as well. How did he get one on the top of your door without it falling when you opened it? That’s between him and god.
Overall, a good 4th place on the list.
(“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Schlatt says, deadpanned, looking you right in the fucking eyes with an undisturbed egg sitting perfectly straight on his head. 
“Where are the eggs, Schlatt.” 
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” 
“Schlatt.” 
“Yes.” 
The container you kept them in is completely empty on your kitchen counter, once full of eggs but now reduced to a desolate husk of its former glory. Speaking of former glories, your president turns around, arms crossed and stands there silently. 
You look around. Theres one in the door handle of in the pantry, another wedged between two slices of bread in your bread box, and- oh god. On the fucking ceiling. Three, stuck to the ceiling, unmovable. After a full minute of dead silence you manage a “What the fuck have you done?”, and Schlatt turns to look. 
“Oh hey. There they are.” Your mind turns into a rock, shatters, and crumbles into dust.)
#5: Dream-
Honestly if you’re looking for edible food that tastes range from ok to good Dream is your man. 5th place.
He knows a lot of ‘depression era’ type recipes just because he’s pretty homeless and his man hunts don’t allow him much time to hone his skills. Stuff like bread or mushroom stew comes easy to him after so many times of having to do it on the run. Bread is the only baking he won’t screw up.
Can cook meat well enough too, but doesn’t really do anything special to it (besides his sauces).
To elaborate: Over the unknown span of his life, he’s acquired these recipes for forgotten and questionable sauces that he’ll store in little jars and leave at your house for you to use. They’re odd, and the ingredients aren’t ever what you think might be edible, but they’re surprisingly tasty none the less. He likes to show you a new one every month or so to keep things fresh.
Pretty general about sweets, but has a severe love for chocolate, especially dark chocolate. Has never had one, but dreams about chocolate cake. It’s high on his bucket list and written another four times over.
One of his favorite things to do with you is bake, mainly because of how ruinous it always turns out. No matter your skill, Dream’s vibes decimates any luck the two of you will have while baking. It’s scientifically proven. You left the cupcakes in for a minute-JUST a minute over what they should’ve been and they came out rock solid. Dream tried to eat one anyway. Best part was watching him try to bite through the shell.)
(He thinks he’s over selling it, half-gnawing on the brown cupcake (it was supposed to be vanilla, he thought) and making stupid growls when his teeth barely break through the surface, but the feeling he gets when you start laughing hysterically next to him wipes away any negative thought he had and fills him with utter joy. 
It's very late into the night, and you’re both a little loopy, but all the while you still lean against him as you giggle, the spot tingling where your hand rests on his arm. 
His heart thumps crazily, before sinking. Oh god. He’s in love with you.)
#6: Technoblade-
Knows a lot, but very little. He can cook the meat perfectly fine, but there’s a difference between being cooked and tasting good. He doesn’t know how to season them. Salt is the bare minimum you get.
6th place ^^; sorry king.
He’s good with potatoes though. I like to think that the countless hours spent potato farming had to account for something. He likes having cheese and butter on them every once in a while, but for the most part just eats them salted like an animal. It’s practically a show to watch him eat a cooked potato in three bites without anything but salt on it.
Big man loves food though, even if he doesn’t eat like it. Steak and cooked fish are high on his list of foods, but only if it’s cooked by Philza. And eventually you fall into his “I trust to eat this from you” category as well, but he has a special place in his heart for Phil’s cooking. Rabbit stew is at the very top.
He also eats a lot, being 6’10 and 200 something pounds of muscle, gotta consume quite a bit to keep him moving.
As for the sweeter variety of food, he’s got a massive sweet tooth. The moment you make him an apple pie or honey candy or anything of the like, he’s immediately enamored with you. Sweet things are hard to come by on the smp, especially with how far out he lives, but it’s a secret weakness of his that is very easily exploitable.
(You’ll be the death of him, he thinks, watching you closely as you trudge your way through the freshly fallen snow towards his house. Your normal pack is lighter than it usually looks, and he worries that you may slip and hurt yourself on the ice before you make it to the door. But still, you keep walking until you're standing at his doorstep, fist raised to knock when he opens it for you. 
You look surprised for a second, and then a grin splits your face and his heart races. 
“I can’t stay for long,” you say, having spent at least 30 minutes to get there. “But I wanted to drop this off for you before you went out to hunt again.” 
Out of the bag, you pull another smaller leather bag and hand it to him gently. It rests heavy in his palm, and for a moment he’s sure it’s ender pearls that you’ve brought him. But still he opens it, and he’s immediately taken aback by the smooth golden candies you brought him. 
“They’re honey candies.” At this point you’re practically grinning. “I thought you might like some while I was making them last night.” 
He doesn’t have to see his own face to feel the deep blush setting in on his cheeks and ears. You…. you’re so…… sweet. You are very…. sweet, he admits to himself, and he is very not attached to you. Not at all.)
#7: Fundy and Sapnap tie.
Fundy- 
Has his old man's cluelessness but is a fast learner. He doesn’t have much time to expand his food repertoire so it’s pretty much the basic stuff that he’s eaten during the war or before that when he was younger.
He really likes cooking though, and will invite you to come cook with him for dinner or lunch if he wants to hang out. When they were together, Dream had given him an old dusty cookbook that had several recipes he hadn’t ever heard of before, so that’s where most of what he tries to make comes from. His favorite to date was a special mutton dish that he asked you to try with him on his last birthday. It was just the two of you, but he had never had so much fun before.
Doesn’t like eating fish however, there’s just some bad vibe he gets when he thinks about cooking one or catching one. (Desperately ignores the fish fucker. Desperately ignores the fish fucker. Despera-)
Loves sweet berries as treats, seeing as that’s the only sweet thing he grew up with. Not too big on other sweet flavors. Likes honey in his tea though.
7th place cooker, will get higher as he learns more dishes.
(He raises his wine high with a laugh, clinking your glass with it as you both giggle drunkenly. 
The lamb you had cooked together turned out amazing, juicy and tender and flavored with crimson fungus juice. The recipe was from an old cookbook he had, he faintly remembers telling you, hiding the fact that it was Dream’s cookbook that he was given after a particularly nasty argument. 
He doesn’t want to think about him, especially not while he’s with you. Especially not when it’s his birthday. 
So instead he ponders the trip through the nether he took with you to harvest some of the fungi, how the juice was tangy and slightly bitter, but how it had done wonders when basted onto the meat while frying. 
You had looked so happy when you two plated the dish, so proud of him, all in a way that Dream never was. 
Even now, as you tiredly smile at him from across the table, cheeks pink and eyes focused solely on the moment you were sharing, he feels at peace for once. This is what contentment felt like. Oh, how he loves you so.)
Sapnap-
Shame the shit cooker. Ok ok, he’s not as bad as some of the others on this list, but that’s just because he can make a half decent breakfast. It’s not much competition.
Bad has desperately tried to teach this boy some cooking besides eggs and toast, but the only things that seem to have stuck are mashed potatoes and grilled pork chops. Neither of which he even likes enough to make often.
He prefers fish to meat, and would eat any kind of cod you offered to him. Likes smoked salmon a lot, it’s something Bad made for him a lot when he was younger. He tries to recreate the dish, but comes up short and feels disheartened when it isn’t like Bad’s. He’d appreciate any time you took with him to learn how to make the dish, and it wholly sticks to his mind afterwards. He never forgets the experience, and treasures it very closely.
Likes not-sweet sweets. Not bitter per say, but just not very sweet. He likes chewy taffy in particular, but the old lady kind that lasts 60 years but gets hard in 6 minutes after being exposed to open air. Gotta be polite about it too, or he’ll end up embarrassed and pout for an hour.
(He’s eaten 6 of those fucking taffies since you sat down on the couch, completely straight-faced as the two of you of you listen to Dream and George talking. 
At this point you’re completely checked out of their conversation, solely focused on the taffy Sapnap keeps eating. Where does he even get those? How many does he have?? You’ve been friends with him long enough to have seen him pop a taffy every other second of the day. He seems to have a stash on him at all times tucked away, filled with paper-wrapped pastel covered sweets. 
“Want one?” Sapnap asks, holding out a light blue taffy with a little star drawn in yellow dye on the wrapper. 
“What?” Startled, you lean back a bit and realize you had been staring him down as he ate, and flush with how rude that probably seemed. 
“Want a taffy? I don’t mind sharing with you, cutie.” He winks and offers the taffy again. “....” You gaze at the taffy curiously. You’ve never seen him offer another person one of his precious taffies before. Hmm. “...Yes, thanks.” 
You take it delicately, unwrapping the wrapper and taking a bite of it experimentally. It’s very lightly sweet, soft and chewy and surprisingly pleasant. 
Sapnap watches you from the corner of his eye, softly smiling when he sees you eat the rest of it. Glad to see someone else has good tastes around here.)
#8. George-
Meager man makes a meager meal. I said what I said!!! This flatbread boy knows diddly squat, and the only things he can cook successfully are bread and mushroom soup. Which he will make. And that’s all he’ll make. Any food that isn’t that is cooked by either Bad or Dream, and he’s still picky about it.
He’ll make you the soup and bread ladies and gents. I’m not saying they’ll taste great together, but he will definitely make them for you. Anything else he’s pretty critical about, and he doesn’t care much for treats or dessert. He does occasionally like dark chocolate though, which he and Dream will beg Bad to make for them. Soon he begs you to make it for him, and then you have to go ask Bad how he makes it so George won’t complain about how it tastes different from Bads. It’s a weird situation. You make a lot of chocolate. Dream and George linger at your house for weeks on end until you get fed up and shoo them away with a broom.
To his credit, even though he can’t cook much, he’s really proud of his mushroom stew. Any time you let him cook, his go-to is his mushroom stew. He likes to feed you and know that you’re not hungry somewhere, and to top it off he gets to show you his prized dish; not Bad’s or Dream’s stew, but his. He’s cute or whateva…
(George places the bowl down in front you, stepping back and turning to grab his own, before sitting down next to you. He immediately begins to eat, and you give him a half glance as you bring the soup up to smell it. 
It… doesn’t smell that bad, actually. Not burnt, at least. You spoon some of the soup into your mouth. 
Despite all you’ve seen of George’s cooking, this is pretty well made. It’s nice and warm, and the flavors are rich and the mushrooms soft. You choose to ignore the small smile of his face next to you, and keep eating your soup quietly together.)
#9: Wilbur
Wilbur can’t cook for shit. Literally nothing. This man knows apples grow from trees and that animals are made of meat and that’s it.
You think Wilbur made any of his food when he was president or exiled or ever? Not a chance. He ate anything given to him, Tubbo and Tommy absolutely brought this man all the food they could find so he wouldn’t get eat straight trash or starve throughout the presidency. Techno slid him bare cooked potatoes in Pogtopia and he thought “oh this slaps….. this is the pinnacle of food”
Which I know, not really sexy. But! This means that the moment you feed him something a step up from a bare cooked potato he is in food heaven. He especially loves saucier kinds of foods with lots of flavor and spice to them, it’s just so fucking good. Food becomes his kryptonite after you feed this silly man.
With sweets, however, he isn’t that much of a fan. He does like those small lemon creme crackers, and you and da boys are the only ppl he’ll share them with.
(You hear him before you see him. The familiar clambering at your window draws your attention away from the pork you were dicing, and one look over your shoulder shows a disheveled but grinning Wilbur. 
“I hope I’m not too late for dinner.” He jokes, brushing off his pants before approaching you to press a kiss to your temple. Soon after that you hear another set of clambering, and two pairs of stomps reveals one Tommy and one Tubbo respectively. 
“What’s for dinner tonight, mate?” 
“Hope you don’t mind if we join in!” 
You sigh, turning back to hide your smile before they can see it.)
// Hope you enjoyed! I might write a pt2 of this later with some other ppl in it lol we’ll see :3
259 notes · View notes
jungxk · 4 years
Text
crush
filed under. i totally forgot i wrote this. also i like the name eunmi sue me 
notes. thank you to @lonelyending for reading thru this crusty story and making me feel good enough about it again to post it. also @suga-kookiemonster bc im pretty sure i sent u this like a year ago and u told me to post it it but....i forgot abt it shdgjsgd. writing/life in general has been hard recently so pls accept this kookfic to hold yous over until i update just one
genre. fluff, light comedy, light angst, smut
warnings. smut (oral sex: f receiving, penetrative unprotected sex) 
length. 5.1k
the first thing jungkook thinks when he sees you is wow.
he hasn't been up for very long, and you don't even know he's looking at you through the window. yoongi-hyung has wrapped you up in his arms as you sob and sob, muted behind the protective hospital glass. even with messy hair and wet eyes he's starstruck. it's why he recoils slightly when jimin and namjoon explain to him that you're his wife.
"my," he can't even say the word. "my..."
"your wife," namjoon repeats. "you know what a wife is, right? marriage?"
"yes," jungkook huffs, digging his nails into his scalp. "i lost my memory, hyung, not my fucking brain cells." 
he suddenly registers the gold band glistening on his left hand, simple and heavy. he has to take a second to collect himself. "but...but i'm twenty-three. right? i am twenty-three, yeah?"
"yeah. you are," jimin says softly.
"then how the fuck am i already married? not that i'm complaining i just," he suddenly turns pink at the thought of you in a wedding dress, clinging onto his arm, breakfast dates, late night ramen runs at the convenience store, painting the living room in a house you probably share, naked in bed on top of him. jungkook clears his throat. "it just seems a little out of character for me. i can't commit to a pair of shoes for a week let alone-"
"i think it's best if you just spoke with ____," jimin finishes before jungkook can work himself into a frenzy, a comforting hand laying on his shoulder. "you two need to talk anyway and it's best if all these answers came from her."
jungkook gulps at the thought of speaking to you, seeing you face to face. suddenly he's a cripplingly shy fourteen year old again.
"okay." he croaks. "okay."
x
x
x
you were even more beautiful up close.
your tear stained cheeks are glowing and blotchy when you perch on the chair beside his bed, big eyes fluttering up at him nervously. you're soft and plush and shorter than he thought and jungkook has to fist his hands in the sheets and play a counting game with the heart rate monitor in order to maintain eye contact. he feels himself start to sweat when you smile sadly at him. "sorry, i just...i don't know how to be around you normally without making you uncomfortable," you say quietly, wringing your hands together to avoid touching him.
"uncomfortable?" he queries, gaze latching onto the ring on your hand. seeing it on you gives him a nice feeling.
you nod into your lap. "yeah, um..." you look at your scuffed shoes, searching for the word. "we're usually very...touchy."
he can feel himself turning red again. "t-touchy?"
you meet his eyes and a pretty smile breaks over your face at how bashful he looks, making jungkook's cheeks tinge even pinker than they already are. you nod cutely so your earrings tinkle, eyes shining, and suddenly he understands without any context why he fell in love with you, why he married you so young. you let a comfortable silence settle over the room before taking a deep breath, bracing yourself. "how much do you remember, jungkook?"
he tries not to cave under the weight of his guilt. "not a lot about...you, that is," he finishes with a wince, your sad eyes immediately making him wilt with shame. "i remember everything up until a couple of years ago. we had a show at the japanese dome, debuted in america, and then...nothing. and now..."
"and now," you echo softly. your eyes look distant, staring at the floor.
"i'm sorry," jungkook whispers, chin touching his chest. "hyung told me...they all told me how much i loved you and...and i'm sorry i don't remember any of it. i'm so sorry."
you shake your head gently. "don't be sorry, jungkook-ah," the pet name makes his ears perk up. its a familiar, calming sound. "none of this is your fault. you didn't ask to get hit by that car." your expression turns remorseful, tugging at his heart. "if anything, this is because of me. the only reason you were out was because i asked you to go and get eggs and formula even though i should've remembered to pick some up on the way home and-"
"no, no! please don't blame yourself," jungkook tries, wishing he was close enough or even brave enough to take your hand. you look up at him and he catches a glimpse of the endless pool of love you harbour for him, like a punch to the chest. "i don't ever want you thinking this was your fault. so ple-" he pauses. "wait, formula?"
the door bursts open before he can finish, pitter patter steps rounding his bed until it reaches the other side, where you sit. a little girl with big dark eyes and curls of dark hair stares at him in wonder and elation, her cheeks dimpling just like yours before she screeches, "appa!"
jungkook's mouth goes dry. appa?
you're quick to intervene, putting yourself in the toddlers path to scoop her up in your arms. her grabby little hands struggle over your shoulder, fingers wriggling in attempt to get as close to jungkook as possible. he only stares with wide eyes and an open mouth, heart hammering in his chest when he sees the uncanny resemblances: his round nose. your brown skin but just a twinge fairer. his hooded eyes. and his stomach lurches.
"shhh, eunmi," you coo as you carry her away even with her squirming. "remember what i said before? appa is sick. appa is sick, baby-"
"we have a child?" jungkook wheezes, eyes starting to glaze over. there's a bout of silence when you look back at him guiltily, the baby's fumbling grinding to a halt when she registers the tension in the air. jungkook's breath is barely a whisper. "is that my daughter?"
your face crumples with a fresh bout of tears and eunmi looks on worriedly. she pushes her little lips into your cheek in a baby's kiss, like she's seen her father do so many times to get your attention. the word "amma," is muffled into your skin until you get yourself together and press a short kiss to her head.
yoongi rushes in, face twisted in apology. "i swear to god i turned around for one minute and-"
"it's okay, yoongi," you say quietly, stroking the baby's head. "eunmi, stay with uncle just a bit longer, okay? amma will be back in a minute..."
"appa," she whines over your shoulder, reaching for jungkook who sits helplessly in his bed. he watches with tears wetting his eyelashes, heart twisting in agony at the sight of his child he doesn't remember stretching her arms out for him. she begins to cry when he doesn't react or coo her. like he used to.
"take her, yoongi," you say shakily, passing the baby to him. the sound of eunmi's crying makes your heart shatter all over again, yoongi's quiet hushing doing nothing to qualm her sobbing as the heavy door closes behind them.
the silence that falls between the two of you is nothing short of excruciating. jungkook's head spins, completely overwhelmed: is that why you both got married so young? because of a child? was this why jimin and namjoon wouldn't say a damn thing about his life until he spoke to you first?
and then all the other questions that followed: was he a good father? when was his daughter's birthday? did she like kimchi and banana milk too? did he sing to her? read to her often?
would she ever forgive him for not being able to remember her?
"her name is eunmi," you say, looking down at the floor when jungkook starts to cry.
x
x
x
jungkook doesn't understand how his baby could be so pretty. she's golden brown like those sandy beaches on postcards, with chubby cheeks and twinkling dark eyes that resemble yours to a t, and that's when he realises of course she's beautiful. she's yours. you balance eunmi on your hip while you make coffee - decaf, since you're still weaning - and despite the amnesia jungkook feels like he's been here before, in this warm, happy place that is the kitchen.
"she got your nose though," you remind him, dumping the baby in his lap upon her fussing. she always seemed to wind down under his touch, and although nervous about the sudden responsibility of fatherhood, jungkook is compelled to give it. eunmi doesn't understand anything's changed so he doesn't see why he should act like it. "she's whiny before her milk too. like you."
"hey!" he retorts, but can't exactly defend himself. he twirls his fingers around her curly pigtails until she catches on and tries to stand on his thighs, reaching for his hair to yank. jungkook lets her. he's barely known his daughter a week and he's already so smitten he'd let her gut him open with a butter knife.
"she missed you, you know. when you were in hospital all this time," you say, making him look up to watch you stare into your drink. the fear still lingers in your eyes, faint and persistent. he can see it every time you look at him and it makes his body yearn to touch you like he once did, like he once would have before his brain unlearned everything his heart didn't. you laugh while watching eunmi pull his hair again, making him hiss. "even yoongi tried but no one coddles her as much as you."
"really?" he asks, face lighting up. he's so happy to hear that. jungkook hates the way the question bubbles up in the back of his throat, like it'd make a difference or it'd change how he felt. but he has to ask it. "is that why...is that why we got married so early, then?" he says, trying to sound as offhand as possible. "because of eunmi?"
you chew your lip. "yeah. i mean, you said it wasn't a big deal. because you were going to marry me eventually so it didn't make a difference, but...it doesn't really matter i guess, because that's not what everyone else thinks," you pause, tracing the rim of your mug again. "that's certainly not what your fans think."
jungkook doesn't even want to think about it. the backlash, the gossip, the name calling and dehumanisation. for the first time in his life jungkook couldn't give less of a shit about his reputation. "i'm sorry," he says, feeling like the word has lost meaning by now with how much he's said it. "i'm so sorry. not for this, for us or for eunmi. i don't regret any of that i just," he shifts the baby in his lap, still getting used to her weight. "i can only imagine what you went through."
you look a bit bewildered. "...you said that last time too." you smile again reassuringly. "please don't feel solely responsible, kook-ah. you didn't exactly get me pregnant on your own."
he flushes tomato red and you giggle at him until eunmi joins in too.
x
x
x
jungkook can't keep his eyes off you while you play with the baby, comb out her hair, sing her lullabies while you bathe her together. he'd always wanted a whirlwind romance as a teen and it looks like he finally got it, because he can feel himself fall head first in love with you (all over again). it didn’t make sense for someone to be so collected and easygoing after having motherhood forced onto you so abruptly. you tell him often that he's a picture-perfect dad, but jungkook still doubts he compares.
"does she need a change?" he asks, struggling to keep all of eunmi's wriggling limbs in his grip.
"nope, just hungry," you say, reaching out when he passes the baby to you. you're about to stand up and go to the guest room to feed her, but jungkook is already arranging the pillows next to him for you, grabbing a baby cloth on the side too.
"do you need another pillow?" he muses aloud, but he's already grabbing the ones on his side of the bed before you can answer, forming a wedge for you to sit nicely beside him. he looks up at you when you fail to move. "are you okay?"
"yeah i, um," you chew your lip nervously. "you don't...mind me feeding here?"
you immediately regret the question once it leaves your mouth. jungkook's crestfallen expression hits you right in the stomach, round eyes glittering up at you. he hasn't looked this upset since he woke up nearly a month ago. "why would i ever mind?”
"oh jungkook," you sniff, sitting beside him. he pulls you into the nest of pillows beside him, arm winding protectively around your shoulders. your eyes brim with sympathy tears, tired and angry and upset with treating him like a stranger.
"if i make you feel uncomfortable, i can go," he offers quietly. "if it makes you feel weird i understand..."
"no, not at all," you rush to stop him, suddenly realising how close you are. you could kiss his pink little lips if you just tilted your head up. "i just didn't want to make you feel weird. all this new stuff is happening to you, you're suddenly a husband and a father with no recollection of signing up or it and i just...i don't know how much you want to invest the second time around," you scramble to finish your sentence when he pins you with a concerned expression. “as in, i understand if you don’t want to make the same choice twice. it’s a big decision.”
he shakes his head dismissively. there wasn't a thing in the world that could make him turn his back on his family but it looked like you still needed convincing. he peers at you curiously when you position the baby. "so i can stay?"
you smile at him eagerly. "of course," you undo the nursing strap of your bra before the baby finally latches. "i actually prefer it when you're here. it makes me feel safe."
jungkook watches quietly while you hum for the baby, playing with her little hand while she drinks. the adoration seeps out of him in waves, how serene you look while you rock her, how angelic eunmi looks while she blinks her big doll eyes up at you both. she won't stay this little forever. he feels so overwhelmed by it, gathering you further in his arms with the urge to hold his family in his hands like a diamond. you don't question the little sniffles jungkook buries into your hair, resting your head on his shoulder wordlessly. you missed being held by him, missed his cotton scent and gentle breath.
"i love her so much," he whispers into the shell of your ear, entranced by the baby's little gurgles and gulps. he reaches out to run his knuckle over the velvet of her cheek, round and stuffed with milk. "i feel like i'll die, i love her so much."
"me too," you smile. "it was scary and hard for a long time but...i'm so glad we had her. i wouldn't trade her for anything."
you feel jungkook's lips trace your temple, heart stuttering upon the sudden contact. you hear what he doesn’t say: i wouldn't trade either of you.
x
x
x
"why are you so sweaty?" jimin scowls, noting the dark patches under jungkook's t-shirt when he tries to take the baby from his arms. "it's not even humid today."
jungkook doesn't do anything but gulp and cuddle a sleeping eunmi closer to his chest. she's become somewhat of a security blanket for him; even if she wasn't awake to play, he was always itching to hold her and nuzzle into her head when he's tense or embarrassed. like now.
"leave him alone, you know he sweats when he's shy," yoongi grins.
"stop it," jungkook mumbles.
"shy? what for?"
"because he's got a crush on his wife," namjoon snickers, knowing jungkook would whack him one if his arms weren't around his kid. "why are you looking at me like that? it's true!"
"but you can't just say it! she'll hear!" he hisses.
"you're married," jimin deadpans but it only makes the younger boy curl in on his baby more. "god, this reminds of when you two met. remember how he used to hide behind manager hyung every time ____ came in? and then i had to listen to them fuck in the next room for a year only to end up back here all over again-"
"jungkook," you call. "where did these come from?" you walk into the sitting room with a bouquet of yellow roses nestled in your arms. "did a fan send them? i didn't see a note they were just on the worktop-"
"th-those are for you," he mumbles. "i got those for you."
you look so pretty when you stare it makes him sweat harder and the three older boys all but burst a vein in their head trying not to laugh when leaving the room. there's an awkward silence where you clutch the flowers and he clutches the baby. "thank you," you say finally. "they're beautiful, i love the colour yellow..."
his big doe eyes round up to look at you even though the lower half of his face is smushed into pigtails. "you're welcome."
"can i kiss you?" you blurt out, too fast to stop it. your cheeks are still stinging and you're pretty sure you have baby powder in your hair but jungkook looks at you with awe as he nods so vigorously his earrings shake.
so you do, leaning over the arm of the sofa to press your mouth over his long enough for both your breaths to catch. you pull away, moving to sit next to him so his free arm can wind around your shoulders when you kiss him again. "please," he mumbles when you part. "please don't ask to kiss me. just do it," he leans for another long, warm kiss that leaves you light headed. "stop tip-toeing around me, okay? we're married. i know i scare easy, but not that easy."
you feel giddy, finally feeling the weight being lifted piece by piece. "okay," you peck his mole endearingly before scooting up for another kiss. "i missed this."
"me too," he hums into your mouth. "it feels like the first time but also...not the first time, you know? not just because i don't remember but like," he doesn't know how to say it, wetting his lips thoughtfully. your chapstick is cherry flavoured, his favourite. "like we've been doing this for longer than both of us even realise. longer than this life."
"i know," you nod. "i know."
x
x
x
after a while, you forgot about jungkook's amnesia altogether. even though the chances of him making a full recovery were slim, it all felt so normal and back to routine, all the kissing and the cuddling and the playing with eunmi. there was almost no room for trepidation anymore. until now.
you moan into jungkook's mouth when he pulls you onto his thighs, big hands palming your ass when you grind into him. he's only mildly concerned that he'll cum in his pants at this rate but he doesn't fret too much: that was secondary to undressing you and touching you and pleasing you and making you scream as loud as he could make you without waking the baby. he has nearly three years of re-learning your body to catch up on and he's eager to start.
he's quickly reminded during this process that you are a master. you know exactly where to kiss him, exactly how much pressure to kneed into his cock with your hips, exactly how much tongue he wants in his mouth until he's whining and damp for you. of course you know his body like the back of your hand - your child wasn't conceived from thin air. it makes him all the more desperate to learn, almost antsy to get his mouth and hands on you until you're writhing and breathless beneath him.
you gasp when you feel his hand slip between your legs, rubbing his fingers over your shorts. you automatically rock your covered wetness into his touch, the long whimper you muffle into his neck sending jungkook soaring through the clouds with pride. you're so lost in the feeling, having missed it so much, you're barely able to squeak a stop! when he hooks his fingers inside the waistband of your panties.
his eyes shoot open. "what's wrong?"
"j-jungkook," you shuffle in his grip, feeling so embarrassed under his scrutiny you don't know where to look. "it's not that i want you to stop but. listen, just," you cling to his shoulders, shivering when his hands drag reassuringly up to your waist. "just remember that...i've had a kid, okay? i'm not gonna look like before."
he blinks. "i don't remember what you looked like before."
"no, i mean like," you lick your lips, tasting him there. "it's still something to keep in mind. i'm not gonna be as smooth and perky in places like all those idol girls you perform next to, so just-" he watches you fumble nervously in his lap, the growing disbelief making him blink. "don't expect too much okay? things might not look the way you imagine them to and i don't want you to feel-"
"stop," he cuts off, tugging you so you're seated over his erection again. the look jungkook pins you with is so intense you can feel your pulse thrum in your ears, the harsh rise and fall of his chest making him appear that much more passionate. "this body," he slips his hands up your top, palming your skin. "made my child. i take offence to it being spoken about with anything less than admiration, even by you."
"kook-ah," you say nervously, but still let him remove your pj top over your head before you laying you under him on the bed. you don't know why your eyes suddenly prick with tears when he traces over your stretch marks and discoloured skin with his smooth lips. "this kept my daughter warm," he kisses under your navel, sliding up to your heavy breasts. he kisses each darkened nipple, swollen from the baby's mouth. "these feed her." he rises further still, before planting his mouth on your forehead in a short peck. "and this raises her. so how can i be anything but proud to touch you?"
"jungkook, stop," you sniff, tears wetting your lashes. your eyes fall shut when he wipes them away with his thumb, lips ghosting over your cheeks and nose.
"what did i say about tip-toeing around me?" he whispers, forcing you to look him in the eye. only then do you see the tears there, all the ardour and respect he holds for you pooling in those brown depths. "i'm your husband. let me be your husband."
you kiss him before you can start crying again, letting him part your mouth and taste you long and hard before finally undressing himself and slipping your shorts off. this is all a first for him, and it's been so long since you've done this it's almost like a first for you too, frantic and messy and desperate to feel jungkook lodged inside you where he belongs. you know he must share the sentiment when he splits your thighs over the narrow of his hips, hooking them there while he gets a good look of his erection rubbing through your slick.
no wonder i knocked her up, jungkook muses faintly. i don't think i can ever stop doing this.
"jungkook, please," you run a hand through his hair, grinding against his cock in encouragement but he still won't take the plunge. instead, your voice reminds him of his initial objective, causing him to saunter down between your legs faster than you can process. he's licking into you before you can have a second thought about it, mouth falling open with a loud moan when he traces around your clit in firm circles.
he has your knees over his shoulders and his arms wound around your hips so you have nowhere to go, nothing to do but buck into his attentive mouth, jungkook's groans vibrating against you until you can barely keep yourself together - he's always enjoyed this as much as you have. which is why he takes his time, explores every crevice and subsequent response, relishing in the gush of wetness when he does something right. he even goes as far as holding his tongue stagnant against your folds so you have no choice but to rub yourself into him for friction, so entranced he is by your invigorating reactions. only when you're squirming and whimpering with deliriousness does he finally give in and resume a steady pace over your swollen clit, two fingers sliding in home so you have something to come around. and you do.
messy and wet and shrieking into the pillow by your head so that you're muffled enough to not wake the baby down the hall, your orgasm drawing out longer than normal as you do your best to ride it out. jungkook carries you through it, gulping down as much of your arousal as he can manage until your hips finally drop back into the bed in post-climax exhaustion. on the contrary, the only reason he stops lapping at you is because you tug him away by the hair, bringing him up to you and between your legs again before he can do anything about it.
he splutters with a moan at the sudden contact of your wetness against his cock again, eyes fluttering shut and allowing you to bring him in, arms and legs winding securely around him so that you're flush against each other, hips rocking in tandem. jungkook is so caught up in the feeling - not the sex but the safety of being held, being connected like this - that you're the one to reach down and position his tip against your hot center, before finally running your hands down your husband's back to cup his ass and shove him into you.
jungkook gasps, breath shaking at how tight you are. you're so hot, so snug around him his eyes shut upon instinct, letting your hands guide his hips and showing him how to move in that perfect rolling motion that you're only familiar with after years of practice. and jungkook, of course, is a fast learner. it doesn't take long for him to take the reigns and fuck you just how you like it, adding in a sharp snap of his hips every now and again just to listen to you squeak in surprise. the wet sounds of your joined arousal coupled with you moaning under him is near cathartic, sending him hurtling to his finish line.
but before he can get there you shift him over, thick thighs helping you roll and pin him under you on the bed. jungkook grapples at your waist when you resume a slower but harder rock of your hips that has his length grinding against your clenching walls, his head thrown back at the intensity of it. you ride him through it, peppering the moles on his pretty neck with kisses and sucks, mouth finding his stiff little nipple to give it a swirl too. it's exactly what he needs to finish off, fingers digging into your flesh as he bucks wildly, filling you full of his seed while he calls your name. you slow to a stop when his hands finally fall limp on your thighs, his chest heaving under you and covered in sweat. you giggle. he always got so sweaty.
"you did so well, kookie," you whisper, kissing his damp neck and collar bones. his arms are suddenly around you again for comfort. "you were so good for me...always so good to me..."
"you," he croaks finally, eyes half lidded and a little delirious. "you didn't finish?"
you giggle at his genuine concern, pecking his wet lips. "i got mine, remember?"
"how many times?" jungkook is suddenly alert, tugging your wrist to get your attention before you can climb off him. his other hand is still around your middle so moving was out of the question until he allowed it. he was still inside you. "how many times do i usually make you come?"
you blink in embarrassment. you never really thought about it, let alone counted. "um...i don't know..." he waits for an answer, awfully serious about it. "a-at least two or three, i guess."
you yelp when he flips you back over, fingers immediately prying your cum soaked folds apart to nestle inside. "then don't act like we're done."
5K notes · View notes
nishisun · 3 years
Text
couples therapy w/ KUROO!
pairing: kenma kozume x reader
summery: y/n and kenma attend “couples therapy” little did y/n know, there would be a rather pleasant suprised.
genre: just fluff and tiny angst
a/n: this is really rushed because ik y’all are waiting for another dorm buddies part so i wrote this in the middle of the night cause i was bored. i hope you like it LWNAJDHAJDHD. also, i hate reading my works so if there’s any errors i apologize
[recording. patients: kenma kozume & l/n y/n]
[kuroo] hello, kenma-san, l/n-san. how are you both doing today?
[kenma] why are we doing this again?
[kuroo] well KENMA, i already told you, this is good for my training and even better for my resume!
[kuroo] back to the question, y/n-san?
[y/n] (sighs) to be honest, i could be better.
[y/n] uh, kuroo, no need for the honorific titles.
[kuroo] right. kenma?
[kenma] i’ve been.. okay.
[kuroo] okay, so, one of your close friends, kuroo-san i think it was, scheduled you both for this session in which you both agreed to take, am i right?
[y/n] ... aren’t you—
[kenma] ...
[y/n] (looks at kenma, and then sighs and looks back at kuroo) uh— yeah, we did.
[kuroo] okay so, first, i want to know the reasons why you both are here, starting with kenma.
[kuroo] kenma, why are you here today?
[kenma] because you forced me to
[kuroo] ...
[kuroo] A for effort kenma! but that’s not the only reason.
[kenma] well, i’m here to... better this relationship.
[kuroo] okay, why?
[kenma] ... what?
[kuroo] why do you want to better this relationship you have with y/n?
[kenma] ... i don’t know.
[y/n] (scoffs) kozume, really?
[kenma] (shrugs)
[kuroo] so, you don’t know why you want to better this relationship?
[kenma] ...
[kuroo] well, if that’s the case, why are you here? do you want y/n to leave?
[kenma] ...
[y/n] (scoffs) kuroo, thank you so much for attempting to help, but i think it’s just best i go—
[kenma] no! wait. please y/n, wait.
[y/n] kenma, you know i’m trying my best to be patient with you, but it seems to me like you’re not putting effort! i’ve really tried. i did. all i’m asking is to at least put some effort.
[kenma] i know, i know you are. i’m sorry.
[y/n] it’s fine, kozume.
[kuroo] alright then, kenma—
[kenma] i want to better this relationship... because i care about y/n. a lot.
[kuroo] and?
[kenma] and..? (looks at y/n) and uh.. because she makes me happy. i feel.. happier when she’s with me.
[kuroo] thank you so much for sharing. now, y/n, why are you here today?
[y/n] i’m here because i’m willing to give kenma and this relationship a second chance.
[kuroo] (writes notes) that’s very good to hear. thank you for sharing that.
[kuroo] now, it has come to my attention that you both are currently not together, am i right?
(kenma and y/n glance at each other)
[kenma] ...
[y/n] uh, yes, that’s true.
[kuroo] okay. (shuffles through notes) now, a week before you both came here, i asked you both to come here with a video—
[kenma] kuroo, maybe the video isn’t necessary—
[y/n] video? i wasn’t aware of a—
[kuroo] ah, yes. let me rephrase that. i asked kenma actually, he insisted.
[kenma] you forced me—
[kuroo] not important!
[y/n] kenma?
[kenma] (sighs) i... made a video... apologizing because i didn’t think you’d want to see me.. and i’m bad at communicating... kuroo thought it was a good idea.
[kuroo] would you like to see the video, y/n?
[y/n] yes please
[kuroo] okay, i’m just gonna leave and let you both watch the video.
[kenma] maybe i should come with you-
[kuroo] no. (slams door)
——
“okay, it’s recording!” kuroo says behind the camera, giving kenma a thumbs up.
“kuroo honestly, this seems stupid. i don’t even know what to say.”
“say whatever comes in your head. this is a great way for you to realize how important y/n is to you.” he reassures behind the camera. kenma gives kuroo an unsure look as he plays around with his fingers.
kenma sighs and gives kuroo a bored look as he’s adjusting the angle of the camera and once he catches kenma staring, he straightens up and sighs as well. “kenma, you’re not good with words. yes, i know this. making this video is a great way for you to release emotions that you’ve concealed. i know you may think it’s stupid right now, but you’ll be suprised how much you’ve said by the end of this. even if you decide to keep this video to yourself, you’ll feel better. trust me.”
kenma nods slightly, still giving kuroo an unsure look as he readjusted the camera once more.
“pretend i’m not even here!”
“i’m trying to but you keep talking.”
“right. i’ll stop”
“uh.. hi y/n. if you’re seeing this, i want you to know that I’m... sorry for not being there for you when you needed me the most. I’m sorry for neglecting you in our relationship. I’m sorry that it took me so long to realize you were the one for me.” kenma looks down at the ground, pursing his lips and sighs. he looks behind the camera to see a smiling kuroo who’s shaking his head, signaling that kenma should keep going.
“I love you, so much. The truth is, I’m not very good at expressing my feelings, which you already know and you’ve accepted me for it. i just wanna tell you that i really do appreciate that. not a lot of people can handle someone like me and the fact that you could just proves how amazing you are.” kenma is looking everywhere but the camera. he looks up at the ceiling and smiles as he reminisces the first time he met you.
“When you first told me you loved me, I warned you, saying ‘You do know what you’re going to be dealing with, right?’ and you told me, and i remember, with a proud and positive voice you said , ‘Yes, I do. And i’m willing to have the best time with you, even if it’s going to end up being the best romance or the worst heart break.’” I laughed at that. You used to crack me up all the time. I missed that.
“Nowadays, I lay on my bed that used to be ours, staring at the wall for hours wishing you were there with me. Crazy, isn’t it? Because when you were with me I never wanted to do anything with you. Well, that’s not the case. It’s not that i didn’t want anything to do with you, i just... i don’t really know. As stupid as it sounds.. i didn’t think you deserved someone like me. You were— are still too good for me. I guess.. i always pushed you away because I wanted you to realize that.” kenma let’s out a silent laugh and sighs. He looks at kuroo for a brief moment and then looks away, fumbling with his fingers.
“uh... it’s been hard to do a lot of things without you lately. Remember when you’d always have to remind me to eat? Even though I pushed you away, you’d still try to get me to eat because you cared so much for my well-being. You always put me first and I hate myself for not doing the same when it came to you.”
“I miss you so much. I miss your voice. I miss everything about you and it hurts me so much that you’re gone... That I was the one that let you go. Everyday I lay in bed wondering if i should call you just to hear your voice. I wonder if you’d answer. Probably not. You probably hate me for letting you go. Trust me, I hate myself for it too. I hate that it took me actually letting you go for me to realize just how much i needed you.”
“It’s quiet at home. It doesn’t even feel like home without you, y/n. I miss the TV being on your favorite show at 9 in the morning as you’d sit on the couch with both our breakfast set on the table as you waited for me to wake up and eat with you.” kenma puts his hands on his face and sighs again for what seems like the hundredth time today.
“i’m an idiot.”
“kenma, no you aren’t. although you haven’t been.. the smartest recently, i’m happy you’re realizing your mistakes. you’re doing great by the way.” kuroo says, giving the faux blond a reassuring smile.
“thank you.” kenma nods.
“I’m sorry for all the pain I caused you. When I broke up with you, I hated the pained expression you had on your face. I thought I was doing what was best for you without even letting you have a say. You were begging me to not do this to you, but I didn’t listen.”
“I’m not trying to make this video to seek your forgiveness.. i’m probably not going to show this to you anyway. i’ll keep this as a lesson to not let go of the one person you love the most because i love you, y/n.”
“is that it?” kuroo asks,
“uh...” kenma thinks for a second, and then shakes his head “yeah. i think i’m done.”
By now you’re already tearing up. Tears of joy. You know how hard this must’ve been for Kenma but the fact that he was willing to step out of his comfort zone for you spoke volumes. He was sitting next to you, as you stared down at the phone that had already turned off covering your mouth and it’s your hands. Kenma didn’t know whether to comfort you, scared that you may reject his touch.
“i’m... sorry—“
“dont, kenma.” you sigh. kenma has a pained expression on his face.
You wipe your tears off your face and look up at him giving him a smile. Out of nowhere, a sudden urge of confidence came through you and you basically tackling him in a hug.
“you’re an idiot, you know that, right?”
“yeah, i know.” kenma huffs out a laugh as you chuckle. he hugs you back, gripping you tight with fear that this moment might end.
“i’ve missed you.” kenma places his head in the crook of your neck, inhaling your scent as he plays with his fingers that are wrapped around you.
“i’ve missed you too,” you break off the hug and sit up straight next to him. he’s looking at you— staring actually, you don’t think he’s aware of what he’s doing. “earth to kenma?” you wave your hand in front of his face and he rubs his eyes and chuckles.
“sorry.” he turns and faces forward, still having a small smile on his face.
“hey, what’s up with all of these apologies? are you gonna do something or not?”
kenma turns back to you in confusion, furrowing his brows and you cross your arms smirking, waiting for kenma to understand. Once he finally understands what you’re trying to say, he’s the one hugging you.
“will you take me back, y/n?” he asks— or mumbles. you don’t care though. he’s done enough today. what matters is that he tried. why wouldn’t you give him a second chance?
“of course i will, kozume.” you say, rubbing his back. “hey kenma,”
“hm?”
“a video, really?”
“shut up, i don’t want to talk about it. i just really missed you, okay.”
you laugh at that. you hear the door of that room open. it was kuroo, who was already having a smirk on his face. that idiot.
“a new couple in town, might i ask?”
“oh fuck off, kuroo.” kenma mumbles through your chest, you and kuroo laugh at how annoyed kenma seems.
“see kenma, i told you. chicks love romantic gestures.” kenma lifts his head up from where it’s resting in your chest and glares at kuroo.
“i wouldn’t say that was romantic, but it’s the thought that counts i guess!” you laugh, kenma turns back to look at you and you can’t help but laugh once again at kenma’s expressive facial expressions “but it was cute though. i loved it, baby.”
kenma drops his head back in your chest with a grumble and you caress his hair as kuroo crosses his arms and looks at you both with a smile.
“you guys are soulmates.” he says.
“you think so?”
“nah,” his shakes his head, “i know so.”
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tags: @tazinva
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kozu-tomi · 3 years
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tangled | katsuki bakugo
“requested” by my bestie since she’s a bakugo simp and I love her 🥰🔪 aNYWAYS I’m posting this with a very very very scared feeling because I don’t have any confidence in writing and wrote this like very late at night a while ago😅 PLUS this is my first writing post so I’m sHy JDJDJSJS there are probably so many spelling and grammar errors... :(( ILY STEPH and I hope whoever reads this enjoys >~< any feedback is welcomed <.<
katsuki bakugo x !gn reader
summary: you and bakugo watch tangled :D and he can sing !!
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“Why would I watch something that’s for kids!? I’m tired I want to go in my room.” He said trying to get his arm out of your grip. You let go and let out a sigh.
“Fine, then I’ll just ask Kirishima to watch with me instead.” you walked past him to go up the stairs. He then stopped you by dragging you to the couch.
“No don’t talk to that bastard I’ll watch it with you.” He sat down next to you and picked up the control and gave it to you. You smile knowing that you won and his jealously came out which you think is very cute.
As you were both watching bakugo will make comments here and there which are always funny since he would just make fun of the characters, especially Flynn.
It came to the part where both Rapunzel and Flynn got to a bar where a bunch of big Viking guys started singing about their dreams. You’re head was on bakugo’s shoulder and you were started to hear something coming from his mouth.
‘he’s got a dream. see I ain’t as cruel and vicious as I seem.’
You couldn’t believe what you were hearing, was bakugo singing along?! The entire song all you can here is just him mumbling the lyrics you didn’t want to do cause all you wanted was to hear him continue singing. Once the song was over you got up, paused the film and you turned to him.
“Since when did you know the entire song of ‘I got a dream’?!” you asked with a surprise look on your face. His face started to turn red.
“Shut up! It’s not my fault that the song is good and catchy!” He yelled, you couldn’t help but start laughing. Just the thought of him singing Disney songs is literally the best thing you’ve ever witness.
“I’m sorry I didn’t mean to laugh but it’s just so unexpected, but it’s alright your secret is safe with me that you enjoy singing Disney songs” you sat down beside him and hugged him. He looked the other way as he was embarrassed.
“Are you upset with me?” you looked up at him and see his sulking face. A sigh left from your mouth and you reach up to kiss his cheek.
“Forgive me and let’s just continue watching...” he looked back at you and rolled his eyes.
“Fine.”
It came to the part of the movie were both Rapunzel and Flynn got to see the lanterns and they were on a boat.
“I love this song, sing with me!” you tapped on bakugo’s chest.
“no way! I’ve already sang enough I don’t wanna be humiliated again!”
“nobody is going to hear you I bet they’re all asleep, please for me?” you looked up at him knowing he has a very soft spot for you especially when you give him puppy eyes.
“you’re so fucking annoying but fine whatever!” you smile knowing that you won again. As the song ‘I see the light” started playing you both sang a long. Even though both of you aren’t the greatest singers it was still very funny seeing bakugo singing Flynn’s part.
When the song was over you both heard clapping and laughter coming from behind.
“oh my god I can’t wait till everyone see’s this video of bakugo singing.” Kirishima couldn’t stop laughing as he had his phone in his hand. You started to get embarrassed but that didn’t stop bakugo.
“hey you bastard come here and delete that video!” bakugo got up and started chasing kirishima. It took a while but eventually a very worn down kirishima sat next to you looking like he went through shit which I mean he did.
“I almost died!” he exaggerated, well was he?
“It’s not my fault you brought that on yourself.” you sighed and stood up.
“oh well I’m going to sleep which I assume bakugo also went to bed?”
“yeah he just went upstairs after almost murdering me.”
you went upstairs and snuck into bakugo’s room where you saw him lying down with his eyes close. you laid down next to him and put ur arm around his stomach and your face on his chest.
all you can think of before falling asleep was bakugo singing to tangled which put a smile on your face.
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captain-hen · 3 years
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quiet my fears with the touch of your hand
title: quiet my fears with the touch of your hand
Summary: “In that warehouse,” Buck says. “I almost gave up.”
Eddie doesn’t bat an eyelash at his words. “I know,” He says, simply.
Buck isn’t sure why he’s saying this. He doesn’t know why he feels the need to confess this to Eddie, why this is something he needs for him to know. He also doesn’t know why Eddie is being so calm about it.
“I almost stopped fighting,” Buck continues, his voice breaking a little. 
“I know.” Eddie says, again. | Post 4x05: Buck Begins.
ao3 link
a/n: i wrote this when i should have been sleeping so it’s probably incoherent...pls excuse me..
tagging some people who may be interested: @malikjavaddzayn @evaneddie @matan4il @prettyboydiaz @firefighter-diaz  please let me know if you’d like to be added to/removed from my tag list!
Seconds after Buck knocks, the door opens and Eddie is looking at him with an arched eyebrow. "Since when do you knock?" He asks teasingly.
 Buck shrugs wordlessly. The weight of the past couple of days he's had—his parents arriving in town, finding out about Daniel, god, the fire—all had been momentarily forgotten in the time he spent with Maddie after his shift, the relief that came with forgiving her making something that had been unbalanced shift back into place in his heart. However, after leaving her apartment, it had all come crushing down on him again, leaving him shaking and breathless in the aftermath. Before knowing he was doing it, he was taking the turn to Eddie's house instead of his own apartment and now here he was.
 "You're just in time," Eddie gestures for Buck to come in. "Dinner's almost ready."
 "I—I didn't tell you I was coming, though," Buck says, confused. Eddie grins at him.
 "I had a feeling you would." Not waiting for a reply, he turns to go into the living room. "Christopher! Look who's here!"
 Buck is greeted with an armful of Chris when he enters the room and he can't help but laugh, hoisting him into his arms. Pressing his face into Chris' hair and hearing his bright laughter, Buck feels some of the tension drain from his body.
 "Hey, buddy! Hope you don't mind me coming over so unexpectedly."
 Chris giggles as Buck puts him down, as if he's said the funniest thing ever. "Don't be silly, Buck! We always want you around."
 Buck feels his eyes burn with tears inexplicably and he's relieved that Chris chooses that moment to turn around to search for a drawing he wants to show him. Eddie says nothing, instead moving past Buck to leave the room, pressing a warm hand to his shoulder as he passes him.
 Chris takes Buck's hand and tugs on it, leading him to the kitchen. Buck's eyebrows raise at the sight of Eddie pulling a pan out the oven
 "Dad cooked," Chris informs him. Buck chuckles.
 "Maybe I shouldn't have come over," He jokes. Eddie throws a dish towel at him, scowling.
 "It's just mac and cheese," He retorts. "And I'll have you know I've gotten better at cooking over the pandemic. Make yourself useful and set the table."
 Shifting into the usual routine of dinner time at the Diaz household has a comforting familiarity to it, Buck thinks, as he moves around the kitchen, grabbing plates and glasses, knowing where everything is supposed to be without even thinking about it. They sit down at the table to eat, Chris chattering away about his day as Buck listens on, barely suppressing an eye roll when Eddie not-so-subtly heaps two servings onto his plate. God, his best friend can be such a dad sometimes.
 As dinnertime comes to an end, though, Buck can feel the lightness begin to slip away, tension gathering in his shoulders once more and his smiles come less easily, not even Christopher’s cheer being able to bring them out easily. Eddie seems to notice (of course he does) and quickly stands to gather their plates.
 “Chris, I think it’s time you start getting ready for bedtime,” he says and Chris groans dramatically.
 “Dad, can’t I stay up? It’s not even a school night!”
 “Nope,” Eddie hums. “Rules are rules, Chris, you know how it is.”
 Chris groans again but doesn’t argue his point and gets up. “Goodnight, Buck,” he murmurs, and Buck bends down to receive his hug almost automatically, barely registering it. Thankfully, Chris doesn’t seem to notice that anything is amiss and pulling back, grins at him before leaving.
 “Hey,” Buck startles as Eddie taps him on the shoulder and looks up at the barely concealed worry in his friend’s face. “Why don’t you go wait in the living room? I’m gonna go tuck Chris into bed.”
 “It’s late,” Buck mutters. “Maybe I should leave.” He doesn’t want to. It’s almost more than he can stand, right now, the thought of leaving the warmth of Eddie’s house, of Eddie, to go back to his apartment, that has never felt like home the way Eddie and Christopher have. But he doesn’t want to overstay his welcome. He’d once told Maddie that he’s not really a guest in Eddie’s house, but now, with his entire world, with everything he’d ever known about himself turned upside down, he can’t be sure of anything.
 Eddie shakes his head and repeats, a little more firmly. “Wait for me in the living room.”
 Buck goes, helpless but to do as he asks. He looks around at the room as he sits down on the couch, Chris’ homework on the side tables, the video game consoles scattered around it, Eddie’s jacket tossed over a chair—just a few weeks ago, he had been on this couch with Eddie and Christopher, playing video games and teasing Eddie about his newfound fear of technology. Just a few weeks ago, he had been in this same spot, happy and lighthearted with two of his favorite people in the world.
 Just a few weeks ago, he hadn’t felt this overwhelming sense of wrongness and uncertainty, like everything was collapsing around him and he couldn’t do a damn thing about it.
 Eddie returns shortly, sinking down into the couch beside him, his shoulders pressing into Buck’s; solid and grounding. Buck lets out a shaky exhale, ducking his head as he feels his eyes burn with tears again. He doesn’t want Eddie to see him like this, cracked in a hundred places and this close to falling apart. Which doesn’t make sense, he knows, Eddie has been there during some of the worst moments of his life; he was there holding his hand while his leg was being crushed under a firetruck, he had seen him choke on his own blood during that welcome-back party; there was no end to it. But this—this was just too much. Too vulnerable. Too raw, and open and exposed.
 Eddie says nothing, just sitting there, a line of warmth and stability against Buck, waiting for him to open up. And Buck does, inevitably.
 “I forgave my parents,” He doesn’t look at Eddie while he says it, but can feel him stiffen momentarily before he relaxes again.
 “That must have been hard,” Eddie says, his words so similar to Maddie’s just a few hours ago. Buck shrugs in response, talking about it with his sister had been hard enough, he doesn’t really want to get into the why’s of it again.
 “I just feel like---” Buck stops himself and sighs in frustration. “I feel like this should have brought me some sort of relief, right? Taken some of the weight off my shoulders? Now that I actually have some context to what they did, and why-“
 “Hey,” Eddie interrupts, almost sharply. “Your parents lost a child, and that’s terrible. But them ignoring the two living children they had, not being there for their kids who actually needed them? That is on them and nothing can excuse that. You are well within your rights to feel angry, Buck.”
 Buck shakes his head. “I am so tired of being angry,” He says. “But---I still am. I thought forgiving them would make me feel less angry, but it didn’t. I am so angry that they kept my brother a secret from me, all this time. I am so angry that they forced Maddie to keep that secret, when she was just a child. I am so angry that I was finally, finally, doing better, feeling more secure and good about myself and my life and it took just one visit from them to turn it all upside down!”
 He sucks in a deep breath and buries his head in his hands, shaking slightly. He did not mean to explode like that. Hell, he doesn’t even know where it all came from. He had no idea he was even feeling like that before it all burst out.
 I sometimes hide my true feelings, Buck remembers telling his therapist that one time, and he chuckles hollowly at the memory.
 Eddie lays a hand on his shoulder, the pad of his thumb drawing soothing circles over his sleeve and remains quiet until Buck raises his head again, eyes wet.
 “It’s clear to me, now,” Buck says. “Everything I ever did to try and win their affection, to win their love—none of it mattered. I was set up to fail since the very beginning. The entire time, whenever they looked at me, all they could see was Daniel and I would never measure up in their eyes. How could I compete with that? God,” He scrubs a hand across his face roughly and lets out a bitter laugh. “I’m jealous of a dead person. How fucked up is that?”
Something shutters in Eddie’s expression and he ducks his head for a moment, swallowing. “I understand completely,” He murmurs. Before Buck can really think about it, Eddie is talking again.
 “It was never on you to win your parents’ love, Buck,” He says. “It’s not something that needs to be won, it’s something that has to be freely given. And your parents—they—no matter the loss they were mourning, the way they made you feel like every scrap of their attention needed to be earned was unacceptable. You have to know that. I mean—” He sighs and pauses for a moment. “I have made a lot of mistakes with Christopher, but I can never imagine doing to him what your parents did to you and your sister. It’s unthinkable.”
 Buck manages to smile at that and says, his voice breaking a little, “You’re a really great dad.”
 Eddie chuckles and shakes his head. “I hope so,” He murmurs. “At least, I try to be. And sometimes, trying is the best you can do. It’s what every parent should do.”
 Trying, huh? Philip and Margaret Buckley certainly hadn’t. They had given up on Buck the moment he’d failed to save his brother, Buck is certain of this no matter how they might say otherwise. They had given up on Maddie when she married Doug. They were never willing to try when things got hard, instead that burden had been placed on their children and Maddie and Buck had carried it even into their adulthood, without even noticing.
 He had never felt that burden so acutely as he did in the fire, as he relived his entire life, seeing his past through new eyes as he fought desperately to save Saleh from the flames and himself, from giving into all that despair and guilt and hopelessness. And in the end, he hadn’t had to carry it alone, because the 118, his family, stepped in to carry it with him.
 “In that warehouse,” Buck says. “I almost gave up.”
 Eddie doesn’t bat an eyelash at his words. “I know,” He says, simply.
 Buck isn’t sure why he’s saying this. He doesn’t know why he feels the need to confess this to Eddie, why this is something he needs for him to know. He also doesn’t know why Eddie is being so calm about it.
 “I almost stopped fighting,” Buck continues, his voice breaking a little.
 “I know.” Eddie says, again.
 “You’re not—” Buck clears his throat and says, hoarsely, “You’re not…I don’t know—” He can’t finish.
 Upset? Angry? Disappointed?
 Eddie, evidently, doesn’t need him to say it. “No,” He says, his voice impossibly soft. “I know what it’s like. I’ve been there.”
 Oh. Of course, that’s—Buck doesn’t know whether he is referring to Afghanistan or the well, when he was buried under thirty feet of mud. Or both.
 Buck doesn’t ask, and Eddie doesn’t elaborate.
 “It feels easy, to just stop resisting,” Eddie continues. “But then, you remember that you have something to live for. A family that loves you.”
 Buck shakes his head, almost automatically. “My parents—”
 “I’m not talking about your parents,” Eddie says, firmly. “I am talking about your sister, Bobby, Athena, the 118—”
 “—you?” Buck finishes, something in his heart lifting at the soft smile Eddie gives him in return.
 “Yeah, me,” Eddie says. “And Christopher,” He pauses, suddenly looking almost uncertain. “That is, if you’ll have us.”
 If he’ll have them? Buck almost laughs hysterically—what sort of question is that? Surely, Eddie has to know—to have him and Christopher as his family would be everything and more. He wants it, all of it, so badly that it’s almost terrifying. He wants Eddie, in any and every single way possible, no matter how selfish it is.
 “Eddie, you don’t know what that means to me,” Buck says, instead.
 Eddie smiles. “I think I have some idea,” He says, and reaches out, slipping his hand into Buck’s. Buck can feel his breath catch, his heart leaping at the gentle touch, at the way Eddie’s fingers slot so perfectly between his. It is at times like these, that he thinks that Eddie might return the feelings he has for him, the feelings that are definitely not those of friendship. But he can never bring himself to cross that line, too afraid of being wrong, of ruining one of the best things he has in his life.
 They sit in silence for a few minutes. After a while, Buck glances at the clock.
 “It’s getting late,” He says reluctantly. “I should go.”
 “Stay.” Eddie says. Buck’s pulse quickens, he knows that Eddie doesn’t mean it that way, yet—
 “I think—”
 Eddie shakes his head. “Stay. Please.”
 And how can Buck say no to that?
 He nods wordlessly and allows himself to lean into Eddie, his eyes drifting shut. This is slowly exceeding the realm of best friend behavior, but Buck can’t find it in himself to care at the moment, especially when Eddie turns into him, resting his head on his shoulder.
 For now, he can have this.
 For once, he can be enough.
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Let No Man Steal Your Thyme - (older Dramione) Part Five
I hope you enjoy this one! It features a surprise snooty owl (I wonder who could own such a creature???) and some well-meaning concern from a friend. And some banter. And an expensive lunch. Because Theo is extra and can’t help himself. And it’s 4.6k words long...
I also realised that, since I wrote the first chapter basically out of the blue and not really intending for it to blow up into a big multi-part story, I’ve messed up the timeline a little with Harry’s kids, so I’ll have to go back and fix that when it comes to a re-edit before it goes up on AO3, but for now, just handwave it, ok? :)
Finally, many thanks for your lovely owls, anonymous or otherwise, about this story and where it’s going! I was honestly floored by the feedback I’ve got, and thank you to those who’ve reblogged it and helped get it out there for folks to read. I have a very small following since this side-blog is fairly new, so all reblogs are very much appreciated. I did a quick doodle for the cover of the story which you can find here, if you’re interested in how I pictured Draco and Scorpius standing in the steam from the Hogwarts Express from chapter one.
Part One | Part Two | Part Three | Part Four
___
Far earlier on Monday morning than she was accustomed to these days, Hermione woke with a start and frowned, confused. Eyes dry and prickly, and hair absolutely everywhere, she sat up and looked around, straining her ears as she blearily tried to work out what had yanked her so unceremoniously from a deep and mercifully dreamless sleep. Her Muggle alarm clock silently showed 05:54 in harsh red numbers, and nothing had touched the wards or tried to get in, though there was something thrumming against them, like the lingering reverberations of a plucked harp string.  
The temporary stillness was shattered when a wild scrabbling of claws and the beating of enormous wings started up against her bedroom window. With a flailing shriek of surprise, she nearly fell out of bed, but after taking a deep breath, she stumbled out from under the covers to wrench the curtains open.  
“Bloody owls!” she began, but drew up short when she saw the unfamiliar bird waiting impatiently on the other side of the glass.  
There, battering its truly monstrous talons against the glass, was a colossal eagle owl. When it saw her, it stopped its fussing to perch haughtily on the brick windowsill outside and fix her with a fiery red glare. If owls could have raised their eyebrows, she got the impression that this one would have done it at the sight of her.  
“Yeah, well, it’s early. What did you expect?” she groused as she slid the window panel to one side and the bird looked around her bedroom with obvious disdain. Imperiously, it stuck out one leg, like a noble expecting a servant to remove a dirty boot, and she saw a rolled-up piece of parchment with a green wax seal and a green ribbon to bind it together.  
“Who do you belong to then?” she asked, going automatically to stroke the bird’s flight-ruffled chest plumage. It instantly hissed and nipped at her fingers, and she barely drew them back in time. “Christ! No need for that,” she gasped. She’d never met a postal owl as cantankerous as this one. “I usually give visiting owls a treat, but I don't think I like your manners one bit.”  
With the letter in hand, she slid the window closed again, leaving a gap just small enough that the bird wasn’t going to barge its way in. She wondered if it had been instructed to wait for an answer because it began almost immediately clicking its beak against the glass and hooting indignantly. 
“Manners makyth bird,” she snapped without looking up, and broke the unfamiliar wax seal on the letter.
It had a cursive ‘M’ within a circle, but was otherwise unadorned. Unfurling it, she glanced at the name on the bottom and her eyebrows rose as her growing suspicions were confirmed. It was signed in a princely English roundhand by none other than Draco Malfoy.  
She snorted, glancing back at the bird who was doing its best basilisk impression from the other side of the glass. “Who else would have such a snotty owl?”
It hooted childishly at her again and she laughed.  
Dear Hermione,
I must beg of you to forgive the unspeakably rude hour of this correspondence, but I am leaving this morning for France by portkey for a couple of days and I had hoped to get your answer before I left. I should add now before you read any further — although with your kind heart I fear it may be too late already — that Cassiopeia here is not fond of physical affection, but is very partial to owl treats. She can be bribed into doing almost anything for food, but affection is sadly not in her nature, so please be careful with your fingers around her beak. The only reason I was able to get her to fly at all at this time of the day was to bribe her lavishly. She’s terribly spoilt, and for that, I’m sorry too.  
Hermione shot another look at the bird, who narrowed her eyes suspiciously. “Cassiopeia, eh?” she said and the enormous owl bobbed a few times. “Prideful about your good looks then, are you? You should know how your namesake’s story ended then. But, I suppose you could be forgiven since you are an inordinately pretty bird. You’ll still not get a crumb from me after trying to take my fingers off though. I’ll be having words with Malfoy about that.”  
Cassiopeia ruffled her feathers and promptly turned her back on Hermione. The bird didn’t take off, so she returned her attention to the letter.  
I spent all weekend thinking about our evening together on Friday, but it will come as little surprise to you to learn that it has taken me all that time to muster up my limited courage to ask you to dinner at your next convenience. Naturally, I left it to the last possible moment to ask you. I have a place in mind in London, but it’s a little more out of the way than the restaurants on Diagon Alley. I have it on authority from the owner that you have never been there, and I would very much like to surprise you, but if you would feel more comfortable knowing in advance, then you can ask Theo while I am out of the country.  
Staggered, Hermione stared at the letter and found her vision swimming a little. Blinking, she was shocked to find tears blurring his formal — almost painfully formal — words.  
But how long had it been since anyone had actually asked her on a date? ‘Too intimidating’, ‘too boring’, ‘too work-orientated’, ‘too bossy’, ‘too driven’ were all things she’d heard at one point or another, and admittedly many of them from Ron.  
Thirty seven wasn’t even old - especially by magical standards - but she didn’t exactly have the same bright-eyed charms as someone like, say, Lavender did anymore. Hard work, and a draining marriage seemed to have sapped much of the youth and vigour from her. And, if she were honest, being replaced by someone supposedly ‘more attractive’ had damaged her more deeply than she cared to admit, even to herself. There were certainly days when she felt like a washed-up, burnt-out, dowdy old matron. She had crashed out of a sparkling career in the Ministry to run a scruffy old second-hand bookshop next to the newly-refurbished Florian Fortescue’s ice cream parlour.  
“Why are you even bothering, Malfoy?” she murmured aloud as she stared blankly at the letter in her hands. With looks like his — and a groaning Gringotts’ account if the rumours were to be believed, not that that mattered a jot to Hermione — he could probably have had almost any witch he wanted, his past and reclusive behaviour be damned. And yet he was asking her to dinner after having only met twice since they turned eighteen? Three times, she supposed if she included that brief encounter at the Ministry on the night of the attack.  
Perhaps he was lonely just wanted the company. Perhaps she was just… convenient; a chump with a soft spot for outcasts…
Before she let herself go too far down that unsavoury rabbit hole, she forced herself to read on, heart pounding. Outside on the windowsill, the owl had gone very still, watching her with curious, orange eyes.  
Please feel free to send Cassiopeia back with your response either way. I hope I have not overstepped or misread how things are between us now, especially given our history, but I find my thoughts returning over and over to our evening, and to that surprise lunch on the 1st of September. I’m not sure what I had expected when you asked me to join you that day, but I certainly hadn’t expected to enjoy myself as much as I did. In the years since I became Scorpius’ sole guardian, I have not sought the company of others, nor have I particularly enjoyed it when it has been inflicted upon me, but those two occasions spent with you have drawn me out of myself. You truly are a remarkable witch, and I’m more moved and honoured than I can express that you have given me even this much of your precious time already.  
Before I begin to ramble too freely, I think I must sign off here.  
Yours,  
D.M.  
P.S. Scorpius did write to me in the end. He has a detention already, and Potter’s youngest is also involved somehow… I will get more details from him anon, and no doubt a letter from McGonagall in due course.  
For a long time, Hermione stood in her bedroom, with her hair in a wild halo around her head and her scruffy old pyjamas hanging low on her hips, just staring at his signature.  
When Draco’s owl began to fidget and fuss again, she sighed and looked up. “Sit tight,” she breathed. “I’m going to get a piece of paper and if you keep quiet, I might bring an owl treat with me when I come back, ok?”
Cassiopeia narrowed her eyes and ducked her head suspiciously, but remained put on the windowsill, so she took that as a ‘yes’ and disappeared into her tiny study.  
Grabbing a biro from the chipped mug that served as a pen and quill pot, and tearing a sheaf of paper from a muggle notebook, she scrawled a note back to him.  
With that done, and before she could talk herself out of what she had just accepted, she returned to his owl with a treat. The bird mobbed her for it instantly, but Hermione scowled at her, snatched her hand back, and barked, “Wait! My goodness, you are spoilt. Let me attach this first, and if I manage it without you drawing blood or otherwise maiming me, not only will it be a flipping miracle, but you’ll get your sodding treat, alright?”
The bird went still with a tiny shuffle of her wings, and stuck out her leg.  
“Thank you,” Hermione said tartly.  
Cassiopeia took off with her note attached by the same green ribbon and secured with a basic sticking charm. The downdraft from her departure sent bits of accumulated detritus from the window ledge spiralling up into Hermione’s face, but she coughed and blinked, and watched the bird soar way up into the sky. The receding dot of her silhouette banked west, out of sight and in the eventual direction of Wiltshire and Malfoy Manor.  
Malfoy Manor.  
She’d hardly given the place any thought since that fateful night ten or so years ago when Malfoy had been attacked, a whole wing had been burned to the ground, and Scorpius had nearly been killed. They’d never said in the papers who had done it, and the Auror Office had been distinctly tight-lipped about it. Not that she’d really bothered to find out more, if she were honest. Once Malfoy’s little yowling mandrake had left her office in his father’s arms, she had been almost instantly reabsorbed with her own caseload, and Harry had never mentioned the outcome of the investigation to her. A twinge of gilt shot through her but she pushed it down. It was hardly a topic for dinnertime conversation either, so she doubted she’d find out immediately.  
She thought vaguely about clambering back into bed, but since she was up, she headed to the kitchen and put the kettle on for a cup of tea. It had been a while since she’d been up before dawn, and she had some paperwork to do anyway.  
Cassiopeia’s appearance was not the only unusual thing to happen to her that day. She had no visitors to the shop at all for the entire morning, but when the brass bell above the door did finally chime, she looked up from the desk at the back of the shop to find Theo striding in.  
“Hi, love,” he grinned, stepping deer-like over the stack of recent arrivals beside the counter and stooping to hug her where she sat. “Lunch. You and me. Now.”
“Theo, I have a shop to run,” she said, rolling her eyes. “I can’t just… leave. Besides, I brought sandwiches.”
“I will literally pay you the price of an entire chest of first editions to spend the next few hours in my company if things are that tight. Or I could just… buy you an entire chest of first editions,” he said, adding with his most dangerous puppy-dog eyes, “Seriously, please come to lunch with me?”
She flicked her wrist and the ‘open’ sign hanging in the glass-panelled door flipped over to ‘closed’. “I’m not accepting your money, Theo. What’s the occasion?”
He twitched slightly and then flashed her a grin; a combination that made her instantly wary. “Does a gentleman need ‘an occasion’ to ask a beautiful lady to lunch?” he asked, his brown eyes wide with feigned innocence.  
Hermione slowly raised one eyebrow. “You’re gay. And happily married. And that’s a terrible line. Try again.”
“Doesn’t mean I can’t take my very best friend out,” he shrugged nonchalantly.  
Something was definitely up.  
“Draco Malfoy is, and always has been, your very best friend in all the world. Try again.”
“You,” he said, actually growling the word this time with comical frustration, “Are one very persistent witch.”
“Mmhmm. How do you think I made it to Minister by twenty-seven, darling,” she grinned, still without getting up from her chair. “Last chance or I turn that sign around and forcibly evict you from my shop.”  
Theo whipped his wand out from his inner jacket pocket like he was in a duel, and apparently vanished the offending sign from the door altogether. “There. Your threats are empty. Come to lunch with me.”
“Theodore Nott, you return my sign this instant.”
“Say you’ll come to lunch with me, and the sign goes back up.”
“I will not be threatened in my own shop!” she laughed, arms folding across her chest like a petulant child. “Put it back. Now.”
“Say you’ll come with me,” he said with a wide, playful grin, planting his hands on the counter and leaning his long frame forwards.  
She had to bite her lips to stop from giggling. The charming scoundrel knew she’d say yes anyway. “I’ll tell Dan you were bullying me,” she said.  
“Tell him; he’ll never believe you. He thinks I’m lovely. Come on, Hermione,” he added, softening from playful to plaintive. “I need to talk to you.”
“About what?”
“You and my ‘very best friend in all the world’, that’s what,” he said, and levelled her with a flat stare.
Her stomach dropped and she remembered the letter from that morning. And its contents. ‘…if you would feel more comfortable knowing, then you can ask Theo while I am gone’ Draco had said. He’d spoken with Theo about asking her out. She didn't know whether to be honoured or embarrassed.
Seeing her expression slip, Theo came round the side of the counter to stand beside her and leaned his hips against the wooden desk. “So you like him?”
“I… Why would that be a surprise?”
Theo blinked, and then his gaze flickered down to her left forearm. Everyone knew about the word engraved into her skin with the point of a cursed knife — she’d never tried to conceal it — but not many knew the real truth of just how the slur had come to be carved indelibly into her flesh. Theo was one of the few who did. “You’re really asking me why I’m surprised you like him?” he said in a hoarse whisper. “You, of all people?”
She took a very deep breath, held it, and then sighed. “Let’s go. You’re paying though. And I’m drinking.”
He managed a shy smile, and as they approached the front door of her shop his shimmering illusion around the sign dissolved to reveal it once again.  
“Cheeky bugger,” she smirked at him and he waggled his eyebrows disarmingly. An undercurrent of anxiety still lurked beneath his jovial expression though.  
A number of new restaurants had opened up in Diagon Alley, but Theo’s and Dan’s favourite was a sleek, modern establishment, quite different from the fusty old decor of the Leaky Cauldron or the other more traditional restaurants in wizarding London. It also sat overlooking the crooked columns of Gringotts, and was eye-wateringly expensive. Naturally, Theo was greeted by name at the door, and the pair were shown without fuss or fanfare to one of the nicest — and most secluded — tables.
With food ordered, and enormous balloon-glasses of wine in front of them, Theo fixed her with a serious look and steered the conversation around to the real reason for his impromptu lunchtime kidnapping. “He finally grew a pair and asked you to dinner then?”
“Mmm,” she nodded. “I take it this is… unusual for him?”
Theo tipped his head back and chuckled softly, sounding more tired than amused. “That’s putting it mildly, love. Until Friday, I had the devil’s own job trying to get dear Draco to leave his gloomy little manor house and come to anything. I had to blackmail him into coming to our anniversary, you know?”  
Hermione just frowned, not entirely sure if he was being serious or not.  
Theo let out a slow breath and stared into his wineglass, idly twirling the stem between long fingers. “Don’t get me wrong,” he said without looking at her, “I’m beyond grateful that he finally seems to be opening up to the idea of… being somewhat… vulnerable again, but…”
“You’re worried I’m going to hurt him,” she said quietly, and Theo bowed his head. “Theo, I’m… You know me. This isn’t just some one night stand with a rich, attractive bloke I met in a bar. I haven’t —” she leaned in close over the table and hissed, “I haven’t even had sex with anyone in years, Theo. Years!” She brushed an errant corkscrew of hair back out of her eyes, embarrassed.
His lips twitched at that, but his eyes remained stormy.  
“I’m not going into this lightly. I was honestly as surprised as you are, but I wouldn’t even be considering going on a date with Draco Malfoy if I wasn’t completely convinced that he was no longer the bratty little owl-pellet he was back at Hogwarts.”
At that, Theo barked such a loud laugh that the patrons at the tables nearby turned to look at him like he’d sworn in a church. He covered his mouth with his hand and snickered himself into silent tears for a good thirty seconds before she rolled her eyes and sat back with her glass in her hand, waiting for him to control himself again.  
“I’m telling Dan you called him that. And Pansy. They’ll love it.”
“Right,” she said, cheeks suddenly hot. “Well, as much as he might have been an owl pellet, let’s not have it become a ‘thing’, hmm?”
The mirth in his face simmered back down and he looked at her steadily over the rim of his wineglass. “Look, I care about both of you, and I can see this going two ways. One: you realise that the two of you actually have an awful lot in common, he takes you to increasingly fancy places for dates, you have lots of steamy sex, and finally settle down together. Two: the past gets in the way, you both say hurtful stuff you don’t really mean, and you both end up single and twice as miserable as you were before you went for lunch at the Leaky. Don't think I didn’t know about that, either,” he added.  
“You’re such a gossip,” she snapped.  
“I was being serious, Hermione,” he said, leaning to one side as their food arrived.  
She paused until the waiter had left but didn’t make any move to pick up her cutlery. “Are you looking out for him or for me?” she asked.  
Theo sighed. “Both of you. But…”
“Mostly Draco, huh?”
“He’s like a brother to me, Hermione. He was there for me when no one else was. You know the things my father did to me as a child, and Draco helped me through all of it. And ‘Cissa too. And I couldn’t believe it when he actually showed up at drinks the other night. Watching him, it… it was like the old Draco had come back to me. The nice ‘old Draco’, I mean.” His eyes glistened and he blinked rapidly, voice cracking as he continued. “After the attack, he shut himself away at the Manor with Scorpius, as if he could keep the whole world out just to keep little Scorp safe. I thought… I thought he’d never leave, Hermione.”
“You never talked about any of this,” she said gently, forcing herself to make a start on her linguine despite the fact that her appetite had vanished almost completely.  
Theo shrugged. “I guess… I guess I wanted to give him the privacy he craved, and to be honest, I didn’t think you’d be all that sympathetic to him after your history.”
At that, she scowled, but she could see his point. “Theo, I held his screaming infant in my arms for hours while he was being questioned by the Aurors that night. I saw his face when he came to my office for Scorpius afterwards.” She shook her head. “No one who saw him then could believe he was even a shadow of the person he had been at Hogwarts.”
At her words, Theo had stopped eating, fork held loosely between perpetually-ink-stained fingers even as it rested on his plate. “You did? He never said.”
She tried not to examine that last comment too closely. “Mm. Harry didn't know what else to do with him, so he brought Scorpius to me to see if I could quieten him down. In the end all it took was a handful of my hair and a few poorly-sung folk songs. But you’re missing the point, Theo. You could have trusted me with things that were worrying you. I would have listened to you.”
“I —” he cut off and cleared his throat. “I know. I’m sorry. I just… Aside from Dan, I don’t think I love anyone as much as I love him.”
It was Hermione’s turn to choke up a little, but she swallowed and said, “Then I can think of no greater accolade for his character.” She looked up at him and added, “So where’s he taking me then?”
“You said yes?”
“I did. I like him. And not just because he looks like a flipping marble statue brought to life. He’s thoughtful, and he always was extremely intelligent and articulate. I’ve really enjoyed talking with him this time around. I think… I think…” she pursed her lips and took a too-big gulp of wine. Luckily it all went down the right way, and she forged on. “I think… we could work. Or at least… I want to see where it goes, Theo.”
With a slow nod, Theo finally relaxed his shoulders and let out a shaky breath. “He wants to take you to The Foundry.”  
“I’ve never heard of it,” she mumbled. It wasn’t one of the ones in Diagon Alley, for sure.
Theo made a side-to-side movement of his head. “I’m not surprised. It’s…”
“Oh God, is it horrifically expensive?” she asked, eyes wide with a sudden abject terror. “Theo, if he’s going to take me somewhere hideously fancy for our first date, I’m going to back out right now…”
The corners of his lips lifted and he shook his head. “Not in the way you’re thinking. You have to know the owners to get a table though, and there are no menus. They’ll ask if you have any allergies, but other than that, you eat what they serve you.”
“Holy fuck, Theo…”
“Trust me, you’ll love it. The place used to be a bell foundry in the seventeenth century — hence the name — and it’s this gorgeous brick building with arches and vaults, and cosy little corners,” he added, raising his eyebrows. “You’ll forget where you are and be as comfortable as if you were in your own pokey little Muggle living room. I promise.”
She narrowed her eyes and took another gulp of wine. “I’ll take your word for it, Nott,” she said. “What should I wear?”
Without hesitation, he said, “That burgundy number you haven’t worn since Pansy told you to buy it.”
She blanched at that. “Theo, it’s…”
“Gorgeous? Revealing in all the right ways, yet modest enough to suit you? Dead sexy? Exactly the kind of thing that will make Draco lose his goddamn mind when he sees you in it? The kind of thing that will make him spend all evening simultaneously admiring you in it and mentally tearing it off you —”
“Theo, stop!” she hissed, flushing darker. “For God’s sake shut up!”
He cackled into the remainder of his wine, but refused to give any more sartorial advice.  
“Burgundy dress and heels it is, I guess,” she said, and the two of them focused on their food again.  
“I hope,” Theo said as they left a very leisurely two hours later, “I hope you don’t think I was too…” he jiggled nervously on the balls of his feet as he held the door open for her, “Overbearing…”
“I mean, you did ambush me, blackmail and threaten me into having lunch with you at the fanciest restaurant in Diagon Alley where I couldn’t reasonably kick up a fuss, and then proceed to tell me all sorts of heartrending stories about Draco and yourself…”  
When she saw the wounded look in Theo’s brown eyes, she stopped and turned to face him.
“Theo, no. You’re one of my best friends, and you clearly care about us both. Stop panicking,” she added when she saw the slightly wild light in his eyes. “You didn’t try to tell me what to do or who to see. You’re looking out for your friends, and making sure we’re both… serious about this. And I appreciate that.” She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and added, “But know that if you keep meddling beyond that, I will hex your bollocks off and make you explain it to Dan.”
“Understood,” he said with a watery smile. “I was worried I’d overstepped.”
“I’ll forgive you if you tell me one thing.”
“Name it.”
“Did you have the same talk with Draco about breaking my heart?”
His handsome, freckled face split into a blinding white grin. “I did.”
“Forgiven,” she said. “Now, some of us actually have to work for a living.”
“I work!” he squealed. “I work bloody hard up in the Department of International Magical Cooperation, thank you very much!”
“I know you do,” she conceded. “Not that you actually need a job, you filthy rich prick.”
Theo laughed long and loud, scooping her hand up in his and walking arm in arm down the bustling, cobbled street towards her bookshop. “And to think,” he chimed with a sidelong look down at her, “You used to be Minister for Magic with that mouth.”
“I know,” she said. “It nearly got me into trouble on many an occasion.”
Kneazel and Quill’s little sign swung jauntily in the breeze and Theo gave a slight bow from the waist when they stopped at the door. With anyone else, it might have seemed foppish and insincere, but with Theo, she knew he meant it. He was only silly like this with his closest friends.  
“Good day, fair maiden of the dusty bookshop,” he said. “And thank you for giving my idiot best friend a chance.”
Hermione nodded and smiled. She stood and soaked up the autumn sunshine for a while as she watched his retreating back, until he eventually disappeared into the Diagon Alley entrance to the Ministry and she slid back into the musty quiet of her little sanctuary.
Chapter Six
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Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed this chapter of friendship! Next time, Hermione and Draco go for that date...!! Things will start to gain momentum too, fear not. It’s not going to be an eternal slow-burn...
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