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melonkooky · 4 years

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maybe it was fate [bang chan]

not requested

word count: 14605

genre: businessman!chan, barista!reader, mainly fluff with some sprinkles of angst here and there

author’s note: please don’t feel intimidated by the amount of words this one shot is. it took me several days to write it and i spent all day today finishing. i also spent a lot of time looking for mistakes. i know it’s not perfect, but i’m extremely proud of this since it’s my longest one. please read it and give it lots of love!!

please do not copy my work. but please like and reblog it. thank you!!!!

“one large coffee, black, please.”

you hummed in response as you tapped a few buttons on the register. “that’ll be 4,000 won.”

the gentleman in front of you handed you his credit card. he seemed exhausted, an all nighter perhaps. you’ve done lots of those before. you were a college student after all, and had a full time job at a coffee shop.

the coffee shop was relatively popular. it was also close to your dorm, which also meant it was close to your campus. sometimes fellow students would pop in, and then when you recognized them and they recognized you, basically that one spiderman meme becomes a reality. lots of times your friends would pop in to tease you, and to get coffee.

after you swiped the customer’s card and asked if he wanted a receipt - to which he declined - you yelled at your coworker for a large black coffee.

“okay.” he yelled back, sliding an iced latte across the counter while shouting a name.

this morning was busy, what else was to be expected? the mornings were always the busiest because that was when everyone was on their way to work. you hated the rushes because of how busy and loud the coffee shop got. the atmosphere of being a comfortable and relaxing place was often ruined. however, due to you having classes in the afternoons, you could only work morning shifts.

it usually took some time before the rushes end. from then on, only a few customers came in, some of which sat down at tables and sofas, pulling out books or laptops from their book bags.

you glanced at the time that showed on the bottom right corner of the register. you sighed. only a few more minutes before you could go home and relax a bit, just before your first class of the day.

you turned around to rest your back against the edge of the counter. your elbows came up so you could lean back. your neck and upper back felt a little stiff to say the least, and your legs were feeling sore. you’ve been working at this shop for many months now, and somehow you’ve hardly grown used to being on your feet for so long.

you looked over at your coworker, alex. he was using a wet washcloth and was wiping down spilled coffee and scattered coffee dust and other various ingredients. “you only have, what, like half an hour?” he teased.

your cheeks heated slightly. “almost there. you get to leave too, don’t you? because mina and irene take over.”

alex shook his head. “mina called in sick again. she asked if i could take her shift.”

you looked at him, feeling bad. alex was a hard worker and didn’t hesitate to help people. still, you wished he could take a break.

“i mean, more money for me right. i’ll finally be able to afford a nintendo switch.”

you smiled. you were about to ask him if he was going to buy it for animal crossing, having hardly any knowledge of what that game was but knew it was popular, when the cell phone rang. a twitch of anxiety coursed through your veins. you hated answering the phone, but alex was busy. he already did enough. you picked it up. “you’re calling kawaii coffee, this is y/n.”

“hey, i have a large order that has to be made immediately.”

“o-oh, ma’am, we’re actually not allowed to take orders over the phone.”

“yes, i understand that but this is really urgent. i am an assistant at bang and lee industries-”

you didn’t hear the rest of her words because your gears were turning. you were surprised because bang and lee industries were well known throughout the country. they were the most influential company, a very large and popular business to say the least. and yet they were calling your coffee shop. you would think in a building like there’s they would have their own coffee shop.

“i can’t really explain too much,” she continued, “but i need fifteen coffees to go. i’ll pay for it.”

you wanted to help her. you knew you would be breaking protocol but it sounded really urgent. she really needed these coffee. however, your coffee shop also didn’t deliver.

“ma’am, i’m willing to make an exception and complete your order, but we also don’t deliver.”

she sighed. she was obviously stressed, and you felt a bit of pity for her. she probably had a very difficult job. “look, i’ll pay extra. couldn’t you deliver it? we have a meeting in twenty minutes.”

your eyes moved to meet alex’s. you wondered if he could hear the assistant lady because he had stopped cleaning and was looking at you. he shrugged, which to you meant that he was down.

you started to shake your head. “okay, what would you like to order?”

she told you everything that she needed and said that she’d pay when you arrived at the building. you were nervous at the thought of going to the tallest and most well-known building in all of south korea. they probably had enough money to buy the entire country for themselves. perhaps that was an exaggeration, but the point was that they had a lot of money. and here they were, ordering coffee from the shop that you worked at. as you helped alex make fifteen coffees, each different from the other (some with preferences that made you and alex roll your eyes), you wondered why they chose your shop, of all other coffee places in seoul.

finally you and alex packed them into drink carriers and tried to stack them. you managed to fit them into three bags. you struggled to carry them but you managed.

“alright, i’ll see you in a bit, alex. sorry to leave you alone.”

he waved you off. “hurry up. money is waiting.”

you laughed as you left the shop. alex and money, a relationship you would fully support.

as you drove to the directions that the assistant lady gave to you, anxiety and nervousness ate at your stomach. you were shaking, and your body felt tense. you felt stupid for being so worked up. you most likely weren’t even going to see these people again, or at all. you were just going in to drop off urgent coffee, get the payment, and leave.

you pulled into the parking lot, finding a spot as close to the front doors as you could. then you grabbed the bags. your mind was racing with a million thoughts. you prayed that the amount of sweat you were feeling wasn’t as visible as it felt. you approached the front desk, telling the receptionist exactly what the assistant lady told you to say so that they wouldn’t think you were being a threat - her words.

just as the worker picked up the phone to call her, an elevator dinged nearby. “oh good, the coffee’s here.” the relief coated her voice.

you turned as you recognized the voice, catching a tall lady hurrying out of an elevator. with cherry red lipstick and heels higher than your current gpa, she strutted over to you. “oh my god! thank you so much. you’re a job saver.”

maybe she was supposed to get coffee earlier and had forgotten.

you and her worked out how to pay you. she was using the company’s money. then you handed her the bags. however, you gasped, eyes wide as you stared at the bags.

“what is it?” she asked, immediately setting the bags down on the counter and looking inside them.

your face turned red as you admitted your mistake. “i forgot a bag in my car.”

she looked back at the bags. “well, hurry along. i don’t want to be late.”

you turned on your heel, hurrying out of the building without running. but just as you left the building, you didn’t realize that there was a black car pulling up to the curb. your thoughts were occupied by the coffee and you forgetting it in the car. the vehicle screeched to a halt, and you jumped.

the car was only a foot away from you. and you didn’t notice. the driver got out of the car, and was spitting various words and phrases at you, probably things about being stupid for not paying attention to where you were going. you were still shocked at the fact that you were almost hit by a car, all for the sake of coffee.

then, another person was opening a door and he stepped out, seeming surprised. but his eyes were soft, concerned. “miss, are you okay?” this young man said.

you looked at him, finally closing your gaping mouth. the driver didn’t even care. you nodded, feeling like your heart was going to burst out of your chest. the young man had moved closer as if unconvinced. his eyes were kind, and you couldn’t help but stare in them. he couldn’t be any older than you were, but when you noticed that he was wearing a suit, your mind began to connect the dots.

another voice, much deeper than the others, boomed, “we’re going to be late now. look what you did!”

your face was red and you felt tears threatening to fall. they were blaming you. you knew you should’ve paid more attention. how stupid you had been.

“father!” the young man said, stepping closer to you. “stop it. can’t you see you’re only making things worse?”

then the assistant lady and her heels were walking across the sidewalk. “little lady, the coffees.” she reminded you, once again, not caring about you. then she looked at the older man as he slammed the car door. “mr. bang, sir, you’re actually right on schedule.”

your eyes widened again. mr. bang? the mr. bang? as in the one that is the richest man in the country, the one that co-owned bang and lee industries? now you really were in a huge mess.

“are we?” he said, checking the time on his watch. “well, we should hurry then. chan, step away from her. let’s go.”

you were embarrassed, but also slightly angry for how these powerful people were acting towards you, well, except for mr. bang’s son, chan.

you glanced at chan as he flashed you a sympathetic smile, just before he turned and followed his father into the building. you released a breath, weight lifting slightly.

“hey, lady, get out of the road.” the driver reminded you.

you gasped and hurried to your car, grabbing the final bag of coffees. as you walked back into the building, the assistant was talking to mr. bang. from what you could pick up, you could hear her mention times and unfamiliar names, probably meetings. she noticed you walk in, quickly finishing her thought. “finally! i already wired money to your little shop. now scurry.”

you sighed, feeling discouraged. you set down the bag next to the others, which still sat on the receptionist’s desk. the coffees were probably getting cooler by the second, another problem and embarrassment to add to your list.

a voice snapped you out of your thoughts. “hey, are you sure you’re okay?”

you met chan’s eyes, blush creeping up in your cheeks. “oh, yeah. thanks for asking.” your heart was racing again. this man, looking so handsome in his tuxedo, was so nice. the biggest quality you looked for in a man.

but, of course, his father squashed the moment, if there even was a moment to begin with. “son, stop talking to her. we have a meeting to get to. miri, the coffees.”

chan’s warm smile faded as he glanced at his father, his eyes losing their brightness with it. the assistant lady hurried and grabbed the bags. the two businessmen walked away, stepping into the elevator with the assistant following behind, smiling nervously. you watched them leave with a sad look in your eyes. this was not the experience you were expecting to have, and needless to say, it ruined your day.

----

a week has passed since your terrifying experience at bang and lee industries. you had tried your best to forget about, all of it, even if it meant forgetting about bang chan. he was often on your mind since then, and you hated it. it was mentally draining.

you didn’t want to call it a crush. that felt childish. crushes were for teenagers desperate for love and attention in high school. besides, only a few words were exchanged between you and him. chan was just being a gentleman, you weren’t special. but the way he had looked at you after you were almost hit by the car seemed to be permanently cemented in your brain.

you groaned. there you were, trying not to think about him which only led you to think about him more. it was distracting you.

“hey.”

you looked up. you had been resting your forehead on your arms, leaning over the countertop. mina was looking at you with concerned eyes. “what’s wrong?” she asked.

you shook your head. “i just can’t stop thinking.”

she nudged your shoulder with her own, her eyebrows wiggling up and down. “about mr. bang chan?”

you rolled your eyes and turned, distracting yourself by grabbing a washcloth to clean some of the coffee makers. however, mina easily caught sight of the pink blush in your cheeks. you couldn’t hide it no matter how hard you tried.

“look, you don’t have to be so hard on yourself. sure, the richest person alive turned out to be a dick, and your whole experience was a nightmare,” wow, thanks, “but there was some good. you met bang chan. many don’t even know about him. he practically lives in his father’s shadow. you’re a lucky girl.”

you fought a small smile.

“there you go.”

in that moment, the bell that signalled when the front door was opened rang. “oh, a customer.” but then mina gasped. she quickly jabbed your ribs, making you whine angrily at her.

annoyed at the action, you sent her a glare before turning to look at the customer. you were prepared for another sleep deprived student or a fancy lady or just an average citizen looking for coffee. you were not expecting to see bang chan himself, standing there in the most average coffee shop in seoul. not to mention that he wasn’t dressed in a suit, nor in expensive designer clothes. he obviously wasn’t trying to be noticed or flaunt his wealth.

“m-m-mr. bang.” you stuttered, voice rather high pitched.

“that couldn’t have gone any better.” mina mumbled next to you.

he smiled stepping closer. “i was hoping this was the right place.”

you smiled nervously. “what can i get for you?”

“actually, i am not here for coffee.” the young man grinned nervously. his hands slithered to his back pockets as he timidly took a few steps forward.

you were blushing, and you were self-conscious of it. you felt like your cheeks were so obvious, so red, so hot that the room would begin to feel like a sauna (as if it already didn’t feel that way as soon as mr. bang stepped foot into your coffee shop).

when mina realized that you weren’t going to say anything, she rolled her eyes. “well then what are you here for, mr. bang?”

“i came because of her,” he met your eyes, “you.”

finally you felt yourself slipping out of your daze, only to be even more confused than before. this man was here for you? you? why?

“me?” you felt yourself saying.

“i wanted to see if you were okay. i mean,” mr. bang started to stutter, his face rapidly reciprocating yours. you were positive your heart skipped not just one, but many beats at how cute he looked. “i just meant, you know, just you almost got hit by a car and seemed really scared. i also know my dad can be very stern, i guess is a way to put it.”

stern, you thought. more like emotionless, self-centered, and an asshole. but you would never dare to say that outloud.

“i also know it’s been a few days, a week, since it happened. i should’ve came sooner. i’m sorry.”

you frantically shook your head. you hurried around the counter to get closer to him. “no, no, mr. bang, don’t be sorry. it’s not your fault.” you paused, a smile creeping its way onto your lips, “unless you were secretly the one behind the wheel.”

he laughed, and your smile widened. you had made him laugh. this moment was definitely going to be on your mind for the next few days. perhaps you really were falling in love with this man.

“that’s a relief.” he finally said, his shoulders visibly relaxing.

you felt relieved as well, maybe even more confident.

“mr. bang, do you want some coffee?”

his eyes brightened. god he was adorable.

he grinned. “ah yeah, only if you will call me chan. mr. bang is my father, and way too formal for me.”

“of course, chan.”

mina was wiggling her eyebrows at you, chewing on her bottom lip. you gave her a look, shaking your head afterwards. chan had asked you to make his favorite drink. as you prepared it behind the counter, you felt yourself wanting to look at him.

chan wandered around the shop a bit, looking at the wall art, the pictures, the paintings and decorations. as he looked around, you saw that he had a faint smile. it was like his lips permanently smiled. however, you almost got distracted by him. you would have filled up his iced coffee too much.

“chan, your coffee is ready.” you announced, just like you would with any other customer.

he grinned and bowed slightly. “thank you.”

chan sipped the drink, pausing a second afterward. you were a little nervous, even though you knew nothing was wrong with it. but he seemed to like it. he hummed and he sipped more. “wow, that’s really good.”

you blushed. “thank you.”

“you know. i don’t know your name.”

your eyes widened. “i haven’t told you?”

he laughed. you heard mina snort next to you.

“oh, it’s y/n.”

“y/n.” chan repeated.

he sipped his drink again. you were staring, and you were begging your cells to let your brain know to look away. it seemed mina beat your cells because she was nudging your shoulder again. you finally were able to avert your eyes elsewhere.

“anyways,” chan said, breaking the silence. “i should probably get going. can i get another coffee?”

you nodded. “of course.”

chan offered to pay for both but you told him it was on the house. he was a special customer, after all.

you felt like you had hardly spent time with him. before you knew it, he was yelling goodbye and slipping out of the door with his two coffees. a part of you wondered who the second coffee was for. it had been a sugary drink, one that you didn’t take his father to like. perhaps he was meeting a friend. it was none of your business anyway.

----

you released a relieved breath when you noticed that a few employees showed up for their shifts, meaning that you could finally clock out and leave. as you removed your apron, seeing that your shift had been replaced, you looked over at alex. he seemed just as excited to get off of work.

“do you have classes today?” he asked, tossing his used apron into the dirty bin as if he were a professional basketball player. his apron barely touched the top of the bin before falling onto the floor.

you snorted before bursting into laughter. “you were so confident, so confident.”

“just let it go.” he whined, picking it up and properly disposing of it.

you followed en suit, grabbing your things afterwards. “to answer your question, no, i don’t have classes today.”

“do you want to hang out?” alex asked, spinning around you.

how did this man have so much energy? especially after a shift? or did he just seem really excited about something? wait, he probably drank multiple cups of coffee.

whatever the reason, you decided to agree. you had nothing else to do. “sure! why not?”

he grinned, “yeah, so anyway since the weather looks absolutely spectacular today, why don’t we go to the amusement park?”

your eyes widened slightly, your mouth forming an upside down ‘u’ shape. “is that open already?”

“it’s been open.” alex replied with a laugh.

you and alex left the coffee shop while yelling goodbye to your other coworkers. “alright, so-” alex began to speak when you suddenly collided into a solid surface...someone’s chest.

you gasped and stumbled backwards, just before hands grabbed your wrists. they steadied you before you could fall backwards. you blushed, cheeks red with embarrassment. you were about to apologize to the one who had saved you, but you recognized his face. your eyes widened.

alex glanced between you and the strange man, then at the girl next to him.

you stumbled over your words, trying to thank bang chan. he wasn’t letting go of your wrists, you noticed which was really strange. you were balanced, standing still and upright. despite bang chan’s gentle grip on your wrists, the contact between your and his skin burned.

finally, after staring into his soft, caring eyes, the unknown girl groaned and pulled his hands off of yours. before you could even process what had happened, she was snaking her arms around his arm; a possessive and jealous move, her eyes boring into yours.

your heart cracked, ever so slightly. alex finally cleared his throat. the atmosphere felt tense and heavy, and alex must have felt that because now he was laughing, trying to lighten the situation. “oh y/n, always looking down instead of up when you’re walking.”

no one laughed. you felt awkward and wanted to escape the situation.

“anyways, maybe we should get going, y/n.”

you let alex pull your body away from bang chan. you couldn’t stop looking at him, and the girl that was next to him. the way she acted around him set you off. it pained you. but, maybe she was his girlfriend.

of course that thought only hurt you more, but it was the only explanation. she must’ve been who the second coffee was for, not that it mattered. after all you and chan, well, you would hardly consider him a friend. you hardly knew him and have barely spoken to him. it shouldn’t matter to you, and yet your heart was sinking to your stomach.

“did you know him?” alex asked you.

you looked at him as you pocketed your wallet, grabbing your wristband. you were so lost in thought and moving almost robotically, you almost hadn’t realized you had arrived at the amusment park. you avoided your coworker’s, and friend’s, eyes. “barely.”

he hummed, pouting slightly at your vague yet sad answer. he quickly put on a smile, however, and wrapped an arm around your shoulders, “nevermind him, my friend, let’s spend our afternoon getting whiplash in our necks and stuffing our faces with funnel cake.”

at that, you laughed. “sounds like a plan.”

——

“who was that, channie?” the girl next to him asked.

chan turned, watching you as you left him on the sidewalk. he felt like his hands were still holding you, the warmth from your skin hardly fading. he frowned.

the girl whined, tugging on his arm. “baby.”

he turned to her. “please… don’t call me that.”

“why not? you’re my boyfriend. i’m supposed to call you that.”

chan closed his eyes, suppressing his anger and annoyance. he wanted nothing more than to get away from this woman. but it was his father’s wishes.

and chan didn’t want to disappoint his father.

——

soon it was getting dark outside. you and alex giggled as you and him shared cotton candy, exitting the amusement park. you laughed at something he said. alex had been complaining about a coworker that everyone seemed to like as a person but dislike as a coworker for the last five minutes.

“did he really?” you inquired, trying to rmember if you were there or not.

“yeah! he just left the coffee beans on the counter! naturally, you clean it up, right? but no, jeongin was like, ‘that’s not my problem’.”

you laughed again, thinking about the relatively new employee. he was funny, you’ll admit, but not the brightest.

“anyway, i should get going.” alex said, taking one last piece of the pink treat.

you held the stick on your hand, feeling sad that you were parting with your friend, your only source of distraction. “yeah, it’s getting late.”

“i’m so glad we did this though. see you later!”

soon you were left in the quiet, with the exception of faint screams of children and gears of rollercoasters and carnival music in the background. you had a lot of fun. time really did fly.

you felt tired and you wanted to get home. you got onto a bus, told them your stop and found a seat near the front.

before you knew it, you were grabbing the keys from your bag and unlocking your apartment. it was a small and cheap apartment, something that you could afford from working almost everyday at a coffee shop.

you sighed as you entered, dropping your bag on the floor while turning on some lights. you loved your apartment despite its quirks. sometimes the lights wouldn’t turn on, the air conditioning cut out every so often, but it was home.

besides, sometimes you just have to accept how things are and make do with what you’ve got.

——

it was another day at the shop. it was quiet, seeing as it was wednesday and hardly anything happens on wednesdays. but it was quiet because alex wasn’t working with you.

but mina was there with you, keeping you company. she liked making you laugh and smile. and she was doing a great job at distracting you, that is until you both heard the bell sound from the door.

you and mina instantly stopped laughing, trying to be the professional coffee shop employees that you were. but you realized who was walking into the coffee shop.

“chan?”

he smiled, seeming nervous again. “hey, y/n.”

mina seemed to pick up on the light tension between you and chan. she didn’t understand.

you attempted to smile but it hardly lasted half a second.

“have you gone on break yet?” he asked as he approached the counter.

you stared at him. even though you were feeling a mix of emotions, he still was there. his gaze was still so soft and so warm, enough to make you melt. your heart was beginning to race and your stomach felt nauseous. only chan can look nervous but still be cute.

“um, no. not yet.”

mina slid over from her spot by the coffee machines. “go ahead.” she smiled. “you can go first.”

you thanked mina before removing your apron. you asked mina to make you and chan coffees and then sat down with him in a booth. it was awkward to say the least.

“so, how are you?” chan asked, breaking the silence.

“i’m okay. you?”

“fine.”

“so,” you paused, scared to ask the question that’s been giving you a headache, “i mean, i don’t want to pry and i know it’s none of my business, but who was that girl that you were with?”

chan’s heart began to beat rapidly. he was hoping you wouldn’t ask. he didn’t like the situation at all. “ah, you must mean emily.”

“emily.” you repeated quietly. “she was beautiful.”

your heart sank to your stomach as you made that comment, because it was true. she had beautiful blonde hair, blue eyes, unlike everyone else that you saw in south korea. you wondered if she was foreign. nevertheless, she was stunning, and it made you want to shy away, disappeared under a rock, at least disappear from chan.

why were you in love with someone who had a girlfriend? you didn’t know before, but now you did, and you felt sad. perhaps you never had a chance to begin with. but why was chan here, still visiting you? your heart felt crushed.

chan didn’t respond for a while. “anyways, i just wanted to see you.”

“see me? what for?”

chan shrugged. “i just wanted to. i needed to get away from everyone, everything. sometimes, you just want to disappear from it all, you know?”

you eyed him worriedly, pushing away all of your own feelings. “chan, are you really okay?”

he sighed. “it’s just...work. it’s really stressing me out.”

“then, why don’t we get out?”

chan’s eyes widened. “don’t you have to work?”

trying to replace all your sadness and insecurities, you grinned. “well, after work, we can get out.”

chan began to smile. you thought, you would always fall in love with him everytime he smiled and looked at you. you reassured yourself that you would be okay with just being friends with him, if that’s what you and chan were.

“i think that would be really good for me.”

so after work, you and chan left the coffee shop (chan did, indeed, wait for you even if it was a few hours). you and him were excited. you planned on taking him to your favorite restaurant ever. you and him pretended to be prestiged food critics, even though everything was absolutely delicious and mouthwatering. and then you and him went into the city and tried on a bunch of outfits from various stores.

this was the most fun you have ever had in a long, long time. and chan was so fun to be around. it would be hard to imagine him as a serious businessman investing and talking about the economy. you didn’t think it fit him, if you were going to be honest.

finally, you and chan ended up at an ice cream parlor, a little ways from your apartment. it was your favorite place.

you and chan ordered, offering each other’s choices. you tried his, humming in response and secretly wishing you got that flavor instead. when chan tried your cone, you moved ever so slightly. there was an itch on your inner arm, so you tried to scratch it. ice cream got onto his nose. you and him laughed, you barely even able to keep your cone from tipping over.

finally you hurried inside for a napkin. you came out, still giggling, and leaned forward to look closer at chan’s nose. you gently cleaned off the ice cream, but got worried that his nose was going to be sticky. maybe you should try to clean it. no, that would be gross…

you shrugged and threw away the napkin.

meanwhile, chan’s cheeks were burning like wildfire, his face becoming red and hot. you seemed unfazed by the whole event, and yet chan’s heart was beating against his rib cage.

when you met his eyes, your own face mimicked his. “sorry.”

he frantically shook his head, “no, no, it’s okay.”

then a slightly uncomfortable silence washed over your shoulders. you sighed, eating your ice cream. this popular form of comfort food wasn’t being particularly comforting.

“chan,” you said, “do you like being part of bang and lee industries?”

chan was shocked by your question. sure it was random, but it was like you could read his thoughts.

“eh, it’s okay. it has its perks. i do like being a leader sometimes, and helping people. but, nevermind.”

you scooted closer to him on the bench that you and him had been sitting on outside of the ice cream parlor. your shoulders began to touch his. you wanted to comfort him. “no, it’s okay. talk to me.”

“it’s my father. he’s so strict, and he always puts his business first. it’s always about the business. it drives his actions. he tells me that when i’m older, i’m going to have to take over the business, but then doesn’t let me try and figure things out on my own. he doesn’t let me have a say in things, and when i try, he just claims that i’m young and don’t know what i’m saying. how am i going to take over this business if he doesn’t let me learn and grow? besides, it’s not like i’m going to be by myself. i want to run it with minho, mr. lee’s son. it’s supposed to be a partnership in the first place.” chan sighed, calming himself down. “he’s so...greedy. and i’m worried he’s going to do something that splits his and mr. lee’s partnership. that would cause so many problems.”

you leaned closer to him, watching him intently. “i can’t say i can understand what you’re going through, chan, but i’m sorry that you feel those things.”

he nodded, staring at his ice cream.

“this is why you wanted to get out.”

chan inhaled a deep breath, putting a smile on his face. “let’s not talk about it anymore. i’m sorry for just ranting like that. i guess i just needed to get it out of my system. anyways, is there anything going on with you?”

you looked at him, unsure if you should allow him to change the subject, before taking a big lick from your cone. the ice cream melted in your mouth, numbing your taste buds. you found yourself scooting away from chan slightly, as if with you touching him, he’d be able to read your mind and hear your thoughts.

you set your cone in your lap, your fingers messing with the paper label with the parlor’s logo on it. “well, i think i’m falling in love with someone.” you finally admitted, more to yourself.

chan’s full attention was on you now. he took note of the light pink color of your cheeks. they looked so rosy and warm. he was tempted to touch them, wanting to brush back a piece of your hair that you had been annoyed with the entire day. and the small smile on your lips, you looked so beautiful.

but who were you talking about?

he laughed, nudging your shoulder. “ooh, tell me about this person.”

“well, i don’t know. recently it seems like my feelings for him get stronger and stronger, with every time i see him. he’s funny, he’s goofy, has a beautiful smile. i think he’s afraid to be who he really is, and i worry about him.”

chan began to wonder if it was him. but suddenly, he remembered one of your coworkers, the one you were with when he and emily ran into you. he didn’t know his name, but he saw how he acted around you; friendly, goody, very outgoing… his heart felt numb and heavy suddenly, but he maintained a smile.

“but, i don’t think he likes me back.”

chan thought about grabbing your hand. but he held himself back. “well, you’ll never know until you try.”

you pretended to acknowledge his advice because chan didn’t know that you were talking about him. you knew you didn’t have a chance. he had a girlfriend.

----

chan stepped into his luxurious apartment, a perk of being one of the richest people alive. he sometimes loved it, but then he would be reminded of his father and the industry. and oftentimes, despite it being so big, he felt constricted, claustrophobic, and very lonely.

he took off his shoes, leaving them by the door, and then walked in. he went into his kitchen, looking around for food. he found some leftovers and began to heat them up. as they warmed up, he turned on his tv, turning it up loudly as an attempt to drown out his thoughts and problems, but then his phone began to ring. chan was forced to turn the tv volume down.

chan’s heart began to beat. he thought it was you, seeing as you and him finally exchanged numbers before you went home. but his heart sank when he saw it was emily.

hesitantly, when it just got to the final ring, he answered.

“channie!” she annoyingly sang, her voice cracking slightly.

“hm?”

“i came by your apartment three times today and you weren’t there.”

chan felt a bit of heat emanate near his heart. it wasn’t the good type of heat, one that came from live. this was anger. he began to feel a bit annoyed at her. she was so clingy and annoying, and she never respected his wishes. she was often asking him to buy her things and take her places. he was attractive, and she loved that. and, most of all, he was wealthy.

“sorry.” he replied without any emotion. “i was out.” and there he was, thinking of you again. seeing as he was alone, he allowed himself to smile.

“out? out where?”

“emily, you don’t have to know my whereabouts 24/7. i’m allowed to have my own life, my own privacy, and you need to learn that you’re not going to be with me all the time.”

she groaned, then whined. “why are you so mean to me?”

chan sighed, his hand coming up to rub the space between his eyes.

“i’m not being mean to you. please, will you let me spend the rest of my night in peace?”

“jesus. fine. whatever.”

and chan hung up before she could say anything else. emily was emotionally draining.

suddenly, his microwave was beeping, alerting chan that his food was done. but, did he even feel hungry anymore?

----

a few weeks passed in a flash.

you went to work and to school, but many of your free days were spent with chan. he was always texting you and visiting you in the coffee shop. and you accepted that, you loved to see him and talk to him. he was fun to be around. you and him already had lots of inside jokes. despite your heart aching when you remembered emily, you still continued on, laughing with chan, falling in love with chan.

you could feel things happening between you and chan, but you often wondered if you were being delusional? you just wanted chan so badly, you were so in love with him, that you were tricking yourself. perhaps you were creating illusions for yourself, trying to make yourself feel better, to have hope. you didn’t really know how to cope.

little did you know, chan was in love with you. he wanted nothing more than to tell emily that they couldn’t be together, because it was all his father’s wishes, him and her father’s just so that they could merge businesses together. chan didn’t even think that this was a good idea in the first place, however, and his father knew that. he voiced it at the meeting. and yet he and everyone else thought that chan was too young and too inexperienced to have a say about it.

he didn’t like emily, and he felt a bit guilty because chan wasn’t a mean person. he tried to be friends with everyone. but emily was slowly testing his patience, pulling all his strings. she didn’t truly love him. it was all business related, and she just wanted someone with money and a secure future.

but you, you liked him for him. you didn’t care if he was wealthy or not. you understood him as much as you could, and you were there for him when he needed to vent about his problems. he didn’t have anyone like that in his life.

one evening, you were about to crawl into bed and sleep. your legs hurt from working and your head was pounding from homework. but your phone, as it rested on the bedside table, began to obnoxiously vibrate. it interrupted the peaceful silence in your apartment, well, the peaceful silence with a slight hum from the vents. but you had long grown used to that white noise.

you flipped it over and your phone screen brightly flashed into your eyes. you blinked away the spots. you read chan’s name and immediately you answered. he hardly called this late at night.

“chan?” you asked, your voice laced with concern.

“can i come over?” he asked.

his voice was quiet, sad, empty.

his voice alone caused your heart to ache. “y-yeah, of course. i’ll text you my address. i warn you though, it’s a little messy and old.”

“it’s okay. i’ll see you in a bit.”

you hung up, anticipation and anxiety coursing through your veins like racehorses on a racetrack.

you turned on your lights and sat on the couch in your living room, waiting patiently for a knock on your door. and it came minutes later.

you hurried to open it, finding chan. he met your eyes, flashing a sad smile, “sorry to call so late. i didn’t want to be alone.”

you pulled him into a hug, something you’ve never done before. chan was surprised by the sudden action, but thankful for your warmth. as he held you tightly, you pulled him into your humble apartment. you didn’t want to ask him what was wrong, or why he was upset. chan would talk to you if he wanted to.

finally you pulled away, flashing him a smile. “is it your father?”

he nodded. “i swear, i have a million ideas that would better bang and lee industries but he thinks i still have the mind of a five year old.”

you couldn’t help but snort, holding back a laugh. but when you heard chan laughing, you didn’t hold back.

“chan, i think you could really take this business places. i think you’d be good for it.”

he scoffed. “if only my father listened to me.”

“i think he’ll realize it one day. i think he’ll really see what you’re capable of.”

chan smiled at that, glancing into your eyes. you were blushing underneath his gaze, and wondered if you should look away. then, as if you really had gone to sleep and were dreaming, chan was leaning his face closer to yours, his gaze now on your lips. your stomach immediately became tangled and contorted with nervousness, but you allowed yourself to meet him halfway, where your lips touched his.

his lips were soft and warm, just like his eyes, something that you admired. just his whole presence was warm, comforting, full of happiness and love, despite all that he has to go through with bang and lee industries.

----

chan arrived back at his apartment with warm and red cheeks and a small smile on his face. he was feeling happier than he’s ever felt in a long time. but all of it instantly faded when he spotted emily. she was leaning back against the wall, right next to the door of his apartment. she had a glare on her face, an angry scowl counteracting her beautiful features.

he felt a little scared. he was worried as to what she seemed so angry about. “emily?” he asked as he approached his door.

she huffed at his, handing him her phone. on the screen of her iphone 11 plus was a picture of you and chan hugging, your face was pressed into his shoulder.

immediately, chan’s eyes widened, anger replaced his fear. “you...followed me?”

she scoffed, a laugh escaping past her lips. “no, i hired someone to follow you.”

“emily, what the hell? you can’t do that.”

“i can to!”

“no, you can’t.”

“i needed to see why you haven’t been with me lately. you’ve been blowing me off, being short with me, i had to find out the reason. you didn’t think i wouldn’t be suspicious?”

chan eyed her angrily. “that’s my business, my privacy.”

“chan, in a marriage, the man and wife share everything with each other.”

“emily, we’re not married. this thing between us isn't’ even a real relationship.”

she scoffed, her face becoming as red as her glossy lipstick. “w-w-well,” she stuttered, “we’re going to be married. it’s what our fathers’ want.”

chan ran his fingers through his hair. “well i don’t want it!”

emily’s mouth shut. she glared at him even more as if she were trying to melt him. “chan-”

“i never wanted this!” he sighed. “emily, i can’t be forced to be in a relationship with anyone. it’s supposed to be my own decision as to what i want. we’re being forced to be together, don’t you hate that?”

she seemed to think about it. “i don’t mind it too much, especially since i get to be forced to be with someone as hot as you, as rich as you.”

her words made chan’s blood boil. “you know what? i’m done.”

“what?”

“i’m done. this relationship is over, if it even was a relationship. all you wanted was for me to buy you things and to brag about having someone like me to be your boyfriend. that’s not love. and it wasn’t our choice. so, i’m ending this.”

her eyes narrowed, and chan could almost see a lightbulb appear above her head. she took a step towards him. “you love her.”

chan avoided her eyes, taking a risk of getting closer to emily in order to unlock his door and escape. she didn’t even step away and give him space.

“you love her.” she repeated. “you want to leave me for her.”

“so what, emily? it’s my decision to make.”

“wait until my father hears about this. that little deal your father wanted will crumble.”

“good.” chan said stubbornly, “it was a bad decision to begin with.”

emily scoffed, her phone in her hands, fingers stopping in the middle of typing. she was practically throwing daggers at chan’s face. chan took this chance to flee into his apartment, slamming and locking the door behind him. he released a heavy breath afterwards, back leaning against his door. “finally…”

he was a little fearful of how his father was going to react, chan had to admit. perhaps he should try to transfer money into his personal account, in case his father cuts him off. maybe he’ll prepare a new home, in case his father tells him he can’t live there anymore. in the case his father will disown him for whatever he thinks the reason was for the merge to fall through, chan felt like maybe he should expect the worse.

chan’s body felt heavy. as he walked further into his living space, it felt like rocks were tied to his ankles. he suddenly felt exhausted.

with that, chan forced himself towards his bedroom, collapsing onto his bed with a heavy sigh. instantly, it felt like he sunk into the mattress. he felt like he was disappearing, even if it just was for a second. and chan fell asleep without any more thoughts.

----

the next morning, chan’s phone was vibrating crazily. he groaned, yelling a string of unholy words before picking his phone up. the call went to voicemail as chan failed to pick it up in time. from there, he saw various calls and voicemails from his father.

chan had forgotten.

he scrolled down. father, father, father, father, father, y/n… y/n?

there was a text from you saying, ‘good morning!! have a good day’. but chan’s day had just begun, and he already felt like he was having the worst day of his entire life.

chan’s phone began to ring once more, causing his head to pound even more. he finally answered it.

“hello?”

“chan! i’ve been calling you!” his father angrily yelled.

chan rolled his eyes, as if he hadn’t noticed the dozens of missed calls and voicemails from his father.

“i’m sorry,” chan said, “i was asleep.”

“i need you to come to the office right now. do you hear me? we need to have a talk.”

“yes, father.”

and his father hung up. chan was angry again. he hated everything. he hated his father. he hated his life.

chan wanted to be normal. he didn’t want to be rich. he didn’t want to live in an apartment that might as well be a house. he didn’t want to have a chauffeur (not that he used him, chan drove himself as much as he could). chan didn’t want to have to worry about his father’s business and money and economic stuff. he wanted to be worrying about school or college, something that he would never have a chance to do now.

chan finally forced himself out of bed, taking his sweet time. he ate breakfast and took a shower. then he got dressed in business casual clothing. he didn’t want to put effort, or show how his father had an effect on him, but he at least needed to try.

finally chan got into his car and drove to the office building. on his way over there, he passed by the very coffee shop that he had grown so fond of. he was tempted to pop in to see if you were working this morning.

chan shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. but he couldn’t fight the warm fuzzy feeling that began erupting in his chest and the butterflies in his stomach as he thought of you.

finally, he turned into the parking lot, finding a spot near the front entrance. he parked the car and stepped out. there was a light breeze outside, the temperature contrasting the warmth of the sun. the wind increased, blowing chan’s car door as he pushed it closed. his hair blew around as he hurried inside, wanting to escape the wind.

the young man greeted everyone as he entered the building. anxiety and fear began to grow like little trees, their roots and branches entwining with his nerves and veins. chan felt stuck, claustrophobic, something he's never really felt as strong until now. he hopped into the elevator and pressed the button for the floor where most of the higher up offices were, where his father was waiting for him.

for some time, the entire ascend more like, chan ran by every possibility of making it out of his father’s office alive. he knew his father was angry, but if only his father would listen to his reasoning, maybe he would understand.

chan wondered if he should mention you, but decided against it. his father probably could buy your coffee shop or something and make it go out of business, or complain and have you fired. then you’d never speak to him again. chan couldn’t risk losing the only light in his life.

suddenly, chan was standing in front of his father’s door. he was talking to someone.

“i’m so sorry, mr. smith.” his father’s accent was thick as he spoke the foreign last name. but that wasn’t what was shocking chan.

“yes, yes, i understand. please, just let me speak to my son. i assure you i will fix this.”

chan wished his father spoke to him with that much emotion.

after hearing enough, chan knocked, not caring about interrupting his father.

“that might be him.” he heard mr. bang whisper. “come in.”

chan entered, his eyes half-lidded, his heart beating rapidly in his chest.

“it’s him. mr. smith, i’ll call you back.”

mr. bang hung up, held the phone in his hands, and gave the device a squeeze. chan was sure he was going to snap his phone in half. “chan,” his father said, greeting him in a warning tone.

“father.” replied chan, with just as much repulsion.

“please sit.”

“no, i think i’m okay standing.”

mr. bang’s nose flared, grinding his teeth as his eyes bore into chan’s. chan remained unfazed, keeping his expression as neutral as possible.

“do you realize what you’ve done?”

chan pretended to ponder. “yeah, i have.”

“you broke things off with emily! do you realize that the merge with mr. smith is on thin ice because of you. we could be going overseas, expanding my business, getting more money.”

chan couldn’t help but scoff. “first of all, your business? it’s yours and mr. lee’s. it’s a co-ownership. you don’t own all of it.”

“mr. lee isn’t good for this company.”

“you’re not good for this company. you keep trying to expand and expand, but it’s all for the sake of money for yourself! not for the benefit of the company. if you just listen to me-”

“listen to you?! that’s like listening to a five year old.” mr. bang laughed, “you hardly know what you’re doing.”

nothing pushed chan’s buttons harder than hearing from his own father that he was too young, too inexperienced, didn’t know what he was doing. after following in his father’s shadow for years, and talking to both mr. lee and his son, minho, chan could say he knew quite a lot about running a business as big as bang and lee industries. if only his father would realize…

chan shook his head. he forced himself to take deep breaths, calming himself down. he shouldn’t even be letting his father influence him like this.

finally, chan fished out his phone from the pocket of his jeans. he opened up an app where he kept all his files and plans that he knew would benefit the business. one’s that his father rejected. however, he and minho had recently come up with one that was their best one yet. he quickly emailed it to his father. “i’m not going to get back with emily, and if you’re not okay with that, then i quit. but at least, father, look at this plan minho and i came up with. just as least, look at it.”

with that, chan left, almost slamming the door behind him.

as chan walked towards the elevators, he noticed that some of his father’s workers spared pitiful or confused glances with him, and then at one another. he had forgotten about them. they must’ve heard his father yelling, or chan yelling. it was all a blur. it all happened very fast.

chan was walking to his car when he heard his name get called. he spun around, looking to his left when he saw minho running towards him from a black car. he had a grin on his face, a contagious one, but not enough to lift chan’s spirits up. “i’ll meet you inside, dad!” he yelled at his father.

chan was a little envious of minho. he had a good relationship with his father.

“yah, what’s wrong?” he asked, noticing chan’s expression.

“just my father.” he sighed. “i broke up with emily.”

minho had known about the whole situation with emily and merging with her father’s company. but he was against it as well. “finally, that’ll show mr. bang, right?”

the older one only shrugged, “not so much. but i did show him our latest idea, hoping it’ll change his mind about everything.”

“that idea makes me feel so professional, so proud, so proud.”

chan finally smiled. “it is our best one yet. anyways, why are you here?”

“my dad just wanted to speak with your dad. i don’t know about what though.”

he nodded, staring at his friend. “well, i’m going to leave. i need to get out of here.”

minho nodded, placing a hand on chan’s shoulder. “don’t worry, chan. i’m sure everything’s going to work out.”

chan suddenly remembered you, because you had said almost those exact same words to him, just last night. he had hope afterwards that everything would take a turn for the better.

“thanks, minho.”

minho flashed him a cheeky smile before hurrying into the office building. as he walked through the lobby, he turned around and waved, then hopped into the elevator.

chan could only wish to have as much energy as minho.

----

you were in the back of the coffee shop. you were in the office where employees could have their breaks. you were enjoying the silence. you enjoyed the feeling of not having to worry about customers, much less talk to them. with only the light hum coming from the company’s computer, directly in front of you, you found yourself drifting off. sure, you only had ten minutes left of your break, but ten minutes could go a long way.

however, two seconds went by before someone was yelling your name and shaking you awake. it was alex. he was saying your name in a variety of voices and lengths, ultimately trying to annoy you.

“alex!” you yelled, squinting at him through tired eyes, “you supposed to be on the line. i still have ten minutes.”

“yeah, no, i know. it’s just some customer is asking for you.”

your eyes widened as you stared at your friend.

“i feel like i’ve seen him before.” he pondered out loud.

your heart skipped a beat. immediately your stomach was swarming with butterflies. you sat up from your chair, eager to see him, but also extremely nervous. you hadn’t seen chan since the previous night, when you and him shared a kiss. after he left, you were giddy and ecstatic, but you remembered that he was dating emily, and suddenly felt scared. he really did that? even when he was dating emily?

you met alex’s eyes again. “what?” he asked.

you pushed him suddenly. “wait, you’re supposed to be up front, where the customers are.”

“alright, i’m going, i’m going. but what should i tell him?”

you whined. you weren’t sure. you wanted to see him, you really did. but you also felt too scared to see him.

“y/n, your break is ticking away. you won’t be able to talk to him because as soon as it’s 11:00, i’m going on break.”

with a dramatic sigh, calming your nerves down, you followed alex out of the office and towards the line. you couldn’t stop fidgeting with the hem of your shirt. your brain tried to form conversation starters and topics, as if you were going on a first date.

before chan noticed you coming, he had a slight frown and he was distracting himself by looking at your menu, as if he hadn’t been there many times (in the past two weeks) already. but then he spotted you rounding the corner, his eyes lightened up, even if it was just slightly, and he smiled. but he still seemed bothered. was it because of the kiss? was he regretting it?

you stood in front of chan, dragging him off to the side where a booth was, the booth that came to be dubbed “our booth”. “chan, look, i’m sorry about what happened last night. i forgot you were dating emily. i really overstepped and-”

suddenly chan was laughing, grabbing both of your hands and caressing them. “no, no y/n it’s totally okay. i actually broke up with her.”

your eyes widened as relief washed over your shoulders. “you did?”

he nodded, eyes trained on your hands. “well, after you and i kissed, which is kind of a dick move on my part, but really it gave me the courage i needed to actually break things off. it was a fake relationship anyway. it probably didn’t even mean anything to her.”

you nodded your head, understanding. but, “then why are you sad?”

he finally met your eyes. “well, the thing is, emily and i were dating for the sake of merging the company with another one overseas. it was going to be a business marriage kinda deal. i thought it was a bad idea the entire time, not a good decision. but, because i broke up with emily, she told her dad, and now her dad is mad at my dad, and now my dad is mad at me.”

chan’s mind was elsewhere you could tell, probably thinking about his father. you wanted to help him, making him feel better, but there was only so much you could do. you adjusted your hands so that you were holding chan’s, instead of him holding yours. “i’m sorry, chan.” your voice was quiet, soothing.

he shrugged. “i mean, it gave me a chance to present an idea that i think would be beneficial. i just hope my father will actually look at it.”

you pursed your lips. “i think it’s best to give him time. and maybe you should take a break too, let things settle for a day or two.”

chan nodded, agreeing with you. “i honestly could use a break.”

you smiled, then glancing at the clock on the wall by the door. you winced when you saw that it was almost 11. you didn’t want to leave chan alone, but you also needed to get back to work. “hey, why don’t i make you a coffee?” you offered, smiling, “and then after my shift we can hang out. a karaoke place actually opened up nearby. i’ve been wanting to try it out, but it’s kinda weird going alone, you know.”

chan’s eyes brightened. “i can wait. and i’d love a coffee.”

you nodded and stood up, removing your hands from chan. but before you left to go make his favorite coffee, you pressed a kiss to his cheek. with a heavy blush on your cheeks, you hurried away. chan’s cheeks were pink too, and he couldn’t stop smiling suddenly.

----

“just stay in my lane! nananananana.” you finished, panting slightly.

chan clapped loudly, screaming as if he had just witnessed a concert. and you went along with the act, bowing dramatically and pretending to wipe tears from your eyes, “thank you, thank you. you’re too kind.”

chan laughed as you sat down next to him, leaning back on the bench.

“i don’t think i can sing anymore. my throat is dry! i’m also thirsty.”

“what time is it?” chan asked while mindlessly scrolling through songs.

you were about to reply but you didn’t have the slightest idea. “almost three. damn, i’m hungry too.” you replied, after checking your phone.

chan sighed, “well, let’s eat then.”

you and chan went to a nearby restaurant, one that you and him had never been to before.

while you and chan were stuffing your faces with food, chan lifted his head up, his eyebrows furrowed. “you know,” he began, pulling your attention away from the dishes, “i don’t think i’ve ever had this much fun in my entire life.”

your eyes widened. “really?”

“yeah,” he said, as if it were obvious, “i’m the son of mr. bang for crying out loud.”

you and chan laughed. then chan swallowed the rest of his bite, becoming serious. he had a dreamy look on his face. and there was that smile that made you fall in love with him. “i’ve never felt so free. i didn’t even think about my father, or the business, or if i had to sign any papers when i got home, or if i gave someone some files…” his voice drifted off. “i don’t think i want to go back to work.”

you sat up straighter in the booth, anxiously rubbing your hands together between your thighs. “well, chan, whatever decision you come to, no matter what,” your cheeks felt extremely warm, “i’ll be by your side every step of the way.”

the young man in front of you began to grin mischievously. “is this...is this your way of confessing your feelings for me?” he teased.

you rolled your eyes, although your cheeks and smile told a different story. “shut up! as if that kiss we had last night didn’t mean anything.”

chan’s cheeks were just as rosy as yours and both you and him relived the intimate moment that was shared. you and chan had almost forgotten about it, especially with everything that was going in your and chan’s lives. for chan, it feels like so much has happened, like it’s been forever since the kiss.

then, chan was recalling everything he’s done with you. you were fun to be around. you were the person that made him forget all his struggles and problems in his life. you lightened up his mood, brought relief and joy into his day, and made him smile so much that his cheeks grew sore. he’s never met anyone in his life that had that kind of positive influence on him (well, his mother was kind to him, but she shared more of his father’s opinions more than anything… he still loved her though).

maybe… maybe a thought crossed chan’s mind, one that was related to his life, and you being in it for the rest of it. chan couldn’t imagine a day in his life where he won’t see you. it was like it was a part of his routine.

“chan.” your voice echoed in his head. “chan.” you repeated.

chan looked up at you. you had stuffed your face with more food, but your eyes showed that you were worried about him. “are you okay?”

he nodded, blushing again. he felt like your name and his feelings for you were written all across his forehead and on his cheeks. “y-yeah, i just got lost in thought.”

“anyway, i was just saying that-” you paused. “you know what? nevermind.”

chan burst out laughing. “no, you can’t just do that.”

“i just did!”

“no, no, tell me.” he whined.

“no!” you said laughing. “are you done? i need to go for a walk after eating all that food.”

chan rolled his eyes, curiosity at an all time high. he threw some money on the table, scolding you when you tried to pay for your half. you felt bad for eating so much but it was no big deal for chan.

after eating, you and chan went for a walk around the city. it was getting late and the sky was beginning to darken, but not before the colors of the sunset danced across the sky. you couldn’t remember a time when you walked around this late in the day, and honestly, you felt like you were missing out. it didn’t matter to the citizens of seoul that it was getting darker. the city was still bustling with people, many going to restaurants for dinner, many still shopping, a lot of couples were out at this time as well, and honestly, you felt like your hopes were rising. maybe there was a chance that you and chan could be together.

you spared a glance at the said man. his head was tilted up slightly, his mouth hanging open slightly as he admired the city. maybe he’d never been out at this time either.

you felt a little awkward with the silence, despite it being relatively comfortable. as you and chan walked, you passed by a restaurant that already had a line out the door. you laughed, “at least we beat the evening dinner rush.”

chan looked at you and then at the restaurant. “thank god. i could never wait for food.”

you laughed, a content and satisfied look falling onto your face afterwards. you felt at peace, happy, fulfilled, for some reason. maybe it was because of chan.

“so, what were you going to tell me back there?”

chan had nudged your shoulder. you looked at him, blushing once more. “it’s nothing. it was cheesy.”

the man next to you shrugged. “so? i want to know.”

you met his eyes. his eyes were just so warm, loving, and inviting. you were crumbling beneath his gaze. “i don’t know.” you started. “i was just thinking that maybe fate brought us together, or something stupid like that.”

chan laughed a little. you felt self-conscious suddenly but he urged you to continue, “well, i think we fit really well together, like maybe fate was trying to bring us together. i mean, we wouldn’t have met if it weren’t for your dad’s assistant forgetting to get coffee for that one meeting. there were plenty of other places in the city, and yet my coffee shop was chosen. and then me almost getting hit by the car… it’s almost...obvious. i still don’t know why she chose us. if she hadn’t done that, we probably wouldn’t have seen or met each other.” a heavy blanket fell onto your shoulders at that thought. you didn’t want to imagine the last month without chan.

chan was surprised by your words. you were right, he could say. if it weren’t for his father’s assistant making a mistake, you and him wouldn’t have met. “i guess you could say she’s a matchmaker.”

you gently pushed chan’s shoulder. his laugh eased your tension, lifting that heavy blanket off your shoulders. “that’s a funny way to look at it.”

chan’s heart was fluttering as your words repeated in his mind.

minutes passed in silence as you and him walked, window shopping and looking around the city. “that’s kinda cute.” you mumbled as you passed a mannequin with an outfit on display.

“you want me to buy that for you?”

your eyes widened. “no, no, it’s okay. i just thought it looked cute.”

chan grinned, “i’m just teasing.”

then, in a heartbeat, chan was holding your hand, his fingers threading between each other yours. you gasped at the sudden feeling of warmness. chan’s cheeks were bright, but he had a smug smile on his face.

you grinned, blushing alongside him. “very smooth.” you commented.

“thanks.” a minute of silence and arm swinging passed before he spoke again, “hey, are you getting tired?”

you looked at him before shrugging. “i mean, if you want to do something else, i’m down.”

“let’s go home, but i mean, to my place this time.”

“your place?” your eyes lit up. “is it, like, super expensive? and big? does it have trims and doorknobs made of gold? do you have a waterfall that changes colors? or a fish pond in the center of your living room?”

chan gave you a look of disgust, making you laugh. “that’s ridiculous. you know what? nevermind.”

he was messing with you, payback for the little stunt you pulled during dinner. “okay, okay, i’m sorry. i’d love to see it.”

----

chan opened his front door for you. your eyes widened at how large his living space was. it was expensive-looking, just as you were expecting given chan’s life and family. it was large and extremely spacious. you were gawking at something with every turn that you made.

“don’t you get lonely living here?”

chan walked in behind you, taking his shoes off. “yeah. but, it’s what i have, so i have to make do.”

you laughed. “that’s what i say in my own apartment.”

chan remembered how small yours was compared to him. despite that, however, you seemed to enjoy where you lived.

“anyways, come in.”

he led you around. chan laughed at your expressions, especially when you gawked at his shower and how many different ways you could shower. there was a heavy setting, a light rain setting, water can from the walls or the ceiling, music can even be played. you were very fascinated by it.

“so, do you, perhaps,” chan began.

you could tell he was nervous.

chan was leaning against a countertop in his kitchen. his hands were busy with his bracelet. you walked closer to him, “yes?”

“do you perhaps,” he said again, finding the courage to wrap his arms around you, “want to stay here...for...the night…?”

you grinned, blushing madly. “i would like to, yes.”

chan grinned, “great. i’ll fetch you clothes.”

“do i get to wear one of your shirts and look incredibly small in it, like all other couples on social media?”

chan shook his head and grabbed a shirt and sweatpants for you to wear. he was hesitant to leave his closet though because a thought crossed his mind. you and him weren’t officially dating, although he was sure you and him had feelings for each other. but if he could count last night when you and him kissed as the day you and him started dating, it wouldn’t even be twenty-four hours. so, was it weird that he was already sharing his wardrobe with you? and letting you sleep over?

his thoughts were running wild. you and chan had been close for many weeks though, so it shouldn’t be weird.

“chan?” you called, wandering into his bedroom.

you were eyeing the size of his bed when chan approached you. he chuckled at that before handing you the clothes. you were blushing, feeling shy suddenly. “thank you.” you mumbled.

after you changed, chan couldn’t stop looking at you everytime you walked around. the outfit was too big for you entirely. the tshirt was an old one he hadn’t worn in a while but it was still slightly baggy. the bottom of the sweatpants had to be rolled up so that you didn’t trip everytime you took a step.

as the night continued, snacks were eaten and movies and dramas were watched. it was getting late, but neither you and chan wanted to admit that you were getting tired.

chan turned to you as the credits for a movie rolled onto the screen. “are you crying?”

you sniffed and wiped a tear away. there was a pout on your face. “he loved her! of course i’m going to cry.”

“yah. don’t cry.” chan leaned over and wrapped you up in his arms, rocking you slightly.

you couldn’t but laugh. chan, before he pulled away, looked at you. “y/n, would you say that we’re a couple at this point?”

you blushed. your expression told chan you were thinking. you held out your hand, turning to him. his hands moved to rest on your lap. “well, we’ve kissed,” you put down a finger. “that’s probably the first thing. we’ve been on dates and know almost everything about each other.” you put down a second finger. “thirdly, we’re spending the night together.” you paused. “i think it’s safe to say we both know about each other’s feelings.” you put another finger down, leaving just your thumb.

chan looked at you with such adoration in his eyes, all while you were talking and describing your and chan’s relationship. when you met his eyes, you blushed. “what?”

“you’re just really cute.”

you giggled and forced your face closer. “am i?”

he blushed, and then without any hesitation, pressed his lips against yours. to say the least, you were not expecting him to make that kind of move. a small squeal sounded from your throat before you closed your eyes and leaned in to the kiss.

when chan pulled away, he laughed and pulled you into bone crushing hug. “so, we’re dating now.”

you laughed, “did i not just explain that to you?”

“i wasn’t listening. i was looking at you.”

you pulled away, “of course you were.”

“well, should we go to bed? i can sleep on the couch, you can have my bed.” chan, such a gentleman.

you shook your head. “no, i want you to lay with me. with a bed of that size, i’d be cold and lonely.”

chan nodded and grabbed your hand, leading you over to his bedroom. you turned off the tv before he could pull you away, and then turned off the lights as you followed him.

you and chan got situated in the bed. it was awkward, and there was a foot of space between your and chan’s body. he cleared his throat, turning off the light that rested on the bedside table. “good night.” he sang quietly.

you suppressed a smile, “good night.”

----

the next morning, you were awakened by a phone ringing. still groggy and 75% asleep, you reached for your phone, finding that it wasn’t yours. however, you realized that your waist felt heavy, and you couldn’t move much. chan was sleeping, and somehow during the night he had turned over and swung his arm over your torso. you blushed, all of your sleep diminishing. he felt so warm, it was almost addictive.

however, the ringing from chan’s phone was annoying and you were shocked that he wasn’t awake yet. or, he was purposely trying to ignore it.

you poked his cheek. “chan? chan?”

he shook his head, cuddling closer to your body. with a sigh you flicked his forehead. “answer your phone. it could be important.”

“but you’re so warm.”

you blushed, before smiling shyly. you gently pushed him away, “hurry before it goes to voicemail.”

with a dramatic groan, chan unlatched himself from you, flashing you a tired glare. then he reached over and answered his phone. he didn’t even look at who was calling him, whoever it was that made him wake up.

you sat up and watched him patiently, pulling the covers up to your shoulders as the cold air brushed along your exposed arms, giving your goosebumps.

“you want me to come in?” he asked, seeming surprised.

he met your eyes before hanging up. “i guess i have to go to work.”

“that’s good news! maybe your father had finally come to his senses.”

chan nodded, but still seemed bothered. “maybe. he did seem really calm.”

you smiled, reaching over to hold his wrist. “i think this is a good thing. besides, you won’t know until you go. and if it turns out not to be good, i’ll be here waiting and we’ll go get ice cream or coffee after.”

he smiled at that thought. “alright, i’ll go, but only for you.”

chan slid out of the bed and hurried into the shower. you made breakfast while he was showering, and when he came out, you told him to eat before he leaves. he was surprised, but thankful. and then after you gave him a good luck kiss on his cheek, he set out for his car and drove to the building.

the young man’s anxiety grew stronger, building up with each step towards his father’s office. when he arrived at his father’s office, he knocked.

“come in.”

chan took a deep breath before walking inside. his father seemed stressed, but it was the kind of stress that made him look calm and tired. chan felt a little guilty, given everything that had happened. sure, his father pined for success and money but at the end of the day, he was doing what he thought was best, and he was still his father.

“please, sit.” mr. bang said, pointing to the chair in front of his desk.

chan sighed as he sat down. “morning, father.”

“good morning, son. how are you today?”

chan was a little surprised. normally his father got straight to business. what was making him act this way?

“um, i’m good. how are you?”

his father chuckled a bit, “good i guess.”

chan’s heart lightened as he laughed with his father.

“anyways, i called you here today because i want to apologize.”

the young businessman’s eyes widened in shock, meeting his father’s gaze. he could see the guilt in his father’s eyes. “what do you mean?”

“sorry it’s such a shock, but after our argument, i did some digging on emily’s family. turned out that they’re gold-diggers, to say the least.”

chan shook his head, laughing. “i could’ve told you that. all emily asked for from me was to buy her things.”

“and i sorry i forced you to be with her.”

chan wanted to comment, but at least i’ve found someone much better…

“also, i looked over your and minho’s plan, the one that you left for me. and i got to say, i’m proud of you.”

chan felt his gut contorting on itself. he was nervous, but also relieved and happy. “you are?”

his father nodded, “it’s brilliant. i’m sorry i didn’t listen to you earlier. you’re already surpassing me.”

“now i wouldn’t say that.”

they both laughed, all the heavyweight chan felt in his heart and on his shoulders had disappeared. he felt incredibly relaxed.

he and his father talked most of the morning, mainly about he and minho’s plan for the company more than anything else. but it was a good conversation.

chan was excited to get home to you. he wanted to tell you everything. he couldn’t help the smile on his face as he approached the front door of his apartment, with the thought that you were inside.

as soon as chan walked into his apartment, he was yelling your name. you weren’t expecting him so you ran from the living room and to the door. “jesus christ chan! i was half expecting you to be covered in blood for something.”

your new boyfriend ignored you, instead running towards you and wrapping his arms around you. you felt your stomach fall as you were lifted off of your feet. you wrapped your arms around his shoulders to keep from falling. “i’m guessing you have good news.”

chan set you down. “i guess you can say my father and i made up, or whatever, but that’s not the good part. the good part is that,” chan reached for your hands, “he liked my plan, me and minho’s plan for the industry.”

“chan! that’s amazing.” you jumped and pressed a kiss to his cheek. “that’s great! what did i tell you?”

chan laughed. you seemed more excited than he was.

“we should celebrate.” you suggested.

“what should we do?” he asked, smiling happily.

----

you ended up planning a last minute event, inviting both your and chan’s friends to a nearby restaurant/bar that was near bang and lee industries. you also invited his father and some of his employees (not to be rude but only the ones that were relatively involved and important, at least according to chan when he helped you invite people). his father made a toast to chan and minho for their excellent planning.

“i look forward to see bang and lee industries grow under the leadership of our sons bang chan and lee minho.” mr. bang said while gesturing to mr. lee.

everyone clapped at the ending of his toast.

then everyone went about socializing and drinking. however, you were a little suspicious when chan came over to you with a shy smile. “what are you thinking?” you asked, sipping your drink.

“do you think it’s too early to meet my dad?”

your felt your face pale. instinctively you felt yourself looking for said person. you couldn’t find him anywhere, that is until you heard a familiar voice behind you and chan.

“too late.” chan mumbled as you and him turned around. you guessed that from your facial expression and hesitation, chan didn’t think you were ready to.

your words got stuck in your throat as you looked at his father. he was a little shorter than chan, but even more intimidating than him. you cleared your throat and bowed.

chan laughed nervously. “father, this is y/n, she’s,” he paused, meeting your eyes, “my girlfriend.” his lips formed a smile as he said the word girlfriend.

you blushed at the words. “i don’t think i’ll ever get used to you saying that.” you mumbled quietly, heart fluttering.

his father grinned. “y/n, it’s very nice to meet you. chan mentioned you this morning.”

“h-he did?”

chan was the one blushing now. he sent his father a look.

“you’ve definitely made him happier. i didn’t realize it before but emily was definitely not the right choice, so to speak. also, i’m sorry for how i reacted to when driver kim almost ran you over,” he chuckled quietly, seeming apologetic.

he and chan laughed. you had forgotten about emily, but was glad that she wasn’t in chan’s life anymore. you had also forgotten that this whole thing with you and chan had started because of that incident.

he and his father began to talk, but you found yourself staring at chan. you and him had come so far. many changes happened along the way, and there had been many good outcomes. you wondered how different things would be if you and chan hadn’t met.

would he and his father’s relationship still be rocky? would chan still be with emily? would chan have the courage to stand up to his father? you wouldn’t even be here if you hadn’t met chan.

“y/n?” chan’s voice brought you out of your daze.

“sorry.”

“anyway, it was nice meeting you miss y/n.”

mr. bang went around you and chan to converse with mr. lee and minho. they were laughing at something.

“well, that went better than i expected.” chan said.

“yeah, except i totally spaced out and didn’t hear a word you guys were saying.”

and there’s that look again. chan wrapped an arm around your shoulders, leading you to a booth. the booth was located a ways from where everyone else was, giving you a sense of privacy with your boyfriend. he pushed you into it first, sliding in next to you. “and what, miss y/n, were you thinking about?”

you closed your eyes. “chan.”

“y/n.”

“i was just thinking about us.” you said with a shrug. “look how far we’ve come. i mean, everything is falling into place, like one giant puzzle. it’s like i was saying yesterday, it’s like this is all fate’s doing. everything is working out.”

“what about us?” he asked, recalling the conversation similar to this one just yesterday.

“well, i was thinking how different things would be.”

chan pulled you closer to him, grabbing your hand. “let’s not think about that. we’re here now, together,” he flashed you a fond, sweet smile.

you smiled, blushing. “we are.”

“do you think it’s too early to say those three magical words?”

you rolled your eyes, “oh my god, chan. stop asking questions.” however, your stomach had a million butterflies, all flying around and making you giddy with a mix of anxiety and anticipation.

“what?” he said defensively, “i want to know what’s going on inside that head of yours. we’re dating now, we trust each other. i don’t want any secrets between us. i also don’t want you to ever be uncomfortable around me. i don’t ever want to make you cry,” he paused, “well, unless they’re tears of happiness, like say when i propose.”

“bang chan! we’ve only been dating for two days! what about to being in the present?”

“i can still think about the future, y/n. our future is bright. besides, we kissed before we even made things official. usually those things don’t happen until a few weeks or a month into a new relationship.”

“well, i say this is a conversation for another day, one much further down the line. let’s live in the now.”

“fine.” chan said, jutting his chin out.

you stared at him in disbelief. “are you ignoring me?”

chan shrugged, sipping his drink. he pretended to be uninterested, his eyes mindlessly looking around the restaurant. he’d occasionally (with exaggerated enthusiasm) wave at someone.

you scoffed. “you’re such a child.”

he shrugged again, frowning as he did so.

“will you talk to me if i say the three magical words?” you sighed, rolling your eyes.

your boyfriend didn’t respond. you felt nervous saying it, but when you finally did, you felt like there was truth to your words. “chan, i love you.”

he turned, cheeks flushing a red the color of roses. he was flustered.

with a smile, you wrapped your arms around his torso, “you’re a big baby.”

he laughed, cheeks still bright red. “i love you too.” he said so quietly, you almost didn’t hear it.

and you really did love this man… and he loved you.

#stray kids #stray kids one shot #stray kids imagine #stray kids scenario #stray kids au #stray kids fluff #kpop #bang chan #chan #christopher bang #stray kids bang chan #stray kids chan

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one-leaf-grimoire · 3 years

Text

“triad”

Chapter 19: the day of judgement

Only warning is MAJOR MANGA SPOILERS hehe but also after this chapter, this is diverging from canon so strap in.

AO3 link

“It’s not very fair, is it?”

“Hmm?”

The waves crashed upon the rocks, breaking into a harsh white mist. The short coastline quickly gave way to a mighty mountain range, shielding them from whatever lay inland.

“You get to come out here and enjoy the sea, while your family is forced to stay inside. Why don’t you let them come out sometime? As a little ‘vacation’ or something.”

The sea roared. It howled in some strange language, almost like a taunt.

“Ah… I see. Well, they aren’t missing much. This place is cold and wet… the sun never shines. In our old home, there was nothing but blue skies and sparkling sea. This really can’t compare.”

At long last, the man who squatted by the edge rose to his full height. His robe rippled around him in the wind, but in an oddly controlled movement. His hair, pulled back out of his face into a ponytail, let a few stray strands out to dance in the gale, leaving the mark in the middle of his forehead exposed. He was a man in the image of serenity; but Morris had a feeling that he wasn’t really a man at all.

“I feel like I should be a little insulted, Mikal.” Morris shook his head before looking out at the horizon again, a little smile on his face. “This is my home, after all.”

“You don’t love it though, do you?” Mikal finally looked over at the man, his eyes narrowing slightly despite the smile still etched into his youthful features. “You don’t love anything, Morris.”

Mikal was unusual in many ways. Well, this whole situation was unusual. Almost 80 years ago, the Simulcians were driven from their home after a natural disaster. The remaining survivors were just Mikal, his parents, and his four older siblings. They fled to the shores of their only ally: the Diamond Kingdom, where they agreed to lend their power to the military in exchange for a private colony on the coast. This was long before Morris was even born. After making his way into the Royal Science Department, Morris was assigned to the Simulcian outpost, and was surprised to see that their numbers had risen dramatically. The group of seven was now going on 30. Mikal gladly let Morris into their tower to show him his work. New Simulcians were bred artificially from his parents’ cells, and then they were kept in “safety tanks” until they were 18 years old. Then… they were synchronized.

Morris barely understood what it meant to be “synchronized.” The Diamond Kingdom had been familiar with the “Dyad,” a bond between two people which shared/combined their mana, for years. But Mikal somehow managed to create other bonds as well: A tetrad between four people, and a septad between seven people. Morris had no idea what Mikal was trying to do, but something about it was oddly… ominous.

No… Mikal would never let his family outside. He would never let them out of their tanks, or their links. He trapped them in that prison forever.

Did Mikal truly love them?

“Maybe you’re right…” Morris finally replied. “Although, not entirely… maybe I don’t love anyone, but there are some things I love. How could I not…” He turned his gaze away from the sea and back towards the mountains. “I was born blind, you know... I had to fight hard to find a way to see. And now…” His glasses glinted in the overcast light. “I have the whole world at my disposal.”

“Hm… I wonder what you’ll do with it.”

Something about Mikal’s words sent a shiver up Morris’s spine. Neither of them could have known it now, but oh… the things Morris would do. The world really would be at his disposal.

But today, they were just two men standing on the rocks. Well… a man and something close to a man, at least.

“Tell me… when you finish whatever it is you’re planning, what’s going to happen?” Mikal raised an eyebrow at Morris’s words, but Morris could see right through his innocence. “I know it’ll be big… whatever it is, you’ve spent nearly a century getting ready.”

“Who says I have anything planned?”

Morris gave Mikal a long look.

Finally, Mikal let out a long sigh. He stretched an arm over his shoulder leisurely before turning to look back out at sea. “Well… maybe I do. But would you really like to know? I’ll tell you if you promise to stop being so nosy.”

Nosy? That’s ironic, coming from you. Morris nodded his head though, eager to hear Mikal out.

“Well… it’s a little complicated.” Mikal crossed his arms. “You know the Goddess we worship, yea?”

“Oh… yeah.” Morris wracked his brain. “Simon?”

“Simulcia,” Mikal corrected. “Simulcia was a goddess of fate… her magic could pin down destiny as she pleased.”

“Pin down?”

“Fate is like the ocean. It’s like a rippling fabric in the wind. But Simulcia threw pins out over that fabric-” Mikal motioned his hand as an example. “Where each one landed… fate itself was fastened to that spot. Just a few points in time and space… that is the Dyad. My parents, those before them… and maybe those after them. Although, if everything goes according to plan, I doubt there will ever be another Dyad. But that’s not my decision to make. That pin has yet to fall, and I cannot stop it if it's destined to.”

Morris was barely following at this point, but slowly but surely started to understand. The power to manipulate fate itself? How strange. So, because of actions long ago, there are certain aspects of our future that cannot be changed? “What does that have to do with your plan?”

“You see… things have changed. Simulcia is long dead. The only way to access her consciousness is by linking up with other Simulcians. We were never meant to be separated. Our true state is together. Mikal weaved his fingers together. “But like I said, we’ve strayed from that path. We made contact with humans after millenia of isolation, and we changed. We’re becoming more like you… We no longer wish to be together. Maybe there’s some kind of value in our independence, but it is against Simulcia’s will.”

A spark of anger slipped through Mikal’s eyes, barely visible among his pitch black gaze.

“Humans… they want to drive us apart. I didn’t want that to happen. So… I will force Simulcia’s will upon everyone.”

…

Morris wasn’t sure why he walked away that day. Without asking Mikal more. He never asked again, and for some reason he didn’t try to stop whatever it was Mikal was trying to do. In any case, 20 years later, Mikal and his whole family disappeared without a trace, and a new Dyad was created in the Clover Kingdom.

Simulcia’s will?

Is that… why Simulcians exist? To enact her will?

But, in the end, wasn’t Simuclia’s will already enacted? In the form of fate?

What more is there to do… we are all slaves to fate.

At least, that’s what Morris thought. The years passed, and the shape of his life squirmed and bent until it was unrecognizable. He took sight, he took power, he took knowledge… and he put it into his own hands. And now, the power of three devils dwelled within him as well.

Simulcia is dead… That much I know.

Morris gazed up at the tree as it grew. Its branches cracked and groaned under their own enormous weight. Fueled by the two men trapped within their coffins, it towered up and up, breaking through the ceiling as it reached for the sky.

Fate is dead. The only two people bound to it now are the Dyads.

The castle rumbled as the fighting intensified. But Morris paid it no mind. He just stood there, his hands in his pockets, and stared up at the spectacle with two stolen eyes.

Now, we create the fate of the world with our own hands. And its fate is the Qliphoth.

An unearthly sound spread out over the scene, screams and creaks and a shrill, descending howl.

That’s it then… the first gate has opened. The dark triad will be up to 100% soon. The rebels are busy with the demon we released, and soon… the Clover Kingdom will know the wrath of the other.

This time, there will be no one to save the world.

--------------------------------------

Except, maybe there was.

This time, my path leads north. Wind and rain and a dull rush of air course around my body as I take flight, my eyes watering slightly from the pressure. But it doesn’t matter; I keep flying.

Despite how overcast the day is, the sun is shining once again within my heart. Hope, love, joy, they all live there, and I can’t help but smile as I zoom towards what I hope will be the final battle of my life. Any wish to become a martyr, any wish to start over, any wish to give up everything, is gone. All that pumps through my veins is the determination to win and to live.

Because, now I know that there is still something to live for.

Adeline, Marx, Joy, all my friends and family, they all deserve to see a brighter future. A future that I will create, not through destruction, but through hope.

All I have to do is win this fight, save Yami and William, then go home to the family I can still salvage.

My final days, I’ll spend them with Adeline and Joy. That’s the only way it should be. Maybe I’ve committed sins that I will never atone for, but I still deserve to be happy in those final days.

BOOM.

I’m suddenly pulled from my thoughts as a loud sound bellows through the air. Almost like thunder, but deeper, a sound that rattles the very earth. I slow down a little, then look to the side. My breath freezes in my chest for a brief moment as I see what it is: a giant, unearthly creature, higher than the tallest mountain. It has scraggly, thin wings that arch up over its body, and three glowing eyes in its head.

No… it can’t be…

It is none other than the creature of legend, a giant demon god. It ignores everything as it trudges forward slowly, just passing over the border of the Grand Magic region when I reach it. There are towns and settlements ahead that it will surely trample, but its glowing eyes are fixed on the tiny hill in the distance, the hill that holds the capitol, the castle, and the king.

There’s a couple of reasons that it could be here, but the most likely one is that the Spade Kingdom somehow summoned and released it here to cause as much damage as possible. But in the end, it doesn’t matter why it’s here.

All that matters is that it must be stopped.

The fear, running like ice in my veins, starts to melt as both my hands heat up. Without another thought, I make a sharp turn in the air, and instead head right towards the horrible beast.

There’s not a second to lose…

I clench my fist, to keep my hand from shaking, but also to concentrate mana there. I release it in waves, traveling out and down my arm and into that fist. With a spark, it bursts into intense blue flame, numerals already spiraling around it.

All this magic… all this power. Only part of it is mine.

I squint my eyes a little, speeding up. One of the demon’s eyes catches onto my form.

Julius… and Patri. I can feel both of your wills within me.

Julius, who I loved, and Patri, who I thought I hated.

No… not hated.

Despite the memories of those horrible moments flooding back, I smile. Because, in the end, they both give me the strength to fight today.

But it’s not just them.

A crown glints upon my head, and a robe flares out behind me as I fly. For the first time in my life, they aren’t heavy. For the first time in my life, I feel like I deserve them.

I… I am the Wizard King!

Light starts to spark around my hand as I draw it back, charging up magic. The light starts to shine brighter and brighter, like the sun inching up and up over the horizon, bathing the world with warmth. With hope.

And for that reason, I have to protect my Kingdom.

The Demon turns its head toward me, opening its gaping, toothy mouth. An orb of demonic energy crackles within its maw, getting ready to shoot out at me with all its power. The sight of it does nothing to hurt my composure, and I open my own mouth to let out a yell. It spurs me on, and my body rockets towards the beast faster than I’ve ever managed before.

For that reason, I will protect this WORLD!

I swing my fist, and finally release my first triple-attribute spell.

With a flash of light like a supernova, my fist connects. For a moment, there is no sound, but I can feel the entire world vibrate within my chest.

The demon’s head basically implodes, its three eyes bursting apart as it’s hit. It doesn’t have time to roar or shriek; the ball of energy within it collapses, and it gets blown back across the border into the strong magic region. Its bottom half is still intact, and the trunklike feet BOOM once, then twice, then one last time as it stumbles backwards. Then, it falls, almost in slow motion.

But by this point, I am long gone. The dust from the impact billows up behind me as I just keep flying, making a beeline to the Spade Kingdom. The sound of the fall was enough to confirm my kill, and there isn’t a second more to lose. I don’t look back, just keep my eyes on the next objective ahead.

Yami and William, I’ll save you, no matter what!

The snowy peaks beneath me are a blur, my eyes clouded by both adrenaline and the light that shines from them. My whole body feels like it's on fire, the thrill of that moment still coursing through me. Acceptance and determination cycles around each other, fueling my flight further and further. I’m not sure what I will find across the border, but whatever it is, I am ready to take it on.

My duty is to win, and to survive!

A few minutes later, something shifts in the atmosphere. Like a magnet, an unseen force tugs at my body, no, at my soul. My eyes widen a little when I realize what it is.

Something… is pulling my mana in.

Then, I see it: the capital of Spade, almost completely destroyed by a sprawling mess of branches. I can feel the unnerving energy coming off of the wood already; this is no tree that exists in our world. This is the Qliphoth. There’s other presences here too- sending a familiar chill up my spine.

Devils…

But, according to Nacht, the first gate wasn’t supposed to be open yet? Did they have some way to accelerate the growth?

It doesn’t matter.

I clench my fist again, summoning more mana to replace that which was being sucked in by the tree.

I’ll end it now, today. No more gates will be opened. And even if they do…

The black mark upon my forehead tingles slightly, almost familiarly.

I will beat them.

Right at the moment I summoned more mana, it was felt simultaneously by everyone below.

Nacht’s eyes widened as he stared ahead at the two twin Devils standing before him. No way… you fool! He wanted to look back towards the sky, but he couldn’t take his eyes off his foes, not now that the situation had turned so dire. You’re just going to get yourself killed… there’s no way you’re in any condition to fight!

Maybe that was the case. Maybe even moving was draining away my life faster than I could afford. But nothing will stop me from moving.

Morris’s smile falls for just a moment. He turns slowly to look up through the cracks in the ceiling. The tree… it’s responding to a great source of mana… incoming…

Then, he smiled.

This… this may be exactly what we need. It all depends on you three…

At that exact moment, those “three” sensed me as well. From three different sections of the castle, wings of blood, wings of bone, and wings of flesh unfurled. Three pairs of eyes, crazed and fueled by the new surge of power within them, turned towards the sky.

“Finally…”

“How exciting!”

“I didn’t think we would meet on the battlefield…”

Dante’s sharp, elongated teeth curled into a malicious grin as he retracted his power from Jack, who he had been pummeling a moment ago. Lucifero’s power was up to 100% now, and he was ready to fight anything and everything he could. Morris assured them before this that the Wizard King would be out of commission, but here she was, very much alive, heading right towards him.

Right into the palm of his hand.

With a loud, evil laugh, Dante shot up and away from the battle, towards the source of the presence. A strike from his fist burst right through the ceiling and let him escape into the cold night air. As soon as he was out, Dante looked to his left and right, spotting his siblings, who had the same idea. Vanica’s face was twisted into a sadistic grin, but Zenon remained composed; While Dante and Vanica had fun on their minds, Zenon was evaluating the very serious consequences that might come from their actions.

The tree reacted to her mana, I felt it too. If we can let it suck up more and more from her-

It’s right then that I spot the trio heading towards me, black shadow streaming in their wake. That’s them! That’s the Dark Triad! My heart skips a beat, and I let my Grimoire flip open once again. It starts to glow, and power starts to accumulate in the palm of my hand.

This is it, at last!

Defeat these three, and we’ll win, I know it already. My mind starts to shut down, zeroing in on the imminent fight. Like a tunnel, all I can see is them.

Fight… fight them… WIN.

I spread the fingers of my hand as I start to raise it. My feet swing down from behind me to slow my body down, bracing it for impact. Light starts to shine from my palm, and all at once it elongates into a broad, bright sword.

This is Patri’s sword… but…

The light intensifies further, concentration. The light starts to thin and elongate further, into one, long blade. Just like an epee, the tip sharpens to a deadly extent, like a needle poised to pierce skin and flesh.

“Light magic: Judgement Day!”

I finally clench my fist, grasping the handle of the sword. I tear my eyes away from its length and back towards the Triad. With a grin, I point my new spell at them. The mana around me solidifies under my foot, and with one mighty push, I lunge.

Moments before collision, Dante’s eyes catch onto the black mark on my head. And for a fraction of a second, something within him hesitates.

That mark… how does she have that mark-

The thoughts don’t catch up with his body, and he hurls himself at me with the fury of a typhoon.

None of us are prepared for the outcome of the next five minutes.

AAAAAAAA next time: chapter 20. There is a massive fight. Morris gets his way, and something terrible happens... as usual.

#afjdsklfdas #triad #black clover #fic #oc: lisa #bc spoilers

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smolthealmighty · 4 years

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Spinaraki Week 2020 Day 1: Fantasy

And From This Slumber You Shall Wake

The kingdom of Yuei has cast a curse upon Shigaraki that they believe will not only prevent him from interfering with their upcoming battle, but will take him out of commission entirely. After all, who could ever truly love a destructive monster like him...

~~~~~

The army of Yuei was visible from the tallest tower of the abandoned castle the League of Villains had made into their newest hideout, and Tomura Shigaraki would not wake up.

It hadn’t taken long for Ujiko, the resident necromancer, to figure out what happened when their leader had first collapsed only a few days prior, but the cause of his unconscious state spelled uncertainty for their future. It was a curse of endless sleep, most certainly cast by the magic users of Yuei if the leaked plans of their upcoming attack were true, one that could only be broken by the age-old method of true love’s kiss.

“Blast it all! Of all the curses they could have used,” Ujiko cried out, as he violently pushed himself away from the desk full of spell-casting texts, nearly shaking Toga down from her perch on the desk’s edge. As he made his way over towards one of the many bookshelves in his vast library, the league’s fiery sorcerer turned to the rest of the group. “You gotta admit, they did make one hell of a smart move.”

“Dabi, now is not the time to praise the enemy,” hissed Mr. Compress, the illusionist clearly incensed by the comment as he helped Toga to steady herself. “Dabi does sort of have a point, Mister,” the rouge witch said. “They chose a spell that not only took our dear leader and heaviest hitter out of the fight, but also made the cure something they’d probably think is impossible to fulfill.”

“Yeah, we know Shigaraki is really a lovable softie on the inside. Always making sure we’re okay. Someone’s gonna fall for him sooner or later,” declared Twice, the emotional barbarian sounding joyfully optimistic, only to abruptly sour his own mood as he hollered, “No chance! He’s an ugly, heartless bastard! Not a single drop of compassion in him!”

From the bookshelves, Ujiko shouted over his shoulder, “We can’t rely on someone magically falling in love with him now of all times, not with Yuei most likely on their way here as we speak. Now are you going to sit around or are you going to help me find a different method to break the curse?” The league quickly mobilized and started to comb through the shelves, both to save their unconscious leader and to keep Ujiko from yelling again. Before starting her own search, Toga dragged Spinner, the league’s dragonborn paladin, off to the side.

“Toga, what are you doing? We gotta find the–”

“And we will, but we also need someone to keep an eye on Tomura just in case anything happens, don’t we?”

Spinner stiffened, eyeing Toga in an attempt to unearth any ulterior motives, but he never was the best at reading others, or at most things regarding social interactions for that matter. After a moment, he asked, “Why me? What makes me more suited for guarding Shigaraki than helping out here?”

At this, Toga’s mouth curled into a smile that, while undeniably sweet, was coated with a smugness that even Spinner could see, as if she knew something that he, –and maybe even the others– didn’t.

“Trust me on this, Spinner. I think it’ll be the best outcome. Just keep your sword ready, and have some faith in yourself for once,” she grinned, and with that she retreated into the maze of shelves before he could ask her anymore questions.

The days the league spent in the library still had not brought forth anything helpful, and now Yuei’s army was marching ever closer. Spinner quickly turned away from the view from the tallest tower and made his way back to his post at Shigaraki’s side. He had barely stirred since the curse started, with only the occasional twitch and the ever steady rise and fall of his chest as proof that he was still alive. Miraculously, Shigaraki could still swallow the water and porridge brought to him, meaning that Spinner didn’t have to worry too much over his leader becoming even more malnourished than he already was. It was a small comfort, but one that soothed his own fears nonetheless.

“Bad news, Shigaraki,” Spinner groaned as he sat down in the wooden chair he had dragged over to be as close to Shigaraki’s bedside as he could. “Yuei’s army is within our sight, and it looks like they’ve got every knight within the surrounding lands to fight with them. Time’s really running out now, huh.”

He slowly reached towards Shigaraki’s hand but paused at the last moment, unsure how Shigaraki would react, or if he would react at all, before stealing his courage and taking Shigaraki’s hand into his own.

“You’ve always been the strongest one in our band of oddballs, always pushing yourself beyond your limits. So, now you gotta get up, okay? Shigaraki?”

Unbeknownst to Spinner, fighting within the heavy waters of his own conscious, Tomura Shigaraki was barely keeping himself from sinking into oblivion. It wasn’t enough to wake up on his own, but Tomura was just able to occasionally squirm and swallow the food and drink Spinner had offered. And although he knew Spinner couldn’t hear him, Shigaraki replied anyway.

Trust me Spinner, I’ve been trying to get up since this damn curse started! No way would I intentionally leave you guys to fight a battle on your own like this, especially if Yuei’s army is as big as you’re making it out to be.

“I know we’ve barely been getting by nowadays, but the only way we’re gonna see brighter days is if you wake up. And not– it’s not just in terms of victories, you know. I understand that you want everyone to get what they want in life, some happy memories and experiences, and I just think you deserve some of that too–”

He suddenly cut himself off with an involuntary sob, and Spinner noticed the tears that were gathering in his eyes. Once he realized he was crying he couldn’t stop, droplets of warm salt water cascading from his eyes.

Spinner, are you okay? Never mind that’s a stupid question, clearly you aren’t! I can feel your tears landing upon my hand. Damn it! It’s been a while since I used to be this much of an emotional sponge, a decade at least. Just another one of my dormant traits the league has brought out of me! You especially, Spinner. If I could, I’d tell you I’d actually like that, those happy experiences you want me to have. But only so long as I can share them with you, if not for my own sake, then so you never get as upset as you sound right now ever again!

“Please!” Spinner shouted, tears now pouring from his eyes like desperate waterfalls. “Please wake up! I–I’m just realizing how badly I’m gonna miss you if you don’t wake up. Please come back, Tomura! Come back, I…”

In that moment, faced with the increasing possibility that he would never see the boyish sparkle in garnet eyes, never brainstorm any more high-stakes plans to defeat the next challenge in their way, and never feel fuller than his hollow sense of self had ever felt before meeting Tomura, Spinner finally realized the core reason he was left utterly devastated in the face of Tomura Shigaraki’s endless sleep.

“I love you.” Spinner’s confession was only a murmur, as soft as petals landing on the ground after being unceremoniously ripped from their flower. “I–I love you, so please…please…” he continued to whisper, before finally bowing his head, allowing himself to be consumed by the despair of losing a love formerly unrecognized before it even had the chance to bloom, perhaps never even being reciprocated in the first place.

And from deep within heavy waters, at the risk of never again experiencing the warmth of an emotion he previously thought he was incapable of feeling, Tomura Shigaraki summoned his remaining mental power, and squeezed. As his strength finally gave out, Tomura knew that the scaled hands that held his own had surely felt his last call from the depths of his own mind, hopefully understanding the meaning behind it, and with his trust placed in the dragonborn paladin he had come to truly admire, he sank into oblivion.

Spinner was quickly tugged out of his mourning by the nearly bone-breaking squeeze of the cold, boney hand he was holding. It couldn’t have lasted more than five seconds before it went completely limp, but it was enough time to shock Spinner out of his depressive state and realize that not only had Tomura somehow heard his cries, but answered them the only way he knew how in light of the curse. Although the first fact left him embarrassed for a moment, the second practically set him ablaze with the implications of what the squeeze most likely meant. So in spite of his embarrassment and the already creeping uncertainty in his interpretation of Tomura’s message, he built up his resolve and slowly started leaning downwards.

What if I’m wrong about this? What if he meant something else by squeezing my hand?

He could feel his face grow hotter, his stomach twirling itself in knots as his self-doubt grew.

But what else could it mean? Dammit, I’ve never been good at reading cues, especially ones that could possibly be romantic.

He could begin to feel the soft puffs of air from Tomura’s perky nose, slow and steady in his cursed sleep.

Ugh, what would Tomura do here? What would he tell me do?

At this point, his lips were mere inches away from Tomura’s, quivering slightly in apprehension and hesitating before the point of no return.

But I know what he would tell me, don’t I? Hasn’t he already told me that I should get what I want in life. Well, someone I want is right in front of me, and I think that someone wants me too. He’d tell me to go for it.

And so, he went for it, gently pressing his scaled lips to Tomura’s ever-dry ones in a chaste kiss. A few seconds passed, and Spinner started to worry that he’d gone and ruined everything, until he felt the twitch of fluttering eyelashes against his cheek and a slight press upwards from the lips below his own. He pulled away just in time to see the garnet eyes he adored reveal themselves from behind heavy eyelids.

With the last remainders of his shock, Spinner could barely get out the words, “Me? Really?!”

“Pft, yeah you!” Tomura laughed, as his soft smile widened into the enthusiastic grin that caused Spinner’s heart to speed up.

“I just,” Spinner inhaled as he gathered himself, trying to shake off the rest of his disbelief, “…why me out of everyone? I’m not all that powerful or amazing at what I do, so I’m not sure what you see in me, you know.”

“Well you’re thinking about it from the wrong angle, first of all. I could probably recruit a hundred swordsmen, but I know none of them could ever fit by my side as well as you do.”

Hearing the reassurance straight from the mouth of his true love, Spinner was finally able to settle down, taking the opportunity to hold his beloved close as Tomura returned the action and continued.

“You’ve always been so loyal, yet never at the cost of leaving your opinion unheard. You allow me to lead, but you know when to step in and suggest another idea when I’m about to do something stupid in the heat of the moment. You’re another critical yet encouraging mind that I can bounce ideas off of. But most importantly, despite all the potential to worship me for my godlike strength, you continue to treat me as human I am within my innermost layers, something that I’ve barely ever been seen as by everyone else. You’ve never been too aggressive, or too submissive, when interacting with me. In fact, you’ve always been so good to me. So how could I do anything other than do right by you in return?”

Spinner, struck silent by the confession, could only reply in the form of yet another kiss, this time fully reciprocated by Tomura in a sweet and loving affirmation of their feelings.

The only thing that prevented their kiss from continuing any longer than a minute was Twice yelling about the Yuei’s fast approaching army, yet as the two lovers dashed towards their companions to hash out a plan, scaled hand in boney hand, they both knew that they would most likely have all the time in the world to explore their new relationship.

#spinarakiweek2020 #spinaraki #shigaraki tomura #spinner #shuichi iguchi #smol’s stuff #smol's stories

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lynne-monstr · 5 years

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Writers Month Day 14: Fairy Tale

prompt requested by @ketzwrites (thanks!)

There’s a prince locked away in the tallest tower of Edom, kept prisoner by his evil demon father. Alec intends to rescue him and make him his husband.

“What, really?” Isabelle asks, arms crossed over her chest.

“I mean, not if he doesn’t want to,” Alec responds. “But come on, he’s got to be bored up there all alone. It’s a good deal. He’d be a fool to turn it down.”

“Wow, and they say romance is dead.”

“Not all of us were lucky enough to find love on the training field,” Alec shoots back.

Isabelle smiles in a way that softens her whole face. It’s widely known throughout the kingdom that the only thing more terrifying than Isabelle Lightwood on the training field is when she and her wife team up to take challengers. But the downside of her whirlwind marriage to Lydia Branwell is that it had knocked from the running the only contender who qualified by the Nephilim’s own ancient laws to share the throne with Alec by marriage.

Not that Prince Alec is upset by that. If anything, he’s relieved. With Lydia off the market, there’s no pressure on him to propose an unwanted match. It does, however, leave the throne vulnerable.

“So that’s your plan?” Isabelle asks. “Sneak into Edom and hope to get a marriage contract signed just for showing up and smiling.”

“And slaying the dragon.” Alec’s looking forward to that part. He has a new bow and everything. It shoots five arrows. Five.

Isabelle doesn’t look convinced. “How do you know this guy even likes men?”

Alec groans. “Come on, Izzy, I did my research in the archives. Magnus Bane once put a sign in front of his tower that read ‘Caution: Goes Both Ways.’ I think it’s safe to say he likes guys.”

The question is, would Magnus Bane like him? At least, would he like him enough to say yes. Alec is trying not to think too hard about the answer. He can’t afford to fail in this quest.

Isabelle looks impressed before her forehead scrunches up in a way Alec would never dare call adorable to her face. “How’d he do that if he’s locked up?”

“Magic, I guess? He’s a warlock.” Alec frowns. “Why are you so against this anyway? You know the laws as well as I do. If I don’t marry before I turn 25, the Morgensterns have legal grounds to challenge our right to the crown. I have to do this.”

“I know, Alec. It’s just…what about love? You deserve to be happy.”

“I’ll be happy when I secure the throne.” Alec grins and hopes it doesn’t look strained. Happiness was never in the cards for him. “Besides, it’s just Edom. And a dragon. How hard can it be?”

(Several Days Later. In Edom.)

Alec backs into the hard stone wall, his own arrow digging into his throat.

“I’m here to rescue you!” he shouts. The words cause the sharpened point to dig into his throat and he winces.

“Not another one,” Magnus Bane mutters. He’s on the opposite side of the room, his hands a matching red to the magic levitating Alec’s arrow. Both eyebrows arch upwards in a way that drips sarcasm. “How’s that going for you?”

Alec stops trying to duck around the arrow. It’s a lost cause. “Not great, but I think you can see that.”

There’s a spare dagger sheathed at his back but he doesn’t draw it. For all he’s being threatened, it’s more playful than hostile. The tip of his arrows are sharpened to a fine enough point to pierce any object, yet not a single drop of blood has been drawn from his throat.

Besides, he’s a little busy staring at Magnus Bane.

There are few sketches of the captive warlock in the archives and none of them do him justice. Captive warlock might be a slight misnomer, he corrects, mentally cursing the archives of Alicante. Nowhere in his research did it suggest that Magnus Bane has anywhere near the level of power he’s displaying. Whatever’s keeping him in this tower, it isn’t the scraps of low-level entrapment spells that barely cover the entrances.

He’s also the most beautiful man Prince Alec has ever laid eyes on. His dark hair is styled high on his head and his clothing is fine enough to cost a good chunk of Alec’s monthly household budget. The dramatic makeup isn’t something Alec usually sees on men, but it suits him. Silver metal glints on his fingers and his chest, swaying with him as he moves. He looks equal parts deadly and drop dead gorgeous.

Alec doesn’t realize his tongue has darted out to lick his lips until Magnus’ deeply lines eyes flicker down to look at his mouth. A surge of heat rushes downwards and he shifts against where he’s pressed against the wall.

“Um, can you let me go now?” Alec asks.

“Let you go?” Magnus’ expression darkens. “I should throw you in the dungeon for what you did to Harold.”

“Harold?”

Magnus gestures towards the injured dragon behind him. The beast has four arrows sticking out of its hide. As if sensing prying eyes, it whines in what sounds like pain and hides its head. “I don’t take lightly to people hurting my friends.”

“I was trying to rescue you!”

An whirlwind rages in Magnus’ eyes as he spits out each word.“You broke into my home. The only person I need to be rescued from is you.” He curls his lips as he adds, “And I’m doing a stellar job of it, if I do say so myself.”

He raises an arm and Alec tenses, ready to pull his blade and fight, but Magnus merely places his hand on the dragon’s hide. Moments later, the arrows fall to the floor and the wounds heal in a flash of bright blue.

The dragon makes a noise like an excited puppy and stretches out its long neck to nuzzle Magnus’ stomach. Magnus scratches under his dragon’s chin and turns back to Alec. “Now, where were we?”

“Prince Bane.” Alec draws himself up the way he was taught in his earliest etiquette lessons. “I’ve transgressed on your home and I offer my apologies to you and your—” Alec looks at the dragon, who has its eyes closed as Magnus lavishes it with attention, “—your friend,” he finishes, clearing his throat awkwardly.

Magnus’ face brightens. “Most people don’t include Harold in their apology.” He snaps a finger and the arrow at Alec’s neck falls to the ground, the red cloud holding it in place dissipating in a soft pop.

Alec rubs at his neck. “I take it you don’t need to be rescued.”

“Do you have any idea how many books are in this tower?” Magnus’ eyes light up. “I think it used to be a library in the days Before. There’s more magical knowledge here than in the whole of Edom. Why would I want to leave and set foot in my father’s kingdom that only knows war and suffering? I’m happy where I am.”

Each word is a blow and Alec struggles not to show his despair. His quest is a failure. There are other potential matches he can proposition, but the Lightwoods are running out of time and Magnus Bane was the closest available option. Alec doesn’t have time to try again.

“Don’t look so disappointed,” Magnus says, either not realizing or not caring that Alec’s world is falling apart. His shoulders sway slightly as his eyes graze over Alec from head to toe. “We can make the best of it, handsome. I can pretend, if that’s what you’re into. I do a great warlock in distress routine.” He taps his lip with the hand not petting Harold’s scales. “Play your cards right and you can even tie me up before you ‘save’ me.”

Alec nearly trips over his own feet at the realization of what Magnus is suggesting, his thoughts of mounting his family’s defense against the Morgensterns scattering to the oppressive Edom wind.

He can feel the blood rushing to his face. None of his research has prepared him for meeting Magnus Bane. He shakes away the image of Magnus bound up in rope the color of his magic. He’ll think about it later. Much later. When he’s back in his bed behind a locked door.

Right now he has more pressing matters at hand. Princely matters. “Actually, I was thinking marriage.” He came all this way, he may as well take his shot.

Magnus freezes. “Excuse me?”

“I mean,” Alec stumbles to halt. Because that’s exactly what he means. But now, standing in front of his intended, this whole matrimony in exchange for rescue thing seems a lot sketchier than it did in his etiquette books. What can he say to explain why he’d make a good husband. I stalked you, broke into your home, and attacked your friend isn’t exactly a rousing endorsement.

Did other princes really do this? And their princes and princesses agreed to it?

Nevertheless, he steels himself for rejection and explains his people’s predicament. Magnus looks in turn guarded and sympathetic as the full story tumbles out. It isn’t until Alec gets to the part about Valentine’s son Jonathan, whose secret plan is to summon the demon Lilith that Magnus startles.

“Lilith is an ancient enemy of my people as well.” For the first time, Magnus looks discomfited. “She can’t be allowed to roam free.”

“If you marry me, she won’t.”

“You really know how to lay the romance on thick, don’t you.” The words are eerily similar to Isabelle’s own admonition, days earlier. Alec misses her with a fierce ache in his heart but doesn’t have time to dwell on it as Magnus purses his lips and adds, “I’ll need my own closet.”

Alec nods. “Consider it done.”

“And Harold will be given free reign over the kingdom.”

“Naturally.”

“There’s only one last thing. A test, if you will. If you pass, consider my agreement given.”

Alec straightens, hands naturally falling to clasp behind him. “Name it.”

“A kiss.” Magnus takes a step forward, his eyes both an invitation and a challenge.

It’s a challenge Alec readily accepts. In a few long, confident strides he closes the space between them.

The Prince of Edom is a tall man, but those last couple inches mean that he has to look up to meet Alec’s gaze. Ever so gently, Alec curls his hands on either side of Magnus’ neck, thumbs pressing against the underside of his jaw until his head is tilted back enough for Alec’s liking.

Their kiss is the barest press of lips, but Alec feels like he’s drowning.

Magnus tastes like fruit from his lip balm, and the stubble of his facial hair scratches lightly against Alec’s chin. He can feel the racing pulse of Magnus’ throat against his fingers, along with the cool touch of the many necklaces against his palms. Magnus’ own hands clench a bruising grip around Alec’s hips, keeping him in place with a ferocity that lights a spark of hope within Alec, that perhaps Magnus feels the potential igniting between them.

After what feels like forever, they part.

Neither of them is eager to move and in a calculated risk, Alec lets his head drop so his forehead rests against Magnus. His hands uncurl, sliding down to a more appropriate place on Magnus’ shoulders. His very large, very muscular shoulders.

Please let him say yes.

Alec wants this match for the good of his people but, unexpectedly and for the first time, he wants it for himself. He wants Magnus. Not just his body, but his quick wit and his fire and his willingness to throw himself off into the arms of a stranger and a strange kingdom for his people’s safety.

Reluctantly, Alec pulls back into his own space.

“Did I pass?” Alec says.

“Oh that’s one word for it.” Magnus seems to remember himself and straightens so his posture matches Alec’s own. “I accept your offer, Prince Alec.”

Alec can’t help the small, hopeful grin that stretches across his face.

(“About the closet. How big is it, exactly?” Magnus asks, as he leads Alec deeper into his tower so they can start planning.)

Prince Alec returns to his land and he brings his husband Prince Magnus with him.

#shadowhunters #malec fanfic #writersmonth2019 #malec #magnus bane #alec lightwood #this was super hard to think up an idea for #but then this hit me and i got so excited #i would have liked to add a lot more backstory but i'm using these prompts as quick writing exercises #but fyi i have i lot of ideas about this lol #lynne writes fic

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reading-hub · 5 years

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[+18] The Maid | Bardroy/angel!reader

I swear this has been in my drafts for three years, and I’ve finally decided to finish it! 😫

Contains: slow burn, smut

A typical American soldier would die doing what is right.

Fight for their country, fight for freedom, and the battlefield that is brutally fought in is no sane place.

However, love is a battle that no one in this world can even defeat against. For it is inevitable, everyone has experienced it. For Bardroy has dealt with it, and now deals with it once again.

— END OF DESCRIPTION —

Her master wanted to meet the watch dog for so long. Said that he wanted to be apart of his inner circle, maybe even have the privilege to shake his hand. She found it quite funny how a forty-something man would have an ideal role model to be a little boy. You've heard of the infamous Queens watch dog known as Ciel Phantomhive. Was known to be the most powerful child in all of England, but has been below the rader recently.

Your master was ecstatic when an invitation of a party came in the mail. Especially figuring out Phantomhive was hosting such party. You’ve read him the letter yourself. It was going to be a classy and sophisticated all the way through. Which meant, you had to wear your nicest and cleanest maid attire, you had to look at least some what presentable.

But there’s one thing you had to keep secret throughout the party. You were an Angel. Before meeting Joseph, he was a scared man, he was suffering from paranoia. He was scared of dying. He knew that people around him would grow suspicious and wonder what’s wrong with him. Possibly take him away from his business...no.

And so he prayed and prayed for someone to come to his life and help him from suffering anymore. He was a man of god, always believed in the slightest of miracles to be an act from above.

He knew that the man from above had the answer to solve his problems....

The carriage stopped abruptly, making both of you lean back in forth. Your Master hastily, crawled out of the carriage, the wind blew through his cheeks as he got out the carriage.

You got off the carriage after, trying to catch up with him at the door.

You felt heavy and tense throughout the whole ordeal. Here you were, standing on private property along with your Master, who just waltzed right up to door and knocks. You’ll probably have to apologize to whoever answers for the man’s actions.

For what felt like ages, the door was opened halfway. You saw a tall butler, he was quite handsome but something ached in your stomach about him. Something...very wrong.

“May I help you two?” He spoke, his voice was calm, but it also felt different to you. Joseph couldn’t see it, making you keep your watch on the man.

“We’re here for the party, got an invite, see?” Your Master boldly spoke up, hoisting the invitation up to the butler’s face a little to close. You still felt uneasy.

“Ah yes, your quite early...”

“We can wait for Phantomhive.” You Master interrupted him. “Maybe we can settle in before the party starts, in return my maid can help with anything regarding the party for today.” He added on, while also unexpectedly telling them that you can do as much labor during the course of the party.

The butler let you both in, Coats and other outer attire coming off to bask in the warmth of the manor, however, you felt as though the butler wasn’t happy with guests coming this early.

“Stay here for a moment, I’ll inform my master.”

Now it was just you and Joseph standing around in the empty first floor of the manor. This was going to be quite a long day, especially for you.

The butler who introduced himself as Sebastian, guided you away from Master Joseph as he was talking to Ciel Phantomhive himself, just from looking at Joseph, he was getting uneasy and nervously laughing along with whatever the watchdog was saying.

Before you could protest to Sebastian that you wanted to stay by Joseph at the time, your eyes locked inside the kitchen immediately. Not only that, three servants were carrying about their day as if you weren’t there.

Sebastian must’ve saw this, he coughed to get their attention, their heads immediately turned like deer and fumbled their way in single file, from tallest to shortest right in front of your very eyes. Quite the coordination.

Sebastian introduce them one by one, starting with the shortest one of all: Finnian.

The sweet gardener boy who looked at you with wide eyes, full of innocence and wonder. You couldn’t help but smile in response.

The middle was Mey-rin, the maid of the household with a larger than life personality, whose words and actions were fumbling at every turn, there were times where you could barely make a word. Regardless, you can tell she had a big heart to make up for it.

The tallest, and possibly the one who had you shook slightly, was Bardroy. It wasn’t that he was intimidating looking, it was mainly how handsome he was...

Saying he was the head chef himself. Although just from looking at him, your eyes graced where no lady should at a time like this. It made you think his body was to be trained as some sort of bodyguard. His hands looked black from recent woodwork? Hands were most likely clammy and rough from a hard days of work.

Something you wouldn’t mind putting to the test...

What?? You’ve just met this man! And suddenly all of you’re selfish needs are just pouring out of that dirty gutter of yours that you call a brain. You’re a Angel! A pure minded soul that would never think so sinfully as you as right now! Who would’ve thought being in the human realm for this long has caused you to behave this way...

The servants scattered around the kitchen once more after their introduction with you. Sebastian already told them you were temporary for the remainder of the party, and to not hesitate for your help.

Sebastian was already prepared and handed you some tasks that were centered around the party in some shape or form. You were amazed at how fast he was able to think up tasks for you like that.

Your first task was to helped out Mey-rin at setting up the table for tonight’s dinner, you took the liberty in telling her that you can place the plates and cutlery, meanwhile she folded the napkins and set up the chairs on who was sitting where tonight.

You than helped Finney with decorating around the main floor, to make things a lot more festive.

Lastly, you helped out the with presume head chef of the manor, Bardroy. You were both tasked with making small party favors for the guests, and pour champagne into small glasses, that you would later give out to the guests during the party.

Things started off tense and awkward to say the least. You tried to look as professional and fair as much as you could, but his handsome dopey face got to you every time.

Why was making conversation so hard with him? It wasn’t the fact that everytime Bard did something comedic by accident, it made him so cute and lovable that you wanted to kiss him!

Uh oh

The party has been going on for about an hour or two. People are starting to socialize with another about wealth and their latest business proposals. Meanwhile, Master Joseph was talking the state of his jewelry business to future potential clients and business partners. Ciel then asking him if he had any on him that he was willing to display for. As the watchdog was possibly interested in any brass knuckle rings that Joseph just so happened to wear.

You smiled at how well things were going for your Master. You on the other hand, were to serve out party favors as you walked around the first floor of the party. People took or denied them, nothing too dramatic happened as you served around.

You made your way back to the kitchen, since the tray you were holding was empty once again, meaning you needed to go back and serve some more.

Bardroy was hanging out in the kitchen as you prepared more party favors. He said that Sebastian didn’t want him to ruin anything during the remainder of the party and just coop out here until everyone left.

Your heart sank as he said that. Does Sebastian really not trust this man with anything? Bard isn’t a helpless child, he’s a grown man whose capable of doing anything if desired, and could do just as well as anything then some fake-shallow butler.

Whoa, where did that come from?

Before you could make Bardroy feel better with your words, a tap on the shoulder stung you in surprise. Speak of the devil.

You turned to see Sebastian, closed eyed smiling to you. “Sorry to startle you, (f/n), but I’ll be taking over as servant now.” Without letting yourself get a word out, the tall butler already picked up the tray you already filled up. Before he was out the door, “You can rest up for the remainder of the party, miss (f/n).”

He was out the door, silence filled the kitchen. Just you and Bard. Alone.

“Yep, just like he said to me earlier. ‘Rest up for the remainder of the party.” He quoted and shrugged afterward.

You were honestly relieved to be resting after all the duties you had to do to make this party look presentable. A break was definitely a blessing. Especially with you and Bard alone together at last—no! None of that!

“So uh, what do you want to do to pass the time?” Bard asked, rubbing the back of his neck. You were flushed by the sudden question.

“I’m not sure...” you thought outloud. “I suppose this free time has given us the chance to get to know each other.”

He looked around sheepishly, smiling in embarrassment. “Right, right..” he loosely said after. He than looked at you, just starring. He knew this would possibly the last time he would see you ever again.

An idea sparked in his head!

“How bout a dance?” He grinned. Startled, the maid just jumped in surprise. Giving her a while to respond back.

“But there’s no music...” You said confused. He shrugged in response. “We can make do, just follow my lead, yeah?”

Suddenly after, his hands hovered over your own, being so closed together contrasted how small your hands were compared to his.

You were so distracted by your own inner thoughts, Bard pulled your body closer him in order to sway with him a lot more easier. This was quite an intimate setting.

Bard took initiative and started to move his feet, making you move your own in order to be sync. Silence filled the room, the thing close to sound was feet shuffling back in forth. Until...

“I don’t mean in any offense but how did your Master get invited? If you don’t mind me asking so early...” His tone sounded hesitant, as if trying not to mess up the moment right now.

You weren’t offended by any means. Joseph had a reputation of being a little different to really understand, making people believe he was mad man of some sort.

“His father had a long history with the Phantomhives, I believe before the young boy was even born..” You tried your best to respond, although you had a feeling it was an empty answer. “I wasn’t around back than, so I don’t know much details...” You quickly said after, Bard simply looked at you with that cute dopey face of his.

“Thas’ fine. I’ve worked for the young master for what feels like a year, and even I don’t know the kid very well, much less his family.” He assured. You mentally sighed in relief. This man is so understanding, and handsome...

Ugh, but can’t just pour your heart out for him. Angels were made to spiritually support humans and purify the human realm in the hopes of making this world a little better. They weren’t made to act sinfully towards said humans! It was wrong...yet so right...

“So, what did you do before working as a maid?” He asked, continuing the conversation. “Um...” you had to lie, while yes, lying is a sin, but revealing that you were a supernatural being was also bad and it made you look crazy.

“I volunteered for church.” You answered. You technically did work for God so it wasn’t a total lie. “Really?”

“Y-yeah, I helped with many lost souls in need of help, and I simply showed them another way to look at life.” You tried to be vague. While also being as truthful, well, almost truthful.

“That’s sounds nice...” was all Bard could say. “What about you? Where were you before?” You asked.

You saw the look in his eyes after asking, he was hurt. Something traumatic happened to this man. It hurt you to see him like that.

“If it’s too hard to bring up, I understand...” You said in hopes to change the subject. The dancing came to a hault. He pulled away from you. Pulled out a match to light up his cigarette. You stood there.

“I was at war. A solider. Willing to die for my country.” Your heart sank. A man like him should never go through something as stressful as that. You stayed quiet for him to continue.

“But I was also reckless on the field. My comrades made decisions that I didn’t agree with. If only they listened...if only I treated them better before...”

“Before they died...” He finished. All you could do in that moment was comfort. It’s what he needed right now. It wasn’t his fault that they all died. He truly believed their blood was in his hands now.

But now wasn’t the time to tell him any of that.

He just needed someone to hold onto.

You hugged his arm, your hand meeting his. This was so much more intimate than a slow dance. You know that he can never forget a day like that, no one could.

You just needed to clear his mind with something else...

“Sorry for making you hold onto me like a child, I ruined our moment together too.” He chuckled, while also self deprecating. You just looked at him, his eyes met yours. He looked at you with timid eyes, he was trying to tell you something.

You than realized what you needed do for him.

Without thinking, you kissed him. An act like this maybe looked down upon as a sin, but it was something you both needed at that time.

This wasn’t for pleasure, it for many things. It showed trust, comfort, a way to enjoy each other for what little time two had. This could be the last you see each other, might as well make it matter.

You pulled away. “Should I keep going?” Without answering, Bard pulled you into his arms and kissed you again. Hands roaming around your body, looking for something to grasp onto. You also roaming around his neck, pulling him into a more intimate position.

Lips still colliding, tongues dancing around each other. Your lips then found a way to his neck, planting small kisses on each spot. He hoisted up on the counter with ease, his rough hands trailing around your thighs and hip area, making his way up to your rib cage and finally your clothed breasts.

Seeing how busy his was with exploring your body, you slowly unbuttoned his uniform, peeling it off of him, only to see that he’s wearing a white tank top underneath, his chest and arms exposed to you. He was built! Well, he was in the army...

Without even realizing, your hands made their way to his well-built chest, the only thing in between it was that damn top!

You looked down noticed you were still very clothed, that needed to changed.

You helped out Bard by untying the back of your maid attire, your arms sliding off the sleeves, pushing the dress halfway down, leaving your corset and clevage exposed to Bardroy.

He was so flustered, it was honestly cute how speechless he was at that moment.

He helped out by trying to untie the corset. Once it was thrown to the side, now all that was left was your undergarments...

With your underwear off, you suddenly heard the metal clanking of a belt buckle. “You sure you wanna keep going?” He asked, his uneven breathing showed how he wanted this just as much as you did.

You gave him a peak on stubble chin. “Yes..!” You were also getting desperate. You were willing to mentally clear Bardroy’s mind in anyway.

With that said, Bard lowered his white pants, his cock fully out there. With all this slow pacing foreplay, your lower lips were drenched, you even felt some of your ‘juices’ cascading down your thigh.

You felt the tip of his member rub up against your entrance, this teasing was getting the better of you. He slowly pushed himself into you. Your mouth made an O shape, you tried to hold back any moaning, but even the slightest pleasure made you quack.

Your tried to regain your balance by immediately holding onto Bardroy as he was still adjusting inside your walls. Your face, resting on the crook of his neck, hands roaming his back for support, and legs instinctively trying spread out to give his member more room to explore your inner walls.

You gave him the go-ahead to start moving. He gave a small thrust into you. With the pleasure kicking in, you hand immediately went to your mouth to hold back any sinful noises that would be considered to loud, the last thing you wanted was to get caught with your chest out there and Bardroy midway fucking you on the counter.

He thrusted in and out of you, and each one had you quivering in pleasure all the more. The pleasure was too much for you to the point where one of your hands started gripping the back of Bardroy’s top.

Hips smacking against each other, the wetness of your lips sounding very noticeable than they should be. His member fit like a glove inside you, as you quietly moaned in his ear, giving him all the motivation he needed to keep going and going for you.

“O-oh B-Bardroy...!” You breathes out heavily, hot breath possibly warming up his neck. It turned him on so much. “Feels s-so good...!” You tried your best to praise him, but all this intimacy was overwhelming for you that it was hard to say anything coherent.

His precum and your own juices collided with one another, you were both in sync at how close you were to cumming.

“B-bard..! I’m gonna...”

“M-me too!”

“Ahhh ~!”

Bard immediately pulled his member out, covering his white juices onto your stomach.

You slowly let go of Bardroy, the counter was suddenly more comfortable than before. Your legs, still vibrating from all the ecstasy and pleasure that just played out moments ago.

Bard pulled his pants up, the buckle of his belt still loose. He left the counter, for something...

He came back with napkins, cleaning any sinful evidence that took place inside your walls or stomach.

Bard helped you out with putting on your clothes, finding any loose clothing that you threw on the floor moments ago.

Although you were clean thanks to Bardroy, and fully clothed, you were still in a blissful state, making walking straight almost a hard task for you. Knowing this, he lifted you up with both arms, finding the closet chair available, hoping for you to be somewhat comfortable.

In the meantime, waiting out the exhaustion to deem down for both of you.

What a night this turned out to be...

#black butler x reader #smut #bardroy x reader #bardroy #black butler/reader #hubbywritings

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jawnjendes · 5 years

Text

bonus: prettiest girl at the party | shawn mendes

university au, shawn x goth oc

AN: this aint the sequel yet, its just a little extra bit, a flashback if you will. and it includes a NAME REVEAL. oh and the end kind of hints to whats gonna be going on in “season 2″ of this fic :)

**let me know if u wanna be added to the taglist

masterlist

“Those shoes remind me of the time we first met,” Shawn said, nodding down to the huge black platforms on my feet.

I was at least five inches taller in these fashionable death traps. My feet were aching and blistering whether I was sitting or standing because of the plastic material, but it was all for the look. Shawn may have been taller than me despite this, but I felt more powerful and confident. He had his eyes on me from the moment he saw me tonight, so damaging my feet may have been worth it. However, I was confused by his statement.

“I’m pretty sure I didn’t wear these bricks to the coffee shop,” I replied.

“No, not that time,” he told me. “It was a little bit before that.”

“What?”

It’s one thing to be caught in the middle of a walk of shame the morning after said shameful events. It was something else to be caught in this walk only fifteen minutes after the fact. Shawn had clearly lost track of time, checking his watch before fixing the collar of his shirt and ruffling his hair back into place. The elevator doors opened to the dorm lobby, and Brian was standing on the other side, probably waiting to go up.

At least it was Brian. He always knew that Shawn was either in class, at work, in the studio, or "visiting" a friend. He didn’t judge, unlike other friends. Camila always asked Shawn when he was going to tie himself down to a proper relationship. She knew what he really wanted deep down.

Shawn had bigger things to worry about at the moment.

“Just tell me it wasn’t who we’re about to go visit right now,” Brian said, stepping into the elevator next to his friend.

“Who? Camila?” Shawn asked, resisting the urge to laugh out loud. “No way!”

“We’re not going to Camila’s,” Brian reminded him. “We’re going to her friend’s dorm. She’s got a Switch and booze.”

The doors opened to the second floor of the building. Brian led the way to the right room, and just as the approached the door to B24, Camila turned the corner from the end of the corridor.

She smiled wide and greeted the two boys. “Hey! We’re right on time!” She was about to knock on the door, but Brian quickly grabbed her wrist to stop her.

“What’s your friend’s name again?”

“Her name is Stella Martinez. And don’t grab me,” Camila replied pointedly as she harshly pulled her arm away. Her brown eyes trailed over to Shawn. “You might wanna fix your shirt. The buttons are mixed up. And I hope that’s lipstick on your neck.”

Shawn’s cheeks flushed as his hand went up to the crook of his neck. Just as Camila had said, there was something there. He felt the slimey, glossy substance under his fingers and then rubbed it away. Looking down at his white shirt, he found that two of the buttons in the middle had gone missing. He totally did not know how that happened.

Finally, Camila knocked on the door, and answered the famous Stella Martinez. Although, she answered the door a little too fast, like she had been waiting on the other side. "Hi guys! I'm so glad you guys made it!" She hugged all three of them, despite never having met Brian and Shawn before.

Actually, Shawn knew her… barely. He met Stella through Camila only once, when she had crashed their chorus class and pretended to sing along with everyone else. All he remembered was that she could carry a tune.

The dorm looked and felt like an apartment, it was very big for only one person. Shawn himself didn’t live on campus, but he knew not all of the dorms were as spacious as this one. It was almost as big as his apartment, plenty of light would come in if it wasn’t for the thick curtains on the windows.

Stella happily invited Shawn, Brian, and Camila onto the couch and then she dashed into the kitchen, her light brown hair bouncing behind her.

“Is your place this cool?” Brian asked Camila. So he had been thinking about it too.

“Not even. I’m in the other college,” she said. “First years get jack shit. Stella's a second year with a fuck ton of credits, so she got priority in choosing classes and living space."

Stella returned from the kitchen holding four open Corona bottles. She placed them all on the coffee table and the other three reached for their own bottles. Stella sat down on the floor facing them.

“Oh, here,” Shawn said, immediately standing up and gesturing to his seat.

Normally, there was a minor “no, you’re the guest” debate, but Stella wasn’t one for that. She happily sat next to Camila, so Shawn sat on the floor leaning against the arm of the couch. He noticed a random object on the table, a black and teal something… like a Swiss army knife. Interesting choice for a centerpiece.

“So,” Brian spoke up after a while, “where’s the Switch?”

“Oh yeah!” Stella exclaimed, jumping to her feet. “I’ll be right back!”

The way she moved and carried herself was almost spastic. Stella was clearly very excited to have guests over, and what she lacked in height was made up for in her energy. Shawn had a feeling he would probably adore her by the end of the night.

He watched her go up to one of the bedroom doors, and that was when her energy faltered a little bit. She knocked almost timidly and then went inside the room.

“Does she have a roommate?” Shawn asked the other two. Surely he couldn’t have been the only one to notice the lack of other life in the vicinity.

“Yeah, she does,” Camila replied. “I don’t know her, though. She doesn’t leave her room that much, from what Stella tells me.”

Her words were immediately contradicted as a new girl came out of the room. She was holding a rectangular dock, 2 cords, and a grey Nintendo Switch. Stella followed after her, and the two separate energies became very apparent in the room, and it wasn’t just from their appearances.

Stella had a bounce in her step and a ghost of a smile permanently on her face. She was dressed for guests, in her red blouse and ripped blue jeans. Her hair was in a neat braid, and her perfume was strong, but also inviting. She was very easy to approach and get along with. You could tell you would end up being friends with her in just a few short minutes.

The roommate radiated something else. Not only was she in a torn and tattered Rise Against t-shirt and tiny black shorts, she also had the most neutral, borderline scowl on her face. She greeted the three guests on the couch with a nod of her head when Stella introduced them. She didn’t say anything more as she leaned down to plug the dock into the back of the TV, her long, dark hair covering her face. She looked like someone you did not want to cross. She could probably kill you with one glare, and it wasn’t just from the amount of eyeliner she had on.

Stella and her roommate were obviously very different. So guess which of the two girls Shawn felt inexplicable attraction to.

It was probably the legs. While this mysterious roommate wasn't the tallest person in the room (taller than Stella, at least), she had some killer legs coming out of those tight little shorts. Her olive skin almost glowed in that area. At least something on this girl was glowing. Shawn tore his eyes away from her body as she addressed the group.

“I’ve got three controllers total,” she said, her voice as neutral as her face was, “the joycons for the Switch.” She held up two small grey controllers, and one black gamepad. “And I have one pro controller. If anything messes up, let me know.”

She placed the controllers on the coffee table and simply turned on her heel to leave.

“You don’t wanna join us?” Stella asked her.

Yes, please join us. You’re kinda creepy looking but I need to talk to you.

“I’m still unpacking,” the roommate called over her shoulder.

Shawn was puzzled at that answer. He shared a look with Camila and Brian, who were just as bemused.

“It’s October,” Brian pointed out.

The roommate stopped at her doorway and turned back to him. "And what about it?"

Again, if looks could kill. She was definitely someone you don’t wanna mess with.

Shawn was mildly tempted, though. He watched her go into the room and shut the door non-too-gently. If this was a full blown party, Shawn would have been able to work up the courage to sneakily follow her and hit her up. He could have disappeared with the prettiest girl at the party and his friends would be none the wiser. But this was a much smaller setting, and it would be rude for him to ditch his friends for a stranger. Not to mention, this girl's energy and general presence made Shawn just a little nervous.

Instead, he watched the other three play against each other at Mario Kart. Stella practically screamed every time she was hit with a shell, while Brian cursed every time he lost to Camila. Shawn played a couple of rounds (finishing last), but he mainly nursed his beer, eyes flickering between the TV and the roommate's bedroom door. He really shouldn't have been so quick to take interest another girl, given where he was not that long ago. Was he really that desperate? Was he more of a horndog than he thought?

Between races, the group would hear tearing noises and cardboard shuffling around from the room. There was also faint rock music playing as well, but it wasn't anything Shawn recognized. If only the roommate would leave the room so he could ask her what she was listening to… and things like that. He couldn't though, he promised he would see that other girl again, even though Shawn was quickly losing his interest. Was it a dick move? Probably, but this was something he couldn’t really explain.

The second the roommate finally did emerge from her room, Shawn took another gulp from his beer and averted his eyes back to the screen. Way to show some interest.

"Stella, have you seen my knife?" she asked from the doorway.

Not surprising in the slightest. And they've all known her for about thirty minutes.

"No, what have you been using to open your boxes?" Stella asked.

"A pencil, and it sucks."

"You're using a-"

"Yes, you can stab with any item if you try hard enough!" the roommate said impatiently. "Now have you seen my pocket knife? It's black and teal?"

Shawn didn't know what possessed him to snatch up the item on the coffee table and hold it up to the roommate. But he did it, and he could only hope he didn't look crazy. "This one?"

Her dark eyes lit up as she took the item. "Thanks, dude." With a flick of her finger, she switched the blade open and swiftly went back to her room.

Was Shawn drunk or was that kinda hot?

Like magnets, Shawn and Brian turned to each other with similar looks on their faces. They both silently agreed, yes, this girl is probably definitely a badass and kinda hot. Did you see the legs on her? Shawn quirked his eyebrows and paid attention to the TV again, even though they were in between races.

"I know that look," Stella said, her bubbly tone turning for the first time that evening.

Talk about being a deer in headlights...

"What look?" Camila asked.

"You know, when we see a cute person and silently agree on how cute they are. And you silently decide which one of you is gonna make a move."

"Oh, that look." Camila smiled, glancing at the two blushing boys.

Shawn wanted to argue, but his mind was on a pair of beautiful legs and a sexy knife. This time, when the door opened again, his heart skipped a beat. What the hell is happening?

"Hey, Stella," the roommate said again. She was holding a pair of thick, platform ankle boots. "Do we have any shoe polish?"

The boots alone put Shawn's mind on overdrive. He had to have this girl. He had to see those legs with those boots. He took another hefty gulp of his beer and tried to settle his… everything. He was very much attracted to this girl, but it's not like he could perform again after doing so a couple of hours ago. That's what was so weird. Shawn was physically spent, but he still found himself eyeing someone new. He was insanely curious about this girl, and not just her legs. Why does she have boots like that? Why was she wearing such a beat up t-shirt? Why was she so late to unpack?

"I don't have any, I know that much," Stella told her, and back into the room she went.

"Is she seeing anybody?" Shawn asked, unable to control herself.

Stella raised her eyebrows, surprised. "She doesn't want me telling you her business."

"So that's a yes?"

"It means I'm not telling you her business."

"Oh, so I should ask her directly?"

"No!"

"Can I talk to her?" Brian asked.

"No!" Stella snapped. She sighed and glanced at the bedroom door. Then she leaned in towards the group and spoke quietly. "She's going through something right now. If either of you try anything, she will bite your head off. Trust me, I've seen it happen."

Shawn chuckled, only taking this as a challenge. "A feisty one, eh? Nothing I can't handle."

Stella looked him dead in the eyes. "She has a pocket knife, and she's not afraid to use it."

It was silent apart from the game's music playing from the TV. Then, Camila spoke up.

"You two are some of the thirstiest people I've ever met. Just have fun with your friends and stop thinking about getting laid for a second!" She lightly smacked Shawn on his shoulder. "You literally had a one night stand before you got here!" Then she turned to Stella. "And what kind of people do you room with? She's so unlike you! Like, I have so many questions."

So it wasn't only Shawn and Brian who were curious about this mystery girl.

"She is my friend," Stella firmly replied. "We have things in common that have nothing to do with how we dress ourselves. And again, she is not in a place for whatever Tweedledee and Tweedledum have in mind."

Her optimism and perkiness was long gone. She was completely serious and defensive, so Shawn let it go for now. Besides, it's not like he didn't have another option in the floor above. Although, that didn't seem so appealing anymore. He hadn't seen anything like this mysterious roommate, and he was interested in solving that mystery.

"What's her name, anyway? You gotta tell me that at least," he said to Stella.

"Ann. Annalise Flores."

Little did Shawn know, Annalise Flores would be the one to give him the air he breathes.

I chuckled, completely blown away by this little anecdote. "How do you remember this and I don't?"

Shawn shrugged, his eyes still on the road. "You were busy, and probably isolating yourself, so that's why you don't remember. No one has ever stood out to me so much in the span of five minutes the way you did. I knew that night wouldn't be the last time I saw you. And I was right."

My cheeks were burning, and I couldn't help but smile. "Well, Stella was right. I had just broken up with Luca at that time. The depression set me back a little bit, so that's why I was unpacking so late. And I didn't want anyone trying to pursue me. So I'm glad you didn't make your move that night."

It was a soft moment in the midst of the weird, awkward circumstances we had put ourselves into. Shawn knew how to bring light to times like these, and it reminded me of why I adored him so much.

_______

taglist: @normalcyisoverrated-beyou @ilsolee @mendesromano @1-800-khalid-mendussy @kitykatnumber @strangerliaa @dylshoney @iloveshawnieboi @poppyshawn @shawnsunflower @shawnvvmendes @calyumthomas

#shawn mendes #shawn mendes fanfic #shawn mendes imagine #shawn mendes blurb #shawn mendes smut #shawn x goth gf #here we mcfreakin go lads

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deeply-infernum · 4 years

Text

"Just a Little Bit of Your Heart." - Khaýd Gharibacci.

This is my first Harringrove shot, so I hope you like it and I'll read all your comments about.

The night was slightly bright, the stars did their thing and the chestnut was in his car heading home, he did not know much what was out of it, however he needed some peace after many events happened in these few days : the days were now pure fights against beings from another dimension.

"What the fuck."

He snorted, he only dedicated himself to examining every corner of what seemed to be a forest around the road, suddenly the memory of golden curls appeared in his mind which he wanted to evade but he knew perfectly well that he could not do it, he felt lost in he, his blue eyes, his mocking smile, the seriousness in which a single movement of his eyebrows could leave you frozen, knew that Billy was in danger while under the influence of Mindflayer, but he could with it, even so he seemed to give in to the horrifying being Steve just wanted the blond to be fine.

The road was retaken again with a loud sound that made it slow down, left the car with its chocolate mane hitting the air and looking directly at the mall which was far away but from the height it could be seen perfectly.

— Billy…

He muttered and went back into the car to accelerate everything to reach the center.

"..."

— It's ironic that now you are the same Billy Hargrove you are by my side when you used to hate me... why? If I had never done something to you...

— I thought so too. -Billy whispered exhaling the smoke caused by tobacco when smoking the night cigarette that he had a habit of doing long ago, the morning was perfect companion of sincerity for those two submitted to their own decision to hide every trace of their current situation, like two fierce bears that they hated each other, like two birds of different species willing to fight for food for their young, like two bees determined to kill any intruder.

In Steve's home, his parents were rarely seen, so he practically grew up only with the help of friends, he had everything, he was not missing anything, but something crucial like the presence of his parents was too lacking.

— But since I saw you, you've always been someone pretentious and you thought the world was at your feet, but when I arrived in your city, the world turned to me and your reign was over. -He said mockingly messing up Steve's beautiful long strands, approaching him dangerously at the level of bumping his breaths, Hargrove's cunning hand ran subtly across the abdomen over the shirt of the blue eyes boy, his breathing became heavy and the mischievous smile was worth photographing.

— Even I didn't resist your charms and now the brat I hate most is now the current love of my life that tells me a new story every day. -It was true. Harrington's sincere and full smile of victory appeared after an icy eternity hidden in Olympus, Billy believed he was unworthy to see such a beautiful smile or simply the gods had rewarded him with being able to see her after giving up his arrogant and self-sufficient attitude when he knew clearly that he needed help, but the one who gave him help was now loving him without any condition on.

The strong and rigid arms of Hargrove were present at the waist of the tallest attracting his body to him and deposit a soft and sweet kiss on the chestnut's lips, the kiss was not any kiss, however, the hands of the opposite were directed to the hair and turned back of the blond stroking with subtlety and curiosity as each muscle of him reacted to his touch, was similar or identical to his with the lips of others.

— I really didn't think of loving someone like that. -Said the lower one, standing next to his partner on the sofa taking a suggestive position in them which made them laugh in unison, it was not strange in them, but they would do it this time in a different way, sweeter, pure love between them, It was not simply quenching sexual impetus. As if Billy wanted to convey something.

— Not me, or at least hide it, I'm not one of those but I just don't want to be hurt, Billy, enough with your father's ...

— Don't remember, it's not worth it. -He smiles. — Now he will go away with his wife, I will be alone with Max, my little sister, don't tell her, but I love her too much, I just want to protect her.

— How did your mother do it with you before... that?

— Exactly the same. -He said with a smile, he had opened very well with Steve about his whole life and they had sworn to always take care and love at all times but hide it, it was not a good time to prove it so much, but, his friends already knew That at least made them feel good, not as something forbidden, not quite.

— Better eat my mouth and let's make tonight the best of all our lives… -He said it in the most vague and sad way of all, he was a self-confident and sincere Billy, Harrington didn't respond and that night was really the one that made his own.

— Do you promise we'll be together until the end protecting us? -Steve murmured over the red lips of the blue eyes boy stripping off his clothes little by little.

— I promise you with my life.

"..."

The trip was being dangerous and tears fell on his cheeks involuntarily, what was going on? He knew that the only ones who could make a scandal of that magnitude were his friends, and therefore among them was the bad guy in the movie: Billy.

Several stop signs were passed without any respect, the traffic lights were useless before the worry of a being who loves, a being that is about to lose everything by a simple war between two worlds but it was the truth, they had to do it or they would die more people.

"Thank U" by Alanis Morissette was in the background in the car singing to give everything, the lyrics of such melody did not help the chestnut at all, he despaired but finally arrived. While he was going down, every memory next to the blond came to his head, almost destroying his good expectations and also everything that crossed his path, when he entered he found a great monster being attacked with fireworks and in the second floor could see his friends, it was comforting to know that his beloved was not participating in this.

He went up immediately to help others, everyone was almost glad to have him on his team to stop the Mindflayer, however, Steve's features seemed to fall like a mask, the security he was feeling fell like a crystal mask breaking into the ground to reveal the face of the aforementioned full of terror when the beast, looking mocking, looked down, the scene was incredible, Billy had a prisoner to Eleven which seemed to have a conversation where Billy was stunned, confused.

Steve left everything immediately going to where they were seeing the monstrous image of a being more than ten meters high in front of him.

— Billy! -Exclaimed the brown eyes boy in a desperate scream, looking at him with great anguish to see what he was doing. — Let her go! -The fireworks stopped because there were few of them, there was nothing else to attack, Mike could come almost behind Steve being able to help Eleven with Max and the others, all grouped watching that scene and how the abomination was ahead admiring everything.

Steve slowly approached Billy.

— Steve no, it's not safe!! -Shouted the younger sister of the blonde however did not get even the least case from the protagonist, Billy's teary eyes in front of Steve showed that he did not want to do any of this, but his body was now damaged by the same influence of the monster , being a few inches in front of Billy, one by one looking into his eyes, the brunette spoke.

— Hey... you look very bad, idiot... -He whispered subtly watching his beloved, showed features that were not his own, influencing on a higher level by the supernatural.

— I'm Steve, the boy you hated and hit without explanation, remember? The one who loves you now without any commitment, the one who will take care of you like that costs his life... -He muttered, everyone was attentive, but the influence was shouting to claim Steve's body as an offering, however the fear of the chestnut was still but I wasn't going to give up.

— I beg you to beat this that has you trapped, you don't exist to be cornered, to be trapped, you exist to be free, like that night in which you and I were free, please, Billy... react, please... -The hands of others had been on the chest of the blond, the tears of the lowest were sprouting, he was being himself, little by little he could beat the supernatural, he smiled as he knew how to do it, hugged him carefully but being punished for that Beast hurting him inside, he gasped at the stabbing pain in his chest.

— You don't know how much I love you. -It was the only thing he could say and released the child, just when he felt the destructive presence of the being in front of them, he pushed Harrington falling to the ground and being helped by the companions.

— Billy! -Eleven exclaimed, his powers still did not return to her, and he could not do anything, Billy held that kind of assassin tentacle of the Mindflayer with both hands, it was just directed for Steve, another of them went straight to attack the blond going to the side from his abdomen, Billy tried to endure but his forces were almost nil, another attacked the free side of the boy, Steve could not release the force and anger accumulated to see his boy being hurt in such a way because he was being stopped by his friends, desperately shouting the name of his beloved, when a final blow pierced the chest of the ojiazul, simply leaving it without any force, the portal was about to be closed but almost minutes later this was carried out ending the life of the Mindflayer almost instantly .

— Billy, no! -He screamed heartbreakingly watching the dying and blood-drenched body of his entire life, his breath was leaving, the blood was leaving him and his life was about to end, Max and Steve immediately came to his aid, Steve took him in his arms part of his body combing his curls as if that brought him back to life, the chestless tears of the chestnut fell on the lap of the blond.

— You laughed, please, don't leave me here, I beg you. -He pleaded with total destruction in his voice and heart, a slight smile peeked over the blond's face to turn to see his redhead sister releasing a weak "I'm sorry" for all the damage he had caused, finally turned to his Straight-haired angel and wonderful smile, weakly took his cheek.

— Thank you for making me see life in a fantastic way. -And with this, Billy's life was over.

The screams of Steve and his lament was a requiem sounded throughout the nascent life of his companions, the cry of his little stepsister and his allies were of pure fury, the life of his sweet and bad Billy Hargrove had ended up simply defending him from a inevitable death but thanks to his pure and honest love he had simply taken the place of the person he loved as he promised.

— I will protect you with my own life...

#steve harrington #joe keery #dacre montgomery #billy hargrove #billy hargove imagine #billy x steve #harringrove #stranger things #season #stranger things 3

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vicehectic · 5 years

Text

Vongola Vigilantes (2/?)

Based on this post I made a while ago, or you know, just this:

“…instead of Class 1-A and the Vongola 10th gen being the same age, the Vongola are a long established vigilante group that’s a pain in police’s and villain’s sides (most heroes either have neutral opinions or quietly agree with the Vongola) while Izuku loves them and is their number one fanboy.”

Parts 1 / 2 / 3 / ?

Also on AO3

Izuku loves heroes. That's a well-known fact, even if everyone in class ridicules him because he's quirkless. A lesser-known fact is that Izuku likes vigilantes.

Well, not just all vigilantes. Izuku isn't into Crawler or Pop Step that much. He's into The Vigilantes. With all the emphasis, capitalized letters, and everything else.

The Vongola. Comprised of what seems to be eight members, they're a well-oiled working machine when it comes to the justice they serve.

Izuku, of course, has profiles on each of them in a notebook similar to all of his “Hero Analysis for My Future” notebooks. It’s the same “Campos” brand notebook but with a black cover with “The Vigilante Analysis: The Vongola” in silver sharpie.

The notebook starts with a brief history with the Vongola. After the massive flooding in Okinawa caused by a rampant villain, who has since been jailed by hero duo Water Hose, rescue heroes were called from all over to make attempts at saving all the civilians declared missing in the aftermath. Days came and went, and the general public was starting to lose hope. Each day only a fraction of those missing were found and heroes were losing steam. Days of endless struggle on the part of the heroes and of endless depression on the part of civilians who were missing friends and family made morale low. When all hope seemed lost, eight individuals wearing business suits and masks made their way across Okinawa, saving people from collapsing buildings and precarious perches. In just a few days, hundreds of civilians were returned to their friends and families and the group “Vongola” went viral after a certain video was uploaded to YourTube.

For a long time after that, the Vongola seemed to just disappear off the face of the map. People thought maybe it was just a group of civilians that came together to do the right thing. Others thought they were arrested soon after saving the civilians and the government and the police was hiding it from the general public. But just after half a year, members of the Vongola were spotted all over Japan administering justice to things like petty crime to full on villain attacks.

Overall, Japan is divided on their views of the Vongola. Some cheer on the Vongola, praising them for their work. Most of these people are people who encourage vigilantes in general or those who have been saved by the Vongola. Others want the Vongola jailed. Because of the way they mask their voices and faces, it’s been made quite obvious none of them are licensed heroes and are thus breaking the law for using their quirks in public. The police and the government have rewards out for the identities of the Vongola and any and all tips are investigated by the police. But so far, none of the tips lead to anything and no rewards have been awarded.

The little introduction stops there and next comes a list of all the crimes the Vongola have stopped or contributed to stop. The list is long and detailed, with brief descriptions, creative titles, dates, and which members were at the scene. The section after the list comes a different list, a list with the crimes Izuku suspects the Vongola have contributed to stopping but has not been confirmed.

After those sections finally comes the profiles and whenever Izuku sees them, pride fills his chest. Years of research are accumulated into sixteen little pages and he’d pass it on as a family heirloom in a heartbeat.

The first profile belongs to Knuckle, because that's who makes him laugh the most. Over the years, Knuckle has grown taller, bulkier, and stronger until he’s a tower of a man – but his personality hasn’t changed a bit. His voice tic of “EXTREME” has stuck around and he’s almost always laughing cheerfully when he’s knocking down villains with his fists of steel. Izuku has him drawn to a smaller scale but Knuckle still fills a whole page in his black suit and yellow dress shirt. Knuckle’s MMA glove covered hands are thrown above his head, his gold bangle with the yellow gem still shown vividly on his upper arm. His white hair is slicked back as it always is, and his mask is the same as it has been over the years: pale yellow sun painted with watercolors at the left chin and a black outline of an open clam with two rifle bullets crossed within it on the right side of the forehead. In the small space above the man’s head is “EXTREME” in bubble letters and a speech tail following to where Izuku assumes Knuckle’s mouth is. Beside one of Knuckle’s hand his draws a simple medical scalpel you could find in any hospital and colors the end with a bright yellow aura to depict his quirk.

Alaude follows Knuckle simply because he’s been seen with Knuckle more than anyone else. Alaude’s shorter and lither than Knuckle and Izuku was sure to make that obvious in the sketch. But Izuku isn’t stupid to think that just because Knuckle is larger in size that Alaude is weak. No, rather, Alaude seems just as fast and strong as Knuckle – maybe even more. Unlike Knuckle, Alaude is more brutal in his fights with villains, never toying around and going straight to incapacitation. Alaude never seems to hold back and is much quieter than Knuckle, to the point that most of the media has only ever caught him saying key words and his fellow Vongola members’ names. Alaude stands with confidence in his sketch, a silver tonfa in each hand, black business suit with a violet dress shirt, silver handcuffs hanging from a belt loop, and his gaudy silver bracelet with spikes and chains hanging from it. His black hair is tied into a small and loose ponytail but most of his mask hides his hair. The mask is the same from his first appearance, just like Knuckle: the same clam and bullet combination on his right forehead, on the left chin the watercolor painting of purple clouds. Above Alaude’s head in menacing font are the words “kamikorosu” and “herbivores”.

Daemon comes next because Alaude and Daemon seem to have some kind of grudge with each other. Daemon is the tallest of all the vigilantes but has the body type of someone in between the heavily built Knuckle and the graceful Alaude. Daemon has the sharpest tongue of all the vigilantes as well, intimidation and provocation are his game; which is probably why Alaude hates him so much. Daemon fills the page from top to bottom because of his height, which made Izuku struggle with fitting the man’s large silver three-pronged trident onto the page – never mind the intricate designs and nuances the trident has itself. Daemon strays from the business suit style, replacing his blazer with a long and unique coat with leather and metal plating and a European flair. His pants and shoes stay the same, but Daemon lacks the uniform black tie and simply wears an indigo dress shirt and adds black nail polish on his bare hands to his uniform. Daemon is also definitely the most flamboyant of the vigilantes, proved further by the way he wears his gaudy silver earring with indigo gems in each of the four dagger-like objects that hang from his left ear with pride. Daemon’s most defining feature has to be his navy hair tied into a loose man bun but many like to joke that if they could see his face under his mask his smug face would be recognized everywhere. Somehow, the white mask with the same clam and bullet combination and the indigo mist seems to laugh mockingly at you – despite none of the other Vongola masks doing the same. To the side of his head, Izuku has written “kufufu” to depict the man’s signature laugh.

Next is Spade, the only woman of the group, following Daemon simply because of their similarities. The same indigo blouse under her pants suit and the exact same mask. Spade even has a smaller matching trident to fit her height and the same dagger-like earring handing from his right ear. As the only woman, she seems almost tiny in comparison to her fellow members – but Spade is petite in general. Spade looks like she could hardly hurt a fly but Izuku has seen her send out terrifying attacks – it shows to never underestimate someone, especially for their size and gender. Her nails are always colored a deep indigo and a photographer was lucky enough to get a picture of her hand up close to see that she has little white skulls drawn on each nail. Compared to Daemon, Spade is soft spoken and hardly ever speaks to her opponents – making people why she wears similar stuff to Daemon. Her long purple hair is almost always in a fishtail braid and shows as such in Izuku’s sketch. Beside her are the only words she ever seems to deign to her opponents, “Prepare yourself”.

Romeo comes next only to not crowd Spade with taller people. Romeo is the scrawniest of the group and a similar height to Spade and seems to be growing still. How does Izuku know this? Because Romeo had started out as just a child and only now does he seem to be approaching adulthood. Romeo’s voice always seems so exhausted and done with the world, and often makes sarcastic quips in battle; asking why the villains couldn’t just give him a break. He’s the only one of the Vongola slouched in his sketch, hands shoved in pockets and leaning on one leg over the other as his mask stares on straight ahead. His suit mirrors his lazy teen demeanor, the suit is often rumpled, and his green dress shirt wrinkled. His tie is either nonexistent or tied in a sad attempt in a knot but more often than not he just battles with a couple of his top buttons unbuttoned. But his lazy demeanor doesn’t fool anyone because of his devasting green lightning like attacks that can also serve as a powerful barrier defensively. Romeo’s dark green spiked up hair is often hidden by the giant helm on his head that sports gaudy horns and a large green gem, but it doesn’t seem to hinder his movements at all. His mask is the same as the rest with the black clam and bullet combination, but green lightning is drawn on his chin. Beside the teen are the words “yare yare” written lazily.

G follows Romeo mostly because, what Izuku can tell, G is Romeo’s keeper. He has a gruff voice and openly scolds other members for not following his orders in his colorful language. He’s short tempered and rather crass but G has been seen handling difficult situations with speed and calmness that shows not only how intelligent G is, but also how capable he is. He’s not exactly short, but compared to Daemon, he’s not tall. G is probably only a couple centimeters taller than Alaude but it’s too close to actually call it. In Izuku’s sketch, the man is standing tall in his business suit and violent red dress shirt. Unlike the others who have normal belts, G sports a gaudy silver belt buckle with arrows sticking out behind a skull and a red gem for the skull’s mouth. G’s defining feature, besides his dirty mouth, are the accessories he has on. He wears chains around his neck, hanging from his belt loop, and around his wrists. Almost all his fingers adorn rings and he has dynamite in both his hands in the sketch – a weapon that he skillfully uses and seemingly pulls out from nowhere. G has his silver hair spiked up and a deliberate kind of messy but that doesn’t draw away from his mask with his chin designed with red storm clouds with lighting and rain while the rest of the mask is the same as the others. Above the sketch of the man are multiple expletives censored by careful handwriting on Izuku’s part.

Asari is the second tallest of the group and next because of his almost funny bickering with G on the battlefield. Asari always seems so easygoing with his carefree laughter – the complete opposite to G’s high-strung personality. But Asari seems to have a mischievous nature as he keeps teasing G any chance he gets. But, just like his fellow vigilantes, Asari has two faces, and it’s said those who see Asari’s more serious side are scarred for life. Asari is built similar to Daemon, all broad shoulders and toned arms and legs – which makes sense as they both carry weapons that command swinging. Asari carries the same sword which a much simpler design than Daemon and Spade’s trident. It’s a simple katana with bandages at the hilt and a simple swallow engraved near the scabbard mouth that Asari always carries in its hilt over his shoulders. He wears the business suit but similarly to Romeo, does not wear the tie with his blue dress shirt or wears it loosely, also unbuttoning the top buttons. When he doesn’t wear his tie, you can clearly see that Asari wears a silver chain necklace that has a pendant of a sword with water-like swirls that surround the blade. There’s a bright blue gem that rests at the hilt of the sword pendant. His mask reflects his fellow members, only with beautifully drawn blue rain. Just next to his mouth are the words “maa maa” written frivolously

Finally, there's Giotto. Giotto is hardly ever seen but Izuku thinks he did a decent job with all the bits and pieces he’s managed to gather. Giotto wears the same business suit with an orange dress shirt, but he dons an elegant black cape on his shoulders that is capable of encompassing his whole body. His mask has the clam and bullets on it in black on the forehead, but the same clam and bullets in bright orange on his chin. There are always leather gloves on Giotto's hands and there are two differently sized rings on his fingers connected by a chain, the larger one with an orange gem on it. Giotto is the shortest man, Romeo not counting as he is still a teen and still growing and he’s only a bit taller than Spade herself. He has the lithe body type, much like Alaude but somehow seems so charismatic and powerful. Even sight of his brown hair in a low ponytail will make villains quake in their shoes. Giotto speaks and appears rarely, but eyes are immediately drawn to him and it makes Izuku wonder how he manages to always make a smooth escape from authorities. Everyone before Giotto follows his orders and is no doubt the boss of the Vongola. Many who have yet to be in his presence wonder why one of the more weaker looking members of the Vongola lead, or why the one who defeats the least number of villains is the leader, but they haven’t looked into the Vongola like Izuku has. Izuku highly expects that at least 90% of the villain incidents that haven’t been tied to the Vongola in his list are all due to the hands of Giotto.

Izuku makes edits to the notes that he already has and adds new theories to them before he shoves the notebook to the bottom of his desk drawer.

Izuku may love the Vongola, but half of Japan is with him. The other half isn't.

“All Might, do you know the Vongola?” Izuku doesn't know what makes him ask his mentor that question, but one day as he takes a break from cleaning up the trash on Dagobah Municipal Beach Park, he asks. Only, because he's curious. Izuku loves the Vongola as much as he loves All Might, because they're helping people with the powers they possess. Regular civilians that are doing their best to make the world a better place – people that don’t ignore the petty crime nor the rumors of villain attacks when they’re just that: rumors. They’ve changed people’s lives for the better just by being there when heroes weren’t. How does The Number One Hero view these well-meaning people? But Izuku also asks because Izuku knows All Might has worked with some of them, no matter how briefly.

All Might frowns at the question, “The Vongola?” he repeats, “Why the sudden question Midoriya-shounen?”

Izuku panics immediately, “I-I mean! I'm just curious! You've worked with them before, right? Since they're vigilantes I was just curious and-”

All Might holds up a hand to stop Izuku, “I wasn't criticizing you, you have a right to be curious, but do you believe what the Vongola are doing is right?”

Izuku doesn't know how to respond and he flails, trying to start twenty sentences twenty times before All Might silences him again to respond, “I have worked with the Vongola before. While it was only briefly and not discussed beforehand, they always escaped before anyone could catch them. They're rather slippery.” All Might says with almost some bitterness as he thinks back to his past.

“Do… do you not think what they're doing is right?” Izuku asks hesitantly.

All Might’s face immediately hardens, “While they're actions can be considered heroic, there are protocols and procedures for everything. There's a reason why there are laws heroes must follow. For as long as they use their quirks to rule with their own judgement, I will not adhere to what they do.”

That ends that conversation and Izuku never brings it up again.

That is, until he gets into Yuuei and the new term starts.

The house seems empty when he walks in. It's completely silent and there's no one in sight. His gravity defying hair almost hits the shoe case by the door when he throws some hastily toed off shoes inside.

Then there's a thud and something comes skidding across the wooden floors to his feet.

“Natsu!” Sawada Tsunayoshi cheers as he sets down his backpack, picking up his lion cub companion, running his hand through the flame like mane the animal has, “Where are the others?”

The lion cub looks directly into Tsuna's eyes as he mewls something to his owner with a continuous “gao gao gao”.

Tsuna nestles Natsu in his arms and slips off his shoes, “Lambo took a nap huh? It must have been a rough day at work for him huh?”

Natsu purrs into his owner's chest but it's cut off from a low guttural groan from a pillow sized bull that rounds the corner of the house. Tsuna smiles at the drowsy expression on the bull's face, “Hey there Gyuu. Did you and Lambo take a nap together?”

The relatively small bull nods slowly and Tsuna laughs openly, “Well let's leave him alone until dinner. I'm sure that Gunhead worked Lambo to the bone again, even over summer break. I’ll get dinner done while he rests.”

“No need,” a sleep filled voice mutters as a lanky teen with curly dark green locks enters the living room, “How was the flower shop?”

Tsuna smiles when he sees the teen that is his little brother, “It was fine Lambo. How was Gunhead?”

Lambo groans at the memory of it leaning against his older brother affectionately, “It was the absolute worse! My ability was useless against this guy robbing a jewelry store! No matter what I threw at him he just kept coming!”

Tsuna laughs and pats the teenage boy on the back, “Come on and sit down at the counter while I make dinner and continue your story, okay?”

Lambo grumpily pulls away but follows his older brother into the kitchen, continuing his loud protests.

The restaurant is hectic at dinner time and Yamamoto Takeshi’s mind is completely calm as he gets through orders, making small talk to customers in the small restaurant.

“You're busy as always, huh Yamamoto-san?”

Takeshi smiles at a regular brightly, “Haha, I'm just glad people seem to like our food!”

“Like?” a man from somewhere else down the bar scoffs, “You have a line of people outside Yamamoto! Don't belittle yourself!”

Takeshi laughs again, “Is that so?”

A hand smacks the back of his head, not even disturbing his unruly spiked up black hair, “I'm sorry about Takeshi-kun, hahi!” the woman who smacked him says, wearing a waitress uniform, “He's much too humble!”

Takeshi laughs sheepishly when he sees the peeved look on Miura Haru's face, “Maa, maa, Haru, we only opened a couple years ago.”

Haru rolls her eyes dramatically, “We're one of the best restaurants on the block and you still refuse to expand!”

The customers used their bickering as entertainment to chuckle amongst themselves, “There they go again, bickering as always,” a business woman chuckles as she sips her tea.

“It's such a shame that those two are just business partners. They could be such a cute couple!” her co-worker teases.

“Don't let their significant others catch you saying that!” another cheerful voice joins in and a young female waiter starts to refill tea cups with practiced ease. There's a teasing smile on I-Pin's face, “Take-nii and Haru-nee are off limits and unshippable!”

That causes another round of laughter and both Takeshi and Haru are blushing madly.

“I-Pin-chan, hahi!” Haru protests, but the Chinese girl just laughs louder.

Takeshi points at I-Pin with a knife playfully, “You're not allowed into the apartment ever again. I'm changing the password!”

I-Pin gapes at her legal guardian, “You've got to be joking, right Take-nii?”

Takeshi pretends to turn a blind eye and the lively store is once again filled with laughter.

“Jirou and Kojirou won't stand for this!” I-Pin says as she points a finger at the picture on the wall of an akita dog and a swallow on its head, “They love me!”

The restaurant laughs again, and customers continue to come and go like clockwork.

When he steps into the house he's greeted by yelling from his legal guardian, “-cannot let that go. Do you hear me?”

Futa di la Stella steps deeper into the house with his slippers and sees Gokudera Hayato with his silver hair resting on his shoulders as he paces the room back and forth in a gray suit, “No, I won't settle with that. Not at all. That's just stupid!” Futa pets the small spotted cat with red ears that has made her home on a familiar suit jacket as he steps by the kitchen.

There's a pause and Gokudera looks up for a second to send a wave in Futa's direction as Futa sits on the couch and takes a slice of the cut peaches on the plate on the coffee table.

“Good. I want that done by the time I enter the office tomorrow,” with that, Gokudera hangs up the phone and slumps onto the couch next to Futa, slipping his tie off.

Futa swallows the last of his peach slice and asks, “Rough day?”

Gokudera scoffs and runs a hand over his face, “The only thing I had time to do since getting home was getting that plate of fruit out of the fridge and take my jacket off before I got another phone call.”

Futa hands his guardian a peach slice sympathetically, “That's rough.”

Gokudera takes it and shoves it in his mouth before he groans loudly, “I was supposed to make dinner before you came home.”

Futa shakes his head, “You probably had the worst day of work at the office Hayato-nii, let's just order some takeout and be done with it.”

Gokudera sighs again, “I said I was gonna make osso buco alla milanese tonight.”

Futa is already scrolling through UberEATS pressing through the Takesushi menu, “You like yellowtail, right?”

“Yeah.”

The two watch mind numbing TV as they wait for their meal to arrive, an unsaid apology and unsaid acceptance between them.

“Uri's getting her fur on my jacket, isn't she?”

“Yup.”

The door opens, and her mouth immediately does the same, “Dinner's ready!” Sasagawa Kyoko yells as she plates the fish onto two separate plates.

“It smells extreme!” is what Sasagawa Ryohei tells his sister, his arms pointed up, the same way his hair is spiked, in excitement.

Kyoko laughs and sets the fish down before turning to get a better look at her brother. Immediately Kyoko is caught into a hug and she laughs, “Nii-san! you're all sweaty! Let go!” she protests.

But Ryohei just rubs his fist into the top of his sister's head, “It was an extreme lesson at the gym today! I do the same amount of exercise my students do when I teach Kyoko!”

Kyoko groans dramatically, “Kangaryuu! Save me!”

Immediately a brown female kangaroo the size of a small bedside table enters the kitchen and playfully nudges both Ryohei’s and Kyoko’s side with her head with little growls. Both siblings coo at the kangaroo at her adorable behavior.

Kyoko slaps her brother's back out of spite when he finally lets go and takes off for the bathroom for a quick rinse.

Her hands go immediately for the laptop on the kitchen counter as she continues to edit an article she had been working on.

“Vigilantism has always been around since the beginning of quirks and is said to be the origins of heroes…” she mutters to herself as she quickly changes some word choice in the latter half of the sentence.

Kyoko is too entranced in her article to notice her freshly showered brother that throws his arms around her waist and carries her into the dining room, “No more work! Let's extremely eat!”

Kyoko lets out a half shriek half laugh, “You're the one who was late!” she says accusingly as Ryohei finally puts her in her seat and sets out Kangaryuu’s meal mix, so they can have a peaceful dinner.

Haru doesn't want a light to be on when she enters the apartment, but she can't say she doesn't expect it.

She peels off her sweater and throws it on the coat rack as she steps into the doorway of the office where a figure is hunched over files illuminated by a desk lamp in the room.

“Why aren't you sleeping?” Haru asks in a quiet voice.

Kurokawa Hana barely looks up from her files, “There are somethings I need to review for the case tomorrow. I'm sure that I'm missing something.”

Haru crosses her arms across her chest, “You're an up and coming defense attorney, Hana. And you may be called a genius in court but you're still human.”

There's a moment before Hana just sighs and deflates against the table, “You're right. I should just get some sleep for tomorrow,” she stands up and runs a hand through her greasy bob cut curly hair, “Did you bring any leftovers?”

Haru grins like a madman and holds up a plastic bag with takeout containers inside, “From our favorite sushi chef, hahi, because we all know you can't feed yourself.”

Hana scoffs as she steps closer and out of her office, “Please, like you don't forget to eat right before your new fashion line is released.”

Haru twirls to follow her friend, “But I know it's healthy to take breaks, thus why I'm on hiatus and working for Takeshi, hahi.”

Hana rolls her eyes, “Right.”

“How about this?” Rokudo Mukuro murmurs as he looks at the man sitting across from him, setting down the picture, “We get half the payment upfront and once we get pictures of your wife cheating on you, we'll collect the rest of it?”

The middle-aged man is hesitant but he still hands over the money with a shaky, “And you're sure you can do this?”

Mukuro nods with a polite smile, “Of course, I'll be in contact with you within the next few days.”

After a signed contract, it copied, and sent out, a phone rings on Mukuro's desk and Mukuro answers it with a sigh, his long indigo hair tied into a long ponytail moving with him, “And what do I owe the pleasure, detective?”

The voice on the other side of the phone sighs tiredly, “Mukuro, I'd rather not deal with the bantering so can we just get to the point?”

“Of course,” Mukuro says with a shit eating grin, “I can't help you, please call between the hours of nine and five on weekdays.”

“Mukuro don't you dare-”

Mukuro cuts the call and turns off his phone with a chuckle.

“Was that really necessary Mukuro?”

Chrome Dokuro enters the office with an exasperated look on her face. Her purple hair is free flowing and covers the left side of her face where a medical eyepatch is.

Mukuro rolls his eyes, “That detective thinks that just because I'm a private investigator he can make me do whatever he wants.”

Chrome sets a bag on the table with a sigh, “I picked this up on the way here after work. We could have eaten at home, but I was hungry.”

Mukuro reaches into the bag with his leather gloves and takes a fry between his fingers before he eats it, “And how is it, being a counselor to a bunch of snot nosed kids?”

Chrome takes drinks out of the bag and takes a swig of her pineapple Ponta soda before she answers, “They're a lot better than Lambo and Fran when they were little.”

Mukuro chuckles and steals a sip from Chrome, “That's fair,” he pauses and tilts his head at Chrome, “And where is that little brat?”

Chrome lets out an exasperated yet defeated sigh as she says, “Fran is at home, exhausted after what the school is putting him through. He said he fed Mukurowl before he collapsed and went to mooch off Takeshi before he headed home so he’s already eaten.”

Mukuro sneers, “I didn’t need to know that last bit.”

Chrome raises her visible brow judgingly, “Uh huh,” she replies sassily before shoving another fry into her mouth.

“The client was safely taken to his home and was satisfied with the company's services,” Kusakabe Tetsuya reports over dinner, enjoying the hamburger steak, “The client praises our bodyguards for being extremely thorough and cautious.”

Hibari Kyoya looks at him with steel eyes, “They should be,” Kyoya says with coldness, “I expect nothing less.”

Kusakabe nods, “We've also spread our influence farther, just a little bit. We haven't attracted much attention yet,” he reports professionally and succinctly.

Kyoya nods, “Good,” he sips his tea and continues to dine as if a bird in his black hair and a hedgehog in his lap is normal.

So I continued the thing? The concepts I had for this wasn’t really a long time coming but trying to make it actual writing and not just a word vomit took some time. But hey whatever! Uh please enjoy? Feedback would be great!

I uh didn’t know if you would like to be tagged but you guys seemed to enjoy my first installment? Sorry if this is really forward?

@any-n-everything @kittyg4mer

Uh just ask me to remove you if that’s just really forward of me...

Parts 1 / 2 / 3 / ?

Also on AO3

#katekyo hitman reborn #hitman reborn #boku no hero academia #my hero academia #khr x bnha #khr #bnha #mha #my work #i did this instead of taking a quiz i have to finish in an hour #bnha x khr

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divagonzo · 5 years

Text

Beloved (Ch. 1 Bishop’s Castle)

A/N: So this story (because to do this justice needed to be longer than one chapter) was inspired by this particular post and while RL got in the way a bit and the story fought me some, Ch.1 is ready for posting.

Rated M/18/NC-17 for later chapters but also some triggering aspects starting in chapter one. Trigger warning tags will be applied at the bottom of this post.

(And I’m going to make the Tumblr version Ace safe but have its full version on Ao3.)

Tagging @remedial-potions , @weasleymama @kingronw @vivithefolle @austenpoppy @melimelrockswell1204 @ashleopardd since people asked to be tagged when this first went around. (Sorry @justsaya for the extra tag.)

Ch. 1 - Bishop’s Castle

A03 // FF.net

“Damn it Harry! why the bloody hell are we always picked for shit duty?”

Harry looked up from his stack of parchment, quirking an eye at his best mate across the desks. “What are you on about?” He returned to his own stack of parchment, scribbling away and only offering 1 ear to his best mate sitting across from him in the department.

“See this?” He held up a five-foot long piece of parchment. “That bugger Robards is sending us out tonight to corral a loose Werewolf. And I was actually hoping to get caught up on the mound of paperwork but this cropped up.”

“Werewolf?” Harry reached for the parchment and Ron reluctantly gave over. “Yeah, some poor sod in the Midlands. So I was told, the family has a safe room and everything was on the up and up and somehow the person escaped while turned and are running loose on the moors.”

Harry looked up from the parchment and gave Ron a particular look. “Trowbridge?” Harry scanned the parchment again and stopped cold. “That troll? Fuck.”

“Now you see why I’m beastly. That sod can’t do shit. He failed his apprenticeship 3 times before being told not to apply again.”

“You mean he’s the same one – “

“The same one. There’s a reason why Bailiffs rarely make Auror – because of the Trowbridge rule.”

“Shit.”

“Yeah. He’s on loan for the month since the other team is out on assignment, with no headquarters communications, wherever the fuck they are.” Ron ran his hands through his hair, leaving it looking a little like Harry’s this evening. “I don’t like this, not one bit. Why couldn’t we get someone who knows which end of the wand to use?”

“Me neither. Bugger.” Harry handed back the five feet of parchment. “I guess we’ll have to plan on this being a three-person operation since he’s incompetent.”

“Wainwright! Trowbridge! Potter! Weasley! Ten Minutes!” the guttural bark of their Senior Auror Hemera Jones erupted from the Director’s office. “Debriefing now.”

Ron and Harry both grunted before collecting their wands and cloaks for her office. As one of the Senior Aurors, she had an office, for what little she was in it. The four men crowded into the wardrobe-sized room, refusing to take a seat. Fighting over the lone seat in the small space would be pointless for how long they’d be in there. “I’ll make it brief. A werewolf is loose on the western side of the Shropshire Hills. The person in question, Maggie Grey, normally, so I’m told, is content to sleep off her debilitating condition after receiving a Wolfsbane Potion. Tonight, it didn’t work somehow and she tore through the wood door and off into the night. Our task, gentlemen, is to apprehend her safely and return her to a magically sealed cell until she recovers. She is to not be harmed, gentlemen, at all costs.”

“All costs? The hell?” Ron piped up.

“Shut your gob, Weasley. She’s a Greyback victim during the Coup. She was targeted since her husband is a Muggle and she’d spoken out against the regime. Yaxley sent Greyback to handle it and he bungled it intentionally or otherwise.” She gave all of the men a pointed look. No one would bother admitting that they were all glad that the bastard was dead, thanks to Ron and Neville.

“The Director said that her husband is a Muggle and a Muggle Healer at the local hospital. We can’t let her be hurt because it’d be a fuck ton of paperwork to do and I for one don’t want to spend a week dealing with Muggles and having their memories obliviated. Anyone here want to do that?” Four voices grunted in agreement. “Yeah, me neither so stunners only. We’re here to apprehend, not arrest. There’s a big difference, especially with the change in Ministry protocols.”

“So where are we going?”

“We’re taking a portkey to a little place called Bishop’s Castle. It’s on the edge of Wales but we’re landing about a mile northeast of there. It’s the only landing location for ten square miles. Once there, disillusion yourselves and track her down. I want this handled with as little fuss as possible. We can’t scare the Muggles or even the magical folk who live there. No one wants to know that a person with their affliction lives in their tiny hamlet.”

“And if there’s a muggle in her sights?” Harry asked. “Do we stun them both and go from there or what? What if she’s already hurt someone? What then?”

Hemera huffed. “I’d prefer the Muggle not be hurt but use your best judgment. Dismissed.”

The four men collected their overcoats and checked their limited amount of gear. One by one they left her office and made their way to the Portkey room. Director Robards, in one of his first acts as Director of the Aurors, was to designate a spare conference room into a portkey room. On the hour and half hour, arrivals would come into the department – only on Auror authority – and on the quarters, departures would happen. He mentioned in one of the first meetings that Harry sat in on that they needed somewhere secure to come and go without going through the Ministry lifts or entrances and exits. Too many nattering employees giving away Auror departures became a problem after the Purge.

“I don’t like this,” Ron muttered. “Bloody werewolf capture. And we get picked.”

“Stuff it, Ron. It’s our job. Anyone else would try to harm the poor sod. She can’t help her condition.”

“Like Remus and his furry little problem, right?”

“Something like that,” Harry whispered. “It would be nice once the better potion is approved for wider use. I hate that Remus never saw it or got to use it.”

“Yeah, me too.”

They traveled down the back way, coming to the room with a minute to spare. The others, including Auror Jones, were present and accounted for. Their portkey for this trip was a manky rucksack, with the buckles rusted and the leather fraying from the seams. Harry knew better though, that it was magically secure so it wouldn’t fall apart. He could feel the magic sending waves off. It had to be powerful for him to feel it this distinctly.

“Potter, you’re on point. Weasley, take East. Wainwright, south. Trowbridge, North. Potter will snoop around the township and I’ll apparate to the Belfry of the Church on the South side of the hamlet.”

“What do we do if we come across our target?” Trowbridge seemed a little slow on the uptake tonight. “You said stunners only but what if she turns on us? You expect us to take a bite on a full bloody moon.”

Hemera Jones pulled a face. “You git. You know plenty of second-year spells to prevent her from laying a paw on you or anyone else. Use them. Don’t hurt her unless it’s a last resort. Sorted?”

He grunted. Everyone put their hand on the rucksack as it turned blue and they departed for a small village far and away from London.

Minutes later, the five people landed softly in a field outside of the small town. Once on their feet and verifying everything arrived with each one, they disillusioned themselves to Auror Jones satisfaction. She apparated away, disappearing to the belfry of the tallest point on the town – the church on the south side. If anything went sideways they were to send up red sparks. Most of the muggles would think it was some random fireworks.

Each man took off, intending to search the town first before spreading outward. It was drawn up simply, and the most efficient, to cover the most area without disturbing the town inhabitants. Hopefully, the late hour would have most of the village residents asleep in their beds.

Ron grumbled under his breath, especially considering that he saw his breath with every exhale. Crass words stumbled out, especially considering the actual mortal peril they were in. The late night chill bit his nose and ears, leaving them as red as he would be mortified. His poor Mum would probably have a litter of kittens if she knew the circumstances. Fortunately, it was almost close to midnight and Mum wasn’t the one who stayed up late.

Ron turned a corner, past a small lot of autos, parked for the night with grotesque yellow signs showing how much they were for sale in Muggle currency. He kept walking, with a purpose but not so fast he’d miss anything out of the ordinary. Ron pulled the Deluminator from his pocket and pocketed all of the security lights on the back parking lot of whatever business he was walking around. It was a huge risk, going around looking in the dark but having the balls of light available would give him an advantage if he was caught out.

Mounds of wood were stacked meters high, even taller than himself. The rows of processed wood went on for meters upon meters, even higher than his head. “Oh this isn’t going to be good,” he thought to himself. “Bloody fuck, a werewolf and a blasted lumber yard; just what I need tonight.”

Ron kept is wand out in front of him, constantly thinking of a shield charm first if the poor bugger tried to attack him. Ron stepped gingerly between the stacks of processed wood, listening for any noise, ordinary or otherwise. He continued onward, walking up and down the rows, his wand lit to flush out any shadows that might conceal a frightened werewolf.

He stopped and listened, straining his ears. There, off on another row, he heard some wood crash to the asphalt under foo[TJW2] t, along with a high pitched whimper. Since it wasn’t Hermione and it was pushing half eleven, this was either a thief or his target.

He took off towards where he heard the crashing wood. He could have apparated but didn’t want to risk scaring the werewolf or accidentally landing on a petty thief. With steps trained in stealth, he tread softly towards where the noise was. Sure enough, a pallet of wood had fallen. Instead of lighting his wand, Ron popped the Deluminator and released the lights he nicked from around the corner. The balls of light escaped and hung in the air, lighting up the preternaturally darkened space.

He heard a whine a second before he was knocked to the ground. He lifted his head and saw the werewolf racing down the pathway towards the end of the building. The blighter looked no bigger than an over-sized bun.

“Shit,” He jumped up and took off running after the scared bugger.

She turned the corner and he tried to pour on the speed while wishing he had brought his broom to chase the quarry easier. Somehow she was leaving him in the dust and he was the fastest Auror on staff. All of those empty hours running with Harry paid off, even if he might lose sight of his intended.

Ron pulled his wand and cast red sparks up in the night sky. Within moments he heard the sounds of displaced air whooshing into his vicinity.

The balls of light followed him, casting an eerie glow in the area. The werewolf was right on the front edge of the lights, barely bathed in any illumination. He saw Wainright apparate 20m down the drive, near where he came up into the lumber yard and Harry was 50 meters up the street from his momentary position, running hard towards where he was.

Ron kept running, hoping to corner the furry Ms. Grey where he could stun her and safely transport her back to her safe confines for the night. Then again, he hoped someone else apprehended her. He didn’t fancy spending hours working on paperwork and multiple debriefings, especially if she was injured.

Ron saw movement to his right and felt magic flowing past his head.

Bright light blinded him an instant before he felt the blast.

His world blinked out.

Harry was there first. Wainright was immediately at his left shoulder.

“The fuck you playing at, Bronwyn? You hit Ron? Are you mental, a lunatic?”

Harry stared at the other member of their search party, murder in his eyes and on his mind. Vivid Green eyes were full of fury, all focused on the one who didn’t know which way to work his wand. He stared until Trowbridge blinked and he set his focus on his best mate lying in the grass at his feet. Harry yanked the ruck off of his back and reached deep, trying to find the dittany and pads. His hands grew slick trying to staunch the bleeding from his best friend’s head. The preternatural glow from the confiscated lights from the lumber yard bathed everything in an eerie blueish white hue. The dim lights next to whatever building they were lying next only added to the fact that Ron looked close to death already. Blood was seeping through Harry’s fingers, coating his boots, soaking the knees of his trousers and the ends of his jumper sleeve. He finally grasped the enormous stash of pads and shoved them onto the wound, watching the pad soak through. Merlin, not again. He’d lived through this once already. “Stay with me,” He growled before turning to Wainwright, working feverishly to protect their location from any curious eyes this late at night.

“Call Jones now,” Harry yelled at Bronwyn. He didn’t stir from watching Harry work on Ron’s injury.

“Damn it, call Jones now!” He yelled and Wainwright sent up red sparks, three sets in a row – the Auror emergency notification. In seconds she landed softly on the grass three meters away. “Report!” she barked at the three men.

Trowbridge spoke up first. Harry was too busy trying to grasp the dittany. Every time, it slipped from his fingers. “Weasley was chasing Ms. Grey. I saw him running after her. I thought – “

Wainright cut him off. “Trowbridge cast a powerful stunner and missed. He’s lucky that he didn’t take Weasley’s head off with that bit of careless magic. Instead, he hit the side of the building.” Wainwright illuminated his wand and showed an enormous chunk of masonry had been blown off of the side of the stone building. “The stone, it hit Weasley before knocking him backward like a bloody bomb blast. It’s sheer luck that he didn’t land on the stone wall and break his bloody neck.” Not two meters behind them was a one meter stone wall, topped with various river stones, mostly with rough edges.

“It was a stunner, just like Jones told us to use. He moved in front of it.”

“Yeah, and your wand movements were Bombada,” Wainwright countered.

“Damn it, I can’t get the bleeding to stop,” He complained as he threw over his shoulder the first handful of pads and thrust a second set on them. He patently ignored his sodden trousers, socks, boots, and jumper sleeves. He shifted his knees, trying to keep Ron’s head propped up just enough where he could keep the compress on his head. He didn’t dare use magic, not when he didn’t know the extent of the injuries. One bad spell to quell the bleeding could leave him in the Janus Thickey ward for the rest of his life.

Harry refused to do that to his best friend.

“I can’t get the dittany. He needs a healer now.” He felt one tear escape. “I’m not a healer. I can’t save him.” He said under his breath. “Damn it, Ron. Stay with us.”

“Potter, get him out of here.” Jones shoved something into his hands – a copy of the Auror field manual on arrest procedures. The book was already iridescent blue – a portkey for the Auror emergency landing ward at St. Mungo’s in London. Harry lifted Ron into his arms, looking like a horrific impersonation of Pieta by Michelangelo. He folded Ron’s across the book and across his body, looking so pale in the preternatural lights.

Blood dripped down from the wound onto his trousers, watching each moment seep by like cold custard. The gauze wouldn’t staunch the bleeding. They needed a healer now.

Harry fought the immediate memories of the last time he saw Ron like this, severely injured and on the edge of death. He couldn’t face that again. Instead, he looked across to the remaining Aurors present.

“When we return to London, you’re facing an Inquiry. If I have any say, you will be booted from MLS. And,” Harry saw the book glowing brighter, “if he dies, I will personally strangle you with my own two hands. The fuck – “

Harry didn’t hear the rest of the Jones’ vicious yet soft-spoken harangue. He was holding onto Ron for dear life, awaiting the landing at St. Mungo’s. He had seconds to prepare his knees for the landing. He’d need a strong pain potion after the landing.

Ron was dead weight in his arms. Frothy pink bubbles were erupting from his nose and mouth. Both sets of robes were a grotty mess. “Stay alive, please,” Harry begged to whatever deity would listen and grant his heartfelt request. “I need you.” With a crash, they landed in the secured zone for Aurors who were injured. “Emergency! Auror Down! I need a healer!” Harry yelled through the room. “Auror down!”

#Dragon's Fic #hpfic #Romione #Ron Weasley #Harry J Potter #OCs #Rated R/18/M #tw:#tw: blood #tw: injury

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