#although this last year they really started to raise the bar so i think in 2023 maybe we will see them truly shine | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

the-boy-meets-evil · 2 months

Text

once upon a summer | bsk

summary: Every summer kind of goes the same. The population of your usually sleepy beach town doubles and you bust your ass to make enough money to last through the slow season. But a new face blows into town like a whirlwind and he’s determined to catch your eye. Only one problem: he’s here for vacation and you’re married to this town.

pairing: seungkwan x fem!reader genre: 90s!au, summer love | fluff and some angst rating: sfw but minors still don't belong here word count: 8.6k tags/warnings: none really, some swearing, mentions of food, there's a tiny bit of angst

a/n: thank you so much to @beomcoups and @mingsolo for hosting the Now That's 90s collab! be sure to check out the other amazing fics 💕 also thank you to @wonwussy @cheolism @onlymingyus and @wooahaeproductions for helping me brainstorm when i got stuck writing seungkwan.

It’s the same every year, without fail. The weather starts to get warmer, summer is around the corner, and your sleepy little beach town transforms. No longer sleepy, now bustling with life and tourists. Although you groan at how busy the roads get or how difficult it is to run errands or even how hard it is to find a place to go out to eat, you’re also thankful. The influx of tourists guarantees that your family will be able to make ends meet for another year. Sure, there are people that visit during the off months. When it’s too cold to go into the water or even to sit outside and enjoy a meal, at least to most of the people who visit. When you have to wear pants and a jacket to walk along the sands of the beach, careful not to get any part of you wet. But, the bulk of tourists visit between late May and mid September, like clockwork.

You’re just as married to this little town as your parents are. Chipping in at their restaurant when you can, but mostly running a beach rental company with your brother. It lets you be outside a lot more, running boat tours to look at dolphins or explore the tiny little islands off the coast. Or renting out jet skis for people to run around on. Sometimes, when you can’t pawn it off on someone else, you also lead the kayak tours through the shallows between the outcroppings of seagrass. It’s not that you mind those tours or even the workout of kayaking. No, it’s just that people have a tendency to overestimate their abilities and either end up whining or toppling their kayaks over. You’re keen to avoid that whenever possible. When the ocean is calm enough, you’ll also let people rent boats to go out wakeboarding. Those are some of your favorites, when you get to drive because none of the tourists has a boat license. Or, more realistically, nobody wants to deal with it when they’re on vacation. And there’s nothing stopping you from turning the boat a little too hard if someone is acting like an asshole. All you do is say you’re avoiding a wave or staying out of the path of another boat. You’re the local here, born and raised. How can they argue with that?

On the days when it’s a little slower at the shop, or the ocean is a little too wavy for some of the activities, you’ll drop in at your parents’ restaurant. You’re not often on the schedule, but there’s always plenty to help out with. Whether it’s filling in for someone that called out last minute or hopping behind the bar or just running food to tables. Your parents’ restaurant is one of the most popular in town. People wait for hours to eat there just because they don’t want to be the only ones left out. Of course, you also think the food’s amazing, though you’re a little biased.

Today is one of those perfectly calm days out on the water, so you know you won’t be able to swing by the restaurant. Not that the waves ever get that big here. It’s definitely not enough to surf outside of an incoming storm. But, you try to be careful with renting the equipment out all the same. Most of the boats are refurbished anyway, since new ones are so expensive.

“What’s on your schedule today?” your brother, Jamie, asks.

“Nothing so far. I’m just getting caught up on paperwork and renting out boogie boards and shit,” you answer. “Not that there’s any waves to use them on.”

“No duh,” he answers. “Think the kids just use it to float on.”

“Whatever floats their boat,” you shrug.

“Feel like running a private tour out to the islands for the day?” he asks.

You fix him with a look, assessing him. It feels like a setup because you love taking private tours. They usually bring a bunch of food and drinks and just kind of do their own thing on whatever island you take them to. Which leaves you free to read or just enjoy the sun. Sometimes, you’ll even fish or snorkel. It’s just, well, your brother loves those tours too because they’re easy. Something about his tone makes you suspicious.

“Why aren’t you doing it?” you finally ask.

“Got a kayak tour in an hour and they’ll be here any minute,” Jamie says. “And you hate the kayaks.”

“Gotta page Mike to make sure he’s back before you head out,” you say.

If you’re about to take a boat out and your brother has a kayak group in an hour, then someone is going to need to actually man the store. Since you set the schedule yourself, you know that Mike should be back in half an hour, tops. But, like all of you, he’s prone to tacking on a few extra minutes when the group is cool and he doesn’t have something scheduled back to back.

“Chillax, I already did that and Joshua is coming in a little earlier so he’ll be here before I take the kayaks out,” Jamie says.

“Joshua tries to get pretty girls to listen to him play guitar and you want him alone in the shop?” you wonder with a snort.

“That was one time,” Jamie defends, ever the loyal friend.

There’s a retort on the tip of your tongue about how he’s only been caught doing that one time when you notice a group of guys approaching. You immediately know why your brother passed the group off onto you. At least, if these are the dudes that booked the private boat tour. Shoobies. The worst kind of tourists because they don’t think they’re tourists. Because they only live a few hours’ drive away so really, it’s like they live here too. Because they have a house out here and no it’s not just a vacation house, this is home. This particular group saunters up looking like they just stepped out of some boating catalog. Before your brother can elbow you, you plaster on your best fake smile, the one reserved for times like this.

The guy in front seems to be the one taking charge. His bright button up shirt matches his shorts, like he probably got them in a set, and his slightly curly hair looks a little too styled for the beach. The sunglasses look expensive, too, which you never recommend for a boat trip, but it’s his money. Honestly, his whole outfit probably runs close to what you’re charging to take them out for the rest of the day. So, that’s his choice.

“Sup, we’re looking for Jamie,” another one says. He’s tall and classically handsome, like that kind of guy you see in a magazine. Someone that just knows he’s attractive. He’s even got his shirt open showing off his stomach and a lot of tan skin. You hate him immediately. And not in the way of like oh, he’s actually kind of sweet. No, he reminds you of an ex.

“That’s me,” your brother answers.

“I’m Mingyu, I called about the day trip,” he says.

“Lucky timing, we just had a group cancel before you called,” Jamie says. “And my sister here has an opening to take you out.”

The surprise is clear on the guy’s face as you introduce yourself and give your name. Like you can’t possibly be the one that’s going to drive the boat. Like a girl couldn’t possibly handle it. You’ve heard it all before, so you’re just bracing yourself. But, before he can say anything, the guy that seemed to be taking charge earlier speaks up.

“Thanks for taking us out,” he says.

“Are you sure you can handle it?” Mingyu asks, clearly unable to fully resist. For the first time, you glance around to do a headcount. Seven. Your brother is sending you out with seven guys all by yourself.

“The boat or the party?” you ask.

“Either,” he answers like he’s actually doing something.

“I got my boating certification when I was 14,” you answer.

“And she started driving boats a few years before that,” Jamie adds.

“Someone had to drive for you to wakeboard,” you say easily to your brother.

Your brother smiles before looking back at the group. “She’s also got a really mean right hook and she’s not afraid to use it, so don’t be skeezy.”

It’s clear that several guys in the group are eyeing you appraisingly, wondering if you really could knock them out (spoiler: you absolutely could) or if you would even consider it (spoiler again: yes, you would). Nobody else seems to have something to say, so your brother carries on with payment and going over the rules. In the meantime, you double check that your bag has everything you need (pager, emergency kit, shoes, water, snacks, the lunch you packed, etc.) and grab your shirt. You’re in the process of tying it off when you catch one of them, the one that thanked you, watching you.

A few minutes later, when you’re walking over to the dock, it’s him that falls into step beside you. Casual. Not even saying anything. At least, not for a minute.

“I’m Seungkwan,” he finally says.

You greet him again, even though he already knows your name, and figure that might be it. It is, for a bit, at least, while you get everyone on the boat and situated. Tell them that they should probably save whatever food and drink they brought for once you stop because you’re going to drive a bit faster. They paid a little extra to go to a further island and since it’s a little later than you’d normally leave for that island, you try to even it out. Not that they’ve shown they deserve it, but there’s no harm in case they have deep pockets. Which you assume they do, based on their clothing and general attitudes.

Where you had your brother helping you out pushing off from the dock, you’re on your own on the other side. It’s fine, you do it on your own all the time, there are just a lot of eyes on you. Some of those eyes seem to be waiting for you to mess something up, too, but you’re not going to give them the satisfaction. You brush it off when one, you forgot his name already, offers to help and says that he helps on his dad’s boat all the time. You can tie a knot, though.

Once you’re tied off, you point out all the amenities on this little island, which aren’t much. There’s a little place to eat that also has a small bar, chairs to lounge on and umbrellas set up. There are also some picnic tables set a little back from the beach. You let them know that you’ll either be on the boat or sitting inside the little food shack if they need you. And you’ll be ready to head back whenever they are. Mingyu and most of the group take off immediately. Seungkwan lingers behind.

“Are you coming?” he asks.

“Coming where?” you ask back.

“To the beach with us,” he clarifies.

You blink in confusion. “No, I don’t usually hang around.”

“What do you do?” he wonders.

“Read, get a tan, go talk to the couple that runs that little food shack,” you say with a shrug.

“Do you know everyone here?” Seungkwan presses.

You sigh softly and turn to face him fully. “Mostly. At least all the ones that work in tourism. It’s a small town.”

“Seems busy now,” he notices, looking around.

“It’s summer. Most of the people here now don’t actually live here,” you inform him.

“What’s it like here in winter?” Seungkwan asks.

You regard him for a moment. “What are you trying to do?”

“I’m just trying to get to know you,” he says and, almost like he can’t help it, rolls his eyes. “Most people know how to make conversation.”

“But why? Like what do you want?” you press.

“Just to get to know you better, geez, what’s with the third degree? You’re cute, there’s nothing wrong with talking to me,” he says.

“As if,” you scoff. “I don’t date shoobies.”

His face is adorably confused and you mentally chide yourself for even thinking something about him is cute. “What’s a shoobie?”

“Exactly,” you say like that answers everything.

He opens his mouth, but closes it when your eyes dart to this side. Neither of you noticed another of his friends approaching. You think it’s the one that offered to help tie off the boat. “We wondered where you got off to.”

“Sup, Chan? We were just talking,” Seungkwan says to his friend.

“Mhmm,” the friend, Chan, apparently, responds. “Well, Mingyu wants to know if you have the wallets in your bag. He wants to get something to drink.”

“Oh, right, yeah. I’ve got them,” Seungkwan says.

You spend most of the day sitting at the bar of the food shack, despite saying you might read. Well, you alternate between sitting there and chatting with Vernon or helping him out behind the bar. His parents run all the services on this tiny island and you grew up together. Right down the street from each other, actually. He’s been one of your closest friends for as long as you can remember. And one thing you remember is the two of you have always helped out at the other’s family businesses. It’s just part of growing up in this tiny town. Everyone knows each other and takes a lot of pride in helping. Plus, you’ll never say this to Vernon, but you’re probably better behind the bar than he is. You’re surprised his parents have him here at all, but still welcome the distraction.

Your boat guests, as you’re calling them, know you’re here too. Mingyu made a slightly inappropriate comment the first time he strolled up to buy a drink and Seungkwan apologized for him profusely. Seungkwan seems like someone who actually cares about those around him, actively tries to make sure everyone is okay. It’s sweet, in a weird way, but still doesn’t change what you told him. The no shoobie rule is strict. As you’re considering telling the guys it’s time to call it a day, Chan wanders into the bar and says just that. There’s no rush, he insists, but they’re ready to head back whenever you are.

“Need a lift back to the mainland?” you ask Vernon just after Chan walks back to his group.

“No, I gotta help the ‘rents clean up here,” Vernon answers as his mother pops her head around the corner.

“Actually, you should head back,” she says to her son before turning to you. “As long as it’s not too much trouble?”

“No, there’s plenty of space on the boat,” you insist.

“Good, then you can go home and let the dog out,” she says.

“Okay,” Vernon says with a shrug. “I’ll just grab my stuff and meet you out on the dock.”

You give him a nod and head off to the boat. The guys are coming off the beach and fall into step just behind you on the way to the boat. It’s clear most of them have been drinking, yet they’re not as rowdy as you’re expecting. They’re still helpful with getting stuff loaded onto the boat and only two of them make comments that make you cringe.

“Do you own shoes?” one of them asks, gesturing towards your feet. The guy in question is especially slender, not skinny but lean. His dark hair is a little longer than you’re used to, currently tucked behind his ears.

“Yeah?” you say, except it comes out more like a question.

“You haven’t had any on since we first met you this morning,” he presses on.

“Minghao,” Seungkwan hisses.

“I’m more comfortable around the boat without them. It’s easier to not slip. I keep a pair in my bag, though,” you answer, unsure why you’re even bothering.

“Should we all take off our shoes, then?” Mingyu asks.

“Might help you not fall this time,” another one jokes.

“Oh, snap!” Chan, at least you think it’s Chan, calls out.

“I didn’t fall, Jeonghan, I just stumbled,” Mingyu defends.

“Let’s all keep our shoes on and just watch our step,” you instruct.

Vernon appears during all the craziness from your…well, you can’t really call paying customers idiots. But, there’s also nothing stopping you from calling them that in your head.

“You’re the guy from the bar right?” Seungkwan asks and Vernon startles a little before nodding.

“Yeah, my parents run the food shack and the bar and that little gift shop,” he answers.

“I offered to give him a ride back to the mainland so he could get back faster,” you fill in. “As long as you guys don’t mind.”

The guys all shrug. Seungkwan is the only one to speak up. “Good with us. Do you know each other well, then?”

“She’s my best friend,” Vernon answers without hesitation.

If Seungkwan has something to say to that, and it seems like he might, he keeps it to himself. Actually doesn’t say anything to you for the rest of the ride back to the mainland and doesn’t appear to say much to his friends either. You don’t even mean to notice, mostly engrossed in your conversation with Vernon as he stays with you by the steering wheel. The group, as a whole, seems like they’ve had a good day, all smiles and very few hints of developing sunburns.

You realize when you get them all off the boat and back onto land that they definitely had a good time. Mingyu tips you way more than he needs to and way on top of what you would normally expect even from a group like theirs.

“What’s your schedule like the rest of the week?” Mingyu asks.

“My personal schedule or the company’s schedule?” you ask, raising an eyebrow.

“Not like that, we just liked having you driving the boat and we want to come back,” Mingyu says and you can’t deny it’d be nice to have the guaranteed money.

“Oh, let me go check the books if you’ve got a minute,” you say.

Mingyu just nods and follows you along to the shop. “I’m only in a few hours tomorrow morning, so I definitely can’t do that. Monday isn’t too busy and I don’t have anything I can’t move. Tuesday during the day, since it’s slow, I usually work over at my parents’ restaurant. The rest of the week is filling up, but nothing I couldn’t move if you wanted to have me with you. Otherwise, I can have someone else take you out.”

“No, no, you were really great and we want to keep going with you,” Mingyu quickly says. “How about, for now, we book for Monday? And Wednesday. Full day trips.”

“Where do you wanna go?” you ask.

“Uh, where do you recommend?”

That’s how this whole thing with this ridiculous group starts. You ask Mingyu what kinds of things they want to do, list each of the reachable islands, list off the routes you can take without stopping at a specific island, list all the boat related activities. He ends up booking a third day with you, too, because there’s just so much that they want to do and want to see. You’re thankful for guaranteed money with people you’ve at least already met. Better the devil you know than the devil you don’t and all that.

You’re a little later leaving your parents' restaurant than you meant to be on Sunday evening. One of the other servers really needed to get cut first, though, so you let them go. Often, you were first to cut out, since you had your own full time job to contend with. But, knowing your schedule for the next day was going to be easy, you didn’t mind.

What you’re not prepared for, though, is one of the guys from the boat group sitting outside. Seungkwan.

He stands up from the bench he’s sitting on and walks over to you. “Busy schedule for you.”

“What are you doing here?” you ask.

“We were walking by and I thought I noticed you. Mingyu said you mentioned working at your parents’ restaurant tonight,” Seungkwan says.

“So, you what? Waited for me? Kinda weird,” you observe.

“As if,” Seungkwan scoffs.

“You’re here, though,” you comment.

“I just figured you might need someone to walk you home since it’s dark,” Seungkwan says.

“Kinda weird since I barely know you,” you comment. “Why do you want to hang out with me so bad?”

“Not really sure right now,” he says.

You regard him for a moment and he shifts under your gaze. Without another word, you turn and walk a few steps, before looking over your shoulder. “I’m not going home. You’re welcome to walk with me, though.”

Seungkwan looks confused but hastens to fall into step with you anyway. It’s like he can’t really help but keep a running commentary up while you’re walking. There are so many thoughts that it’s hard to keep up, or even get a word in. It’s entertaining, all the same.

He pulls up short when you get to your destination and he realizes that it’s a houseparty. People and music spill out onto the lawn in a part of town that’s reserved for things like this.

“Aren’t you taking us out in the morning?” he asks.

“Mingyu didn’t want to meet until 10 because anything else was too early and it’s not that late yet,” you shrug. “You don’t have to come in if you don’t want to.”

“But, I can? If I do want?” he asks and you chuckle.

“Thought you wanted to get to know me,” you whisper into his ear. With that, you smile and walk into the house. It takes him a few seconds before he hurries after you.

Parties run a little differently here, in a town that depends so heavily on tourism. Sure, plenty of people will party until sunrise, anyway. Running off being young (mixed with a lot of coffee). You’ve done plenty of it yourself, too. But, the parties all start a little earlier for people like you that can’t always afford to go until the dawn of a new day, especially when you have to spend all of the next day on the water.

While you’re careful to mix your own drinks from the bottles laid out, Seungkwan doesn’t seem to have the same worries. You introduce him to Joshua, who also works with you, and he doesn’t even hesitate to fall into step. So much for wanting to get to know you. Maybe he did just want to know where the good parties were. Joshua even lets him use the house phone to invite some of his other friends.

Those friends do show up and somehow both stick out and blend right in. They’re new faces, brave enough to come to a party where they don’t really know anyone. And they’re undeniably attractive. All of them. It’s a bit annoying, really. As you watch from your position on the couch with Vernon, a group of girls that you’ve known for years, and never really liked, starts to fall all over Seungkwan and his friends. Rosie, the ring leader, looks over at you with a smug smile and returns her attention to Seungkwan. It’s the same as any other time. Her eyes get big, she leans in close to him, touches his arm. The shoobies always seem to fall for it.

You’re on your feet and joining the group a minute later.

“Ah, there she is,” Rosie coos. Seungkwan clears his throat and takes a step away from her. Rosie, always using the same tricks, just steps closer and links her arm through his.

“Oh we loved her,” Mingyu, the tall friend, states. He’s a little tipsy, mostly friendly.

“Yes, everyone seems to,” Rosie says, all false cheer. “Seems a little…dangerous to me. Letting someone so young take you out on the boat.”

“Only when you don’t know your way around a boat despite living next to the water your entire life,” you cut across. “Then, it’s best to keep both feet on land and do something safer, like working at an ice cream shop.”

“I didn’t get any complaints when some of them stopped by earlier. Shame I didn’t get to meet Seungkwan, though,” she says and bats her eyelashes.

You roll your eyes and hold your hand out to Seungkwan. “There’s someone I wanted you to meet, come on.”

“He’s fine here,” she says. You snort.

“Yeah, I can make my own choices, actually,” he says and extricates himself to take your hand.

“We’ll just be here,” she calls at your retreating backs.

“Thanks,” he says as soon as you’re out of earshot.

“No problem,” you answer.

“Did you really want to introduce me to someone?” he asks as you wind through the kitchen.

“No,” you answer and pluck a couple beers out of a cooler.

“Just wanted to get me alone?” he presses and you fix him with a look.

You don’t say anything else, just trust that he’s going to follow you outside, which he does. You plop down onto a bench by the fire and hold out a beer as he sits next to you.

“It was just a little busy in there,” you finally answer.

“You don’t like the people?” he asks.

To buy yourself a minute, you open the beer and take a sip. “I don’t mind crowds or whatever. I’ve just known all these people my entire life and some of them are annoying. It’s like we’re in some kind of competition that nobody ever told me about.”

“Like Rosie?” Seungkwan presses. Your lips press into a thin line and you look away as you take a sip. “I caught the diss.”

“Yeah, I usually dip when she’s around,” you admit.

“She doesn’t like you either?” Seungkwan asks.

“None of those girls do,” you laugh. Seungkwan looks like he’s expecting more. “When we were in high school, a bunch of us went out on the boats one weekend. I didn’t realize one of their boyfriends was trying to pick me up until he went in for the kiss. I obviously brushed him off, but…”

“Damage was done?” Seungkwan asks.

“Yeah,” you say. “Like I’d ever kiss him anyway, as if.”

“And that’s all? They’re not trippin’ over your success with your business?” Seungkwan asks, a mischievous glint in his eye over the question.

You chuckle. “I do okay for myself.”

“Okay? Joshua told me how well you pay him and also that he was shocked you managed to move around enough things to fit us in the way you did,” Seungkwan said.

“What do you want me to say? I could leave here. I could franchise and get out of this town, but I’m married to this life here,” you admit. “Plus, how could I ever get over missing out on meeting the people I charter?”

“It’s okay, you can admit you like me,” Seungkwan says.

“You’re very confident, has anyone ever told you that?” you wonder.

“All the time,” he answers.

“Cheers,” you say and he bumps his beer into yours.

That one party seems to be a bit of a turning point for you with Seungkwan and his friends. They’re all funny, if slightly hungover, the next day on the boat. Always make sure to include you in what they’re doing. It starts to feel more like friends than customers on that second boat trip. Against your better judgment, you also agree to see them outside of boating trips too.

Through that, you get to know each of them. It’s actually kind of nice, in a somewhat chaotic way. It’s a little overwhelming at first. Not that you mind being around new people. You usually thrive in groups of people. It’s what makes you so good at your job. It’s also really sweet to see how much they love each other, especially the way they love Seungkwan. Any one of them would do anything for him and it’s melting your usually guarded heart.

He hasn’t asked you out again since the party, at least not explicitly. But, he’s shown you in a million ways that he’s there. He’s brought you drinks and waited for you after another shift at the restaurant. He listens to what you say and the things you’re interested in. Like how there’s this beautiful art gallery almost an hour away that you’ve never been, but are dying to see. He’s touchy once he realizes that you’re okay with it. A hand on your arm, brushing along your hip, grazing your lower back.

It’s only been a week since the first time you met them and this unexpected group already feels like a safe space for you. That’s why you’d agreed to a late dinner with them after a long day. Turns out, dinner was more like small plates cooked by Mingyu in the house they were staying in.

“Why won’t you let Seungkwan take you to dinner?” Chan asks.

“I don’t date shoobies,” you repeat.

Chan gives you a confused look. “That’s what Kwan keeps saying, but I don’t know what that means. I don’t think he does either.”

“It’s a term for the tourists. Particularly the ones that come down in the summer from the nearby cities and think having a vacation house here means they actually live here,” you explain. You’re not sure why. There’s just something a little endearing about Chan. Kind of like a sibling.

“It’s just dinner,” Chan says with a shrug and takes another sip.

“Fine,” you relent.

“What?” Chan asks, nearly spitting his drink out. “Kwan!”

“Wait…” you start and then marvel at how quickly Seungkwan appears.

“She said she’d get dinner with you,” Chan says as he walks away.

“You agreed to go out with me through Chan?” Seungkwan questions.

“Okay, it’s not like all that,” you start.

“You do like me,” Seungkwan announces, triumphant.

“We’re not going out here. If I’m gonna go on a date with a shooby, it’s got to at least be in a different town,” you sigh.

“I can work with that,” Seungkwan agrees.

It’s nice to be able to sleep in a little and trust that everything is okay both with the shop and the tours. You’re just about to head out to work when your phone rings. You consider letting the answering machine get it before rushing into the kitchen. You think you probably just manage to pick it up off of the receiver before the last ring.

“Hello?” you answer.

“Oh good, I caught you,” Seungkwan says on the other end.

“Yeah, I was just headed out to work,” you say.

“Actually, about that. I know we said dinner, but I have a surprise for you today. It’s too good to pass up,” he says.

“Seungkwan, I have work,” you tell him.

“I spoke to your brother, actually. A couple of my friends agreed to help out at the shop and your brother has someone covering for you. So you’re free,” he shares.

“You can’t just unplan my day,” you say, but you know he can hear the smile.

“You deserve a break. Just say yes,” Seungkwan says.

You consider it for a second, switch the phone from one ear to another to think. There’s only one answer, really. “Okay.”

“Okay?” he asks.

“Yeah, okay. What should I wear?” you ask.

“Just something comfortable. We’ll be inside, so you don’t have to worry about the heat,” he says.

“I have to change because I was ready for work. Give me like ten minutes?” you ask.

“I’ll come pick you up,” he says.

It’s hard to get dressed for a date when you don’t know what you’re doing, but you try to just put the first thing on that you can find. That’s part of why you gave yourself such a short window to get ready. It forces you to focus without overthinking anything. Your mind is going into a little bit of overdrive wondering if going out with this man is actually a good idea. Not because you're worried something is going to happen. Weirdly, you actually feel very safe with him. It’s more because you do feel safe and comfortable and completely at ease. That’s not something that happens very often for you. It’s nerve wracking that it’s happening with someone only here for a getaway.

Thankfully, a knock on your front door interrupts your impending spiral and you hurry to answer it. Seungkwan stands on the other side in a nice pair of slacks and carefully tucked in shirt. As his eyes traveled over your own outfit, you worried that you were underdressed. Then, he smiled, told you that you looked beautiful, and handed you a bouquet of vibrant flowers. You invited him into your apartment just long enough to find a vase and fill it with water.

When Seungkwan leads you outside to the black town car, you pause for a second. This already feels fancier than any date of your life and it hasn’t even really started. Sensing your slight hesitation, he gives your hand a squeeze and holds the door open for you to slide in.

As soon as he’s in as well, you’re immediately thankful for him. It’s not like you to be nervous on a date. Not that you actually go on dates often, but it’s just being around people. And that part is easy. Has to be for your line of work. Dates are usually easy too, which makes you wonder why this date is so hard. Thankfully, Seungkwan carries the conversation for both of you. Or, at the very least, he keeps up a steady stream of questions and stories about himself. All you have to do is follow his lead.

Finally, curiosity gets the better of you. “Okay, where are you taking me?”

“You do understand wanting to surprise someone, right?” Seungkwan asks.

“We’ve just been in the car for awhile,” you start.

“Sick of me already?” Seungkwan jokes.

“And we’re not heading towards anything that I recognize for somewhere to eat or anything else date-like,” you say.

“You did tell me that you weren’t going on a date with me in your town,” he says.

“I did,” you agree.

“And we’re not going on a meal date,” he says, still maintaining the mystery.

“You’re so exhausting,” you complain.

“You’re the one who agreed to go on a date with me,” he points out.

“I did,” you concede.

“You must really like me,” he presses.

“As if,” you scoff in response.

The truth is that you’re not sure how you really feel about Seungkwan. You want to keep him at a safe distance. There are a lot of reasons that you have the rule that you don’t date tourists that come down to the beach during the summer. Part of it is that you don’t find any of them all that interesting. There’s often a sense of superiority over the people that are working for the summer. Or they just don’t see it as anything serious. Everyone loves to think of the fun, no strings attached summer flings.

Which brings you to the second, and real reason. No strings attached is fine. But it ignores that you’re real people, too, with real feelings that could get really hurt. It might just be fun for the person who breezes in and breezes back out on vacation. This town is your whole life. This is your livelihood. The last thing you need is to fall in love with some rich guy from the city that’s going to be leaving before you realize it. You don’t want to risk getting your heart broken. It doesn’t exactly explain why you’re breaking all your rules with Seungkwan, though.

When the car pulls to a stop and you look around, your breath catches. As kind as Seungkwan is, you still can’t believe that he brought you here. Once, in a passing conversation, you mentioned an art gallery that you’d been dying to go to. It’s just that life got in the way or it felt too far away or nobody really wanted to go with you. It seems impossible that he would have been listening closely enough to remember you mentioning it.

“Seungkwan,” you whisper out.

“I thought what better time than now to check off some things you want to do,” he says, trying to gauge your face. “Is that…did I do okay?”

“It’s so thoughtful, thank you,” you say earnestly.

“Let’s go, then,” he says and helps you out of the car.

The whole experience is a little surreal. Someone is waiting at the door and lets you in. Seungkwan doesn’t even stop to pay an entry fee, if there is one, before leading you off to the first installation. Just as you want to ask about it, you catch sight of the piece that he’s leading you to and get completely lost. Yes, this really is the perfect date.

Seungkwan is also the perfect person to have with you. For all the times he can’t seem to stop talking, he’s surprisingly soft spoken during your time at the gallery. He keeps in constant contact with you: a hand on the back, carefully grabbing your hand to lead you to a new area, an arm around your waist with his thumb tracing patterns into your hip. His body pressed into yours is both immediately comforting and entirely terrifying. How has this man waltzed into your life and pulled all of your normal walls down?

You were worried that you might feel out of your element going to a gallery with someone like Seungkwan. He’s clearly got money and loves art. As much as you also love it, you don’t exactly know very much. Instead, Seungkwan remains by your side and shares his insights about the different pieces while asking for your thoughts, too. Nothing about it feels like you’re out of place. In fact, you feel like you’re exactly where you belong.

“Can I ask you something?” you ask suddenly.

“Anything,” he answers.

“Why’s it so quiet in here? I know it’s during the day, but…” you start while looking around.

“Oh, I rented it out for the day,” he says casually.

“You…what?” you ask with wide eyes.

“I just thought it might be nice to explore it in peace without anyone else around,” he shrugs off.

“That’s really sweet,” you say with a squeeze of his hand in yours. “I hope you know that you don’t have to do all that to impress me, though.”

Seungkwan looks away, maybe a little shy for the first time since you met him. Not that it’s been that long. “I do want to impress you.”

“Why?” you ask.

“You’re not like anyone I’ve ever met before and I want to show you that maybe I’m not like anyone you’ve met before either,” he answers. It’s so honest. More honest than you’re used to.

“You’re definitely not like anyone I’ve ever met,” you admit.

“In a good way?” he wonders.

“I’m not sure yet,” you say, matching his level of too-honest.

Seungkwan, usually quick with a smart remark, doesn’t have anything to say to that. He only runs his thumb over the knuckles of your hand in his. You’re starting to appreciate that about him. That he doesn’t always say something even when you know he’s got some of the quickest wit in the world.

When you leave the museum, he takes you to the greasiest hole-in-the wall of a dinner that you’ve ever seen. The kind of place that you can’t really imagine someone like him visiting. Someone that has a car phone and designer everything. The kind with more money than you can even conceive of having yourself. But, he slides into the booth with the cracked leather and opens up the discolored menu to see what the place has.

There’s something really endearing about it. Especially considering how worried you were about fitting in at the art museum and then some fancy restaurant afterwards. Instead, he’s showing you all the little ways that he can fit into your world. Or that he can adjust his world to fit you. All the many ways that he listens when you say something about wanting to go to the museum or not really seeing the point of those super fancy places. Which, honestly, isn’t even totally true.

Your heart is so full watching Seungkwan make the waitress laugh at his jokes. You feel impossibly light at the ease of the conversation between you. It’s even easy to swat away at his hand when he tries to steal food off of your plate. It should be a little scary, the way this man is breaking down every wall that you spent so long putting up with a practiced ease. It’s not, though, and you don’t really want to dwell on why that is.

Nothing really changes, at least not officially. But, in reality, everything is different. Seungkwan fits into your daily routine with the same ease that he’s shown in everything else. He’s there with coffee before you start work, there at the end of the day to talk about dinner plans or walk you over to the restaurant your parents own. Sometimes, he’s there during the work day, with or without his friends. It’s only been a little over a week and he already feels like an inextricable part of your routine.

Your brother only teases you a little bit. Mostly, he claims, because he’s afraid that Mingyu could take him (spoiler: he absolutely could not). Really, he’s just happy to see you happy and taking chances that you wouldn’t normally take. Happy to see you enjoying life instead of just living to work. He doesn’t talk about the looming issue and you don’t bother bringing it up either.

At least until you can’t really avoid it anymore.

You and Seungkwan are sitting on a swinging bench at the park. With your legs tucked up underneath you, it’s easier to curl up to him. As is normal for him, he finds all the little ways that he can to be in contact with your body. Even though physical affection has never been your favorite, he’s so casual about it that it feels easy. Everything feels easy.

“So, I have to leave tomorrow,” he says.

And suddenly, your whole world flips. Which is crazy, right? You still barely know him. Haven’t really been out on much that counts as a date. And you knew that this all had a time limit because he’s a tourist. A shooby. Someone that only comes down during the summer or on weekends. This isn’t home to him like it is to you. It doesn’t make any sense that it would feel as awful as you’re feeling now. He’s just someone you met through work and have gotten to know. It is not the end of the world.

“Oh, right,” you say, pulling away to put space between the two of you.

“Are you upset?” he asks.

“No, of course not. Why would I be?” you ask in return.

“You seem upset,” he presses.

You scoff. “As if.”

“Well, I actually wanted to talk about what we were going to do since I have to head back to the city,” he says.

“What we’re going to do?” you repeat as a question.

“Yeah, like about us,” Seungkwan says. You aren’t looking at him so you don’t see the confusion on his face. You don’t really hear it, either. Not over the pounding in your head. “I was thinking I could come down sometimes on the weekend and figure out how to get you up to the city when you have time off during the week and…”

“What are you doing, Seungkwan?” you snap, finally looking at him.

If he registers the hurt in your eyes, he doesn’t comment on it. He only reiterates what he’s already said. “I’m trying to talk about us, like I said.”

“There is no us here,” you snap. “It always had an expiration date, right? You were always going to leave.”

“Well, yeah, I do have to leave. But, I don’t want this to…” he starts.

“To what? To end? Why bother starting it in the first place?” you ask with far more bite than you intended.

“Because I like you,” he says like it’s obvious.

“Do you? Or do you just like that I’m fun for vacation?” you ask.

“This has never been about just having fun on vacation,” he says, still trying to keep his voice even. You can hear the irritation creeping in, though. Good. Maybe that’ll be easier.

“Sure it wasn’t,” you snark.

“Listen, if it was just about fun on vacation, I wouldn’t have picked you,” he finally snaps.

“Nice, Seungkwan,” you say, even though you know you pushed him.

“Don’t turn this around. You know it’s not about it being some vacation fling. Vacation flings are supposed to be…” he starts and then snaps his mouth shut.

“What? Easy? So I’m not a fling because I didn’t sleep with you?” you ask.

“You’re twisting my words, that’s not what I meant,” he pleads with you.

It’s too much, though. This is exactly why you never go on dates with people like him. This town is just an escape to them. Something to get them out of the dreary routine of everyday life. And it’s everything to you. The only thing you’ve ever known and the one place you’re not sure you could ever give up. So, yeah, you knew better than to get involved with him. Knew and did it anyway. There’s nobody else to blame.

Without another word, you’re on your feet and walking off. Ignoring Seungkwan’s calls after you. It’s over and that’s a good thing. It’ll allow you to refocus on the things that matter like your family and making enough money to last through the quiet season. There’s no point in listening to anything else that Seungkwan has to say when you’ve heard it all before.

This always had an expiration date, you remind yourself. At least you got to walk away on your own terms.

It seems that Seungkwan doesn’t understand that it has an expiration date. He tries to stop by the shop before he and his friends head back home. Your brother is quick to intercept him and suggests he’s better off just leaving. For all the annoying things your brother does, at least he doesn’t bother you. Just lets you keep busy and take over any of the tours when you don’t have something else to do. Even lets you reorganize the entire store without a word. You’re thankful for him.

That’s not the last you hear of him, though. You come home to messages on your answering machine asking you to call him back with a number. There’s no point in taking down the number, or even finishing the messages, so you delete them. It even makes you hesitate to answer the phone, preferring to let the machine get it. When you’re not sure if it could be him, you’re not in a rush to pick up.

That’s when he starts reaching out to your friends like Vernon. Thankfully, he’s naturally aloof and doesn’t actually know much of what’s going on. There’s not much he can tell Seungkwan. Not much help he can provide. Although, he wouldn’t help anyone that you didn’t want him to, so he mostly just stays out of it.

It isn’t until the first weekend since he left that you realize he’s still got tricks up his sleeves. You actually have a minute to wonder why he didn’t call the night before. Actually wonder if maybe you’re being too hard on him. And then he’s there, waiting for you by your shop. When you try to ignore him and breeze through the door, your brother blocks your way.

“Just…give him a chance to talk. You might be surprised what he has to say,” Jamie says.

Your brother is a lot of things. He’s annoying in the way all siblings can be. But, he’s never stuck his nose into your business without good reason. And he’s definitely never gotten involved in your dating life. It’s enough of a pause to make you consider giving Seungkwan a chance to say whatever he drove all this way to tell you.

“What’re you doing here?” you ask when you sit down next to him.

“It’s the only way I could think of to make sure I could talk to you,” he says.

“I didn’t want to talk,” you say, a little petulant.

“Then you can just listen,” he says. That catches you a bit off guard with how firm he is. “I didn’t come down here looking for anything. I just came away for a trip with my boys. Then we met you and you’re all I could think about. You’re complicated and guarded, but you’re also kind, smart, funny, thoughtful, strong, and the only person in my life I haven’t been able to figure out in one or two conversations. I wasn’t planning on developing feelings for you. I can’t help that I did. And it certainly has nothing to do with it being vacation. You’re not some vacation fling to me.”

That whole speech brings you up very short. This isn’t what you were expecting and you feel a little guilty. You’re not used to someone putting in this much effort when there are so many obstacles. It’s not how this normally goes. Sure, someone comes down for a weekend or a vacation and they want to chase you while they’re here. Then, the vacation ends and they want to just go back to their normal life with a story about the person from vacation. They didn’t want the complication of distance and schedules before anything had even really happened.

“There’s got to be other people that don’t live so far away,” you say.

“I can’t think of anyone but you,” he says confidently. Easily.

“But, why me?” you ask.

“For all the reasons I said,” he says.

“You live far away,” you protest weakly.

Seungkwan takes your hands in his and looks calmly into your eyes. “Just answer one thing for me. Do you feel something for me as well? Or am I reading this whole thing wrong?”

“I do, but…” you start.

“No buts. Don’t worry about the distance or any of that. We’ll figure all of that out,” he says.

“By me moving?” you wonder.

He looks surprised. “No, of course not. We’ll just find times where we can. It’s like I said. I’ll come down for a weekend or you can come visit me. I’ll pay to send a town car to pick you up if I have to.”

“You really want to make this move without changing…” you start but can’t finish.

“I want you exactly how you are. Like I said, we’ll figure out a way,” he says. “Are you in? Ready to take the jump?”

“As long as you catch me,” you say through the butterflies in your stomach.

“Every time,” he agrees.

i struggled with this and seungkwan was difficult, but i hope you like it all the same 💕

111 notes · View notes

shadowphoenixrider · 6 days

Text

Killing My Love

(Chance meetings can change your life forever - Shadow and Gambit know this well enough. However, another is about to occur, and it's not going to go nearly as well. Ready for angst and the pair of finest wingmates a person could have? Enjoy!)

It was a good night; the club was excited, the music and lights loud and bright yet not overly stimulating, and the bar was calm enough that Gambit could stay by it and the woman perched on the bar stool next to him.

Getting all the X-Men into one place was difficult, especially the more reclusive types like Beast and Storm, but through some miracle a place had been found where most were content to let their hair down and enjoy the atmosphere.

Gambit really shouldn't have been pushing that luck any further, yet he had to try to get Shadow onto the dance floor - she had declined, regardless of the charm he'd turned on for her. That said, the pleasant discussion about cats they'd found themselves in was a nice diversion too.

The Cajun's gaze had wandered elsewhere in the lull of their conversation, spotting Scott and Jean in a darker, quieter area of the club also in deep talks together, when Shadow moved in the corner of his eye. She sat up to her full height, craning her neck like a bird.

"What's caught ya eye, petite?" Gambit asked as she leaned slightly out of her seat, squinting.

"I...I think..." Another head movement. "I think my ex is here."

A flash of tension shot through Gambit's body before he could stop it. He consciously relaxed himself, trying to follow Shadow's eyeline.

"You think? Where?" He asked, deliberately keeping his tone light.

"Over there, west wall, I think..." Shadow stood up on the bar stool's rung. "Yeah, he's next to the pillar. You see it? Second from the door, closer to us."

Gambit's gaze closed in on a pale-skinned, averagely built man standing somewhat awkwardly by the white square pillar mentioned, dressed mostly in black, minus a light blue shirt.

"Black hair, white face, looks like he jus' here 'cos someone dragged him?" Gambit asked.

"Yeah, that's the guy." Shadow nodded. "This isn't usually his type of place, guess his friends brought him here."

"Hmm." Gambit hummed. The man had a soft, pleasant face, and a smile that brightened his eyes, fake or otherwise. "Good to know ya got a good taste in men, petite." He grinned at her.

Shadow rolled her eyes, trying to pin him with a glare.

"Don't you go getting any ideas Cajun, he's not your type."

Gambit raised an eyebrow.

"Oh? Den what be 'my type', petite?" He grinned, which only widened when he saw a flush start to darken on her cheeks.

"I don't mean like that!" Her tone became serious. "I mean he's the type of guy to break out in hives if another man flirts with him."

"That so...?" Gambit's gaze was roving back to the ex when Shadow grabbed his wrist tightly, staring directly into his eyes with an intensity that surprised him.

"Gambit, don't. He's probably already having a shit time, he doesn't need someone deliberately making it worse," she said, more seriously than he'd heard her for a while. Can see why you two were together for ten years.

"Alright, petite." He smiled, gently patting her hand. "Gambit were only gonna talk to him."

"Talk or Talk?" Shadow asked, raising an eyebrow. He noticed that although the young woman's grip had loosened, she hadn't let him go yet.

"Gambit not gonna scare him, if dat be your worry," he said, glancing back to the man by the pillar. "Jus' talk. Gotta admit, be mighty weird dat he jus' happen to turn up here the one time we be here."

"Sure, but sometimes things are just coincidences, Gambit." She pulled away from him, and he found he missed her touch. "Besides, he doesn't know I'm with you guys, and this place was pretty last minute. For all we know, we turned up as his place!"

"Think we woulda been noticed." Gambit replied, gesturing to Beast, engaged in lively conversation further down the bar with Storm. "Not exactly subtle, non?"

"Yeah, but..." Shadow shook her head. "Urgh, fine. Just leave my ex alone, ok? What's done was done, let him exist in peace."

"Whatever ya say, petite." Gambit said, taking a drink.

A companionable silence settled between the two, although the Cajun's eyes returned to the man hovering awkwardly by the pillar. He definitely looked out of his element, and although he seemed to chat with a couple of others, he kept his gaze to himself and the surrounding furniture. Passing time, counting the minutes down.

Maybe Shadow was right. It was just serendipity that two had to turn up at the same place at the same time, unaware of one another. Although they had seemingly left on less than great terms, she'd never insinuated her ex-partner had been dangerous or cruel beyond his need for blissful ignorance. She clearly cared for him, even now, and if she didn't think he'd be anything but an awkward moment waiting to happen...why couldn't he help but feel on edge about it?

Why do you care so much? His thoughts accused him. It's not like a bright spark like her would be interested in a rat like you.

Shadow swung the last dregs of her glass back, placing it back in easy reach of the bartender.

"I just gonna go to bathroom Gambit, I'll be right back," she said, hopping down from the bar stool. "Don't go getting into any trouble!"

"No promises!" He called back, grinning as she gave him the middle finger before she slipped quickly and effortlessly away through the crowd.

The Cajun turned around to survey the club once more. Scott and Jean had left; Scott probably needing to take a break for his head, Logan keeping an eye on Jubilee as she danced excitedly, Rogue chatting with Storm and laughing about something, and Beast also taking a brief leave himself.

Rogue caught his eye at that moment, and excused herself from Storm, making her way over to him, a small smile on her lips.

"Didn't expect you to be all on your own, sugah. Where'd Shadow go?" She asked.

"She jus' gone for a break, she be back soon." Gambit smiled back. "You doin' ok?" Rogue lifted a shoulder.

"Same as always. Least you can hear yourself think in here, though Jubilee'd probably want somethin' a li'l louder."

"She can find dat on her own when she be a bit older." Gambit chuckled. "Jus' glad we got everyone here. Not often dat happens."

"No, it is real nice." Rogue looked back to him with her olive green eyes, studying him a moment. "Alright Remy, spit it out. You look like you got the weight o' the world on ya shoulders!"

"Dat obvious?" He raised an eyebrow.

"You got a face longer than a freight train, sugah. Saw it from a mile away." She folded her arms. "C'mon. What's eatin' you?"

Gambit sighed, running a hand through his hair as he scanned the club once again.

"Shadow's ex partner be here." He saw Rogue tense in the corner of his eye. "It don't look like he be here on purpose for her, an' she don't want us confrontin' him." His eyes found the man, still at his position, although his gaze was in the direction of the bathrooms. "She ever said anythin' to you 'bout him?'"

"No, not that we didn't already know." Rogue said. "Seemed like just two sweethearts in love, one not gettin' the other. Annoyed that it got this far, but she's never mentioned him bein' nasty to her or anythin'." A pause. "You worried he's gonna try somethin'?"

Gambit frowned.

"I don't know. Jus' got a bad feelin' 'bout him bein' here."

"If somethin' happens we'll help out, but Shadow's a big girl." Rogue pointed out. "She can handle her ex on her own."

The Cajun pressed his lips together, frustrated and annoyed and not even quite sure why. Suddenly, the man moved, getting up from his spot and starting to move through the crowd. Gambit's eyes flicked across the heads until he saw a recognisable mop of curly brown hair weaving through the bodies towards them.

"Remy?"

"He's on the move, Rogue." Gambit replied, not daring to turn his head as his gaze flicked back to the man, watching make his way directly to- "Merde! He's goin' for her."

Gambit was on his feet in a second before Rogue's steel grip seized his shirt, stopping him dead.

"Easy there tiger," she said, lowly. "They might just want to talk."

He gritted his teeth, managing to restrain himself. The ex stopped Shadow in her path, and her eyes widened, surprised. They were too far away from Gambit to hear anything of what was being said, although both seemed mostly calm after the initial surprise, most likely catching up with one another.

Maybe I was overreacting...

The crowd obscured them for a moment, yet Gambit saw Shadow shake her head in response to something. Her eyebrows furrowed slightly, and she spoke. The reaction from the man was to gesture something, open-handed - pleading?

That was when Shadow's gaze looked past him, searching and finding Gambit's eyes. They held for a second, and Gambit mouthed 'help?'

She nodded.

"Ah'm right behind ya, sugah." Rogue murmured, letting Gambit lead as the pair made their way over. What had started as a calm discussion was starting to slowly escalate; Shadow folding her arms whilst her ex gestured more frantically, even making a step towards her. Gambit was also aware of eyes on him - probably the other X-Men noticing him and Rogue moving with intent.

"You go first, Rogue." Gambit said, stopping to let her pass. "Look afta Shadow. I can handle de guy."

She gave him a smile, their plan setting into motion as Rogue walked over to Shadow, Gambit in her wake with the most serene smile he could muster on his features.

"There ya are sugah!" Rogue exclaimed, moving to Shadow's side and settling a glove on her shoulder. "We've been lookin' all over for you!"

The sheer relief that flashed in the smaller woman's eyes was more than enough to confirm to Gambit that they'd done the right thing, although he continued to play his part.

"Whose ya friend, petite?" He asked, eyeing the other man as casually as he could. The ex was taller than Shadow by a couple of inches, his green eyes warily flicking between the pair, before they locked onto Gambit's eyes and widened - the penny had dropped.

"Oh, this is my ex, Tom." Shadow replied, playing along with them. "We just happened to bump into one another."

"Nice ta meet ya, Tom." Rogue said brightly, all warm Southern hospitality. "This gal's told us all 'bout ya!"

Tom's gaze flicked from Gambit to Rogue nervously and back again.

"O-Oh, she has?" He said.

"Yeah." Gambit grinned toothily. "Didn't tell us how much of a good lookin' fella ya be though, mon ami."

Shadow gave him a Look, and he returned it with a gaze that he hoped conveyed 'trust me'.

Tom's back stiffened, his initial shock quickly starting to bleed away, and his dark brows furrowed.

"Glad she still thinks of me that way after all these years." Was his frosty response. "I have always loved her very deeply, and I still do."

"Deeply, maybe. But you didn't love all of me, did you?" Shadow shot back hotly.

"I do love you!" Tom pleaded. "Look, I didn't understand how much they meant to you. I just wanted you to have an easier life, after everything you'd been through!" Gambit and Rogue shared a glance.

"By hiding them? So if it'd been my hair that got me ridicule, would you have told me to shave it off?"

"No, of course not! You deserve to keep your gorgeous curls, and anyone who says otherwise can go screw themselves!"

"So what about my powers?"

"Well, that's more complicated-"

"No sugah, it's not." Rogue butted in. "You either love all of her: body, mind, powers an' all, or ya jus' love the idea of her. You can't pick an' choose what ya like of a person."

"Since when was this any of your business?" Tom retorted, glaring between them.

"Since we became her friends, sugah." Replied Rogue dangerously, stepping forward. "Now why don't ya cool ya head 'fore things start gettin' ugly."

"I wouldn't make de lady mad if I were you." Gambit grinned, stepping closer to Shadow. He lowered his head to whisper in her ear. "Doin' alright, petite?"

"Better now you're both here." She whispered back.

Gambit glimpsed Tom's face flash with utter fury, his grip on his glass tightening.

"So I see it didn't take you long to replace me!" Tom spat, glaring at Gambit. "You were everything to me! But it's great to see those ten years we spent together were so easily tossed aside when another man with pretty words came around!"

"Thank you for de compliment, mon ami." Gambit smirked, straightening up and stepping a little closer to Shadow. Tom's face was starting to turn bright red, his spare hand balling into a fist.

"I thought you were better than this." He growled. "That you were smart enough not to let someone like him convince you he was worth your time!"

"Excuse me?!" Rogue cried, clenching her own fists. Now heads really were turning towards them.

"And what are men like him?" Shadow snarled, mirroring Rogue. Gambit would have been flattered at their defence if his own anger hadn't been rising in his chest.

"Men that are only interested in a quick fuck and moving on, that's who!" Tom snapped, pointing square at the Cajun. "You're nothing but a number to him! Another notch on his bedpost! He'll break your heart without a second thought as soon as he gets what he wants."

"Bold assumptions, mon ami." Gambit spoke coldly, venom dripping from his words. "You know nothing about me."

"I know enough about people like you." Tom hissed. "Taking advantage of women just for your own fun."

"Okay, shut the fuck up!" Shadow snapped, stepping in front of Gambit, her shoulders square, and fury burning off her like flames. "It's fucking rich coming from you, claiming that Gambit here just wants to get into bed with me when you're the one who won't fucking acknowledge that I'm a mutant! So it's okay for you to deny a core aspect of my being, but as soon as another guy might take an interest in me, you lose your fucking mind?!"

Shadow began to stalk forward, even Rogue moving aside for her. Gambit joined other patrons in watching this with awe.

"Furthermore, you're acting like I'm still yours when, last I checked, we split up? The hell is it any of your business who I'm dating or fucking?!" Shadow briefly glanced to Gambit. "What? Are you afraid if I date another mutant I might discover someone who understands what it's like to never be truly normal? That I can never turn this off, ever, that society will never, ever let me be anything but a mutant?" She narrowed her eyes. "Or is it because you're frightened that I'm just going to find someone better than you full stop?"

"That's unfair! I know I screwed up, but so did you!" Tom scowled. "You treated me like dirt to begin with, and I took it because I loved you!"

"I know, and I'm sorry." Shadow's fury abated for a moment. "I was young and socially-awkward and had no idea how relationships work - not that was an excuse. We were both young people growing up, trying to understand our place in the world against people who didn't like us and treated us like shit. No wonder we screwed up!" She sighed. "I just thought, of everyone, it'd be you, the man I loved, and went through the same shit I did, who knew what it was like to be hated by people just for being different. And why we couldn't let it change us, or force us to hide - because there was nothing wrong us to begin with!"

Shadow's voice became heavier with sorrow, gesturing widely and frantically. Gambit took a cautious step closer.

"So why, Tom? Why do I have to hide for you? You seemed just fine when I used my powers for you!"

"I wanted you to be safe!" Tom cried. "I love you, I wanted you to want for nothing, and never experience anything like we did at school ever again! I didn't want you to ever be afraid again!"

"That's a nice dream, sugah." Rogue's voice was soft. "But it can only be a dream."

"People ain't things you can jus' lock up an' keep safe." Added Gambit. "'Specially if they don't wanna be."

"So that's it?" Tom spat. "I just have to be fine with the fact the woman I love could be assaulted or taunted or ridiculed at any moment just because 'that's the way things are'?"

"That's not what he meant an' you know it." Rogue growled.

"Of course it fucking sucks that I'm- we're discriminated against for just being mutants!" Shadow gestured broadly. "But we don't get anywhere by hiding! They'll hate me whether I'm behind closed doors or out on the street, so I might as well live as who I am than pretend to be someone I'm not."

Something shifted in Tom's face, and Gambit rested his hand over his trouser pocket. He hoped he wouldn't need the slim deck of cards stashed there, but with how the situation was turning...

"My love never mattered to you, did it?" Tom spoke, new anger dawning over his face like a blood-red sunrise.

"W...What?" Shadow did a double-take. Gambit and Rogue shared a glance. I don't like where this is going.

"Ten years, I loved you! Ten years of caring, wanting you to be safe and happy, and it never mattered to you, did it?!" Tom yelled.

"You fucking what?!" Shadow exclaimed. "Of course it fucking mattered to me! We were together ten years! You think I wanted to split with you?! Why do you think we talked so many times near the end? I was trying to save the relationship with the man I loved, because I thought we were always meant to be! The two sides of the same coin! You were the moon to my sun, the dragon to my phoenix! If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't have gotten through high school!"

"Yet you still left me. After everything I did for you."

"Because I needed to live, Tom!" Shadow's desperate cry was heavy with emotion. "Because I grew up, I got stronger thanks to you, and I'll never be able to repay you for that, that's true, but I couldn't stay in that cage you wanted for me." She shook her head. "I know I was your everything, but you can't let a person be the one thing your life revolves around, or you suffocate them! I loved you Tom, but you held me so tightly I couldn't breathe!"

"So it's true." Tom replied coldly. "I wasn't everything to you."

"I didn't say that-"

"I'm the only man who could ever love you, Kat." Tom spoke, his tone frosty whilst anger and hate boiled beneath the surface. "Don't you remember?"

"Don't pull this with me Tom, you're talking about a very different person." Shadow growled, squaring her shoulders. "That scared little girl clinging to any affirmation she could get is gone now."

"Is she?" A raised eyebrow. "Is that why you had to go scurrying to your new friends? Is that why you so easily went to that man's bed?"

"Really should stop makin' dose assumptions, couyon. It gettin' embarrassin' now." Gambit hissed lowly.

"Ah have you know we came to her, sugah." Rogue replied, stepping forward. "Not that ah think you know what friends are."

"Well, neither does she!" Tom claimed. "She jumps friend groups all the time!

"Oh, so we're criticizing each other for being socially-awkward, are we?" Shadow laughed bitterly, miming picking up a phone. "Hi pot, this is kettle, I think you'll find you're black as well! Besides," her humourous veneer dropped in an instant, "you have no fucking idea what I've been doing since we broke up, so how about you stop pretending you know, ok?"

"Do they even know what you did?" Tom asked, raising his voice. A cruel grin curled his lips when Shadow hesitated, tension tightening her shoulders. "They don't, do they?"

"Tom, don't do this." Shadow's voice was quiet, and Gambit saw her leg start to tremble.

"Dat's enough." He interjected, stepping in front of Shadow, using his full height to loom over Tom. A card slipped into his fingers and his powers hummed eagerly beneath his skin. "Gambit think you should leave before dis gets ugly, mon ami."

Tom straightened up, and although he was smaller than the Cajun, he held his ground.

"She won't tell you, because she's a liar and a playing you all for fools, pretending to be innocent when she has blood on her hands." Tom said, lifting his chin up. "Kat almost killed someone, you know. Lost her temper and nearly tore their throat out with those powers of hers. She's pretending she's just an innocent little creature, wouldn't hurt anyone, but she would have killed him without hesitation if she wasn't stopped. That's why her powers should be hidden - because otherwise next time she gets pissed, someone's going to die."

Tom grinned triumphantly, the crowd murmuring around them, and Gambit let him enjoy it for a couple seconds. Then he arched his eyebrow, letting his own sly grin grow across his lips.

"Dat's it?" Gambit asked, revelling in the ex's expression starting to falter. He stepped closer, hoping his dark eyes was making him looking every bit Le Diable Blanc he'd been. "What did Gambit tell ya 'bout makin' assumptions?" He held the playing card up - the ace of diamonds - and let his power surge into it, turning it a bright, glowing pink that cast sinister shadows across his face. Its high-pitched hum blended with the crowd's anxious mutterings. "You think Gambit not spilt his own share 'o blood?" His voice lowered, exchanging his tease for something altogether more dangerous. "Gambit know what she did, mon ami. She told him. And dat wasn't very nice to just blurt out in front of everyone."

"Gambit not gonna tell ya again. Walk away, or de lady here gonna deal wit ya." He raised his voice again as he nodded to a very angry Rogue. "She not as nice as Gambit."

"What's going on here?!" Gambit turned his head to see Scott pushing his way through the crowd of spectators, Jean and the others following swiftly behind. He tucked the card under his belt, just in case.

"Everything's under control, sugah." Replied Rogue, folding her arms as she approached Tom as well. "This guy was jus' leavin', wasn't he?"

Gambit stepped back towards Shadow, who seemed to have shrunk a couple of inches, and put his arm around her.

"Oh no you don't!" Rogue suddenly said, and Gambit glimpsed a flash of glass, the crowd uttering a collective gasp. He quickly pulled Shadow into his body, shielding her with his broad back, his card back between his fingers and flaring white with power.

Luckily Rogue had stopped Tom in time, effortlessly holding both of his arms - one with the drink he'd attempted to throw and the other that had made a swing for Rogue herself. Tom's green eyes were wide as saucers, suddenly realizing what a terrible mistake he'd just made.

"Alright big guy, that's it. You've had enough." Rogue announced, casually moving so she could pin both of his wrists together before she lifted him clean off the floor by his shirt. "Time to see the big guys by the door, sugah."

And with that, she was gone, Tom too stunned to even struggle. The crowd started to disperse, chattering amongst themselves, and the rest of the X-Men pushed through, gathering around Gambit and Shadow.

"What the hell happened here?" Scott demanded, although his tone had softened at seeing Shadow pressed against the Cajun's side. Jean immediately went over to the young woman, talking gently to her.

"Dat fils de putain be Shadow's ex-partner." Gambit explained, nodding in the direction Rogue had gone, tucking the now de-powered card back into the deck. "Decided he be wantin' his pound of flesh."

"Looked like a piece of work." Logan growled. "Good riddance."

"An' 'fore ya ask, no, Gambit didn't start anythin'. He caught Shadow comin' back to us - we were on a rescue mission."

"It seems your presence might have had exacerbated the situation, however." Storm spoke. "He reacted extremely badly towards you."

"Hardly Gambit's problem if the guy is too jealous he can't stand to see the girl he isn't even dating be kind to another man." Jubilee pointed out. "Dude's so cuckoo-bananas he probably would have blown up on any one of us."

"A shame a jealous ex-lover has spoiled the evening." Beast commented. "I was finding it very enjoyable."

"Hey now, with that guy thrown outta here, we can still have some fun!" Jubilee commented. "It's not even that late!"

"I...You guys can carry on." Shadow managed to speak up. "I, I think I wanna go back, though."

"That's perfectly understandable." Jean smiled. "Will you be ok to make your own way back, or do you want one of us to come with you?"

"I can take her." Gambit offered. "My bike ain't far, an' I think I might not be too welcome after dis little spat either."

"But you didn't do anything!" Jubilee cried.

"Maybe, but bouncers don't have time to litigate squabbles like that." Logan grunted. "Better to just kick both parties out and let them sort it amongst themselves."

"That's so unfair..."

"You alright to go wit me, petite?" Gambit asked Shadow kindly. "Or you wanna wait for Rogue?"

"N-No, I just wanna go." Her defeated tone almost broke his heart, and part of him hoped Rogue threw the bastard out on his ear. Or into a wall.

"Ok. C'mon den, let's go home."

#sprs writing #x men #gambit #oc/canon #remy lebeau #rogue x men #self insert #self ship #slow burn #angst #arguments #dialogue heavy #gambit and rogue being The Best Wingmates #i processed a lot of things through this fic holy shit #self insert x canon #self insert/gambit #x men gambit

8 notes · View notes

lukin08 · 1 month

Text

Up In The Air- Chapter 3

Kristanna Modern AU

Rated T

WC: 2300

Summary: Tired of her nomad lifestyle, traveling nurse Anna Arendelle on a whim picks Pensacola Florida as her new town to try find a sense of home. Meanwhile, Navy Pilot Kristoff Bjorgman has accepted a dream position at the Naval station in the same town. After a chance encounter goes south, the two of them find their lives entwined, with neither of them all that happy about it!

Also available on AO3

Previous Chapters- Chapter 1 Chapter 2

“Anna!” The table yelled out in unison, some in the group raising their drinks as they called her name. Camila hadn’t been joking when she said everyone would be out. Most the nurses, techs and doctors who were off were standing or sitting around the three high tops pushed together.

“I saved you a seat,” Camila said as she ran over to meet Anna. Camila led Anna over to the tables to a stool between her and Sue. There was a spread of food already on the tables and Anna quickly filled up a plate. She was famished. Between her morning shift at the hospital and working at the OB’s office, she didn’t find any time to grab lunch.

“So, how was the Dr. Intilli’s,” Camila asked, handing Anna a beer.

Sue leaned in before Anna could answer. “I hope Dr. Intilli is single for the number of hours you’re putting in at his office and how much you talk about him. I’ve never heard him mention anyone, so I’ll remain hopeful.”

“If you must know, his partner helped me find the house I’m renting. They’re a lovely couple. And I like working there when they are short staffed. Gives me something to do.”

“Something to do!” Sue threw her hands up. “Anna, you’ve been here for over a month! Your ‘something to do’ should be filled with getting out and having fun.”

“You sound just like Camila.”

“Good. You should listen to us! Now let me help get you initiated into the club.”

“Sue, stop!” Camila reprimanded.

“Anna’s the one that said she was ready to start dating again. I’m just helping her along.”

Camila shook her head. “What I meant was, she’s not interested in any sailors.”

“Oh please. Was one date really that bad?”

Anna nodded, rolling her eyes as she took a drink from her beer. “I shouldn’t have told you two about that.”

Camila nudged Anna. “Don’t mind her. She’s biased because of her husband.”

Anna’s head swiveled to Sue. “Your husband was in the Navy?”

Sue smiled and winked. “20 years. His last station was Pensacola and we ended up staying. So yes, I’m a little biased, but if you don’t want military let’s see what the options are.” Sue started scanning the bar.

Anna looked at her quizzically. “What do you mean?”

“Sue can spot military from a mile away.” Camila answered.

“They all have a certain look to them,” Sue said as she continued to look around, until she stopped her focus at the back of the bar. “See the group at the back there? All Navy. The two across from us, not. But they don’t look like your type.”

“You know my type too? Anna snorted when she laughed. “Ok. I must know. What is your secret? How do you know who’s who?”

“First and most importantly,” Sue said, holding up her finger. “Years of being around it. And second,” she glanced around until she zeroed in on two men entering the bar. “There it is. See that one, with the brown hair?” Anna looked in the direction Sue was focused on. “The hair usually gives it away- neat and short most of the time. Also, see how he’s walking? It’s too precise. Yeah, that one’s definitely Navy. Although he does have a bit of swager in his step. Probably a fly boy.”

“Fly boy?”

“A pilot.”

“Oh, he’s cute!” Camila added as she looked over and pointed in that direction. “But I like his friend more. Anna what do you think?”

Anna grabbed her hand, shoving it down quicky. “Camila, stop! They’ll see us.”

“That’s the point! Sue what do you make of the other one?”

Sue looked intently for a moment. “You know, I can’t really tell. He’s either a local or an officer. It’s a toss-up, really.”

Anna kept her gaze on the duo until they found a pub table not too far away and started talking. She had to agree with Camila. Both men were good looking, but something drew her more to the second one. Anna didn’t realize she was staring until one of the doctors asked her a question and pulled her back into the conversation with the group.

Five minutes later, Sue was sliding off her pub chair. “Ok, here we go ladies.”

Anna shot a look at Sue. “Where are you going?”

Sue had a laser focus on the bar. “To gather intel. I’ll be back soon.”

Anna could only watch as Sue sauntered up to the bar right next to one of the men from the table. She hid her face in her hands. “Oh, this isn’t going to go well.”

“Relax,” Camila said then got distracted. She held up a sheet of paper from the table. “Oh, look. They have karaoke tonight. Fun!”

“Wait,what?”

***********************

“Hey Svenny,” Sue heard the bartender say as she watched him put both hands on the edge of the bar. “Sorry for the wait. I’m down two wait staff tonight.” He handed over two bottles of beer. “Great to see you again! How you’ve been doing, bud? I see you managed to get Kris out.”

The man turned and looked behind him. “Miracles do happen.”

“Well, I can’t speak for my brother, but I’m sure Cliff is appreciative.”

“I’m always up for dragging his ass out and making him live a little.”

The bartender chuckled as he glanced over to the table then turned his attention back to Sven. “How long are you in town?’

“Just a few more days. I’ve got a few weeks of leave before I report to my new assignment, and we wanted to see Kris. It’s been too long.”

“I heard you’re reassigned to the States now that your deployment is over. Congrats! Where are you going?”

“Virginia Beach. And thanks. Finally. Hopefully we should be back for a long time.”

“Good to hear. How’s the wife doing?”

Sue heard a sigh, and she already knew where the conversation was going. She listened to them talk before she couldn’t hold it in anymore. “Want some unsolicited advice from a wife of a 20-year naval veteran?”

***********************************

“What’s going on now?” Anna asked, not able to look over at the bar.

Camila was watching Sue’s every move. “She’s talking to them. He’s giving her a look. Oh wait! He’s smiling at her!”

“That can’t be good.”

“I’m sure it’s fine.” Camila hopped off the chair with the paper in hand. “I’ll be back in a minute. I’m going to put our names on the list for karaoke.”

A few minutes later, Sue was bouncing back to the table, drinks in hand and smiling like a Cheshire cat.

“What was that about?” Anna asked, crossing her arms and squinting her eyes at Sue.

“Top secret military stuff. But look, he bought us drinks!” Sue sat down and passed Anna’s drink over. “I don’t know what it is, but it looked like it was strong.”

“Sounds like I may need it.”

Sue ignored her and started in. “Here’s the deal. The one at the bar… off the table. Married and from what I could gather, happily. So, hands off. But the blond is definitely single. And the more I get a look at him, fucking hot. I see it as a win-win situation for everyone. So, now you may go talk to him.”

“Just like that?”

“Why not?”

“Because!” Anna threw her face in her hands. “I am going to need a drink for that.”

Sue pushed hers over. “Then you can have mine too. I’m not drinking anymore tonight. Early shift tomorrow.”

Camila was back as soon as Anna finished her drink. Anna grabbed Sue’s when Camila dragged her over by the karaoke.

***************************

“Cheers,” Sven clinked his beer to Kristoff’s and both men took a swig of their glasses. “Thanks for showing me around today. That was a dream come true.”

Kristoff sat back in thought for a moment. “Yeah, glad we could do that. The team liked you…surprisingly.” A corner of Kristoff's mouth turned up.

“What are you talking about? Everyone loves me. I’m a joy to have in class. Ask my second-grade teacher.”

“And it was all downhill after that. But seriously, it was nice to be able to take someone on base besides my parents to see everything.”

“You ready for El Centro? I can’t believe you leave soon.”

“It’s come up so fast.” Kristoff shook his head. “Everything’s been a blur since July. Between transitioning duties in Norfolk, moving down here, getting in the jets and starting to learn the show, I barely know which way is up. We already started working on the routine.”

“How is it?”

Kristoff let out a high bark of a laugh. “Rough. But the boss wants us to have a basic feel for the show in the air before we leave.”

Sven leaned forward on his elbows, his face turning serious. “Be honest. What’s it like? Flying the jet with the team?”

The grin from Kristoff said it all. “Amazing.”

Sven clapped his hands and leaned back against his chair. He wore a huge smile from ear to ear. “I fucking knew it! What a dream! Now you get 8 weeks in Cali flying with the Angels and you’ll come back a cohesive team!”

“Don’t glamourize it too much. It’s not like I’ll be sitting at the beach. That’s 8 weeks of intense work in the Mohave Desert.”

“I’ll glamorize it all I want! Do you know how many pilots would kill to be in your position?”

“I’m fully aware.”

Sven took another drink of his beer. He sat the bottle down, spinning the bottom edge of the glass on the table. “Remember when we used to talk about trying out for the Angels when we were in the Academy? You actually did it.”

“You could too.”

“Fuck off with that.” Sven shook his head, dismissing the idea.

“Why?”

“Why?!” Sven looked like he could barely contain his laughter at the thought. “Look at you! You’ve done twice the amount of combat deployments as I have, you’ve been to TOPGUN, you’re a full rank above me. Plus, all the shit you’ve been through…”

Kristoff crossed his arms. “So what? None of that gets you in the Blue Angels. You have all the required hours and the rank to apply. There’s a lot of things you have that I don’t that could make you stand out to get on the team.”

“Like what?”

“Like Nic to start.”

“Oh, ok.” Sven rolled his eyes. “That’ll help with getting on a team where you FLY AN F-18.”

“It does. It gives you balance. I don’t have that. It’s why I have all the combat deployments, hours and rank. What else do I have to do?”

Sven tilted his head. “Am I sensing some regret?”

Kristoff’s face remained emotionless. “Absolutely not. I’m just showing the comparison. What I’m saying is you have experiences to bring to the team. Plus, you’re a damn good pilot with a stunning reputation.”

“Who told you that?”

“Word gets around.”

“Was it Pop Tart?”

Kristoff let out a heartly laugh. “Definitely not! I swear how can we both have been deployed with him and you and I never be assigned to the same carrier even once?”

Sven was laughing too. “Both times I had deployment with Pops, he’d complain about you to me whenever he had the chance. He really hates you. I think he’s still angry you gave him that call sign.”

“The guy ate Pop Tarts every meal. He was asking for it! I only came up with it and encouraged the name. The rest of the squad had to agree for it to stick.”

Sven burst into another fit of laughter before calming down and sighing. “It would be a blast flying together.”

“Think about it. Applications are due in the spring if you decide it’s right for you. I can give you some advice, but you’ll have to figure out your path on your own.”

“Thanks. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate it.”

“Any time. Now, how’s Nic really doing? I didn’t want to ask about anything around her.”

Sven blew out a breath. “Better. I was gone for almost 8 months this time. It takes a toll; delays plans we had...” Sven trailed off, lost in thought. Then just as quickly, he snapped out of it and continued. “I think Nicki’s having a tough time believing I should be home now for a few years at least.”

Sven went on to tell Kristoff how they had started couples therapy that was offered on base to help adjust to him being back and how he felt it was a positive thing for them. Kristoff didn’t say anything, knowing Sven needed an ear to listen more than any advice. Not that he would have much to give that would help. Sven and Nicole were a strong couple, and he was happy to hear them address their issues head on. After a while the conversations drifted to their families and a vacation Sven was planning. Sven noticed Kristoff’s attention start to waiver several times, looking over Sven’s shoulder before coming back to the conversation. He asked Kristoff if he was ok, getting only a dismissive ‘yes’.

“What are you looking at?” Sven said after Kristoff got distracted again. He swiveled in the chair to look behind him then back to Kristoff. “Do you want to sing karaoke that bad?”

“What? No!”

Sven gave Kristoff a frustrated look then turned away again. After a few moments, Sven turned back, a shit eating grin on his face. “You’re watching the red head, aren’t you?”

“Fuck off,” Kristoff said. He grabbed his beer and took a long drink, his cheeks flashing red.

#up in the air #Edin What did you write #Kristanna #Frozen #Up in the air chapter 3 #Frozen 2 #Anna #Kristoff

8 notes · View notes

malum-forev · 2 years

Text

Game On: Chapter Two

Prologue Chapter One

“So, a little birdy told me you were talking to Buck last night at the bar.” Steve said as he wrapped his arm around Natasha’s shoulder, bringing her closer to him. The groan that followed was to be expected so, he continued bothering his situationship’s roommate. “The two were seen standing closely to each other, I think physical contact was even reported.”

Natasha laughed at Steve’s reporter voice and even added a: “Steve, I have just received confirmation that a certain Mr. James B. Barnes held (Y/N)’s face.”

“Okay, okay.” (Y/N) finally spoke. “Although I liked your little skit, you two must stop annoying me. Especially since my lecture is about to be as much torture as this thing.” She waved her pointer finger at them and rolled her eyes.

“Are you going to tell us what happened yesterday? Or should we keep going?” The redhead asked her friend.

“Nothing happened,” She responded, letting a little sigh of relief as they turned a corner and she saw the building she was supposed to enter just a few feet away. “I went outside to get a breath of fresh air and I guess Barnes decided he wasn’t done bothering me.”

“If that’s true, then why would you let him grab you like that?” Steve replied quickly, not wanting to let her drop the subject. He, like all of his friends, really wanted (Y/N) and Bucky to put aside their differences but, it seemed that wasn’t going to happen soon.

Natasha cleared her throat and raised one of her hands, pretending to hold up an apple. “To paraphrase Dr. Seuss ‘You wouldn’t touch him with a thirty-nine-and-a-half-foot pole.”

(Y/N) let out a small laugh. “How very festive of you but, need I remind you we still have to get over Thanksgiving to be able to sing Christmas songs.” Was her only reply, luckily they were at the door of the building.

Steve looked down at his watch. “Saved by the bell I guess, but I hope we’re going to be able to keep bothering you this afternoon?”

“Sadly, I am not going to make it to the bar tonight. I seriously have to finish my essay.” She smiled apologetically and hiked her school bag up her arm, trying to leave the conversation as soon as possible.

“C’mon you said it was due today. You’ll have to turn it in by 12pm which means you have from that time till 6am to be with us.” Natasha wiggled her eyebrows.

(Y/N) was about to decline once more when Carol Danvers, one of her classmates, bumped into her and gave the most awful news in one single sentence. “Can you believe Professor Williams just extended the deadline until after the break!” She said happily as she walked past (Y/N) and entered the building. “See you inside!”

Once Carol sped past the group, Natasha and Steve gave (Y/N) a pleading look with puppy eyes and all and, she gave in.

“Well, my schedule just cleared so, I guess I will see you guys at the bar after all.” She sighed, the couple just nodded and happily went on with their day.

A few hours later, (Y/N), Natasha and Wanda were getting ready in their shared apartment.

“I just don’t understand why you make such a big deal out of going out.” Wanda said while curling her hair, not looking back at her roommate. “You used to love going out when we were freshmen.”

(Y/N) only nodded and sipped on her drink, wanting to be as numb as possible for when they got to the bar.

“I remember a certain someone even got the ‘Keg Queen’ title one night.” Natasha started laughing.

“I guess I just got really into my classes this year.” She sighed. “You know law school is pretty demanding.”

“Yeah, yeah whatever.” Wanda said rolling her eyes. “I just want you to promise you won’t fight with Bucky tonight.”

“I will not make promises I cannot keep.” She responded as she reapplied her lipstick.

“C’mon, please. Look, if you promise you won’t be annoying, I promise to give you the good bed at my parents’ house this weekend.” Natasha said trying to be convincing.

“Damn that proposal sounds extremely enticing.” (Y/N) said narrowing her eyes but finally let out a smile. “I will try to sit as far away from Barnes as possible. That is the only thing I can do to keep things calm tonight. As for my mouth, I cannot respond for her. She says things I cannot control.”

“You could use your mouth to make out with him. Everyone knows you two have the hots for each other.” Wanda said trying to hide her laugh behind her seltzer can.

(Y/N) gasped and put her hand on her chest. “You take that back. You have never in your life offended me this way. I will sit as far away from you too tonight.”

Wanda’s laugh only grew and she came closer to (Y/N) to give her a one-sided hug as her roommate stood immobile. “Fine, I’ll take it back.” Wanda said and it was only then that (Y/N) relaxed and gave her a pat on the back.

“You know I’m not one for physical touch.” (Y/N) mumbled as she awkwardly stood waiting for Wanda to stop hugging her.

“That’s not what it looked like yesterday outside of the bar.” Natasha said grabbing her keys and coat.

“Will you please let that go.” (Y/N) said as she slipped out of Wanda’s arms.

“What happened yesterday?” Wanda questioned with a smile. “Did I miss something important?” Added wiggling her eyebrows.

“A certain someone was seen outside the bar with a certain Bucky Barnes.” Nat said while closing the door behind the three of them. “It is said that hugging and face touching was involved.”

(Y/N) only groaned, which earned a: “I told you! I could cut the sexual tension with a butter knife.” From Wanda.

At the bar, (Y/N) was having a suspicious amount of fun. The music was nice, the company was even better and it wasn’t at all packed. This combination, she discovered, really calmed her anxiety and an outburst was less likely to happen. She looked over at her two best friends and smiled, they really only wanted the best for her, which often included dragging her out of the apartment and/or library so she could get at least one hour of sunlight and fresh air a day. She headed over to the bar and sat down at one of the stools, thinking about how lucky she was to find them at the end of her freshmen year, especially after the horrible ‘friendships’ she made during her first semester. (Y/N) shook her head, as if that was going to erase the awful memories. She relaxed a bit after she ordered her third martini of the night.

“I’ll have what she’s having.”

“Oh please don’t.” She mumbled under her breath and put her head in her hands.

“Hey Doll, how’s this lovely evening treating you?” Bucky asked, scooting his stool dangerously close to her.

“Don’t you wish the earth would just swallow you up sometimes?” (Y/N) asked the bartender as he pushed the martini closer to her.

“Personally, I think this night has been incredible. Don’t you?” Bucky asked ignoring the fact that she still hadn’t looked over at him. “Or, do you need for us to go outside again so you can see my eyes. Maybe that will make you think this night is incredible.”

She finally looked over at him, the look was accompanied by an unimpressed expression on her face. “Are you still thinking about that stupid thing I said yesterday?” She laughed a bit, which always made him loose a little bit of his confidence; sometimes it was hard to know when she was laughing with him or at him. Although the latter, was usually the case. “I only said that so you would stop touching me. I don’t know where those filthy paws have been.”

Bucky relaxed his shoulders a bit and took a swig from her martini, and before she could say anything he replied: “You wanted me to stop touching you? Or were you scared of what could happen if I didn’t?”

She scoffed and turned her back to him, quickly finishing what was left of her drink. He quickly appeared on the other side and continued. “Look, I just want us to get along again. Just like old times.”

(Y/N) furrowed her eyebrows and shot him a look of utter confusion. “Just like old times?” She asked in a mocking tone.

“Yeah, I mean we hung out a couple of times in freshman year. And if I remember correctly we were actually friends.” He said.

The look of confusion on her face quickly turned to one of anger, or was it disappointment? Bucky couldn’t quite figure it out.

“Yeah, I guess we did hang out a couple of times.” She muttered, grabbing her clutch from the counter, and leaving the bar. She walked quickly towards her roommates who were sitting at a booth with the rest of her friends, and quickly said goodbye.

“Already? It’s not even half past midnight.” Wanda groaned.

“Look, I made you a promise.” (Y/N) turned to Natasha and turned her head to see that Bucky was only a couple of steps behind her. “But it seems if I want to keep my promise I will have to leave.”

“Buck, could you please stop bothering (Y/N). She wants to leave because of you.” Steve said to his best friend.

“Oh yeah?” Bucky said with a lasting smile. “Have my comments got you all hot and bothered?” He said taking his arm and placing it on top of her shoulders.

She pushed him away and turned to her friends. “You see what I have to put up with?”

Sam, Natasha, Steve, and Wanda all nodded. “The court accepts your petition to leave.” Sam said directing his hand towards the door.

“But!” Natasha said before (Y/N) could turn around. “Bucky’s punishment will be to accompany you to our apartment.”

“His punishment?!” (Y/N) shrieked. “It sounds like you want to punish me.”

“I guess two birds with one stone. You were being quite annoying too.” Natasha replied, taking her beer towards her mouth as Steve placed his lips on her temple.

“Does the court have anything to say about this ungodly punishment?” (Y/N) rolled her eyes.

“Nope.” Wanda said with a smile. “He needs to walk you back. The streetlights have not been working recently and I want you to get back home safe.”

“That’s not very feminist forward of you.” (Y/N) replied, placing her hand on her hip. “You mean I need a man to accompany me or else I won’t be seen as very ‘lady-like’? I am a strong, confident woman who doesn't need a man to-”.

“No,” Wanda interrupted. “I’m saying there are insane creeps around the campus who won’t want to come near you if Bucky is there.”

Bucky raised his hand. “Yes?” Sam said. “Um, do I get any say in this?” Bucky asked and the ‘court’ shook their heads.

“Fine.” She huffed. “Let’s just get out of here.”

(Y/N) quickly got her coat and exited the bar, wanting to put as much distance as she could between her and her appointed companion.

“Hey!” Bucky shouted as he jogged towards her. “A little thank you would be nice. Or even just slowing down so I won’t risk falling onto the ground.” He said looking down at the snow that had started to cover the streets.

“Thank you for what?” She questioned. “I could’ve walked back to my apartment all by myself. I’m a big girl.”

“I mean I am saving you from potential predators by walking with you.” Bucky said while puffing his chest, trying to look menacing.

She let out a laugh. “Yeah right. You, protecting me. I have a better chance of dropping out of college and joining the rodeo than that happening.”

She immediately regretted saying the words that exited her mouth. It was like the venom just had to slip out.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Bucky was stopped in his tracks by her comment.

She stopped too and turned around. “Nothing. It meant nothing.”

“No, seriously. Look, I don’t know what that thing you said is about but I would never want you to think I don’t want the best for you. And to keep you safe.” His eyes softened as he said this. “I would never want or let anything bad happen to you.”

“Yeah right.” She muttered and turned back around, keeping up her quick pace. Rage was filling her body. She was one of the best law students there was but she had only one flaw. Whenever she was fighting for something that involved her own problems, tears would quickly follow. Fearing he might actually see her cry twice in one week, (Y/N) kept her back towards him and started walking even faster than before.

“You know, you should join the track team. That powerwalk of yours is pretty impressive.” Bucky huffed as he finally caught up to her, meeting at her apartment door.

“Yeah, I’ll look into that.” She said quietly as she unlocked the door. She quickly stepped in and said goodbye to James.

He saw her eyes and put his hand on the door to stop her from closing it on his face. “You know you can tell me anything right?”

She bit the inside of her cheek and nodded, avoiding his gaze.

“I don’t know what I did, or why you’re eternally mad at me. But I do consider you my friend. And I want to be yours again.” He said, taking his hand off the door. “So if that means I have to walk you home every single night for a year, that’s what I’ll do. Or at least until you tell me what I did wrong, let me fix it.”

“James, you did nothing wrong.” She lied. “We just have very different personalities. And I would rather you stay far away from me.”

Bucky was cut off by the slamming of the door and left dumbfounded. “Well, whatever it is I will change it. I am determined that we will become friends.” He said through the door and before turning back towards the bar, he added: “And I know you heard that even if you don’t say anything back!”

On the other side of the door, (Y/N) pressed her back against the solid wood and let the tears flow. She sometimes wished she could turn back time and forget everything that happened those first semesters of freshman year, it certainly would make her life easier and would have less tears involved.

Chapter Three

142 notes · View notes

lyon-amore · 1 year

Text

A special reunion Oneshot

At first, he didn't imagine that she was that MC that was being talked about so much. When he saw her walk into his bar, Phil recognized her right away. MC had already been to Duskwood. Exactly ten years ago. When she lived there. There were many memories that they had, especially because it had just ten years ago, the two of them had dated.

It was long before he earned the title of womanizing boy. That girl had been his first love. His first girlfriend. Seeing her again made him remember those happy moments they had spent together. When the girl sat in the chair, leaning against the bar, she gave the bar owner a smile. "Phil Hawkins" MC smiled, with a proud smile "Who was going to tell me that I would get you out of jail?" "Who was going to tell me, that you'd be the one who got into Hannah's business?" Phil leaned over the bar, with a charming smile "Thanks for helping me." "I wasn't going to leave you in there" the girl replied, resting her chin on her hand "How long ago? Ten years?" She asked in a nostalgic tone. "Saying it in that tone, you make me feel old" MC laughed and he stood up "What do you want to make you look beautiful? A beer? A good wine? Me?" MC leaned back a bit, with a somewhat awkward laugh. "Really Phil?" She shook her head "Ten years without seeing each other and this is how you want to start?" Of course, he had screwed up and to the bottom. He had forgotten that Jessy's group had spoken badly about him. To which surely, they would have told the young woman that he flirted with all the girls he liked. True, but it wasn't for her to get like that either. They were supposed to be confident, right? "Sorry" the young man apologized ", I guess I got nervous seeing you." "That's a lie and you know it." she pointed his finger at her, accusingly, but without erasing his smile. They both stared at each other, as if they were communicating telepathically. "You know? Since we've met again, let's celebrate.” Phil took out the tequila and two small glasses. He began to prepare the drink, passing it to the girl, who looked at the glass before looking at him. "To our reunion." Phil raised his glass. "To our reunion." MC imitated him. They gulped it down, making a throaty sound. Although it was little, it burned in the throat. "So" Phil continued, sitting up again at the bar ", now you're going to look for missing persons? I thought your dream was to be an actress and get away from this quaint little town." "And I have some small roles" She pouted ". On television... As an extra..." "Poor your dreams." "But I'm not giving up" She poured himself another glass of tequila and drank it in one gulp ". God, I needed it..." He wouldn't stop looking at her. Remembering the pain of when they had to say goodbye.

Maybe it was out of spite or because he was unconsciously looking for MC in all the girls that hooked up with. He fixed on her lips, remembering the last kiss they shared. He wanted to remember what it was like to kiss her again. Would it be just as passionate? All the memories of her were coming back, the moments alone. "What's up?" MC asked, with a laugh. "I was thinking" Phil approached her, placing his hand under the girl's chin "Why don't we remember the old days?" They were approaching each other, her lips were close. But MC was clever and avoided it, approaching his ear. "Like I said" MC began to whisper ", you can't start a conversation like that after ten years." And he thought he was the only one who knew how to make girls nervous. MC was managing to turn the tables, now she was in charge. The feel of her hand running down his arm made him shudder. As she slowly pulled away, he kept his gaze on her tempting eyes. He had gasped at the sight of her. More than before he wanted to kiss her. "It seems" the young woman smiled mischievously "that I am capable of dominating you." Phil laughed, taking another glass of tequila.

The people and the music flooded the environment but he only listened to her. Her voice controlled him now. "I do it because I respect you, precious." He replied, controlling himself when he saw her with that provocative smile. "Very well then" MC put his hand to Phil's face, her red nails standing out against the boy's white skin ", you have to learn to be a good boy, Phil, you don't have to rush so soon." Phil cursed everything he was going through in his mind. Out of respect for MC, he was controlling himself. For someone he had loved and admired in the past and still did as soon as she entered his bar, he remembered it. He was picturing her without clothes, would she be offended if he told her? He bit his lip, looking her up and down. MC laughed. "Aren't you torturing me too much?" Phil asked her "We know each other too well for you to do this to me, MC, doesn't it hurt to do this to me?" "No, not really" she laughed with a bit of malice ". But I'll tell you when you can kiss me, okay?" Phil smiled. So yes, she wanted the same thing as him. “And how long do I have to wait for that?” he asked her, running a finger along the girl's neck, down to her cleavage. "When you stop trying to get me on your turf like you do with the other girls." "You offend me if you think I'm not going to treat you like the other girls." he approached her, brushing his lips over her neck and up to her face. "Isn't that what you're doing now?" MC whispered, leaning to one side of her, inviting him to continue "Aren't you afraid they'll get jealous and come after you?" "I don't do this the first time with girls" He left small kisses on the girl's neck and saw that her skin was starting to get goose bumps. She was enjoying it ". And if I'm honest" he passed his hand behind the young woman's neck, looking into her eyes ", at this moment, I don't care if they look at us now." MC smiled, approaching his lips. Phil took it to mean that he could kiss her, but he was surprised because again she took the initiative from him, biting his lip and playing with his tongue.

When they broke apart, they gasped for air. A small laugh escaped the MC's lips which Phil liked. “Can you hand over the bar to one of your employees?” She asked, whispering in his ear. "Give me just a minute and we'll go home." "Perfect." They should have more reunions like this.

#duskwood #duskwood phil #duskwood mc #duskwood phil x mc #duskwood fanfic #duskwood oneshot #duskwood everbyte #everbyte studio #everbyte

46 notes · View notes

buildarocketboys · 4 months

Text

Written for the day 6 @febuwhump, "you lied to me". Crossposted to AO3 here.

Pete kidnaps Patrick.

Please heed the tags!

Pete brings him a drink from the bar.

Patrick's eyes focus on him as he pushes through the crowd around the bar, burning so bright that Patrick has no eyes for anyone else. Certainly not the girl stroking his arm.

"Here you go, baby," Pete says, handing him his drink and slipping his now-free arm around his waist, glaring at the girl. She narrows her eyes at him before slinking off, tail between her legs.

"Saved you," Pete breathes hotly in his ear.

Patrick shakes his head, although he can't hide how pleased he is. "She wasn't doing any harm."

"Patrick! She was older than me. You are a young, nubile, hot property of 17 years old. She was perving on someone who wasn't even legal!" Pete's hand slips lower, fondling Patrick's ass.

Patrick raises his eyebrows. "If she's a perv, what does that make you?"

Patrick is fascinated by the way Pete's eyes flutter closed, the way his Adam's apple bobs up and down as he swallows and bites his lip, expression darkening. "Patrick-"

Patrick bats at his arm lightly. "I was joking!" He wasn't, really, but- he wishes Pete's hand hadn't disappeared from his ass. If Pete is a perv, Patrick is happy to be perved on.

He takes a sip of his drink to stop him from staring at Pete's mouth. Then he frowns.

"What's in this drink, Pete?" he asks. "It tastes kind of weird."

"It's rum and coke," says Pete, eyebrows drawing together. His eye is twitching a little. "I don't know what you mean." He laughs a little too loudly. "Unless that chick spiked your drink!"

Patrick rolls his eyes and downs his drink so he doesn't have to taste it for too long.

That's the last thing he remembers until he wakes up in Pete's basement.

He doesn't realize anything is wrong at first. His head hurts, his mouth is drier than the Sahara and his vision is kind of fuzzy, but it's not the first time he's woken up hungover in Pete's basement after a house party. Sure, he usually ends up in Pete's bed, but-

But he wasn't at a house party.

He blinks his eyes open properly, raising his hand against the fluorescent light on the ceiling. He squints toward the door, which is closed. He opens his mouth to call Pete's name, and then realizes there's a strip of fabric tied over his mouth, and another wad of material stuffed inside. It's soaked up most of the moisture in Patrick's mouth, which explains why it feels so dry. He tries to pull it away from his face, but his fingers are clumsy and uncoordinated.

Patrick feels the first twinge of fear then, but he pushes it down. He calls Pete anyway, his voice muffled by the fabric. Then he shouts louder.

He gives up, his voice hoarse. This is probably Pete's idea of a prank, he thinks.

But there's a seed of doubt in his mind. Pete's pranks are stupid, and annoying, and sometimes gross. But they're rarely cruel.

Patrick sits up on the sofa and notices for the first time that he's naked apart from his underwear. What the hell had happened last night?

He sticks his hand in his underwear, checking- well. Just checking. He's not yet ready to acknowledge what he suspects might be going on here.

He braces himself, and stands up. The world wobbles a bit, but then rights itself. He stumbles to the door. This is gonna be so embarrassing, especially if Pete's not in to explain, but he has no idea what the time is or what happened last night, and he wants answers.

The door is locked.

Patrick sinks to the floor and his stomach sinks with him. He's starting to feel real fear.

Did Pete lock him in here? Who else would have locked him in what he's certain is Pete's basement?

He feels sick to his stomach.

He raises his fist to hammer on the door, to bring someone down to let him out, but he hesitates. What if Pete's mom comes down? He doesn't want her to see him like this. And he doesn't want to get Pete in trouble.

Even if he's kidnapped you? asks the little voice in his head that he's trying to ignore.

He waits for several more minutes, hoping against hope Pete will open the door and come in grinning, laughing at Patrick for falling for it.

When Pete doesn't appear, Patrick takes a deep breath and hammers on the door, yelling as loud as he possibly can through the gag. It's only several minutes later, his voice going hoarse, when he hears the key turning in his lock.

He scrambles back from the door just in time to see Pete swing it open and step in.

He's so relieved to see Pete that he doesn't even consider running for it.

Pete pushes the door shut behind him, leaning back against it. "Calm down," he says. "Don't want to destroy your pretty voice, do we now?"

Patrick glares at Pete. He feels tears prick at his eyes and blinks them away angrily.

"'Oo lie do me," he says.

Pete raises his eyebrows. "What was that?" He pulls the gag down and tugs the was of material out of his mouth, leaving his fingers in there.

"You lied to me," Patrick says, a little more clearly, trying to spit Pete's fingers out of his mouth. Pete backs off, holding his hands up, but he's smirking a little - almost in spite of himself.

"What are you talking about?"

Patrick scowls. "I asked you what was in the drink. You said it was rum and coke."

"It was rum and coke," Pete says slowly, like Patrick is a bit dim.

"Yeah, and Rohypnol!" Patrick spits.

Pete looks hurt. "I was looking after you, Patrick!"

Patrick frowns, uncertain for a second. "By gagging me and locking me in your basement?"

Pete is silent. He just looks at Patrick with his big sad eyes, and Patrick's always been a sucker for him, even now, even when he's spiked his drink and stripped him naked and gagged him and locked him in the basement.

Patrick sighs. "Is this some kind of stupid prank or something?"

Pete shrugs and shakes his head, looking pained.

Patrick feels ice gush into his stomach. "Did you spike my drink?" he asks heavily. Looking Pete in the eye. Like that'll make him tell the truth. Like Patrick has any power over him here. Like he ever did.

Pete doesn't answer. Patrick wants to think that maybe it wasn't Pete who spiked his drink; maybe it was that girl, somehow, like Pete had said. Pete would never hurt him.

Even though all the evidence points to otherwise.

Patrick waits. When Pete doesn't seem inclined to answer, Patrick takes a deep breath and asks his last question. "Are you gonna let me out of here?"

Pete shakes his head, refusing to meet Patrick's eye. He turns toward the door. "I'm sorry, Patrick," he says. He gags Patrick again, more tightly this time, and backs out of the room. He shuts the door behind him.

Patrick hears the click of the lock echoing in his ears for hours afterward.

#kidnapping #dead dove do not eat #dark fic #drink spiking #please pay heed to the warning tags here/on ao3 thanks!#peterick #my writing #febuwhump #febuwhumpday6

3 notes · View notes

purplesurveys · 9 months

Text

1749

How old were you 10 years ago? I was 15.

The last time you went out to eat, where did you go? I already talked about it in detail in a previous survey but my workmates and I went to a wine bar for Trina's despedida. We went to a nearby bar after for more filling bar chow cos all they had in the first place were light finger food meant to be paired with wine.

What did you order? For the wine bar, we got a few bottles of wine, clams, a cheese plate, and fries; for the bar, we had chips, sisig, and mac and cheese balls.

Think of the last film you watched. Who was your favourite character? I can't remember the last movie I saw because I rarely watch any anymore; but the last anything I watched was Prison Playbook. I'm only one episode in, but my favorite has been the sweet dude who was part of the same inmate batch as the main character. Least suspicious character so far, and it helps to know that his reason for getting incarcerated was merely because he didn't pay back the loan for his mom's surgery.

Do you use Twitter? How about Tumblr? I do use both, although I'm much more active on Twitter because all I do here is take surveys on weekends and the occasional weeknight.

What colour are the walls of the room you’re in? They're white.

What would you like to say to the last person that hurt you? I have not felt hurt by my loved ones for a very long time now. That feels pretty great to realize!

When was the last time you felt disappointed? Who/what cheered you up? I was soooo bummed last Friday – I had booked a visit to a museum, but I didn't expect the traffic to be absolutely awful (it was mid-afternoon, when roads would be relatively more relaxed) that I got to my destination 40 minutes after my reserved slot. It was also the last timeslot for the day, so it wasn't like I could just join the next batch of visitors.

I figured it'd be stupid of me to even show up lol, so I just went to the food hall next door, which also ended up sucking because there was no cell signal inside; I couldn't even use my data. At least I got a delicious spicy tuna poke from my visit.

Do you have a friend whose name starts with ‘L’? Describe him/her. There's Lea and Leigh. Lea is SUPER friendly, I love love love having conversations with her so it's a shame we see each other so rarely; I also see her as headstrong, ambitious, and intelligent. Leigh is creative, gentle, and a really talented singer.

When you opened your eyes this morning, what were your first thoughts? Holy shit I suck at waking up, I must have missed Jungkook's set at the Global Citizen Festival and I hate myself. Then I checked my Twitter (it was 7 AM by that point; they advertised the set as starting at 4 AM, Manila time) and apparently he was still in the middle of doing Seven LOL. Man did his set three hours late so I got to still hang out with him for a few minutes AND see the teaser for 3D!!!

Have you received any compliments today? Nah.

Describe one of your favourite items of clothing. Where did you get it? My brown sleeveless maxi dress - just Shopee, haha.

Name one of your favourite foods that starts with the letter A. Arancini.

Is there anyone from your past that you sometimes miss? Tell me about them. Only people I can think are Sofie and my grandpa. Sofie was my best friend in high school and we were each other's biggest confidantes. She was born overseas but since her parents were incapable of raising her and were separated, she was sent back here from childhood, and that's how she ended up in my school by around Grade 7. She had hair as thick as mine, loved makeup, and got me into Audrey Hepburn. We grew apart in college and saw each other a grand time of Once before she migrated to the UK this time last year. Our relationship post-drifting-apart has been wholesome and there's been absolutely no grudge or bad blood or whatever. I was raised around my grandpa routinely telling me random trivia and general knowledge, and I think I got my love from learning from him. He is a gifted writer and he apparently used to write my grandmother poems when they were younger, and is into history. If there is one thing he can't handle well, it's alcohol, and I have my fair share of trauma from what I've seen of him when he has had too much to drink. Nevertheless I think of him fondly, especially for the person he was without his brandy. He died in 2015 from a sudden heart attack when he was visiting family from our province.

How long have you known the last person you text messaged? Since 2020.

Do you know what the person you miss is doing at this moment? Probably on his lunch break.

Has anyone told you that they love you today? Yes.

In the last week, what’s the kindest thing that someone has done for you? My sister making me instant noodles when I asked her.

Is there a song that makes you cry every time you hear it? We Are Bulletproof: The Eternal has been a little rougher to listen to these days. So has Love Letters.

If someone read your mind right now, what would they hear? They would hear remnants of Le Sserafim's Fire In the Belly because I can't stop thinking about it lmao.

Do you have any favourite jewellery that you wear every day? Yes, my purple heart charm necklace that Reena gave me.

What colour are the eyes of the last male you talked to? Dark brown.

Are you wearing anything orange or red? Yes.

Who was the last person you said “hello” to? Idk, I think my sister.

I like to think there is always something to smile about…so, tell me, what’s your reason to smile right now? News about my potential resignation has apparently spread at work so I'm just happy that I'm not bearing it on my own anymore. They know I have plans to leave and they know I'm not too thrilled with my promotion, so at least I don't have to worry about violent reactions when the timing is finally right to step back and step out.

Also, Jungkook new single on Friday.

3 notes · View notes

shootsun · 2 years

Text

aha. heh. so. cowboys. I’ve got the second half of the bar tussle - the aftermath really, and then I’ll start the story story bit later? but anyways... just uh... have this

Six chuckles and grabs Wukong’s wrists. “As much as I would love to,” he twists out of the lawman’s grip and steps away out of reach of the fuming sheriff. “I have a job to do.”

He pulls a rumpled poster from an inner pocket of his coat, and Wukong squints at the yellowed paper suspiciously.

“The Monkey King?” Wukong scoffs, digging the toe of his boots into the dust coated floor.

“Everyone knows he got caught years and years ago. That damn thief died serving his sentence.” Wukong looks hard at the bounty hunter, trying to gauge if he needed to bolt or if the other was buying any of the shit he was selling.

There’s an unreadable look on the bounty hunter’s face as Six says, “Maybe. Maybe not. But somebody has been stirring up trouble in a similar way. The crimes and grievances listed recently are too similar to be a coincidence, although most folks think it’s just a copycat. Some dumb kid with grand ideas in his head.”

Wukong has to bite his tongue at that. It had to be MK, hands down. The kid was the only one in the area with enough magic in the area to even attempt to pull half the stunts he had in his youth.

The only question now was, ‘why? What had possessed the kid to act so rashly? To be so stupid and reckless?’ He can guess the answer well enough, but it still leaves him fuming.

He takes a deep breath and focuses on the supernatural in front of him.

“So, what brought you here of all places? Surely, the Monkey King, if he were actually back, would be wreaking havoc on New York or in California. Not here, in Dead End.” Wukong dryly chuckles, hoping he wasn’t coming across as too desperate for any scrap of information.

“I ain’t spilling all my secrets just yet, Lawman.” Six smirks, and tucks the old wanted poster back into his pocket. The bounty hunter knocks his hat against his thigh, knocking off some of the sawdust, and nods his head to Wukong before making his way to the saloon doors.

“Oh, by the by,” The supernatural pauses, one hand on the wooden doors as he looks over his shoulder. “You better keep a closer eye on your deputy. Your kid has a big heart, Wukong. People are just itching to step on it.”

With that, Six steps out into the street, leaving Wukong glaring at his back.

The lawman rubs his face tiredly and grimaces at the sore spot on his jaw. His face hardens as he thinks over Six’s last words. Wukong grinds his teeth.

‘That kid is in so much trouble when I see him next,’ He thinks to himself as he turns back to the counter.

Minutes later, Pigsy rams his way through the saloon doors, panic written all over his face.

“Wukong!” The ex-con turned bartender all but tackles him. “Did you see? That bounty hunter, the one who took MK, he’s back!” The supernatural hisses as he shakes Wukong by the shoulder.

“I saw.” Wukong carefully pries his oldest living friend’s fingers off his arm.

“Ain’t you gonna do anything? He could try and take the kid again, or-”

The lawman shakes his head, cutting off the bartender mid-panic. “He’s not really here for the kid. He came here looking for Monkey King.”

“You buried that name.” Pigsy’s voice is icy as he steps back from Wukong. “You told me you left that all behind when you took the mantle of Lawman.”

“I did!” Wukong whirls to glare at the shorter supernatural. “He’s just… digging up ghosts, is all. I’ll distract him, and he won’t even notice the kid.” He promises, and Pigsy’s eyes soften a fraction before hardening once more.

“I helped Trip raise that boy. You left, going back on your wild adventures after we got here, and the rest of us made sure he grew up. It’s your turn to keep him safe, Wukong. I ain’t makin’ idle threats when I say if that kid gets hurt on your watch, I’ll be the one to put you in the ground before that bounty hunter even sees hide nor hair of you.” Pigsy pokes a clawed finger into his chest, and he resists the urge to swat the offending appendage away.

“I’m going to keep him safe,” Wukong promises.

Part 1

Part 3

24 notes · View notes

elxctrics · 11 months

Text

"here's a glow at the face of the canyon and a sound blowing 'round says you're nowhere you've ever been before. take a plunge into the colorado river where you feel yourself for the very first time, i knew you'd be a friend of mine."

(—) ★ spotted!! PRESLEY ST. JAMES on the cover of this week’s most recent tabloid! many say that the 45 year old looks like MILO VENTIMIGLIA, but i don’t really see it. while the ARTIST/PHOTOGRAPHER/MUSICIAN is known for being INTUITIVE my inside sources say that they have a tendency to be BROODY i swear, every time i think of them, i hear the song CLARIE AND EDDIE by KINGS OF LEON { he/him / cismale }

˗ˏˋ ＊ ‣ 𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐬 :

connections || musings || instagram || headcanons

𝓼𝓽𝓪𝓽𝓲𝓼𝓽𝓲𝓬𝓼

name: presley st. james

age: forty five

nicknames: none

date of birth: may 13th, 1978

astrological sign: taurus

place of birth: ouray, colorado

occupation: artist / photographer / musician

voice claim: caleb followill from kings of leon

label: the brooder

positive traits: creative, artistic, deep, talented

negative traits: broody, reclusive, grumpy a perfectionist,

characters/celebrities she’s like: caleb followill, luke danes from gilmore girls, keith scott from one tree hill, alaric saltzman from the vampire diaries, rufus humphrey from gossip girl, nick carraway from the great gatsby, noah callhoun from the notebook

𝓫𝓲𝓸𝓰𝓻𝓪𝓹𝓱𝔂

born and raised in mountain town, ouray colorado, presley was raised as the only son of claire and eddie st. james.

claire was a singer in a local bar, the leon, and eddie was the owner of said bar and the two had a ‘love at first sight’ kind of love, however their relationship was an incredibly toxic one - filled with jealousy and booze and rage, although they did their best to shield young presley from it.

presley had always been a lone wolf, much too quiet for his own good and never had or kept many friends. he preferred being alone and could often be found painting in his school’s art room or learning instruments in his father’s bar before they opened for the evening.

while he wasn’t the best student, he excelled in the arts and for his thirteenth birthday, his parents got him his first camera and living in such a picturesque little town, he fell in love with capturing it’s beauty and went on to win many photography awards throughout high school.

he loved writing music and singing, too, but after attempting to perform at the school’s talent show and getting all choked up on stage, he realized he was far too shy for that kind of spotlight and preferred to be behind the camera.

when college came around, he got accepted into parson’s school of the arts in new york city and double majored in fine art and photography.

there, he got in with the artsy scene in new york and it wasn’t long before his paintings and photography were hanging in galleries across the city and eventually, the globe.

he was on a high, but art was fleeting, and people were always looking for the next best thing, so it wasn’t long until he had to do what most had to do and sell his soul to hollywood.

he became a world renounced photographer for the rich and famous, shooting vogue covers and the most high profile fashion campaigns and became incredibly sought after in the industry.

however, he felt like it was sucking the life out of him and he hated it, causing him to become rather grumpy and recluse and thus, he turned to drinking, just as his parents did years prior.

while in the heart of his creative slump just last year, he lost both of his parents within six months of one another and truly hit rock bottom, feeling as though life meant nothing and turned to writing to get him out of it.

after getting a little too drunk at a bar one night with his friends, he drunkly performed one of the songs he had written in the presence of all of his industry friends and after hearing his deep, raspy unique voice, they pushed him to start taking music seriously, which he did, since had nothing left to lose.

he got a group of his buddies together and formed the band ‘kings of leon’ - named after the leon bar that his father owned in their small town.

now, after the release of his debut album ‘only by the night’ and riding on the high of the success of his singles ‘sex on fire’ and ‘use somebody’, he’s in a better headspace and has a newfound confidence in himself that he didn’t before.

he still works on photography projects on the side, since that’s where his heart is, and still very much spends late night hours in his studio trying to paint something great again.

#presley #hillzintro

2 notes · View notes

ofhexes · 2 years

Text

woah , i think i just saw SIRIUS BLACK ! there’s been so much happening lately that i totally forgot about the PUREBLOOD but i am glad to see HE/HIM still around . they always had wanted to be A BAR OWNER , i wonder how that’s going. the last i heard about them was that they might be involved with ORDER OF THE PHOENIX , but i’m not sure how true that is. besides, they always seemed LOYAL and DETERMINED . although , now that i think about it they were also HOT HEADED and IMPULSIVE . still the GRYFFINDOR alum always reminded me of I KNOW WHAT I AM by BAND OF SKULLS and SITTING LOOK OUT INTO THE RAIN ON A COLD WINTER NIGHT, THE SMELL OF LEATHER AND CIGARETTES, A FORCED SMILE ON THE FACE OF SOMEONE TRYING TO CONCEAL A SHATTERED HEART AND BROKEN SPIRIT . i hope they haven’t changed too much !

full name: sirius orion black

nickname(s): siri, padfoot

fc: deaken bluman

dob: 2nd november

age: 21

gender: male

sexuality: pansexual

house: gryffindor

blood status: pureblood

patronus: a black dog, the same as his animagus form

occupation: owner of a bar called ‘The Grim’ in London

side: the order

bio:

born on november 1st to orion and walburga black, sirius was privileged since birth. being the heir to one of the more respected pureblood families meant that there was a giant weight on his shoulders and he felt that from a very young age. ever since he could talk he was told how to act and what was respectable behaviour in his parent’s eyes. he never really got the chance to be a child. but he never really blamed his parents for that. he blamed the traditions that came with being a pureblood. he hated the coldness of it all. all he really craved for was affection, though he barely got any.

but he tried his best to stay out of trouble and keep himself in line. even as he sat at family events bored out his mind he knew better than to misbehave. it wasn’t worth his mother’s wrath or his fathers disapproving look. he was a fairly quiet kid. other than a few snarky remarks here and there he really didn’t give his parents a reason to believe he would be anything other than the perfect heir they were raising him to be.

it was exceptionally lonely, however. other than his brother and his cousins he didn’t have that many friends. and living at grimmauld place was extremely isolating. he couldn’t just go out and play with the nearby kids cause they were “filthy muggles” according to his mother. some might question why his family choose to live beside muggles if they were apparently beneath them but sirius never did. so he spent his time in the library reading and teaching himself spells.

growing up his father was the person he looked up to the most. he loved spending time with him. and his main goal when he was little was to hear his father say he was proud of him.

he never did.

having spent most of his younger years surrounded by pureblood that all had the same beliefs on purity as his parents sirius’s view on others was somewhat swayed by them. but, as he grew older, he started to question why exactly where they better than others? yes, their blood was more “pure” but he didn’t really understand why that made them any superior. he spent more of his free time reading and a lot of the books he read were by half-bloods or muggle-borns and they seemed just as intelligent as any pureblood he knew. it was confusing to him. but he made sure to never question it out loud.

sirius’ first day at hogwarts was both the best and worst day of his life.

it was the best day because he met three people that would soon mean the world to him: james potter, remus lupin, and peter pettigrew. all three of them would play an important part in how sirius became who he ultimately was supposed to be. they taught him there was more to life than pureblood galas and acting like the respectable pureblood male who’s only job in life is to make sure he carries on the family name. they taught him to have fun, they brought out his mischievous side and brought him out of his shell. some might argue that sirius becoming more confident is a bad thing. but sirius wouldn’t change it for the world.

it was the worst day because he got sorted into gryffindor.

he knew from the second the hat shouted out gryffindor that he was in trouble. he couldn’t remember a member of his family that wasn’t in slytherin and so he had made his way to the lion’s table with trembling hands. he had hoped he would have at least some time to deal with the sorting on his own. but the very next morning he had a letter from his mother saying how this must be a mistake. that he doesn’t belong in gryffindor and that they would sort it. but, deep down he knew he did belong there. deep down he knew he wouldn’t fit in with the other slytherin’s, he just didn’t want to admit it. and so he had ignored the letter and when mcgonogal had spoken to him about it the next day he told her everything was fine and he was happy being in gryffindor.

he sometimes regretted that decision even to this day.

something seemed to change in sirius’s mind the longer he was at hogwarts. the more time he spent with other wizard and witches from different backgrounds the more he realised that his families views were ridiculous. and with the war brewing, he knew he’d have an important choice on his hands. he’d have to choose between the friends he has made and the family that could destroy him if he left.

the choice came the summer before the start of his sixth year. his parents had finally had enough of his antics and sat him down to tell him they had decided he was to join the death eaters and finally make them proud. he was told that voldemort would be happy to have the black heir on his side and that he would be joining the war on his side. for the first time in his life, sirius was terrified. and he didn’t even think before he left in the middle of the night with just a bag of clothes and the money he had hidden in his room. he ran away in the night without a single world to anyone.

he never wanted to leave his family behind. especially not his brother. but he didn’t have a choice. he couldn’t be who they wanted him to be. he couldn’t follow down the path they had taken. he loved them but that just wasn’t enough. the war was wrong. and he could never stand on the side that harmed others just for existing. even if it broke a part of him to leave.

he never told anyone exactly why he had run away. though he had told his friends enough about his parents, and family in general, that he allowed them to come to their own conclusions and he doesn’t deny anything. but even though he felt resentment for those he was meant to call family and how he was treated in the end he couldn’t bring himself to tell anyone the truth. that betrayal was too much for him. and he didn’t want anyone knowing that his family were so lost in the wrong side they had officially joined the dark lords fight. he still had enough family pride to not let anyone go into azkaban just for his spite. he loved them too much to see them suffer. maybe he shouldn’t. but he couldn’t turn off that side of him.

part of him resented the war the most for driving him apart from his family.

his main goal now is to just move past everything and get on with his own life for the first time ever. he wants to fight for those that deserve a place in this world. he wants to prove that he is more than just his last name. so he used the money that his uncle alphard had left him after his passing to open up his own bar and create a space where everyone was welcome. he didn’t care if who walked through that door was a pureblood or a muggleborn, as long as they behaved and wanted a drink they were welcome. and it was a job much better suited to him than a ministry job would ever have been.

some wanted connections:

friends - other than the marauders obvs

sibling-like relationships

family friend - could still be on good terms or they could have heard of sirius’ disowning and turn their backs on him too

unlikely friendship - could be that they have been friends since they were little and even though they are polar opposites they just get on so well that they can’t not be friends

family members that don’t hate him are always a win

enemy - they have never gotten along and they will never get along and both are okay with this

frenemy - they hate each other but they are also kinda cool and if they hung out that would be awesome????

anything angsty tbh

#sirius:inspo #sirius:intro #sirius:wantedconnections #mhq:intro

4 notes · View notes

orphicpoieses · 2 years

Text

Feathers in Florence

WIP Intro | Wattpad

TW: alcohol, mentioning of one-night-stands (I’m new to tw so I hope I’m doing this right…)

@thetruearchmagos @moonlitinks @mr-writes @sweetieguk @mirrorthoughts @ofwordsandfeathers

Chapter 1 – Kaz

It had been years since he entered the bar. Kaz hadn't been to Florence for a long time, in his eyes one of the most beautiful cities in the world and to celebrate the day he would visit his favorite place. The bar Angel Share had an ironic title, although its name had different roots than one might think.

„An Ardbeg, no ice“, he ordered, whereupon he was immediately given a glass with the golden liquid. The taste was bitter at first and burned on the tongue, but the longer he held it in his mouth, the sweeter it became. He drank the alcohol in small sips while his gaze swept through the crowd. Young women and men danced in the space provided, others chatted in the comfortable leather armchairs. Hardly anything had changed since his last visit. Of course, the clientele had changed, they were getting younger, but otherwise everything was the same. Someone shouted a toast and invited the whole club for a shot. Yes. Truly Florence had not changed.

As he continued to let his gaze wander through the crowd, he took a closer look at the people. He wasn't looking for a lady or gentleman for the night, like some people here, nor did he really want to be interested in the conversations, but when someone was arguing with the bartender, he inevitably overheard. Curious as to where the voices were coming from, he looked around until he saw the young red-haired woman to whom the energetic voice belonged.

„A Coke!“, she called to the bartender for the third time across the counter and pushed the full glass towards him. „There's rum in there!“ The young man behind the bar nodded and poured her something else, which was clearly no more a Coke than the drink before. Kaz sighed. He wasn't sure if he should intervene, but before he could make a decision, she had already sipped at the drink, grimaced briefly, but said nothing more. She turned back to the dancing people and Kaz followed suit. It wasn't long before he felt a look on him. It wasn't anything unusual.

Many had already stared at him, even if only a few had spoken to him. He was aware that he must come across as strange to people. The radiant aura of the Archangels was discernible even to mortals, albeit in a different way than their peers. It was a soft glow, a calm emotion. The glow of charisma. The aura of safety.

He slowly turned around until he met the eyes of the young woman who had been arguing with the bartender moments earlier. His blue and gold eyes rested on her appearance before he smiled slightly and nodded in greeting. Then he looked away again, assuming she was just like the rest of the people around him: much too shy to even exchange a word with him. But he was taught better. With a clinking sound, she put the glass down on the counter next to him and sat down on an empty stool.

„Hi“, she murmured curtly. Kaz raised his eyebrows in surprise.

„Hi“, he replied. „Didn't get the right drink?“ He pointed to her still full glass.

„Didn't get the companionship you wanted?“ Her gaze was challenging as she locked eyes with him. At first Kaz looked at her confused before he started laughing softly.

„I’m not here for the company“, he murmured, picking up his whiskey and sipping before turning his gaze back to the dance floor.

„Who believes it“, she snorted and did the same. Silence fell between the two as he didn't answer, only occasionally sipping from his glass.

„If you're not there for a nice date for one night, what are you doing here?“ He sighed softly.

„Maybe I just want to enjoy a drink and spend the evening among people“, he replied, looking back at her. „If I were looking for someone, would I just sit next to you?“ She looked unconvinced as she eyed him intently.

„Francesca“, she murmured eventually. Kaz raised his eyebrows in surprise. „My name is Francesca.“ A crooked smile formed on his lips before he reached out and held out his hand in greeting.

„Kaz. Very pleased.“ Hesitantly, she took his hand, but quickly let go and looked back at the crowd. „Why are you here alone? I mean, I don't assume you're looking for anyone.“

„No. I'm here with friends.“ Francesca indicated a small group of couples. „But…“

„They only have eyes for their partners?“, he completed her sentence. She nodded.

„Two of them only met their date tonight…“

„That's why you're worried I might be one of them?“ Again Kaz had to chuckle. „Don’t worry. I'm not that kind of person. I'm more of an observer, you understand? I'm sitting here, drinking my scotch and taking in the ambience. It's something special when you look at all this as an outsider.“ Francesca was silent for a moment and just let her gaze wander around the premises. She nodded almost imperceptibly. Lost in thought, she reached for her glass, sipped from it and made a face after the first sip.

„Rum again…”, she murmured and hastily set the glass down.

„Shall I try? Maybe it will work for me… Andrea!“ Kaz was about to call the bartender over when Francesca waved him off vigorously.

„No! All right. I better go now too. It's getting late…“ The young man behind the counter gave them both a questioning look while she got up, shouldered her bag and started to leave.

„Already? What about your friends?“, Kaz wanted to know.

„As you can see, they're doing fine without me“, she murmured.

„Wait!“ Before Francesca could step onto the street, Kaz quickly drained his glass and jumped up. However, he didn't leave the bar without calling out something to the young bartender.

„You need to listen better, Andrea!“

The street was relatively quiet compared to the bar. Although the music could still be heard clearly, the otherwise quiet night was a relief to his ears. Even when he gladly visited the Angel Share, the music was always very loud. Francesca was already walking down the street.

„You really want to go alone?“ he asked, quickly catching up with her.

„Why not? What's the alternative? That I go with you? No, thanks.“ Kaz pointed to her watch. It was past one.

„The streets are dark and you should be especially careful as a woman“, he replied. Francesca stopped and turned to him.

„What do you want?“

„That you get home safely. I can call you a cab and I'll wait for it to get here. Or someone can pick you up.“ Francesca sighed in annoyance.

„A cab is too expensive and who should I call? My friends who are getting drunk inside right now? Thanks, but I'm walking.“ It was Kaz's turn to sigh and he nodded resignedly.

„Fine. But don't tell me I didn't try.“ There was a moment of silence between them as she eyed him, tilting her head curiously. Her eyes were narrowed slightly, but a barely noticeable smile graced her lips.

„You're really not one of those“, she murmured eventually.

„Who?“

„Someone just looking for fun.“

„And what makes you believe me?“ Curious, he crossed his arms over his chest. Francesca shrugged.

„If you wanted it, you would have done it already, right?“

„Maybe. Maybe not.“ She laughed softly.

„I doubt it“, she murmured softly, smiling at him.

„And you really don't want me to call someone to get you?“ He raised an eyebrow expectantly and returned the smile.

„I’m old enough to do this myself, but no thanks.“ Kaz shrugged.

„Okay.“

„Then I wish you a nice evening and thank you for the nice conversation“, she murmured before turning away. Kaz followed her. She stopped immediately and looked at him confused, while he raised his hands defensively.

„Don’t worry. My car is over there”, he answered the unspoken question with a laugh and pointed to the silver Mercedes that was just a few meters away on the side of the road. Francesca was amazed.

„That's your car?“, she asked, raising her eyebrows at him.

„Do you mind?“, he asked. Kaz knew his Mercedes was conspicuous. Not only because it was a new model, but also because, among all the little Fiats, it screamed at the world how much money he had.

„No! No“, she replied hastily and stepped closer to the car.

„You are interested in cars?“, he asked surprised and followed her with his arms crossed again.

„A little. My dad has an auto repair shop…“, she answered rather casually while looking at the cockpit.

„I understand. Of course I could also take you with me and drop you off in front of your apartment, but something tells me that you will refuse.“ Francesca visibly hesitated before she straightened up and took two steps away from the car.

„Thanks for the offer.“ This time her words sounded more sincere. „But, maybe another time.“

„Another time? Does that mean you're considering sitting next to me in a bar again?“ Francesca chuckled.

„Maybe.“ Silence fell between them again. „I’m gonna go, then. It was a very pleasing evening, Kaz“, she finally murmured in farewell.

„Be careful“, Kaz replied, nodding her farewell. He watched her walk down the dark street before he got into his car and started the engine. Sometimes the evenings among people were really interesting, although he hadn't expected to meet anyone on the first evening back in Florence who, for once, had spoken frankly with him.

#feathers in florence #chapters #fantasy novel #fan fiction #long post #writing wip #creative writing #writing #writerblr #writers on tumblr #writerscorner #writeblr #writerscommunity #writersociety #literature #writblr #wip excerpt #wip stuff

7 notes · View notes

lindsaywesker · 2 years

Text

Good morning! I hope you slept well and feel rested? Currently sitting at my desk, in my study, attired only in my blue towelling robe, enjoying my first cuppa of the day. Welcome to the working week although, for those of you in the NHS, welcome to just another day!

So, how was your weekend? That sun was hot, wasn’t it? It promises to hit 31 today and tomorrow, and 33 and 34 next weekend. It’s the kind of weather where you really need to be sensible. Definitely don’t stay out for prolonged periods without sun block and/or a hat, definitely stay hydrated (with water), and definitely stay close to a toilet! The Trouble does not like the sun and was happy staying indoors watching ‘Escape To The Chateau’. Naturally, when she gets on my nerves, I ask her if she’s found her chateau yet! It does not go down well!

Many thanks to everyone that listened to ‘The A-Z Of Mi-Soul Music’ on Saturday. Glad so many of you enjoyed it! The Letter H Part Five is this Saturday at 1.00 p.m. The Letter H will finish with Part Eight on Saturday, August 6 at the Margate Soul Festival. The music has already been scheduled. As the Mi-Soul studio at Margate is a party room, I shall be playing nothing but uptempo tunes and keeping the chat to a minimum. It will be – as you would expect – selfie HQ!

Saturday afternoon and evening, we were with one of our favourite people. She’s probably going to get very embarrassed and angry with me but I have to big her up. I think it’s really important to publicly say how much someone means to you. I first met Tash Tillyard when I was at Colourful Radio (2008). She really loves her music, always listened to my show, and wanted to meet me! So, she came to Vauxhall one Saturday afternoon and we shared a beer at a local bar. We’ve been mates ever since. This is the lady that convinced me to go on The Moon Walk (a 26-mile overnight walk in aid of breast cancer charities). It almost killed me but I thank her for dragging me round the route (and we raised good money too.) This is the woman that opens her house to us several times a year. The woman that turned us on to ‘This Is Us’. We’ve seen each other through some ups and downs. She is pretty much the perfect hostess: kind, considerate and generous. We love those kind of friends, don’t we? People that are reliable and consistent. Do you know people like that? Dolly is definitely ride or die. If she loves you, she will fight someone for you. Well, she did originally come from Brent! Right now, she is screaming at the screen, begging me to stop. If there is someone in your life that you truly appreciate, tell the world! Big them up in public today!

Today is the first day of the new term. This afternoon, I will be meeting a new set of students. One of them is a born winner with a big future! She’s been asking me questions non-stop for the last week. Her thirst for knowledge is breathtaking! She’s virtually completed the course and we haven’t even started yet! Very encouraging!

If you’re going through some stuff at the moment, I send you a virtual hug of friendship; we’ve all been there. If you’re feeling low at the moment, I hope you get some good news to kill those blues. Have a marvellous and momentous Monday. I love you all.

#mixcloud #mi soul #dj #music #lockdown #new blog #coronavirus #books #weekend #democracy #brexit #cronyism #election

2 notes · View notes

f1 · 2 years

Text

Sainz doesnt believe Red Bulls huge Spa advantage is here to stay | 2022 Dutch Grand Prix

Ferrari are yet to understand what caused their performance gap to the dominant Red Bull in last weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps. Max Verstappen out-paced Ferrari duo Carlos Sainz Jnr and Charles Leclerc by 0.469 and 0.991 seconds respectively in the final segment of qualifying. Despite grid penalties which relegated Verstappen to 14th on the grid, he tore through the field to win with a 26.886s margin over the closest Ferrari. Although Ferrari were faster than Red Bull through the circuit speed trap in both qualifying and the race, at a track where optimising a low-downforce car configuration is key, Verstappen and team mate Sergio Perez had a significant pace advantage in the race. “They’ve been raising a bit the bar, race-by-race,” Sainz said of Red Bull. “But it doesn’t seem too far away ago when in Austria we out-raced them by quite a big margin “In France, it was me passing the Red Bull of Perez having come from 20th, and there it was only two or three races ago now. So I don’t believe they can control as much as they did in Spa.” Sainz was not worried by Red Bull’s Spa pace, but admitted Ferrari “can do things better in those sort of tracks.” “Maybe I’m just being too optimistic or too hopeful that we will not see that happen again. But it is my feeling and maybe this weekend will prove me completely wrong, but we will see.” Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter and go ad-free Leclerc’s Belgian Grand Prix was compromised when he collected a visor tear-off from Verstappen in one of his brake ducts, causing overheating which forced him to pit earlier than planned. His pace after that was strong enough to bring him back up to fifth from 17th before a late pit stop – made in a failed attempt to snatch the point for fastest lap from Verstappen – earned him a five-second penalty that left him classified sixth. Red Bull “raised the bar race by race” – Sainz He said the team’s strategy in the race was less of a concern than their deficit to Red Bull. “Most important is to understand the performance gap to the Red Bull because this was the biggest problem in Spa,” Leclerc said. “We have some answers or at least we have some directions to push in and we’ll see. We can’t really apply what we’ve learnt in Spa here, but for Monza it will be important.” As his starting stint on the soft compound tyre was cut short, Leclerc did not get to assess how his car fared with tyre degradation compared to Red Bull’s and was more concerned about the pace than Sainz was. “I think it’s more probably a set-up direction more than anything else. But we don’t have the full confirmation. We have loads of little things that makes us think that it’s that. “We’ll have the confirmation for sure in Monza, if we manage to get back a little bit in performance closer to Red Bull in Monza, then it means that we understood something.” As for Zandvoort this weekend, a slow and twisty track compared to Spa and Monza, Leclerc expects “it will be a very different picture” and hopes “it will be a more in line with what we’ve seen in the first part of this year” in Ferrari’s competitivity. Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter and go ad-free 2022 Dutch Grand Prix Browse all 2022 Dutch Grand Prix articles via RaceFans - Independent Motorsport Coverage https://www.racefans.net

#F1 #Sainz doesn’t believe Red Bull’s huge Spa advantage is here to stay | 2022 Dutch Grand Prix #Formula 1

1 note · View note

areallybadwriter · 2 years

Text

7/12

a long overdue update. to my blog with 0 followers.

I tried poppers & went to a gay bar last night. had a terrific time. not that I had expected any less from those circumstances, but honestly wasnt prepared to get trashed on a sunday night. going out has been a constant this summer, as every one I socialize with goes out most nights and I am not one to rise above fomo.

summer is like limbo for me because I usually lack a normal routine and it makes me feel terrible. I either feel lazy and unmotivated or overworked, depending on my work schedule and my bouts of cleaning or having plans that might actually have positive effects on my brain (swimming, traveling, etc). this summer I've decided to become a gym bro and its actually quite nourishing for my physical and mental health. who would've thought! I think I always had an unhealthy dislike for the gym and dieting and anything in that realm because my dad traumatized me as a child because I was too chubby for an eleven year old. and although he taught me in a very toxic manner that working out and eating healthy was good for you and your body, I still get mad that he was at least right about some things. I think more than anything else its helped to regulate my emotions, which are wildly unpredictable most of the time. I get on the treadmill, raise the incline to like 10, the speed to 3 mph, listen to angry music, and I'm set. I probably look insane because I usually hold all of my emotion in my face and am not good at hiding anything but oh well. I don't think I would ever want to get like buff, BUFF but its kinda fun to watch my body change. I feel healthy and confident which is not something that comes easy. they say it takes 30 days to start a habit and I think I've been going for like 2 months now so I hope that it at least stays with me through school and my adult life.

in regards to my love life, there's not much there at the moment. I still crush on my coworker I f*cked back in February? because we have become really, really close friends but nothing physical has happened since. maybe that's a good thing since he’s moving in like two weeks and that would destroy me just a little more than it already is. I don't know how to say goodbye! and like obviously we’ll still remain friends and stay in contact and ill probably go visit him (its a good excuse to visit the city) but fuck dude. also, who is going to entertain me now? he was a great harmless crush to have and now im losing it. although I've had my bouts of long distance crushes (im looking at you, wyoming), I think I need something. tangible in my love life, at least to keep me entertained. I had a period of weakness in which I fell hard for my ex again right around my birthday because he f*cked me into oblivion - in an almost intentional way I might add. he’s taking the high road and working on himself, which means he’s selfish and standoffish towards me because idk maybe I scare him and it’s really annoying! but also good for him and I support him and all but I need to let go a little. but I don't wanna. I imagine this scenario in which it’d be perfect if we stayed apart during most of our early twenties although keeping in contact and then when we’re like 26 we get back together and settle down and pop out a couple kids and live on a farm in Europe somewhere or something. like he’s the perfect boy to commit to but I don't want to commit just yet, ya know? but I also don't enjoy casual intimacy... so im screwed.

I cannot wait for school to start again. I always get really excited around back to school time because I enjoy buying new art supplies and reinventing myself every semester so that I can meet people in my classes as this new sexy, cool person. it also makes me terribly nervous so idk why I look forward to it so much. im only in three classes this semester because it’s my last semester which is cool and really overwhelming. I hope that I can work a lot and make money at my shitty barista job to support my lifestyle. I need to start saving money. I also am looking into getting my teaching certificate so maybe I can move to somewhere in Europe or South America and teach English or some shit. this semester, I am in a literature class, a relief printmaking class, and a horror movie class. very fitting for my last semester and I am admittedly very excited to start them and consume media on a regular basis again. I think ill be really sad to leave university because like most kids my age, an education is like the only thing I've ever experienced. like what am I doing if im not learning? eeee...

anyways, I forgot how much I enjoy typing shit to no one. I try to write in my journal a good amount because this summer has really thrown me some curveballs but if im not feeling really emotional its hard to write things (physically at least). we’ll see if I keep this up again.

xoxo anon

0 notes

everyonesfavoritepipecleaner · 2 years

Text

Cocktails and Confessions

Summary: a night out with the ladies of the BAU leads to more than one spilled secret

Pairing: Spencer Reid x Fem!Reader

Word Count: 1.8k

Genre: fluff (shocker, I know)

Content Warning: alcohol/drinking - think that's it but please let me know if I missed anything

A/N: this is for @reidslibrarybook's 1k celebration!! Congrats Nat, I had so much fun writing for this 🥰

Cards: Kitchen (Season 5), Gold Pen (Drunken Confession), Alvez (Prompt 5: "There's no way that's happening, absolutely not.")

“Another, another!” Penelope chants as she slides the shot glass in front of you. You eye her warily and she piles on, “Come on, last one of the night!”

“You guys are the worst influences I’ve ever met,” you laugh, the corners of your eyes crinkling up in the way they only do when you’re truly happy. JJ counts to three as you tap your glasses on the table before knocking them back and grimacing at the burn of the alcohol.

“Hey, with everything we see at work we have to let loose somehow!” Emily says with a wild grin.

You hum in agreement. In the six months you’ve been with the BAU you’ve dealt with some of the most grueling cases of your career. It takes a toll at times, emotionally and physically, but it’s worth it to know you’re doing your part in bringing some of the worst people in the world to justice. And while you couldn’t have asked for a better team to work with, sometimes you still feel like a bit of an outsider. It’s clear they’ve forged strong bonds with one another throughout their years of working together, but nights like these make you remember how openly they’ve welcomed you into their chosen family.

Penelope nudges your shoulder, shaking you from your thoughts, “Y/N, don’t look now, but that gorgeous specimen of a man over there has been making eyes at you all night.”

You cast a cautious glance toward the bar. He’s the textbook definition of handsome with his strong jawline and steely blue eyes, blonde hair perfectly coiffed. You give him a polite smile when he sees you looking his way before turning back to the table.

“Objectively, yes, very hot. Not really my type though,” you remark, raising your eyebrows and taking a sip of your drink.

“Not your type?! If that’s not your type, what is?” Penelope asks, wide-eyed.

“Seriously! I would be all over that if it weren’t for Will,” JJ interjects, her giggles devolving into a fit of hiccups.

You give a halfhearted shrug. “I don’t know,” you start, unsuccessful in stopping your mind from drifting to thoughts of Spencer. “I guess someone who’s always there for me, who will put aside what they’re doing to hear about my day. Caring, tender, smart… maybe a little nerdy. Looks don’t matter as much, although I’m definitely more into brunettes. Bonus points for curly hair. Oh! And if it’s a bit longer too—so I can tug on it. Grab a fistful of his hair, pull his head back, kiss his neck—“ you cut yourself off, the alcohol coursing through your veins causing your mouth to run wild alongside your thoughts.

“So… Reid.” Emily smiles devilishly.

“What? No,” you say a bit too quickly.

“Oh my god! You totally like him!” Penelope squeals, practically bouncing out of her seat with excitement. “Oh my god oh my god oh my god! You two would be the cutest couple! Em, Jayje, we have to make this happen.”

“Penelope, no! There’s no way that’s happening, absolutely not,” you beg. “He’s just a friend, not to mention my coworker. I’m sure he doesn’t think of me that way!”

At this, JJ lets out a small gasp.

“What?” Emily whips toward her.

“Nothing!”

“Oh my god, you know something! That is not a ‘nothing’ face,” Penelope chimes in, scrutinizing JJ’s features. You stare intently too, your interest officially piqued.

“Spencer has a crush on Y/N!” She rushes, eyes wide as she claps a hand over her mouth after the words escape.

“He… he does?” You ask, heart fluttering in your chest.

Emily lets out an exaggerated groan, “Oh my god, of course he does! How did I not see it before?! It’s so obvious!”

“Em, now is not the time to be lamenting your profiling skills—we need details!” Penelope exclaims, emphasizing the syllables of her last words with four quick taps of her palm on the table.

“JJ,” your heartbeat hammers in your ears, “I need you to tell me exactly how you know this. Did he tell you?”

“Yeah… It was that night after the two of you babysat Henry together. You had just left, and he couldn’t stop talking to me and Will about how great you were with him. At one point it just kind of slipped out. He said something like ‘that’s why I like her so much, she’s sweet and considerate and so beautiful too—” her words are cut short by another hiccup, “He didn’t even realize he had said it at first. But as soon as he did he made us promise not to tell you.”

“That was like, three months ago!” You shriek as you let out the breath you weren’t aware you were holding, head spinning from this sudden influx of information. “JJ, I’ve been pining over him practically since I set foot in the bullpen, and you’re telling me I could have been with him this whole time?”

“Well, what are you waiting for now? You have to go tell him how you feel!” Penelope shouts, waving frantically to catch the bartender’s attention to close out your tabs.

“I’ve got the Uber!” Emily offers, already pulling her phone from her bag.

You walk outside and take a deep breath, the dull warmth of the alcohol starting to fade from your veins, overtaken by a rush of pure adrenaline. This was really happening. You were about to go confess your feelings for Spencer Reid.

The drive to his apartment is filled with you finally spilling the details of your crush to your friends—how he always has extra tins of your favorite tea stashed in his desk, how you love the fact that he teaches you something new every day, how he even lets you win against him in chess every now and then. You clamber out as soon as the car comes to a stop, excited energy thrumming through the cool night air as your feet hit the pavement.

You scan the facade and take in the distilled moments, vignettes of different lives, each window offering a glimpse into a unique story. There’s a couple washing dishes at the sink, a cat perched comfortably in a bedroom taking in the night’s views, and then your eyes land on the telltale soft glow of Spencer’s apartment. His silhouette is reclined in the reading chair by the window, the green tint of his walls visible through the sheer curtains. You find a few small pebbles on the sidewalk and toss them at his window, turning to give an elated smile to the girls cheering you on from the car.

There’s a flurry of movement before Spencer draws back the curtain, the look of annoyance on his face morphing into one of confusion and concern when he sees you. He opens the window and shouts, “Y/N? What are you doing here? Is everything okay?”

“Spencer! I like you too!”

“What? What are you talking about?”

“JJ told me everything! And I like you, Spence—a lot! So much so that I have a hard time thinking about anything else when I’m around you.”

“Hold on, I’m coming down,” he calls.

Your heart beats faster with each passing second until he emerges from his building, awash in the dim glow of the streetlights. As he crosses the lawn to you, his eyes dart to the car and take in the sight. Penelope’s face and hands are pressed eagerly against the window, Emily shoots him a drunken grin accompanied with finger guns, JJ gives him a look that’s somehow a cross between apologetic for spilling his secret but ecstatic at the romantic comedy-esque events unfolding before her.

Spencer turns his attention back to you, “Y/N, are you serious? This—this isn’t some joke you guys are playing on me?”

“Spence,” your heart breaks a little at the implication, “Yes, I like you! I’ve liked you ever since that day in the break room when I asked you why you take so much sugar in your coffee and you launched into that whole explanation of how we’re genetically predisposed to like sweet things, and that sugar was widely regarded as medicine in ancient Greece and Rome.” You roll your eyes to feign annoyance, but can’t keep from smiling fondly at the memory.

“You remembered that?” The concerned wrinkle sitting between his brows finally smooths out, the beginnings of a smitten smile playing on his lips.

“Of course I remember! I remember everything we talk about. Well, almost everything. It’s not like I have your eidetic memory, but when it comes to the people I care about, I remember,” you assure him. The truth is that with him, you find it hard to forget. Every time he absent-mindedly swept his hair out of his eyes or accidentally brushed his arm against yours is seared into your mind, the way one’s mind only works when you’re hopelessly in love.

“Can I tell you something?” He asks.

“Always.”

“I really want to kiss you right now,” he says with an intense sincerity, like it’s the only thing he’s capable of thinking at the moment.

“Can I tell you something?” A mischievous grin plays on your face as you take a few steps forward.

“Of course,” he answers, the two of you drawing closer with every breath.

You take his hands in yours and pull him in, “I really want you to kiss me right now.”

A spark ignites, his lips on yours the match that fuels the flame. You’re enveloped in peppermint and the lingering taste of coffee, his hands drifting from their place in yours to cradle your waist. Yours travel to the nape of his neck to pull him ever-closer to you, and what started as a tender kiss grows deeper, his tongue slipping into your mouth to tangle with yours. When you break apart and open your eyes into his, you peer into a world where your lives are intertwined—woven together so seamlessly, it’s a wonder you had ever known a time without the other.

A series of whoops and high-pitched squeals erupt from the still-parked car and you let out an embarrassed laugh, having been too swept up in the moment to remember your teammates were witnesses to the whole ordeal. You watch as Emily leans in to tell the driver something, then gives you a suggestive grin as the car starts to pull away.

“You know, I’ve told them before that I wish they wouldn’t meddle in my personal life,” Spencer remarks sheepishly, “but this time, I have to admit I’m thankful they did.”

“Me too,” you say with a blissful smile.

He tightens his grip on your waist and plants a kiss on the top of your head, and contentment washes over you, knowing that this is just the first of a lifetime of moments together. And with Spencer by your side, you can’t wait to watch your stories unfold.

as always, thanks so much for reading - hope you enjoyed :)

masterlist | join my taglist

taglist: @behindyourbarrette @alexontheinternet @reidsbookclub @reidsmilf @reidsacademia @notanotherreidgirl @exhaleli @unmitigatedsuperiority

406 notes · View notes