#and I get bored walking on plain sandy beaches

[seabeck]

I got a pair of compression socks and my legs feel so much better. Been dealing with the post blood clot pains for the last few weeks because I haven't been able to be active with the dog being sick and the fact it's 80f and cloudy

#the fucking humidity rn #I wish thre was more to do at westport bc my job wants to send me out there a bunch and it's only 63f #I guess it's only 51% but with the heat it's muggy #but there's no lakes near westport like duck lake at ocean shores #and I get bored walking on plain sandy beaches

[sissytobitch10seconds]

Living Our Lives

Fandom: The Umbrella Academy Summary: Five wanted to see more of the world than he got to when he was working for the Commission and living during the apocalypse. So as soon as he was able to, Viktor took him on as many vacations as he could. Warnings: PTSD flashbacks, triggered panic attacks, and mentions of canon-typical violence Word Count: 3,209 Ship(s): Five Hargreeves/Viktor Hargreeves

Archive link!

A/N: So I specifically chose to write them being in a national/state park because I love being in them and writing them in a car is very boring (car rides are always boring for me because I have to sleep through them to avoid being sick). The events of this fic are also something that happened to me in real life, which was another reason I decided to write this for this prompt. I hope you guys enjoy it! Stay sissy and bitchy everyone <3

fresh starts - road trip - getting back together/mutual pining - "make me" - acceptance - fairytale AU

Viktor woke to the sound of the waves crashing against the sandy pebble-ridden beach outside of their hotel room. They weren’t exactly water-front, but it was a five minute walk even at low tide to be standing directly in the ocean. The sound traveled well over the beach and the small grassy area that led up to the hotel, twisting through half-open window in the bathroom and then filling the room with the repetitive sound.

When he finally managed to pry his eyes open from where he had been sleeping, he looked over the room again. It was still cloudy outside from the rainstorm that they had the day before, but Viktor liked it like that. They had been on the road for almost a week at this point and he was already feeling nostalgic and home sick for the east coast.

The room that he and his husband had booked for the three days that they were going to be visiting attractions in the area was plain and a little outdated. The TV locked away in the entertainment center only hooked up to the little DVD player underneath it and didn’t have cable, though that wasn’t something they were worried about since they had each other to keep them busy. There was no minifridge, so all of the things that they had bought to eat where being kept cold in their cooler with a chunk of dry ice that they had bought from a convenience store in town. The beds were comfortable, with a thick quilt on the top of the sheets instead of the oversized comforters. The shower and faucet had outdated fixtures and it took a lot to get them to go to the right temperature but they always got there eventually.

Overall, everything in the little motel room was a somewhat scuffed up (like the table and desk near the sliding glass doors out the back of their room) but it was clean and homey. It was a nice break from all of the high-end hotels that they had been staying at while traveling through the bigger cities to get to the more desolate part of the country where they were going to be staying for longer. While those hotels technically had higher quality items, it always felt specifically like they were in someone else’s house and they couldn’t never really get comfortable.

“Good morning,” Five’s gruff voice mumbled as the taller man pressed a kiss to Viktor’s hair.

Viktor rolled over in the bed so that he was facing towards his husband and away from the door and the ocean. “Good morning, Five. How did you sleep?”

“I always sleep well when I know you’re here, my love,” Five murmured as he leaned forward and pressed their lips together in a kiss. Viktor let out a small hum and returned the sign of affection. He knew that his husband had probably had a couple of nightmares and spent at least an hour awake trying to calm himself down from them, but they were both doing so much better. They had been through so much in such a short time that they were going to be struggling with PTSD and nightmares for a while, but they had each other so they knew that they could handle it.

“Mm,” Viktor hummed. He buried his cold nose into the crook of Five’s neck for just a moment before the other man let out a grunt and pushed him away. Viktor rolled back to where he had been laying before and laughed, his eyes crinkling at the sides. 

Five moved so that his hands were on either side of Viktor’s shoulders and he was towering over the other man. “You sneak,” he laughed before he lowered himself down enough that he could kiss Viktor. The smaller man giggled as his husband’s entire body encompassed him so that he had the steady, breathing pressure on top of him.

They laid like that for a little while longer before they decided that they had to get up for the day. Five traveled down to the small area just off of the check-in desk that had a couple vending machines and then some breakfast offerings. The motel wasn’t like a standard hotel with a hot breakfast, but rather they had several different single-serving cereals, oatmeals, fruits, and pre-packaged baked goods available for the guests to come and get from six to ten in the morning.

Viktor stayed behind in their room so that he could ready their lunches. They were spending three days in the town that they were in and they were only on the second, so they didn’t need to pack the entire cooler. When they were doing activities they both tried to pack nonperishables or things that would be fine to sit out in the heat for a little while until they got around to eating them.

Once Five returned with their breakfast, they cuddled together on the bed while eating and listening to the sound of the waves rolling in. Viktor had unlocked their back door now that they were awake, so they were also getting the lovely smell of the ocean and fresh air flooding in from the outside. After a lifetime of scrambling to get back to each other and making sure that they could stay with each other, it was nice to have a quiet moment like this.

They finished eating and then packed up everything that they would need for their adventures before they got into the car. Five had managed to get the 1950s stingray that he had wanted when they were in the third apocalypse, even if that was only something that he had wanted back then because of the hormones flowing through his teenage-aged body. It was a car that they kept in incredibly good condition but loved to bring with them on their adventures.

Viktor was practically vibrating in his seat as they turned away from all of the buildings and cars of the town and into the lush wilderness. They had been coming to see quite a few things, including a couple of tourist-traps that they knew existed only to steal their money but were still fun to go and ogle at. The main thing that they had stopped in this specific town to go see, however, was the redwoods. There were several state and national parks littered down the coast line of Oregon and California, but the one that they were going to visit today was only a half hour drive away from their hotel. 

The highway had been built down the middle of the grand trees, which meant that they didn’t have to pay an entry fee the same way that they had for Lassen Vista Park and Yosemite National Park earlier in their trip. Of course, they’d be making a stop by the visitor’s center so that they could donate to the upkeep of the park after their hikes.

They pulled into one of the parking areas and removed themselves from the car. Five was digging through their bag to make sure that they had bug repellent, plenty of water, and the food that Viktor had packed. The other man was sitting on the hood of the car with his shirt off as he rubbed sunscreen into every spare inch of skin that he could.

“People are ogling at you, my love,” Five mumbled as he glanced up to see some of the other people sharing their parking space staring directly at his partner’s mostly-naked form.

“They can look all they want, because they’re never going to be able to even touch me,” Viktor chuckled as he turned his head up so that he was looking towards his partner.

“Oh? And why is that?” Five asked. He set the bag down so that it was leaning up against the car and then walked over to his husband. He placed his hands on either of Viktor’s hips and dragged him forward so that the smaller man was practically in his lap.

“Mostly because I’m all yours,” Viktor replied as a cat-like grin spread over his face. He put one of his sunscreen-slick hands on the back of Five’s neck and then nearly dragged him down so that they could kiss.

Five didn’t mind as he was going to have to put some of the protective material on himself once Viktor had finished with it. The ex-assassin had spent his entire life in the apocalypse trying to find a way to cover as much of his skin as possible without overheating so that he could avoid sunburn, there was no way that he was going to pass up the opportunity to never have to go through something like that ever again.

They broke apart from the kiss a few minutes later after Five knew that everyone would have looked away from them. “Damn straight. You’re mine,” he leaned down and bit over the hickey that he had put on Viktor’s neck last night despite the sour taste that coated his tongue thanks to the sunscreen.

“You’re a dork,” Viktor informed him with another quick kiss to the lips. The duo then quickly wrapped up what they were doing so that they could get started on their hike. Five finished packing the bag and then sunscreening himself while Viktor secured the backpack over his shoulders. Throughout the day they would switch out who had it, and Viktor had decided that he was going to take the first shift.

They began down the trail hand-in-hand while staring up at the huge trees that surrounded them. Sticks and roots stopped them from staring directly up at the huge fern-like leaves that wove together to create a beautiful, shady canopy. There was plenty to see at the ground-level as well. Old animal prints from when humans weren’t on the path during the off season and at night had been near permanently secured into the mud. Sorrel was hiding from the sun where the branches and leaves above allowed the bright light to cascade down onto the earth. Several of the fallen redwoods also gave way to new life, supporting clones that were just beginning their stretch up towards the sky.

There weren’t very many people on the hike that they were on, but still quite a few. They hadn’t chosen one of the ADA paths so that they wouldn’t run into people with strollers, since those ones tended to be the most family and small child friendly as well. The path that they were on was relatively flat but very long and required the ability to walk up a couple of steps when they got to the middle. It was harder than a light stroll as the smaller loops supported, but not as hard as some of the more adventures hikes that took all day. Viktor wanted to be able to do a small loop in each part of the park if they had time, and Five was dedicated to making that happen.

They walked down the path, stopping a couple of times to enjoy the birdcall or identify one of the smaller critters that they could see scuttling through the underbrush towards wherever it was that they were going. They were happy, they were at peace, especially since they were with each other.

Of course, since they were Hargreeves through-and-through, that wasn’t going to last for long.

They had just rounded part of the path so that they were being looped back to the entrance when a crisp, clear cracking sound rang through the entire forest. It silenced all of the noise from the cars a half mile away from them and the buzzing of the critters and insects that called the forest their home. 

Instinctively, Viktor harnessed some of the sharp sound so that his body began to glow with the raw force of his power. His head turning widely in circles as he tried to figure out where it had come from, his mind immediately assuming that it had been a firework or explosion. Five, on the other hand, was convinced that it had been a gunshot. He reached out so that he was holding tightly to Viktor’s shoulder just incase he needed to teleport himself and his husband away. The only reason that he hadn’t reflexively used his powers was because of how out of the habit he had gotten in their half decade of safe married life.

The cracking that followed afterwards let them know that what they had heard was not a firework or a gunshot, but rather a tree breaking down the middle.

Viktor grasped Five’s hand and quickly tugged them further down the path so that they could get away from the trees. His head was swirling in either direction as he tried to figure out where it was that the sound was coming from. The way that it echoed throughout the entire forest made it incredibly hard to pin-point where the tree was breaking and where they had to go to be able to avoid it.

Both of them could feel nothing but fear coursing through them as images of having their lives cut short by one of the huge trees that they had been so adoring of only moments prior flashed through both of their minds. The trees around them felt too ancient and magical to come crashing down like they were.

The smaller of the two men toppled back over a root so that he was flailing, his hands and arms pinwheeling before he tumbled down onto the packed earth of the path. Five’s attention was snapped away from where he was staring at the tree coming down a fourth of a mile away from them and back down to his husband.

“Viktor, are you okay?” he asked as he knelt down beside the other man so that he could make sure that he was okay. Flashes of their previous adventures, moments when they were both this scared and creating new traumas, were rushing through his mind as quickly as they could. It wasn’t something that he particularly wanted to be happening but he knew that it also wasn’t something that he got to stop just because he didn’t want it.

He didn’t reply for a while longer as he stared at where the tree had fallen. Leaves and dust rose up from the ground in a huge cloud due to the force that the redwood had come down with. Viktor could see shards of wood that had splintered off from where half of the tree had come down while the other half remained upright.

“Shit, that was so scary,” he whispered as he brought his hand up to his forehead. He was quivering slightly as the adrenaline in his system began to ease up and left his muscles exhausted. 

Five let out a near-hysterical laugh. He had been through a lot, including a couple of buildings falling down as he scrambled to get out of them, but this had still managed to shock him. He leaned down and pressed a kiss to Viktor’s mouth to try and reassure him that it was okay. “Certainly wasn’t what I was expecting to happen today.”

The smaller man let out a jerky laugh. He tilted his forehead forward so that it was resting on Five’s shoulder. “I love you, you know that?”

“I would certainly hope so, otherwise being married to me for this long is going to be rather embarrassing for the both of us,” he chuckled. He pressed another kiss to the top of Viktor’s head and then helped his husband up.

The other people that had been hiking along their trail when the tree had fallen were also rather shaken up. They were talking amongst themselves and pointing out towards the brand new, splintered boards of red wood. Before anyone had a chance to venture off of the trail to see what had happened, several rangers appeared. One of them roped off the edge with bright yellow tape to prevent any of them from being able to walk to the fallen tree without stepping over the barrier.

The other rangers walked through the path, carefully picking their way around the sorrel and ferns so that they could reach the tree and examine all the damage. The one remaining park worker turned around and then said, “I know that was scary but we’ve got it handled! Thank you all for your cooperation, please stay on the path. Out this way is a lot of poison oak and wildlife that should be left to the professionals to deal with.”

“Makes sense,” Viktor mumbled. He picked himself up from the ground and then brushed the dirt and crunched leaves off of his pants. He then ran a shaky hand through his hair and turned towards his husband. “I know that it wasn’t the plan for today but I think we should just go back to the hotel and try to calm down from this.”

Five’s mouth flickered down into a frown. He reached down so that he could tilt his husband’s face up towards him. “Vik, remember what Dr. Kelly said. We can’t let a small bad part of the experience make us stop from doing something that we were planning on and looking forward to. That’s what happened the last time we went on a roadtrip and we both felt extremely disappointed by it.”

“I don’t want to push you any further if you feel triggered, though,” he mumbled. He turned his head down as much as he could with the hand still underneath his chin. “I knew that there was a chance that a couple of trees could come down while we were here. I did a lot of research about it and the ground has been so dry that several redwoods have already come down on the roads and stuff. None in this area, so I thought that it would be fine.”

“Viktor,” Five stopped his ramble before he could continue to send himself into a deeper spiral of shame. “You did all the research that you needed to and then made an educated decision with the information that you had. You didn’t bring us here knowing for certain that there would be something triggering for us both. I also know how desperately you wanted to come here. I mean, you’ve wanted to visit this park for years now. The worst has basically already happened, so let’s keep going with our plan, yeah?”

The ex-superhero let out a small laugh. He tilted his head into Five’s hold so that they were still close together. “You know what, you’re right. Let’s go enjoy the rest of our vacation, okay? We don’t need to let one thing ruin everything else for us.”

Five leaned down and pressed a kiss to his husband’s mouth before they started back down the path so that they could continue the rest of their day. They were a little bit jumpier than they would have been had the tree not fell, but they were still having a wonderful time with each other.

#fanfiction #fanfic #writing #ao3 #archive of our own #tua #the umbrella academy #tua fanfiction #the umbrella academy fanfiction #viktor hargreeves #five hargreeves #number five #oneshot #year of otp #year of fiktor #fiktor #five x viktor #viktor x five #harcest

[sunflowerandco]

Act VI: Looking Back

Rating: T for language

previous acts on the link in my bio :)

Hey everyone. After my favorite combo meal of some good ol' depression™ and school, I'm back to writing! I really hope you enjoy and I'm very thankful for all of the support if you stuck around this long. Thank you so much ❤

I hope you enjoy this origin story for Duncney in this universe

5 years before Act V

Bridgette approached a very focused Courtney in the hall. "Hey, Court. Got any plans this weekend?"

She responded, her face still buried in the locker she was trying to organize before heading home for the weekend. "Studying, studying, and more studying. I've got two AP exams in two weeks and my livelihood depends on me getting good enough grades."

"Is there any chance you have one day to let yourself have some fun?"

Courtney pondered and knew her response wouldn't please her friend. Still, she delivered it with a smile. "No." She knew Bridgette's campaign for fun was coming any second now as she shut her locker.

“You’ve been studying all week, Courtney. Come to Wasaga with us! My step-dad lent me the beach house for the weekend.”

Courtney felt apprehensive at the idea of a day on the beach with Bridgette, Geoff and their insistent need to suck face most of the time. “No thanks. I don’t want to be your third wheel.”

“You won’t be! It won’t be just me and Geoff. He practically invited our lunch period. Plus, Duncan’s coming...”

“And that holds significance to my decision because...?”

“...Because you like him.”

“I do not! He’s annoying, has no regard for authority, and is so, totally gross. I don’t need you setting up dates for me. At least not another disaster like Bradley.”

“To be fair, you did have a crush on him.”

“That was before I knew he was a total jerk.”

“What matters is that you gave him a chance. Why not give Duncan one? I've seen the way you look at him.” Courtney gave her look, signaling her to quiet down in front of everyone else occupying the halls. Bridgette smiled triumphantly and shrugged her shoulders matter-of-factly, finally getting through to Courtney.

"See? I'm never wrong." Bridgette walked off presumably to find Geoff. "I'll pick you up at two."

"I didn't say yes!"

"Love you, too!"

***

Courtney could deal with sweaty teenagers in a crowded setting. She could deal with speakers blaring in her ears. But, she couldn't stand to see Bradley's face across the room before running to Bridgette.

"Why is Bradley here?!"

"I don't know! I know for a fact Geoff didn't invite him. He was the only person off limits."

She knew she'd have to spend the better half of her day avoiding Bradley.

Courtney stood in front of the bathroom mirror of the beach house, washing her hands and reapplying her lip balm. For one thing, she had to hide from the guy she wasted a month of her life on. On the other hand, she couldn't find him. Not that she cared. Oh, no, no, no. Not Courtney. She didn't come to this outing hoping she'd find him. And she would never admit that even to herself.

When she exited the washroom, she bumped into a brown-haired, blue polo-wearing dudebro practically standing in front of the door.

"Hey, Courtney. You know you can't avoid me forever."

"It doesn't hurt to try."

"Listen, I just wanted to talk."

"In order for that to happen, there'd have to be something to talk about."

"Well, there is. I want to start all over. You and me. I've got drafts coming up for university football. Having a girl on my arm would help with my image and, well, I figured you could benefit changing that uptight, boring image everyone has on you."

Courtney scoffed, feigning interest. "Wow. While that sounds incredibly tempting-" Courtney started off with sarcasm.

Bradley wasn't the most receptive to rejection, but still persisted. "I knew you'd see it my way. It would help the both of us."

Courtney rolled her eyes at his insistent need to cut her off at every chance she had to speak. Her eyes diverted from his and her eyes gravitated to the neon green hair she spotted across the room. He hadn't noticed her stare, but seeing him made a sense calm take over her mind.

"...I'm gonna have to pass. Don't come up to me again wasting my time. I don’t need to associate myself with an asshole like you."

She finally felt like he would leave her alone for the remainder of senior year after letting him hear it. Courtney knew that wasn't the answer he wanted from his displeased layer of expression on his face. She held her hand out with a smile.

"Pleasure doing business with you." He begrudgingly shook her hand to save face from possible onlookers.

***

Duncan, Geoff, and DJ were all engrossed in conversation when Duncan's attention rerouted in Courtney's direction. DJ's voice faded slowly out of the forefront. "...All I'm saying is if dude didn't want his underwear up the flagpole, he should stop leaving it around the locker room!"

"What is he doing here?" Duncan was covertly protective over Courtney in the aspect of terrible ex-boyfriends. His reaction to seeing her shake hands with him made Geoff and DJ turn in that direction.

"I don't know, man. I swear I didn't invite that joke. It seems like they're making up, so that's good." The can Duncan held warped in shape as his grip tightened.

It was no secret how Duncan felt about Bradley. He had to spend two months convincing people that pantsing him, throwing eggs at his car and TP'ing his house were all in the name of fun and not some way of avenging Courtney.

He didn't mean to avoid her after the fact, but it made controlling his emotions easier.

***

Courtney, fresh off of telling Bradley off, finally felt she was able to enjoy herself for the day. As the day transitioned into a darker, breezy evening, her introverted nature dwindled as she allowed herself to let go. Catching up with acquaintances from various classes, taking in the ocean views, and the overall atmosphere made her feel recharged in a rare feat. Still, it was hard to find Duncan while sticking to Bridgette's side. She'd hate to verbally admit she missed trading meaningless quips with him, and it was out of the ordinary for them to be in the same setting without exchanging any words. She separated from her friend when she wandered around several spaces of the house. Then, she heard him.

He was projecting his conversation loud enough for onlookers to hear what he said. "It's actually sad how many times and ways I had to reject that girl. Even today I had to tell her to stay away from me. I mean, why would I want to associate with her?" A few laughs could be heard from the same acquaintances she caught up with at his declarations of rejection all created by him.

Duncan decided he'd heard enough and approached him. "You better watch you say around here. Courtney's not around to defend herself, and I'm known for not using my words to solve problems."

"Oh? Is that bitch your piece of ass for the week?" Bradley immediately felt threatened at how much Duncan was fuming at him. Duncan swung a fist, but he moved out of the way quick enough to dodge the attack.

Geoff immediately came between the two of them to settle the tension. "Just get out of here, dude."

***

She heard every word of it. She didn't want to defend herself for once. Her mind just kept repeating to itself. You need to get out. She sat on the sand with her knees pulled to her chest. Courtney felt Duncan sit next to her without a greeting. She still spoke lowly to fill the silence between them. "What gives him the right to think he can do and say whatever he pleases like that?!"

"You're right. Let me let him have it, Princess."

"No, it's not worth it. He's not, at the very least. And you need to stop getting into trouble all the time."

At the time, Duncan's need for revenge couldn't be subdued. He'd let it go for now, but his mind wouldn't rest until he felt justice was served on that rich, entitled fuck. "It's not like anyone cares if I do. Everyone just wants to police me-"

"I do." She immediately retreated to the ocean's view after she blurted those two words out pretty angrily.

A silent moment passed between the two of them. His brain felt like mush hearing that and seeing the bright reflection of the moon on her skin. All of his previous thoughts were clouded leaving one subject clear. He quietly said the first thing that came to his mind. "You look beautiful."

Courtney had gotten used to Duncan calling her nicknames. They were mostly delivered backhanded in response to her insults. This time it was unprovoked. It blurred the lines between real and fake. She decided not to respond and change the subject instead. She crossed her arms in defense of the drop in temperature. "I want nothing more than to leave this stupid place."

"Here." He said as he peeled the t-shirt off his back. Courtney truly didn't mean to stare as the fabric became less and less attached to his torso. He handed it to her after noticing she shivered when the wind picked up speed. She looked away quicker than she wanted him to notice.

"As if I need another reason for people to look at me weirdly."

He knew she just reacted the way they're expected to treat each other, but it still upset him for reasons he couldn't decipher fast enough. She immediately noticed his face fall, instantly regretting her delivery. "I didn't really mean that. Thank you." She smoothed out the wrinkles after letting the shirt fall over her body.

He couldn't stay mad at her for long, especially when her regret was so apparent on her face. Duncan considered the embarrassment she faced, and figured she was trying to regain some normalcy in their relationship. "Don't worry about it. Let me take you home."

Courtney didn't object, following him through the sandy plains to his car. After finding a tank top in the trunk, he slipped it over his upper half. Duncan opened the door on the passenger side for Courtney to enter. Moments that didn't include bickering scared Courtney. it was an occurrence that gave her mind the opportunity to wonder what a prolonged version of this happenstance would result in. Her feelings floating to the surface of her deeply buried psyche.

***

He didn't mean to drive in radio silence, but Duncan was more nervous than he'd like to admit. He almost ran a red light when he noticed the newly-acquired tan the sun gave her soft, warm skin as she crossed her legs in the passenger seat. He slammed on the brakes just in time, still startling her. "Duncan! I didn't accept your offer with the expectation of dying in your car!" It wasn't the greatest question, but he was relieved she opened a window of conversation to flow between them.

"What was your expectation, then, Princess?"

"Delinquent-proof driving!"

"You know it wouldn't kill you to be...nice?"

"And ruin the amazing dynamic of our relationship? I wouldn't dare!"

"I don't want anything to be 'ruined' either. Nothing will stop me from annoying you, no matter what happens between us."

Courtney relinquished in relief. She then remembered the very moment her fear took over. Acknowledging it meant accepting the affect his words had on her. Accepting those indulgent stares and rare, shared smiles. Despite her fears, she asked. "If you don't want anything to change, why did you call me beautiful the way you did?"

Surprised by the indicative effect of his words, Duncan responded as if the answer were so obvious, still attentive to the road ahead of him. "Because you are...? Nothing's gonna change because of that. I've always thought you were. I'll stop if you want me to."

Courtney felt her heart triple in size when she boldly responded, letting herself say whatever her heart told her to. "Don't... stop?" She stammered, even changed the pace of her words as she fought off her nervousness. "I... don't want you to stop."

"Okay, beautiful." Courtney's chest radiated with warm waves as she looked out the window. She looked in the opposite direction and noticed one of his hands resting in the space between their seats. Her mind and heart wrestled back and forth between doing what truly called to her. To shut them up, she turned her attention to the road ahead. And, like some gravitational pull, her hand made it's way toward his free one. A swipe of the back of each other's hands was enough to: burn beneath the surface of their skin; Duncan immediately caught on to her intentions. He tried to stay focused on the road as they fumbled, palm to palm, and slowly interlocked their fingers with the other's one-by-one. The silence after realizing how perfectly they fit was easy, comfortable, yet deafening.

At a red light, Duncan used the hand on the steering wheel to turn the radio to any random station he saved. Neither of them knew the song, but wouldn't forget any lyric of it after this.

You can't stop us on the road to freedom

You can't stop us 'cause our eyes can see

Men with insight, men in granite

Knights in armor intent on chivalry

She's as sweet as Tupelo honey

She's an angel of the first degree

***

When he pulled up to her street and their hands pulled apart, Courtney felt hollow. Duncan's mind conjured ways to make the moment last longer. "I'll walk you to your door." Courtney didn't object once more, smiling at his reciprocated persistence.

"Okay." The path, while short and forward in leading them to the door, gave them time before the eventual goodbye they dreaded. Courtney fumbled with her keys hoping to buy more time. Fleeting, fickle, borrowed time for a moment they used to curse themselves for dreaming of. He initiated.

"So... see you on Monday?"

"Of course. Um...thanks. For everything."

"It's no problem, Courtney. Goodnight." He leaned in and Courtney's breathing wavered. Duncan gave her a quick peck on the cheek. Courtney's hand rose to her face in an attempt to calm the burning sensation he left. This would suffice for what he really wanted to do. If he was right about the impact he assumed he had, he was doing the right thing for now.

Courtney hated to see him walk further from her and toward the car. In some entranced state, her hand grabbed his wrist, pulling him in closer.

Maybe she leaned in the wrong way; she over-estimated the distance between them as their noses collided with each other's causing them to both groan in pain. Her ache quickly shifted to embarrassment as she hastily spilled out her rambled apologies. "I'm so-so sorry! Oh my God. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to-"

Her rambling ceased when Duncan pulled her in once again, his lips crashing onto hers with a yearning force. Her lips quickly overlapped his as his fingers tangled themselves in her hair, her arms linking around his neck. They parted for air but remained still with their hands attached to the other.

He'd never done something so worth it, unaware of the events to come.

#duncney #td duncan #td courtney #duncney fanfic

[mangozcat]

𝐏𝐀𝐈𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆. lee donghyuck x fem!reader  𝐆𝐄𝐍𝐑𝐄. fluff 𝐒𝐘𝐍𝐎𝐏𝐒𝐈𝐒. he hates summer. he has such a hatred for leaving his house, spending time in the burning hot sand and doing anything besides playing video games at home. that’s why, when you suddenly show the boy a piece of your mind about how he stole the corndog you ordered from the truck nearby, he slightly warms up to the idea of summer.

𝐃𝐄𝐃𝐈𝐂𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐃 𝐓𝐎. @marklyxxi​ nik my beautiful ray of sunshine!! I was gonna dedicate this to you even before we talked about it in our dm’s, to be honest. it’s been such a wonderful ride so far, and why not show that in a story? this story was honestly inspired by my original hatred for making mutuals (mainly because of drama on my previous blog) and how you came along and just made it disappear like k bro I see you. much love babe <3, and if you’re reading, I hope you enjoy!

𝐇𝐀𝐄𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐍 𝐀𝐋𝐖𝐀𝐘𝐒 𝐇𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐔𝐌𝐌𝐄𝐑. he enjoyed the trips, liked the sun, but he hated the blistering heat and endless girls at the beach throwing themselves at him, and of course, he’d also just rather be inside. indoors had air conditioning and gaming setups. and what did outside have? some tumbleweeds, most likely. not like haechan left his house enough to know.

overall, summer had far more cons than pros, in his opinion.

that’s why, as he was forced to sit out in the sun, staring out at some ocean shore, he felt nothing but annoyance towards his friend. it wasn’t his choice to be at the beach, he was left with no other option when jeno threatened to take away his computer. after all, who would willingly go to some sand-filled land that always burned your feet, had potentially dangerous sea creatures washing up every day, and held very high risk of death by drowning.

yes, because some people do in fact sign up to be a lifeguard, only to stay on their phone the entire shift without a care in the world for that one swimmer struggling to stay above the water. or several, depending on what business days the ocean chose to show up for work.

“you should maybe stop glaring at the water as if it hurt you,” jeno said, an eyebrow raised as he glanced over at his friend. haechan only responded with a short, meaningless hum beneath his breath. rolling his eyes, jeno took a handful of sand and tossed it in the other’s direction, grinning maliciously.

he merely narrowed his eyes, not amused at jeno’s antics. turning back towards the tide, he muttered under his breath about how gaming would be far more eventful than staring at the ocean mindlessly. to which jeno replied with a curt, “then stop staring at the ocean and be productive, you fucking dumbass.”

haechan was, yet again, not amused.

“look,” jeno said blankly, shaking haechan’s shoulders to grab his attention. the boy looked at him, although reluctantly, through his bangs. “I brought you here to help you get out of that house, idiot. not to torture you or bother you, but because I somewhat care about my roommate.”

“yeah, yeah,” haechan said, huffing out. it might not have been jeno’s intentions, but bringing him to the beach alone was bothersome. what was he supposed to do here? all he knew was online, electronic. and suddenly his environment is changed so drastically that it made his head spin.

what was a gamer supposed to do at the beach, with no electronics?

haechan glanced around, taking in the sight of the beach for what seemed like the first time since arriving. there were plenty of people in the water, splashing around joyously. somewhere down the sandy plain was a volleyball net, where children were tripping while chasing after the ball, not mindful of their feet whatsoever. but, every time, they managed to get up, smile, and return to what they were doing. there was a food truck near the entrance, and he smiled to himself at the sight of one of his favorite things: food.

“and of course, I don’t want you to be a virgin forever,” jeno concluded, making haechan immediately groan. he wasn’t a virgin, and jeno knew that pretty well, but it was always going to be a running joke that he was; all because jeno, and several of their friends, thought that he couldn’t dedicate more to a girl than he was dedicating to his games.

maybe they weren’t too far off. simply elbowing his friend in the side, haechan pointed towards the food truck. jeno grinned at the sight, saying, “oh, so now you’re interested in the beach? wow, if only I had known that all it took was food, I definitely would’ve bribed you sooner.”

“y’know, I suddenly don’t want food anymore.” haechan huffed out, glaring at his friend. jeno immediately frowned, holding up his hands in surrender at the genuine look of annoyance on his friend’s face.

“fine, fine!” jeno said, breaking into a smile as he quickly dropped his hands to tickle viciously at haechan’s sides. the boy yelped out, his cries quickly turning into laughs of both joy and pain. haechan couldn’t determine which was more powerful as his brain quickly mushed over at the brain numbing sensation.

“s-stop it!” he cried out, tears forming in his eyes as he clutched at his stomach with one hand while another weakly reached to clasp around jeno’s wrist. jeno simply laughed loudly, continuing his torment. when haechan finally seemed to have enough (mostly because he was whining about how he was gonna pee himself soon), jeno finally stopped.

giving haechan some time to recover from the abuse, jeno waited patiently, chuckling occasionally at his friend’s expense, until finally speaking. reaching his hands back to haechan’s sides, making him cry out even though he wasn’t touching him, he said, “do you promise to attempt to have fun?”

“n-nope!” haechan said, giggling mischeviously as he tested his friend.

jeno simply shook his head, putting his hands on haechan’s sides finally, ready to start tickling again (but with no remorse this time), hyuck immediately cried out, whacking his hands away. whining about how he was “sensitive”, he finally agreed to attempt having fun at a place he despised.

his first idea had been to go to the food truck. if he was going to have fun at the beach, the only reasonable explanation for it would be the endless supply of snacks in his stomach. of course, it just so happened that when he arrived, they were fresh out of what he wanted most; corndogs.

“well, promise over, I tried. can we go home now?” haechan said eagerly, turning to walk towards the direction of where jeno’s car was parked. instead, he was met with the man’s hand on his shoulder, turning him back around with a tsk under his breath.

“nice try,” jeno said, nodding to himself before straightening his expression completely. “but no.”

haechan whined as jeno pushed him, using both hands on his back to force him forward, sliding him soundly. he started ranting loudly, making jeno groan out as he was forced to carry both his mental and physical weight back to where their towels were on the ground.

“it’s actually impossible to have fun at this place, jen,” he said matter-of-factly, even pointing a finger up to further accentuate his point. “it’s hot outside, the water is freezing- and you know I don’t do well in climates where the temperatures are completely opposites at times! -and they’re fresh out of corndogs, and I have no phone!”

when he didn’t hear a complaint or argument from jeno, he turned around. suddenly realizing that jeno had stopped pushing him at one point and that he was ranting to himself, standing alone in the middle of the beach, he nodded. “ok, well that’s not awkward at all.”

he stumbled over to a nearby towel- one that he swears is his -and sat down, leaning back to stare up at the clouds. realizing that was a dumb idea as the sun burned a simmering beam of light right into his eyes, he covered them. seeing red, rainbow colored specks behind his eyelids, he sighed to himself. he hadn’t even been at the beach for an hour and he was already, as expected, miserable and bored out of his mind.

sitting up, he rested his chin on his knees as he glanced around. he could’ve sworn he left a bag with sweats laying right at the end of the towel. jeno must’ve put them in his car, haechan thought inwardly. continuing his inspection, he suddenly spotted it; a gleaming, greasy, yummy looking corndog.

it was just sitting there, in all it’s glory, making his mouth water.

he deserved the snack. he wasn’t too sure why it was there or how it had gotten there, but he, yet again, assumed that jeno had worked his magic to get him a corndog. after all, he did want the boy to have a good time; and what better way than to get him a corndog, like he wanted?

eagerly reaching his hand toward the plated snack, he immediately bit into the food. it tasted good, but yet again, he expected no different.

until, of course, it was whacked out of his hand with a sandal. haechan immediately yelped at the burning sensation erupting on his hand, rubbing at the soft skin. he glanced up at the attacker, eyes widening when he saw a girl standing before him, looking furiously as she eyed, not him, but the corndog laying in the sand a few meters away.

oh.

well, that’s not good.

he hopped up, sending her a charming smile before darting away, panicking inside as he ran to the opposite side of the beach, where he realized his towel was. fucking dumbass, he said in his head, should’ve realized that wasn’t mine at first.

he had many regrets, but taking a bite of that corndog wasn’t one of them. or at least, he confidently said that in his head before realizing that the girl was right behind him. he turned at the feeling of a tap on his shoulder, having to glance down slightly to meet eyes with her. she had her eyes narrowed, arms crossed over her chest, sandal still in hand.

under any other circumstances, he would’ve found the girl attractive. but he had enough common sense to realize that it wasn’t a moment to fantasize when she looked murderous.

“now listen here, you corndog thief!” she bit out, jutting her bottom lip out in a pout as she thought of her words carefully. cute, he thought as her facade dropped for a moment. “that was the last corndog and I paid four of my precious dollars for it, sir, so you better buy me another one.”

“but they’re out!” he whined, annoyed at the thought of obeying her. she suddenly snapped her head at him, pushing close, looking like a snake ready to bite. he yelped, jumping back a short distance before rasping out a, “ok, ok! fine, I’ll buy you another corndog when they make some more.”

jeno wrapped an arm around haechan’s shoulder, chewing a corndog between his teeth as he grinned at the two. they both looked at him, surprised and furious. he only smiled to himself, taking a slow and teasing bite as he said, “sorry, guys, this is the last one.”

and haechan swore he had never tackled someone sooner.

he still owed the girl a corndog, but when she jumped to immediately help him tickle jeno until the corndog stuck to the sand beneath them, he figured it wouldn’t be so bad if he had to come back to repay his debt.

#lee haechan #lee donghyuck #kpop #writing #for nik <3 #fluff #nct dream #nct 127 #nct fluff #haechan

[perseusjackson-jasongrace]

Day 8: “Is this really the time for jokes?”

This may be the cutest thing I have ever written which is kind of rude to my jercy brain but whatever!

masterlist

I wrote a post for Percy's birthday that had a "headcanon" in it that inspired this fic

canon-compliant

Percy Jackson tucks a small box into his pants pockets, before adjusting the collar of his shirt and making sure the beaded necklace he never takes off still sits at the hollow of his throat, the trident directly in the middle. 

The unusually cool breeze that flutters through their villa brushes the back of his neck, instantly allowing him to breathe more easily. The bright blue ocean spreads out below them, calm and inviting. Like visiting his mother’s house. Or stepping into their apartment after a long day: his girlfriend curled up on the couch with her wire frame glasses propped on her nose, hunched over a book. It is comfort that he looks out on.

“Pers?” Annabeth calls from the bathroom.

“Yes Wisegirl?”

“Do you mind grabbing my heels by the bed, the blue ones.” Her voice bounces across the room.

He moves away from the mirror in the corner and gets onto his knees near the bed to find the shoes. Hidden between the side-table and the frame are baby-blue satin heels. Ribbons hang from the ankles and he knows they’ll look godly wrapped around her golden legs.

“Found them?”

He steps into the bathroom with a soft smile on his face, and hands them over. He takes her in and all the breath screams out of his lungs. His heart jumps in protest but he can’t bring himself to inhale. He’ll choke on her beauty.

She is wearing a soft, silk dress that hugs all the hard plains of her, and stops mid thigh. Her generally unruly curls are barely contained in a low bun, small strands already springing out and falling around her face. Her ears, usually decorated in her signature owl earrings, now adorn small jewels in her two lobe piercings. One he recognises as the earrings he got her for their fifth anniversary. Her helix piercing is still the same silver hoop they both bore after a drunken decision and a 24 hour tattoo shop. Percy’s mother was not impressed, but she wasn’t nearly as angry as the tattoo debacle.

“You ready?” His girlfriend squeezes his hand, looking at him with appreciation and love in her grey eyes.

“For anything.” He squeezes back. They had faced enough in their years that the words held more weight than most people could bear. But their shoulders had held the sky, and together they would hold the world.

“Where did you reserve a table?”

“At the restaurant we got to when we came here the first time. That one where you snorted your orange juice and we both laughed so hard the waiter thought we were dying.”

A giggle erupts from her and it lights up the room like neon sunshine. ‘I remember. Oh gods we were an absolute disaster.”

“I thought it was very cute of you to spurt orange juice through your nose and onto my white shirt.” He grins.

She shoves his shoulder and squeezes his waist. Her head brushes his cheeks, the heels giving her height on him she didn’t usually possess. He loves it. It makes it easy to kiss her. And he does. Long, and hard, and with enough affection to drown them both.

She pushes away eventually, “We’ll never get anywhere if we carry on like this. And i am not wasting another pretty dress.”

“Is it really a waste if i got to see you in it?” He pouts.

“Yes.” She raises a perfect eyebrow, giving him that look that says ‘i dare you to argue with me’, but there is so much light glittering in her eyes.

“Alright, alright. Let’s go Wisegirl.”

So they step out of their little slice of paradise for the week and onto the cobbled white streets of Athens. The night air is fresh, and full of ocean breezes, and pretty memories. He hopes to make a few more before they leave in two days.

The restaurant is not far from their hotel so the walk is short and filled with lingering touches and comfortable silences. Annabeth looks like a goddess as the moonlight strikes her dress at all angles and gives her an ethereal glow. The ribbons of her shoes wrap around her legs and make them look impossibly longer. He is sometimes struck so inexplicably by her beauty he feels like his ribs are splitting from his spine.

A waiter greets them and leads them to a table in the back where the lights are low and the candles are bright. The crimson tablecloths drape elegantly and Percy has to remind himself that he is not the undeserving little kid who wasn’t allowed to even look at things that cost more than fifty dollars. He is a grown adult, making his own money, deserving of all the things he has gotten and achieved in life.

As if sensing his hesitation, Annabeth gives his arm a gentle squeeze and then sits down at the chair he’s pulled out for her. One of the many lessons his mother insisted on drilling into him. Walk a partner to the door. Open the car door for them. Pull out their chair. He may be chaos in motion but he is respectful all the same. He is his mother’s child through and through.

“Can i get you something to drink?”

He looks at his girlfriend, smirking as they both recall the orange juice, and with one voice order the infamous drink. Along with lemon water and celebratory cocktails. Today they’ve been together seven years. Today he is twenty five years old. Today they are alive. Today they deserve to live.

He feels the little box in his pocket and he hides a grin. There are no nerves thrumming through his veins. He has never been more sure of anything in his life.

“I can’t wait to go to Onassis Stegi tomorrow,” Annabeth sighs, a faraway look in her eyes. “I hear they have the most beautiful exhibitions and their work is monumental.” He senses he’s lost her to architecture so he grabs her hand and gets lost with her.

“They’ve just completed a project to light up the Acropolis. Oh Pers it’s so beautiful we must make time to see it. I’ve been fascinated with it’s structural integrity ever since I was eight years old.”

He doesn’t hide his amazement at the fact that Annabeth was researching the structural integrity of anything at eight years old, but he doesn't interrupt her either. She has that look, cheeks flushed, grin wide, and hands animated that tells him she’s been dying to gush about this.

When he had first surprised her with the holiday she had burst into tears because there were so many things she hadn’t gotten to see the first time they had come to Athens. Whereas before they were tourists, with ancient roots in this beautiful city, now they are simply architect and boyfriend, social worker and girlfriend, Percy and Annabeth.

Their evening proceeds in a similar fashion: her gushing, him listening, trying to keep up; him joking, her laughing. When they drain the last of their cappuccinos and he feeds her the final bite of brownie, they are live wires dangling over cool water.

“Want to go for a walk along the beach?” He nods towards the walkway, where the ocean dances under the light of the moon.

She stares at the beach, a calculated look on her face. She glances at him and something crosses her face that he doesn’t have time to read. Even all these years later he is still figuring out the enigma that is Annabeth Chase.

“Lets.” She holds onto his shoulders, and unties the ribbons at her ankles.

Immediately she shrinks to her usual height at his shoulders , and he can’t help but place a kiss to the top of her golden head. She offers her shoes to him, before lopping her arm through his and tugging him along. They step onto the sand, which sinks underneath his feet and suddenly she is running towards the sea, curls flying, dress fluttering, and her hands rising to touch the sky.

“Come on Seaweed Brain!’ She yells. And he can see the happiness radiating of her.

Tugging off his own shoes, and socks, he races after his girlfriend, vaulting onto her back. With a grunt she wraps her arms around his legs and takes off at a sprint, feet splashing on the shore. He laughs into her hair and her reactionary smile lights his soul on fire. It is then that disaster strikes. 

Annabeth trips over a small rock, and they both go flying towards the sandy, shore. She lands on her stomach and he rolls right over her head and onto his back. They are a mess of limbs and wet sand and laughter like ringing bells.

“Guess you’re really falling for me,” He grins.

She wipes grains out of her eyes and pins her grey gaze on him. “Is this really the time for jokes, Seaweed Brain?”

“There’s always time for jokes Wisegirl.”

He hauls himself into a kneeling position, pretending to adjust his clothes, as she gets up and wipes off the fall from her now wet dress. The cream silk clings to her even more, and her hair is caked with ocean sand and tiny shells. She looks beautiful. 

He pulls the box out of his pocket and looks up at her. She is still distracted by her clothes and the water lapping at her bare feet.

“Wisegirl,” He says softly.

She looks to him, fire crackling in her eyes as if she’s preparing to frown at him for another joke. Her legs visibly shake at the sight before her.

“I have loved you since the day you stood over me and told me i drool in my sleep.” He smiles, and it echoes hers. “I will love you until we’re old and more grey-” Their eyes flick to the twin streaks in their hair. “And i get to tell you you drool in your sleep.” 

She rolls her eyes but there is mirth dancing on her chest.

“You are my best friend, the greatest warrior i have ever fought beside, and the only person that can choke on orange juice at the same restaurant three years apart.” Their laughter catches in their throat. “Would you do me the honour of becoming my wife?”

“Only if i get to say something first.” She smiles delicately. He nods. She continues, ‘I have heard sirens tell me my deepest desires, I have rebuilt Olympus, i have found the Athena Parthenos and held up the sky. We have even gone to Tartarus together. But my greatest adventure, and my most beloved pride, has been standing by your side.”

There are tears in both of their eyes; the drops land in the ocean and find their way home.

“Yes Perseus Jackson, I will marry you.” She leans down, cups his cheeks, and kisses him like time is merciless. “Over and over again. I will marry you and fight by you and love you, over again.”

“I love you Wisegirl.” He slips the sapphire ring onto her finger.

“I love you Seaweed Brain.” Annabeth Chase kisses him again. “Together?”

“Together.” Percy Jackson smiles. And their next adventure begins.

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

Tags:

@nishlicious-01​

@leydiangelo​

@spoopylucy​

#percabeth #12 days of fanfic #pjjg series #pjjg fanfic #percy jackson #annabeth chase

[dokifluffs]

Indoors | Matsuoka Rin

Pairing: Rin X Reader (gender neutral) 

Genre: fluffyy 

Request: “Actually sorry I just saw that you did a fluff for rin! So can you do a headcanons for how rin and his s/o are spending quarantine together?” - anon

Author’s Note: im SOFT but fear not, I wrote both a new fluff scenario and this hcs cause i have nothing else to do akjhdkajs so i hope you enjoy!! Thanks for requesting! 

When quarantine went down, everyone’s lives changed all around

About a week before when there were rumors of it happening, he fortunately took you grocery shopping beforehand. He picked meats and vegetables while yu picked fruits, taking enough that would last you two for quite awhile instead of hogging groceries like five bags of rice like others

He made sure his mom and sister were fine, calling them at least once a week to make sure things were okay, that they had plenty of food and necessities

He was actually pretty active at home. Sure he got bored every now and then but it was nothing a couple activities couldn’t fix

He worked out to keep his physique, followed the diet he needed as a swimmer, kept in contact with his coach about regiments he should do at home

But aside from working out and doing swim related things, he spent his time with you and the two of you had the house to yourselves

In his mornings, to follow his meal plans, he would wake up to prepare breakfast

But everything single morning, no matter the lighting, the time, the weather outside, he couldn’t get used to the sight of waking up beside you

The peaceful look on your face whether your cheek was squished on the pillow, the way your hair was a bit messy from sleep, your soft breaths that would tickle his arm or chest or skin

He absolutely loved it

Almost every morning, he woke you up with him

He didn’t try to resist the urge to snake his arms around you, pulling your warm self even closer to him

He often woke you with a simple kiss to your forehead or cheek, taking your natural scent. Other times, he simply cupped your face in his hand, lightly squishing your cheeks together which eventually woke you up

However, some mornings, he left you be, sleeping in

But whenever he did, it wasn’t long after him that you woke up too so he took this chance and prepared breakfast for you, changing it up every now and then

You didn’t find it too fun being the only one to enjoy such a sweet breakfast where it was waffles or pancakes, or even french toast so you told him to make the same one for you

And lo and behold, you preferred the breakfast he ate more than the sweeter ones. You liked his eggs, a few slices of bacon or ham with a bowl of porridge

It was refreshing

Sometimes you went with him on his jogs/ runs if you felt good enough around the evening a bit before dinner when the sun was setting over the horizon

The two of you stayed away from others who went on walks or just anyone out in general for a breath of fresh air

But whenever the sun was setting, it was those nights where the two of you would take a long walk back on the sandy beaches

He couldn’t resist the urge to walk near the water, feeling the crisp cool water and wet sand sink between his toes

He held your hand, taking in the fresh air outside and the sound of the soothing water washing on shore, feeling the breeze blow through his clothes

And he loved that you were beside him all this

He was very grateful he met you at the time he did or else he would’ve been alone through all this, the house would be filled with silence and his days would be so plain

Getting home, he insisted on you to shower first the times you did go with him as he began to prep for dinner and you would take over as he took his shower. But you wouldn’t do too much. The two of you made dinner, enjoying the food afterwards together which made it taste ten times better in his mind

After dinners, it became a routine for the two of you to watch something or play games

Being playful as he is, he would choose horror movies which made the two of you cling onto each other but never turning off the movie or changing it. Once it played, nothing could change that. Some nights, he would deeply regret it, others, it would make his heart race, making him want to do it again, to feel the rush

On game nights, it would almost always end with the two of you laughing til your stomachs hurt while playing any game- twister, monopoly, even completing a puzzle, he never failed to make you laugh or keep things entertaining

But in bed, he never felt scared once he was able to feel your touch on him or his touch on you

It was physical reassurance for him knowing you would be by his side when he closed his eyes and when he opened them up again the next day

He looked forward to the next day knowing you would be there and he could look forward to a new moment, experience, or memory he could cherish with you while staying indoors during this quarantine

The two of you were going to be fine being indoors, the fun would never end as long as you had him and he had you

~~~~~ Thanks for reading! Masterlist for more! Please do not repost anywhere else!

#free! #free! iwatobi swim club #free! imagines #free! scenarios #free! x reader #free! headcanon #rin #rin matsuoka imagines #rin x reader #rin imagines #rin scenarios #rin headcanons #rin matsuoka headcanons #rin matsuoka scenarios #rin matsuoka x reader #dokifluffs

[neonsentient]

Haikyuu! Rise Above

A ragtag group of students from a school for troubled teenagers forms an unconventional co-ed volleyball team in hopes of proving to themselves that they're more than what people make them to be. With the help of a few loopholes in the rulebook, they'll have the chance to win the gold for what might possibly be the last time in their lives.

Think of it as a spin-off, the Karasuno's first years are now second years, but I will focus on this paticular team.

Warnings: Mentions of drug abuse, underage drinking, self harm, eating disorders, depression, suicide, racial and homophobic slurs. Not all at the same time though.  

Chapter 1: Promising Young People

Amara leaned closer to the toilet as she gagged, throwing up her measly breakfast of tea and apple slices, the only things she could stomach that morning. In an unusual lucky strike, the bathroom she was currently in puking her guts out was empty.  It probably had something to do with the fact that she decided to arrive at the school building an hour earlier, otherwise she would’ve had an audience.

She rose from the floor, wobbling like a newborn fawn, and went to check herself in the bathroom mirror. Her russet skin had an unhealthy pallor to it, her waist-length crow black braids were loose and poorly made and the bags under her eyes could’ve been easily mistaken for bruises. That morning she didn’t even bother to look for her makeup bag in her suitcase.

“First impressions matter, you know?” Her parents would’ve told her. “It’s not every day you get to make them.”

“But I already made mine.” Amara thought bitterly.

She splashed cold water on her face and rinsed her mouth as best as she could.  Now she was regretting not bringing at least some concealer or even chapstick.

“As if that were to make things any better.” A voice hissed from the back of her head. “As if that would…..”

Amara shook her head, bringing herself back as she checked her wrist watch. She was supposed to meet her guide at the entrance. In a normal scenario, she would’ve already known by now where everything in the school was, her classes, the gym, the best spots for a smoke break……

But despite being her second year of high school, it was her first year at Ōkamiyama Alternative Academy. In fact, since most of her education consisted of homeschooling, it was her first time back at school since she was in elementary, period. And unlike many other students who had arrived at least a week earlier, Amara’s messy flight schedule made her arrive only a day before the school started.

One look at the main building and it was clear that the school had a thing for a certain color scheme, or lack thereof, rather, since Amara noticed that all the buildings were either black, white or gray. That and the uniforms, a dreadful combination of a prison concrete gray blazer and pants or skirt with a white shirt and black tie. Luckily, the school didn’t seem to be too strict on the dress code, since she saw several students with all sorts of accessories, shoes and even altered pieces of the uniform.

She decided to play it safe by wearing it plain with a pair of rather sad looking black loafers that had seen better days - an emergency purchase at Target after her suede Jimmy Choo boots fell victim to an unexpected downpour-, and a gray Casio. It's not like she was expecting the sailor tops and blue skirts she saw on TV, but the overall look did leave Amara incredibly disappointed.  

Her guide was a girl called Emine Narisawa, also a second year and in the same class as her. Other than that she didn’t knew anything else. It was still a bit early, so she sat at a bench near the entrance, and to no surprise, it didn’t took long for the stares and whispers to start.

“That’s her, right?”

“Oh, so it was for real?”

“Is it just me, or did she looked taller on TV?

Amara’s vision turned blurry, her eyes curdling with tears. She quickly dug into her bag, pulled out her IPod nano (one of the few devices that the school allowed) and headphones and pressed shuffle, not even paying attention to the song that was playing as she took several deep breaths.

She tried her best to distract herself with anything, yet not even a second later, Amara felt a light tapping on her shoulder. She jolted on her seat, took off her headphones and turned to face the person behind her.

“Ups! Sorry!” A cheery voice apologized. “You’re Amara Murakami, right?

The girl was tall, not as much as Amara, but still taller than the average second year girl, and model-thin, with long hair the dark red of rose petals tied in a high ponytail. A ridiculously big, silvery gray bow sat atop her head. Amara immediately noticed her uniform, or “uniform”; the blazer had been turned into a button vest, the gray skirt was embezzled with black and white rhinestones and she sported a pair of white Adidas sneakers. Amara had bought the same ones just two months ago. A thin, white gold anklet with pea-sized bubblegum-pink sapphires was clasped at her slim ankle.

“My name’s Emine Narisawa, but everyone calls me Emi! Wow, you’re taller than I imagined.” The girl chirped. Her voice had a slight hoarse edge to it, which combined with her super girly perfume, an overly sweet combination of flowers and strawberry, made Amara suspect that she was a smoker and that she probably had a cigarette before the tour. “Welcome to The Den!”

Amara could only raise her eyebrows.

“Get it? Cuss we’re wolves!” The girl pointed at the welcoming banner hanging in the entrance, where a menacing looking gray wolf was painted.

“Right.” Amara nodded, not knowing what else to say. "Umm, thanks?"

The redhead caught her hand in an overly enthusiastic handshake. She had a pretty face, although her cheeks looked a tad bit gaunt, and she wore silver eyeshadow with glitter all over her face and hair. Her tanned skin, a shade lighter than Amara’s, was completely covered with freckles, and her lips were painted a shimmering soft pink.

“Wow, your eyes look super cool!” She said, inspecting Amara’s face. “You’re from America, right? Is one of your parents Japanese?”

“So she hasn’t heard of me.” Amara thought with relief. She then noticed that Emine was waiting for an answer.

“Y-yeah I’m from Massachusetts.” She answered. “Umm, my dad’s Japanese and m-my mom’s Nipmuc.”

The redhead cocked her head in confusion.

“Native American.” Amara explained.

Emine’s licorice black eyes lit up.  

“Cool! So you guys are the ones that make, like, dreamcatchers and stuff?” She asked. There wasn’t a single hint of malice in her voice, just genuine curiosity, but still, it made Amara feel annoyed.  

“Ummm…”

“My Nine was from Turkey,” Emine said. “And they have these Nazar amulets to ward off the evil eye or something. Is it the same thing?”

“I don’t…”

“Anyways, you’ll love it here. It never gets boring!” Emine explained as she leaned uncomfortably close, linking her arm with Amara’s. “Follow me, I’ll take you to our classroom.”

The girls made their way inside the building and all the way through Emine "discreetly" pointed out rooms and people, giving Amara a crash course on the school, the students and teachers.

By the time they reached their classroom, Amara had learned that the captain of the baseball team had just began dating the president of the Student Council, crop tops were back in style, the back of the football field was the best place to smoke and that the guys from the Shōgi club sold the best ketamine during midterms.

"Don't they do drug tests all the time?" Amara asked. She herself had an appointment in the nurse’s office later that night for one.

Emine nodded.

"Yup, but it's a six panel."

It was Amara's turn to be confused once again. She had drug tests done before but she only...provided the sample, she never bothered to ask about the details.

"Weed, coke, speed, benzos, angel dust and opiates. All the mainstream stuff," Emine explained. "Ketamine doesn't show."

“Oh.” Amara said. “I thought there weren’t a lot of drug users in Japan.”

“Oh there are,” Emine said, occasionally waving to the people in the hallway. “And here are some of the ones that got caught.”  

“Good to know?”

Amara thought that drugs were a rare commodity in Japan, but then she remembered where she was….

“So…” The redhead began, pulling Amara out of her thoughts. “How are you liking the dorms so far?”

“They’re cool.” Amara replied in a monotone voice. “My roommate hasn’t showed up yet, though.”

“Oh yeah, I heard she’s busy with some family stuff.” Emine pointed out.

“So you know her?” Amara inquired. “What’s she like? I mean, personality wise.”

Emine scrunched up her face, trying to find the right words.

“Well, she’s a bit of a…..

“Bitch!” A voice yelled from the other side of the hallway.

A girl walked towards them with a rhythmic and intense stride that made Amara think she was going to do a handspring or cartwheel at any second. She was gorgeous, what people would call a “Bombshell”, with sun tanned skin as if she had spent an entire summer at the beach, and a long mane of sandy blonde waves styled in the same way as Emine; a high ponytail with a bow on top, though hers was black. Her dark teal eyes had a gleam that Amara could only describe as “keen”.

The girl faced directly at the redhead with a quasi indignant look. Amara noticed that her look was very similar to Emine's; the embezzled skirt and altered blazer, shimmery eyeshadow and glitter sprinkled all over her face and hair.

"I can take a couple missed calls but ignoring me the whole summer was just mean!" She said, giving the redhead an angry look.

Emine looked saddened.

"I'm sor…..”

Before the redhead could finish the blonde interrupted her with a big hug.

"I've been worried sick! Even a "Don't text me" would've been enough!" She cried, clinging to Emine's neck. "Never do that again, got it?"

Emine's expression eased as she returned the hug.

"Never again."

If there was something worse than being a third wheel Amara sure was being just that at the moment.

The girls broke their hug and a pair of teal eyes immediately fell on Amara. They weren't menacing, just, observing her. The blonde was significantly shorter than Amara and Emine, but her presence felt more….. imposing. Even with the uniform, Amara could see the outline of muscle on her legs and arms.

"Oh!" Emine exclaimed, as if she had just remembered that Amara was there, and gestured towards the blonde. "Amara, this is Erika Sawai, captain of the cheer squad.

“Now it makes sense,” Amara connected the dots as she looked at both Emine and the blonde. The perky attitude, the lithe build, and even the bows. “They’re cheerleaders.”

“And Erika, this is….."

"Amara Murakami," Erika said, capturing Amara's hand in a firm handshake. "Rumour mill went that you were gonna end up here. But for future reference, I wouldn't trust anything they say around here. It tends to be a little….unreliable."

"Umm, sure" Amara said. She wasn't sure how to react to that. "I-I'll keep that in mind."

“My, my,” Erika leaned a bit closer. Amara caught the scent of the blonde's peach blossom perfume.  “What pretty eyes you have.”

“Uh, thanks.” Amara muttered.

"Oh, I know!" Emine perked up with an “Eureka!” type of expression. “Since I can’t join you guys for lunch why don’t you go with Amara to the cafeteria, Erika?”

Amara felt incredibly awkward. Day one and she was already being ditched by the one person that was supposed to be with her.

“Sure.” Erika shrugged, a smirk appearing on her face. “I love fresh meat.”

Amara gulped. Why did spending a couple hours with a cheerleader, a really pretty one to boot, made her more nervous than stepping into a court filled with professional players?

Then the bell pulled her out of her thoughts.

“Come on, Amara!” Urged Emine. The redhead turned quickly and gave Erika one last hug before entering the classroom. “And see you later Erika!”

Erika waved them goodbye before making her way to her classroom.

Their first classes; English, Math, Japanese literature and Science seeped through Amara’s brain like water on a strainer. Luckily none of her teachers made her introduce herself to the class so far.

But on the other hand, she couldn’t help but notice the “subtle” whispers and looks from her classmates.

A few minutes after the bell rang they found Erika already outside. Emine apologized to Amara, promising to be back as soon as lunch was over and making quick plans with Erika to catch up later in the day before she made her way into an unknown destination. Amara was tempted to ask, but at the same time she told herself that she knew better than prying on someone else’s business.

She exited the classroom and was immediately greeted by Erika’s sly smile.

“Long time no see, Sugar.”

Amara gave her a tight smile as they walked towards their destination.

_________________________________________________________________________

The principal was a firm believer that a healthy diet was key to a healthy mind, therefore, the school’s vending machines only offered water, organic soy milk, sugar-free drinks, fruit and protein bars.

There were two cafeterias, but Amara was told upon arrival that she only had access to one of them. There, most of the menu items were either boiled, steamed or baked and it also had an all-you-can-eat salad bar and a drink station where one could get teas, coffees, smoothies or juices. Amara thought it was a sharp, yet nice, contrast with her old elementary school’s cafeteria choices of cardboardy pizza, dry meatloaf and congealed mac 'n' cheese.  

Amara silently wondered what was the deal with the other cafeteria as she took a spoonful of miso soup.

“Liking the food so far?” Erika asked, placing her tray opposite to Amara's. She had a bowl brimming with a colorful salad of greens, pecans, apples and fennels, a plate of spiced tofu and two cups; one filled with a pale orange drink and the other with a beige colored liquid. She handed the beige one to Amara. " Here, try this."

She had told Erika that her stomach was feeling a little odd (yet not the reason as to why), so Amara trusted that anything she had given her wouldn't kill her on the spot. She took a sip and despite the unappetizing color the flavour was delicious; sweet, creamy yet not too heavy, and with the aftertaste of almonds. It felt nice on her tender stomach.

"Wow," Amara said, pleasantly surprised. "What's this?"

Erika winked and smiled. For a second, it reminded Amaran of someone else's smile.

"My Mama calls it the Jitter Killer." She explained, her voice emitting a hint of nostalgia. "She's been making them for me ever since I started competing. But once I got here I had to start making them myself."

"It's really good!" Amara complimented, taking another sip. She then thanked her, wholeheartedly. Gestures like those literally made her day a thousand times less shitty.

"Any time, Sugarcube." She chuckled, and then leaned towards her with a curious expression. "But do tell. How is a first day of school more intimidating than stepping into a court filled with three meter sized Amazonians?"

Amara lowered her face and blushed. She only told her that she wasn’t feeling good, she never told her the reason.

"Is it really that obvious?"

"You look exactly how I did on the day of my first competition." Erika recalled. "I believe I was around six?"

"What?" Amara said. "Do cheerleaders really start that young?"

"Yup." Erika nodded. "Especially in the States. They love their cheers there, let me tell ya."

"You're from there too?"

"Mama's from Texas" The blonde said. "So it’s always been half and half until now. We still go for the holidays though, they’re much more fun there."

"Sounds cool. I'm from Massachusetts, and I've only been in Japan like twice….until now."

The atmosphere suddenly became grim, and Amara felt her breath hitch. Erika's hand reached for hers.

"Hey." Emiki said, her voice serious. "I know you probably heard this enough but...I'm really sorry for your loss."

Amara's eyes began to curdle with tears.

"You're actually one of the only ones to tell me that."

Then she broke into sobs.

"S-sorry." Amara tried to apologize. Last night she had cried herself to sleep in her dorm, clutching a pair of worn out volleyball shoes, not even bothering to unpack, she just wasn’t in the mood for anything but crying. And there she thought that she had cried everything last night…...

Erika bolted from her seat and to her side, placing her hands on Amara's shoulder in a comforting manner.

"Oh, Honey Bee." She said. "Don't you dare apologize for your feelings ever again. You better promise me that"

Amara sniffed and nodded.

"You wanna talk about it?" Erika asked, the way a mother would when trying to comfort her child.

"I….

"There you are!" A voice interrupted. "We've been looking for you everywhere, morra!"  

Amara and Erika both turned and looked. There were three girls, each one different from the other. They were around the same height but that was where the similarities ended. One had brown skin, long glossy black hair in a single thick braid tied with a gray bow and umber brown eyes traced with glittery makeup. A gold stud glinted in her nose. The other had bronze skin, waist-length chocolate colored hair with a gray bow atop and eyes like two yellow tourmalines. On her face was a red lipped, wicked dimpled smile, like a kid who’d just finished pulling up a prank. The third one was a bit meek looking, with rosy white skin, a cloud of short strawberry blonde hair with a white bow on top and soft green eyes. She fidgeted with her hands and seemed ready to throw up at any second. Amara immediately felt a bout of compassion towards her.

“It’s lunch time, where else would I be?” Erika asked with a confused expression.

“Good point.” The brown haired girl said. She took a sip from the giant coffee cup in her hand. “Can we join you?”

Erika gestured at the empty seats.

The black haired girl looked at Amara up and down, from her messy braids and puffy red eyes to the plain black loafers.

“First time here?” She asked her as she sat.

Amara nodded and noticed their outfits; skirts embroidered with flowers and crystals, Miu Miu sneakers and Birkin bags. How she wished she had her new Air Jordans with her….

“Aww! I remember my first day as if it was yesterday.” The brown haired girl sighed.

The black haired girl furrowed her brow.

“Didn’t you threw up from withdrawal?”

“It was from a hangover, not withdrawal! They’re like two different things!” The brown haired girl corrected, indignant.

Erika cleared her throat, making the three girls turn their heads at her.

“Amara, these are my friends and members of the cheer squad.” Erika explained.

She pointed at the black haired girl.

“This is Kumari Hanan, our best flyer.”

Kumari gave Amara a small nod.

“This is Ximena Otakara, our dance expert and choreographer.”

“And future celebrity, don’t forget that.” The brown haired girl added with a wink.

Erika rolled her eyes and then pointed at the strawberry blonde girl.

“And this is our newest addition to the team, Kara Tamada”

Kara gave Amara a timid smile and wave.  

“Kumari is a third year like me, Ximena’s a second year like you, and Kara is a freshman.” Erika explained and then gestured at Amara. “Girls, this is Amara Murakami, please don’t torture her.”  

“A la madre! ” Ximena looked at her, surprised. “Wicked eyes, girl!”

Amara lowered her gaze and mumbled an empty thanks. If there was something she was used to at that point in her life, was of people making comments about her eyes.

"Sectoral heterochromia." Were the doctor's oficial words.

"Stained glass eyes." Her friends often called them.

"Woodland eyes." Her grandfather had called them. "Brown for the soil, black for the stone and green for the life."

"You carry your land within your eyes, Amara." He told her once. "You will never be lost."

“If only that were true.” Amara couldn’t help but think.

But then she saw Ximena’s eyes squinting in concentration.

“No mames, I’ve seen you before!” She said, proud of her discovery. “You’re that volleyball chick!”

“Holy shit, you’re right.” Kumari joined.

Amara’s stomach plummeted and her face paled, which Erika noticed.

“Damn it you two, what did I just say!?” The blonde scolded. Her tone was the same one Amara’s mom used when reprimanding her. “Hope you’re in the mood for running suicides today!”

"What? Why?" Ximena and Kumari cried.

"That's okay, Erika." Amara reassured her. "It's not like it's a secret, anyway."

“See? We have the Ok.” Ximena said, earning a murderous gaze from Erika.

Then an awkward silence filled the table.

“So…” Kumari began, taking a sip of her purple smoothie. “You’re joining the volleyball team?”

In Ōkamiyama, all students were required to join a school club or association, and from looking at the list that came with the welcoming pamflet, there seemed to be quite a lot, from embroidery and cooking to horse riding and rock climbing. There were even some odd ones like “The Cheese Connoisseurs Association” and “Apocalypse Survival Prepping Club”. And there were also the typical sports clubs like baseball, basketball, football* and of course, volleyball.

She didn’t wanted to give up volleyball, but the wound was still so fresh it still bled…...

“I-I don’t know.” She mumbled. “I’m still not sure. I have a week, don’t I?

“Yeah, of course.” Erika reassured her. “And if you need more time, you can ask the therapist for an extension.”

Amara had completely forgot about the therapist.

In a normal school, a counselor was usually available for students if they wished so, but here it was mandatory to have individual one hour weekly therapy sessions,and once she joined a club, group therapy would also become obligatory. Amara’s first session was scheduled for Sunday.

“Yeah, don't sweat it!” Ximena said.

“Isn't Emi also joining the volleyball team?” Kumari inquired.

Amara raised an eyebrow.

“I thought she was a cheerleader.” She asked, looking at Erika.

“Emphasis on was.” Ximena sighed.

“And not just that, she was...is...the best tumbler in the prefecture.” Kara explained in a soft voice.

“Really?” Amara asked, she knew from somewhere that tumbler meant acrobat, basically a gymnast with a mini skirt instead of a leotard. “Then why did she quit?”

Ximena, Kumari and Erika looked at each other.

“She didn’t told you?” Kumari asked.

“Tell me what?” Amara looked at Erika for guidance.

“Okay that’s enough.” The blonde’s face had a not so subtle hint of worry. “That’s not for us to talk about, I’m sure that in time Emi will tell you all about it.”

Amara certainly felt a bit pained for being left out, but it was someone whom she literally just met, so she concluded that she had no right to be upset either.  

Kara must’ve sensed the tense atmosphere and quickly asked some questions about the cheer squad. There were many terms that Amara did not understood, but she soon became fascinated. The cheerleaders at the games Amara played in danced around and cheered (duh!) but the way Erika and the others talked about the work plan for their squad it was clear that they did more than that.

“Hey, why don’t you join the squad?” Erika suggested.

“We do need more tumblers.” Kumari pointed out.

“Yeah.” Ximena agreed. “How are your back handsprings?”

“Ummm...nonexistent?”  Amara admitted, although the idea did sound nice. “I do have a mean cartwheel, though.”

The girls chuckled.

“Okay, maybe we can help you find another club if volleyball and cheerleading won’t do it for ya.” Erika smiled and stood, walking towards a notice board and taking a poster version of the clubs and associations list.

“Let’s see then.”

They tried to summarize each club as best as they could, counting the pros and cons and telling her about the people in them.

“What’s the Wolf Kingdom Club?” Amara asked, slightly amused by the odd names.

Everyone grunted, which Amara took as a bad sign.

“That’s the historical reenactment club.” Erika said. “They do everything medieval, and I mean everything.”

“Except dying from the plague.” Kumari muttered.

“So that’s a no?” Amara inquired.

“Depends.” Ximena said. “Do you like dancing with seven layers of clothing on and churning your own butter?”

“Pass.” Amara said.  

And so they spent the rest of the lunch break going over the list in hopes of finding something for Amara, but nothing seemed to catch her attention. Kara spoke on occasions whenever she felt in danger of being forgotten.

By the time the bell rung, they’ve managed to narrow it down to the basketball team and the basket weaving club. She had the height and the jump for the first one and the skills for the last one.

“If you change your mind, you should go with Emi to the tryouts after school.” Erika reminded her as they walked towards Amara’s classroom.

She nodded weakly, lost in thought.

Erika sighed and tapped her shoulder, making their eyes meet.

“Look, I don’t know a lot about volleyball, but I do know that it shares something in common with cheerleading.”

Amara arched an eyebrow. Then, Erika grabbed her hands, the blonde's lightly tanned skin clashing with Amara's russet complexion. Their eyes met, and Erika’s had one of the most serious expressions Amara had ever seen.

“Jumps are the most thrilling part, as well as the hardest.” She said. “When we jump, we don’t take steps back, not even to gain momentum. It’s always forwards, full force.”

Amara had so many questions about those words, yet she didn’t ask. Was it fear or confusion that stopped her? She didn’t knew. But for a moment she was sure the girl was saying that there was only one way to go.

Forward.

#haikyuu!! #haikyu #hq #OC #my OC #ocs #fanfiction #fanfic #My writing #haikyuu

[everlarkficexchange]

I Just Can't Remember Why We Said Goodbye

Written by: @butrfac14

Rated E for the following triggers: explicit sexual conduct, canon-typical death, infertility, divorce, depression and if you squint real hard suicidal thoughts (thoughts only)

Length: Just under 10,000 words

This submission is based on the following prompt submitted by @sunflowerslyf: prompt 31- Everlark on the brink of a divorce, but then they remember all of the things they’ve gone through, the sacrifices they made for each other, that they can’t live withouth the other and end up not getting the divorce.

A tremendous thank you to @creamytinydays for her beta work on parts one and three of this story, and to @567inpanem for her beta work on parts one and two. These ladies helped me to craft this story into something that I’m really proud to put my name on. Thank you!

Thank you to @sunflowerslyf for the great prompt, and to @javistg and @xerxia31 for putting on another Everlark Fic Exchange. This is my first year to participate, and it’s been a wonderful experience.

Part 1.

She shuts the door to her hotel room before hoisting the backpack over her shoulder and turning to walk across the parking lot. Her destination is only a hundred yards away.

  Katniss had arrived at the Oceanside Motel at three o’clock that afternoon for check-in. After collecting the key to room 12 from Mags, the front desk clerk whose deeply lined face bore evidence to the fact that she had spent a lifetime in the sunshine, Katniss had let herself into the room.

  Katniss shook her head once she’d set her bag down on the floor. From the faded floral wallpaper down to the worn green carpet, the place looked exactly the same as it had ten years ago, and the irony doesn’t escape her.

  It’s good to know that there are some things that haven’t changed.

  When she reaches the edge of the parking lot and looks out at the sandy beach, she slips her water bottle out to take a quick drink while surveying the waterfront. To the left is the boardwalk with its weather worn planks. It runs in front of a strip of shops, and there’s an old fashioned arcade on one corner with an open air pavilion anchoring the opposite end.

  It sneaks up on her- the memories that come crashing down to engulf her like the riptide, dragging her under until she’s drowning in remembrance.

  But all things said, it would be a pleasant way to go, to feel her body flood to capacity with memories of the past, when she was happy.

She wraps her arms around her waist tightly and stares out at the water.

  They’d spent their honeymoon in this little beach town. They didn’t have a lot of money when they first were married, and it was close enough to get here by car from the little one-bedroom apartment they were renting in the city.

  “I’m sorry,” Peeta told her that night, after shutting the door behind him. It was a small hotel, and there wasn’t anything wrong with the room exactly, it just looked a little dated. Plain. “This place looked a lot nicer online.”

  Katniss stepped into him, hugging him tight. “It’s fine, Peeta. We’re here together, and that’s enough. I love it.” Her chest tightened with the need to show him that her words were true. And they were, simply because the two of them were here together. “We can do nicer another time. We’ve got our whole lives.” Smiling broadly, she stood up on her toes to kiss him.

  Peeta was one of a select few recipients of her smiles and affections. As a reserved person, it had always been hard for her to open up to people. Her world had mostly consisted of her parents and her sister. But then he came along, and he was so easy to love. His shy smiles and dry humor, his unassuming persona. She’d never met another man like him, always happy to sit back and let her take the lead.

  “Hmm, feel free to do that anytime you like.” His eyes scanned her face, seemed to memorize the details of the moment.

  “I will.” She teased him, and reached around to squeeze his ass. “You’re all mine now, mister.”

  And there were other trips in the following years as they settled into life together. A vacation to Fiji for their eight year anniversary. Cocktails on the beach, white sand and gorgeous views. It had been beautiful in the tropics, but it couldn’t compare to this place. This unassuming little hotel room where they had felt so connected, fresh faced and full of nothing but hope for their future.

  The cracks in their marriage had really begun to form after Fiji. The two of them had decided to start trying for a baby once they got home from the luxury vacation. The trip was supposed to symbolize one last hurrah for them before they started a family.

  It hadn’t exactly worked out that way.

  Maybe that’s why she remembers this place so fondly, as it was a time when the only expectations they had revolved around each other.

  A time before negative pregnancy tests and thousands of dollars wasted on fertility treatments.

  But she isn’t here to think about that today. Now that it’s almost over, she wants to remember the time that they spent here together, happy and carefree.

  It seems important, now that it’s almost over.

  With a shrug she releases her burden, and the bag slides off of her shoulders, landing without a sound. Its contents aren’t much, just a stack of papers. But it’s the key to her new life.

  A few strokes of the pen and she’s a free woman. The whole process had been easier than it should have been for them. The division of goods accumulated over fifteen years of marriage turned out to be as simple as Katniss taking enough furniture to outfit her new apartment. The only thing that she cared about at that point was getting away from the clusterfuck they’d created together.

  They had no savings left, and they both had similarly paying jobs so there was no need for discussions of alimony payments.

  Peeta had been so despondent at that point that he barely said a word to her.

  The thought of that long-awaited freedom should fill her with relief, but strangely it doesn’t. There is no sense of resolution.

  Her only focus has been on getting it over with it, just putting it behind her, since the day the divorce proceedings began. She needs to move on with her life. And that’s why Katniss came here today, to put the last fifteen years of her life behind her.

  But not yet.

  She isn’t quite ready to move on yet.

  Katniss has more to think about before she can sever the tie.

  She sinks down onto her knees by the water and closes her eyes, the rush of the water and the feel of the breeze off of the ocean lulling her into a tranquil state. It helps her to block out the hell that is today and the last few years where they slowly fucked everything up.

  But right here- her time here with Peeta is still untouched.

  Pristine.

  The two of them had spent those blissful days exploring the area. Mom and pop stores peddling seashell trinkets and postcards, overpriced sunglasses, and ugly hats. Breakfast at the diner with the old red vinyl seats. The small art gallery that was around the corner from their hotel, the one where they’d picked out the dandelion painting. The simple piece of artwork had reminded her of her new husband, of the hope and renewal that Peeta had brought into her life.

  As far as she knows, it still hangs in the living room of their house.

  No, not their house. Her heart twinges. Peeta’s house.

  Katniss squeezes her eyes shut tighter, like a toddler in the midst of a tantrum. No, no, no. Don’t go there yet.

  Everything with Peeta is past fixing, but she can still remember. She can still hold on to a little bit of the happiness, can’t she?

  The last appointment at the fertility clinic comes to the forefront of her mind unbidden, the day that the doctor had finally confirmed Katniss’s suspicion that her body didn’t seem to be capable of carrying a baby.

  And it had been so stupid of Peeta in that moment to bring up adoption. She was hurting, feeling like a complete failure to him. Her body felt like a worthless sack of flesh that she was stuck with for the rest of her days, and all she wanted to do was go home and find a quiet corner where she could be alone with her misery.

  Katniss didn’t want to start a whole new kind of heartache, she just couldn’t do it. Adoption was such a long and difficult process, and there was no guarantee of having a child placed with them in the end. Not only that, there simply wasn’t any money left.

  She couldn’t seem to make him understand though, because he wasn’t the problem. There was nothing wrong with him. Peeta had no idea what the tests and treatments had been like for her.

  He later admitted that he never should have brought up the idea of adoption to her on the way home from that horrible last appointment at the fertility clinic.

  In fact he begged her to forgive him for it after the big fight. But she was just done with it. With everything. Her worst fears had been confirmed, and she was ready to try and put it out of her mind.

  But that isn’t what happened. They had screamed at each other that day, vile things that make her die a little inside when she thinks of it now. She told Peeta that she hated him, while his exact words to her were: “Leave if you don’t love me enough to give me what I want.”

  Peeta tried like hell in the following days to take it all back. He implored Katniss to talk to him. He tried to tell her that she was enough and that he didn’t need anyone but her.

  The worst part was that she believed him. The man that lashed out at her that day wasn’t her Peeta, it was entirely out of character for him to be so cruel. But she was tired of hurting him. Tired of hurting, period.

  Tired of what they had done to each other.

  The all-consuming drive to conceive had taken over their love life, turning sex into a scheduled task that revolved around her ovulation cycle. In the months leading up to the final prognosis, Katniss found herself steadily putting more and more distance between them in an effort to curb her mounting anxiety. Peeta responded by acting clingy one day and moody the next, alternately smothering her with his presence or being verbally combative.

  So two weeks after that last office visit, Katniss told him that she was done. She wanted a divorce.

  Peeta begged and pleaded with her. The sight of the tears streaming down his face is burned into her memory and Katniss couldn’t forget it now if she tried. “Don’t you understand that I’m nothing without you? You are woven so deeply into my life… the man I am now doesn’t even exist without you! Please don’t do this.”

  But she’d made up her mind. He’d tried to hold her but she moved away, crossing her arms and stepping back, knowing that she wouldn’t be able to walk out the door if he touched her.

  This isn’t what I came here to think about.

  Katniss opens her eyes and stands up, grasping her backpack as she heads in the direction of the boardwalk. The waterfront is beginning to fill up with a mix of humanity, but one little group catches her eye: a father and mother with two little girls, an older dark haired one and a younger blond. Prepared for a day in the sun, mom carries a bag over her shoulder while dad totes a large blanket, and she hears him tell the girls, “Wait for us, don’t go near the water!”

  As they disappear from her line of sight, Katniss feels herself stumble, her head spinning. The sight of that young family, so similar to the one from her childhood memories, brings her back to what had been the worst time of her life. Back to memories that she’d buried deep inside that seem determined to resurface today in one fell swoop, intent on drowning Katniss in her own emotions.

  She still can see herself standing outside of Peeta’s apartment on that day she received the terrible news in the gathering darkness, pounding on the door and sobbing, practically clawing at the wood by the time that he answered it. “Katniss…” He trailed off as she collapsed into him. “Baby, what’s wrong?”

  “My… my father. My father is gone. Peeta, please.” She couldn’t get out another word as she wrapped her arms around his neck and sobbed. Peeta scooped her up then as if she’d weighed nothing, kicking the door shut with his foot. He cradled her body in his strong arms through the longest night of her life as Katniss cried over the loss of the first man who’d mattered in her life. Her Dad.

  Now they were both gone.

  One dead.

  The other one might as well be.

  She sighs deeply. Is there a single thing that she can recall from the last fifteen years that isn’t tied to Peeta?

  “The man I am now doesn’t exist without you.”

  Katniss realizes exactly what Peeta meant with those words- every detail of her adult life is tied up with his, and she’ll never escape it. The good and the bad.

  The love they had should have been worth so much more to her, and she’d simply thrown all of that away like last week’s garbage. How had things become so awful between them that they couldn’t be fixed?  

  It hits her how much she misses Peeta, how much she misses being happy. Of course she still loves him, she’s never stopped, but it goes even deeper than that. Katniss is staring ahead into the abyss of her future, and she simply can’t see it without him beside her.

  Why am I doing this? Katniss had been so sure, so stubborn in her belief that it was for the best, that they could each go back to who they were before. Now she realizes that isn’t even a possibility, because that girl no longer exists.

  A sudden, terrifying panic hits her. She hadn’t heard from him in months (Peeta had honored her wishes by leaving her alone)…had he had begun to move on without her? Just the idea of Peeta with someone else made her sick. Katniss would have to shoulder the blame for that one, because she’d vowed to stay with him through the good times and the bad, but ended up pushing him away when things were at their worst.

  She’d felt so broken and used up and empty that the only thing she wanted was to get away from him, because she was tired of feeling anything. Period.

  Could I fix this?

  Katniss takes the short step up onto the walkway. She meanders down the boardwalk, past the pavilion where she’d sat with Peeta on their second night here, listening to a band play covers of 1960’s surf songs. He had taken her hand and pulled her to her feet halfway through the show, and they’d danced under the stars in the balmy night air.

  Katniss had laughed and protested,“I can’t dance!” But, he’d ignored her and wrapped one strong arm around her waist, clasping his free hand in hers before tucking her in to his warm body. She gave up fighting him. He’d bent his head down and hummed in her ear as they swayed back and forth to “In My Room.”

  She reaches the diner, letting out a quiet laugh as she pulls open the door and walks in. Nothing about this place has really changed, either. Its worn red seats and peeling formica table tops add another layer to the sense that some kind of a time warp has settled over the whole town.

  It isn’t a bad thing.

  Katniss is lead to one of the empty booths by a smiling girl with corkscrew curls and wide brown eyes. “Hi, I’m Rue.”  Her voice is soft, and she grins at Katniss. Katniss feels herself smiling back at her, and despite the fact that she doesn’t look any older than 16 or 17, there is a depth there that belies her youth. “You can look at the menu for a minute if you want, I can just come back. What would you like to drink? We have great iced tea.”

  “That sounds good, thank you.” Katniss replies, and watches Rue walk away. There is something about the waitress that reminds her of Prim, despite the fact that her sister is now 30 and in her second year of medical residency.

  Katniss just got off the phone with her sister this morning before making the drive, sharing with Prim her plans for this little overnight stay.

  Prim had been completely devastated when she heard the news of their pending divorce months ago. While she’d been supportive of Katniss’s decision and understood the feelings behind it, Prim also didn’t hesitate to try convincing her older sister to get in touch with her estranged husband.  

  Maybe Prim was right. Maybe it shouldn’t have gone this far. Katniss glances over at the backpack tossed onto the seat beside her with a sigh.

  What a fucking mess.

She finishes her meal and stays to chat with Rue for a bit. The diner is quiet, and Katniss wants to get to know the girl better because she does remind her so much of Prim.  

  Rue shares with Katniss the fact that she just graduated from high school, so the two of them have been talking about her plans for college in the fall. “I’m so nervous,” Rue confesses with a giggle, biting at the corner of one thumbnail, “I’ve never really been away from home before.”

  “I bet that you’ll really like it,” Katniss takes another sip from her iced tea. The glass is almost empty but she turns down Rue’s offer of a refill. “Just give yourself a chance to settle in. You’re so friendly that I bet your roommates will love you- I don’t think they could help it.”

  Rue seems reassured by the advice, and as Katniss leaves the diner she can’t help but feel buoyed up by her time with the younger woman. And, walking further down the beach, she finds a spot that affords her some privacy because she has made her mind  up at last.

  She’s going to call him. It might be too little too late, Peeta might hate her now, or even just feel ambivalent (that seems even worse). But Katniss has to try at least once before she goes back to her quiet hotel room to sign the divorce papers and drop them in the mail on her way out of town tomorrow, her original plan.

  She hits the call button, and there’s no answer. Katniss isn’t exactly sure how she feels as it goes to voicemail. She rubs her hand across her face, listening to the sound of his voice telling her to leave a message. When the phone beeps, Katniss hears herself blurt out the words, “Peeta, it’s me. I don’t know why I called, except that I want to hear your voice. If you want to talk, please call me back. I’m ready.” She ends the call, and drops her forehead down into the palms of her hands. Now what? She can’t move, paralyzed by the very real fear that she could be too late.

  The phone rings a minute later, and it startles her so much that she almost drops it before answering the call. “Peeta?” she chokes out his name.

  “Katniss?” he says, quietly and with the disbelief that she actually reached out to him evident in his voice. “Are you okay? Is something wrong?”

  “Everything is wrong,” her voice breaks, and she feels herself begin to panic. Why did she try to do this over the phone?

  Because she’s impulsive and couldn’t wait another minute to speak with him. She struggles to come up with the rest of her words. “I…”

  “Katniss.” She closes her mouth and listens to him take a moment to compose himself. “Katniss, please come home. I’m miserable without you.” His voice cracks, and Katniss wishes she was there to see his face. “It’s killing me to stay away from you, and I’m sorry if you don’t want to hear this right now, but I have to tell you…”

  “No, Peeta- it’s okay. It’s more than okay. I’m sorry,” she sobs out, and the realization that he’s been missing her as well causes her to crumple with relief, completely wiped out.

  “Baby, I’m sorry too. I’m so sorry. But right now I don’t care about any of it. Katniss…” His voice drops again, and his next words are shaky. “All I want to do is hold you. Where are you? Just tell me and I’ll be there. I need to see you.”

They are silent for a minute before she tells him, truly laughing for the first time in months. “Peeta, you’ll never guess where I am.”

It’s nighttime when he finally arrives. She’s been watching from the motel room window, and when the headlights of his car appear Katniss quickly grabs her room key and heads out the door.

  After getting off the phone with Peeta that afternoon, Katniss went back to the room to change into her bathing suit and grab a towel. A dip in the water might be the thing to calm her nerves- she’d always loved the ocean. As she closed her eyes and plunged into the water, Katniss felt small, insignificant, realizing that at any moment she could simply let go and be swept away by the current. It wouldn’t be long until she’d be completely forgotten, her body reduced to nothing but a speck on the ocean floor.

  Instead of depressing her, the realization is liberating. It makes her feel strangely as if her problems aren’t so insurmountable after all- because what is life but a fleeting moment? She is still here, and Peeta’s still here, so there has to be a chance that they can make it work.

  She climbed out of the ocean, some of the underlying tension now gone due to the physical exertion. The rough towel got wrapped around her torso once she’d dried off and had rung the water out of her hair. As the sun sank lower in the sky, she passed the families who were packing up for the day. The lifeguards all climbing down from their stands, gone off duty for the evening after a day in the blistering sun.

  She’d even scanned the beach for a sign of the young family that’d reminded her so much of her own childhood, but there was no sign of them. Katniss couldn’t help but wonder where they were staying as she unlocked the door to her room.

  Once inside, Katniss picked up the cheap bottle of wine she’d bought at the convenience store that day and poured some into an Oceanside Motel paper cup. She set the it down on the side of the tub to run a bath for herself. Once the tub was filled with warm water, she eased down into it before taking a sip of the wine.

  Katniss leaned her head back, struggling to think of something to say to him when he arrived. She wracked her brain for a way to tell him all of the reasons she’s so sorry for the way things turned out.

  But the only thing that she can really think of are his last words to her. Peeta had sounded rushed- she’d heard the jingle of keys and the sound of a car door slamming. “I’m coming right now,” he said over the sound of his car ignition turning over. “I’ll text you when I’m almost there. I love you.”

  She set the empty cup down on the floor and slid down under the water. Her hair fanned out around her as she closed her eyes to think.

  Was it really that simple? Could he really still love her after what she’d done?

  She washed up after soaking for an indeterminate amount of time in the tub and climbed out. Katniss grabbed the thin motel towel and walked out into the room to decide on what to wear, and a quick and disappointing perusal of her overnight bag was made. She settled on a thin cotton sundress, surprised by her desire to look pretty for Peeta. It had been a long time since this giddy anticipation welled up inside of her because of him. She bit her lip. What was the dress code for reconciling with your estranged husband, anyway?

  After getting dressed and braiding her damp hair, she sat to wait. She flipped on the television but the noise just made her feel even jumpier, so it was quickly turned back off and instead she periodically got up to peer out at the darkening sky. Katniss was trying desperately to get a handle on her nerves but nothing was working. Time slowed to a crawl.

  But now he is here. Finally. Katniss can actually feel the blood pounding in her ears. She is that keyed up, and her breath will not come as she watches him step out of the car.

  Peeta. The stress of the previous months shows on his face - he looks tired and frazzled- but it doesn’t detract from his looks. Katniss swears that he gets handsomer every year. His blond hair is just beginning to show a few threads of silver, but still lays across his head in thick waves.

  Finally though, she can see his beautiful blue eyes light up with recognition as he glances over and spots her waiting beside the motel door.

“Peeta!”

  And then she is running to him, leaping into his open arms. She sags against him with the relief of being held by him again. He wraps his arms around her desperately, and she can feel his body shaking. She can’t tell whether he is laughing or crying.

  “Katniss, Katniss.” His embrace is practically suffocating her but she doesn’t mind; it’s the only way she’d want to go. Peeta lifts her further up, and she has to wrap her legs around him to hold on. She never wants him to put her down again.

  Katniss winds herself around him like a vine on a tree. “I can’t believe you’re here.” She buries her face in the crook of his neck and slumps against him, her body sapped of energy after the adrenaline rush has passed.

  “I’m here.” He tells her softly, rocking back and forth. Of course Peeta is comforting her. She’d like to go on this way forever because it feels so good, but she has to say something now or she never will.

  He has to understand.

  “Peeta,” Katniss lifts her head finally to look up at him. “I’m sorry. I- I can’t believe that you came. You could have just told me to go to hell.”

  “No. Are you kidding? I’ve spent every day without you in hell.” He laughs, a beautiful deep sound that warms her body like hot chocolate. “Honestly, I’m a mess on my own.”

  “Peeta, I’m sorry.” Her voice catches, and once again she damns herself for her inability to verbalize a complete thought. Why can’t she just say the words?

  “I know, baby. I’m sorry too.” Peeta sets her back down on her feet. Katniss staggers a bit, coltish after being held up by him for so long. She places her hands on his chest to steady herself and feels the drum of his heartbeat beneath her palms.

  They both take a moment to drink each other in, eyes searching each other closely for any visible changes that might have occurred during their months apart. Peeta shakes his head as if coming out of a daze. “I’m a mess, but you’re still just as beautiful.”

  Katniss feels the worth she still has to him in that moment, because he’s staring at her the same way that he used to when they first met all those years ago. The bakery around the corner from her new apartment had just become her new favorite place, and Katniss told herself that the delicious baked goods they sold were the reason that she had begun to stop in everyday. It couldn’t be the handsome blond owner whose eyes, the most beautiful shade of blue, lit up every time she walked in. A shy smile would cross his face, and the sight of it would stop her in her tracks every time.

  That had all went out the window on the day that they kissed, she had pushed him up against the cash register and just went for it.

  That was the best decision I ever made.  

  The memory makes her smile. “I think you’re right-you are kind of a mess now. Your hair is too long, and your eyebrows have gone insane.” She teases, running a hand through his blond waves, before trailing her fingers down to smooth over his brow. It’s impossible to miss the way that he shudders at her touch, but Peeta doesn’t say a word.

  “And I think you’re starting to get crow’s feet.” She slides her thumbs down to the delicate skin around his eyes, feeling his long lashes tickle her fingers, reveling in being able to touch him again.

  “And you haven’t shaved in awhile either- are you finally taking my advice and growing a beard?” Her hands cup his firm jaw that is covered with soft hair. “But, that’s okay. I think I like you this way.”

  He pulls Katniss close to kiss her suddenly, as though he can’t bear to wait another minute. While the initial movement is fast, they kiss slowly- a gentle reconnection of lips lightly pressing before his mouth opens over hers. Peeta groans when their tongues touch, and the whole experience feels new to her again after such a long time away from him. New, but still familiar- like coming home.

  I am home, she thinks as Peeta pulls back to lean his forehead against hers.

  “Why don’t we walk,” he says, stepping away from her after a moment of just breathing each other in. He indicates the waterfront with a nod of his head. “I could really stand to stretch my legs after the drive.” Peeta takes her hand and they head down towards the mostly deserted beach. The sounds of the waves crashing stir something inside her as they draw closer, making her feel more alive and vibrant.

  “I went to some of our old haunts today, and they pretty much all look the same,”  she says to help bridge the slight awkwardness that has settled between them as they walk. Neither one of them seems to know quite what to say to the other yet.

  Katniss pulls him to a stop so they can kick off their shoes, leaving them under a bench to continue across the cool sand. “Nothing has changed.”

  “I can’t wait to see it in the light of day.” Peeta hesitates, shakes his head. “I guess I shouldn’t assume that you want me to stay with you tonight. I don’t want to push you.”

  Katniss sighs. When they stop at the waterfront, she reaches for both of his hands, turning toward him in the near darkness. The lights of the boardwalk make it possible to still see his face in the gloom. He’s looking over her shoulder, giving her the chance to decide for herself.

  Just like always.

  “I want you to stay.” She squeezes his hands, and he makes eye contact with her, finally allowing Katniss to see the emotions warring in their depths. “I don’t want to spend another second away from you.”

  “Okay,” Peeta says quietly. It’s quiet save for the crashing of the waves and the distant noises floating down to them from the boardwalk. Katniss wishes that she knew what to say, but she simply doesn’t. More a woman of actions, she pulls him along to walk further down the beach.

  Maybe it’s enough to just be together again for now. The words will come later.

  “I love it here at night,” Peeta finally breaks the silence. “It seems kind of fitting, being back.” His face is broody, and he opens and closes his mouth a few times before simply saying, “I just wish that the last few years had never happened.”

  Katniss looks up at him. “Peeta, don’t blame yourself. We both wanted a baby.” She takes a shuddering breath. “Please don’t. I’m the one who left.” The seal that had been keeping her composure intact finally disintegrates and she begins to sob.

  She cries for the months of loneliness and for what they have done to each other.

  Most of all she cries for the love she threw aside like garbage in the name of self-preservation.

  “Katniss, it’s okay,” he says, pulling her into his arms. “I’m here.”

  She realizes that Peeta is crying with her when she feels dampness on the top of her head. Katniss buries her face in his shirt, and the tears fall freely from both of their eyes.

“You look exhausted.” Katniss scans his face from her place beside him on the damp sand. “Do you want to go back to the room?” Even in the darkness, there are visible circles under his eyes. He nods, stepping away from her and wiping his face with the back of his hand.

  They both are a mess. They’d stayed out for so long that the boardwalk lights have shut off for the night, and she can only see his face by the light of the moon. Her own eyes feel swollen and gritty enough to know that she must look like hell.

  But it doesn’t really matter, they’ve seen each other worse than this.

  When they arrive at the room, Katniss shuts the door behind them. Now that they are here she feels unsure of herself- maybe it would have been better for him to sleep in another room, because the space suddenly feels very full of him.

  No, she realizes- she wants him here. Katniss just doesn’t know what to do with herself yet.

  Peeta rubs his hand across the back of his neck. He seems nervous too, and that helps calm her growing anxiety. “I don’t have any other clothes with me, but I really need a shower- I came straight from the bakery.”

  “That’s ok, go ahead. I’ll just use the bathroom when you get done.” She sits on the edge of the bed and pulls off her shoes, rubbing the soles of her feet. “I can throw your clothes in to wash tomorrow morning if you want.”

  He looks up and gives her a little half-smile that makes her heart melt. “Thanks, Katniss.”

  I’m so glad that he’s here, nerves or not, she thinks.

  Peeta looks down and begins unbuttoning his shirt, while Katniss watches him out of the corner of her eye, trying not to be obvious about the way that her eyes sweep over the familiar planes of his body. She wonders what the night will bring.

  She knows that sex couldn’t just fix everything, no matter how much she finds herself responding to the sight of him undressing.  The space between her thighs clench as she takes in his broad shoulders and strong biceps, his firm chest and stomach. His body is as familiar to Katniss as her own, and she finds herself craving him. She wants the reconnection that physical intimacy brings, but there isn’t a magic switch she can flip to make the last months disappear. Honestly, she doesn’t know if they’re ready for that step yet.

  I don’t even know what’s going through his mind right now, she tells herself with a little shake of her head.

  Peeta had never been interested in mindless sex- he always wanted it to mean something when they were together, so throwing herself at him right now didn’t seem like the way to go. If he didn’t want to push her, than she definitely didn’t want to push him. They both needed time to see what they were.

  But then her mouth goes dry when Peeta pulls his shirt off. “Do you have an extra towel?” He’s standing there in only his pants and seems completely oblivious to what he’s doing to her right now.

  Katniss swallows hard. Calm down, she tells herself. “Yeah.” She points toward the bathroom, her voice sounding strange to her own ears. “There’s an extra towel and washcloth hanging up in there.”

  “Okay, I won’t be too long.” He walks in the bathroom and shuts the door behind him, and Katniss expels the breath she was was holding. She puts her head in her hands and tries to calm her lust-addled brain. Now what? She gets up and digs through her bag for her nightgown, and then paces the room until the shower shuts off.

  Peeta comes out a minute later with a towel slung over his shoulder, gesturing toward the black black boxer briefs he’s wearing. “I figured these are better than nothing.”

  Better for who? Stop it, Katniss tells herself.

  He sits on the edge of the bed and rubs the towel over his hair, before tossing it to the floor. “I’ll get that in the morning,” he tells her, laying back on the bed with a sigh. “I’m so tired, Katniss. I don’t think that I can move.”

  Katniss eyes him critically. He does look tired- but the same could be said for her, honestly. She hasn’t been sleeping worth a damn, either.

  “I wouldn’t lay on top of that blanket if I were you.” She chides him gently. “Why don’t you get under the covers while I get ready for bed?” She crosses the room and gives him a little peck on the lips, her previous thoughts put to bed as other instincts to take care of him kick in. No matter what happens, Katniss is just glad that he’s here. The details of what they do now seem inconsequential.

  “Okay,” Peeta says, opening one eye to look up at her. He smiles at her and grasps her hip lightly with one hand to keep her in place. “I’m so glad you called- I know that wasn’t easy to do. And I’m sorry to say this,” he squeezes her hip and yawns loudly, “But I don’t know how much longer I can stay awake- I can’t seem to keep my eyes open.”

  “That’s alright, I don’t mind.” Katniss tells him, caressing his forehead. “Go to sleep now, Peeta, and I’ll be right back out.”

  After making sure that he actually gets in between the sheets, she flips on the bathroom light to wash her face and change into her nightgown.

  “What the…?” she grabs her toothbrush once she’s completed the rest of her nighttime routine.  It’s already wet? Why is it wet?

  Katniss laughs out loud when it dawns on her. “That butthole.”  

  Peeta actually used her toothbrush. It’s such a gross thing but all she can do is smile. Strangely it helps to allay her fears.

  Maybe this is going to be easier than I thought, Katniss shrugs, rinsing the brush off to use herself.

  When she walks out of the bathroom, Peeta is already fast asleep. Without preamble, she pulls the blankets back and climbs in, settling down beside him. Peeta stirs when she stretches out, rolling towards her and pulling her into his side. He does it all without really waking up, an instinct that never went away.

  Hope blooms inside her again. After all, a person couldn’t be irreparably angry with you if they are currently spooning you after brushing their teeth with your toothbrush.

  Peeta, for his part, seems to be picking back up where they left off.

  No, that’s not right- not where they left off.

  Tonight goes farther back, tonight is nothing like the last few years. This connection is old but still brand new.

  Katniss looks around the motel room and smiles, thinking that time warps are definitely not a bad thing. She closes her eyes and turns in his arms, snuggling closer to her husband as she feels the tendrils of sleep pull her under.

  It’s hours later when Katniss opens her eyes. She’d apparently moved on to her back in the middle of the night and Peeta has one arm draped over her middle. Feeling the movement of his hand at her waist, she turns to see that he is awake.

  They lay watching each other, the glow from the nightlight reflecting off his eyes.  

  “Hi,” he whispers. A little smile turns up the corner of his mouth, and she can’t help but smile back at him.

  “Hey, you.” Katniss can’t remember the last time that they were like this, laying in the dark snuggled up under a blanket. It’s so intimate. Their separation had gone on for months, but they had drifted apart long before then- so much so that they’d begun to sleep facing away from each other in their king-size bed.

  But not tonight. Her bare arm is tucked against his warm chest, and he has one leg curled over hers- the two of them almost completely intertwined.

  She’ll happily take every inch of her pressed against every inch of him. His touch is healing her, breathing new life in.

  “You used my toothbrush,” she says with a laugh, breaking the silence that’s settled over them. Katniss pinches his arm lightly, but he he just snickers.

  “Husband’s privilege.” Peeta lifts one hand up and runs his fingers through the loose hair at her forehead, before skimming the tips of his fingers across her face and down her neck. “I didn’t think you’d mind.”

  Her heart clenches at his gentle touch. “I don’t mind.” He kisses her temple before pulling back. “Peeta?”

  “Hmm?” He grasps her hand in his and kisses the back of it. She’s starting to feel overwhelmed in this warm bed with him.  His body is pressed against her so deliciously, filling her with a liquidy heat that makes it hard to focus, but she needs to ask him something before she loses the ability to think.

  She lets out a shaky breath. “Are you okay with all of this? I mean, are we going to be okay? Please be honest with me.” Katniss holds her breath as he sets her hand back down and stares at the wedding band she’s wearing, caressing it with his thumb. She notices that he is still wearing his as well.

  “Honestly?” Peeta asks, pausing to thread his fingers through hers. “I’m more than okay. I feel like I can breathe again.” He looks up at her, scanning her eyes for signs of what’s going on behind them. “I know there are things we’re going to have to talk about and work on, but I feel like we’re ready to do it now, you know? And Katniss- I just want whatever you want. I meant it when I told you that you are enough.” Peeta leans over and kisses her then. Slow. Deep. It feels like she’s freefalling. “What about you, Katniss- what do you want?” He whispers, pulling back enough to look into her eyes.

  The haze in his eyes makes it obvious what he wants. The heavy breaths. The way his eyes dart down to her lips occasionally.

  Is this really happening? Katniss wonders. It’s a very dream-like moment, lying in the dark with him, half-awake with his body hovering over her the way that he is.

  She can feel his breath on her lips, and it steals hers away. “I just want you.” Katniss answers him honestly, amazed that she’s able to speak at all. “I want to be happy again. I’m tired of missing you.”

  “You don’t have to miss me anymore. I’m right here.” He tells her, his eyes crinkling up in the corners again. “Now that you’ve got me, what are you going to do with me?”

  “I’m going to keep you right here with me, where you’ll be safe.” She leans up to meet his mouth with her own.

Part 2.

“Peeta?” She asks, searching his eyes for confirmation that he wants this as much as she does. The answer is the naked desire reflected back at her in the flash of his blue eyes. She leans up to catch his mouth in a searing kiss, pouring everything into it that she hasn’t the words to say.

  Peeta groans into her mouth and slides his hand up from where it rested at her waist, moving agonizingly slow across her soft curves and between her dips and valleys. He tilts her head to find just the right angle of penetration, and her lips part for him. Peeta dips his tongue into her mouth so far that their teeth almost graze. But it’s still not enough because he’s like a man possessed. He’s trying to consume her but is unable to get his fill.

  Peeta breaks away from her mouth, sliding the straps of her nightgown down to reveal the swell of her breasts. “This needs to go,” he growls, and the bossy tone makes her heart pound. Katniss can’t remember a time when he was like this, impatient and out of his mind with desire.

  “Yes, please,” she begs, as she bites at his lips until Peeta pulls back and wrestles the nightgown over her head.

  “You’re so fucking beautiful,” Peeta mutters into her ear as he caresses her breast simultaneously grinding his hard cock between her thighs. He’s trying to press every inch of his body against hers and there is little space between them. Katniss can’t remember a time that she’s ever been so aroused. “I’ve missed you so much. I spent so many nights alone thinking about you like this. Your beautiful tits, the way they fill my hand perfectly. And your hard little nipples… I want to feel them under my tongue.”

  Katniss lets out a choked sob because the emotions are now running so high between them that she can’t keep it in. It leaves her feeling raw and exposed.

  An expression of concern crosses his face when he notices her distress. “Hey, none of that. Shh. That isn’t why I told you.” They regard each other silently for a moment before he quietly continues, “I just want you to know that I never stopped thinking about you.”

  It feels like he is staring into her soul, and the longing to reconnect with him just grows stronger. How is it possible to still be this way with him after everything they’ve been through? The anger, the hurt, the distance that grew between them? How are they together in this bed again?

  Maybe it’s because of everything that makes it feel like this with him, this all-consuming, out of control passion. It’s a reclaiming of life and hope after the hell of the last two years. Here with him in this warm bed, every part of her is on fire and sparking to life. Through the flames Peeta is there, his eyes deep and fathomless as he gazes at her with the familiar love in his eyes.

  She aches to burn with him.

  Peeta kisses her temple and murmurs against her skin. “I’m more in love with you now than I’ve ever been. I’ve missed everything about you, Katniss.” He pulls back to give her a teasing smirk. “And I don’t want to tear myself away from your face, but I really want your tits in my mouth.” It’s just the right thing to say, dirty and funny at the same time. His words help to ease the pressure of the moment. She snorts a little and shakes her head as he starts to trail kisses downward, and can feel the upturn of his lips as he smiles against her throat.

  But she isn’t laughing for long.

  Peeta makes his way down across her sternum. He takes one pebbled bud in his mouth, and she feels his tongue dart out and swirl against her flesh. He sighs loudly and closes his eyes as he applies harder suction there. She squirms and wriggles until he pops the nipple back out, only to begin his assault all over again.

  Katniss pushes her pelvis up against his thigh to relieve the growing pressure behind her clit. The intense pleasure and the rapid build-up are new, despite the fact that he hasn’t even touched her yet, she already feels her orgasm building.

  He keeps his focus on her breasts, his lips and tongue and teeth working her into a frenzy. “Peeta, Peeta.” Katniss squirms underneath him. Her brain is in a fog, and she feels as if she’s been drugged. Her limbs are heavy, but every nerve ending under her skin is getting ready to light up.

  He looks up then and his eyes are wide, manic with lust. Katniss feels like she’s sinking, and Peeta is pulling her into the deep where they will drown together.

  With one last suck, Peeta sits up enough to grab her panties and rip them off without a thought. He doesn’t hesitate, his fingers going straight to her core. At the first touch of the soaking heat waiting for him, his eyes roll back in his head. “You’ve missed me too, I see.” He says in a low voice, rubbing his thumb across her clit and inserting two thick fingers deep inside of her.

  Katniss nearly shoots up off the bed from the pleasurable sensation that he’s giving her with the firm swipes of his thumb and the feel of his fingers thrusting deep inside of her walls. Peeta leans over to capture her mouth in a deep kiss and the dual assault of his tongue in her mouth and fingers in her pussy become too much for her. She crests quickly, the nerve endings in her body igniting as her walls clench around him. On it goes as Peeta coaxes more and more from her. His tongue commands her mouth and his hand her pleasure.

  She comes down from her high to the feel of Peeta grinding himself against her hip. She sits up, though still feeling a little lightheaded pushing him onto his back. Her fingers slip into the waistband of his shorts and she lets her thumbs drag across his pelvic bones. He whimpers at the contact and moans when Katniss leans over to whisper in his ear, “My turn.”

  She pulls the shorts down his legs, and her vision goes a little blurry at the sight of his hard cock bouncing out to meet her.  He’s rock hard and weeping at the tip.

  “Please,” he pants, and the smile on her face is wide. Katniss smirks at the realization that she’s not the only one begging tonight. She wraps her hand around the base of his shaft and he gasps out loud, a sound that she doesn’t have any tactile memories of him making before. She would very much like to hear it again. Katniss rubs her hand up and down his cock, reacquainting herself with his hot, hard flesh. He’s incredibly aroused and thrusting his hips with her every upward tug. She goes slowly using a loose grip to keep him from finishing in her hands.

  She has bigger plans for him than that.

  Her mouth waters at the sight of him desperate and handsome writhing on the bed. Her Peeta who is so selfless and still in love with her after everything they’ve been through. She’s never wanted to make him feel good as badly as she does tonight.

  Katniss bends over to run her tongue up the length of his shaft in a long slow lick, and he nearly shoots off the bed. “Fuck!” he shouts, and she quickly engulfs his cock in her mouth, deep and slow.

  His curses and moans were driving her mad enough but now Peeta is actually whimpering. He runs his fingers into her her hair and pulls hard. The pleasure that she is giving him is making her so excited that she can feel her pussy flutter.

  When she stops for a breath he sits up. “That’s too much,” Peeta pants and drags her up his body by her shoulders. He rolls her onto her back while kissing her desperately. “I don’t know how long I’m going to last inside you. It’s been so long, and I want to make you come again.”

  He slides down her body and comes to a stop when he gets between her thighs. Peeta wraps one of her legs around his shoulder. “Mmm,” he nuzzles her wet slit with the tip of his nose before placing a kiss to her outer lips. “You smell so good.” His tongue darts out and gives her a little experimental lick before spreading her apart with his fingers. He runs his tongue from her pussy to clit in a long, slow pass.

  Katniss distantly hears herself making all sorts of desperate noises as he gets down to business. He thrusts his tongue deep inside of her and probes her walls, moaning as he drinks up her wetness. Peeta  pulls his tongue out of her pussy to focus on her clit, swirling and sucking until he moves back down. Over and over again, back and forth, driving her mad with the steady building, building, building…

  She throws her head back as the blinding light flashes behind her eyes. Peeta releases her clit from between his lips and quickly moves down to her opening. He drink up her release as fast as he can but is unable to catch it all as her cum runs between her thighs and between the cleft of her ass. Peeta moves down and runs the flat of his tongue there as well, not wanting to let one drop escape from him.

  Katniss is a quivering mess when he comes back up to her and buries his tongue in her mouth. She tastes her tangy release on him while they kiss desperately. Peeta is rubbing his length across her wetness and thrusting against her. “I need you.” He shifts until the blunt head of his cock is ready to part her folds.

  “Yes, yes. Please.” And then he’s there, his hard cock diving into her wet depths. He meets no resistance because she’s so ready for him. Peeta’s eyes close. He looks like he’s trying hard to concentrate and not let it end too soon. Katniss knows that he wants to make this good for her. He slips his hands under her hips and lifts them up as he grinds his pubic bone against her in a figure-eight motion.

  Unbelievably, she feels the swell of desire forming again. The friction from the base of his penis rubbing against her clit and the blunt tip of his cock hitting a spot deep inside of her are making her climb again as he hits everything just right. Everything feels so overwhelming and decadent. “Yes, yes, yes…” Katniss chants as he thrusts in and out. Peeta dips his head down to give her a sloppy kiss.

  “Are you close again?” He asks her when he comes up for air and gives her a deep grind against her clit. Peeta’s eyes are rolling back in his head and she knows he can’t hold on much longer.

  “I, oh..” Katniss trails off as her body jolts from the friction. She feels out of her mind from the pleasure. “I think so… ungh, yes. Just like that, there!”

  Peeta looks down to where they are connected. He watches his cock plunge in and out of her before looking back up into her eyes again. “Come with me, please.” He says with a groan as she clenches around him.

  “Yes, yes,yes… Peeta!” The orgasm barrels down over her then and it makes every joint in her body seize up. Her walls lock his impossibly hard cock in a vise grip that tugs and pulls him deeper. He is so deep, and it feels like heaven as his hot cum spills inside her. Peeta grinds hard against her, and his face is slack with the force of his release. An inhuman groan escapes from his lips. His body shudders as her walls continue to milk him while his pulsing cock draws her pleasure out until she feels like she’s never going to stop climaxing.

  Finally it recedes, and Peeta slumps against her, sapped of all strength. He stays where he is but is careful not to rest his full weight on her. Katniss moves to find his mouth, sharing a deep and emotional kiss with him. Their lips slide and their tongues caress.

  Peeta pulls back and gazes down into her eyes while he runs his fingers through her hair. “I love you, you know that right?” She nods and he continues. “I know you’re scared, but we’re going to be fine. We’ll figure this out together.” He runs the tip of his nose across her cheek, over to her ear where he plants a little kiss. “Okay?”

  “Okay.” Katniss answers him as she strokes her thumbs across his cheeks. She kisses him again and knows that he’s right.

Part 3.

“Good morning,” Katniss greets her new friend with a wide smile as Rue hands her a breakfast menu.

  The girl gives her an inquisitive smile, before nodding at Peeta. “Who is this?” she asks with an appraising look as her brown eyes run up and down his frame. She winks at Katniss while Peeta peruses the menu, oblivious to the silent communication between the two of them.

  Katniss smirks, and reaches across the table to grab his hand. “This is Peeta, my husband.” At the mention of his name, he glances up at their waitress and flashes her a smile.

  “It’s nice to meet you, Peeta,” Rue places one hand on her hip, her face scrunched up in puzzlement. “But why weren’t you here yesterday? Your girl seemed awfully lonely.”

  Katniss catches his eye. “He couldn’t make it until today. But he’s here now, and we’re going to stay for the week.”

  They gaze across the table at each other for far too long, until Rue eventually has to make a very pointed coughing noise to get their attention again.

  Peeta flushes bright red and turns towards the teenage girl. “Rue, did you know that we honeymooned here?”

  Rue laughs and shakes her head, “Hmm. You know, I hear that more often than you’d think. Couples seem to come back here a lot, too. Like you guys!”

  “There is something about this place,” Katniss agrees, biting her lip to keep the too-wide smile in check.

  Eventually they order, and eat their late breakfast at a leisurely pace. They had understandably woken up late this morning; and after first laundering Peeta’s clothes and then getting distracted by a quick romp in the shower, it was almost eleven before they left the room.

  They walk out hand in hand after saying goodbye to Rue and paying their bill. “Next stop, clothes for me?” Peeta asks, after stepping out on to the boardwalk.

  “Yeah, but wait just a minute.” Katniss lifts the backpack up with one hand and indicates the back of the diner with the opposite thumb. “I just have to take care of something real quickly. You go on ahead and start looking.”

  Peeta leans over and kisses her cheek before walking towards the first t-shirt shop. When he’s out of sight, Katniss darts behind the restaurant. She crosses the parking lot, and when she reaches the dumpster it’s lid gets tossed back. With a mighty heave the backpack and all of its contents go flying in, hitting the bottom with a loud thud.

  “Good riddance!” Katniss tells herself, and turns around to catch back up with Peeta.

#Springtime Edition 2019 #submission #butrfac14 #sunflowerslyf #prompt 31

[honestsycrets]

Behind the Door

↳ modern au

Author’s Notes | for @lisinfleur

❛ pairing | hvitserk x reader, abusive!oc x reader

❛ word count | 4750

❛ genre | oneshot with some angst

❛ summary | the girl in the hall, he wants to know her. the only one in his way? her abusive boyfriend.

❛  warnings | emotional abuse, physical abuse, abusive relationships, some violence

Money talked.

Hvitserk knew that it did and he had gotten lucky with his father’s reputation. His job was to play and travel; kicking his soccer ball across a dewy field every day. It was something natural and freeing to him, almost like if he was flying like mother’s falcon across the field. A pop and twist of his foot and he could whizz a ball with the soaring wind into a white knit net.

A life of salads, long practice days and a flight from Copenhagen out half way across the world led up to this moment carrying up suitcases to his new apartment. Luckily, the furniture was all moved in a few days before but-- fuck, he was preparing to be here for the long haul. That meant lots and lots of clothes being brought up this metal box of an elevator.

Ding! Fourteenth floor. The doors whizz open.

“--Really? You don’t think that’s too short?”

“I-- I thought it would look nice. I made it myself.”

Couple scuffles-- it wouldn’t be the first time he walked in on one. Usually, no one had the balls to do them in the open. Especially not in a well to do area like this. Hvitserk turns his huge suitcase in a circle and throws the dark duffel bag over his shoulder. As he passes the plasticy tags with black numbers of each door, he realizes that he’s getting painfully close to the couple-- and painfully close to his own apartment.

The man leans over into his girl’s face, tugging the hem of her mid-thigh length dress made of some comfortable sweater fabric. Hvitserk wore sweaters just like the one she had made into a dress-- complete with buttons down to her belly button. The richness of her choice in green made his mouth salivate with a burst of energy.

His synaesthesia was acting up today.

“Hey man, would you let your girl go out looking like this?” The man says harmlessly enough and true, Hvitserk thinks-- he might have been jealous too. Not because something was too short but because the girl looks too good. Dressed to the nines, manicured fingers flirtatiously in her hair and a pair of heels with a strap across cute toes painted black. Edgy. A hint of kinky past her preppy appearance. She must have been a hell of a fuck.

She stares straight ahead, over his shoulder and the nape length blonde hair that tickled the sides of her face. The man stands upright, several inches taller than her. Every once in a while, she would glance to Hvitserk’s jawline, running over the curling hairs of his jaw and then back to her blond haired, sea-eyed boyfriend. Or husband, god forbid. This guy was a complete ass.

“Uh.” He runs his tongue over his tooth. With a vapid smile, he shrugs his shoulders. “I can’t help you, man. Women like what they like.”

It’s the safest bet. The wheels of his suitcases clack as he stops in front of his plain door, draping the duffel bag on his suitcase. If he wasn’t being stupid, he could have sworn she flashed him an adorably belligerent smile, a bit of tooth peeking out from her lips. He shuffles in the pocket of his joggers, knocking away his leather wallet until he found the ring of his new keys.

“Yeah, yeah guess that’s the truth.” The man says looking to Hvitserk who opens the door, balancing with his foot. “You need help, dude?”

“Weren’t you going out?” Hvitserk asks. The woman shifts, a light shake in her head. She opens the door to their apartment and slides out of sight into the ill-lighted apartment.

“Na, I don’t think so.” The man jogs forward and takes ahold of his suitcase. He wheels it in. “I’m Jesper Sørensen.”

“Uh, Hvitserk.” He mutters.

“Number 10! Hvitserk Ragnarsson?”

Shit.

“I knew I recognized you from somewhere, man.” He comes into his crisp apartment. It’s white-- dusty on his tongue as he walks in. He appreciates the calmness of the grey walls and matching dark hardwood floors. Had it been more than that, he might actually get triggered.

“You’re fucking lucky to do work like that. I do pharmaceuticals. Let you in on a secret brother, it’s some boring shit!”

I’m not your brother, Hvitserk thinks. He lets it go, stretching his back out and looking out toward the bright beach outside his window. He catalogues the bend of the beach in his eye knowing that he would most likely spend a lot of time here in the future. Then as to not ignore his new visitor, he turns back toward the column of stacked boxes.

“What can I say? I’m a lucky man.” Hvitserk beams a tall tale fake smile, pulling open a box. One of many, many boxes. Jesper takes a step toward the door— then stops.

“Hey uh, you need some help around here?”

Hvitserk looks toward him, dusting off a picture of his mother modeling.

“I mean you’ll be here forever man unless you got yourself a lady to do this.” Jesper scratches his head. Hvitserk finds it almost cute-- any of the women that he had in the past would only do it for sake of doing it so that they could rub it in his face that, ha! She got it done!

Hvitserk laughs. “Nah, my picker is broke. I get chicks that want me for my money.”

“Beats wanting attention all the time, right?” Jesper picks up a box and settles it on the ragged leather of his couch. “Shit, (Y/N) will be pissed at me all day.”

“She always like that?” Hvitserk makes small talk. He pulls a picture of Björn and he backpacking through Spain— his brother’s idea.

“Yeah. She needs attention all the time man. That’s why she wants to be a model even though her legs are short as shit.” Hvitserk remains quiet for some time debating whether to continue on that or not.

“She’s pretty.”

Jesper looks up, a small shake in his head even with his newfound friend’s words. Pretty, he can see the man think. It’s almost as if he feels threatened by those words. Hvitserk knew how men thought-- he had to. Ivar had a temper worse than this sack of shit.

“Yeah. Yeah, she’s pretty.”

Most days Hvitserk thought nothing of it.

He sat on his metal balcony looking out toward the beachside front. Fluffy clouds blocked most of the hot sun. There was a light breeze carrying on the wind. The people here are strange flying their thin kites on tangled strings or chasing each other on the sandy beach. Sometimes some dumbasses would explode fireworks by accident and other times, he might see something as outrageous as a scarved pug on a beach blue skateboard.

His favourite sight, when he was home, was her.

Jesper’s girl who would go out in a strappy bikini, a sheer midnight blue wrap on her round hips and an adorable straw hat complete with a matching bow. For hours she would walk the moist shoreline of the beach, bend down and go on her way.

Seashells, he theorized.

Then she would come up the stairs before Jesper would get home, slapping black flip flops with wet cracks up the stairs. Sometimes he made it a point to go to the front door where she was, just like today.

“I see you have some sea-- seashells there sweetheart.” The older ladies there made it a point to talk to her. She stood with one, holding the back of her hat while drops of water trembled down sunbaked skin. Her hair would crust with the salty hair time after time.

“Oh, yes.” She says sweetly. “I am making a new dress.”

“A dress of shells?” The old lady croons curiously.

“My niece loves shells.” Her lips purse together, fresh with a perfect cherry chapstick. Hvitserk peeks his head out enough that the older women knew he was there listening. “I was thinking of making her a dress. I don’t see her often.”

“I’m so sorry dear.”

At the end of the conversation, Hvitserk made it a point to gather his ring of jingling keys and jam his phone, a little too fat, in his pocket. He could pick up dinner-- and have an excuse to talk to her more than with Jesper’s presence over her. For a girl walking the beach, he had to wonder what more there was to her when Jesper wasn’t looking.

“H-- Hey (Y/N).” He steps out just as she jangles with a ring of keys. She glances over her freckled shoulder, fluttering long lashes at him. His favourite part are the sun freckles that are baked onto her skin.

“Mr. Ragnarsson.” She says, turning around after popping the door open. Her foot keeps the door ajar while she stands there, now fiddling with a piece of hair. A small flirt-- women always fiddle with their hair when flirting.

“It’s Hvitserk.” He locks the door behind him, hands now in his pockets.

“Hvitserk. I should be going now. I’m not really… free today.”

It always lasts far too little. She slips into her door to go on about sewing her beautiful things. He gathers that by the fabric she totes up the stairs on occasion. Then, just as always, he goes on about his way down the stairs. It was lunch… and Hvitserk? Hvitserk had another salad on his mind.

If only he waited a while longer, he might have heard her sewing machine hit the floor.

Something was different.

He couldn’t place it but… she no longer spent time on the beach. Every night he had available he would look out expecting to see her in her cute bikini, plucking sand crusted shells and rushing home with flopping flipflops before the sun broke past the horizon.

Number 10, Hvitserk Ragnarsson does it again! Another stunning shot!

He flicks the buzzing television off. It was nothing but them pumping him up all the time. It would have been nice-- but he in no way wanted to be ostracized by the rest of his teammates. Perhaps that’s why him being sick, hacking and coughing up some mucky yellowish crap up his throat was for the best.

This way someone else could have the spotlight.

Ding-Dong!

Hm? Hvitserk’s feet shift between the leather and the soft white throw covering his feet. The hardwood floors are cool to the touch, so he hops the whole way into the door. One look on the peep hole revealed her. She stood barefoot against the dull blue carpet in the hall, looking down. He draws the heavy door apart.

“(Y/N)?” He asks, eyes looking down to a lime coloured bowl covered in sticky plastic wrap. Her long hair tumbles around half of her face-- obscuring one eye. She shifts in her jaunty yellow sundress.

“You didn’t go to practice.” She states. “I thought maybe you weren’t feeling well.”

He didn’t know she noticed-- he practiced most days, went to games when he needed to and flew out the country on a regular schedule. It was almost as good as having Ubbe to notice when he was home and when he wasn’t.

“Yeah, stomach flu or something.” He comments, stepping aside. “You wanna come in?”

“Oh no I-- I shouldn’t.” She says so abruptly that he thinks that she might have a conniption. He looks around the vanilla walls of the hall.

“I don’t think he’s out there.” Hvitserk says almost knowingly. He didn’t know the intimate details of their relationship. Yet when it was game day, not for soccer, he had noticed how harshly Jesper spoke of her.

The amount of time she spent sewing-- when in his words, she should have been cleaning and cooking. She should have been on her knees waiting to suck him off. If he were honest, not even he would spend his time degrading himself on the ground for a sack of shit like him.

Hvitserk brings the bowl to the milky countertop of his kitchen just around the corner. She shyly ambles around, stopping short of the breakfast bar. He unwraps the bowl, looking at her warm chicken soup with doughy noodles.

“Is that another of (Y/N)’s creations?” He looks back to her.

“Oh I worked in a Chinese restaurant once--”

“No.” Hvitserk laughs, motioning his finger in a twirl. “The dress.”

She glances down and slaps her hands against the beautiful a-line skirt. Her hands slip down from covering the v-neckline to gently pull out the flowy skirt. Then playfully she twirls around in a quick spin, her skirt becoming nice and full. When she stops, she doesn’t realize that her hair sways away from her normally perfectly made up face. If he wasn’t mistaken, that was a blotch on her cheekbone.

“It is!” She says all at once with a cute little laugh. “Jesper said it was too short.”

“Shorter the better for me.” Hvitserk reaches for a black ladle inside the milky drawer. “It looks like something mor would like.”

“Aslaug?” She leans over the countertop with one hand propping up her cheek. He has to force himself to look away from the fingerprint bruises and cigarette burns littering her arms.

“No other!” Hvitserk spoons a bowl for her and then one for him. “Your designs-- they’re exactly the sort of thing she’d like. Uh, this way.” He sets the ladle into the stainless steel stink and motions her out toward his favourite place in the entire apartment-- the balcony.

She daintily sits upon the ottoman that usually he sets his sneakers upon. Almost like a doll-- because she sits there effortlessly. He notices the fine detail of her skirt, glimmering with crushed shells. Or what he thinks might be the crushed shells. She takes a sip of the salty soup she’s made, looking out toward the lapsing waves on the grainy shore.

“Maybe you could give me your portfolio.” Hvitserk says. “I know you have one with all the pieces you make. She might be interested.”

“You think so?!”

“Yeah, of course.” He says, sniffling. “Plus when you model them, it makes it that much better.”

“Oh I don’t know about that.”

“You’re gorgeous.” Hvitserk blurts out, then realizes his words promptly. He runs his tongue up over the honey coloured hairs of his moustache, trying to decide why exactly he said what he said. She doesn’t seem exactly off put, gazing out at the sun setting behind the line of the horizon.

“I haven’t heard that in a long time.”

“If you had someone who was worth a shit, maybe they would tell you. I know I would.” He glances up from his doughy noodles off to her, she brightens into a smile-- a lying smile when she promptly loses it to the tune of her phone vibrating intensely. He wonders if that dress has pockets when she swipes it out from her bra, eradicating that thought the second he had it.

“Jesper?” He asks.

“Yeah I-- he’s probably hungry. He doesn’t like it when I leave his food out.” She murmurs, silencing the phone with a click of the button on the side.

Hvitserk clears his throat. “Yeah, listen (Y/N), the mark across your cheek--”

“I fell in the bathroom.”

This must have happened a million times with her because she had an answer before he could even formulate a complete answer for him. He recalls what his mother said over the phone about women in abuse. Fighting them, it would just make it that much easier to stay. If she left him, it would be endlessly better than seeing her body littered in bruises.

“Right.” He says. “Just uh… make sure to watch out for yourself. Sharp corners, right?”

Although she doesn’t say anything as she gets up, she gleams a sweet, apologetic look in her eye. She straightens out her beautiful dress and takes the bowl to the kitchen. Somewhere behind him, he hears:

“Thank you, Hvitserk.”

Then, like usual-- she’s out the door.

In Hvitserk’s life, he was never exactly sure of anything. He wasn’t sure if Ivar really loved him. He wasn’t sure if moving across the world was the right choice-- but he was sure of one thing. Those weren’t lovemaking screams.

“Where were you!” It’s muffled. “You were with that fuckin’ Ragnarsson again!”

He wasn’t dumb. He knew when a duck was a duck and that frantic screaming-- her intermittent “please” was definitely not something anyone should be ignoring. The apartment complex is eerily silent other than the crashing of objects within her apartment.

“Let go!”

Brinnng. Brinnng.

“Hvit?” It’s like six in the morning there-- he knows. His brother’s voice is weighed down heavy on the other line. Heavier than his usual husk and groan that he always teased Ubbe about growing up. “It’s--”

“Six, I know.” He whispers. His voice almost sotto voce it has gone so low. “Listen I--”

“FUCKING WHORE!”

“Hvit?”

“Yeah, no I’m here, sorry.” Hvitserk considers his brother once again, tearing his eyes from the heavy door that separates him from the hallway. “My neighbors are fighting.”

“Are you scared?” Ubbe says from across the line. He feels almost six again, holding onto the tails of Ubbe’s shirt while they sought out cold waters to escape the endless pain mother put them through… together.

“No, I uh-- It might be my fault.”

“Your fault?” Ubbe shuffles on the other line. He can tell that his brother is sitting upright now. “What do you mean?”

“I should’ve put a goddamn bullet in your head the first time, fat fucking skank ass bitch!”

Hvitserk’s hand is at his mouth now that he stands in the hall closest to the door. The closer he got, the more audible her screams became. The door almost seems to vibrate underneath them. Or perhaps, in a way, that’s his chest that is buzzing with every moment of uncertainty sinking under his skin like the pricks of pins.

“I invited her in.”

For any ordinary man, harmless. Truly harmless. For a man that was considered more successful than Jesper, treason. He should have never said that he did not see Jesper down the hall. The man had ears in the walls and eyes constantly following her every little move.

Then, there’s silence. Nothing but the smoothness of a cello quartet that she typically would play when she was creating late at night with her hair up in a gorgeous midnight blue ribbon. He only knew as much because on occasions that she took her art book upon the beach, she drew. She would draw her hair up in a ribbon. Salty drawings of sexy, cute and even hopeful pieces would be in her hands when she came up the stairs.

It was supposed to be a soothing place for her. He ruined that too, as he quickly comes to the conclusion that Jesper caught onto Hvitserk’s haplessly excited expression every time she came up the stairs. Hvitserk shifts the waistband of his joggers, mind foggy and heavy with the headache that had been beating his head all day.

“Hvit you know better than that.” Ubbe says. “I told you not to let her in.”

He couldn’t help it. There was no way that he could have known the mood that Jesper would be and staring accusingly to the door, he paces to it. Then, popping the door open, he steps out into the soft, dimly lit hall.

“I know.” Hvitserk says wearily to even his own ears. His heart rate quickens, he can feel it beating against his skin, leaping like his mother’s stupid teacup pomeranian nipping at his ankles when he came home from high school with his brothers. “I’m sorry.”

His knuckles rasp at the last door, reaching to whoever is behind it. The susurration behind the door fills Hvitserk with premature anxiety, bubbling under his skin. Hvitserk slips his phone in his pocket and replaces a bud in his ear.

“Hvitr?” Ubbe shifts. “What are you doing?”

“Don’t say anything.” He says. “Just stay with me.”

The door opens.

“Hvitserk! Hvitserk!”

It smelled like bleach. The kind that his mother threw upon the carport floor after Ivar took a baseball bat to that kid’s head. So bad that he remembers his skin prickling with the sear of chemicals, his whole respiratory system bursting into hacks that he couldn’t control. He thought that he might not recover, wheezing for his mother.

It’s just a little burn, she said. You’ll recover. Do it for him.

The little boy and his parents were gone now. If he waited much longer, something told him that she would be too. The door opens-- but only slightly. Enough that Hvitserk catches Jesper’s cloudy blue eyes in the crack of the door. His lips pull into a smile that doesn’t quite reach his eyes.

“Hvitserrrrkkk.” He slurs in one long, jittery breath.

Hvitserk’s hand curls in the space between the door and the metal frame, yanking the door of his fingers to crack it back against Jesper’s forehead. This was crazy-- having Ubbe on the line, barking at him.

Got damn it Hvitserk!

He dips into the house, kicking the door shut behind him. With a scraping, rough voice he darts from Jesper’s lurch toward him, drawing out the gun from his waistband. Jesper jerks back, holding up his hands.

“Don’t fuck with me.” Hvitserk says, his chest tightening. He’s not breathing-- or so, he thinks he isn’t breathing. Jesper’s motions slow to a stop, dropping the heavy blade from his fat fingertips. It falls with a clatter on the hardwood floors.

“Where is she?” He says.

“It wasn’t my fault.” Jesper says again. This time, his words made his skin prickle. It only serves to aggravate him-- pushing his anger to bubble over the surface so quickly that he can feel himself gnashing his teeth already.

“You wouldn’t shoot me.” Jesper asks, his eye narrowing upon him. It’s the last he can take, turning his hand up from the outstretched position. The whole time he had been calling a bluff, and there it was, Jesper would have thought. Moments later, Hvitserk brought the butt of his gun down upon Jesper’s cheek, knocking him off balance and onto the ground.

“Where the fuck is she?!” He demands. He loses the control over his voice, raising in his tone when Ubbe reminds him. Check yourself, Hvitserk. He never wanted this life-- but he’s as much a Ragnarsson as any of his brothers sporting a blinding intense rage and in case of fight versus flight, well, they would always fight.

“The bathroom!”

Hvitserk makes a grunt of approval somewhere deep in the back of his throat, and then, his pistol comes upon him again. It’s a blur of slams, knocking him across the face with force until he drops to his satisfaction. In all his promises of what he wouldn’t be, he never thought that this would be him.

Rushing to clear the apartment on the way to the bathroom. Like Bjorn as a police officer showed him how to clear out his own home. In case anyone was ever snooping. Which… this was obviously not his case today.

Ssshhh…

It sounds like the ocean. The water coming in with great, swelling force. But instead of crashing and pulling back into the endless depths, Hvitserk’s bare feet squish. It’s… water. He cuts the corner into the master bathroom. Blood streaks with thin water over the bathroom floor, filling his tongue with the taste of iron before anything else. The red, red blood throws his heart into a pulsing overdrive. He follows the blood to her slashed calve. Her body draped over the edge of the tub. Not moving-- not… not…. Nothing.

“Hvitserk talk to me.” Ubbe calls out to him.

“Help me, Ubbe.”

Ten more minutes.

That was all Ubbe and she had left before he would be back. A litany of the counting down of seconds falls from her lips as she stands there, waiting warily for him to arrive. No guests were allowed at the plane gates and so they waited just outside the baggage claim for him.

Flight number 135, arrival from Los Angeles.

“He’s almost here.” Ubbe whispers from behind her. She stands there on a full stomach, knowing just that Hvitserk is going to want to eat anyway! Excitedly she refreshes her phone not just once-- but a hundred times.

Hvitserk I’m finally here! My numb ass isn’t yet, tho.

She looks over the calendar again, a barrel of excitement. It had been months since she last saw him. When she finally sees him darting down the stairs, ignoring the escalator-- she rushes to grasp her crutches at either side of her arms, standing up with a great amount of force.

“There’s my baby!” Hvitserk yells through the great open space of the baggage claim. Everyone had to have heard that. She hobbles forward, a beautiful deep blue dress hugging down to her knees. Hvitserk sweeps her off the ground, twirling her around while enjoying her brilliant laughter.

“Hvitserk!”

When he puts her down again, she sways, narrowly falling if not for her sweet Hvitserk dipping down to pick up her crutch. He supports her while she takes into her hand, limping in time with him.

“How was the flight?” She asks sweetly.

“It was good.” He responds in turn, looking down to her before over to Ubbe. The three slowly amble over to the metal baggage claim. The bags don’t come down the metal slide just yet. Hvitserk glances to the shifting plates and then finally chooses to say something.

“I heard that Mor approved your clothing line.” He says, slurring a little with loss of sleep on the plane. He couldn’t sleep an inch since he got on there. “The press seems to like your pieces in the line for uh, “adaptive” needs. Did you have to tell them about what happened?”

“Of course I had to.” She says. “My leg wasn’t like this when I met you, right? Modeling pretty bikinis and sundresses all day...”

Hvitserk shifts uncomfortably-- looking over to Ubbe who stands with his hands folded one over another. Her relationship wasn’t the only thing that ended that day. The dream of being some big supermodel like the Aslaug, queen of the supermodels, also died. Whether anyone said it or not-- no one wanted a model with a limp.

“(Y/N).” Ubbe prompts, thick and slurry. It's laughable to her now but for a congested airport where passengers are tightly clustered around their baggage claim, she knows that more than one has turned to look at her. The metal plates shift around the machine. Ubbe moves forward to go find Hvitserk’s bags.

“It wasn’t your fault okay?” She says. “Who knew a silly achilles tendon could make such a fuss.” She almost makes a joke of it. Maybe its to bite back the pain she was in on a constant basis. Just like his brother Ivar told him once.

“So you’re doing this for you, then?”

“I’m doing it because all women deserve to be sexy. All of them. My clothes will bring them that.” She leans against his arm. “Ivar understands.”

Ivar was also, oh, Hvitserk didn’t know-- born like that. Hvitserk worries what might happen from this new narrative of abuse. Not for his sake but for hers. His mother promised this would be done carefully to keep her safe.

“Yeah, you know, I do too.” Hvitserk swallows. “It’s good. It’s just--”

“You’re worried about me.” She shifts around, looking outside of large arching windows that bring in bright light. A radiant light that fills the airport with hope, and for her, as Hvitserk discovers… a new chance at life. Outside, Ivar reclines against the car with his hand upon his own crutch. It was only a loading zone but hey, being a cripple did have its benefits!

“Yeah.” Hvitserk swallows.

“You don’t have to be.”

Then as he opens his mouth again, she leans up to his lips. She places a closed lipped kiss upon his lips. Then as she turns, shouting at Ubbe to hurry up, Hvitserk smiles. This... this girl, the loud one with beautiful dresses and vibrant makeup, this was the real her.

“Because Hvitserk-- I’m finally free.”

@two-unbeatable-beaters, @igetcarriedawaywithyou, @kylobien, @titty-teetee, @breathlessouls, @nejijjeoroo, @bcat1291, @readsalot73, @mslothbrok (no mix), @romanchronicles, @captstefanbrandt, @ailucascen, @michaeliskindahot, @naaladareia, @cbouvier23, @the-geeky-engineer, @dorned, @lisinfleur, @tephi101, @akamaiden, @ethereallysimple, @venusloviing, @happylittlepuppydog, @beyond-the-ashes, @slutforrpg, @hipsternoionlylikeunicorns, @mixedwiththemoon, @sparklemichele, @alicedopey, @lif3snotouttogetyou, @rubyquartzshades, @noregretsandyeteveryregret, @dangerous-like-a-loaded-pistol, @deathbyarabbit, @unacceptabletatertots, @beyond-the-ashes (no sig), @babypink224221, @titty-teetee, @ivarandersen, @queen-see-ya-in-valhalla, @moose-squirrel-asstiel, @icarus-fell-in-spring, @piebytheocean, @strangunddurm, @atequilahead, @rekdreams247, @justacrush, @ivarswonderlust, @peachesnpisces, @elenawrit, @equalstrashflavoredtrash, @roxxck, @dylanowhyyien, @ilvebeenabad, @vikingsmania, @huntingbears, @my-little-wolfe, @seize-the-droid, @moondustmemories, @colourmeinblue, @ilvebeenabad, @queenmissfit,  @hallowed-heathen, @neeadinghugs, @mblaqgi, , @triumphantreturnofpies, @dmv49, @attorneyl, @iconicvaleria-blog, @lovelynerdytraveler, @tierneygonzalez, @zabee113, @meganjudee, @sdcyumyum, @ms-allenbrown, @pancake-blonde, @ivarswickedqueen, @starkiddreamer, @austenkingmylady, @thisisparadisemylove, @pinkrockstar19, @jeowjungkook, @end-of-night, @yaminax-kuss-a , @gruffle1, @arses21434@natalie-rdr, @tempt-ress, @thevikingsheaux, @poisonedjoinery, @smokealone, @chewythecatus, @laughinglikenialler, @lefrenchfrye, @mybarnesmyhero, @vengefulflange, @imcreepininyourheartbabe, @therealmrshale, @that-goodgirl, @supernaturalvikingwhore, @athroatfullofglass @igetcarriedawaywithyou, @kylobien, @titty-teetee, @breathlessouls, @nejijjeoroo, @bcat1291, @readsalot73, @mslothbrok, @romanchronicles, @captstefanbrandt, @ailucascen, @michaeliskindahot, @cbouvier23, @naaladareia, @cbouvier23, @the-geeky-engineer, @dorned, @lisinfleur, @funmadnessandbadassvikings, @tephi101, @akamaiden, @ethereallysimple, @venusloviing, @happylittlepuppydog, @beyond-the-ashes, @slutforrpg, @hipsternoionlylikeunicorns, @mixedwiththemoon, @sparklemichele, @alicedopey, @lif3snotouttogetyou, @rubyquartzshades, @noregretsandyeteveryregret, @dangerous-like-a-loaded-pistol, @deathbyarabbit, @unacceptabletatertots, @beyond-the-ashes (no sig), @babypink224221, @ivarandersen, @queen-see-ya-in-valhalla, @moose-squirrel-asstiel, @icarus-fell-in-spring, @end-of-night, @gruffle1, @lol-haha-joke @arses21434,  @smileyparrots, @Moosemittens13, @miss-artemis-wild, @two-unbeatable-beaters, @wonderwoman292, @wish-i-was-a-mermaid, @fangirls94, @mcuimxgine, @killerb00sdeath, @heartbeats-wildly, @boo20017, @acacheofstrange, @shaelyn102, @astoryoffireandlight, @smokealone, @shaelyn102 @laketaj24, @peaceisadirtyword, @ly--canthrope

#Hvitserk x Reader #Hvitserk/Reader #Vikings x Reader #Vikings/Reader #hvitserk imagine #hvitserk's heathen feast #hvitserk ragnarsson x reader #hvitserk ragnarsson imagine #Hvitty imagines

[hisgirlwonder]

East to West - Part One

Length: 4.1K words Warning: Sadness, angst, Michael being an asshole, etc Synopsis: Palos Verdes called your name from the moment Michael suggested the move there. Would it live up to your expectations or would it be the beginning of the end? You were soon to find out. Notes: Since getting a tug at my heartstrings to write for Duncan and Jim the idea of this popped into my head. Fair warning about this series and that Michael is the antagonist. Jim is a precious little lamb who has graduated from school and he will get the life he deserves. PS. this is going to have a few parts because I have admittedly been struck with a plethora of ideas for the story. // (FYI: The name is more than just a play on the direction they moved in. If you can guess correctly what it’s about then you get a gold star.)

This had been a long time coming. You were growing sick of the concrete jungle you lived in and wanted to be closer to the ocean; the place where you belonged. Michael suggested making Palos Verdes your home and you agreed without hesitation.

“There you are,” you mutter when you spot Michael in the living room; head down, completely immersed in his phone and those slender, ring-adorned fingers sporadically tapping on the screen. You drape arms over his broad shoulders and whine like a child about the fact you’re bored. His attention remains mostly unbroken but he pipes up with a smart ass remark, “Hi bored, I’m Michael.”

He was beginning to impinge on your last nerve but you knew this is how it was going to be; being forced to deal with that constant regression into a state of immaturity. You push yourself off his chair and amble over to the couch, moping as you move, “Wow, what a great help you are.”

You slump down onto the couch and feel an ache bellow in your chest; unhappiness roaring inside, begging to be released. The lack of deliberation over your deep-rooted feelings recently had become too much and you can’t help yourself from complaining, “Ever since we arrived I feel like all I’ve done is watch re-runs of films and read the same handful of books. I’m going crazy, Michael. You’re at work all day, almost every day, and I have nothing but these four walls to keep me company.”

Why am I so unhappy? I thought moving here would make everything better. Closer to his friends, closer to the beach. Why do I feel so empty and unfulfilled?

He queries what you actually want to do but the words are flecked with apathy; sounding as if the care he was trying to convey was non-existent. If you likened Michael’s attention to anything besides himself as of late it would be a tiny drop of water in the ocean.

“Maybe I could take up an art class, make friends, or even get a job.” You suggest, trying to fight through your hurt with optimism. Michael responds with a mouthful of disbelief, “Get a job? Somehow I can’t see you working.”

Shrugging off the doubt you pick up a pillow and throw it in his direction. It hits and bounces weakly off his shins, falling to the floor. “That’s because I haven’t found anything that calls to my soul. Besides, you’ve never let me work.”

Michael doesn’t understand your need or desire to go off and work. He thought because he gave you everything that that should be enough. It was as if he liked to ignore your need for independence because he wanted you to be like the wife of all of the men in his growing company; a trophy to look at. You were wild at heart - longing for a challenge and for something to pour yourself into.

He disregards the last ten minutes that he’s spent putting your feelings down entirely when he breaks the concentration to look up and grin at you, melting your core into a puddle with those blue eyes. When he was like this, it seemed as if butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth.

“Sandy and Phil should be back from their holiday any day which means we can have them over for dinner. Maybe you can go with Sandy to the art classes she’s been attending? Phil said she loves them.”

Sandy and Phil Mason are the married couple who partly prompted the shift to Palos Verdes. Phil told Michael to bring his business here because “Palos Verdeans” as he calls them, would eat up what he was creating. Michael, never one to turn down a challenge or offer, accepted and the rest is history. You went along with it because after all it was near the beach and you were a water baby at heart.

*

Rumbles erupt from your starved belly as a reminder that you haven’t eaten so you stroll to the kitchen and open the fridge. Your hungry eyes peruse over the contents and settle on some fruit; also taking a bottle of water for good measure. You perch yourself on a seat at the counter and pop a few grapes into your mouth to sate your appetite for the moment. Past the sound of your teeth piercing the flesh of the fruit, you overhear Michael talking to someone.

“Hey Phil, it’s Michael. How are you doing? Yeah, I’m good. Getting settled in, you know the drill. Palos is great. Are you two back from holiday?”

There’s a break which you figure is probably Michael listening to Phil rattling off some useless information; a habit which he was all too guilty of apparently.

“Wow, that sounds like that would have been interesting. I was thinking that maybe you two and the kids could come over for dinner tomorrow night? You all can finally meet Y/N. I can show you a few things I’ve been working on.”

Another pause but this time when the silence is broken there’s a change in his tone as if he’s saddened by something Phil said.

“Oh, they can’t come? That’s alright. Y/N has plenty of time to meet them. What time works for you? Ah, That’s perfect. Hey, buddy, don’t bring anything. We’ll see you then.”

The focus drops from Michael and you start to guzzle the water to quench your thirst but are interrupted when he yells out for you to come to him. “God, what is it now?” you mumble under your breath as you’re wandering back over to where he’s sitting.

“What do you want?”

“Can you be a doll and organise something for dinner tomorrow night? Just don’t make anything with olives in it – Sandy hates those.”

Your brows furrow because you can’t believe the way he’s acting; forgetting how you’ve told him many times that olives are the one thing to make you gag. His lack of manners and preoccupation with the Masons were starting to get to you. The annoyance you’re feeling doesn’t stay hidden for long when you subtly drag Michael with a reminder of how long you’ve been together and questioned when you ever cooked with them. He doesn’t flinch and instead smiles, remarking how it will be perfect. You wanted to throttle him but you swallow the distaste and start to walk towards the stairs.

“Y/N?” Michael calls out as he’s headed in your direction. You’re standing at the bottom of the stairs, holding the bannister and you turn back to see that Michael is closer than you imagined.

“You’re going to love them, I promise. Their kids, Jim and Medina, are great. You couldn’t pick a better family.”

“I’m sure I will. But, right now, I have to plan what I’m going to wear tomorrow night.”

You continue as you were, running up the stairs to the bedroom.

-

A hum of excitement sings through your body while you browse through the dresses in your wardrobe. Nothing seemed to be fitting for the occasion until you got to the very last hanger – it held a plain black, mid-thigh length dress. You didn’t own anything fancier because that wasn’t you. Your style was more boho-chic – you preferred long, flowing skirts matched with bare feet than to shove them inside a pair of heels and wear a tight skirt.

You’d be lying if you said the thought didn’t cross your mind as to why and how you and Michael were still together – he thought with his brain, you with your heart; his style was sophisticated and suave, yours was something else; the music and art you love had soul – Janis and Stevie stole your heart and Michael could never understand that because he preferred classical music; you were a vision of natural beauty with your wavy, untamed hair and your sun-kissed skin with freckles adorning your upper cheeks and nose whereas he was always made up and looked incredible. You’d find yourself looking in the mirror and wonder what Michael saw in you. They say opposites attract, but this was “other ends of the spectrum” opposite.

You’re suddenly hit with a longing for the way things used to be, growing uneasy at the thought. Back when the nights were spent kissing every crevice and curve, plaiting his hair in spring right through the summer, singing to him as you play your guitar every Sunday in bed, after making love first thing in the morning. All of these things were slowly disappearing and becoming distant memories alongside your first kiss, your high school graduation, and learning to drive.

There’s a spike in your sadness when you suddenly remember your guitar was broken in the move and Michael is all too indifferent about it. He knew that it was your life and he did nothing to remedy the situation - you were soon to learn that maybe this was a sign from the universe to prepare for Michael breaking your heart repeatedly from this day forward. You think now or never and place the hanger on the hook on the back of the door before running downstairs to Michael.

-

Waving hands in front of his face proved pointless because he was locked into whatever was so intriguing on that phone. You wanted to throw it, break it, smash it into a million pieces but you know that wouldn’t do anything to diffuse the tension that had birthed itself in your marriage.

“You’re glued to that thing, I swear.” You nag; usually you’d lighten that with a sarcastic tone but today was not that day.

“Well, some of us need to work, Y/N.”

There was a taunt in his voice. A tinge of resentment, maybe. Michael was never really that vocal and the air of mystery that once drew you to him was becoming an irritation.

“Did I not just tell you earlier I’d go out and get a job?”

“Now, would you want to go and do something silly like that?”

“Because all of this is driving me insane, Michael. If you had bought me a new guitar like I’ve been asking you in the first place, then I wouldn’t be feeling like I want to rip my hair out.”

He doesn’t want to listen to you any longer and gestures in a direction towards the coffee table. “Take one of the cards and go buy it yourself. I just really need to finish what I’m doing for next week.”

Of course you do.

You grab his wallet and pulling one a card out at random then slipping it into the back of your phone. “I’ll do the food shopping for tomorrow as well,” you mention, throwing the wallet back on the table.

“Uh huh, uh huh, sure thing. Whatever you want.”

He’s not even listening.

“Maybe I’ll run away while I’m at it.”

“Sure, have fun, honey.”

Why do I even fucking bother?

“I’ll see you later, Michael.”

You storm off, snatching your keys from the bowl by the front door and slamming it shut on your way out.

-

Where are the guitars? There are records, there are music DVDs, there are posters.

Out of nowhere, a young man interrupts (probably younger than you) and asks if you need any assistance from him. He called you ma’am to which you laugh; a faint shade of pink painting your cheeks in embarrassment. With your sight on him, you get the feeling that he’s all too familiar but there’s no explanation you can think of as to why.

Your brain ticks over the small list of physical impressions that you notice. Firstly, the two of you both had wavy, brown hair. His seemed virgin and untouched whereas yours had been dyed; you were growing it out and currently were left with bleached tips. Secondly, his eyes are a beautiful blue; they felt from the few moments you looked into them that they could consume you whole with how deep they were. The third and final thing you notice is that, funnily enough, the two of you have the same beauty spot beside your right eye.

“Ah, no need to call me ma’am. Call me Y/N.”

“Okay, Y/N, can I help you?” He asks. His tone is sincere but charming all the same and it seemed like he really meant it when he asked if you needed help. Your eyes drop to his name badge and see that his name is James.

“Actually, you can, James. I’m his looking to buy an electric and an acoustic guitar and I need you to point me in the right direction. Do you have any Les Paul’s?”

“Do we?” he scoffs, “Of course. Follow me.”

The two of you walk across the room until you reach the cash register and he fans his arm across the wall beside; it’s lined with an array of guitars. “Here you are. These are what we have on display but we can order anything you like.”

“Thank you so much. Oh, I’m so sorry, I don’t mean to be taking your time up.”

“It’s fine, honestly. It’s not every day I get a woman in here who seems to know what she’s talking about music-wise.” He admits and becomes flustered, switching abruptly to asking if you liked the look of anything in the shop. You’d been married for what felt like an eternity and had forgotten the simple signs of when a man is interested in you; blind to the fact that this guy before you happened to be visibly giving his attraction away.

You’re pulled towards the mahogany coloured one and figure it’s best to go with your gut. He tells you it’s his favourite and commends you on your excellent taste while pulling it down and explaining that it was a new model with a few modifications for easier playing.

Those blue eyes meet with yours and you become awash with calmness, unlike the all too hot to handle glare that Michael would stare at you with. You fall into a fixation on him until you’re snapped back into reality as a result of noise in the close distance.

“Thanks,” you smile, trying not to blush when you realise what just happened. “Can I also just get a Gibson? I like-“  

The sentence is cut short by a phone call from Michael calling to find out what you’re doing. You cover the mouthpiece with a hand, whispering loudly to the assistant that you’ll be one moment and walk off to the side to unwillingly take the call.

A sharp tongue hisses that if he was listening earlier then he would know. He shoots an attempt at a Michael apology (one where he makes it sound like you’re actually in the wrong) but you intervene, reminding him he’s always busy. After a deep exhale you continue, explaining that you’re shopping and you’ll make the vegetarian lasagne he loves so much. There’s a silence followed by a groan because apparently, Michael doesn’t want it.

He rattles off some excuse but you’re not buying it. You stare at the floor and try to massage the tension out from its hiding place in one of your temples. Unaware, he is watching you and feeling the discomfort. “Just send me whatever you prefer and I’ll pick up the ingredients.”

You lift your head back up and draw your phone away from your ear before holding it in front of your face to stare at the screen and flip a middle finger up at the screen. Michael was testing your patience and you didn’t know how long it was before you’d snap completely

As you’re walking back to the counter, you slide the phone into your back pocket and the assistant asks if everything’s okay; not long followed by an apology for listening. Your stomach suddenly feels as if it’s holding butterflies and they’re flying out of your throat when you stumble on the words “you’re so kind” and instead it comes out more like s-s-so kk-k-kind and you want to slap yourself.

You smack the bottom of your palm to your forehead, telling him to excuse your inability to speak. He’s laughing and you can’t help but feel like an idiot. “Smile,” he grins, explaining that you didn’t need to be embarrassed.

“Before you ask, the answer is yes, just be back before closing time.” His tone is half confident and half confused.

How does he know exactly what I’m thinking or how I’m feeling?

You attempt to hide the excitement by gnawing the inside of your bottom lip and hold back the smile but it’s seemingly all too obvious. “Wow, I was right. I knew it,” he clucks his tongue and throws his head in the direction of the supermarket, “Go and shop. I’ll be here, waiting.”

“You’re a lifesaver and who knows, maybe one day it’ll be you I’m cooking for,” you yell out as your feet walk towards the exit. You could have died the moment those words left your mouth. The two of you only just met about half an hour before and here you were almost offering him a meal. Stupid, stupid, stupid.

-

You’re only steps away from the store when your phone begins to vibrate - it’s a message from Michael telling you that to make whatever you want as long as you put meat in it. Suddenly the feeling of fuck it strikes and you rebel; leaving empty-handed and returning to where you’d rather be with an idea.

“That was some quick shopping. Can you teach me how?”

“Change of heart, I guess. Hey, James, do you know anyone who might want guitar lessons? We just moved here and I’m growing bored so I figure one way to entertain myself is by doing what I love; playing the guitar and teaching others.”

“As a matter of fact, I think I may.” He asks, picking a pen and a notepad off the counter and hands them over to you. “How are you liking Palos Verdes?”

“Amazing, beautiful, spectacular. Perfect for where I am in my life.”

“Oh come on, you can’t be much older than me.”

“I’m twenty-five but some days, like today, you need to add a zero onto the end of it.”

“See, you’re barely older than me. I’m nineteen.”

You scribble details on the paper then hand the pad and pen back. His eyes glance down to inspect your handwriting and he jokes about you giving him your number. You playfully tease, telling him only if he wants you to be his teacher. Anyone else would notice how obvious it is that he wants to say something else but he restrains and instead asks when you can start.

“We can start as soon as Saturday if you like?”

“Saturday’s perfect. It’s a date.”

He taps and clicks away on the computer, waving his hand in the direction of the machine to tell you it’s ready. You pull your phone out of your pocket and hold it over the terminal before tapping in the pin number and pressing enter.

Your cheeks heat up from those few words and you hope like hell he’s colour blind. It appears as if it may have the same effect on him when you see him rubbing the back of his neck. He interrupts the moment, providing a distraction from the slip of his tongue and hands you the receipt. “Don’t worry, I’ll bring them to your car.”

-

“Mikey, where are you? I have some great news!”

Michael knew something was up because you only ever called him Mikey when you were in a good mood. He appears and you thought he’d be happy (how stupid could you be) but his expression is confused, and he asked where the food is; lifting his chin and looking towards the car as if you’d tell him the bags were still inside.

“I figured we could order in.”

Michael stays quiet and crosses his arms, looking at you with a raised eyebrow and a look on his face as if to say order in, really? But you knew this would happen – you knew he’d be sassy because he’d done nothing but shoot you down at every corner when he was actually paying attention. You come fully armed, combatting the passive aggressiveness of his body language with some of your own.

“We could get a mix of different meals from that organic place we were reading about. If your friends are so lovely, then I’m sure they’ll understand.”

He throws down his arms, admitting defeat and begrudgingly claims that he thinks it sounds like a good idea. You try to break the cloud of the toxicity in the air, grabbing at his hands excitedly.

“Mikey! I got my guitars and managed to get my first student. I decided I wanted to give guitar lessons. It’s so exciting!”

You’re like a child again on Christmas who’s staring at the presents underneath the tree in bewilderment. Elation flowed through you and you thought Michael would share the same sentiment but he didn’t – he was like the Grinch; snatching every present away with one look.

“What? What is it now, Michael? What have I done wrong this time?” Tears well up to cause your vision to go glassy and fall from your eyes when you blink, spilling onto your cheeks.

“I just thought if you were that serious about getting a job it would be something a little more productive. Do you really need to spend all of your time playing instruments?”

His words sliced straight through your feelings of sadness and cut you deep. You wipe away the wetness from your face, curling your lip up and spit back at him, “I’m telling you right now I’m starting a business and you don’t seem to understand me.”

There he goes again with the raised eyebrow and crossed arms but this time he added in a cocked hip. You wanted to smack the holier-than-thou attitude out of him as he barks at you, “You call that a business? Strumming guitars for twenty dollars an hour isn’t a business.”

This is when you snap and your mouth explodes; causing you to speak what’s really on your mind. You’re edging closer to him as you say, “What the fuck do you expect me to do for work, Michael? Do you want me to tart myself up into a little skirt, cover my face in a thick coat of paint and call you Sir while I bend over and lick your shoes clean? Tell me because I’m all ears.”

You’re standing in front of him with what feels like nothing left to lose and you poke him in the chest.

“You know the kind of person I am and you can’t fucking stand it,” you mock him, laughing in his face. Your voice changes from mocking to stern as you begin to growl, “I really fucking love you but you’re treating me as if I’m a bug you’re attempting to destroy which makes me really fucking resent you. Don’t shit where you eat, Michael.”

You decide to take a breather and go outside to grab your new guitars before you really lose it. Once you’re outside you feel your phone vibrate again but you know this time it isn’t Michael so you’re slightly more relieved.

It’s me, your knight behind the cash register. The strangest thing is I’ve been talking about finding a guitar tutor and then you come along. Safe to say I’m more than excited for Saturday. – J

The sadness and anger dissipate temporarily as you read over the message again and again; completely unaware that this was going to turn into something bigger than anticipated.

Taglist: @avesatanormalpeoplescareme  @sensitivethot  @sacredlangdon @sammythankyou @taintedaffairs @langdonsdemon @queencocoakimmie @1-800-bitchcraft (PS. if I can’t tag you, I can’t add you to my list so please make sure I’m able to if you’ve asked!!)

#ahs #ttopv #ahs fanfic #ttopv fanfic #michael langdon #jim mason #michael langdon x reader #jim mason x reader #ahs smut #ttopv smut #american horror story #the tribes of palos verdes #michael langdon x you #jim mason x you #michael langdon x yn #jim mason x yn #american horror story fanfic #american horror story smut #the tribes of palos verdes fanfic #the tribes of palos verdes smut

[la-appel-du-vide]

THAILAND 2019 - Day Twelve {Krabi}

Today was another free day for us - meaning we didn’t have anything specifically booked or planned, we just knew we wanted to go visit Ao Nang Beach and Railay Beach! We got up and ready, tried to eat some toast in the hotel lobby but all the bread was gone, and then caught a taxi to Ao Nang Beach.

This is a major tourist area as well. There are a million shops, restaurants, boats for rent, etc. We thought it would be a good idea to eat something before we started our day, so we grabbed something quick, and then went over to the beach.

I suggested we start over on Railay Beach, because that’s the most popular one, and I thought we should get there before it got too crowded. We got to ride on another long-tail boat to get there, and that never gets old. So authentic, so traditional, so fun.(Bring a poncho though - you’re gonna get wet haha.)

We got to Railay Beach, took some photos with the huge line of long-tail boats, and then set out to find a smoothie of course. Mel said she had one of the best smoothies of her life on this beach, so we hoped to find it. (Spoiler - We didn’t.) We each ordered one from a different shop, and they were both much more like drinks instead of thick smoothies which is always a disappointment, but at least they tasted good and were cold!

We set up base camp in a shady spot, and then I went off to wade around the bay. The water temperature is amazing and refreshing, every single time I step into it. This area has a super sandy floor, which was a nice change from so much coral and rocks elsewhere. 

Can’t help but feel like these kinds of days are really what makes life worth living. We get through the mundane, boring routine of normal life for moments like these, and they really are worth it.

I wandered around for awhile, but then noticed some kayaks for rent that I thought would be a fun activity for us. I went back to where Beach was sleeping, and asked her if she thought we’d be capable of kayaking with all our important stuff, and not capsizing and destroying everything haha. We decided to give it a try, so we put all our money and phones in our little waterproof cases, and then wrapped my camera bag in two towels, and put it in Beach’s backpack. Once we were prepared, we went over to the rental area and filled out the paperwork to get one. Only then did we learn that we could leave our bags in the office. All that work for nothing. (;

We had a hard time carrying that heavy thing all the way out to the water, but once we got it in, we were solid. We paddled around the island, and even ran into a live, wild jellyfish! I spotted him, and we circled back to get a closer look. Could hardly believe our eyes. We’ve been up close to so much wildlife here!

We paddled into a couple sea caves (which were sooooo dark), over to a rock that had a gold stripe made out of some sort of tin wrapped all the way around it, and then stopped at a different beach so Beach could take a dip. I waded around behind here, and on the way back in, I got stung by a jellyfish. I went from fine to severe stinging pain on and around my knee. I tried to use water and sand to stop the pain, but nothing worked super well. I learned later that using water can actually release more toxins into your body and make things worth, so that was knowledge that came a little too late. No fun. The swelling took quite awhile to subside, and my freaking knee hurt the rest of the day. Ow ow ow.

I finally sucked it up and got back in the kayak,and we paddled around some more. I enjoyed laying down on the kayak, and just feeling the motion of the waves... it’s one of the most relaxing feelings in the world. UNTIL we hit the rocks. We took a different route going in than we had taken going out, and we regretted everything. We got stuck and high-centered on so many different rocks, and it was nearly impossible to get ourselves backed out of there so we could go in the right direction. Omg so frustrating hahaha.

But we made it. Carrying the wet kayak all the way back was even worse than the first time. My arms were dead. 

We grabbed our stuff and started wandering around the tourist area just off the beach. It’s such a cute little area, surrounded by palm trees, and so many things to see. Such chill vibes. Very island-y. We loved it.

Beach stopped to try a sugar crepe from a food stand we passed, and I would describe the “crepe” as something more like very sweet chips haha. It was so crunchy! Unexpected for sure!

We stopped and had lunch at a small, rooftop restaurant, and it was pretty good. Filled us right up. But not enough that I couldn’t get some more rolled ice cream from a stand we passed on our walk! I’m obsessed! This time I went with plain chocolate and Oreo. So delicious. I need one right outside my hotel tbh. 

We checked out some more of the souvenir shops, and I finally got Aubrey a Buddha statue. She seems to love Buddha lately, so I’ve been looking for a good one for her this whole time. Mission accomplished.

Ended our day at Railay Beach with some more photos in the bay. While we were out there, we came across ANOTHER jellyfish. Took some up-close photos of it (though they aren’t great due to the murky water), and then we got spooked and jetted on out of the water. We warned a nearby family they were there too, and they got out as well. Let me tell you from experience - OUCH. Don’t mess with those things. On our way out of the water, we came across a dead jellyfish floating to shore. Beach dragged it to the water’s edge and marked it with a stick. We hoped people would notice the stick and be careful. But nopeeee, just a few minutes later we noticed a little Asian girl wandering over to it. We were nervous watching her, as she got closer and closer. Finally, it looked like she was bending over to touch it and we couldn’t take it anymore. We jumped up, started running over to her screaming not to touch it, and probably scared her half to death. Her mom didn’t have much reaction down the beach a ways, which is interesting haha. But I also can’t imagine being a little kid and having two strangers start running at me yelling in a different language! We had the best intentions though, truly. Her dad finally understood what we were saying, and he came over to pull her away from the electrocution just waiting to happen. So we were basically superheroes today. Changing the world one potential jellyfish sting at a time.

We grabbed our stuff and went over to the long-tail boats to catch a ride back over to Ao Nang. For the record, I should mention that this sand is high up on my list of quality sand for the trip! Powder white, so soft, and I’m obsessed that’s all.

We got back over to Ao Nang just as the sun was starting to set. So beautiful to watch the sunset over the ocean, wow wow. We went looking for a smoothie (I know it sounds like we get them all the time but they are literally a dollar so it’s fine I promise), but wandered in and out of souvenir shops on our way. We picked up a couple more things - oops. And every smoothie location we passed had smoothies that looked way more like drinks than smoothies (trust me, there’s a difference - and we are paranoid af). So we eventually gave up and settled for some ice cream we found. I got a scoop of strawberry and a scoop of coconut, but literally right after he handed it to me, I turned around, started licking it, and the top scoop fell RIGHT off. Just like the movies. SAD.

So I had a scoop of strawberry. (;

We finished those as we walked back to the main dock area to get a taxi, and passed hella drag queens on our way, all dressed up and advertising a cabaret show. Very interesting, I’m kind of impressed with how realistically they can make themselves look like women... Like, how?? 

We also made the decision to send it and buy a watermelon smoothie to try, because we’ve seen them everywhere and were intrigued. It was not a good purchase tbh hahaha, not great. Mostly tasted like we were drinking watermelon juice. But we tried it! Now we won’t wonder. (;

The first taxi we tried was a disaster. She drove us like 3 minutes to a La La Moon in Ao Nang, and when we tried to explain that this wasn’t what we wanted, she insisted it was. Finally we got her to understand, and she said Krabi was too far and wanted us to get out, BUT SHE STILL WANTED US TO PAY HER. Like, lady... we could have walked to this point in five minutes. You didn’t take us where we wanted to go at all. Dumb. So we gave her just a little bit and that was that.

Found a community bus that travels from Ao Nang to Krabi for way cheap, so that worked out ok. It dropped us off near Walking Street, and then we were able to catch our own taxi back to the hotel pretty easily. 

Then the typical night routine - Tumblr, checking our phones, editing/posting pictures, travel logs, Beach does homework, we shower, and then bed.

It’s really not a bad life. (;

[ask-dancer-jimin-blog]

Snowfall (jikook)

Name: Snowfall Rated: T Pairing: Jikook Summary: Jungkook was ready to give up living having spent two years in a hospital and it took falling in love with Park Jimin to know that life was worth living for if he could see him smiling at him so prettily, eyes turned into pretty crescents and bubbling laughter filling his dull life

Warnings: attempt at suicide, angst with a happy ending

It was amid a chilly morning in Busan that a young man had gazed longingly out the window. The sun seemed to shine brightly, or at least looked as though it was desperately trying to, it’s efforts in vain as only glimpses of its warm rays filtered through the gray clouds beginning to embrace the city. The young man let out a soft sigh, breath slightly shaky and weak. He clutched onto the dull green covers over the plain thin white sheets with as much grip as he could, letting himself fall back onto the pillow.

“Good morning Jungkook-ssi”, a voice chirped, far too bright and familiar to the young man’s liking. His gaze never faltered from the sky outside, merely humming in acknowledgement before she continued. “You’re up quite early, but no worries. Why don’t we have get your check up over with, so we can get you a nice breakfast?”

He finally broke out of his trance, turning to the young woman in her dark blue top and matching blue pants walking in with a moving table, beeping machine following along with extensive chords sliding along the marble floors. Jungkook followed the movements as thought trying to distract himself from the true reality of his situation. But it was inevitable, she was at his side in seconds a bright smile at her face, rehearsed. And everything hit him again like it did every time.

The white walls, the heavy smell of medicine and disinfectant, the machines, the syringes waiting to yet again plunge into his skin. The inevitable fact that he was dying in a hospital in Busan and had been here for almost two years, stagnated, not getting better or worse. “I suppose that’s what has to be done. No options left when you’re dying”, he had murmured softly, and it was then he saw her expression falter for a few seconds, almost seeing the sympathy in her gaze.

She regained her previous smile quickly, pretending she hadn’t heard him as she gently pried his arm from under the sheets to check his pulse.

~~xXXx~~

“Please, I’m begging! Give us a few more days. We’ll pay for this month’s expenses, but we just need a bit more time”, Jungkook had heard his mother beg. He felt sick, not because of his actual illness, but because of the burden he was being to his family. He cried silently, feeling helpless and pathetic. What could he do? He couldn’t tell his mother that he didn’t need to be here. He could barely even move, much less help them someway.

“Mrs. Jeon, we understand your son is very sick, but there are more people who are just as sick if not more who are able to pay. It’s our job, but we’re just put in a tight spot. The treatments and checkups, and attentions all come at a high price.” Jungkook could tell that was the doctor speaking and he sounded annoyed and frustrated. The more he spoke, the more the black-haired male clenched his eyes knowing each word was surely making his mother miserable. He knew just how fragile and sensitive she could get and the man telling her that her son was disposable, was surely breaking her heart.

“I hate this. I hate myself”, he sobbed rubbing at his tired eyes hearing the pleading of his mother, heavy on his conscious.

“Jungkook honey, you’ve been awfully quiet these past days. Sweetie, is something wrong?” his mother had asked him on her visit. She looked tired Jungkook had noted, dark circles under her eyes, and she never seemed so aged to him as she did now with her wrinkles much more prominent and exhaustion evident. She had pulled a chair close to the side of his bed, ruffling his dark black hair, coaxing him to speak. He shook his head to assure her, but they both knew he wasn’t fine. In fact, he felt much more tired than other days.

“It hasn’t snowed yet, has it? Is it winter yet?” he asked, and she had retracted a bit, looking at him, truly seeing him. His clammy pale skin and frail body and the lack of shine in his eyes. Her eyes brimmed with tears because she understood what he had meant. The questions simple enough, but spoke volumes of his feelings. Even in his current state, he refused to be a burden and his mother knew he felt that way. Jungkook had been in the hospital for so long never allowed to go outside, time itself was unknown to him. He could never tell the time or day or season, only being able to guess from gazing at the mere window in the small room; the only room his family could afford.

She brought him into her arms again, trembling, and apologetic. “No, it hasn’t snowed yet, but it will soon. And the first snowfall will be beautiful just like you my sweet boy”.

“No.” She let their foreheads touch as she looked at him curiously, her eyes still red from crying, waiting from him to continue. “It will be beautiful like you, my warm and kind mother”.

~~xXXx~~

And Jungkook had lived that way, everyday having to bare through the same routine. It was tiresome, lonely, and boring. He was already accepting the fact that he was okay with dying. If anything, his mother would be saved, given the rest she needed from working so much to pay for his hospitalization. Upon his mother’s request, he’d been allowed to wander around the hospital in a wheelchair. He took this opportunity to both make a decision and take advantage of this chance. This was it.

Today he would stop being burden. He smiled to the nurse as she gently laid a blanket over his legs. She seemed caught off guard, but returned the smile. She would never understand why he’d smiled that way. She would never have realized what he was planning. He’d missed his mother and Busan. Miss the crisp air that would hit his face when he was young and running along the beach. His mother’s warm laughter and bright smile as he pointed to the seagulls crying and squawking as the waddled or flew around. The sun hitting his skin.

However, even if he chose to live, he’d never get to experience that. He’d be stuck here, in a timeless place forever or until his mother couldn’t convince them to let him stay anymore. He rolled out, passing a few other patients along the way. He was determined, much more so when he saw the open way towards the staircase. It was easy enough to just use his remaining strength to wheel at a high speed and let himself fall deep down.

He didn’t hesitate, he grasped onto the wheels, letting his fingers grasp on the rubber. He licked his lips once then twice as he looked around for any onlookers who could catch on to his plan. It would be easy to do it, and no one would suspect anything, but an accident. He’d accidentally rolled to far, with little strength to stop his fall. Finding no passerby, he began a slow pace, casually looking around as though he was exploring, innocent enough. He slowly increased the speed not a subtle as before, mustering a bit of courage and determination he had left. He was at full speed now, feeling his freedom at the tips of his toes, but suddenly it was gone. In a blink, it was replaced by softness and light aqua green scrubs.

“Woah there!” a sweet voice giggled. He looked up, eyes wide at the sight. He was mesmerized and in a trance of the cute young man blocking his way. Ethereal could be the only way to describe him. Soft blonde locks, cute button nose, and eyes a honey brown that turned into crescents from the dumbfounded expression on Jungkook’s face. From his attire, Jungkook could tell he was also a patient. “You seemed in a hurry. Eager to explore?” he continued to speak, and his lips were the prettiest shade of pink that Jungkook almost forgot that moments ago he was about to commit a grave sin. He heard the male speak again as he crouched down slightly to get a better look at him.

“Huh?” Jungkook could only say, eyes wide in surprise as though a deer caught in the headlights.

“I said my name is Jimin. Park Jimin. And yours, cutie?” he asked and Jungkook blushed profusely, shocked that someone could have that effect on him.

“J-Jungkook. J-Jeon Jungkook”, he murmured shyly, looking away. He heard that sweet bubbling laughter again and yet again he was reminded of the beaches of Busan from his sandy blonde locks to that refreshing laugh and smile. Even his crescent eyes reminded him of the moon on a warm night.

“Now Jungkookie, I know what you were about to do, and I don’t think it’s a wise decision on your part”, he spoke up as he literally skipped to grab on the handles of Jungkook’s wheelchair and turn him into the opposite direction of the staircase.

“Hey! Let go, Jimin!” Jungkook protested, at most it was weak, his resolve melted by the latter’s positivity and sweetness, but he had to try. Try to regain back his will and his purpose. Jimin ignored him, humming happily as he led them past the hospital rooms and towards the elevator. Jungkook simply huffed letting himself relax because it seemed that no amount of protesting would work on the blond. “Why do you even care?”

“Because life’s too short, to simply end it in self-pity and anger. Once you feel your life slip away through your fingers and you realize you did nothing to savor the bit of life you did have, you’ll leave this world with nothing but regrets. Why live so sadly, when you can do what you can to enjoy your last moments, right?”, he said losing a bit of the cheerfulness from before. Jungkook looked up at him, but said nothing. He felt those words meant so much more to Jimin than to him, but somehow, he felt they hit him deep in his heart like a pledge.

“Jimin”, he spoke softly. He wasn’t really calling him, and he didn’t mean to really say anything, but he wanted to test the name out on his lips. Like he knew he’d be saying it a lot and it felt nice to know someone was there when his mother couldn’t. It was reassuring and safe and…warm

“It’s hyung to you, brat. Don’t think I can’t tell you’re younger than me”, he laughed quietly and the tension before had unraveled into a comfortable one. Teasing and playful. They found themselves on the roof soon enough, confusion written all over the younger’s face.

“How come we’re here?” he asked the blonde who scoffed.

“How ungrateful! Your hyung did you a favor and got you some fresh air. The least you could do is be thankful”, the other chastised playfully before wheeling him towards the edge near the railing.

“I don’t think we can be here, hyung”

“I know, but breaking the rules occasionally is okay. I bet you missed this. The fresh air, I mean”, he mumbled and Jungkook couldn’t argue with that as a small smile finally reach his face. “You’re cute”.

They stayed like this in silence, looking at the city below them, could hear the faint sound of the waves from the beaches from afar. It was nice. And just like that the two of them gasped in awe at the small flakes of snow that began to fall, cold but welcomed by them both. They looked at each other, breaking in joyous laughter as they looked up and greeted the first snowfall together. It was a moment neither would ever forget.

~~xXXx~~

“Jungkookie?” Jimin had mumbled in between bites of his blueberry muffin as he sat at Jungkook’s side. The black-haired male turned to him, not realizing he’d been ignoring the blond for a while, his attention set on the window. He at least had the decency to look ashamed, but Jimin had dismissed his embarrassment with a wave of his hand. “Don’t be embarrassed, kookie. I was just wondering why you’re always looking out that window?”

Jungkook felt warmth reach his cheeks at the nickname. He was still shocked at the ease in which Jimin had wormed himself in his daily lifestyle. According to Jimin, the days were finally getting warmer and spring was finally upon them. That was two months ago. Two months since Jimin stopped him from ending his life. It became a routine that Jimin would visit him at all time, or stick by him. At night, when the nurses gave less rounds, the blond would crawl into his bed, whining about his own being cold and lonely.

“You’ll pull at my IV shorty!” Jungkook had giggled at the incessant amount of wiggling Jimin was doing while trying to accommodate both of them into the same cramped bed. The blond glared at him with a cute pout, but said nothing more as he laid his body flush against the younger’s, snuzzling his face into his side.

“Shut up, you’re like my personal human heater. And I’m not that short! You don’t even look tall”, he whined, and Jungkook hummed as he wrapped his arms around him being careful of the blond’s own IV on his wrist. It was domestic, and it was home.

“Jungkookie! You’re ignoring me again”, the blond whined, crumbs stuck on his lip. Jungkook unconsciously reached to take the crumbs of his lips and put his thumb in his mouth humming at the sweetness of the dessert. The furious blush and playful smack to his shoulder was rewarding enough before he began to organize his thoughts. “Y-You idiot! D-Don’t do t-that.”

“Sorry, hyung”, he wasn’t sorry at all. “But to answer your question… I really don’t know. I just feel like I’m waiting for something, but I’m not sure what? It’s strange, isn’t it?” he chuckled bitterly. He felt softness at his cheek and he realized too late that Jimin had kissed his cheek softly and was already retracting with a bashful smile. He looked as though he had done the action without realizing.

“S-Sorry…it’s just you were too cute…a-and I… I just really like you, Jungkookie. I’m not asking you to return my feelings b-but I just…ah”, he was rambling, tiny hands waving in front of him defensively, red bright on his chubby cheeks, fluffy hair going up and down as though he’d been caught with his hand in a cookie jar and was trying to defend himself. It was endearing, and Jungkook waited no longer to pull him by the collar of his ugly patient top and pecked his lips with his own softly.

Jimin was dumbfounded, blinking rapidly in a daze when Jungkook retracted just as quickly, fidgeting with his fingers like a love sick high schooler. They were both men in their twenties and here they were acting like newbies. “I l-like you t-too”, he confessed, both males laughed awkwardly before they smiled at each other lovingly, goofy smiles plastered on their faces. The beginning of a love, without thinking of the consequences. It was a blissful moment, no words needed to be said after, a fact that they were together unspoken but well known.

“And just so you know, I don’t think it’s strange. I think I too was waiting for something, but we both wait for different things, don’t we?” Jimin had finally broken the comfortable silence slipping his hands into Jungkook’s own, their fingers lazing. It felt good. It felt right, how perfectly their hands fit even when Jimin’s was tinier.

“Yeah? What were you waiting for?” Jungkook had asked patiently. He had seen something in Jimin’s eyes as though he was hiding something dark, something he never thought he’d tell him. He rubbed his thumb on Jimin’s palm a sign that he didn’t have to say anything, that he was merely curious. That everything was okay. But then Jimin looked at their hands with a soft smile. His gaze seems to take in that one moment as if memorizing it. He eyes wander to look at Jungkook, his expression morphing into pure unaltered adoration and love, before his eyes yet again became those charming crescents the younger fell in love with every time. He kissed his lips once again, sweet and chaste, and pure before responding without an ounce of hesitation.

“I think…I was waiting for you”.

~~xXXx~~

It was in the following days that Jungkook noticed two things. One, he was recovering. His mother had gushed in happiness and he too took notice of the color that his complexion had taken, no longer possessing pale skin, his body beginning to regain its weight. It was a miracle the doctors had said. How much progress he’d been having when a mere two years ago, he seemed on the brink of death. Second, his hyung had seemed a bit off in the prior weeks.

“Jungkook-ssi, you seem to be very cooperative. The nurses have even pointed out how much brighter you seem these days. They say there’s only two things that can get a man to be this well-off. Food or a woman. We both know the food here is not the best, so we’ll go with a young lady. Who’s the lucky gal?” the doctor chuckled as he scribbled down a few notes of Jungkook’s progress. Even his mother brightens up at the doctor’s words as she looked to her son with a teasing and knowing smile.

Jungkook blushed much to his own chagrin before he smiles. “Not a girl, but his name’s Jimin. And I cherish him very much. He’s made my stay here bearable”, he chirped, and his mother smiled at him warmly. She was at ease knowing her son was in good hands especially if her son was in not only better health, but also high spirits. She was grateful to see the shine back in his eyes, hope and love filling them until even the sun couldn’t compare to them.

“Well that’s lovely”, the doctor had smiled as well, giving them a final greeting before heading out. And speaking of the devil, or better yet, an angel in Jungkook’s opinion, he saw the familiar mop of sandy blond hair pop in the doorway before the cute cherub face of his boyfriend came into view.

“Jungkookie! I came to vi- oh my! I’m s-sorry! I didn’t know you had a visitor. I’ll c-come back”, he apologized profusely, and Jungkook was shocked that his mother had beaten him to stop the blubbering blond from leaving.

“No! Come in. You must be the Jimin my Jungkook seems smitten about”, she responded kindly as both males blushed furiously. Jimin waddle inside, and if Jungkook hadn’t been so nervous and embarrassed, he would have cooed.

“Y-Yes I suppose…I’m Jimin. Nice to meet you”, he bowed respectfully.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Jungkookie’s mother Jisoo”, she giggled, teasing them both with the pet name Jimin had faithfully called Jungkook.

“Moooom”, the younger whined as Jimin and his mother had broken into animated conversation. Even so he was content to see them getting along so well and for once he felt everything was going right. Jimin was the hope and spark he was missing to finally get better. Jimin was all he needed. It wasn’t long before, Jungkook had slipped into a peaceful slumber, his chest rising slowly up and down. Jimin looked his boyfriend with adoration as he slipped his hand into his hair softly as though he was afraid he would hurt him.

“You love him, don’t you”, Jisoo had interrupted him. It was too late to feel embarrassed, so he chose to nod, his eyes glistening as tears threatened to fall.

“More than you’ll ever know”, he muttered softly.

“oh, believe me, I know. You look at him the same way I looked at his father. Complete devotion. I understand that it hasn’t been long since you two met, but its obvious when someone loves the other. You offered him happiness and joy he had lacked for so long. What did he offer you?” she asked him caressing his cheek gently like a mother to a son. She had completely accepted him, affection felt through her warm hand on his face. He placed his hand over hers, tears finally cascading down his face.

“Hope…Hope to live.”

Her smile had only downturned a fraction, analyzing him slowly. His complexion was familiar, bony hands, and bags hidden well through the makeup she realized he was wearing. A sick young man.

“Oh, Jimin”.

~~xXXx~~

“Hyung, are you okay?”, Jungkook asked the blond one day, but froze at the sight before him. He wanted to speak up, to move forward and pull the blond into his arms, but he was frozen in horror unable to move a finger from the entry way. Lately, Jimin had stopped visiting as often, less were the nights where he’d crawl in his bed to nag at Jungkook and hold him close. Less were the bright smiles, replaced by strained and pained ones, ones that never reached his eyes.He looked tired, awfully so, but yet he always held Jungkook’s hand gently and lovingly. And he saw now the reality of what Jimin had been hiding from him.

This time around, the younger had decided to visit him. His heart broke seeing the blond struggle to stand. He groaned, holding back grunts of pain. He finally managed to stand on his own feet, but it looked so utterly painful. He took a step, a cry escaping his purple, feverish lips before he stumbled and fell forward. He sobbed and Jungkook broke from his shock and ran to him, tears already threatening to spill from his lips. Jimin coughed, heavy and hard, struggling to breathe. His eyes were wide when he saw Jungkook at his sides.

He was so broken and helpless and so unlike the self he always showed Jungkook. He felt helpless and stupid. How could he not realize that his boyfriend had been in so much pain, had been this sick. “H-Hyung…oh my god…hyung”, he sobbed as Jimin weakly clutched at his shirt, blood painted on his lips.

“J-Jungkookie…please…I’m sorry. I don’t want to die”, he cried and Jungkook shushed him as he cried out for help. Begging someone to come aid the blond in his arms. The younger realized just how small the elder was, how fragile he was.

“Kookie. Kookie…Kookie”, the elder repeated in a mantra, afraid that his life could slip away at any moment and that Jungkook would be gone if he stopped speaking.

“I’m here, hyung. I’m here, love. I’m not going away…Please someone help!” he yelled in an almost rage. The nurses ran in, pulling a reluctant Jimin from Jungkook’s grasp. Jungkook however much he begged, was asked to leave, that his presence would only alter the already distraught and anxious patient.

Jungkook didn’t believe in a higher being, but that night he’d prayed that Jimin live. Begged that his health go back to the way it was if that’s what it took for Jimin to get better.

“Please, if anyone is above there. Please let him stay. Let him stay with me”, he sobbed and not even his mother could console him once she’d gotten news about the incident. She kept him company all night, he was hysterical and wanted to rush over to the other male’s side. To his Jimin. But the doctors had informed that he was in intensive care until further notice.

“Tell me he’ll be okay. Please”, Jungkook had begged to know, wanted to be assured so that his conscious could be at ease. The doctor lips were in a tight line.

“Its not in my hands anymore, Jungkook-ssi. We’re doing all we can, but it’s up to Jimin-ssi to fight off his illness. We can only hope that he can resist the strong medication and treatments”, he explained, proper and professional, but the younger could tell that Jimin was in critical condition and that death could knock at his door any moment. For a moment he lost all hope all over again.

~~xXXx~~

Two weeks gone by and Jungkook was still on edge. He didn’t know anything and anyone he asked always responded by saying that they were not authorized to speak of his health because of confidentiality and the patient’s parents.

However, today he was finally released from the hospital. “Wow, who knew I’d finally get to see you out of this place. I knew in my heart that you would make it through this”, Jisoo had hummed happily, clutching tightly onto him as he finished placing on for the first time in three years a set of normal black jeans and white t-shirt.

Three years. Today, a year ago was the fateful day he’d met Jimin. The day his life changed completely. He clutched onto the small bouquet of white lilies he’d asked his mother to buy him. She noticed his sad expression, knowing well he was not fully content about his recovery at the moment. “He’ll love them. He always did say lilies were his favorite especially the white ones, like snow.” She tried to ease him, give him courage.

It worked it seemed, a hopeful smile at his lips. And he ran, ran towards the one he’d longed for. Wanted to thank him for giving him happiness and hope. For giving him his unconditional love and care. Thank him for being him. His lovely Jimin.

He saw the blond’s room in his sight. “Jimin!” he yelled running into the room trying to catch his breath, lilies tightly against his chest as lovely as his boyfriend. He gazed up after fixing himself, bright smile on his face, but it fell just as soon.

He felt himself pale. No, this had to be a mistake. He wasn’t gazing at his boyfriend, not his beautiful smile, not his glowing eyes, but an empty bed. No monitor, no body, no nothing. Empty. Just like Jungkook’s heart as it shattered into a million pieces, the bouquet of lilies falling limply on the floor. He fell on his knees in disbelief. He was gone. And he was too late. Never got to tell him the extent of his feelings, tell him just how much he meant to him.

The tears fell before he could tell. Heavy like his pain, heavy like his regret. He was still shocked not processing what was going on until he broke, kneeling forward until his fists and forehead touched the floor and he sobbed loudly.

“No…please…anyone but him. Come back please”, he begged to no one, the nurses didn’t dare comfort him or ask him anything simply going about their business and cleaning the room and fixing the sheets, surely for a new patient.

“Oh my god! What’s wrong, Jungkookie?” he heard a familiar speak laced with concern. He felt small petite hands on his back and he whipped up so fast in disbelief, stray tears still falling down his face. Jimin was there, alive and well and beautiful. He was just fine, perfect even and glowing. “What’s wrong? Are you in pa-”

He didn’t manage to finish before Jungkook had tackled him onto the floor, lips pressed against the blond’s in a bruising and deep kiss. Jimin hummed, arms automatically going around the black-haired male’s neck. He couldn’t believe it. Couldn’t believe that Jimin was here in his arms and he was now kissing him, longing evident. “Jimin, y-you’re here”, Jungkook muttered breathlessly kissing all over his face, his nose, his cheeks, his eyes, and his lips.

“Of course, I am. I’m sorry. I didn’t know you were that worried and oh gosh, I feel horrible. The empty room must have alarmed you, baby”, he began to ramble again like the first time he’d confessed to him and then he noticed Jungkook stare at him blankly. “W-What? Why are y-you looking at me like that?”

“Say it again”, Jungkook was breathless, he loved Jimin’s new pet name. The blonde was confused. “Call me like that again.”

“Baby”, Jimin caught on, realizing he’d said it like it was natural. Jungkook pecked him once again on the lips so many questions lingering.

“How? How are you here? I swear I thought I’d lost you. One moment, you were dying, and I was so scared…I thought I’d never get to see your beautiful face again”, he was so relieved as he grabbed Jimin’s face between his hands, fearing he’d disappear again.

“Kookie, I’m sorry. The doctor could only explain it as that downfall before the break. Like a fever that gets really bad before it suddenly goes away. I had been having a good recovery, but all the medicine and treatments were taking a toll on my body. I had a fallout, but as soon as it came down, I got better and stabilized. And here we both are ready to get out of here”, he grinned.

Jungkook was glad this was all over. He reached over for the abandoned lilies and was rewarded with the most bashful smile on Jimin’s face as he pulled them against his chest and sniffed at them, content and so happy. “Come on, there’s one more place we need to see before we leave”, Jimin had a glinting his eyes as he guided Jungkook to the only place they’d gone very weekend after the first snowfall when they met. The rooftop.

It was cold, but neither cared as they held hands and neared the railing to look over the city. “Jungkookie, I have a confession to make”, he began softly, even a bit fearful. “That day we met…I was intending to do the same thing you were planning on doing with that staircase”.

The younger was at a loss of words. No way. “You mean you were planning to”, he didn’t dare finish his sentence once Jimin nodded in affirmation.

“Yeah…I was planning to jump from right here. This place exactly. I was angry, upset, and depressed. I was dying. My personality was terrible. Everyday was a fight with the nurses, aggression was the only thing I could do to cope with my situation”, he explained grimly as if regretting his actions.  It was evident in the way he slumped his shoulders as Jungkook listened intently. Jimin gazed at him once before he looked back at the city as if recalling the day, they’d met.

“What was the point of getting treatment when I was going to die anyway? But that day I was set on making it all end. I sped my way towards the elevator, and I hadn’t seen you until your chair crashed into me. It was ridiculous to me. I was faced with such a cutie, the glint in your big eyes told me of your purpose. I saw myself, but I also saw you were younger and you seemed in worse condition than me, and yet I was complaining more. I noticed the purple on your arms from the needles, that hopeless look in your eyes and all I wanted to do was hold you. Tell you that it was going to be okay. I couldn’t let you do it, but if I was going to give you that advice I might as well follow through myself as well”, he chuckled a few tears ready to escape.

Jungkook clutched tighter onto his hand. Knew this was something Jimin had kept with him for a long time. “We were both young, spent a good few years from our teenage years to adulthood here all pointless because we were stuck on the idea that we could die. But after I saw you I knew I had to do something. And you brought out a side of me I didn’t know was there. I was never as happy as I was when I was with you and getting to see your eyes light up when were together, that cute bunny smile bright and on display made my heart race. In that moment more than ever…I wanted to live. You made me want to live and fight to live. I didn’t lie when I said I had been waiting for you. It was all because of you”, he finally turned to Jungkook.

He was looking at him properly, oh so grateful. “All because of you…Jungkook…I love you”, he finally muttered and Jungkook felt the air leave his lungs. He let his hands reach Jimin’s eyes to wipe the tears as he tried to hold back his own. They were a mess for all the right reasons.

“Idiot, I should be saying that to you. The only reason I wanted to live was to see that smile and those cute eyes of yours, and your perfect self, smiling at me. Because I wanted to see you holding onto to me when I woke up in the morning, wanted to see you crawl late at night in my bed holding my hand. All of that and more. I love you too so much, Park Jimin”, he mustered the courage to say before their lips met again this time for much longer and much sweeter than the others. And as they stayed closed like this, hands laced together, tears of joy falling down their cheeks, they felt the snow begin to fall. The first snowfall of yet another year, and many more that were to come because they were leaving this place, leaving all the pain and hurt behind. Together.

Jikook one-shot present for my friend Jen from our VANTES secret santa event

#bts #bts fanfic #jikook #jikook au #kookmin #jungkook #jimin #jeon jungkook #park jimin #bangtan boys #bangtan sonyeondan #beyond the scene #Bulletproof Boy Scouts #bts jikook #bts kookmin #kookmin au #bts fanfiction #jikook angst #jikook fluff #angst with a happy ending #bts jimin #bts jungkook

[thekayteablevegan]

For quite some time I have been wanting to start a travel blog or have a space on ‘kayteable’ to talk about my travels. I was super in my head about how I wanted to lay it out. I wanted to stress that half the fun of the adventure is getting there and not just enjoying the location…while also sharing the joy of the place itself…and then I realized…

Just do it my dude. So without further procrastination and anxiety about execution, here is a little story of my experience traveling to another country.

Journey to Savusavu, Fiji

My journey to another country started here. In my little, but rapidly growing town of Twin Falls, Idaho. Home of the Perrine Bridge and the mighty Shoshone Falls…and lots of desert.

I woke up on a frigid May 1st morning at 5 am preparing for my short walk to the gas station to board my 2 hour bus ride to Boise Idaho that departed at 6 am. I arrived at Boise Airport at around 8 am and my flight to Las Vegas didn’t leave until 2 pm. It was a wait. If you have never had the pleasure of visiting this particular airport…you’ll know that it is one of the most boring places in existence to spend 6 hours waiting for a flight.

Pro tip…pack light. The less you have…the easier it is to wrap yourself around your backpack on a rigid bench and fall asleep. I had a little elderly lady, Laurie,  who so kindly was my guardian angel. She offered to make sure no one stole my things as she read on her own uncomfortable bench across from me.

Time came to board flight to Las Vegas. Sin City. I made two silent friends, as I was wedged between a deaf man and a small woman who didn’t speak English. We shared smiles and an hour long flight.

Las Vegas is as flashy in the airport as they are on the strip. Announcements over the scratchy intercom every 10 minutes reminding us to not leave our bags unattended and a remind that if someone stole our belongings…that it was not in fact their responsibility. Good to know. I had a shorter wait this time. Two hours, an order of fries, and a handful of YouTube videos later….I was on my way to Las Angeles. City of Angels.

It was nice to be back in LA. It was a bit closer to what my heart calls home (Oregon) than my desert city…but I was stuck on the inside of the airport, instead of on the sandy and crowded beaches. LAX is huge. It’s easy to get lost. My advice? Find where you are supposed to be…before you wander.

Makes life a little easier.

Thirty minutes of walking, an hour through customs, one round of tackling someone who stole my laptop, and a few conversations with the LAX security…I was at my terminal. I was reminded, less often, but still consistently over the intercom not to leave my backpack hanging around. This time with a mention of potential terrorism. Fun times in America’s airports.

When you are flying out of the country and are waiting in the international terminal, it’s like a thousand worlds colliding all around you. Your ears buzz with different languages being spoken, different cultures intermingling, people from all around the world with the same goal: travel. I couldn’t help but smile as I watched from my single spot at a table I had planted myself in while I waited for my flight. I felt a part of the world…even for just that moment.

During my three hour wait for my 11 hour flight, I found myself getting sucked into a little group that would be joining me on my flight to Nadi, Fiji. For two hours an odd, perhaps unexpected, and beautiful group of an middle aged Aussie man, two Muslim women, a Japanese couple, a gay couple from England, and myself…a 20 year old American girl…chatted about life.

Who we were, where we were going, and what was bringing us to Fiji. The world sometimes can be scary and judgmental. It was refreshing to be part of a moment where no one held stereotypes, religion, or race against each other. A moment where we were all just humans.

Two flights to go.

Soon, at 10:30 pm…I was boarding onto my flight to the other side of the world. I got an aisle seat next to a elderly woman who would turn out to have quite the personality. The next eleven hours were filled with uncomfortable sleep, two trays of vegan food, and some interesting conversations with strangers. I read 250 pages in a book and watched a movie I don’t even remember.

I think they made a wise decision by choosing to fly above the endless waters of the ocean at night. Because looking into the endless night was terrifying…but I could imagine looking out into endless sea would hit the gut a little harder.

  After what seemed to be the longest 11 days rather than hours…we began to descend. I could see the sun beginning to peak on the horizon, shedding warm light on the lush greenery that laid below us. Little huts littered the the nooks in the hills and soon we approached a little runway that led to Nadi International Airport.

Let me tell you. Stepping into the airport in Fiji was a lot different than stepping into an airport in America. It was more relaxed, smelt like sunscreen and fresh, clean rain, and the smiles on everyone’s faces were warmer.

It was a quick coffee break later before I was boarding a little plain that I was sitting right behind the pilot with four other people to my final destination. Lift off was a little more intense. You could feel the air rattle the tiny plain as we rose above the beautiful islands.

We landed an hour later in Savusavu Airport…which was just a hut in the middle of  a field essentially. Which would be my first impression of an experience that would change my life forever…but that is for another blog.

That is all for today’s blog! If you enjoyed it let me know! I will be uploading a blog all about my time IN Fiji here in the next few weeks. I hope you all have a wonderful rest of your Monday! If you want to know more travel tips, adventures, or anything travel related…drop a comment below!

-Kayte

      Travel Blog #1: Journey to Savusavu, Fiji For quite some time I have been wanting to start a travel blog or have a space on 'kayteable' to talk about my travels.

#adventure #blog #daily blog #fiji #flying #hippie #how to travel #journal #journey #kayteable #life #love #minimalism #storytime #tarot #travel #travel blog #travel journal #travel tips #traveling vegan #vegan

[princess-tentacles]

Can @appynation please get a huge congrats for the fact that she GRADUATES TOMORROW NIGHT?

She put up with a hell semester, but it’s over with and she’s gonna be in Scottland soon.  Here’s my little congrats to you <3  a Klance fic revolving around the happy parts of a sad au. 

the calm

*** “I’m going to marry you,” Keith had mumbled through a mouth full of pancakes. “You’re gonna marry me over pancakes?” Lance laughed, his blue eyes twinkling wildly.  

“Absolutely.”  

Lance shifted to the other booth where a very tipsy Keith was eating, a cheeky grin on his face. He held out his hand to the other, “I don’t see a ring, buddy, just butter pecan syrup.” Keith swallowed thickly before leaning over to peck Lance’s cheek, “You’re right, but you are still wonderful.” Lance leaned over and opened his mouth for a bite, which Keith promptly gave. He grabbed his own cup of orange juice before giving Keith a return kiss. 

“I get it, gotta celebrate with the guys. I’m just glad you called me instead of letting someone drive you home.” Keith smiled, putting the fork down to nuzzle against Lance’s shoulder, “I can’t believe I got the job.” “I can. You’re great. You deserve it.” Lance says softly, petting Keith’s hair back. ~

“No, left side higher.” Lance called out, watching Keith carefully balance himself on the ladder. “Left side higher, or right side? ‘Cause I’ve shifted this thing like twenty times, where’s the level?” Keith’s snappy tone was muffled by the set of nails in his mouth. “I don’t know, half this shit’s still in boxes!” Lance gave a frustrated gesture to the boxes still tucked to the side of the living room. Keith groaned, taking the nails out of his mouth and started to step off the ladder, ���Fine, let me look.” Lance started to stand, mid-protest when he saw Keith catch his shoelace on the ladder rung and start to fall. There was a crash and Keith’s yell of surprise, neither of which sounded pretty on the hardwood floors. “Holy crow, Keith, are you okay?” Lance looked panicked as he crouched over his boyfriend, hurrying to undo the loose shoelace from where it had snagged on the ladder. “Fucking - ow, my head,” Keith grumbled, but otherwise seemed fine, although the bump on his forehead didn’t look pretty. “Think you got a concussion? Seeing double?” Lance asked, leaning in to pet his messy bangs back. Keith huffed and was silent for a moment before he leaned back, making Lance freak out for a second, “Keith, seriously, are you okay?” “We can’t even hang a stupid picture, Lance.” “I just wanted it to feel more, homely, you know. Get something real on the walls.” Lance frowned and laid down on the floor beside Keith, propping his head on the other’s bicep. Keith reached out, poking at Lance’s cheek in an attempt to make his boyfriend’s smile come back. “We’ve only been a here a few days, Lance. Give me this weekend, neither of us work, and we can unpack everything.” “Even the level?” Lance teased. 

“Especially the level.”  Keith grinned, leaning in for a kiss, which Lance happily accepted. They stood back up, Keith’s head checked again before Lance noticed the dent in the flooring from where the ladder had hit. “We’ll put the couch there,” Keith said immediately, trying to appease the frowning Lance. “But the tv stand was gonna go there.”  

“Well, the couch can go there instead, the desk there, and the tv stand can go here.” Keith pointed at the different spots in the room before rubbing Lance’s arm. “It’ll still be just as perfect.” Lance was silent for a moment before he smiled weakly, leaning into Keith’s arms, “What am I gonna do with you?” Keith moved a hand to Lance’s back, “You could marry me, you know.” Lance poked at his boyfriend’s ribs, “Where’s my ring?” ~ “I can’t believe you chose the hottest day of the year to go to the beach.” Hunk was moaning as he dragged the cooler out on the sand, his headband not doing much to keep the sweat off his forehead. “Not like I *meant* for it to be so hot on my anniversary.” Lance countered, arms full of towels and the umbrellas. “Yeah, I would have picked another day to ask you out if I knew it meant always celebrating in the sweltering heat.” Keith teased, dragging the second cooler after Hunk’s, grunting at the added friction of sand. “Well, I like being able to celebrate on the beach, and not in the middle of winter.” Lance stopped at a spot near the water, deeming it acceptable as he dropped the towels and started to undo the umbrella. “Please tell me someone brought Coke.” Pidge whined from behind them, using her collar to try and air out the inside of her t-shirt. “Soda will dehydrate you - drink some water first.”  

“Thanks, dad,” Pidge turned to face Shiro and Allura who had just walked up. 

“Come on, faster we set up, the faster everyone can get in the water and cool off.” Lance was pouting full-on, hands on a hip and Keith couldn’t help but laugh as the umbrella started to tip over onto him. “You go get in the water, Keith and I can set up the umbrellas.” Shiro gave Lance a nod as Keith started to take the tilting umbrella from Lance’s hand, “That goes for everyone. Sunscreen on and go.” Lance looked hesitant but didn’t put up much of an argument. He stripped off his shirt as Keith dug a hole for the umbrella, setting it up properly before Lance handed him the bottle of sunscreen.  

“Boyfriend duties,” he said, tilting his chin up so Keith could rub the fruity-smelling lotion in.  

Allura laughed and took the bottle once Keith had enough, “Husband duties?” She teased. Eventually, everyone was sunscreened up, even Hunk who tried to protest that he didn’t burn that easily. Keith huddled under the umbrella, his, Lance, and Pidge’s towels crowded underneath while Shiro, Allura, and Hunk’s were under the second. Between them sat the coolers, (“No soda until everyone’s drank water.” Shiro tried to protest but Keith didn’t tell on the Dr. Pepper Lance snuck before he dragged Keith out to the edge of the water) Keith walked along the shoreline, watching the others play while he walked, his mind elsewhere until someone literally swooped him up “Stop! Shiro, no!” Keith tried to yell, but his brother was quickly dumping him into the ocean while Lance and Pidge cheered. “Can’t spend all day on the shore, beach bum.” Shiro laughed as Keith tried to fight back with a splash of water. “My boyfriend finally joins us in the water!” Lance teases, swimming up behind him, warm arms wrapping around his middle. “Joins us looking like a drowned rat. Geez, Lance, can’t you get him to cut his hair?” Pidge reached out to ruffle both of their hair. “I had to listen to Lance moan and cry every day for two months when he cut it for graduation, no way.” Hunk grinned Keith just sulked from the water, toes digging into the sandy bottom, but Lance was quickly breaking his resolve with how happy he was, “Wanna go down the boardwalk with me later? We can play games or do the ferris wheel.” It doesn’t take much for Keith to agree, Lance being a weak spot for him for the past three years.  

“Who wants to play chicken?” Pidge’s voice makes them both turn to see Shiro on Allura’s shoulders, desperately holding onto her hands as he tries to stay balanced. The day was a blur of playing chicken, ice cream on the beach, Shiro forcing everyone to reapply sunscreen, and some quiet napping.  At night, Lance managed to convince everyone to go to the carnival at the end of the boardwalk, though no one really needed much convincing. It was fun, and Keith was content to be pulled along through the rides and a few of the game booths. Keith managed to win a prize through one of the strength games, but otherwise, the armful of stuffed animals were earned with Lance’s surprising talent of perfect aim.  

“One more.” Lance said, stopping in front of the ring toss booth, “It’s my favorite.” Keith glancing over the game, it was simple. Three rings to toss onto a row of bottles. The different colors had different prizes. Blue earned the best prize; a gold fish. “All you, babe. You’re better at this kind of thing.” Lance pulled out his wallet, handing the boothman enough for three rings while Keith sat down the arm full of stuffed animals on the ledge to watch.  

“What’re we gonna do if we win the goldfish?” He asked pushing his hands into his pocket where he fumbled with his own prize for Lance. “Keep ‘em, of course.” Lance said with a grin, taking the first ring and giving it an underhand toss.  The ring circled around a plain bottle, only one away from a blue ringed bottle.  Lance cursed under his breath and stared hard at the bottle before closing his eyes. He gave the next ring another underhand toss, “Did I get it?” He asked opening it when it made the clinking noise around a bottle. There, around the blue ringed bottle was the ring Lance had tossed. Keith grinned, giving Lance a congratulatory kiss on the cheek when he was handed the baggie with a swimming goldfish inside. “Nice aim, Lance.” Keith gave him a nudge, Lance’s eyes lit up excitedly at the goldfish. “Here, last one.” Lance said, distracted by the goldfish as he handed Keith his last ring, “Win him a buddy.” Keith took it, twirling it carefully in his fingers, “If I win us another goldfish will you marry me?”   That got Lance’s attention, holding the bag carefully as he shrugged, “Maybe.” The attendant looked bored as Keith lined up his toss, his fingers twitching nervously as he practiced the toss twice before he took a breath and let it go. It rounded on its side for a moment, right on the edge of a plain bottle and a blue before it finally tipped. Keith sucked in a breath as it fell to the blue side, and Lance started cheering. The attendant held out another sad goldfish in a baggie and Keith held it close, his stomach nervously filling with butterflies as he turned towards Lance. “So, was that a yes, you’ll marry me?” He asked, eyebrows raising as he looked between the fish and Lance. “Hmmm, you seem to have tossed your ring earning a fish, Keith.” Lance teased. Sucking in a breath Keith slowly sunk to one knee, fumbling for the object in his pocket with one hand. “Can this one do instead?” Keith offered, holding out the velvety box towards Lance, Lance’s eyes were wide as the funnel cakes they’d snacked on earlier, his lip trembling. “Keith...you’re not joking.” Keith shook his head, “I’m not joking, Lance. Marry me, please?”

“Holy…..god yes yes, fuck please stand up so I can kiss you.” Lance said, his voice cracking as he wiped at his eyes one handed before frantically motioning for Keith to stand. “Finally.” Hunk whispered from a few booths away, Pidge’s phone up and recording the whole thing. Shiro and Allura were leaning against the wooden siding of the boardwalk, glad it had worked out for them.  

They walked back to their cars that night hand in hand, Lance’s finger now shiny with a ring and two new goldfishes to take back to their apartment.

#klance #my writing #voltron #vld #nothing naughty #sorry fam #till death do we part - or not #aka the witch au

[astridspokemonfic]

Episode 5: All That Glitters is Gold!

Narrator: As our heroes finally arrive in Mistdrive City, they come to the precipice of their first Gym Battle! What adventures await them in this new city?

“Woah, I’ve never been to a seaside city before!” Janine said in wonderment. From their path, they could already see the soft sandy beaches, directly adjacent to several tall buildings.

“Wait, Janine. Sylmar is a seaside city.” Astrid pointed out.

“It has 13 ports and no beaches.” She responded. ”It looked nothing like this. Those buildings are huge!”

“Those are resorts. The beach combined with the Gym makes for a booming tourism industry.”  Kayla explained.

“Sylmar deals mostly in fishing, so maybe that’s why we don’t get any visitors,” Astrid wondered out loud. “All we have is the Pokemon Research Lab and a windmill.”

Janine took the lead in the group, Kaytlyn close by while Astrid and Kayla lagged behind. Astrid ran up behind them and slung both her arms over their shoulders.

“So are y’all ready for your first Gym Battle?” Astrid asked. Janine nodded.

“Definitely. My Pokemon have been training hard for this. Pollo in particular. We need to get over that Type disadvantage.” Janine said seriously.

“Charmander’s doing his best too. We think we might be able to beat the gym. Especially with him knowing Dragon Rage.” Kaytlyn said, “I wonder if it’ll be enough.”

“You just have to believe in your Pokemon!” Janine encouraged.

“Can you slow down?! I have asthma!” Kayla yelled from behind them.

“Ah, Sorry!” Janine said, switching to a more comfortable pace for the twin. Astrid removed herself from the trainers and walked behind them with Kayla.

“So what do you wanna do when we get there?” Astrid asked, wanting to fill in the silence. Janine hummed thoughtfully.

“We should get to a Pokemon Center. Arroz needs a shave.” Janine laughed, “We don’t have shears that can cut through wool, so we had to wait for a while until now.”

“After that, we head straight to the Gym- I call battling first!” Kaytlyn yelled, cutting Janine off in the process, as she was about to say the same thing.

“Woah! I can already smell the ocean!” Astrid exclaimed. “I can’t wait to check it out after your battles!”

“Hm. That’s a lot of people on the beach.” Kaytlyn muttered. Sure enough, there were probably dozens of people all over the beach, swimming, playing, or just relaxing in general.

“Hey, there are fishing docks here!” Kayla said, pointing at the water. “Maybe Sylmar should invest in that to increase tourism.”

“What is there to see?” Astrid snorted. “People only go if there’s something interesting. No one’s going to come for plain old fishing.”

“You’d be surprised,” Janine said. The group had finally made it into the city, and they practically rejoiced when the dirt path beneath them turned to concrete. “Alright, so first things first. Let’s find the Pokemon Center.”

Kayla went up to one of the billboards and inspected it for a few moments.

“It looks like the Pokemon Center is somewhere close to the Gym,” Kayla said. Kaytlyn shrugged. “Makes sense.” She muttered

“Ah! There’s a contest hall here! Though the Mistdrive contest has already passed.” Astrid muttered. Janine glanced around before deciding to just ask for directions.

“Excuse me, do you know where the Mistdrive Gym is?” Janine posed the question to a young mother walking with her child.

“Oh! Are you a trainer?” Janine nodded her head. “Well, the Mistdrive Gym is right in the middle of the city. If you head down this road and make a right, it should be on one of the side streets.”

“Thank you!” Janine waved goodbye to the kind strangers before turning to her own ‘children’.

~*~*~*~*~ “Closed?!” Janine yelled out. Astrid tried to pull on the Gym door handles only to fall flat miserably. Chikorita, who had been resting peacefully on her shoulder flopped onto the floor.

“Yeah, they’re closed,” Astrid stated sardonically. Janine sighed.

“Oh! Did you come to challenge the Gym?” A male walked out from behind them. Kaytlyn glanced at him and nodded.

“Do you know where the Gym Leader is?” She asked.

“Do I know where he is? You’re lookin’ at him!” He exclaimed. The group stared him down, only now noticing how he looked. He had dark blue hair and light blue eyes. There were clear tan lines on his torso and arms, likely from a swimsuit. He was dripping wet and wearing black and pink jammers. “I’m Romeo. I’m the Mistdrive City Gym Leader!”

“I’m Janine, a Pokemon Trainer. Kaytlyn and I wanted to challenge your Gym today.”

“I’m Kaytlyn.” The twin interjected, raising a hand.

“Woah, you’re so young!” Kayla interrupted from behind Janine. He laughed sheepishly.

“I’m twenty-three…” He whined. “I just look like I’m 17!” 

Kayla let out a “Yikes.”

“You can’t battle today?” Astrid asked, changing the subject.  He shook his head with a sudden serious expression.

“There’s a group of delinquents causing trouble in the city. Those kids never learn… When stuff like this happens, it’s the Gym Leader who has to resolve it.” He explained. “I’m afraid I’ll be battling tomorrow, Miss..?”

“Astrid. I’m a Pokemon Coordinator. And this is my partner Chikorita.” She introduced. She turned to Kayla.

“Oh! I’m Kayla, and I’m a trainer as well, but I won’t be challenging your gym.”

Romeo processed the information and gave them a nod.

“Well Ladies, duty calls! Make sure to come by tomorrow for your Gym Battle, okay? You guys should look around Mistdrive for today!” He yelled as he ran down the street.

“Is he wearing crocs…?” Astrid asked, narrowing her eyes in disgust at the Gym Leader’s half bare feet.

“To be fair, they’re waterproof.” Kaytlyn halfheartedly defended the adult.

“There is no excuse for croc-wearers.” Astrid hissed.

“Oh yeah, Astrid. Didn’t you want to go to the beach?” Janine asked the coordinator. Astrid beamed.

“Bless.”

~*~*~*~*~

After stopping by the public bathrooms to put on swimwear, (or in Kayla and Kaytlyn’s cases, T-Shirts with loose shorts), the group found a nice corner of the beach close to the docks where they could lay down and relax. Astrid had talked Janine into releasing the Pokemon from their Pokeballs so that they could run around and have fun.

“Man, this is so peaceful,” Kayla commented. She laid back watched Wingull and Pelipper soar around. “Why is this more peaceful than Sylmar?”

“Because there are huge, loud fishing boats,” Kaytlyn responded.

“Well, it was kind of relaxing hearing the market. It was loud, but it was familiar.” Janine said. Astrid shook her head.

“No way! I saw two old ladies get into a fight over a dead fish! That was not relaxing.” She said while Chikorita cocked her head in confusion. After a moment, Astrid pushed herself up. 

“Okay, relaxing is boring! Janine! To the Ocean!” The teen grabbed her friend’s arm and practically dragged her to the waterline. Janine’s Pokemon watched silently as Astrid basically threw Janine into the water and with little hesitation, jumped in herself.

Kayla threw her reservations to the wind and ran in with them. Astrid swam as far as possible and did her best not to drown whenever the waves crashed on her. Janine and Kayla were chatting in the water, occasionally shrieking when seaweed brushed past their legs. Meanwhile, Kaytlyn remained on the beach watching their Pokemon play around.

Chikorita, Rowlet, and Pollo looked like they were trying to make a castle, though now it looked little more than a mound of wet sand with a leaf sticking out the top, courtesy of Rowlet. Arroz and Charmander seemed to be taking the moment to actually relax and Vulpix was ignoring everyone around him in favor of a nap.

After almost being drowned by Astrid for the umpteenth time, Janine decided to return to their spot, causing some sort of chain reaction as her friends followed her to the sand. They all sat around like before, staring at the ocean tide and relaxing.

An enraged scream caught their attention.

Heads turned to a teen around their age as he threw a fishing pole across the dock in anger. Poor Arroz nearly jumped a mile high and ran behind her trainer.

“Is he okay?” Astrid leaned toward Kayla.

“What a mood.”

“Hold on.” Janine shaded her eyes from the sun and squinted at the figure. “Kaytlyn, do you have my phone?”

“Yeah,” The twin handed it to her. Janine tapped it for a few moments and watched the figure intently. She held it to her ear, clearly making a phone call. The figure in the distance reached into his pocket, glanced at something before putting it back in.

“I knew it.” Janine tossed her phone back to Kaytlyn. “I know him.”

“You know the angry fisherman?” Kayla asked. Janine nodded and the group followed her lead as she went up the stairs to the almost empty docks. The Pokemon followed in suit.

“Daniel!” Janine cupped her hands around her mouth and yelled. The teen turned his head to her before abruptly turning away. Janine let out an annoyed hiss and marched up to him. Her friends watched from a distance.

“Daniel.” Janine leaned on the rail next to him and he made a show of pretending not to know her. When Janine looked about ready to punch him, he ended the bit and offered her a short side-hug. She waved the group over. The male next to her faked a gasp.

“Janine! You have friends?!” She gave him a scathing glance before introducing him.

“This is Daniel. We’ve known each other since middle school. He went on his journey like last month, I think.” Janine explained.

“I can introduce myself thank you very much, my name’s Daniel, and I’ve known Janine since middle school. I started my journey last month.” He stated, giggling toward the end when Janine sighed in exasperation. She tapped Astrid’s shoulder to tell her to introduce herself.

“I’m Astrid, a Pokemon Coordinator!” Astrid said. Daniel nodded.

“Ah. so not a real trainer. Got it. Next!” He turned to the twins. Astrid gave Janine an affronted look and the other teen merely sighed and gave her a pat on the back.

“I’m Kaytlyn, and this is my twin, Kayla. We’re both trainers.” Daniel nodded again, but before he could say something equally offensive, Janine cut in.

“Daniel, what are you doing in Mistdrive? Shouldn’t you be at your second badge at least?” Janine pointed out. “You’ve been on the road for almost two months now!”

“Well, you remember that story about a black Charizard?” Daniel asked. Janine nodded. “Turns out that’s a thing. Sometimes Pokemon are born with different coloring, and it causes them to stand out!”

“You mean Shiny Pokemon?” Janine asked. He nodded

“Well,” He began. “I was about to leave, but I heard some locals talking about a golden Magikarp around here! So I figured I should try my luck.” Daniel said.

“Isn’t it like, a one in a thousand chance to ever encounter one?” Kayla piped up.

“Well, I must be getting close, because I’ve been here for two weeks!” He said in a cheerful manner. “Janine, why are you here? Have you battled the Gym Leader yet?”

“Well I was going to battle him today, but he had official business or something. He promised to battle me tomorrow though, so I don’t really mind.” Janine gestured to the group. “We needed to relax anyway.”

“Yeah, another question. Why are you travelling around in a group? I thought you were gonna go solo.”

Janine shrugged. “The professor had us grouped up because of the recent kidnapping incidents. I ended up paired with Astrid over there and the twins came shortly after.”

Daniel nodded and was about to speak when the fishing pole next to him began to shake. He immediately rushed over to it pulled with as much strength as he could. Unfortunately, his catch was a plain old Magikarp that was flopping around with a blank look. Daniel made an annoyed sound and threw the Magikarp over the railing and back into the water.

“Do you do that every time?” Kaytlyn asked.

“Well, yeah. I’m not gonna keep a Magikarp unless it’s gold.” Daniel poked a Berry onto his hook and threw the line again. “What really sucks is the wait.”

“The wait?”

“It takes around twenty minutes for another fish to come biting.” He sighed. “So. Are all of you challenging the gym?”

“Nah, just Janine and Kaytlyn. I don’t challenge Gyms.” Kayla laughed. “It’s kind of ironic since Astrid and I are the only ones who have the type advantage with our starters.”

“Romeo is no pushover. His Gym was difficult to beat. If I hadn’t had the type advantage I would have been dead.” Daniel warned.

“Type advantage?! You chose a Fire-Type starter!” Janine pointed out.

“Yeah, but I caught an Electric-Type on the way. Check it out.” Daniel took out a Pokeball and threw it down. “Let’s go, Galvantula!”

“A Galvantula!” Astrid pulled out her Pokedex and scanned the new Pokemon.

“Galvantula, the EleSpider Pokemon. When attacked, they create an electric barrier by spitting out many electrically charged threads.”

“A giant spider?!” Janine sidestepped the Bug-Type and stood behind Astrid. “Demon.”

“He evolved after my battle with Romeo. He was just a Joltik when I caught him.” Daniel explained. The Galvantula made a gurgling sound that Janine assumed was its’ cry.

“Of all the Electric-Types in Niacal, you choose the one that looks like a spider?” Janine hissed.

“Aw, don’t be like that Janine, he’s kinda cute..?” Kayla tried. The Galvantula gurgled again and nuzzled her leg. “Oh… yay…”

“You guys should battle!” Astrid exclaimed, clapping her hands together.

“What?”

“No like, listen, it’ll help you get ready for your battle tomorrow with Romeo. It doesn’t have to be an all-out battle. Just to train a little.” She said.

“Daniel doesn’t even have any water-type Pokemon!” Janine argued.

“You don’t know that!” Daniel yelled defensively.

“Do you have water types?” Kaytlyn asked blankly.

“No.”

“Come on! It’ll help pass the time!” Astrid encouraged. Janine sighed at the girl’s excitement.

“I’m down if you are.” Daniel gave her a condescending smile like he was goading her into battle.

“Fine.” Janine sighed and turned to her Pokemon. “You guys ready?” Pollo and Arroz made sounds of agreement.

“I’ll be the referee!” Astrid chirped. The coordinator tugged Janine about ten feet away from Daniel and ushered the twins to a bench next to the railing and off the makeshift battlefield before choosing to stand across from the twins.

“This unofficial battle between trainers Janine and Daniel will now begin! It will be a one on one battle with no substitutions. Trainers, do you have your Pokemon ready?” At their nods, Astrid dramatically threw her arms up. “Begin!”

“She’s dramatic...”Kaytlyn laughed to her sister.

Janine turned to her Torchic. “Alright, Pollo! I choose you!” The Torchic jumped up to their battlefield, hopping a bit in excitement.

“Galvantula, let’s go!”

“Bug-Type Pokemon are weak against Fire-Type moves.” Kayla pointed out. “What is he doing?”

“He must have something up his sleeve, he looks totally overconfident,” Kaytlyn whispered back.

“Alright! Pollo use Ember!” Janine threw her hand out. The Torchic was quick to respond and released a barrage small flames at the Galvantula.

“Counter with Electro Ball!” The Galvantula created an orb of electricity and flung it straight at Torchic’s attack, nullifying it in a cloud of dark smoke. “Again!” Another Electro Ball cut through the smoke, heading straight for the Fire-Type.

“That was so quick!” Kaytlyn gaped. “Galvantula didn’t need any recovery time!”

“Pollo! Dodge!” Pollo jumped high in the air to avoid Galvantula’s attack. Kaytlyn narrowed her eyes when Daniel made a smug sound.

“Now! String Shot!” Galvantula shot a sticky web at Torchic from its mouth, trapping the Pokemon in its grasp.

“Pollo! Get out of there!” Torchic began to struggle to find a way out but only seemed to be making the web worse. “Pollo, stop!” Janine called out in desperation.

“They were anticipating Torchic’s dodge!” Kayla exclaimed. “How did he know where Torchic would go?”

“This isn’t the first time he’s used that strategy, it was too practiced.” Kaytlyn replied. “Now it’s a question of Janine’s ability to get Torchic out of that web.”

“Now! Fling it!” Galvantula pulled on the web connected to Torchic, basically supplexing the Pokemon against the hard wood of the dock. Torchic winced in pain when he made contact but still forced itself up. Janine scrunched up her eyebrows in concentration and forced herself to think.

“Pollo can’t use and close-range moves because of that web, so her only options are Ember and Flame Burst.” Kaytlyn crossed her arms. Sure enough, Janine made the same judgement.

“Pollo! Use Flame Burst!” Janine shouted, and Torchic followed in suit, throwing a ball of fire at the spider.

“Dodge!” Galvantula easily moved away, avoiding the fire easily and pulling Pollo along with it. Janine’s eyes widened in realization.

“Pollo! Keep going! Use as many Flame Bursts as you can!” She shouted. The Torchic continued sending balls of fire while Galvantula continued to move out of the way.

“Galvantula will just dodge the Flame Bursts, so what’s the point?” Kayla asked. Kaytlyn narrowed her eyes in similar confusion before finally realizing Janine’s strategy.

“Flame Burst causes splash damage, and she’s using that damage to hit the web!” She called out. Sure enough, the web caught fire and began to burn down the Sting Shot, freeing the Torchic from its sticky prison.

“So you got out of the web. Figures you’d find a way out.” Daniel said in slight disappointment as his strategy failed. “Use Electro Ball again!” Pollo jumped up to dodge the ball, but Janine saw Daniel’s next move coming from a mile away.

“Use Ember!” She yelled. Pollo’s ember made direct contact with another String Shot, completely destroying it and heading through to Galvantula.

“Galvantula, no!”

“Alright! Galvantula was hit with double because of its’ type disadvantage!” Kayla cheered from the sidelines. Daniel suddenly froze and went rushing to the railings as he pulled on the rod with all his strength. The trainers watched silently as Daniel frantically pulled on his fishing rod.

“I couldn’t even hear that…” Kayla muttered. Daniel pulled the Pokemon up only to find that it was a plain Magikarp. He groaned in disappointment and threw the Pokemon back harshly.

Astrid, still standing in her place, began to speak.

“Uh, it’s a...draw? I think? You guys never really finished…” She mumbled.

“Daniel, I don’t mean to concern you, but you’re like, really behind on your badges.” Kayla pointed out. “Janine started around last week and she’s getting her first badge tomorrow.”

“I don’t mean to make this sound harsh but, maybe you should give up on finding a shiny Magikarp,” Janine said. Daniel sighed and pushed himself away from the railing.

“It seems like a waste if I don’t find that Magikarp, though,” Daniel said. “I’ve been here for a good portion of my journey so I might as well stay.” He shrugged, Janine was about to chew him out when Astrid’s shout caught her attention.

“Hey, is that Romeo?” Astrid gestured beyond the dock to a figure on Jet Ski chasing a motorboat. “What is this an action movie?” She muttered.

“I think he’s literally chasing down the delinquents,” Kaytlyn muttered from next to her, squinting. Janine leaned close to the edge of the railing trying to get a good look at what was going on.

“This is normal. From what I see, the delinquents cause trouble nearly every week. But they usually can’t afford a motorboat…” He narrowed his eyes. Heavy wailing drew their attention and the group turned to see Officer Jenny on the beach, following the chase on her motorcycle.

“And the police don’t usually get involved,” He continued. “They usually leave it to Romeo to take care of the delinquents.”

“We probably shouldn’t get involved,” Kayla began, but she looked unsure as her companions seemed to have a spark of curiosity in their eyes. “But we will anyway because you’ve all got hero complexes the size of a Wailord…” By the time she had finished her mutterings, Janine, Kaytlyn, and Daniel had gone rushing off the dock with their Pokemon, Astrid only lagging behind to drag Kayla along.

Officer Jenny was staring out at the ocean with her binoculars, her Growlithe loyally sitting next to her.

“Officer Jenny! What’s going on?” Kaytlyn asked. The older woman looked at them and recognized them as trainers before explaining.

“Our Gym Leader, Romeo, was dealing with a call on a group of rude, troublemaking civilians, but it turns out it was actually about Pokemon poachers and not the city’s usual delinquents.”

“Pokemon poachers?” Kaytlyn asked. Jenny nodded.

“The waters here in Mistdrive are protected since it’s been recognized that we have flourishing oceanic life. This, unfortunately, attracts poachers who want to capture the many Pokemon who live here.” She continued to look out her binoculars.

“Shouldn’t we do something?” Janine asked, beginning to feel antsy as the chase continued. Jenny shook her head.

“Romeo can handle this much. Right now my job is to keep civilians from interfering! So,” Jenny pulled a megaphone from the motorcycle. “This is the Mistdrive City Police Department! Everyone get out of the water!” Officer Jenny continued to repeat the phrase while other officers attempted to keep crowds away.

“Pokemon poachers?” Astrid murmured over to Kayla. The girl shrugged. The Speedboat came closer to the shore, getting dangerously close to some swimmers still in the water. Romeo seemed resolved to stop the boat first. He pulled out a Pokeball and threw it out in front of him.

“Frillish let’s go!” A pink jellyfish-looking pokemon popped out and floated above the water.

“A Frillish!” Astrid scrambled for her Dex and frantically scanned the Pokemon.

“Frillish, The Floating Pokemon. This Pokemon has distinct male and female forms. If its veil-like arms stun and wrap a foe, that foe will be dragged miles below the surface, never to return.”

“But it looks so pink and happy…” Kayla mumbled, clearly concerned with the disparity between the Pokedex entry and the Pokemon’s appearance.

“Frillish! Use Ice Beam on the propellers!” Romeo pointed and Frillish floated in front of him, and opened its mouth, forming a light blue ball. Light blue beams shot out and hit the propeller of the boat, freezing it completely. The boat shuddered to a stop and smoke began to erupt from where Janine assumed the engine was. Whoever was on the boat seemed to panic and jumped overboard, swimming to the shore where Officer Jenny was waiting with handcuffs.

Romeo returned to the shore, abandoning the jet ski when he reached shallow waters, instead choosing to walk back to the beach. Kaytlyn faintly heard a number of girls shriek at his appearance. She shrugged, unable to see the appeal of bishounen boys. Some police officers took several trips to the boat, returning with a variety of Pokemon, one in particular caught her eye and she kicked Daniel’s shin to grab his attention.

“Arceus, what’s wrong-”

“Shut up and look!”

There, flopping in a net was a golden Magikarp.

“It was being poached?” Astrid said incredulously.

“Can’t we just like, take it?” Kaytlyn asked.

“No way, dude! The authorities are involved, we gotta ask for permission.” Astrid said, “It’ll probably take a good bit of convincing…”

Janine glanced at her longtime friend who was staring at the shiny Magikarp with something akin to wonder. She grabbed Astrid and Kayla’s wrists and pushed her way through the crowd to Officer Jenny.

“Officer Jenny, what’s going to happen to these Pokemon?” Janine asked, feigning interest.

“Well, they’ll first be sent to the aquarium for rehabilitation, and then if they’re healthy enough, they’ll be set free,” she explained. She followed Janine’s line of sight to the flopping Magikarp. “In the case of shinies, we can’t return them to the ocean in good conscience.”

“What do you mean?” Janine asked. Officer Jenny sighed and prepared to explain, but Astrid beat her to it.

“Shiny Pokemon are considered rare because there are so few of them in the world. But that’s because their unnatural coloration makes them more visible to predators. Releasing any shiny into the wild would be the same as leaving it for dead. Unless the shiny is a predator itself but..” Astrid trailed off her monologue in a series of mumbles.

“She’s right. So we’ll likely be sending this Magikarp to the aquarium, but we won’t be releasing him.” Officer Jenny responded kindly and turned away. Janine nudged Astrid and she caught on quickly.

“Oh! Officer Jenny!” Astrid called her attention again. “Would a trainer be able to take in one of these Pokemon? I mean no disrespect, but I think that it would be better if these Pokemon were given to trainers who could really take care of them!” Officer Jenny sighed.

“Normally I would agree, but we can’t just find trainers for all these Pokemon, and some of them might actually want to be returned to the wild.” She gestured to a Horsea that was whinnying sadly.

“What about just one?” Janine pointed her thumb over to the Magikarp flopping on the sand. Officer Jenny looked unsurprised at this. “That Magikarp is shiny, so you can’t release it right? So why not let a trainer catch it? I mean, we could at least give Magikarp the option to choose.” She finished nervously. The Officer eyed the Pokemon wearily.

“The aquarium doesn’t have any Magikarp.” Kayla added, “I mean Magikarp are common! They don’t exactly have a Magikarp exhibit. There would be no reason to keep it other than the fact that it’s shiny. He wouldn’t be able to find a school, and therefore would be unable to rehabilitate properly.” At least now Jenny thought they were well-versed in Pokemon Rehabilitation.

“I suppose you’re right,” Jenny admitted. “You can take the Magikarp.” She assented. Astrid gave Janine a hi-five. “But! Only if you have Nurse Joy take a look at it at the centre. So which one of you will be taking Magikarp?”

“None of us!” Janine beamed. “Daniel!” She called her friend over and explained the situation.

“So I can take Magikarp?” Daniel asked Officer Jenny. She sighed in exasperation.

“Yes, you can! Now get out of here! You’re loitering at the scene of a crime!” She nearly yelled. Daniel picked up the flopping fish and bumped a Pokeball to its forehead, capturing it in three binging sounds and one click.

~*~*~*~*~

After Daniel had captured his Magikarp, Romeo had walked up to their little group.

“Well, now that the poaching problem is over, I can finally get back to my Gym Battles!” Romeo said, stretching his arms out. “Tomorrow you’ll be facing me in battle, so I hope you’ve trained hard!”

Janine and Kaytlyn nodded and Romeo gave an excited smile. “Then I look forward to it! Till then!” And he ran off without another glance.

“So what will you be doing now?” Kayla asked.

“Continue my journey, of course! Now that I have my Magikarp, I can move forward!”

“Will you stay to watch me and Kaytlyn’s gym battles?” Janine asked.

“The next gym is in Silkgem Town, and that’s pretty far. I’ll be leaving as soon as Nurse Joy is done with Magikarp. So I won’t be there to see your battle.” He said apologetically. Janine nodded in slight disappointment.

“We technically didn’t finish our battle.” Janine pointed out. “Next time we meet I’ll absolutely destroy your team.”

“Arceus, you’ve gotten aggressive.”

“That’s a good thing, actually.” Kayla piped up. Astrid nodded in agreement. Daniel laughed and offered Janine’s friends fistbumps.

“Be careful!” Janine yelled at Daniel’s retreating figure. “And call your mom! She keeps calling me!” He gave her a thumbs up without turning around, causing the group to laugh.

When he was finally out of eyesight she turned to Kaytlyn.

“Let’s train.”