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taeyongdoyoung · 3 years

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summary: months after your escape from the faerie kingdom, strange accidents start following your unfortunate dates. so, the only solution you can come up with is returning to the source of those dangers...well, sources

pairing: demon/hades!hyunjin x witch/persephone!reader x faerie king!felix

genre: angst, smut, fantasy, a hint of fluff

warnings: near-death experiences, some swearing, guilt, vengeful lands, bad hell puns, punishment kink (?), choking, manhandling, finger-sucking, wings kink (dont come @ me), blowjob, unprotected sex, heartfelt apologies, handjob, light bondage (with a necktie), brat-taming, nipple-sucking, biting, fingering, braids kink (i’m unhinged, i know), confessions, trust issues resolved

author’s note: hello again, everyone! i wasn’t really satisfied with the open ending of fool me twice so i decided to write a part two (finale) and give this story the closure it deserves! that is not to say fool me twice cannot exist as a stand-alone...anyways, without further ado, i hope yall enjoy it ❤️

word count: 4.7k

I gave you my heart But the very next day you gave it away... Once bitten and twice shy I keep my distance, but you still catch my eye

You were happy for the next couple of months since you escaped the faerie kingdom. Happier than you had been in a while. As you had promised Jisung, the whole world recognized his talent soon enough. And not because of any magic or a deal, but because he was truly a hard-working, precious human. Your brother even found a loving boyfriend in the face of his dance instructor Minho. You were extremely happy for them. You were. And it’s not like anything was missing from your life. Not like you missed two very peculiar creatures. You really didn’t.

And as if to prove yourself right, you started dating again. And things were going great. But only at the beginning...Your first date was with the wonderful Seungmin. Jisung’s boyfriend had introduced him to you. He was a fellow singer like them. And it was all fine, you were having a lovely conversation in a beautiful park. Until random golden vines started wrapping around poor Seungmin’s feet really tightly! You had barely managed to get him out alive by using a bit of your magic in the most inconspicuous way possible. Unfortunately, you had to break things off with Seungmin for his own good. You had heard rumours that vicious vines were the faerie king’s forte and you wanted to protect the sweet guy. Even if it meant never seeing him again...

Your second date Chan was really funny and had the best smile. You had met him at a local restaurant and couldn’t resist the urge to chat with him. You two were hiking peacefully one time and even made it into a gorgeous cave. No sooner had you dared to hold Chan’s hand when a pack of black-winged bats attacked him! You somehow succeeded in getting him out of there and to your utter disappointment, you decided you couldn’t risk the life of a pure soul who didn’t expect your dark past. Suspiciously enough, the bats reminded you of a certain demon’s black wings...

Your third date with Changbin was even more disastrous. You were at his house, watching a horror movie and snuggling into his strong arms when out of nowhere, a fire erupted! It was really strange because the stove wasn’t even on. Changbin could have died and you were feeling so bad that you decided you had to put an end to dating. Regretfully, you cut things off with him, as well. It was for the better, you kept telling yourself. But it hurt, nonetheless.

Needless to say, your happiness didn’t last long. Standing in front of the burned house, you began connecting the dots. Fire was associated with hell. Black-winged bats and golden vines certainly evoked memories of Hyunjin and Felix. Such cruel accidents could not be a coincidence. You refused to believe yourself cursed. So, that could only mean one thing. You had to confront them. Feeling immensely desperate by what happened and guilty for unconsciously putting these poor humans’ lives in danger, you started playing with the silver ring Hyunjin had given you. Call it sentimentality or being overly cautious (because of his warning you’d eventually have to return to their worlds), you had still kept it.

Taking a deep breath, you did the unthinkable and rubbed it three times. You wouldn’t be surprised if he didn’t bother showing up after the way you’d stolen half of his heart. In a way, you deserved the silent treatment. And for a couple of minutes, there was just that. Complete silence. Just as you were about to scream angrily into nothingness, you heard it. The faintest flutter of feathers, the shuffle of air. You felt his presence like a part of you had been ripped and had been just returned to you. But you saw nothing. Slowly, you turned around, half-expecting to find no one there.

But there he was, in the flesh. Standing like a marble statue, made of silver flames and ocean waves. Completely disregarding how you broke things off, your feet seemed to have a mind of their own as you ran towards him, collapsing into his chest.

“You came,” you sobbed, the sound muffled.

“You called,” Hyunjin replied and stroked the back of your head softly.

“You were right and I was foolish to think I could survive without you,” you admitted reluctantly, looking up into his dark eyes.

“Did the fire finally change your mind? Vines and bats weren’t enough for you?” he teased you.

“You’ve been keeping tabs on me?”

“I’m your guardian angel, remember?” Hyunjin chuckled, playfully flicking your nose, at which you pouted.

“So, what now? If I want these deadly accidents to stop happening and threatening innocent humans, I have to go with you to the underworld?”

“For starters,” he shrugged. “I suggest one week at my place and one at Lixie’s. Balance is of the essence. You can go back to Earth, of course. But not for too long or the accidents will resume.”

“Was that a threat?” you scoffed. “Why can’t you just stop them from happening?”

“Because I’m not the one doing them. Neither is Felix. It’s the magic of the lands themselves.”

You nodded in understanding. You could tell Hyunjin was telling you the truth.

“Very well, then,” you sighed. “Take me to the other side.”

“Aren’t you going to say goodbye to your brother? And that boyfriend of his?”

“I hate goodbyes,” you said miserably. “Besides, you said I can go back to Earth in two weeks. Just...take me.”

“As you wish, my queen.”

“Wait, what?” you whispered in confusion but before you could receive a response from Hyunjin, he had already teleported you to the underworld. The second you arrived, he kissed you passionately, not giving you a chance to argue. He had really missed you, huh?

“What did you mean by saying my queen?” you asked, eventually interrupting the kiss.

“Did you seriously think I was just some ordinary demon messing around? Im the king of the underworld,” Hyunjin smirked.

“Holy fuck...Why is the sound of these words coming out of your lips so...hot?”

“Maybe because we’re in hell, sweetcheeks.”

You couldn’t prevent the giggle leaving your mouth.

“Damn it, I should have come here a long time ago,” you joked, marvelling at the beauty of the black marble floors, the silver chandeliers and the gorgeous fireplace a couple of feet away.

“Tsk, tsk, who knew you were such an opportunist?” Hyunjin scolded you.

“I’m incorrigible, I know,” you rolled your eyes. “Why don’t you teach me a lesson? Correct my improper behaviour?”

“Don’t give me such ideas,” he hissed and maybe you were a fool but you desired him so badly you were willing to do anything just to have him touch you again.

“Please, my king,” you begged him hopelessly. And Hyunjin found it impossible to resist you, crashing his lips into yours in another breathtaking kiss. His hand wrapped around your neck, giving it the slightest bit of pressure and causing you to moan into his mouth.

“H-harder,” you whined.

“You’re crazy,” Hyunjin shook his head.

“Only for you,” you grinned. And then, he did as you asked, squeezing more tightly. Despite that, you didn’t break eye contact with him.

“You’re driving me insane,” he groaned. “Do you have any idea how difficult it was for me without you? It felt like being torn apart. I fucking hated every second of it.”

Pushing you roughly onto his bed, covered with black sheets (fitting for the king of the underworld), you didn’t say a word because you were far too preoccupied with the need to taste him. Taking his fingers into your mouth, you began sucking them eagerly, as if to prove yourself worthy of him. Your mind was about to have a funny thought: you were definitely going to hell for this. Until it hit you. You were already in it.

Right on cue, Hyunjin’s black wings rose in the air. You wondered if there was any correlation between your actions and the movement of his feathers. You wondered if your lips wrapped around his long fingers were turning him on. As if to test your theory, you extended your hand to stroke his beautiful wings. God, you’d missed how soft they felt against your touch.

“Don’t tease,” he grunted with effort.

“You like this!” you exclaimed in amazement, letting his fingers leave your mouth. “You like it when I touch your wings.”

“Shut up,” Hyunjin said and it was such a rare occurence to see him so angry that you couldn’t help but feel aroused by it. And ambitious to rile him up even more.

“Make me,” you smiled, perfect innocence masking your features.

Hyunjin in the faerie kingdom would have laughed at such a statement playfully and maybe even tickled you. But Hyunjin in the underworld was not in the mood for games. After all, he was on his own territory. And any challenge against his supreme power was an offence that couldn’t go unpunished. So when he took off his pants and forced his way into your mouth, you could swear you’d never been wetter. Little did he know that his “punishment” was bringing you so much pleasure. As you sucked onto him for dear life, a part of you wished you hadn’t wasted so much time going on unsuccessful dates with humans when you could have had this all along. Coming inside you with a loud roar, you felt increasingly incredibly attracted to Hyunjin.

In the aftermath of your activities, you were happily surprised that Hyunjin allowed you to touch his wings again. You were more careful this time, not at all intending to turn him on, but rather comfort him and help him relax.

“Hyun...” you started. “I’m really sorry for...you know. For leaving like that.”

“Don’t be,” he replied calmly. “Anyone would have done the same thing after the way we lied to you.”

“I don’t want to be just anyone to you,” you sighed, kissing his chest tenderly. “And besides, you two saved my life. I feel like an ungrateful, soulless bitch.”

“You’re really not. I admit, having half-demon and half-faerie heart can make you a bit desensitized. But you’re still...you. I mean, if you weren’t yourself, you wouldn’t have called me. Just to make sure those humans wouldn’t suffer. Soulless beings don’t have a conscience. And you obviously do.”

“I really appreciate you saying that. It might take some time for me to truly believe that but...I just wanted you to know how sorry I am, Hyunjin.”

“Are you just saying that ‘cause you’re impressed by my kingdom and its riches?”

You punched his shoulder lightly.

“Hey! I’m not like that!” you complained. “Though I gotta admit, being the queen of the underworld does sound hella tempting. Pun-intended, of course.”

“You’re cute,” Hyunjin chuckled. “And I hate to break it to you but it’s not all sunshine and rainbows down here.”

“Didn’t expect it to be. In any case, I’m here now. So it would be my honour if you showed me all there is to know about the underworld. I’m a quick study.”

“That, I can tell.”

The next week passed in perfect bliss with Hyunjin teaching you the rules of his kingdom. You were beginning to get to know him better and you were very pleased by how easy it was to go back into the same old routine you two had established. However, when it was time to pay a visit to the faerie world, you were feeling more anxious than ever. You weren’t sure how Felix would react to your miraculous return. And though Hyunjin had mentally prepared his boyfriend for it, you couldn’t help but worry.

Once you entered the faerie kingdom, you realized how completely unprepared you were for this. While Hyunjin’s reaction was mostly (excluding the angry sex) positive and warm (king of hell pros), Felix’s was pure ice. When met with his cold gaze, you felt shivers running down your spine.

“Oh, look who decided to grace us with her unwelcome presence,” were his first words. “I would say it’s a pleasure, but you know faeries can’t really lie.”

“Really?” you scoffed. His frustration was making you frustrated, as well. “You know, I could say the same. Maybe faeries can’t lie but they are certainly great at tricking people and deceiving them about their true intentions, making me into a fool!”

“We only did that because we were too entranced by you to let you go,” Felix explained passionately.

“I suppose I should be flattered,” you cackled. “Two immortal kings...boyfriends, at that, thirsting after me.”

“You should be,” Felix whispered, his deep voice affecting you more than it should have. “It’s not a common occurrence. But I still can’t trust you after that stunt you pulled.”

“Good. Because I can’t trust you, either,” you admitted and kissed him angrily, the fingers on your right hand gripping his golden braids, your teeth biting his lower lips and the nails on your left hand scratching the back of his neck fiercely. “You know, on Earth we have a saying...once bitten, twice shy.”

“Is that you asking me to bite you in order to make you weak for me? Because I’m not entirely opposed to the idea,” Felix hissed, the promise of something like that exciting you to no end.

“Nooo, though I can’t reject that offer,” you giggled, slapping his chest playfully. “You faeries and that problem with literalness. The saying means that if you were hurt once when doing something, you’re inclined to be more careful when you’re doing it the second time.”

“Does it refer to us?” he asked.

“Exactly my point,” you confirmed.

“So, what you’re saying is...I should be careful around you. So as to not get hurt again.”

“Look at you, interpreting human sayings like a champ,” you praised him fondly. “It could also mean the opposite, though. That I should be more careful around you, Felix.”

“But if we’re just tiptoeing around each other for eternity, we’ll never learn how to trust one another,” he reasoned. “One of us has got to make the first step. Eventually.”

“I agree. But let’s take it slow and see how this goes, okay?” you kissed him again, eager to prove him your willingness to give this a try. “Even if we don’t trust each other fully, that doesn’t have to stop us from having fun, right?”

“I love it when you read my mind,” Felix moaned into your mouth. Your sneaked a determined hand inside his pants and wrapped it around his half-hard length.

“This all for me?” you teased.

“Don’t be a brat,” he complained, grabbing your hand and urging you to move faster.

“As you wish, Your Majesty,” you curtseyed jokingly and focused on pleasuring him properly until he came all over your fingers.

“You’re a menace to the supernatural society,” Felix groaned and started removing his necktie in an uncharacteristically animalistic way. Growing weak in the knees, you couldn’t help but ask:

“What are you going to do with that?”

“I’m going to make sure you stop being a brat,” he threatened and pulled your hands behind your back, using his tie to bind them as tightly possible. Feeling helpless and completely at his mercy, you sensed his mouth wrapping around your nipples, sucking on them lightly. With each whine on your behalf, Felix’s actions became more savage, occasionally biting your skin.

“Lix, I can’t take it anymore,” you begged for something, anything, the wetness between your thighs growing uncomfortable.

Finally taking pity on you, Felix stuck his fingers inside your heat, giving you the release you had been aching for. Once he was done tormenting you, you couldn’t stop yourself from asking him for another favour:

“Please, untie me, I want to play with your hair,” you confessed.

Doing as you wished, you were quite unhappy when he said you should go. No, unhappy was an understatement. You were extremely upset.

“Lix, I want you to know that I’m really sorry for leaving,” you expressed honestly, feeling the need to have a serious conversation with him.

“You think I’m mad at you?” Felix furrowed his brows in confusion. “I’m the one who should be sorry for playing with your heart the way I did. For making you believe your brother was in danger. Just because I was too much of a coward to ask you to stay without any deals involved.”

Your eyes began watering with emotion. Did he really think he should apologize?

“Despite all that, I regret leaving you and I had to tell you that. You and Hyunjin literally ripped your hearts out to save my life and how I treated you after that is unforgivable.”

“Well, I think you deserve a second chance,” Felix smiled softly.

“So, how about we both give each other a second chance?” you suggested, warming up more and more by the second.

“I’d like that very much,” the faerie king admitted.

“Can I play with your hair now?” you begged with a pout.

“Why is it so important to you?” Felix laughed but let you do as you pleased, closing his eyes under your touch.

“Dunno. Just think it’s pretty. You’re pretty,” you mumbled, running your fingers through his golden braids.

“You know, I think this is the first time you’ve ever complimented me.”

“R-really?” you stammered. “I wonder why. You are devastatingly stunning.”

“Staaahp,” Felix groaned, embarrassment painting his cheeks pink.

“Aww, is the almighty faerie king feeling shy?” you traced a finger across his cute freckles.

“Do you need a reminder who was the one bitten shy?” his eyes snapped wide open. You appreciated his effort to remember the saying.

“So adorable,” you mumbled under your nose.

“Care to repeat that?”

You shook your head but your thoughts remained unchanged. Why did it take you so long to notice faeries were not just bad? You had been so blinded by fear for your brother that you had ignored all the positive qualities Felix had. But never again.

Days turned into weeks. Weeks into months. And before you could figure out how, you had established a routine that worked best for everyone. (And kept innocent, unsuspecting humans safe). One week in the underworld, one week in the faerie kingdom and one back on Earth with your brother. During one of your conversations with him, Jisung had asked you to be extremely cautious and you had promised him you knew what you were doing. You were no longer the clueless, naive girl you were a year ago. And besides, this time Jisung was free and happily making music, as well as travelling the world with his boyfriend Minho. You were not obligated by any deals. You simply wanted to spend your days (and nights...) with Hyunjin and Felix. And even though Jisung was a bit worried at first, he could also tell that you were smiling more than ever before. And he had to admit, it was nice to see you glowing.

One evening, as you were having dinner with Hyunjin in the underworld, you suddenly wanted to ask him something that had been on your mind for a while.

“How did you meet Felix?”

Hyunjin’s eyes sparked with interest at the sudden inquiry, but he responded, nonetheless.

“It’s a long story,” he smiled fondly.

“We have all night,” you blinked curiously.

“Very well, then,” and so, Hyunjin began telling the story: “Once upon a time, there were two lonely princes. One knew he was supposed to inherit the underworld. The other - the faerie land. Both were eager to have a friend, anyone who could relate to the pressures of their future tasks. Until the faerie prince, mischievous as he was, started going on secret adventures, looking for other worlds. He was sick and tired of playing with the other faeries. He wanted something new, more exciting. The more he looked, the harder it was to find a kindred soul. Usually, he would end up in worlds that were even more boring to him than the faerie kingdom. Until one day, he discovered a purple portal that led him to the underworld. Shocked by the unfamiliar intruder, the prince of hell challenged him to a duel. The two princes fought until they were out of breath but for some reason none of them had any murderous intentions. Since they were both skilled in politics, they knew that killing a stranger would result in an unwelcome conflict. Eventually, the two princes dropped their swords and started talking. Soon enough, they discovered how much they common they had. How much they were both struggling with the expectations everyone had of them. At one point, the lonely prince of the underworld asked the faerie prince if he’ll come again. And he did. In fact, he kept coming. It took them a couple of centuries to turn from friends into lovers. Really stupid princes, if you ask me.”

Upon hearing the story of Hyunjin and Felix’s relationship, you were overwhelmed by a strange feeling that terrified you immensely. But you knew you would have to deal with it sooner or later. Your bets were on the former.

“Randomly finding a portal to the underworld does sound like Felix,” you chuckled lightly.

“He really cares about you, you know? As do I...” Hyunjin confessed, looking directly into your eyes. It was as if he was piercing into your soul. And honestly? You didn’t mind it one bit. That scared you. But you also welcomed that feeling.

Shocked speechless by his words, you needed a moment to gather your own thoughts. When you were finally ready, you spoke again.

“Hyunjin...I’ve been meaning to say this for a while and I know I’ll regret it if I don’t say it now...I love you so much. And I’m beyond grateful you gave me a second chance. Even though I probably didn’t deserve-”

“Y/N, stop. Of course you deserved it. We were the ones who deceived you. It was only fair you wanted to get away from us.”

“Still. You gave me half your hearts to save my miserable life,” you cried out. “And I betrayed you.”

“Enough of that,” Hyunjin waved you off. “It’s all in the past. Now please go back to the part about how much you love me.”

“I do,” you repeated. “So strongly. And I also love Felix.”

“Why don’t you go and tell him that yourself?” Hyunjin suggested.

“But my week in the underworld isn’t over yet.”

“I can find a way around that. Now go!” he urged you excitedly. “You can use the secret portal Felix found. I trust you with it.”

“Thank you, Hyun!” you kissed him quickly.

“It’s not a problem, my dear girl. Oh and before you go. I love you, too.”

Your heart (or, you guessed it was only right to say half his heart) began beating more rapidly than ever.

“I know,” you smirked teasingly before entering the purple portal.

Once you had landed in the faerie world, the first place you went to was the throne room. When you couldn’t find Felix there, you decided to check his private chambers. However, to no avail. Unable to locate the king in the grand hall, as well, you started worrying. You had no choice but to ask around, begging the faeries for help. When they informed you he went to the underworld to talk to Hyunjin and you, you shook your head in disbelief. You had just left the underworld to talk to him. And remembering how time passed differently down here...meant he was most likely there for a longer time than you were.

Returning to the underworld through the purple portal, you finally found him. The sight of Felix sobbing in Hyunjin’s arms broke your heart (well, half Felix’s heart, probably). Hyunjin was doing his best to comfort his boyfriend, his black wings wrapped around Felix’s back. Before you could announce your presence, you accidentally overheard part of their conversation.

“I really hurt her, Jinnie, didn’t I? And I’m afraid it is too late to fix things...” Felix cried out.

“Lixie, it’s probably not my place to say this but...Y/N might have feelings for you,” Hyunjin whispered.

“It’s true,” you finally spoke, causing them to turn around. “I do have feelings for you, Felix.”

“Hate feelings?” you could tell the faerie was joking, because he sounded a tad bit hopeful.

“No. Love feelings,” you explained.

“Oh.”

You hurried over towards them to hug them tightly. Possessed by a strange of wave of affection, you exclaimed:

“My beautiful soft boys. I love you both so much.”

“Hey, we’re dangerous immortal beings, not soft boys!” Felix pouted.

“Sure, Lix, whatever helps you sleep at night,” you couldn’t resist teasing them. Hyunjin squeezed your cheek tightly as if to remind you who’s really in charge.

“For the record, I love you, too,” Felix replied.

“Of course you do, I’m awesome,” you winked.

“And I’ve been meaning to tell you something,” the faerie continued. Hyunjin gave him a proud smile. “You remember what we talked about a year ago? That in order to trust each other, someone has to take a leap of faith?”

“I’m impressed by your vocabulary, but go on.”

“I wanted to show you that I trust you, instead of just saying it. And I couldn’t think of a better way than to tell you my real name.”

“You don’t have to do this,” you mumbled, honoured by the thoughtful gesture. Even if he didn’t tell you his name, the mere fact he was ready to share this piece of valuable information touched you deeply.

“I know. But I want to,” Felix reassured you. “Hyunjin already knows my name so I’m not going to bother kicking him out.”

“It’s literally my kingdom and my room, but go off, I guess,” Hyunjin rolled his eyes playfully.

“It’s Yongbok.”

“Wow. You really do trust me, huh?” you were in awe.

“Don’t push it,” Felix warned.

“I can confirm that’s his name, by the way.”

“You guysss,” you whined. “I really appreciate it. And to prove how much I care about you two and I would never abuse your trust, I’m willing to sign a blood oath that I solemnly swear I won’t use your name against you.”

“Is this really necessary? I mean, technically, you carry half our hearts. What differences would a blood oath make?” Hyunjin intervened.

“Oh, it’s necessary, alright,” Felix grinned. “But not in the way you expect it to be.”

And with that, Felix bit your neck, drawing a tiny trickle of blood.

“Gross,” Hyunjin complained. “But also kinda hot and I wanna join.”

And then, he also bit your neck! You were beginning to question their identities. Were they really a faerie and a demon or bloody vampires?!

“Twice bitten, once shy, was it?” Felix teased.

You shook your head, not even bothering to correct him. You would gladly be bitten by them a hundred times if it meant spending eternity in their loving arms...

Ever since you remembered, your parents always warned you against faeries. Theirs was not only a different kind of magic, but it was also a dangerous type of magic. So unpredictable that it could make you do things you didn’t want to do. Making your mind foggy, your eyes blind and your heart...well, not truly your own. Making you question reality itself. Do I really want to do this or am I simply doing it because they want me to? That’s what you had been taught. And that’s what you used to believe.

And indeed, faeries were treacherous (demons, too, sometimes). But what your parents were wrong about, what the stories had forgotten to tell you was that both faeries and demons alike could also be selfless. Selfless enough to risk their own hearts to save you. They could be kind. Kind enough to forgive you for leaving. They could be honest. Honest enough to tell you their real names, show you their real selves. And full of light. So much light, silver and gold, made of stars and magic, of black-feathered wings and brown freckles, of smiles and memories, full of life.

Last time you had been so terrified of their unfamiliar worlds, so scared of the unknown, of catching feelings, of being vulnerable that you had been so eager, too eager, perhaps, to run away. But this time, you were willing to stay.

The End

#stray kids #felix #hyunjin #stray kids smut #felix smut #hyunjin smut #stray kids angst #felix x reader #hyunjin x reader #hyunlix #skz fic #lee felix #hwang hyunjin #writing

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notnctu · 3 years

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when the snow falls | j.jh

jung jaehyun x reader genre - angst first, fluff later details - childhood best friends!au, ghost!au, platonic relationship, genderneutral!reader, ft. boyfriend johnny warnings - grieving/mourning, mentions of death, lots of crying, explicit language (swearing) word count - 8.3k inspiration - A Christmas Carol synopsis - Jaehyun visits you every holiday season since his death to bring you out of your self isolation and hatred for the one season you both once loved.

a/n - this is for my first collab ever: a taste of winter collab hosted by @dearyongs & @pastelsicheng ! again, thank you for letting me participate and i hope this fic brings more warmth for everyone during the winter!! happy holidays everyone & i hope you can check out the rest of the fics in the collab as i will be, they’re written by such amazing writers! :)))

An iridescent frost covers the tall windows of the apartment and a bright white sky greets you this morning. The fallen sheets expose your bare shoulders to the bitter crisp cold air and goosebumps rise to remind you to wear a fucking sweater for once. However, the cold isn’t what bothers you this horrid day as you’re leaping out of bed to glance out at the world. It’s the first thing that you lay eyes on: it covers the streets, it’s falling from the blanket of grey sky, it’s others’ joy when it’s your trauma. What Mother Nature has brought upon this winter season, as she always does this time of the year, is snow.

The first sign of snowfall marks the first day of your self isolation period until the holidays pass. It marks the anniversary of your best friend’s death and an agonizingly long winter, but in spite of that, it also means the appearance of a rather special guest. A guest that is only visible to you and though resembles much of your passed friend, does not share the same memories as you do.

“The snow is just so comforting, isn’t it?” Though you live alone, a sudden voice erupts from behind you and has you turning rather quickly to face the truth of this season. Your greatest treasure, yet haunting demise. “Hello, y/n. How has your year been?” Jaehyun stands with a lean at your door frame, his arms crossed at his chest and hair full of fluff.

“Hello, Jaehyun’s spirit. I happen to hate the snow, if you have forgotten.” Your hip presses against the cold glass and you’re no longer afraid of being half naked in front of what this form of imagination possesses itself to be.

“Remind me why again.” Jaehyun casually sits on your unmade bed, looking as about your age now. There is a brief silence as you examine how he’s grown with you, you’d imagine this is how he’d look if he was still alive and well.

It would be his third year in college, same as you, possibly studying engineering due to his past fascination with the mechanics of roller coasters. With such a strong jawline and a definite lean built, girls would be running all over him. Not to mention, his dimples remain one of his charms.

Kicking off the icy window, you walk carefully and slowly up to Jaehyun. A hand reaches to caress his cheek, but it goes right through him and leaves your hand to hang in mid-air. This happens every time you see him again, wondering if you can get one last touch of his dewy complexion, and you simply can’t. Despite his ability to touch you, there is no possibility for your senses to travel through to the other side of the supernatural dimension.

Jaehyun gently rests your hand back to your side and repeats his request, “remind me again why you hate the snow.”

“It’s how you died.” A small croak gets caught in the back of your throat and tears well up to blur your vision. “So when the snow falls, it brings me back to the dreadful memory of me losing you, of you leaving me.”

“I died from snow? That is so lame.” Jaehyun grumbles and rolls his eyes.

You chuckle, but the tears roll down your cheeks as if they know no happiness. “You died from a car accident in the snow. Your tires slid, you couldn’t brake … and so, you crashed. Full trauma to the head, an instant death.”

“Where was I going?” He wasn’t this curious last winter, and so you’re unaware if it’s your mind playing sick tricks on you or if his unrest spirit is this forgetful. You wish it was the latter.

Choking on your tears, the droplets hit the hardwood floors below you. An overwhelming feeling of melancholy overtakes your chest and you’re suffocating underneath an unknown pressure. Your throat is drier than your mother’s gingerbread cookies, but you swallow the frigid air around you.

You’re so choked up by your sobbing that it’s too difficult to speak. Any words you say feel like thin ice, ready to crack at the lightest touch. “O-On the way to … my house. You were coming over to tell me a secret.”

“And I never got to tell you.”

“No, Jaehyun. I’ll never know what you wanted to tell me that day.”

when the snow falls.

There has never been a time before Jaehyun and all that you knew, all the memories that fill your brain, every growing pain you could possibly share, was with him and all until it wasn’t. Had there been a time after Jaehyun, you would not have expected it to come as soon as it did.

For the months following his death, you were in denial of his missing presence because every. single. thing. reminded you of him. Jaehyun remained in his assigned seat in school, although it was clearly empty. He lived through others’ mourning stories, where they spoke of fond memories that they shared and things he liked. The worst of them all, you still texted him every day in hopes to see the tiny three dots pop up that he was typing. And the warped reality in your head, the first stage of grief flooding every possible corner, was that he has always just been slow at replying back.

Then, his funeral rolled around and his parents asked you to share one happy memory of him. There were so many, how could you possibly have chosen just one? And so you didn’t. The moment the frame of the church entered your view, your legs stuck to the ground and refused to enter. There was going to be a point when you entered the building filled with crying people and a gripping, horrid smell of death and you wouldn’t be able to forget it. That scary thought, not only frightened you, but angered you.

The large attendance of people walked past you as teary eyes blinked up at the dark wooden frame of the door, but every one of them had never visited him for more than once when he was alive. His older cousins that had forgotten about him when they flew away for college, his acquaintances from piano lessons who never bothered to remember his full name, his old friends from primary school that he had lost connection with after graduation, they were all here.

And you can’t help, but fester a fueling frustration in the pit of your stomach and as it grew into your chest in the matter of seconds, you wondered the single thought that picked up your feet to run home: where were they when he was alive?

After a year and the appearance of Jaehyun’s ghost became less of a shock during winter, you were stuck in an odd and uneasy place of what if’s. Talking to him once a year was never enough, texting his old number was never enough. It was just never enough.

Missing him grew into a dark sense of yearning, longing, bargaining. Long nights of twisting and tossing in your bed, many thoughts and endless possibilities ran through your unhealthy thoughts. The description and police report of his accident played like a reel in darkest contemplations.

The first year of college had to be the hardest to go through without him and thus, aiding in your regrets of not cherishing him enough when he was around. A rabbit hole of universe paths drove you wild, wishing and hoping that you could turn back time and stop him from coming over in the middle of a blizzard. And the one lasting thought still haunts you to your present: if only you hadn’t encouraged him that night, he wouldn’t have died.

The saddest part has barely been acknowledged, even by yourself. That this one tragedy tainted the one holiday you two loved the most --- Christmas. Every year since his passing, you locked yourself in your room for two weeks before the holiday and waited through it all. Truthfully, there was nothing in the universe that was going to allow you to enjoy the holiday when it wasn’t with him. Even his ghost, who very randomly popped up on a December day and cluelessly never brings much comfort as the live him did during this season.

Jolly holiday music lost their joyous sound and became awfully low tempo. The bright red and green signature colors of Christmas became dull and rather grey; the long strings of colorful lights that hang from houses and around large trees were absolutely drained of their color. The warmth of the fireplace went cold. The cheesy Hallmark Christmas movies no longer entertained and lost their spark.

The Christmas themed decorations that covered the windows of shops, the city, your own house, became an overwhelming sore sight to look at. The love from your loved ones… you couldn’t feel anything remotely close to love anymore, just meaningless affection. The one gift that the Earth blessed your region with, snow, became the one petrifying thing that it had to offer. And your favoritism for the holiday, the so-called ‘Christmas Spirit’, slowly died out, along with Jaehyun.

Now that it’s been three years since his passing, you’re here spending your third lonely holiday season inside your apartment discussing your yearly recap with your ghostly best friend.

“That ridiculous final exam lowered my grade and I walked out of that class retaining none of the information. When will I ever need to know about pirates in the 1800’s?” The chocolate wrapper crinkles in your fist as you finish your overly passionate recollection of the most useless class you could have taken this whole year.

Jaehyun sits by your side, facing you as he hugs his knees close to his chest. A small grin dots the dimple on his left cheek when you peer over at the huddled boy and the sad reminiscent glisten in your eye does not go unnoticed. “You used to love pirates. Dressed up like one for Halloween and went up to every house yelling,” Jaehyun clears his throat and perks up, ready to perform.

A balled fist in the air, paired with a look of utter gusto and passion, Jaehyun speaks in an attempt to horribly reenact your once embarrassing pirate impression. “Argh! You scoundrel, give me all the treasures in your possession… preferably chocolate sweets.” He holds his stomach as he bursts into a fit of his baritone laughter. His wide mouth grows into such a big, open smile that his eyelashes dance on his glowing cheeks.

“For a ghost, you sure look like someone who’s very much alive.” Naturally, you’d swat lightly at his knee or arm whenever he would joke around. However, the pain of your hand passing right through him breaks this habit and you’re left scoffing at the way Jaehyun is consumed with laughter.

“You know, for someone who is alive… you sure look a bit … lifeless. When was the last time you were happy, y/n?” Jaehyun finally settles down and gently nudges at your elbow.

His question hits you like a wall of bricks. Unexpected and completely straightforward, but that’s just always been the way he is. “This past weekend when I turned in my last assignment for the semester.”

“No. The last time you were genuinely happy, not relieved. You mentioned a boyfriend, right?”

Rolling your eyes, you grow a bit silent and annoyed at his comment. “Listen, hopeless romantic. Not every relationship is perfect sunrays and gushy unconditional love.” Perhaps, your gaze drops down to your hands and the wrinkled wrapper between your fingers has worn out from your fidgeting.

Johnny Suh. If you could move mountains for this man, you would. It all started due to an accidental happenstance of you abruptly walking into your campus’ coffee shop to seek shelter from the rain and him, the attractive barista behind the counter, chasing after you in a stained apron and an immensely strong aroma of coffee beans. Jaehyun practically swooned over hearing how you two met, hearts in his pupils and a dreamy grin resting fondly as he attentively listened.

Jaehyun has always wanted a relationship, though he did have many admirers in high school, he never had the opportunity to experience one true love and to play out every sappy romantic thing rom-coms taught him. Hearing about your love life is the closest thing he can get to it, unfortunate for him, but fortunate that his best friend still has some romance in them.

Nevertheless, it’s only been a few months together. Though Johnny has seen intimate parts of you, he’s never experienced a winter with you and frankly, he won’t ever experience one with you if you keep this up.

“Johnny doesn’t make you happy, then why are you with him?” Jaehyun knows Johnny makes you feel something that is hard for you to put into words. He also knows the type of person you are, pushing your buttons to get you to defend something you love. Boldly. Loudly. Strongly. He knows how to get you to spit out words of truth, even when they’re difficult.

“My partner is the literal definition of happiness, okay?” The defensiveness drives your assertiveness further. “The last time I was happy was when…” your eyes are frantically examining the floor for any source of focus as a highlight reel of this whole year flashes through your mind.

“... On my birthday, he planned me a picnic. Bought me roses, the whole grand scheme of romance. I started to cry, out of happiness… it was the first time in a while that the reason behind my tears was something good.” There’s somewhat of an epiphany when you finish your sentence. Your voice gets lost in your train of thought as the blissful scene plays out.

“Why were you crying?” Jaehyun snatches the distracting wrapper from your fingers, it being unrecognizable from the wear and tear. It causes you to meet Jaehyun’s round eyes: empty, but not sad. They’re lost, yet filled with purpose.

Jaehyun has always been able to open up the darkest parts of your heart. “Because it reminded me of the time when you and I walked up that steep hill over on Fifth Street… and we forgot the picnic blanket. But it didn’t matter because after the strenuous journey, all we wanted was to sit down and enjoy some fucking sandwiches, along with some hot chocolate your mom packed us.”

“y/n, you cried over the memory of sandwiches and exercise? That’s so---”

“Before you insult me by calling me lame,” you bring your finger to stop him mid-way and narrow your eyes, “I was so happy to be able to share our same experience with someone else. Even though you’re gone, I can still have these happy moments with other people.”

Then, Jaehyun gathers both of your hands to hold and brings them to his soft lips. Everything about him feels cold, like a harsh chill that bites at your skin. In spite of it all, his delicate kiss on your knuckles somehow feel warm and slightly comforting. Jaehyun peers up with kind eyes, “you’re almost there. I will do everything I can to get you there.”

Blinking at him with confusion, your expression asks the questions for you. When he sets your hands in his lap, a soft pat on the back of your hand reassures you. “Can we bake Christmas cookies?”

Rolling your eyes, you tear your hands away from him. He leaves you with unspoken words and an oddly comforting feeling, but it’s not enough to dissipate your deeply rooted dislike for this particular holiday. “You ask this every year.” Getting up, you walk towards your bedroom to get away from feeling too vulnerable.

Jaehyun watches your back intently as you’re stumbling over your feet. He whispers to himself, “and I think this year is going to be the last year I’ll ask for it.” And a hopeful smile appears joyously as he anticipates the storm before reaching still waters.

The sound of the doorbell awakens you and Jaehyun is nowhere to be seen. He comes and goes as he wishes, however, he’d usually accompany you during the mornings. You’re particularly sluggish, finding it difficult to adjust to the blinding white sky outside as snow continues to drift upon the city.

“Good morning, gumdrop.” Your boyfriend is rather chirpy today. Johnny engulfs your fragile body in his long arms and you’re lost in his scent of peppermint bark.

“This was unexpected.” His shirt muffles your tiny voice and Johnny is setting down bags of groceries on your kitchen countertop.

“I texted you last night that I was coming over to do some grocery shopping for you. Did you sleep early?” Your very helpful boyfriend starts unloading all the parcels of fresh produce and your favorite snacks. However, there is a slight tinge of annoyance and possibly it’s due to the fact you weren’t expecting to see anyone during your isolation. Johnny couldn’t have known though.

A deep sigh escapes your lips and you walk over to stop his movements. A hand holds his arm and the other intertwines with his own, but you stand under him with the sweetest smile you could wear during the holiday season. “How is it that your mom invited me to your family holiday party, but tells me that you’re not going to be there?”

Your smile automatically falls from your lips and a hand retracts from his warmth. It’s the sudden truth that you must face, the confession of your sadness that you’ll eventually need to tell your partner. Wondering how he’s going to take the news, your mom probably gave him a brief breakdown about how you’ve been this way for the past few years now.

Nonetheless, Johnny has always been bold with his statements and though you’ve adjusted to his abruptness, this one is hard to give a quick answer back to. So as you’re racking how to present your dark narrative, Johnny sets you down on the couch with the utmost gentleness. You don’t even feel the cushion underneath you when the million different answers streamline their way into your brain.

Johnny notices your frantic eyes and unfocused gaze, growing a bit concerned at how cold your skin feels at his touch. Taking off his sweatshirt, he carefully slips it over your shaking figure. When the softness of the polyester cotton blend brushes upon your bare arms, you’re snapped back facing a worried expression.

And you say the one thing on your mind, the only thing you can think of in your scattered brain. “Jaehyun died during this time of year, so it just makes me very emotionally unstable to… participate in any festive events. I’d rather be alone, the whole holiday season.”

Johnny nods, but his face remains with his eyebrows together and lips pressed into a tight line. He’s well aware of who Jaehyun was and means to you. Though you don’t talk much about him, your eyes light up with a bright twinkle whenever you do. It’s like the world spins ‘round and everything feels restored. Johnny knows enough about your good friend to deduct how hard it must be for you during the winters.

“Can I help you in any way?” Johnny peers over at you with a small smile, and you wish there is something in your decaying heart to keep it up forever.

“I hate to say it, but please just leave me alone for the winter.” Flopping on his lap, you’re burying your face in your hands to cower away from seeing your sunshine hurt. There are no more sugar coated kind words for you to pick and choose from.

While Johnny can understand how difficult it must be for you, he still holds onto a sliver of hope that you’ll come around. “Come on, don’t be such a Grinch. No one should be alone for Christmas.”

Groaning, you sit up and roll your eyes at the familiar references. “Listen, Cindy Lou Who. Don’t call me that.”

“It’s still a cute nickname, you don’t think?” Johnny snickers lightly, but your expression turns rather grim and serious. A faint overcast of melancholy washes over your expression as you’re staring off into your memories again.

In a faint voice, your voice is barely above a whisper, “that used to be one of Jaehyun’s favorite movies.” Your arms drop from your puffed up chest, but Johnny catches your hand and kisses your fingertips.

“What was yours?” Johnny keeps the atmosphere as light and playful while he still can.

“The Nightmare Before Christmas.” Ironically fitting and that’s one of the sole reasons you don’t watch holiday movies anymore. There have been too many parallels with your life and the wrenched holiday. As twisted as the joke may seem, you’ve lived your own nightmare before Christmas, except you never got the happy ending to it all. It’s like a nightmare that continues and you can’t escape it.

Having said, Johnny pulls you up to stand and draws you into the biggest hug. “I can’t leave you alone, even if I tried my very best. I still get butterflies every time you smile at me, so you think I wouldn’t be addicted to that feeling?”

“Johnny…” This man is in love with you until the ends of this Earth, until the horizon stretches so far that it’s unimaginable to see where it stops.

“I’ll respect your wishes as much as I can, but know that it’s not the best form of healing.” The final word causes a chill to run down your spine. It implies that you’re still hurting, although he’s not wrong, it’s rather disheartening to hear someone else speak it aloud. “I’ll come around less.”

“If I’m grumpy, then you’ll know why. And don’t try to shove the whole Christmas spirit act on me, I don’t want to hear a single thing about it! I can’t spend a Christmas without Jaehyun.” Johnny squeezes your shoulders at your bold declaration.

“You can’t or you won’t?” A painful tick at your heart leaves you speechless at his question.

For as long as you could remember, every Christmas was spent with Jaehyun. Picking out a tree for both of your families and getting lost together between the evergreens brought laughter and excitement. Baking cookies and drawing the ugliest faces in tacky colorful frosting always happened a few days before the holiday. Drinking hot chocolate by his family’s fireplace and watching Christmas movies were one of your favorite activities. Christmas Eve was always so special, where you and Jaehyun made it tradition to open your gifts from each other right when the clock struck midnight.

Then everything simply stopped. And when you tried to participate in those same activities, selfishness and guilt preoccupied your heart. What do any of those things mean without Jaehyun? Jaehyun was the reason you loved Christmas as much as you did. Then, his death became the reason you hated it as much as you do.

“I think that’s enough for today.” Johnny knows he’s hit a nerve, he can see it in your glossy eyes and subtle drop in the corners of your mouth. There is no protest from the taller man when he accepts his sweatshirt without a complaint. The bitter cold air bites at your bare shoulders again and you’re practically existing in its lack of warmth. Gathering the rest of his belongings, you two bid a kiss goodbye and shut the door.

It’s almost a relief that he’s gone and the tear runs down your cheek when your back hits the door. Suddenly, Jaehyun appears across the living room leaning on the door frame to your bedroom. “He seems like a nice guy.”

“He is.” There is a hang at the end of your sentence and Jaehyun walks toward you. A few sniffs fill the empty apartment, but you’re rubbing away any sign of sadness from your face.

“But?”

“But, he’s so optimistic about… everything. He lives by the sun and every waking day, he just lives it to the fullest. There’s nothing in the world for this man to possibly understand how sad I feel.” It’s the heaviness in your voice that has your heart sinking to the pit of your stomach.

Jaehyun’s freezing hands graze your chin and as he lets go, his stare doesn’t leave yours. “Learn from him.” Your best friend’s ghastly voice reminds you that he’s not real. He’s a ghost. He’s very much gone and not for a split second, should you be wanting to cave into his embrace or else, you’ll hit the floor hard. Nevertheless, you’re entirely vulnerable and the next few words that leave Jaehyun’s mouth causes your throat to close up.

“Keep him close. y/n, he is the sun.” It’s a moment you thought you’d never witness, your best friend complimenting your significant partner. Moreover, it hurts to think about how great of friends Jaehyun and Johnny could have been. “To be very honest, you need some heat this winter.”

“Then, what were you?” It’s the curiosity that nips at your tongue as it leaves no space for a pause. The thumping of your heart being so loud in the dead silence, but you know Jaehyun doesn’t have a heart to beat recklessly as yours.

Jaehyun smirks and chuckles fondly, despite how desperate and serious you may have sounded. “I was a pain in the ass.”

Scoffing, you break the immensely intense eye contact. “You still are. This whole haunting thing is very creepy.” Gesturing his entire being in front of you, he just looks so alive and breathing. Before Jaehyun, you always thought ghosts were floating entities with a white transparency. But your best friend stands before you, well aged and all together.

It still tosses you into shambles as to why Jaehyun exists, but you’ve given up on figuring out his purpose. He could be a form of your own imagination for all you care, perhaps you’ve grown so sad that you started to seek things.

Companionship from the one person you wish was still alive?

Like before, you’ve always spent Christmas with Jaehyun… alive or in ghost form.

It’s another one of those long days that seem to never end. The bright white sky seems unchanging, stark with a dusty and imminent endless overcast of snow. It’s blinding and you’re regretting the moment you overlooked the curtain blinds at the department store.

Your phone has already been lost somewhere underneath your bed and there isn’t a single desire to reach for it. Missed calls pile up, voicemails clutter your inbox, texts flood your messages, and your social media notifications fill your screen. Despite everyone’s effort to contact you, there is no sense of joyous cordial nature to even glance at them.

Jaehyun has been appearing more frequently and staying for longer periods of time. The conversations bring an empty comfort, most of the times you feel the need to remind yourself that you’re not actually talking to someone, are you?

“What’s that sad look in your eyes?” He startles you when you’re off looking vacantly out the window. Your mind has been completely distracted lately by meaningless thoughts and the sweetest reels of Jaehyun that have turned blue.

The more you wrap yourself in your white sheets, the less you can feel any source of warmth. And perhaps you haven’t realized that you no longer felt any heat the past few days, that you’re at a freezing point and it’s made you numb.

“Not sure what you mean.” Your voice remains dull and monotone, lifeless almost. Jaehyun takes a seat against the window and for the first time, you can see right through him.

“It’s not your fault, y/n.” Is he a mind reader too? The thought that always circles your mind when Christmas draws near is not only that Jaehyun is gone forever, but how you could have prevented it all. The guilt eats you up and no matter how hard you’re searching for acceptance, it slips away from you before you have a chance.

When you don’t answer, Jaehyun heads over to your bed and he’s alarmed at how cold your hands are. “It was never your fault.” Your best friend pulls you into a hug, but it can barely be felt. What kind of hug can’t be felt?

“I never said it was.”

“No, but you thought about it.” The chilly draft causes you to shiver and it’s hard for you to concentrate on anything else besides the night of his death.

“I should have stopped you from coming over.” Although you’ve confessed this many times to him before, it never gets easier to say. Jaehyun sighs and ultimately frowns at your tears slipping from your eyes again. Like the snow that drifts from the heavens, your tears know no end to their downfall. It’s become too natural for them to appear. The closer it gets to Christmas, the harder it is to stop from crying.

“It’s hard for me to speak about it since we don’t remember much of the same moments---”

“Jaehyun! I remember that night as clear as it was just yesterday that it happened.” There’s no reason to yell, but a strong sense of pain erupts from your chest.

He’s so calm at your sudden outburst, turning his head to face you with a deadpan expression. “You weren’t there, y/n. You were home, safe and sound as you should have been. I’m more than grateful that you’re the one alive.”

“I’m not!” But when the confession leaves your lips, you’re shaking and fearful. The entire room is stiff and silent. You couldn’t even believe what you had just said, wondering if that is anything close to truth. You look up at Jaehyun, who blinks at you with furrowed eyebrows and wide eyes. “I mean,” you clear your throat in the midst of the tense atmosphere. “I could have saved you.”

“You’re not a hero and I didn’t need saving when I was already gone.” He taps his temples lightly, “full trauma to the head. It was just my time to go.”

“The secret. I wanted to know so bad that I didn’t stop you from coming in a snowstorm!” Jaehyun pats your head in an attempt to soothe your aching heart.

“And I wanted to tell you just as bad that I didn’t care about the snowstorm. y/n, stop blaming yourself for something that happened to me. The universe is much more complex than that, give it some credit.”

“You’re even philosophical as a ghost? Give me a fucking break.” Groaning, you pull the sheets over your head to somehow run away from the conversation.

Jaehyun lies down next to you, smiling cheekily to himself and glancing over at the lump that you had become underneath the blankets. “Do you remember the time I taught you how to ride a bike?”

“I thought it was your dad who taught me.” You grumble, tossing away the sheets to glance over at him. It always puzzled you how Jaehyun never remembered the same memories as you do, and even if you did, one of you remembered it differently.

“He was probably there as supervision. I was the one who helped you take off your training wheels and strap on your impressively thick knee pads.” You’re lying on your elbows now, fists pressing into your cheeks and a fond attentive gaze upon Jaehyun’s resting figure. He’s staring up at the ceiling that protects you two above, yet can cave in at any moment.

Dimples dip into his round supple cheeks as his toothy smile comes into view, reliving the happy memory. “You rang your little bell so many times that day.”

“Because I was scared!” You protest, muttering something incoherent. “Didn’t we go downhill when I said I wasn’t ready?”

“We went downhill because you said you were ready.” His hair ruffles in your sheets when he turns to face you, and he just takes your breath away. It’s the stars in his dark eyes that sweep you off your feet, like the gleaming star on top of a tree. The color that oozes from his smile, like Christmas lights that line a rooftop, make it hard not to stare. Jaehyun looks just like Christmas, the most wonderful thing of the year. In someway, he resembled an angel or the soft sheet of snow ready to fall right through.

You’re encompassed by overwhelming effervescent emotions from listening and watching Jaehyun glow and gleam. “Then, what?”

Jaehyun’s low chuckle illuminates the room, dazzling the boring grey interior. “Little ol’ you, hurt yourself real bad that day, scrapes and wounds you thought you’d never heal from. You didn’t talk to me for a week, but you ended up learning how to ride a bike.”

“Is that right?”

Jaehyun rests on his side now, only an elbow supporting his body and he’s leaning in close to your face, you’re almost too sure you could feel a breath on your lips. “No matter how painful it gets, I’m always here to push you through it all.”

When your heart beats sporadically at his proximity, you didn’t realize that you are holding in a breath, being quite afraid that if you let it out, it would simply blow him away for the night. And you’re not ready for him to leave you again.

Christmas Eve;

It had to be a miracle that anyone got a hold of you this week when Johnny comes practically banging at your door. Though you are so close to ignoring his loud thumping, the sound of your boyfriend’s soft sniffles alarms you greatly.

“y/n, holy shit!” It’s deja vu when you’re in his arms again, a horribly warped version of it when the smell of peppermint bark tickles your nostrils disgustingly. “I thought something happened to you. You weren’t answering my calls or texts.”

“My one wish for Christmas was to be left alone and I meant it.” The attitude in your voice becomes jarringly evident and Johnny blinks back at you with a new found annoyance as well.

“Can you at least think of the other people around you?” He holds your shoulders lightly, but staring into his eyes seems to be harder to do lately. Jaehyun appears on the couch, lying flat on his stomach and a hand resting underneath his chin. This is no longer a private conversation, but you learned long ago that no one else can see him.

“Who are you talking about? My family? Because they’ve all given up on me.” This is the first time Johnny has seen you act so cold and distant, yet entirely vulnerable. You’re stripped of everything that you usually hide in --- oversized clothes, happy smiles, and a beaming warmth.

All Johnny ever wants is for you to be loved, not only by him, but by the world. And interestingly enough, he loved you for your vulnerability and your rawness. This is until he realizes, in this moment, that it stems from your trauma of losing Jaehyun.

“What about me, y/n? I’m still here.” Johnny is frantic, and by all means, hurt by your aloofness. Brushing off his hands from your body, you’re taking several steps away from him.

“And why are you still here when I kept telling you to leave me alone? Whenever I was upset, Jaehyun always gave me space! Haven’t ever thought about how that is something I need?” You’re saying nonsensical statements that are fueled by anger and annoyance.

He’s pushing your limits and for once, you’re pushing him away. But this isn’t new to you, in fact, you’ve pushed so many people away just like this and that’s why they’ve decided to just let you be.

Johnny is taken aback, “you know, I feel like I’m competing with Jaehyun and I’ve never even met him.”

You scoff and throw your arms in the air, visibly in disbelief at what your boyfriend is saying to you. May you lose your temper, you’re unsure about the future of this relationship. Yet, something in your cruel and painful heart no longer cared, snapping your wits and patience at your beloved.

“What are you saying?” You’re pacing back and forth, fuming with an inexplicable infuriation. Jaehyun catches your eye, and for a brief moment, you’re holding eye contact with him instead. “Jaehyun is dead,” facing Johnny now, you say words that jumble in your chest, regardless of their true meanings, “and even if he was alive, there would be no competition.”

“Because you were always going to choose him over everyone else in your life, is that right? Exactly like how you do now.” Johnny’s words sting like daggers at your skin, worse than the layer of frost that bites at you for the past two weeks.

“Please, don’t attack me for hurting.” With that, your voice breaks and cracks all over. Your tears hit the ground without you feeling them run down your cheeks.

Johnny is quick to wipe them away, not minding that his hands will now be wet from your salty droplets. He instantly regrets it all, the unwarranted questions, the fighting, the barging in unexpectedly. It pains him more to see you like this.

“I apologize. I’m sorry that I’m not saying the kindest words to you when you need to hear them the most.” Your partner is frowning, a true rare sight to see. “But, you’re still grieving and there is going to have to be a time that you move on.”

It’s one of those tip of the iceberg moments or when the ball finally hits the ground and a rush of cathartic enthusiasm washes over you. However, you’re not happy. You’re not even remotely close to happiness. You’re fucking sad, you’re aching with a pain so deeply rooted that it isolates you, that it rips apart anything that used to bring you joy.

And this causes you to scream your lungs out, sobs that choke you up. “I can’t! You don’t understand, no one understands! I just fucking can’t. He was my best friend and that night… he was going to tell me something.” Jaehyun can’t bear to hear your piercing wails, as he’s disappeared completely from the setting. When you’re panicked and searching for him, you only see Johnny staring back at you with a very concerned expression.

“And I will never know what he wanted to tell me.” Your tone grows soft and rather delicate, like a sad realization at the possibility that the secret died with Jaehyun that night.

“Some things are better left unknown. Do you really think you’ll feel better knowing?”

“Listen to him, y/n.” Jaehyun randomly appears next to Johnny’s stature. He stands a few inches shorter than him, but the sight of them together has you blinking in awe.

You’re darting between the two of them, “I don’t know what will make me feel better.”

“Come, tonight. Your whole family wants to see you for the one holiday that brings people together.” But when Johnny steps forward, you’re taking a step back.

“Please, just go.” With an assertive point to the door, your head does not lift up to watch your boyfriend leave. Despite every person you’ve done this to, Johnny’s hurts the most. His flame dies out tonight, providing no sense of security or heat. And with a toss of his arms of exasperation, he shuts your front door and leaves without a goodbye, without wishing you a merry Christmas.

Jaehyun calls your name, but you’re rushing to your bedroom and slamming the door shut. “Don’t you dare travel through the wall.”

Your apartment has grown so dark due to the shorten winter days. It’s pitch black all around you and the sky is no longer a deafening white. It’s the first time you notice the dark blue scattered clouds and the intricate snowflakes that drift carefully down to the streets. And, you’re all alone in the quietness. You truly are isolated every Christmas.

“y/n, let’s talk.” Jaehyun is beyond fed up with your behavior, that has to be the last straw. This is the first year since his death that he’s seen the evident spark in your eye, the hope that is hiding behind your depression. He sees it in the way Johnny looks at you, like you’re the greatest present he could receive in life. In your proclamation, as hard as it was to witness, is a spirit that wishes to be freed. There was a chance this year. There still is one.

“Jaehyun, you left me! You left all alone, and no matter how hard I try to stop thinking about you, it never works. In the end, no one is here for me like how you were.” Hands in your hair, you’re losing yourself at a rapid rate. It hurts to keep your eyes open, tears sting as they well up around the rims.

“Find a part of me in the people around you.” The door to your bedroom swings open and Jaehyun takes note of you by the window again. You want to leave, you want to be out there and he knows, before you can actually realize it yourself. You’re turning to face him and in the dark, he looks solid. He looks so real and whole.

“How do I do that?” It’s a genuine question that you’ve pondered before, but never feeling like you had the strength to do so. You’re always dwelling on your past with Jaehyun, indulging in the sacred memories only you two shared.

“What are things that you associate me with?” He is found leaning against your door frame again, hands are shoved into the pockets of his faded jeans.

You say the first thing on your mind, “snow.” When the words hit the air, your ceiling light flickers briefly. Jaehyun doesn’t flinch, however, still focused on your crying figure. Snow, the first sign of snowfall is when he appears for the winter.

“What else?” He encourages.

“Familiarity.” The light flashes again, for a mere second longer this time before it resumes darkness. Familiarity, for he grew up by your side for as long as you could remember.

There is an odd feeling that enters the room and you’re fearful of the unknown. But, Jaehyun’s cadence doesn’t falter, he’s not distracted by the random spurts of light. And if anything, it all could be his doing. “Keep going.”

“Comfort.” Flicker. “Warmth. Love. Excitement.” With each word, the light builds stronger and stronger. You’re speaking memories into existence now, “making snow angels until it got dark, laughing until our stomachs hurt, watching movies until the clock struck midnight, dancing until our legs gave out!”

Streams run down your face and you’re yelling until your throat feels raw, but you don’t wish to stop as the light glows brighter and brighter with each spoken word.

As you listen to every listed attribute and memory, you recognize a central theme in all of them and one thing that Jaehyun embodies, the one thing he’s always been associated with.

“Christmas.” A shaky breath exhales and a loud spark pierces your ears. The light illuminates intensely all around you, lighting up the darkest corners of your room and blinding you more than the sky has been lately.

“Jaehyun?” Closing your eyes, you can see the brightness through your eyelids and you’re beyond confused as to what is happening. When you mindlessly reach for his hand, you actually feel it and your heart is soaring due to strange unquestionable physics.

Jaehyun intertwines your hand in his own and caresses your face gently. For once, he doesn’t feel cold. He’s blazing hot, melting away the long days of isolation. “Open your eyes, y/n.”

What lies before you is an incredible, marvelous sight. Snow dusts the roof of your family’s house as green, red, yellow bulbs light the frame of it. Your parents really went all out; round snowmen sit perfectly together on your lawn. A decorative wreath hangs at the front door and a distinct chuckle catches your attention.

From the window that looks into your kitchen, your mother rolls a sheet of dough on the counter as clouds of flour erupt around her. Your father is preoccupied at the stove, with the silliest gimmicks for decorating the feast they’re about to hold. Silver tinsel line the dinner table with a festive table cloth draped upon it. The remarkable tree shines in the center of the living room, a glimmering star on top.

“I know we probably won’t see y/n again this Christmas…” The sound of your mother’s voice rings a bell in your yearning heart and Jaehyun is gazing at you with a wondrous look in his eyes. The grip on his hand is tight, your breath enters the night in puffs of smoke, and regardless of this all being real or imaginary, you’re so immersed in this reality that he knows you’re anticipating what your family has to say.

“... but something about this year really makes me miss them.” Your mother puts the rolling pin off to the side and rests her hand on the kitchen counter, trying to hold back any form of her own tears from falling.

“May Jaehyun watch over them tonight, our little angel doesn’t deserve to be alone.”

Your dad walks over to embrace your mother in a long hug, kissing the top of her head gently. “Merry Christmas, y/n.” Your father speaks into the air, without the knowledge of you outside, he’s thinking of you.

Something in your heart shatters, but it’s entirely different from the pain you’ve felt over the years following Jaehyun’s death. It’s a warm, bubbly feeling that spreads across your chest and you’re covering your mouth out of pure shock at the sight of your parents.

Your parents, who you’ve neglected every holiday season, still think of you. You recognize the ingredients that scatter the table, they make your favorite dish every year in hopes you’ll come join them.

Jaehyun whispers, “y/n, know that I’m always going to be here. I may physically be gone, but I live in your heart and the joyous memories we’ve shared together. I live through the many people who love you now, through Christmas. This spirit is also very much alive in the other people around you.”

When you peel your eyes from the scene of your parents, the vision suddenly disappears and you’re facing Jaehyun right back in your cold, empty, dark apartment. But you wish the moment lasted a little longer. For the first time in a long time, you wish to be with your loved ones. You wish to celebrate Christmas with the people who still care about you, the ones that are still alive and well.

“What if I’m not ready?”

“This signifies my final push down the hill. You’re all strapped up in your knee pads, y/n. You’re never truly going to be ready, but that shouldn’t stop you from trying.” Jaehyun pats your head lovingly and mimics the motions of securing a helmet on your head.

You’re letting go of his hand, running around quickly in search for the appropriate outerwear for the snow. It’s like a switch went off in your heart and a cathartic feeling settles in the pit of your stomach.

Every Christmas since his passing, you thought it was best to be alone. You thought it was selfish to live your favorite holiday season without your best friend, that you lost the spirit of Christmas.

However, this entire time… Jaehyun’s ghost has been a reminder that the Christmas spirit has always been alive. It’s not about the enthusiastic festive events or the cheerful themed activities or the distinct colorful decorations, it’s about the appreciation and love you have for the people who have made your year so special. You’ve associated the holiday so much with your best friend, that you’ve lost sight of it in your family, your current friends, your own boyfriend.

When you’re rushing out the door, you stop in your tracks and peer back at Jaehyun leaning against your door frame, just as he appeared a few weeks ago. He has the warmest, brightest smile on his face, “y/n, I think I finally remember the secret I wanted to tell you.” You’re afraid of the answer and the outside world, but your hand doesn’t slip from the door handle. Could it really be? The long anticipated secret that has been gnawing at your conscience since his death?

Nevertheless, he’s giggling and holding his stomach slightly from the immense amount of joyous laughter. “I wanted to tell you that I... finally learned how to shave.”

At first, you’re stunned at the simplicity of the beheld secret. All this time, you thought it had been something so meaningful, something so mind blowing, that needing to know practically destroyed your mental state. Then, a wholehearted and genuine laugh erupts from inside of you and you’re lighting up the darkest parts of yourself. Jaehyun looks at you fondly, like a beauty that he hasn’t seen in awhile.

“That’s fucking it? You came out in the middle of a blizzard to tell me you learned how to shave? How lame.”

Jaehyun chuckles, “when did I ever need an extremely valid reason to see you?” The laughter falls short at his confession and in the midst of all this enthusiasm, you bid him the softest smile. His purpose has been fulfilled, as the best version of you he’s always known and loved stands before him at last.

“I guess... you’re right. What’s going to happen to you now?”

“I’ll always be here for Christmas, even when you’re old and grey surrounded by the warmth of your loved ones in front of a large, extravagant Christmas tree. When the snow falls, I’ll be here.” Jaehyun’s dimple smile is the lasting image you see, the one you’ve always hoped to remember him by.

“Merry Christmas, Jung Jaehyun… I--”

“Love you too, y/n. Merry Christmas.” He ushers you out the door with a small kiss on your knuckles.

That is the last time you ever see him again. Now, when the snow falls, it marks the anniversary of your long awaited healing, the journey to acceptance, and the beloved memory of your best friend. May you never lose the spirit of Christmas and the warmth from your loved ones.

#nct scenarios #neowritingsnet #nct-writers #neothestars #kpopscape #nct scenario #nct #jaehyun scenarios #jaehyun #jung jaehyun #nct fluff #nct angst #nct imagines #jung jaehyun scenarios #jaehyun scenario

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rosesgonerogue · 4 years

Text

How to be a Dad 101

Chapter 1: First Meetings

Jasonette July Day 1

Masterlist

It was soon after Jason had agreed to Bruce’s pansy “no killing” stipulation. He could operate as Red Hood in conjunction with Batman and company but separate as long as he complied with that one very specific rule.

He hated it. While he’d rediscovered most of himself since his stint with death, that didn’t necessarily curb any of his bloodlust. Parts of him were damaged irreparable and one of those was the understanding that you shouldn’t want to kill people just for the sake of killing people.

While he complied, apparently causing someone the maximum amount of pain possible was also looked down upon. Bruce gave him quite the lecture, and afterwards Jason just needed to escape. He wandered around Gotham’s streets, hopefully to blow off some steam before going back to the manor. Maybe he could -

His train of thought was interrupted by someone bumping into him sharply. Irked, Jason turned around to bite their head off, maybe get a decent fight in, but he was completely caught off guard by empty air. He glanced around, confused until he looked down about a foot and a half. He was met by a shade of blue he didn’t know the name of, but he desperately wanted to. Pale skin dotted with freckles was framed by inky hair, a combination that Jason should have been used to but seemed to be an assault on his emotions.

Rapid words spewed out of the tiny girl’s mouth, and Jason would have sworn that his brain had simply stopped working until he heard the words, “Excusez moi.”

Ah, so she was French. Jason straightened up, wracking his brain for what little French he remembered from high school. “Uh, je m’appelle Jason. Uh…”

“So sorry, I spoke in French without thinking,” the girl said in only lightly accented English. “But I’m sorry for bumping into you. It was an accident, forgive me.”

Finally freed from her bewitching blue eyes, Jason took a moment to scrutinize her and her apparent companions. The girl was distinctly shorter than the others, and she looked almost like a pixie with her hair tied up in pigtails. She was accompanied by two men, one blond clearly wearing designer clothes, and the only remarkable thing about the other was his chunky headphones. Behind them a girl with glasses and ombre hair was holding her phone up like she was recording or something.

“It’s… fine,” Jason eventually said, realizing the pixie was waiting for an answer of some sort from him. “But if you don’t mind me asking, what are you all doing here in Gotham? I mean, you’re obviously not from here.”

She grinned, face alight with mischief. “And what gave it away? Was it the fact that we actually wore a color other than black in Gotham?”

“Nah, it’s the hope in your eyes. It doesn’t belong, especially when you four are headed to Crime Alley as we speak.”

“Are we really? I told you we were lost, Adrien!” the girl said, nudging the blond.

“Nino is the one who lost the map,” he said, pointing to Headphones.

“But you were the one who claimed to remember the way and wouldn’t let us use GPS.”

The one with ombre hair said, “But is Crime Alley completely out of the question? If I got some footage of something going on I would get a great grade for my Criminal Journalism class.”

Headphones groaned. “Babe…”

Pixie patted the other girl’s arm. “I’m not getting mugged for your project, Alya. Besides, it’s Gotham. I’m sure you’ll find something without needlessly endangering ourselves.”

Jason couldn’t stop staring at the Pixie girl. She was gorgeous. Even with her tiny stature, she emanated confidence and poise. Somehow her movements reminded him of Dick, a surety and grace that came from knowing your own body. She was clearly the leader of their little group, and the thought of her wandering through Crime Alley left Jason unexpectedly feeling angry and a bit… possessive, which was insane.

He couldn’t help but eye the blond. He wasn’t dating the Pixie, was he? The other two seemed to be in a relationship, but…

“So what is this, some kind of couples trip or something?” Jason asked, shamelessly inserting himself into the conversation once more.

“No,” Pixie and the blond said in perfect unison.

“We’re just friends,” he said quickly. “Alya and Nino are dating, but the four of us have been friends since high school, and we just wanted to take a fun, celebratory trip.”

“It’s a miracle we found the time to do it at all,” Pixie continued. “Alya is the one that picked Gotham because apparently she misses Paris being a dystopian hellscape overrun with masked weirdos.”

“You can’t be telling me that all of that akuma crap was real,” Jason said, leaning against a nearby wall.

Almost perfectly in unison, all four foreigners scoffed, trading looks with one another.

“Gotham isn’t the only city with issues, pretty boy,” the reporter one said. “Don’t be so quick to dismiss what you hear.”

Damn, Jason had let his curiosity over Paris’s heroes get the best of him. Since he knew Pixie was available he was supposed to work on charming her pants off.

“Look, I’ve got nothing to do the rest of the day,” Jason said, determined to change the subject. (He could make the Replacement investigate things later.) “I could show you back to your hotel, or even show you around Gotham without getting robbed.”

“Oh, you don’t have to do that, I wouldn’t want to take all of your spare time,” Pixie said, blue eyes worried. “If you could just point us in the right direction-”

“You promise to make sure we’re not attacked or mugged?” Reporter demanded.

“Alya,” her boyfriend cautioned.

“You don’t want to go to Crime Alley because it’s dangerous, right? Well I’m sure we’ll be fine with six feet of muscle on our side.”

“Alya, no.”

“I’m not risking our necks at Crime Alley,” Jason said with finality. “But chances are that you’ll see at least something that might work for your class.”

“Okay, it’s a deal,” she said decisively.

“We don’t know him, Alya,” the blond hissed, surreptitiously glancing at him.

Pixie was shamelessly scrutinizing him - she was staring him down intently enough to make Jason feel uncomfortable. He knew he looked a bit like a thug - between his sheer size and his usual scowl, it was easy to send people running. Most of the time he liked it and the fear he inspired, but he couldn’t tell whether or not he scared her, one of the first people he didn’t want to scare. What did she think of him? Why was he so nervous about a little girl who’d decided pigtails were totally age - appropriate at twenty-something years old?

Her face cleared and she smiled widely like it was the easiest thing in the world. “Don’t worry guys, we can trust Jason.”

He nearly startled when she said his name, but he shoved the reaction down. Even more surprising was the way the two men relaxed, totally willing to follow the girl’s lead.

“We appreciate your help, Jason. These are my friends Alya, Adrien, and Nino. My name is Marinette.” Pixie - no, Marinette - was still smiling like he’d just given her the world. “We really appreciate your help, it’s very kind of you.”

“Whatever,” Jason said, ignoring the slight blush on his cheeks. “Now let’s get the hell away from Crime Alley. I’m not your babysitter.”

Taglist: @jasonette-july-2k20

Notes:

After Daminette December last year I didn’t see myself doing a month-long challenge again, but then I somehow got 500 followers??? As a thank you I’m putting myself through the ringer again, and I hope you all enjoy it! Not all of the prompts will be connected to this story, but the majority of them will. This is going to be another Mominette fic (because I haven’t been able to see my nieces and nephews for weeks and I’m deprived). If you want to be tagged just leave a comment and I’ll make it happen! I don’t have the mental capacity to keep a permanent taglist, but I’m happy to tag anyone that’s interested.

#jasonette july 2k20 #jasonette #jason x marinette #mominette

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nakunakunomi · 4 years

Text

Out of all days to get lost...

Hello everyone! This is part II of the beautiful Fern Flower Scenario @some-piece wrote for her summer challenge. Please go read it and follow her, she writes the best things I swear! The part II started off as a joke of which I really loved the concept, and I couldn’t say no when she asked to collab! I hope you enjoy part 2~

Summary: Zoro has an awful habit of getting lost. Even on his wedding day. Character: Zoro. Word count: 3.2k 2nd person Reader insert. Disclaimer that the wedding is loosely based off of the stereotypical western idea of marriage.

Weddings weren’t really common in the pirate world, besides the arranged kind, especially if you’re in any way or shape related to big mom or another influential family. But the ones out of love? Rare. There is very little time and space for love, let alone wedding parties with entire pirate crews involved while there’s enemies all around, marines and other pirates alike.

Zoro and you hadn’t been really sure on how you would break the news to the other crew members. So far, Robin had been true to her word and had not spoken a word to anyone about it. There were some mysterious smiles and knowing glances, but those were not new for Robin, so everyone kept sailing after you left the island where the Fern Festival was held, blissfully unaware of what had happened in the forest.

The way everyone found out was by accident. Nami had ‘spotted’ the ring in cleaning out the room. You had decided to stash it away carefully, keeping the news and the funny story around it between mostly you and Zoro for now, but once Nami connected the dots, she went off about how you had denied her the berries price for finding the Fern Flower, and you had no choice but to explain the circumstances. Nami’s yelling had by then attracted the attention from some other crew members, and before you knew the whole ship was aware of yours and Zoro’s status.

Luffy was immediately ready to throw a whole feast, right then and there, but was quickly stopped by Nami, who had forgotten about her anger from minutes ago to now enthusiastically name all the things she wanted to do with you. You had to curb her enthusiasm a little by telling her you had already agreed on Robin as maid of honor, after all, she knew and had been able to keep quiet.

That didn’t stop Nami from still rambling on about all the things she wanted to do and plan. If you didn’t know any better, you’d think she was more happy about the engagement than you are. After talking it over with the whole crew, Zoro placing a hand on yours the entire time as you said what the both of you wanted to do, actual plans were made.

Nami and Robin would be in charge of the clothes of everyone. Your dress, the men’s suits, everything. Zoro agreed as long as it wouldn’t be ‘too flashy’ or ‘too tight’. His only requirements were being able to breathe, and being able to carry his swords. It’s not like Zoro didn’t want to be involved in everything, he just mostly wanted you to be happy, himself to be comfortable and have a party with those who matter most. Other than that, he was fine with mostly everything.

Nami would map out a route to an island that did not have many inhabitants and would be safe to dock at without getting in trouble with the locals, marines or other pirates. A ceremony on the beach would be a little more special than one on the sunny.

Jinbe would be the officiate the marriage, and Usopp and Franky would take care of the special effects. You weren’t entirely sure what that meant but you let them to that, if it made them happy to contribute.

Luffy was Zoro’s best man, you were not entirely convinced if your captain was the best choice for the role, but it was Zoro’s choice, and you knew how much he cared about his captain. In all honesty, Luffy had very little idea of what exactly was going on, but was happy to just follow whatever instructions, as long as there was enough meat at the afterparty.

Of course, Sanji would take care of the food, his eyes lit up when you said he was free to experiment with whatever recipes he saw fit. The moment he got the okay, he practically dove into the kitchen to get started on little testers for you, Nami and Robin to decide on. Even begrudgingly giving some to Zoro, he had a say in this too after all, it was heartwarming and hilarious to see them interact on their best behavior just for this special occasion, it truly was something.

Chopper was going to be the ring bearer. Zoro really wanted the little reindeer to have an important role and this seemed perfect. Chopper was more than excited to even help go pick out the wedding rings. The actual wedding rings would be kept in his possession just so Zoro couldn’t lose them again. Just to be safe.

Last but not least, Brook was in charge of the music and he had promised to compose a handful of songs just for the occasion. Seeing the whole crew work together for this made you emotional already, even weeks before the big day came. It was heartwarming and it seemed to give everyone an extra boost during the rest of your adventures, because on your way to the island that Nami picked out, there were still plenty of pirate things to do.

Time flies when you’re having fun, or when you are dreading something. The closer you came to the island where it all was gonna happen, the more nervous you got. You didn’t even know why exactly. You were looking forward to it so much, the cherry on top of the best relation you ever had and the only one you wanted to have still for the rest of your life.

You were looking forward to it every night you went to sleep in Zoro’s arms, your head resting on his broad chest, his even breaths lulling you to sleep even though your heart was racing with unnecessary stress and anticipation. But with every preparation that got finished, every little item checked off the list, you were feeling like everything was just too perfect? Suspiciously so. The day could be perfect, that’d be ideal. But the slightly pessimist voice in the back of your head kept nagging you about what could possibly go wrong.

You docked at the island by the evening a few days later. All preparations were complete, now it was only a matter of going through the motions. A small party in the evening, preparations in the morning and noon, and then the actual ceremony would be tomorrow in the evening, exchanging vows as the sun goes under. It seemed incredibly cheesy to Zoro, but it everyone had rather unanimously decided that it was also incredibly romantic, and time-management wise it worked out very well. You could party all night, and continue the adventures in the morning. It was all perfect.

You excused yourself from the evening party rather early, nerves eating at you and you wanted to be up early and feeling well the next morning to be able to help wherever you could. You kissed Zoro goodnight, who replied that he’d be joining you in a bit. He would probably only admit it to you if you asked, but he was looking forward to it too, and was actually uncharacteristically nervous about it as well. But even if everything possible went wrong, there was nothing in the world that could ever diminish his love for you and that helped a lot to make him feel at ease. He had proposed to you buck naked, it could only get better from here on out.

You were still awake when he eventually joined you for the night. He noticed, but was still careful as he joined you in bed. “Can’t sleep?” “I’m nervous” “No need to be. We know we work well. You’re gonna look so nice, and we’re just gonna have a nice party with the crew. It’s just affirming what we have” You smiled. His blunt honesty sometimes was exactly what you needed. You turned to your side, kissing him softly before gliding down so you could rest your head on his chest.

You were about to close your eyes when you started overthinking again. You jerked up as your brain had successfully misguided you into thinking you misplaced something. “The rings!” “Don’t worry, Chopper is keeping them safe.” “Oh, right...” Zoro chuckled, stroking your back as he tried to calm you down so you could sleep. You felt stupid for being so nervous, but well, there was nothing you could do to keep your emotions from going haywire.

Zoro’s breathing was steady and even as it always was, but you could hear his heart beating a little faster in his chest and you smiled, happy to know you’re not alone. But he had been right. Nothing could go wrong. You were just going to affirm what you had. And what you had, was magical. Dorky as he could be, blunt as he could be, you loved this man with all your heart. He was strong, honest, and too many other things to name up. He made you so, so, so incredibly happy and it was the good thoughts of the man you were lying on, combined with his soft snoring - even nerves weren’t enough to keep him from his naps - that eventually lulled you to sleep as well.

The following day chaos ensued. It was not that nothing was prepared, it was just that so many little things and final touches needed to be done, that everyone seemed to be in each other’s way. You barely managed to kiss Zoro good morning before Nami dragged you out of the room to get you all ready, but not before she lectured Zoro on not being allowed in your room under no circumstances until the ceremony. Zoro was barely awake, but groggily nodded as Franky came over to drag him away as well.

Nami and Robin barely let you do things yourself, making sure your hair was perfectly in place, the dress was in order, and when they were all done, you felt yourself tear up a little when you looked in the mirror. You couldn’t believe this was actually happening. You spent most of the afternoon talking, the two doing their utmost best to distract you to keep you inside so you wouldn’t accidentally be revealed to Zoro too early. It worked fairly well, in spite of the occasional emotional moment when you talked about Zoro and the few nervous moments when there was just too much ruckus outside for it to be normal preparations.

Time was dragging on, and then there was a knock on the door. Sanji came in, looking rather serious, you figured it was because of the whole buffet he’d been cooking from early morning on till now, one would be tired from doing less than that in a day. He swooned when he saw you, complimented you and your dress furiously before taking Nami to the side and whispering something in her ear. Her eyes widened and you felt your heart sink. Something was wrong.

“What’s wrong? What’s happening?” Sanji took a deep breath, sighed heavily and stood in front of you. “Don’t panic y/n, we will get it in order. But....” “But what?” You were getting nervous. What could possibly have gone wrong at this point in time that it would mess with the wedding enough to make you panic? “They can’t find Zoro.” Nami filled in angrily, “I told you to watch him!” “Hey! I was cooking all day, he was with Franky and Usopp. Said he was nervous, went into the city for some sake so he’d leave us alone to deal with all the wedding things so he wouldn’t bother us. And then he just went off in the general direction of the city.”

You were unsure whether to laugh or cry or panic or all at once. “Guys, you really let Zoro, go find a city, on a new island, all by himself? He’s probably wandering around somewhere” Sanji replied. “We realized too late that it might be a bit of a problem. Franky already went into the city to retrieve him but we cannot find him.”

You stood up, Nami pushing you back into your chair. “Please y/n, let us handle this.” You scoffed. “Like hell I will. Besides, I have a knack for finding him whenever he’s lost. Call it our connection or something. I don’t care if he sees me earlier than we’re supposed to.” You weren’t even that discouraged, finding Zoro was something you had done before. Just never in a wedding dress. But hey, there was a first time for everything right?

You crumpled up your dress and held it up with your two hands so you could walk around more easy, thanking whatever deity there was on sea that you had opted for flat shoes as you ran onto the beach, in the general direction of the city, before going a completely different direction, something your instincts told you your fiance must’ve done as well.

The sky was starting to color all kinds of yellow and orange and you cursed a little, pretty sure the planned timing was already off. But well, no wedding without a groom right? You chuckled a little to yourself. Of all the days he could get lost, he had to pick today. He was probably getting at least frustrated, and you hoped that maybe he’d yell out, that would at least make locating him a little easier.

You ended up in a little forest in between the beach and the city, almost half an island away from where the Sunny was docked. Your heart was beating fast and you were a little out of breath from power walking all the way here, but you were pretty sure this was it. An frustrated grumble and the familiar sounds of swords slashing something let you know that you were dead on. Was he really getting so frustrated that he was ready to cut down a forest in order to find the way back more easily? Apparently. Relieve washed over you and you ran in the direction of the sound, now yelling out his name.

Now, Zoro’s inner compass isn’t worth anything, but there is nothing wrong with his ears and withing seconds he was by your side, looking a little disheveled from running around in the forest, and completely speechless when he saw you in your white dress. You hugged him tightly and when you stepped back he was still kind of staring. It was almost funny, you had never seen him at such a loss for words.

“Are you okay babe?” “Yes... I... wow... Fuck..Sorry” You giggled, you’d never seen him like that. “You look gorgeous” “Thank you”, you smiled, “you’re not looking too shabby either.” “I ruined it all didn’t I? Lost the ring, now lost myself?” The guilt in his voice was apparent. It had to be, otherwise he’d never even be admitting that he had gotten lost. “You didn’t ruin anything. I am here, in a white dress, you are here, in your costume. There’s a crew waiting for us with food, and booze, and a ring. There’s nothing wrong, we’re just affirming what we already have.” You used his own words against him, smiling broadly as you pressed your lips to his. He melted into the kiss, wrapping his arms around your waist and holding you so close you felt like you were going to lose your balance if it weren’t for his support. “I love you so much” “I’m glad you do cause we’re literally about to get married” He laughed one of his rare, heartfelt laughs and it was so pure, so genuine, that you felt your eyes tear up already. It may be getting dark, but it was not too late to do this thing.

The crew had decided to trust you, after all, you did manage to find Zoro more often than anyone else, due to that connection that could almost only be explained by you and Zoro really being made for each other. They had continued finalizing the preparations, but were still getting a little nervous as the sun was setting already.

Franky just started making the big fire already that was meant for the afterparty. You could still get married in the moonlight, it would work out just as fine. The whole crew was reassuring each other that you could come back with Zoro any moment now. But that didn’t take away from the growing worries they were all getting.

It was Jinbe who first spotted the silhouette of Zoro carrying you back to the sunny. Zoro had proposed he’d run with the two of you, while you gave directions. He didn’t want to tire you out more after running all the way to him, and was very fittingly carrying you back bridal style, under loud cheers of the rest of the crew.

There was no time for scolding Zoro or fixing your hair. You laughed as Zoro put you down on the ground and kissed him quickly. “Let’s get married”.

The ceremony itself was short and simple, and you were pretty sure Jinbe had cut out some parts to make it go even faster. You didn’t mind, now that everything was in place you couldn’t wait to get married, all the worries and nerves you had felt the past few days and hours had ebbed away the moment you kissed Zoro in the forest.

You had promised yourself not to cry anymore, but when you were exchanging your vows, you couldn’t help but tear up, and you felt your heart swell when you noticed Zoro’s ever so steady hands were shaking when you exchanged the rings. You were pretty sure you heard Franky sniffle the entire time in the background too. When you sealed the vows, the ‘I do’s’ and the whole ordeal with a kiss, the crew cheered so loudly, you were pretty sure the entire island could hear it, and the party ensued.

You sat down with Zoro, enjoying the delicious food Sanji had prepared, enjoying the warmth of the campfire and laughing at the stories of everything that had gone wrong during the preparations that the others were retelling now that it didn’t matter anymore and actually was funny. After the cake was cut and eaten, speeches and well wishes were given, another barrel of sake was opened and the strangest thing you’d ever seen happened: Zoro refused his refill.

You were about to say something about it when he swiftly swooped you up in his arms. You yelped, immediately attracting the attention of the entire crew. “Thank you all for helping us out. Thank you all for being here. But now that you all will stay out on the beach for a little longer, I am going to enjoy a proper wedding night with my beautiful wife.” Zoro’s tone of voice and smug grin left no room for imagination and you buried your blushing head in his chest while the crew could only laugh in response.

Zoro didn’t even wait for answers as he walked towards the Sunny with you in his arms. You didn’t dare say it out loud, but you were happy that Sunny was right in front of you so at least he wouldn’t get lost on the way to your bedroom.

Fin.

#roronoa zoro x reader #zoro x reader #one piece zoro #one piece reader insert #one piece #reader insert #collab #one piece imagine #imagine #one piece x reade #wedding fic #humor #fluff #sfw #cute #some-piece

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hiddenwritingsintheworld · 4 years

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Small Town Missed Connections-Part 1 (Jensen X Reader)

Donations (please help. Jobless, and decided to make this my new job so anything helps out! Thanks!)

(New Series!!! Hopefully! Only if you all love it!) Shout out to @adriellej for being the best at helping me work through writers block!!! PS dont forget to let me know if you want to stay on the tag list!)

You heard your phone chime in your back pocket and a smile instantly appeared on your face. You almost dropped the boxes in your hands as you walked down the stairs from the storage in the upper loft of the building. “Easy, someone’s in a cheery mood today. What gives?” Amanda, the sassy 17-year-old blonde you’d hired for summer help, said as you reached the bottom, allowing her to take the top box. “Oh nothing, I just can’t be in a good mood?” you asked with a smile, which she knew hid a secret behind it. She narrowed her eyes and sighed “fine. But one day, I will get it out of you.” She walked away taking the box with her. “Don’t forget to go through that and price everything! I should still have the book under the counter!” you called out as you walked over to the coffee shop.

“There she is,” an older more cracking voice called out. You set the box down behind the counter and turned smiling at the older gentleman. “Mr. Zukowski! Good morning! How is the coffee and muffin today?” you grinned asking a bit louder so he could hear you. “Good, good, thank you. You seem busy, I won’t hold you up. I just wanted to tell you, the weeds out front are looking a little tall, I could take care of those for you.” He smiled politely. You let a small laugh slip out as you came around the counter, “Mr. Zukowski, I’ve told you before, you help me out by making sure my coffee and muffins taste perfect. Now, I’ll have Zach bag up a couple of muffins for you to take home, and tell Mrs. Zukowski, I’ll be by this afternoon to check on your guys garden okay? I don’t want you back out there after your accident last time okay?” you nodded to him. “I’ll call someone to come and take care of those darn weeds okay?” you helped him back to his seat so he could finish his breakfast and finish reading the paper.

“You are so sweet, thank you dear.” Mr. Zukowski smiled and patted your hand as he sat down. You smiled at him before going back over to the counter. “Every day, I don’t get how you do it. That man drives me crazy,” Zach told you as you opened the box. “Zach, it’s people like the Zukowski’s that made this sweet little town, just the way it is, perfect. Now, help me with these fall decorations.” You smiled. After getting everything-and everyone where they belonged, you finally had a minute to check your phone.

‘Why good morning, I thought you were never going to text me back’ Jensen texted back right after you’d sent good morning. ‘Sorry, it’s been a busy morning at the shop, now I have some weeds to pull, a garden to check on and I need to do a supply order, do you realize how much I hate ordering supplies. I wish there was this magical little button I could click and bam. All the supplies I need-ordered’ you sent back with a face palming emoji.

Jensen began typing a response then stopped, then the dots came back again. You laughed at his constant typing-deleting-retyping thing he always did. ‘So, if I could spare your attention for a moment, I took a photo this morning and I wanted to get your opinion on it before I post it on Instagram, so do you have time?’ he asked with a heart emoji. You sent back a thumbs up with a smiley face, ‘For your photos Jay, I always have time. Let me see it.’ You sat back in your office chair and smiled as he texted the photo.

It was of his lake house, just a side view though, from the front porch. The photo was capturing the early morning sunrise with silhouette of trees against the lake. You stared, mesmerized by the photo, wishing you had a large cup of coffee and were curled up in a warm sweater there on the front porch chair, watching the water as you drank your coffee. ‘Whoa…..that is A-M-A-Z-I-N-G, have you posted that yet?!’ you texted back instantly.

A few moments passed before you had a notification from Instagram, Jays Photography had posted a new photo, with the caption, “Sure missing a near and dear friend this morning, this one is for her.” Two red hearts followed the caption and your heart beat just a tad faster as you liked the photo and replied “What a lucky friend. Photo is incredible. I’m sure she loves it,” you sent the comment and got back to work.

As the day went on you and Jensen texted back and forth, talking about anything and everything you could want. Business picked up in the afternoon so you’d quickly found yourself busy with customers; meanwhile Jensen had found himself busy as well.

Jensen had met up with Misha, Vicki, Jared, and Gen and was having dinner all together. “So listen, Vicki and I have been talking and why don’t we all go on a little vacation?” Misha asked the group as they all smiled. “That sounds so wonderful, I can have my mom watched the kiddos and we can be ready to go by the weekend. Where were you thinking of going?” Gen asked setting her fork down so she could take a sip of the strong red wine her and Jared were drinking.

“Well, we want to go somewhere off the map, a small little town where we can relax and not be bothered by anyone.” Misha told her. Gen nodded after taking a bite of her salad, “There’s the cutest little town I found while googling the other day! We could go there!! It’s like 6-7 hours from here!” she smiled pulling up the name of the town on google.

The group agreed, the entire time Jensen had remained quiet though, he had been waiting on you to text him back. When you finally did, a grin broke out across his face. “What are you grinning about?” Jared asked as he tried to take a peek at Jensen’s phone. “Nothing, I’m just texting a friend of mine.” Jensen told him. “Come on Jay, you tell me everything, except for what feels like the last 6 months where you’ve been texting someone and not saying a word about it to me. Who is it?” Jared asked again.

“You never told him about Y/N??” Misha asked popping his head up between the two of them. “Y/N?? Who’s Y/N????” Jared asked before yanking the phone away and began reading through the messages. Jensen glared at him and tried to snatch it back quickly. “What the fuck man! Give that back! It’s mine!” Jared finally gave it back after Jensen had jumped and tried to reach it. “Dude, you need to meet this chick, you guys sound really interested in each other.” He told his best friend, but Jensen glared at him “My cell phone is private, you gonna blurt out anything else?? This girl actually means something to me,” Jensen shook his head and walked off, he’d walk himself home.

You had just gotten out of the shower when you grabbed your phone, laid down on your bed and texted Jensen again. ‘Okay, finally, we have time to chat, sorry I’ve been super busy with work lately, things are changing and it’s all a little much for me to handle on my own.’ You texted back. A few minutes later Jensen texted back ‘hey 😊 don’t work yourself to hard okay? Believe me, I’m sure my ex-wife has a few stories she could share about how much I worked on my previous job, even though she worked too but that’s beside the point. I’m glad you’re finally able to relax for the night. What did you have for dinner?’ he sent back with another smiley face.

You laughed and texted the picture of the take out menu, ‘my favorite Chinese place, it’s quick, easy and on my way home from work, plus they have the most amazing egg rolls in the entire world. I love them so much,’ Jay sent a message back a few moments later with two laughing faces. ‘Lucky, I love Chinese, I had dinner with a few friends of mine.’ The conversation carried on until you passed out mid-text. Jensen waited for ten minutes until he finally realized you’d fell asleep. He smiled, wondering if anything would you be able to meet some day? Would you like him, not because he is an actor and made lots of money but because he preferred chocolate syrup over his strawberry ice cream? Or how about the way he watches movies, a medium popcorn, because the small isn’t big enough to share, and it always disappears before the movie starts and the large is too big, way to much salt and butter; two candy choices, a sweet and a sour, both enhance and cancels the salty popcorn, as well as a large soda. How about how he cooks, slow, but to perfection, and there’s always a meat, potato, and vegetable. He was more worried you were just interested in the fame, not for who he really was. But maybe this trip would help him clear his head some.

@adriellej @sgarrett49 @smoothdogsgirl @mrssamfuckingwinchester @hobby27 @traceyaudette @mogaruke @thewalkingdistancefrom @booger206 @ellen-reincarnated1967 @heimganger @moonlitskinwalker @teamfreewill-imagine @stoneygirl @monkeymcpoopoo @sandlee44 @asgardianvamp21 @frozenhuntress67 @babypink224221 @just-another-busy-fangirl @flamencodiva @for-the-love-of-the-fandom @auriel187 @animenerdz1819 @jessica-marsh09 @woodworthti666

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ath-ryu · 3 years

Text

not everyone can say they’ve been to the big apple, but athena ryu, a fourty-six year-old cisfemale has lived in park slope, brooklyn for twenty-seven years. This is the city of dreams and she knows it, because they came to nyc to be a pianist. living in the city means they meet all kinds of people, but everyone always seems to think they look like sandra oh. they even got away with free cab fare once because of it! sadie, 21, est, she/her, none.

hi everyone! sadie here coming at ya with my introverted pianist, athena.

CHARACTER BIO LOADING..

B A S I C S

NAME: athena lillian ryu. AGE: fourty-six. DATE OF BIRTH: may 10th. ZODIAC SIGN: taurus. SEXUALITY: bisexual. RELATIONSHIP STATUS: single and still grieving. OCCUPATION: pianist (playing for broadway stars and jazz listeners, the occasional recording gig). BIRTHPLACE: rochester, new york. CURRENT RESIDENCE: park slope, brooklyn.

A P P E A R E N C E

HEIGHT: 5′5. HAIR COLOR: black. EYE COLOR: brown. BUILD: thin, slender.

F A M I L Y

MOTHER: unknown. FATHER: elliot ryu. STEPMOTHER: faye sharpe-ryu. SIBLINGS: n/a. STEP-SIBLINGS: WANTED CONNECTION (one male, younger) CHILDREN: n/a.

BIOGRAPHY.

“you scan through the score and put fingers on keys and you play..”

mention of: child abandonment, infidelity, divorce, death, car accident, funerals, injury, ptsd.

from the moment athena was born, she experienced the feeling of abandonment. her mother left her father a year after she was born to chase down a man that she had only just met, driving away as fast as she could until her distraught husband and daughter were simply dots in her rear-view mirror. for most of her early years it was just her and her father, taking on the world together.

athena was always a reserved child, keeping to herself and spending most of her time with her nose in a book. it was an escape for her. even today, her brownstone is overflowing with books: from classic literature to cheesy romances.

when she was four, she first sat at a piano. instantly, the keys felt like home. when she was six, her father started driving her to lessons with the local teacher. quickly, athena picked up the instrument like it was an extension of herself.

when she was ten, her father remarried. while athena was happy for him, knowing that she now had a stepbrother who she loathed was not exactly the most present surprise for a ten year old girl. especially considering he was several years younger than her.

when she was fifteen, she kissed a girl for the first time and felt like she was floating. she came out as bisexual to her father and stepmother about five months later, who were both supportive. somehow, her stepbrother already knew. he was so much younger than her; maybe she wasn’t as smart as she thought.

over the years, athena has become very protective over her stepbrother. he’s completely the opposite to her in every way: loud, confident and popular while she would usually much rather sit in her own little corner or express herself through the keys. that is, unless someone messes with him. then, something switches.

the longer she played piano - the more attention she got. the more attention she got, the more competitions she won. people in her life were entranced by her story: a piano prodigy from their own city.

julliard was the next step, obviously. it made sense. the best music school in the world was holding out its arms, waiting for her. when she got there, the curriculum began to eat away at her, until it chewed her up and spit her out once graduation came around. at least it was over. that’s what she told herself.

at a gig two years later, she met her wife, eloise. she was the singer she was playing for and a damn good one at that. a year later, she was listening to that same voice sing to her at their wedding, falling even harder than she had the day she met her.

a couple of years later, the pair of them were the picture-perfect couple. the pianist and her muse, their brownstone being just the cherry on top of the cake.

everything was blissful, that was, until the accident. while the two of them were using a driving service, a car swerved and hit them. the impact killed eloise and left athena severely injured, having to learn her wife had passed from her hospital bed.

everything since eloise’s funeral has felt like a blur. she goes to and from her gigs every day like a zombie, certainly a shell of her former self, even several years later. she keeps a very small circle of friends, otherwise living a life that appears to be highly reclusive.

she’s getting there, slowly but surely putting herself out there to see what sticks. athena is resigned to the belief that eloise was it for her and that she’ll never experience romance or love again.

currently, she lives in a newer brownstone with her two corgis: oscar and charlie (after oscar wild and charles dickens), surrounded by books and sheet music. besides leaving the house to do gigs, she also occasionally guest lectures as a julliard alumni.

#enyc.intro #( about. )#( athena ryu. )#( about: athena ryu. )

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prismatales · 4 years

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Darling, you send me

Word Count: 1.6k

Bingo slot: Pick up lines

Pairings: (Separately) Mirio Togata, Tamaki Amajiki and Shinsou Hitoshi X Reader

Tag/Warnings: Fluff, Cooking shenanigans

Synopsis: The guys walk in on their crush cooking and being an absolute 50's cutie!

Heres entry #4 of @bnhabookclub bingo event! Thank you @hawks-senseis and @wakaoujisenhime for helping me out with these headcanons!

General:

Everyone in the dorm was either sleeping in, taking advantage of the weekend or had already left to do whatever they had pending.

Training at the school’s gym, studying at the library, just having a walk outside, going shopping, you name it.

Either way. It was the first time in a while that you finally had some free time. All of your homework was on track, no training with the teachers or any upcoming exams that needed you pulling an all-nighter.

You sighed happily a the thought of being able to relax for once. And what a better way to to enjoy it, than to use the spare time to play around with the beloved bird nest over your head, also know as your hair.

Quickly you got up from the chair and went to the small bathroom inside the room to pick everything needed. The bluetooth speaker connected to the cellphone played some of your favorite tunes in the background while.

Inside the small room, you could swear this hair had a life of its own, because no matter how many attempts were done to tame the beast, it would always find a way to become an absolute mess.

But finally, after a tedious battle against this fierce, rebel mane. You finally came out victorious and looking stunning! For once it wasn’t pulled into something that just helped keep it out of your face during training.

And hey, since we’re already on it, why not go all the way?

Quickly you made a run for your cosmetic bag and began applying a fair amount of makeup, fine traces of eyeliner adorned your eyelids, accompanied by a subtle layer of mascara, lastly a pretty yet subtle shade of lipstick that complimented your skin just perfectly.

For the final touch, you pulled some clothes saved for special occasions, because hey, this was a special occasion after all, right?

There was this stunning 50’s themed black dress covered in white polka dots that’s been sitting in your closet for weeks now, the idea was to use it for a date, but since you were in the mood to look cute that thought flew out the window.

Once you got changed and looked in the mirror, the results was divine. It was almost like someone had used a time traveling quirk and sent you back into the 50’s.

Squealing happily by the final result, you couldn’t help doing a happy dance in excitement and began taking pictures of your work to put them on twitter.

But then you saw the time at the corner of the small screen on the device, shrieking in surprise at the realisation of how late it was already. It was almost time for lunch and today was your turn to cook.

Fortunately there was still plenty of time to prepare the food. Grabbing the speaker sitting at the top of a shelf, you made way into the kitchen and grabbed the apron before getting started on today’s lunch.

As the ingredients were pulled out of the fridge to be prepared, the sounds of the knife making contact with the cutting board, oil sizzling because of the heat and the music from your playlist were combined into a captivating melody altogether.

Add the view as the sunlight peeked through the window, giving the kitchen quite a scenario worthy of being captured in a picture. If instead of the high tech appliances scattered around, some of those old appliances were in their place, and the floor titles had that characteristic black and white checkered pattern, it almost would be like a scene out of those old movies your grandmother used to enjoy so much.

In fact, it was her love for those movies and everything revolving around the 50’s that you became enamoured by its aesthetic as well.

As you danced along to the soft beat of the music, one of your favorite songs began playing through the small speaker and being unable to resist the urge, slowly you began dancing quietly to the rhythm.

Totally unaware of the guy standing at the kitchen’s entrance, who was pulled in by the mouth watering smell of your cooking and ended up staying in place, completely mesmerized as the watched the little show in front of him.

Mirio Togata

Song: Cheek to Cheek by Ella Fitzgerald

By this point, everyone and I mean EVERYONE knew about Mirio’s crush on you. The guy wasn’t even subtle about his feelings to begin with, but it was only a matter of him confessing.

He was just coming back after taking a small walk and the reminder that today his crush would be in charge of cooking excited the blond at the reminder of just how yummy your cooking was.

Mirio was already expecting the delicious smell of veggies and spices mixed together in a saute and he made his way into the kitchen to see if you needed any help.

But the sight before him left him speechless. There was a literal goddess before his eyes and he couldn’t help approaching you before blurting out a pick up line.

“Pardon me miss, but I couldn’t help noticing that you have beautiful hair.”

“Why thank you sir~” You played along with the smiling blond, giggling at his antics and his stories.

Like that one time he was jogging and got so distracted that his quirk activated on accident, leaving him pantless in the middle of the park.

The two of you were so distracted talking and laughing your hearts out while sharing silly stories from childhood, until a burnt smell filled your noses.

“Is something burning?”

“If there is, it’s probably ‘cause you’re so hot, that’s why.”

“Mirio, you--Wait! THE FOOD!”

Needless to say, you had to start all over again after burning the stir fry. But hey, at least this time there was someone helping out.

Tamaki Amajiki

Song playing: You send me by Sam Cooke

Tamaki had finished studying by the time he came downstairs and was pulled into the kitchen by the smell of Takoyaki, it was honestly surprising to think someone was preparing them for lunch, but he wasn’t complaining at all if the yummy smell wasn’t a clue of just how good it they had to be.

Taking a peek into the kitchen he did not expect to find you slaving over the griddle, making sure not a single ball of dough got burned.

All while singing that sweet song under your breath and quickly flipping the Takoyaki in the griddle, watching their rich golden color with satisfaction and a smile in your face.

Coincidently, you turned around right at the same time he spoke. How in the world did he get the courage to blurt out his thoughts about you? He wasn’t sure, but it took a lot for Mirio and Nejire to encourage him to try flirting with you for once.

“I-I didn’t mean to be f-forward but your hairstyle looks b-b-beautiful on you…!”

You actually blinked repeatedly, not believing what you just heard. Tamaki Amajiki, THE TAMAKI AMAJIKI FROM THE BIG THREE himself was giving you a compliment. The same guy that would freeze whenever you greeted him in the mornings, the same guys who turned as red as a beet the last time you were both paired up together for a school project.

“That’s pretty nice of you Amajiki!” For once rather than having a nervous fit, that smile made him feel at ease.

Even more when you pulled a piece of Takoyaki in front of him.

“Say, since you’re pretty much an expert on takoyaki...Wanna give these a taste?”

This time he did go red faced. The girl he had a crush on? hand feeding him? Did he die and go to heaven???

Gulping silently he nodded, leaning forward and taking a bite of the treat. Eyes lit up in amazement the moment he fully savored the meal.

“What do you think?”

“...It’s perfect, just like you.”

It was your turn to get flustered.

Shinsou Hitoshi

Song: All I have to do is dream by The Everly Brothers

Out of these three, Shinsou’s the closest to his crush, considering you’re always hanging out together, of course it was nice being friends...but frankly, he wanted to be more than just friends with you.

He came into the dorms exhausted, sweaty and famished. Training with Aizawa was usually so intense that by the time they’re done all he wanted to do was raid the fridge and rest for 72 hours.

All he came for was some nice, cold water and ended up witnessing a small show as he watched you give a small twirl in the kitchen with your hair and dress flowing gracefully around you.

That’s when you realized your dear friend -and maybe more- had been watching the little choreography.

Seeing him standing there with his arms crossed, smirking playfully as he watched you dance made you stop in your tracks, greeting the purple haired male happily as he walked into the kitchen.

“You clean up good, What’s the occasion?” He took a bottle of water from the fridge before taking a sip and leaning on the counter besides you, watching with interest at the piping hot seafood pasta.

“I just wanted to look nice! We’re so busy with training I rarely get the chance to do my hair nicely!”

He didn’t think twice about complimenting you on the spot.

“You are a natural. You look great with any hairstyle.”

Shinsou caught you of guard for a solid minute, leaving you frozen in place and so distracted, tat you didn’t notice him stealing a bite from the pasta until you hear a hum of approval.

He only chuckled when your turned in his direction and gave him an offended look.

“Did you just eat directly from the pan?!”

This time he couldn’t hold back his laughter when you began chasing him around the kitchen. It wasn’t his fault that he enjoyed teasing his best friend and crush every now and then, was it?

@bnhabookclub @gallickingun @godtieruwu @hanniejji @mysticalite @samanthaa-leanne @savagetrickster @shoobirino @bnha-ra @hawks-senseis @sugacookiies @wesparklebitch

#bnhabookclub #bnha headcanons #mha headcanons #bnha hcs #shinshou x reader #mirio x reader #tamaki x reader #fluff #bnha imagine #mha imagine

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notgonnarememberthis · 3 years

Text

find your way (back to me) - chapter two

The reception for this fic was so fucking sweet, this really went beyond what I expected I honestly just thought this would be a self service fic but it hit off so well. Honestly, wrote the next chapter to cope with the anxiety of being home and general holiday stress so I hope y’all enjoy it. And thank y’all for all the sweet comments they mean the fucking world to me.

Jessica tries not to let the sigh escape her throat, she really does. But when Gil comes in arms loaded with gifts it probably took him weeks to save for she can’t help it.

She can afford literally anything he wanted to buy for her or the kids and then some, but she resisted.

If not to see the proud little grin on his face when he knows he absolutely nailed the gift that the recipient never even knew they wanted.

He’s quite good at knowing what people never knew they needed.

She invites him in, nonetheless, taking some of the load off, only with a little chiding that he still shouldn’t carry so much. It has only been a few months since his injury. He needs to give his body time to heal.

Malcolm and Ainsley would arrive soon, hopefully carrying something that wasn’t a twist-on. But for now she would enjoy Gil’s company. His warmth wards off the cold that always seemed to linger in the hollow rooms. His smile lights up even the darkest corners as she leans into his embrace. He pulls out old records that collected dust for years, grabbing her hand and swinging her around the room with more grace than anyone would expect.

They don’t even notice when the children arrive. Only when Gil spins her and she nearly runs straight into Malcolm do they realize they are no longer alone. The laughter catches the air like a flame, spreading across the room with an infectious glee that most of them had not known for far too long. Gil pulls Ainsley in next, taking her as his next partner.

She almost bursts with joy when Malcolm takes her hand to dance without hesitation. His movements are still but he is letting go, allowing himself to enjoy the small moments in life that don’t revolve around homicide.

She’s so proud that she feels tears building behind her eyes.

The music fades and the silence takes over, no longer as deafening but rather content.

Jessica startles awake to a loud crash. Immediately she regrets opening her eyes as pain rips through her head. She reaches up to feel where it hurts but something is holding her down.

It takes a few seconds for the world to come into focus, once it does she wishes desperately for the peace of the dream. Her hands are zip tied to the chair she’s sitting in, her neck and head both ache like nobody’s business. She shuffles through her mind to try to remember what the hell happened. There was a crash, then her world was spinning, she checked on Adolpho… Oh god, Adolpho.

A soft sob of realization takes over her. What happened between the crash and now? How the hell did she get here? She was on her way to a meeting for becoming the head of Eve’s charity in her honor.

“Oh good, you’re awake.” Fake sincerity drips from a figure previously hidden by the shadows. She stiffens, suddenly all too aware of her situation. She holds still, as if that would help, if she wouldn’t move they wouldn’t see her. If she closes her eyes she can open them again to the warmth and happiness radiating from her family. “Sorry for the mess, had to improvise.” The shadow gestures absentmindedly.

“Who are you?” Her voice rasps painfully. She wonders how long exactly she was out for.

“Oh, that doesn’t matter. I’m much more interested in you.” He comes closer, enough for her to recognize that he’s wearing a mask. “Jessica Whitly, my you are a sob story if there ever was one.” He walks across the room, footsteps echoing off the concrete walls. “Disgraced daughter of the Miltons, married to a serial killer, and dated another socialite exposed to be heading a dubious business,” he sighs. “Truly Shakespearian, have you thought about selling the rights to your story?”

“Are you done?” She tries not to let her voice waver, her fear shakes just beneath the surface, but she’s not running or hiding now. Malcolm and Gil will find her. She just needs to stall as long as she possibly can.

“Hardly.” The venomous glee sends a chill down her spine. He tilts his head in a way that flashes her back as if she were in Claremont all this time. “Just killing time until our guest arrives.”

“I can give you all the money you want, just let me go.” The bark of a laugh makes her jump, immediately regretting the sudden movement as pain pierces her skull yet again.

“I don’t want your money. It can all burn for all I give a shit.”

“What do you want then?” She pleads.

Even with the mask she can feel his deadly grin, like a cat taunting it’s prey just before it pounces. “You.”

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Gil checks his phone yet again, waiting for Malcolm’s text. He told JT to get Ainsley and get both of them back to the precinct immediately. He almost wishes he’d done it for himself, having them in his sight would be a hell of a lot more comforting right now especially as he stares at the lieu of pictures scattered across his desk.

He trusts JT, though. He’s getting them here as fast as he possibly can with two out of three of the most stubborn people he’s ever met in the back of his car. No doubt they have hundreds of questions that poor JT doesn’t even know the answer to, he’s simply following orders and right now they’re on a strict need to know basis.

Colette will lock Malcolm down as soon as he arrives. He’ll be able to loosen the reigns, but only a little. He’ll be lucky to leave without Dani or JT personally handcuffed to him. Hell, Gil will be lucky if she doesn’t choose him to be handcuffed to Malcolm.

He hears the door to his office open and he feels the lump in his throat develop once again.

“Why are the FBI here?” “Why did I just get pulled out of work and rushed here?” “Why isn’t mom answering my calls?” “Why did we get escorted here by two more cop cars?”

The two siblings speak simultaneously and he sighs raising a hand to stop them. He braces himself delivering the news as impersonally as he could to the two people he basically watched grow up. “You’re both familiar with the kidnappings and murders in Boston?” They nodded, going to talk again but he stopped them with a pointed stare. “This morning there was an accident, one of the cars matched the plates of the car Agent Swanson has been tracking for that case.”

“What does that have to do with us?” Ainsley asks, fingers playing with the hem of her sleeve, it’s a nervous tick he’s known since she was 12. Her mother tried to break the habit but was never really successful.

“The other driver was Adolpho.” Ainsley’s eyes widen, she looks to Malcolm who only nods solemnly. “He died on impact.”

“Oh my god.” Malcolm reaches over, squeezing her hand. He watches the younger man straighten, preparing himself for the next blow. He’s all too familiar with the practices and knows that Gil has more to deliver to them. He nods, silently telling him to continue.

“We found this in the backseat of the car.” He turns the photo of Jessica’s phone to them and watches as the dots connect in both of their heads. “We also found blood on the back window that we believe is your mother’s.”

“You believe?” Ainsley’s voice cracks for the first time that he’s heard in years. Even after Paul Lazar, even after Endicott Ainsley didn’t waver. “What do you mean you believe is hers? Where is she?”

“You think the killer took her.” Malcolm whispers. Almost as if he says it too loud, it will make it true. His hands fly to his eyes sucking in a breath when Gil nods in confirmation. He knows it’s his way of trying to keep tears back, just long enough to keep his head from going into full meltdown and instead switching to investigator. “Dani found CCTV footage of the wreck. The suspect’s car redlight, crashing into Adolpho without even slowing down. The man climbs out of the car and goes out of frame. A couple minutes later an ambulance shows up, another man helps your mother into the back and they drive off.”

“Shouldn’t she be fine then? We just need to find out want hospital they took her to. She’s probably logged as a Jane Doe if she doesn’t have her purse either. She probably hit her head and she’s confused or unconscious and we need to-”

“Ainsley.” Malcolm’s tone stops her. He’s already read Gil’s expression, knowing what’s coming next.

“The ambulance on the scene was reported stolen just an hour before the wreck.” He watches as Ainsley’s face crumples, despite her best attempts to hold it together. Malcolm pulls her into a loose hug, rubbing her back in comfort. He can tell only by the slightly uneven breaths that Malcolm is crying as well.

His eyes sting and every fatherly instinct wants him to go to them and hug them. Tell them everything will be fine just like he did 20 years ago. He gives them time to settle again, determination overpowering their shock and grief. “What can we do?”

“Right now, stay in sight. I’ve already got the FBI pressing hard enough on this pushing for a clean end but I don’t think that’ll be the case. Something doesn’t feel right. I’m assigning each of you an officer and if either of you tries to shake them or go off on your own I’m putting you in a holding cell.” He raises a brow at the two of them. “Understand?”

“Yes.” They answer in unison. Gil tries not to think about the two kids, hardened too young. With only each other and their mother to hold onto in the storm that raged around them. Now with one less thing anchoring them to this earth.

“Let’s get to work.” XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The clanging of metal pulls Jessica’s attention from the deep abyss she allowed herself to sink into. The man had long left with the promise of the “guest” lingering over her head. She busied herself praying to every deity that she could think of that Malcolm, Ainsley, Gil, all of them were safe. She stopped believing in God long ago but her desperation outweighs her beliefs right now.

Different, slower footsteps shamble in front of her. This man looks younger, his physique, at least. He places something down against the wall before dragging a chair in front of her. She feels bile rise in the back of her throat when the something against the wall groans in pain. The man shuffles back over to the body, lifting it with ease yet again and placing it in the chair across from her. He secures the wrists individually to the chair before standing behind it. She stares at him for a moment, she swears his movements almost seem hesitant.

The static of a radio starting up breaks the relative silence. “Take off his hood.” She recognizes the voice of the man who was taunting her earlier. The other figure does as he says, removing the bag from over the tied up man’s head. Fearful bloodshot eyes meet hers. “This is Tommy Moore. He is a resident at Montgomery and from what I hear? He will make a promising young surgeon one day.” She swallows hard trying to calm the nerves building up in her stomach. “Do you know who she is Tommy?” The poor boy can only get out a whimper. Her heart sinks when she hears the sound of a gun cocking from behind him. “Answer me!”

“Y-yes.” He chokes out. “I saw her on the news. She was looking for a missing girl o-on Christmas.”

“Do you think she would choose your life over her own?” Tommy bows his head sobbing openly. “Please don’t do this.”

“Let him go.” She begs.

“Well would you Mrs. Whitly?” The sentence cuts deep. “Would you choose your life over his?” She closes her eyes, a few tears sliding down her cheeks. She thinks of Malcolm and Ainsley, no idea of where she was. She thinks of Gil, pouring everything he has into finding her. She even thinks of Martin, the horrid man who no doubt has caused this somehow in some way.

And then she thinks of her dream. She holds onto the smell of Gil’s cologne surrounding her as they spin around her living room, the sound of Ainsley’s laugh bouncing off of the walls as Gil dips her, Malcolm’s smile brighter than she remembers it being in so very long. And she hopes they forgive her. “No.”

The silence feels as if it stretches for hours. She waits for the gunshots. She waits for the pain and then the utter nothingness of death. “Perhaps you didn’t understand my question. Would you die so that Tommy here can live?”

“Yes, I would.” The boy cries only get louder, mixed with tragedy and relief. She almost wants to cry with him.

“No!” The voice roars and they hear something from the other room crash. “You’re doing this wrong!” Another stretch of silence, this one even longer than the last. “You would rather die, so that he can live?!” Tommy looks at her, finally, and the realization strikes her. His eyes looked familiar, the same shade as Martin’s. His curly, unkempt hair even the shade so similar she’d assume he was a relative had she not known Martin had no other family. Everything was a subconscious push so that she’d choose her own life over his. This was a losing game.

“I choose his life over mine.” She says with more anger than before. She wouldn’t fall for this game. Even if it meant her own she wouldn’t put an innocent life on the line. She hopes for her children’s sake that they find her eventually. She hopes that they find peace.

“Shoot him.”

“What?” The man with a gun asks before either of them could.

“Shoot him!” The shot makes her ears pop. She never knew a gun could be that loud. Blood hits her face causing her to flinch, watching in horror as the boy slumps forwards. A cry rips through her throat as she struggles against the bonds tying her down.

“Why?!” She screams. “Why did you do that?!” She folds over on herself trying to contain the panic threatening to swallow her whole. Every fiber of her wants to fight back, to fight her way back to her family. Her head screeches in pain, spots flashing in front of her eyes. It only seems to get more intense though as her world tilts and spins with an effort to stay awake.

“You chose wrong.”

#gil arroyo x jessica whitly #jessica whitly x gil arroyo #gilssica #gil arroyo #jessica whitly #malcolm bright #Ainsley Whitly #prodigal son #prodigal son au #kidnapping au #find your way (back to me)#find your way (back to me) chapter two #fanfic #notgonnarememberthis fics

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kingofthenorth49 · 3 years

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Made in China

I don’t know about you, but it sure feels like we are living through the start of World War III.

Now before you scroll past and think my tin foil hat is on too tight this morning, hear me out. It’s not like this doesn’t make sense or anything, if you connect the dots it would appear that the next global conflict will look much different than the previous two.

Think about it. China has been posturing for years to become the next world superpower, and if you can see through the medias bullshit you can read the overtures that are being made in the Asia region along with the saber rattling in the Middle East, you can see that it didn’t take long for Biden to unravel almost 50 years of progress towards peace.

War is inevitable and necessary to the state, and if you ever read Sun Tzu “Art of War”, a Chinese war treatise from the 6th dynasty you would understand the supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting. He also said that the outcome of war is pre-decided and gave solid advice on the best way to conduct campaigns to conquer foreign powers.

Now before you get your panties in a bunch, I’m not accusing China of deliberately inducing a world-wide pandemic through the use of a genetically modified pathogen after spending years devaluating the US dollar using printed money (not like we have room to talk, but we also haven’t been on a buying spree like the Chinese have in say, Canada for example.), but if I were President Xi Jinping that’s what I’d do. The best war is one where you risk no resources.

Again, not saying the Chinese are attempting to destabilize the United States, not at all. Just saying if I were going to take over the world that’s how I’d do it, from a far, using disinformation and creating confusion and chaos in the streets of my enemy. Not like it hasn’t been done before.

See many of you see people like me as conspiracy theorists, people who are to be dismissed because we believe in things others’ think are foolish, things that seem farfetched and impossible to be going on in a frame of present reference. I just see myself as a guy who likes history and reads a lot of books that were written before Google came along and dumbed down our nations. Anyone who has ever read a book on the rise of the National Socialist German Workers’ Party in 1920’s Germany would understand completely. If you were to pick up a couple other books on how Hilter rose to power on the back of that party, you’d understand also how quickly people can be manipulated, and how the media and ideology can quickly create a firestorm of hate that makes it easy for societies to crumble. Read even further on how the German army used deceptive tactics to invade Austria and Poland so quickly they didn’t have a chance to prepare.

That’s not a conspiracy theory, that’s history and we all know those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.

I guess watering down history is a good thing, right? Taking down statues, changing historical accounts in the name of political correctness, and not encouraging people to critically examine all aspects of history to learn from them helps us become a better society.

Let me give you the Cole’s notes version of how quickly things can go off the rails when the wrong ideology gains traction in a society where people intend to do evil. Again, not saying our current situation is remotely commensurate with our current situation, but it’s a good example of how quickly things can go from good to evil.

Here we go.

1933 - The Nazi Party takes power in Germany. Adolf Hitler becomes chancellor (or Prime Minister) of Germany. Nazis temporarily suspend civil liberties.

1934 - Hitler combines the positions of chancellor and president to become “Fuhrer” or leader of Germany. Jewish newspapers are no longer allowed to be sold in the streets of Germany.

1935 - The Nazis intensify the persecution of people that do not agree with their political philosophy. Jews are deprived of their citizenship and other basic rights.

1936 – Nazi's boycott Jewish owned businesses. The Olympic Games are held in Germany; Signs barring Jews are removed until the event is over. Jews no longer have the right to vote.

1938 - German troops annexed Austria. On Kristallnacht, the “night of broken glass,” Nazis terrorized Jews throughout Germany and Austria and 30,000 Jews are arrested. Jews must carry ID cards (papers!) and Jewish passports are marked with a “J”. Jews no longer had businesses, attend plays, concerts etc. (maybe they were unvaccinated??) All Jewish children are move to Jewish schools. Jewish businesses are shut down; They must sell businesses and hand over securities and jewels. Jews must hand over drivers licenses and car registrations. Jews must be in certain places at certain times.

1939- Germany takes over Czechoslovakia and invades Poland. World War Two begins as Britain in France declared war on Germany. Hitler orders that Jews must follow curfews; Jews must turn in radios to the police; Jews must wear yellow stars of David.

Now I’ll stop there.

Those are all non-debatable historical facts, no subjectivity in my interpretation, just the facts m’am. Look how quickly one ideology took hold in a country ripe for change. At the time of the 1930’s German’s were desperate for change as they had just came out of world war 1 and were suffering from paying reparations for their conduct during that conflict and when Hilter came along he lit a fire under the German people by blaming the Jews for the loss of WW1.

Five years. Five years from the time a tyrant took power until he was able to start killing 6 million people.

Now if you are one of those types that believe “it can’t happen again” look no further to all the other genocides over the past 100 years, up to and including the Uighur crisis currently going on in China where they have over 1 million Uighur Muslims in concentration camps and they are mass sterilizing these people to the point it’s actually consider a genocide, as it’s reducing the Muslim population in the western provinces of China though declining birthrates. If these women don’t submit to forced intra-uterine devices or monthly pregnancy tests, they are put in prisons.

Put in prision because they needed to take a test, shot, or device and wouldn’t?

Say it ain’t so Joe, say it ain’t so.

Folks, some people are evil. Rotten to the core. They have no soul and are in the most desperate need of getting laid of any person on the planet. That’s reality. You can choose to stick you head in the sand and pretend the boogeyman doesn’t exist, but in truth the boogey man will always exist because humans are nasty evil creatures capable of the most horrendous conduct, and if you think ignoring them or passing laws to prevent them from doing things are going to stop them, well you are just stupid. Sorry, I can’t soften that up any because I owe it to you to be blunt in these times.

Now if you’ve made it this far I think you would agree that something is amiss these days, there’s too many conspiracy theories of the past few years that are now seeming to be true, yet no one wants to talk about where the end game is. I’m not sure what it is, but I have some theories, most involved China or George Soros, but the data indicates more towards the former versus the latter.

Trudeau loves China, he’s said so on many occasions to the point of gushing over their communist form of government. His father was a Marxist, and his mother loved communists. Literally. **bow chica bow wow**

Hunter Biden and the Big Guy are in bed with the Chinese in a different way that Margret and Fidel. We’ve seen the emails, the testimony, and the allegations. For them, it’s about money. Last week the Big Guy shut down the investigation that Trump started into the Wuhan lab. That’s now created a firestorm that will likely make 9/11 look like a traffic accident. Coincidence? I think not.

We recently had two Chinese scientists with ties to the Chinese People’s Army kicked out of our highest security epidemiology lab here in Canada after CSIS had concerns they were passing information back to the Wuhan lab (a lab so highly classified Canadian scientists have a hard time getting security clearances to access it), and Trudeau drew the ire of senior Canadian military personnel when he bullied them into allowing the Chinese to hold winter war games at CFB Petawawa. Why is Trudeau so moonstruck with China?

Dot, Dot, Dot.

Once again, I hope I’m wrong. I really, really do, but go back and walk that timeline again and ask yourself if you now understand why Netanyahu hit Hamas as hard as he did.

Never again.

Can you blame him Comrades?

Now as you sit here in North America today, especially in Canada, does it not seem eerily similar to what has happened before in history? Keep in mind that Jews were loaded onto boxcars under the premise to take them to safety from the angry German peoples.

I really do hope my tinfoil hat is too tight and it’s cutting off the circulation to my frontal lobe, I want the Canada back I grew up in, and the America I fell in love with. I just hope this really is just a bad bug that’s part of a cyclical pattern of virology and this isn’t the start of a global war to reorganize the planet power structure and de-populate the globe.

The dots just tell a different story.

Jim Out.

#ww3 trudeaumustgo wearesoscrewed enough

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alindakb · 4 years

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Love me Forever - by Alinda

A little warning, in this little alternative HP universe there will be no happy ending. I hope you still enjoy this short story set in a word where Voldemort never excised.

~~~~~~~~

His body is cold. His skin paler then Draco’s has ever been. It has been hours and he still hasn’t moved. Draco doesn’t understand. He did everything the same, just like he remembered. Only it looks like it didn’t work. It looks like he’s dead and won’t come back to spend the rest of eternity with Draco. Draco blinks with his eyes. If he could he would cry, but it has been years since he shed his last tear. Since he took his last breath and walked in the sunlight. Draco has lost count of the decades he’s wandered the halls of Hogwarts, of the times he sat through seventh year, fooling everyone around him. He never minded living forever. Until now.

-x-x-x-x-

When Harry was eleven and went to Hogwarts for the first time his uncle Sirius told him about the legend. Harry had thought it was silly. How could a boy repeat seventh year over and over again without anyone noticing? By the time he started third year it made more sense. Hogwarts was a weird place where strange things happened. And during the TriWizard tournament of fourth year, he learnt that students could die when not careful. And how quickly everyone around him forgot about poor Cedric who had used potions to try to win, only to be found dead in the maze after Viktor Krum had secured the victory. And now that he’s started seventh year he wonders who it could be, the student that has turned into a vampire and secretly feeds on seventh years without anyone noticing. He’s sure all his dorm mates have always been there. His best friend Ron, the combustible Seamus, creative Dean and the little awkward Nevile. He has memories off all of them through the years.

“You do know that vampires can imprint themselves in your memories. It could be any of us and we wouldn’t know”, Ron says.

“Yes, but we’ve been best friends since childhood. I would think my parents would say something if I would suddenly have a new best friend that I claim I’ve known since I was in diapers,” Harry counters back.

“Harry has a point. And Ron, you have too many brothers to be the vampire. It’s got to be someone without any siblings.” Seamus sits down next to Dean and rests his chin on his shoulder. “Maybe it’s my boyfriend, he’s a single child.”

“Yes, and the first thing I did was make you believe you’ve been sleeping with me for the last two years, so I could have sex whenever I want to,” Dean jokes.

“If it’s one of us, it will be Neville,” Ron says. “He’s the one that doesn’t have that many friends, that likes to spend time alone in the greenhouses. And he’s a single child without any parents.”

Harry shakes his head. “The greenhouses are too light. And how would he get there during the day? No, we need to figure out which student never makes it to Herbology to find out who the vampire is.”

“You’re forgetting that not every seventh year takes Herbology. You and Dean both have different subjects. We need to find out which students only have subjects that aren’t outside. So every student taking Care of Magical Creatures or Herbology is out.” Dean says.

“Well, that means he isn’t a Gryffindor,” Ron says. “We all either take Herbology or Magical Creatures.”

“All of the Hufflepuff seventh years have Herbology too,” Seamus pipes in.

“It’s probably a Slytherin, nicely tucked away in the dungeons, like a real vampire,” Harry concludes.

And from that moment Harry starts to pay attention to the Slytherin boys during their shared potions lessons. It doesn’t help his potion-making skills, making it so that Hermione keeps giving him disappointed looks and that Professor Snape’s mood only seems to improve. Half of the Slytherin boys are an only child. Zabini only has a mother that seems to marry a different man every couple of years, and they always end up dead in the end. Harry has asked his father about it, but the Aurors are sure all the men have died from natural causes or accidents. James says there is no way a vampire could fool the entire Ministry, and the legend is clear about that the student parents were never turned. There is Nott, who has always bugged Harry with his shitty attitude. But that is not a reason why he could be the vampire. And he takes Herbology, so that takes to suspicion off him. Crabbe and Goyle don’t have the brains to be vampires and too many siblings in school to be considered. Harry still doesn’t understand how they may have passed any O.W.L.’s in fifth year. The only one left is Malfoy, the rich boy with the mansion in Wilshire.

Malfoy with his platinum blond hair and fair skin. The boy who says he likes Quidditch but hasn’t been to a single match this year. The one person at the Slytherin table who doesn’t receive any mail in the morning.

Harry makes it his mission to get to know Malfoy better. He asks him for help with his potion homework one day when they are both in the library. It is the start of sweet smiles and trips to the library to do their homework together. Ron calls Harry a traitor for falling for a Slytherin. Both Harry knows it’s just banter and that Ron doesn’t mean anything by it. Harry has forgotten all about the crazy vampire legend. One day Draco leans in close and places his soft cold lips on Harry. Harry’s heart skips a beat and he can’t stop smiling for days. They join each other for breakfast or dinner, breaking the hostilities between their houses. Nott ignores them all, but Hermione finds a friend in Pansy and Dean and Blaise share painting techniques like it’s the most natural thing in the world.

Nobody complains when Draco doesn’t want to go to Hogsmeade but prefers to spend the day in with Harry. They kiss and wander around the castle. In the evening they stroll around the lake and Harry’s heart burst again when Draco tells him he loves him.

“Promise me we’ll still be together after graduation,” Harry whispers in Draco’s ear as his hands roam over Draco’s sides.

Draco rests the back of his head against the tree and looks up at the cloudy sky. “Tomorrow is a new moon,” he says.

Harry looks up at the sky and shakes his head. “Who cares about the new moon. Just tell me this is more than a high school fling and that you’ll come with me to London.”

Two pale grey eyes stare intensely at Harry. “I’ll love you forever, Harry,” Draco says. “You were never a fling to me, you’re everything.”

Their lips meet and Harry forgets all about London. That night he dreams of Draco’s hand on his, of the promise to spend the next night together on the astronomy tower. The night will be special. Draco promised. Something about the new moon and how much brighter the stars will be. What Harry didn’t expect is to find a blanket surrounded by flying candles. Pillows soft and comfortable to sit upon, a picnic basket filled with fruits and snacks. Draco holds his hand and caresses his neck.

“You are the most beautiful boy I’ve ever seen,” he says. Harry smiles at him and takes another grape. He takes another sip of the wine. It tastes a little funny and Harry knows he’s getting tipsy, but he doesn’t care. The stars are out and Draco looks at him like he’s an angel or something. They kiss and slowly their clothes get removed from their bodies. Draco’s pale limbs intertwine with Harry’s darker skin and Harry forgets all about the stars and the wine. Draco’s fingers open him up slowly and then the moment is there. For the first time in his life, Harry becomes one with another person and he can’t believe how perfect it all feels.

“Stay with me forever,” Draco says.

“Yeah, fuck yes, Draco. Forever,” Harry answers. Their hands intertwine on Harry’s chest, and Harry turns his head to the back so he can kiss Draco. Something sharp hits his lips and Harry can taste his own blood on his lips. Draco doesn’t seem to mind as his trust intensify and the kiss deepens. He takes Harry in his hand and strokes him in tandem with his trusts. A perfect pleasure fills Harry and he comes hard.

Draco’s lips slide from Harry’s mouth to his neck. Teeth scrape over the skin as Draco pushes Harry’s stomach to the floor. Harry feels a sharp pain when the teeth break his skin and warm blood trickles down Harry’s throat. Draco keeps pushing inside Harry while his lips cover the wounds on his neck. The legend of the vampire student comes back to Harry mind and he can’t believe he never connected the dots. Draco never wants to go outside when the weather is nice. He’s touch is always cold and he hardly eats any food. Nobody knows his parents and even Harry’s father mentioned that he thought the Malfoy name had died out years ago. Even though they did had a Malfoy in their class, a good looking blond according to Sirius.

Harry feels Draco come inside him and for a second he hopes that Draco would also release his neck and make him forget about the blood. Only Draco grabs Harry’s head and sucks more desperate. Harry his head starts to hurt and he feels dizzy. He tries to lift his body with his hands to turn around and make Draco stop, only Draco is stronger and keeps Harry in place.

“Please, Draco, I don’t want to die.”

Draco lifts his lips and kisses Harry’s skin. “We’ll be together forever,” he whispers. “It won’t hurt, I promise. And I’ll be here when you wake up.” He puts his mouth over the wounds again and drinks more of Harry’s blood.

Tears fall from Harry’s eyes. He can’t stop Draco. Minutes pass and Harry’s breathing becomes shallow. He’s cold and the pain in his head is intensifying. One of Draco’s hand twist in Harry’s hair and the other holds one of Harry’s hands on the floor. Harry looks at his arm. Pinned down by Draco. Harry’s skin looks pale and his fingernails are blue. His rapid heartbeat is slowing and Harry can’t remember how he’d got to the astronomy tower.

“I’m sorry, mom,” he whispers. It’s getting hard to keep his eyes open. So he closes them and lets the darkness take him.

-x-x-x-x-

Draco drinks every last drop of blood from Harry’s body. His love had died a couple of minutes ago. His blood has been the best Draco ever tasted. He turns Harry’s body around and lays him carefully on the pillows. He rests his head on Harry’s chest and waits for him to wake. He’ll be back with Draco before the sun will rise tonight. Draco also woke up just before sunrise, in the arms of his lover after losing his virginity on a new moon. Draco had spiked Harry’s wine with his own blood to make sure he would turn. Hours pass and nothing happens. Harry’s body stays still and unresponsive. The sun starts to rise in the distant. Draco knows he should move, that he should put his clothes back on and make his way inside. He knows it didn’t work, that Harry won’t come back to him. He closes his eyes and lays back down on Harry’s chest.

“I’m sorry,” he says as the sun starts to burn his skin and takes his life away.

#drarry #Harry Potter #Draco Malfoy #vampire draco #no happy ending #major character death

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ssaalexblake · 5 years

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13 reacts to Yaz openly showing her loyalty and positive emotion by looking straight up Scared and it’s still a question that 13′s shadiness was purposefully written??? Girl knows Exactly what she is and that she’s basically created an elaborate ~chipper~ persona with selective honesty and carefully monitoring how she acts among her friends, and is intelligent enough to know it’s gonna come crashing down around her, probably Soon.

It’s already getting harder to hide. It slowly got more difficult for her to do so over the course of the season, especially in the NY special. She’s losing ground, step by step.

And it’s not that i disagree with the assertions that the two moments of yaz showing her affection and 13′s reactions are Thasmin(tm), i just happen to think they’re Angsty rather than anything else.

I don’t think it was a mistake that the one closest to seeing past the doctor’s new Happy/laughing/kindness visage is Yaz, I think it’s going to be plot relevant that Yaz spent most of season eleven Watching. Ryan and Graham, to some extent, are very much in their own world in S11; they’re travelling with 13 yeah, but they’re also both trying to work through grief by doing so, they’re trying to reconcile their own relationship as family, too.

To put it simply, they’re not watching and therefore they don’t see, and I don’t think it’s an accident that it was written this way.

Yaz, however, as has been justifiably pointed out by a lot of people frustrated that she had little to actively do in s11, has spent that time paying a Lot of attention to Thirteen. At some point, nosing into Graham and Ryan’s grief and development would have been outright rude of her, not just awkward. It’s kind of, Pushed her to be more attuned to 13, what else was she going to do, right?

Add to this that 13 is, for the most part comfortable giving Yaz jobs to do on their travelling that she would never off the cuff leave to the other two. She armed Yaz when they were having the Pting problem and left her guarding the anti-matter drive, to use an example. While Graham and Ryan were off being midwives, Yaz was defending the ship against a hostile alien and using force to do so, and doing it under 13′s orders. She is more comfortable with Yaz doing these things because, i assume, she is a police officer, she’s trained to do so.

Which isn’t really notable, it’s logical after all, Graham is a retired bus driver and Ryan is training to be a mechanic and works terrible jobs to pay for it, if you were going to pick one of the three to do the more dangerous and potentially violent tasks, you Would pick Yaz, it’s logical.

None of this on its own is really notable, but Yaz is now in this weird space where she’s not Really noticed that anything is up, but she has all the pieces of information in her head that could lead to an epiphany. She’s spent a few months watching this kind of pantomime performance of thirteen’s sincere attempts to be a better person, to be just a traveler, and she’s been subconsciously picking up bits of information which are outliers to her own supposition that 13′s “the best person i’ve ever met” (ok, she might decide she still is after this inevitably gets worse before it gets better, but she can’t Know if 13 hides herself from her, it’s the submitting to the ordeal of being known kind of thing).

Because i think we’re almost at the point where, if Yaz were to just see One thing, one openly questionable action from 13, she will begin to consciously connect the dots. Which is why I think the whole ‘Yaz has stars in her eyes for 13′ is actively Angsty rather than cute, i mean it’s kind of cute because it looks like she’s got a crush on the weirdo blonde alien, but i can’t see this ending anywhere but Angst.

The problem with Yaz starting their friendship looking at 13 like that, is Eventually she’s going to stop. And 13 knows this, hence the looks of worry/fear when yaz Does look at her with something bordering on awe and intense loyalty. She’s terrified of the day Yaz knows enough that the looks will stop, imo.

Which is honestly why i hate this stupidly long hiatus, i genuinely feel from all the signs that s11 was the groundwork to some pretty serious story arcs, but I also don’t think the super long gap was a good tactical decision because if you don’t look at the season as a starting block and look at it as a single entity, it doesn’t have a lot of depth which i feel is actually there.

#danni watches doctor who #every time i see that gifset of 13 reacting to yaz i go 'ouch' in a not fun way #and ok i don't ship the ship but that's a lot to do #with the fact that yaz doesn't Really know her #and i am less inclined to ship teens w/ anyone much older than them in general #but i do think this is going to be a V important relationship in s12 #so i just wish they'd give it to us!!!!#i'm supposed to be colouring in doctors 1-4 but i wrote this instead!!!!#in my defence i couldn't find any good colour references lol #i think it's the hannibal novel that talks about all the elements for an epiphany are present???#i read it in Some book and i Loved the idea of seeing it like that #like 'i know you are clueless right now but.... u have all the info to Not be'#except it was more murdery in the book lol

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silyabeeodess · 4 years

Text

FusionFall: Thoughts on the Latest Update

So...guess who played through the whole update in one sitting?

I don’t usually give my thoughts on games themselves--if I do, it’s typically in regards to story and worldbuilding rather than gameplay--but there was so much to unpack with this that I feel like I want to cover some points. Some of this is just my personal thoughts, some of this will be a critique, and some of this--since I do post headcanons, stories, and a few theories--will be in regards to my approach on those now that we’ve been given new information. As this will contain spoilers, I’m leaving the info below the cut. That said, let’s begin:

To start out, I’d like to cover progression. I played with my lvl. 36 character, like I’m sure many of you have/will, and while I can’t speak for anyone playing this and receiving these missions on lower levels--when they’ll be getting other missions and the Nanos they need to level up at possibly the same time--as a result, I felt that the new World Nano missions we were given flowed really nicely. One thing that is both a gift and a curse with FusionFall is that, while it has vast areas to explore, rather than level up following a singular route like some games, you can do a bit of running around if you don’t stack your missions properly. Luckily, this doesn’t feel tedious simply because there is so much to explore and thanks to the quick travel system. However, for more experienced players who have already run through everything, I could see this being a little stale. The newer missions ran a pretty set path within a mostly singular route, so you could run from destination to destination rather than hopping from the different areas in the game. If they add updates with a similar scale, I hope they continue with this trend.

There were two new locations to explore in the game: Harada-Bridges Records and a digital world. Both are amazing!! I’m a sucker for this kind of worldbuilding anyway--I’ve made a huge list of products, stores, etc. in FusionFall and the Cartoon Networks shows just so I can pull them in to my stories rather than use generic stuff--but this took the cake. The team didn’t need to go this far, but they did. And I love them for it. The record studio had posters for bands and refs to some of the cartoons, it added more to the lore with the Gangreen gang and fleshed them out a bit, and they just looked awesome. I mean, look at this: The first words out of my mouth on seeing the digital world were literally, “Oh Mama!”

It’s not anything super complicated, but it has this awesome, almost Tron-like aesthetic that’s just beautiful. The glowing walls with shifting colors was a great touch and the enemies fit perfectly into this.

Speaking of enemies, let’s get to them and the new combat introduced. 99% of the time, unless it’s for an event, I play solo. (It’s just what I’ve always done.) And at this point, I’ve gotten pretty good handling the controls for the game if I do say so myself. Not that they’re overly complicated: Once you remember the buttons and what you need to look out for, you’re pretty golden.

Some of the combat introduced actually surprised me.

The enemies themselves weren’t anything too original, a lot of them we’ve seen before, but some of their abilities will catch you off guard if you’re unprepared. There’s a fusion monster that splits into two upon death that you have to beat, and then you later have to fight three Fusions at once, some of your Nanos abilities do nothing, and they’re constantly blasting away at you. I died once to the 3 Fusions, but handled myself pretty well: It did, however, force me to rethink my strategy in a way I never had before, which was refreshing. I couldn’t even attempt to take on one Fusion at a time in the group by luring one away because all of them reacted, so I ended up having to run around constantly as I was attacking in order to avoid getting bombed by fusion blasts. I like this experiment, as it breaks the old formula and gives the average player a new challenge without becoming frustrating. I hope the team continues this!

One thing that is frustrating though, and it’s been a problem since before the update, has to do with the fusion matter in Fuse’s Lair. Keep in mind, while I’m fighting three teams of three Fusions one right after the other, I only see one Revive ‘Em all the way at the start on the map, which is huge. (I got a bit frustrated back when I had to battle Fuse because the Revive ‘Em for that was pretty far too, so I constantly kept having to run back to Fuse through a course of fusion monsters and ziplines even though the game was saving my progress during the fight.) I get that it’s always been a thing when you tackle a boss and it’s a reasonable penalty for the most part, but when you have to go through such a massive location it gets a little ridiculous just to have one. Especially due to the fusion matter present in the Lair. Story-wise, it makes perfect sense: You’re in the belly of the beast, so to speak, and in most likely the location with the highest concentration of pure fusion matter on Earth. However, where this fails in terms of gameplay is that, not only can you step in it and have no idea because everything looks the same, it’s right in the middle of walkways you’re forced to go through or in small patches you accidently step on because again you can’ t see it like in the rest of the game. It’s a good thing I kept my Grim Tokens for a rainy day, because one tini-tiny patch literally killed me immediately after battling the last trio of Fusions despite the fact that there was no indicator I was standing in it during the fight. It makes it hard to even find somewhere to stand to recover as you’re going through, and it’s one thing I do hope they fix even if I never have to go back to the Lair myself.

Getting to some of the story/worldbuilding stuff, again, I do love where they’re taking the game. You can tell these guys aren’t just trying to make random missions for funsies; They’re taking plot development seriously, trying to connect various dots and add a whole new chapter for us to explore. Of course, you know I already love it, but also, not gonna lie...

I’m happy that it looks like I was right on the hivemind and symbiotic nature of Fuse with Planet Fusion theories. :)

As for the Belladonna/Buttercup one, I figured I probably wouldn't be right about it back then and, sure enough, the memory-loss idea was kept. The fact that the team actually brought more to such a minor thing in the game overall pleasantly surprised me though. While I can’t say I like the take due to the plot holes remaining, it’s not something I pin on the team as it was present in the first version of the game and even one of the devs commented on it being a little off and them needing to change some of the dialogue around it in a YouTube vid. There’s only one negative that I have to say about it and that’s an additional plot hole that was made by introducing “Belladonna” with her own separate Fusion and Nano. If she and Buttercup are one and the same, then it doesn’t really make sense that there’d be another one of her. Memory loss or no, Buttercup’s still Buttercup and from the information we’ve been given on the creation of Fusions, her Fusion wouldn’t change just because of the amnesia unless maybe they’re going for a split personality route, but even that seems a little weak--especially since we’re shown during the mission that Buttercup maintains fragments of her memories and then she remembers her true identity pretty fast. I think they’re working with it the best they can without tearing away from the original material though, which I really respect. I hope we get to see where Buttercup is going in the future now that they’re doing more with her character and giving her a chance to shine. That mission in particular felt like reading the chapter of a good comic, where you’re snapping at the bit waiting for the next issue to be published.

However, as for my personal stories, I’ll probably still be keeping to the Belladonna/Buttercup ideas that I had before and I’ll still leave the theory up for the sake of that theory, even though it was wrong. There are some things I’d like to play with for stories.

Well, Fusion Fellas, looks like we’ve got a lot to look forward too and a whole new world to explore!

#silya speaks #opinion #thoughts #fusionfall #fusionfall retro #video games #buttercup #fusions #critique

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sourwolfstories · 5 years

Note

Hey! Can you rec some sterek soulmate! Fics pls? Thank you so much

Marked by Verya

The name of a person’s soulmate appears on their skin, in that person’s handwriting, at the age of twenty. Derek has been wondering for the past several years, what kind of name is Mieczyslaw?

Body Language by LadyMerlin

In an alternate universe, soulmates exist, and they can communicate with each other by writing on their own skin.

The catch? No one knows their soulmates’ name. It could literally be anyone under the sun, and Stiles just doesn’t have that kind of patience.

Ink Me by AsagiStilinski

Derek is never going to find his soulmate, because there’s no way in hell there exists a man named Mieczyslaw in Beacon Hills

Then Erica hires Stiles

Beat by Kalira

Derek’s heartsong isn’t quite normal, but he’s always loved the drumming beat that winds through his dreams. He didn’t expect to find that its origin, his other half, has been waiting right in front of him.

Accidents Happen by pyrrhical (anoyo)

Settling a soul bond was exactly as romantic as the movies made it seem: a simple kiss.

As it so happened, CPR worked, too.

Fate Thinks It’s Funny by AsagiStilinski

In a world where everyone has their soulmate’s first words to them printed on their wrists, Derek and Stiles end up with some of the worst: “Oh God please help” and “Derek” respectively

To be fair, their first meeting is almost as ridiculous as it sounds like it would be

Take My Mind, Take My Pain by LessonsFromMoths

Soulmate AU where you have a black stain where your soulmate is supposed to touch you for the first time and it turns to millions of colors once they do.Stiles was born with a very visible black palm on his cheek.

Three Marks by sanam

“And then there was pain again, but this time it was in only three places—his arm, below his clavicle, and next to his heart, all on the left side. It felt like the skin was being sliced apart, ripped open, flayed off—And suddenly it was done.Derek looked across the room and saw the boy on the floor, looking about as bad as Derek felt.”

Derek and Stiles learn that bonding is probably best done with ridiculous amounts of video games and maybe a little bit of time.

In Name Only by Cobrilee

In a world where no one finds out who their soulmate is until after they get married, Stiles concocts the perfect scheme: marry his long-time client, Derek Hale…

You know. Just to find out who he should be marrying.

There’s no way this could go wrong.

Yeah, Pass The Salt, Stiles by CallieB

Yeah, pass the salt, Stiles.

They’re not particularly inspiring words. Not like the long stream of goo spilling over Scotty’s arm. But somewhere, Stiles’ soulmate is out there, waiting to say them to him.

If only he could stop thinking about the mysterious hot stranger he met in the woods.

A Second Chance at First Impressions by Cobrilee

Derek grew up with the world’s most embarrassing soulmark, which is honestly not the best first impression his soulmate could make. Then he meets the guy, and all of a sudden the soulmark doesn’t matter quite so much after all.

spice up your life! by callunavulgari

“I said,” the girl drawls, setting her elbow down in a saucer of ketchup and grimacing. “That this whole soulmate thing is fucking stupid. You’re supposed to find someone based off of the music they’re listening to? How would you even know what was really stuck in your head and what was in theirs? It’s complete shit.”

Derek, who has had everything from Dancing Queen to the Barney theme song stuck in his head all night, winces, and says abruptly, “I think my soulmate is in middle school.”

Secondhand Soulmate by AnnoyinglyCute, Inell

Not always, not even most of the time, but sometimes – 24% of the time, statistically speaking – people meet their soulmates and live happily ever after.

THIS isn’t that story.

This is the story of Stiles Stilinski, whose soulmate died before he was born. This is the story of all the sorrows and heartache Stiles experienced, all the bullying and oppression from those who should know better but didn’t. This is also the story of the friendships Stiles made along the way, of the battles he fought – and won – and the love that endured through it all.

I Was Present While You Were Unconscious by CharWright5

Stiles had often thought about how he’d meet his soul mate, the literal muscular man of his dreams. He just didn’t ever imagine finding him on Facebook where a friend had shared a news article about a werewolf John Doe in a coma after a car wreck four hours out of town. And he also didn’t expect to bond and fall in love with the guy’s family before ever saying two words to him out loud.

Written in the Stars by Quixoticity

Derek Hale is a lucky guy. He’s got a great family, good friends, and a fulfilling job as a tattoo artist.

He’s also one of the twenty-five per cent of the population born with a soul mark.

He likes his life, but he’s waiting for his soul-match. The odds of meeting them aren’t great but hey, Derek’s a lucky guy. He has faith.

He can’t believe how good his luck really is when one day his soul-match wanders right into his studio, all long limbs and copper eyes. There’s just one problem: Stiles is there to get his soul mark covered up. Permanently.

94%, Dude by eeyore9990

The guy was really too young for the leather daddy aesthetic, but with the leather and the more-beard-than stubble and the eyebrows… Yeah, he was kinda working the hot grumpy leather daddy biker gang leader look.

And Stiles liked it.

***

For the prompt: Sterek soul mark fic wherein marks never match, they just line up perfectly to be a shape.

Marks and Mics by DLanaDHZ

Hale siblings Derek and Laura have been hired to run security for Stiles Stilinski’s music tour. Business as usual, except someone is trying really hard to prove they’re incapable and hurt Stiles. Derek finds himself curious about Stiles’ bitter attitude and a strange illness that plagues the singer. And on top of that, Derek’s soulmate remains elusive.

Worth Waiting For by yodasyoyo

Stiles slumps further in his desk chair, and stares disconsolately out of his bedroom window. Perhaps he should be celebrating. After all, this afternoon a soulmark appeared on his wrist revealing the name of his soulmate.

He has a soulmate.

Fuck. He scrubs one hand across his face.

This is a disaster.

Covered in Fur and (Your) Words by OverMyFreckledBody

People that said that the words on your skin - the first ones from your soulmate - didn’t matter or affect your life were big fat liars. Stiles is one hundred percent sure he wouldn’t have started creating costumes if it weren’t for the words What the hell kind of costume is that? on his arm. He’s also sure that if he never got into the hobby, he would never have met the man who said them.

Model Material by dobrien

Prompt: Soulmates AU where any tattoos one half of the soulmate pairing get show up on the other person’s body. Can be taken in any direction the author wants but no suicide etc.Model/Soulmate AU: Stiles finds out who his soulmate is and he’s willing to do what it takes to meet them, even if that means becoming a model for Alpha Fashion Magazine.

The Possibility of Silence and the Reality of Sound by crossroadswrite

Derek grew up knowing that soulmates are something to be cherished, so when he got a voice in his head, childish thoughts and flashes of color and objects, he’d excitedly jumped on his mother’s bed to tell her. She had smiled, ruffled his hair and told him how she was proud of him, even though Derek hadn’t really done anything.

I’m Lost In You by matildajones

He knows he should move but a part of him still feels paralyzed. He has clear feelings of not being able to move his body, of not being able to even blink.

“Oh my god,” Stiles says, and he clambers to his feet, feeling dizzy. He easily finds a mirror in the room and then the most gorgeous eyes stare back at him. They’re a sea-green instead of the normal brown that he’s used to.

He’s looking at his soulmate.

–

Stiles wakes up in his soulmate’s body, on his twenty-second birthday, with blurry memories of the past year. Derek doesn’t wake up at all.

There’s a cup with his name on it by hellodickspeight

The sight before him is breathtaking. Wide opened whiskey eyes searching above his head, pink lips slightly parted, tongue wetting them as he considers his choice, messy brown hair sticking in every direction, moles dotting a pale skin, Derek can’t wait to ask for his name.

A soulmate AU where people have the first name of their soulmates written on their body.

Of Soulmates, Pseudonyms and Misunderstandings by halcyon1993

Ever since he asked his mother one evening why she had his dad’s name tattooed on the inside of her left wrist, Derek has dreamed of finding his soulmate. There’s only one problem—the name that appears on his wrist on his eighteenth birthday is something he can’t even read.

Soul-Mark by PaigeRhiann

His wolf purrs happily because it has taken eighteen years and getting his family killed to finally discover the name of his promised. The person he’s destined to be with. Or, as Werewolves call it – Mate.

“Genim S.” He repeats

“That’s a really fucking weird name” Laura snorts, turning back to the movie.

“Yeah, it is” he nods.

Connected by readridinghood

After the death of his wife, Stiles finds himself left alone with their three children, struggling to keep from being sucked into a void of grief and despair that her death left him with. Knowing his children are safe in the pack’s arms under Derek’s watchful eyes, he struggles to regain his footing. What do you do when the world keeps tumbling over you and what you’ve thought of as fact no longer holds true? As the world comes back into focus, so does the love for Derek he thought he’d long since conquered and now with his eyes open, what he thought was the end of him, is only a new beginning.A decade after he fell in love with Stiles, countless days of keeping himself restrained while building a friendship with him, Derek finds out with absolute certainty that Stiles is his mate. You only mate once in your life, so how is it that Stiles was mated to Sophia, his wife and mother of his three children, the woman he is grieving the loss of at the same moment that Derek makes his discovery.

An Unpredictable Amount of Turtles by skoosiepants

Stiles says, “I have a five year plan. A five year plan to popularity that will tank the minute I meet this guy.”

“I feel like you’re exaggerating,” Scott says, but Scott has a katana-wielding badass waiting for him at the other end of the rainbow, and Stiles has terrariums.

Or—

A soulmate au with turtles and angst.

Soul McMates by distortedreality

The black script magically inked onto Stiles’ skin at birth declares that the first thing he’ll say to his soulmate is “welcome to McDonalds, how may I help you”.

Stiles’ life was clearly destined to be a fucking joke from the start.

Who’s the Loser Now? by Scavenger

Stiles just expects to run and swim, hopefully come at least third place, and then go home. The universe has other plans.

To Leave A Mark by Fanfiction_is_Literature

Stiles Stilinski was born with a strange mark on his skin that resembled a paw print. No one thought much about it since birthmarks weren’t rare, but Stiles started to notice it change as he got older.

Derek Hale was a rare werewolf: the kind with a soulmark on his skin. But as tragedy struck both him and his mate, his interest dwindled in finding him or her. That is, until he started to notice similar changes from his mark in a certain teenaged boy with an alarming amount of moles.

Or: The Soulmate AU where soulmates are rare and get tattoo-looking marks on their skins that describe their mate.

Sparks (Your Touch) by stilesanderek (minxxx)

Stiles has always dreamed of imprinting. Of touching someone for the first time and feeling his world changing right then and there. Of knowing that that person would love you and be with you until the day you die. And yet nothing could have prepared him for with whom he finally imprints.

Or in which when Stiles gets promoted to detective, he gets a new partner, Laura Hale, with whom he instantly becomes best friend and who he thinks is the most perfect person to step into his life, the only problem being that her brother Derek hates his guts.

Countdown by actingup

0000d 00h 00m 37s

He always imagined meeting his soul mate would take forever; that time would slow down and he would see them walking towards him, he would know without a doubt who it was. It might have been someone he’s seen before but never talked to, or it might be a complete stranger that he never would have guessed. He didn’t imagine it in front of about a hundred people, maybe two-hundred, at a Dolphin show.

soulmates tbh by bleep0bleep

“It’s been five months,” Derek says darkly. “Why am I still getting these proposals? You know these are probably all fake marks.”

Five months since the paparazzi had snapped that photo of him with the overzealous fan tugging at his shirt, five months since millions of people on the Internet realized that the birthmark revealed was in fact, the mark, five months Derek was inundated by claims from people who desperately wanted him to believe that they were his soul-mate.

Soulseeker by alisvolatpropiis

Sighing, Stiles reaches for Derek’s big hands, cradled in his broad lap, his skin lighting up even more at Derek’s touch. He takes a deep breath and closes his eyes, preparing himself to look for Derek’s soulmate. Whoever you are, he thinks, you better be worth him.

#answered #anonymous #sterek #sterek fic rec #sterek fanfic #sterek fanfiction #soulmates au

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vitanes · 5 years

Text

say it’s okay when it’s not

chapter 10: two slow dancers

Lucas tries to pull himself up after the accident, has conversations that make him breathe easier and receives an unexpected confession.

(a/n: internalised homophobia, suicidal ideation)

They were expelled. Lucas was sitting down on a chair next to the principal’s office, his body trembling when his father came out of the office and told him that. He also said Lucas could press charges against them, but at this point, Lucas’ brain had shut off. In all honesty, it stopped properly working the moment he had been attacked and Lucas wasn’t sure he’d ever be able to think normally again.

He lost consciousness due to all of the stress and pain so he only knows what happened from bits and pieces he was able to grasp when people recalled the event. As it turned out, Alexia and Daphne were walking down the hall when they saw what was happening. They quickly contacted the rest. Imane went to get the principal while the others came to Lucas’ rescue. His friends dragged the bullies away from him, landed a few punches themselves and soon enough the whole thing was resolved.

While Lucas was regaining his senses in the nurse’s office, his father was called in and by the time he was let out, his father was ready to share the news and drive him to the flat.

Lucas has been unresponsive ever since he woke up. He hasn’t said a word to any of his friends nor to his father. Under normal circumstances, he’d probably be baffled. He hasn’t seen his old man in months, their last conversations were messy. And yet, Lucas couldn’t find it in himself to care hard enough to even look at him.

He mechanically left the car once they pulled up by the building and didn’t look back at all before walking in.

He’s been broken to pieces and in the grand scheme of things, the issues with his father simply don’t matter.

***

Lucas hasn’t been able to feel anything but pain and indifference for the past few days. He isn’t sure what caused the latter, but he’s certain it’s the only thing keeping him sane, away from exploding so he’ll take it over anything else. He hasn’t been able to eat, he’s been barely getting out of bed and all he’s been doing is sleep a lot. When he sleeps it doesn’t hurt as much. And people say that sleep is good for healing, so perhaps it’s not that bad.

His ribs, abdomen, various parts of his body are ugly purple and he can’t roll over without hissing in pain.

As much as he tends to overthink, this time his mind is blank and hollow. Full of white noise. And maybe that’s good, too. Maybe that’s what he needs right now. The only kind of peace his brain is able to offer him. If he doesn’t think, he can’t keep reliving that nightmare and it’s the best alternative even if it leaves a mere ghost of him present. Either sleeping or staring up at the ceiling with insistent buzzing at the back of his head.

Maybe it’s his phone. Or someone talking to him without him noticing them.

He closes his eyes and doesn’t dream at all.

***

A few things happen. Lucas eats something, takes a shower, snaps out of his daze and has a breakdown over seeing all of the bruises over his skin.

He gets back to his bedroom with only a towel wrapped around his waist, water still dripping and limbs shaking.

He isn’t sure he can face the world ever again. He’s too terrified, too weak, too vulnerable.

He’s gay and that makes him a target.

There are more people who will want to hurt him, he knows that. Each and every person from his school who didn’t do anything while he was being attacked. A whole bunch of students who wouldn’t care if he had been kicked until he wouldn’t be able to wake up.

He doesn’t want it to happen. He doesn’t want to die because of it, God, he doesn’t. He doesn’t want to be ambushed and treated this way again. That’s why he can’t leave the flat. It’s too dangerous.

The world is too cruel out there and Lucas has never been much of a fighter to handle it. But he’s been a survivor and he’ll do what survivors do best – stay in safety, alive. Be hidden, unharmed.

***

At some point, Lucas does what he shouldn’t. He checks his social media.

The moment he stumbles across all of the posts he’s been tagged in since Friday, he can’t breathe properly. There are very few sympathising with him, but the majority of what he sees makes his gut churn. So many people just make fun of it, as if it was nothing. He sees a blurry picture of the boys landing kicks on him and the caption says me vs my responsibilities. There are more of these and Lucas just can’t get his head around the fact his tragedy has been made into a meme.

Videos have been posted as well. With much hesitation, Lucas plays one. He hears people cheering, the way boots contact with his body and wailing. His own. The other videos aren’t any better. Only snippets, a few seconds but it’s enough to make Lucas’s heart beat faster. He’s cold with sweat, body shaking.

There is one clip showing the moment his friends entered. It’s messy, the quality is shit, but Lucas recognises them anyway. Basile is sent flying when he tries to pull one of the bullies away. Arthur jumps on the back of the tallest one, strangling him and yelling obscenities. Yann socks another one in the eye and gets a hit in return that makes him stagger backward, but he doesn’t seem defeated. Eliott runs into the last one and they both end up on the floor, fighting. The video cuts at the moment the principal arrives. Lucas’ wasn’t imagining things when he saw Imane before blacking out because she’s there, too. Trying to get to Lucas.

Something in Lucas’ chest squeezes and he watches the video two more times before moving on. He feels guilty. They were hurt because of him, maybe had to face some consequences for getting into a fight. They’ve got bruises on their skin.

Lucas is nothing but a burden to them. First with rent money, now this. He couldn’t even defend himself. All he did was lie down and be kicked, begging someone to help him. How can he be so weak?

The more he scrolls down the page, the more he realises it’s just a joke for others. He and his friends suffered injuries and people laugh at it.

Lucas clutches the phone in his palm, sniffing. He doesn’t think he can watch more of it. Seeing the way he was attacked like that has caused him so much anxiety he’s almost overflowing. He can feel every hit again when he moves his hand over his chest and lower, his fingers pressing against the bruises. The skin is tender and the harder he presses, the more he can’t take a proper breath. But he can’t stop his fingertips from dancing over the area, making him gasps with each touch. He is in pain, but he can’t stop himself. Can’t stop after what he’s seen. He must prove to himself the videos are real, that it happened and it’s not just a figment of his imagination. Not something that can be easily turned into a joke. That he was genuinely screaming for help, not acting for someone’s entertainment. But no matter how deep he digs his fingers into the raw flesh, he can’t shake off the feeling that he was only a puppet. A part of the show that has now become a meme.

Someone knocks and he jumps between the sheets, his hand stopping in the middle of his ribs. He looks towards the door, letting out a shuddering exhale.

“Lucas, can I come in?” It’s Mika’s raspy and quiet voice. He sounds off and Lucas briefly wonders why. Right after that, he thinks whether he should say yes. He hasn’t shown himself to any of them in a couple of days. And he isn’t sure he’s ready for it. So he stays quiet.

Much to no one’s surprise, Mika takes it as confirmation and opens the door. In the last second, before Mika steps in, Lucas removes his hand from under his shirt. He wouldn’t know how to explain himself.

Mika sits at the edge of Lucas’ bed and the way his gaze is boring into Lucas’ face is so intense Lucas can’t bring himself to meet Mika’s eyes.

“I can’t watch you doing this to yourself,” Mika says, his voice quiet. “You’ve been crying again,” he adds, reaching out his hand. He uses his thumb to wipe under Lucas’ eyes and it’s then that he realises his cheeks are wet. “Let me be there for you. Tell me what’s going on.” He retreats his hand.

“Haven’t you heard?” Lucas asks and his voice sounds so foreign to his own ears, he needs a moment to grasp the fact he said it.

“I want to hear it from you. I– you deserve to have a voice. I haven’t seen anything, I haven’t asked other people who seemed to know. I knew something was going on. But I’m not going to let someone take it away from you. So I stayed away from everything that could give me answers. It’s your thing to tell,” Mika says, his expression serious and Lucas believes him. He’s completely sincere and considering his lack of reaction Lucas was expecting when the pictures were leaked or when Lucas was hit with that ball, he knows Mika is telling the truth.

Lucas bites down on his bottom lip. “But you know,” he says as a statement and there’s so much sadness painted over Mika’s face in that moment, Lucas doesn’t need any other response.

Mika looks down at his lap. “It’s hard not to connect the dots when I see so much of myself in you,” he whispers, his voice sounding distant. He glances back at Lucas. “But maybe I’m wrong. I want to be wrong, have you tell me you’ve become a streetfighter,” he adds sheepishly.

Lucas tries to smile, but considering how Mika’s face falls he thinks he didn’t do a good job. He blinks a few times to will the tears away. He isn’t sure he can say everything without breaking down, but at this point, will he have enough power ever to do that?

Probably not, so the best way to tell his story is from the beginning.

“The reason I didn’t have money for rent was… was because I had to pay someone who caught me kissing a person I shouldn’t have and took pictures of us. But I ran out of money and they leaked the pictures. People have been giving me hell, but the guys from my PE class took it to the extreme. And here I am,” Lucas says and realises that even when he was telling the truth, he was using words so vague, that normally someone would find the whole thing confusing. One look at Mika, though, and Lucas knows he’s been understood.

He doesn’t have to say it out loud in order to be heard. Not when it comes to Mika.

Mika sighs loudly and moves closer. “I wish I had known earlier. I’d have helped you more. What happened to the blackmailer?” Lucas shrugs. He hasn’t heard from them in a long time. “The bullies?”

“They were expelled.”

“What about you?” Mika finally asks and the question is so loaded, Lucas feels like he’s been punched in the face once again. What about him? He’s beaten, lost, broken. He’s got no place in the world, he can’t look at himself and the worst of it all? Sometimes he thinks he deserved what happened to him. He knows he shouldn’t have thoughts like that, but every now and then the small voice in the back of his head, the one that always spits out hatred, will say that they should have hit him harder. “I can hear you thinking but I can’t hear you talking,” Mika says after a few minutes of silence.

And Lucas looks at him then, so earnest to help, so worried. Maybe he’d understand if Lucas told him?

“I feel awful. I don’t want to leave this place because I’m scared. And guilty for dragging my friends into this, but at the same time I think that maybe those guys were right to do this,” he says in one breath, his left hand curled up into a fist.

“Oh, Lucas… don’t. Please, don’t,” Mika says, placing his hand on Lucas’ shoulder. “Under no circumstances would they ever be right to hurt you for being you. And you haven’t dragged anyone into this. Friends help each other. Lucas, hey, look at me.” He puts a finger under Lucas’ chin and tilts his head up. Lucas’ eyes sting from unshed tears.

“What if I hate being me? Being this way?” he asks and Mika scowls at him.

“Tell me, what’s making the way you love someone worse than the way, for example, Manon does? Our sexuality isn’t wrong or dirty, how we feel isn’t any different. And honestly? Sometimes we love more deeply because we have a different understanding of things. Because we’ve been deprived of love in our lives. The way you are is beautiful and in no way, someone beating you up for that could be justified. We are already hated by society, you can’t let them convince you they’re right. You can’t let them win,” Mika says and the way his voice trembles by then end tells Lucas he’s fought enough battles to know what he’s saying.

“But if I was normal everything would be so much easier. No one would hurt me, think I’m gross, I wouldn’t be rejected. I’d have a chance in life.”

Something dark flashes across Mika’s face. “Does that mean you think I don’t have a chance in life? Or other gay people for that matter?” It’s the first time one of them used that word in the whole conversation and Lucas flinches.

“No, I–“

“We are normal, you, me. I know you have so much internalised crap in yourself it’s not easy to overcome, but I really wish you could realise that. We go to school or work, we fall sick and in love, we eat, we fuck, we have families. We’re sad, happy, we pay bills. We have to fight a little harder for everything, but we aren’t some weirdos. There are other groups of people that share the same struggles, you know? And sure, we’re the rejected ones, but when that happens we create our own homes, safe places. There are plenty of things people consider gross, but that can’t define you. You have to live your life for yourself. Don’t let the big white cis straight guy dictate how you should be.” Mika pulls away, his face full determination all over. And a part of Lucas feels inspired, wants to agree. It’s overshadowed by everything that’s been ingrained in his mind throughout the years but even if it’s merely a planted seed, an inkling, it’s an accomplishment.

Lucas wipes his face with his sleeve. “What should I do, though?” he asks in a weak voice.

Mika hums thoughtfully. “You can’t hide. You aren’t in a place where it’s easy for you to accept things, but you can’t hide. You can’t be easy prey. You have to fight back. There’s no way for you to go back into the closet anymore. So you need to embrace it. And even if you don’t believe it now, you know what they say, right?” Mika smiles at him encouragingly, a new fire in his eyes. Oh, how Lucas wishes he could feel the same.

“I don’t,” he breathes out.

“Fake it until you make it. Own it. Be unbearable. If they spit into your eye, you spit back. You don’t let that experience weaken you, but make you stronger. Report them. When they talk shit, talk back. Kiss the boy you like.” It all seems easier said than done. Lucas isn’t sure he could stand up for himself, especially that all other times he was paralysed by fear. But Mika is right with one thing, he can’t go back into the closet. The way he was outed was merciless and didn’t give him a way to deny anything. He needs to find an alternative.

“I don’t like any boy,” he says, remembering that part of Mika’s speech.

Mika looks at him, perplexed. “You don’t?” Lucas shakes his head and Mika blinks in confusion before waving his hand dismissively. “That’s beyond the point. What I mean is that you don’t let them crush you. I’m not telling you everything will get great, no. But don’t make it easy for them.”

There’s a lot of truth in what Mika’s told him so far. A lot Lucas still can’t take to his heart, yet. But maybe one day he’ll be able to feel the same way. One thing that surely reached him is that despite never being a fighter, nothing can stop him from pretending.

Mika can be many things; nosy, loud, all over the place, but the way he cares and gives Lucas will to live outweighs anything else. He’s family, a family that won’t leave Lucas alone with everything that’s been going on. And even if Lucas doesn’t love himself, Mika will love him twice as much. He couldn’t have wished for more.

***

Lucas hasn’t gone to school but decided to leave the flat nevertheless. To clear his mind, maybe, or just get away from these taunting four walls. It’s been a few days since he breathed some fresh air and it could help him figure some stuff out. Do things he’s been postponing for weeks.

He asked Yann to meet up with him, by the lake. He thinks that after days of silence and everything that happened, it was the right moment to talk. And Yann is his person. No matter how much love other people offer to him, no matter how magnetic his connection with Eliott is, Lucas can’t deny the fact Yann is his home and the first one he wants to see.

It’s windy outside and Lucas thinks it may start raining any time. That’s good. There aren’t many people in the park. That way Lucas won’t feel crowded.

He came early, much earlier than the time they set up. To come up with what to say, to have a moment to brace himself before seeing Yann.

To make a phonecall he couldn’t bring himself to make in the flat.

It takes three signals for his mom to pick up.

“Hello? Lucas?” she asks. Even hearing these two words makes Lucas realise how different her voice is from the last time he heard her. How much more life there is in her. His throat closes up and he can’t speak for a moment. He expects his mom to hang up, think he dialed her by accident and simply press the ending-call button. But the call is still on once he finds his breathing again, his mother patiently waiting for him on the other side.

“Hi, mom,” he finally croaks out. His leg starts involuntarily bouncing.

“Hey, honey,” she replies, her voice filled with warmth. Lucas threads his fingers through his hair, making it messy. He should have texted her, it would have been easier.

“Is it okay to call?” he asks, looking around himself as if someone was going to jump out from behind the bush and told him off for calling his mom.

“Of course. It’s been so long since I heard from you,” she says, but there’s no accusation in her voice. Lucas would be angry if he was her. Not calm or understanding.

“How are you?” he asks, bringing his hand up to his face and brushing his thumb over his bottom lip.

“I’m quite well. I’ve been into knitting lately. Helps me relax. We finally found the right medication. I’ve been going to church. You know, the usual,” she says, laughing a little. She’s so different from how he remembers her. Last time he saw her, she was barely present, she was shaky and her skin looked almost translucent. “I’ve missed you,” she admits quietly. “Your dad doesn’t talk with me much so I couldn’t find out anything from him.”

Lucas pinches the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger and grits his teeth. “I’m sorry,” he says and he means it. He abandoned her for months, left her alone in the facility, fully aware his father didn’t give a fuck. He ran away from her when she needed him the most.

“Don’t be. You had the right to live. And I’m your parent, not the other way around. The situation was too much for each one of us. But don’t blame yourself, okay? I’m happy you called. That’s what matters to me. How have you been?” She’s composed for both of them and that’s what keeps Lucas grounded. He has no idea what he’d do if he had to be the comforting one again. Especially given his current situation. He really needs her right now.

“So much has happened, mom. Bad things. I’m not sure I can tell you through the phone,” he mumbles. Yann is going to come soon, he doesn’t have enough time to say half the things he wants to.

“We could meet,” she says and the breath in Lucas’ throat hitches. “Of course only if you want to. I don’t want to put any pressure on you. I know it could be too fast or–“

“No, no. We can,” Lucas cuts in. His mom sounded panicked for a second, like she overstepped the boundaries and Lucas doesn’t want her to feel that way. Not when she’s been trying so hard to reach out to him. “But there’s one condition,” he says, his voice cracking.

“Which is?” she asks hopefully. Lucas takes a deep breath and closes his eyes.

“If you promise you won’t hate me, I’ll meet with you.”

“Why would I hate you?” There’s confusion in her words.

He takes a deep breath and counts to ten before speaking again.

“I’m– I’m gay,” he whispers, checking once again if there’s no one else nearby. It’s the first time he said it out loud like that. His heart is pounding in his chest and his palms are sweaty. He can’t believe that in the end his voice barely broke and he was able to utter it. It feels unreal.

His mother stays quiet for a few seconds and it feels like forever before he hears her voice again.

“Lucas, you are my child. I love you no matter what. Nothing can change it. All I want for you is to be happy. I could never hate you, especially not for something like this,” she says solemnly and Lucas lets out a watery exhale.

“Really?”

“Really,” she assures him.

“But God…”

“God makes no mistakes and even if he made them, it wouldn’t be you. He loves you as much as I do, if not more,” his mom replies and Lucas snorts through his stuffed nose.

“Okay, so we can meet. But not in church,” he says and hears his mom laugh. He missed her laugh.

“Fine, but I’m not meeting you in the facility, either.”

“We will figure something out.” She hums and they stay quiet for a few seconds before Lucas registers Yann approaching the bench he’s been sitting on and sits up straighter. “I have to go, but I’ll text you, okay?”

“Okay. I love you.”

“I love you, too,” he says and hangs up just as Yann sits next to him, nudging Lucas’ knee with his leg in the process.

“Hey, man. Who were you talking to?”

“My mom.”

Yann smiles slightly under his nose. “How’d it go?”

“We’re going to meet up,” Lucas replies, his eyes glued to the cut and bruise on Yann’s cheekbone. “You got hurt,” he changes the topic, frowning. He watched the clip where the boys appeared too many times not to know where this injury is from.

Yann clicks his tongue. “Not a big deal. You’ve got it worse.”

“Still. You got hurt,” Lucas mutters stubbornly, reaching his hand out. He brushes his fingers over Yann’s cheek and sees a muscle in his jaw ticking under his touch. “I’m so sorry.” He lets his eyes fall down.

“Shut up,” Yann replies, grabbing Lucas’ wrist and bringing his hand to his chest. “I’d do it again, thousand times. The same with the guys. When I saw you lying there,” he wraps his fingers around Lucas’ palm and squeezes, “for a second I thought I lost you. They were kicking you and you weren’t moving. I don’t care about the bruise. I care about you, about the fact all those people who gathered around you did nothing, about those bullies getting away with that. Which they won’t.” He turns towards Lucas. “I don’t know if you pressed charges against them, but we all did so. We went to the police, we showed our injuries and the videos people posted online. You promised we weren’t going to let it go if something else happened, so we aren’t.”

Yann drops Lucas’ hand and it falls into his lap. Yann scrubs a hand over his face.

They stay quiet, the only noise being the wind blowing around them, moving the branches and making waves in the lake. Lucas keeps staring at Yann while Yann is looking straight ahead, squinting his eyes.

“I don’t think I’ve ever been this worried. And this applies to all of us. But. Lucas, you’re my best friend. You’re like a brother to me. I wouldn’t forgive myself if I hadn’t stopped them. And I know you’d do the same for me.” Lucas knows this, too. If there was someone causing Yann harm, he’d be an unstoppable force. That’s just their thing. They are protective of each other. Lucas wouldn’t mind getting a few hits if it meant Yann would be safe. So he understands what he means. But it’s not easy to ignore the guilt building up in him, anyway.

Yann got hurt because of him, that fact stands and Lucas can do nothing about it. He hates feeling so helpless. That must be what Yann was going through when he didn’t know what was going on with Lucas for all those weeks.

“Stop being sorry, stop overthinking it. If anyone should be sorry, it’s the assholes who attacked you.” Yann looks at Lucas and jerks his chin up. “How are you holding up?”

Lucas looks to the side, wets his lips with tongue and says, “Could be better.”

Yann hums. “Have you talked with any of the guys or girls?”

Lucas shakes his head. “You’re the first one,” he mumbles and Yann looks bashful for a second before composing himself.

“They all miss you and worry about you. So when you come back to school be prepared for that. Let them have it, okay? I know it may be annoying but you haven’t seen yourself.”

“I don’t know when I’ll come back. I’m scared. And at this point I’m not sure I’ll pass the year with how much I skipped,” he says, scratching the side of his neck.

“Take your time. And don’t worry, I’m sure you will pass. Don’t give up. And if someone makes things difficult for you again, we will wipe the floor with them.”

Lucas glares at Yann, but there’s no malice in it. Once he’s ready, he will get back to school and he’s going to endure his friends’ protectiveness, he will try to face the troubles that are yet to come and rebuild himself from scratch.

“Thank you. I have no idea what I’d do if not you,” Lucas admits and Yann bumps him in the shoulder with his fist.

“Stop saying that or I’ll cry,” he mutters under his breath. The corners of his lips are twitching up and Lucas can’t help but smile as well.

He throws his arm over Yann’s shoulder and brings him closer.

***

Lucas is taking a nap when he’s woken up by someone loudly calling for him. That someone is Mika and Lucas leaves his bed and room only to tell him off. He’s tired and knowing Mika, it’s probably something very trivial.

While stomping towards the place Mika is screaming from, Lucas doesn’t even open his eyes, fully prepared to go back to sleep in a few minutes. He’s in his rumpled t-shirt that’s slipping off his shoulder, briefs and his feet are bare. The floor is cold and Lucas is going to murder Mika for wanting something from him.

When Lucas eventually reaches Mika, he realises they’re standing by the open door and tilts his head to the side.

“Wouldn’t you look who’s just visited us?” Mika says, wiggling his eyebrows and Lucas looks to the open door, confused. His eyes widen momentarily when he sees Eliott standing on their doorstep, looking bashful and holding up two pizza boxes.

Lucas catches his reflection in the mirror placed by the clothing hanger and is mortified by how his puffy his whole face is and every single strand of his hair is facing in the different direction. He can feel warmth climbing up his neck and reaching his face.

“I hope it’s okay to come. If not I can leave the pizzas and go,” Eliott says, looking nervous. Lucas opens his mouth to say that he’d really appreciate it, no matter how much of a prick he’d be, but Mika beats him to it.

“Nonsense, come in,” he ushers Eliott in and takes one of the boxes from him. “It’s for us, right?” Mika asks, eagerly eyeing the box.

“Yeah, I didn’t want to come empty-handed.”

Mika looks meaningfully at Lucas, his lips stretched in a wide grin. “God, you’re perfect,” he says to Eliott. “Have fun!” Mika exclaims, taking his box to the living room where, going by the excited noises coming from the room, the rest of Lucas’ flatmates are.

So Lucas is left with Eliott alone, looking like death, in only an old t-shirt and boxer briefs. They are both looking everywhere but at each other and after some time it gets unbearable.

“I really can go. I don’t want to bother you,” Eliott says, shoving the pizza into Lucas’ arms. For some reason Lucas shoves the box back and they end up pushing the box between each other for a minute or so before they realise how ridiculous the situation is.

“No, come in. I have to say I wasn’t prepared, but it’s fine. Although, I’m tired of talking about what happened. So can we not?”

Eliott smiles at him and nods, his hair jumping with the movement. “Sure. We can just chill.” He shrugs. Only then does Lucas notice a tiny bruise on Eliott’s jawline and his bottom lip being split. Eliott must see him looking because he raises one of his eyebrows. “We aren’t talking about it, are we?” he teases and pushes the box against Lucas again, this time letting go of it completely. Lucas barely manages to catch it. He tries to ignore the pang of guilt when he moves towards his room.

Eliott is right behind him and that makes Lucas very much aware how underdressed he is. It’s frustrating in a way. He doesn’t want to flesh Eliott accidentally. That would only make things awkward.

Lucas locks the door to his bedroom behind them and puts the pizza on the floor. He opens one of his drawers and takes out a pair of sweatpants. While he’s pulling them on, Eliott makes himself comfortable next to the box. Lucas joins him soon enough.

“Pizza again?” he asks, opening the box. Eliott shrugs one shoulder in response.

They start eating, without exchanging many words between the bites. Before they know it, the pizza is eaten and their stomachs full. It’s silent and Lucas finds it pleasant. He likes moments like that with Eliott. He doesn’t feel pressured to say anything. It makes him appreciate what happens in this exact second. The company and the atmosphere.

Lucas slides down to the floor with an ‘oof’ and scrunches his face up. Too much movement and his body aches. He’s missing out on his healing sleep.

“What have you been up to?” Eliott asks, poking him in the shin with his foot.

“Sleeping, being sad. I called my mom. We’re meeting up next week,” he says, looking towards Eliott.

“Oh, that’s nice. I mean the last part,” he replies, rubbing the tip of his nose with his fingers. His cheeks are dusted pink. It’s probably the light.

“I told her that I’m. You know.” Lucas looks meaningfully at Eliott and gets a nod in return. “She said she loved me no matter what,” Lucas mutters, his voice airy.

“I’m happy. You deserve that.” Eliott sounds genuine, but there’s also something nervous about him. Like his head is somewhere else. Lucas cocks an eyebrow at him.

“Everything alright?” he asks and Eliott chuckles.

“Yeah. It’s nothing. Really.” He waves Lucas off. “Can I put on some music?”

“Go ahead.”

Of course, he plays dubstep. What else.

“Oh, I forgot how exquisite your taste is,” Lucas says in amusement. Eliott places a hand to his chest.

“How could you?” he asks, dramatically wiping a fake tear from under his eye.

“I thought that maybe I dreamed it.”

“I doubt your brain is capable of coming up with such excellence,” Eliott says, standing up. He shakes some invisible dust off his clothes and moves the pizza box to the side with his foot. He extends his hand towards Lucas and looks at him solemnly. “May I have this dance?”

Lucas eyes him and the palm quizzically, but eventually grabs it and lets himself be hauled up until he’s chest to chest with Eliott.

“I’m not going to start jumping to your renovation sounds,” Lucas tells him, looking him straight in the eyes. Not realising their proximity yet.

“Don’t worry, you don’t have to,” Eliott says. He’s still holding Lucas’ left hand and his fingers brush the knuckles of Lucas’ right hand gently before he grabs it and puts it on his shoulder. He places his own palm on Lucas’ waist and brings their entangled hands up.

They start swaying and Lucas looks at Eliott like he’s grown a second hand.

“Are we slow dancing? To fucking dubstep?” he asks in disbelief. Eliott ducks his head.

“Yes, we are,” he replies simply and pulls Lucas closer, until they are flush against each other. Lucas yelps, but doesn’t say anything else, too baffled by what’s happening.

Lucas lets Eliott lead them around, following his steps. They move slowly enough for him not to step all over Eliott’s feet or lose breath. His ribs aren’t aching as much and at some point, he’s lulled by the rhythm so much he rests his chin on Eliott’s shoulder. He gets even closer to him, but he doesn’t make anything out of it. Surprisingly enough, he’s content. And relaxed. The dubstep is only a background noise, he’s pretty sure Eliott has his own melody playing in his mind and he makes Lucas follow it.

Lucas closes his eyes and sighs out loud.

Eliott intertwines their fingers and Lucas can feel his breath ghosting over his neck. “I have to tell you something,” Eliott murmurs.

“Yeah?”

“It’s probably obvious by now, but I want to say it anyway,” he pauses and exhales loudly, making goosebumps break out over Lucas’ skin. “I like you. I’ve liked you ever since I saw you. I know my timing is awful. I know that we haven’t been friends for long, but I wanted to be honest with you,” Eliott admits, his voice strained.

Lucas opens his eyes. He can feel his heart speeding up. He misses a step.

“I know I’m putting a lot on you. I don’t… I don’t expect anything from you. I don’t want things to change between us. There’s so much shit going on. So don’t say anything, okay? I just wanted to let you know.” Eliott’s grip on Lucas’ hand tightens for a moment and Lucas can feel how despite sounding calm, he’s trembling.

Lucas is still shocked by the confession, but they are friends first and foremost. Eliott is distressed. So Lucas pushes closer against him and starts rubbing circles with his thumb over his shoulder. He hopes it’s comforting.

“Is it still okay? Us, doing that?” Lucas doesn’t see a reason why it wouldn’t be. He nods. “Can we stay like this a little longer?” Eliott asks in a small voice.

Lucas squeezes his hand.

“Yeah.”

#elu #elu fic #elu fanfic #skam france #skam france fic #skam france fanfic #lucas x eliott #lucas lallemant #eliott demaury

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