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zutaraplatter · 3 years

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Avatar: The Last Airbender Critique

There are already a million of posts like this one, and I might be saying things that’ve already been said a million times but I’ve recently become reheated about the ATLA ending and wanted to let it out -_- No one asked, this is true, and this may or may not be a way to stall from this final project I still have to complete, but here’s 10 things I didn't like and/or would change about the show that likely shouldn’t need changing because they should have been done in the first place.

1. Katara should have apologized to Sokka after TSR

It should have happened and it didn't. In my canon-avoiding mind, Katara and Sokka have a heartfelt conversation where she apologizes for the awful things she said, Sokka says he forgives her and he's sorry if he wasn't as there for her as much as he should have been, which he follows up with "but I'm happy you listened to Aang and took his advice," leading into my next point

2. Katara should have said that not killing Yon Rha was her choice

And thats why it was the right one. Not because Aang already said it was wrong. No no. It was the right choice because that's what she chose. I love my mom to death and can't imagine losing her in any way, let alone the way Katara did. And I can't say for sure that if I was in her shoes that I know what I would have done f that yes I do I would have killed that motherfucker. But I also know that if Katara decided not to kill him, then that was one of two correct choices because they were Katara's choices to make. Not Aang's or anyone else's and this should have been clarified. I know it's a kids show but I said what I said. Next point.

3. Katara should have said more after telling Aang she was unsure at the Ember Island Players

Katara hasn't had any trouble saying how she feels, especially when it comes to helping others and making them feel better, whether she was right or wrong. But she holds back or overly softens blows and seems to even shrivel up at times when it comes to Aang. And me no likey. I had a boyfriend who I adored and admired and just genuinely looked up to. I'm also a shy and anxious person who hates confrontation, but because I loved him, I never refrained from telling him when he was wrong. I might have been a little shaky about it but I did it tho because when you want to be with someone you walk through the grass and stomp through the mud. And I personally feel like either in that moment or later on in an added scene that Katara should have voiced to Aang how unheard and disrespected she felt about his words before TSR and his actions on the balcony. I hate being uncomfortable and my secondhand embarrassment is toxic but I would love to see a scene of this. I always imagined Katara saying stuff like "But I'm not you Aang, and I'm not an Air Nomad," or "Zuko could understand why I needed to go, and I'd hoped you would too," or...I'm out of ideas but you get the idea. And you know what, I know I'm a hard Zutara shipper, but them having this conversation would honestly make me respect their relationship a whole lot more should it be believably written to end on a good note (I don't see how it could be but hey I'm an open minded person and I did think they were cute together once upon a time). Basically, all I'm saying is that Katara is no small voice and she should have been written that way when with Aang. Boyfriends can make you shy but should never make you weak. Period. Next point.

4. No rock! ONLY GROWTH!!!!!!!!!!!

I still squint my eyes whenever I remember that rock that unblocked Aang's chakra. What even was that? The laziest writing possible in my opinion. That's what. And Aang deserved better. What should have happened should have been that Aang started to lose to Ozai. And then as Ozai's about to deliver the finishing blow, Aang has flashbacks of everyone he's trying to save and honor, ending with a very prominent flashback of Katara with the guru's disembodied voice reminding Aang to let go of his attachments to become all he needs to be...then BOOM! Baby boy is back on his feet, chakra unblocked, he kicks Ozai's ass, I'm crying hysterically on the floor, as are the rest of us, and he wins. Then at the end of the series, instead of a kiss, he gives Katara an apology. She accepts, everyone else comes to join them on the balcony, cinematic group hug, camera pan into the sun. I don't know lol. Basically what I'm saying is that Aang did not deserve some deus ex machina. He deserved to grow and become his best self like everyone else got to.

5. Aang should have heard differently in The Storm

Katara is a very fate-minded person and this is when I saw potential for her to become a toxic character in regards to Aang. When he admits that he ran away from home 100 years ago, Katara tells him that that was basically a good thing because he was meant to be here and now. Like...no? What Aang did, though understandable for someone so young, was still wrong. Yes he would have maybe been killed but I'm like 10000000% sure they had a plan to protect and evacuate the literal avatar. And what was technically "meant to be" was a new avatar. But hey, what's done is done and kicking Aang while he's down is a no-no in this household. But that doesn't change the fact that Aang needed and deserved honesty. Maybe the fisherman could have said this, I don't know, but I feel like Aang should have been told by someone that although running away was wrong, it's a blessing he and Appa were able to survive and be able to help save the world now with his amazing friends found-family. Maybe this is too harsh, and maybe even outright wrong, but I felt like Aang deserved a truer answer here to support and comfort him.

6. MAILEE!!!!

Do I even need to go into detail?

7. Spiritual sigh*

Don't make me go into detail -_- I will say though that although Aang and Katara are both amazing individuals capable of earth shattering things, they were not a healthy fit for one another. This is evident in the original series and especially in their children from LOK. They both deserved the best but better than one another.

8. ZUTARAAAAAAA

This is a Zutara blog you KNEW this was coming, as it should. There's just too much. There's too damn much. I would give a real paragraph to this too, but, I mean, there's already so much proving that this was the pair. Fics, metas, rants, this site. Scroll through my blog or any of the ATLA related blogs I follow and...dude. These two were meant to be together and I'll mourn the narrative brilliance WASTED for no good reason every day for the rest of my life. No reason these two shouldn't be married with three kids. sob. I will take this part to say thank you to the amazing fic writers that gave Katara, Zuko, Mai, and Aang what they deserved that the writers didn't have the guts to give them themselves. Next point tho.

9. AANG AND ONJI

Good God almighty. Why not this? WHY NOT THIS? I'm putting on my bullet proof vest and I'm going to say this; Aanji is cuter than Zutara. Now before you scorn me or whatever, let me explain. Zutara for me is like steak. No. Chicken parmesan. I like chicken parmesan better. The point though is that Zutara is savory. You know? I don't see them as cute, I see them as Obviously. Aanji on the other hand is like a bag of my favorite candy. They are like a brownie. A cookie. Girl Scout Samoas!...I don't know what words are anymore. This post got way out of hand. I guess what I'm saying is that for Zutara, I scream, but for Aanji, I squeal. I hope that makes sense. But here's the main point I want to make. Onji never knew who Aang really was. And Aang was always, at his core, himself. She very obviously had a crush on Aang for his personality and that was crazy cute and frankly preferable to Katara's "I...guess he is." (you know exactly what I'm talking about) Anyway, I kept wanting more of them together. I wish all the time that we'd gotten to see her again, with a more fleshed out character and all. And in the way that I imagine the show should have gone, she could have been the perfect love interest for Aang, during this episode or way later, even in the comics! Another WASTED opportunity for greatness and I will, again, never recover T-T

10. Iroh get your ass back here

Maybe this is a misguided critique but I hated that Iroh just left Zuko alone in the fire nation at the end of the series. Baby was in trouble in every sense of the word and Iroh was just like "See ya! You got this nephew." I'm expected to believe that? I'm expected to accept that? No no no. He should have at least stayed for a few years to help Zuko stay upright and, you know, alive. And by "upright" I don't mean "good." I just mean been there to support him because Lord knows he needed it, at least in the beginning of his reign. It was cute that Iroh was able to settle down with his own teashop after all those years of violence and mourning and running and this and that. I was more than happy for him for being able to have that peace finally. But I still think it could have waited a little while longer so he could support Zuko.

That's it I guess. I know not everything I've said makes the most sense in one way or another, but I enjoyed putting it together all the same. Thank you for reading and have a great day. I'll go finish my final now.

(Edited for a typo)

#zutara #katara #aang #aanji #avatar the last airbender #uncle iroh #onji #on ji #Im wasting more time with these tags #avatar the last airbender critique #avatar critique #mai #avatar mai #ty lee #avatar ty lee #tylee #avatar tylee #the southern raiders

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mythicamagic · 3 years

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Childhood: a Kohrin oneshot

Summary: Two teenagers sneak off one night to the beach, reflecting on their pasts. Despite the grim subject, Rin somehow always manages to make him smile. Kohaku x Rin oneshot

3,000 words

Childhood

Laughing, racing, tumbling, grinning. Gaped teeth, freckles, dirt between toes, teasing brothers, sunbathing, cool creaks, bare feet and squawking kappas. The scatter of petals and grass kicked into the air, the scent of campfires, sunflowers, crispy fish and cooking fungi. Assuring golden eyes keeping vigilance over her sleep, along with the steady rhythmic breathing of a two-headed dragon keeping her warm. These are all the things Rin chose to remember about childhood.

She remembered and kept them close, especially at night, gliding through memories masquerading as dreams.

In the years after travelling with the stoic lord and staying with Kaede at her village, her limbs had changed- becoming gangly, form lean and growing with burgeoning maturity. She'd adapted to her environment, forming strong friendships with her mentor and the Inutachi. However, despite her days being spent in quiet happiness, she couldn't help but notice a few things. A perpetual absence. A certain searching look in Sango's eyes whenever she glanced up from monitoring her three children to stare off into the trees.

Tossing and turning beneath the covers, Rin frowned in her sleep.

One person who remained elusive in both her dreams and the waking world was-

A crooning noise startled her upright, brown eyes flying wide. Stumbling from her futon and hurrying from Kaede's hut, she peered out into the night inquisitively.

From within the forest, she could see a faint orange glow peeking out between the trees. Tightening her sleeping yukata around her, Rin's lips pursed. She then stubbornly sought out the glow, bare feet padding over cool dirt.

She found him, as predicted, watching Sango's hut.

Kohaku stood, a little further along into his maturity than her. Even the dense shadows couldn't quite hide the changes in his height and features. Rin stopped the second he caught notice of her- a telltale wariness gripping him a moment before recognition painted his face.

"Rin," he said with relief, tone soon slipping into a resigned reprimand. "What're you doing out so late? You should be asleep."

"So should you," she smiled easily, rocking on her heels. She gave a wave to Kirara, who hopped onto Kohaku's shoulder after transforming into a small version of herself and mewling. "It's a strange hour for you to come back. Sango won't be able to greet you with a lively smile-" lively chatter broke off the second she noticed the older boy direct his gaze to his feet. "Oh… unless… you don't plan on staying long?" Rin murmured. Again.

For some reason, it was always the same with him. Lord Sesshoumaru's brief visits didn't bother her in the least. He barely had a connection to the village. But Kohaku? He should've been there, stayed there. She knew Sango missed him terribly but he barely made time to visit.

However, she didn't voice any of this. She'd done so before, and Sango's assurances never seemed to help him. Guilt continued to gnaw like an infected wound at her friend.

Rin observed his freckled face in the torch light, seeing the emotions swimming within vibrant brown eyes.

"You know I would if I could. But…" the silence of the forest swallowed up the remainder of what he wanted to say. Rin shifted her bare feet, drawing closer and taking his coarse, demon-slaying hand.

"Let's go somewhere."

"Huh?"

"I want to go to the beach," she said decisively, as though he had no say in the matter. Kohaku supposed he didn't when she got like this. "Come on, Kaede says the ocean air is good for you. Hurry, before everyone wakes up," Rin tugged on his hand.

Kohaku smiled slightly, giving in far too easily.

---

Kirara touched down on sandy shores an hour later, allowing them to slide off her back. Rin stretched and sucked in a long breath of salty sea air.

"Ahh! Now isn't that better?" she grinned.

Kohaku snorted and smiled good-naturedly, looking out at the black sea with a quiet, observing look. "I haven't been to the beach in a long time."

"Why not?"

Kohaku wandered out, boots crunching on pebbles until they were cushioned by sand, leaving moonlit footprints. "I want to say I haven't had time, but that's not true," he chuckled. "It just hasn't occurred to me to go. That I'd enjoy it."

At 16, Rin still didn't feel old enough nor wise enough to understand everything. She wasn't a firecracker like Kagome had been around her age, and she didn't see herself as a warrior like Sango. However, there were some things Rin knew how to do.

Following, Rin took his hand in passing, tugging to ensure he'd stumble after her. She walked right up to the shoreline, drinking in the dark, hushed atmosphere only broken by the sound of waves crashing against rocks.

"Take off your boots."

Kohaku blinked, raising a brow. His lips quirked, "you sure are bossy today."

Giggling, she wriggled bare toes into the sand- squealing when the cool tide rushed in and splashed about her ankles before drawing back. "You used to walk around barefoot all the time, just like me."

"When I was a kid," he reminded her.

"Are you implying something?" Rin huffed. "I'll tell Uncle Inuyasha you said that."

"No, I wasn't trying to say-" his hasty words cut off, noting her mischievous expression. Kohaku smiled and leaned down as though to take off his boots- suddenly thrusting his hands into the surf and splashing her.

Shrieking and gasping, Rin gaped with surprise- soon grinning viciously wide and leaping towards him. Kohaku quickly dodged. He began running, hotly pursued by the petite young woman. An unexpected noise rang out into the night. Boyish, happy laughter.

Earthy brown eyes widened and even as Rin sprinted, panting, she drank in the sound of Kohaku laughing. How strange, rare and wonderful it was.

Running fast and putting all her energy into her legs, Rin leapt at his back. Catching him around the middle, she collided hard against him.

With an undignified yelp from a demon slayer, Kohaku lost his footing, toppling gracelessly to the ground, kicking up sand. Giggling breathlessly, Rin spat some from her mouth and lifted her head.

"You went down easy. Are you sure you slay demons?" she teased, nestling against the warmth of his back.

Kohaku shifted, shaking sand from his ponytail and adjusting their positions so that they were facing each other, laying on their sides. He wiped his face, expression clearly trying to remain unaffected and firm- but breaking into a tender smile.

"You always do this," he mused quietly.

"Hm? I don't think I've ever tackled you into the sand before," Rin felt fairly confident about that.

"That's not what I mean, it's just that you always make me feel... something different. Something good."

"But we had that argument about how best to stew nettles the other day," she pointed out.

A chuckle escaped him, soulful gaze sober. "Even that felt good to me."

Tilting her head against the dry, soft dune, both fell silent. Despite being a chatter-box, Rin also knew when to be quiet and let him talk. Her hand inched out naturally for his, and Kohaku accepted it, grasping her palm in a way that made her feel secure and safe. They'd known each other for many years so some things came as easy as breathing. Other things, like talking about it, came slowly, painfully.

"Why won't they go away?" Kohaku murmured in a hushed tone for only her to hear. "The nightmares. The memories," his gaze shook. "I just want to stop seeing it every time I look at Sango, but its there, in the back of my mind. I don't... feel right being around my nieces and nephew."

"You're still scared you'll hurt them?" there was no judgment in her tone. Assuring him that Naraku was dead and gone didn't help. Kohaku was perfectly aware of that.

The young man ducked his head, lips thin. His larger, rougher hand in hers trembled. "What if it's still there?" he whispered. "The compulsion to hurt people. I could be living my life- I could marry-" his eyes avoided hers. "Have children, but then one day I hear his voice again and the memory is too strong to resist. I could do something awful."

Dark brows pulled together, heart-squeezing in her ribcage. She wanted to help so badly. However, there was nothing she could do but keep trying to assure him and listen. "Even if you hear him, I believe in you, Kohaku," Rin stroked a thumb over his scarred knuckles. "You'd fight it. You're getting stronger all the time."

He looked exhausted, running a hand through his hair and sighing. "I'm so tired of being scared," he mumbled, glancing wearily at her. "You're still scared too, aren't you?"

Her face lost its girlish innocence, becoming firm as she sat up. "I've told you before- I'm not afraid of you, Kohaku!" she insisted hotly. "I haven't been since I was 8!"

Kohaku shifted his muscular body, and it was times like those she noticed how much larger and different he'd become. She blushed slightly but kept her expression serious.

"I wasn't talking about that," he chuckled, gaze becoming gentle. Careful fingers minded some dark hair from her face. "Your nightmares. You still have nightmares about your childhood too, right?"

Rin blinked, feeling cold and releasing his hand to wrap both arms around herself. The brush of cool night air gliding over her skin suddenly felt a little too chilly.

A soft croon rumbled out seconds before Kirara's large form settled down behind them. Lustrous buttercup coloured fur bumped against Rin's back, and she nestled against the nekomata's side gratefully.

"We don't have to discuss it if you don't want to," Kohaku said with concern, leaning back against the demon as well.

Forcing a cheery smile, Rin shook her head. "I'm fine- I've actually come up with something that helps me sleep most nights now, and I thought it might help you too."

"What is it?"

Tilting her head back to gaze at the stars above, she smiled a little more naturally. "I think of all the good things in my childhood. Laughing, racing, tumbling, grinning. Gaped teeth, freckles, dirt between toes, teasing brothers, sunbathing, cool creaks, bare feet and squawking kappas. The scatter of petals and grass kicked into the air, the scent of campfires, sunflowers, crispy fish and cooking fungi. Assuring golden eyes keeping vigilance over my sleep, along with the steady rhythmic breathing of a two-headed dragon keeping me warm."

Kohaku stared at her with no short amount of amazement. He swallowed and looked down at the sand.

"You're strong," he breathed. "To be able to separate all the good things from the bad."

"You can do it too," grabbing his hand again, Rin inched closer with an encouraging nod. "Tell me some things you remember. Happy things."

Kohaku blushed a little at her proximity and cleared his throat, thinking. "Sango. She was always there for me."

"What else?"

His eyes seemed to haze slightly, "Father…"

"Push through it, Kohaku," she murmured. "There was a time before all the bad stuff. Was he kind?"

Kohaku blinked, firm fingers squeezing hers as he came back to himself, exhaling. He chuckled shyly, "he was a little strict, but he meant well."

Rin shifted closer, resting beside him shoulder to shoulder, knee bumping his. Kohaku rested his head back against Kirara's soft fur and began recounting things long since buried. Things he hadn't thought he could remember or appreciate anymore. The guilt was there, it always would be, but it felt further away, replaced with a bitter-sweet tang.

"Practicing, running, training, laughing, chasing yellow nekomatas," he scratched Kirara's ear. "Butterflies, bare-feet, hunting- freeing rabbits from traps because I didn't want to see them get killed. Father yelling. Father's hand gently resting on my h-head," the words stumbled. "Playing, flower gathering, flying on Kirara. The smell of the blacksmiths. Sweat. Forging weapons. Sango snoring."

Rin gasped and giggled, watching as his fingers slid through the gaps between her own.

"Warming my hands on the brazier. Talking. Listening. Stories around the campfire. Demon slayers, family," Kohaku murmured, voice thick with memories. He closed his eyes, falling silent.

"You did really well," cuddling against him, Rin pecked his cheek.

Kohaku glanced down at her, "I haven't talked about that stuff out loud before. I didn't think I could anymore."

Grinning, she put her nose in the air, imitating Jaken. "Humph well, I am rather good at talking. Getting other people to talk is my speciality ~"

Chuckling, he nudged his free hand against her forehead gently, brown eyes incredibly warm. "Can we do this again sometime? There's probably more we can remember."

Blinking, Rin gentled and squeezed his fingers, "of course we can. Anytime, Kohaku. But you know… Sango might want to hear some of this too- when you're ready," she added quickly.

His face became a touch more guarded, which broke her heart. He was so afraid of hurting Sango again. For a demon slayer, the young man was heavily weighed down by empathy.

Rin touched his freckled cheek, "Kohaku?"

He shook his head slightly and gave a smile to show he was alright. "Never mind that. How'd you get to be so brave talking about this stuff?"

Humming, she let her fingers linger, dragging down to his jaw. It looked and felt strong beneath her touch. "I probably couldn't talk about it out loud if you weren't here. You make me feel brave."

Before her fingers left his face, her hand was caught. Kohaku pushed it back to rest against his cheek, tilting his face into her palm.

"Likewise," he mumbled.

Cheeks warming, Rin felt her heart stutter and thrum wildly in her chest. It was weird. Kohaku was so incredibly dear to her. She loved being close to him, but lately, butterflies just wouldn't stop fluttering in her stomach.

Seeming to sense her confusion, Kohaku released her slack hand and gently returned it to her. He then turned to his boots and began tugging them off.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm doing as you bossily suggested earlier," standing, he gave a small smile, offering a hand down to her.

Rin accepted it, following as he walked to the shoreline. Stepping onto the wet sand, a noise of surprise and shook escaped the demon slayer as the tide rushed in.

Biting her lip, Rin tried and failed to suppress mirthful laughter. "Did you just squeal?"

"No. You're imagining things," Kohaku grinned.

The ocean lapped around their ankles, slowly receding, before sweeping a fresh wave of cool, dark water against their skin.

Kohaku gradually adjusted, looking out at the endless stretch of ocean brightened by the moon. Rin breathed in a lungful of the fresh air, slowly relaxing with him.

The tired lines beneath Kohaku's kind eyes seemed to soften, not entirely going away, but his face appeared young once more, gaining a healthy glow.

Rin held onto his hand throughout. He was the only one she felt so strangely at peace with. Lord Sesshoumaru and Kaede were protective presences, but neither really knew her, or her secrets. No one understood everything that had happened in her life, though she'd divulged some things.

She'd told Kohaku everything. When the boys at the village whispered among themselves that she was strange, a shape-shifter, a hanyou girl in disguise, Rin would smile. Because they didn't need to know or understand. Kohaku accepted her oddness, an outlier himself. Perhaps they were Hanyou children in a way.

Like Uncle Inuyasha, they didn't quite fit into human society. They were too strange. Too changed, different because of what they'd seen and experienced, never quite meshing despite their best efforts to.

But that was alright.

She'd asked Uncle Inuyasha about it once, Lord Sesshoumaru in their presence. Inuyasha had met Sesshoumaru's gaze, voice gruff.

"Well, there was no place for me, so I had to make one for myself, and then I realized, I had a place, but I was the only one in it."

Lord Sesshoumaru had seemed quiet and considering of his words.

Rin understood. Gazing at Kohaku right then, she felt he would too. The two humans who had died too young. Kohaku was part of her space, and she was in his.

Catching her eye, he smiled. Just as naturally as holding hands, he leaned down and rested their foreheads together. Rin let out a whoosh of hot air, lashes fluttering shut. The press of his head against hers felt intimate and sweet.

Slowly, she opened her eyes and shifted her head, lips inches from his, face burning. Kohaku's eyes cracked open wide, before gazing solemnly at her. He wrestled with something- and she thought he might pull away.

Kohaku then snuffed out the rest of the distance between them, lips pressing against hers in a chaste kiss.

White-hot feeling burst within the young woman like shooting stars. Butterflies turned into hummingbirds. Her lips burned.

They pulled away, both avoided each other's gazes a moment, reeling. They then caught one another's eye and slowly, shyly smiled. Because they were still the same, just a little different from before.

"Let's go back to the village," Kohaku murmured, noticing the first hues of sunlight brightening the horizon. "I think… I'll try talking to Sango."

Rin nodded, smiling with palpable relief.

He glanced at her, expression remaining vulnerable, fragile heart laid bare for her to see. Kohaku trusted her to handle it gently.

"And Rin?"

"Yes?"

He blushed slightly, squeezing her hand. "Let's come back to the beach sometime soon."

Rin's face burst into a wide grin, giggling a little breathlessly.

"I'd love to!"

---

End

#kohrin #Inuyasha #Kohaku x Rin #kohaku #Rin #inuyasha fanfiction #Fanon pairings

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foreteller-ava · 2 years

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Fallen Star: Chapter 8

AO3 | FFN

[Previous Fic] [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12] [13] [14] [15]

Summary: The Clone Wars have raged on for three years. With Dooku dead, the war’s end is finally within reach, and peace may come to the galaxy.

For Jedi Knight Padmé Amidala, Senator Anakin Skywalker, and Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi, the world seems to have too many other plans to let it.

[Or, a Revenge of the Sith Roleswap AU]

A/N: This is the fourth chapter I needed to port to tumblr so woo, now I just gotta update all my earlier posts and we're finally caught up.

I'm never falling behind again.

See everybody next week!

With Padmé's nightmares (visions?) and Anakin's as well, it had been rare for himself and Padmé to find a moment to breathe, a moment of respite. But here, tonight, they found it. Padmé was lightly dozing, not asleep though heading for there, and he himself was comfortable as he found his fingers running through her hair, playing with her dark curls.

He knew nightmares were too likely lately, so perhaps it was selfish when he opened his mouth to provide her with a little bit more chances of rest, and himself from having to see her once more in tears. "I've been thinking about what to name our baby."

It took a moment for her to respond. "Oh?"

Anakin nodded. "Were you going to think of one for her?"

Padmé snorted, and Anakin marveled at the fact that he had managed to make her smile when everything around them felt like it was falling apart. "What makes you so sure it's a girl?"

"You've felt her kick." He smiled. "With a kick that hard, it has to be a girl." He may have slightly been projecting how much he wanted a daddy's girl at that moment, but he didn't care.

Despite the fact that he couldn't see her face, he could only imagine the grin Padmé was wearing. "Well, my motherly intuition still says he's a boy, and since I'm the one of us with the Force, I think that means I'm right."

"I have it too." Anakin shook his head. "Just because I'm not a Jedi doesn't mean it won't tell me things either."

"If you're so sure of that fact, then you can name her if she's a girl. And I'll name him if he's a boy." He could hear the smug tone in his wife's voice. She was proud of herself for coming up with that pseudo compromise to a nonexistent fight, and he let her be. They deserved something to smile about in all this stress.

Anakin moved one of his hands to her stomach, attempting to feel for the baby once more. "Leia. If she's a girl, she'll be Leia." The name had Padmé humming in approval the moment she heard it. "Did you have one in mind?"

Padmé nodded. "An old Nabian name, Luke. It means light."

Anakin laughed. He was sure that Luke would be the light of his life once he was born. The name was fitting. "Perfect. I couldn't imagine a better name for him." Not that he would ever concede that point to Padmé, their baby was totally a girl.

They lapsed into silence after that. Despite the brief moment of cheer, Anakin could sense that Padmé was thinking, even now as they attempted to find a moment to just be happy. "What is it, Angel?"

"Ani…" Padmé sighed, realizing very quickly this wasn't a conversation he'd let her back out of. "I'm worried. Not just about the dreams, but what if...do you think our baby will be raised in a war?"

Saying yes was unimaginable. Saying no felt like a lie. "I have faith in the Jedi, and you, to end this war. Once Grievous is captured, we'll have peace." Anakin tried to ignore the guilt he felt at the war he was planning on starting himself.

Padmé started tracing patterns in his hand. "Just the Jedi?"

Anakin sighed. "I'm worried, I'm not going to lie. The Separatists are on the run, but...the Chancellor still hasn't called peace talks." He weighed his next words carefully before adding on. "And there are some of us in the Senate...we don't like how the Chancellor is handling things. He was careful not to name names. Only he would be implicated in the delegation if his wife told anybody. "I don't trust Chancellor Palpatine to do what's right even after we capture Grievous."

Padmé remained silent. He almost thought she might've fallen asleep but then she rolled over in his arms, turning to face him, her expression unreadable. "I don't want to talk about this anymore."

Her evasive answer was enough for Anakin to know that she wasn't on his side when it came to matters of Chancellor Palpatine, enough for him to know that maybe his feelings earlier were right. "Then let's talk about something else. Or, we can talk about nothing at all."

He gave her a kiss as a distraction before holding his wife in his arms.

He might have been able to convince her for a brief moment that things were okay, but his own promises were starting to ring false to his own ears as he tried to ignore what his wife might become.

-x-

When Obi-Wan had come to Anakin's rooftop apartment, he'd expected the Senator to come right to the door to greet him. Instead, he ended up seeing the gold plated protocol droid the boy had built as a child. "Oh, General Kenobi, was Master Ani expecting you. He does seem to be out of sorts lately so it's possible he might have forgotten to mention it to me. I do worry for him, you know"

"Hello Threepio." He tried to smile. It wasn't his fault that Anakin had programmed the droid to be a neurotic mess. "He won't be, but I'm sure he'll be willing to take the time."

"Of course, let me wake him up. It'll be just a moment." C-3PO began to head for a room in the back, and Obi-Wan watched him go in confusion. Wake Anakin up?

The Senator appeared moments later, letting out a yawn as he moved out of the way. The dark bags under his eyes were no more reassuring than Padmé's behavior had. "Obi-Wan, good morning."

"It's long passed morning." Obi-Wan shook his head. "Are you alright, Anakin?" The fact that Anakin had been at home and not in the Senate should have been the first sign that something was wrong, if he was honest.

Anakin nodded, but given he yawned again seconds later, it wasn't reassuring. "It's nothing important."

"Anakin."

"Really, Obi-Wan, I'm fine." Anakin smiled, and though he sensed Anakin was lying, three was little more he could do about it. He seemed unwilling to discuss it further, therefore it was better to discuss his actual reason for visiting instead.

"Very well, I'll leave you to your being alright for now then." Obi-Wan shook his head. "I didn't come here to nag you about your health anyways." Though it might be on his list of tasks in the future. Leave it to his Padawan to fall in love with somebody who had as little ability to care for himself as she did.

"That's a shame, I was enjoying the lectures." Anakin, as though sensing this would be a while, chose to sit down on the couch. "What is it that you wanted?"

"It's about Padmé."

The moment the words left Obi-Wan's mouth, Anakin immediately bolted upright with alarm, his posture becoming stiff and unyielding. "Why would you be coming here about Padmé? We're close friends and I know she's pregnant with my child but the baby doesn't mean anything like that. It was one night, we were–"

"Anakin, please don't tell me the same story that Padmé did." Obi-Wan pinched the bridge of his nose at the boy's protests. "I know that isn't why the two of you were with each other that particular night."

The way Anakin looked at Obi-Wan reminded him of a frightened animal, and Obi-Wan didn't blame him. There was no way this had been the conversation Anakin had been expecting. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"You and Padmé both have feelings for each other." He'd known from when Padmé had told him in Geonosis, and he had a feeling that they had chosen to continue acting on them after all. "It's obvious in how you both act. Whenever she's in the room it's like nobody else matters, and Padmé…whenever your name is mentioned her eyes light up." It was painfully obvious for anybody who knew these two to see exactly how they felt, and unfortunately for both of them, he knew them very well. "For her sake and yours, I've pretended I didn't know. She deserved something...someone, who made her smile during the war. And if Padmé decided not to end things with you, I trusted both of you to make the right decision."

Anakin frowned, as though really taking in what Obi-Wan said. "So you just...ignored us the entire time."

"I wouldn't take away her happiness. That wouldn't be right of me. So long as I kept pretending not to know, the Council couldn't do anything, and I wouldn't have to report it to anybody." Not that he would, even now. Obi-Wan wasn't visiting Anakin as Master Kenobi, he was visiting as Obi-Wan, an old friend.

"What changed then?" Anakin asked.

Obi-Wan sighed. This was the difficult part. "Padmé did." Anakin shifted forward, both interested in what Obi-Wan had to say and terrified to learn more. "She's been angry and terrified over her dreams, and I fear I've only done something that could make it worse." Obi-Wan hesitated on the next part. What he was about to reveal to Anakin was council business, not something for the Senate. Could he even reveal it?

The choice was taken out of his hands by Anakin's question. "What did you ask her to do, Obi-Wan?"

"Spy on the Chancellor." Once the words were out, there was no taking them back. Anakin sat in silence, a surprisingly lack of judgement on his part as he let Obi-Wan continue. "The Jedi suspect that he may not be nearly as innocent in all of this as he lets on, and Padmé's the only one close enough to him that we could ask."

Anakin was silent, struggling to come up with the words to ask what he needed to know and taking in what the council had asked. "You're worried this could push her over the brink."

"You've noticed as well?"

Anakin shook his head. "Of course I noticed. She's been doing terribly since returning back to Coruscant, especially with those dreams. She isn't going to be in the right mental space to take on a task like this." Obi-Wan remained silent, weighing his words, but before he could respond, Anakin spoke up again. "But I don't disagree with the council...something had to be done."

"But you wish it didn't involve her?" Obi-Wan could tell exactly where he was going, and Anakin nodded.

"I'm worried about her too, but I have faith in her to do what's right. Don't count Padmé out just because she's not doing well, Obi-Wan, she's strong."

"Oh I don't doubt that." Obi-Wan chuckled, seeing how fast Anakin went to jump to Padmé's defense. "But that doesn't do anything to make me less worried. I told you before that Padmé's...different now. Normally I'd trust her to do exactly as you say, but I can't help but think that if she doesn't get the help she needs…she'll become something unrecognizable."

Anakin shook his head. "I'm sorry Obi-Wan, but I don't want to talk about this."

Obi-Wan figured as much. "I'm sorry as well. I didn't mean to upset you. Both you and Padmé have been going through a stressful time. I don't need to add more to it."

Anakin let out something that looked like a cross between a sigh and a yawn. "Thank you, Obi-Wan. I'll walk you out."

Obi-Wan smiled. "No need, I can see myself out." He paused for a moment. "Do not think I wish to destroy what you have with Padmé, Anakin. If I had, I would have acted long ago." Whenever he saw the two of them, he saw himself and Satine. To ask them to break it off would be unfair.

"I know you wouldn't do that, because you love her too." Obi-Wan turned back, startled, and for a moment found himself held in place by Anakin's tired, blue gaze.

It was something that Obi-Wan had long since stopped denying. His Padawan was his closest friend, his daughter, and, eventually, sister as they grew closer. He couldn't bear to lose her, just like Anakin couldn't. Anakin would be right, he couldn't lose sight of that.

-x-

Padmé walked into the uppermost box in the Opera House with a feeling of foreboding that she couldn't ignore as she attempted to kneel next to the Chancellor. "You wanted to see me, Chancellor?"

Palpatine gave her a smile. "Of course, it won't take long. I do apologize for the venue. The news came at the most inopportune time. I'd already bought my tickets." He turned to the other Senators in the box. "If you could excuse us for a minute. And Padmé dear, do sit down. I won't take long, but a woman in your condition shouldn't be on her feet for very long."

Padmé nodded, taking a seat next to him. "What was it that you wanted to ask about?"

"It's good news, something we could all use a little more of." She perked up the moment Palpatine answered that. "Our clone intelligence units have discovered the location of General Grievous. He's hiding in the Utapau system."

Perhaps it had been that she had been talking to Anakin about the war's end, or maybe it was that she'd been so tired, but she let out a sigh of relief. "We...we can capture him. We can end the war." Her child would be born to a world where the final days of the Clone Wars were coming. Nobody could threaten her family if the war was over, nobody would want to.

"We can." Palpatine nodded. "Normally, I would ask the council to select you for this assignment, but given you are indisposed…" He trailed off. "Well, I hope they can find a Jedi as skilled as you on such short notice."

Immediately, Padmé would have suggested Obi-Wan, her master being as skilled as her, but despite how likely it was for him to go...she couldn't have it be him. She needed him here for as long as he could be. "I'm sure whoever they pick will be strong. Many Jedi have faced off against Grievous in the past. They'll be successful now too."

"I'm less certain. You know I'm not able to rely on the Jedi Council." And she did. Her mind went back to their last conversation in his office, where the Chancellor had told her of his misgivings. Then the council and Anakin shared theirs in return and she...no, she couldn't think of that right now. "If they haven't included you in their plot, they soon will."

Padmé shook her head. "Their plot?"

"You must sense what I have come to suspect. The Jedi Council want control of the Republic. They're planning to betray me."

Every word Palpatine said felt like a punch to the stomach. "The Jedi don't want power, Chancellor. They just want peace. It's what we're all taught since the creche, to provide peace wherever possible and follow the Force's will."

"Padmé, search your feelings. You know, don't you?" Despite Palpatine asking for an answer, Padmé didn't respond. How could she respond. No matter how much what he said lined up with how the Jedi Council was acting, it couldn't be right. Yoda, Mace, Luminara, Obi-Wan. They were her friends and family. They couldn't be planning a betrayal of the Republic like that. It seemed he took her silence as confirmation, for Palpatine continued. "They don't trust me, or the Senate. Or the Republic or democracy for that matter."

Padmé stayed silent for a moment, finally figuring out precisely the conclusion Palpatine had come to. "This is why you thought the Separatists might have invaded the Jedi."

He nodded. "It is. And you agree with me."

"I…" Padmé sighed. "I don't disagree. It just...it can't be the entirety of the council who are acting only in self interest. Some of them must be good."

"Some of them are, I'm sure." She wasn't sure whether she was happy or not that he was willing to concede that point. "But remember back to your early teachings. All who gain power are afraid to lose it. Even the Jedi."

"The Jedi use their power for good. They try to bring peace to the galaxy."

"And yet, all they have done is participate in this war. A war that brought them right into power in the Senate" Palpatine didn't flinch, didn't even hesitate as he answered. "Good is a point of view, Padmé. The Sith and the Jedi are similar in almost every way, including their quest for greater power."

"Even if Jedi are gaining power, they do it to protect the people." Even Padmé could admit her argument sounded weak to her own ears. "The Sith only want that power for themselves."

"And the Jedi don't?" Once more, Padmé couldn't argue. The two fell quiet, Padmé trying to ignore the nervous feeling that built up the more they talked.

"Did you ever hear the tragedy of Darth Plagueis the Wise?" She shook her head. She'd never heard of it before. "I thought not. It's not a story the Jedi would tell you. It's a Sith legend. Darth Plagueis was a dark lord of the Sith so powerful and wise, he could use the Force to influence the midi-chlorians to create life."

A Sith Lord...a Sith Lord creating life? It went against everything they'd been taught at the Temple, that Sith Lords could only destroy. It didn't make sense. Before she could ask for elaboration, however, Palpatine continued. "He had such a knowledge of the dark side, he could even keep the ones he cared about from dying."

"I don't understand." Padmé shook her head. Why would that kind of power be on the dark side? She knew the importance of letting go like all good Jedi, but wouldn't something like this be good? "That's...it's not possible."

"The dark side of the Force is a pathway to many abilities some consider to be unnatural." It wasn't an answer, but…

"If he could do something so powerful...what happened?" There had to be a catch to it. It was too good.

"He became so powerful, the only thing he was afraid of was losing his power." Just like the Jedi. "Which, eventually of course, he did. Unfortunately, he taught his apprentice everything he knew. Then his apprentice killed him in his sleep. It's ironic, he could save others from death, but not himself."

Padmé remained silent. She had a lot to think about and she wasn't sure...she couldn't…

"Tomorrow night, I'd like to request you to come to my office, Padmé. I have some things I need to take care of that I could use your protection for. Some Senators, who may wish me harm."

Padmé shook her head, taking her out of her distracted thoughts. She could attend the meeting. She nodded, "Of course."

"Very good, then you should go get some rest. I'm sure this is no place for a woman in your condition."

She stood up from the chair, but paused as she went to exit, a moment of hesitation. That ability...and given her nightmares. "Where would you go about learning something like this."

There was something deliberate in Palpatine's answer as he turned to face her, the first time in their entire conversation. "Not from a Jedi."

#Star Wars #Anakin Skywalker #Padme Amidala #Obi-Wan Kenobi #Obi Wan Kenobi #Palpatine #Anidala

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imaginationintowords · 4 years

Text

Folklore [song series]

the 1

Modern Day AU! Bucky Barnes x OC!Reader

Plot: Inspired by Taylor Swift’s new album Folklore. The story follows the timeline of Bucky and Elizabeth’s relationship throughout the years.

Word count: 2404

Warnings: smut implied, loss of virginity implied, mention of alcohol abuse, mention of abandonment

Previous part

Series Masterlist

Age: 26

Year: 2020

Location: Brooklyn, New York

Elizabeth sat on the floor of her mostly empty childhood bedroom. She hasn't been back since Christmas, and that was almost 8 months ago. Her parents called her last month letting her know they are putting the house up for sale, deciding to move to a cottage upstate where it's much quieter.

They had asked if she wanted them to pack up her old bedroom for her, but she told them she would make the trip out to them to spare any storage space the stuff might take up, knowing that only a few special items would need to be kept.

She was sat on the floor going through old photos, the last thing she had to do before she would be done.

Photos from the time she spent here. A pile for which photos she will take back home, and a pile that her parents will keep. She was finally down to the last three photos, all flipped over on their back.

The first one scribbled in her mother's handwriting read:

Steve, Betty, & James. Halloween 2001.

She shakes her head at the nickname, she hasn't been called Betty in almost a decade. The nickname was tarnished, no longer having any special meaning.

She really should've kept it only for family.

She flipped the photo over. There was seven year-old Elizabeth, standing in between a young Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes both had their arms draped around her shoulders. All dressed up as pirates.

She smiled at the memory.

So young. So innocent. So unknowing of what the future held.

She focuses mostly on the boy to her right.

James Buchanan Barnes.

Her first friend here. Her first best friend. Her first kiss.

Her first boyfriend. Her first time having sex. Her first heartbreak.

The boy at the time she didn't know would completely change not only her life, but who she was.

Her first best friend here, she immediately thinks of their first meeting. So kind. Him insisting on teaching her how to ride a bike. Took him two weeks but he did it. That halloween was a memorable one, for both good and bad reasons.

She saw a different side of Bucky after seeing first-hand how his father behaved, due to his alcoholism.

Years later Elizabeth had learned Bucky's father's deepest secret, he had struggled with alcoholism, starting two years before her family moved across the street. It was a secret his family had kept until that Halloween weekend in 2001.

Bucky and his family had spent the weekend with Elizabeth's family, while his uncles came to take his dad away. His father went to go live with Bucky's grandmother and uncles to try and get sober. He returned home after three months, but sadly the disease was a lot stronger than that. His father was fighting a long battle that he was sadly losing.

After a grueling year his mother made the ultimate decision to divorce his father, not wanting to put herself or her children through the dangers once again. Bucky's maternal grandparents moved in to help his now single mother out, seeing as his father was no longer in the picture.

His dad would pop in from time to time never consistent with his visits, after Bucky turned 13 and Becca 10, his dad stopped coming around all together.

His father ended up meeting a woman who helped him get sober, they later on got married and started a new family of their own. Forgetting about the one he had abandoned.

The next photo was dated:

Summer of 2008.

The summer right before they started high school. That was the summer that they all reached peak puberty. Bucky and Steve shot up like weeds, while Elizabeth grew slightly in height. They no longer looked like the pre-pubescent tweens, and officially looked teenagers embarking on their first year of high school.

It was a candid photo of Bucky and Elizabeth at an end of summer party Steve had at his house.

The night of their first kiss together, and Elizabeth's first kiss in general.

It wasn't a cliche kiss that happened because a game of spin the bottle. It was a little more private than that.

Bucky and Elizabeth made their way back home on that cool summer night. The nights had just started to get cooler as the months made the transition from August to September.

"Do you think Steve knows how obvious he's making his crush on Peggy is?" Elizabeth asks breaking the silence of the walk.

"Probably not, I mean the punk is way to oblivious to notice that Peggy also has a crush on him," Bucky laughs, "Plus he's too chicken to even make a move."

"He's just shy," Elizabeth smiles, trying to defend her other best friend.

"Well he isn't going to get the girl by being shy," Bucky says.

"That's what you think," she winks at him.

"What do you know?" he asks her with an accusatory tone.

"That Peggy is going to ask him to go to the movies tomorrow night," Elizabeth recalled from her earlier conversation with Peggy, "That's why she stayed to help cleanup."

"Well then, I stand corrected," he bows his head.

"We should do that," Bucky says after a few moments of silence as they round the corner their houses now in sight.

"Help clean Steve's house?" Elizabeth asked confused.

"No, go to the movies."

"We already do that."

"I meant just us two, no Steve or Rebecca to tag along," Bucky reiterates.

"Like a date," he quietly says looking at his hands.

"Oh," it dawns on Elizabeth.

She felt a blush creep on her cheeks. The cool breeze not helping the warmth spreading throughout her face.

Elizabeth has had a crush on Bucky for as long as she can remember. She just always thought he would never see her in that light. Compared to the girls he's used to liking, she was the polar opposite. Her skin wasn't as pale as their's, she had what her mother called a "Puerto Rican" tan due to where her family lineage is originally from. Her dark curls were always everywhere, even when she had them contained. It's not like she stood out per se, they were surrounded by diversity. She just didn't look like the girls Bucky had a crush on.

"You want to go out on a date, with me?" she hesitantly asks.

"Yeah, I do," he smiles finally looking up to meet her eyes.

"Why?"

"Because I like you," he says confused why she would ask that.

"It's okay if you don't want to, I understand," he quickly says when she doesn't say anything. He goes back to looking down and kicking at invisible rocks.

"No," she says grabbing his hand, making them both stop in front of her house, "I do want that."

Bucky looks back up taken back by her response, "Really?"

"Yeah, I would love to go on a date with you," she smiled so big.

"Okay, wow. Cool," Bucky stumbles over his words, his smile matching her's.

"Tomorrow, you and I will go to the movies," he says, squeezing his hand that was still being held by her.

"Perfect."

"Perfect," he whispered staring in her eyes, he glanced down to her lips then back to her eyes.

Elizabeth noticed bucking glancing at her lips, she couldn't help herself and do the same thing.

Bucky grabbed her other hand as he slowly pulled her closer to his body. Leaning his head slightly down. Both closed their eyes and slowly met each other half way, their lips touching in a soft kiss.

What felt like hours, but was only seconds they pulled away slowly. Smiles gracing their faces.

"I'll call you tomorrow for the details," Bucky says.

"Okay. Goodnight," Elizabeth says, still holding onto Bucky's hands.

"Goodnight," Bucky smiles, letting go of her hands before jogging across the street.

Elizabeth had walked up to her porch and turned around to see Bucky turning around from his own porch. She waved and he waved back, their final goodbye for the night.

That was the perfect end to the summer before they had started high school. It was the start of something new and beautiful.

The last photo read:

Winnie and Keith's wedding. 11 Aug. 2010.

She flipped it over to see her and Bucky smiling dressed in formal attire, next to Steve and Peggy.

Bucky's mom did later remarry while they were in high school. She had met a lovely man named Keith, who loved her deeply and her children as if they were his own. He was a good man, someone Bucky really needed in his life.

The photo was taken during the reception. Bright smiles across all of their 16 year old faces.

Both couples had been dating for two years at that point and things were going great.

The smiles showcased how happy they all were. Probably had to do with what they all had planned after the wedding.

They had all convinced their parents into letting them stay at the hotel the reception was at that night, and Bucky would drive them all back home the following day. Their parents had agreed, the only rule is that the girls would stay in a room separately from the boys.

What they know wouldn't hurt them, right?

It was the night they were all planning on losing their virginity. Their hormones were racing, trying to keep it contained as to not draw attention to themselves:

After the wedding they all walked up to the floor they would be staying at. Bucky waited outside the girls' door as Elizabeth gathered her overnight bag, and Steve doing the same from the boys' room.

She walked out with her bag on her shoulder, and a smile on her face.

"Ready?" he asked, grabbing her bag from her shoulder.

"Yeah," she nodded, feeling the nerves start.

Steve walked up to them with his own bag, "See you guys in the morning," he smiled before walking into the room, closing the door behind him.

Elizabeth could remember that night clearly. She had done a lot of prep beforehand, being an overachiever she needed to know what she was getting herself into. But nothing could prepare her for what had really happened.

It was filled with a lot of stumbling, awkward touches here and there. Both new to this sex thing. She's not going to lie and said it didn't hurt, she had prepared herself for it hurting. It wasn't the best sex she's had, but it was a moment she wouldn't forget.

After they were done they were cuddled in bed, Elizabeth's head resting on Bucky's chest as he smoothly raked his fingers across her arm.

"11:11, make a wish," Elizabeth whispered, closing her eyes.

"What'd you wish for?" Bucky asked.

"How many times do I have to tell you," she said, turning her body to lean on his chest to come face to face with him, "I can't tell you what I wish for, otherwise it won't come true."

"And how many times do I have to tell you, that that's not true," he teased.

"Well, you have yet to prove me wrong," she smiled.

"Come on, just this once."

"You," she stated, feeling the blush creep on her cheeks.

"What about me?"

"I wished for you," she says, "You and I. For us to have many more moments like this."

"Well doll, your wish is my command," he joked.

"I'm serious Bucky."

"So am I," his tone getting serious, "I love you Betty. It's you and me. Forever."

"Promise?" she held up her pinky.

"Promise." he linked his with hers.

They trusted each other. They were comfortable with each other. They had loved each other. And honestly that's all that mattered.

Now as an adult she realized how important your first time was. It was important that her first time was with Bucky, because she never regretted until she had.

She had really thought Bucky was the one. They would always talk about their futures together. What college they would attend together. When they would get married. Where they would live. How many kids they would have. All of it they had planned together. A future that didn't seem like just a dream.

Sadly with every first love comes every first heartbreak.

Her grandmother once told her that the greatest loves of all time were over now.

She had thought that when her relationship with Bucky had ended.

It truly felt like the end of the world. Like any breakup at that age felt like. She had sworn she would never feel love again. Her mother, Caterina telling her to just wait and see.

Caterina didn't believe in her own mother's words about greatest loves being over, because she was experiencing her's. She promised Elizabeth that she would experience her greatest love story when the time was right.

At the time Elizabeth didn't believe her mother. How could she when her heart was aching.

But like all the times before, her mother would be right.

She looked at the last three photos in her hands. Without a second thought she placed the Halloween photo in the take pile and the other two in the parents' pile.

A soft knock on the door frame startled her, she looked behind to find the man she has called her's for the last few years. Her greatest love.

She couldn't help the smile that came across her face whenever she would see him.

"Ready?" he asks, a smile upon his face, as he leans up against the door frame, arms crossed over his chest.

"Yeah, let me just put these back in the box for my parents," she tells him cleaning up the photos and taking the ones she kept for herself.

"Look at this one I found," she says showing him the Halloween photo.

"Oh my gosh, we were so little," he smiles and laughs lightly raising his arm for her to go under, "Gosh I was such a dork."

"Was?" she playfully jokes, wrapping her arm around his waist and snuggling into his side as they head towards the stairs in each other's arms.

"Hey you fell in love with this dork," he jokes back.

"And I wouldn't have it any other way Steve," she smiles leaning up to kiss his lips.

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bxoken-heartss · 4 years

Text

@tu-sonrisaaa-te-amooo asked: Could you do the 8 and 17 fluff with Joel? tht would be cute (ik u hate him lol u could do zabdi if u want)

Lmao I don't hate him Bby..he can just be a bit dramatic sometimes...that's all 🙆‍♀️

Prompts: (I did a bit of alterations in it so excuse me)

“I want to dance through an army of fireflies with you.” (Prompt 8)

“My hand was made to fit into yours. That’s all there is to it.” (Prompt 17)

So Y/N is your name

~ ~ ~ means change of scenario.

✓ ✓ ✓ means the end.

So...ahem...this went a bit more than I intended it to go...I swore I would just write drabbles but I guess old habits die hard? So this is it? I hope you like it Dia! 💕😅 (oh new nickname alert)

This song is beautiful and sorta inspired me! 💕

- - -

Y/N and Joel were friends ever since they were little kids...They had met when Joel had gotten lost wandering around in a series of pet shops staring at pets (especially various dog breeds and puppies). When his senses had hit him..he understood he had gotten lost..he began to feel nervous and uneasy and let out childish sobs as he began to run around looking for his mother.

He barely paid attention to anything around him as he only focused in searching for his mother that which eventually ends up with him bumping onto someone.

"Ouch! Why can't you watch where the hell they are going?!" A voice speaks

Joel falls down as he looks at the person speaking...a little girl who held a husky in her arms on the floor angrily glaring at him

"I'm so sorry...I didn't..." He begins as he stares at the husky...

"It's fine...Just watch where you're going at least the- -" She begins

"Is that the Siberian Husky?" Joel asks interrupting her as he stands up

"I'm kind of offended that you interrupted me...But yes...yes it is.." She replies as she possessively holds her husky

"Can...Can I pet it?" He asks as he looks at the husky eagerly

"Well sure I guess..." She says as Joel begins petting the husky.

A few minutes later, the duo had already begun talking about...dogs things in general..

"Y/N! There you are!!" I was looking all over for you!" A voice speaks, tone concerned

"Oh..Mumma..I was just on my way back but then this boy bumped into me and apparently loves Zachary a bit too much.." She says as she points at Joel

And that's when our oblivious little Joel realizes that he was lost and was supposedly supposed to find his mother..not stand here fanboying over a husky.

His eyes widen as he looks around, searching for his mother a.k.a his official/ main intention...Panic strikes his system as he realizes he was obviously potentially lost..

"Are you okay Joel?" Y/N asks

"I'm LOST!" Joel replies as he looks at her letting out childish sobs

"Oh god...Mumma...Help him!" Y/N says

"Listen lil boy...we'll find your mother...do you like know her number or anything.." Y/N mother asks

"Yes..." He replies as he tells her the number letting out soft sobs

The husky jumps onto Joel's arms as it began licking his face. Joel stopped crying slowly as he began smiling a bit.

"Oh my god...He is just so adorable..." Joel says as he pets the husky

"Yeah...he seemingly likes you..strange..he's not pretty comfortable with strangers.." Y/N comments

Soon Joel's mother comes in, her eyes scanning around, her eyes instantly gleaming with happiness as she finds Joel.

"Joel!!!" She says as she runs over and hugs him, Zachary jumping out of Joel's arms onto the ground.

"Mumma!!" Joel yells as he hugs her, sobbing quietly

Y/N stepped away a bit letting them have their moment.

"Thank you for finding him! He's always roaming around..pet stores...or just everywhere in general...I'm so sorry for his careless actions...and all the inconveniences he has caused you..." Joel's mother apologizes

"Oh not at all...He wasn't a bother at all.." Y/N's mother reassures

"Joel...at least next time don't go around without telling your mum! If you want a pet come over to my place...We can play with Zachary together..." Y/N says as she smiles at him, holding her mother's hand

"Okay..I will." Joel says smiling at her as he pets Zachary one last time...

"Bye Joel! See you...well...soon?" She says as she walks off..

That was how it all began...After that, one day he had turned up at her place surprisingly...They were next door neighbours...And eventually they spent a lot of time together..which lead to their everlasting friendship which began at the age of 6..

~ ~ ~

"Joel...when am I going to see you again?" Y/N asks as she lazily sat on his bed whilst she helped him with her luggage.

"Around 9 months...I'll be back soon.." Joel says as he puts in another shirt

"Oh come on...that's technically the entire year!" Y/N comments as she rolls her eyes

"I swear I would have taken you if it wasn't for your Fashion Designing Course..If that had been completed..then you could have joined.." Joel says as he stuffs in something else

"Yeah yeah..it's important right...I'm going to miss you Jo..." She says as she looks at him

"Me too..I wish there was something I could do.." Joel says as he walks over towards her.

"Just promise that you'll facetime me before all your performances..and just text me once at least every day...send me those lame audios of yours...I don't care.." Y/N says as she holds his hand...

He was still here...not gone..why did he have to leave?

"Hey...I'll text you and call you everyday.. You're my best friend...If I wouldn't call you.. who else would I?" He asks as he holds her hand and hugs her

~ ~ ~

"Wow! That was a spectacular show right boys?" Joel asks obviously excited as he walked behind the stage...

"Yes..exhausted but overwhelming..." Richard replies as they walk into the room backstage

Zabdiel immediately falls onto the couch, Erick cools off, Chris begins to fix his hair

"God..Why hasn't Y/N even seen my message! She didn't even facetime me today or even call me! Isn't that just mean?!?" Joel comments as he slumps onto the couch

"Yes...call her mean and every other negative word you could think of Ho-eL! She brought her arse from miles away, sat on a 13 hour flight just so she could surprise her best friend and yet you call her that?" A voice speaks from behind him

"Wait...a minute..." Joel trails as he instantly turns behind and sees Y/N

"Y/N- - !!!!" His tone surprised and shocked as he leaps off the couch and hugs her, a few years falling through his cheeks in the rush of excitement.

"Curls!!" She yells as she hugs him.

They hug on forever none of them every wanting to let go...Until an intentional cough from the guys pulls them away

"Ah...err...Guys! Meet my bestie Y/N!" Joel says as he grabs her hand heading towards the boys

"We talked Curls...I talked to everyone and they all helped me hide...You guys were amazing...The performance was just fantastic!" She comments as the boys yell out a chorus of thanks

"Okay so everyone except me knew that you were here?" Joel asks

"Duh curls...I couldn't sneak into backstage without their help..." Y/N says referring to the boys.

Joel grabbed her arm and pulled her into an empty room and pulls her into a hug again

"I'm so glad to have you here...Thank you for the support.." Joel says

"Wow wow...I never knew I'd see a sweet side of you Joel..." Y/N remarks

"Shut up and just hug me..." Joel says rolling his eyes

She returns the gesture as they kept hugging, an odd source of comfort filling both their veins.

~ ~ ~

"Joel...this is beautiful..." Y/N comments as she looks around the woods.

It was a small forest sort of place filled with thick green trees and a small river which gleamed with reflections of the littered stars that laid scattered in the skies.

"I know right..." Joel says as he looks at the river and at her..

They spent a lot of time making jokes and just talking about life...he had just returned from tour a few days before and thought he ought to spend some quality time with his best....friend...

He almost sighed at his own thoughts..he had begun to have feelings for her...but he didn't want to let them interplay..he didn't want to lose her...he needed her as a friend at least in his life..his feelings didn't have any part in this...but he couldn't help but wonder everytime she smiled..was she thinking about him? Did she think of him..as something more than a friend?

"Joel..Joel...HOEL!" Y/N yells.

Joel's eyes widen in shock as he falls off the log he sat on because of how loud she yelled and how distracted he was..

"Oh god...you are so clumsy sometimes Curls! Wait..actually all the damn time!" She says as she holds out her hand, Joel gratefully accepting her extended hand as she pulls him up.

"Look at that Y/N..My hand was made to fit into yours..” Joel comments as he sits up

Y/N face floods with a tint of pink as she nervously laughs it off..but never lets go off his hand..

"Of course you dummy...We are besties so god made sure it would work that way.." She replies uneasily

"Y/N I want to tell you something.." He says interrupting her from speaking further

An awkward moment of painful silence fills the air...

"What is it Joel?" She asks nervously

"It's.. it's..." Joel begins but his anxiety kicks in.

"If you don't tell her now...you'll never tell her or know if she felt the same.. you'll probably live in regret but you have to! " His inner voice encourages as he takes a deep breath

"I...I like you..." He breathes out

"I like you too Joel! You are my best fr- -" Y/N begins

"No Y/N...I like you more than a best friend.. you make me feel warm and mushy on the inside..I don't feel anything else around anyone else...You make me feel safe, happy. You understand me...We fight..but that's only because you care..but I like you in a different manner...You make me want to the cringy -est stuffs like taking couple pictures, share smoothies together, go on dates...and make me wanna dance with you in between an army of fireflies under the moonlight and what nots.. and to think that you make these cliché activities look normal...that's weird and definitely not something I feel one fine day.. I knew I always had these feelings..But I realized them...only recently...I understand if you don't feel the same..but just so you know I'll keep loving you..on and on..." He finishes off

"Who said I never had feelings for you Joel?" She asks "Every night... I'm just waiting and wondering if you have found someone that'll make you feel like that..Because why not? There are millions out there..prettier, hotter and just beautiful girls out there waiting for you so why would you choose me over them? Yeah... nothing.."

"Y/N I don't care...for you were..are the only girl I've had my eyes on...from the start.. today and forever..." Joel says as he holds both her palms. (I'm low-key swooning 🤧)

Before she could answer, Joel extends his free hand and pulls her up.

They walk over towards a place where the moonlight reflected brightly and the clear water flowing gently, causing small ripples as if it was singing a song.

"Well...can I have a dance with you?" Joel asks as he extends his hand out in a sorta gentleman style

Y/N nods softly as she takes his hand, his hand instantly softly interlocking with hers as she rests her free hand on his shoulder, his free hand holding a space above her waist securely..

As they began to softly dance in sync, an army of fireflies had encapsulated around them causing her to smile wide.

"Look Joel...True to your 'cliché' wishes..the fireflies are here..." Y/N jokes about it as Joel's face floods with a bright pink colour.

They enjoyed the overall aura, the silence suddenly turning comfortable...as they merely enjoyed each others' presence without any words being exchanged.

"So..Y/N..." Joel begins

"Hmm?" She asks as they continue dancing

"Will..will you be my girlfriend?" He asks nervously

Y/N stops dancing as she tries to catch Joel's gaze..but the boy would look at anyone or anything but her..

Y/N stood on her toes as she holds his face with both hands as she stares at his beautiful dark brown orbs, her eyes filled with nothing but love..that too only for him.

Joel looks at her nervously and before he could speak anything, she softly presses her lips against his. He instinctively bends down a bit to reach upto her height as his hands wrap around an area a bit above her waist.

She pulls away, Joel's arms still firmly fixated above her waist as he looks at her

"Did that answer your question Pimentel?" She asks, her tone filled with sassiness

"For real Y/N?" He asks in disbelief

"Yes Joel..For real...I promise you...I'll be there for you..." Y/N says as Joel smiles

"I love you Y/N.." He says

"I love you only..Joel Pimentel.." Y/N says as Joel pulls her in for another kiss.

✓ ✓ ✓

The Ending kinda sucked tbh...but anyways hehehe... I'll try to improve! 😅🙃

#joel pimentel #cnco #christopher velez #richard camacho #fluff #oneshot #zabdiel de jesus #erick colon #fiz's works

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cocastyle · 5 years

Text

The In-Between Chapter 5

Stranger Things x It Crossover

with some Bill Denbrough x reader

Word Count - 4,949

Warning - Cursing (if some people don’t like that kind of stuff), feels because it’s finally time for the reunion😭💕

A/N- wow two chapters in one weekend, I’m on a roll🤩 so this chapter is pretty much going to be heavily focused on Y/N reuniting with the Party and explaining all that is going on, so no action packed scenes in this chapter lol. anyways, it’s the part of the series everyone has been looking forward to so yay!!! I really hope you guys like this!

if you would like to be added to the tag list, let me know!

T H E I N - B E T W E E N

Intro The Losers’ Club The Party Prolouge 1 2

3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Epilogue

"L/N, still don't know how to stay out of trouble I see."

"Harrington, still don't know how to drive I see."

Steve feigned a look of hurt, but the corners of his mouth twitched up a little more as he looked at the girl. A screech broke the two apart as they turned to see that the demogorgon was starting to get up.

Steve's eyes widened and he looked at Y/N and the group before gesturing towards the back. "Get your asses in the car!" he yelled. "Hurry! Hurry! Hurry!"

The Losers all snapped out of their shock and began to run towards the car. Bill went towards Y/N and helped her up before brushing her hair behind her ear and whispering, "Are you okay?" She nodded and he took her hand before the two quickly crawled into the car, neither of them noticing the look on Steve's face after having seen Y/N, the girl who was practically his sister, holding hands with a boy he didn't even know.

Steve didn't snap out of his surprise until the door was shut and Y/N yelled, "Go!"

It was then that he put the car into reverse and quickly began to drive backwards down the street while the demogorgon chased after them. Steve quickly reversed into a driveway before pulling out and skidding down the street.

Y/N didn't know what had her doing it, but she found herself staring back at the house and the demogorgon. To her surprise, the demogorgon had stopped short, not passing the boundary of the house as it remained in the street much like Pennywise had done when they saw It yesterday. It was only when they were turning off the road that she noticed the demogorgon walk back into the house and she furrowed her eyebrows, confused as to why it just gave up.

"What the fucking hell was that?" Richie cried out causing Y/N to look at the boy with a smirk, her thoughts long forgotten.

"Believe me now, Tozier?" she asked, her voice raised and in a taunting tone just like his had been yesterday.

Richie made a face at her while a gasp of surprise left Steve's mouth. "What the hell. That kid looks just like Mike!" Steve exclaimed.

Richie's nose scrunched up in confusion. "How the fuck do you know Mike? And why would you think we look alike you dumbass?" Richie muttered.

"Different Mike, Richie," Y/N sighed. "It's that kid I told you the first day I met you that you looked like."

"Still don't believe you," Richie rolled his eyes.

Y/N chuckled softly, her small laugh and the usual arguing that goes on between Y/N and Richie easing the tension that had fallen among the group after that near death experience.

Y/N looked around at her friends and furrowed her eyebrows before looking over at Steve, "Where's everyone else?"

Steve glanced at her from the rear view mirror before saying, "What? No 'Hello, Steve. How are you? Thanks for saving my life.' I haven't seen you in two years and the first thing you ask is where the others are?"

Y/N rolled her eyes at the boy, knowing that he was just messing with her. "Hello, Harrington. How have you been? Thank the Lord for your awful driving skills or I would be a demogorgon's dinner right about now," she muttered sarcastically.

Steve made a small face at her and she laughed as she looked at the boy. She couldn't wait for them to get to her house so she could give him a hug. She had missed him a hell of a lot that was for sure.

"I've been doing just wonderful," Steve replied, a cheeky grin on his face. "As for your question, the others are all back at your house. We snuck into the basement because we weren't quite sure if your parents know about the whole situation or not. When you didn't show up, the kids sent me out to go find you."

"So they're here? You're all here?" Y/N asked, her voice just above a whisper as her eyes flickered with excitement.

Steve smiled at the girl and nodded his head. "We're all here, squirt. Drove seventeen fucking hours just to see you," he told her thoughtfully making her smile.

"I hate to break this moment up," Richie began only to have Eddie scoff and say, "No, you don't." Richie shot him a glare before looking to Steve and asking, "But who the fuck are you?"

Steve furrowed his eyebrows and looked at the boy through the mirror. "I could ask you the same thing, Trashmouth. You're the one in my car," he retorted, not knowing that he had used one of Richie's nicknames without even knowing him.

Richie frowned, but Y/N kicked him lightly to gain his attention. "This, Rich, is the one and only Steve Harrington. He's practically my brother so don't scare him off, okay?" Y/N asked.

"Steve," Y/N called out. "These are all of my friends. We've got Richie Tozier, Eddie Kaspbrak, Ben Hanscom, Beverly Marsh, Stanley Uris, and Bill Denbrough. We have another friend Mike Hanlon, but he-"

Y/N trailed off and Steve instantly knew what she was talking about, remembering part of what Dustin had been rambling about during the whole seventeen hour drive. Not wanting her to feel like she had to explain, Steve glanced at the kids through his rear view mirror and nodded at them in greeting before his eyes landed on Bill who he noticed was holding Y/N's hand.

"Just your friends?" Steve questioned, his eyes narrowing as he looked to Bill who gave him an awkward and nervous smile.

Y/N nodded her head in response. "Just friends," she assured him despite the ache in her heart from having to say that. The car got really quiet at that as the Losers looked between Y/N and Bill who had let go of each other's hands and were looking away from each other.

Richie let out a gasp that made the others all look at him. "We left our bikes," he groaned as his head fell into his hands.

This small comment instantly eased the tension in the car and Y/N let out a small laugh as she shook her head and leaned back against the window of Steve's car. She looked to the rear view mirror and watched as Steve glanced back at her before giving her a smile.

It was in that moment that she realized that her friends were all about to meet. It was weird to even think about, but all Y/N could hope for was that everything went okay. Cause if her friends didn't like each other. . .well, she didn't know what she would do.

So with those thoughts rushing through her head, Y/N took in a deep breath and let her eyes fall shut. She needed a moment to enjoy the calm before the storm as they turned down her street.

Cause waiting only a few houses away in her basement were Eleven, Wheeler, Max, Lucas, Dustin, and Will and in the car with her and Steve were Bill, Richie, Eddie, Stan, Ben, and Beverly. In less than five minutes her two worlds were going to collide.

The Party and the Losers' Club were about to meet.

- - -

Once they had reached her house, Y/N had Steve park on the other side of the street and in front of a house that was for sale so that way in case her parents got home, they wouldn't think twice upon seeing the car.

The moment Steve parked the car, Y/N was practically jumping out. Steve barely had time to even put his feet on the ground before the girl hugged him with such force that he went stumbling back.

Steve had to quickly use his hand to steady himself before he looked down to see that Y/N was shaking as she hugged him, tears sliding down her face as her hands curled into fists around his shirt. The boy smiled before wrapping his arms around her, his eyes pricking with tears as he realized he was finally getting to hug Y/N after two whole years without her.

The Losers clambered out of the car before glancing over at the small reunion going on. They didn't know why it felt like their stomachs had just dropped, but the way Y/N hugged the boy made them feel weird like they couldn't quite place what was wrong. They just knew that Y/N had never hugged any of them like that or even looked that happy to see them.

The two stood there hugging for a moment longer before Y/N pulled away and looked up at Steve. "I missed you," she whispered, still looking at him in disbelief and enough love that it made Steve's heart swell.

The older boy smiled and quickly wiped her tears away before sending a wink at her. "I missed you too, squirt," he whispered before ruffling her hair, earning a laugh to escape her lips.

She then grabbed onto Steve's hand before dragging him towards the house. "Come on!" she exclaimed, excitement coursing through her body as she realized her friends were only a few feet away.

The Losers watched Steve and Y/N make their way towards her house and frowned. "Did she just forget about us?" Stan asked confused, noticing that Y/N hadn't even looked their way since getting out of the car.

"What are we? Chopped liver?" Richie muttered with a roll of his eyes as he crossed his arms.

"Guys, come on. These are Y/N's friends who she hasn't seen in two years. Cut her some slack," Beverly said before shaking her head at the others and running after Steve and Y/N.

The others stood there for a moment before their eyes slowly flickered over to Bill who was standing their in shock. He noticed his friends stares and quickly gave them a small forced smile. "Bev is right. Besides, you all know how much Y/N cares about us. She wouldn't just push us aside like that," Bill assured them.

The others nodded, hanging their heads slightly in a guilty way for having accused Y/N of forgetting them. "Come on," Bill told them before he ran after the three, the others all following right behind.

By the time the Losers had caught up with Y/N and Steve, the basement door was open and Y/N was just blankly staring at the stairs. She couldn't process what was happening.

Were her friends really down those stairs? How much had they changed? Would they not like her as much once they saw how much she had changed in the past two years? What if they didn't like her friends? What if they didn't approve of Bill or Richie or Eddie or Stan or Beverly or Ben or even Mike when they got him back? How would she be able to deal with that?

"Stop," a voice called from behind her causing Y/N and Steve to glance back to see the Losers all staring at their friend.

"You're thinking too much," Eddie pointed out.

"They still love you," Beverly assured her.

"And you're fucking amazing so what is there to worry about?" Richie asked.

Steve glanced between the group and Y/N before noticing the way her shoulders relaxed and a smile appeared on her face.

Bill locked eyes with the girl and gave her a small nod. "Go see your friends," he told her, a smile on his face as he knew how much she had missed her friends from Hawkins.

Y/N grinned at him and the rest of the group before looking down at the stairs and beginning to make her descent. It was like all she could hear was her own heart beating in her ears as she made her way down the stairs, but it suddenly disappeared as soon as she reached the bottom.

She looked up and her eyes were wide as she watched the Party all stop talking and turn to look at the stairs. Their eyes widened slightly at the sight of her and the group all stared in silence for a minute, none of them moving because of how afraid they were that this wasn't real.

Eleven was the first to break the silence as she let out a small sob and bolted up from where she had been sitting on the ground next to Wheeler. Before Y/N could process what was happening, Eleven had wrapped her arms around the girl, soft sobs of relief escaping her lips.

Eleven's warm and loving hold on her was enough to make the girl break and Y/N let out a sob of relief as she instantly hugged Eleven back. No words were exchanged as the two girls hugged and Max had to pull Eleven away just so that she could take her turn in hugging Y/N.

Everyone in the Party had started to cry as they finally got to to see Y/N again. Two years was an awfully long time and only getting to talk to her every once in a while over the radio did not help with the long distance.

"Woah, it's my turn!" Lucas exclaimed as he gently pushed Max away.

"Hey! I only just started to hug her!" Max complained.

"Yeah? Well I was friends with Y/N first so when I say it's my turn, then it's my turn," Lucas argued before turning to the girl who had been his first friend. The two were both already crying but they let out a breathy laugh before hugging each other tightly.

"Fuck, I missed you guys," Y/N said as she pulled away from Lucas and went to the next closest person which was Dustin. "Dustin, thank you so much for getting everyone down here."

"Of course. We promised each other that if either of us ever needed anything we would be there, didn't we?" Dustin asked as he gave the girl a big squeeze before smiling widely at her as he struggled to wipe his own tears of joy away.

As soon as Dustin let her go, Will had launched himself at the girl causing Y/N to grin and yell out in excitement, "Will!" She hugged the boy back with just as much enthusiasm.

Will chuckled and the two pulled away and laughed slightly at how much the other was crying. Y/N reached out and wiped the boy's tears away while he did the same for her. The two then sent each other smiles before Y/N turned to the last person in the group who she hadn't hugged yet.

Wheeler stood with his hands in his pocket, tears falling down his face as he tried to suppress the huge grin that was begging to be let out. "L/N," he greeted making Y/N chuckle.

"Wheeler," Y/N greeted as she nodded at the boy.

Wheeler couldn't hold his grin back any longer and he let out a laugh as tears streamed down his face. He held his arms out and the two teens met halfway as they hugged each other.

"Holy shit! You've grown so much!" Y/N exclaimed as she pulled away to look at her friend in surprise. "What have they been feeding you?"

Wheeler chuckled and nudged the girl playfully. "Very funny," he told her.

Y/N smiled before taking a step back and looking at all of her friends. "Shit, I'm going to start crying again. I've missed you guys so much, like you don't understand," she said as she reached out and hugged Eleven again, the others all joining in so that it was a huge group hug.

By this point, Steve and the Losers had all made it to the bottom of the stairs. Steve watched the little reunion with a smile on his face while the Losers all blinked in surprise at finally getting to see the kids Y/N had been talking about for so long.

That was until Richie noticed that the boy that was hugging Y/N looked really familiar.

Richie let out a loud gasp before yelling out, "What the fuck! That kid looks like me! Why does that kid look like me?"

The Party all let go of Y/N, allowing for her to turn around and see that Richie and the rest of the Losers were all looking at Wheeler in surprise. Wheeler let out a small gasp of surprise as he looked at Richie, his eyebrows furrowing slightly.

Richie stormed down the stairs before stopping only inches away from Wheeler while everyone else just stared at the scene with wide eyes. "Who the hell are you? And why do you look like me? I know everyone wants to fucking be me but I didn't think anyone would take it this literal," Richie frowned, pissed at the prospect of someone looking just like him.

"Maybe it's one of those doppelgänger things," Max explained in a quiet voice as she looked between the two boys in surprise.

"No, this is a fucking prank. It has to be," Richie said, not believing a word anyone was telling him.

Wheeler frowned and snapped out of his shock before looking to Y/N. "Y/N, who is this guy?" he asked confused.

Y/N smiled and walked over before wrapping an arm around Beverly and Richie's shoulders. "Guys," Y/N said. "These are my friends." The grin on her face was unlike any other as she began to introduce her friends.

"We've got Eddie Kaspbrak," Y/N said as she pointed to the boy who gave them a small wave. "Ben Hanscom." Said boy smiled and nodded in greeting. "Stan the man Uris." Stan rolled his eyes at the girl but couldn't help the smile on his face as he waved at the Party. "Then we've got the one and only Beverly Marsh." Beverly mock saluted the group making the two girls giggle before Y/N turned to Richie. "This," she said as she ruffled the boy's hair earning a groan of complaint, "is Richie Tozier."

"And last but not least," Y/N grinned as she let go of Richie and Beverly to walk over to Bill. She stood behind the boy and put her hands on his arms as she peaked her smiling face out from behind his shoulder. "We've got Bill Denbrough."

Bill smiled down at her making the girl look up at him with a bright smile, the look on the teens' faces making Steve and all of the boy members of the Party frown and cross their arms protectively while Max and Eleven let out small squeals and gripped onto each other's arms.

The teens didn't even realize they were staring at each other for a while before Steve suddenly coughed awkwardly, breaking the two apart. Y/N sent a sharp glare in Steve's direction while he merely held his hands up in surrender as he tried to act innocent.

Y/N rolled her eyes and turned her attention to the Losers as she walked over to the Party. "Okay, Losers, listen up. These are the people you have heard me talk nonstop about, so please be nice, okay?" she asked. "I'm talking to you, Richie."

Richie feigned shock while Y/N rolled her eyes at the boy. She didn't wait for a response as she pointed towards Steve, "You've already had the pleasure of meeting Harrington over there. Sorry he had to be the first one you met."

Steve feigned a look of shock while Y/N ignored him and moved on. She may have been a little mad at him for breaking her and Bill apart, but she wasn't about to voice her feelings.

"This is Lucas Sinclair. He's been my best friend since we met back in the first grade," Y/N explained as Lucas nodded at the Losers. "Then we've got Dustin Henderson, the little shit that gives me a run for my money when it comes to science things." Dustin chuckled and waved at the group.

"Next we've got Mike Wheeler who, despite being a dumbass over half the time, is probably one of the best people you will ever get the chance to meet," Y/N said as Wheeler rolled his eyes and nudged the girl. "Then we've got Will Byers. He's an amazing artist and probably one of the best to ever play D&D," Y/N told them as she hugged Will from the side, the boy instantly hugging her back.

"D&D?" Richie questioned causing the Party and Y/N to gasp.

"Richard Tozier! I'm disappointed in you," Y/N frowned. "We've talked about Dungeons and Dragons before you dumbass."

"Oh, that game. Sorry, L/N. You know I'm more of an arcade type of person," Richie pointed out.

Y/N shook her head at the boy before moving onto the next person who was Max. "This stunner is Max Mayfield. She moved to Hawkins a little bit before I left and can beat anyone in a skateboarding race," Y/N said.

"And finally we've got the lovely Jane Hopper, but everyone calls her Eleven," Y/N told the Losers as she wrapped an arm around the girl and gave her a hug.

"It's n-n-nice to finally m-m-meet you guys," Bill said as he smiled at the Party. He knew how much these people meant to Y/N, so that meant that they automatically meant a lot to him to. The Party smiled back, but their eyes flickered over to Richie once they noticed him walking over.

Y/N should've known what Richie was going to say before he said it, but she didn't know why she hadn't realized what he was doing as he walked up to Max and Eleven. "L/N, you didn't tell me you had two smoking hot babes for best friends," Richie said as he winked at the two girls and smirked.

Y/N rolled her eyes before stepping out in front of the two girls and pushing Richie away. "I know Eddie and Stan are pretty hot, aren't they?" she asked making Richie frown while Eddie and Stan snickered. "Don't even think about it, Trashmouth. They're-"

"Taken," Wheeler announced as he went over to Eleven's side and protectively wrapped an arm around her waist.

"They're taken," Lucas declared again just to prove a point as his arm wrapped around Max's shoulders.

Both boys were sending Richie death glares while their girlfriends rolled their eyes at the boys. Richie held his hands up in surrender but that didn't stop him from winking at the two girls and saying, "Well, whenever you decide you want a real man, I-"

"They will make sure not to come to you," Y/N cut him off making the Losers all chuckle while Eddie rolled his eyes at Richie and shoved him behind him in an attempt to make the boy shut the hell up.

"Now that introductions are out of the way, just what the hell is going on?" Steve questioned as he stood at the front of the group with his hands on his hips.

"Yeah, why did you need us to drive all the way here?" Dustin asked.

Lucas glanced at Y/N and said, "What they said. What the hell is going on? Y/N, didn't your parents move you away from Hawkins to stay out of trouble?"

"You would think," Y/N chuckled nervously as she ran a hand through her hair in frustration. A deep feeling of guilt suddenly washed over her as she realized that for a moment she had pretty much forgotten about Mike and the whole Upside Down and It situation.

The Losers all gave her small nods that told her to go ahead and she took in a deep breath before beginning to tell the Party everything. She started with the night she took out the trash and went all the way until what had happened only a half an hour before.

The whole time, the Party remained blank face, none of them knowing how to respond to the news that the Upside Down was back or that a clown was terrorizing people.

"I'm sorry," Wheeler muttered as he shook his head. "Did you say clown?"

"I'm obviously the more superior one seeing as I wasn't dumb as fuck to not understand a single word she was saying," Richie muttered to Eddie making Wheeler glare at him.

"I'm sorry. What did you just say?" Wheeler asked, his eyes narrowing as he looked at Richie.

"I called you dumb as fuck," Richie said again, a smug smirk on his face.

Wheeler went to take a step forward, but Eleven was quick to grab his arm and pull him back, her hand soothingly running up and down his arm as she looked to Y/N. "I don't understand," she said.

Y/N sent her a small sympathetic smile before saying, "Okay, let me give the simpler version. Basically, our friend Mike Hanlon has been taken into the Upside Down by not only demogorgons, but a being that presents itself as a clown. The clown named Pennywise or It goes around terrorizing people and eating children. I called you guys down here because we need both groups.

"You," Y/N began as she gestured towards the Party, "know about the Upside Down and have fought it multiple times."

"They," Y/N said as she pointed to the Losers, "have fought It before and know how to handle him."

"If we combine both groups and what we know, we should, theoretically, be able to stop both It and the Upside Down while also saving Mike," Y/N explained.

"Demogorgons and a place called the Upside Down? Why does this sound more believable than It?" Stan muttered with a groan.

“I'm sorry, but there is literally no way this is true," Lucas muttered as he shook his head. "A demon clown? Do you hear yourself right now, Y/N?"

"Come on, Lucas," Y/N pleaded before she looked to the whole Party. "Guys, I wouldn't lie about something like this and you know it. My friend is trapped down there and we have no way of knowing of he is even alive or not without you guys. I need you guys to trust me on this one, okay? Please, it's all I ask."

The Party all softened at her words, the teens beginning to put their full trust into the girl. The only one that looked hesitant was Steve who was looking to the ground as he rubbed his neck. Y/N looked to the boy and whispered, "Steve."

Steve let his head lift up slightly, his eyes flickering over to the girl who was standing there almost hopelessly. He knew the Upside Down part was true because of the demogorgon, but a demon clown? There was no way. But then he saw the fright in the girl's eyes and it wasn't fright over the creatures terrorizing them. No, it was fright for her friend.

For a moment he was reminded of the other times he had seen that look like when Will had been taken or Eleven had to close the gate or even when they had been trapped in the Russian Lab together and he had forced her to leave him behind.

It was the same look that told him everything he needed to know. Y/N was right— she wouldn't lie about something like this. She needed them to believe her. She needed him to believe her and as her best friend and honorary brother, it was his job to believe her.

"This is ridiculous," Steve pointed out, his eyes not leaving Y/N's as he looked at her.

"Oh, it's real," she assured him, the tone of her voice making everyone in the room gulp slightly at those words. "Way more real than you or I could ever imagine."

There was a beat of silence as Y/N let her eyes flicker over all of her friends. She already knew the Losers believed her, especially after they had been there with her since the beginning. The only ones she had to convince were the Party and Steve and she really hoped she had been able to do just that.

"This is crazy. Like batshit crazy, but I believe you and I'm in," Lucas announced making Y/N smile.

"Me too," Will said as he nodded at the girl. "They'll never be gone, not really. It's just a matter of time before they come back again. So right now, we need to stop them while we still can."

"I'm in," Wheeler announced while Richie mockingly mimicked him from beside Eddie who elbowed him in the gut.

“Same here," Eleven and Max said at the same time before high fiving each other for speaking in unison.

Y/N looked to Dustin who sighed before giving her a smile. "You know I believe you. I always do," he told her.

Y/N smiled before letting her eyes flicker over to Steve once again, the last but most important person she needed to believe her. "Steve?" Y/N questioned, her eyes hopeful as she looked to him. Steve stared at the girl for a moment before sighing and letting a grin appear on his face.

"You're lucky I brought the bat."

* * *

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