Tumgik
#i always had a feeling these two were biologically related
yinses · 1 year
Text
amaretto mirage
pairing: [modern]gn! reader x hantengu clones (sekido, karaku, aizetsu, urogi) wc: 10k+ rating: mature (for this part) a/n: the PLAN is two, maybe three parts. then possibly some accompanying drabbles if i haven't burned myself out
[also available to read on ao3] synopsis: you, a simple student, finds yourself caught in a sensual game between a quadruplet of brothers, leading you down a path of self-discovery and forbidden desires.
Tumblr media
"oh, aizetsu, wait for me please," you call out as you hurry to catch up to your friend. the sun beats down relentlessly, casting harsh shadows across the pavement, and the air is thick with the scent of exhaust and the sound of honking cars. you can feel beads of sweat trickling down your back, and the weight of your backpack seems to increase with every step.
as you draw closer to aizetsu, you take a moment to study him. his tall, lean frame is relaxed and unhurried, and his sky-blue eyes twinkle with a serene kind of patience that you find both calming and exhilarating. you can't help but wonder how he manages to maintain such an air of composure in the midst of the chaos that surrounds you.
with a sigh, you turn your attention back to your own worries. the never-welcomed midterm finals loom ahead, and you feel a familiar sense of panic rising within you. despite being in your fourth and final year, you still feel woefully unprepared. your scattered notes are a testament to your haphazard studying habits, and you know you'll pay for it later with a headache.
as you walk alongside aizetsu, you reflect on the years of hard work and dedication that have brought you to this point. you've managed to maintain decent enough grades, but deep down, you know that the credit isn't fully yours. in recent months, you owed a large portion to the man beside you.
you first met aizetsu during your sophomore year, but looking back on your freshman year, you couldn't recall his face as easily. his presence had been shrouded by what you knew of his brother, urogi, the school's star basketball player.
it wasn't until someone mentioned the relation between the two that aizetsu finally showed up on your radar. but that's really where the likeness ended. it was true that physically they shared the same complexion and hair, but their eyes and personalities couldn't be more different.
you remember marveling at the biological mystery of how one brother could have eyes that mimicked the sun while the other had a pair that mirrored the ocean. it made mountains more sense than the floating superstitions of demonic energy that your classmates liked to loft around. and apparently, aizetsu had two other brothers who also had differing eye colors. they were all quadruplets.
so yeah, given that anomaly, you were okay with blaming biology. but what you knew of urogi was that he was boisterous and confident, a fitting temperament to balance out his presence on the court. aizetsu, on the other hand, was best described as the opposite, which would be quite fitting if they were only twins. he was not rude per se, but decidedly introverted, keeping to himself and maintaining a low tone. most noticeably, where urogi was always boasting a bright smile, aizetsu was more solemn.
"sorry, you said you didn't have anything planned after this, right? i won't hold you up, but i wanted to get you something for your help," you say, breaking the comfortable silence.
aizetsu's face remained inscrutable, his blue eyes calculating as he spoke. "we share similar classes. it is an equal exchange."
your heart fluttered in your chest at the sound of his voice. he was always so patient with you, despite the vast gap in your intellect. aizetsu was undoubtedly a genius, while you had to work tirelessly to keep up with the coursework. you knew he could manage on his own, but he chose to help you anyway.
gratitude and admiration swelled within you, only further cementing your desire to show him your appreciation. you weren't sure why he chose to befriend you, but you treasured his company nonetheless.
"it's nothing big," you said, attempting to downplay your intentions. your meager budget didn't afford much extravagance. "we can go to the cafe on campus. we don't have to sit down or anything. just grab something on the way."
your heart raced as you offered, hoping that he wouldn't see through your poorly veiled attempt to treat him. you couldn't help but feel nervous at the prospect of him rejecting your gesture or worse yet, interpreting it as something more than just gratitude.
aizetsu's gaze bore into you, and you held your breath in anticipation.
"alright, if you insist," he finally acquiesced.
relief washed over you as you smiled gratefully, thanking him for accepting your offer. you couldn't help but feel a flutter of excitement in your chest at the thought of spending more time with him. but you pushed those feelings aside, not wanting to ruin the delicate balance of your friendship
⚘. ⚘. ⚘.
as aizetsu made the decision to sit down and order rather than grab and go, you felt a wave of nervous energy course through your body. you tried to remain composed, reminding yourself that this wasn't a date but merely a gesture of gratitude. you were pleasantly surprised that he had even agreed to come in the first place.
despite having known each other for months, you still struggled to describe your relationship with aizetsu. you were more than acquaintances, but not quite friends. your interactions were confined to the classroom and the library, but the countless hours spent studying together had brought you closer than you thought possible.
as you sat across from aizetsu, you couldn't help but fidget in your seat. the atmosphere was charged with a sense of anticipation, as if this small outing held more significance than either of you let on. you desperately hoped that this would be a step towards building a stronger friendship, one that could survive beyond graduation.
the cafe was cozy, with warm yellow lighting casting a soft glow over the wooden tables and chairs. the faint aroma of fresh coffee and baked goods wafted through the air, mingling with the chatter of other patrons. you couldn't help but feel a sense of comfort in this space, as if it were a sanctuary away from the stresses of academia.
as aizetsu ordered his drink, his eyes flicked over to you briefly before returning to the menu. you felt a flutter in your chest at the brief moment of eye contact, wondering if he was feeling the same sense of anticipation as you were.
as aizetsu's attention snaps back to you, you catch a glimpse of a camera flash and the click of a shutter from the corner of your eye. you shake your head, dismissing it as a trick of the light or your imagination. you turn your focus back to the conversation, discussing your tentative plans for the final semester and how you hope to broaden your knowledge in your major. aizetsu listens attentively, nodding and interjecting his own insights with ease.
suddenly, the serene ambiance of the cafe is shattered as a new figure emerges. when you look up, you find another version of aizetsu standing over the table. without even meeting him, you know this must be urogi, aizetsu's brother. his boisterous presence immediately fills the room, causing heads to turn and eyes to follow him. his eyes lock onto you, roving over you with unabashed interest before he snorts and pulls out a chair, sitting down uninvited.
aizetsu's brow furrows,"now is not the time, urogi. go away."
urogi simply crosses his arms, grinning as he refuses to budge. "nah, this is too good," he retorts, his eyes sparkling with mischief. the air around you suddenly becomes charged with a mix of curiosity and tension.
suddenly there is another click and flash, but this time much closer as urogi snaps a photo of your face. as the flash of the camera dies down, you can feel the heat rising to your cheeks. you wonder if urogi's laughter is directed towards you, or if he's simply amused by his own antics. you force a smile, trying to play it cool, but it's clear that he's rattled you.
he sees your expression and laughs, “don’t worry, i’m not doing anything weird with it. just sending it to my brothers. it's not often little aizetsu goes out on a date.”
aizetsu's reply is sharp,"urogi that's rude. you can't just do what you want like that." the other brother only shrugs and by the time he sets down his phone the damage is done.
the atmosphere of the cafe suddenly feels oppressive, as if the walls are closing in on you. you're acutely aware of the other customers, their eyes darting towards your table before quickly averting their gaze. the low hum of conversation seems to have evaporated, leaving only the sound of your own heartbeat pounding in your ears.
despite your discomfort, you can't help but also feel sorry for aizetsu. you never expect and act of gratitude would draw this much attention.
“it’s not a date, i just wanted to thank him for his help this semester."
urogi seems disinterested in your explanation as he taps against his phone. “yeah, aizetsu isn’t going to let just anyone sit him down for a meal.” he says it so absently but with a tone of finality that furrows your brow. 
you don't want aizetsu to get the wrong idea, or for anyone else to think that you're trying to pursue something more than friendship. but urogi seems uninterested in your explanation, preoccupied with his phone.
the firmnesss in his tone when he speaks of aizetsu only makes you more curious about the reserved genius. as the tension thickens between the brothers, you feel like an outsider looking in.
the atmosphere in the cafe shifts, the ambient noise fading into the background as the two siblings stare each other down. aizetsu's eyes are narrowed with determination, and you can sense that he's not going to back down. his brother, on the other hand, looks almost amused as he crosses his arms over his chest, tapping his foot impatiently.
you can feel the weight of the moment pressing down on you, unsure of how to proceed. you glance between the two of them, searching for a way to ease the tension. aizetsu's voice breaks the silence, clear and firm. "they're not a crush, urogi. they're a friend. this was meant to be a treat for our study efforts, and you're ruining it."
urogi's eyebrows shoot up in surprise, his grin faltering slightly. "oh? just a friend?" he says, sounding almost disappointed. "well, that's a shame. i was hoping for some juicy gossip to share with the team."
you can feel a blush creeping up your cheeks at the implication, and you wonder how aizetsu is taking all of this. he seems unperturbed, however, his expression remaining resolute. "you're not getting anything, urogi. ."
there's a moment of tense silence before urogi finally relents, settling back into his chair with a sigh. "fine, fine. i'll behave. but you owe me one, little brother."
the tension in the air begins to dissipate, and you let out a breath you didn't even realize you were holding. the cafe noise returns to the foreground, and you take a sip of your drink to calm your nerves. you can't help but wonder how many other hidden tensions are lurking beneath the surface of aizetsu's life.
as the silence drags on, you begin to feel restless. you shift in your seat, trying to find a way to diffuse the tension. your eyes dart back and forth between the two brothers, unsure of what to say. finally, you clear your throat, hoping to break the stalemate.
"aizetsu doesn't get the chance to talk about his family often. i distract him too much with my countless questions on material," you say, hoping to shift the conversation to a more positive note. 
your laugh however, cuts off uneasily as those golden eyes settle on you. a tug of something you cant describe pulls at his lips,”a distraction, i’m sure.” he studies you a moment longer, before reaching for the discarded menu. “well, let’s hear all about the person who has kept our brother occupied.”
aizetsu's focused gaze doesn't leave his brother, but you can sense the odd taste at the mention of his family. despite spending countless hours studying with him, you know little about his personal life. you wonder what secrets he keeps hidden behind those deep, contemplative eyes.
your attempt at lightening the mood with a joke falls flat, and you can feel the weight of the awkward silence settle over the table. your gaze falls to the table, the scratched surface now a blur beneath your fingertips as you twist them together nervously.
aizetsu's sudden attention startles you, and you raise your head to meet his gaze. the way his lips tug at the corners sends an unfamiliar jolt of something through you, but you can't put a name to it. his intense stare feels like a physical touch, sending shivers down your spine.
as he picks up his cup, you realize you've been staring too long. quickly, you avert your gaze, taking refuge in your own drink as if it can provide a shield from his penetrating gaze. aizetsu's calm tone breaks the silence, drawing your attention back to the conversation.
“given you don’t take your studies seriously, i’m not left with many options, urogi.”
urogi hums,”true. but that’s never stopped you before.”
your mind races to come up with a suitable response, but you find yourself at a loss for words. you clear your throat, hoping to regain some composure. "well, there's not much to tell. we're just friends, after all." the words sound weak even to your own ears, but they're the only ones that come to mind.
urogi snorts, leaning back in his chair. "just friends, huh? you're blushing like a bride, you know." his words are teasing, but you can feel the heat rising to your cheeks. 
the intended outing for two has evolved into something you're not entirely sure how to describe. eventually, your waiter returns to take urogi’s order, not hiding their surprise well. but urogi is more attentive to you as he quizzes you on your hometown, studies, and interests.
"so, where are you from originally?" urogi asks, leaning forward in his seat.
"i'm from a small town south of here," you reply, feeling a little uneasy under his intense gaze.
"a small town, huh? what made you want to come to this big city for school?"
"i wanted to experience something new and different," you say with a shrug.
"i can respect that," urogi says with a nod. "what's your major?"
you share without pause. 
"sounds cool. what kind of career are you hoping to have with that degree?" urogi asks, leaning back in his seat.
"i'm not really sure yet. i'm still exploring my options," you say with a smile.
meanwhile, aizetsu watches the two of you with a furrowed brow, clearly not thrilled with his brother's line of questioning. finally, he speaks up.
"urogi, can you stop talking so much for once? we came here to relax," he says pointedly.
urogi rolls his eyes but acquiesces. "fine, fine. but i have to ask. how about basketball? you're a big fan of the games right?"
aizetsu signs, but you can feel the mood finally settling to a comfortable point that you can lean into. 
and so the conversation shifts to a more neutral topic, and you're able to relax a bit and enjoy your coffee that has run lukewarm now. but in the back of your mind, you can't help but wonder what urogi's true intentions are and why he's so interested in you.
as the bizzare occassion winds down, you can't help but feel a sense of surreality as the situation has evolved into something you never imagined. you would have never expected approaching the kid in the back of the lecture room would lead to this.  
“i should get going, my shift starts soon.”
urogi whistles,” a worker and a student. busy, busy.”
as you reach for the check, your hand is halted by urogi's quick reflexes. he snatches it away with a playful grin, teasing his brother, "aizetsu, making our them pay? that's not very hospitable of you."
aizetsu simply shrugs, his expression unreadable. "i didn't want to insist and make them feel uncomfortable. they wanted to treat me, after all."
urogi's playful demeanor dissipates, and he studies his brother for a moment before suddenly slamming his own card on the table. "consider it my treat, then. you can owe me one, aizetsu."
the gesture catches you off guard, and you feel a flush rise to your cheeks. you're not used to this kind of generosity, and it makes you feel both grateful and uneasy at the same time. 
as the waiter takes the bill and disappears, you let out a small sigh of relief. the cafe, though delicious, has been a rollercoaster of emotions. urogi, the more talkative of the two, had bombarded you with questions, leaving you feeling dizzy and unsteady. aizetsu, on the other hand, had remained quiet for the most part, his blue eyes observing your every move.
as urogi scribbles a generous tip onto the bill and rises to his feet, you can't help but feel a little relieved that the intense scrutiny is over. he chats easily as he turns to his brother, his voice ringing with a certain cheerfulness that makes you wonder what kind of relationship they have.
"it was nice to meet you. i'm sure we'll be seeing each other again." urogi waves his phone in the air, the light catching the screen and casting a blue glow across his face. "sekido wants to see us. i staved him off for long enough, but we both don't want him calling."
his gaze flickers briefly to his brother, before settling back onto you. "sekido is technically the 'oldest'. a bit rougher than the rest, but," he pauses, his lips tugging up into a small smile. "i'm sure you'll get along just fine."
urogi throws an arm over aizetsu's shoulder, guiding him away as they make their exit. you watch them go, feeling more confused than when you first walked into the restaurant. what kind of family were they, to be so open and yet so guarded? you shake your head, trying to clear your thoughts, as you gather your belongings and head out.
⚘. ⚘. ⚘.
as the day waned, you hurriedly packed your bag and left campus feeling the piercing gaze of the curious onlookers behind you. the sky outside was a blend of oranges and pinks, the sun bidding a warm farewell to the day. you knew you had only a short window of time to change and make it to your night shift at the corner convenience store in your neighborhood.
at night, the store was a hub of activity, bustling with customers seeking to grab a quick snack or last-minute essentials. it was a simple job, but one that kept you afloat, paying your bills and rent. the store was always expecting customers, but not always with the most pleasant of crowds. the sound of shattering glass echoed through the aisles, causing you to wince from the front.
“oi, you’ll be paying for that, dumbass. i told you to watch where you’re going,” growled a gruff voice.
“i ain’t paying for shit,” retorted another voice, filled with equal parts anger and defiance.
you listened nervously as the argument escalated, hoping it would end before you became an issue beyond simple damages. as the two men continued to bicker, you couldn't help but wonder how your life became this - a constant struggle to make ends meet, dealing with difficult people and their petty squabbles. the thought made you feel a little weary, but you squared your shoulders and braced yourself.
the job itself wasn't glamorous, but it was a means to an end. you were grateful for the reliable income that helped manage your rent and groceries. the store owner even threw in a decent discount on some of the items, which came in handy during tight months. and being situated so close to home, you didn't have to worry about losing precious time commuting.
eventually, the two men made their way to the front, both jostling to get to the counter first. you waited patiently as they bickered and pointed fingers, each refusing to take responsibility for the shattered case of beer.
“oi, this bastard shattered a case of beer.”
“that wasn't me it was you.”
“as if.”
“well i ain't paying for it,” came the final reply with a sharp glaze your way.
you knew it was only a matter of time before the blame would fall on you, but you had grown accustomed to these petty disputes. with a smile, you offered to take care of it, hoping to diffuse the situation as quickly as possible.
the men, still grumbling but appeased for the moment, took their leave and headed for the door. you breathed a sigh of relief, grateful that they didn't try to engage with you further. you retreated to the backroom to gather the necessary cleaning supplies, mentally preparing yourself for the next unexpected hurdle.
it was an inconvenience, but at least this one made sense.
⚘. ⚘. ⚘.
the air is thick with the buzz of students rushing to and from their final exams. your own mind is a jumble of information, formulas, and theories that you've tried to cram into your brain in just a few short days. the relief of completing one of the exams is quickly replaced with a sense of exhaustion and the anticipation of the next one. you're stumbling down the hallway when you suddenly collide with someone.
hands steady you, preventing you from falling to the ground, and a familiar voice rings out with laughter.
it's urogi.
you can't help but feel a little surprised to run into him again, especially during such a hectic week. the finals schedule has thrown off your usual routine, making it difficult to anticipate who you might see on campus.
despite the chaos of the week, urogi rather collected. his eyes sparkle mischievously as he greets you, as if he knows something you don't. it's clear that he's not here by coincidence. you wonder if he's been keeping tabs on your schedule, or if he's simply a master of appearing when you least expect it.
you open your mouth to apologize for the collision, but urogi beats you to it. "well, well, well. look who it is! i thought i recognized your backside from a mile away," he jokes, playfully teasing you. 
you take a moment to look around and notice that the hallway is filled with students bustling to and fro. the fluorescent lights overhead cast an unnatural glow on everything. the air is heavy with the scent of stale coffee and sweat, a testament to the long hours spent cramming for exams.
in the midst of the chaos, urogi stands out like a beacon of calm. his hair is windswept and his clothing is slightly disheveled, but it only adds to his charm. his eyes dance as he talks, and you find yourself drawn into his infectious energy.
"finished with your exams?" he asks, his curiosity palpable. your last exam of today was one of the later ones, but fortunately, you've managed to escape the night classes this year. you don't know if you could survive that again. still unsure why urogi is talking to you, you respond politely. "yes, one more tomorrow, and i'm done."
urogi nods along. "right, right." as bodies move around you both, you can't help but notice the stares and whispers floating around. this is not the kind of additional stress you needed. you're already exhausted from studying and taking exams, and now you have to deal with gossip and speculation?
"well, i should get going. good luck with the rest of the week." urogi's gaze widens at your abruptness, and he reaches out to stop you. "hold on, i actually came to ask you something."
you can feel your heart rate increasing as you turn to face him. what could he possibly want?
“the thing is,” urogi begins, his voice low and conspiratorial. “i'm hosting an end of semester party tomorrow night. it'll be a chance for everyone to unwind and forget about their worries. you should come.”
you immediately go to decline, you barely know urogi but you know of the crowd he attracts. that definitely would not be your scene trapped in a house with all of them. “thanks for the offer but—”
urogi cuts you off, “it’d be really great if you came. aizetsu needs the break too and he’s more inclined to come if you do. “
he seems to sense your hesitation and reaches out to squeeze your shoulder. it's a show of camaraderie that surprises you. you didn't realize the two of you shared that kind of relationship.
“you still owe aizetsu a treat, right? you can use this as one,” he says with a wink.
you frown at his words, feeling as though you're being manipulated. you cant help but frown at that, “that feels more like a treat from you. which would make it twice youve done that.”
urogi shrugs as he pulls away,” really? i dont see it that way.” he waves of his shoulder as he departs, not giving you room to argue.
“catch up with aizetsu and coordinate. see you tomorrow,” he calls over his shoulder.
as you watch him disappear into the crowd, you're left wondering how quickly this semester has changed.
⚘. ⚘. ⚘.
the final exam had come to a close and the air in the classroom was charged with a palpable sense of relief and accomplishment. as the instructor wrapped up the semester with final words of praise and congratulations, you couldn't help but feel your spirits lift with each passing moment.
you were finally done.
as the rest of the class began to shuffle out of the door, your eyes drifted to aizetsu. despite trying not to think much of it, urogi's offer returned ahain. now, without the excuse of exams, it was harder to bat away.
making up your mind, you rushed to catch up with aizetsu as he made his way out of the classroom.
"aizetsu, hey!" you call out, your heart racing as you catch up to him. he turns at the sound of your voice, and you feel a jolt of something electric as his cool blue eyes meet yours. 
"did you feel confident about that? you should, after all the effort i put into quizzing you," aizetsu says, his voice low and smooth. you shake your head, trying to refocus your scattered thoughts.
"yeah, actually. thank you. i used your revision guide last night too." you reply, feeling grateful for his help during the exam preparation.
aizetsu nods. "good, you've earned the break." you notice something lighter in his posture today, something more friendly. "do you have work tonight?" he asks.
his question reminds you that you have something else to ask him. "no, actually, i wanted to see if you were planning to go to urogi's party."you say, your voice laced with a touch of hesitation. aizetsu raises an eyebrow, his expression quizzical.
"urogi's party?" he repeats. 
it feels odd to ask, given that they're brothers. but you feel as though you were right in assuming that aizetsu had no interest. as if to mirror your thoughts, he frowns. "no, i never really go. i didn't think it would be something you enjoyed either."
well, it seems you both have a pretty good scope of each other. a gesture that fills you with unexpected warmth. it gives you the courage to push further. "normally no, but i thought it could be fun?" you offer with a shrug. "and i still owe you a treat. let me buy you a drink?"
aizetsu is quiet as he considers you. it's almost as if he sees through you and can imagine the echoed conversation from between his brother and you yesterday. the scrutiny makes you nervous. but just as you go to take back your offer, he sighs with a shrug. "if that's what you want."
"yeah, i think it will be fun," you grin, more t ease with his acceptance.
"alright."
it appears that he wants to say something else but leaves it at that. you watch him go, feeling both relieved and anxious at the same time.
⚘. ⚘. ⚘.
as the evening draws closer, you can feel your anticipation building up. the last day of exams has left you feeling exhilarated, and you can't wait to let loose a little at urogi's party. but before you head out, you decide to put a little extra effort into your attire. you rummage through your closet, picking out an outfit that is both stylish and comfortable.
as you slip into your clothes, you can't help but wonder why you're putting in so much effort. after all, it's just a party, and you'll be surrounded by a bunch of drunken college students. but a part of you knows that you're doing it for yourself, to feel good and confident. and maybe, just maybe, you're hoping that aizetsu will notice too.
the memory of your conversation with aizetsu earlier in the day lingers in your mind. you can't shake off the feeling that something has changed between you two. the way he looked at you, the way he spoke to you - it all felt different somehow.
as you step off the bus, the bustling city surrounds you like a cloak. you take a deep breath, feeling the energy of the crowd electrify your senses. the sound of car horns and chatter mix together in a chaotic symphony, and the neon lights of the city create a vivid display of color.
but as you walk towards the address, you begin to realize that something is off. this is not the typical college housing area where you expected urogi's party to be held. instead, the street is lined with bars and clubs, their neon signs lighting up the night sky.
as you approach the establishment linked to the address, you notice a line of your classmates snaking along the sidewalk. it seems that urogi has chosen a more unconventional venue for his mid-semester bash. you can hear the muffled thump of the bass from inside the bar, and the scent of alcohol and sweat wafts towards you on the breeze.
for a moment, you hesitate. this is not your usual scene, and you feel out of place. 
as you approach the entrance, you notice a burly man, who must be the bouncer, engaged in a heated discussion with a student and another man who looks vaguely familiar.
the man’s furrowed brow gives him a perpetually annoyed expression, but you can't help but notice the resemblance between him and aizetsu and urogi. it's almost too obvious for you to believe that he's anything other than the third brother.
that leaves one left.
"there should have been a limit on the patrons," the man grumbles as he stares down at the line of students with a look of distain. "my brother knows the capacity and we're well past it."
"but i was invited," the girl protests, but neither even acknowledges her.
"they're welcome to wait until someone leaves, but i won't have regulators at my door over some college students," he says, turning to leave.
you scan the long line of people waiting outside the venue and a sense of disappointment settles over you. it looks like a never-ending queue, and you can't help but think that no one will be leaving the party anytime soon. the ingress and egress would surely be a nightmare for those at the back of the line, which includes you.
despite feeling a bit disheartened, you had made an effort to dress up for the occasion. you don't know why, but you had a feeling that tonight was special. maybe it was because aizetsu was coming, and you wanted to look your best for him. you hope that he will notice your extra effort, but you're not entirely sure if he will.
you pull out your phone to let him know about the situation. 
the least you could do was inform him that you tried. you uncover your phone and send a text
hey, the place is too packed for more entry. i’m going to head home. sorry for convincing you to come :(
his reply comes quicker than you expect.
are you still here?
a few blocks down? about to catch the bus soon.
the text is sent, and you wait for a reply. as you stand at the bus stop, you see the headlights of the approaching transport. but just then, a voice startles you.
“hey, why are you going home? did you not want to come?”
it's aizetsu, and you're surprised to see him standing there. he's dressed more casually than you, in a light shirt and jeans. you quickly explain the situation with the bouncer and the overcrowding.
“but you wanted to come?” he asks, and you can't help but feel a flutter of excitement in your chest.
“i mean, i guess. i got dolled up for it,” you reply, turning a bit to show off your outfit.
aizetsu gives you a quick once-over, and you feel a rush of warmth at the attention.
“then don't let it go to waste. let's go."
you're hesitant at first, but his encouragement pushes you forward. you feel a bit anxious about the overcrowding, but you're also thrilled to be going to the party with aizetsu.
aizetsu's determination to get into the club was unyielding and he led you back under the bright lights illuminating the entrance. despite the short amount of time that had passed, the line had remained steadfast, with the same resolute girl still standing at the front. aizetsu, however, was not deterred as he pulled you to the front of the line. the bouncer regarded you both with a cool stare.
“capacity limit,” he stated firmly.
“they were invited by both myself and urogi. kick someone else out if you want, kyogai, it won't make me sad,” aizetsu replied confidently.
kyogai seemed to consider the proposition for a moment, but ultimately gave in as aizetsu pulled you through the entrance. the waiting students erupted in protest, but their complaints were muffled as the sound of the music inside grew louder.
stepping into the club, you were struck by its beauty. the colors, lights, and sounds all melded together to create an atmosphere unlike any you had experienced before. the room was alive with energy and excitement, and you couldn't help but feel swept up in the moment.
the decor was impeccable, with plush velvet seating and shimmering crystal chandeliers hanging overhead. the bar was lined with a vast array of drinks, and the bartenders were busy mixing and shaking cocktails. the dance floor was a sea of bodies, pulsing with the beat of the music.
“this is beautiful,” you breathed, marveling at the sight before you.
“karaku designed it. he would appreciate the compliment,” aizetsu said and you realized that must be last of his brothers.
indirectly, that meant you were now aware of four of them. your mind raced with questions, but for now, you were content to lose yourself in the magic of the night.
as aizetsu leads you to the bar, you take in the lively atmosphere around you. the music pulsates through your body, vibrating every fiber of your being, and the colorful lights cast playful shadows on the walls. the decor is sleek and modern, with a futuristic vibe that seems to transport you to another dimension. it's a far cry from the usual places you frequent, but you find yourself enjoying the change of pace.
as you lean against the bar, taking in the scene, you feel a sudden tug on your shoulder. urogi stands before you, a wide smile on his face. his presence is commanding, and you can't help but feel drawn to him. his eyes roam over you, and you sense that he's impressed by your appearance.
"where have you been?" he says, his voice tinged with amusement. "fashionably late, i see." urogi dressed for the occasion, comfortable in a nice button up and slacks.
you smile in response, feeling a sense of comfort in his presence. "i wanted to make an entrance," you say playfully. "and i'm glad i did. this place is amazing."
urogi remains close and you can feel the warmth of his body against yours. he turns to the bar and raps his knuckles against the counter, “oi, karaku. you just going to just stand behind the bar oe do work?”
you watch as a handsome man with emerald eyes approaches them, his lips pulled in a tight frown.
it's clear that this man is urogi's brother, and you can see the family resemblance in their sharp features and confident demeanor.
his lips pull in a taut frown as he regards urogi, “i’m meant to manage the staff. since you decided to invite the entire campus.”
karaku's gaze shifts to you and you feel a flutter in your chest. he's just as attractive as his brothers and his eyes seem to penetrate your soul. you can't help but feel a little intimidated by him, but also curious.
“hey, its good business, right?”
“you don't know the first thing about running a business.”
“at least i go to school to learn.”
“And someone how come out dumber.”
“oi—”
as the brothers continue to bicker, you can't help but feel a sense of fascination with this family. they're unlike anyone you've ever met.
as karaku's piercing gaze meets yours again, your heart quickens, and you feel a flush spread across your face. "you're aizetsu's friend," he states matter-of-factly, his voice low and smooth.
you blink, momentarily stunned, before realizing that you've lost sight of aizetsu in the exchange. you glance over your shoulder and see him still leaning against the bar, a picture of nonchalance.
"yeah, that's right," you reply, extending a hand in greeting. to your surprise, karaku accepts the gesture.
"well, what will it be then?" he asks, his tone businesslike.
"oh, i thought you were just managing," you say, trying to keep up with the conversation.
"i am," he replies, his eyes flitting to the busy staff behind the bar. "but since my staff is busy because of him, now i have to step in. your choice?"
you quickly order a simple drink, but karaku frowns at your request. "do you take recommendations?" he asks.
"um, sure," you say, feeling a bit out of your depth.
karaku turns and reaches for a bottle, his hands moving with fluid grace. you watch in awe as he expertly mixes the ingredients, turning a plain liquor into a colorful and vibrant concoction that perfectly matches the atmosphere of the club.
he sets the drink in front of you, and you take a hesitant sip. the taste explodes on your tongue, and you can hardly believe how delicious it is. you take another sip, relishing the complex flavors that dance across your taste buds.
"this is great, thank you," you say, smiling up at karaku.
the corners of his mouth lift in a small grin. "glad you like it."
you fumble for your wallet, but karaku turns away before you can offer to pay. "sorry, i have to go manage my brother's itinerary," he says, his voice fading as he disappears into the crowd.
you feel a hand on your shoulder, and you turn to see urogi at the retreating figure. "hey, you're welcome for the tips, asshole," he says, nudging you playfully.
you laugh, feeling lightheaded from the drink and the atmosphere of the club. it certainly wasn't your typical scene, but you were glad you came.
he gestures to your hand, and you realize that you're still holding your wallet. "you can put that away," he says, "we got you covered. you're a guest."
you feel a twinge of guilt at the thought of being treated, but you realize that it's too late to back out now. aizetsu seems to sense your hesitation, and he steps in to reassure you. "you can get the next one," he says with a smile. "you still owe me a treat, right?"
you nod, feeling grateful for the generosity. it's not often that you get to experience something like this, and you want to make the most of it. you take a deep breath and let the atmosphere of the club wash over you. you can feel your body relaxing, your mind clearing. this is exactly what you needed.
"great," you say, a smile spreading across your face. "now let's really get partying."
in response, urogi grins and you feel yourself being tugged away.
⚘. ⚘. ⚘.
urogi's hands on your waist felt both warm and secure, guiding you along with the rhythm of the music. the dance floor was alive with movement, bodies swaying and pulsing to the beat. you caught glimpses of colorful lights flashing overhead, illuminating the club in a vibrant glow.
aizetsu was still nearby, but his serene demeanor made it clear he wasn't there to party in the same as the others. when you had tried to get him to join, he waved you off, telling you to have fun. you wondered what was weighing on his mind, but decided to let it be for the night. this was a chance to let loose and have some fun, after all.
urogi's voice broke through your thoughts, drawing your attention back to him. "you know, aizetsu's not one to hang out with anyone. he must think highly of you."
you felt a flutter in your chest at the thought. aizetsu was someone you admired greatly, and to know he valued your company was a special feeling.
urogi continued to lead you in the dance, his movements smooth and practiced. "and karaku doesn't just give out recommendations to anyone either. he's a bit of a stickler for quality."
you laughed at the thought of karaku being a hard-to-please critic. it was clear he took pride in his craft, and his passion showed in the drinks he served.
“that just leaves sekido.” urogi’s grip tights as he pulls you to his front. “but I think your luck will carry you through.”
as the night wore on, you felt yourself letting go of any worries or stresses. the music was loud, the drinks were flowing, and the company was good. you were grateful for this moment of pure enjoyment, surrounded by friends old and new.
as you dance with urogi, you become lost in the rhythm of the music and the swirling colors of the lights. your movements flow effortlessly with his as he pulls you closer, his hands finding the curve of your waist.
you glance over at aizetsu, but he seems lost in his own world, his expression solemn and unreadable as he relaxes by the bar. when he catches your gaze, he raises a drink with an equally raised brow. 
as you try to slip away from urogi's grasp, you find yourself lost in the surreal atmosphere of the party. the thumping bass of the music seems to pulse through your veins as the neon lights cast a hypnotic spell over the crowd. the scent of sweat and perfume mingles in the air, creating a heady aroma that makes you feel intoxicated.
urogi's hold on your wrist is loose, but his chin rests heavily on your shoulder. you feel his warm breath on your neck, and it sends shivers down your spine. you glance over at aizetsu, who seems to be lost in thought as he sips his drink at the bar. you can't help but feel guilty for abandoning him, especially since he came here with you.
you pull against urogi's grip once more, and he reluctantly lets you go.
“you think it matters but it doesn’t. we’re different but we all appreciate the same thing. try not to think so hard about it.”
his words are cryptic, and you can't help but wonder what he meant by 'we'. who was he referring to? the other party-goers? you shake your head, trying to clear your thoughts, but they remain jumbled and confused.
“urogi what—”
“urogi! finally, i’ve been stuck outside this whole time. why didn’t you come get me?”
just then, a whiny voice interrupts your musings. it's the girl from outside, and she seems to have managed to sneak in somehow. urogi greets her with a forced smile, but his grip on your wrist tightens once again. you can feel the tension in his body, and it makes you uneasy.
the girl's eyes flicker over to your joined hands, and you can see the jealousy simmering in her gaze. 
“who is this? didn't they come in with aizetsu?”
you're not sure how much more of this you can take, and you make another attempt to leave. but urogi pulls you even closer, his grip almost suffocating.
"sorry, we need a break," he says, and you can hear the irritation in his voice. you can feel your patience wearing thin as you try to extract yourself from his embrace, but he refuses to let go.
while you definitely agree with the statement, you weren't expecting to be pulled in the opposite direction of the bar. you can feel the tension in his muscles as he leads you towards a quieter corner of the club. the swaying throngs of people blur as you're led towards the next level of the club.
as you pass a red rope barrier, you realize it's a reserved section. the area is dimly lit, but you can make out a few plush couches and armchairs arranged around small tables. the air here smells different too, more luxurious and fragrant. not once does anyone move to stop you both. it's clear now that the club is not only managed by karaku, but also held some sort of ownership. 
you can't help but feel a sense of relief at the brief reprieve from the intensity of the party. you take a deep breath and let it out slowly, feeling the cool air against your flushed skin.
urogi's gaze meets yours and you can see a hint of vulnerability in his eyes. "i'm sorry about that," he says, his voice softening. "i wanted you to enjoy yourself, not feel overwhelmed."
you feel a pang of guilt at his words, realizing that you are indeed a stranger to all of this. but there's something about urogi's easy charm that puts you at ease.
“c’mon, i promised you a break.”
as urogi guides you into the room, the pulsing music fades away and the sounds of hushed voices and clinking glasses fill your ears. the dim lighting casts a warm glow on the faces of the people lounging around the room. your eyes immediately find aizetsu, who is leaning back against the couch, his drink held loosely in his hand. he must have slipped through the crowd at some point during the brief confrontation. 
“so they managed to get in.”
the voice is deep and smooth.this must be the final one, sekido. his presence commanded attention even from afar. as you approach him, you finally realize the last detail about him that you couldn't place before: his eyes are a piercing shade of vermillion, drawing you in with their intensity. he seems to have grown broader since you last saw him, his arms comfortably stretched over the back of the couch.
“hey, you saw them and didn't let them through? you ass.”
you glance up at urogi, who lets out a sigh as he leads you to the couch and positions you between himself and sekido. you can't help but wish that you were seated between him and aizetsu instead, but you push the thought aside. other than the initial comment, no one made you feel unwelcome.
"they weren't invited by me. apparently, you can thank aizetsu for doing it for you," sekido continues, a smirk playing on his lips.
urogi rolls his eyes and pulls you closer to him, his arm draped around your shoulders. "i can't believe you saw them all dolled up like this and didn't intervene on your own. i wouldn't have been able to resist."
sekido lets out a snort and reaches for his own short glass, taking a sip. "i hardly saw them. and i'm not you."
urogi's arm around you is both comforting and possessive, as if he's claiming you as his own. you're acutely aware of his body heat, the subtle movements of his muscles as he shifts to get more comfortable.
aizetsu, on the other hand, exudes an air of calm, his posture relaxed as he sips his drink. his eyes meet yours briefly and you detect a hint of amusement in his gaze.
sekido, with his broad shoulders and easy confidence, seems like the type of person functions as the foundation of the group. he lounges back against the couch with the careless grace of a panther, his eyes gleaming with a mischievous light. you can't help but feel a little intimidated by him, even though you know he means no harm.
you can feel the tension between the three of them, but you're too stimulated to fully comprehend it. you look around the room, searching for a distraction. "where is karaku?" you finally ask, trying to change the subject.
the man in question enters the room with a flourish, as if summoned, balancing bottles and glasses with practiced ease. you marvel at his skill, wondering how he manages to keep everything from spilling. the scent of rice wine fills the air as he sets the glasses down.
he apologizes for the plainness of the glass, but you don't mind at all. you're just grateful for the hospitality. urogi grumbles about karaku never wanting to meet his friends and you get the sense that there's a deeper tension between the two brothers.
you take a sip of the rice wine, savoring the complex flavors as they dance across your tongue. it's smooth and slightly sweet, with a subtle aftertaste that lingers in your mouth. 
“so what about you caught our brother’s interest?”
sekido's sharp gaze bores into you, and you feel yourself squirming uncomfortably under his scrutiny. his eyes seemed to be searching for something, but you couldn't decipher what.
you realize that befriending aizetsu had been quite an accomplishment. but you already partially knew that. the man was not one to socialize much, and you had to muster all your courage to approach him. you had always been anxious about approaching people, even those related to your studies, but something about aizetsu drew you to him.
as you recall the memories of your initial interactions with him, you can't help but smile. aizetsu wasn't the most talkative person, but over the months, he had opened up to you in ways you never expected. you liked being around him because it made him look less alone, but it was more than that. it was a two-way agreement, and he welcomed your presence, going as far as to save your seat when you became a regular.
"i just wanted to be his friend," you finally say, and that was the truth of it.
karaku's voice interrupts the silence that follows. "how cute."
you take another sip of your sake, trying to fill the void created by the unsaid words that were lingering in the air. the brothers around you slide into their own conversations, and you take a moment to observe your surroundings.
the room is dimly lit, casting an warm glow on the faces around you. the air is thick with the scent of sake and the gentle hum of conversation surrounds you like a warm embrace. you feel oddly secure, despite being surrounded by people you barely know.
around you, the air hums with the sound of the brothers' voices, blending together in a cacophony of chatter. it's both exhilarating and terrifying to be in the midst of such men, all of whom exude an aura of authority that's impossible to ignore. you glance down at the floor, where a pattern of intricate symbols is etched into the wooden planks. it's a reminder that you're sitting in their territory, and that fact isn't lost on you.
you're brought back to the present when you notice that your cup has been refilled, courtesy of karaku. the gesture is both generous and intimidating, as if he's reminding you of your place at the table. you take a sip of the drink, letting the liquid wash over your tongue and down your throat.
as you drink, urogi's arm slips back around your shoulders. his touch is surprisingly cool against the warmth of your skin, and you can't help but lean into it, relishing the sensation. you're not sure if it's the alcohol or the company, but you're starting to feel a little lightheaded.
urogi breaks the silence with a teasing question. "so, i want to hear more juicy details of why you like aizetsu. surely, i'm cuter."
you laugh, the sound bubbling up from deep within you. "aren't you all quadruplets? you all look the same."
urogi pouts, his lips twisting into a playful grimace. "oh, so you agree i'm attractive. but that also implies you don't see a difference between us. surely you can appreciate the polarity."
you squint, taking a closer look at urogi. out of all the brothers, he has the most boyish looks. "hmm, let me think," you say, pretending to deliberate. "i guess you do have a more youthful appearance, like aizetsu."
urogi grins mischievously. "oh, still too vague. let me give you something to compare." and with that, he leans forward and kisses you.
the sensation is both shocking and exhilarating. you're not sure what to do at first, but then you start to respond, letting yourself be swept up in the moment. urogi's lips are soft against yours, and his tongue teases yours playfully before he pulls away, leaving you breathless and flushed.
“so?”
for a moment, the air is heavy with the weight of what just happened. your dazed from the action, words thick on your tongue before you can finally manage,” i’ve … never kissed aizetsu.”
urogi’s gaze goes comically wide,” what? but you guys had such a nice date set up before.”
as urogi's words sink in, your mind races to catch up. you had never considered the possibility that your friendship with aizetsu could be interpreted as something open. the memory of your planned outing together suddenly feels like it's been cast in a new light, and you wonder if maybe you had been sending mixed signals all along.
“it wasn't a date… we were…” where were your words? 
but before you can even begin to sort through your thoughts, urogi's warm breath tickles your ear, and his words pull you back to the present. "were?" he asks, his voice teasing.
your heart flutters in your chest, and you feel a blush rising to your cheeks.
no, not were to imply something had changed.
because nothing had changed. you are—
you open your mouth to speak, but before you can find the words, karaku's voice cuts through the air like a knife.
"urogi, stop. you're confusing her."
you look up to see aizetsu seated across from you, his expression inscrutable. you can't tell if he's angry or hurt, but the tension in the air is palpable.
for a moment, you feel like you're drowning in a sea of emotions, unsure of which way to swim. you don't know what to say, or even if there's anything you can say to make things right.
as the silence stretches on, you become acutely aware of the atmosphere in the room. the low murmur of conversation from the other patrons of the bar seems to fade into the background, leaving only the sound of your own breathing ringing in your ears.
urogi pouts, “i just asked them a question.”
urogi's pout only adds to the surreal atmosphere, as if his expression alone were enough to challenge the laws of physics. aizetsu doesnt relent, “but you didn’t give them a fair sample to compare. you rushed ahead as usual.”
 the brothers continue their conversation, but you find it hard to focus on anything except the electricity that seems to be pulsing through the air.
rushed … ahead..?
just when you think things couldn't get any more intense, aizetsu leans over his brother to cup your face. you're taken aback by the sudden closeness, but before you can even process what's happening, his lips are on yours. the kiss is firm, yet gentle, and you feel your head spin as you lose yourself in the moment. this is the closest you've ever been to him, closer even than during your study sessions.
when he pulls away, you're left gasping for breath, still reeling from the experience. and then, just as suddenly, urogi turns on you. "so now you have a comparison. can you tell the difference?"
you can feel the weight of their gazes on you, but you can't bring yourself to face them. you're not sure if you're ready to handle the scrutiny, not after being kissed by both brothers in such a short span of time. it's all too much, too surreal, and you're struggling to find your footing in this strange new reality.
"look at that flush. now i'm intrigued, you found an interesting one, aizetsu."
you feel a rush of emotions as sekido's words weigh heavy on your mind. was that what they thought of you? were you just another classmate to take advantage of their brotherly bond? the thought makes your heart ache and you feel a sudden urge to leave, to preserve what little dignity you have left.
but before you can make a move, sekido's hand is on your arm, pulling you towards him.
“the two of you are still close from familiarity. they need an outlier to appreciate the variance.”
 you can feel the roughness of his calloused skin against your flesh, sending shivers down your spine. as he cranes your head up, you can't help but feel a flutter in your stomach at the intensity of his gaze.
"pay attention," he commands before dropping his mouth to yours.
sekido's kiss is ravenous and urgent, surpassing any notion of chastity as he devours your mouth. his tongue slips past your lips and explores every inch of your mouth with a hunger that takes your breath away. you try to match his intensity, but your chest heaves as you struggle to keep up with his passion. when he pulls away, your head spins from the sheer force of the kiss.
you're left dazed and disoriented, your mind racing with questions and doubts. how had this night come to this? to be caught in the middle of the brothers, playing with your affection? you can't help but feel like you're in over your head, unsure of where this unexpected turn of events will take you.
“well, suppose it's only fair, eh?”
as karaku approaches, you can feel the energy shift, a palpable tension in the air. his presence is suave, and you find yourself captivated by the way he moves, the way he carries himself with such confidence and grace.
he kneels before you, and you feel a jolt of expectation as he leans in to kiss you. the touch of his lips is electric, a subtle shock that ignites a fire within you. his kiss is practiced, but not cold - he leads you through a dance of passion, his movements sure and fluid, his touch light but commanding.
as he pulls away, you can feel your breath catch in your throat, your heart racing with a mixture of excitement and fear. you are unsure of what just transpired, of what it all means - but one thing is clear: this was no longer a simple game.
his thumb brushes across your lips, and you can feel the heat of his gaze as he looks into your eyes. his voice is low and seductive, a whisper that sends shivers down your spine.
"pretty, pretty," he murmurs. "so what do you think, are we so similar?"
1K notes · View notes
blondwhowrites · 3 days
Note
Hello! This is my first time writing in and I just want you to know how much I love love love your blog!!
I was wondering if you’ve ever written anything about brothersbestfriend!Mattheo. I just imagine he’d feel super guilty at first, fooling around with his best friend’s sister. Maybe he’d try to break it off but reader would get all sad and pouty, insisting that her brother will never find out.
Whether the reader is biologically related or adopted is up to you. I also did not intend for it to be this long—ANOTHER ADDITION TO THE PRINCESS MULTIVERSE
Oh my god—You being Theo's pretty younger sister and Mattheo just being absolutely obsessed with you!!! He always thought you were interesting. You've always just kind of been there, kind of tucked in a corner, watching as he, Theo, and Draco played together. You were weird in your own little quirky way—quiet, introverted, but not shy. No, you weren't at all shy, just simply quiet. 
Mattheo always felt drawn to you in a way he really couldn't understand. You two just coexisted with each other, and it stayed that way until his sixth year, when you suddenly became 'beautiful' in the eyes of society. He always knew you were gorgeous, the most beautiful girl he had ever met, but now other boys and even some girls were starting to realize it too. The whole Slytherin gang becomes your impromptu guards on the orders of Theodore Nott. Suddenly, Mattheo is walking you to all of your classes and being forced to watch over you at parties—and that's when it really starts to go downhill for him.
You're the most wonderful being to ever exist, and holy shit, does it hit Mattheo HARD. You tend to ramble about the weirdest things like human anatomy, and your army of stuffed animals, and he's just nodding along admiring you like you're some sort of goddess. You give him little trinkets as gifts and he has a whole entire box full of them because he wouldn't ever dare throw them away. He's in love—there's no denying it. He'd done the one thing he swore he would never do...he fell for his best friend's sister. You immediately notice because, A, you've been watching Mattheo your whole life, and B, you know how to read people like a book. So, being the little shit you secretly are, you one day put on your prettiest outfit and waltz on down to one of the infamous Slytherin get-togethers, which is basically just a secret rave with how intense they can get. 
Of course, Theo is huffing and puffing while being forced to watch his little sister flirt with some random girl and Mattheo—oh dear lord he is FUMING. At that point, he knows you know because the whole entire time you're sending him little glances and faux innocent smiles.
You're strewn across his bed, crying and whining as he brutally thrusts into you not even caring if you're a virgin or not because you had the absolute audacity to be a brat and he made sure you were absolutely okay with him being rough beforehand. He's whispering just the NASTIEST things into your ear. 'yeah—you like being fucked by your brothers best friend? If I had known you were such a slut I would've done this a lot earlier' His hand is wrapped around your throat, he's got you in doggy style, pressing your head down against the mattress and watching your eyes roll back. Your cunt is just gushing around him and he knows if he doesn't stop he's gonna become addicted to your pussy—which isn't really saying a lot since he's already addicted to you. By the time he's done with you you've cum more times then you can count and you are one second from just passing out.
It's like his whole entire personality switches because he's suddenly cooing sweet praises as he cleans you both up. He's pressing soft kisses to your lips as he tells you just how much he adores you, and Mattheo just knows he can't let this go—he can't let you go. He eventually, and very hesitantly, lets you go back to your dorm after making extra sure nobody is around.
That night, he just stays up, laying on his back and staring up at the ceiling. He's in a messy situation and he knows it, but honestly he doesn't really seem to care about how Theo would react if he ever found out about you two. In fact, the next day he pulls Theo into an empty classroom and locks the door. Theo doesn't even have time to react before Mattheo just spills everything. He could've ranted about his love for you for hours on end, and he's prepared to do that—that is, until Theo yells at him to shut up and is like, 'Mate, I knew this would eventually happen, so I've had years to prepare myself for this. My sister has been in love with you for years, and I'm sick of it, so please, for the love of Merlin, just take care of her and we are good.'
You are in your dorm reading about how bodies rot over time when Mattheo just busts in and grabs your book, placing it down, and kisses you silly. 'You're mine' he states as if you don't have a choice in the matter—and you really don't. The rest of your day is just spent in your dorm with him in blissful domestic peace.
Theo can finally rest in peace because HOLY SHIT—Mattheo is as dumb as rocks because how the fuck did it take him LITERAL years to realize he has feelings for you 😐
313 notes · View notes
Note
write something abt gamer!Abby pls!!
Headcannons: gamer!abby anderson x reader
Tumblr media
live footage of Abby, after dying in Valorant:
☆ Gamer Abby who worked two jobs at one point to be able to afford all the new games and set up.
☆ Gamer Abby who spent over 3000 dollars just to upgrade her pc.
☆ Gamer Abby who had everything in room because she wants to feel close to her games.
☆ Gamer Abby who felt embarrassed when you came over for the first time.
☆ Gamer Abby who apologizes for all the posters and stacks of games that littered her room.
“Why are you saying sorry?” you asked her, confused as you sat on her bed.
“This isn’t very sexy” she comments looking down at the floor.
“It is” you shrugged "everything you do is sexy Abs"
☆ Gamer Abby who memorizes all the lore to different games, and she tells you all about it, even though it sounds like gibberish to you.
“Wait what?”
“baby focus” Abby said with an annoyed tone.
“So Ellie is Joel’s daughter?”
“Oh my god don’t you listen?” Abby says dramatically.
“She isn’t his biological daughter babe” “oh.. so who’s Sarah then?”
All Abby could do was sigh.
☆ Gamer Abby who spends hours playing, but pauses her game when you send her a text.
☆ Gamer Abby who face times you while she’s playing, because she just wants to be with you.
☆ Gamer Abby who feels self-conscious when you are in her room when she plays.
☆ Gamer Abby who gets teased by her friends when they are all on a call.
“why are you so quiet Anderson?” she heard Mel ask through the headphones.
“Her girl is there, she doesn’t wanna scare her away” Nora says witch a chuckle.
☆ Gamer Abby who always feels like she talks too much about games, but falls in love with you all over again when you say: “its ok Abby, tell me about it”
☆ Gamer Abby who moves her gaming set up and posters into another room when you move in.
You walked into the room, the room that was once so colorful with games, was now empty. Naked.
“What the fuck Anderson?”
“I moved it all”
“yeah no shit… why would you do that?”
“this is our space now and I thought you know- we could… I don’t know decorate it together?” ☆ Gamer Abby who is wayyyyyy to good with her fingers, and she gets all shy when you mention something about it.
“What are you looking at?” Abby asked without taking her eyes off the screen you hummed before you simply answered “you”
You watched as Abby shook her head with a chuckle.
“I now see why you’re so good with your hands, these games are definitely teaching you something” you said with a wink and Abby almost pissed herself.
☆ Gamer Abby who uses cheesy game related pickup lines
“You must be as good as Yoshi with that tongue of yours” “Did you just cast aeroga on me? Because you swept me off my feet”
“You don't have to turn on a game to play with me”
“Nice pants! Mind if I loot them?” You never got the references but it always made you blush.
☆ Gamer Abby who almost cried when you gave her plushies from the games she was obsessed with at the time.
☆ Gamer Abby who tries teaching you how to play.
“C’mon baby it’s not that hard”
“Abby I keep dying”
“you’re dying because you aren’t focusing”
“Abby I don’t want to play anymore”
“please baby, for me?”
☆ Gamer Abby who almost combusts when you understood one of her references.
“What did you just say?”
“you said just look for the light that’s a the last of us reference, isn’t it?”
“Marry me” ☆ Gamer Abby who finds out you’ve been practicing her favorite games, and you learned the lore to surprise her.
☆ Gamer Abby who wakes you up at 3am because she was yelling at Nora for making her lose.
☆ Gamer Abby who begs you to play with her because she thinks it’s hot.
☆ Gamer Abby who was scared of being herself before she met you.
☆ Gamer Abby who wants to dress up as Mario and princess peach for Halloween.
☆ Gamer Abby who knew that you were the perfect girl when you let her decorate your shared room with a few posters.
☆ Gamer Abby who is really happy, being with you.
☆ Gamer Abby who could see the two of you getting old together. And she hoped when you were 73 one day, that you’d still be playing together
499 notes · View notes
hotchfiles · 3 months
Note
prompt 7 with spencer & bau!wife!reader? :)
let's celebrate valentine's with the criminal minds squad! 7. slow-dancing in the living room
it wasn’t even a proper hotel, just a cozy inn. smaller the town, smaller the installations after all. you couldn't complain though (probably legally couldn't too), the couch in front of the fireplace was comfortable and warm, keeping you company as you went through the files from the case over and over again. it was a bad habit of yours, your brain usually made better connections late at night, although your genius of a husband never agreed when you told him that. that's a myth, love, he would always tell you while rambling about how biologically our brains worked better at sunlight.
you feel his scent before he even stops in front of you, droopy smile on his face, two mugs in hand. "happy valentine's day, night owl." he hands you the mug, filled to the brim with fresh hot coffee. you look quickly at your phone, midnight. you take the mug and take a sip, looking back at him with all the adoring feelings you had for him and he takes the opportunity to brush his lips against your forehead.
"happy valentine's day, pretty boy." he scoffs at the nickname, but still offers his hand for you to take, putting his own mug on the coffee table in front of you before pulling you up to him.
spencer knew very well how much you liked valentine's day, you were always a romantic at heart, bringing heart shaped cookies to the squad, writing cards, the whole spiel, it was always unfortunate when a case like this didn't give him a chance to do something special, a proper date with the proper expensive wine, so he tried to make it up in little ways, like not getting on your nerves about going to bed and having coffee at midnight.
"did you know—" his arms drop to your waist, holding you close, you look at him with taunt in your eyes. it had become sort of a challenge for him, to come up with at least one valentine's day fact he hadn't already told you during your years working together and the three of your relationship. "february fourteen was believed to be the start of birds' mating season, that's why the date relates to romance and love so much." you both stay silence for a second, as he waits for your reaction. you only smile and peck him on the lips.
"that's a new one, i surely didn't know that." victory spreads through his face as he pumps one of his arms and whispers a lingering yes that makes you laugh. before you even realize he's humming in your ear and your head is laid on his chest.
it takes a while for you to recognize what he's humming as he softly sways you both around:
the waltz from your wedding.
233 notes · View notes
dark-night-hero · 5 months
Text
Imagine being Genshin Men's the one that got away part 2 featuring Kaeya, Pantalone and Thoma.
Kaeya Alberich
Cause now I pay the price.
Imagine being used to be very close to Kaeya and Diluc, with your parents being close to their father, Crepus Ragnvindr. You have always been Diluc's friend every since the two of you were a baby. So the arrival of someone new, someone as pretty and cute and Kaeya was something that both of you were happy and excited of, a new member into te family, a new friend to get along to.
Imagine you were their friend, always hangout out with the set of brothers playing around and causing troubles here and there. The three of you were just unseperatable, and you were also slowly being aware of the feelings you were developing for him.
Imagine Diluc has always been a brother, annoying little brother you never had. And Kaeya, kaeya was different. Maybe it was the fact that you knew he wasn't biological a Ragnvindr and he looked a lot different than Diluc whom you had enough seeing his face of already, but he was different. His smiles lit up your mood, your heart races when he laughs, when he messes with your hair. It was different, you never want to see him as a brother or anything close to it.
Imagine things started to took a turn when Diluc joined the knights and you didn't, Kaeya did follow his steps a little later though. You watch side by side how Diluc becomes the youngest ever appointed Captain to be within the ranks of the Knights of Favonious. "He's awesome, isn't he." "Hmmm." This is enough, just being there by his side.
Imagine pursuing to become a merchant. The three of you going on a different paths with the two closely related to. Diluc was already busy enough tk begin with causing you and Kaeya to be hanging out by yourselves. And those nights, those nights were memorable, it was wonderful. The way he laugh, the way he looks at you, the way the two of you were looking at each other. You can feel it. You might be young, people might say both of you were young, but you knew, damn it, you knew what this is.
Imagine it was raining, it was raining when Crepus died and it was raining when two brothers parted ways with each other with you standing in the middle of it. "Stop it! You're both going to end up hurting each other!" "Did you heard what he said?! Are you deaf?! Crazy?! You heard what he said and you're still sticking on his side?!" "I am not picking anyone's side in here! What I'm trying to say it that you calm the fuck down-! Dilu-! Kaeya!" As you tried to interfere midway, you were pull by the back of your neck backwards as a bird like flame of fires came into yours and Kaeya's direction.
Imagine that night, you gain a pretty deep scar on your side, cause by the burn of your best friend as well as the intense icy frost that comes after it. Not only that, not only did you lost your childhood friend, but you also lost him, Kaeya. "I'm sorry." It was pouring hard as he kneel by your side. "I'm sorry." He spoke once again, his fingers slowly slipping away from yours. "Kaey-" "I'm sorry." Then he left.
Imagine, one of the hardest thing Kaeya ever did was to walk away from you that night, knowing what he- what the two of you coulf have been has now down the drain, and will forever remain their frozen in time.
Imagine that same night the two brothers fell out, so does everything connected to them, you. Dilic left without a word. And Kaeya started ignoring you. Maybe it was because out of guilt, maybe it's because of the things he said that night. But if there was one thing for sure is that he won't see you, he won't talk to you. No matter now much you begged, he never did. He was all that you have now, and you're pretty sure that goes the same way for him, so why is he okay? How could he be okay? Fuck it.
"They left." "I know." "I heard they might not come back." "... I know." "You're not going to see them? They're still waiting for you outside." "... No." And so you left.
Imagine, Kaeya has always been aware that there was something going on with the two of you. You were quite different after all, different when it comes to him and Diluc. And it was quite obvious to be honest. So when he started ignoring you after that night, it was strange and funny. How his heart would often ache just by you calling his name.
Imagine when you left, a part of him left with you too. You were... everything after all. It may not be obvious, but you and Diluc were his everything back then. So as years have gone by, things like his were on the back of his mind, long to be forgotten. Just like what he was always hoping to. Or so he thought.
"One glass of wine please!" He utter with a smile, one way of teasing Diluc as the red hair started serving behind the counter when the familiar bell rings indicating an incoming customer "And one beer for me." And there comes the ache again. As the two head turn, one red and one blue. "It's been awhile." They smiled, the same damn smile they always gave them.
Imagine after a long moment of silence, he manage to hold up a smile. "Back in town?" "Oh you bet! It's been so long!" "You should have given us a heads up before you came back." "Oh please, I don't want to hear that coming from you, who left without a word, Diluc." You joked, even giving Kaeya a side eye as you made fun of the other guy, just like the old times but there was something obviously different. The way you look at him...
Imagine it was a joyful yet silent night for the three of you, with Kaeya just smiling, butting in for a few times but just there by the side, it was quite uncharacteristic of him, just casually playing with the wine on his hand before it was time to go. "Well, I got to get going." "Already?" You pout, Diluc scoffing at your reaction but somehow giving Kaeya a look of concern. "Duty calls." He laughs before giving you and Diluc a playful smirk then walking out of the pub.
Imagine as soon as he did, he let out a deep sigh before walking towards the direction of the headquarters. And just like all those years back, his heart ached every steps he take. Then he stops, look back, then look up then down to his feet as he hold a hand on his mouth. The way you look at him right now. "Oh Barbatos." He suddenly laughs. "I'm late, am I?" He added.
"Kaeya!" Unlike before where no matter how much you called after him, he did not turn around. This time, he turn around to face you. "Miss me already?" "Yeah!" You laughs, and oh celestia. How wonderful that laugh sounds. "Let's grab a drink in sometime okay? When you're not so busy!" "Alright, but your treat, okay?" "Aww! Come on now!"
You were a wonderful experience even if you're never mine.
Pantalone
Can all this mora buy me a time machine, no.
Imagine growing up with Regrator on a very poor neighbourhood, basically in the streets. It was pretty much forgotten how the two of you first met but what was important is that the two of you have manage to stick together in tough times. Being young, broke, and basically has no one to take care of the two of you. The two of you only have each other to hold on and lean on into. That was the childhood of the Regrator.
Imagine, now that he is practically the richest man in Teyvat, there was no other things he couldn't buy at the same time. There was nothing that picks his interest. "What do you think, (Your name). It's such a shame that the gift I was planning to give Tsaritsa was stolen within the warehouse, though. I'm quite thankful the things I've bought for you was safe." "..."
Imagine they said that the Regrator was a man of desire, a man greedy for money for some reasons for they do not know where he have come from nor his goals. He was also quite close to the Doctor, someone almost everyone was too scared to talk into. There were a lot of things that came into mind when asked about the Regrator but if there was something obvious that no one talks about was the torn, ragged and almost faded picture on his office table not fiting for its picture frame that probably causes hundreds, no millions if not much higher cause of mora. And no one was allowed to talk about it.
Imagine, life was tough for you and the Regrator. But you manage to make it side by side. You manage to survive though that poor environment. Then he started making money, he starts finding a way to get you out of then damn place. You were there when he started a new goal. When he started pursuing his goal. Life was tough, it was but at least you have each other by your side.
Imagine, Pantalone was wise. He was greedy, but he was wise. You knew that, you knew him more than anyone else. So imagine one day as the two of you gets back to the old worn house, if you could call it a house. You felt a sharp pain on your chest. Causing you to frown and reach out a hand to massage it. "Are you okay?" "Yeah, just a little tired."
"I kept getting flashbacks nowadays." "..." "It was good- good old days, I suppose." He chuckle in contrast to the fake smiles and laughs he was giving other poeple specially in business. "I don't think I will be back anytime now, (Your name). You'll still be here when I came back, no?" "..." "I'll see you later, my treasure."
"Please... please please I'm begging you. Please treat her I- I'll make sure to pay la-" "Get out! I have no plans to treat beggars like you!" "No ple-" "Get lost!" As the door closes for the fifteenth time that night, and by the harsh impact, he ended up taking a step back that ended up with him falling backwards with you in his arms, keeping his arms around you to protect you from the fall as he could feel you burning up in his arms, quite trembling.
"Fuck. Fuck. Fuck... Just a little bit (Your name)... Just a little bit." Why does it has to be this way? Eveything was doing fine. The two of you have finally manage to save up some money to start up a business and it was doing fine. In fact you would be having your profit in days to come even though you two were quite broke right now. Why do you have to be sick right now? No wait no no, he's not blaming you. Just. Fuck. If only he has a vision, if only those so called Gods could help right now, create some miracle. FUCK!
Imagine, as a new recruit fatui member carelessly and mindlessly barge in into the office room of the Regrator. Even foolishly touching things here and there in the room, as soon as he took a lift up a book within the shelf, the shelf moved causing the newbie to gasp nevertheless as curiosity got the best of the her, she followed down the road where it leads into a small cozy room but there was something which causes her jaw to drop.
Imagine, in the corner of the room was a glass like container, which contains a doll, no. It was too realistic to be a doll. It was a person. A person who seems to be sleeping but the newbie knew really well that that was a corpse. Talking a few steps to get a closer look. She noticed that the corpse was well dressed, be it on the silk that made up the clothes, the jewellery that compliments the overall looks of it to the shoes and even the (hair color) hair that seems to the styled by the best hair artist in teyvat. It looks like tons of mora was wasted on such corpse.
"I would have understand if they were alive, in fact it would have been worth the mora if they were only alive. Is it the hobby of the Regrator to dress up such thing? Such a weird hobby." "Are you done?" "Ah sir!" As the newbie was about to turn around, she couldn't, already missing her head. "Ah ah, look at the mess you made, Dottore." "You'll make a bigger mess if you took care of it. See the blood already staining the glass of your beloved?"
Imagine Pantalone rolling his eyes at Dottore who just smirk before leaving the room. He already had enough of the thing that was about to happen, besides he just happened to have a new lab rat he just killed because a certain someone wouldn't leave him alone to make something.
"Pantalone." He felt your hand clenching around his. It was warm. "You're warm" You smile. "I wish we could stay like this forever." "The Doctor is coming... Hold on a little more, okay?" Despite the intense pain you are feeling right now was you tried to hold on into every little bit of consciousness you have left. "Pantalone..." "They're coming okay? Just a wai-" "I'm tired." You snuggle even closer to him. "I want to sleep... Can I sleep?" "No... no no no no no no." "Aww. Why?" You tried to open your eyes. Wanting to see him again for the last time. "I lived a good life." "No, I haven't given you that good life yet. Not yet, please. Please please in a moment the doct-" "Pantalone... I'm going to sleep now. Okay?" As you shut your eyes forever, never once did the doctor came.
"I'm sorry, look at how messy the room has become." He apologizes as he approaches and hold on into the glass were you were being contained and preserved. "Since no one is allowed to enter this room other than Dottore, I would have him clean up the room." He sigh before pressing his forehead on the glass. "He said it woulk take time and money to find a cure for you but don't worry. I would be willing to spend all the money in the world as long as you wake up again, okay?" "..." "I cannot wait for that day to come so for now I apologize but you have no choice but to stay asleep."
I'm sorry for leaving so early, for leaving you all on your own to face the world, I love you.
Thoma
In another life, I would make you stay.
Imagine you were his childhood friend, his best friend, his partner in crime and the list could go on for so long as the two of you basically grew up together. His father being on of the servants within your household and him being allowed to stay whenever he would come to Inazuma after the vacation of his father back in Mondstand. To Thoma, you were someone whom he knows very well. After all, you were his first master to serve before the Lord of the Kamisato in present times.
Imagine you were the heir to one of the prestigious clan within Inazuma. And as the heir comes with responsibility, the training was very harsh and strict, you could never let your guard down even for a child who should only be enjoying wonderful things in life. But you are different, those (hair color) hair and (eye color) iris that your clan seems to worship, the true appearance and characteristics of a heir they say that would only come once per generation. It was nothing but a curse to you.
Imagine growing up in a strict environment. With your younger siblings basically neglected from the parental things that one child needed, you were the one to fill in the role for them. Giving them all your free time, making sure not to let them experience the same treatment that was given to you. Basically the puppet of the elders within the clan. To be honest it was exhausting. You knew your parents loves you at the same time the way they are treating you, saying it was for the greater good was something you hate then for. And to add the neglectful treatment of your siblings, you basically becoming the parental figure to them when you yourself is lacking one. And you hate them, you hate the freedom they have that you have and probably would never got.
Imagine that is where Thoma came into. The shy but kind boy from Mondstand who came with his father one day and started interactin with you. Following you anywhere, watching you do what you're supposed to do such as train and studies. It was strange to be honest, but the more he get to know you and the more you get to know him, the more he influences you. You started smiling, laughing. Started enjoying the little things in life you never really looked into before.
"Will you be back?" You cling into the hem of his shirt as he gives you a toothy grin. "I will, little lord-" "(First name). Call me (First name)." As soon as you said that, his eyes widen, then he giggle. "Alright, (First name)." With your little hands letting go of his shirt, "Wait." "Hmm? What is it?" "What's your name." "..." "I've been playing with you for a month and you don't even know my name?" "..." "It's Thoma." "... Thoma, huh." "Yes! Don't forget that!" Although that did earn him a roll of eyes as you turn your back at him. You never forgot his name.
Imagine the more you two grew close, the more you felt freedom within him. Maybe it's because of the land where he came from, Mondstant was it? The city of Freedom as they called it. At the same time, behind the laughs and smiles you express as he comes by. Was the more hasher and strict the rules for you had become. The more you were focused to the goal of becoming the perfect heir for them, as you should have become. It was slowly ruining you, it was slowly killing you from the inside despite the smiles and freedom you have whenever you are with your sisters, but more specially with Thoma.
Imagine, on your becoming of age. Despite the celebration of the whole village, the whole manor. You're not happy. You're not happy at all. All the unwanted responsibilities, the expectations. The lack of freedom, love. Your sisters and Thoma was all you have. They were all you have left and the music that Thoma have taught you. The music that seems to have set you free. But in order to pursue that dream, you must leave. But how could you leave?
"Are you alright?" He spoke as he stand next to you who was in the middle of the hall. "Why won't I be?" "You really look like you want to leave right now." "... Want to dance?" "Right now?" "Right now. Let's go." You urge him, standing up from your seat as you hold up a hand for him to take. And he did, with a smile on his and your face, you let him guide you in the middle of the hall, causing people to move away as you move, probably confused at the same time because this is far from the custom this country has. And this, a dance was something common to his culture.
"(First name)!" It was only after the dance that you part ways with Thoma and meet up with your sister when the youngest came into you with... a lovestruck look on her face? "Who was that guy?" "Huh?" What is this sudden feeling of uneasy? You have never felt like this before. "The one you danced with! Who is he?!" She asked enthusiastically. "I have never seen him before! Who is he?" "Huh?" This time, your lips unconsciously curl up, the feeling of wanting to laugh and throw up was building up all at the same time. "(First name). Introduced me to him, please?" Huh? "Sure."
Imagine things happened fast. One moment your sister came up to you and the next moment you were introducing her to Thoma who seems to took a liking on her. Making you realise that this was in fact the first time they have meet, your sister has always been in one of the spare houses within the village and not in the main manor. On the heirs stats in their and so does Thoma, who happened to be your best friend and one of your close aide when he was on vacation to Inazuma.
"Your sister is very kind. I think... I think I may have liked her." He laughs and so did you. At the same time something inside you broke. Was it your heart? Maybe? But for the first time in your life, the urge to get away finally kicked in as if you have lost all means of any reason to stay. So that night. That night you left, you left as you have no other reason to stay with so many things waiting for you, your freedom.
Imagine how hurt, confused, and lost they all are when you left without a word. Not even a letter. But then again, everyone in your family, sisters aside seems to have moved on easily. But eventually he does too, leaving your family clan into the Kamisato, someone your other sister was once in a relationship with too and work there while being in a relationship with your youngest sister.
Imagine years after you were gone. Came back. As the main family gathered in the estate. With him standing next to your sister, all these years staying strong and engaged. His Lord, Kamisato standing rigt across him with your other sister by his side yet knowing the cold look on his face, he knew his Lord wasn't happy. Your parents currently out the room, greeting you probably who came back after long years of disappearance.
"It's... been so long... everyone." It was a voice he haven't heard for so long. A voice he have long forgotten but knows who it was if he had heard it in the middle of the crowd. And the very moment you emerge into the room. Everything seems to stop, your smile. It was brighter than ever, than those nights the two of you would sneak out to have some fun. This time, he knew you were happy. "Thoma! It's been so long! How are you."
Imagine he don't know how to reply, his heart beating wildly on his chest upon seeing you again. He without thinking, he pull you into a hug, breathing your scent he have missed for so long. Oh Archons, how much he missed you. "Hahahahahaha missed me that much Thoma?" "Oh you little- of course I do! How have you been?! Are you coming back for goo-" Mid sentence were you pulled away from him, a pair of strong arms warped around your waist pulling you away from Thoma. "Too close." Your fiance pout on your shoulder. Huh?
"Darling, behave. Don't embarrass me in front of an old friend." You giggle but doesn't break away from your lover's arms. Huh? "Oh right, Darling. This is Thoma, the one I often told you about in my childhood, the one who taught me how to play instruments? And Thoma, this is my fiance..." he couldn't hear it. But he could hear the a cracking noise from somewhere. Was it his own heart breaking? Why was it breaking? He was in love with your sister. Why is he feeling this way? Should he be feeling this way? Wh- huh?
"What are you doing here?" You spoke as you emerged from behind. It was midnight, and it was right after the banquet that everyone was supposed to sleep when you two happened to see each other from the old stop where the two of you often meet in the past to sneak out. "Can't fall asleep?" You asked and he shook his head. "Don't worry, I'm the same. Probably home sick, I'm glad that my lover was able to fall asleep easily though, probably quite nervous into meeting my family, specially upon confrontation with my parents." You chuckle and sat beside him.
Imagine the comfortable silence, or at least for you as he was drown in thoughts. Thoughts he shouldn't be having but right now, he does. "(First name)." "Yeah?" "Would you leave if I told you to stay?" "Back then? I would probably have." "I see." "But I don't think we would work out." "... What makes you think so?" "My sister was inlove with you, and you were in the process of falling for her. You know back then I would do anything for my sisters" You chuckle, looking from to the sky then on him. "Right?" And then he look away.
"I should get going." "Already?" "Yeah, my lover would be anxious not to see me by their side when they wake up." "You love them alot." "I do." You chuckle. "I do love them alot. I wouldn't come back here if I don't." You shook your head before standing up. "Don't stay up later for so long, you may catch a cold." You spoke then messes with his hair then started to walk outside. "And Thoma?" "... Yeah?" "Thank you for staying by my sister side. It's really good to see you again."
I loved you too early, and you love me too late.
[ⓒdark-night-hero] 2023°
: Fun fact, Thoma and Ayato fell for the same reader. Another fun fact, Thoma and Ayato's idea came from my fictional novel 'She was' (totally not promoting.)
291 notes · View notes
domesantis · 5 months
Text
Lotor and Keith: The Duo We Deserved
Disclaimer: it's been around 8 months since I've last watched voltron. details may be inaccurate
Tumblr media Tumblr media
Sometimes I think we were robbed of what could've been an amazing friendship.
Keith's discovery of his Galran lineage and Lotor's of his Altean heritage, and their indirect parallel of upbringing, I hoped these two would form an amazing bond as they're the only people that could relate to each other in terms of ostracization due to their race. But that hope eventually dwindled down when I realized that the showrunners were definitely not planning that, and in fact, even makes Lotor a bad guy again.
At the very least, I had hoped for a heart-to-heart conversation about them being mixed race and flesh out that aspect of them more. Yet again, I was let down.
During Keith's entire life, he has been ostracized by his peers and constantly bullied for being different. It has been the fundamental characteristic of him— his preordained Galran traits— embedded into every crevice of his disposition and being unable to do anything about it. When he finds out about his Galran heritage, we finally conclude the reason, in profound realization, why he's never fit in much back in Earth. Ultimately, this would give clarity and closure to Keith about why he's the way he is, but what the showrunners overlooked is the inevitable, imminent consequence of an identity crisis.
He's too galra to be human (antisocial, rebellious, fierce and stubborn), but too human to be galra. (compassionate, warm, weaker and smaller in stature, humanly physical features)
This is his reality everyday.
I distinctly remember Sendak belittling Krolia because of her half-breed son, Keith. It went something along the lines of: "Is the Blade of Marmora so low on soldiers that they recruit a half-breed and his mommy in?" Which, most likely, amplified his identity crisis. Poor guy.
I feel as though the same case could be applied to Lotor.
Raised by only Galrans and raised to be one, his father, Zarkon, would also say that something was quite fundamentally different about him. Compared to a stereotypical, standard Galra, he seemed to be quite more compassionate and carefree as a child, showing great intellect and promise in other aspects yet lacking in the personality traits as a Galra and embracing more of his Altean characteristics.
Growing up, Lotor always believed in goodwill, altruism, and attempted to prove to Zarkon that he could successfully subjugate planets by sheer goodwill without repercussions. However, his father's constant abuse for millennia, and cruelly destroying said planet, would of course, send him to spirals and awaken his long repressed Galran characteristics: Tyrannous, vindictive, cruel and spiteful.
Both Keith and Lotor had been abandoned by their biological parents, one in a literal way, and the other, emotionally. Both of them had something just fundamentally, unutterably different about them that they couldn't quite explain, thus thwarting the standards of "what they should be".
If Keith and Lotor had formed a genuine, wholesome familial friendship to replace their absent/abusive parents, they could've established an actual safe space where they felt belonged and heard. The rest of the team may also provide an emotional connection towards them, however, nobody knows their pain more than each other. After all, they both went through similar experiences. Mixed race solidarity!
Also. I think it could've been a great way to represent mixed race people (I'm sorry. Is that how you call them? Is this offensive?). I'm not one myself, so I'm not sure, but this would've been so great to promote inclusivity and accurately represent their struggles in the actual world. This also could've been an amazing plot point for Lotor's character development and fleshing out his character more onto a much more profound and raw level. Instead, they threw it all down the drain by betraying VOLTRON then dying. Disappointed.
Also, I'll be diving deeper into Keith's identity crisis more in one of my next posts, and Lotor's tragic fate.
Get me out of this VOLTRON hellhole. The hyperfixation is too much.
184 notes · View notes
shakespeareanwannabe · 2 months
Text
As You Wish, Chapter 7
Tumblr media
Summary: When arriving at Camp Silver Star, Abby Floyd was anticipating a summer of adventure with an ocean separating her from the three people she loved most: her mom, her Uncle Bob and her Aunt Natasha. But after a run in with Charlie Seresin, an extremely familiar looking and irritating camper in a different cabin, her summer plans take a turn that neither girl ever could have expected.
Potential Trigger Warnings: reader's children are described as being blond with green eyes because genetics are wild and Jake's genes are strong, reader is canonically Bob's sister (but biological relation is never discussed), reader goes by Buttercup and is tattooed, angst, panic attack, drinking, sadness, reference to divorce, kids doing sneaky things, references to babies, swearing, references to the hospital
Tumblr media
Top Gun, almost 12 years ago
When Payback was standing on the tarmac of the training field as they landed, Bob knew it was go time.
It had been odd enough flying without Bagman the past few days; the blond lieutenant opting to take a few days leave as his new wife approached and passed her due date, and Bob found himself almost missing the sarcastic comments shared over comms and the easy way that his new brother-in-law was able to push the other members of their team to their limits. It wasn’t always great for morale, but there was a reason they were the best team the Navy had to offer.
Bob hopped down from his seat behind Natasha and took off running towards Reuben, who he had handed his phone to before takeoff. The older pilot knew a thing or two about impending parenthood and had suggested holding onto the uncle-to-be’s phone, just in case any news broke about the delivery of the twins.
Twins. His sister was having twins. With Hangman. As much as Bob had fought her on her relationship with the cocky aviator, there was no denying how happy the couple had been over the course of the past year. Sure, they had moved fast (too fast, in Bob’s opinion), but that’s the way Hangman operated. His mind moved a million miles an hour in his cockpit, and he saw no reason to slow it down when he was on land.
“Text just came in about ten minutes ago,” Reuben called when Bob was in earshot. “She labored all day and all night, and the girls were born around 2 this morning. Mom and girls are doing fine.”
Bob felt his smile stretch so wide he was surprised his face didn’t break.
“But it’s almost 6 now,” Natasha griped, standing over his left shoulder. “What’s with the hold up?”
Reuben chuckled. “Would you want people all up in your face after over a day of labour and delivery, Phoenix? Or would you want some time to soak up all the lovin’ of those two little angels before you had to share them?”
“I’d want to soak up all the love, that’s the point.”
While Bob tended to agree with her, he knew that this was all part of his sister’s plan. She was a private person at heart and hated being the center of attention. She especially hated feeling like people were waiting on her. So, it made sense that she would’ve held off on announcing the birth of his nieces until she’d had time to adjust.
“Bob, you okay?” Reuben asked, realizing that the WSO hadn’t said a single word since landing. “You with me?”
Bob nodded, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose. “Thanks, Payback.” He reached out and took his phone back from the older member of their team.
He grinned and patted him on the shoulder. “You wish the new parents congratulations from me and Lori, alright? We’ll be by to visit when we’re allowed. But it sounds like you’ve got permission already, Bob.”
Bob glanced down at the message from Hangman, which did indeed invite him to the hospital to meet the newest members of his family.
“C’mon,” Natasha held up her car keys. “I’m driving.”
“You—”
“Probably wasn’t invited, was I?” his partner smirked. “But you’re shaking like a leaf, so I’m doing the team a favour and driving you. And, if I get to meet the babies before Javy and Rooster, that’s even better.”
Tumblr media
London, England, 24 hours ago
Charlie sat at the high round kitchen table, poking at the cheese and crackers she had assembled for her midday meal as Auntie Nat raced around the kitchen, half a bagel stuffed in her mouth as she prepped her coffee.
When she’d woken up that morning, Uncle Bob had been halfway out the door for work. A schedule that consisted of bouncing from London to Frankfurt to Barcelona and, finally, home ensured that he would be home in time for Jeopardy and dinner but had left her with her surly aunt and her mom, who had been locked into Zoom meetings all morning in her office. Not that she was complaining. While the first few days had been a difficult adjustment, dealing with the time change and the customs of her new home, she absolutely adored her life in London. Her Uncle Bob was just as awkward and funny as she had been told, Auntie Nat was everything she had ever wanted in an aunt, and her mom? Her mom was better than she had ever dreamed. They had spent hours together, reading together and tossing ideas around about Mum’s latest book, going out to eat, watching trashy reality shows while eating ice cream. Mum kept reminding her that things would go back to normal when she went back to school but wanted to keep things loose for the last few weeks of summer because she had missed her so much. It was kind of nice to have a relaxing morning at home with her aunt while waiting for her mom to be freed from work.
“Alright, kid, I’m off,” Auntie Nat announced, breezing past her with her arms loaded down with gym equipment and water bottles. “Have fun with your mom tonight, and remind her to eat something before her book signing, okay? You don’t want to deal with a hangry Buttercup, believe me.”
Charlie grinned at her as Nat paused in front of the large mirror next to the door, putting down a water bottle to touch up the makeup that concealed the angry red edges of the scar that bisected her left eye, a remnant from the battle that had taken Maverick’s life and Natasha’s clearance to fly. Abby had told her that Nat still got self-conscious about the scar and warned her not to stare too much at it, but that hadn’t been a problem. She’d seen worse scars on the cowboys and cowgirls who worked on the ranch. Hell, one of their best breeding experts was a man with four fingers on one hand and only one ear. Scars didn’t exactly scare her.
“I will. Have fun at work!” Nat winked at her through the mirror before gathering her belongings and jetting through the door, allowing it to fall closed with a thud.
Feeling a short, staccato vibration in her pocket, Charlie tugged out her phone and checked for any new message from Abby. Her sister (it still thrilled her to be able to say those words) had been keeping her up to date on the ranch and the lives of the men who lived there. Last they had spoken, Abby had been excited about going on a trail ride with dad, and Charlie had shared a few tips on how to navigate Jake’s favourite trail. They both hoped that the trail ride would be a good opportunity for Abby to start digging into what went wrong with their parent’s marriage, while Charlie was angling for an opening to bring up the same topic with their mother. Thus far, all attempts had been foiled on both their parts, but neither of them was willing to give up without a fight.
Charlie clicked onto the messaging app and read the most recent message.
A: Does dad have a girlfriend?
Charlie snorted. Sure, she’d heard rumors about her dad from Rooster and Javy, how he had all the ladies drooling when he was in the Navy, but that couldn’t be further from the truth now. Besides, there was no way her father could hide a whole girlfriend from her.
C: LOL no he’s got no game
But…those rumors had to have started somewhere. And her father, as dorky as he was, had managed to date and marry her mom, who was the coolest woman Charlie had ever met. And she’d been gone for six weeks at camp. If so much had changed for her in those six weeks, there was no telling what could have changed at her home in Texas.
C: Why??? 👀
Abby’s response was sent almost immediately, as though Abby had had the message waiting to send.
A: Because there’s a random blond lady hanging out in the kitchen and he’s calling her baby
Charlie bit her lip. It didn’t sound like her dad…then again, her dad hadn’t done much dating because he’d been busy with her and the ranch. Still, he wouldn’t just hide a girlfriend from her, would he? Feeling a dark cloud begin to drift over her head, she replied.
C: You sure it’s him and not Rooster?
C: Uncle Roo has lots of hookups 🤢
A: Pretty sure I know what he looks like, thanks 🙄
Charlie tamped down a bolt of anger. It wasn’t Abby’s fault. She was just looking for information and they’d both inherited their mother’s penchant for sarcasm with their father’s ego. Abby didn’t deserve to have her head chewed off just because Charlie was asking stupid questions.
C: You didn’t until a couple of weeks ago, smartypants
“Hey babe, sorry about that!”
Charlie nearly threw her phone across the room as her mom came into the kitchen, dressed in a stylish pair of black palazzo pants and a pretty cream coloured sleeveless top.
“H-hi mum!” Charlie chirped, flipping her phone face down and grinning.
“You okay?” Buttercup’s brow furrowed.
“Fine! I was just looking up restaurants around the bookstore. Auntie Nat wanted me to remind you to eat before the book signing.” Charlie flipped the little switch on her phone to shut off notifications as Abby’s replies started buzzing in.
Buttercup rolled her eyes fondly. “Listen, a girl gets hangry one time, after 27 hours of labor and not being allowed to eat due to archaic hospital policies, and she’s never allowed to live it down.”
Charlie grinned. “But would you really want to get hangry a second time in front of your adoring public?”
Buttercup grinned. “I suppose not. But it would make for one heck of a story, wouldn’t it?” Despite her words, Buttercup dug into the fridge and pulled out a slice of leftover pizza, taking a large bite as she leant against the marble countertop next to the sink. “You know, you don’t have to come with me to the book signing, love. It’ll be super boring, and I could just have a driver pick you up and bring you to the restaurant by the theatre for dinner. I’d come get you myself but you know me. Once I walk back in the door tonight, it’s yoga pants and ice cream for me.”
“No, mum. I want to come!”
Buttercup fixed her with a look as she took another bite of pizza. “You do? You want to sit and watch me talk about the book I can’t finish and sign my name a gazillion times instead of staying home and doing whatever the cool 12-year-old girls are doing?”
“Yep!” Buttercup’s suspicious look lingered as she polished off her pizza. “What? Can’t a girl want to hang out with her mum over summer holiday?”
“She can…but she also hasn’t seen her friends since she left for camp. Are you sure you don’t want to invite Madison or Brooklyn over while I’m at work?”
Charlie was already shaking her head. “I missed you, mum. I want to spend more time with you before I go back to school. Besides, I’m almost 12. I’m not going to want to hang out with you forever.”
“Oof, right for the guilt trip,” Buttercup grinned as she washed her hands. “Alright, lady, if you’re sure, you’d better go get dressed for a day out on the town.”
Charlie grinned and hopped up from her seat. “Give me ten minutes!”
Grabbing her phone, she raced up the stairs and started pulling on the outfit she had chosen for the day, checking her hair, and brushing her teeth. Satisfied with her appearance, she pulled her phone out and checked her messages from Abby.
A: Thanks for the reminder
A: Are you sure he doesn’t have a girlfriend?
A: He wants to talk to me about something
A: What if it’s her?
A: Charlie?
Charlie sighed, feeling only slightly guilty about leaving her sister in the lurch. But whatever issues Abby was facing, whatever conversation Jake wanted to have with her, Charlie was an ocean away and couldn’t really do anything to help. Besides, it couldn’t be a girlfriend. Dad wouldn’t have hidden something like that from her.
C: Sorry, gotta go! Mom’s taking me to one of her book signings, and then we’re going to dinner and a show! Good luck!
Before Abby could start to type back, Charlie shut off her phone and threw it into the purse she had chosen to take with her. Whatever was going on in Texas, Charlie was confident that her sister could handle it.
Tumblr media
“…and that’s why I believe that, no matter how dark your content is, your story should always end with a glimmer of hope,” Buttercup smiled from her comfortable seat on the slightly raised stage at the back of the bookstore, and Charlie clapped along with the audience. It looked like hundreds of people had turned out for the event celebrating her mother’s works, each of them clamoring for a look at the notoriously private author who didn’t even have her picture in the backs of her books.
“Alright, it looks like we’ve got time for one more question,” the moderator said, peering out over the audience. “You, in the pink paisley shirt. What is your question?”
The young woman down the row from Charlie stood up and accepted the microphone. “Hi, my name’s Lisa. I was just wondering about the timeline of your books. You say that you’ve been writing since you were a kid, but your first book wasn’t published until 7 years ago. What was it that finally prompted you to publish your book?”
Charlie watched her mother stiffen slightly before turning an almost plastic smile to the audience. “That’s a great question, Lisa, thank you. Unfortunately, that’s just the way this industry goes sometimes. An author can spend years, decades even, revising and editing their work before a publisher will even agree to take a look at it. Besides that, I also had a lot going on in my life that…prevented me from writing as much as I wanted to. But just over a decade ago, I was faced with personal difficulties that forced me to sit and pour my thoughts out onto the page. It took some time after that to organize my thoughts into a comprehensible narrative, but that’s what ended up becoming my first book, The Things We Hold Onto.”
Lisa raised the microphone, probably to try to engage with Buttercup further, but the moderator quickly stepped in. “Thank you so much for your questions. We’ll be taking a five-minute break before the book signing begins. If you’d all like to queue up at the table, that would be wonderful. Thank you.”
The crowd quickly dispersed, and Charlie fought her way through them to stand at the bottom of the stage as her mom stepped down.
“Thanks, Diane,” she shook the moderator’s hand.
“Don’t mention it,” she replied with a wink. “I’m just doing my job. Now, I���m going to go set up the table for the signing, and I’ll see you in five minutes.”
She walked off and Buttercup turned to her with a sigh, hugging her close. “You sure you made the right call, coming to work with me? I’m bored and it’s my writing I’m talking about.”
Charlie giggled. “I’m sure.”
“You’re one weird kid,” Buttercup commented, pressing a kiss to her daughter’s hair. “But I’m so glad you’re mine. I love you.”
Charlie felt her heart beam in her chest. “I love you too.” Charlie watched as her mom guzzled a water bottle, chewing on her bottom lip as she considered her next words. “Mum…what was it that kept you from writing?” Water sputtered from Buttercup’s mouth as she coughed. “Was…was it me?”
Buttercup wiped her mouth, cleared her throat, and tugged her close again. “God, no, babe. Not you. Never you.”
“Then…was it dad?” Charle bit her lip so hard she could almost taste blood. She couldn’t imagine a world where Jake Seresin was anything but supportive of those around him, but she also couldn’t imagine a world where her father had lied to her for her entire life, so, clearly, she didn’t know everything.
Buttercup sighed heavily. “I promised you I would tell you about your dad, and I haven’t forgotten. At dinner, okay? I’ll answer all your questions at dinner.”
Charlie nodded slowly, not meeting her gaze. “Okay.”
“I’ve got to get over there,” Buttercup nodded to the queue. “Dinner. I promise.”
“Okay, mum.”
Buttercup took a few steps and turned back to her. “It wasn’t your father either, babe. Okay?”
Charlie felt the knot in her chest slacken slightly and she brightened. “Okay, mum. Go kill it!”
Buttercup winked and strode off, her head held high.
Tumblr media
A few hours later, the queue had been cleared and Buttercup and Charlie sat in a comfortable booth at Café Murano in Covent Gardens. Their glasses of water had barely been placed on the table before Charlie leaned forward.
“Mum?”
Buttercup sighed and placed the menu to the side. “Alright, babe. I’ve made you wait long enough. What do you want to know?”
“If dad didn’t stop you from writing, what did?”
Buttercup traced a finger around the lip of her water glass. “A bunch of things, I suppose. My life with your father was…fast paced. We met, fell in love, and got pregnant with you in the span of what? Three months, give or take? I had been living in New York, getting my Masters in creative writing one minute, and the next I was moving into your dad’s apartment in San Diego. I got so swept up in the whirlwind that my writing kind of fell by the wayside. It’s okay. It happens.”
“So…what made you start writing again?”
Buttercup shrugged. “I moved here with you, and I had no other creative outlet. Bob and Nat were still in the Navy, so I didn’t have them to lean on. I had no friends here; I didn’t know any of my coworkers. It was just me and you, so I would write when you were napping. I just poured everything I was feeling into a word document and, eventually, a narrative started to take shape. It took a while, but I was eventually able to take it to the publishing company I worked for, and they agreed to publish it.”
“Why did you move here? I though you and Uncle Bob grew up in Minnesota?”
“We did,” Buttercup took a swig of water. “I got a job offer here not long after you were born, so I took it when your father and I split up.” Buttercup flagged down a passing waiter. “Could I get a glass of rosé, please? Thank you.”
“Did you split up because of the job offer?” Charlie felt her heart racing in her chest. Every question she’d ever asked (or wanted to ask) her father was battling in her mind, all of them racing to be the first to come out.
Buttercup smiled wryly. “Not exactly. Well…maybe. Kind of. I don’t know, babe. It’s complicated adult stuff.”
“But I’m almost an adult,” Charlie commented, leaning closer. “I turn 12 in a few months.”
Buttercup tilted her head. “You do indeed.” The waiter placed the tall glass of pink wine on the table and Buttercup took a long sip. “Abby, honey…I know why you feel curious about your father. It’s natural to wonder about a man you’ve never met. But…” Another sip disappeared down her throat. “There are just some things that are too complicated to explain. There was a lot going on at the time, and we had gotten together so quickly, and we were juggling parenthood with our jobs, and…” Charlie felt her face flush as her mother’s breathing stuttered, tears welling in her eyes. “Some things…just don’t work out. There are some things in life that you just can’t hold onto, no matter how badly you might want to. It made more sense for us to split up and for you to come with me than for us to keep fighting the way we were.”
Charlie sagged against her side of the booth. So much information, and nothing to do with it. Her mom was clearly just as messed up from the divorce as her dad was, but neither of them were willing to talk it out with their children or with each other. She felt a flash of disappointment in her gut, but she smothered it. She loved her mom and her dad, and she yearned for them to be able to fix things between them, but it was okay that they weren’t willing to do the leg work on their own. That’s what her and Abby were there for. Even if their plan didn’t end with their parents back together, at least they wouldn’t be able to hide their children from each other anymore. That would have to be the main goal.
“Abby?”
Charlie looked up into her mother’s wide eyes. “Yeah mum?”
“I said I’m sorry,” Buttercup bit her lip. “I’ll try to figure out a way to explain it all to you one day, I promise.”
“It’s okay, mum,” Charlie smiled lightly. “I know I sprung it on you. We can talk more when you’re ready.”
Buttercup sighed and squeezed her hand. “I don’t know what I did to deserve you, Abigail Juliet Floyd, but I’m so glad you’re my girl.”
“And I’m glad you’re my mum.”
Buttercup smiled tearily before picking up her menu. “You know what, babe? What do you say we break the rules and have dessert first?”
“I’d say that sounds awesome.”
Tumblr media
Charlie yawned as she crawled into bed that night, ABBA songs still ringing in her ears. Dessert, dinner, and their performance of Mamma Mia had been an awesome time, but it was so late that she wished she could just fall asleep the second her head hit the pillow. But, in an effort to be a responsible sister, she dug her phone out of her purse and turned it on instead, searching for any new messages from her sister across the ocean.
When her search turned up empty, she opened Instagram and found her father’s profile, scanning through the photos of Abby, Jake, Javy and Rooster. She felt a pang of longing to be back in her familiar surroundings with the people she loved most, but the anger and hurt she still felt over her father’s betrayal pushed that pang back.
Still, she studied the most recent photo, a selfie of Abby, Jake and Javy at the high school football field, posted only the previous day. They all looked so happy together, her dad’s arm wrapped around Abby’s shoulders as Javy struck a ridiculous pose in the background. No matter what the outcome of their switch was, it was worth it. Abby was clearly enjoying getting to know their father, and Charlie loved her mother more now than she ever had before. Sure, they might get punished once they were found out, but getting to know their parents was completely worth the potential trouble they were in.
The staccato vibration of her phone pulled her from her musing, Abby’s face lighting up the screen. She mashed the green button with her thumb, holding the phone up to her ear. “Hello?”
“Dad’s getting married!” She pulled the phone away from her ear quickly as Abby shouted down the receiver. “He got engaged to some blond woman who looks like she’s half his age!”
“Abby?” she couldn’t help the yawn that escaped her. “What are you talking about?” Dad? Engaged? Without introducing her (or Abby, in this case) to the woman? Impossible.
“I told you! The blond woman from this morning is wearing a rock the size of my head and hanging off of dad! She said that they’re getting married, and he confirmed it!”
Charlie’s stomach dropped and the cannoli and pizza she’d consumed earlier rose in her throat. “Wh…what? No! It…it’s not possible!”
“Except that it is! He told me it was happening whether I liked it or not!” Charlie’s throat worked to dislodge the tears that were silencing her, but, even if they went away, her mind could think of no words to make the situation better. “Would you say something, please?”
Say what, exactly? Her dad hadn’t been on a date in 12 years, always claiming to be too busy. Between the ranch and parenting his daughter, there weren’t enough hours in the day. Charlie had heard him explain that to Rooster and Javy more times than she could count, so what was this, exactly? He got engaged to someone and never thought that his daughter should be able to meet the woman who would be moving into their home?
Tear after tear traced delicate lines down her face, and she worked to keep her sobs silent, mindful of her aunt, uncle, and mother sleeping in the surrounding rooms.
“What do you want me to say, Abby?” she whispered. “Dad’s getting married, and he didn’t bother to even introduce her to me.”
Abby’s tinny sigh echoed through the receiver. “I know…”
Clutching Abby’s pink bunny close, she trembled as she groaned, “But he loves mom! I know he does! You don’t shut down that often about a person if you don’t care about them!”
“He shut down on me today too,” Abby agreed. “But it’s not like I can just tell him that he loves her. He would never go for that.”
“Can you find something to prove it?” For once, Charlie didn’t care that she sounded desperate. One of the best days of her life was somehow turning into a nightmare, and she needed it to stop. “Something to remind him?”
“Like what?”
“I dunno…a photo? Their marriage license? Anything that might remind him of her?”
“Where would I even find something like that?”
“In the office in the stable.”
Charlie heard Abby rustling around. “I’m there right now, I don’t see anything.”
“In the safe under his desk. Or in the filing cabinet. I don’t know the code to the safe or where he keeps the key to the cabinet though.”
Abby sighed again. “I’ll figure it out. I’ll let you know what I find.”
“Thanks…” Charlie sighed, wiping her eyes on the pink bunny’s fur. Come to think of it, she had an identical bunny at home, just in purple. “I’m sorry you have to deal with that while I’m having fun with mum.”
“It’s okay. Do…do you think mum still loves dad?”
Charlie rolled her eyes through her tears. “Abby, all her adult books are about a military guy falling in love with the woman of his dreams and the obstacles that keep them apart. She either loves him or she doesn’t know what else to write about.”
That much she knew was true. The whole reason her mother’s latest book hadn’t been turned in for publishing yet was because her mom had no clue how to reunite the two main characters, who were separated by duty to family and country.
“What if you’re wrong?” Abby whispered to her.
“I…” Charlie swallowed hard. “I don’t want to think about that. Find proof. I’ll find proof too. Then we’ll tell them about the switch.”
“Okay.”
“Okay. Good luck.”
“You too.”
Charlie hit the red button and let her phone slip out of her trembling hand. Her dad was getting married. To a woman she had never met before. Did he not care about how she would feel? Did he not think of her at all when he made the decision to get down on one knee? Did he think of Abby? Or their mother? What if he never thought about them? What if this whole idea was just one terrible bomb waiting to go off in their faces? What if, every time he shut down her questions about her mother, he was actually angry? What if she had misread the situation so terribly that it would have untold consequences when he found out about the switch?
Charlie felt herself begin to tremble more and struggled to take a deep breath.
Water. She needed water. That’s what her dad brought her every time her emotions took over like this. He would bring her a cool glass of water and hold her tight until the panic subsided. She may not be able to have her dad’s strong arms around her, but water she could do.
Stumbling out of bed, she quietly made her way downstairs, willing her legs to stop shaking long enough for her to get that glass of water.
She made it as far as the kitchen island before her legs gave out and she sunk to the floor in the dim light, her tears now flooding her face, her throat unable to even sob against the pressure building up inside her.
“Shhh, Charlie…it’s okay, sweetheart,” a pair of strong arms scooped her up and cradled her against a firm chest. She nuzzled into that chest, allowing her tears to soak into the white cotton t-shirt. A large hand smoothed over her hair and she felt her rescuer sit down on the couch, rocking her slightly. “It’s okay, honey. Let it all out. You’re okay, Charlie. You’re safe.”
Minutes, or perhaps hours later, she hiccupped and wiped her eyes, cradled like an infant in those arms that…were not her father’s, as her destressed mind had thought. She froze, and her rescuer sighed, lifting her slightly to lean her against the back of the couch.
Uncle Bob’s hand never left her back as she settled into a less cramped position, his hair ruffled and his glasses slightly askew. “It’s okay, Charlie,” he whispered. “Whatever’s going on in your brain can’t hurt you. We’ll find a way to fix it and, if we can’t, we’ll find a way to help you cope with it.”
Charlie blinked. He…he was calling her Charlie. He was calling her by her actual name. But…how did he…
“H-how long have you known?” she whispered, her heart settling back into a normal rhythm despite her sudden terror that her uncle would out her and ruin this before they were able to come up with a solid plan.
Bob shrugged in response. “Since the airport.”
“Buffalo or Heathrow?”
He grinned slightly, shrugging again. “Buffalo.”
Charlie groaned. “Tell me we had at least gotten on the plane first?”
“If I did that, I’d be lying.”
Charlie blinked up at him as she shifted to face him, curling her legs beneath her. “B-but…but you haven’t told anyone.”
Bob adjusted his glasses. “No, I haven’t.”
“But…why?”
Bob stared at her, his green eyes gleaming. “Because I trusted you and Abby have a good reason for this. And because your mother deserves to hear it from you, not from me. She’s missed you every day for 12 years. Far be it for me to steal that reunion from her.”
“I’m going to tell her. I swear. I just…Dad’s getting married,” she sniffled. “I don’t know if I can go home and face that right now.”
Bob reached out and gently tilted her head back so he could meet her eyes. “What did I just say? Whatever is happening, we’ll fix it together. And, if we can’t, we’ll find a way to cope with it together. Okay? That’s how this family works.”
Charlie nodded, eyes welling up again. “Thanks, Uncle Bob.”
“You’re welcome, sweetheart.” Bob opened his arms and she leaned into the hug, feeling safe and warm for the first time since she’d gotten back from the theatre. “You have to tell her though, Charlie. Tomorrow.”
She found herself nodding. “Tomorrow.”
Tumblr media
Tags List: @mamachasesmayhem @jessicab1991 @waltermis @buckysteveloki-me @allepaula @yuckosworld @seresinsbrat @ahopelessromanticwritersworld @kim-stark @cierra715 @high-speed-r @helpmepleasethanks @starsrfun @tomanyfandomstrash @averyhotchner @the-blueatlas @princessliz86 @dashes-dizzydisaster @a-girl-who-loves-disney @boiolay @djs8891 @torimcc @tgmreader @kmc1989 @landpiranha-blog @sydthekid1518 @lynnevanss @hello7442 @mackenzieblair @minejungwoo @starset21 @ssa-sadboi @tgmavericklover @dempy @rockbottomphilosophies-blog @lovemarvelousfics @starkleila @magical-spit @whatislovevavy @simplyreading96 @vivalas-vega @itsdesiree86 @inky-sun @books-are-escapes @abaker74 @devil-angel-winchester @mrs-perfectly-fine @ahh-chickens
123 notes · View notes
impactedfates · 6 months
Note
hello!! may I request platonic blade meeting the child he had previous life (as yingxing) reincarnated?
they died before yingxing and were reincarnated, they still have the same genes so they are still blade’s child, blade finds them at xianzhou luofu since jing yuan took them in bc they lost their mother and blade is a stellaron hunter now
A/N: Hello!! Sure you can request this :> I wasn't too sure what plot to go but I assume it's just mini fics of Blade meeting his kid from his past life?
Genre/Trope: Platonic + Familial
Format: Mini Scenario (Multiple)
Warnings: Small spoilers for the Xianzhou Loufu quest (? - debatable)
Extra: Blade is bio father, but you see JY as your father since he took you in // Mainly just random scenarios of you meeting your bio dad and a small reunion // pretty much rambles(?) // Reader is about 12 yrs old (in terms of whatever species they are)
Tumblr media Tumblr media
Blade didn't want anything to do with his past. Not entirely anyways. He wanted to rest, but he couldn't. As much as he hates it.
Honestly, I feel like Blade had an idea that you'd be reincarnated, but didn't think much about it. To him, you'd just be born into a different family and wouldn't even know him but he was wrong.
As it turns out, you kinda just...popped into existence, meeting Jing Yuan and the General took you in. Being a former friend of your father he knew what happened to both your parents, and as DNA tests would follow, Blade is still in fact the father.
As much as Jing Yuan knew it would be best for you to know your biological father, he thought against it. At least until Blade arrives in the hands of the Cloud Knights.
When Blade had broken out of the prison, imagine his surprise when he spots someone who looks exactly like his kid when he was still Yingxing,
He quickly fled however, as much as it's a surprise to see your child's reincarnation. He's a wanted man, though he never counted for the fact that you saw him yourself.
Despite Jing Yuan never telling you who your actual father was, seeing Blade. You felt a sense of familiarity in your body as you watched him flee. Being the adopted kid of the General, you know paths others didn't so you were able to catch up with him quickly.
When you did catch up to him and the Cloud Knights weren't anywhere near. You two probably just...stared at each other. You both knew you two were related even if that possibility seemed impossible but at the same time you two were strangers. The two of you (well at least you) were reincarnations, and in that previous carnation you two were family.
I feel like after a bit of staring Jing Yuan found the two of you, and he ended up explaining why you two probably feel the sense of familiarity and how you still somehow had the DNA of Blade.
You wanted to get to know your biological father, sure Jing Yuan will always by your "dad" as he's the one that took care of you for so long, but you had to get to know whoever was your biological one.
Blade was a bit uneasy on his end, on one hand he would like to know who you are but on the other hand, he'll be leaving eventually.
He did end up agreeing to catch up in a way. Jing Yuan allowed it and had a restaurant reserve a seat for the two of you. Tbh very awkward but you made it!
You two did catch up thankfully(?) Blade told you he's a Stellaron Hunter and you told him about being adopted by Jing Yuan. For some reason, Blade didn't like the fact you saw someone else as your father but he brushed it off.
I feel like Blade after that meeting would feel a wave of protectiveness over you. You are his kid, whether you view him as one or not, he's your biological father.
He, you and Jing Yuan agreed he'd be able to meet up with you. Even just as a hologram, though this will have to be kept secret from public as who knows would could happen if some people found out Jing Yuan was willingly letting a criminal meet with his kid?
Blade, even though he doesn't show it. Is a caring father to you and listens intently to whatever stories you say. And if you ever get a partner? Looks like they have to get the approval of 3 people. (Yanqing, Jing Yuan and Blade)
Tumblr media
Writers block randomly left me after my recent post so I did this! Hopefully will finish the other requests soon
210 notes · View notes
rustingcat · 7 months
Text
Vigilante
Tumblr media
Kara was late.
She hated being late, but the amount of paperwork she had to sign was much larger than she anticipated, and the lack of signal in the classified room in the DEO meant that she couldn't alert Lena on time.
Kara made it to the lab an hour later, more exhausted than she realised.
"Kara! Is everything okay?" Lena asked the moment Kara put her bag down.
"Yes, I'm so sorry for the delay. I had to sign a LOT of papers for the DEO." Lena seemed so engulfed in the work, their work. The last thing she wanted was for Lena to feel like she's forced to take on the load.
"The DEO? Did something happen?" The worry in her voice was clear. Kara put a reassuring smile on her face to take some of it away.
"Yes, yes. I just signed an employment contract, I'm officially no longer a vigilante!" Kara said with a small chuckle.
"Oh, why the change? I remember you weren't a fan of working for the government before, especially with everything that went down with Colonel Hailey." Lena walked closer to her, a concern not completely gone.
"Well, now that my identity is public knowledge, Alex was very adamant in reminding me how open I am for lawsuits. Both private ones and from the government, like they could potentially sue me for stuff they ask me to do! How crazy is that?"
"Did you sign it already? I could go over it to make sure they don't put any peculiar articles or subsections."
"It's ok, Alex is still in touch with Lucy Lane. They went over the contract together several times before presenting it to me. Lucy is really good with this stuff." She reassured her.
"So you're a government official?"
"Yeah, free from any Supergirl related lawsuits, and with some pretty sweet tax benefits. Plus all of the salary they wanted to give me is going to go to different kinds of selected charities of my choosing, so that's awesome."
"I'm glad it all worked out."
"Me too." Kara breathed in relief.
"I have some news, too." Lena said as an excited smile spread on her face.
"Do tell," Kara said, biting her lip as a smile matching Lena started spreading.
"Okay, while you were off signing what was no doubt a mountain of paperwork," Kara nodded, "I found and fixed the problem with the distributor." Lena proclaimed proudly.
"What was the problem?" Kara asked, matching her excitement.
"We switched the materials connecting it to the compressor, but not the ones connected to the bio-terminal!" She explained quickly, her hands moving around in excited blur to match.
"Oh Rao! So it means–"
"We can start testing!"
"Ahh- Lena that's amazing!" Kara crushed into her best friend, giving her the big tight hug she deserves. She absolutely loved hugging Lena, really she took any opportunity she got. Feeling her warp around her tightly as if not wanting to let go, her smell that somehow always smelled amazing and feeling her heartbeat so close to hers. Hugging Lena was amazing, and she really deserved the most amazing hug after that discovery.
"Wait, we don't have their DNA to test it with." Kara noted once they pulled away.
"It's just a test to see if it can even process something like that, It doesn't have to be theirs. We already have exactly what we need." Lena explained.
"What do you mean?" Kara was confused, they didn't collect any DNA ahead of time.
"Samples of two specimens of the same biological sex, not to mention a combination of human and non-human DNA." Lena smiled at her.
"Oh." The room suddenly felt hotter. "Yeah, no… yes I see. Yeah that- that would definitely work." They would be combining their DNA. She and Lena. Their biological data would be combined. Kara felt very normal about this.
"Will you be able to extract some of your blood? If not, we can try saliva." Lena asked and she started to look around for the tubes.
"I think I can," Kara answered, looking at her fingers in an attempt to decide which one would be easier to cut. It's not like she would have to worry about the long term effect of the wound as it would heal once she stepped out into the sun.
Lena was already grabbing a syringe by the time Kara decided to go with her thumb, hoping to make the surface of the wound big enough to extract more blood.
She checked with her tongue to see which of her teeth is the sharpest –her upper left fang, and attempted her first try. It was painful, yet unsuccessful. She braced herself for the unavailable pain and tried again. The metallic taste in her mouth paired with the pounding pain in her finger told her she was successful. She took out her thumb and tried to lift it in a way that no blood would spill out. She held it above the tube Lena handed to her, letting the small drops fill it as much as she could, squeezing a bit despite the pain, until she was satisfied with the amount.
A quick walk to the window, letting the reflected rays of the sunshine upon her finger, fixed the little cut she created. She only wished Lena had similar powers. The syringe made her cut relatively small, but a cut was still a cut in Kara’s book. Lena was pressing a small piece of cotton to her arm, holding it tightly as she worked.
Kara walked closer to her. She was healed at this point and just as familiar with the machine as Lena, it was her turn to put on some work. She took Lenas wounded arm and gave it a small kiss to make it better. Lena's cheeks were immediately coloured with a light share of pink.
"All better now." Kara smiled at her. "Do you mind if I take it from here? You can keep pressing on the arm."
Lena simply nodded.
Inserting their blood samples carefully, Kara directed the machine to start the process. It was odd, she thought to herself, seeing all of the biological specification options for the combined data of her and Lena's DNA. Afraid to make a mistake, she slowly pressed on each button, choosing to unspecify everything before starting the process.
Kara looked at Lena with an exciting smile, biting down both her upper and bottom lips in the anticipation.
"And now we wait." Lena smiled back.
They watched in silence as the machine processed their data, searching for any errors or possible problems. They went through the math and the coding multiple times, they were at the very least confident in their work. The test was not to see a baby going through a full term, that process would take a few months even in their very advanced machine. Not to mention that due to the possibility of success, they knew that their first test subject should be for people who would be willing parents. So the test itself was only to see if the machine can prepare their given data to what could later become an embryo and then a healthy fetus should they choose to continue.
The process bar got closer to the end. No errors yet.
Lena was still pressing on her wound as she followed the process bar closely with her eyes. Kara wasn't sure if it was worry, tension or excitement on her face. Probably a combination of the three. She couldn't say she was faring any better, chewing in her bottom lip with similar emotions.
The bar got closer to the end. 97%, 98%, 99%, 100%.
Kara instinctively inhaled quickly. Holding her breath until the bar disappeared completely, replaced by a 'process complete' message on the screen.
"Oh my god!" She heard Lena exhale in relief.
"It worked!" Kara turned to face her, mouth wide open in shock and excitement.
"It did!" Lena confirmed in amazement.
They were hugging again before Kara fully realised she was doing it. Jumping in excitement in Lena’s arms as the latter laughed in response. When she settled down she noticed how close their faces were to each other, she could feel the heat radiating off of Lena's face warm her own. Suddenly their excited hearts became louder to her ears as she watched Lena wet her own lips. Kara instinctively mimicked the movement. They stayed like that for a moment, before Lena suddenly pulled away. Kara felt a pang of disappointment she could not name.
"I should check on this one project before I leave for today. Could you finish everything here?" Lena hurried to find her back, refusing to meet Kara's eyes.
"Sure," she had no problem wrapping everything herself. "What do you want to do with the PF?" It was the name they decided on for a successful processed DNA combination, a shorthand for Potential Fetus.
"It's not important, you can dispose of it." Lena finished collecting her stuff and exited before Kara could respond.
"Right." She muttered to the empty room. The project she went to check on must've been important.
Kara turned her attention back to the machine. She was familiar with the options, she designed the UI herself after all, yet they gave her pause. The button to proceed to the next stage had somehow become the most fascinating thing in the world. Flash images of small hands, a wild patch of dark hair and big striking green eyes passed through her mind in quick succession. She only noticed she clicked the button once a warning message asking her if she was sure she'd like to proceed popped up on the screen. Small panic went through her body as she realised what she almost did, Rao she almost greenlighted the creation of a baby for her and Lena.
She quickly pressed no, and moved on to check the other options. She had no need to restart the process to respect the bio-data for the PF, nor make changes to the DNA. She stared at the button to terminate the PF and all data related to it, but couldn't bring herself to do it. The images flashed her mind again. She wasn't sure what it was but she couldn't bring herself to do it, she couldn't press the button.
A message from Lena asking if she wanted a ride home made her notice the time. She sent her a quick message saying she would be right there, and turned back to the machine. Kara made a quick decision to store the data for later use, just in case they wanted to reexamine it, of course. Plus it was their first success, it could also be a reminder of their progress.
Kara finished turning off whatever unnecessary parts to keep the power consumption at a minimum, went over everything twice and spared a moment to stare at the container, before she left.
The images followed her to her dream that night, along with a familiar dimpled smile by her side.
Read in order in AO3
172 notes · View notes
lucky-bishova-42 · 1 month
Text
Kate Headcannons
(in the Malen’kiy Yastreb universe)
TW: allusions to child abuse
Kate and Eleanor were never close. They never really bonded, even before Derek Bishop passed away; things turned ugly two months after he passed. Eleanor blamed Kate for his death and basically forced Kate to become her housekeeper to make up for it: doing all the cleaning, the laundry, making meals, etc.
Kate still feels obligated to clean the apartment when Natasha and Wanda are working long days, despite being told multiple times that she doesn’t need to
Kate has ADHD
Even though Natasha and Wanda are together, Kate was a little nervous about admitting to them she had a crush on America because Eleanor almost kicked her out when Kate told her she was a lesbian
Kate’s favorite days are spent snuggled between Natasha and Wanda just relaxing
There is still a lot about Kate’s past (specifically with Eleanor) that she hasn’t told Natasha about, and she isn’t quite ready to yet
Kate starts looking for engagement rings, for Natasha to give to Wanda, three months after they started dating; she really does hope they thank her in their wedding vows
She still flinches sometimes when she is overwhelmed and overstimulated and Natasha or Wanda moves too fast, her subconscious still not getting the fact that she is truly safe with them
Kate had been calling Natasha ‘mama’ in her head since around Mother’s Day before she started calling her that all the time (she doesn’t remember calling her that when she was sick)
Kate likes to quietly read with Wanda in her favorite spot under the big oak tree on days were she feels too overwhelmed
On really bad days, Kate likes to rest her head on Natasha’s chest so she can hear her heartbeat
Kate is, and will always be, a cuddler
Dr. Cho believes Kate is slightly touch deprived given the way her and Eleanor were never close
No matter how bad Kate is panicking, Natasha’s calm voice, soft touch, and steady heartbeat always help start to calm her down
Natasha trains Kate in self defense in between archery seasons
Natasha, despite being very encouraging, is dreading the day Kate fully takes on the Hawkeye mantle
Natasha basically ‘adopted’ Kate after she met Eleanor for the first time and could see something was wrong
Kate is currently teaching herself Russian, but isn’t telling Wanda or Natasha as a surprise
Sometimes Wanda has to remind herself that Kate and Natasha are not biologically related when Kate makes Natasha’s signature face or says something in an eerily similar way to how Natasha does
There are probably more I am forgetting but these are them for now :) (these were mostly kate, nat, and wanda centered but what else is new lol)
50 notes · View notes
the-desilittle-bird · 11 months
Note
Hello, I was just wondering if you would ever do a female Lucerys Velaryon fanfic?
AN- I don't know about a fanfic but here are a few headcanons for it...
Being Rhaenyra's Daughter and taking Aemond's eye...
Part 2
Warnings- Forced Marriage
GIF Credits to @veinereastath
Tumblr media
Being Rhaenyra Targaryen and Harwin Strong's first daughter and Jacaerys little sister. Being their first daughter meant that you were loved and cared by them; spoilt rotten by your mother and learning sword from your biological father.
Growing up with the Greens meant that you had a love-hate mostly hate relation with Aemond Targaryen.
You would tease him about not having a dragon, also being a part of 'The Pink Dread' prank. Though you had felt bad later, you were proud enough not to apologize.
You were to inherit Driftmark after Laenor. Lord Corlys Velaryon and Princess Rhaenys had decided that your gender won't matter in the inheritance.
You were quite close to Helaena, having shared classes by the Septa with her. But that was until your family shifted to the Dragonstone.
The news of Harwin's death saddened you tremendously, and you and your family had to travel to Driftmark for Laena's funeral.
You had tried to console your father, who grieved the death of your aunt, his sister.
In Driftmark, you met Daemon, the Rogue Prince, and his daughters, Baela and Rhaena.
You striked a strong bond with both of thems in the short time. Cheering them up a bit and helping them come out of grief.
That night, you were with them when you heard Vhagar and went out to investigate with them and Jace.
There you saw Aemond.
A fight broke out and in self defense, you sliced the dagger through Aemond's left eye, damaging it for lifetime.
Alicent wanted your eye as a payment and in the order to do so herself, she injured Rhaenyra, which in return hurt Viserys who yelled at everyone to stop.
As a way of repayment, you were betrothed to Aemond. Viserys said that it would join the two fractions of House Targaryen.
"Prince Aemond is betrothed to marry Princess (Y/N) from this day forward and shall be married when they come of age. This shall unite our House for good. The House of the Dragon should always be united."
And so, you left Driftmark betrothed to the man you hated with your entire life.
Only to know that your father died.
And soon enough your mother married Daemon.
Fast forward to the time when you with your family arrive at King's Landing to discuss your position as the heir of Corlys Velaryon, who would inherit Driftmark when the right time arrives.
And you met your betrothed again.
Only to be slightly awestruck by his beautiful long hair and sharp features.
But you could see he was less than amused, taunting you instead.
"Betrothed! Came here with your dagger, have you?"
The entire trial, you could feel his gaze fleeting over you. He looked at you like he could read you as an open book, running his fingers over the words to learn a secret you could only guess upon.
Your grandsire proclaimed you the heir to Driftmark.
Vaemond called Rhaenyra a whore and you and your siblings a bastard; adding a line about you following your mother's footsteps. That ended with him getting his skull off in a very asymmetrical way, so that his tongue was kept intact.
"He can keep his tongue."
The predatory look in Aemond's eye had you shivering; hiding behind your mother while she squeezed your hand in reassurance.
That evening, you were forced to sit beside him, which made it tense for you; while his eye pierced her soul.
And a toast was made for Jace and Joffrey, which was very offensive.
And then, for you.
"To my betrothed who is a beautiful, young... strong woman."
You stood up and slapped him.
Jace and Rhaena handled Aegon in the meantime.
Aemond did push you back a bit.
And before you could claw his only eye out, Daemon interrupted.
"Go to your bed chambers," Rhaenyra ordered
The betrothed was called off after that night.
And you returned to Dragonstone happy.
Your mother had started coordinating with the North about a betrothal between you and Cregan Stark.
"Cregan Stark shall treat you just and honorably."
But the news of passing of your grandsire came.
And Rhaenys came with the news of Aegon usurping your mother's crown.
You were sent to the Storm's End on your insistence.
And guess who you found there...
Aemond Fucking 'One-Eyed' Targaryen
Lord Borris Baratheon acted like a twat and denied helping your mother's cause.
Aemond stepped forward just in time for your leave.
"Give me your eye or I will take it!"
"NO!"
"Then I will take something far more precious."
Lord Baratheon was kind enough to order you to leave.
But that stormy night, you arrived at Dragonstone
And only a week later, your mother was told that you were forcefully married to Aemond.
196 notes · View notes
macdennisofficial · 11 months
Text
A trend I noticed last season (which I absolutely loved last season by the way) is that RCG seem to be focusing the finale on an emotional arc for one character. Last season's was Charlie, and before that was Mac. We know this season's finale is about Dennis. If I recall correctly (and I may actually be wrong because for the past few years I have intentionally been avoiding any kind of behind the scenes and fore-knowledge of any of my fandoms, simply because I prefer going in blind) Always Sunny has been renewed until season eighteen. So, if I am correct, that gives us enough for each main character to have an arc. I had been hoping that season eighteen would be Dennis personally, but that was purely preference and not based on anything else. Seventeen and eighteen would leave room for Frank and Dee to have their emotional finale.
Given that Dennis will be sixteen's finale, let's focus on him. With Mac, it was his sexuality (and also about trying to find his father's acceptance, which he didn't get - but he did, however, get Frank's, for the time being anyway.) Charlie was about his absent biological father . . . but also his found family returning to help him, and admitting that he wished Frank really had been his dad (which Frank also wished.)
Mac's sexuality and Charlie's desire to know who his father is were both brought up and discussed multiple times throughout the show, building so that the "ends" of their respective arcs were meaningful. They weren't just pulled out of thin air and contained to their character-specific finale episodes. So it's safe to say that Dennis' (and Frank's, and Dee's) will also relate to something that's been following them throughout the series.
What could Dennis' be? The only common denominator between Mac's and Charlie's episodes were wanting something from a familial person, and receiving it from Frank. Is that coincidence, or intentional? Will Dennis need something and eventually return to Frank as his father? Will everyone accept Frank as their parental figure by the end, leaving Frank for last, to accept them all as his children? Regardless, coincidental or intentional, Frank taking that role is a secondary, and more general, arc. I am interested in the more targeted one.
What about Dennis' specific story? Mac had his sexuality and Charlie had his abandonment - so what will Dennis have?
Mac's sexuality makes sense, as for years coming to terms with it had been his character's primary focus. Charlie's desire to know, once and for all, who his father was does too, as that had been toyed with since the season two finale. What has been following Dennis repeatedly that could be possibly concluded when he takes his mental health day?
Emotions and identity.
We will see Dennis come to terms with what he feels, and who he is, away from the Gang, which he has tried to do before (The Gang Misses the Boat, Dennis' Double Life) for years . . . but this time, he will succeed.
That or he's gonna rage-kill Jack. I'm excited either way.
174 notes · View notes
merrysithmas · 9 months
Text
missed opportunities with Spock & medicine in SNW
Okokok I didnt mind Spock & Chapel as I felt it was well-written (in conjunction w Spock & T'Pring) for the two of them and simply a stepping stone/arc to his further character development and exemplified his struggle converging his dualistic origins
but
Spock in TOS has an extreme (and to an outsider, illogical) aversion to medicine/medical procedures/medical personnel as evidenced by his deep mistrust of McCoy in TOS. I always postulated this is because he was mistreated or belittled or made to feel "wrong" by Vulcan medical facilities as a child given that he is a biological hybrid.
This "illogical" aversion to medicine is not based on the Scientific Fact that he as a science officer treats as secular gospel -- but is instead a result of his injured emotional nature, which felt ostracized and likely put on display as some kind of marvel/freak by the professionals he likely dealt with as a child.
I have a whole other post about Spock & Medicine and how his cantankerous and frequently mocking relationship with McCoy both displays his anger/disgust with the limits of the profession and, eventually, the healing of this wound via his friendship with Dr McCoy.
In TOS Spock dismissively refers to medicine as "potions" which make him feel sick and nauseous - (likely a side effect of his hybrid physiology where no medical traditions from either Vulcan or Terran origin completely mesh with his genetics or organs/hormones). Thus, even when he can get help from a compassionate provider - it likely does not help all the way or is uncomfortable to endure.
Discovery took this one step further and had Spock literally institutionalized because his emotional break following his visions/hallucinations which further highlights an origin for Spock's mistrust and distaste for medicine. We learn his visions were a result of an explicable cause & that medicine failed Spock yet again.
These experiences can even be applied to TOS and also color his relative annoyance with Nurse Chapel's one-sided affections.
Spock does not like doctors or nurses.
And he has good reason to fear and mistrust them despite his logical knowledge of their professionalism or expertise. Spock is scared, burned, and embittered by medical efforts and endeavors.
It is the one overt example in TOS where his human emotionality overtakes his logical mien almost effortlessly and with visible sharp resentment towards McCoy in almost every conversation they have.
Strange New Worlds seems to forget this important part of Spock's character which was evident in TOS (and eventually resolved by his friendship with McCoy), and expanded on in Disco with his institutionalization.
Sadly, his relation to Medicine in Strange New Worlds is a nonissue that pretty much ignores the canon in those two series - whether it is in a scene with Dr M'Benga or Nurse Chapel. It does not seem given the other canon he would ever be as cooperative or receptive to their treatments or suggestions.
However, as Spock is being written in this series to have mental duress over his "opposing" halves as personified by his desperate attempts to make two DOA romances with both T'Pring and Christine work - it seems this would be an important and relevant topic to broach considering Christine is in fact a nurse, and a representation of a system that has so far at this point in his life failed, harmed, and excluded him.
Not only that, but T'Pring is essentially the equivalent of a Vulcan psychiatrist.
It is fascinating that Spock, reviled and mistrusting of both medicine and psychology, sandwiches himself between a nurse and psychiatrist.
Despite his bone-deep betrayal by both of these institutions he finds himself indeed broken by them: beholden and shackled to the need for their love and approval - as deeply unhappy with himself as he is.
Spock, through these two flailing and ill-begotten relationships, continues to subconsciously punish himself for the truth.
That he is neither nor both - and there is no way to define him except by himself alone.
And that is what he fears the most: that he is truly alone in the endless universe.
Recognizable to no one.
110 notes · View notes
edgy-ella · 8 months
Text
I recently rewatched Invader Zim with @allshaftsfall, and something dawned on me that I should’ve realized years ago: Irkens have really weak backs/spines.
Or at least, it gets worse the taller they get, exponentially more so than with humans. The only tall Irkens we ever see in the series are the Tallest (obviously) and Sizz-Lorr, all of which are noticeably hunched over.
Tumblr media Tumblr media
Sure, you could argue that Sizz-Lorr’s weird hunchback comes from his abnormally large PAK and the Tallest’s poor posture comes from the extreme corseting done to their midsections, but that in turn raises another question: why in god’s name would you ever fuck up your spine like that in a society where your status is determined by your height?
This stood out to me as weird for the Tallest in particular, because height is their status, so you’d think they’d be doing everything in their power to make themselves look as tall as possible rather than the opposite. It’s also something not unique to Red and Purple—concept art shows that Miyuki and Spork, the two previous Tallests before the current duo, had the same thing going on.
Tumblr media Tumblr media
Hell, even Tak, who is barely taller than Zim, doesn’t always stand up straight.
Tumblr media
This mostly applies when she’s in her human disguise, but still. Her height wouldn’t expose her as an alien—nobody cares about Zim’s more damning features, and Dib has classmates much taller than she would be standing up straight—so she doesn’t have anything to gain by slouching. To me, it seems like she feels like she has to consciously stand up straight when out of disguise, interacting with other Irkens (as someone with scoliosis, I can relate), but feels more relaxed as a human where height isn’t that big of a deal.
Before anyone calls bullshit on Tak ever slouching, look at her posture here compared to Gaz.
Tumblr media
None of this is an art style thing, either. The humans in the series, both tall and short, stand significantly straighter. The only human I can think of off the top of my head that slouches is Ms. Bitters, and we don’t even know if she is human.
So, what does this all mean? Why’s this important? Well, to me, it begs the question: if the Irkens end up with significantly worse posture the taller they get, why does their society run on a height-based hierarchy? It’s already a silly concept, and the fact that Irkens already seem to have weak backs is just the cherry on top.
To me, this says that this is not naturally a part of Irken culture, and that the Control Brains put it in place whenever they assumed total control of the species, and it seems like it’s there in order to make the Irkens more reliant on the Control Brains. You can’t expect to have a stable leadership if your rulers are chosen arbitrarily, so the people supposedly in charge have to rely on the giant supercomputers to handle all the hard stuff for them. We already knew that the Control Brains were these shadowy figures controlling everything from the shadows, and this is just doubling down on that. And the implications there are wild: were the Control Brains originally made by other Irkens, only for their AI to gain sentience and weaken the Irkens biologically, socially, and culturally? Were the Control Brains made by a completely different race, only to appear like gods before primitive Irkens and force themselves upon them? If so, what happened to whatever race made the Control Brains? What’s the Control Brains’ overall purpose? How far does this “meat shield used to carry the PAK around” thing go?
Unfortunately we are never ever getting any answers to these questions because the franchise is in indefinite hibernation right now and they didn’t tackle the Control Brains in any meaningful capacity when they had the chance in either Enter the Florpus or the comics. But it’s fun to think about!
102 notes · View notes
tangledinink · 7 months
Note
Love love love your human au of the turtles!! I've had a burning question for a while though:
What do the boys assume about their relation to Splinter? I doubt they wouldn't notice the fairly obvious fact that there does need to be two biological parents for reproduction, and that they don't really look like their dad, despite having no memories before him to suggest adoption. There's no way they didn't know he was kidnapped and held captive for seven years because when you're a celebrity that sort of thing isn't hard to find. Combining these facts, I know what conclusions I would've come to. Granted, I'm not exactly the golden representation of your average child, but at the very least Donnie would've definitely wondered.
So... What's their conclusion about the situation??
Ah, thank you! And this is actually a topic I explain way more in the I'm Sorry, Teenage Mutant What Now? fic! But basically, the boys, for a majority of their lives, believe that their dad is their biological father and that their biological mother, who they do not know the identity of, was abusive in some way (leading to both their father's disappearance from the public and to eventually taking sole custody of them and them moving to New York,) and/or abandoned them-- but they've never really discussed it. Here's an excerpt from the fic on the topic, conveniently from Donnie's perspective:
---
"Donnie frowned a bit, shrugging. He was loath to admit it, but Leo did have a point. Their Dad hated to talk about himself or his past outside of trivia about his acting career. Donnie had tried to ask him about their extended family once, and he totally shut down. He wouldn't even tell them what his parents' names were. And the four of them had always tried to respect that. I mean... they knew it was all really complicated. I mean, jesus, he had basically been kidnapped and presumed dead for, like, twelve years. That had to be traumatic, right?
Most of what Donnie knew, factually, about their move to New York, he had gotten from old magazine articles and talk show segments that he found online later in life. He knew what all the reports and stuff said, sure, about the abusive ex, (their mom, he thought dimly in the back of his mind, whose face he couldn't even remember,) the going into hiding, the forced isolation. But none of them had ever talked about it. He had been really little back then, so he couldn't really remember very much. His memories were more general feelings or ideas rather than actual events. He remembered playing pretend games with his brothers more than anything. He used to think that that was odd, because he had never been much of a 'pretend' kid growing up, but his therapist noted that it was common for small children to use fantasy or make-believe to 'escape' from bad situations or explain away trauma. So he supposed maybe that was it.
He remembered it being dark most of the time. And he remembered his feet being cold a lot. There was this sound that he heard in his head a lot when he thought of it, but he had no idea what it was. Shhhh shhhhh.
... But that was about it. He and his brothers, in turn, didn't really talk about it amongst each other either, or with other people. It just felt... weird. Or wrong, somehow, he supposed? Whatever."
(... And, just for fun, another small excerpt from a one-shot sidefic I did from April's mom's perspective, back when the boys were still itty bitty...)
"She had, at one point, tried to convince the boys that they could just call her “Carol,” but when she had pitched it to the group, April had gasped loudly in offense and said that that was too weird, and if anything, they should just call her ‘mom.’ And then Mikey had declared that they didn’t have a mom. And then Raph had argued that they did have a mom, she was just dead. And then Leo had refuted that they did have a mom, and she wasn’t dead, she just didn’t love any of them. And then Donnie had signed something in ASL, too quick for her to quite catch, and Leo had nodded and quickly corrected himself, clarifying that their mom was probably alive and also existed, but she didn’t love any of them and also wanted their father to die."
78 notes · View notes
bellaxgiornata · 1 year
Text
Falling For the Devil [Part thirty-three: "The Thanksgiving Dinner"]
Pairing: Matt Murdock x Fem!Reader
Summary: Matt finally meets your family and you all sit down for a nice Thanksgiving dinner.
Or
You spend the evening hoping your family doesn't scare Matt away. Especially your aunt.
[Series of one-shots about Reader meeting, falling for, and dating Matt Murdock.]
Warnings: 18+ for this series; contains humor, fluff, romance, angst, smut (like...a lot of it later in the series), language, some violence
Word Count: 3k
a/n: As I've said in a previous installment, for this series I have created a family for Reader, and because I cannot possibly make this realstic to every person reading this and how their family/traditions/beliefs look (as much as I'd like to) I have left it so that y'all can either believe Reader is biologically related to this family, or that she was adopted as a baby. I will do my best to always make it seem like either is true. You can find all the installments for this series on tumblr here and I hope you enjoy!
Tumblr media
Carrying a plate for you and Matt in each hand as steadily as you could, Matt's own hand wrapped around your bicep, you guided the pair of you to the dining table. Carefully you maneuvered the pair of you around the table and chairs before placing a plate down in front of each table setting. 
"Chair is right here," you told Matt, pulling it back towards his outstretched hand.
"Thank you, sweetheart," Matt whispered to you, grabbing the chair and pulling it out further. 
"I set your plate on the table. The silverware is on either side. Water is to the right, wine glass is just to the right of that," you told him as he situated himself. "We don't say prayers but usually my dad gives a toast before we eat."
"I appreciate the heads up," he said, shooting you a smile over his shoulder. 
As you slipped into your chair beside his, you were grateful for the minimal embarrassment that had occurred so far today. Matt had repeatedly assured you he was enjoying himself and having fun meeting your family whenever you had pulled him discreetly aside throughout the afternoon and early evening. For that you were glad because shortly after Matt met your mother, Georgia, she had almost immediately brought up grandbabies–five times now to be exact, and at least two of those times had been to say Matt would make beautiful children. You'd shot your mom a pointed look each time before profusely apologizing to Matt over and over, embarrassed. He'd just smiled and told you it wasn't a big deal.
Your father, James, had interrogated Matt relentlessly over his intentions with you shortly after their introduction outside where he was finishing smoking the turkey–which had left you red in the face. But Matt somehow answered every question with charm and poise, something you desperately envied. He'd told you not to feel embarrassed about it after the fact; he had actually liked how protective your father had been over you. He had told you that if he'd had a sister, he imagined his own father would have sounded the exact same when meeting their significant other for the first time–except, maybe with a bit more physical threats thrown in. 
Matt had even gotten along wonderfully with your sister, Amber, and your brother, Nate. He'd initially bonded with Nate over craft beers in the kitchen when you'd desperately needed a glass of wine. Matt claimed he had a 'sensitive palette' which was why he didn't often enjoy the mainstream beers, and that left you half choking to death on a sip of wine, Matt patting you roughly on the back with a shit-eating grin on his face. Amber had wandered into the kitchen shortly after and was in complete shock and awe that the lawyer Matthew Murdock you'd told her you were dating was the Matthew Murdock who had taken down Fisk a few years back. She lived in Hell's Kitchen as well, you having moved out there shortly after she had, and worked as a secretary at Hogarth & Associates. When she saw Matt she roughly dragged you just out of the kitchen and proceeded to question you on how the hell you'd landed him as your boyfriend. Apparently even she had heard about his sexual prowess. You almost died knowing he had heard that conversation in the other room. 
Thankfully Matt's introduction to your grandmother, Vivian, had gone quite uneventful. Except for the fact that she kept repeatedly telling Matt that he was 'quite the handsome young gentleman.' And you were sure Matt was quickly running out of ways to politely accept that compliment. Your Aunt Kimberly mainly only urged you to not be like Amber and get knocked up before a wedding, to which your jaw had dropped and Amber said a few choice words as politely as possible before you could. Your Uncle Marcus had gotten along well with Matt though, taking an interest in Matt's law firm to which Matt was happy to chat about. 
And sweet, sweet Hudson's introduction had been your favorite. You had admittedly blushed hard when you had to explain to Hudson that he couldn't call him Uncle Matt, though you'd enjoyed the little smile on Matt's face when he had heard him ask. And then Hudson had pulled Matt by the hand excitedly, dressed in his full-on tyrannosaurus rex costume that Amber had warned you he was in a phase over, to show Matt all the different dinosaur toys he'd brought with him. You had almost melted at the sight of Matt–the man you knew as the infamous vigilante, who you had even witnessed beat the absolute shit out of criminals–sit on the floor with crossed legs and enthusiastically question Hudson about each of the dinosaurs. You didn't blame Hudson for practically falling in love with Matt after that.
Matt's warm hand on your thigh under the table brought you back to the present as everyone began shuffling into the dining room and taking their seats. Matt was seated on the end of your side of the table; you had been hoping to make it easier on him if he needed to get up, and your mother sat at the head of the table beside him. Amber sat to your right with Hudson beside her–still dressed as a dinosaur. The rest of your family filled in around the table, your focus still partially on Matt's warm hand resting on your thigh.
Within minutes your dad rose from the far end of the table, wine glass in hand as he gazed around the room once everyone had settled in their seats. Your hand quickly made its way under the table, covering Matt's as you lightly bumped your shoulder into his. He turned towards you, a warm smile on his handsome face. You bit back the smile on your own face as you glanced back at your father. 
"So I always say a little something before Thanksgiving dinner," your dad began. "And I just want to say that I'm grateful for everyone sitting at our table this year. I'm grateful you and Kim were able to make it out this year," he said, his focus on his brother before his gaze shifted between you and your siblings. "And my wonderful, grown kids. You have all scattered yourselves around this big country, accomplishing such wonderful things, but I appreciate that you always find a way to come home for the holidays."
"I came for the turkey," Nate called out, joking. 
Everyone at the table laughed, Matt squeezing your leg a little. You smiled, a warmth lingering in your chest as your father continued his speech. 
"Well, we're getting to that. I didn't spend twelve hours smoking it to just look at it," he joked back. His focus shifted to Matt beside you, a smile on his face. "We are all glad to have you join us this year, Matthew. It's been a joy getting to know more about the man who has my daughter smiling like I've never seen anyone else manage before. As far as I'm concerned, you're part of the family and I hope we see you for Christmas."
Beside you, you could see Matt's eyes tighten with emotion behind his glasses as he muttered a quick 'thank you.' You swallowed the lump of emotion down in your own throat, knowing how much that had probably meant to Matt. Your hand squeezed his lightly as your father finished his little toast. 
Soon, everyone had begun to eat, the sound of cutlery on plates filling the room. It wasn't long before praise for the food was filling the dining room next. Even Matt appeared to be enjoying the dinner and not doing that polite thing he did when he ate–chewing quick with a pinched smile. There was a genuine smile on his face when he had complimented your parents on the meal.
"Such a gentleman," your grandmother had mused aloud as she ate.
Beside you, Amber snickered lightly. She leaned towards you and whispered, "That's twelve times now she's praised him."
You nudged her with your foot but you couldn't fight back the grin on your mouth. It was twelve times now that your grandma had complimented Matt out of the blue. It was cute how he'd started flushing after the fifth time, and as you glanced at him beside you, you saw he was yet again.
"What happened to your girlfriend?" your Aunt Kim asked, spearing turkey onto her fork as she glanced at Nate beside her.
"We broke up," Nate answered simply, his focus still on his plate.
Your shoulders tensed as you speared a few green beans, knowing your aunt wasn’t going to just drop the topic. Every time she saw the three of you, she always probed about your lives–and was usually quite judgemental about Amber and yourself. 
"I wasn't a fan of hers," Kim commented, bringing the fork to her mouth, "she never treated you right. She was always so forward, too." 
“How ironic,” Amber whispered beside you.
You fought back a laugh, stuffing a spoonful of mashed potatoes into your mouth. Thankfully on your other side, Matt didn’t seem remotely bothered by the growing tension around the table.
“You know, I always say a young woman shouldn’t be so crass,” Kim continued, waving a forkful of mashed potatoes pointedly at you and Amber. “These ladies these days have such filthy language and they’re so bold . It’s quite off-putting, really. It’s no wonder why marriage rates are declining and divorce is on the rise.”
"Because, God forbid, a woman speaks her mind," Amber muttered beside you. “Or has a child without a good husband.”
You nearly choked on the sip of wine as you set your glass back down. From the corner of your eye you saw the little smirk on Matt’s mouth. He could also hear every bit of Amber’s quiet commentary.
“So what about you, Amber?” Kim continued, clearly planning to keep control of the dinner conversation. “Have you found a man yet?” She paused, waving a hand as if to correct herself. “I mean, a suitable husband and father figure for Hudson?”
You glanced at Amber beside you as her head abruptly rose from her plate, a stiff smile on her mouth. Biting your lip, you knew something sarcastic was coming.
“No, Aunt Kim,” she answered, tone sickly sweet, “I haven’t found one yet. Can’t seem to afford the extra shipping charges for one on Amazon. Being a single mom in the city is difficult, you know.”
To your left, Matt coughed into his hand at your sister’s jab. You quickly drew your napkin from your lap, pretending to wipe at your mouth to hide the smile on your face. Though Nate beside your Aunt slipped a thumb’s up to Amber, the gesture barely hidden from your aunt and uncle. Your mom caught it though and sent him a stern look until he stopped.
Your aunt's eyes landed on you next across the table as she chewed. Instantly you shrank under her gaze, focusing on your plate. You were next, you could feel it as you scooped up some potatoes.
"And you, dear, is Matthew treating you well?” Kim asked, her gaze so focused on you that you swore you could feel it all the way across the table. 
Amber leaned towards you, whispering in your ear, "Bet he treats you real well in the bedroom."
Beside you, Matt cleared his throat loudly as you swallowed your food, sputtering a bit. You abruptly kicked your sister's shin as she sat back in her chair.
“Especially knowing you have that… job you have for that paper?" Kim continued as she cut a piece of turkey. "Not really a suitable career for a young lady, either. Honestly, all those articles about murders and political corruption."
You tossed a bit of turkey into your own mouth and chewed slowly, buying some time to answer. Really you were trying to force a strained smile on your mouth and fight back the urge to toss the gravy boat on her.
Eyes focusing back on your aunt, you answered, "As grandma has noted many times, Matt is quite the gentleman, Aunt Kim."
Amber and Nate both covered a hand over their mouth, clearly trying to hide their amusement. You often didn't make bold, passive aggressive comments, but you weren't going to have anyone question Matt. Your aunt’s eyes narrowed but she didn’t respond.
"And she's an impressive journalist," Matt spoke up, entirely unphased and not remotely intimidated by your frustrating aunt. "She just won one of the most prestigious awards in New York City the other month." He shot you a warm smile that had your heart beating a little faster. "I'm proud of her and what she does."
"So when's the wedding?" Nate teased you both from across the table.
You lowered your fork back to your plate, eyes narrowing at Nate as he laughed. "We have only been together a few months," you told him pointedly. "So can we finally drop the wedding and baby talk?"
"Oh, honey," your mother cut in, catching your attention, "we are just excited for you to have someone you actually wanted to bring home for once. And," she added, a cheeky smile on her face, "I'd love a grandbaby from you."
"You have a grandbaby," Amber cut in, gesturing to Hudson on her right as he enthusiastically shoveled down a handful of mashed potatoes. "He's the dinosaur demolishing the mountain of potatoes on his plate with his very messy hands."
Matt chuckled beside you as Hudson let out a roar between a mouthful of food. Your mom sent Hudson a warm smile.
"Yes, but I want more babies," she said. “And since you haven’t had a lasting relationship in a few years, Amber, my hope currently lies with your sister for weddings and babies at the moment.”
“Didn’t stop her from having one before,” your aunt mumbled.
You could practically feel Amber’s growing anger beside you. Immediately your attention shifted to your father at the other end of the table. “Hey, dad, how exactly did you smoke the turkey?” you asked, knowing full well that he’d talk about that for the next ten minutes at minimum.
As he launched into a long-winded explanation on what time he woke up this morning, the wood pellets he used, and various other things you weren’t too concerned about, you noticed Amber shoot you a smile. You returned back to your food, glad you’d thwarted a massive argument in front of Matt.
“Nice save,” Matt whispered beside you. 
You leaned towards him, whispering, “Figured you didn’t need to witness the arguing part of Thanksgiving traditions.”
_________
By the time you were guiding Matt out of your parents’ house and towards your rental car, the sun had long since set. The evening had gotten even colder and you swore you saw a few snowflakes falling from the sky. 
“So how terrible was that? Honestly?” you asked him, leading him to the passenger door.
He chuckled softly, shaking his head. “I quite enjoyed my Thanksgiving with your family, sweetheart,” he assured you. “They’re great. I mean,” his tone lowered as he leaned towards you, “your aunt seems to have some Draconian ideas on women–” he grinned when you snorted out a laugh at his words, “–but your family is great. You’d already forewarned me about your mother and her bringing up babies and weddings ahead of time so I expected all of that.”
“Were you expecting being considered a fine specimen of a man?” you teased. 
His smile grew wider as he shook his head, the pair of you coming to a stop beside the passenger door of the rental car. A few snowflakes landed on the shoulders of his dark coat.
“Can’t say that I was,” he answered with a chuckle, “but I suppose my ego grew a few sizes today. I’m sure Foggy will love that.”
Glancing down, your hands nervously fidgeted with a button on your coat. “So they didn’t scare you away from me?” you asked shyly. “Send you running for the hills?”
Matt turned towards you fully, an affectionate smile spread wide along his lips. He reached a hand out towards you, cupping your cheek gently as his thumb stroked your cheekbone. A smile made its way onto your own mouth at the gesture.
“Sweetheart, I loved your family. Truly,” he told you. “They aren’t going to scare me away from you. If anything, seeing you around them only made me love you that much more.” His thumb continued to stroke your cheek fondly. “Not a number far enough away from one, right?”
Your smile only grew at your little saying. “And apparently not a wine strong enough to help me survive my Aunt Kimberly, either.”
Matt barked out a laugh at your joke, his hand sliding to your neck and drawing you into him. Grinning, you wrapped your arms around his waist, burying your face into his shoulder. He smelled good, like the cologne he’d put on earlier.
“You did well with the passive aggressive comments and the skillful topic changes,” Matt praised. “That was impressive. You should see some of the arguments at Foggy’s family get togethers. Especially Thanksgiving–who knew there were so many opinions on how to cook a turkey?”
“Poor Marci,” you mumbled into Matt’s coat. 
“Oh,” Matt said, nodding his head quickly. “Yes, but for different reasons. The three of us have crafted a drinking game for every time someone asks Marci when she’s planning to conceive.”
Pulling away from Matt, you winced. “Oh, that sounds terrible. It’s that many people?” you asked.
He nodded. “Yes, unfortunately.”
With a sigh you reached past Matt, opening the car door for him. “So are you prepared to have lunch here before enduring the flight home tomorrow?” you asked him.
“I have you with me, sweetheart,” he said gently, smiling at you. “I’ll be just fine.”
As he turned and climbed into the car, you turned and made your way towards the driver’s side. That warmth you’d felt earlier in your chest only continued to grow.
127 notes · View notes