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rk-ceres · 8 months

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George’s Revenge

George Weasley x Y/N (+18) George is a little shit

Y/n & George has been dating in secret for about a year and she gets fed up with him being fed up so she pranks him smut, rough, idk.

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Ginny was sitting in the common room doing her homework when you sat down next to her with a small smile on your face Ginny looked up at you with a raised eyebrow as you grinned at her waiting for her to ask you whats up she rolled her eyes at you before sighing out “Yes….?” She asked drawing out the ‘s’ sound confused as to why her brothers best friend was sitting next to her “Hey Ginny, can i borrow your Christmas Jumper?” “sure… but Why? And which one?” She furrows her brows “the blue and yellow one” you shrugged knowing that thats the one that matches George and Freds jumpers “and dont ask questions you dont want to know the answers too” you wink Ginny hands you her jumper with a raised eyebrow “i want it back later i hope you realize this Y/n” she said sternly “i’ll return it unharmed my dear Weasley! And heres something for your troubles” you said with a smile leaving your old notes and homework for her to copy off of finding Fred and grinning at him “whatever it is not happening” he doesnt look up from his Zonkos trinkets “five galleons” “im listening” “im pranking George” “no way.” He says immediately “ten galleons.” He raised his eyebrow “twenty.” “Fifteen and a chocolate frog.” You bargained “twenty or no deal.” He said sternly “half now half later and you cant split it with George” you said “deal”

A few minutes later Fred comes back from his dorm with all of George’s jumpers in hand “here.” He huffs “i had nothing to do with this you understand me.” He said with a toothy grin “yes sir” you sassed him handing him the rest of the galleons “why are you pranking him anyway? Youre only going to regret it later your boyfriends not one to forgive and forget” Fred said with a smirk “he let Alicia Spinnet flirt with him no one knows we’re dating but you.” You looked down with a sad smile “George loves you Y/n you shouldnt get jealous of Alicia.” Fred rolled his eyes “i just want to be officially together. We’ve been dating for eleven months it hurts to see other girl's openly flirt with him because they think he’s single” you pouted and Fred understood

****later that day****

George walks down the steps from the boys dormitories wearing Ginny’s jumper looking furious it looked like he was wearing a crop top he stopped right in front of you, Ginny, and Fred crossing his arms over his chest Ginnys hand flies over her mouth stifling a laugh that threatened to make its way out of her throat the sweater rode up even more as he flexted his arm and clenched his jaw in anger “ha ha. Very funny Y/n give me back my jumpers and release me from this one!” George said in an annoyed tone “have no idea what youre talking about love” you chuckle sitting inbetween Fred and Ginny who were laughing hysterically “this is because i hid your homework and got you detention last week with Snape isnt it?” He huffed “still dont know what youre talking about babe” you said picking your nails “maybe you shrunk that jumper in the laundry” you teased

“You know damn well thats not what happened!” His nostrils flared with anger his lips pulling into a smile of amusement “how much did she pay you two to help her” he looked between Fred and Ginny “what do you mean George? This is the first im speaking to her all day!” Ginny fibbed with a small smile “why are you still wearing it anyway?” She followed up that statement with a question “because the person that **did** this put a sticking charm on the inside of the jumper” George groaned Fred doubled over in laughter

“SHUT UP FRED!” George started to giggle “maybe you should be a little more nice to Y/n here and apologize” Fred chuckled “over my dead body!” George laughed you yawned stretching your arms over your head “goodnight Weasleys! See you tomorrow.” You chuckled to yourself looking back at George with a shit eating grin on your face “ooh you little…..” he grumbled

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**Two Days Later**

As you were passing the room of Requirement on your way to class you suddenly got pulled in and slammed against the door you looked up into his deep chocolate colored eyes and smirked “finally got out of that jumper did you Georgie?” His mouth pulled into a line “shut. Up.” He growled in your ear sending a shiver down your spine “youve been naughty babygirl” he dragged his nose along your neck “i have no idea what youre talking about Weasley” you smirked “you know thats not what you call me little slut” he raised his voice anger behind his eyes “youre only making this worse on yourself brat” he nibbled your earlobe gaining a moan out of you he smirked against your skin “oh so you can fuck me. But we cant go public” you spat out at him his eyes widened “thats what all this is about baby?” He asked softly you look away huffing “if thats what you wanted we could’ve talked about it “we always talk about it and its always the same ‘why change whats good already’ George its been almost a year!” You got increasingly annoyed with him “you let Alicia openly flirt with you touch you and you dont even care!” You yelled his eyes widened realizing what it was really about the prank everything.

He slammed his lips on yours biting your bottom lip roughly “only you get this part of me Y/n” he murmured against your lips “thats not cutting it George” he quickly stripping you down to nothing but your knickers grabbing your breasts roughly as he shoved his leg between your thighs pressing his muscular thigh to your increasingly wet heat gaining a whimper out of you “Look at you all needy and worked up did i do this in a couple of kisses love? Everyone knows that you belong to me. Body and soul” He groaned in your ear hands coming to your waist pressing your cunt down onto his thigh “well? What are you waiting for gorgeous” he flexed his leg you slowly started rocking your hips back and fourth his jeans giving you delicious friction on your clit as you bit your lip “ah ah ah” he tutted pulling your lip from between your teeth “i want to hear your pathetic noises as you ride my thigh go on. Let the entire castle know who gets you this fucked out within seconds” he commanded with authority he jolted his leg upward pressing it further into your wetness gaining a loud moan from your throat he smirked “Look at you… squirming like a bitch in heat so eager to get off on my leg gonna be a good girl and beg for me sweetheart?” He asked in your ear “skrew you Weasley” you moaned he brought his hand across your cheek another moan left your mouth turning you on further “you’re a little misbehaving whore who needs to be punished again.” he growled biting your neck “im going to keep you cumming til youre begging me to stop” he mutters as he grips your hips speeding your rutting up getting you closer and closer to your high “youre close arent you?” You nod eagerly he smirks at you pulling his thigh away from your heat immediately shoving three of his fingers in your cunt you whimpered as you started to ride his fingers in time with his movements you clench around his fingers when he brings his thumb to circle your clit “huh… look at you Thats it… fuck my fingers princess…. Soak my hand like a good girl” when your orgasam crashed over you his name came out of your mouth as a chorus he fucked you with his fingers through your first orgasam of the night “good girl” he said shoving the fingers that was in your cunt in your mouth “clean them off” he commanded you swirled your tongue around his digits he removed them from your mouth with a pop after three more mind blowing orgasams with his fingers and tongue he pulled away from your abused cunt

“On that bed now. Face down. Ass up.” He said with conviction you nodded starting to walk he pulled you back to him by your hair “crawl” he spat you nodded getting to your hands and knees crawling to the bed he unbuttoned his shirt and trousers coming up behind you looking at your wet cunt “So wet for me already” he growls “just for you George” you moan “i know baby he shoved his entire length into your sopping hole hissing at the stretch “You like this big, thick, fat dick, babygirl? You like the way I stretch out your slutty pussy out to fit in there?” George growled in your ear pulling all the way out then slamming back in immediately gaining a loud pornographic moan from your throat “George” you moaned “You can take it, I know you can, take it like a good girl baby. Youre doing such a good job taking me so good” he sped up his hips pistoning in and out of you hitting your g spot over and over again silent screams coming from your throat he grabbed you by your hair pulling you up against his bare chest holding your arms behind your back his free hand wrapping itself around your neck squeezing just hard enough to cut your air flow forcing you to listen to his voice “Look at you you little whore taking me so good, look at that i can see my cock in your stomach. So deep isnt it, so fucked out for me baby. So sexy. Who does this pussy belong too. Tell me.” he bites your earlobe letting go of your arms opting out to rub at your clit as he roughly fucks your abused hole when you didnt answer immediately he delivered a harsh slap to your clit velvet walls squeezing him perfectly “you! It belongs to you!” You screamed “good girl baby” he praised rubbing slow circles on your swollen clit “Gonna cum again? Thats pathetic. Why dont you just squirt for me. Make me all filthy, since you cant control yourself around me” you nodded your head eagerly at him gaining a chuckle out of him “beg.” He commanded “please George please i need to cum please please please” you moaned out “cum for me” he said simply and merlin did you wetness gushed over the two of you he chuckled “do i fuck you that good? You really do like being fucked like a slut you just squirted all over me baby you feel so good…” red tinge came over your face as he flipped you over and slammed you down on the bed “Fuck, you’re so fucking sexy when you come. What a gorgeous little slut…. Shit Baby… im Gonna… fuck… you’re gonna make me come, So tight good girl” he slammed his hips into you for the final time painting your walls in his cum groaning

When you came down from your high George pulled you onto his chest rubbing circles on your skin “i love you Y/n/n, only you, i belong to you only you baby you dont have to be jealous you know that” he cooed “i know that. You know that but no one else does… you know how much that hurts? Seeing them flirt and touch you and you doing nothing about it?” You didnt meet his gaze then it clicked in his head you were insecure and needed reassurance “okay baby.. okay” he said softly kissing you gently as you fell asleep in his arms

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You sat down next to George Fred sitting on the opposite side of you slowly making your plate with a sad look on your face when Alicia and Angelina came sitting next to George you stiffened in your seat about to get up when George’s left hand placed itself on your thigh stopping you from moving “Goodmorning Handsome” Alicia smiled at George “Alicia” he gave a polite smile “so i was thinking, this Saturday you and i could go to Hogsmeade together” she said with a flirty smile you started to pack up “I appreciate the offer but its mine and my girlfriends one year anniversary on Saturday; I’m taking her to get her nails and hair done, and im getting her a new dress for our dinner and a movie date. Y/n and i already have plans for the entire day none of them include me going to Hogsmeade with you.” George turned around and grabbed your hand “i dont mean to be rude, or maybe i do mean to be a little rude but you have no chance with me you never have, and its annoying being flirted with constantly. shes already got everything i have to give her.” He grabbed your hand and placed a chaste kiss on it “shes everything i want” he sighed standing up “now if you could please stop flirting and touching me? Its making me and my girl really uncomfortable” he turned to you “ready to go Baby? We’ve got potions” George kissed your forehead you smiled at him “thank you” you whispered walking out of the great hall hugging his waist

#george weasley smut#george weasley #george weasleyxreader #george wealsey imagine #george weasley x fem

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namjooningelsewhere · 2 years

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War Of The Hearts: #6

✽Pairing - OT7 x reader (DJ) and OT7 x Lily

✽Word Count - 6k

✽Ratings - 18+

✽Genre(s) - Mafia Au, Angst , Fluff, mentions of smut.

✽Trigger Warnings - Mentions of Death, Mentions of Trauma , minor alcohol consumption, mentions of torture and shootouts and mentions of bloodshed, Mentions of Drugs, Attempted Murder, A little manipulative behavior, A shootout, a lot of cursing.

This chapter contains talks of self harm, please please do not engage with it if it triggers you.

✽Summary - You’ve been lurking in the shadows, protecting the seven of Bangtan even if it means you must give your own life. After all, that’s what you do when you are in love with someone irrevocably. That pain seems to be minuscule in light of their safety. But it was never about you, for all you are is a speck of dust in the universe they have created for them and their girlfriend. Your heart’s at war, but it’s fine, you can smile through the pain as long as it means they smile- for her.

✽A/N : Forgive me for updating so late, Waring: This chapter may seem fast paced and may raise questions but the next update will answer all of them i promise. Hope you enjoy it:)Please please do let me know what you think about it, Your comments and asks literally mean the world to me. Let me know if you want to be added to the taglist.

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7mer @babycoffeefire @emoskytime8 @hob3yw0rld @motivatedprocastinator @speedyqueendaze @sugajinny @thereaderwholovesyou @btspurplesky @skz-jeha @theestrangeddreamer @success1009 @militrybarbi @afangirllikeme-blog @celestialentitiesss @daydreambrliever @bibebts @dreamamubarak @kimsaerom @sa7kou @veronawrites @bt21chim @cutiepat @jooniebub @shadowyjellyfishfest @mageprincess7 @jiminbolala @impossibilitydesign @xtayxx

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You shut the window tight with your bleeding hands. The red visible on the pristine white window sill. You take a look at your blood-covered hands. The cuts didn't look deep, but they definitely hurt like a. You had these cuts in worse places and somehow you were used to getting hurt, getting shot. But you could never get used to the pain that came along with it.

You stand in front of the closed window, looking at the darkness. You had no idea who that person was, where he came from and what business he had to do with you. But you were sure you would find out. One way or another.

The echoes keep getting louder and you quickly rush to the bathroom to wash up the wound and dress it up.

"Son of a bitch" loud curses leave your mouth when the cold water hits the cut and the red decorates the white of the sink.

"Are you in there?" You freeze when you hear Namjoon's voice and the knocks on the door keep getting louder.

"Be out in a minute." You yell at the sound of the water. You quickly disinfect the wound and dress it up in a minimal way, which won't be visible much. You quickly pick an oversized hoodie. big enough to have sweater paws. In no way were you going to let the seven men see the wounds. That would open another can of worms, and right now you had no mental or physical strength to deal with any of those.

You quickly sprint to the door and the moment you open the door. Two large arms engulf you in a hug, making you lose your balance. The rest of the boys step inside the room and finally give you an idea of whose arms you were in.

"Thank you, Thankyou so much DJ. You have no idea how much I owe you." You wipe the tears on Namjoon's face, and he just smiles at you with watery eyes and his dimpled smile. There was a pure look of despair on his face, and that was something you rarely saw. You knew Namjoon all these years. But never once had you seen him cry, or any other expression on his face other than the stoicness that took a permanent residence over his features.

"Namjoon you owe me nothing, I did what I wanted."

"You know the day when you first saved us eight years ago, That was the day when I felt I was going to lose everyone I love. I would have lost them, Died myself too. But it was because of you, I did not have to deal with that fear."

"As if I would let you die." You realize it a second later about what you said when you hear a giggle from Jimin, who was crying along with Namjoon. You sheepishly look away. There was no way you could have taken it back too. Not that you wanted to.

"Why are you like this?" Taehyung quickly snatches you from Namjoon and hugs you even tighter. You smile when you feel the warmth of his body. His chin resting on top of your head.

One by one you passed around the boys like a doll. Who took turns hugging you and thanking you. You made sure to not let the wounds be visible. You winced when someone tried to hold your hands in theirs. But you could take it.

The seven men who stood in front of you weren't any rich mafia bosses. They were just seven men who were thankful to you for saving their lives. The eyes that once held Anger, Resentment, Pity, and duty towards you. Now had something different in them. Though you still couldn't put a finger on it. But you were happy with whatever it was now.

You didn't have much to say about Bangtan. You did what you did because you loved them and you had no intentions of expecting anything in return either.

"Let's get going, It's late enough already." Everyone nodded at Jin's voice, and the men started following suit after he made an exit out of your room. You walked with the men downstairs, ready to bid the men goodbye for the night. You have a lot to figure out yet. But you have a lot of time now. Jeh was safe in Malaga. You were back in your home and the rest would fall into place soon.

"Good night you guys, Take care." The rest of the guys stopped in the tracks and turned to look at you with confused looks on their faces, which in turn put the same expression on your face too.

"What do you mean Good night guys? You're coming with us." Yoongi spoke up and the rest of the guys agreed with him.

"That's fine though, I can stay back here. I'm perfectly healthy now." You tried to make an argument, but it died down as soon as Hoseok put up a stern expression on his face. , that guy had the prettiest smile and the most dangerous eyes, too, when he was mad.

"I didn't even pack–

"You meant this?" Jungkook stood behind you with two suitcases in each of his hands with a smirk on his face.

"Perfect. You already have stuff at the house, Now you have enough to last you a couple of months."

"A couple of months?" Your eyes widened at Jimin's statement. What did he mean by a couple of months? You in Bangtan House for a couple of months? Like hell you would.

"Yup. Now get going, woman. Lily must be waiting."

"I know Lily wants me to stay there but i'll talk to her, You guys don't have to worry about it." Namjoon took long strides towards you, and held your hands. The pain immediately shoots to your brain, considering the force he held them with.

"We're not taking you home because Lily wants it, We're taking you home because we want to. I admit we took you home because she wanted to initially but now we really want you to live with us." You had no arguments left to counter anymore. The equation that you and Bangtan shared had always been like this. Inexplicable.

"I agree with that, Now let's go home please." Yoongi quoted, and the man literally walked up to Jungkook and took a bag from his hand and walked straight towards the front door. Bag in one hand and the other hand tucked in his jeans pocket. leaving seven confused people behind. There was no human who could match Yoongi's swag.

Everyone left one by one after Yoo ngi's exit and you had no other option than to follow the seven men. See, you were no weak, but regarding these seven humans, there was a glitch. No matter how hard you tried, or how hard or unreasonable the request was, if they wished for it, they could have it.

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"Hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii.." The moment you entered the house of Bangtan, the living tornado threw her arms around you like she had met you after ages. Although it was just in the morning she had seen you.

"Hi." Lily threw her arms around your shoulders and you sighed. You could never get used to the amount of skinship this woman was into.

"I ordered take out, Lets eat. I'm super hungry."

"Fine, you big baby." Namjoon chuckled as he ruffled Lily's hair, and she beamed just like a kid who got what she wanted.

The changes that had been happening in Bangtan House somewhat scared you. Because they kept changing at such a fast pace. You were worried about just one thing, though. Faster the pace, greater the collision.

The dinner went by pretty smoothly. There were no more discussions or any apologies. Just a normal dinner in comfortable silence. The way Lily kept glancing at you and smiling, gave you a different vibe, but you just left it to another day. You had enough for today. This could be decoded for another day. All you want now. Was some peaceful sleep.

"Hyung, we need to talk.." Everyone looked up at Jimin, who was elbowing Jungkook.

"Yeah, What is it?"

"It's work related. Can we talk to you all in Namjoon Hyungs study?"

"Work related? What is it that I don't know?"

"Hyung, Just come already." Jungkook whined, and Namjoon nodded his head. Jin and Hoseok quickly helped clear the table. Lily dragged you upstairs.

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You carefully clean the wounds again, taking your time since the last time you did. You had seven men on the opposite side of the door. You contemplated telling them, but the questions that they would fire at you were going to be intense and somehow you were not ready for that.

The loud knock on the door startles you yet again. You quickly wear your hoodie and rush to open the door. Lily stood on the opposite side, smiling like she always did and with her blanket in her hand.

"Am I late?"

"Late for what?"

"Is tae here already?"

"No he's not.--- Lily doesn't let you finish as she immediately pushes you aside and quickly claims her side of the bed. She motions you to sit beside her and you agree with a sigh. There was no way this woman would listen to you. And over time you have learned to deal with this ball of energy called Lily. You sit beside her, and she scoots closer.

"Can I sleep here tonight?"

"Don't you think it's a little late for that? You literally picked your side." Lily giggles as you roll your eyes. You quickly make yourself comfortable on the other side and turn off the lights.

"Lily, if Tae's gonna sleep here too, Make sure you guys don't do anything funny."

"Now that you think of it, It could be a threesome." Your eyes widen in horror at Lily's word. You took a chance by warning her to not have sex with Tae when you were sleeping right next to you. You had to save yourself from that horror.

"Lily, I swear to —-

"Relax DJ, I'll just ask Tae to sleep in his room tonight. Why does he only get a chance to sleep with you? I also want to sleep with you." You choked on air on the way Lily framed the sentence. Trust this woman to make you awkward and shocked at the same time.

"Lily—-

"Relax, I'm just kidding."

"Why are you like this?"

"I have no clue."

"You're insufferable."

"Nope, Wonderful is the word you're looking for."

"Lily–

"DJ"

"Jokes apart, Can I ask you something?"

"Shoot." You felt Lily face you, and although there was only dim moonlight lighting up the room. You could clearly feel the smile on her face die down. You had a feeling she knew what you wanted to ask.

"Why did you let me be a part of your lives?"

"Does there have to be a reason?"

"Ofcourse, There no actions without reasons. There has to be something."

"DJ you need to relax, Isn't it a good thing that right now all nine of us are together? Aren't these people lucky that they have two wonderful women who love them so much?"

"That wasnt the answer i was looking for."

"Stop looking for answers and stop questioning good things. You got the men you love. Be Happy. And I get to have a wonderful girlfriend like you."

"You never think before you speak, do you?"

"Dj, My love, that's the beauty of it."

"Beauty of giving me almost heart attacks?"

"Look at the brighter side DJ."

"You're insufferable Lily."

"Wonderful."

"Whatever."

"DJ Who did this?" You froze the moment Lily grabbed your hands and gently ran her thumb into your palm. You tried to pull your hand away from her, but the more you tried to pull it, the more she held it. Thank God for the dim lights. Or else you would have had a hard time looking at her.

"I got hurt–

"Like this?"

"Lily—

"Dont lie DJ, I may not be as dangerous as you guys are, But i definitely know the difference between a scar when it happened accidentally and made on purpose."

"Lily—

"Who did it?"

"I have no idea." The idea of finally speaking about this loud gave you a sense of relief, and there was no one who you at the moment could have spoken to. The guys were out of the question. Marco would take the next flight back. You were on your own and that was always the best.

"Do the guys know?"

"No. And I'm not telling them either." Lily locked her hands with yours. You let out a wince, but Lily firmly held your hand. And as always, you gave up the idea. This woman was stubborn on another level.

"Okay."

"Lily, Promise me you won't tell them either."

"On one condition."

"What?"

"You will let me help you find the person and get to the root of this." You let out a laugh after hearing her statement. Not that you thought she was weak or something, but because of the tone she used. You were pretty sure she was pouting like a kid.

"How will you help me?"

"Huh, Don't underestimate me DJ. I have been the girlfriend of these bangtan men for a long time now. I know a trick or two."

"Interesting."

"Are you going to kill the man who did this to you?"

"What do you think?"

"I have a request. Promise me first you will oblige."

"Depends on the request." Lily immediately sat up straight and pulled you along with her. She quickly switched the light on, confusing you as to what exactly this request was.

"Promise me."

"First tell me, Do you promise?"

"Alright, fine."

"I want to kill that man who did this to you." Your eyes widened in shock after listening to her request. This woman had such weird requests and wishes that sometimes you doubted how the wiring of her brain was.

"No, Not happening."

"You promised DJ no backing out. Mafia women don't go back on their words."

"I don't know about the others, But im letting you nowhere near a gun."

"Awww you're worried for me?"

"Why do you have such weird requests? You wanted to watch me kill someone earlier. Now you want to kill someone?"

"Don't remind me, I swear you must be the hottest thing when you kill someone."

"Oh my god! You're—

"Agree already."

"No."

"You promised me you won't deny one request."

"Ask for something else then."

"Okay, Then let's have a three some with one of the guys." You choked for the second time. Lily was trying super hard to hold back her laughter. You quickly switched the lights off and took the blanket over your head.

"How do you wanna kill him? Stab him or shoot him?"

"That's my girl."

"You're insufferable."

"Huh, Correction. Wonderful."

Lily quickly scoots besides you and slips her hand on your tummy, making soothing circles on it. You give up the idea of asking her to shift considering she won't budge either ways. You close your eyes and let out a deep breath. Lily takes her hand from your tummy to your head and pats your head, gently trying to lull you into a peaceful slumber.

"Goodnight my love, Have the sweetest dreams."

"Good night lily."

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Lily kept staring at the ceiling, restlessness running through her veins. One thing, one thing was what she was supposed to do. But it seemed like her luck loved playing hide and seek with her.

No matter how many times she tried running away from her past. It came back in one way or the other. She ran from it as far as she could. Only to fall head-first into it again. This time there were a lot of things on the line. Lives of the people she loved and lives of the people that she could not save. To things that she was doing for love. And the things that she was planning to do for love were scary at the best.

Her life took a 360 degree turn the moment flight LT-089 landed in Seoul, South Korea. She would have never guessed she'd have to face the dead skeletons in her closet once again.

The buzz of her phone interrupted her restless train of thoughts. The name flashing on the screen generated sweat on her forehead. Lily quickly made sure that you were fast asleep by flashing the phone on your face. Once sure, she tiptoed to the bathroom.

"What part of don't call me, I will call you when i can you don't understand?" The person on the other end broke out in laughter and a tear skipped her eyes.

"I'm doing what you said, Isn't that enough?" Lily hung up the phone after giving an excuse that the others were coming back. That only postponed the threat. She had gotten into a predicament all because she couldn't make some decisions in the past, and now those unmade decisions came to haunt her years later.

You were still fast asleep when she crept back into the covers, heaving a sigh of relief. Lily closed her eyes awaiting for sleep to engulf her so that her worries would disappear in the dead of the night.

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"What is it Jungkookah?" Namjoon asked Jungkook, who was busy fidgeting with Jimin. It looked like the two were debating on something.

"Hyung,

"You think?" Jimin raised an eyebrow at Jungkook, who just scowled in return.

"We think, By we I mean Jimin and I think someone is after DJ." Loud gasps were heard from the remaining five who were seated around the room. The five men remain stunned at the revelation, with a thousand questions brewing in their minds.

"And how did you come to his conclusion?" Namjoon asked his leader to be activated. While the others listened.

"Jimin noticed blood stains on her window and it looked like the stains were made just a few minutes ago, And then i saw some kind of cut on her palm when we were leaving her house."

"Are you sure? There could be another explanation to this?" Taehyung asked, Jungkook shrugged his shoulders and Jimin looked like he got confused about it too.

"The only other explanation that fits here other than someone being after her, is if she self harms." Namjoon shook his head furiously at Yoongi's statement. He knew the fierce woman DJ was. She wouldn't harm herself. His gut kept telling him. There was more to this.

"Maybe that is the case? You know Marco took Jeh away today and he said some pretty mean things to her." Jin added, But still this didn't make sense to Namjoon. The gears in his head were turning furiously, but he couldnt point to one thing that could be fit here.

"That may be the case, But it doesn't add up with the blood stains on the window." Namjoon spoke up finally, and the rest of them nodded. He did have a valid point, though.

"Why would she close the window after she cut herself?"

"Excuse me, I'll be right back." Hoseok excused himself and before anyone could say anything he was out of the room in a jiffy.

"Where the fuck did he go?" Jungkook looked at the now-shut door in confusion. Unable to fathom why his hyung suddenly walked out.

"Let him, He will be back. This isn't adding up." Namjoon sighed in exasperation. What in fresh hell was this. ck. This isn't adding up." Namjoon sighed in exasperation.

"Hyung im telling you something is wrong. I have a feeling–

"She didn't do that herself, Someone did that to her." Hoseok's voice stunned everyone. He walked confidently back to his place and took his seat. The others looked at him, bewildered.

"And how did you know?" Namjoon asked, his curiosity spiking up at the speed of lightning. Hoseok calmly got up from his seat and went to Namjoon's side and took a pen from his pen holder. While the others gathered around the table to see the explanation he had to give.

"See, When we harm ourselves the cut that we make on our skin always starts upwards and it's deep on the upper side." Hoseok demonstrated the same on Namjoon's hand with the pen, and the rest of them concentrated on it like it was a lesson

"But when someone else does it, They start from the opposite end. So it's deeper on the down side. And the cuts on her hands are deep where they end, Not where they begin." Hoseok did the same thing, but in an opposite way, then the room was filled with gasps again. He was spot on.

"That's genius hyung." Taehyung's eyes sparkled as he looked at the older man in admiration. Everyone was speechless and gave his bang on explanation.

"She showed you that so easily?" Yoongi asked with a smirk decorating his face. Hoseok just shrugged.

"She was sleeping, I didn't ask."

"Thought so."

"Hyung that's not right." Taehyung complained, and Hoseok looked at him incredulously.

"Someone tried to hurt her and you think I should have asked for her permission? You're better than that Tae." Taehyung quickly scowled, but agreed silently to his hyung statement. If someone tries to hurt you, they should definitely pay for it.

"True that."

"Where should we start?"

"Let's start from her house, I'm sure she has CCTV installed on her main gate. Let's check that." Hoseok added.

"I don't think that's going to work, There was no one when we came. What makes you think that person is going to be dumb enough to leave any evidence?" Everyone agreed with Namjoon's theory. Looking at the situation, there was a very slim chance that there would be any kind of evidence.

"Let's give it a try at least."

"Jin hyung is right, What if we are lucky and we end up finding something?"

"We are already lucky enough Kookah, But i'd be down to try as well." Jungkook gave Yoongi a hi-five and the latter smiled at the enthusiastic young boy.

"Okay then, Taehyung see if you can hack into her house cameras."

Taehyung immediately fetched his laptop and it didn't take long enough for him to work his magic on it.

"Shit they have been shut for a lot of days. The last footage we have here is fifteen days old." The little hope that everyone had quickly deflated the way it came and that brought the men to a dead end just like before.

The guys sat around the table as puzzled as before, There were no clues and none of them were sure if you were going to even answer their questions. Things had been already complicated since the beginning,

"Wait a minute, I'm sure the other houses must have some kind of surveillance around. It's the upscale area after all." Jin's words piqued everyone's interest, and Taehyung immediately got to work with his tongue poking out just a little. That one thing that gave away his full concentration mode.

"Holy fucking shit." Taehyung's eyebrows shot up the moment he saw the black figure jumping right out. The house had a camera fitted on the gate which gave a slightly distant view of your main gate, and that was enough to give a clue.

"The images are a little distorted, But yeah looks like a guy. Cant see his face though. Fucker's wearing a hoodie."

The guys played the footage back and forth, but there was nothing else they could identify about the intruder.

"Guys, let's get some sleep. Let's start this fresh again tomorrow." Namjoon got up from his seat and the rest followed suit. They had a long day too, and this required all of their concentration and priority.

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

You remained in bed for most of the part of the morning and thankfully none of the guys or Lily woke you up. You heard the buzz of the phone on the side table and saw Chong bin's number flashing on it. You picked up the phone and before you could speak anything, Chong bin's cries of help made your blood run cold.

"Chongbin, Are you okay?"

"DJ, My friend. Your man isn't okay. And he is not going to be okay anytime soon. Say your goodbyes to him." The man on the opposite side doesn't give you a chance to speak. You hear gunshots and the dead silence engulfs both the ends of the phone.

"I swear to god, I will kill you. Don't you let yourself get caught." The man on the other end laughs evilly as you clutch the phone tightly in your hand.

"We will see about that DJ, We will see. And no don't you think this is the end." The line drops dead and you flume with anger. The man sounded much like the man who was at your house yesterday, and that evil laugh was wired deeply in your brain. The laugh that mocked you to no end. The laugh that had you doing things you could never imagine. You had to literally send away your best friend and you couldn't be there for him. And now it was Chongbin. One of your most trusted men. You were definitely going to drag him to hell and back once you had your hands on him.

You quickly push the blankets aside and grab your car keys and rush out of the main door. Leaving a startled Lily right beside the door.

"Where are you going?" Lily grabs you by the arms but you quickly brush it away. You had no time to give out explanations. Lily does not ask anymore questions upon your silence and just follows you to the car.

"Just get in, I'll tell you everything on the way." You speed the streets like your life depends on it, and the moment you reach Chong bin's house, the sight that greets you both gets Lily's lungs in motion.

Chongbin lay lifeless on the floor. A bullet shot straight into his head between his eyebrows, and tortured him similarly, just like the way Jeh was. You sit down right next to him and close his lifeless eyes that lay wide open. Lily sits down beside you and holds your hand tightly while she shivers for herself.

"DJ calm down, We will find him. There must be a clue. I will fucking rip into shreds once i lay my hands on him." Lily holds you tighter as anger flows through your veins. The person that did this to him had to die and you were going to make sure you would lay your hands on him soon.

"I need to be alone Lily, I'll call you sometime and you can pick me up."

"DJ no you can't be alone right now. I can stay."

"Lily, I said I need to be alone right now." You don't repeat it again and Lily gets the hint and leaves quietly. You quickly call up your men to finish off the last rites of Chongbin and once that was done. Then the DJ that had been a little too comfortable in the defense would be all ready to be on the offence and this won't be, it wasn't going to be nice.

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Lily calms her breathing down once she's settled in the car, her heart beating wild in her chest the moment she sees Chongbin on the floor. This was getting out of hand. She knew who it was. She knew it the moment Jeh left Seoul.

Lily had an agenda from the start. Everything was well until DJ got Ivanov into the equation. All of this would have been solved if the deal had been postponed a little. Lily had you and the men of Bangtan right where she wanted. They may not be aware, but they were falling for you. She could see it.

The incessant ringing of her phone pulled her back into reality and her blood ran cold again the moment she saw who it was. With shivering hands and a stuttered voice, Lily held the phone against her ear.

"What do you want?" She tried mustering the entire courage inside her to utter one sentence.

"Is that how you speak to your brother, Yulina?" Sweat started forming on Lily's head when she heard the name. The name that she had left behind a long time ago. A very long time ago. That part of her was dead when she decided she had no other option to escape if she wanted to live.

"Mikhail. That part of me died the day I ran away. Do not call me that."

"Yulina, My little sister Yulina. Always a disgrace aren't you? Well then should I say the same thing to this gentleman here?"

"I said I'd help you Mikhail, You have to give me time."

"I don't have time Yulina, Maybe this gentleman here will motivate you to do things a little faster for me?"

"Yulina."

"Boris." Tears started streaming down Lily's face as soon as she heard that voice. The voice of the man she loved for a long long time.

"Yulina, Where are you?"

"Listen up Yulina, I am texting you an address and i want you here in the next half an hour. If you're not here Boris will be dead next."

"Mikhail do not do anything to him, I am coming." Lily kept screaming into the car. She had no clue why this was happening to her. Mikhail seemed to be a step ahead of her in every way, and she hated it with her entire existence.

The only reason she had gotten you involved in the men of Bangtan's life was because she had found Boris after all these years. And now she had the chance to finally be with him. But fate had other plans for her. Ivanov died and Mikhail came out of hiding. The calm waters of the past brought out a storm, and all she could do was stand and watch the things she loved get destroyed one by one.

Lily was confident you would find Mikhail by any means and that was the reason she had asked for you to allow her to kill him. The scores needed to be settled and this time she would win. She would bring Mikhail down for forever, and by the time the news would have reached Russia. She would be on the run with Boris. Bangtan had you, she had Boris, and it was supposed to work that way. But now?

Twenty minutes and two narrowly escaped accidents later, Lily reached the location Mikhail had texted her. And this time a loud sob escaped her mouth when she saw Boris tied to the chair and his face bruised. It looked like the guy could barely breathe.

"Boris. Wake up, I'm here." A sharp pain shot through her scalp as soon as Boris opened his eyes.

"We have some unfinished business." Mikhail looked at her with the same hate that she had seen all these years. The same hatred that ran in the family for her. The same way her father looked at her. The same way the eldest sibling looked at her. And her only fault was the difference in sperm that led to her birth, and her mother's death.

"Mikhail keep him out of it, I beg of you." Lily pleaded at his feet. But Mikhail refused to budge. He had a completely different agenda.

"I will, Only if you bring DJ to me."

"I will. Leave him please." Lily quickly jumps to her feet to untie Boris. But the minute her fingers touch the rope, Mikhail slaps her with all his might, throwing Lily at a distance.

"Who said you could touch him whore?"

"Mikhail leave him out of this, You want DJ ? I will get her. Take all of the eight. But spare him." Mikhail let out a laugh on hearing her pleas. They made no sense. But that's all she could do right now.

"I want DJ today. By evening I want her to be tied up in the same place as this motherfucker is. If not he's dead."

"Mikhail il get her. You have to promise me you will let Boris go." Before Mikhail could answer the question. The ring of his phone bought an unreadable expression on his face. He stepped out, and the moment Lily found Boris alone. She quickly rushed forward to undo his ties.

"Don't do that Yulina, He wont let me go. There are snipers stationed around the building. Even if we escape we won't go far." Lily let go of the ties in her hands and collapsed onto the floor.

"I'm Sorry, I really am."

"Don't be. What are we going to do now?"

"I'm going to drop a hint to DJ about Mikhail, That's all she needs. Once she knows who killed Chongbin she will be a shark out for blood. We just have to wait."

"Are you crazy, what are you trying to do?"

"I don't know, Everythings messed up right now. But if someone can kill Mikhail it's DJ. I can't involve Bangtan, They will kill you."

"As if your brother is going to spare me."

"I won't let anything happen to you. Not this time. This time we are together. I don't care what happens to the rest of them."

"What if Mikhail kills DJ?"

"No he won't. At Least not now. All I have to do is give a hint about him to DJ and then let her handle it."

"Are you sure?"

"This is the only way out. We will figure out everything else later."

"Okay if you say so." The door opens with a bang and Mikhail walks in with a smug smile on his face.

"Till Evening, Yulina. Or else your boy is dead. Now get lost." Mikhail sends her flying right into another corner and Boris struggles to free himself. Earning another slap from Mikhail.

Lily makes her way down to the building and she takes a deep breath before she fishes her phone out of her jeans. She had to make sure she had to be on the winning end. No matter who won and no matter who died. The familiar ringtone rings through the car. Lily holding her breath, ready to save herself and her love.

"Can you arrange a Midazolam Injection for me? Just enough to put someone to sleep immediately.?" She quickly sends the location and as soon the confirmation hits as the screen. She calls you, fingers beating on the steering wheel and her anxiety rushing beyond the roof.

"DJ where are you ?"

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keefechambers · 10 months

Note

so I don't have many other trg blogs to follow and my partner is not caught up lol so can I get your thoughts on the season??

Like how did you feel about the new characters?

Fave moment or episode? (Or least if you wanna go there too :p)

Favorite outfit or quote? Or maybe character arc?

How did you feel the stakes were compared to previous seasons? I kinda missed the crime element personally but it did seem to be more personal relationship stakes

AHh! Okay, I loved this season! I am inclined to slightly agree with you that I did miss the heavier crime element. Seasons 1 and 2 were very slick and self-contained in that way and I really enjoyed it, and I hope more of that comes into season 4. BUT I loved that it focused on Deepening the Lore of the family (since Danny has said he wants this to be a sprawling multi-generational epic) and the relationships. I love that the show isn't afraid to let characters actually end up somewhere different than they started.

Favorite new character? REDEEMER obviously!!! (Only halfway kidding)

Spoilers below~

I really really loved the Montgomerys. They really give a lot of insight into Eli's psychology (the same way Baby Billy does for Aimee-Leigh) that I think was necessary. We got glimpses of it last season with Junior and Glendon, but friends and bosses are different than baby sisters. I like that his relationship with May-May mirrored the difficulties that Jesse, Judy and Kelvin have with each other. I don't think it's a secret that Karl was my favorite new addition and I hope he sticks around, even if he's just a small part of continuing seasons as needed. I am a sucker for very large, very sweet men. I loved that Peter was a villain who wasn't, compared to season 1 and 2 where the bad guys were just outright, unrepentantly evil.

I liked the themes of taking accountability and forgiveness and that sometimes people aren't beyond saving a lot this season. May-May having to own up to her part in Peter's downfall, Peter getting away from the militia and realizing he'd become such a different person... I love that the militia fell apart the way it did because I research rightwing extremists and honestly, the petty in-fighting and the grudges and the stupid priorities are true to life.

I also hope we see more of the Simkins as like, ongoing nemeses because they were a very funny mirror to the Gemstones.

My favorite episode was probably episode 6! The fight scene between BJ and Stephen was really really well done and hilarious and the balance of earnest drama and funny jokes that don't undercut the emotional hits was just, top form. I'm ALWAYS a fan of the Interludes, though.

Favorite MOMENT, tho. Like obviously The Kiss is a big one. Top Tier. But really ahhh, I'm a suck for the Interlude bit where Jesse picks up and spins Amber. I love a pick-up and spin. But also Gideon and the Redeemer???

Favorite outfit is definitely Keefe's fire-dance fit, or his finale fit with the cropped sweater. Oh, and there's this peach suit that Martin wears in the episode where Peter disrupts church lunch that is FIRE. Martin might be, fashion-wise, my favorite after Keefe and BJ.

"It's Kelvin's friend, Chief" lives rent-free in my head, but it's quickly being replaced by "DID YOU FUCK DUSTY DANIELS?!"

Character arc wise, I think I gotta give it to Judy. Like. It was sincerely romantic and beautiful to see her go from this insecure high schooler who was terrified that no one would ever love her to an adult woman who is...terrified that she's driven away the person who loves her most it was just GORGEOUS and so well-written and well-acted. Like... I love her. I love her so much. Edi Patterson call me.

I really loved it overall. I think the plot was bigger and messier but I don't think that was a negative so much as a way to set up future seasons and for that, it wholly succeeded.

#the righteous gemstones #trg season 3 spoilers #trg spoilers #REDEEEEMERRRRRRRRR

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chetitos25 · 2 years

Text

I'm my mother's - restless, running, searching for something - kid.

Chasing after innocence is to chasing after the wind.

And my inner child just wants to explore the world,

But they placed her in a casket,

moment of silence as I mourn.

Not to be morbid, "it's just time to be grown."

And you can bury the past like you can beat a dead horse,

it ain't gonna change any less, any more.

But my shrink says facing one's demons

can change a life's course.

So I pulled out a shovel, and dug out the corpse.

The wounds which were inflicted, I could no longer ignore.

Anger and hatred shifted to empathy and remorse.

In search of self forgiveness,

in order to extend it to others.

Healing the stabs of ignorance

that came from my father's fathers.

My present and my past meet face to face,

trynna make the skin that I wear feel like a safe space;

in an effort to reconcile what's left of my inner child, sorting through insecurities that disguise themselves behind a smile.

I do the healing work. Interviews with myself...

"Tell me how you're comfortable in sweaters instead of crop tops.

And how you hate it when your brother yells at your nephew because it reminds you of dad.

Oh, come on, it wasn't all that bad.

Remember the first time dad took you to the park to play ball?

Good times, like, remember when you laughed so hard, the juice came out of your nose?

Oh, how you loved sippin' on sunny delight.

Hey, play me that song, the one that helps you go to sleep the nights when mom and dad fight.

Tell me that you've cried more on sunny days and how much you love an overcast.

And that one time dad pulled out the belt, and you actually fought back."

Behind nightmares and lost dreams, in the place of Neverland.

The deepest conversations are sealed in the depths of the mind. Waiting to unfold, cus we've only started breaking the ice.

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allthingsarmin · 3 years

Note

nerd!armin x popular bimbo girl!reader?

the reader needs a tutor so she asks the smartest boy on campus and they have a “study session” in the library

Thank you for your request! I hope you like it! (ALSO: I’m so sorry this took so long to write omgmgg please forgive me) ~ I also would like to write a better version of this later. Though I'm in love with this prompt, I feel I didn't write the smut part that well.

Minors DNI! NSFW below the cut. Fem!Reader, FemBodied!Reader.

_________________________

At this point, Armin’s legs were burning, his heart racing and hands uncontrollably shaking, while you were practically out breath, your lungs tightening as you released yet another hearty laugh and not caring about the sweat running down your forehead. Neither you nor Armin expected to be running away from the librarian at 2am in the morning on the cold, campus sidewalk, your hair and makeup questionably messy and his shirt noticeably unbuttoned with hickeys staining his neck. However, the thrill of it all was something you didn’t know you both needed…

Earlier:

“Y/n?” Armin questioned, waving his sharpened pencil in front of your face. “Are you paying attention?” He awkwardly laughed as he scratched the back of his neck. You look up at him, battering your mascara-covered eyelashes at him. “Ahh… I have no idea what’s going on,” you sighed.

Armin wanted to bang his head against the library table. He knew it would be difficult teaching the ‘campus bimbo,’ but he didn’t know it would be this hard… yet there he was. 1am on a Thursday, the test tomorrow, and you still couldn’t grasp the basics of quadratic functions.

“Why don’t we take a break?” he suggested, loudly dropping his pencil on the table, leaning back in his chair, and adjusting his disheveled collar poking out of his blue sweater.

“Okay!” you giggled mindlessly, turning to face him in your chair as you twirled your hair in your fingers. “Even though I’ll probably fail the test tomorrow, thank you for teaching me!” you exclaimed, fiddling with your compact mirror and checking your dolled-up face.

Armin tensed up at your backhanded words. Pushing his hair back out of frustration, he cursed the fact he was wasting his time with such an ai-headed girl. “Y-you’re welcome,” he hastily said as he rubbed the bridge of his nose.

Why didn’t he say no to your study session - if you could even call it a study session - ? Even though Armin was the school nerd, it’s no surprise to him that you came and asked him for help because, well… Everyone does that - always taking advantage of Armin - only talking to him because they want to use his neat, color-coded notes, only inviting him to parties so that he would later help them study.

You felt bad for Armin. Though you couldn’t deny he was way too uptight, everyone did make fun of him for every little thing; the way he dressed like a professor, how he was always so punctual, the way he was the first to raise his hand when the teacher asked a question, how he came extra prepared to class with extra pencils.

But being so close to him now, this was the first time you realized how handsome he actually was. His turquoise veins protruding from his soft, pale skin… his slender fingers gently holding his flashcards, his toned muscles peeking their way through his rolled up sleeves and making his clothes just a little tight, the sharpness of jawline contrasting with his kind, bright smile, the way his ocean blue eyes stared intently with such passion, and his thick, golden hair growing to his eyebrows, allowing his cute ears to shyly show themselves while his undercut beautifully shaped his face… he was beautiful.

“Do you have a girlfriend?” you suddenly asked.

Armin was taken aback by this question. No one had ever asked him this nor did any one seem to have any interest in his personal life whatsoever.

“No,” he paused, “I don’t have time for that stuff…” he trailed off. Armin never had a girlfriend, and thinking about it now, he never really had any crushes. He was way too busy keeping up with his grades, extra curricular activities, and student council. It would be practically impossible for him to keep such close relations with his kind of responsibilities, but that doesn’t mean he’s not lonely… his arms aching for someone to hold, his heart cold due the absence of warmth of a person he loves.

Armin didn’t bother asking you if you had a boyfriend. You were the most popular person on campus, partying with countless dudes every weekend, hanging out with a large group of girls at the mall nearly every day, your phone buzzing so much during class that your professor told you multiple times to turn it off, and you were pretty - your hair was always done in a pretty style, your makeup (though a bit slutty) always brought out the best features of your face, your nails were always painted, your skin was smooth and silky, and your perfume scent was addicting. Not only that but your clothes showed off your body so well; your skirt that was just a little short allowed people to see your cute panties when you bend over to pick something up, and your shirt that was barely even a shirt was always cropped above your waist and showed off your bouncy, plush cleavage… so of course you had a boyfriend. But even though Armin was an incredibly focused nerd, he couldn’t deny that your sweet smell, tight clothes, and lipstick-covered lips made him lustful.

“Too busy for that stuff?! Aren’t you lonely? It’s like you don’t even know how to have fun,” you chuckle, jokingly hitting his shoulder which happened to be really muscular underneath his sweater.

“Haha yeah,” he said, seemingly uninterested in where you were going with this.

“If you’re so busy, does that mean you don’t have time to masturbate?” you giggled, covering your plump mouth with your hand and fluttering your eyelashes at him.

Armin became extremely flustered as tints of red washed over his body in waves.

“W-what?” he stuttered. “Why are you asking me these questions? We are supposed to be studying!” he quietly shrieked, looking away to break eye contact with you and playing with the watch on his wrist.

“Haha, I am just joking. You’re such a nerdy boy, just want to make you blush,” you sincerely smiled.

“W-well I am a young college student, so obviously I - I do that from time to time thanks to p-porn,” he stammered.

“Woah woah wait. Someone as uptight and rigid as you watches porn?” you harshly laughed, genuinely shocked. You scooted your chair closer to him and leaned into his neck, your hot breath caressing his skin and your hair resting upon his shoulder. “What kind of porn does this nerd like to watch?” you inquired, widely grinning as you saw how embarrassed Armin had become.

On the inside, Armin was fuming, mostling frightened that he had gotten himself into an embarrassing loop with no escape that would most likely be gossiped about amongst the popular students, but mostly angry that some dumb, slutty bitch was wanting to pry into his personal life, not even appreciating the fact that he spent countless hours in the library helping you study to no avail because you couldn’t pay attention if your life depended on it… that this same dumb, slutty bitch was just getting her fun from teasing some nerd who is taken advantage of and forgotten by everyone… angry that you - with your pretty makeup, plump lips, short skirt, and overflowing cleavage - weren’t paying the price for your teasing.

Suddenly, Armin sat up in his chair, his muscles tensing through his clothes, and an aggravated look forming across his face, wrinkling his brows. He quickly takes a fistful of your hair and pulls you close to his face, allowing you to see the different shades of blue in his eyes and his soft, blond eyelashes. His innocent, geeky look is nowhere to be found on his face as he intensely stares into your eyes.

“It just so happens that this nerd likes to watch useless, empty-headed bimbos like you get their pussies abused,” he said, dominance seething from his teeth as his mint breath hits your face. Before you even have time to think, Armin unbuttons his slacks and practically forces your mouth on his hard, pretty cock.

Watching you gag and choke on his cock with saliva dribbling down your chin made him laugh. “You’re gonna have to be a little quieter, slut, we’re in a library remember?” he coos. He abruptly pulls you off his cock, taking in the sight of his lipstick-stained tip and the mascara tears streaming down your face. His treatment was so harsh and so sudden, making you miss the ‘nicer’ and ‘quieter’ Armin, but you couldn’t deny his sudden dominance made your aching cunt flood with arousal.

Before doing anything else, Armin scans the library, making sure no one is around. Grabbing your wrist, he forces you to sit on his lap, facing him on top of the library chair. Everything happened so quickly, barely even leaving you time to think, barely leaving you time to think that Armin was using your body to relieve his anger and frustration, not leaving you time to realize how sopping wet your needy cunt actually was.

Sitting atop his lap, he spreads your plush, soft thighs, exposing the fact that you didn’t wear any panties to this study session, causing Armin’s eyes to widen.

“I don’t know why I’m so surprised that a whore like you wouldn’t wear anything underneath your short skirt to our little ‘play date,’” he snickers. He leans close to your ear, softly biting your neck. “It’s almost like you were asking to be fucked by me.”

You don’t know what to say. Your mind is so empty, fuzzy, and shocked that the only thing you can do is comply when he demands that you ride his cock. Armin lets out a low groan from the bottom of his throat as your tight, warm pussy encloses his thick cock. You let a pathetic whimper as he begins to thrust up into you, and Armin gives you a glare, reaching up and tightening his hands around your throat. “Remember, you have to be quiet, or are you too dumb to remember that?” he sinisterly smiles.

Armin begins to harshly thrust into you as you wrap your arms around his neck, holding onto dear life as he deeply penetrates your spongy, sensitive walls. He slithers his slender hands into your shirt and starts toying with your nipples and pinching them when you’re being too loud.

Groping your ass, he whispers in your ear, “you know, I don’t even know why you’re in college… you’re so dumb. Why don’t you just drop out and be my little slut for when I come back after class, huh?” You sink your head into the crook of his neck, embarrassment coming over you at the same time as pleasure fills your walls when he tells you those mean words.

He grabs your hair, forcing you to look at him. Your hair is a tangled mess, your makeup completely smeared, and your eyebrows furrowed as your innocent-looking eyes beg for some type of release.

“F-fuck, you look so dirty,” he groans, leaning his head back.

“And you look like two students who are going to be in so much trouble…”

Both of you tense up and look behind you to find the librarian staring daggers into your souls.

Immediately, you hop off of Armin’s dick, gathering your things as he struggles to pull up his pants. Both of you at an ungodly speed bolt out of the library doors. Yeah, getting potentially banned from the library would suck, but maybe it was something you both needed. Armin needed to learn to loosen up, have some fun, and you needed to learn to take things seriously and maybe just put in a little more effort.

“Ya’know, it’s kind of late. We can go back to my dorm, and I can help you study for maybe another half hour… if you want,” Armin shyly asks as you both continue running down the sidewalk.

“What about the other half hour?” you questioned.

Armin’s face grows red. “We can finish… chemistry…”

#armin arlert #armin x reader #armin smut #aot x reader #aot smut

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gloryofluv · 3 years

Text

Order Up! Chapter 24

A cute little play date in the park? Oh yes!!

Previous Chapter

Alex climbed out of her car and resituated her shorts, and fixed the strap on her overalls. Her pink crop top revealed the crown just above the top of the overalls. This was actually an adorable outfit that Asmodeus assisted with today.

She shouldered her bag and walked into the cafe while shoving her sunglasses to her hair. Jess was at the register and smirked as Alex came up to the register.

“Wow, girl. You sure look different. I didn’t recognize you until you took off your sunglasses,” she laughed.

“I’m trying something new. What do you think?” Alex asked and pivoted.

“I think it’s fantastic! Whoever was your fashion coordinator, give them my number. This is fun,” Jess giggled while shaking her head.

Jordan walked out and blinked. “Oh, honey, wow. You are a bottle of bubbly sunshine in that outfit,” he laughed.

“Thanks, J. It’s part of my rebranding,” she voiced and twirled. “Good?”

“Oh, yes,” Jordan nodded. “Beyond good. I would have dressed you similarly a long time ago if you had only listened to me.”

“Legs for days, babe. I don’t even think I’ve ever seen you in shorts,” Jess noted.

Alex laughed and shifted. “Well, I’ve never owned anything above my knee line for public wear.”

“Who are you looking all cute and edible for?” Jordan questioned.

“Probably Mr. Dad about to walk in,” Jess sighed and shook her head.

Alex turned around to see Simeon and Luke approaching the cafe door. She beamed and waved as Simeon opened the door. “Good afternoon, you two,” she said.

Simeon blinked and recovered when Luke raced forward. Alex bent down and embraced the boy. “Alex! Oh, I had a trip to the dentist, and he said my brushing has become more adequate!”

She giggled and released him. “Good, I’m very proud of you.”

Simeon exhaled and held up two of his fingers. “Fillings,” he breathed.

Alex pouted and rubbed Luke’s shoulder. “Well, brushing is good, sweetheart, but you really need to stop eating sweets after so late, okay?”

Luke grimaced and twitched his nose. “Well, how did you know about that?”

“I have secret angels that do my work for me,” she smirked and glanced over at Simeon.

“Can I buy you something to drink? Maybe a pastry?” Simeon asked.

Alex beamed and nodded. “Of course. How else am I going to have a mini picnic in the park with both of you?” she asked while rubbing Luke’s shoulder.

He was beaming up at her as Simeon approached the counter. “Alex, what would you like? Ladies first.”

Jess laughed and shook her head. “She has her own creation, Simeon. Also, what will it be today for pastry? Lemon cake or chocolate toffee, babe?”

“Lemon, Jess,” Alex smiled.

Simeon touched her shoulder and allowed Luke to order before he had done so. Instead of lingering by the register and chatting after getting his tea, they moved to the hand-off station with Luke. Luke was rambling about school, and Alex was listening intently to the child.

“Look at how cute the three of you are.”

Alex turned around and waved. “Hey, Sol.”

“You look so vibrant today, Alex,” Solomon declared and stood next to them.

She grinned and played with her overall straps. “Asmo helped me today.”

Solomon’s cheeks tinted in the slightest as he nodded. “It’s very fitting.”

“We’re going to the park to have a picnic and swing today, Solomon,” Luke voiced as he rocked on his feet.

“Oh, that’s very neat,” Solomon said with a wave of his hand. “Are you going to push Alex on the swing?”

Her cheeks flushed with color as she shifted. “We haven’t talked about that at all.”

Simeon smiled and tilted his head. “I imagine it will be a very entertaining afternoon.”

Alex rubbed the side of her neck. “What are you up to today, Solomon?”

“Oh, I have a meeting to get to in a bit, and then I was going to work in the lab,” he replied with a circular wave of his hand.

“Always the busy mind,” Simeon said.

Solomon groaned with a grin. “Always, Simeon. You know, Alex is always interested in learning new things. You should have her come with you to ice cream sundae Sunday next week,” he suggested.

“Ice cream sundae Sunday?” Alex asked.

Simeon chuckled and rocked his head. “Once a month, our church does a little afternoon treat for the children. Solomon will come and do tricks and magic for them.”

Alex giggled and shook her head. “You go to church, Solomon?”

“Not as much as I used to,” Solomon hummed. “But I do enjoy making the children smile. It reminds me of innocence and positive intentions in the world.”

She reached over and pinched his cheek. “You’re such a little softy!”

He puffed and gripped her wrist in a loose hold. “Yes, yes, now stop,” he snorted.

“So that’s how you both know each other?” Alex questioned.

Simeon and Solomon nodded. “Solomon is still very much involved with the charity, but he isn’t as active with the church.”

“I prefer to dabble, and our father doesn’t mind because he forgives,” Solomon smirked.

“That he does,” Luke beamed and sighed. “I do love ice cream sundae Sundays.”

Their drinks were called out, and Luke skipped toward the counter, Alex following suit. The boy was beaming up at her and rocked his head. “Simeon likes you, you know?”

“He does?” Alex questioned with a smile.

Luke rocked his head. “You should come with us to bible study tonight and church. Maybe you can stay with us at the home too!”

Alex smiled and rubbed his shoulder. “I have a room right now, Luke.”

“It would be nice. Simeon always says that you are special, and I agree!” Luke declared as he took his cup. “Thank you, Jordan.”

“You’re welcome, Luke,” Jordan smirked before handing Alex hers and her pastry. “Have fun today. It sounds like you have a big day ahead of you.”

Alex laughed and shook her head. “Just the park. I have to be home to cook tonight.”

“Ah, long leash then,” he teased with a wink.

Alex blushed and twitched her nose. “Goodbye, babe.”

She walked over to Simeon as the men were finishing up their conversation. “And after the contract goes through, then Big Brother Wings will receive the new house,” Solomon explained.

“New house?” Alex questioned.

Simeon rocked his head. “We’re taking our mentorship out of the old standard. Group homes don’t have as much focus, and we have enough mentors to be a bit more hands-on. Solomon has volunteered to assist with our next venture as well as Diavolo.”

“Diavolo?” Alex questioned.

Solomon rocked his head. “He made a deal with my association to head a project to abolish the ten child limit and create a more suitable living circumstance. I’m going to participate out of interest in the research for child development. If it’s successful, and my research proves such, then they'll apply it country-wide.”

“Interesting! This is why he wanted me to brush up on the new contracts on Friday, I assume,” She nodded.

“Yes, actually, we’re likely going to be doing plenty of check-ins,” Solomon rocked his head.

Alex laughed and clapped. “How exciting!”

“Completely,” Simeon beamed.

“I’m going to order. Please have a great day,” Solomon smirked and winked at Alex.

Simeon shook his head with a smile. “Goodbye, Solomon.”

“Bye, Solomon!” Luke stopped drinking long enough to wave.

Alex touched his shoulder and nodded. “I’ll talk to you later.”

“Of course,” Solomon agreed.

Simeon escorted Alex and Luke out of the cafe, and they began to walk to the park. Luke took Alex’s hand, and she smiled down at him. “It’s nice just to enjoy the day, isn’t it?” she asked.

Luke rocked his head. “Yes, it is.”

Simeon rubbed her shoulder and sighed. “It truly is wonderful to have you with us today, Alex.”

It was a very tender venture as they reached the park. Simeon pulled off his sweater for Alex to sit on, and Luke joined her, eating his vanilla scones. It wasn’t long before the boy was off, racing around the slide with the other children.

Simeon beamed as he watched the boy. “He’s very enamored by you.”

Alex smiled over at him. “He’s a good boy, Simeon. You’ve done so well with him.”

“It does help that I had little brothers growing up that were similar. Mammon was very much like him, a little more jaded due to his previous home. However, I’m trying to emulate how Lucifer taught me to be.”

Alex sighed and touched his hand. “You’re doing just fine.”

Simeon’s cheeks darkened, and he swallowed. “Alex, you are genuinely the kindest woman I know.”

“I do try,” she nodded.

Simeon cleared his throat and gestured to the playground. “Would you like to take a turn on the swings?” he smiled.

Oh, a distraction? Alex rocked her head. “Sure.”

Simeon assisted her to her feet and plucked up his sweater, placing it on his arm. He then escorted her down to the swing set. What an interesting turn of events. Wholesome and sweet. Luke eventually came over and sat in the swing next to Alex.

“Simeon, isn’t she big enough to push herself?” Luke questioned.

“Yes, Luke. However, sometimes it’s nice to have someone do the work and let gravity do the rest,” Simeon laughed as he pushed Alex.

She laughed and leaned her head against the chain. “I haven’t swung in forever.”

Luke giggled and began his tandem enjoyment. “This is fun.”

Simeon reached over and pushed Luke a few times. However, he would always return to Alex, and his gentle fingers would push against her body. Alex competed with Luke, who could go highest, and Simeon accidentally touched her ass. She ended the competition by jumping into the sand and laughing.

Luke followed suit and broke out into a giggle fit. “Come check this out!”

Alex climbed off the dirt to see Simeon was shifting and avoided looking at her. Well, maybe she made him uncomfortable with the accident? She walked up and patted his shoulder. “Come join us? I think Luke is leading us to the bridge,” she murmured with a sweet smile.

Simeon breathed and nodded with a smile. “Okay.”

It was sweet, fun, and innocent fun. Alex even climbed through the playground with Luke and the other children playing some pretend game of pirates. Sticks for swords and colored rocks for treasure. Simeon participated in assisting her down awkward stairs and pointing out the children hiding.

Alex eventually climbed the tower and declared the island Atlantis. “Atlantians, we must stop this fighting!” she cried and held up her stick. “We cannot survive the tidal waves and crazy waves if we don’t row together.”

Oh, did the children adore her. Alex liked kids; she always had. Well, until one of them launched a mutiny! “Hey, wait, don’t push me off,” she gasped.

“Wait! Don’t hurt her!” Luke cried.

Alex lost her footing as she hung on the bar and fell backward. Into arms. Alex gasped and held tight to the toned shoulders of Simeon as he cradled her. He was smiling with a blush as she puffed. “Thank you,” she murmured.

“Good job, Simeon!” Luke cheered.

“You have a scrape from the jostling. Let me check that for you,” Simeon nodded.

“Continue, pirates, I’ll be back,” she announced.

Simeon didn’t put her down as they crossed the playground, which was so sweet. A blush built on her cheeks as he set her down on the bench, reaching for her iced tea. He ran the condensation on the scrape, and she winced.

“Are you alright?” he questioned.

Alex nodded. “Yes, just a little sting. I didn’t realize I had it on my knee.”

He was ducked down and ran his thumb over it with delicacy before nodding. “It’s just a surface scrape. You’ll live,” Simeon chuckled.

Simeon sat down with her and reached for his tea. “You get along well with the children,” he noted.

“I enjoy kids plenty. They’re so creative,” Alex smiled.

“Would you like to come next Sunday with me?” Simeon questioned.

She tilted her head and smirked. “Do I get ice cream too?”

“Of course,” Simeon laughed.

“Then let me see how my schedule looks, and I’ll put it on my list as pending,” she voiced with a nod.

Simeon touched her cheek, and his lips peeled apart. “I very much like you, Alex,” he murmured.

She broke his eye contact only momentarily to see a sleek black car in the distance. The cafe was within view of the park. She could literally see people come and go, including the owner of that particular car. Alex swallowed and kissed his cheek before pulling away. “I like you too, Simeon.”

He was blushing but looked thrilled. They sat together for a little, watching the children. However, Alex didn’t relax until the said car owner had walked out of the cafe. The car pulled out of the parking lot near the cafe and drove away. Alex breathed and enjoyed the rest of her afternoon with Simeon and Luke.

@rsmrymnt-tea @otome-scribbles

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bellatrixobsessed1 · 3 years

Text

The Dragon Egg (Parts 14-18)

If she knew that that night would be her last good night, she might have savored it more. Oh, Agni, she would have smiled wider and laughed more freely. But how could she have known that she would be smiling again.

.oOo.

Azula holds her hand against the swell of her belly. It has grown more prominent, seemingly overnight. Pregnancy test or none, morning sickness or peaceful awakenings, mood swings and unstable hormones; until the bump she had still been able to pretend like it wasn’t real, that she still had a chance.

She can’t see her father anymore, not unless she buries herself under bulky layers of sweaters and jackets. Even then her father will know that something is amiss. She used to never wear baggy clothing, of the opinion that it looks sloppy and lazy. He’d surely question why she has traded her crop tops and--formerly--form fitting dresses for loose fitting t’s and sweatpants.

She is some five months along now and certain that it is far too late to terminate the pregnancy. Her window for making that decision has come to a close. As have the window to keep it a secret. Trying to pass it off as a few extra pounds no longer cuts it and even if it did, it wouldn’t earn her a much better reaction than the truth would.

Spirits, what was she thinking, keeping this baby. She should have just ripped the bandaid and told her father. Should have dealt with the screaming and scolding, perhaps a good slap. Those things would have come to pass. The guilt over terminating the pregnancy would have come to pass. She would have given such a stellar performance at Audio of Agni that he’d be forced to forgive her, to love her, and to recognize that she is still his perfect, talented, gleaming star.

This, she runs her hand along the bump, won’t come to pass. It will be with her forever, should the delivery go smoothly. Spirits, she doesn’t want to think about the delivery. And, Spirits, what if she finds herself in the hospital during Agni of Audio? She is certain that her due date will fall around the same date as the performance.

She rakes her fingers through her hairline. Fuck, she doesn’t even know her fucking due date. She is a mess and it is her fault. She can’t even be sure that she and this baby are healthy. She isn’t sure that her diet has been good for the baby, isn’t sure that her lifestyle is safe for it. She knows that the stress can’t possibly be doing it any favors.

She feels her phone vibrate and unlocks it to confirm that they are still on for practice. It won’t be a practice so much as a meeting and, by, Agni she isn’t ready. Not even slightly, but she has to tell someone. She has to tell Chan specifically. Maybe she should talk to Seicho first. Maybe she should speak with Chan alone.

She closes her eyes and taps her phone against her lips. She will assemble all of them and speak with Chan first. It is time to stop delaying. Time to stop stalling. Time to grow up faster than she already has been.

.oOo.

Mai still refuses to speak to him outside of practice. Other than a curt reminder that he is lucky that she was generous enough to snatch her mother’s money and pay his bail, thus incurring the woman’s wrath.

Zuko is certain that Michi’s wrath is nothing like that of the magazines and morning shows. The ones that won’t let his arrest become old news even months later. Somehow they always find some fresh new angle to talk about it from. Some brand new perspective. Seldom are do any of these perspective’s paint him in a good light.

The boy, Kei-Lo, has been getting more attention than he. What started off as a ridiculous clickbait video titled ‘Almost Killed By My Idol!!’ grew into an entire platform. He has been on talk show after talk show, retelling the story of how he almost got ‘murdered’ by the lead singer of From Ashes To Phoenix. He recounts have gotten more and more absurd--“for humor’s sake, I promise!”--to the point where Zuko had allegedly picked up a chair after splintering his guitar. And when that hadn’t worked, he’d allegedly begun trying to stab Kei-Lo with the splintered end of his guitar.

And somehow the media has latched onto that image, churning out t-shirts of him wielding his guitar like some sort of stone age brute and foils stickers of his enraged expression. Perhaps it wouldn’t be so horrible if he were receiving a cut of the cash. Or, at the very least, if the publicity were doing him any good.

No, it is only kickstarting Kei-Lo’s career as a comedian and talk show host. And in the wake of his goals, From Ashes To Phoenix is taking the fall. Even Azula hasn’t so directly kicked him down to lift herself up. At least Azula could say that she was bringing him down on talent alone; that she is simply better without having to make him worse.

Zuko’s brows furrow, when he comes to dwell on it, Azula has been rather quiet lately. Quiet, even after being the subject of talk shows herself. Raava and Vaatu of the Tui La’s and Wan Shi Tong have only been raving about she and the rest of Blue Talon. It has only been fantastic press for her. And she hasn’t even sent him a link to remind him of that.

Maybe she is simply too busy to do so; too important to bother with even mocking him anymore. He balls his fists, if he grips his pencil any tighter, he might break it. And he hates her with more fury than ever. He picks up his phone to tell her off. Why not? He needs an outlet for the anger brewing within him. And she is perfect for it, she could do with someone telling her that she isn’t so great.

He pulls her number upon his phone. He cringes all over again when he sees that he has already messaged her. At least several times and with variations of the same few messages; ‘You think that you’re so great don’t you? You’re so perfect. That’s fine, it’ll make it better when everyone else realizes that you aren’t’, ‘dad start beating you you yet?’, ‘oh so you’re too famous to insult me now’, and one final comment about her one failure, ‘how’s it feel to be in the tabloids, fatass?’ It is a wonder that she hasn’t blocked his numbers. Likely she sees that as a weakness. Likely, she finds his insults laughable, a sign that he’s doing worse than ever. Likely, it entertains her. He rakes his hands through his hair. He doesn’t even remember sending those.

A lot of things are fuzzy these days. He writes songs, he even records them, but he forgets to include Mai and TyLee in them. And on the days that he doesn’t wake up there, he forgets that he has gone to the recording studio at all.

He rubs his hands over his face. His heart is beating so fast and, no matter what he tries, he can’t stop shaking. He can hardly breath, the room feels so small and the more he thinks about those texts and the other things he has forgotten, the smaller the room seems.

He raps the heel of his hand against his forehead.

He should try to sleep, that might do him some good. He hasn’t slept in a while. He is damn certain that, even if the coke wasn’t making him restless, he wouldn’t be able to sleep. Every time his head hits the pillow it seems to whisper to him, telling him that he is a waste. His life is a waste. That he is no better than his father.

And the pillow--his own inner voice is right. Just because it isn’t alcohol, doesn’t mean that he isn’t the exact person he hates. He wonders how he’d let this happen, all he needed was a small boost of energy, a shot of confidence, and euphoria when he couldn’t produce it on his own. He supposes that, that is the problem exactly. He never can produce it on his own.

He was just going to use it until he had his first singles out. He wishes that the plan hadn’t worked so well. He wishes that he would have had a trip so horrible that he’d never want to do it again. But he had pumped out singles at a rate that Azula would envy--that she did envy when she saw that he had released his new singles before she did.

And just like that, ‘only until I finish my single’ became, ‘I will only use it until I finish the album.’ By the time he finished the album he found that he couldn’t stop. That he needed the extra kick. He can’t produce anything worthwhile without it.

And now he can’t function without it. Oh, Agni, he wants to function without it.

He slaps at his forehead again. He is more useless than ever and the press is finally catching onto his horrid habits. He wishes that uncle were here to offer him advice, and yet he can’t bring himself to tell the man just how much trouble he is in. He wonders if an hour long video chat a day is enough for him to be able to tell.

He wishes that he were home and not sleeping on a tour bus or in some sketchy motel, where dealers make exchanges in the alley over. He wishes that he hadn’t dragged Mai and TyLee into this one with him.

He has let Mai down; he thinks that she is falling out of love with him and in love with TyLee. Has let TyLee down; she is scared to be alone with him. Has let uncle down; he just doesn’t know it yet. He has let himself down; if he had the opportunity to walk out on himself, he probably would.

He always lets everyone down

He sits in his room, pencil in hand. He can’t seem to write songs when his head is so turbulent. When his hand is so twitchy. When his arms are so soar and bruised. And yet he can’t stop himself from putting down the pencil and taking up a needle.

He has let everyone down and he is doing it again. He can’t stop doing it. His band is a lost cause.

He can hear in his head, his father sneering about how he’d told him so; he told him that he would never make it big. He can hear Azula’s dainty little laugh, “oh, Zuzu, you’re pathetic, Tom-Tom can upstage you by banging on pots and pans.”

He cups his hands over his head. He just wants to succeed. He just wants a chance. He just wants to be happy.

.oOo.

For a moment she allows herself to hope. Perhaps everything will just be okay. Maybe father will handle it better than she anticipates. Even if he doesn’t, she has made a name for herself. She is revered by the metal masters. She has a strong voice, a sharp mind, and the tools to make something of it. Even if he doesn’t, she has her bandmates. She won’t lose everything. Perhaps her father will take well to knowing that there will be someone to inherent the family legacy, another little prodigy to teach.

Perhaps, Chan will make a good father. Perhaps the Blue Talon fandom will find a baby dragon to be precious. She should know better than to get idealistic. It never does her any good.

She swallows hard before pushing the door to the recording studio open. As things are, she is the first to arrive, it is just as well, she can use a few moments to prepare herself. She inhales and exhales several times, until at least some of her nerves settle.

Azula is more than relieved when Chan arrives first, it makes speaking to him in private that much easier. She waits for him to prop his guitar against the wall before greeting him. He looks her up and down. It is the first time in a long while that she has worn something that isn’t baggy. He keeps his thoughts tactfully to himself. “Yes, this is what I want to talk to you about.” She clasps her hands over her bump and clears her throat. “We will proceed with practice, but first I have to tell you something.”

“Are you…? You’re not…” He sputters, his eyes are fixed on her belly. She finds herself growing heavily uncomfortable under his stare. She swallows, the look on his face tells her that she is in for a difficult time. That he isn’t going to take this well at all.

“I am.” She confirms. “I have been for the past five months.” She looks up from her hands. “It’s your baby, Chan.”

He shanks his head. “No. No way.”

She nods. “I’ve only ever…” she trails off. “You’re the only person I got that close to.”

He rubs his hand over his face. “I can’t be a father!” When he pulls his hands away from his face it looks as though he has aged several years. “Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”

“I wanted to make sure that there were no distractions along the way to battle of the bands. Now that we have a stable standing…”

He shakes his head, “you’re only telling me this because you can’t keep it a secret anymore. Why did you keep it!?” He is pacing rather frantically now. “I don’t want a baby! I don’t want to be tethered to you for the rest of my life!”

Poor word choice or not, it comes like a forceful kick to the teeth. She furrows her brows, “we’re in a band together. And if we make it big we’re going to be spending plenty of time with one another anyhow. If anything, Lo and Li can watch the baby. They took care of me after my mother died.”

The laugh Chan gives is unsettling. “I’m not going to be a father. I have a career to focus on.”

“So do I.” Azula hisses. “You don’t get to just walk away from this.” But that’s just the thing, he very well can. He can walk away in a way that she can’t. “You...we don’t have to keep it. But you’re not going to pretend like it isn’t your baby.”

“Do you know what my dad will say if he finds out?”

“Do you know what my father will do when he finds out?” She isn’t even certain of this and, spirits, does she dread it. She needs someone to be there even if that someone is the asshole who put her in this position in the first place.

“It’s not my fault that you got pregnant!”

“I don’t know if things have changed since I last looked at a biology textbook, but from what I remember, this is a two person job.”

“What’s with all of the shouting?” Zirin grumbles.

“We have a band whore, that’s what.” Chan declares.

Azula’s face colors, a cross between outrage and mortification. “It’s your baby.” She insists through gritted teeth. “Who else’s would it be?”

He turns from her and appeals to Ruon and Zirin instead. “Who knows how many people she’s had backstage.”

“That’s not exactly characteristic of Azula.” Ruon mumbles.

“Neither is party sex.” Zirin shrugs.

“Chan is the father.”

“Just own up, dude.” Ruon frowns.

“Let’s say that it is mine. What the hell am I supposed to do about it? Her dad’s wallet can cover everything, she doesn’t need my help.”

Her eyes narrow, he has missed the point entirely; it isn’t money that she is seeking. She is yearning for something that her father will most certainly deprive her of--something that he has never been that good for in the first place. She craves comfort. She needs reassurance. And yet she is hesitant to ask for either. “Do you really think that my father is going to take this news very well?”

“I can’t do anything about that!” Chan throws his hands up.

“No, I suppose you can’t.” In the silence to follow, she thinks to just walk away. What more is there to say? And, really, what had she been expecting? That Chan, immature Chan, who draws phallic imagery on restaurant menus and attempts keg stands, would readily embrace the responsibilities of having knocked someone up. “Forget it. I’ll deal with it on my own.” She mumbles. “Let’s just get on with practice.”

Ruon seems to cringe.

“Really, I can deal with it on my own.”

His expression doesn’t change. If anything he is flinching harder still. “Azula, should there even be a practice?”

She furrows her brows, “What? What are you talking about, of course there should be a practice.” She thinks that her voice has raised a pitch or two.

“You’re pregnant.” He says gently, carefully. “Should you really be focusing on music right now?”

She swallows, feeling almost nauseous with nerves. “I can do both. I’ve been doing both. I can think about two things at once.”

“Realistically,” Ruon begins, “are you really going to have time to tour?”

She nods almost frantically, “I’ve been managing.”

“You haven’t been going to the doctor.” Ruon points out. “That takes up time.”

“If Zuzu was able to manage school and being in a band, then I can manage being in a band and one appointment every now and again.” She rolls her eyes, “are you really underestimating me now?”

“Am I? Or are you overestimating yourself?” Ruon asks. “Being in a band is a lot of stress and pressure without a baby…”

But he doesn’t understand. He doesn’t understand how essential being in the band is. Doesn’t understand how every aspect of her life hinges on it. On how well she performs at Audio of Agni. The competition will be the make or break moment of her life. Things have fallen into place so well and so neatly, she can’t imagine that she will have another chance at it. “Ruon, I can handle it.” She punctuates every word.

“Well maybe we don’t want to.” Zirin throws in. “Every fucking time it’s all about you. What you want. How being in this band effects you. I need this band too, and I can’t afford a wild card.” Her eyes wander to Azula’s bump.

“It’s not a wild card, I can plan…”

“Even if it’s not a wild card, it’s a risk. Zirin can’t afford risks right now.” Ruon replies. “She needs to be able to get out of that home and this band is her way out.”

And Azula is reminded of each time that Zirin has wandered into the recording booth with a collection of fresh bruises on her arms and legs, on her ribcage and back. “Which is why I need to be here. I can get where we need to be and Zirin will be able to…”

Zirin shakes her head. “You don’t get it do you? You’re still making this about you.”

“You’re not the only person in this band who has talent!” Chan speaks up again. “Zirin can sing too. I can sing. You aren’t creative and you need to be creative to be an artist.”

“I am creative.”

“No, you’re good at planning and organizing. You’re good at taking our ideas and fine-tuning them. Anyone can do that. Ruon and I write the lyrics and concepts for our videos.” He pauses for a breath. “You shoot down any ideas that aren’t copies of what we’ve already done. You refuse to try new sounds and styles.”

“I wrote the last few songs.”

“And they sound like everything else that we’ve ever done! Fine. Maybe surf rock isn’t it, but we need to change our sound somehow. We need to try something new. And you’re holding us back.”

“Holding you back, I--”

“And you’re going to hold us back more and more the further along you are.”

She clutches her belly, unsure of which emotion has the strongest grip on her--anger, distress, hurt, or anxiety. She can feel the baby kick, adding another layer of pulsing to the unsavory emotions already throbbing and throbbing within.

“Chan, that’s enough.” Ruon puts a hand on his shoulder.

He shakes it off. “Is it? She’s been giving us demands, talking down to us, and blaming us for setbacks this whole time! And this whole time she’s been carrying a bigger setback than any of us.”

“Because of you!” She hisses. She is nearing her compousre’s very end and she isn’t sure what is going to tear out when the last of it is worn away.

“We’ve been pushing along and pretending like nothing is wrong. Something needs to change.”

Her stomach sinks even further and the queasiness in her tummy grows, twice so with the shifting of the baby. “And what needs to change, Chan?” Her voice has dropped so dangerously low. Not that it can vocalize anything more than an empty threat. She is outnumbered and out of cards in a hand that wasn’t even winning to begin with.

“The lineup of this band.” Zirin puts in. Chan nods in agreement.

She waits for Ruon to tell them that that is ridiculous. She looks to him, letting her mask slip long enough for the plea to reflect in her eyes. He only turns his head. “Ruon?”

He sighs heavily. “I’m not saying that I agree with everything Chan said just now. But I do think that it might be a good idea if you...took a break from Blue Talon.”

“Ruon!?” Her composure splinters further and her voice cracks.

He takes her hand, she knows that he means it as a comforting gesture but she doesn’t want it. She doesn’t want to be touched right now. She snatches her hand away.

“I guess I can’t tell you what’s best for you but I don’t think that being in the band is good for you right now. How are you going to handle the headlines and the bad press? It’s going to be a lot. I don’t think that I’d be able to deal with it very well.”

“I’m not you, I can handle it just fine.”

“You can’t even adjust to changing the band’s style, how are you going to adjust to…”

Ruon cuts him off.

“How far along are you right now, Azula.”

‘Five months.” She answers, her voice so small and quiet now.

“From the looks of it, by the time Audio of Agni comes around, you’ll be expecting to have your baby at any time.”

She swallows hard, tears are finally starting to well up behind her eyes. Because he is right. Even if they don’t kick her out of her own band, she is almost certain that she won’t be in any shape to perform, especially not to the degree she would like. It was a lost cause from the start. A losing battle that she tried to fight single handedly anyways. What is the point in wasting her energy on a battle that can’t be won; perhaps it is time for a while flag. Perhaps the time to wave one is well overdue.

She takes a deep breath, regaining as much composure as she can and mustering all of the poise as she can manage. “Good luck with Audio of Agni.” She picks up her microphone stand and hastily strides away.

The slamming of the recording studio door is the closing of the door to her aspirations, her future.

__________

She wonders how long it will take for the tabloids to tear her self-esteem to thinner ribbons than it is already in. How long it will take for them to churn out headlines officiating her departure from the band. She supposes that she could save herself some dignity and post an open letter of sorts on her social media before the other three can.

If only she had the drive.

If only it mattered.

She is already simmering in shame, what’s one more layer?

Anyways, she has to conserve her planning and word play for when her father comes home. And her time is running thin, his vacation expires two days from now. She has a feeling that there is no adequate dialogue; that even the most seasoned authors, poets, and intellectuals wouldn’t be able to scrape up a speech that would satisfy Ozai.

She longs to pull her knees up to her chest and bury her face in them. This is just one more thing that her baby gets in the way of. She settles for leaning her head against the wall and rubbing her hands over her face.

Her phone vibrates again.

She ought to put it on silent.

Once or twice the doorbell had rung.

She wouldn’t have answered even if she had the willpower to do so.

The phone vibrates. This time it is only a text. She has a growing list of missed call notifications. A steady steam of names; mostly Ruon and Seicho but Chan and Zirin are in the mix. There is one or two from her father and a voicemail message from Zhao.

She doesn’t answer any of their calls or texts. She doesn’t want to. They are just like Mai and TyLee. Perhaps worse. She’ll leave it to them to explain her departure to Zhao. Chan has left her with a mess to clean so she will leave him one.

Her phone lights up with an incoming call, Seicho’s name appears on the screen.

She should answer it.

It would have been better if she did. But her life has been reduced to one mistake after another, just what is one more anyways?

.oOo.

The empty pouch lies several feet from her. She hadn’t meant to. But she is at her wits end, her sanity’s very edge. And she hates to admit it, but she loved it. She loved it so much. She hadn’t felt that energetic and inspired in a very long time. For a time, her appetite hadn’t been so horribly ravenous. And by Agni, conversation had come much easier when she finally got around to responding to that stream of missed calls. It was a sublime half an hour. She finds that she can no longer blame Zuko at all for craving the drug so furiously.

She can’t quite remember what she said to everyone. She doesn’t think that it matters anyways. She is so thoroughly drained, so much so that she can’t fathom leaving her bed. Can’t fathom anything at all. And this is a mercy to what comes next. To the slap of awareness that comes the next day.

Azula hasn’t felt so dreadful about herself since seeing her pregnancy test marked positive. She thinks that she might feel worse now than she had then. Her mind is a whirlwind of shame and guilt. She wishes she could pretend that she hadn’t done cocaine but she had been too lethargic in the crash to have even discarded the pouch.

It sits upon her dresser amid a light dusting of the powder, reminding that she is a failure just as miserable as her brother. That she is more so. At least Zuko never had a chance. She had all of the cards in line for her, all of the game pieces set in place and she still has managed to lose.

The noise that tears from her throat is hideous, tortured. The product of a failed attempt to conceal a sob. She used cocaine.

There is a baby in her belly and she used cocaine.

Spirits, she has probably killed it. She digs her nails into her hairline. She didn’t want to kill it. Whether she wanted it or not the baby is still hers. It is still a part of her. It might be the only thing that she will have left. And she might have just killed it or poisoned it.

She can’t stop the tremors and shakes that run through her body and she isn’t sure if it is an effect of the drug or if she is simply an anxious mess. Can cocaine give someone the shakes after one use? She trembles harder still.

She needs help.

She should call someone.

She is scared.

She has no one to call.

She wipes it her nose, she can still feel tingles and tickles. A faint static dancing on her nostrils and it won’t go away. No matter what she does or tries to think about, it doesn’t go away. The feeling builds in her sinuses until she is overtaken by an urge to claw at her nose.

It is ludicrous, the power is not there anymore--she has been to the mirror five times over to check.

She rubs her hands over her face.

She hears her phone vibrate.

She covers her ears.

She still hears it vibrate and it vibrates in unison with the static.

She slides onto the floor and bunches herself up as much as her bigger belly would allow. She finds that she is no longer even allowed to take comfort in bunching herself up. And so she lays there, strewn haphazardly, on the kitchen floor, tangled locks of hair fanning out around her.

Maybe she should lay there and die. Maybe she should go fetch the rest of her father’s stash and hit it all in one go. Maybe it is a mercy that she has probably gotten her baby killed. It doesn’t need to be born into a world that will emotionally rip it to tatters. It doesn’t need to be born to an inept mother...an inept person like her.

She should get off of the floor.

She can’t.

She is terrified.

She still has no one to call.

________________

Azula doesn’t remember opening the door. She doesn’t think that she had. But Seicho is there all the same. There and cradling her tightly, running her hand over her hair. Azula feels so, so weak. Weak and somehow more drained than she had even before.

“What happened, Azula?” She mumbles into her hair.

“They kicked me out of my own band.” She says softly, her voice straining as she tries to choke back a fresh batch of tears. “Chan got me pregnant and they kicked me out. It’s my band. My father is the one who…” she loses it at ‘father’, her words falling into the sob that she tried to suppress. “He’s going to...Agni, he’s going to disown me. Just like he did to Zuzu.”

Seicho’s brows furrow. “He’s your father, he wouldn’t…”

Azula shakes her head. “He’s a drunk, Seicho! I found the drugs in his desk.”

“You took drugs!?”

Azula grits her teeth. “I…” she what? There is no excuse. “I fucked up.”

Seicho squeezes her tighter and mutters, “let’s get you to the doctor.” She helps Azula to her shaky feet. “You should have seen one months ago, anyways.”

“What’s wrong with me, Seicho?”

“You’re stressed and pregnant and stressed because you’re pregnant.”

“I can’t afford to see a doctor. My father isn’t going to pay for that. I only have so much money saved up from the band…”

“Let’s just get you to this first appointment.”

Azula sucks in a deep breath. Seicho is right. She needs to regain rationality and start figuring out what to do. Really figuring it out as she should have done in the first place. Seicho helps her into the car.

.oOo.

Watching a dragon lose its wings is worse than finding out that her idol is the sort of asshole who would abandon his daughter for drugs and then abandon her twice over when she makes a mistake of her own.

Azula had been such a proud woman, head held high and vibrant. She is pale now, her eyes baggy and bloodshot, hair in a state of disarray and her clothes unkempt. She is softer, her face rounder. But there is no warmth in it; there is no glow of pregnancy. There is no glow at all. It is hollow and grey.

She squeezes Azula’s hand as she lingers in front of the door. It is as though walking in will put the final nail in a coffin that has been sealed for quite some time now. “Come on,” she implores softly, “I think that you’ll feel a lot better once the doctor tells you your options.”

Azula nods.

“How far along are you?” Seicho hears the receptionist ask.

“Five months.” She sounds so small.

“And you haven’t seen a doctor yet?”

She shakes her head.

“Why have you waited so long?”

“I didn’t want to tell my father…”

The receptionist sighs. “I’m sorry, we can’t take you as a patient.”

Azula’s dreary eyes grow that much more dismal. “What do you mean?” Her voice is caught somewhere between distress and anger. Seicho thinks that it is pure shock. “Why not?”

The receptionist has the decency to cringe. “You’ve already missed several important screenings, tests, and milestones. You’re also very young…”

“So?”

She flinches back further. “You’re a liability. There are a lot of risk factors and most physicians don’t want that liability.”

Azula grows paler still. “I-I don’t know what to do. I need to see someone.”

“I’m sorry, Ms. We can’t accept new patients that are this far along.”

Azula doesn’t speak another word. Stiff and tense is her walk back to the car and all Seicho can do is rub her hand in small circles on her back as they walk. Azula lays back against the headrest, almost limp in defeat. “Is there anywhere else we can go?”

“We can try the next place over.” Seicho suggests. And she suggests it again and again until she has to look up clinics she has never heard of. Azula finds one, a small practitioner. And they drive there.

.oOo.

Azula is under the impression that they have only taken her as a patient as a good will gesture. That the receptionist had taken one look at her dejected state and called for the doctor herself. Azula shifts uncomfortably in the chair as the woman looks her down with a smile that is much too big.

“Geez, that Joo Dee woman is creepy.” Seicho whispers.

Azula shrugs. “At least she’s giving me a chance.” She will stomach the creepiness as she stomachs everything else that is thrown at her. At last a woman appears, she is terribly old with bright white hair and fierce blue eyes.

“Azula, is it?” She greets.

Azula nods.

“My name is Hama.”

“You’re going to take me as a patient.”

“You’ve come unorthodoxly late.” She clicks her tongue. “But I’ve been doing this for a very long time so I’ll see what I can do for you.”

Azula exchanges a glance with Seicho. One that is not missed by Hama. “You’re nervous.”

“I am not.”

The old woman chuckles. “I suppose it’s strange to be in a place like this instead of some facility that smells like ammonia. But I think that better births happen in a relaxed environment. Hospitals are not relaxing. Nothing comforting about giving birth when someone is dying just down the hall.”

“No, that’s not comfortable at all.” Azula agrees but it is no less comforting to be in what looks like someone’s house. “Do you even have…” “The medical equipment necessary to deliver a baby?” She quirks a brow. “I get asked that all the time, girl. I certainly do and if you will follow me I can show you. Forgive me, I know that I just criticized the scent but it does smell like disinfectants back here.”

Azula doesn’t think that there is anything to forgive. It is a comfort to know that the woman is properly sanitizing everything. She supposes that, that is a good sign. The room Hama leads her to is much like a standard doctor’s office, save for the wallpaper, a helping of potted plants everywhere, and a faint odor of incense that cuts through the disinfectants.

“Please sit. We have quite a lot of things to go over. Namely your situation with your father, Joo Dee informed me that he is not aware.”

“He isn’t, no.”

“This first visit will be free of charge, dear.”

For the first time all day, perhaps in months, she feels a refreshing current of relief. She could very well cry.

“Thank you.”

“Because you are coming in so late, I need you to sign a waiver. There could be complications that are...difficult for me to work with, things that haven’t been detected because…”

And she hasn’t even told the woman about her cocaine use. She isn’t sure that she should, Agni forbid she loses her last chance. She reads the forms over and signs them. Hama hands her more of them. “I need you to fill out your medical history. Allergies, past illnesses, the usual. After you do that I will give you a general check up and we can schedule your first real appointment.”

“What if I can’t pay?”

Hama considers for a moment. “I will work with you, dear. My daughter is a fan of your music. Perhaps you can sing for her some time.”

.oOo.

Azula looks better, if only a little, now that she is sitting in the car with a rather clean bill of health; a healthy heart rate and body temperature, no fever nor infection, and a body weight that is rather typical for someone at five months.

She looks better still to see that Ozai’s car is still not in the driveway.

“Spend the night with me?”

“I can do that. Just let me text my parents.” Seicho smiles.

_________

It is a mercy that her father is so late to return home, she thinks to call and ask him why he hasn’t come home. She is beginning to wonder if the man has overdosed in his hotel room. Drank himself to death and yet to be discovered. More likely, he has heard word of her departure from the band and is leaving her to fester in her dread for a while.

Still, it is better this way; she had needed the extra time with Hama unable to get her in for another three days. It is just as well, the cocaine should be out of her system. It has been decided that she will pay for the treatments using her band savings, it isn’t as though she has any use for them anymore, anyhow. She still feels awkward sitting in Hama’s chair. Though the woman has been more than friendly.

Seicho lounges in the corner while Hama lifts Azula’s shirt above the bump. The ultrasound gel that she applies is cool on her belly, uncomfortably so.

“We will call you with the results of your blood work as soon as we receive them.” Hama says as she carefully sweeps the transducer over Azula’s bump.

“Alright.”

“So far, it looks like your baby’s development is on the right track.”

She wouldn’t say that if she knew about the drugs.

“It’s a girl.”

“A girl.” She repeats distantly. At least she can stop calling the baby an ‘it’ now.

Hama cleans the gel away and pulls Azula’s shirt back down. “Based on what we’ve discussed I’ve given you a care plan going forward. I also have a list of foods and drinks to avoid. I’d like to see you again in two weeks.”

.oOo.

Ozai’s car is in the lot when Seicho pulls into the driveway. Her throat constricts.

“Do you want me to come with you?”

Azula shakes her head. It is better if she faces him alone. It is better if she is alone when she is shamed. She takes a deep breath and steps into the foyer. She looks to the recliner that he usually occupies when he is seeking to yell at her. It is vacant.

She finds him at the dinner table, with a bottle that is already half empty. She feels nauseous but she forces herself into the room. She tries to be quiet about it when she pulls out her chair but it still squeak and scrapes upon the floor. Not that she isn’t in plain sight of her father anyhow. Even still she feels as though she should take her seat with a stealthy silence. As though sound will break whatever peace there is left. She shifts uncomfortably in her chair.

Her father looks her over, taking her in. And she realizes that it has been several weeks since he has seen her. She wonders how she looks to him with her belly swollen and her sad eyes. She braces herself for a good scolding but he doesn’t say anything at all. Somehow this is so much worse. She clears her throat, “father.”

“Don’t call me that.”

The lump in her throat grows, swelling until she can barely breathe. “I can fix this.”

His expression says it all. She has made a perfect fool of she and him both. He wants nothing to do with she and her baby. He simply lifts his arms and slides the sheets of paper that were underneath them over to her. She picks them up and looks them over, they are printouts from various online newspapers.

Now that she has seen the headlines she is grateful that she had been too busy fretting over appointments to seek them out and pay them any mind at all. Surely there are article that lament her departure, sympathize with her, or wish her a safe pregnancy. But the ones that Ozai has selected for her to read are brutal and merciless; ‘Blue Talon to Enter a New, More Creative Era Following Departure of Lead Vocalist’, Blue Talon Vocalist Lets Down Fans’. ‘Disappointing News: What Losing Their Vocalist Means for Blue Talon and Audio of Agni.’ The ones addressing her pregnancy are worse still; ‘Tour Bus Sex: Blue Talon Vocalist Pregnant’. They quite bluntly imply that she is slut, that she is easy all the while they try to speculate who the father is.

There is an interview with her former bandmates. She only needs to read Chan’s denial of being the father to decide that the article isn’t worth reading.It is teeming with lies and stirs the rumors. And she has missed her window of merit; to tell her side with some scrap of believability. Chan has ruined her and she thinks that he probably knows it. She supposes that it is better her than him in his mind. She can’t say that she wouldn’t do him the same if the roles could be somehow swapped.

She looks up from the printouts. She opens her mouth but she doesn’t trust herself to speak without choking up or sobbing. She waits for Ozai to begin yelling. She practically yearns for it as the silence drags on.

“I finished reading them.” She manages finally. Maybe now he will begin his tirade, now that she has a full understanding of how disgraceful she is, he will elaborate. He still holds his tongue. She shifts in her chair, absently and nervously rubbing circles on her belly. He reaches for his bottle and takes a swig, he refuses to look up from his phone. But he finally speaks, “get out.” He noisily clatters the bottle against the table top.

She swallows. She must have misheard him. He wouldn’t just kick her out without a discussion. “What?”

“Get out of my sight.” He says it with such finality that she can only rise shakily to her feet and hope that Seicho will answer her phone. Her mouth is dry and her fingers shake as she punches Seicho’s number into her phone. She can barely see the numbers with her eyes as misty as they are.

She makes her way to her room and tosses her favorite clothes into a suitcase alongside her microphones and critical recording equipment. She takes her comb, her toothbrush, a bar of soap. Her fingers hover over her first musical award and her invite to Audio of Agni. She retracts her hand, they will only take up necessary space in her suitcase.

Upon gathering everything that she needs, she drops onto Ozai’s recliner and sits there, shaking, until she sees the headlights through her window.

“What’s going on?”

Azula shakes her head. She isn’t sure where Seicho is taking her, she isn’t sure that Seicho knows where she is driving to. Right now she is just driving. Right now Azula wants to just drive. Right now Azula wants her to drive into a lake.

“Are you alright?”

She is anything but.

“Please tell me what happened.”

“He...he told me to leave.”

“Like, just for tonight, or…”

“He doesn’t want me back.”

And Seicho’s parents want nothing to do with her. They want their daughter to have nothing to do with an influence so negative; with the sort of tramp who would find herself knocked up at sixteen.

Despite scathing protest from Seicho, they evict her from their daughter’s car. She finds herself wandering down the streets, suitcase in hand. She finds herself a park bench, the metal is too cold for sleep but she can’t imagine herself getting any anyhow.

She opens her phone; Seicho is already apologizing profusely, making promises to find a way to see her. Right now she doesn’t have the optimism to believe that she will be able. She scrolls through the names on her phone; Chan, Father, Mai, Mother, Ruon, Seicho, Tylee, Uncle… She scrolls all the way to the bottom, her finger hovered over Zuko’s number. She can’t bring herself to enter it.

She can’t think of anything else to do so she decides to return Zhao’s call. Maybe he can help her work out how to salvage her musical career and her reputation. She finds that he can do no such thing; he is no miracle worker. She needs a miracle worker but she will settle for a samaritan.

It isn’t ideal by any means, but she doesn’t see any other options so when his car pulls up she gets in. Her head is dizzy with many scenarios, many unsavory possibilities. She braces herself to just deal with them, take whatever ugly things life throws at her.

Of all of the dark stories she has written in her head, she could have never anticipated what did happen; she is greeted by three children and a rather plump woman with gentle eyes and a warm smile to match. She kisses Zhao’s cheek and welcomes him back home as his children fuss about at his feet. “Misaki, this is Azula. She is going to stay with us.”

She is so inexplicably relieved that the worst discomfort that Zhao gives her is informing her that her options are the floor or the sofa.

__________

While they get better, she gets worse. Blue Talon rises and Azula falls. They rise on her material, on her story, on her hardwork and soul.

She doesn’t know why she has taken to keeping such close tabs on Blue Talon. There is nothing to be gained from watching each new live performance. Nothing to be gained from stalking about their social media and viewing their announcements about introducing a brand new sound.

Nothing to be gained but more self loathing, a heavier heart, and a renewed hatred of her former friends. She can’t even be sure if she can call them that; were they ever her friends, they would have the decency to stop performing songs about her abuse. Bad split or not, they can afford her the respect of not letting Ruon sing her story, her pains.

It is a mockery, a hollow rendering of the person wrapped in those lyrics. Really there is nothing she can do; though it is fully hers, Blue Talon has the right to those lyrics, to that story. She doesn’t have the legal backing or the funds to take them back.

Azula supposes that she shouldn’t be surprised, she doesn’t have the ability to reclaim the story she has yet to tell either. And so she clicks the next link.

She does this for hours, an endless stream of mindless scrolling. Her only comfort comes in the form of radio silence from From Ashes To Phoenix. An arrest and then total silence is never a good sign. At least she is not alone in her failure. At least it, like most sufferings, is a family activity but without the bonding that could make it worthwhile.

Late in the night, she shuts the computer down. She drags herself to her suitcase and finds herself a pair of pajamas. She curses herself for--in her moment of distress--forgetting to make sure that she grabbed pajamas that would fit. It is an extra kick when she needs it the least to find that she has packed only one set of pajamas designed for pregnancy and only a few accommodating day clothes. She sinks to her knees and grips the sides of her head, nails digging into her hairline--it is just one impulse disaster after another, ranging from minor to major.

She’ll deal with the awkwardness of asking Zhao’s wife to take her shopping or borrow clothes in the morning. She slips out of her day clothing and into the pajamas, they are just snug enough to let her know that these pajamas she had brought during month four.

She lays herself down on the couch. Agni, she wishes that they didn’t have a mirror hanging across the room from it. Now that her eyes are locked on her reflection, she thinks that it would have been infinitely healthier to have kept her eyes fixed on the computer screen. It is so much better to hate her old bandmates than it is to hate herself.

Her life is a mess and her entire being reflects it. In her life she has never looked so dreadful. Her hair is such a mess--she hasn’t bothered with it in several days--it frames a face that seems swollen and puffy to her. Her entire person seems swollen, no doubt, the result of eating for two. She wraps her hands around her middle only to be dismayed by the way her shirt stretches over her chest. It doesn’t feel right and her only comfort comes from the knowing that the occasional tenderness in that area has already reached a peak and subsided. She should tear her eyes away from the glass but they have already locked on patches of discolored skin. She furrows her brows, unsure if this is normal. She supposes that, that is just one more uncomfortable question that she will have to ask Zhao’s wife. Each and every one of her birthmarks and freckles seem to have darkened as well.

To some degree, she has trouble recognizing the haggard person who stares back at her as herself. She could reach out her hand but she doesn’t want the extra confirmation.

But worse than her bump, her softened face, her swollen chest, and those unsightly discolorations is the inky blue dragon curling around her bicep. Its blue talon stretches out to remind her of what she no longer has. She brushes her fingers over it, with a sudden impulse to claw it away. To rake her nails across her skin until scar tissue engulfs the whole of the inkwork.

She resists the impulse and swaps it for another. She punches Seicho’s number into the phone and screams at her until her voice goes raw and her mind numb to the point where she can’t even remember what she had said. She knows that at least part of it had to do with yelling at the girl for tattooing her with no questions asked.

Lucidity only comes back in with a slap when Seicho, tearfully from the sound of it, shouts, “my parents were right about you!” The line goes dead before she can even begin to explain why she’d called in the first place. Before she could even try to articulate some sort of apology.

In that one end call tone, she knows that she has no one left. No one and nothing.

#Avatar The Last Airbender #2021atlasummerevent #Azula #Zuko #Azula/Background Character #Mai #Maiko #Fanfiction

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tenderedsouls · 3 years

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* hi friends ! i'm kofi , twenty3 , and i prefer either she / her or they / them pronouns ! i've been looking for a cute town rp to join , and i'm so glad i came across irving . i'm graduating from college this semester ( finally ! ) , so excuse me if i'm a little scatterbrained at times ! i just know that i'll eventually bring more muses to the group , but i figured that one was enough for my plate right now ( and i'm ridiculously picky and will spend hours making up my mind ) . that being said , jinhyuk is a brand new muse straight out of the box , so please forgive me if he strays from his intro ! i can't wait to read about everyone's muses , and i especially can't wait to build connections with everyone !

* ahn hyo seop , cis man + he / him | you know jinhyuk shin , right ? they're twenty five , and they've lived in irving for , like , their whole life ? well , their spotify wrapped says they've listened to swear to god by blackbear like , a million times this year which makes sense 'cause they've got that whole warm aroma of cedar and patchouli lingering on his skin , a bedside journal filled with nonsensical writings , and boisterous laughter followed by reddened cheeks thing going on . i just checked and their birthday is december 10th, so they're a sagittarius , which is unsurprising , all things considered .

001. DOSSIER .

name : shin jin hyuk . nicknames : jin , primarily . only called jinnie by his mother . date of birth : december 10th, 1995 . zodiac : sagittarius . birthplace : irving , north carolina ( raised on orion avenue ) . orientation : bisexual , biromantic . residence : irving , north carolina ( port apartments ) . occupation : accountant for kahlo’s café and graduate student . height : 188cm ( 6′2″ ) . mother : shin aera ( adoptive ; high school mandarin teacher ) . father : shin hangyeol ( adoptive ; emergency medicine nurse ) . positives : benevolent , educated , independent , liberal , passionate , and romantic . neutral : moralistic , boyish , mellow , private , restrained , and unaggressive . negative : hesitant , timid , cautious , boisterous , clumsy , and gullible . likes : iced americano , ballpoint pens , roasted carrots , rainy days , a too warm apartment , lazy sundays , sugar donuts , bubble tea , and cancelled lectures . dislikes : essay word minimums , too hot summers , too loud music , fireworks , black coffee , his sensitivity , and itchy sweaters . dressing style : best described as lazy yet stylish . consists primarily of shackets , sweatshirts , denim jeans , and ankle cropped dress pants . as someone constantly on his feet , he has a few trusty sneakers that get him across campus . it is rare to see him in track / sweatsuits as he can be self - conscious about his appearance . markings : a scar on his left elbow from falling through a fence at eight years old and a faded scar on his eyebrow from running into a tree branch at ten years old .

002 . BACKSTORY .

it’s december of 1995 when jinhyuk is born to parents who don’t want him or have the funds to raise him . for the better part of six months , he is raised in a local orphanage until he’s nearly a year old , and is adopted by shin aera and her husband , hangyeol . the couple are in their early thirties at the time of jinhyuk’s adoption , and he has never made the effort to look for his ‘birth’ parents , even though aera and hangyeol have asked if he would like to . the couple raise their son in a relatively normal and peaceful household on orion avenue , and despite not having siblings , jinhyuk grows up to be a warm yet tenderhearted person .

growing up , jinhyuk is a boy who wears his heart on his sleeve . it’s relatively tough for him to make friends during his early adolescent years as he grows a little too fast for his body to catch up with , and finds himself tripping over his feet when hanging out with other kids . on top of that , due to his asthma , it’s hard for him to keep up with the other kids of irving as they explore the places where he’s not supposed to be , often needing to stop for puffs from his inhaler . eventually , jinhyuk gives up on trying to be an adventurous child , and instead finds solace in making friends who are more interested in books , writing , video games , and anything that doesn’t involve getting his sneakers stuck in the mud .

it’s during his high school years when jinhyuk finally grows into his own . a handsome boy with wide eyes , jinhyuk has found a niche of people that he’s comfortable with and even finds love for the first time when he’s sixteen . the new love is almost overwhelming for jinhyuk as he had never experienced such a love before . it lasts for a little over a year and a half , and it’s a love that jinhyuk has been unable to forget . eventually , jinhyuk graduates from irving’s local high school and moves away to attend college in ‘ the big city ’ . jinhyuk obtains his bachelor’s degree in economics , and moves back home following graduation . he takes a gap year , and during that time he takes on the position of accountant for kahlo’s café .

since then , jinhyuk has been working job and living with his persian cat named duri . he primarily works from home as his job isn’t necessarily one that’s needed in house , so he spends a lot of time exploring new hobbies and half finishing books that remain placed all around his apartment . he has far too many plants that are in need of water , and gets annoyed when the tourists come to town because the beach is too crowded and cutie pie’s never has available seating .

003 . PERSONALITY .

as an adult , jinhyuk is someone who tries not to step on toes and stays in his own lane . he’s not someone who invokes arguments and he doesn’t really diffuse them either , so you could say that he’s a neutral party in most situations . he could be considered as something of a romantic as well as a hopeless romantic , but he doesn’t necessarily look for love as he believes that if he’s meant to fall in love again then it will happen when the time is right . jinhyuk is soft spoken and he can be relatively sociable when he wants to be . sometimes , if provoked enough , he can be a little snippy or rude , but it’s a rare chance that he is unless he truly doesn’t get along with someone .

he likes early morning walks as they allow him the chance to think without much disturbance , and finds comfort with being by himself . believes in taking himself on ‘dates’ and eats too much pasta to be considered as anything other than a 6′2″ piece of rigatoni .

004 . CONNECTIONS .

i am open to fulfilling anything that you’re looking for , and i’m also open to working based on chemistry !

a best friend would be nice 🥺 or i’ll cry

his ! first ! love ! jinhyuk experienced literally every first with this person ( first kiss , first time , first everything ) and he hasn’t really gotten over them despite their relationship happening in high school .

he’s not much of a hookup person , but that’s not to say that it’s impossible for him to have one or two .

platonic soulmates ! borderline best friends , but also teetering over the line of being confidants .

someone who flirts with him but he’s absolutely oblivious to it . this could be done either romantically or platonically .

perhaps someone he has a crush on ? he doesn’t voice his crush on them because it’s a new feeling of love all over again , and he doesn’t make the effort to even tell friends about it .

anyone else who works at kahlo’s pls raise your hand 🥺 and may they be worK FRIENDS I’M BEGGING

i’m sure i’ll add more , but this is what i have for now ! it’s nearly 2am and i didn’t eat dinner so .. embarrassing luv .

#irvingintro #pls excuse the page being on dash only for now #i'm still editing and such !#this took a lil longer than expected #i have a short attention span PLS call me out on it

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luminois · 3 years

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Ok HELLO DARLING ❤️🌈☀️ it’s been a hot minute but I’m back with hugs and cookies! Thinking of you and hoping you’re doing okay

I also have to say I’m very invested in this dancer fic idea and would love to see the reader equally devastated by hyunjin with the long hair after practice. Imagine having to sit on the sidelines of the demon vlive 🥵

HI BABY 😚❤️ been missing your hugs and cookies very badly this is a very happy day now

LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT THAT DEMON VLIVE !!!!! okay you know when he took off his sweater i think to dance to mmm by kai? (i think it was that song forgive me if i’m mistaken) OKAY THAT like you’re there to work with him because idk you have to do a stage together or smth and you’re sweating because the practice is coming to an end and you both look good like i am majorly attracted to people wearing sports/practice clothes like kpop dance practices videos?? *chefs kiss* so your hair is kinda messy and you’re wearing this cute tight sleeveless crop top with high waisted joggers and chunky shoes I’D WEAR THAT SO HARD AAAAAAAA anywho you’re sitting on the bench against the wall trying to regain your breath and drinking from your water bottle and hyunjin is still standing in the middle of the room bending forward with his hands on his knees as he does and THEN he fully stands and takes off the sweatshirt he’s wearing and he’s got one of his damned sleeveless tank tops underneath and at this point you’re freaking out because...... messy long black hair?? hard breathing???? his arms???????? a whole demon.

and the music is still playing in the background and the mirror is all foggy from the hours you’ve spent practicing and you both are stealing looks at each other because you both look hot as hell like my bisexuality would not survive one full minute in that room i’ll tell you that🧍‍♀️and like the dance you have to perform together is sensual because i mean it’s two attractive people performing a duet it was meant to be sexy!!

so the tension can be cut with a knife and next thing you know he’s walking towards you and you’ve stood up and you meet him halfway and THE KISS oh my god the kiss is literally breathtaking and kind of expected because you found each other attractive even before this moment but just never said something because you’re working together you gotta stay professional yk BUT we don’t know professional anymore, you have the room booked for another twenty minutes and it doesn’t look like you’re gonna be dancing anymore sooooooooo the possibilities *wink* are endless hihi

#answered #nat 🌈#I AM SORRY I GOT CARRIED AWAY #I JUST FELT SO INSPIRED OOF #I LOVE THIS #nsfw???#maybe hehe

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typinggently · 4 years

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I feel like feral Bruce would Absolutely rock crop tops. Idk I just feel like he would go ham with a crop top on lil bit of glitter in the hair you know. ✨ (love your posts btw🥰)

Firstly - thank you so much, lovely!! And when I tell you that I had a list of Summer Fun Facts for the Feral Bat that included crop tops… Great minds, truly!!! But after your ask I got thinking about the concept for a moment. Let’s say it’s -

Feral Bruce in Crop Tops Hour!

(I also went above and beyond to find actual pics and outfits but very few really resonated with what I had in mind, so I hope you’ll forgive me if this will be a bit of an exercise of imaginative dress-up)

Let’s start with the glitter hair!!! I feel that’s very much a Brucie look. You know Brucie loves to spend all night in Gotham’s hottest (or coldest) clubs, and he needs the Looks to match. So what I could imagine would be his hair gelled back with a nice layer of glitter, to really sparkle in those flashing lights. Then some nice dark, high-waisted jeans, some shoes he can dance in and a loose, almost see-through crop top with BRUCIE bedazzled on the front. Just, you know. In case someone doesn’t know who he is. It’s a great look because the high-waisted jeans and the shirt actually cover a fair bit of his body, but the airy and loose quality of the top that just hints at the outlines of his body, as well as the occasional flash of pale skin makes it look like he’s much more undressed than he really is. And come on. It’s a hot look.

This whole thing reminded me that I actually mentioned Bruce in a Crop Top before, as part of his workout gear – that is, a pair of tapered tracksuit bottoms, a grey leotard with a velvety bat on the chest and a cropped sweatshirt that says FUCK on the front and OFF on the back. Since his fighting style is built equally on grace and strength, dancing and gymnastics are an important part of his routine. So yes, he absolutely needs his bat-leotard. Also it’s cute. And the FUCK-sweater (Alfred doesn’t like it much) is usually a good way to have his peace, since many mainstream gossip mags don’t like having that word printed in bold letters on their pages, so paps don’t photograph him that much when he’s jogging through Wayne Manor Park or just outside for some other fitness-y reason.

Apart from being sexy and weird, of course, Bruce can be a tad eccentric. So of course his autumn outfit for casual strolls through the foggy streets of Gotham with all the gothic facades and grimy streets would be a big woollen coat (you know, the kind that billows behind you a little), dark jeans, heavy boots and a torn shirt. And by that I mean the thing is in tatters from about the sternum down. It looks like he wrestled it from a lion and put it on, really. And it’s probably either a bright, autumn colour like red or orange, or it’s white with something written on it. If you got close enough to read it, it might be parts of Dracula, which someone with odd sleeping habits might’ve written on there over the course of 5 hours, while listening to the “Charcoal” Album by Brambles on repeat. Halloween season, and all that. His body appropriately looks even paler than usual, from the glimpses people get when the wind picks up and blows his coat open and does this man never get cold?

Bruce can be eccentric in a more cubist way, too. You know those trousers with the wide legs that look almost like floor-length skirts when you’re standing still? Black, of course. And for a jacket? Top? We have an origami-like construction, probably with wide sleeves, probably white, with the folds parting at the front to reveal basically his whole torso. This is something he just likes to wear in summer, at home. It’s fun to dance or even walk in, since the shapes move so interestingly, and it’s terribly distracting to Clark whenever he comes over since he never manages to guess just when he’ll get to see Bruce’s bare skin. Tantalising, truly. (Clark wishes the man would wear. something ordinary just ONCE when they’re together so he can keep his mind on the things that need to be done)

And hey! Bruce can do that! Casual? No problem! Loose hair, free of product. Sunglasses (it’s summer). Jeans. T-shirt. Very normal. But – just make it a little shorter, you know? Have the shirt be tight, and end at around the dip of his waist. And let’s have the jeans sit low on his hips, so the happy trail and his v-line are nicely visible. And you know, since we’ve already gotten this far, let’s just make it a Superman-themed shirt. Now wouldn’t that be a fun outfit for Brucie to visit Metropolis in? “Oh, no, no. Not Mister Wayne, please. I’m undercover. I’m in Metropolis. See? I’m wearing the shirt? With the, you know, the sexy sky man? But yes, call me Brucie. Yeah, that’s better. What am I – ? oh, here? Just for fun, just for fun. I thought I’d come look at some tan people for a change. But look at this – now I stick out! Trés uh? Bad. Horrible. Well, not that bad. It’s a nice look, yeah? Here, you want to take a pic of me in front of- what’s that thing?” (Brucie always talks so much when the paps see him, they never get to ask any questions)

And finally – the Galliano 2011 inspired look. You know I had to. Let’s give him a black silk shirt, unbuttoned after about the third button. It’s not quite a crop top per se, but you see an awful lot of his torso, so let’s count it. Black suit trousers and suspenders, but the suspenders are worn underneath the shirt, which gives that lingerie flavour to the whole look. Then let’s give him the smokey eyes and voilà! That’s a Look to wear around home while waiting for Clark to drop in and ask about what he was doing in Metropolis. (Clark really wishes the man would wear something ordinary just once…)

#feral bruce hours #battinson #feral bruce fashion #superbat #skinnysnakeshoes #ask #formatting continues to be an absolute pain - I really hope this is somewhat bearable to read on the app and on desktop

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kaisooficrec · 4 years

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Hello there, fellow KaiSooists. I have never had as much concentrated written fun as when I was reading these fics. I really love intense violence/crime AUs and I had to leave out so many spy and hitman and military fics for the sake of sticking to mafia. SO I REALLY HOPE YOU ENJOY LIKE I DEFINETELY DID.

Mafia Boss - kyungsoo is the mafia mob leader / vampire and has his secretary jongin by his side. he has to protect jongin since they got an unexpected news from him (mpreg)

Mad Love - mafia au, jongin is kinda soo's trophy wife ;) lots of sexual tension, nini in stockings n purple cropped sweater uwu

Bluff - ot12, unfinished but chaptered. My all-time full EXO favourite. In a mafia based on playing cards system, Kai is a Heart and Kyungsoo the “leader” of Spades. Jongin betrays his group to join Kyung. Tao-centric but godDAMMIT THIS AUTHOR PREDICTED LOVE SHOT AND LEFT US ALL HANGING. I adore this, I really do.

Not Good People - Kyungsoo only wanted to prove his independence to himself and to his mafia boss of a brother, but he wasn't going to complain when he got unexpected sex ed from a hot gang leader.

Ascending Rain - Yakuza!AU, psychological, angst(?), mystery, smut. You know what's hot? Japanese mafia heir tatted up Jongin and pristine looking genius sociopath Kyungsoo. You know what's even hotter? Both of them being in the darkest love-hate relationship in between murders and mind games. So much plot, so many details, great OCs, and occasional first person chapters. Awesome read, too bad it's unfinished.

spring snow - Character death, multiple ships. This is practically the modern shorter version of 48 Hours.Yixing helps Jongin find the man he left behind and watches a mafia slowly die out. It's heartbreakingly good.

Running Up That Hill - Recced before, but I can’t not mention this legend. A chaptered masterpiece with suspenseful angst, awesome smut, intricate detailed plot, ot12 characters, side XiuHan, top!soo and violence. No matter what I do there is no way I can express how unbelievably addicting this fic is. Just read it, it should be a fandom classic by now.

Cypher - OT12, ongoing.

smoke - Oneshot. Kyungsoo as the heir to a security firm discovers that his dad is caught in mafia business. Later, as a president, he is faced with the same pressure from Kim Kai, the heavy smoker mob leader himself..

safe like springtime - only two chapters so far, with Jongin being bratty son-of-a-mobster teenager!Kyungsoo’s confused bodyguard.

4x4 (and away we go) - Twoshot, smut, tw. The Kim family is indepted to the famous stoic mafia leader, Do Kyungsoo, and Jongin finds himself obliged to pay back. Uhm, unsettling

Subterfuge - Oneshot, smoking. Kyungsoo’s a mafia leader, and Jongin a heavy smoker barman. Again, a subtle piece that leaves you wanting more. (a.k.a I’m really whipped for kaisoo and mafia!au)

bang and burn - Incomplete, 4 chapters, pretty heavy drug use, smut and very mild angst. Jongin doesn’t understand what his retired sniper ex did to be worth a million dollars, but dead. He also didn’t understand how in ten years, his pancakes and skin are just as delicious. Indigo’s (a.k.a my favourite active author) freaky shot at assassins. Pretty damn awesome.

in their blood and from the gutter - Oneshot, angst, smut, side BaekXing and murders. Kyungsoo is an associate of the biggest mafia ruling the city. He’s constantly in danger but one assignment officially makes him a dead man. An intense great read ; I’m not a fan of open endings but holy damn, I loved it.

and your sexy enemies closer - SeKaiSoo, based on the Love Shot MV, with bits of crack and uhm, a weird fingering scene. It was pretty good and unsettling because my first KaiSoo+someone fic.

I really don’t wanna let this rec go, but here, the latest pure mafia!AU rec. You can also (re)check other awesome fics here for extra action. And, well, long live KaiSoo, with lots of guns and rainbows.

- Admin Cookie

@icequeenpalace (Hey lovely reader! I am so so sorry for deleting your ask. I didn’t notice and our hero admin J in here told me about it. I hope you still know that it is for you too that this list has been formed and that I am sorry for the accident. PLEASE ENJOY ANYWAY AND FORGIVE A SMITTEN SOUL.)

#icequeenpalace #kaisoo #fic request #admin cookie #r:mafia au

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katelides · 4 years

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Walking on sunshine - Bechloe Mini Fic pt 7

I realize I have not posted in a very very long time... and I am sorry... I am posting 2 chapters for this mini fic today and I am working on the next one as we speak! So I am getting back out there!!

Chapter 7: It must have been love

The girls are all getting dressed with an 80s playlist blaring in the background, getting them all in the mood. Leave it to Maddie to decide that a themed hen night is what she wants. Everyone is dressing up in vintage clothes, and tuning their hair and makeup into the selected time.

They are all having a ton of fun, messing with each other while helping simultaneously. All the girls have their own costume they are picking. Or a certain style. Aubrey and Stacy had decided to take on a prep school look with Sperry Top-Siders, to show off intelligence yet still looking sexy as hell.

Fat Amy, Maddie and Chloe had each decided on a specific outfit that resembles Cindy Lauper in some way. Maddie even going as far as putting on a blonde wig. This only because when they were younger, they were obsessed with her hit song ‘Girls Just Wanna Have Fun’. A motto at least 2 have lived by since. Chloe just loved the song but couldn’t decide whether this was something she wanted to be remembered by for the rest of her life, and still isn’t.

Titziana, who is joining the gang, is sporting pooled up cringed hair. Wearing a black dress and a jean jacket on top. Showing off just enough cleavage to attract the other gender for sure. Emily, on the other hand, is wearing high-waisted jeans and a Coca Cola crop top sweater, and having her hair curled perfectly.

The girls all make it to the club around 10 PM and instantly pull each other towards the bar to take some shots. Maddie is the first one to semi reluctantly pour one down while the rest cheers her on. Shortly after the other girls, minus Emily, since she’s pretending to be pregnant for Maddie, and can’t drink.

The DJ watches the girls go loose and spots their outfits and instantly turns up the volume and blasting Fat Amy, Chloe and Maddie’s all-time favourite through the speakers. The girls go wild and head over to the dance floor, to dance until their hearts are beating like crazy. Flirting and just being free from everything. The wedding, lies, and everything that is attached to what has occurred in the past few days.

At the club, Fat Amy and Aubrey had prepared a little surprise for everyone. They had hired some strippers. Both male a female, to spice up the evening. Maddie is really put on the spot but loves every second of it. How could she not? She has two sexy firemen grinding in her lap while three real-life pilots are already being pulled aside by Back at the club, Chloe is watching her sister getting handsy with the strippers, laughing her heart out, trying to remember everything for the following day. But deep inside she knows that she should not be here, not at the club, nor in Puglia and especially not at the wedding tomorrow. She can’t do it to herself, nor to her sister. She can’t keep pretending that everything is fine when it’s not.

Chloe manages to sneak out of the club, to grab some fresh air and think things over. She wouldn’t be able to forgive herself if she would have made an irrational decision without really thinking about it. She needs to put all her feelings into a neat line. Not just for her own sake.

Meanwhile, Beca, Jesse, Mike and Benji are having a blast, walking around town in their own 80s themed costumes. Beca having chosen a simple outfit, black jeans with a white shirt, topping it off with an army band jacket. Jesse is covering his musical movie tracks and wearing a white shirt with a leather jacket and high jeans with aviator sunglasses. Mikey is keeping it cool with his hair smoothly gelled backwards and a white button-up shirt. Benji is casually wearing a coloured polo shirt tucked into his jeans.

The four of them are cruising around town, from bar to bar. Enjoying Beca’s last night as a free woman together. Eventually, they stumble into a strip club, well slightly pulling Beca towards one, not giving her a chance to change her mind or even protest.

Beca is pushed into a chair, handed over another drink and gets a brunette shoved into her lap. If it wasn’t for her wedding the following day and her still raging feelings for her fiancee’s sister. She would be at least enjoying it. Right now though, she can’t seem to let go and just sits there with a forced smile, waiting for everything to be over. The night, and especially the wedding.

She quickly excuses herself from her chair and tells her brother that she needs some air after all the alcohol she has consumed. She heads out and sits down at the edge of a fountain, just taking her time to think. Her mind keeps playing back the memories of 3 years ago, and the memories of earlier that day. Could Chloes really not feel anything for her? Did she ever, really?

Beca has been sitting outside for about 30 minutes when Jesse stumbles towards her in a slightly inebriated state. Knowing that his little sister needs some guidance or at least support. He remembers how heartbroken she was when Chloe left and how Beca had not dated for over a year after that. He was there, every night when she cried, or more to say she pretended not to cry but he knew better.

“Hey, you all right?” Jesse asks, his voice filled with concern, and slightly slurred speech.

Beca rolls her eyes and watches her brother sit down. “Yeah, I’m fine.” She says once she knows the almost drunken mess next to her is ok. The brunette looks away, her mind yet again consumed by a bright flash of red.

“What’s up Becs?” Jesse asks. Not actually receiving more than a hum from his little sister as an answer.

It takes Beca a second to really clear her thoughts before she speaks up. “Just can’t wait for the wedding to be over.” She says with a sigh. “Just wanna be married already.” That was no lie. Once the wedding is over, she can be happy with Maddie. Maybe even manage to not see Chloe ever again.

Jesse grunts at his sisters' words. “You got a whole lifetime of that, sorellina (little sister).

Rolling her eyes, Beca mumbles a quick. “I know.”

“Enjoy your last night of liberty.” Jesse gently punches Beca on her should and tries to urge her to get up. “Come on!” Falling into an uncomfortable silence, seeing his sister really grind her thoughts together about the only person she has really loved, he takes a deep breath and frowns at the following words he says. “Do you wanna talk about it?”

“About what?” Beca asks, not really feeling in the mood. Nor wanting to make her brother uncomfortable.

“Look,” Jesse starts, not wanting to give up just yet. “is this about Chloe?” He asks, even though he clearly knows the answer to that question. “I’ve got to ask…” He adds when Beca looks away with an eye roll. “… have you still got feelings for her?”

Beca scoffs at the insinuation. “No, that would be really stupid. No.” She says defensively.

Clearing his throat, Jesse asks: “Are you sure?” Needing to know. He doesn’t want to see Beca, nor Maddie, hell not even Chloe hurt by this entire ordeal. When Beca doesn’t immediately say anything, Jesse just stares at her until she looks back at him.

Finally, Beca manages to breathe out a gentle “Yeah.”

“Allora…” (So…), Jesse draws out, falling into a giggle when he sees Beca’s smile coming back slowly. “Can we duct-tape you to a pole now, please?”

Beca mentally facepalms herself when she remembers her predicament. Yet it was a tradition in the family. Whoever gets married, will get duct-taped or bound to a pole. She rolls her eyes and whispers “In a minute.” Jesse takes this as a win and heads back inside to get Benji and Mike.

A few blocks away, Chloe walks out of the club into the night. Her mind filled with all and nothing at the same time. Yet one thing, one name keeps bouncing around without ever leaving Beca.

The redhead walks further away from the entrance and hides behind a corner. Tears are threatening to spill from her eyes. She starts to remember all the moments between her and Beca, how they talked even without speaking. “Lay a whisper, on my pillow. Leave the winter, on the ground.” The words all pour out of her in a rush. Remembering how she felt when Beca wasn’t there. “I wake up lonely, the stare of silence, in the bedroom, all around.”

A bad habit she had picked up over the years, yet one that could always soothe her nerves. Talking to herself when she’s alone. Pretending to be speaking to the brunette that holds her heart. “Touch me now, I close my eyes. And dream away.”

She pushes herself off the wall and starts walking to who knows where not caring about anything at that moment. “It must have been love,” Chloe quietly admits to herself, not ever having voiced the thought after having left Puglia 3 years ago. They had told each other as much, but they were young. They didn’t know what the word meant at the time. “But it’s over now.” She says almost melancholically.

“It must have been good, but I lost it somehow.” Think about the words she’s saying, the redhead becomes more confident and starts to really understand her feelings. “It must have been love, but it’s over now. From the moment we touched, till the time it ran out.”

On the other side of the small town square, Beca is still sitting at the edge of the fountain. Her mind running a million miles an hour. Trying to sort out what she and Chloe are, or better were. “Make-believing, we’re together. That I’m sheltered by your heart.” The brunette feels cheated. Hardly processing the fact that Chloe never loved her. “But in and outside I turned to water, like a teardrop in your palm.”

The brunette’s heart feels heavy. She hasn’t wrapped her head around meeting Maddie. Proposing to her so soon after they met, even though it did feel right at the time. Losing the love of her life… NO, she has met the love of her life. Maddie is supposed to be the love of her life. “And it’s a hard winter’s day, I dream away.” Shaking her head, Beca gets up and decides to walk around for a bit. Feeling a need to stretch her legs.

Chloe sighs heavily and looks up to the moon as she walks towards the fountain where Beca had been just moments ago. “It must have been love, but it’s over now. It was all that I wanted, now I’m living without.”

Beca doesn’t notice the equally distraught Chloe as she walks away in the exposit direction. “It must have been love, but it’ over now. It’s where the water flows. It’s where the wind blows…” She doesn’t get too far, as Mike grabs her and throws her over his shoulder. Laughing the night away together with Benji and Jesse.

Chloe hears the laughter and sees the four. She quickly hides behind a wall and peeks to see what’s going on. They don’t seem to notice her, being too drunk and busy, trying to keep Beca on Mikey’s shoulder.

Having just seen the brunette, even from a distance. Chloe knows what she has to do, there is no way she could stay here. She had to go, as far away as possible. No time for goodbyes. No time for explanation, I’m sorry’s’ or feelings. With a steady pace Chloe walks further away from the party, from her sister and Beca Mitchel.

She makes it home around 30 minutes later after hailing a cab. She rushed to her room and quickly packs her suitcase. The only thing she leaves out is her bride’s maid dress. She leaves it on the bed, needing to really let go of her past that will become the future in a few hours time.

While packing her bag with her favourite book she brought over to read in her spare time, she finds an old picture of her and Beca being as happy as they ever had seemed to be. Sighing heavily, she shoves the picture together with the book in her bag and heads out to where the cab is still waiting for her, to take her to the airport.

In the car, she can’t help but look back at the picture that once used to bring her joy. She ponders about how she could talk to her sister about this later on. If her sister would ever talk to her again that is.

Finally deciding it’s time to fully let go, Chloe lets the old picture fly out of the moving cab as she sheds a single tear. Goodbye Beca. Goodby Puglia. Good luck Maddie.

#fanfiction #fanfic #bechloe #beca mitchell #chloe beale #beca and chloe #Pitch Perfect #pitch perfect 2 #pitch perfect 3 #walking on sunshine bechloe mini fic

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princekunge · 4 years

Text

Betting on Boredom Chapter 9: Long Time No See

Taeyong x OC | Story Masterlist | Chapter 10

The airport was crowded, but the airport was always crowded. Couples walked arm in arm, parents chased after their children, families saying a final goodbye or new friends saying their first hello. Na Ri always liked airports, or she at least liked the idea of them. They seemed very poetic; like there was always a momentous occasion taking place within their walls. Na Ri and Ten had come to the airport to pick up Wendy; Seulgi had her radio show and wasn't able to make the trip and Johnny had a class. Ten also had a class he was supposed to be attending, but elected to come along anyway and skip because in his words, "Wendy was far more important than some dude named Ptolemy." Na Ri was pretty sure his professor would disagree, but she honestly didn't care.

"We should have made signs..." Ten grumbled as they stood side by side at the exit gate. "Wendy would have made signs for us."

"If you wanted to make a sign you could have." Na Ri responded searching the crowd that was leaving the gate. Wendy's plane had landed thirty minutes earlier so she should be there soon.

"But it's no fun if I do it on my own." He whined and pouted. "Oh! I think I see her!" His mood changing almost instantaneously.

And see her he did. Wendy stood out like a sore thumb in the crowd as she walked through the exit. Her hair was platinum blonde, a nice change from the orange it had been the last time she was here, and she wore a hot pink leather jacket off the shoulders showing off her black crop top that had the words "Hazard to Society" written on it. She spotted them almost immediately and a large smile appeared as she hurried over to Na Ri and Ten. "Oh my god guys I have missed you so so so much!" She said letting go of her carry on to give Na Ri and then Ten a big hug. Na Ri thought she was going to gag at the amount of perfume that hit her in the face when she did. "You have no idea how much of a bore it is back in Canada. Why my parents moved there I have no idea. I don't know if I can ever forgive them for it!" She said dramatically while Ten picked up her carry on.

"We're glad to have you back!" Na Ri smiled trying not to feel self conscious in her retro sweater, which suddenly looked more like it was outdated than retro.

"Did you wear that on the plane?" Ten asked eyeing the extremely high heels Wendy was sporting as well as the extremely short skirt as they made their way over to baggage pick up.

Wendy rolled her eyes, "Of course not darling! I changed when we landed. I couldn't possible meet my favorite cousin and my partner in crime in some nasty traveling clothes could I?" Suddenly she turned to Na Ri narrowing her eyes. "Speaking of my favorite cousin...why did I have to find out from Seulgi that you're spending a lot of time with Enemy No. 1"

"I am not! I have to write two articles about him for the paper! If it wasn't for the articles I would be steering far away from him!" Na Ri defended.

"Oh really?" Wendy said raising an eyebrow at her. "Then what is this bet I've heard about? Speaking of which-" She turned to Ten, "-I'm putting my money on Na Ri losing."

"Wendy!!" Na Ri exclaimed her jaw dropping. "What kind of betrayal!"

"Oh come on sweetie, have you seen Taeyong? That boy is all kinds of sexy." Wendy responded fanning herself while Na Ri made a disgusted face. "Plus Ten sent me that NCT 127 photo, oof I could feel the sexual tension through the phone girl!"

Na Ri shot Ten a glare to which he just grinned back at her. "Obviously you are delusional and I am going to kill NCT 127 when I find out who he is."

Wendy smirked, "Honey I am a lot of things, but delusional is not one of them."

They stood at the baggage claim waiting for the bags to come, passing the time making small talk. Wendy complained about the long flight and how she had been stuck next to some old man who kept trying to hit on her. Wendy, never one known for her tact, had promptly told him to 'fuck off'. Ten, much to the reluctance of Na Ri, had filled Wendy in on the rest of the Taeyong drama that Seulgi had not shared. The conveyor belt started to move and the bags began to show up slowly. Wendy's bright pink bag was easy to spot amongst all the black and Ten quickly grabbed it for her when she pointed it out. The three of them took a taxi back to campus, leaving the airport quickly behind them.

"I'm going to have to reach out to Chan sometime today and see what I missed with the boys." Wendy said scrolling through her phone as they road through the city. "I wonder if Yeri is still upset about Minho" She said with a malicious smile.

"I mean if I found my boyfriend making out with another girl I would still be pretty upset about it." Na Ri commented.

"She had it coming" Wendy defended, "She called me a bitch and ruined my favorite pair of pants by spilling wine all over them the day before."

Na Ri looked over at Wendy, "She did? You never told me that part of the story."

"I didn't? I must have told Ten then." Wendy shrugged not looking up from her phone.

"Yeah you came over to my dorm that night and slept in Johnny's bed since he was gone." Ten added.

"Oh yeah, I forgot about that. I think I was pretty drunk at that point." Wendy said thinking for a moment. "Speaking of Johnny am I actually going to meet him this time or did he magically disappear again. I keep hearing about him, but never meeting him. I'm starting to think he's avoiding me."

Ten rolled his eyes, "No he's not avoiding you. But trust me you're going to find him boring."

Na Ri raised her eyebrows at her friend, "Wow a little harsh there you think?"

"What it's true! I'm not saying he's boring, I'm saying that Wendy will find him boring. Is he not the most responsible member of our friend group?" Ten defended. "Honestly I don't think they're going to get along."

Na Ri thought about it for a second, "Yeah....that's true...."

"Oh a challenge!" Wendy said looking excitedly at Ten. "I've always liked a challenge."

"Oh no" Ten meeting her gaze. "Whatever it is you're thinking I can already tell it's a bad idea."

"But you're my partner in crime" Wendy pouted crossing her arms, "You're supposed to encourage my bad ideas."

"When those bad ideas include my roommate and friend I'm not so sure." Ten replied.

"I'm staying out of it." Na Ri mumbled looking at her phone.

When they reached campus Wendy declared that she needed to take a nap and quickly collapsed on Na Ri's bed. Ten then left to go to class, stating that he couldn't miss all of his classes, just the ones that weren't important. Which left Na Ri alone in the dorm room with a sleeping Wendy wondering what on earth she had gotten herself into as she looked through her wardrobe deciding what she should wear that night. "It wasn't a date. This is not a date. It isn't a date..." She mumbled to herself as she stared at her clothes "...but what am I going to wear?" She quickly texted Taeyong asking for details on where they would be eating.

TYTrack: Glad to see you're excited, sadly I'm not taking you somewhere fancy tonight, just to that sushi place right off campus. See you at 6 ;)

Na Ri looked at her phone in disgust. She was NOT excited about this. Deciding it wasn't worth the effort to respond she put her phone back in her back pocket before going back to looking at her closet. She had been to the sushi place once or twice before so she had an idea of what kind of outfit would be appropriate. She started taking shirts out of the closet and holding them up in front of the mirror, before tossing them away on the floor. So much for having a clean dorm room.

Seulgi came in a few minutes later to find Wendy snoring on Na Ri's bed and Na Ri angrily staring at her closet surrounded by a pile of clothes. "Really Na Ri?? We Just cleaned" She whispered as to not wake up Wendy. Any peace and quiet you could get when Wendy was around was precious.

Na Ri looked over at her friend and then down at the mess she had made, "Oh...sorry..."

"What are you doing?" Seulgi asked dropping her backpack on the ground next to the door before going to sit on her bed.

"Well...." Na Ri hesitated knowing eventually she would have to tell them she was going out. "I'm trying to decide what to wear for tonight. Taeyong is treating me to dinner."

"What!" Seulgi exclaimed, before quickly looking over at Wendy to see if she had woken her. "You're going on a date with Taeyong??" She continued again in a whisper.

"It's not a date!" Na Ri whispered yelled back. "He wanted to thank me for the article...plus he said it's not fair for the bet if I don't give him a chance."

"Oh my god it's totally a date!" Seulgi whispered yelled back to which Na Ri groaned. "What are you going to wear?"

"It's NOT a date! And do I look like I know? Why do you think half of my closet is on the floor?" Na Ri whisper yelled back.

Seulgi jumped up from her bed excitedly. "Let me help! I am going to make you look so hot!" She said quietly clapping her hands together.

"We're just going to that sushi place off campus. It's not exactly a I-need-to-look-hot location, plus I'm not sure I can pull off hot. I can be quirky and cute, but hot??" Na Ri replied shaking her head as Seulgi began to go through the closets. "Besides why would I want to look hot for Taeyong? The bet is whether or not I fall in love with him, not the other way around."

Seulgi gave her a withering look. "One, never pass up the opportunity to look hot, which you CAN pull off by the way. Two, Make. Him. Eat. His. Heart. Out. You want to win the bet? Make him suffer for it. You'll be able to say you got the hottest boy on campus drooling after you and you turned him down." Seulgi pulled out a black and white plaid skirt and handed it to Na Ri "Here, wear this, with that black cropped sweater and those boots. Plus I'll do your make up."

"Isn't this your favorite skirt?" Na Ri asked looking at the skirt in her hands.

Seulgi nodded as she handed the aforementioned sweater and boots to her, "Yes it is, so if you get anything on it I will kill you."

"Noted." Na Ri replied.

"My dear cousin...when were you going to mention to me that you had a date with Enemy No. 1?" A voice spoke up from Na Ri's bed. Like a deer caught in the headlights Na Ri turned to face Wendy who had raised her eyebrow at her and giving her a smile that spelled trouble.

"Uhhhh...it's not a date?" Na Ri replied but it came out more like a question.

Wendy scoffed as she picked herself up off the bed and ran her hand through her hair. "Yeah sure it's not" She rolled her eyes. "Whatever, Let me help do your hair for this 'not date', cause Seulgi's right. You're going to have him eating out of the palm of your hand" Na Ri wasn't so sure she agreed, but decided arguing with her would be a lost cause.

By the time the girls finished with her hair and make up it was almost six. Na Ri felt like a different person, a much hotter and cooler person. She had to admit that Seulgi and Wendy had done a great job in her transformation. Her phone buzzed and she saw that Taeyong had texted to say he was downstairs. "Alright girls...He's here." Na Ri stated her heart rate increasing suddenly feeling nervous.

"Don't worry you got this. You look hot. He's going to be wishing he could get some of this action tonight." Wendy said winking at her.

"What are you going to be doing tonight?" Na Ri asked. "I feel bad that I'm abandoning you on your first night here."

Wendy smiled, again another smile that spelled trouble, "Oh I texted Woojin and Chan, I'll be visiting their frat house tonight. Woojin owes me a little something from the last time I was here."

Na Ri gave Seulgi a worried look. "Good luck." She said.

"You too," Seulgi replied giving her a squeeze on the shoulder before Na Ri left their dorm room heading downstairs to the waiting Taeyong.

CB97: Wendy spotted on campus

TeddyBearWJ: Yeah she texted me already saying she was coming over tonight

TeddyBearWJ: Mentioned that Na Ri was going on a date with Taeyong so she was free

CB97: WHAT

CB97: NA RI AND TAEYONG???

CB97: I gotta text Jaehyun this is monumental

TeddyBearWJ: Did you miss the part where i said Wendy was coming over?

CB97: Oh shit right...hold on I'll be back soon

#betting on boredom #taeyong x oc #taeyong fanfic #taeyong fanfiction #nct x oc #nct fanfiction #nct fanfic #nct 127 fanfic #nct 127 fanficiton

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camillemontespan · 5 years

Text

oblivion [raleigh carrera] [part two: leap of faith]

Part One if you want to catch up

Warnings: Discussion of drugs, near death

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

Fiona gave Raleigh the green light in the end. After their heated argument regarding Marina’s care, she threw her hands up and said, ‘Fine. Do it your way, look after her instead of sending her to rehab. I’ll just tell you I told you so.’

She stormed out of the room, rejecting phone calls from media outlets who were desperate to find out about the fallen popstar who lay asleep in the hospital bed.

Raleigh sighed and slouched down onto the chair by the head. He picked up the TV remote control and turned on the television. The voices of newsreaders filled the room.

‘Marina Cortez, the 25 year old singer who has dominated the music charts this past year, has been taken to hospital after a suspected drugs overdose,’ the news anchor told the viewer. ‘Please note, the following video images may be difficult for you to watch as they are graphic in nature.’

The screen then switched to a shaky video of Marina, lying comatose in a stretcher, being loaded into an ambulance. Paparazzi surrounded the vehicle and members of the public were taking photos on their phones, filming and shouting her name. Raleigh clenched his fists, wishing he could jump into the TV screen and beat them all to a pulp.

The screen reverted back to the newsroom. The news anchor turned to his co-host. ‘Katie, what do you think about this? She’s hit rock bottom, hasn’t she?’

The female co-anchor with a huge blowdry and face caked in bronzer nodded, trying to look sad. ‘Absolutely, Gerald. This is a far cry from the innocent girl we were introduced to on One in a Million. She is pictured falling out of clubs, screaming at paparazzi, wearing next to nothing.. It’s such a shame.’

The screen changed to a video of Marina in her car being surrounded by paparazzi. She was wearing aviator sunglasses and her black hair was pulled up into a messy bun. Raleigh knew she was wearing sunglasses because she was crying but didn’t want anyone to know; it was a thing she admitted to him before they parted ways. ‘Move bitch!’ she was screaming at the camera. ‘Fucking move or I will run you over!’

The screen switched back to the blowdried newsreader and her Botoxed beyond belief male colleague.

‘Hopefully, she will make it back to the nation’s good graces,’ Gerald said and that was when Raleigh turned the TV off in disgust. Why did Marina have to apologise? Why did she have to make the effort? THEY were the ones who destroyed her. The paparazzi were like rabid dogs, the fans were relentless with their adoration and expectations for Marina to be perfect all the fucking time. The newsreaders who discussed her on their breakfast shows like she was nothing. They had made her into a commodity, forgetting that she was a person

She was a 25 year old girl from a tiny town in America. She had a little brother, Nico. She doted on her grandmother. She loved to read old books like Jane Austen and quote the passages to him. She liked going to football games. She loved her guitar.

He rested his head in his hands, trying to hold himself together.

Raleigh jumped when he heard the tiny, gentle voice beside him. ‘Hey Raleigh.’

He turned to see Marina looking at him, her eyes glimmering with tears. ‘Marina,’ he breathed, leaning down to pull her into a hug. His hand caressed the back of her head. She felt so small and fragile, like a little bird. He could feel her tears sliding down his neck.

‘Shh, honey, it’s okay,’ he whispered. ‘You’re safe. I got you.’

Her voice came out like a choke. ‘I’ve really fucked up, haven’t I?’

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

All Raleigh could do was hold her. He resisted every urge to kiss her desperately, begging her for forgiveness. When they parted, Marina lay back down but her pinkie finger was hooked around his. Tiny contact, but still contact.

‘You’re coming to stay with me,’ Raleigh told her. ‘I’ve cleared it with Fiona.’

Marina blinked. ‘Why am I staying with you?’

‘Because rehab clearly doesn’t work,’ he told her bluntly. ‘Plus I want to be there for you. I want to look after you, keep you safe-’

‘Why?’ Her voice was thick and she was looking down at her hands. ‘Everyone leaves me in the end. You left me. Why come back now?’

‘I’m so fucking sorry,’ Raleigh whispered. ‘I fucked up. I should never have left you in the first place. I promise, I’m not going to fail you again. I love you-’

He stopped talking. He hadn’t meant to say that.

Marina looked up at him now, her eyes big and watery. They were red rimmed; god, she looked awful. She looked broken.

‘How can you tell me you love me when you left me alone in the dark?’ she asked. ‘I needed you. I know it wasn’t obvious at the time but I really fucking needed you.’

Raleigh caught her hands, making her stop. ‘I know. I was wrong. I just want to make this up to you. Let me help. Please.’

It was like arguing with Fiona again. He was exhausted from having to repeat himself.

‘I heard you were on the way to the hospital and my heart stopped,’ he continued. ‘I thought this was it. I genuinely thought I was going to lose you.’

Marina was studying him now, wary. Raleigh persevered. ‘I knew that if I lose you, I’d never forgive myself. I have so many things I want to say to you, so many apologies, but nothing is going to change the fact that I abandoned you when you needed me most. I was selfish; I thought I was saving you by leaving, as I was the one who introduced you to drugs and everything else in the first place, but I realise now that I left because I was guilty. I could see you going down this dark path and I fucking knew it was my fault, so I left so I didn’t have to face the consequences.’

He sighed and looked down at the floor. ‘I was pathetic,’ he spat. ‘So, Marina, you being in this room right now.. It’s my fault. I’m so sorry. I got you into this mess so I’m going to get you out of it.’

The room was silent. Marina looked like she was going to cry again. ‘Rehab didn’t work for me,’ she whispered, finally. ‘What makes you think your methods are better?’

Raleigh smiled sadly. ‘Because I’ve been through this and my way works. You just got to take a leap of faith and trust me, Marina.’

Marina chewed her lip and looked conflicted. Raleigh worried that she would tell him to get out and take his knight in shining armor role with him.

But she didn’t.

‘Okay,’ she whispered. ‘I trust you.’

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

Raleigh left Marina to sleep. Striding with purpose down the hospital corridor, he went through the staff only hallways and out of the staff exit. Still no paparazzi at this door, thank God. Raleigh got into a cab and asked to be taken to his destination.

Marina’s apartment was on a boulevard filled with palm trees and upscale restaurants. She had come a long way in the world. Raleigh let himself into her building. The doorman recognised him and let him through.

Fiona had given Raleigh Marina’s key to the apartment. As he entered, he braced himself. He hadn’t been here for months.

The floor to ceiling windows in the open plan living room/kitchen looked out over the LA skyline. Raleigh ignored the bottles of vodka littered on the kitchen island and he ignored the white powder that was sprinkled haphazardly on the glass coffee table. He ignored the doorway to the bathroom where Marina had been found underwater

He found Marina’s suitcase in the dressing room and began to load it with clothes. Not her ‘famous’ clothes which consisted of crop tops, tiny dresses, high heels and ass grazing denim shorts. No. He picked out clothes that were comfortable; cosy oversized sweaters, cute t-shirts with slogans, jeans and suede boots. He found a scarf and hat.

Where they were going, the weather was not constant sunshine like LA. Where they were going was so different, it was going to be like another world.

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

Marina was discharged three days later after being kept under surveillance. Raleigh was waiting for her outside the hospital room, suitcases in hand. ‘Ready?’ he asked. Marina nodded mutely and eyed the suitcases.

‘You brought my suitcase?’

‘Yup. Packed it myself.’

Marina groaned. ‘Oh god, tell me it doesn’t have only bikinis and lingerie in it.’

Raleigh was about to protest but stopped when he saw her smiling. Good. She had a tiny bit of sparkle back. Marina took her suitcase and followed Raleigh as he lead her down the staff hallways.

‘How bad it is outside?’ she asked. ‘I imagine they want to eat me for breakfast.’

Raleigh grimaced. ‘Not good,’ he told her honestly. ‘But there’s no photographers out this way so we should be safe-’

They weren’t safe. Paparazzi were crowded out the secret exit and waiting for a glimpse of Marina. Clearly, someone had tattled to the press that Raleigh had been using secret doors to get in and out. Raleigh heard Marina whimper and he instinctively wrapped his arm around her, holding her close to him. ‘It’s okay, honey,’ he murmured. ‘Keep walking, the car is there.’

‘Marina! How are you feeling?’ one photographer shouted.

‘Give us a smile!’

‘Are you and Raleigh back together?’

‘Pop’s bad couple reunited!’

Raleigh kept Marina walking, trying his best to get her past. He could see her bodyguard, Hank, striding through the photographers towards them, with his hand out. ‘Get out of the way!’ Hank hollered. Raleigh passed Marina to Hank, who was basically a 6’6 human shield. Hank protected her from the swarm and managed to get her inside the car, keeping her hidden from the flashes.

‘Is she off to rehab?’ a photographer asked. ‘Surprised she’s still alive!’

Raleigh whipped around at that comment. ‘Who the fuck said that?!’

‘Raleigh, come on!’ Hank shouted, storming back to where Raleigh was being surrounded. ‘We don’t have time, get in the car.’

Hank grabbed him and hauled him to the vehicle, opening the door quickly and shoving him inside. Raleigh stewed on the thoughtless comment made by that photographer until he remembered he had more important things to deal with. He turned to see Marina with her head in her hands, crying quietly.

‘Marina, shh..’ he whispered, gently wrapping his arm around her. ‘It’s okay, you’re away from them.’

She looked at him with her brown eyes filled with anguish and croaked, ‘I wish I had fucking died.’

Horror filled Raleigh’s heart. He pulled her into his chest, holding her tight. ‘Don’t you fucking say such things, Marina,’ he said. ‘I won’t stand for it. I’m so relieved you’re here. You’re alive and I thank God that you’re beside me right now. We’re going to fight this, okay? Where we’re going, media can’t follow. They can’t stalk you or scare you. You’re safe.’

Marina rubbed her eyes harshly and let out a breath. ‘Where are we going?’

Raleigh smiled. ‘Michigan. My mom’s place.’

#platinum #Platinum fanfic #choices the stories you play #raleigh carrera

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